My Current Workout

**the boxing jiu** · Posted On: 11/06/2010 7:59pm

Hello all, I am a noob and decided to do away with my lurking and finally post something. I'm putting up the workout that I am currently doing and have incorporated some partner exercises with my rolling and sparing. My partner is an aspiring competitive no-gi grappler, amateur boxer/MMAist, and wide receiver at his high school. I am an amateur boxer, no-gi grappler, offensive tackle, and deep snapper. The football stuff is secondary. I put my workout here for critiquing because I feel that there are more effective ways to drill BJJ or there are exercises out there that can help me reach my goals more effectively than those I'm doing now. My goals are mainly epic technique when rolling, explosive lower body for when football season starts, explosive hands for boxing, and INSANE cardio. Since the last boxing match I had my calfs were tired like all hell, muscular endurance is also nice. Oh, and quick but intense ab exercises are needed cause mine suck. I know its kinda all over the place, but here's my workout:

Josh (training partner):
Monday/Friday-
Footwork/Warm-Up:
(same as me)
4x3min. Kick Heavy bag
2x3min. Mitt work
2x3min. Double-End bag
2x3min. Strike Uppercut bag
2x3min. Interval Training (exercises vary from day to day)
1x3min. Skip Rope
50x ab punches
BJJ Drills (same as me)
or
Abs
Stretch
Wednesday-
Go Spar at the other gym
or
Body Belt 4-8x3 minute rounds (Josh puts on a padded body pad and I put on headgear with a bar across. We wear 16 once gloves and box, but I can only attack his body while he can attack anywhere. Shits brutal and my body punches rock cause of it.)

Me-
Monday/Friday-
Footwork:
One-Leg Line hops (3x each leg)
Double Leg Line Hops (3x)
Zig-Zag Line Run (3x)
Karioka (3x)
BTW, 1x is equal to going to the length of the ring (where the line runs across) and back
4x3min. Mitt work
2x3min. Heavy bag
2x3min. Uppercut bag
2x3min. Double-End bag
2x3min. Interval Training or Thera bands (30 sec. punch with thera bands,30 sec. rest, 30 sec. punch, ect. for 2x3 minute rounds)
1x3min. Skip Rope
50x ab punches
Drill Arm bar from Guard (10x each side)
Drill Sit-Up Sweep from Guard (5x each side)
Drill Upa Escape (3x each side)
Drill Guard Recovery From Under Side-Control (3x each person)
or
Abs
Stretch
Wednesday- (same as Josh)
Tuesday/Thursday (same for both)-
Tuesday(grappling day)-
Defense Rounds/Body Belt (4x3 min. rounds)
Warm-Up:
Sprawl to back (6x each)
Push to Outside Reap (6x each)
Standing RNC escape (3x each)
Flying Arm bar or Jump Guard (3x each)
Standing Guillotine escape (sit back toss method) (3x each)
Take down Drills:
Double Leg (3x each)
Hip Toss (3x each)
Arm Drag to Ankle Pick (3x each)
Guillotine roll to mount (3x each)
Drills:
Mount (1 round each)
Side Mount (1 round each)
Back (1 round each)
Slow Kimura Transitions (3x each arm each person)
Slow Triangle Transitions (3x each side each person)
Sparing:
Clinch/Take downs Spar (2 rounds)
Free Roll (5-10 rounds)
Sprint 5x50 yards
Stretch

Thursday (MMA/Conditioning day)
Body Belt/Defense 4x3 minute rounds
Warm-Ups:
Sprawl to back drill (3x each)
Push to Take down drill (3x each)
Standing RNC escape (3x each)
Striking:
Thigh Beatings***
Heavy bag/Uppercut bag-
Thai Kicks (20x each leg)
Push Kicks (10x each leg)
Up-Kicks (10x)
Straight Knees (10x each leg)
Blocking (1x round each)
MMA:
Muay Thai pads (1-3x rounds each)
Dummy Drill
or
Spar (3x rounds) (MT,Wrestling w/ light strikes, or Kickboxing to take down)
Grappling:
Grappling Dummy RNC squeeze (1 minute each)
Grappling Dummy Ab attack squeeze (1 minute each)
Guard Strikes Blocking (1x round each)
Free Roll (5 rounds)
Superman Push-Ups (5x each)
Sprint-Grapple-Sprint** (2x)
Guard Carries (20 yards each person)
Stretch

Exercises to do before every other Thursday (partner workout days).

