Titans Grip

MMA Training Plan, Advanced

20-Week Advanced MMA Fight Camp Plan

Twenty weeks engineered for a sanctioned MMA bout. Six sessions per week, fully block periodized strength, opponent specific sparring partners, and a controlled weigh in and rehydration strategy that does not gamble with round five.

Duration

20 weeks

Sessions / week

6

Per session

90-120 min

Level

Advanced

Coach Rico

MMA coach, striking, wrestling, submissions

Reviewed 2026-04-18

Before You Start

  • At least 3 years of active MMA training
  • Active athletic commission license where you compete
  • At least 5 amateur bouts or equivalent competitive record
  • Full medical including neuro, cardiac, and ophthalmology clearance
  • Registered with USADA or equivalent anti doping body where required

Week by Week Structure

Weeks 1-5: General Preparation

Aerobic base, max strength, technical volume across all ranges. Light sparring only, focused on output and fundamentals.

Monday: Striking Plus Strength

120 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Jump rope, mobility

Striking (50 min)

  • Pads, 6 rounds of 3 minutes
  • Bag, 4 rounds of 3 minutes

Strength (45 min)

  • Back squat, 5 x 5 at 80 percent 1RM
  • Bench press, 5 x 5 at 80 percent 1RM
  • Weighted pull up, 4 x 5
  • Romanian deadlift, 3 x 6

Cool down (10 min)

  • Mobility

Tuesday: Wrestling

90 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Shots, sprawls

Wrestling (55 min)

  • Chain wrestling drill, 5 rounds of 5 minutes
  • Takedown defense plus counter wrestling, 4 rounds of 4 minutes

Cool down (20 min)

  • Mobility, film review

Wednesday: Grappling Live

100 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Shrimps, drilling

Live (60 min)

  • 10 rounds of 5 minutes, rotating partners

Cool down (25 min)

  • Mobility, hydration

Thursday: MMA Integration Plus Conditioning

100 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Shadow, pads touch up

Integration (45 min)

  • Strike to takedown, 5 rounds of 3 minutes
  • Getup and exit, 5 rounds of 3 minutes

Conditioning (30 min)

  • Bike, 10 rounds of 60 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy

Cool down (10 min)

  • Mobility

Friday: Strength Lower

80 min

Warm up (10 min)

  • Dynamic

Strength (60 min)

  • Front squat, 5 x 5 at 75 percent 1RM
  • Trap bar deadlift, 4 x 5 at 80 percent 1RM
  • Hip thrust, 4 x 8
  • Anti rotation press, 3 x 10 per side

Cool down (10 min)

  • Mobility

Saturday: Long Aerobic

90 min

Run (60 min)

  • 60 minute zone 2 run, heart rate under 75 percent max

Core (20 min)

  • Weighted carries, hollow hold, side planks

Cool down (10 min)

  • Mobility

Weeks 6-10: Specific Preparation

Strength converts to power. Sparring rises to 65 percent. Opponent study formally begins.

Monday: Power Plus Pads

110 min

Warm up (10 min)

  • Dynamic

Power (45 min)

  • Trap bar jump, 5 x 3
  • Bench throw, 4 x 3 at 30 percent 1RM
  • Med ball rotational, 5 x 3 per side

Pads (40 min)

  • 6 rounds of 3 minutes, opponent specific combinations

Cool down (15 min)

  • Mobility

Tuesday: Wrestling Sparring

90 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Shots, sprawls

Live wrestling (55 min)

  • 6 rounds of 5 minutes wrestling, no strikes
  • Focus on finishing shots and scrambling on defense

Cool down (20 min)

  • Mobility

Wednesday: MMA Sparring

100 min

Warm up (20 min)

  • Shadow, pads

Sparring (50 min)

  • 6 rounds of 5 minutes at 65 percent, full MMA rules

Cool down (30 min)

  • Film review, mobility

Thursday: Grappling Specific

90 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Shrimps

Live grappling (55 min)

  • 8 rounds of 5 minutes, integrate strike simulation with pad on the corner

Cool down (20 min)

  • Mobility

Friday: Strength Upper Plus Speed

80 min

Warm up (10 min)

  • Dynamic

Strength (40 min)

  • Bench press, 5 x 3 at 85 percent 1RM
  • Weighted pull up, 5 x 3
  • Row, 4 x 6

Speed (25 min)

  • Double end bag and reaction work, 4 rounds of 3 minutes

Cool down (5 min)

  • Mobility

Saturday: Hard Spar or Long Bag

110 min

Warm up (20 min)

  • Pads

Main (60 min)

  • Every other week: 5 rounds of 5 minutes sparring at 70 percent
  • Alternate week: 10 rounds heavy bag at 85 percent plus grappling flow

Cool down (30 min)

  • Film review, mobility

Weeks 11-15: Pre Competition

Opponent specific sparring, shorter intervals, sharper tactical work. Strength becomes maintenance.

Monday: Opponent Style Pads

90 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Jump rope, shadow

Pads (45 min)

  • 6 rounds of 5 minutes, pads simulate opponent style

Cool down (30 min)

  • Film review, mobility

Tuesday: Conditioning Plus Core

75 min

Intervals (40 min)

  • Bike, 12 rounds of 20 seconds hard, 40 seconds easy

Core (25 min)

  • Carries, hollow hold, side plank

Cool down (10 min)

  • Mobility

Wednesday: Fight Plan Sparring

100 min

Warm up (20 min)

  • Pads touch up

Sparring (45 min)

  • 5 rounds of 5 minutes at 65 percent, strict plan execution

Cool down (35 min)

  • Film review

Thursday: Maintenance Strength

60 min

Strength (45 min)

  • Trap bar deadlift, 3 x 3 at 70 percent
  • Bench press, 3 x 3 at 70 percent
  • Pull up, 3 x 5
  • Med ball throw, 4 x 3 per side

Cool down (15 min)

  • Mobility

Friday: Grappling Specific

90 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Drilling

Live (55 min)

  • 6 rounds of 5 minutes against opponent style grappler

Cool down (20 min)

  • Mobility

Saturday: Simulation

100 min

Warm up (20 min)

  • Shadow

Simulation (45 min)

  • Full bout simulation at 60 percent, rehearse corner instructions and round routine

Cool down (35 min)

  • Film review

Weeks 16-20: Taper and Fight

Volume drops progressively. Sparring ends in week 17. Weigh in and rehydration executed carefully in week 20.

