Training the K-1 Champion

[Miguel]

Osu

This is an article by Mark Ginther a Personal trainer/strength and conditioning coach who has worked on some very famous athletes including Matt Hume, Curtis Schuster and Nicholas Pettas. The article's from last year but I just found it and thought I'd share; in it he includes the comeback routine he used for Pettas sensei and an interview. Anyway here it is enjoy.

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Before returning from Japan I trained Nicholas Pettas, a former Kyokushin champion, and the K-1 2001 Japan Grand Prix Champion for his comeback fight last October. Nicholas is quite well known in Japan, and because of his intense fighting spirit, and knowledge of Japanese bushido, has been dubbed the "Blue-Eyed Samurai" by the Japanese media.



For those in the US unfamiliar with him, Nicholas was born on the Greek Isle of Mykonos, but moved to Denmark at the age of 3 following the death of his father. At the age of 15 he took up Kyokushin Karate, a move that would forever change his life. By the time he had entered high school, he had made up his mind to go to Japan to train with Master Masutatsu Oyama, the founder of the Kyokushin style.



At the age of 17, Nicholas entered Master Oyama's 1000-day live-in, rigorous, boot camp style program, uchi deshi. Nicholas became the first, and until this day, is the only non-Japanese to ever complete the program. Unfortunately shortly after his completion Master Oyama passed away, and was not able to witness his protégé's many accomplishments to come.



In 1995, at the age of 22, he became the European Heavyweight Karate Champion, and in the same year took 5th place in the World Championships; then 3rd in 1997. Soon after he started his career in K-1, the most prestigious kickboxing organization in the world, and in 1999 won the K-1 Japan Grand Prix, placing him among the top 8 kickboxers in the world, and fighting before over 70,000 spectators in the Tokyo Dome.



In 2002 Nicholas severely broke his leg in his fight against Belorussian, Sergei Gur. Anyone who has seen the fight will know just how gruesome it was. After the injury Nicholas took some time off to pursue other things, but then decided to reenter the ring.



To help prepare Nicholas for his comeback, I became his strength & conditioning coach. Because I also have a background in kickboxing, I originally planned to give Nicholas a program similar to my own, but having him start out with simpler exercises, and lighter weights. However, Nicholas because of his competitive spirit, natural strength and athleticism, insisted on matching me in my workouts. I was truly impressed, from Day-1; Nicholas was able to match me on nearly every exercise, and has since surpassed me on certain exercises. This friendly competition between us has been good for me too, forcing me to work harder, and lift heavier than I had been for some time.



We trained 3 days per week, and rotated between a non-linear periodization program, and an alternating periodization program.



In a typical linear periodized plan, training might be structured like the following:



Phase-1: Anatomical Adaptation (training to train)

Phase-2: Hypertrophy (bodybuilding methods)

Phase-3: Maximal Strength (improve neuromuscular efficiency)

Phase-4: Conversion Phase (convert non-specific gains into power/endurance, etc.)

Phase-5: Transition (recovery/active rest)



In the classical model, the buildup to higher intensities occurs over time, whereas in the non-linear method, the volume and intensity varies greatly within the week. For example one might train with moderate (8-10 RM) resistances on day-1 (hypertrophy), heavy (3-5 RM) resistances on day-2 (maximal strength) and light (12-15 RM) resistances on day-3 (power endurance). As with the linear model, after a 12-week period there would be a period of active rest. According to studies, this method is as effective (at least short-term) as linear periodization and more effective than non-periodized training.



In a linear plan, intensity builds progressively: 1, 2, 3, 4. In alternating periodization, the volume and intensity tends to rise and fall: 1, 3, 2, 4. A benefit of the alternating method is that you get more frequent exposure to varying stimulus, and thus are less likely to become detrained in any particular biomotor ability. The downside is that you need to be experienced in load selection, or you may not work near optimal loading.



A while back I published a non-linear plan based on the Westside Barbell, Conjugate Periodization model in Full Contact Fighter. The Westside method is centered on three different pathways:



1. Max Effort
2. Repetition
3. Dynamic Effort



Although I received some good feedback on the program, I really wasn't very happy with it, and have been working with, and fine-tuning it. In my first plan, I think I tried to interpret Westside's method too literally when adapting it to the needs of the fighter, and though I still adhere to the 3-pathway approach, I've deviated more from their powerlifting programs than previously.



I also rotate the exercises and rep ranges to give each pathway a wider focus, which is important since fighters need to develop a wider variety of biomotor abilities than powerlifters, but have less time and recovery ability to devote to strength training.



