Maintaining fitness

Khannie

So....I've been training like a man possessed hoping I'd have a fight two weeks from now, but I've just heard it's definitely off now.

I've /definitely/ never been fitter but the next chance I have of a fight is a few months away AFAIK. So....I'd like to maintain my current level of fitness but I'm happy to ease off for a bit too (i.e. not get much fitter, at least until after christmas) as it's taking its toll on family life.

My current regime has been an average of 1-3 hours a day, 6 days a week, some aerobic, some anaerobic.

My question is this: How much would I need to do on a weekly basis just to maintain my current level? Assume my diet is good / excellent and I'm on maintenance calories. Weight gain is not an option.

Colm_OReilly

Khannie,

Did you go from say a B- level to an A+ level of fitness? i.e. Did you aim to peak for this fight and structure your training accordingly?

Without knowing your routine, I'd say the best thing you can do is work on getting stronger for the next fight opportunity. If you ditch one of your cardio sessions in favour of an extra heavy session, while keeping up the pad work (provided, of course, you're not bollixed by it) it would be a good idea.

Ideally, if you could integrate some Olympic Lifts into your routine that would really help with your power output.

Again, this advice is based on a complete ignorance of what you have been doing. But I hope it's helpful

Colm

t-ha

First off, I'm not super experienced with fight prep or anything, but with training generally it's pretty much impossible to peak and hold it for any length of time (hence the term 'peaking'). I'd go with Colm's suggestion of improving some specific qualities like strength/power and then peaking your speed and fitness again before the next fight.

Also, keeping tight control of your diet would allow you to stay lean, so at least you wouldn't need to worry about that?

Khannie

Thanks for the reply Colm (edit: and t-ha...saw after)

I wouldn't say I'm A+. I could be fitter, but not by a /huge/ amount. I did aim to peak on the fight date alright.

Average day at the moment has been swimming (usually 1 - 1.25 km) or gym at lunchtime for aerobic then a HIIT session at home with weights and a round timer (or the bag with round timer) in the evening or a MT class (padwork, sparring, etc.).

Days that I'm not in the office I'd sub the swimming for a run / cycle.

I do want to ease off on the amount of exercise I'm doing for real life reasons, but I don't want to lose what I've worked hard to gain either.

edit: Started replying to colm ages ago, so didn't see your post t-ha. Thanks. Yeah, I plan on avoiding weight gain at all costs really. I've discovered that it's very hard to shift that last kilo or two. On the other hand...I did treat myself to pancakes for breakfast this morning for the first time in I can't remember how long.

The Shane

Sorry if i should know this, but what sport? Boxing, Kickboxing, MMA? What round structure?


I hate the LSD approach that a lot of fight trainers recommend.

I was boxing the other night and someone actually earnestly said to me "lay off the weights, they'll slow you down!".

Shane, The

Khannie

The Shane wrote: »

Sorry if i should know this, but what sport?

No reason you should know it. It's Muay Thai.

There are lots of different views on the best way to train for fighting. Some say more weights, some say run run run, etc.

TBH I just listen to the what the bridgestone man tells me to do. I supplement it with whatever I've picked up along the way...but the reality is that I'll never have the experience that he has. He's trained a lot of winners, so I respect that and go with it.

The Shane

I thought maybe you would have mentioned it on the SDMA boards and I should know it, or worse still that I might know you in the World and not have made the connection.

For Muay Thai you will not be required to put forth an effort that will last longer than 15 minutes and they will allow you a break within this 15 minutes. While there are crossover benefits from long distance training, they diminish the more you do.

Like Colm said I'd try to up my strength. Maybe add a solid Met-Con session or two in there, and reduce the long slow distance work.

Not to say anything against your coach, but the whole LSD thing is a popular misconception and permeates most training regimes. So he could be a great coach in a flawed system.

Shane, The

cowzerp

Khannie wrote: »

So....I've been training like a man possessed hoping I'd have a fight two weeks from now, but I've just heard it's definitely off now.

I've /definitely/ never been fitter but the next chance I have of a fight is a few months away AFAIK. So....I'd like to maintain my current level of fitness but I'm happy to ease off for a bit too (Weight gain is not an option.

What i'd reccommend for you Khannie is to keep up the skills training for your muay thai and start working on physical weaknesses such as flexibility or if your legs where weak etc..

keep the diet healthy and ease off on the overall intensity of cardio sessions, 5-6 weeks prior to your next fight start working on peak fitness again and continue your skills training and maintaining your strenght levels, hope this helps!

Khannie

Cowserp: That seems like sound advice. Thanks.

The Shane wrote: »

I thought maybe you would have mentioned it on the SDMA boards and I should know it, or worse still that I might know you in the World and not have made the connection.

Hehe. Nah, nothing like that.

Colm_OReilly

You can rapidly diminish the long distance cardio and increase short, intense workouts without any major loss in your aerobic capacity.

Considering there's a lot of clinch in muay thai (depending of course on your strategy, stable, opponent) you want upper body endurance. Also, you want hip power (bloody obvious for a thai fighter) and the ability to transfer hip power to the upper body.

For that reason, solid, heavy metcons would be a good idea, considering they would increase "strength" and "cardio" together.

Elizabeth, Fran, Grace, and Isabel are some sexy workouts to get into. http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/faq.html#WOD0

Another thing is you could scale back the Thai sessions by dropping one session a week (if increased time off is your goal). Just make sure you put the work in during those other sessions!

Khannie

Nice one. That sounds spot on Colm. Cheers.

I've been deliberately working on rotational hip / torso power alright. Wouldn't hurt to get some variety in.