Can anyone who has first hand experience of training at one of the top MMA teams (Blackhouse, Jacksons, ATT etc) give me an outline of how their sessions are run?
I know of professional athletes in other sports who have their schedule planned out to the minute every day of the week during pre season and during their active season - i.e. 10am - Movement prep, 11 am strength training, 12 am lunch, 1 pm, skills training - etc
Do most fighters even at the the top gyms still just turn up when it suits them, then have a chat while putting on their shin guards, spar for a while then hit a tire with a sledgehammer ?
I trained with the Blackzilians for a little while early last year. It was pretty well structured. 2 sessions, 10am and 7pm. Something different each time. For example, wrestling in the AM and striking drills in the evening or BJJ in the morning and MMA in the evening. Every workout run by a coach that specializes in that area.
YHTOMIT2001 -
I trained with the Blackzilians for a little while early last year. It was pretty well structured. 2 sessions, 10am and 7pm. Something different each time. For example, wrestling in the AM and striking drills in the evening or BJJ in the morning and MMA in the evening. Every workout run by a coach that specializes in that area.
When did they do strength and conditioning?
Here is one example of Pro workout we had from one of most respected coaches during seminar he held for us.
Warm up:
Shadow boxing 2 x 3
Shadow boxing with partner 2 x 3
Drill:
left - right takedown 2 x 5 min
Left - right takedown into submission 2 x 5
Fight work:
Clinch takedowns on cage 2 x 5 min
Getinng up from bottom 2 x 5 min
Wrestling in clinch with continuing on bottom (go for submissions and positions, sweeps, escapes etc) 2 x 5 min
In the end were escapes from bad position. Top guy needs to hold position, guy on bottom needs to escape/sweep/reverse.
Cool down, stretching etc.
We did some conditioning stuff after a couple of the workouts, I'm assuming most of the guys did their lifting on their own.
How it is for me here at home in SC. I train twice a day during the week and once on sunday. I usually do strength and conditioning 2x a week plus I'll fit a couple of extra runs in on top of that.
Here is a week from my last fight:
Monday
10-12 am: S&C
1-2 boxing
6-8 bjj sometimes kickboxing w/takedowns
Tuesday
11-1 no-gi grappling
6-7 boxing
7-9 MMA sparring
Wednesday
11-1 bjj or boxing
7-9 MMA sparring
Thursday
10-12 Strength & Conditioning
6-7 boxing
7-9 no gi grappling
Friday
11-1 no-gi grappling
1-2 boxing
Saturday
10-11 boxing
11-1 mma sparring
I forgot to add in Sunday BJJ. Lots of times I would take Fridays off actually and do a free BJJ class on Sunday. It was the most fun class of the week for me because it was tough training but the instructor is so amazing that he runs a free class for students and people who can't afford to pay for lessons on their own on Sundays at 5. You can't help but walk out of there a better person and bjj player.
Thanks guys, very useful stuff.
Tom, just in your example, what would the structure of your Boxing or BJJ sessions be like? Would it basically be just doing a standard BJJ class or would it be working one on one with a coach or training partners to cover specific techniques & strategies?
Boxing would be footwork drills for about 15 minutes then hitting mitts for 45.
BJJ would be in a class setting so it wasn't up to me, it was up to Tim Burrill.
My mma sparring on Tuesday would be run by CHRIS (of UG fame), so it was usually 4 six minute rounds of kickboxing then specifics drills on the cage or ground for 5 minute rounds with new partners the entire time.
TTT all you guys get vote ups!
Tom what did you do between each session? Other than roam the UG ask rowdybec out and live that OG life style? 
nice
Ours is: Mon=BJJ, Tues=Boxing, Wed=Wrestling, Thurs=MuayThai, Fri=Spar@FactoryX/Grudge, Sat=1-on-1 BJJ. Sun-Off. (S&C and Cardio is sprinkled throughout the week but is diff depending on who's fighting when, etc...) 
Tom Lawlor -Need to get more technical training in! Ha ha
Here is a week from my last fight:
Monday
10-12 am: S&C
1-2 boxing
6-8 bjj sometimes kickboxing w/takedowns
Tuesday
11-1 no-gi grappling
6-7 boxing
7-9 MMA sparring
Wednesday
11-1 bjj or boxing
7-9 MMA sparring
Thursday
10-12 Strength & Conditioning
6-7 boxing
7-9 no gi grappling
Friday
11-1 no-gi grappling
1-2 boxing
Saturday
10-11 boxing
11-1 mma sparring
Ttt
I am fully aware that training as hard as Tom described in that post is very physically and mentally taxing, but as someone who gets up at 4 am to work everyday god damnit if I'm not jealous of starting your day at 10 or 11 am.
6am-9am - Side step traneing
9am-12pm - General UFC traneing
12pm-1pm - Drive the only motorcycle worthy of being in the octagon a HARLEY DAVIDSON to the store for some Xceince and corn nuts.
1pm-4pm - K1 level striking traneing, mainly leg kicks to the head and overhand rights. Also some teeps.
4pm-7pm - Under rated Jitz traneing
7pm-9pm - Twitter traneing
After that usually relax with a ice cold bud lite, and maybe another Tattoo. Then relax with my kids, because I do this all for them.
PlzREEMmyBROWNeye - 6am-9am - Side step traneingVtfu
9am-12pm - General UFC traneing
12pm-1pm - Drive the only motorcycle worthy of being in the octagon a HARLEY DAVIDSON to the store for some Xceince and corn nuts.
1pm-4pm - K1 level striking traneing, mainly leg kicks to the head and overhand rights. Also some teeps.
4pm-7pm - Under rated Jitz traneing
7pm-9pm - Twitter traneing
After that usually relax with a ice cold bud lite, and maybe another Tattoo. Then relax with my kids, because I do this all for them.
Interesting information. Do any teams have fines other punishments for missing training sessions? I know this happens in other professional sports.
PlzREEMmyBROWNeye - 6am-9am - Side step traneing
9am-12pm - General UFC traneing
12pm-1pm - Drive the only motorcycle worthy of being in the octagon a HARLEY DAVIDSON to the store for some Xceince and corn nuts.
1pm-4pm - K1 level striking traneing, mainly leg kicks to the head and overhand rights. Also some teeps.
4pm-7pm - Under rated Jitz traneing
7pm-9pm - Twitter traneing
After that usually relax with a ice cold bud lite, and maybe another Tattoo. Then relax with my kids, because I do this all for them.
Do you even lift bro?
LOL VU
PlzREEMmyBROWNeye - 6am-9am - Side step traneing
9am-12pm - General UFC traneing
12pm-1pm - Drive the only motorcycle worthy of being in the octagon a HARLEY DAVIDSON to the store for some Xceince and corn nuts.
1pm-4pm - K1 level striking traneing, mainly leg kicks to the head and overhand rights. Also some teeps.
4pm-7pm - Under rated Jitz traneing
7pm-9pm - Twitter traneing
After that usually relax with a ice cold bud lite, and maybe another Tattoo. Then relax with my kids, because I do this all for them.
You pretty much nailed my routine.
I have never heard of "fines" for not showing up etc. The fine for not showing up is no one shows up for you when its your camp. This sport is more of a team sport than most realize but it isn't impossible to be a lone ranger. "Fines"? I will just move to a different camp is most guys response.
Hell I have a few friends that only fight on reservations because they wont pay fines to commissions.