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Breaking into M.M.A. Training Log

154K views 2K replies 38 participants last post by  KevinD 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all, I've been mostly lurking these forums for awhile now. A little introduction: I'm 20 years old, just wrapping up doing a little world travel. While I was in Thailand I got involved with a Muay Thai training camp called Tiger Muay Thai, and trained pretty hard for a month and loved it. I decided to see where this passion can take me, and have decided to aim to fight in my first M.M.A. fight at a local amateur venue in my town called Valley Fight this coming December. This means I have a lot of work to do.

I will be training at a local M.M.A. gym called Revolution Chilliwack, as well as training with my friend who also wants to fight within the year.

I'm 20 years old, Southpaw, 6'4 about 195lbs, muscular build from years of weightlifting (I've got an enormous journal on a bodybuilding website but alas, there's no point talking M.M.A. on a bodybuilding forum, so here I am) but relatively weak cardio, other weaknesses include an occassional occurence of shin splints and contact lenses. I've only trained Muay Thai for a month and that's basically all my training besides a bit of self taught boxing.

I'm wrapping up my travels now, sitting in Bangkok for a few more days. I checked out a nearby Muay Thai gym but it was a hole in the ground with some mats and wasn't cheap, so **** it. I'm doing bodyweight exercises and shadowboxing in my room to help maintain what I can.

I go home soon so training resumes on August 1st as I enroll in the MMA gym back home and in addition begin my own training with a partner to keep the total training time to about 3.5 hours a day, 5 days a week.

Training is 4 weeks on followed by 1 week rest, each week is 5 days training, alternating between 2 days set out like this:

Day 1 - Technique
Stretch
Shadowboxing
Hit Pads
Standup Sparring
Rolling
Stretch
Go to class

Day 2 - Conditioning
Stretch
Skipping
Weight Training (Divided into Push/Pull/Leg days focusing on functional strength, explosive power, and endurance.)
Heavy Bag
Speed Bag
Stretch
Go to class

Classes are as follows:
Mon - Beginner Jiu-Jitsu
Tue - M.M.A.
Wed - Beginner Jiu-Jitsu
Thur - Boxing + Muay Thai
Fri - Boxing + Muay Thai + M.M.A
Sat - Rest
Sun - Rest

Going to ease myself into it and build momentum; first week just go to the classes, second week go to the classes and do training every second day, then by the third I'm doing the full routine. Also going to start light on my weights and build momentum over the weeks as powerlifters do.

I've also wrote up a flexible diet that I believe I can maintain pretty easily. I'll add the details once I've gone through with it for awhile in case any changes need to be made. What's important is the 6000 mostly healthy calories to exceed my maintenance level for a gradual weight gain.

Supplements are Protein/Creatine Monohydrate/Multivitamin/Fish Oil, considering a pre-workout supp like N.O. Xplode but don't really need the extra hit to the wallet or a caffeine dependency, so we'll see on that one.

I picked up all my gear to train out here in Thailand for nice and cheap. Got 16oz gloves, shin guards, wraps, mouth guard, and headgear. My friend has bought all of these things as well as some Thai kicking pads and a round timer, so we're all equipped and ready to go.

I'm aiming for December for my premier amateur M.M.A. bout. Wish me luck and feel free to pass on advice. I'm gonna tear a hole into this guy. :thumb02:

Some relevant links
Tiger Muay Thai, Phuket, Thailand:http://www.tigermuaythai.com
Revolution Chilliwack, Chilliwack, Canada:http://www.revolutionfightteam.com
Valley Fight, Chilliwack, Canada:http://www.valleyfight.com
 
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#1,075 ·
Did a BJJ class! First class I've done since the concussion and I'm testing the waters. I felt pretty weak most of the class and started getting dizzy right after the warm up. It's manageable, but I think I have a bit of a road ahead of me before I fight again.

The good news is I am itching to fight again, the daydreams are returning and I've clued in that a normal life still feels pretty boring. Miss training. Jiu jitsu the most. I went to the event I was supposed to fight at this past weekend. The guy who beat me for my first loss defeated the guy that I was supposed to be fighting that night in a tough battle.

