[BJ_1985]

I am helping a friend prepare for an MMA fight on 04/05/2008. I have always been more of a boxer, but I am fairly good at grappling/grappling techniques. Anyhow, as we head down the final stretch I want to get some informed input. Mainly this as it's been on my mind for a while...on the night of the fight, what is an appropriate warm-up? As I see it there is a fine line to wearing yourself out and just warming up?

Other than that, any other advice or comments? I haven't been happy with how everything has played out thus far in training, but I feel like we have made the most of our situation. I want to go hard for the next 2-3 weeks and then let him rest for at least a few days prior to the event. It's his first fight...it's as an amateur against someone who will have been training as a boxer for 10 weeks by 04/05. Thanks in advance.

[SiFufrank]

On the day of the fight it is too late to gain any benefit from heavy work outs and will only tier you out and slow you down. The day before the fight should be a moderate work out as well as good long stretches. A good cardio work out and serious stretching a couple hours before the fight will loosen you up and clear out the muscles. Stretch again just before the fight.

[bamboo]

Anyhow, as we head down the final stretch I want to get some informed input

With all do respect, If you are coaching and do not understand how to do a proper warm up then you need to stop and get your friend a trained coach.

What you don't know can hurt him.

BTW- What promotion is this with?

Best of luck,

bamboo

[zefff]

Hey Bj_1985,

Are you independents then, as in you dont train with a proper team? Your man needs to know in his head that he is definitely going to win and that his preparation has been enough. I know a lot of people have inner doubts but if his head isnt focused then whats the point. So for him to be positive and confident you as his coach need to be really positive and definite!

I agree with Bamboo but your in the situation now so you need to make th best of it. Make a detailed plan for the rest of his training, resting and nutrition. Plan out (write down) how you will corner him and precisely how the day and night of the fight will go (there is a decent thread on here about being a cornerman if you search).

Different people warmup differently but I like to very slowly work up the pace from zero, over an hour to the point where I have hit my first feelings of gassing. I dont have anything in place because I am a noobie but if I didnt have my own coach with me to instruct me I probably would put some tunes on, gently swing the limbs and twist the waist etc, jump rope, shadow box etc, then static stretching followed by dynamic stretches, ground positions, increase the pace a bit with more rope, gentle pad work, GnP from mount and side etc, submission drills, footwork drills, sprawls, padwork, shoots, shoot n sprawls, kicks on thai pads, pummelling then takedowns, increased padwork combining punches, knees, kicks etc, stretches, finally keep the engine idling with shadow boxing and footwork. Of course I would plan all this out before hand and try it out in the gym so that I could rearrange the order to flow better and the exercises to be more cohesive so that by the time Im done I am running hot, ready to work and free from stress.

That allows me to go out and if the opponent starts with a fast pace, which is likely with amateurs, then I can deal with that without having to worry about hitting that wall where you gas after 1 minute because you went straight from 0 to 60.

good luck!