**Sprint 50 yards. Once both fighters have reached the 50 yard line, begin working
for take downs and grappling. Once someone taps out, both get up and sprint back to
the starting line and rest 1 minute.
***One fighter lays down on their side. The other stands over him and throws
punches to the lying fighter's thighs. After 20 punches, the lying fighter
turns over and 20 more punches thrown to the other thigh. The fighters then
switch.

PARTNER EXERCISES
(Do every other Thursday)

Tri-Part Work-Out

Sequence 1 (5x each person):
Partner Body Squats
Partner Flips
Partner Calf Raises
Partner Swings

Active Rest (30x crunches)

Sequence 2:
Partner 1 Lateral Jumps over Partner 2 (10x) while Partner 2 holds half push-up position
(switch and repeat)
Wheel-barrel Clapping Push-Ups (10x)
(switch and repeat)
Partner 1 burpees (10x) while Partner 2 holds Deep Squat
(switch and repeat)

Active Rest (30x lying neck flexion)

Sequence 3 (5x each person):
Partner Sit-Up/Lying Neck Flexion
(switch and repeat)
Partner Overhead Medicine Ball Throws (5 throws each person)
(switch and repeat)
Scarecrow Drill (5 rotations)
(switch and repeat)

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 4:48am

Well, I find it hard to believe you actually do all that, but in the event that you do I would suggest that alot of it, particularly the leg punching et al, is unnecessary.

EDIT: I feel I should clarify more.

Your training is in a circuit style format. While this is good, there doesn't appear to be any strength training in it, by which I mean a recognisable high resistance routine. This will effect your aim of more explosive power.

Your select rounds spread across 3 bags is unneccessary. I would focus more rounds on working the heavy bag and mitts, and finish with the uppercut bag. This allows you to focus on power and technique. Assuming your partner is a good pad holder, this also builds skills that will translate more directly into sparring.

**Lu Tze** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 4:58am

So lets get this straight, you're self taught?

Because it seems to me your schedule doesn't leave a **** load of time left over for actual qualified instruction.

Originally Posted by the boxing jiu

I feel that there are more effective ways to drill BJJ

Yes, it's called going to a BJJ gym.

Originally Posted by the boxing jiu

or there are exercises out there that can help me reach my goals more effectively than those I'm doing now.

Yes, I practice the excercise of getting in my car and going to learn from someone who knows what they're doing.

I'd suggest that.

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 5:19am

Originally Posted by Lu Tze

So lets get this straight, you're self taught?

Because it seems to me your schedule doesn't leave a **** load of time left over for actual qualified instruction.

This occurred to me also, but I was unsure what this:

Wednesday-
Go Spar at the other gym

meant

OP could you clarify this?
Where do you spar?
What sort of gym is it?
What instruction do you have available?

Thanks.

**the boxing jiu** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 9:48am

Well on wednesdays I go spar people at a boxing gym that I don't belong to, but it has alot more people than the one I do belong to. I go to the one I belong to on Mondays and Fridays, getting mitt work from an actual boxing trainer, but the only person that I could actually spar with (whose my age and weight) is Josh, which is why I spar at a separate gym. Probably another reason Josh and I spar at another gym is because he enjoys kicking the heavy bag in a pure boxing gym, and although nobody tells him anything about it, its pretty damn awkward.

