I woke up to a surprising 240.6 lbs this morning. That means that I lost about 7 lbs since Friday. I know it's mostly water weight (as evidenced by the terrible leg cramp I had yesterday), but it feels good to see the number drop so much.
Back in 2005 I reached critical mass. My scale didn't go high enough to show me how much I weighed, so I went online and found one that went to 350 lbs. I can't describe the feeling of horror and disappointment I felt when I stepped on that scale and it read 345 lbs. I was killing myself, and I didn't even realize it. I didn't know what to do with myself, but nature intervened. Hurricane Rita hit the coast of Texas that September, and we had to evacuate. After the storm, I came back early to get back to work. I had no electricity and no clean water. I lived out of an ice chest for about a week, and every morning I'd wake up in a pool of my own sweat. Somehow I managed to lose 5 lbs., and that was the impetus for this continuing journey. I saw that it could be done, but I still didn't know how to do it myself. I did what I could, but it was a slow process.
In the summer of 2007 I moved from Texas to Wichita, KS. Shortly after that I took my first fitness class from Chris Haines. It's been a bumpy road of weight loss and weight gain since then. No fault of Chris'; I just have some very bad habits that I'm breaking. I had lost about 50 lbs with Chris' help, but I put it back on. That didn't do too much to boost my self-esteem, but thankfully Chris never gave up on me.
I mentioned to Chris that I would like to try a fight at least once, and in September of 2010, Chris offered to start training me. Here we are, seven and a half months later, and I'm down 68 lbs. That, with the weight I lost before I met Chris, is about 105 lbs lost since I sadly hit 345 lbs. It's been a long time coming, but I finally hit the 100 lb mark. I know I still have a long way to go, but I'm more motivated now than ever. My first amateur fight is less than a month away, and Chris has me training harder than ever.
"Do you regret this yet?" Chris has asked me that a couple of times with a smile on his face. I'm not going to lie, this is arguably the hardest thing I've ever done, but I certainly don't regret it. Do I regret losing weight and getting in better shape? No. Do I regret getting healthier and adding years to my life? No. My body aches, and I don't think I've ever physically pushed myself this hard before. I can honestly say that I'm doing this with no regrets.
Having never fought before, I'm dealing with a bunch of nerves and emotions. Chris told me something today that I hadn't thought of. He said to imagine my victory because I deserve it. I do deserve it. I have worked damn hard to get this far, and I'm going to keep working hard until I achieve my goals. Look for me to get my hand raised in victory on May 14th. I deserve it.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Let's Get It On
I'm so happy to say that I woke up to 248.6 lbs this morning. I thought my scale was playing a late April Fools joke on me, but after several weigh ins, I convinced myself that it must be true.
When you hear Marvin Gaye say, "Let's get it on," you probably have thoughts of taking a beautiful woman and making sweet love down by the fire, but when you hear Mills Lane or Big John McCarthy say it, you know someone's about to get their ass whooped. Well this blog is about the latter. I got a text from Chris Haines yesterday, and he asked me if I wanted to fight on May 14th. Nervous, excited, and fearful, I agreed to fight. The first thought that crossed my head was, "Shit! I'm going to have to take my shirt off in front of people." I'll get over that as soon as the punches start flying.
I was a ball of nerves yesterday, but it soon turned to nervous excitement. I called my mom and my brother to share the news with them, and they were really supportive. Then I called a couple of good friends, who were also very supportive. I'm trying to stay positive, and not dwell on my fears. I don't want to get knocked out, and I don't want to crap my pants. Anything beyond that, and I'll be happy with my performance. If I can go the distance like Rocky, I'll feel victorious. But in all honesty, I'm not training to lose - I'm training to win. I want to win. Two men are entering the cage, and one of us has to win. Why can't it be me? So I'm focusing on as much positivity as I can. I'm visualizing my victory, and trying to suppress any thoughts of defeat.
I don't want to discuss too much about my training camp or our game plan, but today was the first day. It was pretty rough. Chris and I talked afterward, and he gave me some good advice and words of encouragement. As nervous as I am about this fight, I'm really looking forward to it. I want to see what I'm capable of. What's my limit? Can I go beyond that limit? I'll soon find out.
My family, my friends, and everyone at Delano MMA and Fitness has been really great. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I'll keep you updated as things progress. All or nothing!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Keep On Keeping On
The good news is that I finally broke through my plateau of the 260s. Unfortunately I can't give an accurate weight because my scale was teasing me this morning. I'm somewhere between 256 and 258 lbs. In addition to the fitness class, I've also been taking Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Delano MMA and Fitness. It's an incredibly fun challenge, and it will make you sweat buckets.
The exercise was always a big help, but probably the biggest change I've made has been in my diet. Casey (the woman who beats me up at the gym) asked me if I wanted to join her in her Lenten fast. It consists of no flour, no sugar, and no dairy. I had to say goodbye to my bread, pasta, chocolate milk, and a few other things that I'm too embarrassed to admit that I was eating. Now I have to eat more fruits and vegetables to satiate my hunger. I know it's common sense - and Chris has been trying to drill it in my head for years, but it's tough to resist those temptations sometimes. I'm hoping most (if not all) these new habits will stick. As I told Casey, it was difficult in the beginning, but now it's a piece of cake...a piece of flourless, sugarless, dairyless cake. Joking aside, I am looking forward to trying some new recipes. I've enlisted the help of my friend the Level VI Kitchen Wizard to help me find some cool new recipes to try. I'll have more on that later.
I've been encouraged to list some of my goals and accomplishments too, so here goes. I don't know why, but I promised Amber that I would do a six mile run with her this summer. Now that Spring appears to be here, I'll be running more. I can jog about a 1/4 mile without stopping, but my next goal is to run a whole mile before I have to take a breather. I think that can be realistically accomplished by the end of April or the beginning of May (weather permitting). That's the most pressing goal at the moment; there will be many more to come.
Here's what I've accomplished so far. I've lost about 50 lbs since August. I've gone down a size in pants and belt. I'm actually pretty close to tightening my new belt to the next notch. I've been wearing some old jeans that I had grown out of, but now I can fit them again. It's nice when people ask if I bought new jeans, and I get to tell them, "Nope! These are old, but I can fit in them again." Yup, that make me feel good about myself.
When I was still tipping the scales at 300 lbs, I took some body measurements. Nothing to be proud of I assure you, but I'm glad I did. It's a good way to track my progress. Here's my progress so far:
Measurements (in inches)........Then............Now
Chest.............................................51.5.............49.5
Forearm........................................12.25..........12.13
Waist.............................................58.5.............51.25
Thigh.............................................25................24.5
Hips...............................................45.5.............43
Calf.................................................17................16.25
Bicep..............................................15.75...........15.25
Neck...............................................18.25...........17.5
Thank you all for your help and support. I'll see you in the cage...sooner or later.
The exercise was always a big help, but probably the biggest change I've made has been in my diet. Casey (the woman who beats me up at the gym) asked me if I wanted to join her in her Lenten fast. It consists of no flour, no sugar, and no dairy. I had to say goodbye to my bread, pasta, chocolate milk, and a few other things that I'm too embarrassed to admit that I was eating. Now I have to eat more fruits and vegetables to satiate my hunger. I know it's common sense - and Chris has been trying to drill it in my head for years, but it's tough to resist those temptations sometimes. I'm hoping most (if not all) these new habits will stick. As I told Casey, it was difficult in the beginning, but now it's a piece of cake...a piece of flourless, sugarless, dairyless cake. Joking aside, I am looking forward to trying some new recipes. I've enlisted the help of my friend the Level VI Kitchen Wizard to help me find some cool new recipes to try. I'll have more on that later.
I've been encouraged to list some of my goals and accomplishments too, so here goes. I don't know why, but I promised Amber that I would do a six mile run with her this summer. Now that Spring appears to be here, I'll be running more. I can jog about a 1/4 mile without stopping, but my next goal is to run a whole mile before I have to take a breather. I think that can be realistically accomplished by the end of April or the beginning of May (weather permitting). That's the most pressing goal at the moment; there will be many more to come.
