កម្រិតខ្ពស់
16-Week Fight Camp
This is not a training program — this is a fight preparation system. The 16-week advanced camp uses periodized training to bring you to peak physical and technical condition for a sanctioned Kun Khmer bout. Every week is mapped, every intensity level prescribed, every detail considered. If you follow this program with discipline and commitment, you will enter the ring in the best condition of your life.
Weekly Training Schedule
Advanced ProgramPeriodization Overview
The four phases of fight preparation
Base Building
Weeks 1-4
Intensity: 60-70%
Intensification
Weeks 5-10
Intensity: 70-85%
Peaking
Weeks 11-14
Intensity: 85-95%
Taper
Weeks 15-16
Intensity: 50-60% volume, maintain sharpness
Sparring Intensity Schedule
How sparring volume and intensity change across the camp
Technical sparring only, 40-50% intensity
Hard sparring introduced, 60-75% intensity, 2x per week
Highest sparring intensity, 70-85%, tapering volume in week 14
Light technical sparring only — no hard sparring in final 10 days
Hard sparring should never occur within 10 days of the fight. The risk of injury, cuts, or accumulated damage far outweighs any fitness or sharpness gains. The final hard sparring session should be no later than the end of week 14.
Phase 1: Base Building
Weeks 1-4 — Build the aerobic engine and technical volume that will sustain you through the harder phases ahead.
Build the aerobic engine and technical volume that will sustain you through the harder phases ahead. This is not the time to go hard — it is the time to go long. High-volume technical work at moderate intensity.
Weekly Structure
Monday
Road work: 8-10km steady-state run at conversational pace
Technical padwork: 8 rounds focusing on combinations and footwork. Emphasis on volume, not power.
Tuesday
5 rounds shadow boxing + conditioning circuit (pull-ups, dips, squats, core)
Clinch drilling: 6 x 3 min clinch rounds. Positional work only, no hard knees.
Wednesday
Active recovery: 3km light jog, 20 min stretching, foam rolling
Bag work: 6 rounds heavy bag, 4 rounds Thai pads. Focus on rhythm and technique.
Thursday
Road work: 6km run with 4 x 200m strides at tempo pace
Technical sparring: 6 x 3 min rounds at 40-50%. Defensive focus — practice counters.
Friday
5 rounds shadow boxing + strength work (deadlifts, squats, overhead press)
Padwork: 8 rounds with kru. Combination review and refinement.
Saturday
Long run: 10-12km at easy pace OR hill repeats: 8 x 200m
Light technical review or complete rest.
Sunday
Complete rest — sleep, eat, recover
Complete rest
Phase 2: Intensification
Weeks 5-10 — The longest and most demanding phase.
The longest and most demanding phase. Training intensity and specificity increase significantly. Hard sparring is introduced. Conditioning shifts from aerobic base to fight-specific anaerobic capacity. This is where you discover your limits and push past them.
Weekly Structure
Monday
Interval run: 6km with 8 x 400m at 80% effort, 90 sec recovery
Padwork: 10 rounds at fight pace. Kru increases pressure and unpredictability.
Tuesday
Shadow boxing: 5 rounds with visualization + plyometric conditioning
Hard sparring: 6 x 3 min rounds at 60-75%. Full gear. One round clinch-only, one round body-only, four open.
Wednesday
Recovery run: 4km easy + mobility work (hips, shoulders, ankles)
Bag work: 8 rounds heavy bag with power emphasis. 2 rounds speed bag. 2 rounds clinch knees on bag.
Thursday
Sprint intervals: 10 x 100m at 90% with walk-back recovery
Technical sparring: 6 x 3 min rounds at 50-60%. Work on game plan specifics for your upcoming opponent.
Friday
Shadow boxing + fight-specific strength (explosive hip work, neck strengthening)
Padwork: 8 rounds simulating fight scenarios. Kru calls out situations: back to the ropes, opponent rushing, clinch entries.
Saturday
Sparring: 8 x 3 min rounds with multiple partners. Varied intensity.
Conditioning finisher: 5 x 3 min rounds on bag, no rest between rounds.
Sunday
Complete rest
Complete rest — ice baths, massage, or physiotherapy if available
Phase 3: Peaking
Weeks 11-14 — The sharpening phase.
The sharpening phase. Volume begins to decrease while intensity reaches its peak. Sparring becomes the closest simulation of fight conditions. Game plan refinement takes priority over new technique. You should be the fittest and sharpest you have ever been by week 13.
Weekly Structure
Monday
Short intense run: 4km with 6 x 200m at 90% effort
Padwork: 8 rounds at near-fight intensity. Simulate round-by-round fight strategy.
Tuesday
Shadow boxing: 5 rounds with full visualization of the fight
Hard sparring: 8 x 3 min rounds at 70-85%. Primary sparring partners should mimic your opponent's style.
Wednesday
Recovery: light walk, stretching, mental visualization
Light technical work: review game plan on pads. No hard contact.
Thursday
Sprint work: 6 x 100m at 95%
Sparring: 6 x 3 min rounds. Focus on specific scenarios from your game plan.
Friday
Shadow boxing + light conditioning
Padwork: 6 rounds. Sharp, technical, with fight-pace intensity.
Saturday
Final hard sparring session (week 11-12 only). Weeks 13-14: light technical sparring only.
Rest or light bag work.
Sunday
Complete rest
Complete rest
Phase 4: Taper
Weeks 15-16 — The taper is where many fighters make critical mistakes.
