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HOW TO TAPER FOR FIGHT WEEK 🥊🥋

I’ve got several combat athletes preparing for a range of different events right now, and it got me thinking. Tapering is such a crucial step in preparing for competition, and it’s something I see go wrong all the time.

Early in my own career as an athlete, I always wanted to do more and more. Training harder was my way of feeling in control and prepared. But in the final week or two before competition, you need to understand one thing: LESS IS MORE.

There are a few key areas we focus on to have ourselves feeling sharp and ready for fight day.

✅ Do’s
• Reduce volume: 1-2 quality sets instead of your usual 3-4
• Maintain intensity
• Focus on intent (SEND IT)
• Reduce eccentric load
• Take plenty of rest between sets

❌ Don’ts
• Don’t switch up your movements. Changing things too close to competition risks unnecessary soreness, and nobody wants that right before a fight
• Don’t add excess volume. Pull back your sets and reps
• No grinding reps. Pull back the load
• Avoid hard conditioning. A lot of athletes add extra sessions to help make weight. Stick to low intensity movement that won’t add extra stress to the body, and talk to your coach or dietitian about your weight plan

In this final part of the process, switch your focus to preparing your mind. Trust the prior work you’ve done and let your body sharpen up.. #TheDen

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I feel incredibly grateful that The Den has been able to help so many people. This is what it’s all about. What a privilege it is! #TheDen

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HARD ≠ GOOD

This isn’t to say working hard is bad. It’s acknowledging that how hard a session feels is not a good indicator of whether it was a good workout. This matters even more in a sporting context, where athletes are juggling skills training and games. The last thing we want is our work in the weight room getting in the way of that. Unfortunately, I still see coaches smashing their athletes/clients and using it as a barometer of how good the session was.

Once again, this is nothing groundbreaking. It’s called the minimum effective dose: the smallest amount of training that still gets you the result you’re after. Anything beyond that point usually doesn’t make you better. It just costs more time, energy and recovery.

So work out what you’re trying to achieve from your session, make sure it ticks that box, and then move on. That way you’re ready to perform again sooner. #TheDen

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Big day on tools with the Thursday crew 🙏 fun and friendship what it’s all about ❤️‍🔥 #TheDen

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YES IT FEELS FKN GOOD TO LOAD UP THE BAR. BUT NO, IT’S NOT THE ONLY WAY TO IMPROVE OR MEASURE PROGRESS.

I say this to my clients all the time: progressive overload comes in a number of different forms, some of which I’ve shown in this video. Of course we still want to keep adding weight to the bar, but realistically it’s not always possible, or even what we should be aiming for.

It’s easy to put the blinders on and chase one metric. What I find is that focusing on a few different things makes training more enjoyable and helps you progress consistently over time. #TheDen

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7 WAYS A GOOD S&C COACH CAN HELP YOU - BEYOND THE OBVIOUS 🏆🏆🏆

When I tell people what I do, most assume it’s teaching them how to squat and writing a program. From my perspective, it’s a whole lot more than that. I was fortunate enough to be an athlete and then a coach at the Victorian Institute of Sport, and these are some of the main takeaways I still apply in my own business today! Want help applying any of this to your own training? Send me a message or a drop a comment 🤠 #TheDen

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Another week in the bank 🏦 I sound like a broken record but god I love this.

What a privilege it is!🙏 #TheDen

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PSA!!

I’ve been training people for years and always tell them to use straps, but no one listens to me 😂 It’s honestly such low-hanging fruit. They cost about $10 to $15 and will let you lift heavier and focus on the muscles you’re trying to train, rather than just trying not to drop the bar.

If your argument is that you want to improve your grip strength, then train your grip directly. Don’t let it limit your ability to build strength everywhere else!

Also, this applies to intermediate and advanced lifters. If you’re a beginner, your grip will probably keep up with the lighter weights, so you’ll still get a good stimulus without straps!

xoxo Tom

#TheDen

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Exploring.
Learning.
Listening to my body.
Having fun.
Quality > quantity.
Intent. ⚡️🤠💪

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MIC’D UP WITH MARIAH 🎙️

Heavy 3s to start!

Today was pull-ups and box squats, pushing for heavy triples before anything else. I love bringing max strength work into sessions. It’s fun, it feels good moving heavy weight and knowing you’re strong, and it raises the ceiling for all your higher volume work. You’ll never see me doing a whole session of 8-12 reps, boring af.

What I love about training Mariah is the intent she brings. She backs herself every set, and you can see her getting aggressive with the bar when she’s trying to move the weight.

Train heavy, move with intent 💥 #TheDen

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Rinse and repeat! Consistency beats all else.

It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you need a plan that meets your goals, fits your schedule and that you enjoy. A big part of how I help clients is building programs they actually look forward to and can realistically stick to, while still leaving time to enjoy life. 🤌 #TheDen

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HIP MOBILITY FOR BUTTERY HIPS 🧈

This one’s for my Taekwondo friends, or anyone who needs a bit of WD-40 on their hips.

Nothing too groundbreaking here, but like anything else, improving your range takes time and consistent effort. I like to layer these into my Lower Body Day warm-ups or play around with them during rest periods on Upper Compound days.

P.S. If you’re a combat athlete chasing better lower body mobility, practising the skill itself over and over with efficient technique is still top tier. These are just a nice aid alongside it! #TheDen

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