Climb the ROCK and ROLL on the Mat!

          If those of you reading haven't figured out by now, my sport of choice is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  I have competed in many others, trained in others still, and even trained people in sports that I am not particularly interested in.  One of my underlying hobbies is the great outdoor recreation of Rock Climbing.  I have only been to an indoor rock gym less than a dozen times in my life, but since my first trip with the Boy Scouts when I was maybe a freshman in high school, I fell in love with the atmosphere, the thrill, and the challenge.  I have since tried to get back into the sport several times, but just couldn't make it work.  You won't find too many boulders or crags in the desolate corn and bean fields of central Illinois.  The southern tip of Illinois is a bit of a different story, but that is still a few hours' drive from where I was previously living.  In other words, too far for weekly training time.
          Part of this blog is to encourage "open source" athletics.  This is concept adopted from Bruce Lee's JKD principle that instructs us to "absorb what is useful and discard what is not."  Put into the context of this blog; I want to synergize all the aspects of nutrition and exercise that I have experimented with over the years.  I find Rock Climbing to be a fascinating sport in and of itself.  Unfortunately there is usually only enough "spare time" in one's life to be dedicated to a single primary hobby that captivates most of your interest.  For me that is fighting, specifically BJJ but also the occasional striking session.  However, cross training is an important part of any training program.  This is a way to stay active and productive in your training while reducing the chances of burning out at any particular phase; be it pre-competition camp, off season, or during a competitive hiatus.  I usually work specifically on BJJ four days per week.  I like to cross train, for time and convenience reasons, once or twice per week.  A single day of the week (this is just as important as training hard) is dedicated to active recovery which typically means for me about a half hour to and hour of yoga and meditation to relax and stretch out.  My cross training staple is Rock Climbing.  Do a few forum and Google searches on the similarities between BJJ and Rock Climbing and I bet you will be a little surprised :-)  This is now much more feasible for me as the school I am currently attending has an indoor climbing wall and even a climbing club/team!
          I'm really getting into this!  Some financial and time restraints have cut into my BJJ competition schedule.  Make no mistake, I'm a born competitor, always will be.  It's just in my nature to totally immerse myself in and obsess over anything that I feel is worth doing.  While I love BJJ there are two reasons that seem to inhibit us all from being more active in our recreational hobbies:  Time and Money.  Let me explain my situation a bit more.  I expect the best from myself when it comes to competition.  This means that I refuse to enter a competition if I do not feel I have or can train the way that I think will prepare me to bring my A-game.  A few months ago I relocated, not for BJJ but for school.  Thus, my main focus is school and I am leery of how much time in (and out) of the gym I can contribute to training when various projects/papers/homework and such can pop-up at a moment's notice.  Then there is the money.  I currently don't have a job, so "fun" expenditures like BJJ competitions (entry fees,  gas to get to the gym, travel costs for the competitions, etc...) are on a bare minimum.  You can go a lot further on a weekend climbing/camping/biking trip for $20 - $50 thank you can for BJJ.  Rest assured that you have not heard the last of my BJJ comp days, but they are just on an indefinite hiatus for the time being.  But like I said earlier, this blog is dedicated to a variety of athletics.  It is no longer merely "fighting and dieting."  It is an open source, multi-faceted, continuum of innovation, experimentation, and inspiration.

Tap more, learn faster, ROCK ON!

New Gym, Blue Belt Promotion, and other Training Notes

Finding a New Training Location:        
           This has been a very busy time of my life.  Beginning in August I moved from central Illinois to Northwest Georgia.  This of course meant that I would need to find a facility to continue training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts.  Now, this process isn't as simple as shopping around for the best prices and coaches.  There is a bit more to it than that.  In any sport where the participants take the activity to heart, their teammates are their family.  With that in mind, it is no easier to leave your family behind than it is to accept a newcomer into your current family.  Since the beginning of my BJJ and MMA career I had been training at Peoria Athletic Club in Peoria, IL under the Megaton/McVicker flag.  After relocating I am now training at Defkon One MMA in Villa Rica, GA under Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti's Alliance Team.  The transition has been smooth thus far.  I approached the new academy with respect, open arms, and open eyes.  I was not met with the hostility to my foreign face, though there was a bit of a "feeling out" period; but that can only be expected.  It certainly was not like I had been thrown in the shark tank with a slew of upper belts to rip me to shreds on the first day.  Sparring rounds with a variety of belts were more like dress-rehearsed competitions; a bit more tuned up than "friendly competitions" but not competition-grade aggression.
         Having said that, I have felt very welcomed to the Defkon One family, the "feeling out" period lasting about a week.  I have some great instructors and and enthusiastic teammates who are just as eager to learn as to help each other out.  Nothing can replace the memory of the first love, and I'm truly thankful for my family at Peoria Athletic Club for instilling in me this beautiful addiction we call "jits."  But life goes on and takes us in different directions.  Defkon One is my home for the next few years and its members are my friends and my family.  On the other hand I cannot say enough about the welcoming enthusiasm of the Defkon One team members and coaches.  This are not so different really, my family just got a little bigger is all.