When I get home on Mondays and Fridays, Josh follows me to my house and we drill some BJJ so we can get 5 days of BJJ in. As far as BJJ instruction goes, every Thursday I go to a BJJ/Kickboxing school run by a brown belt for no-gi training. The only reason I feel supplemental training is needed is because really all we do is roll and learn maybe two things every week. We warm-up, stretch, learn a sweep or an escape or trick to a submission, and roll for about 10 minutes with two different people. As I said previously, I want awesome technique (or as some people call it "beautiful" technique), but I just don't feel I'm drilling enough (or working out enough as a whole).

I'm only a white belt, so I'm not sure how much drilling is enough, but I think that NO drilling is not enough drilling. I especially want better hip movement from guard, so if any of you guys know of drills that would be better than what I do, I would very much appreciate it.

I see what you mean about the bag work, thanks for the advice. The only reason I wouldn't be able to get more mitt time is because my boxing coach has to work around seven different people, including Josh, but I get four rounds instead of two because I compete a good bit and need it more than, say, Jenny the ex-pregnant woman trying to get fit again. But I can easily hit the heavy bag (because the majority of people hate it compared to all the other bags) instead of the double-end or something, so I think I'll start doing that tomorrow.

I know that I do a lot, so is there a chance I could run risk of over-training? I take the weekends off and all, but should I tone this down? I added the mma and grappling stuff on tuesdays and thursdays two weeks ago, where originally I would take off on Tuesdays and only go to BJJ on Thursdays. I feel alright so far, but should I just keep doing what I was before or should I not worry?

And more strength training is definitely getting added (strength stuff is probably going to replace some free rolling time, because I feel that I'm focusing too much on that when I already do it at a BJJ school).

**the boxing jiu** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 9:55am

Btw, Thursdays I go from 3-4 to the BJJ gym, then 4:30-7 or 8 doing the workout posted here with Josh. But sometimes Josh can't train with me after, so I just rest that day. On days Josh isn't there, I chill, unless its a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. On those days I go spar or just do a regular workout.

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 11:33am

Originally Posted by the boxing jiu

I know that I do a lot, so is there a chance I could run risk of over-training? I take the weekends off and all, but should I tone this down?

over training is specific to the individual. Only you can tell if you're doing too much, listen to your body.

I added the mma and grappling stuff on tuesdays and thursdays two weeks ago, where originally I would take off on Tuesdays and only go to BJJ on Thursdays. I feel alright so far, but should I just keep doing what I was before or should I not worry?

I would keep practicing the BJJ, but in your free time, drilling with another beginner would probably be more productive than just free rolling, because of the possibility of bad habits forming.

And more strength training is definitely getting added (strength stuff is probably going to replace some free rolling time, because I feel that I'm focusing too much on that when I already do it at a BJJ school).

make sure you have a proper strength program.

http://www.stronglifts.com
http://www.rossboxing.com

These contain some good info.
Rossboxing also has some good info on conditioning, which could help you out. I would also personally recommend his [Ross Enamait's] book 'infinite intensity'.

**the boxing jiu** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 11:59am

Thanks for the advice and links. I'm definitely going to incorporate some of the ideas presented from Rossboxing. And I see your point about the free rolling vs. drills.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

**Lu Tze** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 12:40pm

If it's supplemental training, have at it, I doubt you can overtrain at your age if you're just drilling.

You'd be surprised at the amount of people who think they can learn all they need from youtube, so the question had to be asked, no offence.

Sparring the same person over and over can lead you into a developmental cul de sac though, you need to be wary of that.

**the boxing jiu** · Posted On: 11/07/2010 1:19pm

I understand why you had to ask that question, and I have encountered people like that as well so I don't take it offensively at all. I'm trying to find new people to train with but so far its just been Josh that really wants to train.

I've talked to guys at school that want to spar, but they only want to fight to satisfy the need to "kick ass" rather than to actually spar for any kind of skill benefit, and after a few sessions they don't come back. Its hard to find people who want to get serious about fighting, but your right eventually I will have to find new people.