Here's what I've accomplished so far. I've lost about 50 lbs since August. I've gone down a size in pants and belt. I'm actually pretty close to tightening my new belt to the next notch. I've been wearing some old jeans that I had grown out of, but now I can fit them again. It's nice when people ask if I bought new jeans, and I get to tell them, "Nope! These are old, but I can fit in them again." Yup, that make me feel good about myself.
When I was still tipping the scales at 300 lbs, I took some body measurements. Nothing to be proud of I assure you, but I'm glad I did. It's a good way to track my progress. Here's my progress so far:
Measurements (in inches)........Then............Now
Chest.............................................51.5.............49.5
Forearm........................................12.25..........12.13
Waist.............................................58.5.............51.25
Thigh.............................................25................24.5
Hips...............................................45.5.............43
Calf.................................................17................16.25
Bicep..............................................15.75...........15.25
Neck...............................................18.25...........17.5
Thank you all for your help and support. I'll see you in the cage...sooner or later.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Busy, Busy, Busy
Woke up to 265 lbs this morning. My weight isn't dropping as fast as I think it should, and it's definitely not from a lack of exercise. That only leaves the diet portion of my training, and sadly I haven't been as strict as I should be. I'm making changes to remedy that problem.
I've been working out everyday for about a week and a half, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is quickly becoming my favorite part. I can't say that there's anything easy about it, or that any of it comes naturally to me. Ironically though, my weight sort of works in my favor. Sunday night I was rolling with some of the guys at Delano MMA and Fitness. I was in the mount position trying to put a submission hold on this guy, and he tapped out before I could even get the hold on him. Then I heard him say, "I can't breathe." That's embarrassing, but in competition, I think that's still a victory.
This was my first time taking Jake's BJJ class. I've been wanting to do it for quite some time now, and I finally got my chance. It's incredibly intense, and a great workout. After a good warm up and a few drills, we got to roll for the rest of the class time. I was a little timid because I'm the new guy in class, and I'm really not sure what I'm supposed to be doing. I said I'm going to be really good at this, but right now, I'm not really good at this. I rolled with Dave for a little bit before I almost suffocated him. Then I rolled with Gary and Bryan. Everyone was incredibly helpful and supportive - Gary especially. He corrected a lot of my mistakes and gave me a bunch of pointers.
I was so tired and sore when I got home; I couldn't wait to get to bed. I had trouble sleeping that night because my muscles ached so badly. I really didn't want to go to fitness class the next morning, but I don't want to start those bad habits again. I forced myself out of bed and made it to class. It's been that struggle almost every morning, but so far I'm still making it.
A day or two ago Chris suggest that I try a Friday night fight. He said I can wear my protective gear, and it's basically hardcore sparring. For a second there the shit got real. I wouldn't have to worry so much about hurting my opponent, but they wouldn't worry about hurting me either. I can live with that, but my biggest concern is: do I have to take my shirt off? Yes, I have at least an ounce of vanity in me, but the Lord continues to teach me the virtue of humility. It's all or nothing, right? I'll give my all, even if I have to take my shirt off.
One last thing. My buddy Greg hasn't been able to make it to the gym like he'd like to. I know it's driving him crazy, and it's driving me crazy too because he's supposed to be my sparring partner. I'll feel so much better about sparring with a guy because I won't have to worry so much about hurting him. I know Casey is a woman who beats me up pretty good when we spar, but I'm still afraid that I might accidentally hit her and hurt her. I just sparred with Amber the other day. She's incredibly skilled, but still, I accidentally kneed her in the leg and caused a charlie horse. She said she was ok, but I felt terrible. So, Greg, feel better, and hurry up. We have some training to do.
I've been working out everyday for about a week and a half, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is quickly becoming my favorite part. I can't say that there's anything easy about it, or that any of it comes naturally to me. Ironically though, my weight sort of works in my favor. Sunday night I was rolling with some of the guys at Delano MMA and Fitness. I was in the mount position trying to put a submission hold on this guy, and he tapped out before I could even get the hold on him. Then I heard him say, "I can't breathe." That's embarrassing, but in competition, I think that's still a victory.
This was my first time taking Jake's BJJ class. I've been wanting to do it for quite some time now, and I finally got my chance. It's incredibly intense, and a great workout. After a good warm up and a few drills, we got to roll for the rest of the class time. I was a little timid because I'm the new guy in class, and I'm really not sure what I'm supposed to be doing. I said I'm going to be really good at this, but right now, I'm not really good at this. I rolled with Dave for a little bit before I almost suffocated him. Then I rolled with Gary and Bryan. Everyone was incredibly helpful and supportive - Gary especially. He corrected a lot of my mistakes and gave me a bunch of pointers.
I was so tired and sore when I got home; I couldn't wait to get to bed. I had trouble sleeping that night because my muscles ached so badly. I really didn't want to go to fitness class the next morning, but I don't want to start those bad habits again. I forced myself out of bed and made it to class. It's been that struggle almost every morning, but so far I'm still making it.
A day or two ago Chris suggest that I try a Friday night fight. He said I can wear my protective gear, and it's basically hardcore sparring. For a second there the shit got real. I wouldn't have to worry so much about hurting my opponent, but they wouldn't worry about hurting me either. I can live with that, but my biggest concern is: do I have to take my shirt off? Yes, I have at least an ounce of vanity in me, but the Lord continues to teach me the virtue of humility. It's all or nothing, right? I'll give my all, even if I have to take my shirt off.
One last thing. My buddy Greg hasn't been able to make it to the gym like he'd like to. I know it's driving him crazy, and it's driving me crazy too because he's supposed to be my sparring partner. I'll feel so much better about sparring with a guy because I won't have to worry so much about hurting him. I know Casey is a woman who beats me up pretty good when we spar, but I'm still afraid that I might accidentally hit her and hurt her. I just sparred with Amber the other day. She's incredibly skilled, but still, I accidentally kneed her in the leg and caused a charlie horse. She said she was ok, but I felt terrible. So, Greg, feel better, and hurry up. We have some training to do.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Great Week 2/14 - 2/18
I made a real effort to at least double up on classes this week at Delano MMA and Fitness, and for the most part, I did. I guess the most important thing I learned this week is: I'm tired. Holy smokes was this week hard. Some days were harder than others. Tuesday I was dragging ass all day, but Wednesday, as tired as I was, I felt energized. I know that doing Jiu-Jitsu that day was the impetus for that great feeling. Maybe it's some sort of endorphin release; whatever it was, I was in a great mood that day. I don't know what it is about Jiu-Jitsu, but even after just a few classes, I can feel a change in myself. It's a real confidence booster. Already I feel - no...I know this is something I'm going to be really good at. I don't have any physical evidence to back me up; I just know it in heart to be true.
Today's workout ended on a great note. I got to do a little sparring with 3 different opponents. Two of them were women, and the other was a guy. It was really fun to spar against a guy who is closer to my level of experience. I don't feel that I did that great against him, but at least I don't feel bad about hitting back. It's great exercise, and a lot of fun.
One of the women I sparred with was pretty funny. It was her first time, and she was really hesitant to take a swing at me. It's always awkward the first time around, but I think she got into it. I didn't throw anything back at her, but I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't duck and dodge her punches as well as I should have. Thankfully she doesn't hit that hard yet.
Easily my most formidable opponent is Casey. If you've read previous posts, she's the woman who always beats me up. She has a strong punch, and a lot of heart. She kept catching me with a hook today, and it really lit me up. If I can get to the point where I can block and/or dodge her punches, I'll feel like I've made some major improvements. Until then I'll just be happy to stay on my feet.
Today's workout ended on a great note. I got to do a little sparring with 3 different opponents. Two of them were women, and the other was a guy. It was really fun to spar against a guy who is closer to my level of experience. I don't feel that I did that great against him, but at least I don't feel bad about hitting back. It's great exercise, and a lot of fun.
One of the women I sparred with was pretty funny. It was her first time, and she was really hesitant to take a swing at me. It's always awkward the first time around, but I think she got into it. I didn't throw anything back at her, but I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't duck and dodge her punches as well as I should have. Thankfully she doesn't hit that hard yet.
