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One of the most underrated parts of training regime. Either devolves into "warm-up" or flea-hunting, which has nothing to do with initial goal of this exercise.
Biggest game changers to your training?
- Thread starter MilesP4P
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Fighting is one of the few things I enjoy in life.
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1) Replacing a lot of the running by more shadowboxing/bag work.
Less injuries (I used to run since age 10 up to 25, 3-4 days a week at least), and improved technique (which leads to improved cardio as well).
2) I also monitor my heart rate to be sure I work on the energy systems I want to work on.
So if I want to work the aerobic system (you should have a HR between 70% and 80% of your max HR to do so), instead of going for a 40min 8k like I used to do before, I shadowbox for 40 minutes, non-stop ((my HR is generally around 73% of max HR by doing so, a bit more when I shadowkickbox, with lows around 70% and sometimes peaking up to almost 80%).
If I want to work on the anaerobic system, I do 5 hard rounds on the bag, 1 minute rest between them (I sometimes peak around 90% and go down to 80% sometimes, but I manage to keep it pretty consistent at 85%).
If I want to work on max effort, then I do hill sprints, as it's the only way I've found to spike up my HR that hard.
https://beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=3074
Of course I train "normally" without thinking too much about HR and stuff, just doing my thing, and after the training, I look at my Data and am happy when it shows that I worked the energy systems I wanted to work on. But never ever change your style so that it fits your heart rate zones.
Maybe what I do is not applicable to everyone (many sherbros claim they have benefited from running) but for me, running less and doing more of the sport I want to be good at was the best idea I've ever had (but maybe that's because I already had a very solid cardio base).
In the end of the day, you want to train a lot, to be consistent with your training, so it has to be fun. And the funniest thing for me is to work a lot on technique, I could do that for hours. I want to be good in bjj, striking, openwater swimming, climbing, surfing, and I love to work on those skills. Fuck the boring S and C.
Now, if I was a pro, would I have to do S and C? Probably yes. But as an amateur, I'd rather train 20 hours a week always enjoying it and crosstraining a lot rather than only training 12 hours because I'm too bored to do more.
Less injuries (I used to run since age 10 up to 25, 3-4 days a week at least), and improved technique (which leads to improved cardio as well).
2) I also monitor my heart rate to be sure I work on the energy systems I want to work on.
So if I want to work the aerobic system (you should have a HR between 70% and 80% of your max HR to do so), instead of going for a 40min 8k like I used to do before, I shadowbox for 40 minutes, non-stop ((my HR is generally around 73% of max HR by doing so, a bit more when I shadowkickbox, with lows around 70% and sometimes peaking up to almost 80%).
If I want to work on the anaerobic system, I do 5 hard rounds on the bag, 1 minute rest between them (I sometimes peak around 90% and go down to 80% sometimes, but I manage to keep it pretty consistent at 85%).
If I want to work on max effort, then I do hill sprints, as it's the only way I've found to spike up my HR that hard.
https://beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=3074
Of course I train "normally" without thinking too much about HR and stuff, just doing my thing, and after the training, I look at my Data and am happy when it shows that I worked the energy systems I wanted to work on. But never ever change your style so that it fits your heart rate zones.
Maybe what I do is not applicable to everyone (many sherbros claim they have benefited from running) but for me, running less and doing more of the sport I want to be good at was the best idea I've ever had (but maybe that's because I already had a very solid cardio base).
In the end of the day, you want to train a lot, to be consistent with your training, so it has to be fun. And the funniest thing for me is to work a lot on technique, I could do that for hours. I want to be good in bjj, striking, openwater swimming, climbing, surfing, and I love to work on those skills. Fuck the boring S and C.
Now, if I was a pro, would I have to do S and C? Probably yes. But as an amateur, I'd rather train 20 hours a week always enjoying it and crosstraining a lot rather than only training 12 hours because I'm too bored to do more.
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I enjoy the drinking, but the drinking doesn't enjoy me.
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I have been training for 25 years now and I have several real nexus moments which changed my whole approach to my training:
1) When I first started, I had the bad habit of turning my back when I was getting pressured hard. About 6 months in to training, I had an instructor drill this habit out of me. He would pressure me and press me back from one side of the gym to another, stop me, turn me around, and then do it again. He wouldn't let me off when I turned my back. I was forced to trust my defence and maintain eye contact with my opponent. This made a big difference to my defences and my martial outlook in general.
2) About 10 years in, I was sparring a lot with a 6'3" rangey southpaw and I was having a lot of trouble with him. At one point, he said in an offhand comment, that he lost sight of me when I dipped into my slips. I didn't have any idea of that effect. So I started lowering my stance and exploring different positions. My overall style changed to use more head movements, sit into my punches, using my legs more to create leverage and pressured coming in much more.
