Pan American Championship Training

I've been gone, but not idle. Training has kicked up a notch for me because, for the first time ever, I am going to the Pan Ams!! I am very excited. I think there are going to be quite a few people from our gym going this year, so it should be really fun. I can't wait to see all the action and hopefully even meet some of you guys who are also at the tournament!

Lately, I am at Fabio's training 6-7 times a week. At first, it was really hard on my body. But now, I am feeling good. Because I am training so much I have been militant about several things:

1. Laundry-- I only have 3 gis. This means I am almost constantly washing and hanging one. Not to mention all the shirts and pants. Ugh...

2. Ringworm Prevention-- Fortunately, there haven't been any cases of ringworm going around but I am determined to make sure that I don't get it. So I have been using the Nizoral shower gel and have also been spraying myself down once a week at the end of the week.

3. Ibuprofin, Ice and Epsom Salt Baths-- Aches and pains are a given when you're training a lot.

4. Stretching-- My shoulders and neck are problem areas for me. To avoid injuries, I have been making sure I stretch well when I get home before I shower.

5. Resting On Sundays-- I don't do anything on Sundays. No cardio. No nothing. I veg around pamper my body and let it recover.

6. Diet and Hydration-- This one, I am taking in baby steps. I have a few pounds to lose before March, and I don't want to cut. I want to lose it over time. The first step has been to drink no more soda (Except on Moe's Mondays!!) and to drink water throughout the day. I haven't been as good as I should about drinking water, but I am doing better. The second step has been to replace a lot of the carbs I eat (like pasta and a rice) with more protein, veggies and fruit. This hasn't been as painful as I expected it to be. I haven't cut out carbs. I think my body would revolt zombie style and lay waste to a bread factory if I tried. But I try to eat my breads and rice during the day and replace my servings of bread and pasta at night with either more protein or veggies or fruit.

Also, one things I have learned is that I actually wasn't eating ENOUGH. This surprised me. I thought I would have to cut back on calories to lose weight. But when I talked to a friend of mine who is a nutritionist he told me that I was already not eating enough and that my body wouldn't let me lose the weight because it was feeling depleted. What I needed to do is eat enough of the RIGHT kinds of foods so that my body is properly fueled.

7.   Keeping My Focus In Training-- I have learned that, for me, preparing for a tournament doesn't mean going into beast mode during every grapple. For me, the biggest priority is preparing myself mentally. I am NOT some kind of prodigy grappler, but I do believe in the quality of the training I have received. What I need to do is keep my confidence up and make every grapple count. My focus in learning over the next few months is not in any one specific area. It is more about problem solving with leverage when I am on bottom, being tight and keeping my base when I am on top, and being able to set the pace of a grapple. We will see how I am able to progress with these goals.

8. Training With Awesome Teammates-- I am more convinced all the time that I am very lucky to train at Fabio's gym. Fabio sets the tone for the whole team, making us realize that when we train we are not just there for ourselves, but for each other. I am thankful for all of my BJJ brothers and sisters who put up with my unintentional MMA and who take the time to help me get better. You guys rock!