I need some advice quick!!

[redeyeguy]

Hey guys, I've been training Muay Thai, and I need some advice! Here's the story (hope it's not too long and tedious to read :icon_sad..

So I've been training Muay Thai pretty hardcore, and lately, I've noticed my Kru has taken some interest in me, this week in particular. He would come around to me specifically and start pushing me harder and harder, with lots of encouragement (come on man!! harder!!! that's the best you can do?!). Once, I had to do a drill that involved punching the pads hardcore, and my Kru said I was doing it too slow. So he started smacking and kicking me nonstop in the stomach to make me do my hardest, which I did. My partner and I were quite intrigued by that, and my partner told me he thought that Kru probably had some special interest in me.

After class, I went directly to the bags and started practicing there. Soon enough, Kru came by and told me wanted me to keep coming to class, and that I would be a great champion. He asked me how long I've been doing Muay Thai for, and I told him 1.5 months straight (I've been registered since March 30th, but I got injured at some point, so yeah). He said that's good, and gave me advice on various things, from working out to how to condition my shins.

The next day (2 days ago actually), I came to the gym. I was 15 minutes late for class, and my Kru was okay with it. Before I could go to the change room, he told me that I've been getting better, and that he wants me to earn my shorts soon. I thought "oh shit, he's gonna test me!", and proceeded to take class.

Now, I've been talking to some other guys at the gym, and this black guy I know told me that Kru also recently told him he wanted him to do his level 1 test too. So now I'm positive that Kru is setting up a test date for somewhere in the near future. It could be 2 weeks from now, maybe 3, or even a month, I dunno. But generally, the way it goes at the gym is that he lets you know he thinks you're ready for testing, and eventually he tells you a test date. The test itself (from what advanced students tell me) is actually very intense - it's 3 hours in duration, and it covers everything from technique to fitness. I heard that they make you do ridiculous amounts of padwork that drains the hell out of you, and this is why I need some advice!!!

My technique so far is pretty good and I know that level 1 testing is more about fitness than technique, even though both are important (level 2 concentrates more on technique). But yeah, the padwork is pretty much my one weakness. I'm in way better shape than I've ever been in my life, but I seem to find that when I do hardcore padwork, I eventually get drained. Example, 50 kicks in a row and I feel like I lose a lot of power halfway. Now I've been training FUCKING CRAZY lately, like doing 2 classes in a row (each class is 90 minutes, so that's 3 hours of class time), as well as practicing on the bags and such. The weather has been pretty bad this week, so I have been getting tired easier than I normally do, but I try my best to hold myself together. However, I NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE HELL NOT TO LOSE POWER AND ENERGY!!! I wanna be able to go 100% all the time, and not start getting all slow and sluggish. Whenever I lose energy, I feel like I lose everything - technique, speed and power!

PLEAAASE, FOR GOODNESS SAKE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE. I'm already training like a maniac, but I need some good ideas for improving my cardio, as well as maintaining my explosiveness. I feel like I can be explosive for only a certain amount of time before I lose fuel.

I am overall quite confident of myself, but I am aware of weaknesses I still have, and I NEED to correct them. So all advice will be GREATLY appreciated. This is also a very pressured time for me, as I have my GED coming up at the end of this month (I do different parts on the 23rd, 24th, and 30th), so things are very hard at the moment! Studying my brains out and training like a mofo, yeesh!!!!


P.S. - If I do pass this test, that means I earned my level 1 (there are 3 levels at the gym) in just 1.5 - 2 months'ish. That would make me the guy who earned his first shorts the fastest, or among the fastest. So if I pass (which I will, I can't be a pussy), then it'll be a GREAT accomplishment for me.

 

[MMAFriedRice]

The harder u train u the easier the test will be my friend!!
Good Luck!!

 

[bnosam]

Better get your cardio up there bro

 

[Indivdude]

What's your conditioning schedule for the week? What else do you do besides muay thai however many times a week?

 

[redeyeguy]

Indivdude: Nah, I only do Muay Thai. But I do spend a lot of hours there. Here's a breakdown of how I train:

- I run before class maybe 3 times a week (I do 3 - 4 kilometers at the moment)

- Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays I do 2 classes in a row (3hours of class time per day)

- On Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays I do 1 class only (90mins class time per day)

- I always spend at least 1 - 2 hours of solo training (or sometimes with a partner/partners) every day. this can include anything from workouts, to technique and power training


I've been doing 2 classes in a row for only about 2 weeks at most, so I am somewhat adjusting to the intensity still, but yeah... I fucking need to not tire out at all, or else I'll get all sloppy during the test.

 

[Indivdude]

Hmm and what did you do before you jumped into the muay thai? I'm wondering if that schedule is too much for you right now. You might be overtraining if you had no training experience beforehand or its been a long time since you've exercised before this.

However, its probably just a case of getting used to it. Do you feel less tired or wiped after 2 classes now than when you started?

 

[digi3pod**]

sounds like overtraining since your new but im not sure. but remember adequate rest is important to success. i would advise some outside conditioning training. i would say a quick cardio boost is the tabata protocol. maybe you can do punch out drills with kicks?idk if that's practical? but i like rosstraining for conditioning ideas and the stickies here are a good place to start. good luck

 

[redeyeguy]

Hmm and what did you do before you jumped into the muay thai? I'm wondering if that schedule is too much for you right now. You might be overtraining if you had no training experience beforehand or its been a long time since you've exercised before this.

However, its probably just a case of getting used to it. Do you feel less tired or wiped after 2 classes now than when you started?

