There are 2 major issues with your training imo. 1: your lifting program is not performance based. 2: you aren’t training any grappling art.
To address your program, this is an example of what you should be doing:
Sunday: rest
Monday:
Deadlift: work up to heavy 3x5
Press: work up to heavy 3x5
Pull Ups: 50 total
Shadow boxing or mat drills
Tuesday: Muay Thai
Wednesday: BJJ/Judo/CACC
Thursday:
Squat: work up to heavy 3x5
Bench press: work up to heavy 3x5
Barbell Row: pick a weight you can barely eek out 12 reps with and do 50 reps total
Shadow boxing or mat drills
Boxing is good and it is important to have good hands in MMA but without kicks, knees, elbows, clinching, takedowns and grappling a fighter is going to get their ass handed to them. You need to learn how to fight everywhere. Also, your lifting program should be more focused on movements rather than muscles. There is no place for bb’er style training or isolation movements. You have limited time and recovery ability so each movement has to provide a lot of bang for your bucks.
Learn how to squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press correctly!!! Go to youtube and watch "so you think you can squat ", “so you think you can bench” and “so you think you can deadlift” do not watch any other videos on form unless it is a video of a professional powerlifter competing/training. There is a lot of bad information out there and dumbass people peddling nonsense so, as a new lifter, it can be easy to get confused if you try to take in info from too many sources. Avoid analysis paralysis.
Hahaha, our moving van broke down in Tijuana when we were bringing him some cabinets (my brother and I). We went to a hotel for the night which wound up being a drug den/brothel. Good times.
not knocking him at all - he is on the young side
and his athletic age is pretty young too.
And again not knocking him is a beginger in boxing and or MMA.
Id focus on Body comp.and doing what you need to get that sorted.
be as fit and strong as possible at that size - with what?
without letting impact your boxing training.
your training is kind of all over.
Id reign that all in.
Box grapple what ever
a shit ton of (cardio) conditioning
and a few basic lifts 2 days a week
ride that shit til the wheels fall off
or until one impacts the other.
really as a young dudebro and a relative newb to training
and MMA- its natural to be excited and want to do a bit of everything.
I alternate rounds on speed bag, double end speed bag and heavy bag for a solid hour and end with three round on the heavy. Ah… My workouts are meant to build up my lactic acid threshold so my muscles don’t burn out while I’m training.
Also 3-4 months is being hard on myself I did 3 months living at a boxing club where I was forced to train daily or they would kick me out onto the streets. I call my cardio light because of the extreme intensity of the cardio I used to do. I’ve been lifting on and off since u was 18 but the 3-4 months signifies time of daily uninterrupted training. I appreciate the advice but I think I’m gonna keep with my lifting regime unti I plateau z
I am not really trying to talk you into or out of doing any particular thing. If I am preaching anything it is that I want your plan to match up with your stated goals. I guess the big question I have is are you trying to become a boxer or improve bodycomp or get more muscular? Just to make sure that you putting the effort in the right spots. Also, would you describe the training and diet(if that is part of it) as fun or a pain in the ass?
If you are trying to get a lot bigger and leaner first, with less attachment to becoming a better boxer your plan looks as workable as any. At least in the beginning. If you want to be a really dangerous boxer first and foremost, it doesn’t. I missed how old you are. That matters a bit as well. Do you have a log or post detailing this stuff?
I would also read and re-read bagofbro’s post. He has wrestling and judo pedigree that is outstanding. He also has developed a hell of a lot of strength and is no stranger to heavy lifting.
that is my training log. I want an amatuer fight and right after that fight i want to keep bulding size…
im 23 years old and i train with professionals(25 fights under their belt)
I really want to be built and jacked but it means nothing to me if i cant kick as with that size… i want to fight at my weight and go up in weight class as i gain muscle… a guy i train with walks around at 180 but fights at 160(or cuts) so i want to keep bulding muscle and get a couple fights under my belt but evntually i want to beast out.
My life is full of different kinds of stress and ive lived a extraordinary life some would say. My diet as you can tell is fucked up if you look in my log and im aware of that… i came from a rough spot in life a couple years ago and ive come a very long way. As i continue to get my shit together(living on my own, providing for myself) i will also improve my diet and training. One thing i know is i have a ton of motivation and i love my traning more than anything in this world, it truly is all i have that means anything to me
Thanks for the response. This may not be the advice you want to hear but I think it is worth at least considering.
Your post makes me think you are considering taking a fight relatively soon, say within the year. Muscle takes a while to put on. The pictures in your log show you as not exactly lean. That hurts even more because of weight classes. You mention money issues as well. I think you should really think about bagofbro’s advice here. Work on the bodycomposition issue while developing as a fighter.
Less money is workable when you are literally eating less. You will look more like a “beast” lean and 10 pounds lighter than you will five pounds heavier. The most important pose is the one where you have your glove raised. No amount of flexing takes away the feeling of watching someone else’s hand go up.
There is a fairly strong minority opinion that suggests people develop muscle quicker and easier if they start lean and strong as opposed to the old school bulk then cut model. Among the authors that put this forward are Christian Thibaudeau (who’s name is not on the automatic spell check of these forums) and Dan John, both write articles for T-nation. One even has a “locker room”/forum to answer questions.
We have two boxers keeping logs here. FightinIrish26 has already responded to this thread. Donnydarko is a very accomplished pro fighter and highly intelligent about his training. They would be good resources for structuring the training of a budding fighter.
I am not really suggesting anything different than your “master plan”. I am just suggesting that you accept going down in scale weight, and shift a few of the workouts to more boxing specific ones, in the short term. You can still gain weight as you age/mature.
