Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Solo Training Tips

I've been doing a lot of training on my own, and I thought I would share a few training tips with anyone interested in getting a good work-out in without having the benefit of a coach or partner to push you through it.

1) Start with stretches and a proper warm-up. I like to do static stretches for about 10 minutes. This is followed by 5 minutes of jump rope, 5 minutes of shadow boxing, and 5 minutes of dynamic stretches. If I have a really hard time moving (mornings have never been my strength!), I start off with a 20-30 minute light jog. A good warm-up is the key to a good work-out.

2) Write out the workout in detail, including how long each drill will take. This should help motivate you and keep you from cheating yourself by cutting the workout short.

3) Stick to things you know how to do. If you practice a new move with improper technique, you will only have to relearn the technique.

4) Repetition is key! This can get boring, so I try to do my workouts in a circuit. For example, I'll do 4 minutes of kicking techniques, 4 minutes of grappling with the grappling dummy, 4 minutes of footwork drills, and 4 minutes of combos. Then I take a minute rest and start again- this usually helps the time fly by.

5) Imagine an audience. When I'm feeling tired or just plain lazy, I imagine a pro scout is peeking through the window. It might sound silly, but it's usually enough to remind yourself to push the tempo.

6) Stick to simple drills. Oftentimes, the simplest drills are the best for developing skills. Power circuits, which involve things like jumps and weights, are best left for strength and conditioning coaches. Bag work is always a great drill that develops both skill and cardio.

7) Music motivates me! I have a playlist full of songs that keep me full of energy. When I start to get tired, I blast my favorite song and get back in the zone.

8) Shadow boxing is always good. It simulates a fight and brings all your skills together. Visualization is a great tool to use while shadow boxing; I always imagine my opponent standing in front of me and defend or attack accordingly.

Monday, December 16, 2013

All I want for Christmas...

I've been neglecting my blog a little this month. December is a crazy month to begin with, and this year it's even crazier than usual. On the 7th, I went to the Tampa area to watch Tom (my sparring partner) fight. It was a crazy, albeit fun, road trip. Even though they had no opponent for me and I was dying to get in the cage, I made a few great contacts and got offered a fight January 11th! They have the opponent for me already. To top it off, I have about 6 other fights scheduled between January and March. It's odd...at Tom's fight I was so desperate that I was tempted to piss off any local woman my size and convince her to take it to the cage, but now I have so many options that I need to pick and choose my fights. All I wanted for Christmas was a fight...and I got my present already!

Tom won his fight and it helped motivate everyone to keep training hard. I have 4 weeks to go until my fight, and I feel more prepared than ever. Keeping a training log has been a great asset to me. My trainer was the one who recommended that I keep a log of my training- I keep track of which drills I do, and how much time I spend on them. It's also great because I make note of what I need to improve and what I feel good about. I've been averaging 6 hours in the gym every day, 6 days a week and I feel like it's made a huge difference! MMA has definitely become a part-time (even full-time) job for me. At least it's paying off, if only in a mental and physical manner.

This month should go by quickly! Christmas is fast approaching. On December 28th, there will be a great UFC fight. Ronda Rousey will take on Miesha Tate. Tate has already lost to Rousey, and they have a huge rivalry that only grew during this season of The Ultimate Fighter. As one of the most popular female MMA fighters, Rousey has done a lot for the sport and she has a tremendous amount of talent. Tate is also a great fighter, and I'm sure the rivalry has ignited a fire in her and she'll come out of the gate with guns blazing. The fight is only 2 weeks before mine, so it will definitely help to keep me motivated.