Cross-Training in Muay Thai/Sei Shindo Kai

[Wastelander]

I am currently preparing for my first amateur MMA fight, which will be on August 10th, so lately I have tried to gear my training toward that goal. A local martial artist that I know through Facebook, recommended that I go do some cross-training with his instructor, Jiro Shiroma Shihan. I already knew about Shiroma Sensei through my instructor, who has done a little cross-training with him, but had never gone myself.

This morning I went down to Shiroma Sensei's dojo for a class on Muay Thai--his style is a blend of Shorin-Ryu, Muay Thai, and jujutsu, and he is an "old school" Okinawan instructor, so I expected it to be tough. I discovered that my endurance has suffered while I have been improving my strength/power, so I will have to work on that . I had a great time, and picked up a few tweaks to work on in the process. Shiroma Sensei is also a fun guy to talk to--very knowledgeable and humorous!

http://s24.postimg.org/jzw1z6dqd/Noah_with_Jiro_Shiroma.jpg

[ShoriKid]

Great to see you getting to branch out in your training. I saw on your blog where your fight was confirmed by the promoter. How did you feel the day went from a technical stand point? Outside of endurance, how did what you've been doing stack up? Not asking for you to critique what they are training, but how well what you were doing was holding up to something with an MT influence.

Just an idea, and I take it you don't have a dedicated strength and conditioning coach, to keep the endurance element trained. I've been working on tabata style rounds with kettle bells or lower weight doing swings, round the world, pulls etc. Or a variant of a "Fight Gone Bad" work out. 1 minute rounds, no rest just 5/6 seconds to get to the next exercise. I'll hit more detail later if you'd like. We make good use of them in our dojo.

[Wastelander]

Great to see you getting to branch out in your training. I saw on your blog where your fight was confirmed by the promoter. How did you feel the day went from a technical stand point? Outside of endurance, how did what you've been doing stack up? Not asking for you to critique what they are training, but how well what you were doing was holding up to something with an MT influence.

Just an idea, and I take it you don't have a dedicated strength and conditioning coach, to keep the endurance element trained. I've been working on tabata style rounds with kettle bells or lower weight doing swings, round the world, pulls etc. Or a variant of a "Fight Gone Bad" work out. 1 minute rounds, no rest just 5/6 seconds to get to the next exercise. I'll hit more detail later if you'd like. We make good use of them in our dojo.

Shiroma Sensei did give me some pointers on my technique, but nothing terribly major--pulling my foot back further on my push kicks, chambering the kick more, throwing my overhand left more often, etc. I didn't feel outmatched in sparring, so from that perspective I feel pretty good. I have been invited to come back any time, and I was told that yesterday was sort of a trial run for me, and that my "real training" will start the next time I visit, so we'll see how that goes!

I actually started up doing high intensity interval training again the week before last, but I haven't done it enough to build my endurance back up just yet. I typically go between bagwork, kettlebells, and medicine balls for those circuits.

[bushido_man96]

I'm late here, but very cool! Thanks for sharing the photo.

[sensei8]

I'm late here, but very cool! Thanks for sharing the photo.

Ditto!!