6 days/week training challenge

[Gregor]

As most of you will know, professional Thaiboxers train 6 times per week and 2 times per day - with running sessions before the training sessions to boot (that at least is the standard training regimen in MT camps in Thailand).

As somone who is in his late thirties, who has continued with MT only at the beginning of June 2017 (I 'wasted' time with Taekwondo and something kickboxing-like before that with plenty of long breaks in between) and who finds the above training schedule rather awe-inspiring, I wanted to see what it would be like to train 6 times per week (only once per day for one week) and - successfully - challenged myself to do that last week (the week before that I went training 3 times).

My I guess hardest training week ever (2 hour sessions per day at the gym) went pretty well: No real injuries - just a minor liver ko from some guy who said he wanted to do sparring in a really relaxed manner (yeah right, but at least he apologized twice) and a bruise on my shin from a blocking experiment gone wrong. Knees also holding up well. Also no real fatigue; I always felt pretty fresh the next day in training but appreciated the Sunday off.

So for all those not already training like Sylvie or other pros, who do have the possibility to train 6 days per week and who have not done so yet, maybe challenge yourself to do that and write about your respective experiences here. Or if you have already done it, tell us what your first time training 6 days per week was like.

[radarjam]

I've been to Thailand twice (once on Aug 2016 for 2 weeks, and recently in March/April for 1 month) I've experienced training 6x a week, 2 sessions (AM/PM) for 2.5 hours+ 

My experience training 6 days a week was very brutal obviously, because back home in Canada I only have the opportunity to do this 5x a week, with respect to 1 session per day only (1.5 hours per session)  But the more you train as the days go by, the better it gets as your body gets used to the heat/intensity and lifestyle.

So the bottom line is, it'll be tough but it gets better over time if you keep at it :) Just listen to your body, hydrate, stretch, and have fun lol 

[Fighting Frog]

I haven't done six days on the trot (yet!) because my trainer has always made me have a rest day; but I have done four or five days together, or six days but with a break in the middle, several times. I train for two hours at a time followed by some power work. The warmup is shadow boxing, then two hours of pad work, practicing something new/technical, and then anything up to 12 four-minute rounds of sparring (start light and easy, build up).

This week I've trained four days in succession (and one of those was immediately after a night shift in hospital theatres); I'm okay but today we really kept it to lighter technical stuff; we sparred for about six rounds but kept it light and slower so I could practice and work on stuff that I am really flaky on. I was definitely slower today (not that I am fast when at my best) but in some ways that was good; it meant I really had to concentrate on neat footwork and my punches/kicks being light but super-accurate and tidy.

I work full time too, so if I want to get four days or more days together then I have to fit it in before my shift starts (or in the case of a night shift, afterwards).

This week we've had some pretty heavy sessions on top of several hard ones last week, and I am a bit bruised and sore, especially my right shin which is quite battered. But it's all good, I love training as much as possible.

And now I must go and sort out my horse, and do some work in the garden!

 

Incidentally, I'm in my 50s, so don't let anyone say that just because you're not 21 anymore that you can't train six days!

[bbf3]

I train 6 days a week for fights and the body surprisingly adapts to it after a couple of weeks (of course some days are really rough). I've just come off a fight and am taking a break but I'm finding it's almost harder to cut the training down to 3 days a week. Don't know if that's because the body shuts down in between the training days so it's harder to get it going again. With all that said, I am yet to train 6 times a week twice a day but I plan to when I go to Thailand later this year.

[Micc]

Congrats on a successfull experiment! :) 

I trained 2 years ago like that, went slowly from training 2x a week, to 3x, then 4 and then 6x a week. I don't remember how long it took me to go to the 6x a week, but I'd say I added up to it over the span of 6 months and then I kept at it more or less for a year and half. With some minor breaks and minor injuries. In preparation before going to Thailand I really trained 6x a week going strong every session. I managed to do my 2 weeks in Thailand training twice a day, minus the running :) I was around 28-30yrs then.

Now I have a much more different training schedule, with specific interval trainings and weight lifting sessions. I do Muay Thai only twice a week now, but I workout 4 times a week for sure. I'm working on adding to it.

In August I'll go to a training camp, where apparently up to 3 training sessions a day will be available to the participants, but it will be a mixed K1, MMA, boxing camp, so I suppose not all trainings will be interesting to me, but I'm aiming to go at least twice a day. Now I'm taking it kinda easy, but already mapping out a schedule of 6 workouts a week to prepare for the camp. I'll also add more cardio - running or sth along the lines to work on my conditioning :)

It gets easier once you get used to it and work out a good schedule that fits around your adult responsibilities ;)

[Gregor]

Thanks everyone for your replies. :)

 

"I train 6 days a week for fights and the body surprisingly adapts to it ... it's almost harder to cut the training down to 3 days a week."

