How to Structure an MMA Fight Camp
You've got a fight booked. Now you need a plan for the weeks leading up to it. A lot of fighters approach camp by just training harder across everything, which usually leads to showing up on fight night overtrained and underprepared in the areas that actually matter.
A better approach is to structure your camp around your specific opponent, your known weaknesses, and a smart taper toward fight day.
Work backward from fight night
Start by counting the weeks you have. Most fight camps run 6-10 weeks, but even 4 weeks is enough if you're already in decent shape. Break it into three phases:
Early camp (first 40% of the time). This is where you build. Volume is higher. You're doing extra conditioning, drilling weak areas, and getting in a lot of sparring rounds. If you know your opponent's style, start building your game plan here. If you struggle with wrestlers, this is when you drill takedown defense every session.
Mid camp (middle 30%). Sharpen. Volume starts to taper slightly but intensity stays high. Sparring should simulate fight conditions, including round length and rest periods. Your game plan should be clear by now and your training should focus on executing it under pressure. This is also when you start cutting anything that's not directly relevant to the fight.
Late camp (final 30%). Taper and peak. Volume drops significantly. You're doing light technical work, mental preparation, and keeping your body fresh. Most fighters overtrain in this phase because they're anxious. Resist the urge to cram. The work is done. Now you're maintaining sharpness and recovering.
Track your camp
Log every session: what discipline, how long, effort level, and what you worked on. Track your readiness each morning (how you slept, soreness, energy). After two weeks you'll have enough data to make smart decisions about when to push and when to back off.
A brief reflection after each session matters more during camp than any other time. You're learning about your game plan, about how your body responds to the load, and about your mental state heading into the fight. Write it down while it's fresh.
After the fight
Win or lose, debrief within a couple days. What went according to plan? What didn't? What do you need to work on for the next camp? These notes become incredibly valuable the next time you have a fight booked.
Track your camp in one place
A notebook or spreadsheet can handle camp tracking. If you want something that logs your sessions, tracks your training load, and connects your camp reflections over time, Sherpa is a free app built for athlete training reflection.