Jan 23rd

Another moderate session today, My shoulders are a bit sore from 4 days straight of bag work so stuck with:

10 minutes skipping
5 x 2 minutes sparring (hard and fast)
Work Capacity 101 (5 Pull Ups, 10 Med Ball Slams, 15 Burpees, 20 Jumping Jack) x 10 in 18 minutes

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

Jan 24th

Just a quick workout today because my fingers on my left hand won't open and close properly... again... thanks bag work

Shadow boxing - Just using the mirror to work technique and footwork

Magic 50 - Repeat the following 5 times for time
5 x 15kg dumbbell snatch right arm
5 x 15kg dumbbell snatch left arm
5 x 15kg dumbbell swing right arm
5 x 15kg dumbbell swing left arm
10 Burpees
TIME = 8.50

200 Sit Ups
50 x Evil Dead
50 x left side
50 x right side
30 x knee to elbow crunches
20 x alternate touch toes


(my time is getting a lot better for the Magic 50)

17/01/09 - 9.57
21/01/09 - 9.05
24/01/09 - 8.50

Each circuit takes 1.15, so 1.15 x 5 = 6.15 total work time... I think 30 seconds is minimum rest to make sure you retain form. So my aim is 6.15 + (30 x 4) = 6.15 + 2.00 = 8.15. I am going to work for 8.15 over the next 5 weeks leading up to my fight

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

Training is going well, I am not running in the morning, I am skipping and doing shadow boxing instead until the January showers stop... I don't want to risk a cold just 5 weeks out from a fight.

The conditioning is going amazing though... I did 5 conditioning sessions this week:
2 x magic 50
1 x 30/30 shadow burpees (2 minutes x 5 rounds)
2 x work capacity 101

I'd like to give this a go sometime:

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

jan 26th

Footwork / Shadow Boxing Drills - 5 x 3 minutes (30 seconds rest)

Round 1 - Move across the ring with Step jab, reach ropes, pivot 180 degrees.
Round 2 - Move across the ring with Jab-Cross, reach ropes, pivot 180 degrees.
Round 3 - Move across the ring with Cross-Hook, reach ropes, pivot 180 degrees.
Round 4 - Circle the ring, side stepping constantly jabbing and changing direction (Sugar Ray style)
Round 5 - Jab Slip Drills. Slip Outside come in with right uppercut, Slip inside come in with left uppercut.

Bag Drills - 6 x 3 minute (60 seconds rest)

Round 1
min 1 - Lead Hand (Jabs, Left Hooks, Lead Uppercuts)
min 2 - Jab & Cross Combos (1-2, 1-1-2, 1-2-1-2, 1-2-1-1)
min 3 - Free style combinations
Round 2
min 1 - Power Punches (Combo's as hard as possible)
min 2 - Outside work (constantly moving with 1-1-1 and pivots)
min 3 - Free style combinations
Round 3
min 1 - Free style combinations
min 2 - Lead Hand (Jabs, Left Hooks, Lead Uppercuts)
min 3 - 10 punch outs with 1 sec rest (13 sets)
Round 4
min 1 - Free style combinations
min 2 - Power Punches (Combo's as hard as possible)
min 3 - Jab & Cross Combos (1-2, 1-1-2, 1-2-1-2, 1-2-1-1)
Round 5
min 1 - Jab, Hook, Cross (1-3-2)
min 2 - Inside Drill (shoulder must remain touching bag)
min 3 - Free style combinations
Round 6
min 1 - Lead Hand (Jabs, Left Hooks, Lead Uppercuts)
min 2 - Jab & Cross Combos (1-2, 1-1-2, 1-2-1-2, 1-2-1-1)
min 3 - Free style combinations

Sparring with Kadeth, number 7 ranked 72kg kickboxer in UK...
Muaythai Sparring - 3 x 3 minutes (1 minute rest)
Kickboxing Sparring - 5 x 2 minutes (1 minute rest)

Sit Ups x 200
Evil Dead - 50
Left Side - 50
Right Side - 50
Knee Crunch - 50

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

Jan 27th

Training today started shit, after my conditioning I thought that I was gonna collapse and not be able to do anything. I ate breakfast at 7:00am and then drank about 5 cups of coffee during the day... that was my lot... so when I turned up to training at 6:00pm I was starving and suffering from a serious lack of energy!!!

