5 Steps to Prepare for Fight Night

I thought that with this video I would do something slightly different to what I usually do. At the end of this video you will have a strategy for dealing with an upcoming head-to-head.

My main line when it comes to videos and articles are the areas of skills and techniques.

This video though relates more to the preparation that you may go through when dealing with an upcoming fight.

What I hope for the video is that it will give you some motivation and practical advice for dealing with life events, and not just those life events that involve the exchange of punches with someone!

The advice I provide in the video is in two broad areas:

• The Practical
• The Psychological/Emotional

The Practical

#1 – Preparation of the Physical, Technical and Tactical

The practical aspects of preparing for fight night are really all about preparing physically, technically and tactically. These 3 aspects of preparation are best addressed in my opinion by using macro cycles and micro cycles.

For anyone involved in sports to any kind of elite level, then the concept of macro cycles and micro cycles will a familiar one.

My version of macro cycles and micro cycles are fairly simple, because I have always found that the simple works – the KISS principle…Keep It Simple Stupid J

So the best way to think about macro and micro cycles is:

• A Macro Cycle is a long-term goal or objective. Examples of objectives that may be targeted in a macro cycle are:
  • To be ready for your 1^st competitive boxing match in 12 months.
  • To lose 50lbs in body weight within 9 months.
  • To qualify as a boxer for the next World championships.
• A Micro Cycle should be viewed as smaller sections of the macro cycle with a suitable objective. For example, the first micro cycle of macro cycle 1 (ready for 1^st competitive boxing match in 12 months) might be that you are able to on a technical level jab, move, pivot and use simple defenses to the jab. You may also aim to have your recovery rate improved by a set amount after a round of intense work.

So a macro cycle is made up of multiple micro cycles, each micro cycle consisting of an objective that feeds in to the overall objective of the macro cycle.

A micro cycle that is in the lead up to an actual fight will consist of 4 elements:

1. Core – this phase is about building a base level of physical endurance upon which to layer additional levels of fitness and technical capability. Long runs, long rounds, hard slog!
2. Recovery – this phase is about becoming ‘functionally fit’. This means increasing the intensity so that having worked to the maximum level for a period (a round) you are fully recovered after one minute of rest.
3. Steady State – This is the plateau. You get no ‘fitter’ and are really beginning to focus on technical and tactical sessions.
4. Speed – this phase is the ‘final approach’ to the fight, the days leading up to the contest. This is about sharpening up, all speed focused work and short rounds.

This is all about gym work, strength, conditioning, roadwork, weight training, technical and open sparring and skills focused pad work – all designed to get you into a good place for your fight.

Management of your weight is also quite important (master of understatement). Manage the diet and the amount of training you do does the rest. Again, your coach can help with this but it is your responsibility to not eat like a pack of hyenas.

#2 – The Administrative Stuff

OK, now for the boring bit, although to be honest if you are the boxer this bit isn’t for you to trouble yourself with. Your coach is the guy that deals with this stuff.

The administrative stuff basically includes registering to compete in competitions but more importantly passing the annual medical check.

Whilst as a boxer you will be checked by a doctor prior to each contest, there is also a requirement to undertake a more stringent annual check.

As I have already said though, let the coaching staff worry about that J

#3 – Equipment

When it comes to subject of equipment most of the responsibility lies with you, the boxer. I say ‘most’ because on fight night it the responsibility of the people who organize the boxing show to provide approved competition gloves.

All of the other kit required to compete in competitive boxing is really down to the boxer and the gym that the boxer represents. This covers:

• Head-guard (for youth boxers)
• Low-blow protector (and chest protector for female boxers)
• Kit (shorts and singlet/vest)
• Boots
• Hand wraps
• Towel (that almost every boxer I work with forgets on fight night which is why I bring one!)

#4 – The Warm Up

Unless you want to hand the first round of the fight to your opponent then a good warm up on the night is absolutely vital. This is about driving up the heart rate, getting blood flow to the arms and legs and raising the temperature.

In a short duration fight it is absolutely crucial that a boxer is firing on all cylinders right from the outset – a proper, full on warm up with good sharp pad work (focus mitts) fits the bill perfectly.

The Psychological/Emotional

#5 – Management of the Emotional State

You may be the fittest and strongest fighter on the block, but if you don’t manage your emotions during fight preparation in the right way then you have a bigger hill to climb.

In terms of managing the emotions, controlling your nerves and properly channeling fear, consider the following points:

• In the run up to the fight, use positive visualization of the fight. Not just your hand being raised at the end, but visualize executing your skills in a precise and excellent fashion. Supreme movement, fast and devastating combinations and excellent defensive skills. Run it through your mind as you work the final stages of your cycle and in the minutes leading up to the contest.
• Clear your mind of anger and hatred; in my experience it serves no purpose. You have a problem in the other corner so deal with it in a professional and controlled manner. Use bursts of aggression of course, but it is simply a problem that needs to be solved so do so in a clinical manner.
• You will get ‘knots’ or ‘butterflies’ in your stomach – these are an unpleasant but necessary aspect of experiencing fear. To alleviate the feelings for a moment, take a very deep breath and at the top of the breath the stomach knot will disappear. Of course the knot will return when you breath out, but at least you had that second or two of relief.

So there are some tips for getting yourself ready for fight night. Remember, positivity comes from confidence. Confidence comes from preparation. Prepare well and you up your chances of achieving your desired outcome.

Any comments or questions, let me have them below.

Cheers

Fran

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