Become Fighter
Fight week and nerves: Kickboxing guide
Sleep, food, routines and keeping calm in the days before.
Fight week is for resting, not training harder. Your fitness is built. What you can do now is arrive calm, rested and with a plan. Hard sessions this week only add fatigue.
Nerves are normal and useful. They mean you care. The aim is not to remove them but to give them a job: a routine, a breath, a clear task for the first minute.
Key points
- Cut hard training in the last days. Keep short, sharp sessions to stay loose.
- Sleep is the priority. Go to bed at the same time every night.
- Eat normal, familiar food. Don't try new things this week.
- Do not cut weight by dehydration or extreme measures. Be at or near weight well before the week begins and speak to a doctor if unsure.
- Prepare the bag, the gear and the schedule early so there are no surprises on the day.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Training hard all week. Taper. You cannot add fitness now but you can lose freshness.
- Dehydrating to make weight. Don't. It is dangerous and weakens you. Stay near your fighting weight with normal eating.
- Trying new things. New food, gear and tactics all add risk. Stick to what you know.
The rest is in the app
The step-by-step breakdown, the timed drill with the coach calling the shots and the quiz are part of Become Fighter Pro, where this lesson sits in the Fight craft module of Kickboxing foundations.
Get it on Google Play. Coming soon to the App Store.
More from Fight craft
- Round strategy and scoring: Kickboxing guide
- The game plan and the corner: Kickboxing guide
- Fight day warm-up: Kickboxing guide
Combat sports training is hard on the body. Warm up, stay within your limits and check with a doctor first if you have a health condition. Practise in a clear space and stop if you feel pain or dizziness. Learn partner work only under a qualified coach.