Work Capacity 101
5 pull ups, 10 medicine ball slams, 15 burpees, 20 jumping jacks x 10
19 minutes

I then did some footwork drills and just held pads for an hour

Sparring
I actually felt better after holding pads and agreed to sparring... bad idea!

Kevin (ISKA/WUMA European champion under 90KG) 8 x 2 minute rounds
I just got just to puking point and then some more and then more... lucky I didn't have any food in my stomach I think.

MMA x 10 minutes - wrestling, jujitsu, G&P, etc

Phillip (Very good boxer/K-1 fighter who is 5-0) 4 x 2 minute rounds

Jan 29th

OK, without being too gay... I have noticed some very good gains in my backs muscular deffinition wince I started doing weights and pull ups and burpees these last few weeks... And I don't mean minor enhancements either, I am talking pretty decent gains for a skinny bastard like myself

Well yesterday I felt a bit run down and I have a really bad pain in the back of my shoulder muscle, it is in a very small area, but feels as though someone is stabbing a needle into my muscle every 30 seconds... very sore. Any ideas?

Yesterday:
5 x 2 minutes sparring Phil (5-0 in kickboxing, 72-74kg)
5 x 3 minutes bag work

Here we go... Magic 50 time... ready...?

17/01/09 - 9.57
21/01/09 - 9.03
24/01/09 - 8.50
29/01/09 - 8.36

My goal for Saturday is to beat 8.30, but to be honest I think 8.00 is the absolute max I can hope to ever aim for, yesterday was fecking solid and I was near death at the end!!! That being said, I remember the first time I did it and I was shattered even more so than yesterday. I want to try the modified version I posted up a few weeks ago after another 3 attempts at this one. My aim is going to be for 8.15 before I do the modified version and then the week before my fight I will do one last Magic 50 (non-modified!) and aim for under 8 minutes.

The maths behind this:
1.15 is the time it takes per circuit (5 snatches each arm, 5 swings each arm, 10 burpees) and you need to do this 5 times, which is a total of 6.15. That means you have 1 minute and 45 seconds rest to split between 4 rounds (obviously the fifth circuit you need not worry about). 1 minute 45 seconds divide 4 is 26 seconds rest a round... which is nothing really, 8.15 is 30 seconds break... So currently I am taking 35 seconds rest a round, so I need to cut this by 5 and then 10 seconds!!! I began with 60 seconds rest a round mind

2nd February

Warm up Skipping
5 x 2 minutes heavy bag
6 x 2 minutes sparring

Magic 50... ready...?

17/01/09 - 9.57
21/01/09 - 9.03
24/01/09 - 8.50
29/01/09 - 8.36
01/02/09 - 8:20

Monday 3rd

Hand is fecked... I can't even touch a heavy bag without being in agonising pain :(
Did a light session of sparring, shadow boxing and skipping

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

Thursday 5th February

Strapped up my hand, got huge gloves on and made my padholder wear pillow like pads

Skipping - 10 minutes
End of each minute do 10 seconds as fast as possible

Shadow Boxing - 5 x 3 minute
2 x 3 minutes weighted (5ib and then 2.5ib)
3 x 3 minutes speed based (120 punches per minute)

5 x 2 minute rounds of technical pads:
RD 1: Freestyle
RD 2: Jab - Round Kick
RD 3: Jab, Cross - Switch Round Kick
RD 4: Jab, Cross, Hook - Round Kick
Rd 5: Jab, Cross, Jab, Cross - Jab, Cross, Hook - Round Kick, Switch Round Kick

Sparring
5 x 3 minute rounds of fast and technical sparring... nothing hard or aggressive.

Body Weight
10 x 10 Press Ups & Sit Ups
250 sit ups (50 Zombie, 50 Left Side, 50 Right Side, 50 Touch Toe, 50 Crunches)

Hand Explination

I've had the problem for about 6 months now... It pops up now and again, this time I did it sparring without hand wraps on :(

Previous post:

My left hand, the index finger knuckle I hurt about 4 months ago punching pads over and over wilst in Thailand.

Well for the last 4-6 weeks my knuckle has been hurting again, but what I noticed is that if you put put your finger on your knuckle and I close my finger there is a grinding senation that you can feel. It really hurts to open and close and the last few days I havn't even been able to hit a bag I can feel it also when I open and close my hand, it is like something is getting caught...