I'm moving out of town at the end of the month, I'll be closer to my old gym in the hometown and I'll be popping in there more often as I get myself back into shape. I'll also be logging the mileage to drop in at other gyms for classes or more importantly sparring when I'm good to go again.

On a larger scale, I'll likely only do a few more fights. I've come far along enough on this journey to know that it's not in my path to make it to a high level. Sounds like a bit of a defeatist attitude, but I don't feel its anything less than realistic. I'm not naturally athletic, I don't learn particularily fast, I'm not very coordinated, I have shitty natural vision, my will is far from unbreakable, and I don't have any financial backing. The game gets tighter and tougher every year, the talent pool grows exponentially. With that said, if I stayed on my grind and really applied myself for the next 10 years or so, I think I could make it decently far as a journeyman. However, fighting is devouring. That's an incredibly dedicated path that would be riddled with risk; injuries, financial strain, brain damage, etc. In the end you have to think about what you want out of life. These things are manageable for awhile, and I've enjoyed the challenges, but is it something you want to make a life out of? Do you want to live above the minimum income?Buy a house one day? Have a comfortable career? A family? To travel? To party, drink, and eat? To have a healthy body and clear mind? All that stuff has to be on the backburner to get far.

It's really okay too, you don't need a meteoric rise to the top to get something valuable out of the sport. My intent going into it was largely just as a personal test for myself growing up as a shy, unathletic kid. I'm in fantastic shape, more confident, have formed lifelong hobbies, can obviously defend myself, met some awesome and inspiring people, got a healthy taste and new respect for a sport I'm a huge fan of, and have some of my own attention and glory. I figured if you're not in school in your 20's, you should at least be doing something interesting with yourself while you can.

Anyways, that's my livejournal post of the year, back to the grind.
 
#1,079 ·
BJJ

Both classes today, once again felt super weak and lightheaded during warm up. Luckily the pace of jiu jitsu class is pretty laid back and once on the ground I felt better. Did alright in guard passes and rolling, definitely less mobile but most of the instincts are still kicking around and I'm conserving energy and using my weight. Got armbarred by the brown belt instructor. Moving out of this town tomorrow.
 
#1,080 ·
Workout B
Squats: 5,2@295lbs
Powercleans: 5,5,5@130lbs
Military Press: 5,5,5@130lbs
Chinups: 8,8,5@b/w+7.5lbs
Shrugs: 8,8,8@95lb DB's

Hanging Knee Raises 15, 12
Cable Crunch 10,10 @ 100
Lying Full Leg Raises 10,10


295 seems to be my wall on squats. Was hoping to hit 315 before switching programs, we'll see.
 
#1,085 ·
Workout B
Squats: 5,4@295lbs
Powercleans: 5,5,5@135lbs
Military Press: 5,5,5@135lbs
Chinups: 8,6,5@b/w+7.5lbs


Workout A
Squats 4 @295lbs
Bench Press 5,5,5 @190lbs
Deadlift 3 @335lbs
Dips 8,6,4@b/w+30lbs

Hanging Knee Raises 15, 12
Cable Crunch 10,10 @ 100
Lying Full Leg Raises 10,10

Squats gains have capped off and are actually going backwards. Everything else is getting stronger though. Switching to explosive/endurance geared workouts next week. Will probably still try a squats/bench/deadlift day every now and then.

Went for another run afterwards this time at a track, couldn't get my run app on my phone to track the length but I jogged like 5 laps with a bit of walking inbetween.

Back to an MMA schedule on monday.
 
#1,088 ·
A little anaerobic circuit. Trying to do damage control on this whole slacking period since june.


Circuit 5 rounds 3mins on, 1 min off

Prisoner Squats 20,20+3,20,20
Hindu Pushups 10,10,10,10,10
Leg Checks 40,40,40,40,40
Lunge Jumps 15,15,15,15,15
Sit Ups 20,20,20,15,13

Wimpy Neck Bridge circuit 2 sets
Neck Bridge 1:00
Reverse Neck Bridge 1:00
Neck Crunches 50x
Neck Side to Sides 50x

Still set on starting at new gym on monday.
 
