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So far Don Heatrick has created 379 blog entries.

Scheduling Your Weekly Training Plan For Fighters – Part 1

These days, fighter training has become more sophisticated. Coaches, fighters, and hobbyists alike all realise that to remain healthy, injury free and perform their best it takes more than steady runs, bag work, pad work, and sparring. But, what types of sessions are needed? How often should you train? What order should sessions go? [...]

Scheduling Your Weekly Training Plan For Fighters – Part 12023-01-12T14:06:16+00:00

Ognjen Topic: How To Become The Best Fighter You Can Be

Put this battle-tested advice from Ognjen Topic into practice to become the best fighter you can be. Although distilled in fighting, these lessons apply to every domain of your life. There's a pattern to becoming the best you can be. Know the pattern, chase the challenge, and become your best... [...]

Ognjen Topic: How To Become The Best Fighter You Can Be2022-12-29T09:09:31+00:00

Mid Back Rotation Mobility For Fighters | Thoracic Spine

Thoracic spine, or mid back rotation mobility is lacking in 90% of the fighters I’ve tested, from novices to world class pros. In the last episode, I demonstrated how I test and score this. If you scored between 1 to 3, you’re limiting your striking power and have an increased risk of lower back [...]

Mid Back Rotation Mobility For Fighters | Thoracic Spine2022-12-28T09:09:36+00:00

Thoracic Spine Rotation Test For Fighters

How do you score on this thoracic spine rotation test? 9 out of 10 fighters can’t adequately twist their torso! They don’t have enough t-spine rotation, especially on the dominant side of their body. This means they’re limiting the amount of power they can produce in strikes (especially the close-range weapons like elbows and knees), and have an [...]

Thoracic Spine Rotation Test For Fighters2022-12-28T09:13:50+00:00

How Pre Fight Ritual Boosts Confidence & Performance – Part 2

Some pre fight ritual practices boost confidence and performance, while others hamper it! Having established an understanding of why ritual and superstition speaks directly to your emotional mind in high-stakes situations to boost confidence and performance in part 1... In this episode, we lever this understanding to pick the best rituals and personalise them, [...]

How Pre Fight Ritual Boosts Confidence & Performance – Part 22022-12-08T14:53:39+00:00

How Pre Fight Ritual Boosts Confidence & Performance – Part 1

The evidence is in. Using a pre fight ritual boosts confidence and performance, fact! Pre fight superstition and ritual are an inherent part of all combat sports, and are baked into the culture of Muay Thai. From Pra Jiad arm bands, Mongkhon headgear, lucky amulets, and sak yant tattoos, to wai kru and ram muay [...]

How Pre Fight Ritual Boosts Confidence & Performance – Part 12022-12-08T14:53:29+00:00

Fight Skills Technical Practice Part 2: Solo Sessions

Solo fight skill technical practice can fast-track your fight ability if it's done well. In this episode, avoid these fight skill pitfalls or risk sabotaging your technical practice and undoing all your hard work! Fight Skills – Solo Session Considerations Further Resources Fight Skills [...]

Fight Skills Technical Practice Part 2: Solo Sessions2022-11-24T18:50:13+00:00

Fight Skills Technical Practice Part 1: Group Sessions

When it comes to fight skills technical practice, repetition is key. And group sessions present challenges for individuals looking for technical practice opportunities to fast-track changes in their habitual fight skills. In this episode, I discuss my approach for fast-tracking technical practice in group sessions, both as a coach, and a fighter taking part [...]

Fight Skills Technical Practice Part 1: Group Sessions2022-11-25T16:07:56+00:00

Feeling Tired During Fights Isn’t The Same As Being Tired

There's a difference between feeling tired during fights and being tired... Competing as a fighter is stressful, and the cocktail of neurochemicals and hormones this dumps into your body drastically affects how you feel. Especially early in a fight career, nervousness, anxiety, or even all-out fear, will leave you feeling exhausted without even exerting [...]

Feeling Tired During Fights Isn’t The Same As Being Tired2022-11-04T14:25:23+00:00

Tips For Coping With Pre Fight Nerves

Even elite pros require methods for coping with pre fight nerves. And it begins with accepting how you really feel, before adopting strategies to manage that pre fight anxiety when it crops up... And it will! Every fighter has nerves before a fight. If they didn't, they can't perform their best. However, it's important [...]

Tips For Coping With Pre Fight Nerves2022-10-21T13:03:57+01:00

Strategically Pacing Yourself To Win Fights

Are you strategically pacing yourself to win fights? Armed with an understanding of how to use a heart rate monitor to determine your own unique training pace, you can not only boost your fight fitness... But crucially, learn how to strategically pace your efforts during a fight to produce the best tactical effect. Just [...]

Strategically Pacing Yourself To Win Fights2022-10-12T12:09:22+01:00

Using Fighters Deload Week To Kill It!

Using fighter's deload week effectively takes discipline! Recovery is often a dirty word for fighters... However, it’s the difference between year-on-year progress, or a monthly boom and bust. In this discussion with Rolf Eijsink during his coaching call, we explore both my approach to maximising deload weeks, and Rolf's valuable insight too. Use these [...]

Using Fighters Deload Week To Kill It!2022-10-07T12:34:46+01:00

The Splits Stretching Routine For Fighters Kicks

Regularly practicing this splits, passive, relaxed stretching routine for fighters will rapidly enhance your kicking flexibility. Splits stretching as shown for just 7 mins, at least 3 times per week, will make a huge difference to your kicking ability at all target heights. Not only will you reach higher targets, like the head, that [...]

The Splits Stretching Routine For Fighters Kicks2022-10-07T12:11:15+01:00

Mental Strength Training For Fighters

Fighter mental strength training isn't only about what happens on the pads or in sparring. Mental strength is built over the long-term from the habits you repeat each day. In reality, everything you do is an opportunity to either cement the identity of someone who either: 1. Avoids challenging situations or circumstances or gives [...]

Mental Strength Training For Fighters2022-09-29T20:11:25+01:00

Barbell vs Dumbbell Shoulder Press For Fighters

Both barbells and dumbbells have their place in a fighters program for exercises like the shoulder press... Either to target specific qualities in different blocks of training, to accommodate shoulder mobility or injury, or simply because of the limited availability of one or the other in your gym! In this video all is explained, while [...]

Barbell vs Dumbbell Shoulder Press For Fighters2022-09-22T10:51:55+01:00

Optimal vs Peak Fight Performance – What’s The Difference?

Do you know the difference between optimal and peak fight performance? Too many fighters don’t, and it’s costing them! I see many pro and hobbyist fighters alike, rightly working incredibly hard in their training, but mistakenly believing that every session must push them harder than the last. “Go hard or go home” has its [...]

Optimal vs Peak Fight Performance – What’s The Difference?2022-09-09T14:36:53+01:00

How To Do Hill Sprints Without A Hill

Fighters instinctively feel that hill sprints boost their fight performance. And mixing these High Resistance Intervals amongst your “roadwork” develops your endurance in a way steady state running can’t. But, not everyone has access to a decent hill. What’s the minimum hill gradient required? And what alternatives to hill sprints are there if you [...]

How To Do Hill Sprints Without A Hill2022-09-08T07:46:13+01:00

Stronger Fighter Training

To become a stronger fighter, you must use resistance training correctly... Historically, old-school fight coaches claimed that weight training makes fighters big and slow. But that’s only true if you use resistance training poorly. When used in the right way, weight training can either make you much stronger WITHOUT getting any bigger, or both [...]

Stronger Fighter Training2022-08-05T13:55:24+01:00
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