Agreed in both respects. Adaptation is a fundamental aspect of evolution and generally working also in this respect. And training 'only' 3 days a week would be strangely dissatisfactory for me right now on a psychological level; I just feel better on training days and hope that my body holds up.

 

Also @ bbf3: Did you feel that you were lacking endurance (or something else) in your fight due to 'only' training once per day? There must, after all, be good reasons why Thais do running and other endurance related exercises twice per day.

[bbf3]

Also @ bbf3: Did you feel that you were lacking endurance (or something else) in your fight due to 'only' training once per day? There must, after all, be good reasons why Thais do running and other endurance related exercises twice per day.

 

I alternate between running and swimming before training, as well as sprints after training, during a fight camp. My cardio has been pretty good in my last few fights compared to my first few fights; however, I believe that's not only due to improved cardio but, largely, better composure, more efficient technique, and greater awareness of when to strike vs when not to. My most recent fight last week I remember going back to the corner after the rounds 1+2 and barely breathing..compared to my first 3-4 fights when I was breathing heavily after the first round.

I imagine running and training twice per day would lead to even better endurance (provided I can sleep in between training sessions  :teehee:). However, I am quite thin already and wonder how that would impact muscle mass. I have lost about 1-2kg of muscle this year as I have been continuously training for fights since February, despite eating pretty much whatever I want, and I generally fight people up to 5kg heavier. Anyway, that may be a topic for another thread.

[Fighting Frog]

I've got a week off work, so I'm training every day except one.

So far we've spent the entirety of two two-hour sessions sparring, working specifically on my push kicks (ie getting me to use them more, trying to be quicker, using them in conjunction with other moves, etc etc etc). The first 45/60 minutes are being taken fairly lightly; then we move up the gears until the last five rounds are pretty intense.

Today we finished off with 30 minutes of power work too - crunches, pull ups, press ups.

[Gregor]

So far we've spent the entirety of two two-hour sessions sparring, working specifically on my push kicks (ie getting me to use them more, trying to be quicker, using them in conjunction with other moves, etc etc etc). The first 45/60 minutes are being taken fairly lightly; then we move up the gears until the last five rounds are pretty intense.

 Wow, that sounds like a nice training session. I recently successfully encourage my trainer to do sparring regularly (plenty of beginners and weaker intermediates), but we never came close to even 1 hour; still too much groundwork to do from his pov. Also good luck with that challenge. ;)

[Fighting Frog]

Yesterday was day off (went out for the day with Himself); back to two hours again this morning. This time after shadow boxing I was taught a new move. We then practiced it amongst some general padwork, and also worked on correcting an error that is creeping in. Then we had some light sparring concentrating on trying to use the new move (I failed at that!), and avoiding making the persistent mistake (that was more successful). In time we moved onto harder and more general sparring, looking particularly for me to improve my head blocks and guard immediately after a flurry. Finished off again with long sets of crunches and some pull ups.

I think I'll ask for a bit of extra work on clinching - I've noticed I'm getting a bit flustered and overpowered; I'm not quick enough with the knees and end up getting chucked all over the place. I try to avoid getting into the clinch when sparring - I prefer to throw a knee from a distance and then get away again!

[Fighting Frog]

Yesterday was day off (went out for the day with Himself); back to two hours again this morning. This time after shadow boxing I was taught a new move. We then practiced it amongst some general padwork, and also worked on correcting an error that is creeping in. Then we had some light sparring concentrating on trying to use the new move (I failed at that!), and avoiding making the persistent mistake (that was more successful). In time we moved onto harder and more general sparring, looking particularly for me to improve my head blocks and guard immediately after a flurry. Finished off again with long sets of crunches and some pull ups.

I think I'll ask for a bit of extra work on clinching - I've noticed I'm getting a bit flustered and overpowered; I'm not quick enough with the knees and end up getting chucked all over the place. I try to avoid getting into the clinch when sparring - I prefer to throw a knee from a distance and then get away again!

[Fighting Frog]

Yesterday was day off (went out for the day with Himself); back to two hours again this morning. This time after shadow boxing I was taught a new move. We then practiced it amongst some general padwork, and also worked on correcting an error that is creeping in. Then we had some light sparring concentrating on trying to use the new move (I failed at that!), and avoiding making the persistent mistake (that was more successful). In time we moved onto harder and more general sparring, looking particularly for me to improve my head blocks and guard immediately after a flurry. Finished off again with long sets of crunches and some pull ups.

I think I'll ask for a bit of extra work on clinching - I've noticed I'm getting a bit flustered and overpowered; I'm not quick enough with the knees and end up getting chucked all over the place. I try to avoid getting into the clinch when sparring - I prefer to throw a knee from a distance and then get away again!

[Fighting Frog]

Oops. sorry for the multiple postings - it looked like the server hadn't accepted the post... obvs I was too impatient!

Anyhoo, today's training was pretty mild as trainer not feeling too well.