Easily my most formidable opponent is Casey. If you've read previous posts, she's the woman who always beats me up. She has a strong punch, and a lot of heart. She kept catching me with a hook today, and it really lit me up. If I can get to the point where I can block and/or dodge her punches, I'll feel like I've made some major improvements. Until then I'll just be happy to stay on my feet.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Get On Top Of Me
My scale was all over the place this morning, so I'm going to estimate my weight to be somewhere between 265 and 267 lbs. Pretty much the same as the past month or so. I'm not too happy about that, but still I continue with my plans.
I didn't make it on time to the 8 am class, but I was early for the 9 am class today. I used the extra time to warm up with some jumping rope. Chris has had me mixing up my jump rope routine to make it a little harder. If you've ever seen a Rocky movie, I can do pretty much all his jump rope techniques. That may not sound like much to you, but I never thought I'd be doing the criss-cross jump rope. That's pretty easy for me now. The one that I had trouble with a couple of months ago was the one where you jump on one foot twice, and then switch to the other foot. That's not a great description, but it's the technique you see at the beginning of this video. In the beginning I couldn't balance well, and my rhythm was way off. I just wanted to throw my hands in the air and go back to the regular jump rope style. Chris pushed me, and I eventually got it down pretty well. I could tell that my left side was weaker though because I had more trouble balancing and hopping from that side. My left side has gotten stronger - not quite as strong as my dominant right side, but a noticeable improvement. I can actually get a pretty good, fast rhythm with that style now. Again, I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but these are little things that I never thought I'd be doing.
Now for the big things. After the fitness class, I took my first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this. I know it's not going to be easy, but the best things in life rarely are. It's awkward at first having a guy sit on your chest, but you get over that pretty quickly. You have to. This definitely works a bunch of different muscles than my other training because I got tired pretty fast. So that's another great aspect of it. I don't have a whole lot to say about it just yet because I just started, but if anyone wants me to put them in an armbar, I can. All in all, I'd say I had a great day of training, and I'm looking forward to many more great days with the guys at Delano MMA and Fitness.
I didn't make it on time to the 8 am class, but I was early for the 9 am class today. I used the extra time to warm up with some jumping rope. Chris has had me mixing up my jump rope routine to make it a little harder. If you've ever seen a Rocky movie, I can do pretty much all his jump rope techniques. That may not sound like much to you, but I never thought I'd be doing the criss-cross jump rope. That's pretty easy for me now. The one that I had trouble with a couple of months ago was the one where you jump on one foot twice, and then switch to the other foot. That's not a great description, but it's the technique you see at the beginning of this video. In the beginning I couldn't balance well, and my rhythm was way off. I just wanted to throw my hands in the air and go back to the regular jump rope style. Chris pushed me, and I eventually got it down pretty well. I could tell that my left side was weaker though because I had more trouble balancing and hopping from that side. My left side has gotten stronger - not quite as strong as my dominant right side, but a noticeable improvement. I can actually get a pretty good, fast rhythm with that style now. Again, I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but these are little things that I never thought I'd be doing.
Now for the big things. After the fitness class, I took my first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class. I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this. I know it's not going to be easy, but the best things in life rarely are. It's awkward at first having a guy sit on your chest, but you get over that pretty quickly. You have to. This definitely works a bunch of different muscles than my other training because I got tired pretty fast. So that's another great aspect of it. I don't have a whole lot to say about it just yet because I just started, but if anyone wants me to put them in an armbar, I can. All in all, I'd say I had a great day of training, and I'm looking forward to many more great days with the guys at Delano MMA and Fitness.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Some Days Are Harder Than Others
Yesterday I was really bummed out because my scale said that I was back up to 271 lbs. It was a real wake up call that I was doing something wrong, and I'm positive it's somewhere in my diet. Today my scale read 266.2 lbs. I don't know if my scale is broken, but I don't think you can lose 4.8 lbs in one day. Whatever the case may be, this is the only scale I have so I have to trust what it displays.
I hate circuit training. I mean I love it, but I hate it. Chris has been putting us through a lot circuits lately. I recognize the benefit, but, man, they're hard. Yesterday was a good workout with one embarrassment. Chris wanted us to do (try and do) some pull-ups. Never in my life have I been able to do a pull-up. I just don't have the upper body strength for it yet (but it is one of my goals). The best I was able to do was hang from the bar and raise myself maybe an eighth of an inch. The worst I did was to not even be able to grip the bar well enough to just hang. It's just another in a series of reminders that the Lord is teaching me the virtue of humility.
I got some pretty decent rest last night, and I figured I'd be feeling good today. I felt good, but my body disagreed. I was sore, mostly in my arms and shoulders from my wimpy pull-ups. Today's circuit didn't help either; each exercise felt increasingly harder. Tire flipping, squatting medicine ball toss, double box jumps... it just kept getting harder and harder. In between each exercise we had to jump rope. After each exercise I couldn't wait to jump rope so I could rest and try and catch my breath. How often does it happen that you look forward to jumping rope so you can rest? Today might have been the first time for me. No matter what though, Chris won't let you give up on yourself, and I really needed that extra motivation today. That goes a long way with me, and that's one of the main reasons I like going to my gym. Now I just need to muster the strength to get through the rest of the day.
I hate circuit training. I mean I love it, but I hate it. Chris has been putting us through a lot circuits lately. I recognize the benefit, but, man, they're hard. Yesterday was a good workout with one embarrassment. Chris wanted us to do (try and do) some pull-ups. Never in my life have I been able to do a pull-up. I just don't have the upper body strength for it yet (but it is one of my goals). The best I was able to do was hang from the bar and raise myself maybe an eighth of an inch. The worst I did was to not even be able to grip the bar well enough to just hang. It's just another in a series of reminders that the Lord is teaching me the virtue of humility.
I got some pretty decent rest last night, and I figured I'd be feeling good today. I felt good, but my body disagreed. I was sore, mostly in my arms and shoulders from my wimpy pull-ups. Today's circuit didn't help either; each exercise felt increasingly harder. Tire flipping, squatting medicine ball toss, double box jumps... it just kept getting harder and harder. In between each exercise we had to jump rope. After each exercise I couldn't wait to jump rope so I could rest and try and catch my breath. How often does it happen that you look forward to jumping rope so you can rest? Today might have been the first time for me. No matter what though, Chris won't let you give up on yourself, and I really needed that extra motivation today. That goes a long way with me, and that's one of the main reasons I like going to my gym. Now I just need to muster the strength to get through the rest of the day.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The Cold Hard Truth
Sorry for the long delay folks. The blogs may have slowed down, but after a brief respite from the gym for the holidays (mostly work related), I'm back in there trying to tear it up again.
Days like this really make me miss my home state of Texas. The streets are glazed with black ice, and the air is as cold as...something really, really cold. I forgot to weigh myself this morning, but I'm still caught between 267 and 270 lbs. My plan was to lose an average of 2 lbs a week and be 100 lbs lighter for 2012. So far I haven't been able to accomplish that. I'll need to change up a few things in my diet, and Chris has been changing up some exercises for me in the gym.
Today felt particularly harsh because it was so cold. My muscles were sore and tight from the past few days, and my stretching didn't seem to help my joints feel any more limber. Chris put me through a pretty good ringer today. I did a little weight training today, and much to my chagrin, I started losing steam way sooner than I expected. So many things don't phase me, but that was a real blow to my male ego. Note to self: get stronger.
A while back I got a custom mouthguard, and I really like it. Mouthguards always advertise how they can help reduce the risk of a concussion. I never understood how a little piece of plastic in your mouth could do that. I understood how it protected your teeth, but a concussion? I didn't get it. About a week ago I forgot all my gear at home, and I did some light sparring with Casey at the gym. Casey is a woman. She's tall and lean, but nothing really seems intimidating about her. When I "spar" with the women at the gym, I don't throw any real punches because I just can see myself hitting a woman in any capacity. I just can't or won't do it. I'll throw some fakes to keep them on their toes or to remind them to keep their guard up, but never anything with an ounce of power behind it. So back to the story. I was sparring with Casey, and I didn't have a mouthguard or any kind of protective gear, but I figured it wasn't such a big deal. I forgot how hard Casey hits. She's only been doing this a couple of months, but once she learns a little more, she will be a force to reckon with. At one point she caught me with a hook to the head, and my head jerked in such a way that my teeth hit each other. That hurt, but the surprising part was how much force my lower jaw had when it hit my upper jaw. I see now how the mouthguard helps. It must act as a shock absorber. That's good motivation to remember to bring your gear everyday to the gym. Since then I've gotten some headgear for a little extra protection.
Days like this really make me miss my home state of Texas. The streets are glazed with black ice, and the air is as cold as...something really, really cold. I forgot to weigh myself this morning, but I'm still caught between 267 and 270 lbs. My plan was to lose an average of 2 lbs a week and be 100 lbs lighter for 2012. So far I haven't been able to accomplish that. I'll need to change up a few things in my diet, and Chris has been changing up some exercises for me in the gym.
Today felt particularly harsh because it was so cold. My muscles were sore and tight from the past few days, and my stretching didn't seem to help my joints feel any more limber. Chris put me through a pretty good ringer today. I did a little weight training today, and much to my chagrin, I started losing steam way sooner than I expected. So many things don't phase me, but that was a real blow to my male ego. Note to self: get stronger.
A while back I got a custom mouthguard, and I really like it. Mouthguards always advertise how they can help reduce the risk of a concussion. I never understood how a little piece of plastic in your mouth could do that. I understood how it protected your teeth, but a concussion? I didn't get it. About a week ago I forgot all my gear at home, and I did some light sparring with Casey at the gym. Casey is a woman. She's tall and lean, but nothing really seems intimidating about her. When I "spar" with the women at the gym, I don't throw any real punches because I just can see myself hitting a woman in any capacity. I just can't or won't do it. I'll throw some fakes to keep them on their toes or to remind them to keep their guard up, but never anything with an ounce of power behind it. So back to the story. I was sparring with Casey, and I didn't have a mouthguard or any kind of protective gear, but I figured it wasn't such a big deal. I forgot how hard Casey hits. She's only been doing this a couple of months, but once she learns a little more, she will be a force to reckon with. At one point she caught me with a hook to the head, and my head jerked in such a way that my teeth hit each other. That hurt, but the surprising part was how much force my lower jaw had when it hit my upper jaw. I see now how the mouthguard helps. It must act as a shock absorber. That's good motivation to remember to bring your gear everyday to the gym. Since then I've gotten some headgear for a little extra protection.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
It's been a long time since I rock and rolled
Woke up to a disappointing 271.2 lbs this morning. I had a bad week of eating during Thanksgiving week, and this past weekend wasn't too great either. The holidays are always rough when it comes to eating. I just have to get through Christmas and New Year's, and I should be ok. The other problem is waking up and getting to the gym on time. Now that Old Man Winter has reared his ugly head, it's harder for me to crawl out of my nice warm bed and brave the harsh Wichita winters. I know, they're all a bunch of poor excuses, but this is the shit that's goes through my head in the mornings.
A few weeks ago I hurt my right knee. It's not a terrible injury, but I can tell it's slowing me down. It's been about 2 or 3 weeks, and while it feels much better, it's still not 100 percent. I can bend it in its normal direction, and it feels fine. If I put pressure on it from the side when I stretch, or if I twist it when I kick with my left leg, it hurts pretty badly. Just like the cold I had a little while ago, it's more annoying than anything else. I'm hoping that it will be back to normal next week, but who knows. I mean it's carrying around 270 lbs everyday.
Today was one of those days when I was late to the gym. Chris asked me if I wanted to stay a little late after class to make up for the time I missed, and I did. I'm glad he asked because I got to spar again today. It's been a long time since I last sparred, and even though I'm still not very good at it, I love it. I sparred with a guy named Jesus (pronounced Hay-soos). He's much taller and more experienced than I am. I didn't feel like I did very well against him. He landed more punches than I did, and that really pisses me off. His reach is so much longer than mine. Every time I tried to get inside his reach, he just hit me on the top of the head. That gets annoying real quick. When I'd throw my jabs, they had about 4 inches to go before they could make contact. Jesus would just come back with a hook and get me right in the head. Again - annoying real fast. There was one point when Jesus caught me with a straight jab right to my mouth. My head flew back, and I felt a snap, crackle, or maybe it was a pop in the back of my neck. I thought, "Oh, man, I'm gonna feel that in the morning." I can feel some of the soreness setting in all through my neck and shoulders now, but I feel like these are the dues that I have to pay to become a fighter. Chris has more confidence in my abilities than I do, so I feel like maybe I just need more time sparring until I have that confidence in myself.
When we were done, I drank about half my bottle of water. As I was doing that, I tasted a familiar, bitter taste in my mouth. I spit out my mouthguard, and sure enough, there was a pool of blood in my mouthguard. All the punches and kicks that I've taken in the cage didn't hurt my body as much as this hurt my ego. This motherfucker drew my blood, and I let him. I can't let that go. I may not have the skills yet to settle this little "blood feud," but this definitely lights a much needed fire under my ass.
A few weeks ago I hurt my right knee. It's not a terrible injury, but I can tell it's slowing me down. It's been about 2 or 3 weeks, and while it feels much better, it's still not 100 percent. I can bend it in its normal direction, and it feels fine. If I put pressure on it from the side when I stretch, or if I twist it when I kick with my left leg, it hurts pretty badly. Just like the cold I had a little while ago, it's more annoying than anything else. I'm hoping that it will be back to normal next week, but who knows. I mean it's carrying around 270 lbs everyday.
Today was one of those days when I was late to the gym. Chris asked me if I wanted to stay a little late after class to make up for the time I missed, and I did. I'm glad he asked because I got to spar again today. It's been a long time since I last sparred, and even though I'm still not very good at it, I love it. I sparred with a guy named Jesus (pronounced Hay-soos). He's much taller and more experienced than I am. I didn't feel like I did very well against him. He landed more punches than I did, and that really pisses me off. His reach is so much longer than mine. Every time I tried to get inside his reach, he just hit me on the top of the head. That gets annoying real quick. When I'd throw my jabs, they had about 4 inches to go before they could make contact. Jesus would just come back with a hook and get me right in the head. Again - annoying real fast. There was one point when Jesus caught me with a straight jab right to my mouth. My head flew back, and I felt a snap, crackle, or maybe it was a pop in the back of my neck. I thought, "Oh, man, I'm gonna feel that in the morning." I can feel some of the soreness setting in all through my neck and shoulders now, but I feel like these are the dues that I have to pay to become a fighter. Chris has more confidence in my abilities than I do, so I feel like maybe I just need more time sparring until I have that confidence in myself.
When we were done, I drank about half my bottle of water. As I was doing that, I tasted a familiar, bitter taste in my mouth. I spit out my mouthguard, and sure enough, there was a pool of blood in my mouthguard. All the punches and kicks that I've taken in the cage didn't hurt my body as much as this hurt my ego. This motherfucker drew my blood, and I let him. I can't let that go. I may not have the skills yet to settle this little "blood feud," but this definitely lights a much needed fire under my ass.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Facts of Life
I'll start with the good news first. I just weighed in at 269.8 lbs. That's about 39 lbs lost, and less than 20 lbs to go before I reach my next goal. If I stay on track and keep working hard, I should be there in no time.
I didn't make it to the gym today because of my stupid cold, but Monday and Tuesday were pretty good. All the hot chicks seem to be taking the 8 a.m. class now which left me alone for the 9 a.m. on Monday. Chris really put me through the ringer. At one point I felt like I had to throw up. Luckily I was able to fight off that feeling, but that's a sign of a pretty intense workout. Tuesday was fun because I got to practice some kicks and do some mitt work with Amber. She's pretty short, so adjusting for the height difference was a bit of a workout on its own. (Not really, I just wanted to make fun of Amber for being short.) She's really good at it, and she helped me correct a couple of my combos. I would've liked to have worked on those some more today, but I felt like doo-doo when I woke up this morning.
I'm getting over a cold right now, and this cold has really slowed my training down. I've missed a few days at the gym so I can try and rest and get over it. I remember when I was younger, a cold would cycle through me in about 3 days. I've had this thing for almost 2 weeks now. Getting older sucks! I know a cold is far from the worst thing in the world. It just sucks to know what you're capable of doing when you're healthy, and you see how much that is impeded by something as simple as the common cold. It really puts into perspective what I'm trying to achieve with all my work at the gym. I didn't start working out so that I could fight; I started working out so I can get healthy. Fighting is just the cherry on top. The real goal here is to live a healthy lifestyle. I look at my family and I see the all the dangers of obesity: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure...the list goes on and on. So while I sit here pissed off at the cold I have, I think how much worse things could be if I don't take care of myself. I can't control my age, but I can control my health. The Beatdownboys Training Center is the cornerstone for the healthy life that I'm trying to achieve, and I'm grateful for all their help.
