In's and out's of training for a pro thai boxing fight.

Getting told you have a fight (event) coming up, its good news but you also realise that there is a long road of training and countless hours in the gym before you step in the ring.

Preparing your own training programme can be good but you also know that you will set it to what you do comfortably. I try to set my training programme with hard and both easy sessions for the long 10 weeks. These consist of strength & conditioning sessions at Bodytorque and also technique at kirkby thai, all to improve my performance in then ring. Nutrition is also a major part of training as you can train as hard as you want but if you eat rubbish, you will gain fat and lack in performance because you are not getting key vitamins and minerals to the body what you will need to perform.

Starting the long training for the fight always begins with checking weight and constant monitoring throughout. Each day consisting of at least 1 hard session. There is times during training when you just want a moment to sit down have some water and relax a second but you always think 'is my opponent training this hard' and 'hes not going to let me rest in the fight', that what thrives you to carry on and push a few more repetitions out. After a couple of weeks the fight is getting closer and the nerves are kicking in abit more, you feel uneasy, cant sleep at night and you don't feel like eating. Then you end up having a poor session, you feel bad, you are stressed out and cannot concentrate.

Last 3 weeks of the fight left, your body's tired, you have cravings for junk food, all your friends are asking you to go and party and your having tempting thoughts about going out and maybe having a chippy. This is where it starts getting mentally tough, your itching to go out with the lads, watch the football and have a laugh with a few beers, your getting peer pressured into having one but you have to think 'I have came all this way why ruin it?'

after saying no, all your friends are off out to town and your off out on a jog. determination and will power kicks in now and this is where the real battle begins.

Last 2 weeks of the fight you start thinking alot about your opponent and what is he going to do? So your practising strategies and improving technique. Throughout the time of training I get sports therapy massages from Emma Rushton at Bodytorque, this is to stimulate recovery, deep tissue repair, muscle growth and flexibility. I also get full diet guidance from Connor Doherty on how to find foods what will improve my endurance, recovery rate and not leave me feeling sluggish.

Its now fight week. Nerves are really kicking in, you become nervous and worried about what your opponent can do to you and the outcome of the fight, you switch off from everything and the fight is what is on your mind, nothing else. Weighing in is scary because you are worried about weight and also you get to see what you opponent looks like and there build, height and reach you take in to consideration. After the weigh in you re-hydrate, eat an get a good nights sleep and become focused on what you are going to do to and get in there and go for the win. Achieve what you never thought you could do 10 weeks ago.