I’ve got an MMA fight in four weeks.
As it works out, I’m starting a new four week 5,3,1 cycle.
Any advice on how to taper off for the fight?
I was thinking either just simply drop the de-load week and do no lifting the last week before the fight, or maybe even eliminate week 3, substitute it for week four (deload) then have a week of nothing on top of that.
Or should I completely alter my lifting cycle for the next month?
Thanks.
I’m not a coach, but I’ll say this - I don’t think you should be lifting at all the last week. That’s a light workout week where you’re seriously tapering off and just doing light skillwork, nothing that’s going to get you injured or tire you out too much.
I like the idea of dropping week 3 and doing a deload that week instead. Whatever minor strength you’ll gain in those last two weeks wouldn’t make a difference in your fight, but the lifting sessions could exhaust your CNS depending how hard you hit them.
That time in week 3 could be better spent doing extra endurance and skillwork.
Will you be cutting weight???
[quote]Big_Boss wrote:
Will you be cutting weight???
[/quote]
Yes.
I typically end up with 8-10 pounds of water weight to cut.
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
[quote]Big_Boss wrote:
Will you be cutting weight???
[/quote]
Yes.
I typically end up with 8-10 pounds of water weight to cut.[/quote]
Well…I think your choice should really factor around that. I would do as Irish suggested about week 3. Our guys do lift the last week…but it’s nothing too CNS heavy(usually accessory/recovery type workouts). But light drills, cardio, etc are best bet anyways since you’ll be cutting weight.
Just my opinion…as you should know your body…AND should know what wouldn’t be best leading up to a fight. What do your coaches say??
I like the idea of moving the deload to week 3 and resting week 4 altogether, but as Big Boss said I would ask your coach first. He may want you on a special program for the whole month.
I would taper off almost all lifting the week of. If you need to cut weight you can do so with cardio or just diet if your lucky that that works for you. I certainly wouldnt start a new lifting cycle until you recover from the fight. Depending on how that goes you might need some time off and would be restarting the cycle anyways.
with that said good luck in your fight.
fuckit.
skip week 4 and just do week three again.
I mean what can squatting
pressing,
benching
and pulling
in the 90% plus range
for AMRAP possibly do for recovery.
or what can the possibly do for fighting- your last 3 weeks.
cmon son.
skip the last 3 weeks- dont ask your coach.
he should box your ears if you ask him.
[quote]brotard012 wrote:
fuckit.
skip week 4 and just do week three again.
I mean what can squatting
pressing,
benching
and pulling
in the 90% plus range
for AMRAP possibly do for recovery.
or what can the possibly do for fighting- your last 3 weeks.
cmon son.
skip the last 3 weeks- dont ask your coach.
he should box your ears if you ask him.
[/quote]
From what I’ve seen, the furthest out you need recovery is arguably two weeks, which is why doing a deload early (Mon/Tues) would give me 11 days of no lifting prior, and would give me 16-18 days (I usually would do deadlifts on thurs or friday, but could Tuesday) with no heavy lifting.
Does that sound stupid?
I think there’s an argument to be made that my lifting will somehow take away from my other training on the days where I’ve lifted in the morning and then train at night, but it’s not taking away from time I’d be working technique (unless you were to argue that anytime I’m doing anything I could be working technique). Free time in my schedule is not an issue at the moment.
Is that your feeling though?
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
[quote]brotard012 wrote:
fuckit.
skip week 4 and just do week three again.
I mean what can squatting
pressing,
benching
and pulling
in the 90% plus range
for AMRAP possibly do for recovery.
or what can the possibly do for fighting- your last 3 weeks.
cmon son.
skip the last 3 weeks- dont ask your coach.
he should box your ears if you ask him.
[/quote]
From what I’ve seen, the furthest out you need recovery is arguably two weeks, which is why doing a deload early (Mon/Tues) would give me 11 days of no lifting prior, and would give me 16-18 days (I usually would do deadlifts on thurs or friday, but could Tuesday) with no heavy lifting.
Does that sound stupid?
