tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38726227711110872362024-03-13T12:12:33.126-07:00I Fight, She FallsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-19583399952419880772014-02-01T16:35:00.001-08:002014-02-01T16:37:17.363-08:00Chicago's Approaching!Chicago is fast approaching, and I am counting down the days until my fight! I've been keeping up with my ridiculously early morning training sessions and I've surprised myself by rewiring my body clock so that I'm actually well-rested and awake in the morning. Well, as awake as you can be at 5 am.<br />
<br />
The training isn't the difficult part for me; the diet is the difficult part. Maybe not so much difficult as unpleasant. I've even cut out my sweet-tooth satisfier and savior: coffee creamer! Just the thought of the cookie sundae flavored creamer mixed with a steaming cup of coffee makes my taste-buds cry. Fortunately, the deprivation of all foods pleasurable has been working and my weight is exactly where it needs to be.<br />
<br />
This week, I had my first meeting for the Fighters Source League. Travel arrangements have been made, and I finally feel like this is real. I'm flying out on a Thursday, weighing in the next day, fighting Saturday, and flying back Sunday. The fight will be held in a civic center with space for thousands of people and I will be fighting on the same card as Jeff Monson, a very well-known UFC veteran. Although I still don't know my opponent, I'm trying to just focus on what I need to do to be a better fighter.<br />
<br />
It was announced at the meeting that there will be no shin pads worn at any of the fights. Getting kicked in the shin hurts, as does kicking someone with your shin- who would have imagined? To help condition my shins for the upcoming beating, my trainer has me kick a thick rope wrapped around the base of a pole. The concept is that my shins develop calcium deposits and eventually the nerves become numb. Until that happens, my shins feel exactly like one would expect...they hurt! At first, I felt tough kicking the rope. Now, I just feel the pain.<br />
<br />
Grappling is a new passion of mine. At first, grappling just frustrated me. Every day, I spend at least an hour drilling submissions and submission escapes. There are few things in life more satisfying than getting someone 40 pounds heavier than you to tap out. It requires a lot of thinking and pushes every muscle in your body to the limit. It also leaves you with plenty of bruises, and I am excited to announce that I got my first black eye. It really is just a baby bruise under my eye and I'm not entirely sure when I got it, but I wear it proudly.<br />
<br />
February 15th can't come soon enough!<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-20882302572748056092014-01-28T11:01:00.000-08:002014-01-28T11:01:57.698-08:00Weekly Recipe 1: D-Licious Sweet Potato PattiesStarting this week, I'll be posting one healthy but oh-so-delicious recipe a week. The first recipe is D-Licious Sweet Potato Patties.<br />
<br />
After having a tough work-out, eating sweet potatoes is a great way to replenish your carbs and energy. This is a recipe for sweet potato cakes that I found and modified. I served myself one patty (about 200 calories) over a salad with a lime vinaigrette, but it would have paired great with some grilled chicken.<br />
<br />
3 medium peeled sweet potatoes<br />
<br />
2 eggs<br />
<br />
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs<br />
<br />
1 small onion, finely chopped<br />
<br />
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br />
<br />
garlic powder (to taste)<br />
<br />
dash salt<br />
<br />
2-3 individual wedges of low-fat creamy swiss cheese, each wedge cut into thirds<br />
<br />
1) Boil water in a large sauce pan.<br />
2) Roughly chop the peeled sweet potatoes and place in the boiling water.<br />
3) Cook for 10-25 minutes, until tender (like your bruises from sparring) and very mash-able.<br />
4) Strain potatoes and allow to cool.<br />
5) Combine potatoes, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, garlic powder, and salt in a large bowl.<br />
6) Mash together (fighters can use their fists), or blend in a food processor.<br />
7) Mold mixture into patties- about the same diameter as the bottom of a regular coffee mug (or a mouthpiece container). Press one small piece of cheese into the center of the cake.<br />
8) Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. When hot, place patties in the pan and sauté until lightly browned. Flip (or judo throw) and brown the other side.<br />
9) Place cooked patties on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
This should make about 8 patties. The amount of cheese used and the diameter/thickness of the patties will affect the calorie content, but they are relative low in calories. They can be served hot or cold and freeze well.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-6407381251765801822014-01-24T10:56:00.002-08:002014-01-28T10:48:06.747-08:00International DreamsI expected things to go back to normal after my first fight. Instead, there was a flurry of excitement. Messages from old friends and acquaintances continued to fill my inbox. Friends of friends of friends were contacting me, congratulating me on my win. At the gym, everyone was thrilled for me. The excitement only continued when I was contacted by someone from Fighters Source, an organization with which I was very familiar. They were looking for a 135 lb female to fly out to Chicago and represent for Team Miami. If I won the fight in Chicago, I would fight in New York. A win there would guarantee me a spot on Team USA, where I would be representing in the UK in an international MMA tournament.<br />
<br />
(<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiwmRfihAAk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiwmRfihAAk</a>)<br />
<br />
The news was huge; the event itself is monumental. As MMA continues to be recognized as a true sport and spreads from country to country, there is an increasing desire in the community to bring it to the Olympic games. This tournament, which will be televised in millions of homes, is taking the sport a giant step forward. In fact, it's more of a flying knee forward...or maybe a superman punch forward. Either way, being a part of this event means a great deal. Just being offered the invitation made me feel like I was on top of the world.<br />
<br />
To my disappointment, I had to keep the news quiet until the press release came out. Nelson (my coach/manager/sanity-keeper), was the only one who knew about it and was as excited as I was. Days passed by, and finally the announcement was released to the press. I had been checking my social media on the hour, waiting for the moment I could announce the exciting news. After the news broke, it became real. Everyone was congratulating me yet again, and I felt like the luckiest person in the world.<br />
<br />
Because the fight is in 3 weeks, I have been training even more than usual. I was disappointed with my performance in the first fight; I have a lot of work to do before I can feel like I deserve this opportunity. Nonetheless, I don't plan on disappointing. My new training regiment involves me waking up at 5 and drilling skills all morning. Nelson has created a training plan to help me make the most of the few weeks left before the fight. Luis and Pablo, my incredible striking and grappling coaches, are helping me improve every day. Everyone at the gym is donating their time and energy to helping me prepare for this fight, and I plan on doing everything I can to represent for them in Chicago.<br />
<br />
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Whether I'm rubbing sleep from my eyes in the early morning, mopping away sweat from my brow in the middle of an intense workout, or limping home after a never-ending day, international dreams will be motivating me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-60434187917180514592014-01-16T16:08:00.001-08:002014-01-16T16:08:49.466-08:00Don't Let Go!It's over, and only just beginning. It has been a crazy couple of days. I weighed in at 142 Tuesday night after only having some tea and an apple all day. After the weigh-in, they had photographers ready to take a picture of my opponent and me in a stand-off. We started off a few feet apart, but they urged us to stand closer. For well over a minute we stood inches away from each other and waited for them to tell us to move. It felt so awkward being nose to nose with the girl I would be competing against. There was no smack talking or ill will; we both stayed silent and went our own ways after they finished. I immediately drank two giant coconut waters and could feel the fluid coursing through my veins. All of the fighters had jugs of water or pedialite to replenish themselves as soon as they weighed in. When I got home I ate a giant piece of salmon with rice, boiled plantains, and avocado. Food never tasted so good!<br />
<br />
The next morning, I felt like a kid waiting to go to Disney World for the first time. To my surprise, I wasn't very nervous, just excited. I had a hearty breakfast of eggs, avocado, and tomato. I went to the gym and stretched for awhile, then had a short and very easy workout. It was nice to get the blood pumping and helped to get out some of the excited energy. As I was leaving the gym, I realized that I didn't get my hair braided. With MMA fights, hair will not stay up in a regular up-do. It was the last thing I was worried about all week, but if I didn't have my hair braided it would be a major distraction. One of the fighters I worked out with that morning had a friend who did her hair, so she contacted her about helping me out. I was told she could do it later in the afternoon and would text me when she was ready. I needed to be ready to leave by 5 pm.<br />
<br />
After watching two motivational fight movies and eating a dinner of pasta and meatballs, I was anxiously waiting to hear back about my hair. I tried braiding it on my own and ended up with a tangled mess. Nervousness started to build up as I was reading all of the good-luck messages and texts, and it made the hair situation worse. Finally, at 3:30 my trainer had sorted the whole thing out and I met the girl at the gym to get my hair braided. I couldn't believe such a seemingly trivial thing was such a big deal, but I learned my lesson for next time. With my hair braided and all my gear ready to go, I shook out all the nerves and we were ready to leave for the fight. Everyone was telling me how "cute" and "adorable" I looked, but I felt like a beast.<br />
<br />
The venue itself was amazing. They had two warm-up rooms for us in a large warehouse. They made sure all opponents were in separate rooms, but I didn't even notice anyone else there. I listened to some music while everyone else wandered around. The DJ was taking requests for walkout music- I chose Conteo by Don Omar, a song that usually got me pumped up for hard work-outs. Tom and I were at the venue early, so we stepped in the cage to get a feel for things. We lightly shadow-boxed with each other for a few minutes. I felt light, agile, and ready to go.<br />
<br />
By the time I stretched out a little in the back, the doctor showed up and most of the fighters were present. They measured our blood pressure and heart rate as they looked over our blood work. My Muay Thai coach wrapped my hands and I put on the issued MMA gloves. I was third to fight, so we started to warm-up immediately. We just ran through a few drills and did some pad work, just enough to get my blood flowing and to work up a sweat. They had a brief rules meeting, and the fights started. While the first two fights were going on, I continued to warm-up. Finally, I was issued my shin guards and told to wait at the entrance for my chance to fight. The whole evening I felt calm, but every so often I would get a surge of nervousness. The thought of losing was scary. I did everything I could to push the thought out of my head.<br />
<br />
Finally, they announced me and started my music. I walked out to the cage and was checked by the referee. Stepping into the cage, I barely noticed the large crowd or the large televisions that were capturing live feed and broadcasting to everyone on youtube (XFN runs an extremely professional and well-organized event). I bounced around and kept my eyes on my opponent as she entered the cage. The adrenaline was surging through my body and I did everything I could to control my breathing. The ref went over the rules, and the bell rang.<br />
<br />
I went towards my opponent to touch gloves, but she chose not to and immediately tried to jab at me. Most of the fight is a blur, but I know I managed to stay calm. She kept trying to take me down, so we ended up pushing each other against the fence for most of the first round. It was exhausting, and we exchanged more knees than punches. When I landed a few light punches to her head, it felt bizarre. I had never been in a fist fight, so I had never hit anyone with intention before. While sparring, we use boxing gloves and the hits don't feel as strong. It took me a few seconds to get used to the feeling, but when someone is trying to hurt you, it's not difficult to return the favor.<br />
<br />
The first round ended with her on top of me, and me trying to avoid any submission attempts from her. The bell rang, and although I was a little winded at the end of the round, my trainer had worked hard to ensure I was in good enough shape to recover by the end of the minute break. As the bell rang for the second round, I felt replenished. I was starting to feel beaten, but I tried to push the thought out of my mind and immediately found myself defending yet another take down.<br />
<br />
Towards the end of the round, she went for my legs and I instinctively wrapped one arm around her neck. I hadn't drilled the guillotine choke but had seen it, and I knew the basic idea. While I tried to work the choke, she got me to the ground. I still had my arm around her neck and wrapped legs around her. I could hear her struggling for breath, but I didn't think I had the choke tight enough. Everyone in my corner was giving me advice, and I tried to do what they were telling me without losing grip. My grip started to slip and I knew the round would be over soon. All I could do was tell myself not to let go.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Finally, I felt three taps and the ref signaled me that it was over. I can't even begin to describe the ecstasy that I felt as I stood up. The referee lifted my hand, and everything was like a movie. Just seeing the excitement of my coaches made me even more thrilled. For weeks I had been joking about getting a submission for my first fight. It was, and still is, the weaker part of my skill set. No one could believe that I actually won by submission. The ring announcer gave me the microphone and asked me a few questions, but I barely knew what I was saying. On the way out of the ring, strangers congratulated me. A reporter interviewed me in front of a camera, but my mind was in another planet. I walked out to the back room to a million hugs from my corner. They have always worked so hard, and I was so happy I didn't let them down.<br />
<br />
The rest of the night was great. I was unscathed and felt like a million dollars. People I never met were complimenting me, and the people I did know were thrilled for my win. Tom ended up with a win in his fight, and we all went out to celebrate with a meal of giant burgers and fries.<br />
<br />
The fight was a great experience. There is no other sport like MMA, and the rush you get when you are locked in a cage with someone is inexplicable. Putting all of the brutal training to the test is an incredible feeling, and I can't wait to do it again. I'll train light for the rest of this week and Monday I'll start training hard. I have a renewed energy and can't wait to come out an even better fighter.<br />
<br />
More to come next week!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-8607651099739890682014-01-13T14:22:00.003-08:002014-01-13T14:22:36.681-08:00Weight Cut WoesMaking weight is a huge part of being an MMA fighter, and it is no easy task. It's now a little over 24 hours from the weigh-in for my fight, and I still have weight to cut. This is normal; some fighters even eat everything they want up until two days before weigh-ins, then they cut 15 pounds in two days. I did my best to avoid this, but this morning I stepped on the scale and it read 152. After 45 minutes of running and a 1.5 hour workout, I was only a pound lighter. I need to weigh in a 145, and although they allow amateurs to be 4 pounds under or over, I want to come in at exactly 145.<br />
<br />
I'm eating very little today, and practically nothing tomorrow. I started my day off with a coffee, then had a 200 calorie protein shake after my work-out. Three hours later I had another coffee, and I just ate an apple for some pre-workout energy. I've limited my water intake, so I've been both thirsty and hungry all day. I've been drinking a diuretic tea and also took two epsom salt baths. That's the one part I can't complain about; being ordered to soak in a tub for 20 minutes with lavender epsom salts is not a bad thing.<br />
<br />
Tonight I'll have a light work-out and then try running with a sweatshirt and sweatpants. If I'm lucky, I'll drop a few pounds and can have a small piece of salmon with lettuce. Tomorrow morning I'll weigh myself and hit the treadmill again, trying to sweat out as much as I can. I probably won't take in anything but a very small amount of water until weigh-ins at 8 pm. Today hasn't been too torturous because I've been able to focus on the fight, but my growling stomach tells me that tomorrow will be miserable.<br />
<br />
As soon as the weigh ins are over, I can eat again. Dinner will be a giant plate of pasta with turkey meatballs. I'm drooling at the thought of food! Most fighters do their best to gain weight before the fight because there is no second weigh-in. It may not make much sense, but I think I can handle eating again.<br />
<br />
Even more exciting is the thought of food is the thought of being at the weigh in. I'll stand on the scale in front of a crowd, and stare down my opponent. If my stare doesn't scare her, my growling stomach sure will! It's going to be an exciting night!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-28348411391303532012014-01-10T13:36:00.001-08:002014-01-10T13:36:41.735-08:00Fight Week
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here I am, only four days away from my
debut amateur MMA fight! On January 15<sup>th</sup>, at Knockers Bar in
Miami, I'll be taking on my first opponent. The holiday season
changed up my schedule a little, but I've managed to stay on track
and I feel ready to fight. I was given the green light to eat over
the holidays, and although I was still training, I've been paying for
it now by having to drop a few more pounds than I would have liked.
For about two weeks I've been on a diet of limited carbs. I've
managed to drop about 9 pounds in that time period, and I did have
one or two cheat meals the first week of the diet. My schedule hasn't
changed much, so here's a sample of my daily routine:</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
7 am: Eat a granola bar for breakfast
and have a coffee.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
7:30 – 9 am: Train on my own at the
gym.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
9 am – 11 am: Fighter Training Camp
every other day, otherwise solo drills.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
11: 30 am: Eat turkey with lettuce and
tomato on a pita (I changed this up to chicken, ground beef, etc)</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2:30 pm: Snack (grapes with honey, an
apple, etc)</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
5:00 pm: Granola Bar if needed, coffee</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
5:30 -8:00 pm: Strength and
Conditioning Class, Grappling, Boxing, or Muay Thai classes</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
8:30 pm: Protein shake with fruit</div>
<br />
In between training I worked, and
afterward I usually just passed out. Sundays were my only day off.
Although it may seem monotonous, the drills varied day to day and
time has managed to fly by. It also helps a great deal to have such a
great support system at the gym. A few of the members here are almost
as excited for my fight as I am! I even got my first sponsor- a
neighborhood cigar shop decided to sponsor Tom and me for this fight.
Even though it may seem like such a small thing, it feels incredible
to know that someone has enough faith in you to choose you to
represent their business.
<br />
<br />
Tomorrow is the start of my pre-fight
recovery. I've been running about two hours total a day to drop
weight and have been training hard, but now my body can have a chance
to relax. I'll do some shadow boxing and light skill work over the
next few days, but nothing intense. At this point, it's all about
mental focus and making sure my body is healthy for Wednesday night.
I feel great mentally; I'm excited but I feel very calm and focused.
I'll do my best to hang onto this feeling and will try not to let the
crazy rush of adrenaline take over. I know one thing for sure- I'm
going to go into the cage and fight for all those workouts that left
me gasping and squirming, for all those times I felt too sore to get
out of bed, and for all those hours my trainers and training partners
put into preparing me for this moment.
<br />
<br />
I fight, she falls.
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-18277435778248574982013-12-18T15:49:00.002-08:002013-12-18T15:49:45.586-08:00Solo Training TipsI've been doing a lot of training on my own, and I thought I would share a few training tips with anyone interested in getting a good work-out in without having the benefit of a coach or partner to push you through it.<br />
<br />
1) Start with stretches and a proper warm-up. I like to do static stretches for about 10 minutes. This is followed by 5 minutes of jump rope, 5 minutes of shadow boxing, and 5 minutes of dynamic stretches. If I have a really hard time moving (mornings have never been my strength!), I start off with a 20-30 minute light jog. A good warm-up is the key to a good work-out.<br />
<br />
2) Write out the workout in detail, including how long each drill will take. This should help motivate you and keep you from cheating yourself by cutting the workout short.<br />
<br />
3) Stick to things you know how to do. If you practice a new move with improper technique, you will only have to relearn the technique.<br />
<br />
4) Repetition is key! This can get boring, so I try to do my workouts in a circuit. For example, I'll do 4 minutes of kicking techniques, 4 minutes of grappling with the grappling dummy, 4 minutes of footwork drills, and 4 minutes of combos. Then I take a minute rest and start again- this usually helps the time fly by. <br />
<br />
5) Imagine an audience. When I'm feeling tired or just plain lazy, I imagine a pro scout is peeking through the window. It might sound silly, but it's usually enough to remind yourself to push the tempo.<br />
<br />
6) Stick to simple drills. Oftentimes, the simplest drills are the best for developing skills. Power circuits, which involve things like jumps and weights, are best left for strength and conditioning coaches. Bag work is always a great drill that develops both skill and cardio. <br />
<br />
7) Music motivates me! I have a playlist full of songs that keep me full of energy. When I start to get tired, I blast my favorite song and get back in the zone.<br />
<br />