I didn't make it to the gym today because of my stupid cold, but Monday and Tuesday were pretty good. All the hot chicks seem to be taking the 8 a.m. class now which left me alone for the 9 a.m. on Monday. Chris really put me through the ringer. At one point I felt like I had to throw up. Luckily I was able to fight off that feeling, but that's a sign of a pretty intense workout. Tuesday was fun because I got to practice some kicks and do some mitt work with Amber. She's pretty short, so adjusting for the height difference was a bit of a workout on its own. (Not really, I just wanted to make fun of Amber for being short.) She's really good at it, and she helped me correct a couple of my combos. I would've liked to have worked on those some more today, but I felt like doo-doo when I woke up this morning.
I'm getting over a cold right now, and this cold has really slowed my training down. I've missed a few days at the gym so I can try and rest and get over it. I remember when I was younger, a cold would cycle through me in about 3 days. I've had this thing for almost 2 weeks now. Getting older sucks! I know a cold is far from the worst thing in the world. It just sucks to know what you're capable of doing when you're healthy, and you see how much that is impeded by something as simple as the common cold. It really puts into perspective what I'm trying to achieve with all my work at the gym. I didn't start working out so that I could fight; I started working out so I can get healthy. Fighting is just the cherry on top. The real goal here is to live a healthy lifestyle. I look at my family and I see the all the dangers of obesity: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure...the list goes on and on. So while I sit here pissed off at the cold I have, I think how much worse things could be if I don't take care of myself. I can't control my age, but I can control my health. The Beatdownboys Training Center is the cornerstone for the healthy life that I'm trying to achieve, and I'm grateful for all their help.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Back from a short respite
I was scared to weigh myself after having been away for the last 5 days, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that I weighed in at 273.2 lbs. That's just a gain of one pound since last week. I spent 5 days down in Texas to go to my friend's wedding and to visit family. As far as my diet and exercise went, I did better than I thought, but not as well as I'd hoped. It's really hard for me to say no to chorizo, steak, and tamales (not all together, but that does sound delicious). Overall I'm happy I made it back without completely derailing all my previous efforts.
Today was my first day back at the gym since I got back from Texas. I'm coming down with a cold so I considered staying home so that I could recover quicker, and to keep others from catching whatever I'm fighting now. I gave it a second thought because I knew that wouldn't go over to well with Chris. I forced myself out of bed, and trudged through the cold, harsh morning weather (I have a penchant for the dramatic). Chris had me keep my sweats on so I could try and sweat out my cold. I got to do some more sparring today, and that's always good for me. It's a good reminder of how much training I have ahead of me, it's a great workout, and it's fun. I don't know if I actually sweated out my cold, but I did feel better after class. Unfortunately now that I'm cooled off, I feel lousy again. In a few days I should be back to my healthy self. Until then I'll be sweating out my cold little by little at Beatdownboys Training Center.
Today was my first day back at the gym since I got back from Texas. I'm coming down with a cold so I considered staying home so that I could recover quicker, and to keep others from catching whatever I'm fighting now. I gave it a second thought because I knew that wouldn't go over to well with Chris. I forced myself out of bed, and trudged through the cold, harsh morning weather (I have a penchant for the dramatic). Chris had me keep my sweats on so I could try and sweat out my cold. I got to do some more sparring today, and that's always good for me. It's a good reminder of how much training I have ahead of me, it's a great workout, and it's fun. I don't know if I actually sweated out my cold, but I did feel better after class. Unfortunately now that I'm cooled off, I feel lousy again. In a few days I should be back to my healthy self. Until then I'll be sweating out my cold little by little at Beatdownboys Training Center.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Maybe the best day ever
I don't usually update The Fat Man Diaries this often, but today was so great that I had to write about it. I got a text from Chris this morning asking if I wanted to spar today. My first thought was that I wish I had known earlier because everything I didn't do yesterday, I was going to do today. This is what I've been wanting, and I was about to throw it away because I had to do my laundry. Luckily I came to my senses.
I met Chris at the gym around 4 pm. Like every Sunday at 4, Jake was teaching a Jiu-Jitsu class. Chris had me warm up with Jake's class, and those are some pretty crazy warm ups. They're very intense on the joints, and I can see how Jiu-Jitsu can be incredible exercise. I didn't know what I was doing, but I was trying to take this opportunity to learn more. After the warm up, we paired up to do some rolling. If I tell you I have less than zero knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu, I'm being generous. All the guys paired up, and the only other guy without a partner was "Big Red." This guy is huge - 6' 2", 270 lbs, and all muscle. I'm 5' 8", 274 lbs, and not very much muscle. He's intimidating to look at; he looks like a superhero who just stepped out of a comic book. Turns out he's a really nice guy. I felt bad because I felt like I was taking away from his training. I didn't expect to participate in the class, and I'm sure he expected to roll with someone who's closer to his level. Luckily Chris pulled me away so we could start sparring.
This is where the real fun began. I went one round with Chris, and then one round with Matt. During the session with Matt, I got tagged directly in the nose. I saw stars for a second, and it really smarted. Matt gave me a couple seconds to collect myself, and I needed it. No damage, but I was a little gun shy coming back into it. I got back into the rhythm, but it felt like I had a bull's eye on my nose. I lost count of how many times I caught one in the nose, and by whom. My blocking is still pretty pathetic. After my session with Matt, 4 other guys got in the ring to spar too. We all partnered up and traded partners after every round. I took several good punches and kicks, and I was able to give a few too. As sadistic as it sounds, there's something satisfying about seeing a surprised look of pain on your opponent's face. I don't feel guilty because I know they enjoyed that same look on my face (more often than I'd like to admit). Here's the kicker: of all those guys I sparred with, somehow I ended up sparring with "Big Red" twice. I don't know how that's fair, but I had to go with it. It's very humbling to go up against someone who clearly outmatches you, but hopefully I can learn from it. (The only thing I learned was to never piss this guy off.) I felt like he was playing with me. I'd throw my punches; some would land, some were blocked. Then he'd barely throw a punch, and I could still feel the power behind those punches. I can't imagine what a full force punch from him (or any of the guys) would feel like.
I don't know how long the sparring sessions lasted from start to finish, but I was tired as hell when we were done. We were all drenched in sweat too. I could feel the aches and pains start to settle in (some of them settled in immediately during the sparring too). I don't know where the guys got the energy, but they went back to Jiu-Jitsu rolling on the mats. I watched them while I hoped that my back muscles wouldn't cramp up on me. I was at the gym for a little over 2 hours. My nose hurts, my head hurts a little, my back is sore as hell, my left leg is sore from being kicked so many times, and there are various other parts that are sore from punching, and being punched. I can't wait to do this again. Until then, I'm going to sleep like a baby.
I met Chris at the gym around 4 pm. Like every Sunday at 4, Jake was teaching a Jiu-Jitsu class. Chris had me warm up with Jake's class, and those are some pretty crazy warm ups. They're very intense on the joints, and I can see how Jiu-Jitsu can be incredible exercise. I didn't know what I was doing, but I was trying to take this opportunity to learn more. After the warm up, we paired up to do some rolling. If I tell you I have less than zero knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu, I'm being generous. All the guys paired up, and the only other guy without a partner was "Big Red." This guy is huge - 6' 2", 270 lbs, and all muscle. I'm 5' 8", 274 lbs, and not very much muscle. He's intimidating to look at; he looks like a superhero who just stepped out of a comic book. Turns out he's a really nice guy. I felt bad because I felt like I was taking away from his training. I didn't expect to participate in the class, and I'm sure he expected to roll with someone who's closer to his level. Luckily Chris pulled me away so we could start sparring.
This is where the real fun began. I went one round with Chris, and then one round with Matt. During the session with Matt, I got tagged directly in the nose. I saw stars for a second, and it really smarted. Matt gave me a couple seconds to collect myself, and I needed it. No damage, but I was a little gun shy coming back into it. I got back into the rhythm, but it felt like I had a bull's eye on my nose. I lost count of how many times I caught one in the nose, and by whom. My blocking is still pretty pathetic. After my session with Matt, 4 other guys got in the ring to spar too. We all partnered up and traded partners after every round. I took several good punches and kicks, and I was able to give a few too. As sadistic as it sounds, there's something satisfying about seeing a surprised look of pain on your opponent's face. I don't feel guilty because I know they enjoyed that same look on my face (more often than I'd like to admit). Here's the kicker: of all those guys I sparred with, somehow I ended up sparring with "Big Red" twice. I don't know how that's fair, but I had to go with it. It's very humbling to go up against someone who clearly outmatches you, but hopefully I can learn from it. (The only thing I learned was to never piss this guy off.) I felt like he was playing with me. I'd throw my punches; some would land, some were blocked. Then he'd barely throw a punch, and I could still feel the power behind those punches. I can't imagine what a full force punch from him (or any of the guys) would feel like.
I don't know how long the sparring sessions lasted from start to finish, but I was tired as hell when we were done. We were all drenched in sweat too. I could feel the aches and pains start to settle in (some of them settled in immediately during the sparring too). I don't know where the guys got the energy, but they went back to Jiu-Jitsu rolling on the mats. I watched them while I hoped that my back muscles wouldn't cramp up on me. I was at the gym for a little over 2 hours. My nose hurts, my head hurts a little, my back is sore as hell, my left leg is sore from being kicked so many times, and there are various other parts that are sore from punching, and being punched. I can't wait to do this again. Until then, I'm going to sleep like a baby.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Hardest week ever?
I got too excited the other day with my weight loss because today I woke up to 274.2 lbs. Only a pound - I know, but it would've been great if it had been a pound in the other direction. Chris has me aiming to get into the 260s, but my next personal goal is to be 250 lbs. I have a few obstacles coming up that threaten that goal. Next week I'll be in Texas for my friend's wedding. That's free, delicious food, and an open bar. Then there's time with family and friends, and that always includes eating. I'm going to be strong, but there's only so much temptation one man can resist. It reminds me of something Oscar Wilde once said, "I can resist everything except temptation."
I don't know what it was about this week, but it's some of the hardest work I've put in at the gym. There weren't really any new exercises that I can think of, but somehow they all took their toll on me. Maybe I tried harder this week because there are a couple of cute chicks in the class...I don't know. Whatever it was, it's been tough. Here's a quick list of my aches and pains for the week: right big toe is hurting, both of my thumbs, deltoids, traps, neck, butt, and my legs. Somehow my abs made it through the week despite the many ab exercises we did. For all the pain I'm feeling, I'm happy about it. As long as nothing is majorly hurt, I love this. I feel like I'm accomplishing something. There is no reward without sacrifice, and if I have to put my body through this treachery to reach my end game, then I'm willing to keep doing it.
Today was great, even though none of the pretty women showed up for class. I got to do some more light sparring, but this time inside the cage. It's the same cage that I've seen real fighters fight in, and it makes me want to get there faster. I'd really like to go harder in the sparring, but I'm not looking to hurt anyone while practicing. Come to think of it, I'm not looking to get hurt this early on either, so I'll just be happy with this light version for now. I can't get too ahead of myself because the fact of the matter is that I'm just not good enough yet. It's still fun and still a great workout. After our regular class, Jake (the Jiu-Jitsu instructor) showed us a couple of Jiu-Jitsu moves. I'd love to take that class, but money's kind of tight right now. It was great though because I feel like anything I can learn from any style of fighting can only make me a better MMA fighter. I'm not calling myself and MMA fighter yet, but as a student in training, I'd love to learn as much as I can from every style of fighting. In the meantime, I have plenty to work with, and a long way to go to achieve excellence.
I don't know what it was about this week, but it's some of the hardest work I've put in at the gym. There weren't really any new exercises that I can think of, but somehow they all took their toll on me. Maybe I tried harder this week because there are a couple of cute chicks in the class...I don't know. Whatever it was, it's been tough. Here's a quick list of my aches and pains for the week: right big toe is hurting, both of my thumbs, deltoids, traps, neck, butt, and my legs. Somehow my abs made it through the week despite the many ab exercises we did. For all the pain I'm feeling, I'm happy about it. As long as nothing is majorly hurt, I love this. I feel like I'm accomplishing something. There is no reward without sacrifice, and if I have to put my body through this treachery to reach my end game, then I'm willing to keep doing it.
Today was great, even though none of the pretty women showed up for class. I got to do some more light sparring, but this time inside the cage. It's the same cage that I've seen real fighters fight in, and it makes me want to get there faster. I'd really like to go harder in the sparring, but I'm not looking to hurt anyone while practicing. Come to think of it, I'm not looking to get hurt this early on either, so I'll just be happy with this light version for now. I can't get too ahead of myself because the fact of the matter is that I'm just not good enough yet. It's still fun and still a great workout. After our regular class, Jake (the Jiu-Jitsu instructor) showed us a couple of Jiu-Jitsu moves. I'd love to take that class, but money's kind of tight right now. It was great though because I feel like anything I can learn from any style of fighting can only make me a better MMA fighter. I'm not calling myself and MMA fighter yet, but as a student in training, I'd love to learn as much as I can from every style of fighting. In the meantime, I have plenty to work with, and a long way to go to achieve excellence.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Some days seem harder than others
Woke up to a happy 273.2 lbs this morning. I've been struggling between 274 and 276 for quite a while now, so I'm not celebrating just yet. That being said, I'm still glad that the scale is showing smaller and smaller numbers.
This is just the second day into the week, and I feel like dying. Chris worked us out pretty well yesterday - so much so that my shoulders have really been killing me. Add to that a couple of sore legs and butt muscles, then mix in the cold weather I woke up to, and you have a recipe for some real aches and pains. Today was one of those days when I just wanted to roll over and sleep for a couple more hours, but I had to fight through it. Being a child of pop culture, I thought about what Rocky Balboa told his son in "Rocky Balboa." "...it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" Maybe a little too dramatic for my situation, but it worked. I got out of bed and got some more punishment at the gym this morning.
I'm really glad I went today too. Not only for the benefit of the workout, but because Chris had an MMA cage set up. We got to work out in it for a bit, and it was really cool. Walking up those steps and setting foot in the cage...one day I'll be doing that to face a bona fide opponent. For now I was pretty much a punching bag. I have so much work ahead of me. I really need to learn to block better. I'm still so damn fat that my arms don't cover much of my body to offer a great deal of protection. I got through it though, and, like Nietzsche said, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." After today's workout, I sure hope I'm stronger because it really kicked my ass.
This is just the second day into the week, and I feel like dying. Chris worked us out pretty well yesterday - so much so that my shoulders have really been killing me. Add to that a couple of sore legs and butt muscles, then mix in the cold weather I woke up to, and you have a recipe for some real aches and pains. Today was one of those days when I just wanted to roll over and sleep for a couple more hours, but I had to fight through it. Being a child of pop culture, I thought about what Rocky Balboa told his son in "Rocky Balboa." "...it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" Maybe a little too dramatic for my situation, but it worked. I got out of bed and got some more punishment at the gym this morning.
I'm really glad I went today too. Not only for the benefit of the workout, but because Chris had an MMA cage set up. We got to work out in it for a bit, and it was really cool. Walking up those steps and setting foot in the cage...one day I'll be doing that to face a bona fide opponent. For now I was pretty much a punching bag. I have so much work ahead of me. I really need to learn to block better. I'm still so damn fat that my arms don't cover much of my body to offer a great deal of protection. I got through it though, and, like Nietzsche said, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." After today's workout, I sure hope I'm stronger because it really kicked my ass.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Cutting short a long weekend
When I get a 3 day weekend at work, it doesn't really motivate me to go to the gym and workout. I gave that some thought over the weekend, and I decided it would be in my best interest to work out despite not having to be a slave to my normal Monday routine. I went to bed pretty early last night (before 11 p.m.), and I actually got the gym about 20 minutes early. I took advantage of that extra time (because of Chris' suggestion) by doing a few extra rounds of jump rope. It's a good warm-up, and with the chilly morning air, it's way better than going for a run.
As far as the workout is concerned, it's always tough. Chris corrected my form when I throw right crosses, and he's also trying to improve my speed. I know I'm still slow, but my speed is getting better. The big thing that I'm still having a problem with is dodging punches. Chris threw a few light ones at me. I dodged some, but if Chris had followed through with the others, I would've been laid out on the floor. I'm about 10 or 11 weeks into this training, and I'm still a long way from many of my goals. I'm not ready to give up; I keep thinking of the day I can walk down that aisle and step into the cage. Do I have what it takes to be a fighter? I think I do, but I don't just want to think it...I need to know it.
As far as the workout is concerned, it's always tough. Chris corrected my form when I throw right crosses, and he's also trying to improve my speed. I know I'm still slow, but my speed is getting better. The big thing that I'm still having a problem with is dodging punches. Chris threw a few light ones at me. I dodged some, but if Chris had followed through with the others, I would've been laid out on the floor. I'm about 10 or 11 weeks into this training, and I'm still a long way from many of my goals. I'm not ready to give up; I keep thinking of the day I can walk down that aisle and step into the cage. Do I have what it takes to be a fighter? I think I do, but I don't just want to think it...I need to know it.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Franklin test numero 2
I didn't want to wake up this morning. It was cold in my apartment, and I really wanted to stay under my warm comforter. After snoozing my alarm a couple of times, I decided to force myself out of bed. I weighed in this morning at a surprising 278.8 lbs. I never trust my scale when I drop a couple of pounds. I feel like it's playing a cruel joke on me - especially since I didn't work out on Saturday.
I decided to give the Franklin compression underpants a second try today. I never know what we're going to do in class, so today was as good a day as any. They held up pretty well through the workout that Chris put us through today, but we never did any squats or lunges. I feel like that is still the best test. After class, though, Chris took a couple of us running. We did somewhere between 1 and 2 miles. Running might be the second best test for compression shorts. I have to admit that the Franklin shorts held up (no pun intended). I hate running - I'm just not built for it, but Chris wants to add that to my workout to help with the weight loss. I was starting to plateau, and he thinks this will kickstart my body into burning more fat. He's right, but I'm just so bad at it. I mostly jog through our runs, but I only slowed down to a walk 2 or 3 times today (and not for very long). I am happy to say that I did get a second wind when I was about 2 or 3 blocks away from the gym. Maybe it was because I wanted it to end sooner, but I got a boost and finished up pretty strongly. Unfortunately when I stopped, my knees and lower back were really aching. I think I might need to get a new pair of shoes. I've had this pair for a long time, and they just aren't absorbing enough of the shock anymore. Remember, every time my foot comes down, that's about 280 lbs coming down on top of it. I got through this one ok; I just need to rinse and repeat every morning.
I decided to give the Franklin compression underpants a second try today. I never know what we're going to do in class, so today was as good a day as any. They held up pretty well through the workout that Chris put us through today, but we never did any squats or lunges. I feel like that is still the best test. After class, though, Chris took a couple of us running. We did somewhere between 1 and 2 miles. Running might be the second best test for compression shorts. I have to admit that the Franklin shorts held up (no pun intended). I hate running - I'm just not built for it, but Chris wants to add that to my workout to help with the weight loss. I was starting to plateau, and he thinks this will kickstart my body into burning more fat. He's right, but I'm just so bad at it. I mostly jog through our runs, but I only slowed down to a walk 2 or 3 times today (and not for very long). I am happy to say that I did get a second wind when I was about 2 or 3 blocks away from the gym. Maybe it was because I wanted it to end sooner, but I got a boost and finished up pretty strongly. Unfortunately when I stopped, my knees and lower back were really aching. I think I might need to get a new pair of shoes. I've had this pair for a long time, and they just aren't absorbing enough of the shock anymore. Remember, every time my foot comes down, that's about 280 lbs coming down on top of it. I got through this one ok; I just need to rinse and repeat every morning.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
This might be a little too personal...
Weighed in at 280.2 lbs this morning. I was very happy to see that number since I forgot to weigh in yesterday. It's always scary after the weekends because I usually put a little weight back on (probably from lack of exercise). But I'm getting closer to my next goal of 275 lbs. I'm very happy with the weight loss, but I think I could do more to help reach my goal. I'm pretty much off red meat (which I miss very badly), but I still have a steak on Sundays as a reward for myself. I need to cut back on my sodium intake. Aaron told me to try different seasonings like Mrs. Dash, or lemon-pepper for some of my food, but I'm still seasoning my chicken with Tex-Joy steak seasoning (it's the best). I can probably cut some water retention by switching over. Also, my turkey hot dogs and turkey bacon are both high in sodium. I need to wane off those too. I'm sure my turkey lunch meat has a lot of sodium too, but I'm not giving that up too. Of course there's salt in my other food, but I think these are the biggest culprits. If I can handle it, I might try oatmeal for breakfast more often than turkey bacon and eggs. We'll see if that helps. Lately I've still been too tired to stick around for more than one class. I need to work on that too because it's all part of the training.
Speaking of training, I've been trying something new for the past 2 days at the gym. Not a new exercise, but some new protective equipment. This might be a little too personal for some, but I'll look at it as a public service announcement. For the past few years I've been wearing jock straps when I work out. I was never an athlete in school, so I wasn't familiar with how that equipment was supposed to work. All I know is I hurt myself a couple of times without it, and my doctor recommended that I wear one when I worked out. They're not hard to figure out, but they are way uncomfortable. I mean it really pushes your bits against your pieces, but I guess that's what it's supposed to do to protect you. There's an item on the market that does pretty much the same thing, but they're at least 3 times as expensive as jock straps. They're called compression shorts, and they perform basically the same task.
I tried 2 of the lesser expensive brands: Starter and Franklin. Yesterday I wore the Starters, and I'm really not sure how they're supposed to feel. I got the same size as the jock straps, but I had a hard time getting these undies around my thick thighs (mostly muscle of course). After a little effort, and a lot of adjustment, I got them on. They felt pretty good. It was nice to have some pressure around my legs and butt, but I wasn't sure if they offered as much support to my huevos as a jock strap. I wasn't being cradled like I was used to, but I still risked it and tried them at the gym. For the most part, I liked them. We did a lot of squats and lunges yesterday, and that's when I need support the most. It definitely didn't offer as much support as the jock straps during that exercise, but I think it offered enough support. Again, this may be a sizing issue, but I'm leaning more towards like than dislike for these shorts. I'll definitely give them another try.
Today I wore the Franklin brand. These were a little less snug than the Starters, and it came with a cup holder. Not the kind where you can put your drink, but kind where you put a protective cup to protect your groin from getting kicked or punched. I didn't wear the cup to work out because that kind of groin injury is rare for just a workout. Like I mentioned, these weren't as snug as the Starter brand, but they were the same size. We did squats again today, and I felt like these didn't offer the fellas as much support. I wonder if it's because it was designed with a protective cup in mind. The legs and butt compression felt comfortable, but I just don't think sack support was good enough. I'll try them one more time without the cup just to make sure , and then I'll try them again with the cup to see if my suspicions are correct. When I can afford it, I'd like to try some of the more expensive brands. In the meantime, I just have these 2 to work with. Tomorrow it's back to the harsh cradling of the old jock straps.
Speaking of training, I've been trying something new for the past 2 days at the gym. Not a new exercise, but some new protective equipment. This might be a little too personal for some, but I'll look at it as a public service announcement. For the past few years I've been wearing jock straps when I work out. I was never an athlete in school, so I wasn't familiar with how that equipment was supposed to work. All I know is I hurt myself a couple of times without it, and my doctor recommended that I wear one when I worked out. They're not hard to figure out, but they are way uncomfortable. I mean it really pushes your bits against your pieces, but I guess that's what it's supposed to do to protect you. There's an item on the market that does pretty much the same thing, but they're at least 3 times as expensive as jock straps. They're called compression shorts, and they perform basically the same task.