Well, before Muay Thai.... I used to go to the YMCA and just lift some weights many many months ago, but I barely did any cardio to begin with. The last time I was at the YMCA was in February. Other than that, I was a chain smoker and drank liquor heavily; I also played video games all day. I actually quit those vices permanently because of Muay Thai, though they may have taken a toll on my health.

Well, it depends on the day. I can do a single class easy though. All classes, no matter what instructor, have intense cardio, however the partner drills vary from instructor to instructor. Sometimes we will concentrate on technique, other times speed and power. If I get 2 consecutive classes that involve lots of speed and power and "burnout drills", then I'm pretty much done. I tend to rest for 10 - 15 mins, then I do the bags afterwards. It doesn't help that this whole week has been HORRIBLE in terms of the weather - 34c degrees (93f) and VERY HUMID. Combined with the gym being so small in size and packed with people, the air gets extremely hot and dense, and it becomes rather hard to breathe in there.

Someone said that I just need some adjusting, and perhaps I do, as this whole double-class thing is pretty recent for me.

sounds like overtraining since your new but im not sure. but remember adequate rest is important to success. i would advise some outside conditioning training. i would say a quick cardio boost is the tabata protocol. maybe you can do punch out drills with kicks?idk if that's practical? but i like rosstraining for conditioning ideas and the stickies here are a good place to start. good luck

Hm, I should try that out. I'm considering a lot of sprinting, and doing retarded amounts of burpees. Burpees hurt real bad when the numbers get high, and I'm guessing they may help my endurance, I dunno. I'm no fitness expert, but at least I can do 50 in a row (though it hurts like HELL) and be able to do something moderate afterwards.


Argh, I just HATE the feeling I get when I lose energy though. I get all sloppy and uncoordinated - no technique, power or speed left.

 

[PWR1982]

Train even more. Start training 2x on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays.

Once you do that, or if you can't, do some sort of cardio training. Preferably, something that will be close to the "test". Just running 5miles won't be very good. Check out the the july cond. challenge - good example.

 

[redeyeguy]

Train even more. Start training 2x on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays.

Once you do that, or if you can't, do some sort of cardio training. Preferably, something that will be close to the "test". Just running 5miles won't be very good. Check out the the july cond. challenge - good example.

I can't do 2x classes on those days because there's only 1 class available lol. But I can do intense cardio training. :icon_chee


I'm really liking all these ideas I'm getting from everybody.

 

[DrBdan]

redeyeguy, do you train at Siam No 1? I see you're in Toronto and I know they do the shorts thing, just wondering.

Do you know what you need to do for the test? If you can find out and build a routine around the requirements that would be best since it would make your training the most specific.

My advice though would be not to lose sight of your long-term goals. I assume you want to become the best Muay Thai fighter that you can, so don't short change yourself now by focusing too much on bringing up your cardio and neglecting technique. With the amount of training that you say you do your cardio should quickly improve (as long as you don't overtrain).

Do you eat anything between classes when you do two in a row? If not, you should. 3 hours is too long to train without eating anything. Some simple carbs, or even drinking Gatorade dilluted with water (half and half) would help.

 

[redeyeguy]

redeyeguy, do you train at Siam No 1? I see you're in Toronto and I know they do the shorts thing, just wondering.

Do you know what you need to do for the test? If you can find out and build a routine around the requirements that would be best since it would make your training the most specific.

My advice though would be not to lose sight of your long-term goals. I assume you want to become the best Muay Thai fighter that you can, so don't short change yourself now by focusing too much on bringing up your cardio and neglecting technique. With the amount of training that you say you do your cardio should quickly improve (as long as you don't overtrain).

Do you eat anything between classes when you do two in a row? If not, you should. 3 hours is too long to train without eating anything. Some simple carbs, or even drinking Gatorade dilluted with water (half and half) would help.

Nah, not Siam No 1. I'd rather not disclose where exactly I train for the moment, but it's a good school.

I do have a general idea of what the test is like. They make you do various technique drills, and TONS of workouts. It's 3 hours straight, and they will pretty much have you practice most everything. Level 1 is more about fitness than technique - even though both are important - so I don't think I need my technique to be exactly 100% to pass, even though I'd like it to be as close as it can get. The test has one part where there will be several guys holding pads, and you take turns doing ridiculous amount off stuff on each pad holder. It's a serious burnout/cardio thing, and I need to be ready for that!

I actually tend to avoid eating in between classes, though I do drink water regularly. I did eat yesterday in between classes however (I had a small sub packed with everything), and though I was able to do the class okay at first, I eventually started to tire out anyway. I didn't partner up with anybody cause I was the odd one out, so I was paired up with one of the fighters, and he just made me do everything x2. Like say if a person was to do speed and power and combo drills, it would be 15 - 20 minutes or so, then it's his turn to hold the pads. I just did 2x of everything instead, and that really drained the hell outta me lol.

I am considering drinking something in between, can you give me various suggestions of (not too expensive) things I could try? I don't want to actually get full or anything either - training on a full stomach isn't always the most pleasant thing, especially if it feels like everything is bout to come up. :icon_lol: I just need something to keep my energy up without getting bloated or throwing up or something rofl.

 

[DrBdan]

Now I'm intrigued... I wonder what gym you train at A 3 hour test seems kinda ridiculous.

While I've never tried it, I've heard good things about drinking Gatorade mixed with water, about half and half. Some people also like to mix in a bit of protein powder. Give it a try and see what you think. Don't chug it between classes, just start drinking it after the first class and into the second class instead of drinking water.