John Pegram

Really good article again Sylvie. My personal experience is training at my old gym in Bournemouth. Before I started fighting I used to train with the fighters at my old gym all the time. As soon as I said would like to fight they said come and train with us, so your ready when you get a chance. I used to do 5 sessions in the week. In the UK most gyms are open just in the evening, (although my old one now is open all day ) and on a Sunday I used to get a call off one of the fighters and we would go running and go to the gym and I would train with the fighters who wanted to put in that extra bit of work. Well I trained 6 days a week and really pushed myself and then sadly one afternoon I was sparring with my mate and I threw a punch at him and felt something in my shoulder go click! and then my arm started aching and I had to stop. I tried to do some press ups after we had finished training and my arm just gave way! Next day I woke up and could hardly move my arm at all and was in loads of pain and saw a doctor. I could only open my hand really slowly and it turned out I had torn a ligament in my shoulder. :( A couple of the more experienced lads said that I had burnt myself out. I guess you could call that over training? these days I believe in pushing myself to be at my best and I am used to training hard. I can usually work around an injury too. :)

I didn't run last week because I've fractured my shin. :( well its an old one the doctor said but he told me not to go running and its now loads better so a 10k beast it is this saturday then. lol

I read Aaron's article too, it's very true that running is an essential part of fight training. I run about 6 k if not further a few times a week in Bristol where my gym is and who I fight for at present. I train about 5 or 6 times a week. Last time I trained in Thailand I caught a bad cold within a couple of days and it went to my chest so I trained quite a bit but didn't run bar once. It was 14k and over 30 degrees and was horrible. lol First time out there we would always run in the morning and then in the afternoon if you wanted. If you fight again the trainers expect you to do morning and afternoon. (I've not fought out there yet but I would like to when I am back out there in feb next year.) I've always been told my fitness is very good, it really pays off in a fight. There is always something left in the tank!