IVAN, OR ANYONE ELSE WHO FIGHTS

[freefaller21]

I need help designing a conditioning program to get me in shape for mixed martial arts tounaments. Specifically in the muscular endurance/stamina area. I was thinking of some sort of circuit training routine, going for one exercise to the next with no rest ect. Along with cardio and my existing training in martial arts. Anybody have any suggestions for me?

 

[Ivan]

What I did

I worked out w/ weights using volume training, but not too high...

Here is the way to get ready for a fight:

(if you have a team then this is easy -- otherwise get some buddies)

It is called "Ironman" and basically get 4 of your buds together, and you get in the middle. Grapple for 5 mins or a submission, then the next guy jumps in. And so on and so on. Repeat for yourself (the whole cycle)5 times. You will not be able to move, and might puke. Eventually it will become easier and easier.

Next, move to the heavy bag and have a coach shout out non-stop punch combinations EX. "1,2, 3, 5." Use the #'s as individual punches. Uppercuts, jabs, crosses, hooks. Go non-stop for 3 minutes, and HARD, do this for 3 rounds, working up to 6 rounds.

When you can do these exersizes with relative ease, then you are ready my friend.

 

[Dave_19]

Mark coleman is a good example of someone who looks like a bber who proffesionally fights, i remeber an interview where he said he started losing focus on MMA training and spent too much time in the gym and thinks its partly why he lost to whats his face when he got that jaw kick KO.

 

[Crimson Ghost]

Pete Williams w/ the face kick to Coleman.

BTW...did anyone see the PRIDE fight between Coleman and Frye recently. What a horrible card that was!

Looking forward to Ortiz vs. Couture @ UFC 44. Go Couture!!

**For training advice on fighting, listen to Ivan. I looked for fight training advice on www.sherdog.com and found that, in order to diet for a fight, it's best to diet by eating only apples and yogurt...so you don't lose any muscle. The info over there is horrible and mixed up. Of course....that may be what you have to do to get into fighting shape.

 

[Dave_19]

this reminds me of story at my gym i'll never forget some new guy comes in rela big, like 6"3 300+lbs, he claimed at front desk he was going to be in one of the upcomming ufcs and he should get in free ect,, but they made him pay for a day pass he was stairing down everyone, but anyone the good part of the story he goes to the cable cros overs grips each upper pully decided to take a walk oh lets say 6ft foward so each step further he went the higher the stack raised he attempt 1 rep after walking so far and thinking hes rasing the stack hes tipping the cross over twards him i witness this it was amazing, it slowly started leaning then crashed down and hit him in the back of the head and knocked his ass out cold, they kicked him out of the gym and he actually was crying, it was just unreal to see everything.

 

[RIV]

this reminds me of story at my gym i'll never forget some new guy comes in rela big, like 6"3 300+lbs, he claimed at front desk he was going to be in one of the upcomming ufcs and he should get in free ect,, but they made him pay for a day pass he was stairing down everyone, but anyone the good part of the story he goes to the cable cros overs grips each upper pully decided to take a walk oh lets say 6ft foward so each step further he went the higher the stack raised he attempt 1 rep after walking so far and thinking hes rasing the stack hes tipping the cross over twards him i witness this it was amazing, it slowly started leaning then crashed down and hit him in the back of the head and knocked his ass out cold, they kicked him out of the gym and he actually was crying, it was just unreal to see everything.

LMFAO!

 

[RIV]

oh yeah and for training

i do just about the same thing IVAN wrote, do a "ironman" style grappling training, then i go into muay thai, mostley combo work not much sparring ( on the days i do the "ironman" ) and when i am really exhausted i go back and do i few rounds of BJJ. when your tired as hell you really have to dig in deep to beat the guy, and i know that when i get tired i make alot of mistakes and get submitted so you really have to stay sharp and focus on your fight. as much as i hate it i cut back on the wieghts when i fight is coming up, just because you bench more then the other guy doesnt mean your gonna win the fight.

 

[Ivan]

Ya Riv

That reminds me of something else ---- when you are training, (I almost forgot stair work as well) and you start getting really exhausted and in pain, you will learn to "go" to a place, I call it my extra gear that I kick in, and then you barely feel the body, but your desire to succeed becomes iminent. Victory is inevitable. You forget about pain, forget about everything 'cept the mission at hand. Learn to find this place when you are in a tough spot.