Like say pulling rope over something bumpy and it keeps snagging. Sorry, I know it is hard to describe... Hope I made sence there... I think I am just breaking myself leading up to this fight >.<


6th Feb Friday

Pretty good session... you ain't gonna beieve my magic 50 time today!!!

Pads - 30 minutes working on punches and kicks
Outside leg kick - relax and aim to hit almost side ways HARD
Inside leg kick - Switch kick the inside leg
Penelty kick - More a HUGE step and really smash a kick upwards

Jab - Step and jab as hard as you can, keeping your elbow straight... this should be a KO punch
Cross - The power comes from the hips, really rotate them hard and throw the STRAIGHT right. Bring the left back to your ear as the right comes out, much like a bow and arrow.

Defence - Double block using the forearms to black straights and elbows to block hooks.
Slips - DO NOT OVER SLIP. Use the double block and just move SLIGHTLY outside of the jab, otherwise you are open to a knee / shin kick.

Sparring - 15 minutes of Ring Craft
Consistent sparring took and threw a few good punches.

Magic 50

Today I did the magic 50 with my trainer and he pushed me... damned hard... between set 1 and 2 we had NO rest and between 2 and 3 we had about 15 seconds, then for the next two we had just over 20 seconds... OUCH!

17/01/09 - 9.57
21/01/09 - 9.03
24/01/09 - 8.50
29/01/09 - 8.36
01/02/09 - 8:20
06/02/09 - 7:08

Sad thing is I don't think it will be humanly possible to beat that!!! Although my goal before fight night is now going to be 7 minutes. I think it had something to do with having the week off and obviously having my trainer stand over me pushing me, rather than being on my own.

Incredible really though... I have gone from really struggling on 9.57 down to a still difficult, but much easier 7:08... A 2 minute and 50 second drop.
I think I will have one attempt on Sunday to beat my magic 50 and then next week I am going to do the modified Magic 50 I posted up... As well as my Work Capacity 101 that I have done.

Once I have done my fight on 28th February I am going to up the weight I think to about 18kg-20kg. I could do it now, but to be honest, I don't think it will make much difference in my respitory based conditioning, it will more so work my muscles for endurance and strength, which will mean I'll be tired for 24 hours after, which is not a good idea right now.

Thoughts

Things to work on this week:

The 'Dutch Shin Kick'
Weird to me, but it really works well... It is a kick that is like a knee sideways into the abdominals or side. Bas told me it works well because often if you throw a kick in close quarters the person will turn sideways and you can catch the lower ribs.

Blocking
I found this REALLY useful, Bas told me to keep a higher guard like K-1 fighters Badr Hari and Boneski... Keeping my guard high and using my fore-arms to take shots and really not take any punishment. If hooks come in, you can use your elbows by moving the forearms up and back slightly.

Slipping
Make sure that you are only just slipping a jab or cross. You do not want to over lean and leave yourself blind-sided or open to a shinkick / knee to the face. The movement should be so subtle that the opponents glove my glance off the outside of your glove, but as long as you don't take a shot it is fine.

Punches to kicks or kicks to punches
Bas told me that in Holland they through punch combo-kick, kick-punch combo-kick and this can be done either low or high, but typically you with finish with a low:
Jab-Cross-Hook-Outside Low Kick
Right Mid Kick-Jab-Cross-Hook-Outside Low Kick
Jab-Cross-Inside Low Kick

Ring Craft
If opponent is against the ropes try to do punch combo and then a Dutch shin kick. Or, if you push opponent into ropes hard enough they bounce off do a spinning back kick.

If opponent is in the corner, use hooks to stop them moving out and then close in.

Work on keeping stance right and pivoting off, follow up with a left hook or right cross...

