Alright, let’s talk about today’s session. I decided to really focus on what I’ve been thinking of as the ‘Nick Meck’ approach to MMA, at least my interpretation of it. Basically, grinding pressure and making it uncomfortable for the other guy.
I got to the gym a bit early. First things first, gotta warm up. Didn’t do anything fancy.
- Jumped rope for about 15 minutes. Just needed to get the heart rate up, break a light sweat.
- Did some arm circles, leg swings, hip rotations. The usual stuff to get loose. Don’t want to pull anything.
Drilling the Grind
Then I grabbed a partner and we got straight into the specific drills I had in mind. The theme was relentless forward pressure.
We started against the wall pads. Simulating cage control. One person puts their back to the pads, the other just drives forward. Non-stop pressure. Trying to get underhooks, land short shots inside, basically just be a nuisance. We went for 2-minute rounds, then switched. Man, pushing constantly is tiring, and being stuck on the wall feels suffocating, even in a drill. It really highlighted how much energy that takes.
Next up, we hit the mats. Focused on ground control with strikes. Started in side control. The goal wasn’t heavy power, but maintaining top position while throwing consistent, short punches to the body shield my partner was holding. Just keeping that pressure on, making them work constantly from the bottom. Felt like that tough, grinding style I associate with the ‘Nick Meck’ idea in my head.
Putting it Together
After the partner drills, I spent some time on the heavy bag. Tried to carry that same energy over. Instead of just hitting from the outside, I focused on stepping in, crowding the bag, working inside with hooks and uppercuts. Moving my feet constantly, trying to stay ‘in the pocket’. It’s a different kind of bag work, really felt it in the shoulders and core.
Finished the day with a couple of rounds of light, controlled sparring. The main goal here was specifically trying to implement that forward pressure. Closing the distance, initiating clinches, looking for takedowns against the fence. Wasn’t perfect, got reversed a few times, but I definitely felt more aggressive in pushing the pace and controlling the space. It’s tough to keep that intensity up when you’re tired.
Finally, cooldown. Lots of stretching. Focused on my back, shoulders, and hips because they felt worked over. Felt absolutely drained by the end, but it was a good session. That kind of grinding pressure workout really takes it out of you. Definitely something I need to keep working on.
