Hey everyone... I have 2 weeks till a belt test, looking for some advise for diet and other things to do... The test will include. doing push ups and sit up, demoing techincs and (5) 2 minute rounds of sparring (3) 6 minutes rounds of grappling... I have been training for 8 to 10 hours per week for the past 5 weeks and only 1 alcohol drink since then also.... Help me.... I don't want to run out of energy or anything to prevent this from being a one and done test... Thanks

Your test will involve several intervals of varying lengths and intensity - sparring is different than grappling in several regards of how your muscles get used. But overall, interval exercises.

That means when you workout, if you're doing treadmill exercise, you don't slog it out at a constant pace for 40 minutes. Let's say your cruising pace (that you can cover distance in) for running is 5mph. You would run along at 1% incline at 5mph for a minute, then you would kick it up to a higher pace (say 7.5 - 8mph) for 2 minutes, to simulate your sparring, then dial the treadmill back to 5mph for 1-2 minutes (however long your sparring breaks are), and then run some more.

Even better, do bag work in the same fashion - have a timer count off rounds while you ferociously attack the bag, then rest at the break, then do it some more.

For grappling, my amateur opinion tells me the best way to train for grappling is to get a more skilled person from your class to train with you - buy them a 6-pack or a dinner or something, or just give them, like $20, if they aren't happy to volunteer without payment, and do your grappling rounds with them.

Push ups and situps, just do what you have done in training.


As for diet, there isn't much you can do to improve, but there's plenty you can do to harm your efforts. Stay away from shitty foods, which includes grease, simple carbs (asides from fruits), and an excessive amount of sweets. Opt for fruits, whole grains, lean meats, and a modest amount of sweets so you don't end up with a craving from total abstinence. Stuff like carb-loading really only works as a result of long-term, accumulated ability your body develops from long-distance training. You could also consume some green tea before your workouts and before your test to help boost your energy from caffeine and other energy-enhancing substances.


Hope this helps.

Keep your cardio up so your sparring will be up to par. Remember to breathe through your nose.

is two weeks enough time to lose weight for the belt to fit??? you should have thought of this sooner

It doesn't look like he's actually trying to lose weight.

wellcome to subtle humour

is two weeks enough time to lose weight for the belt to fit??? you should have thought of this sooner

No... not trying to lose any weight... I'm 235-238 right now, so I'll have to spar and grapple with all the gorillas they can find.. I only have alittle body fat around my waist, was asking about diet for substaining energy throughout the test. Want to eat the days coming up to the test, the day before and the morning of, the test starts 10 am.... And things to chew on during, when I have a chance... Power bars and such....

KiaKid - which school do you train at? Do you have any COC experience?

Hopefully you have gone to see other tests and know what to expect. I've seen a few, but basically there is no way getting around being exhausted. No matter how good or how conditioned you are, they will push you to the limit. A friend of mine tested last year and was doing pretty well in the stand-up portion - so they threw a fresh member of the fight team in with him after he was going at it for a while. Just for good measure, they then made him go an EXTRA round (past the test requirement). I have no doubt this had nothing to do with his abilities, but rather the senseis want to make sure everyone gets a gut check.

Obviously, if you are out of shape you are not going to survive. But if you are taking the 8-10 classes per week, keeping the intensity HIGH during these classes, and trying to pay attention to recovery (we are the same age...I understand what your body feels), you should be fine. If I go there I know what ring to look for you...you shouldnt be hard to find.

Good luck on the test. I'm planning to take the test later this year and hopefully you will be one of the gorillas theythrow at me :-)

KiaKid - which school do you train at? Do you have any COC experience?

Hopefully you have gone to see other tests and know what to expect. I've seen a few, but basically there is no way getting around being exhausted. No matter how good or how conditioned you are, they will push you to the limit. A friend of mine tested last year and was doing pretty well in the stand-up portion - so they threw a fresh member of the fight team in with him after he was going at it for a while. Just for good measure, they then made him go an EXTRA round (past the test requirement). I have no doubt this had nothing to do with his abilities, but rather the senseis want to make sure everyone gets a gut check.

Obviously, if you are out of shape you are not going to survive. But if you are taking the 8-10 classes per week, keeping the intensity HIGH during these classes, and trying to pay attention to recovery (we are the same age...I understand what your body feels), you should be fine. If I go there I know what ring to look for you...you shouldnt be hard to find.

Good luck on the test. I'm planning to take the test later this year and hopefully you will be one of the gorillas theythrow at me :-)

I train in Cherry Hill, I have been to 3 COC, but none in the past 4 years... I'm a long timer there, going on about 8 years beacuse I disappeared while my children were really young.. I did go to the past test to get a feel for it and we did a pretest friday, but it was only for strength, technics and self defense... Thank for the luck... I don't know where I be yet, but I be with the big old guys for sure....

I train in Cherry Hill, I have been to 3 COC, but none in the past 4 years... I'm a long timer there, going on about 8 years beacuse I disappeared while my children were really young.. I did go to the past test to get a feel for it and we did a pretest friday, but it was only for strength, technics and self defense... Thank for the luck... I don't know where I be yet, but I be with the big old guys for sure....


The rings are set up by age group...you should be easy to find.

On interval training your cardio, if I were personally worried about it, I would probably work my round times with a skipping rope ....... I'm not really sure how you fight or at what intensity you think you're needing, but for muay thai for example where it's all about the huge finish - I'd probably do my 1 minute rounds x 5 - 7 going maybe 30 seconds medium pace - 30 secs flat out - 30 secs to a minute low medium pace to recover a little - followed by another longer sprint for a minute - then drop back to mid pace - quick sprint - low pace rest - quick burst and so on....

whenever I reeeally want to pick up cardio in a hurry on what I'm already doing ... this is something that always produces results quickly and effectively and that you can knock out seshes of in relatively little time.

Again with the energy - it's a long time over the course of your grading test and being used to fairly long intense regular seshes myself, I normally like to maybe make sure I get a good serve of protein and small serve of dry or sticky carb with a hot fluid ( activating the fibre I did the night before ) in the morning an hour or so before I start - move my bowels , then after my first hour to 2 1/2 of work do a vit b/c and guarana supplement ... the effervescent ones are waay more bio-available and easier to deal with ... maybe even a piece of fruit to snack just for the bonus sugar and nerve stabilsation boost ..... not sure what art you're doing but with some you don't even have the opportunity to leave the mat at all .... if you can swing the break though the glycogen is definately going to be appreciated by body and the guarana is definately imo an edge worth exploring aswell. if you're toey about anysuggestions you get, try it on before hand .. test day is 'not' the time to experiment !!

good luck with it anyway - hope it helps

Blooming Lotus

all I know is that I had a three hour brown belt grading this past Sunday and I was exhausted. Like, completely worn out. I don't know the time frame for your own grading but personally I would focus on cardio. All of the appropriate suggestions have been made regarding types of foods for fuel and types of cardio training so I won't add any unnecessary noise exept to say Magnesium is great for muscle recovery and I would reccomend taking Arnica every four hours after your grading. I did this and feel great today, not perfect but great considering.

Good Luck!!

GE

If you're doing several high intensity workouts during the week, you should be increasing your carbohydrate intake to compensate.

I'd go for 65% carbs, 20% protein, and 15% fats.

Also, don't forget to be hydrated for the test and stay hydrated (a mouthful every 20 minutes or so should do it) and it helps if you have a serving of carbs about an hour before the test to top off your energy level (a slice of bread should do it, not a 3 course plate of pasta.)

And don't forget to kiai when you bridge or shrimp, the judges eat that **** up.
:tongue5: