So what's this all about?

I turn forty at the end of the year. Before I get there I want to have another amateur MMA fight. This blog is a record of how, and if, I manage to achieve this.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Frustrating times....



When I'm thinking about what to write here it sometimes seems that all I talk about it how tough it is to find time to train, how injuries stop me training, how things get in the way - moaning basically.  Don't misunderstand, I don't think that I've got things bad, there are guys and gals out there fitting training and competing in wherever they can, the net's full of tales of getting up at 5am to train, or slotting training in around work and life as a single parent.

I guess that what makes the topic of frustration really pertinent to this blog is that trying to be a husband, father, employee, son, student, etc. whilst trying to improve one's chances of being able to fight in 12 - 18 months and not be a complete embarassment...... well, it shows that this really is a young, single man's game.  Now, I'm not saying that I wish I didn't have the responsibilities of being a father, a partner, having a relatively senior job and living parents.  No, what I'm saying is that in the scheme of things, family and the security of a good job are more important than training.  

I love training and there's no doubt that it really supports good mental health, but my kids won't be young forever and time spent with them is incalcuably precious.  I'm reminded of a recent conversation with a a chap at the gym.  He was telling me how his ex-partner won't let him see his kids and that training was a way of relieving the stress and anger that that causes him.  Taken in light of this guy's situation I'll take parent's evenings, school functions and being Dad's Taxi Service any day of the week.

So, what prompted this post?  Following a two-week lay off due to the gym being closed plus a shitty week at work I was really in need of getting to training at Leicester Shoot - there's only so much you can do at home on your own right?  I planned meticulously around family commitments, squared it with my boss to finish work a bit earlier and.......traffic, traffic, traffic.....thwarted every mile of the way!  I work about 30 miles from the gym (I live about 40 from work) so there's plenty of potential to get caught in a snarl up.  After an hour and a half in the car I gave up and arrived home in a stinker (though I really was trying not to take it out on anyone else).

This reminded my of something Jim Wendler said in an interview:

Why would you sacrifice this one life that you have for just training? Everybody has their
own set of gifts, and those things can develop or change over time. But if you're always on
Blast mode in the gym, everything else just gets thrown to the side. Sometimes, you need to
step back and take notice of other things; especially the people who've helped you the most,
and matter the most.
Wherever you are, that's where you should be. So if you're at work, be at work. If you're at
home, be at home. If you're with your buddy, be there for him. In other words, don't constantly be thinking about training when you're at the park
with your kid: If you have a bad day at the gym, don't take it out on your wife or your kid.
They didn't have anything to do with it. It's a fucking squat.

Seems like pretty sage advice, and not a little Zen either(!) but that's for another post.  I guess what I've learnt is that if I'm to achieve my goal I've got to make it happen, just not at the expense of everything else that's going on.  I've got a loving family that I need and that needs me, and they understand that I need to train in order to be who I, and they, need me to be.  It's a long haul not a sprint, and life won't end just because I can't get to a training session.

Okay, got it out of my system.  Finally, I wanted to link to some videos of the Leicester Shoot boys in action at a recent amateur event.  Lukasz in particular did a great job.  Trained with him a few times and he's a nice guy and a beast.  




Until next time.....

Friday, August 10, 2012

Getting the basics right first.


Haven't posted for a while....but don't be fooled, I have been busy.

My shin is now pretty much healed and I've been able to do some grappling and mma training alongside the boxing.  Most of the scabbing is gone and, despite not getting stitched when I shoulda, I don't think there's any risk of re-tearing it.  Next week I'll be re-integrating deadlifts in to my strength work making sure I use the right socks to prevent injuring it again.

I've loved the boxing training recently and much of that is down to the way JD Hylton runs the classes.  I've previously written on here about his style and how it really works for me - I manage to retain a lot of what I learn which is the key thing.  I think that this is due to the fact that JD emphasises a lot of the techniques, skills, tips consistently throughout lessons - he doens't mention something one week and not again for a couple of months; it's there week-in, week-out.  Another thing that I find helpful is the way in which the classes always start the same, emphasising the same attributes - starting slowly to build smoothness, long punches to ensure an ability to fight at a realistic range without having to make huge adaptions, movement.  There's nothing flashy here, and nothing earth shattering just lots of solid technique, not based on attributes, and lots of reps in order to really develop something that's learned.

This is what makes it real and applicable.  When you get to my advanced years (Ahem!) you realise that doing the Ali Shuffle or developing Anderson Silva style head movement is some way down the road if your footwork means you get battered while you're trying it.

At the last lesson JD acknowledged that he's 'not the most exciting boxing coach' but I'm always very suspicious of coaches in any martial arts/combat sports who show the class flashy moves.  One of the final nails in the coffin of kickboxing for me was when our coach showed us some 'self defense' moves.  At the time I was training Kano Jiu Jitsu as well and also studying the work of Geof Thompson, Kevin O'Hagan, Mo Teague, and Dave Turton.  The stuff showed by the kickboxer was useless, but all those in the class were lapping it up and that's worse than useless, it's dangerous.  For me this is too much like death punches, secret pressure points, etc.  Perhaps you can make these work if you're a 10th degree Master in your artform but too many guys turn up to classes wanting to learn spinning backfists before they can move or jab.

Given the choice I'll take a solid grounding in the basics every time.  When I've got those down then I'll maybe learn some more complex stuff... if I'm up to it.

More soon.