The taper is where many fighters make critical mistakes. The instinct is to train harder as the fight approaches. Resist it. Your fitness is built — you cannot gain meaningful fitness in the final two weeks, but you can absolutely lose it through overtraining, injury, or illness. The taper reduces volume while maintaining intensity to keep you sharp.
Weekly Structure
Monday
Light run: 3km easy pace
Padwork: 5 rounds. Crisp, technical, game plan focused. No grinding.
Tuesday
Shadow boxing: 3 rounds. Visualization.
Light technical sparring: 4 x 3 min rounds at 40%. Just movement and timing.
Wednesday
Rest or light walk
Bag work: 4 rounds at 50%. Stay loose, stay sharp.
Thursday
Shadow boxing: 3 rounds
Padwork: 4 rounds with kru. Final tactical review.
Friday
Light shadow boxing: 2 rounds + stretching
Rest. If fighting Saturday, this is your final training day. Weigh-in preparation.
Saturday
Fight day or final light session if fighting Sunday
Fight or complete rest
Sunday
Fight day or recovery
Recovery
ការគ្រប់គ្រងទម្ងន់
Weight Management
A responsible approach to making weight for competition
Weight cutting is a reality of combat sports, but it must be done responsibly. Extreme weight cuts impair performance, increase injury risk, and can be genuinely dangerous. The goal is to compete at a weight class where you can make weight with a manageable cut while still being strong and energized on fight night.
Weeks 1-8
Establish baseline weight. Clean up nutrition — eliminate processed food, increase protein to 2g/kg bodyweight, and eat in a slight deficit (250-500 cal) if needing to cut. No drastic measures this early. Monitor morning weight daily.
Weeks 9-12
Gradual weight reduction through diet and training volume. Target losing no more than 0.5-1% of bodyweight per week. If you need to lose more than 5% of bodyweight, consider fighting at a higher weight class. Hydration remains normal.
Weeks 13-14
Reach within 3-4% of fight weight through diet alone. Begin slight sodium manipulation in the final week if needed. Water loading protocol starts 5 days before weigh-in if a water cut is planned.
Fight Week
Final water cut if necessary (2-3% maximum). Rehydration protocol begins immediately after weigh-in. Consume electrolytes, easily digestible carbohydrates, and moderate protein. Pre-fight meal 3-4 hours before the bout.
ការត្រៀមផ្លូវចិត្ត
Mental Preparation
The fight is won or lost in the mind before the first bell rings
Visualization Training
Beginning in Phase 2, dedicate 10 minutes after each training session to mental rehearsal. Close your eyes and visualize the fight in vivid detail: the ring, the crowd, the lights, the referee's instructions, the opening bell. See yourself executing your game plan. Visualize specific combinations landing, defensive movements working, and clinch positions being controlled. Visualization is not fantasy — it is neural rehearsal. Brain imaging studies show that visualized movement activates the same motor pathways as physical movement.
Pressure Inoculation
Deliberately create stressful training conditions. Spar with the gym watching and commenting. Train while fatigued. Have your kru shout unexpected commands during pad rounds. Fight from disadvantageous positions in sparring — back to the ropes, hurt, behind on the scorecards. The more stress you experience in training, the less the fight will overwhelm you.
Pre-Fight Routine
Develop a consistent pre-fight routine and practice it before every hard sparring session. This becomes your anchor. It might include specific warm-up exercises, a particular song on your headphones, breathing exercises, and the Wai Kru. When this routine is deeply ingrained, performing it on fight night triggers the calm, focused state you have associated with it through months of practice.
Breathing Techniques
Box breathing (4 seconds inhale, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds exhale, 4 seconds hold) is invaluable for managing pre-fight anxiety. Practice it daily during the taper phase. In the locker room before the fight, 5 minutes of box breathing can dramatically reduce anxiety and lower your heart rate to a productive zone. Do not underestimate the power of controlled breathing.
Acceptance of Outcome
The paradox of elite competition: you must care deeply about winning while simultaneously being at peace with the possibility of losing. Fear of losing creates tension, hesitation, and conservative fighting. Accept that you have done the work, prepared thoroughly, and that the outcome will be what it will be. Fight to express your training, not to avoid defeat.
Fight Week Protocol
The final seven days before you step into the ring
7 Days Out
Light technical session in the morning. Padwork: 4 rounds at 50%. Shadow boxing: 3 rounds. Begin water loading if planning a water cut (drink 6-8 liters per day). Maintain normal food intake. Get 8+ hours of sleep.
5 Days Out
Shadow boxing only: 3 rounds. Begin sodium reduction. Continue water loading. Visualize the fight for 15 minutes. Review game plan with your kru. Lay out all fight gear and check everything.
3 Days Out
Very light shadow boxing: 2 rounds. If water cutting, begin reducing water intake gradually. Eat clean, moderate portions. No new foods. Mental rehearsal: visualize the entire fight from walkout to hand raised.
1 Day Out (Weigh-In Day)
Make weight. Immediately begin rehydration with electrolyte drinks (small sips, frequently). First meal should be light and easily digestible — rice, chicken, banana. Avoid heavy, greasy, or unfamiliar foods. Light walk. Box breathing. Sleep as much as possible.
Fight Day
Pre-fight meal 3-4 hours before the bout: rice, lean protein, fruit. Sip water throughout the day. Arrive at the venue early. Warm up with your kru: 10 minutes light movement, 5 minutes shadow boxing, 3 minutes pads at 50%. Perform the Wai Kru. Execute your game plan. Trust your preparation.