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

Question I liked:



Answers recieved:


you are in control, you need to be the agressor. a teep should not hold you back from comming in

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

Things to work on

Kick & Punch Combinations:
left lead kick - right cross - left hook - right kick
left lead kick - right cross - left hook - left switch kick
Right kick - left hook - right cross - left switch kick
Right kick - left hook - right cross - right kick
Left Jab - right cross - right kick - right kick
Left jab - right cross - left switch kick - left switch kick
Left Jab - right cross - right kick - left kick
Left jab - right cross - left switch kick - right kick

Favourites:
Jab - Round Kick
Jab - Cross - Switch Round Kick
Jab - Cross, Hook - Round Kick
Jab - Cross - Jab - Cross - Jab - Cross - Hook - Round Kick - Switch Round Kick

Sparring Drills
1 guy boxes other dude does knees and kicks
1 guy must try to clinch other must try to kick and stay away
Spar 2 mins. one guy goes on defence only 30 secs and after that the other 30 secs
Ones goes in the corner or ropes, otherone attacks, 30 secs, and has to defend

Pad / Bag Work
count 1: jab
count 2; jab to the head, step out a bit, right hand to the head
count 3: jab to the head, step out a bit, right hand to the head, left hook to the body
count 4: jab to the head, step out a bit, right hand to the head, left hook to the body, lefthook to the head
count 5: jab to the head, step out a bit, right hand to the head, left hook to the body, right legkick
Hoost (6): left hook to the body, lefthook to the head, right legkick = Hoost

Sparring Drills 2
Oppononet comes in, stop him with a keep kick
He comes in again, roundhouse him to the body
He comes in again, knee him
Then switch legs
Parry jab - righthand - switch kick to the body
Parry right hand - left hook - right lowkick

Jab Work
Jab - Feint - Jab
Jab - Jab
Jab - Jab - Jab
Jab High - Jab Low
Jab High - Jab Low - Jab High
Jab Low - Jab High (add hook or cross to head)
Jab - Hook - Jab
Jab - Cross - Jab - Jab
Jab - Jab - Cross

Combo's
Jab - Cross
Jab - Cross - Hook
Jab - Cross - Jab - Jab
Jab - Jab - Cross
Jab - Cross - Jab - Cross
Jab - Hook - Jab - Jab
Jab - Hook - Cross

Bag Drills
Just Jab
Roy Jones (outside and then move in 3,4,5 punches and then back out)
Change directions
Inside drill of uppercuts and hooks
Keep bag at arms length, move around and just jab
Throw 6 punches, then pivot left, 4 punches, then pivot left, 2 punches, then pivot left

Ring Craft
Hook to the body - Over hand right to the head
Jab to the head - Right Cross to the body
Left Hook - Right Uppercut - Left Hook
Right Uppercut - Left Hook - Right Uppercut
Right Uppercut - Left Hook - Cross - Left Hook
Jab - Jab - Right Uppercut - Hook to Head - Hook to Body
Right Uppercut - Side step slightly to right - Cross - Left Hook
Left Jab - Left Uppercut - Right Cross

Uppercuts
- Slip opponents Jab (to the right) and then follow with a right uppercut to their chin
- Uppercuts are perfect counters to a wild left hooker (i.e. cover with the left elbow and throw hard right uppercut)

Cutting off the ring
Never follow your opponent, become his mirror and copy his movements.
A good drill is to imagine the ring as 4 squares, try to keep opponent in one of these squares. When you get him to corner to not allow him to circle out. (can be done with or without punches)

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

Sunday 8th February

Morning 1.5 hours
Did a ton of pads and technique based work.
Jab-Cross-Kick and Jab-Cross-Switch Kick
Working on 5 x HARD kicks low/mid/high on both legs about 100 times!
Working on 10 x HARD punches Jab/Cross/Hook/Jab-Cross about 5 times each
Working on blocking and slipping, Defending whilst in corner using the double block
Allowing kicks to flow fast and hard i.e. left-right-kick and left-right-knee

Evening 1.5 hours
loads of technique / ring craft / discussion
2 rounds pad work (hook, uppercut, hook) and (hard jab body, over hand right)
3 rounds skipping
4 rounds bag work
5 rounds sparring



Sunday with Bas

Today got up early, sore as feck and went down the gym for some hardcore training... bugger... I was dreading it, but it turned out really good.

Bas started by explaining to me that maybe I train a bit too much sometimes. He was telling me that K-1 was the way forward for me... HARD/INTENSE 3 minute rounds. He told me Muaythai was probably not such a great sport for me as I am tall and light, where as Muaythai is more geared for short and stocky guys.

He was telling me that I need to work the basics for numerous times over and over and over starting late and then going harder and harder until I am at full power. We did about an hour and a half of training... He made sure I was double blocking the whole time we worked out and was always throwing shots to make sure.