'Max Effort' is primarily for developing maximal strength, using powerlifting type exercises like the deadlift, with heavy weights and low reps, but if explosive exercises like the power clean are used (still with heavy weight and low reps), this pathway can be used for developing explosive power as well.



'Repetition' has a multitude of applications, and depending on choice of exercises, speed of execution, and rest intervals, can be used for increasing muscle size (hypertrophy), joint strength and stability, or strength/power endurance.



'Dynamic Effort', again depending on loading parameters, exercise choice, and rest intervals, can be used for developing speed, explosive power, and maximal strength-power.



A short while back I sat down with Nicholas and asked him a bit about coming to Japan, his training and plans to reenter the ring, and his new Spirit Gym.



Mark Ginther: Tell us a little about what brought you to Japan – when and why?



Nicholas Pettas: I quit high school at 17 and started working to save up money, made it here in March 1991 I had just turned 18. I had been doing Karate in Denmark for about 2 years when I decided to go Japan to train with Oyama Sosai



MG: It's been almost 3 years since your last fight, why the long layoff?



NP: In my last fight I broke my shinbone and had reconstructive surgery, spent 6 weeks in hospital. Then 10 months after the initial break I broke it again during some light sparring in my gym, that was two days after our official opening party [of the Nicholas Pettas Takadanobaba Dojo]. What a way to start a new dojo.



MG: Do you plan to fight again?



NP: Yes. Absolutely.



MG: When can we expect to see you fight again, and in what venue?



NP: Well, that's hard to say at this point, there have been some disappointing political holdups. I'm sorry, but that's all I can say at the moment [Nicholas has since fought and won twice].



MG: I'm sorry to hear that. What was your best fight?



NP: All my fights are good but I guess when I beat Musashi in the final of the Japan GP, it was cool.



MG: I understand you've been working on your memoirs, any good stories, or funny anecdotes from it you can give us?



NP: When I first came I only weighed 72 kg (159lbs) and Sosai used to tell all of us newcomers to gain weight, to become stronger, so every 3 months or so he would ask me how much I had gained, and every time I proudly told him that I had gained 2 or 3 k... to which he would always respond good but not enough...this continued for 3 years and then the last time we had dinner together he looked at me and asked me again. I told him proudly that now I was 102 kg (225lbs) and he said now you are too fat!!!



MG: Any others?



NP: Well, when I living a first-year student we weren't allowed to go out of the dormitory, but second-year students could. Do you know what I looked forward to going out and doing most when I became a second-year student?



MG: Bird-dogging chicks and banging beaver?



NP: No.



MG: Eating in Western-style restaurants?



NP: No, but getting warmer.



MG: I give up.



NP: Going out so I could use a Western-style toilet.



MG: (laughs) Yeah, I know what you mean, when I first came to Japan back in '86, I had to go all the way to the Keio Plaza Hotel to use a Western toilet.



NP: Yeah, the good old days.

[Miguel]

MG: Let's talk about training. How many days a week and how many hours per day do you train? How do you break it down, sparring, bag work, conditioning, etc?



NP: I train with the professional kickboxers 4 days a week for about 2 hours, I run about 3 times a week (before a fight 5 times), and then, as you know, I have 3 sessions of strength training a week with you, the devil of weights...I also teach both karate and kickboxing everyday...so I guess that my schedule is quite full...



MG: 3 days a week strength training with me? That's assuming you don't miss our appointments (I say with a wry grin).



[Here Nicholas extends his middle finger, also with a wry grin.]



MG: But seriously, how do you feel the strength training we've been doing together has helped you as a fighter?



NP: I have become faster, and more powerful; the muscle's that support and move my bodyweight have become stronger, making me lighter on my feet. And I feel more complete than before. In the past, I always hated weight training, but what you've got me doing, I really don't mind.



MG: 'Don't mind'? Come on, it's kind of fun, isn't it?



NP: Fun may be pushing it a bit.



MG: Tell us about your new Spirit Gym, and what you can offer up-and-coming fighters, as well as ordinary people.



NP: At the Spirit Gym we offer a relaxed atmosphere, where you con enjoy a great class of martial arts taught by professional instructors from all over the world. Our gym, compared to other places, has a really unique floor that provides optimal conditions for training the martial arts. And for fighters we have a special course 4 times a week taught by myself. Learn from the best to become the best. Our motto is "come with a smile, and go home with a smile", to enjoy oneself is more important than anything. We also have a dormitory for fighters from abroad who would like to come train with us, although it's getting a bit crowded these days.



MG: I've seen you after training, shouldn't it be – "come with a smile, go home with a shiner".

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