Issue 041
September 2008
At only 19 years old, Trojan Free Fighter representative Ronnie Mann has already learned that training smartly is the key to success in the fight game. At such a young age he has already held the Cage Gladiators featherweight British title.
From high quality sparring gloves to industry-leading supplements with a few strange things in between, Mann uses only the best equipment in order to continue up the ladder in his already successful career. His goal in life is clear and simple: “To get as far as I can get in the fight game”.
Boxing and MMA Sparring gloves
Making regular trips to Thailand to improve his training, Ronnie uses Twins boxing gloves and Grapple Wear Elite series sparring gloves. “The Grapple Wear gloves are simply the best MMA gloves I’ve tried. I’ve tried Rogue, Fairtex and Twins and although they are good gloves they don’t come anywhere near the standard of Grapple Wear gloves.”
Gumshield
For the majority of fighters, the gum shield is one of the most important pieces of kit when it comes to training and fighting. For Ronnie, this is evident in his choice of a dentist-moulded gumshield. “When it comes to gumshields there should be only one choice for fighters and that is go to your dentist and get a mould made. When you have the mould made, take the mould to a dental technician and get a couple of gum shields made. These offer better protection and, if you go to the technician yourself, are comparatively inexpensive. I don’t want to embarrass him but one of the Trojan fighters wears his bright white gum shield out when he goes clubbing. He flashes a toothy bright smile at girls across the dance floor to get their attention. I’m laughing because he has pulled some really pretty girls, despite him being a bit harsh on the eye. So if you are having a hard time pulling, then there’s a tip for you!”
Leg Protection
“Some manky old black Twins Thai shin pads, which I think I may have pinched from someone.”
Supplements
“Supplementation and good diet are an integral part of a pro fighters training regime, so this is important to me. I am fortunate enough to have access to the main guys at Sci-Mx and get the best advice possible in terms of supplementation. I follow a supplementation regime set out by the Sci-Mx team. This includes using Rapid Recovery, Omni Mix, ZMA tabs, multi vitamins and Sci-Mx joint support tabs. I take the supplementation at various times throughout the day, but one product of note has to be the rapid recovery, which if taken after a hard session
really picks you up and prepares you for the next day.”
Clothing
Ronnie’s love for Grapple Wear equipment and clothing is again evident when it comes to fight wear. “I use Grapple Wear shorts and rash guard because it’s good kit and reasonably priced.
I also have a pair of Sprawl shorts and use themon occasions, but prefer to use the Grapple Wear gear when possible.”
Other items
Some of the common things that Ronnie carries with him include a can of Deep Heat, an item not out of place in the bag of any fighter. However, when it comes to things that you would not usually find in the kit bag of many other fighters, Ronnie is at the top of the list. “I usually have a half-chewed dog biscuit that my dog puts in my bag! It’s like his daily ritual – he puts a saliva covered dog treat in my bag religiously!”
Also, Ronnie is a self confessed ‘Ipod freak’ and takes it with him wherever he goes. “I have the biggest and best Ipod there is. If anyone wants to challenge me to an Ipod throwdown then I’m up for it, as mine is a monster!” And finally, “I shouldn’t admit this but I usually have a Snickers bar in my bag, as I love chocolate. Sci-Mx keep promising to come up with some protein bars, but I’m still waiting!”
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