 

[anabolicdragon]

The way I train(ed) is like this:

For power (going for big slams, takedowns, or powering out of submissions) I like to stick to heavy weights.

For muslce endurance I find the body weight excerices work best.

Pushups, Pullups, Dips, Situps, in addition to lots of heavy bag work and lots of grappling.
I like to do a bunhc of drills then grapple or do round robins or king of the hill. It teaches you how you and your body reacts to being very tired. You learn to fight tired not in the ring but in class.

For wind. I like a mix or long distance running (outside if you can) and wind sprints. Also you get good wind from when you grapple or box but you just can't do those you need to throw in the others.

If I was to train for a fight it would have to be full-time I would:

Train stand up- 3 days a week & mix in MMA training during these sessions
Grapple- 3 days a week & mix in MMA training during these session too.
Weights 2 times a week full body workouts training with heravy weights
Cardio - 4 times a week 2 times distance, 2 times sprints.
On sundays I would train strictly plyometrics for 30 minutes to build up even more muscle endurance and just to train the muscles in a different ways having them used at different angles

As far as the grappling and stand up training. I wouldn't go past 1 to 2 hours per session. You want enough time to work on new stuff, prefect and season the stuff you know, work on drills, and work on open mat/ or work boxing rounds (if you don't want the contact you can at the min do 3 rounds on the focus mitts at the end)

Hope this helps

Oh this pic is of me in 1998 WEF on the bottom, LOL vs Jos Slick

I haven't fought in awhile and when I did it was at 185. Now I am 220-225. I would never fight as a heavy I would go down to 205. Only way I would fight again is if I could do all the above week in and week out, hard to do that now with a family and tons of bills.

 

[pacman]

I don't fight (not pretty little face) but have you had your hematacrit checked? you should be in the mid to upper 40's
pac

 

[anabolicdragon]

I don't fight (not pretty little face) but have you had your hematacrit checked? you should be in the mid to upper 40's
pac

My WHAT? Checked??

 

[Steak Helmet]

I was going to suggest plyometric exercises too. You want that explosive power from the hips when you shoot in. And when you shoot in, don't do it half ass...tell yourself you are going through that man not just to him.

 

[Ivan]

I was going to suggest plyometric exercises too. You want that explosive power from the hips when you shoot in. And when you shoot in, don't do it half ass...tell yourself you are going through that man not just to him.

Kevin Randleman is an excellent example of this. Good post Steak!

 

[Dave_19]

Ivan bro are u gonna fight again, do u still train, what was your art? I dont know if i mentioned it but im Extrmelely into MMA

 

[Ivan]

Well

For now I think I am done.. I did 2 years HARD. When I say hard I mean all out dedication.
Since we are posting pics I got a few to show...

Dragon I almost fought in WEF, but heard A LOT of shady things...

I fought in FFC II in Miami and the promoter was there (forgot his name) but I heard the pay was bad. East coast has less $ seems like 'cept NJ. Or at least from my personal exp...

Here is a couple ones from a two seperate fights in Portland, WPKO. Yes I am the one on top letting one fly...I know, I know, I cock back REAL far -- but the crowd REALLY loves it when I lay into people like that!

 

[Ivan]

Another

I knocked this guy out with a left uppercut....as you see here. The punch he threw, was a jab that I moved into (remember how I told you to move into punches Dave) <--not INTO the punch, but just so that it barely grazes you, so you have good position for a counter --- which was a left uppercut that sent him flying to the floor asleep! You can see his left foot coming up for lift off from the punch OH YEAH BABY!!

 

[Ivan]

SORRY

Also sorry for the terrible photos -- the originals are about 100 miles from me, and I had to retrieve these ones from a poor scan done by a friend on the CPU..

 

[crackerjack414]

hematocrit is basicly a rbc count i believe where they spinn it out in a centrafuge (sp)

 

[anabolicdragon]

Yeah I fought for WEF when it first cranked up. Yes the pay sucked I wanted to get expouse though. I love the sport and most guys in it are very cool.
Would love to fight again if I could

 

[DIEZEL666]

Ivan, I read your thought on your "extra gear" and it reminded me of being in BUD/S again. Everyone of us that made it through Hell Week thought we were robots or something that couldn't be turned off. That way we wouldn't fail. Thanks for bringing that back bro.