#1,090 ·
Circuit 5 rounds 3mins on, 1 min off
Prisoner Squats 20+13,20+6,20+3,20,20
Hindu Pushups 10,10,10,10,10
Leg Checks 40,40,40,40,40
Lunge Jumps 15,15,15,15,15
Sit Ups 20,20,20,18,17


Same circuit. Almost passed out afterwards. Didn't make it to the gym yesterday as I had planned. Feeling moody and lethargic lately still, seeing doctor today.
 
#1,091 · (Edited)
Wow, haven't updated in awhile. Still lazy. Started running a bit more, and changed my routine back to the GSP Endurance Complexes, starting today.

Workout A
Squats 5,2 @295lbs
Bench Press 5,3 @195lbs
Deadlift 5 @335lbs
Dips 8@b/w+30lbs
Chinup 8@b/w+8lbs


Jogging 6 laps, 2 walked


Workout A
Squats 5,3@295lbs
Deadlift 3@335lbs
Bench 3@190lbs


Jogging 6 laps, 1.5 walked, 3 sets of 10 pushup burpees


Jogging 7 laps, 2 walked, 4 sets of 10 pushup burpees



GSP Leg Day Barbell Complex:
Repeat cycle 3 times, rest 90 seconds Barbell Weight:50lbs


Deadlifts 5,5,5
Stiff Leg Deadlifts: 5,5,5
Cleans 5,5,5
Front Squats 5,5,5
Push Press( to put weight behind head) 1,1,1
Squats: 5,5,5
Good Mornings 5,5,5
Single Leg Bodyweight Squats 1 set to failure on each leg 15,9,8
Jumping Lunges: 1 set to failure 5,4,4@b/w
Jump Squats: 1 set to failure 5,4,4@b/w



Weight is 216lbs, 12.1% b/f
 
#1,093 ·
MEGA Soreness from the first day back on GSP workout, luckily I didn't need my legs for much today.

Upper Body Pull Cycle:
Repeat cycle 3 times, rest 90 seconds between

High Pull: 5,5,5@110lbs
Chin ups: 8,3,2@b/w
Overhead Cable Pulls: 30,30,30@30lbs
Barbell Rows 11,9,6@110lbs
DB Curls 7,5,4@40lb db's

Abs Cycle:
Repeat cycle 2 times, rest 90 seconds between


Hanging Knee Raises: 12,12,12
Medicine Ball Stir The Pot: 12,12,12
Cable Crunch 15,15,15@80

Had to change up a few things to make it work in a crowded weight room.

215lbs 12.2% b/f
 
#1,095 ·
Upper Body Push Cycle:
Repeat cycle 3 times, rest 90 seconds (every bodyweight excer. done to failure)
Warmup Military Press 12@bar

Military Press 6,6,6@80lbs
DB Bench W/ Dropset 6,6,6@60lbs 8@40lbs 20@20lbs single handed
Lateral Flys 12,12,12@20lbs
Skullcrushers 8,8,8@45lbs
Pushups 15,10,6
Rear Dips 7,7,7
Dips 2,2,1
Pushups 6,5,3
Rear Dips 3,5,6
Dips 1,1,1
 
#1,096 ·
Very informative. Do you have training programs for sparring? Does not matter if it's live or with a submission master grappling dummy as long as it's a quality session. Hopefully you could post some training programs soon. Thanks for this one. I'm out of shape so I might wanna modify this a little bit. Lighten things up. Cheers!
 
#1,098 ·
Went to Mamba MMA under Kultar Gill to try out the gym. Kajan was guest teaching the first class and showed us some techniques he picked up at his recent trip to Tri-Star. Some attacks on turtle and follow ups if they try to stand up. Then Kultar did muay thai, and we just worked light technique on pads. Kultar wants me going very very light and just focusing on technique for a month. So I'll do that and lay off the weights.
 
#1,101 ·
Jiu jitsu and Muay Thai classes. Not going to go through them thoroughly, I'm just glad I'm showing up again. :)

The end of this big metal poll clunked me on the head at work the other day. Just my luck when I'm recovering from a concussion. Feels okay, but it gave a reasonable gash.



I glued it up and its healing fine, but definitely looks like the result of a downward elbow or something.
 
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