Martial Arts and Training: De-loading Week, Applying Training Fixes in Sparring

(week of 6/6/2021)

Wanted to talk about two things in this blog post this week. De-loading, and Application of Training in Sparring. Namely the difficulty in applying what you are learning in sparring.

Note: I noticed my dates were off on my last training post. Because I thought I was a month ahead. Hah! I fixed it retroactively

De-Loading:

This week was a De-loading week. Experts far smarter than I am have suggested that after you finish a weight lifting program you give your body a week where you let it rest from that particular training. So that is what I have done.

What is deloading? A de -loading week is not taking a week off of any activity, it is simply shifting focus on your training. Or reducing the amount you are. It is a chance to focus on rest, recuperation in the form of sleep and nutrition.

How I chose to de-load. I decided to give my body a week off of weight lifting, because I also train martial arts 4 days a week. I am eating to hit my macros, and I am trying to get enough sleep in.

What I noticed:

1. I was getting better sleep over all
2. My body did not hurt.
   • My body was not in the perpetual D.O.M.S. (Delayed onset muscle soreness) cyle. Train –> Sore –> Train different area –> sore etc.
3. I did not lack energy in my martial arts
   • I noticed I was not getting enough rest between, working, training, and my martial arts
4. The scale went down a little bit
   • I don’t know if it was water weight, I don’t know if it was a little bit of muscle loss. I don’t think so.
5. I feel good, still getting some training in

I finished an 8 week weight lifting session. I got great results and wanted to start in on my second 8 week training session. However, I was smart and waited like the experts say to. So when you read this I will have started on my next 8 week training session. I am focused for the next 8 weeks on shredding, instead of bulking.

To be honest, I feel a little silly talking about shredding and bulking because I am not going to be an IFBB (International Federation of Body Building and Fitness) pro, or even compete. But shredding and bulking is what I am doing. I am following programs to help me “Bulk” or put on muscle mass, and to “shred” or lose fat and keep muscle. It is the same or similar process that these pros follow, and even if I don’t plan on competing I love to train and have goals I have set for myself.

Applying My Training Fixes in Sparring:

Can we take a minute to just sit and realize how hard it is in sparring to remember what you just were working on. When the adrenaline drops and you are facing your opponent… well everything goes out of your brain. You forget how to even practice Muay Thai. At least that is the case when you first start.

When you have been sparring for a while though, and practicing Muay Thai for a while though, you start to remember your form when you spar. Let me say though, your bad habits will show in sparring. Part of your brain will be screaming don’t get hit, and the other part will be saying focus on your skills. Or at least so far after 3 years of training and sparring time, my brain still does this.

Now try to throw in any of the things you have been working on. For me lets say it is remembering right now not to telegraph my jab to my opponent. It is near impossible. That goes straight out of the brain, and all I can think of is stay out of range to your opponent, then get in with an entry you know you have trained, what they see that jab coming. Hey how do I get my entry into the pocket when they see me coming? (You know what brain, we just worked on that in pad work, if you just…then I get smacked in the face. Then the brain goes crap crap punched in the face… don’t let that happen again.)

Lets say it is hard. I know I am not the only one that feel that way. Another girl that is brand new to sparring, has had the same problem. We have been told often by our trainers that this is a problem and the goal is to relay on our training and not think so much. Easier said than done. So we continue to practice.

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Have you tried a de-loading week?

Have you had that adrenaline drop in the ring and forgotten how to do anything?

That is it for my past week. It was a welcome time off to recuperate. Now back to working to improve my fitness, and martial arts.

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