FIGHTING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? READ THIS.
Chances are you’ve been thinking about your goals lately. Reflecting on what matters most, your values, important life milestones and the experiences you want to have. As the world rapidly changes around us, we are forced to consider whats right and aligns most with who we truly are. If that’s you, we can relate and if fighting happens to be one of your goals— we can help.
Whether you’re new to fighting or dabbled in a bit of Muay Thai or boxing and feel ready to take the next step, theres a few key things to consider and know. We’ve put our top five tips together to get you started and on your way to the ring.
1/ get settled in a fight gym
Sounds basic right? You’ll be surprised how many people walk in our doors with a big ol’ vision to fight and no training or commitment to back it up. This sport isn’t the kind you wing, especially if you want to be taken seriously and matched.
Find yourself a fight gym and turn up to class. When your coaches get to know you, your goals and see you putting in the work, your chances of a fight increase dramatically. There’s a lot of energy required from a coach, promoter, match-maker and corner crew to get you ring-ready. If you don’t invest in the basics, chances are they won’t be investing in you.
2/ grab yourself a fight-kit
You’ll need 16oz gloves, wraps, shin maps (for kickboxing) and a mouthguard.
While we’re here, let’s clear a few things up around gloves:
Velcro gloves are far more practical to remove by yourself than lace-ups.
In Aotearoa around 90% of novice fights will wear a 16oz. We recommend training in them too, it makes fight day a whole lot easier.
Size has nothing to do with power. It’s about wrist protection.
3/ connect with coaches & fighters
You need whānau to perform well in this sport both at home and in the gym. Take the time to get to know the coaches and fighters within your gym. Invest in them and it will come back to you when you’re in camp. Trust us, you’ll need it.
We recommend getting to know who the Head Coach of your preferred discipline is and attend their classes. When they coach you on technique, show them that you’re listening by practicing and working on it. If you’re a teachable student, you’ll get a coach who is more willing to invest in your growth.
Introduce yourself to the fighters and help them out with training. Jump into class, hold pads or offer to support by joining some hill sprints or a run. Once you get on the journey to fight, you become part of a wider fight team. So, get connected.
4/ build a plan that works for you
In the lead up to your fight there will be 6-8weeks of intense training known as the fight camp. You’ll need the time and energy to invest here. About 2-4 hours per day including classes, running, PTs, recovery and rest. It’s a lot of training and you need to stay committed in order to perform at your best come ring time.
If you’ve got exams coming up, a busy season with the kids or a stressful time of year at work or in your business consider how your training might fit in. Having a plan means you’re less likely to miss a session, lose momentum or feel overwhelmed. The more prepared you are the better you’ll feel come ring day and then the better your performance too.
5/ get a practice run under your belt
If this is a bucket-list fight, why not create the best possible experience for you with a practice run? That way, when it comes to fight day, you’ve learned a lot and at peak-performance in time for your ring debut.
The best way to do so? We’d suggest signing up to the Warrior Fight WOF, a 6-week-programme that emulates a fight camp. Under the guidance of our experience coaches, we’ll support you with all your training from fitness to conditioning, nutrition and weight cuts.
At the end of the WOF, you’ll complete an exam and if you pass, we’ll license you to fight and have you matched in as little as four weeks. Before you know it, you’ll be ticking fight off your bucket list. Sound like you? Spots are limited and disappear pretty fast. Get your name on the list now to avoid dissapointment.