Yeah I’ve noticed my body is getting sore from all that training. My wrists get inflamed from heavy bag and I notice little aches and pains… When that happens I just lay off the heavy bag and work on the double ending speed bag and speed bag… It seems the general advice is too slow down on my lifting but what if I feel okay ? Like sure I get a sore wrist from smashing the bag but it goes away in a few days… I like lifting e wry second day and I don’t have any serious pains just he minor inflammation… I also am very happy with my training regime … It scares me to change what I’ve already implemented. I think you guys are right tho about the body recomp and I’m gonna put that into play.
But really… If my body isn’t in serious pain from lifting and boxing alternating days I sit possible that I can keep going? I lift high reps for muscular strength and endurance. I know I say I want to build muscle but my workouts are more based around strength training(or at least I thought) I downloaded an app that has different workout plans and the reps and sets I’ve been doing are out of that plan. So maybe it’s just a non sensical plan? I was happy to use my app as it tracks progress for me any everything
Another point… Don’t pros at the highest level train twice even 3 times a day? Why cant I do the same thing (obviously I lift less weight and do less then them) doesn’t everyone grow at the same rate so to speak.
First thing I am going to point out is that sometimes the injuries you think are gone/healed when you are younger come back to haunt you when you are older. That shortens careers, results in big injuries, and generally makes you the whiny guy at the bar trying to tell everyone how awesome they used to be.
“Can” you keep going. Absolutely. “Should” you is the question. Because you can literally never stop learning the technique/art of boxing making sure your body doesn’t break down early is advised. Take a look at the program Loftearmen suggested, but make every skill session boxing.
In my experience, the only fighters I have worked with that developed superlative muscular growth and maintained solid ring skill and endurance were on drugs. As with anything, that is not to say that it cannot be done naturally. But in reality most of us are not the physical prodigies we think we are. I don’t want to sound harsh, but you cannot have your cake and eat it.
On the subject of training 3 times a day. Don’t be ridiculous. Give your mind, body and soul time to recover adequately in everything you do whenever possible. Many of those pros can’t justify the over training they subject themselves to except for their personal drive and the league they compete in. At your beginner level, you can start by learning to wrap your hands, learn to protect yourself and learn to throw simple combinations on repeat til you’re sick of them.
At the end of the day, my advice is to pick a direction and let the chips fall were they may.
If you pick up a little boxing skill and somehow remain a fucken massive unit then great.
If you lose significant weight but become a predator, then better.
Great post. I really would take drugs but I want to compete and trt isn’t allowed anymore… It sucks because I currently am dealing with low t. But honestly are there people competing who are on juice but still somehow passing doping test? Because if I end up competing and they’re on the juice then why shouldnt I? It would make my goals more realistic that’s for sure
Passing a drug test isn’t rocket science. Coming from powerlifting, this is extremely common and rarely does anyone get popped. In powerlifting there are also untested feds so people can ethically compete on steroids against other people who also use. In MMA this doesn’t exist ao I would remain a person of high moral character, integrity and ethics and stay natural. There are natural and comp legal ways to raise your T levels.
OK. First, I would argue you are a long way from being at a level of PED vs no PED competition discussion. Skill and technique for years first.
Second, aren’t you in your early twenties. Rather than spending the effort and money(which you said was an issue) trying to track down TRT or black market test do you have a real diagnosis for low testosterone levels (say repeated tests) and at least a working diagnosis for WHY they are low? All kinds of things can cause hormonal issues, including low testosterone, including over training and nutritional issues. I would look for a long term, healthy fix before jumping to exogenous test. Make sure the hormone levels aren’t simply a symptom of something scarier.
Another point is that boxing, MMA, grappling involves testing yourself against another man who does not have your health or well being at heart. In fact, he wants to negatively impact those things. So if you have a health problem and just mask over one of the symptoms with TRT you are still coming in weaker and more vulnerable than if you were healthy. At 23 I would get this sorted while still training, but I would want a real explanation. Please consider this. I know being a badass soon seems really important. I am talking about making sure you stay badassed enough to get yourself to and from the bathroom by yourself.
Ninjalife,
With all due respect you had better read the replies from the posters, you have been offered some serious, practical, advise. First, I think you need to do some serious soul searching if you are going to be a fighter, it seems you are looking for a way to justify the strength training. Fine, do what you want , but, with a clear goal in mind. Have you even had any amateur sparring? If not, find some training hall, gym, or dojo and ask to observe. You cannot fight without a combat mindset, there is no half ass fighting, you either do it with serious mental focus, or the other guy is going to pound your ass into the canvas. Sir, if you are really only 23 and considering drugs, take Robert’s advise and get a solid medical exam. Then reread Pigeonkak’s post, decide whether to be a predator or not, because if the weight room is that important to you, then you have no business in the fight game. IMHO.
I’ve been getting tests done for over a year and a half 4.4 nmol 8.8 6.6 and there stay in that range… I abused roids when I was 18 and I was forced to come off abruptly by being locked up for 12 months and ever since then I’ve had issues. Yea I have sparred and the people I train with believe in me through training with me. Also I’m one of the better/more skillful beginners at my gym and my old gym(pan am boxing) I trained with olympi level boxers and received psotive feed back I train hard when I train and I put my heart into it. I just got my test levels checked again and I have a follow up appointment in a few weeks
but what if I feel okay ? Like sure I get a sore wrist from smashing the bag but it goes away in a few days… I like lifting e wry second day and I don’t have any serious pains just he minor inflammation… I also am very happy with my training regime … It scares me to change what I’ve already implemented. I think you guys are right tho about the body recomp and I’m gonna put that into play.