Blue Belt Promotion:
         Yesterday, 9/7/12 I was tested for and awarded my Blue Belt by D.J. Farmer (who is black belt under Jacare) at the Alliance home academy in Atlanta, GA.  Again, I felt very welcomed by the entire Alliance team.  While there are some aspects of the "corporate industry" that I do not care so much for but those things procedural and come with a take it or leave it policy.  That is a minor sidetrack though. The team, all belts included, and environment of the facility was professional yet comfortable and it made for an enjoyable experience.  I am thankful for D.J.'s attitude going into the test (which consisted of myself and three of my other Defkon teammates) because while he corrected our errors, I never felt as if I was being grilled for something, rather it was more like a semi-private lesson.  The promotion of course also came with the traditional gauntlet "flogging."  :-D
          I have always thought that the irony of belt rankings are that when you're finally ready for a promotion you realize that the belt's are more or less a formality.  The color of the belt doesn't have any effect whatsoever on my skill level or the style of my game.  BUT it does come with a psychological aspect, a sense of recognition, and reprieve.  Many of my teammates, old and new, stated that I was a blue-belt-caliber player for a while.  However, there are no more questions left to ask, at least concerning that question.  I did not expect to be as excited as I was for the promotion, but it was an awesome feeling to have your hard work recognized and rewarded; especially in front of the large group of people at the academy that day.  I should note that all of my teammates who were tested also passed and received their blue belts.  Congratulations!


Training Notes:
          I have also recently made some changes to my training schedule.  The Alliance Team has published their belt requirements that will be used when testing for an belt promotion.  At first I did not like this approach.  I felt that it was too much of a conveyor belt process and that promotions should be more of an intuitive and based on class attendance, improvement, competition, and attitude.  If you happen to Google these requirements you will note (as I did not at first) that these things I mentioned are also taken into consideration when it comes to belt tests.
          What I do like bout the having these these requirements published is that they provide a syllabus for your training program.  I, now, like the idea of having a curriculum to organize my training time.  I like the idea of having a game plan for my training rather than just randomly picking things to work on when I should be "studying" what I am going to be tested on.  Interestingly enough, the first things I did after getting home from the promotion, I looked up the purple belt requirements.  Actually, that was second, the first thing I did was go to the local Chinese Buffet to celebrate! I copied the skills I had planned for the blue belt test onto a copy of the purple belt requirements and now have a ready-made schedule to follow on days that I train at home or when that academy is not having scheduled instructional class.   

My current training schedule looks something like this:
Monday - BJJ Class at Defkon One, followed by MMA Class
Tuesday - BJJ independent practice at Defkon One
Wednesday - Drill selected items from belt test at home (light)
Thursday - BJJ independent practice at Defkon One
Friday - Rock Climbing at UWG (active recovery)
Saturday - BJJ Sparring at Defkon One
Sunday - Yoga (active recovery)

Simplifying Your Diet

        I have mentioned before that a person's diet is very case specific.  It is especially tuned towards the end that you are seeking to achieve.  In short, there is a greater urge for a detailed specific diet for a competitive bodybuilder than for a middle-aged person just wanting to do a little trimming.
         Many teammates that I have talked to experience a wide range of dieting practices which further illustrates the point of these habits being case-specific to your goals.  Most people are not into or going to put forth the effort in the form of measuring and calculating that is required to put you on a magazine cover.  The laziness is justified I suppose if physical appearance is not high on your priority list or reasons for cleaning up your diet.  However, there certainly can be too much emphasis placed on a minimum effective dosage; how can I put in the least amount of effort that yields the most return?  That said, let me continue...
         My last athletic competition was in May of this year.  That was over three months ago.  At the time I was about 165 lbs and ~5.2 percent body fat.  There was definitely a great deal of neurotic calculating and measuring involved in getting to that stage and as I would be taking some time off from competing in the coming months I did not see it as productive to continue.  Rather, I relied on the good eating principles that I had learned and encouraged myself to take part in the habits that I had engrained in my brain over the years.  Before I go into more detail keep in mind that I spent the better part of two years building up these habits.  It was not like I Googled a miracle diet promising overzealous results, read a couple blogs and forums, tried it for a week, then decided I was set for life.  It took a lot of practice and patience, trial and error to get to this point.
          A thought crossed my mind a week or so ago that I had not weighed myself or checked my body fat composition in a few months.  This was quite a long period of time considering my procedure during competition seasons.  Out of curiosity then, the next morning I stepped on the scale to find that I weighed 167.5 lbs.  Due to good eating habits, in spite of reducing my training from 5-6 days per week to 2-3, I still weighed relatively the same.  This got me curious about my body fat percentage.  I pulled out my calipers and checked my chest, abdomen, and mid-thigh (the 3-sites specified in the Jackson-Pullock procedure), checking each site four times and plugging the average into the formula (you can find this online here or for your android phone).  Much to my surprise and satisfaction I had a calculated Percent Body Fat (PBF) of 5.6%.  WOW!  In regards to my weight and composition I was pretty much the same as when I was training much harder and putting a lot more effort into planning my diet.