KO Punches

Step into the jab - Bringing the elbow slightly back and straight out

Throw a Cross - Throwing the hips into the punch as hard as possible, with left hand coming back to temple as right hand explodes out.

Leg Kicks - Imagine someone swinging an axe, it is almost a full circle. This is how I was told to kick, all the power comes from the hips, the leg should be fully relaxed. You should not snap the knee and there should not be a slap on the pads, more an awkward thud. Your shoulders should come right over with your hips.

Push Kick - Knee comes up to your chest and then throw your hands downwards as you explode your kick outwards through opponent and really throw your whole force and weight into it. Aim for the chest or just below as often a teep type kick will smash into the elbows.


Combinations

Jab-Cross-Dutch Kick, this should be a HARD combo, the punches should knock the head back and obscure the opponents vision. They will bring their guard up and you will be able to bring your kick up and into their ribs quickly.

Cross to Head-Hook to Body/Head-Dutch Kick, this should be a hard combo. The punch to the head will open up the shot to the body, which will knock them off balance into the right kick to either the body or the head.

Catch Kick-Step In-Right Hook Body-Right Looping Hook Head, this was a great combo, if you catch the kick and step as you do it, they are totally off balance and ready to go down with the right hooks.

Ring Craft
Bas said a good way to come out will be to do Jab-Cross-Kick, Jab-Cross-Kick, Jab-Cross-Kick as hard as possible (in total 3 times). Just to scare them of your power...

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)

February 10th

Very good mood today... hands feel better and I spent a good 5 hours in the gym working my technique and my combinations.

BAS

I got to the gym and began working my hard shots with Bas... he is really technical and keeps me working hard.

We started with the 'Manohoef' Combination which was:
'Cross-Hook-Right Leg Kick' or 'Cross-Body Hook-Right Rising Body Kick'

Then we did:
Inside Leg Kick followed straight away with a jab-Cross-Outside Leg Kick

We did this about 100's of times each, and by the end you know in your mind what you are doing right / wrong with every kick you throw.

We then went in the ring and worked on some basic ring craft. Bas took great pleasure in hooking me as hard as he possibly could twice to the head. We took it in turns doing this to each other, hooking each other (left-right) as hard as possible, eventually he really whacked me and my vision went, so we did a few more and then he had to go home... I like working with him as he gives me lots to think about.

He told me I need to be more arrogant and confident when I fight. I need to be an ass hole basically, I need to walk into the ring and know I am the better man... not the better kick boxer or possessor of greater technique... The better kick boxer and better man.

I want to walk in... Not bow... I want to lean against the ropes and look at him, let him know I am not worried. In the stare down I want to look deep into his eyes and put my gloves on top of his for the power trip. I want to come out, PUNCH gloves and then lay into him with everything I have. Whether this is 2 of the hardest kicks I have ever thrown in my life or Cross-Hook-Kick... I want him to think 'FUCK!' and begin looking for a reason to quit.

Kevin

Magic 50 with an extra 1kg (18kg total) - 6:32... Oh yes... No more though, that is maxed out... I rested almost not at all and by the fifth set I could feel my technique slipping. My body has adapted to this workout, so I need to change it and begin to do something different to shock it once again.

I then did a long pad round of about 6 minutes working on my HARD jabs, HARD crosses, HARD hooks, HARD jab-Cross, HARD hook-cross. I forgot how much I enjoyed the basics... I have been looking at all this fancy stuff and only recently have I began to realise that I have been doing it wrong... I am actually only in need of the basics to win fights... If the basics are perfect... stringing perfect basics together forms a perfect combination. Sloppy basics into a long combination does not make a good combination... it makes a sloppy combination.

I then did sparring... not sure how many rounds... I think around 8 x 3 minutes. I have been told by Bas to focus on the combos I worked with him only and to use the double block. I cannot tell you how amazed I am at the effectiveness of this high block. Seriously, I hardly took a single punch to the face. Look at Remi Benjosky... He uses the same block as I have just began using and he never takes a shot to the jaw, that is what I am going to work on from now on.

_________________
February 27th 2009 I wrote this:
Aims for 2009:Win an area title...

December 12th 2009 I won The AFL's UK Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight Title
Productive 2009... What to aim for in 2010? :)