Combat Sports Q&A #1
These are questions picked out of my Q&A’s I hold on my Instagram on weekly/bi-weekly basis that requires further explanations that cannot necessarily fit within one story post.
Question 1: What is the best way to balance sports training and weight training?
Answer: Balancing both skills sessions in combat sports alongside resistance training is a task that requires continual revise and revision of the available slots in a fighter’s training schedule, individual intensities of skill sessions and energy levels throughout the week amongst many other factors.
To provide some guidance, we can use Charlie Francis’ “High/Low Training Categorization” to identify which skill and weight training session is high or low stress. This allows for better organization of our training week, session grouping (AM and PM training sessions) and fatigue management. For example, if a hard sparring or pad work session is scheduled on a Tuesday night, a fighter may prefer to group a hard weight training session in the morning with one or two days of light technical skill work in the following days. This effectively separates harder training days allowing for better recovery before the next high intensity session. Although this categorization has been used throughout multiple disciplines, it is not perfect. Some fighters prefer the high intensity sessions to be spread throughout the week to effectively minimizing the stress on the body in a 24 hour period.
Next is the management of total training volume within each session itself. For more information regarding the intricacies of weight training for combat sports, I recommend you read my articles on Muay Thai S&C and Periodization for sport below:
Read part 2 of my Muay Thai S&C Series
Read Agile Periodization for Sport here
Question 2: Do you take a different approach to programming for Muay Thai vs kickboxing?
Answer: To an extent, yes. The physical demands of Kickboxing and Muay Thai are slightly different. Muay Thai has a greater presence of strength requirements due to clinching. I may spend more time training kickboxers with a ballistic focus.
With that said however, it will boil down to the fighter themselves. If they are new to resistance training, I will devote the a focus on building general physical qualities (aerobic base, foundational strength, technical proficiency in all movement planes) through a structured program first. With a fighter who posses a higher level of resistance training experience, I will still spend some time building strength together with a possible greater focus on power and speed. Though from my experience, a fighter’s perception of structured strength training versus a S&C coach’s perception is vastly different. Hence the requirement of an athletic test when I initially start coaching a fighter to establish a starting point.
Although both disciplines are very similar in nature, there is still a slight difference in demands. The approach to Strength & Conditioning may differ slightly but a majority of the training and principles to training kickboxer versus Muay Thai fighters will remain the same.
Question 3: What is the best length for fight camp for your athletes?
Answer: It depends. How long have I been coaching the fighter? Have they been following a structured program consistently or does the fighter only include weight training when they have a fight booked? Are they consistently in the gym sharpening their skillsets or do they train inconsistently? Generally for a fighter’s S&C, I would program the start of fight camps that span anywhere from 8-5 weeks, given that the fighter and I have been working together consistently leading up to the fight.
The less time and consistency a fighter has spent honing their skill and development, the more I would recommend in terms of skill development. I would recommend inconsistent fighters to start earlier, slowly building up frequency and intensity to avoid burnout.
For those fighters that are consistent in both practice and their resistance training, the fight camp preparations will depend on whether they get booked ahead of time or decide to take a last minute fight.
Keep in mind, the main work in terms of physical development (S&C) happens OUTSIDE OF FIGHT CAMP.
For more Combat Sports q&A, follow me on instagram @performancepurpose to participate!