A previous Diet of Mine would have looked like this:

May 2012 Training Camp Diet

Daily Intake: 2000 cal
Meal	Apx Time	Protein(g)	Fat(g)	Carbs(g)	Calories	Descrip
1	8:00 AM	23	2	5	130	Coffee, Whey, 2 Fruits
2	10:30 AM	29	14	41	406	Coffee, Whey, Nut Butter
Post Wrkt	1:30 PM	43	14	59	534	6oz Meat, 60g Starchy Carbs, MultiV, Joint Supp
4	4:00 PM	45	12	10	328	6oz Fish, 2 Vegetables, 2tsp Oil
5	7:00 PM	33	12	10	280	6oz Meat, 2 Vegetables
6	10:00 PM	9	20	8	248	40g Nuts
		182	74	133	1926	~ 3 x 20 calories for condiments
		728 cal	666 cal	532 cal
		37.80%	35%	27.60%
Notes:						Supplements:
1) First Meal w/in 30 min of Waking						MetRX Natural Whey
2) Meal #3 is Post Workout or First of Day						XCAP Natural Mins
3) Cinnamon w/ Coffee (insulin sensitivity)						Equate Glucosamine/Chronditin/MSM
4) Multivitamin & Joint Guard Post-W
5) Cold Shower Post Workout (recovery)
6) Hot showers on non-workout days
7) One hot bath per week (Relax)
8) One Cheat Meal per Week - Sat
9) Fruit Jiuce with Cheat Meal, Spicy Meal Prior
10) Cheat Meal Replaces Last 2 Meals of Day

Now, this is what is stuck to my refrigerator:
August 2012 Diet
5 x 30g Protein (whey (2), poultry, red meat, fish)
2 x 60g Carbohydrates (Starch)
2 x 20g Carbohydrates (Fruit = < 20g Carbs)
4 x 60-80g Non-Starchy Vegetables
2 x 30g Nuts (nuts, pea/hazelnut/almond butter)
1 Tbsp oil (Smart Balance)
Snacks:  Avoid, but < 100 cal OK on occasion
*Keep Sodium Low
*Keep Condiments Minimal
*Supplements:  Whey Protein everyday, Joint Guard and Multivitamin on training days
 Weekly
*1 Cheat meal that is NOT a buffet
*Large serving of fruit juice with cheat meal (laxative effect)
*Large amount of capsicum (spicy stuff) on cheat day (laxative effect)



          As you can see, the principles are essentially the same and I still measure my food in terms of mass (grams) for accuracy.  However, the current plan is a much more simplified version and is much less intimidating.  It is, as indicative of my current weight and composition, nearly as effective yet much easier to mentally and procedurally digest (pun intended).
          If you're curious, I have picked up my training pace to about three days per week of Jiu Jitsu, one or two days of light Yoga, and perhaps one day of Rock Climbing.  This is not as intense as it my seem since the Jiu Jitsu days are really the only "hard" training days.  The yoga and climbing are more for active recovery aspects.  I am not a doctor or nutritionist and my advice is a mere suggestion, not a prescription.  The examples provided are taken from procedures I have actually used and were/are specific to my lifestyle and training regimen at the time they're implemented.    Nevertheless, hopefully there has been something useful in here for you guys.  Thanks for reading!   

Train Smart, Live Hard, Be Well!

Some Thinking About Water

          By this day and age the importance of proper hydration, both in sports and as a general health / weight loss tip, should be well established.  So I'll skip over the statistical regurgitation and get to the point.  My approach to hydration is no different than any other fitness and health oriented advice that I offer.  That is, it is the minimum effective dose to achieve your goals given your needs and circumstances.
          A bit of hypocrisy here, just to mention some statistics, but its just to get the ball rolling.  There are many different "professional recommendations" pertaining to the amount of water a person should drink per day.  The reason for the variance is no different than the dynamic market of dieting plans floating about pop culture.  The reason is that there can be no "blanket effect" or mass prescription given the variance of people's genetics, lifestyle, and activity level.  Now, about these statistics... I have heard (I don't have the source on hand, sorry) that the human body can absorb a MAXimum of 1 quart (32 oz) of water per hour.  Given that there are 24 hours in a day, and you should be sleeping for 8 of them, that leaves 16 hours for drinking (water :-D).  Therefore, your body can make use of no more than 16 qt of water per day, which is 4 gallons, the rest is simply waste.  Another recommendation that I have heard is that people should be consuming one ounce of water per pound of body weight.  If, for the sake of easy math, we take a 200 lb male for example; he should be drinking 200oz of water per day.  That is about 1.5 gallons per day (there are 128 oz in a gallon).  Yet another recommendation I have seen is that you should try to drink 8oz of water every hour which would mean in a 16 hour day you should drink one gallon even per day.
          So far we have learned that your body can absorb a maximum of 4 gallons of water per day without wasting any.  If you're a 200 lb male you should be drinking somewhere between 1 and 1.5 gallons per day. So, here is my "simple" solution to meeting your needs...

Note:  I am not a doctor, follow this advice at your own risk and heed your physician's instructions before mine.

*At all times during this guide you should, by all means, be drinking if you are thirsty!  The opposite is also true that if you feel nauseated, don't keep drinking until you vomit.  That would certainly be counter productive!

1)  Things you will needs:  A)  An empty 20oz Gatorade or soda bottle for your gym bag, and B)  a 16oz coffee mug or cup that holds about 16oz of water for your desk

2)  On the day you intend to start this plan:  First thing int he morning, after slapping the alarm clock and heading to the bathroom, but BEFORE you put the coffee on, turn on the TV, or check Facebook on your phone fill the glass up and take a few hearty slugs off it.  Continue about your morning routine but makes sure the glass is empty before you leave for work / school and be sure to take the mug with you.

