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| ANNIE THATCHER - Bantamweight MMA Champion |
Our fighter Annie Thatcher recently won the Path to Hex amateur Bantamweight title under IMMAF Rules. Here is a log of Annies training over the last 5 weeks leading up to the fight.
Week 1 - 5 Weeks Out from Fight - Starting weight - 70kg.
Monday 17th June
Wrestling - Drilling Clinch Techniques against the Fence
MT - Drilling and Padwork
Tuesday 18th June
5 - 6 pm - Padwork & Technique Drills (4 x 3 Min Rds then Drilling Combos)
6pm - NOGI BJJ (NOGI class/ Rolling) - Side Control Techs
7.30pm - Technique Drilling (Drilling wall takedowns/technique plus defence then conditioning)
Wed 19th June
Wrestling - Drilling Clinch Techniques against the Fence
MT - Drilling and Padwork
Thurs 20th June
Lunch Time Session: 11-12 - Annie - Drilling low kick combos with one mit and kick shield with Feroz. - Three pad rounds with Phil,
5 - 6 pm - Padwork (4 Rds working on specific combos and movements) & Technique Drills (Clinch against the cage working on ‘Bump & Jump’)
6pm - NOGI BJJ (NOGI class/ Rolling) - Side Control Techs
7.15pm - S & C Class - Explosive Repeat Intervals
All main exercises performed with emphasis on explosive power
Main Exercise 1
- Landline press 10 reps each arm
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 2
- Slam ball throws against wall at chest height 10reps each arm
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 3
- Slam ball throws to floor 10 reps
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 4
- Standing squat jumps 10 reps
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Friday 21st June
6pm - MT Class (1 Hour)
Sat 22nd June
9am - MT Class - Tech and Padwork
10 am - MMA Class - Combo into Takedown Drills, Clinch drills & Wall Drills - Boxing w/ Takedowns Sparring.
11am - NOGI BJJ - Knee Tap Takedown & Side Control Submissions & 30 Min Rolling.
Sunday - Rest and Recovery;
Review of the Week
‘I think the week just gone was really great for technical work, laying ground work for game plans, striking technique and cage clinch.
I feel like I hardly did any sparring, I always get anxious about not sparring enough.
But it has been really good to work on things to implement into sparring.
I trained a lot last week but didn’t pull up too sore and didn’t feel too run down by Saturday which was good. Sometimes I get to Saturday and I’m like 😖😖😖
Week 2 - 4 Weeks Out from Fight - Weight - 68kg
Monday 24th June
Wrestling - Drilling & Sparring - Double Leg TD drilling plus 15 mins Wrestling Sparring
MT - Class - 6pm to 7.30pm
Tuesday 25th June
LunchTime - On Tuesday Phil had me and feroz working a hook as you step back and switch stance against an opponent coming forward and that has worked well in sparring.
5 - 6 pm - Padwork & Boxing with Takedown Sparring in Cage
6pm - NOGI BJJ - Mount Techs
7.30pm - Comp Team Class - Takedown Drills on Crash Mat then shark tank Grappling rounds.
Wed 26th June
Wrestling - Drilling & Sparring
MT Classes - 6pm - 8.15pm
Thurs 27th June
5 - 6 pm - 4 rds Padwork & Combo into Takedown Drill with Resistance on Takedowns.
6pm - NOGI BJJ - Mount Techs
7.15pm - S & C Class.
All main exercises performed with emphasis on explosive power
Main Exercise 1
- Landline press 10 reps each arm
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 2
- Slam ball throws against wall at chest height 10reps each arm
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 3
- Slam ball throws to floor 10 reps
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 4
- Standing squat jumps 10 reps
- Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 5 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
- Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Friday 28th June
No training
Sat 29th June
9am - MT Class - Tech and Padwork
10 am - MMA Class - Drilling Combos into Takedowns plus Low Kick/Heel kick techniques. 2 Rounds Shootbox sparring.
11am - NOGI BJJ - Drilling Mount techs and rolling.
Sunday - Rest and Recovery;
Review of the Week
‘This week, my fitness felt pretty unreal. Wasn’t gassing at all in sparring or pad rounds. Even Quan’s S&C class I felt way better than last week. We will see how I go cutting back food this week.
Overall, I’m feeling super excited right now, just need to keep my diet in order to make weight. Other than that all of my skills are feeling sharp and I think the combos we are practicing work well with my style and abilities.’
Week 3 - 3 Weeks Out from Fight - Weight - 67kg
Monday 1st July
Wrestling - Drilling (Single Leg Takedown - 4 Finishes) & Wall Wrestling Sparring
MT - Boxing Drilling, Padwork & Sparring with Boxing Team.
Tuesday 2nd July
5 - 6 pm - Padwork (3 x 3min Rds) & Sparring ( 4 x 4 Min Rds 1 min rest. Fresh opponents each minute)
6pm - NOGI BJJ (with MMA Gloves) - Back Control Techs and Back Control Sparring.