I tried 2 of the lesser expensive brands: Starter and Franklin. Yesterday I wore the Starters, and I'm really not sure how they're supposed to feel. I got the same size as the jock straps, but I had a hard time getting these undies around my thick thighs (mostly muscle of course). After a little effort, and a lot of adjustment, I got them on. They felt pretty good. It was nice to have some pressure around my legs and butt, but I wasn't sure if they offered as much support to my huevos as a jock strap. I wasn't being cradled like I was used to, but I still risked it and tried them at the gym. For the most part, I liked them. We did a lot of squats and lunges yesterday, and that's when I need support the most. It definitely didn't offer as much support as the jock straps during that exercise, but I think it offered enough support. Again, this may be a sizing issue, but I'm leaning more towards like than dislike for these shorts. I'll definitely give them another try.
Today I wore the Franklin brand. These were a little less snug than the Starters, and it came with a cup holder. Not the kind where you can put your drink, but kind where you put a protective cup to protect your groin from getting kicked or punched. I didn't wear the cup to work out because that kind of groin injury is rare for just a workout. Like I mentioned, these weren't as snug as the Starter brand, but they were the same size. We did squats again today, and I felt like these didn't offer the fellas as much support. I wonder if it's because it was designed with a protective cup in mind. The legs and butt compression felt comfortable, but I just don't think sack support was good enough. I'll try them one more time without the cup just to make sure , and then I'll try them again with the cup to see if my suspicions are correct. When I can afford it, I'd like to try some of the more expensive brands. In the meantime, I just have these 2 to work with. Tomorrow it's back to the harsh cradling of the old jock straps.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Today was a good day...so far
I wasn't too pleased with the scale this morning. Yesterday it read 282.2 lbs, and today it was up to 283.6 lbs. Not sure where the extra 1.4 lbs came from, but I think I worked it off today at the gym.
We traded shots today for part of the 9 o'clock class. I got to be the punching bag pretty much. I'm cool with that because it gives me an opportunity to practice my blocking. I'm not too proud to admit that I need a lot of practice there too. When class was over, I was doing ab exercises with one of the girls in class because she pretty much challenged me to it. I didn't get to finish though because Chris called me over to ask me a question. I was tired and pretty much ready to go home, but Chris asked me if I wanted to stay and trade punches with "Hollywood" (the guy I sometimes train with in the 10 o'clock class). Hell yeah I wanted to stay for that. I wrapped my hands again and got gloved up because I really wanted to do this. I know I have a lot of work to do before I can step into the cage for a real fight, and this only proved how much work I need. Like I said, my blocking needs work, my punches are pretty slow, and I need more cardio to keep me going. All in all, it was a great workout. Hollywood has some fast, strong punches. We weren't going full force, but I could tell he knew what he was doing. We caught each other a couple of times in the face, but nothing that will leave any cool marks. All I know is, I'm going to be sore as hell tomorrow. I can feel it in my lower back now, and my shoulders are starting to burn too. I might have a date with some Advil tonight. As much as I'm going to hurt, I'm going to rest comfortably knowing that I earned every ache and pain. Yup, today was a good day...so far.
We traded shots today for part of the 9 o'clock class. I got to be the punching bag pretty much. I'm cool with that because it gives me an opportunity to practice my blocking. I'm not too proud to admit that I need a lot of practice there too. When class was over, I was doing ab exercises with one of the girls in class because she pretty much challenged me to it. I didn't get to finish though because Chris called me over to ask me a question. I was tired and pretty much ready to go home, but Chris asked me if I wanted to stay and trade punches with "Hollywood" (the guy I sometimes train with in the 10 o'clock class). Hell yeah I wanted to stay for that. I wrapped my hands again and got gloved up because I really wanted to do this. I know I have a lot of work to do before I can step into the cage for a real fight, and this only proved how much work I need. Like I said, my blocking needs work, my punches are pretty slow, and I need more cardio to keep me going. All in all, it was a great workout. Hollywood has some fast, strong punches. We weren't going full force, but I could tell he knew what he was doing. We caught each other a couple of times in the face, but nothing that will leave any cool marks. All I know is, I'm going to be sore as hell tomorrow. I can feel it in my lower back now, and my shoulders are starting to burn too. I might have a date with some Advil tonight. As much as I'm going to hurt, I'm going to rest comfortably knowing that I earned every ache and pain. Yup, today was a good day...so far.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Slowing down
I forgot to weigh myself this morning, but yesterday I was a trim 283.2 lbs. I'm still dropping, but I'm slowing down. I guess it's to be expected.
To help speed up the weight loss, I doubled up on class today at the gym. I was late again for the first class, but I made up for it in the second one. Yesterday and today were some of the most fun times I've had working out. Yesterday we got to trade punches, which was a lot of fun. Today I did the same thing in the second class. The guy I was training with today is a lot better than the ones I worked with yesterday. Obviously we weren't hitting full force, but the guy still has some good solid punches. My arm is pretty sore right now from blocking punches, and there's a pretty nasty bruise on my left arm right near my armpit. It's ugly, but I love it. I feel like I earned it. Nobody wants to get seriously injured doing this sport, but when I come home aching and sore, I feel like I'm accomplishing something. It's like having temporary battle scars. I've never had a real fight in my life. Tyler Durden said it best when he asked, "How much can you know about yourself, you've never been in a fight?" Maybe he's not the best role model, but he asks a relevant question. Now I'm searching for the answer.
To help speed up the weight loss, I doubled up on class today at the gym. I was late again for the first class, but I made up for it in the second one. Yesterday and today were some of the most fun times I've had working out. Yesterday we got to trade punches, which was a lot of fun. Today I did the same thing in the second class. The guy I was training with today is a lot better than the ones I worked with yesterday. Obviously we weren't hitting full force, but the guy still has some good solid punches. My arm is pretty sore right now from blocking punches, and there's a pretty nasty bruise on my left arm right near my armpit. It's ugly, but I love it. I feel like I earned it. Nobody wants to get seriously injured doing this sport, but when I come home aching and sore, I feel like I'm accomplishing something. It's like having temporary battle scars. I've never had a real fight in my life. Tyler Durden said it best when he asked, "How much can you know about yourself, you've never been in a fight?" Maybe he's not the best role model, but he asks a relevant question. Now I'm searching for the answer.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The week in review
I've been at 284.6 lbs for the past few days now. While I'm happy I've reached my first goal of 285, I'm a little disappointed that I've plateaued for these past 2 or 3 days. I made it to class all 5 days this week (a couple of times on time), and now I'm shooting for my next goal of 275 lbs. This week wasn't particularly hard, and I think part of that is because I didn't double up most of my workouts. When I say it hasn't been that hard, it's not to say that it hasn't been hard at all. The reason I haven't doubled up that much is because I've been too tired after the first class to try and stay for another. My abs, back, and shoulders have really taken the worst of it this week. There's a class on Saturday mornings too that I'd like to go to. I'm not sure if I can force myself out of bed on Saturday, but I'm going to give it a shot tomorrow. I could certainly use the extra exercise.
A couple of things I'm really excited about this week. I ordered a custom mouthguard, and the impression kit came in yesterday. I'm going to have a busy weekend trying to do it correctly so I can get the right fit. Also, Chris has been shooting some video at the gym, and I'm going to edit some of it together so he can use it to help advertise the Beatdownboys Training Center. I'm really excited about that. I wish I could have shot the video myself, but the day job gets in the way of that. It's still going to be cool to edit some video again.
One last thing. I've been taking Chris' class for about 3 years now, and I never felt like my punches were any good. Today, however, I felt like I was throwing some good, solid punches. I'm not saying they were knockout bombs, but they felt like they could do some damage. Stuff like that makes me happy.
A couple of things I'm really excited about this week. I ordered a custom mouthguard, and the impression kit came in yesterday. I'm going to have a busy weekend trying to do it correctly so I can get the right fit. Also, Chris has been shooting some video at the gym, and I'm going to edit some of it together so he can use it to help advertise the Beatdownboys Training Center. I'm really excited about that. I wish I could have shot the video myself, but the day job gets in the way of that. It's still going to be cool to edit some video again.
One last thing. I've been taking Chris' class for about 3 years now, and I never felt like my punches were any good. Today, however, I felt like I was throwing some good, solid punches. I'm not saying they were knockout bombs, but they felt like they could do some damage. Stuff like that makes me happy.
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