Help Me Adjust My Rather Unique Training Regiment

[MMARugger]

So, I'm in a unique situation. I play college rugby and have just begun training MMA. From the age of 6 - 14, I trained at a martial arts school that claimed to teach "Eclectic Karate"; we learned a combination of Kenpo, Okinawan, Shotacon, Judo, Jiu Jitsu, and Akido. I earned a black belt there and then my parents forced me to leave because black belts taught classes for free (we still payed tuition) and there were few classes for us. In high school I played football and was a competitive powerlifter (middleweight, ranked top 3 in the state 3 years in a row, state champion my junior year). I suffered a bad shoulder injury in HS and it has been reoccuring. I'm now a rising junior in college and have played 2 years of rugby. I trained no-gi BJJ last year with a teacher in NY, but I transfered colleges and now train at The Lion's Den CT. I'm trying to work out some kind of training program where I can cut down, train gi-BJJ/Kickboxing/Mauy Thai, but still be strong/big enough to play rugby.

Basic Stats:

High School
5'9''
180 lbs
Max Squat: 315 lbs
Max Bench: 265 lbs
Max Deadlift: 385 lbs

Now
5'9''
215 lbs
Max Squat: 350
Max Bench: 285
Max Deadlift: 405 (hit 450 before a back injury in fall of this year)

Goal
195lbs
Max Squat: 375
Max Bench: 315
Max Deadlift: 450

However, I've found it hard to train for both rugby and MMA simultaniously. This is what I'm doing now:

Monday:
Morning - Deadlift Workout (1 hr 30 min)
Night - Cardio Mauy Thai (1 hr)

Tuesday:
Morning - Run (30 min)
Night - BJJ (1 hr)

Wednesday:
Morning - Bench Workout (1 hr 30 min)
Night - Cardio Mauy Thai (1 hr)

Thursday:
Morning - Run (30 min)
Night - BJJ (1 hr)

Friday:
Morning - Squat Workout (1 hr 30 min)
Night - Undecided

Satuday:
Morning - Cardio Kickboxing (1 hr)

Sunday:
Morning - Run (30 min)

I haven't been doing real powerlifting since I started training, just 3x8 on the power lifts at moderate weight and 4-6 support lifts at 2x10 so I don't exhaust myself for my night training. I started with squats at 225, deadlifts at 275, and bench at 195, but these aren't very difficult sets. I do lower back/upper back/traps on Deadlift day, chest/tris/shoulders on Bench day, and legs on Squat day. However, I don't feel like doing sets of 8 at only moderate weight is going to allow me to make sufficient gains. I want to be able to to heavy, intense weightlifting work outs and still be able to go all out in my MMA classes. Once I get down to about 205, I'm going to switch up some of the cardio classes with the combat classes for that style (Cardio MT for Combat MT, etc.). My main focus right now is developing my BJJ and getting into better shape, but I plan on moving towards developing my MT and KB once I get back into shape.

How do you suggest I maintain my size and power for rugby while gaining the cardio/endurance I need for MMA? From years of lifting I know that I'm much too sore much too often, so I need to do something. Anyone have any ideas?

[Filero]

I think you probably realize the answer yourself: you are doing demanding skillwork and cardio, both of which require a fairly fresh body. Right now, heavy powerlifting is not compatible with that. So pick one, and try to just maintain the other as best you can.

Perhaps you can back off on the lifts? Instead of 5x5 (or whatever you do) on your primary lift and a host of auxiliary lifts, back off enough to maintain your strength but not fry you CNS in advance of your skillwork that evening? Back off the powerlifting to twice a week only, and cycle between your primary and auxiliary lifts on those two days?

You may eventually develop the work capacity and recovery ability to do both. My training partner is a high-level amateur MMA fighter who may go pro this year, and he will often lift heavy and train MMA in the same day, and overall he's making gains in both. If I tried that I'd be fried.

[Tom Yum]

How do you suggest I maintain my size and power for rugby while gaining the cardio/endurance I need for MMA? From years of lifting I know that I'm much too sore much too often, so I need to do something. Anyone have any ideas?

Your training regiment looks ok.

I would add a therapeutic massage in their somewhere to assist with removing toxins and knots that can build up in your muscles.

What does your post-workout stretching routine look like?