Monday: Short Pads

65 min

Warm up (10 min)

  • Jump rope

Pads (35 min)

  • 5 rounds of 3 minutes, clean combinations

Cool down (20 min)

  • Mobility

Tuesday: Light Bike

50 min

Bike (35 min)

  • 35 minute steady zone 2

Mobility (15 min)

  • Full body flow

Wednesday: Light Sparring (Week 17 only)

75 min

Warm up (15 min)

  • Shadow

Sparring (30 min)

  • 4 rounds of 3 minutes at 50 percent, trusted partner

Cool down (30 min)

  • Film review

Note: No sparring weeks 18, 19, 20.

Thursday: Drill Only

60 min

Drill (45 min)

  • Strike to takedown, reversals, fight plan rehearsal at low intensity

Cool down (15 min)

  • Mobility

Friday: Weigh In Rehearsal (Week 19)

50 min

Shadow (20 min)

  • 4 rounds of 2 minutes

Weigh in dry run (30 min)

  • Rehearse weight plan, hydration, rehydration meal

Saturday: Fight Day (Week 20)

Variable

Pre bout (60 min)

  • Warm up, hand wraps, pads touch up

Bout (15 min)

  • 3 rounds of 5 minutes or 5 round championship as scheduled

Recovery (120 min)

  • Rehydration, medical, food, rest

Key Techniques

Level change to body lock

A shot that transitions from a low single entry into a body lock when the opponent sprawls. Allows a trip finish or a lift depending on opponent response.

Clinch to back take

From a Thai clinch or over under clinch, throwing the opponent past you to take the back, secured with a seat belt grip before they can square up.

Overhook D arce

A front headlock family finish that traps the opponent arm and neck. Works in scrambles and from sprawl response. Safer than a high elbow guillotine with gloves on.

Wall walk getup

From bottom against the cage or wall, framing and walking the feet up the wall to stand back up. Essential for strikers who get taken down.

Counter wrestling sprawl to elbow

Sprawl response followed by a 12 to 6 elbow to the spine area once the opponent head is down. Requires careful attention to the legality of elbow position.

Fueling and Recovery

Advanced MMA camps need precise energy and hydration management. Daily intake during general preparation sits between 3000 and 4000 calories for 70 to 90 kilogram athletes. Carbohydrates cycle from 4 to 7 grams per kilogram with session demand. Protein holds steady at 2.0 to 2.4 grams per kilogram. In the final 4 weeks carbohydrates are protected at 5 to 6 grams per kilogram to support fight night output. Water loading begins 5 days before the weigh in, with sodium cut starting day 3. Weight cut beyond 6 percent of body weight in the final week is tied to reduced late round performance and raised safety risk per the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. All supplements must be Informed Sport or NSF Certified for Sport registered, particularly if the athlete competes under USADA or a state commission drug testing program.

Equipment Checklist

  • Competition grade 4 ounce MMA gloves
  • 16 ounce sparring gloves, shin guards, headgear optional
  • Custom mouthguard, dental cleared
  • Groin and chest protection
  • Full barbell and power rack access
  • Assault bike, rower, treadmill
  • Heart rate monitor and sleep tracker
  • Scale calibrated to 100 grams for final week

Progress Milestones

  1. Week 5

    Aerobic base confirmed by heart rate response under 160 beats per minute at zone 2 pace.

  2. Week 10

    Tactical sparring executes fight plan across multiple opponent styles.

  3. Week 15

    Opponent film review drives pad calls and corner script.

  4. Week 17

    Final sparring day. No hard shots taken, rhythm locked in.

  5. Week 20

    Bout completed. Weight made cleanly. Rehydration executed.

Cross Train With

Boxing AI icon

Boxing AI

The Sweet Science

Muay Thai AI icon

Muay Thai AI

The Art of Eight Limbs

Grappling AI icon

Grappling AI

The Art of Human Chess

Track this plan in MMA AI

Log every session, get AI video feedback on your technique, and follow Coach Rico as a personal coach inside the app.

Download on theApp Store

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a full 20 weeks?+

If the bout is meaningful, yes. Shorter camps of 8 weeks produce under prepared athletes who rely on toughness. A 20 week camp gives room for two full build cycles and a taper without crowding out recovery.

How do I handle a weight cut over 5 percent safely?+

Work with a registered sports dietitian and hire a weight cut coach. Blind dieting and sauna cuts over 5 percent of body weight are linked with impaired cognition, power output, and raised heat stroke risk. If the cut cannot be done safely, move up a weight class.

What if my opponent changes in the final 4 weeks?+

Lock the physical training schedule. Only adjust pad calls, film study, and corner scripts. Rewriting the camp at week 17 produces injuries and undertrained systems.

How many sparring partners are needed?+

Minimum four, matched to opponent style. One wrestler, one grappler, one striker, one pressure fighter. Running camp with two partners is an under specification for a sanctioned bout.

How long before I can turn pro off this plan?+

The plan is structured for fighters who are already pro or have at least 6 clean amateur wins. Turning pro off an amateur record of 2 to 3 fights is a common path to early career losses and long term damage.

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