3)  When you first set up shop at your first class or get settled in your cubical, fill the glass up again and take a few swigs.  Each time you go to the bathroom remember to take a few more when you return. (for students that have a locker and not a permanent desk, another Gatorade bottle works well instead of the coffee mug)  Try to have the first mug / bottle gone by the time you go to lunch.

4)  At your lunch break follow the same routine as your breakfast.  Fill the glass, take a few sips right away, drink whatever you like with your meal, and finish the water before heading back to work or class.  Now the day is half over and you already have 3/8 of a gallon in you.

5)  The second half of your work day should follow the same routine as Step 2.  Fill the glass and leave it on your desk and try to have it finished before you head home.

6)  Now its time to hit the gym if after work.  If you're a morning workout person, then just apply this step where its needed.  Aim to drink one of your bottles or mugs during your workout, save the pre/post workout shakes for those times.  After your workout you should try to guzzle down another one between the time you say "that's it for today" and when you put the car  in park in the driveway (don't make yourself sick though).

7)  Supper should follow the same principles as breakfast and lunch if possible.  This isn't too much of a hang up if your not thirsty from drinking so much on the way home from the gym and I'm sure you worked up an appetite.

8)  Lastly, try to finish another 16oz throughout the remainder of the evening.  It would even be better if you could slosh down a little extra after brushing your teeth before calling it a night.

          AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!  A no excuses, easy to follow guide to drink an entire gallon of water in a single day.  Live well, be smart, and train hard!

First Amateur Boxing Match: Training: Fight Week

Countdown to competition, analysis of the fight, training camp, and where I'll go from here...

Monday
Heavy Bag:
*3 min rounds @ 1 min rest
Round 1 - Jump Rope
Round 2 - Shadowbox
Round 3 & 4 - Stretch
Round 5 - Wrap Hands
Round 6 - Warm Up on Bag
Round 7 - Jab Hand Only
Round 8 - Straight Combinations
Round 9 - Everything, fast
Round 10 - Work on moving inside, staying there, then moving out
Round 11 - Rest
Round 12 - Hard Shadowboxing w/ gloves
Round 13 - Hard Shadowboxing
Round 14 - Rest
Round 15 - Agility ladder
Round 16 - Pole Drill
Long Stretch
Training Time - 1 1/2 hour

Tuesday PM
Boxing Class and Timing/Very light sparring
Training Time - 2 hours
Motivational Lyric:  "I'm not the one who's so far away when I feel the snake bite enter my veins.  Never did I wanna be here again, and I don't remember why I came" - Voodoo by Godsmack

Wednesday
1 hour LIGHT jiu jitsu
Training Time - 1 hour
Motivational Lyric:  "I am smellin' like a rose that somebody gave me on a birthday death bed.  I am smellin' like a rose 'cuz I'm dead and bloated" - Dead and Bloated  by Stone Temple Pilots

Thursday (Evening Before Bed)
FULL REST - do something to take mind off the fight (video games, walk in the park, etc...)


Friday
Very VERY LIGHT shadowboxing - 6 x 2 min rounds @ 30 sec rest
Stretch - 15 min
Training Time - 30 min
Motivational Lyrics:  "Nail in my head from my creator.  You gave me life now show me how to live" - Show Me How to Live by Audioslave

Saturday
Motivational Lyric:  Keep on Rockin' in the Free World by Pearl Jam (Neil Young cover) *The whole freakin song!

• Last Bathroom Break Before Bed (Fri Night) - stop water intake (drink as weight allows on Sat.)
• Saturday Morning - Check Weight (pending breakfast:  Waffles & Protein Shake)
• Saturday Mid-Morning - Take Measurements (See "Weekly Notes")
• Lunch (Pending Weight) - Stacker2 Extreme Energy Shot, 2 x MetRx Meal Replacement Bars
• Early Afternoon - Meditate (15 min), Go for a Walk to relax
• Road Trip Snack - Performance Power Bar
• On-site Arrival Snack (Pending Weight) - MetRx Meal Replacement Bar, Performance Power Bar
• After Weigh In (Scheduled 3:00) - 1 Cup Whole Grain Pasta, Multivitamin, Stacker 2 Extreme Shot
• Between Weigh In and Competition - 2 x Performance Power Bar, MetRX Meal Replacement Bar
• Fights Start - 5:30

Weekly Notes
Weekly Training Time - 4.5
Camp Training Hours - 30.5
Camp Sparring Rounds - 25
Weight (morning after Carb/Na load - 5/16/12) - 166.5
Weight (after Carb/Na depletion - 5/18/12) - 164
Weight (morning of competition - 5/19/12) - 160
PBF (3 Point Skin Fold - 5/19/12) - 5.76
RHR (5/19/12) - 48 BPM
BP (5/19/12) - 125/80 (On the verge of tipping from "Normal" to "Optimal" per MayoClinic)
Official Weigh-in Weight (Comp. @ 162lbs) - 160

1. Reduction of Water Retention - I have talked extensively about cutting weight in the past.  For the this fight there is about a 2 hour period between the weigh-ins and the start of the competitions which would be enough time for me to recover from a "moderate" cut (dehydration), that is, between 5 and 10 lbs.  It would still be preferable to "cut" as little weight as possible.  In the past something that worked well was to decrease the body's ability to retain water, thus allowing you to drink the same amount of water you would on any other day.  This is done by reducing the molecules in your body that absorb a lot of water; such as carbohydrates and sodium.  The restriction period is preceded by a loading period.  What this does is expand your cells so that they retain a lot of water and then allowing them to squeeze more out when the time comes.  The effect is similar to filling a balloon with water and letting it "goosh" out versus filling it till it stretches completely then letting it go wild.  Most of the extra loss will be what has been recently added, but the end result is that the balloon is ultimately more empty after greater pressure has been added and released.  I do not have exact figures, but to put some rough estimates out there:  my normal diet usually consists of about 35% protein, 35% fat, and 30% carbs with a sodium intake of <1000 mg; the load phase (Monday and Tuesday) is closer to 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbs and a sodium intake of about 1500 mg; the depletion phase (Wednesday - Friday) would look like 40% protein, 40% fat, and %20 carbs with sodium intake of about 500 mg.  The calorie intake on the  load phase will still be around my typical 2000 but on the depletion days will be lower due to abstaining from my usual post workout insulin spike of 40-60 grams of carbohydrates.  Essentially the only carbohydrates consumed are from regular intake of prescribed fruits and vegetables.  Something else to look out for is "softened" water.  I mentioned this in my last training journal that many city wells and some home faucets get water that has trace amounts of sodium; the salt you put in a water softener is to remove other metals/minerals/contaminants.  More errors are acceptable on the first deprivation day, there should be a solid effort on the second, and absolute commitment on the final (this means avoiding condiments, soft water, soda, etc...).
2. Increased Supplementation - In regards to the above note one should know that with water depletion there is a high risk for vitamin deficiency, most prominently things such as potassium, sodium, and calcium.  An additional reason for lowing my calorie intake in the final days before the competition is not that the calorie deficit will make significant reduction in weight, but that it will allow my bowels to empty a bit more than usual.  With this comes the perpetual risk I mentioned above.  Furthermore I am doubling my multivitamin intake so that I am consuming one dose post-exercise/meditation and one before bed.  Joint supplementation remains the same.
3. Ice Injury Precaution - In order to assure that I do not have any residual signs of injury in my elbow, I am icing it at least twice per day for about 20 minutes each.  My elbow is mostly healed but I do not want to take any chances.

Review of the Fight

• Pre-Fight - I felt like I did not have to cut too much weight and after making weight, there was about a 2 hour layover between the start of the competitions and my bout.  I felt like I had planned my meal correctly to provide adequate energy by not causing any bloating or stomach cramps.  Going into the fight I felt primed.
• New Match Up - I was initially scheduled to fight a guy who making his amateur boxing debut just like me, however, that man did not show up to the venue.  My coach informed me of the news and offered me a fight with a guy who was 2-1.  With myself, my coach, and proposed opponent standing next to each other, my coach offered me the fight, we looked at each other and I agreed to it.  There was something understood when Coach and Athlete look at each other in such a situation and nothing needs to be said, but it is felt that weeks of preparation, making weight, and an hour and a half drive were not going to be wasted, and I WAS going to compete.  There was also an opportunity to choose between two-minute rounds or minute-and-a-half rounds; the bout would consist of three of either.  Initially my coach and I thought I had the edge in endurance and wanted two-minute rounds, however, later my coach convinced me to take a break when I could get it.  I agreed with her, she IS the boss after all and I would never question her authority, and we settled on the minute-and-a-half round length.
• Round 1 - Both of us came out strong and aggressive.  My opponent landed a heavy left cross right off the bat as I had a low front hand in preparation to fight a right-handed person.  We both traded several punches in the center of the ring before he struck a low blow on me that resulted in a standing eight count.  The round ended with adrenaline pumping and punches thrown up to the last seconds.  In the corner I was being told to not stand in front of him and to move around more after throwing a combination.
• Round 2 - Again, both of us came out aggressive.  The round was similar to the first with me charging in, taking a few shots, landing a few, a flurry of exchanges, and then us resetting.  The reff stopped as twice for equipment issues on my behalf, one occurring after I had tripped and fell.  Again the round ended with many punches being thrown.
• Round 3 - After the second round my corner was telling me to throw my left cross more, that my opponent was "sucking wind like no other", and that he had never been in a war like this before.  The third round started similar to the others, but my opponent's fatigue became more apparent and I landed several cross-hook-cross combinations and was moving out of the way better after each one.
• Result - While I had a valiant last round, I lost the bout by a split decision.  I do not think there was any question as to me earning the respect of my opponent, his corner, or the fans watching.  I received several congratulations and compliments after the fight from various spectators and on more than one occurrence from my opponent though we did not hold conversation after the fight.  Later it was revealed to me that one judge had scored me winning the bout 20-19, and the other two scored me losing 20-19.  Amateur boxing matches are scored by the sum of significant punches landed throughout the bout for a total score.  This means that if I had landed one more punch I would have won.  It is also likely that that last punch would have scored me a knockdown as I was informed my opponents feet were staggering more with every combination I landed in the last round.  But so goes the lesson of life.  Here we have a perfect example of why to NEVER let anything go to the judges' scorecards!  Nevertheless, I am gracious in my defeat, taking many lessons from this match, and grateful to have had the opportunity to lay it on the line once again; be it in a cage, a ring, or on a mat.

Analysis of Training Camp

          I took this fight on four weeks notice.  I was not actually looking for a match at the time, but I remembered having asked my coach to find me a match in May a few months ago.  Guess what, she did!  So I took her up on the offer.  I spent the next four weeks training strictly for boxing with no jiu jitsu or any other cross training.  Weight training was very limited an only in the very early stages.  I do not think this hurt my strength or conditioning for reasons I explained in earlier posts.  I feel that given the time I had, I made some very significant positive strides in my skill as a boxer.  I would not have changed anything about the camp, diet, or weight cut.  The only possible change would have been my preference for a six week camp rather than four.  The reasons for this is that injuries do happen, as you know if you've been following this blog, that can really screw up the progression of a four week camp.  On the other hand a six week camp allows you to recover and then get right back on track, like a break before continuing where you would have been in the four week camp.  But this is the real world and nothing is ideal, we take what we're given and make the decision to take life by the horns... or not. I choose, and will always choose, the former.

Future Plans

          I want to take this spot to give thanks where it is rightly deserved.  I'd like to thank my training partner, even those who bashed my head in during sparring sessions, for supporting me and making me a better fighter.  The biggest thanks goes to my coach, Vicki, who has been a relentless source of inspiration and positive motivation as well as a hell of a coach and trainer.  Much thanks also to my other coach Ryan for the same reasons.  Ryan helped me prepare for my MMA fight in Feb 2011 and I again enlisted his help for this bout.  I would also like to thank my friends who have supported me though they often cannot attend my competitions as well as my blog readers for keeping me accountable.  You all have my best regards and deepest respect.

          There are a few options that my future may hold.  A)  I could take another boxing match in a few weeks, B)  I could look to train for yet another sport and perhaps compete in Muay Thai Kickboxing match, C)  I could return my favorite combat sport, BJJ, and compete in the July time frame, D)  I could return to The Octagon for another MMA bout, or E)  I could keep training but not compete and simply enjoy the summer with the mindset of a fighter who has had the courage to compete.  Honestly, C and E are looking the most appealing.  In fact, I would not at all be opposed to E.  Not to disappoint anyone, but, I have spent the last few years always training for something it seems.  I have recently been accepted to graduate school which I will start int he fall in the Atlanta, GA area.  I have before me two rare opportunities that most people only fantasize about; a chance to chase your dreams and a completely fresh start.  This blog is a chronicle that attests to the fact that I am a fighter and I will always be one no matter which direction I chose to take.  There is something pure and serene in training for the love of your sport, knowing that you have competed, you could compete, you are in competition form, but you choose to revel in magnificence of your calling as a fighter and train simply for your own peace of mind.

THANKS FOR READING!  Until next time....

Yours,

Austin "The Sovereign"

*Nickname courtesy of my friend Job.  I'm sure he'll be glad to see me finally accepting it and publishing it :)

First Amateur Boxing Match: Training Week 4

The last "hard" week.  Let's turn it up to 11!

Sunday
Bag Work & Timing - Things Worked On
A)  Relaxing and pacing
B)  Mixing in Power Punches
C)  Flurries to get inside
D)  Flurries from the inside
E)  Offense / Defense Drills
Training Time - 1 1/2 Hours

Monday
Little Bit of Everything:
Warm Up - Jump Rope and Shadowboxing
Heavy Bag - Jab Only, Everything Light, Light and Fast w/ a some Power Punches, Work On the Inside,
                    Work on Moving In / Staying In / Moving Out (2 min rounds @ 30 sec rest)
Slip Rope - ~15 min, focus on fluid movement & coordinating punches with steps
Pole Drill (sorry, no exotic dancers) - Stand in front of 6-8 inch wide vertical beam or pole in fighting stance
                with the pole blocking your vision, work on slipping ONLY the minimum effective distance (ie:  till
                you can see beyond the pole), then work combo-slip sequence, then combo-slip-combo
                sequence (about 15-20 min on this drill)
Cool Down - LONG stretch period
Training Time - 1 Hour

Tuesday
Boxing Class & about 6 Rounds of Sparring
Training Time - 2 hours

Wednesday
Rest, Ice Elbow, Study (I have a final exam coming up this week)

Thursday
General Skills:
Warm Up - Jump Rope and Shadowboxing
Heavy Bag - light round, jab only, power hand only, speed focus, work inside, speed focus w/ a few power
                    shots, focus on closing the distance (2 min rounds @ 30 sec rest)
Shadowboxing - 4 x 2 min rounds @ 30 sec rest, focus on moving after each combination.  If you're not
                          punching your feet AND head are moving!
Pole Drill - 2 rounds (description above)
Mitt Work - 3 x 2 min rounds @ 30 sec rest.  *Big thanks to Greg for taking time out of his BJJ 
                    training to hold mitts for me for a few rounds!
Cool Down - Stretch
Training Time - 1 hour

Friday
Short Training Session (Final Exam Day)
Warm Up:
100 jumping jacks
50 lunges
5 x 20 push ups (fingertip, wide grip, narrow grip, reverse, regular)
50 squats
Shadowboxing:  6 x 2 min rounds @ 30 sec rest
Round 1 - agility ladder
Round 2 - no punches, focus on hip rotation
Round 3 - warm up all punches
Round 4 - minimal punches, focus on defensive movements
Rounds 5 - focus on  moving head and feet after every combination
Round 6 - Stretch
Training Time - 30 min

Saturday & Sunday
Rest

Weekly Notes
Weekly Training Hours - 6
Camp Training Hours - 25.5
Camp Sparring Rounds - 25

1. Diet - Last Week I talked extensively about cheating on diets and what I believe to be acceptable and what is not.  I'm having a bit of a problem sticking to only one cheat meal per week.  The potential resolution that I've found most appealing is to eat less junk and more good food.  I mentioned a "lesser of two evils" concept last week; in this instance would mean eating a good meal when you feel the urge for junk.  Another possible solution is to divide your single cheat "day" into two isolated cheat "meals" throughout the week.  I'm using a combination of the two at the moment.
2. Sparring - After the first week of sparring I got a good gauge of some things I needed to work on and where I was rusty.  It was an average day.  The second week I got hammered and it put a lot of things into question and perspective.  The third week I felt like I was coming along, did well in the session, my coaches could see me improving, but I still didn't quite "feel ready" but could see that I would "peak" at just the right time; an important aspect of a training camp.  After Tuesday's session I felt really sharp.  There are still (always) skills that can be further sharpened, but I definitely felt more relaxed and like I was turning a corner in my skill level.  The change was also remarked upon by my coaches.
3. Injury - This week I'm battling a bit of stiffness in my right hip, and some stiffness in my left elbow.  I'm not sure what cause the hip fatigue, but I'm working on a resolution.  The elbow tightness is due to continual tennis and golfer's elbow (a common tendon problem for fighters) and a previous injury.  I'm combating this with less intense and more technical work.  Also, plenty of icing session to reduce inflammation as well as a small dose of over the counter pain killers after training sessions.  This is not for the pain, but for the anti-inflammatory properties of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Advil).  I am alternating days between products after training sessions; Tylenol today, Advil tomorrow for example.
4. Injury (Update 5/11/12) - I still do not know what was causing fatigue in my right hip, but it seems to be resolving itself.  Could be nothing more than an awkward sleeping position.  As for my left elbow, I believe the problem was due to hyper-extension.   In recent weeks I have been focusing on the speed and range of my punches rather than power.  As a result, sometimes my arm extends fully before reaching the heavy bag.  I could also be in part due to shadowboxing too hard and "banging" or snapping punches too much at full extension.  When I hit mitts with solid blows yesterday it actually made my elbow feel better.  Following, today I continued to be light and technical on my punches to avoid over-extension on "snapping speed" and throwing power shots into thin air.  I'm still taking two tablets of Advil and Tylenol on alternating days following training sessions and icing my elbow twice per day.
5. Additional Rest Days - Saturday was my 24th birthday as well as the marriage of my friends James and Sasha.  I took this opportunity to sit back and relax for the time being.  I was reminded by a close friend of mine not to train myself into injury and how taking a day or two to do absolutely nothing and reflect on things can be beneficial to the training process.  I obliged such a reminder and did just that, having initially planned to return to training on Sunday (5/13/12).  As far as "turning it up to 11" those plans were derailed relatively quickly due to various minor injuries (which are healing up nicely by the way).  In the coming week it will be important to realize that the physical part of training is over, the physical work is done and the time put in.  What will follow is the brushing up of skills, formulating a game plan and strategy for the competition, and mentally preparing myself for the fight.  This also includes mental preparation for the event.  My choice of means for this is meditation.  My next post of the final week will not be until after the fight, so stay tuned for the journal of my final week's preparation and analysis of the event.  Kudos!

First Amateur Boxing Match: Training Week 3

On to week three...

Sunday
Various Skills, Bag, and Timing Training - Review of errors and improvements based on yesterday's sparring session
Training Time - 1 1/2 hours

Monday
Light Drills and Bag Work - 1 hour

Tuesday AM
Bag Work - 3min rounds @ 30 sec rest
Round 1 - Jump Rope
Round 2 - Runboxing
Round 3 & 4 - Stretching
Round 5 & 6 - Gear Up
Round 7 - Heavy Bag - Warm Up
Round 8 - Heavy Bag - Jab Hand Only
Round 9 - Heavy Bag - Power Hand Only
Round 10 - Heavy Bag - Straight Punches Only
Round 11 - Heavy Bag - Open Round
Round 12 - Shadowboxing w/ Gloves On
Round 13 - Shadowboxing w/o Gloves
Round 14 - 16 - Stretching
*For all working rounds throw 8 punch flurry and jab out at least every third combination
Training Time - 1 hour

Tuesday PM
Boxing Class - 1 1/2 hours

Wednesday
Circuit Training:
100 jumping jacks
5 x 20 push ups (regular, fingertip, wide, narrow, reversed grip)
5 x 20 squats (regular, wide, narrow, right lunge, left lunge)
10 leg lifts (full 180 degrees)
50 flutter kicks (single count)
50 standing trunk twists (single count)
20 crunches
20 twist crunches (single count)
Shadowboxing with gloves - 3 x 2 min @ 30 sec rest
Shadowboxing w/o gloves - 1 x 2 min
Cool Down - Neck Exercises and Stretching
Training Time - 30 min

Thursday
Bag Work:
2 min Rounds @ 30 sec rest
Round 1 - Jump Rope
Round 2 - Shadowboxing
Round 3 & 4 - Stretching
Round 5 & 6 - Wrap Hands
Round 7 - Heavy Bag Warm Up
Round 8 - Heavy Bag Jab Hand Only
Round 9 - Heavy Bag Power Hand Only
Round 10 - Heavy Bag All Punches
Round 11 - Heavy Bag All Punches
Round 12 - Rest
Round 13 & 14 - Slip Rope Single Slip
Round 15 & 16 - Slip Rope Double / Triple Slip
Round 17 - 19 - Shadowboxing
Cool Down - Stretching
Training Time - 1 Hour

Friday
Rest

Saturday
Sparring - 11 Rounds
Offense / Defense Drill - 2 Rounds
Training Time - 2 Hours

Weekly Notes
Weekly Training Hours - 8.5
Camp Training Hours - 19.5
Camp Sparring Rounds - 19
*No Change In Weight

1. Conditioning - My coach has informed me that my stamina is already adequate and that I am naturally strong / powerful, thus I should focus on refining my skills before my bout.  With that in mind you will note that where I had planned a Strength and Conditioning day on Wednesday in previous weeks I have replaced that with a more moderate skill oriented workout.
2. Unplanned Cheat Meal Monday Night - Even the best of us cave to our sweet, grease, or junk food cravings now and then.  The best thing I've learned to do is to shake it off and continue on a your good diet as normal without trying to compensate the next day.  DO NOT do this, it will only increase the likelihood of you needing/wanting to induce an additional binge/cheat.  If you've been doing a good job with your diet, your body will quickly (and literally) dump most of the excess just like on your planned cheat day or meal.  I am also not terribly concerned about this as I am satisfied with my current weight and body composition (PBF).  I'm not trying to lose a significant amount of weight for this competition currently weighing 165.5 and competing at 162 lbs.
3. Cheating on Diets Explained (RANT) - There are a lot of idea floating out there about cheating on diets.  Some prefer to spew a soundbite from a magazine or website about how eating healthy is a "lifestyle change."  Frankly, I don't know whether to puke or punch them in the face when I hear that.  There are two main functions of a and abnormally high flux in calories (ie:  a cheat or break from your "good" diet).  The first is the psychological reprieve or reward.  Everyone deserves a vacation now and then and your diet should be no different, so long as the cheat remains the exception and does not become the rule.  Once a week is a good idea, due to factors (genetics, activity level, and size of cheat meal) two may be acceptable, but three or more creates concern for your diet as a whole.  The second benefit is a physical one in which your metabolism spikes to compensate for the excess calories and can actually allow weight loss faster!  Not to mention that when your body is conditioned to "clean" food and you suddenly consume a large amount of **** food; that is just what you'll do and it will be gone before it has digested fully.  As to the size of the cheat meal, I myself have tossed around comparisons of single cheat meals, entire cheat days, or binge periods of 4-6 hours.  The single meal does not provide as much of a psychological benefit as the entire day, but the long term calorie surplus is a negative aspect that you will need to recover from.  Another important aspect to keep in mind is to not sweat the small stuff.  A couple pieces of hard candy are not going to kill you and certainly don't mean that you have to tell yourself that since you already broke your diet you might as well go on a binge and shoot the whole day down the crapper.  DO NOT do that, I've done that many times myself and it is NOT productive.  On that note keep in mind a concept of lesser evils.  For whatever reasons you're getting a sweet tooth and eyeing down a box of Krispy Creame Doughnuts.  Then you see some cookies sitting next to them.  If two cookies keep you from eating half a dozen doughnuts, take the cookies.  On the other hand; if a banana and an apple keep you from eating the cookies, though you still have a calorie surplus, take the fruit for its nutritional value.  The bottom line with cheating is to remember that the less than perfect plan that you can adhere to for a long time is infinitely more effective than the perfect plan you cannot stick to for more than a couple days.
4. 4-Hour Body Tips Added - My two favorite dieting books are "The Diet Solution" by Scivation (which is the basis of the diet I currently follow) and "The 4-Hour Body by Time Ferriss.  I have frequently referenced Ferriss in other posts and there are a few useful tidbits I am reapplying.  I am taking cold showers after training session for a metabolic boost and to reduce inflammation.  I am icing the back of my neck before bed for the same reasons.  Additionally I am keeping a weekly list of foods to eat on my cheat day as well as implementing 90 seconds of exercise before and after each cheat meal.  Ferriss also recommends fruit (my preference is juice - cranberry, apple, grape, or grapefruit) be consumed with cheat meals because fructose (the sugar in fruit) slows digestion.  Also, a caffeine source should be included with cheat meals for its diuretic effect (renal blood flow to be more specific).  I know that my initial diet plan only allowed a single cheat meal per week but the reality (for me anyway) is that these often stretch for a couple hours thus making the above principles still applicable, only in a more moderate sense.
5. Sparring Notes - I felt much better this week.  I feel like my techniques are starting to take shape nicely.  I do not feel ready for my fight yet, but that is expected; I still have another two weeks to "peak."  There are a few things I still need to work on.  My "homework" from my coaches is A)  Keep my elbows in when throwing punches (don't throw wide punches), B) Keep my power hand higher on the chin when jabbing and make sure the jab comes back high, C)  Lead with punches and not with my head, DO NOT "walk" in, D) When I get inside, keep the pressure ON!, and lastly E)  RELAX!