Unless MMA is your job, where you can easily fit in 2/3 sessions with adequete recovery throughout the day , then In my personal opinion
Do the cardio workouts the morning of the days you train MMA. Cut your strength training down to twice a week, and have a day or two where you do nothing but recover or atleast active recovery . . .
You can still improve strength with 2 days a week strength training, if MMA is your primary focus
What is your Age , and how is your recovery?
I’m 33. Recovery is pretty good. It may just take some weeks to figure out what works best. But I’m thinking of weight training AM on Mon, wed, fri. The same days of my classes (almost an 11 hr gap) and then doing conditioning on my off days to help recover. Sunday it totally off.
I’m discovering that if I have MMA one day and lifting the next I really have not opportunity to recover. Lifting on my training days means I have 3 very hard days, 3 easy days (aerobic capacity work like LSD runs or 45 min on the elliptical) to aid in recovery. And 1 full day off on Sunday
Thing is I’m so far off from a fight, and very new to the sport. I’m a very seasoned lifter so the lifting and cardio sessions are not really any hindrance to my MMA. Scheduling has been the biggest concern
Well, you could do double blocks if that’s what you mean. BUT the 4th week of both blocks need to be a deload and the 2nd deload (8th week) would need to be more aggressive.
How you would set it up? Here’s my first 2 thoughts
Block 1, Monday eccentric workout
OPTION 1
Week 1, 4x5, 7 sec eccentric, 100kg
W2, 5x4, 6 sec, 105kg
W3, 6x3 5 sec, 110kg
W4, Deload
W5, 4x5, 7 sec, 105kg
W6, 5x6, 6 sec, 110kg
W7, 6x3, 5 sec, 115kg
W8, Off week
OPTION 2
W1, 4x5, 7 sec, 100
W2, 5x4, 6 sec, 105
W3, 6x3 5 sec, 110
W4, Deload
W5, 7x2, 4 sec 115
W6, 8x1, 3 sec 120
W7, 9x1, 3 sec 125
W8, Off week
Ok so here is what I think
Do strength + cardio sessions 3 times per week
And MMA 4 times per week
For example Mon, Wed, Friday - MMA + private at Sat
Tue, Thurs, Sat - strength + cardio
Schedule your hardest workout at Saturday when you do technical MMA. If possible do the technical training at AM while the other one at PM
The other two workouts should be lighter.
Here is my 20 min cardio recommendation post workout again
Start light with 2 miles for 20 mins on the thread mill.
Start increasing the speed until you are able to do 2 miles for 15 min.
Once that is possible go for 1 mile at 7 mins, rest 1 min, another mile for 7-8 mins, and finish the last 4-5 mins as fast as possible.
The goal is to reach a level where you are able to make 3 rounds of 1 mile for 20 mins with 1 minute rest.
Once you are at that level you should consider dropping a strength workout and revisit your training block.
You may consider this your general strength and.conditioning workout. Your goal would be to accumulate as much strength and cardio for the next 6 months, while improving technically.
I think 4 months prior to a fight you should a maximum 1 upper and 1 lower or 2 full body workouts, just to keep the strength levels and for injury prevention.
That should be the time to up further more you cardio and fighting conditioning with more bag work, spars and etc.
I have accumulated the most fight conditioning with a heavy bag work. Like real heavy. I would go infighting and chase the bag with movement, blast 2-3 combos I am working on or single hits. I reached like 12 2 min rounds. However this shit is draining and really bad for the wrists. I would recommend only for 1-2 months ending a month prior to a fight.
The gym is open, so…
did you get any feedback from CT about the idea of swapping the hyper weeks for conditioning/speed weeks? I have just been writing up my programme and I was thinking of re-using Days 2 from Block 2:
Day 3 Block 3:
and whatever I end up putting in Day 4 Block 3:
as a conditioning and jumps phase. doing the B4B strength template in September/October and then going back in lockdown made me pretty convinced I had all the mass I wanted
You play other sports, you can’t play fighting. If that is your goal, I’d lift 3 days a week at the absolute max, and honestly probably only twice. The rest of the time should be focused on drilling and skill development. Who gives a shit about your bicep peak or max squat when someone is trying to cave your cheekbone in with their elbow?