Dale Hardiman’s BAMMA 9 Training Diary

With only five weeks to the fight and roughly four weeks of hard training, my excitement levels are starting to build for BAMMA 9.

Although I love training in the sport, there is nothing more satisfying for me than actually competing.

I am starting to feel sharp, fit and my vision is beginning to narrow in participation for the bout. There is only one thing on my mind 24/7 and that is the fight.

My battle with the scales has begun and my weight is starting to look good.

For those of you unfamiliar with combat sports, making weight for a fight is a war within itself as every fighter looks to try and take a size, reach and strength advantage into the bout.

The initial weight loss is not a problem and I can comfortably get myself to around 77kg (12 stone) without having to deplete my body.

Anything after that becomes a chore, and something that my body does not want to participate in.

Unfortunately for me, I compete at 70kg (11stone), which means a seriously strict diet, and a miserable Dale come fight week.

All is not lost though as I normally step into the cage at roughly 7kg heavier come fight time than what I had weighed in at the day before.

Without going into the details, needless to say this takes practice and a good understanding of the science involved with weight cutting.

So why cut or lose weight? My answer is simple. Everyone is doing it! If I didn’t diet before a fight and cut weight during the final week of training then I would be significantly undersized in a higher weight class.

Losing the weight allows me to compete with athletes of similar size and strength and possibly gain advantage on others, due to higher muscle to fat ratio.

To be truthful, this is the one problem I have with combat sports. My solution would be to have all fighters weigh in as they walk into the cage/ring/mat but there are plenty of arguments either way.

Day before weigh-ins are part of the sport and that is something I have learnt to accept and embrace.

On a lighter note, this week the gym in which I train was awarded three awards from the ISKA, arguably the biggest martial arts organisation in the world.

Full contact fighter of the year for Andrew ‘King Cobra’ Tate, Coach of the Year for my head coach Master Amir Subasic and Gym of the Year.

Things are really starting to take off for us and we are starting to make a lot of noise.

There is no doubt that within the next few years Storm Gym will be a huge name on the fight scene.

Whether that be MMA, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, we are ready to take over. “Anyone, Anytime, Any style” is our coaches motto and we are trained to do one thing, and that is to fight.

With just five weeks left, I cannot wait!