You will never forget your first MMA fight! Win or lose you want to be READY, both physically and mentally. In this article, I will share some tips to make sure you’re ready on fight night!
Share this article with your friends and training partners! My First MMA fight tips.
Warrior STRENGTH S&C PROGRAM
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Strength & Conditioning
MMA is a physically demanding sport. With the result of most amateur fights determined by conditioning. It’s not uncommon to see an inexperienced fighter win round 1, but then lose to a less skilled opponent due to fatigue.
Running a basic strength and conditioning program alongside your training will both increase athletic performance and reduce injuries.
Equipment
Train in the same equipment you’ll be wearing on fight-day. You should feel 100% comfortable wearing a groin guard and a gumshield. If you are not used to wearing a gumshield it can affect your breathing and a groin-guard can feel like you’re movements restricted.
It’s crazy how many fighters train without wearing a gumshield or a groin guard. I’ve seen teammates mould a new gumshield the day before a fight, or try on a groin-guard for the first time.
Recreate your competition environment
The aim of sparring is to recreate a fight in a safe environment whilst minimising injuries.
You want to recreate the competition environment whenever possible in the gym. Stress and changes in the environment can lead to decreased performance. An example of this would be how fighting in front of friends and family for the first time can add to the pressure of the fight.
One way to reduce this pressure would be to invite friends to watch you spar.
Below of some more examples that you could recreate in the gym:
- Sparring without your top on
- 3 Minute Rounds
- Fighting in fake blood
- Sparring in-front of your friends and family
- Sparring using your competition ruleset
Have an Interclub or Smoker Fight
Gyms have to promote a safe environment for hobbyist and amateur fighters to train together. Seeing people brawl and throw heavy shots is frowned upon in most MMA gyms. Flow sparring is good, but how can you win an MMA fight if you cant up the intensity and level of aggression required to win your first MMA fight.
Compete at an interclub first to see how you react to a higher intensity and aggressiveness from your opponent.
Don’t Weight Cut
Weight loss and weight-cutting are very different things. Weight-cutting consists of dehydrating the body as much as possible to make weight for a fight. Although this enables you to compete in a lower weight class, your body needs sufficient time to rehydrate. Amature fights are often same-day weigh-ins leaving you dehydrated during your fight. You should always fight at your healthy natural weight to minimise the chance of dehydration and injuries.
Conclusion
Follow some of these tips to help you get the edge over your opponent. MMA fights take months to prepare for, so you have plenty of time to get in shape and master your technique.
The truth is the fight is the easy bit. If you trained hard and have a solid foundation of technique there’s not much else you can do! During your training camp remember to focus on your recovery and listen to your coaches guidance.
Enjoy your first fight and GOOD LUCK!
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