S&C Timing for Amateur Fight Camps

2-3 minute read

By Jason Lau

 
 

A lot of amateur fighters train harder as their fight gets closer. That sounds like the right thing to do—push the pace, dial everything in, go all out. But here’s the problem: your body doesn’t get stronger or more explosive during that grind—it adapts after recovery.

If you’re still pushing high-volume lifting or hard circuits two weeks out from a fight, you’re likely showing up overreached, under-recovered, or slightly injured. The biggest mistake fighters make in S&C isn’t a lack of effort—it’s bad timing. Here’s how to fix it.

Most Amateur Fighters Stay in the Wrong Training Phase Too Long

Training for a fight usually looks like this:


Weeks 6–2 → train hard, full volume, no adjustments
Week 1 → taper everything suddenly and hope for the best

This doesn’t allow your body to actually express the strength or power you’ve built. Instead, you carry cumulative fatigue into fight week, which blunts speed, sharpness, and energy.

The issue is staying in a general prep phase too long—still lifting heavy, still doing long conditioning sessions—when your body should be peaking.

Understand What Peaking Actually Means

Peaking isn’t just doing less. It’s a process of shifting what you train and how you train so your performance qualities rise as fatigue drops.

In a fight camp, that usually means:

  • Reducing total volume (fewer sets and reps)

  • Keeping some intensity (but not maxing out)

  • Prioritizing speed and power over max strength

  • Focusing on high-quality movement, not grinding fatigue

You’re trying to expose the performance gains you built—not keep building more up until fight week.

For a full in-depth look at peaking protocols, read my full article “Combat Sports: PEAKING & TAPERING FOR FIGHT CAMP” here.

A Simple Timeline for 6-Week Camps

Weeks 6–4:

  • General strength and aerobic base work

  • Moderate-high lifting volume (3–5 reps, 3–5 sets)

  • One hard conditioning session per week

  • Heavy grappling/sparring = lower gym intensity that day

Weeks 3–2:

  • Lower volume, introduce more explosive lifts (jumps, throws)

  • Less barbell work, more bodyweight and contrast training

  • Conditioning shifts to repeat sprint intervals and circuits

  • Strength days should leave you feeling sharp—not wrecked

Week 1 (Fight Week):

  • Light movement prep and explosive activation work only

  • Sled pushes, med ball slams, jumps—short and low volume

  • Skill training is the priority

  • Sleep, stress management, and nutrition matter more than sets and reps

Key Mistake: Peaking Too Late or Too Abruptly

If your last hard lift is 3 days before a fight, your body won’t be fully recovered. If you suddenly stop training completely for a full week, you risk feeling flat and slow.

The goal is to gradually remove fatigue—not to shut everything down overnight.

Fighters who don’t adjust their lifting across the last 2–3 weeks usually show up feeling slower, sorer, and less explosive than they could be.


Strength Doesn’t Vanish Overnight

Some fighters avoid strength training close to their fight because they think it makes them sore or stiff. That only happens if the work isn’t well-timed.

With proper tapering, you can keep lifting right up to the final week in some form—just short, fast, and focused. Think of it as nervous system priming, not training.

Maintaining that exposure helps you keep strength qualities without fatigue.

Don’t Copy Pro Schedules If You’re Not a Pro

Professional fighters have teams managing their output, rest, nutrition, and training schedule down to the day. Amateur fighters often do it alone—while juggling jobs, family, and inconsistent skill training.

If you copy a 12-week pro template but only have 6 weeks and limited training time, you’ll just cram too much in and burn out.

You need a plan that matches your schedule, resources, and experience level.

Ending Notes

Peaking isn’t just a fight week adjustment—it starts two or three weeks earlier. If you want to feel sharp, powerful, and fresh on fight night, your S&C has to shift accordingly. That means pulling back the volume, raising the quality, and making sure your strength doesn’t bury your performance.

If you’ve got a fight coming up and want help building a prep that actually peaks you—without burning out—apply for online coaching through the button below. You’ll get a plan that fits your timeline and skill training.

Jason Lau