3) About 15 years in, I discovered Muay Chaiya on the net and I fell in love with it's defensive system. I hunted every bit of knowledge on the net I could but it wasn't enough. I was lucky to find a Chaiya teacher relatively near by. I trained with him for 3 years and I learnt a hell of a lot. I still love the defensive system, the rolling guard, and the hard driving into very powerful kicks. The only reason I stopped training with him was because he moved back to Thailand. I still try to preserve these techniques as much as possible.
4) About 3-4 years ago, I bought a new house and turned my double garage into my personal gym. I had my bags, floor mats, and a huge TV. I was no longer restricted to training at class times or when the gym was open. I also had no excuse for not training, where some excuses could be made to leave my house and go to the gym. I could train when and how I wanted. I could watch movies, TV shows or fights whilst I trained. It is my ultimate man cave and I spend most of my time in there. Even when I don't intend to do a training session, I might just move around my gym whilst watching TV or playing Xbox, and before I know it, I have been moving constantly for hours. It has changed my relationship with my training, where I focused more on consistent movement, as opposed to hardcore training sessions. My old body is thanking me for this.
5) About 2 years ago, I bought an old second hand fitbit and I was shocked at how high my resting heart rate was. My resting heart rate was in the low 50s for the majority of my life, and the fitbit was telling me it was in the low 90s. I felt great shame. I stopped running years ago, preferring to work on maintaining maximum intensity as long as possible, usually with a weights vest, ankle and hand weights. I still hate running but I have incorporated hard, fast, skirmishing shadow to my workouts as my main cardio work. I will do approx. 45-90 minutes of skirmishing shadow almost every day. I still mix in bag work on a regular basis. My body feels much better, less sore the next day, my stamina and footwork has improved, my resting heart rate has dropped to high 60s (still trying to reduce it), and I am enjoying my overall training more.
1) When I first started, I had the bad habit of turning my back when I was getting pressured hard. About 6 months in to training, I had an instructor drill this habit out of me. He would pressure me and press me back from one side of the gym to another, stop me, turn me around, and then do it again. He wouldn't let me off when I turned my back. I was forced to trust my defence and maintain eye contact with my opponent. This made a big difference to my defences and my martial outlook in general.
2) About 10 years in, I was sparring a lot with a 6'3" rangey southpaw and I was having a lot of trouble with him. At one point, he said in an offhand comment, that he lost sight of me when I dipped into my slips. I didn't have any idea of that effect. So I started lowering my stance and exploring different positions. My overall style changed to use more head movements, sit into my punches, using my legs more to create leverage and pressured coming in much more.
3) About 15 years in, I discovered Muay Chaiya on the net and I fell in love with it's defensive system. I hunted every bit of knowledge on the net I could but it wasn't enough. I was lucky to find a Chaiya teacher relatively near by. I trained with him for 3 years and I learnt a hell of a lot. I still love the defensive system, the rolling guard, and the hard driving into very powerful kicks. The only reason I stopped training with him was because he moved back to Thailand. I still try to preserve these techniques as much as possible.
4) About 3-4 years ago, I bought a new house and turned my double garage into my personal gym. I had my bags, floor mats, and a huge TV. I was no longer restricted to training at class times or when the gym was open. I also had no excuse for not training, where some excuses could be made to leave my house and go to the gym. I could train when and how I wanted. I could watch movies, TV shows or fights whilst I trained. It is my ultimate man cave and I spend most of my time in there. Even when I don't intend to do a training session, I might just move around my gym whilst watching TV or playing Xbox, and before I know it, I have been moving constantly for hours. It has changed my relationship with my training, where I focused more on consistent movement, as opposed to hardcore training sessions. My old body is thanking me for this.
5) About 2 years ago, I bought an old second hand fitbit and I was shocked at how high my resting heart rate was. My resting heart rate was in the low 50s for the majority of my life, and the fitbit was telling me it was in the low 90s. I felt great shame. I stopped running years ago, preferring to work on maintaining maximum intensity as long as possible, usually with a weights vest, ankle and hand weights. I still hate running but I have incorporated hard, fast, skirmishing shadow to my workouts as my main cardio work. I will do approx. 45-90 minutes of skirmishing shadow almost every day. I still mix in bag work on a regular basis. My body feels much better, less sore the next day, my stamina and footwork has improved, my resting heart rate has dropped to high 60s (still trying to reduce it), and I am enjoying my overall training more.
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Yep besides sparring reps you need those full power pads/bag reps. By full power I don’t mean hard as you can but fight pace like you said
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Using the slip bag, i swear my head movement got so much better. I felt dumb doing it, but it 100% paid off.
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Back when I actually trained and competed...
Branching out and working with other gyms or people and seeing their methods. Getting different looks and out of normal comfort zone paid dividends... plus met some really great people.
Branching out and working with other gyms or people and seeing their methods. Getting different looks and out of normal comfort zone paid dividends... plus met some really great people.