7.30pm - Comp Team Class: Takedown Drilling, Wall Wrestling and Winner stays on Grappling Sparring.
Wed 3rd July
Wrestling - 30 mins Cage Wrestling.
MT - Drilling and Padwork
Thurs 4th July
5 - 6 pm - Padwork (3 x 3 min Rds): Sparring (4 x 3 min rds vs Bobby) : Resistance Band DL Td (3 sets x 10), 30 seconds of power G & P on Bag after each set.
6pm - NOGI BJJ - Drilling Back Control Techs & 45 Mins rolling.
7.15pm - S & C Class:
Explosive Repeat Intervals:All main exercises performed with emphasis on explosive power aiming to maintain output with each set
Main Exercise 1
Landline press 10 reps each arm
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 2
Vertical medicine ball throw laying on physio ball 10 reps
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 3
Battle rope bilateral whips 10 reps
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 4
Standing squat jumps 10 reps
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Friday 5th July
5pm - Gi Sparring in BJJ Class
6pm - MT Class
Sat 6th July
10 am - MMA Class 5 x 5 min Rds x Sparring against 5 sparring partners. 1 min each and each partner working on a different objective. Then mma drilling.
11am - Muay thai training with fight team.
Sunday - Rest and Recovery;
Review of the Week:
This week, went a bit too hard with S&C at the start of the week, felt like I struggled during Tuesday sparring because my legs were sore. But surprisingly still felt fit by the end of Tuesday night fight team sesh. Striking sparring felt really good all week, practicing my posting and cross hook cross combo.Wednesday night on the pads I was WRECKED but technique still looked pretty good in video.
Felt even better again this in Quans S&C class, tried to make the active rest rounds a little more intense to push myself. Saturday sparring felt unreal, was picking up on people game plans and implementing my own. A few times I worked the jab, right knee, cross, left kick combo that we do on pads and it landed well. Even after the big mma sparring session I felt good, joined in on Muay Thai sparring too with Phil and the guys. Stuck to a good diet this weekend at mum and dads but we don’t have a scale here so I can’t weigh myself. But weight should be on track I’d say.
Week 4 - 2 Weeks Out from Fight
Monday 8th July
No Training
Tuesday 9th July
5 - 6 pm - 4 x 5 Min Rounds of MMA sparring. New partner each minute.
6pm - NOGI BJJ - Turtle position techniques and sparring.
7.30pm - Comp Team Class: Guillotine Escape sparring, Turtle Position Sparring, Side Control sparring, Wall TD Sparring.
Wed 10th July
Wrestling - Wall TD Sparring
MT - Drilling and Padwork
6 RDs of Hard Padwork focusing on specific combos and power.
Thurs 11th July
5 - 6 pm - 5 x 3 min Rds Sparring vs different opponent each min.
6pm - NOGI BJJ - Turtle Position techniques and sparring.
7.15pm - S & C Class Explosive Repeat Intervals
All main exercises performed with emphasis on explosive power aiming to maintain output with each set.
Main Exercise 1
Landline press 10 reps each arm
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 2
Vertical medicine ball throw laying on physio ball 10 reps
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 3
Ball slams to floor 10 reps
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Main Exercise 4
Standing squat jumps 10 reps
Followed by 1 minute of steady state rope skipping level 8 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)*
Repeat 5 times with no break in between.
1 minute rest (focusing on recovery breathing technique)
Friday 12th July
Morning Weight = 65kg
5 pm - BJJ Class - Gi - Turtle Position Techniques & Sparring
Sat 13th July
9am - MT Class - Tech drilling and 4 rds Padwork
10 am - MMA Class - 5 x 6 Min Rds Sparring - New opponents each minute.
Sunday - Rest and Recovery;
Review of the Week
This week was great, lots of sparring which was great. (Exhausting) but great. I feel my rounds got better every time.
My fitness it constantly getting better, I’m not worried about 5x 3 minute rounds at all.
My weight is very much on track and I’m 100% injury and illness free (touch wood)
My Saturday rounds were full on, but I made it through and finished strong and that will definitely be harder than what the fight will be.
Week 5 - Fight Week:
Monday 15th July
MT - Drilling and Padwork
Tuesday 16th July
6pm - NOGI BJJ - Technique drilling
7pm - Final Fight simulation Sparring - Warm up in changing room, padwork etc, Walk to cage with entrance music, 3 rounds sparring vs Bryan.
Wednesday 17th July
Padwork and drilling.
Thurs 18th July
Padwork and drilling.
Friday 19th July
Weight Cutting.
Sat 20th July - Weigh In and Fight Day
Weighed in at 10am at 61.1kg
Result -Win by decision / Path to Hex Bantamweight Champion.