I think there’s an argument to be made that my lifting will somehow take away from my other training on the days where I’ve lifted in the morning and then train at night, but it’s not taking away from time I’d be working technique (unless you were to argue that anytime I’m doing anything I could be working technique). Free time in my schedule is not an issue at the moment.
Is that your feeling though?[/quote]
Brother… wtf.
Brotard is correct, you should be racked around the ears.
Seriously, are you a monster lifter?
Is your penis that small that you think not lifting for 3 weeks will affect your herculean physique?
I don’t get it. Do you want to fight and fuck this guy up irrespective of how you look or do you want to look good but lose?
Fuck weights off for 3 weeks at least before a fight and stop intellectually masturbating. Just fucking concentrate on fighting and fight related skills. All your strength work should have been done weeks and weeks before in your off season.
My answer would depend on how many fights you have taken and how have you prepared for your previous ones? If lifting during the last week helps you, go for it. Smart money says that it won’t but you never know about these things.
Most my fighters back off from weights during competitions. They do activation drills and such even up to the day of the tournament, but the last two weeks are usually spent going trough tactics and strategy. We avoid heavy sparring because of injuries and because we compete a lot.
As for 5/3/1 - I would just forget that. Why even do the deload if you’re preparing for a fight, not next lifting cycle? Fighters who need to feel strong, I’d have do some good singles in the o-lifts two weeks before the fight. Throw some high-fives and tell them how they’re going to kick ass come competition day. The benefit is not physical. I used to lift a couple of days before fights, but that was because strength was the only thing going for me and I was too busted up to do any proper training 
My advice: for the next week, lift some good reps with weights you can dominate. Use the second week to do some dynamic lifts around 60%. The last two lift only if you think you need it for the fight.
I’ve pretty much just dropped 5,3,1 'till after the fight.
I’ll probably squat and press this week at some point. Probably not next week, but I’ve basically just handed over my S&C for the last few weeks to a trainer my coach sent me to.
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
I’m not a coach, but I’ll say this - I don’t think you should be lifting at all the last week. That’s a light workout week where you’re seriously tapering off and just doing light skillwork, nothing that’s going to get you injured or tire you out too much.
I like the idea of dropping week 3 and doing a deload that week instead. Whatever minor strength you’ll gain in those last two weeks wouldn’t make a difference in your fight, but the lifting sessions could exhaust your CNS depending how hard you hit them.
That time in week 3 could be better spent doing extra endurance and skillwork. [/quote]
I mostly agree with this. I don’t like 5/3/1 for the last month at any rate, but the week of the fight you should be doing nothing more than 15 minute “warm-ups” daily. box jumps, bounds, plyos, light explosive weight training. I mean, really, just warm-up stuff. Nothing even remotely heavy, just enough to get the blood flowing and your muscles loosened up. The Thibaudeau concept of Neural Charge training is invaluable here, although I do NOT believe you should have a barbell in your hands at all the week of a fight. Nothing remotely like what you have been doing.
And in any case I also agree that the week before a fight (meaning 12 days out of a friday bout), you should be doing more skillwork, sparring, and endurance or lactic acid training. Strength work, if there is any, should be minimal and almost non-existent. Nothing slow speed, no more than say 15-20 reps in a workout (yes you read that right). You can always add more work for future fights, but the purpose of a taper is a TAPER—to make sure you’re 100% in the ring, not 100% strong in the gym come fight time.
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
I’ve pretty much just dropped 5,3,1 'till after the fight.
I’ll probably squat and press this week at some point. Probably not next week, but I’ve basically just handed over my S&C for the last few weeks to a trainer my coach sent me to.[/quote]
Thumbs up
Good stuff
10 days before fight is my rule, no lifting…
Weighing in tonight, fighting tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Thanks
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
Weighing in tonight, fighting tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Thanks[/quote]
Get it kid.
Let us know how it goes. Get a video if you can!
Good luck.
Smash him. Don’t be nice. Hug after the fight.
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
Weighing in tonight, fighting tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Thanks[/quote]
He needs luck.
You did the work.
Regards,
Robert A