8) Shadow boxing is always good. It simulates a fight and brings all your skills together. Visualization is a great tool to use while shadow boxing; I always imagine my opponent standing in front of me and defend or attack accordingly. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-41028844794056246102013-12-16T11:07:00.003-08:002013-12-18T15:52:23.752-08:00All I want for Christmas...I've been neglecting my blog a little this month. December is a crazy month to begin with, and this year it's even crazier than usual. On the 7th, I went to the Tampa area to watch Tom (my sparring partner) fight. It was a crazy, albeit fun, road trip. Even though they had no opponent for me and I was dying to get in the cage, I made a few great contacts and got offered a fight January 11th! They have the opponent for me already. To top it off, I have about 6 other fights scheduled between January and March. It's odd...at Tom's fight I was so desperate that I was tempted to piss off any local woman my size and convince her to take it to the cage, but now I have so many options that I need to pick and choose my fights. All I wanted for Christmas was a fight...and I got my present already!<br />
<br />
Tom won his fight and it helped motivate everyone to keep training hard. I have 4 weeks to go until my fight, and I feel more prepared than ever. Keeping a training log has been a great asset to me. My trainer was the one who recommended that I keep a log of my training- I keep track of which drills I do, and how much time I spend on them. It's also great because I make note of what I need to improve and what I feel good about. I've been averaging 6 hours in the gym every day, 6 days a week and I feel like it's made a huge difference! MMA has definitely become a part-time (even full-time) job for me. At least it's paying off, if only in a mental and physical manner.<br />
<br />
This month should go by quickly! Christmas is fast approaching. On December 28th, there will be a great UFC fight. Ronda Rousey will take on Miesha Tate. Tate has already lost to Rousey, and they have a huge rivalry that only grew during this season of The Ultimate Fighter. As one of the most popular female MMA fighters, Rousey has done a lot for the sport and she has a tremendous amount of talent. Tate is also a great fighter, and I'm sure the rivalry has ignited a fire in her and she'll come out of the gate with guns blazing. The fight is only 2 weeks before mine, so it will definitely help to keep me motivated. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-20096738927506342602013-11-25T13:26:00.000-08:002013-11-25T13:26:04.814-08:00I DO hit like a girl...Thanks!
Since my training has been amped up to
the point of my muscles literally giving out, I've been looking for
things to motivate me to rise to the challenge. Watching youtube
videos of old fights has done the trick, but doing this has also made
me more aware of how some people view female fighters. In the comment box
of any given video, there are at least two or three derogatory
comments about women fighting. Some men seem to think that, even with
no training, they themselves can beat a professional female fighter.
Other guys only focus on the attractiveness (or unattractiveness) of
the women. They seem to believe that the women are fighting as some
kind of beauty contest.
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are several reasons that these
comments frustrate me, not even factoring in the fact that these are
just sexist comments. First of all, every female fighter trains with
guys. Sure, they may have some female sparring partners. But at least
part of their training is done with guys. My main sparring partner is
a guy 40 pounds heavier than me. When rolling (it's like sparring for
jiu jitsu; you try to submit the opponent but it's done for training
purposes), I usually go against guys bigger and stronger than myself.
The training is never one sided; we all hold our own. You can not
tell me that a guy with no experience can dodge a kick to the head,
or successfully avoid getting arm-barred from a woman who is capable
of doing the same on a trained male fighter.</div>
<br />
Another reason for my outrage is the
fact that female fights are exciting. Anyone who has ever seen a
female MMA fight will have noticed that the pace is much faster than
most male fights. There is a lot less waiting around, and as soon as
they touch gloves the fighters usually get right to striking. The women
are just as brutal and relentless as the men when it comes to
unleashing on the opponent; I've seen some vicious elbows rain down
on a fighter, and I've also seen a woman make it all three rounds
despite some serious injuries.
<br />
<br />
Woman's MMA has been growing in
popularity over the years. Even Dana White admitted that his prior
comments about women having no place in the UFC were wrong, and now
the UFC female fight cards draw in more viewers than some of the male
fight cards. It's time that those narrow-minded guys out there stop
focusing on two specific assets of the fighters (and I'm not talking
about the 1-2 punch!), and start focusing on the skill of the
fighters.<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-6106715685675364502013-11-15T19:47:00.001-08:002013-11-25T13:39:52.051-08:00Tougher Than Nails<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For those of you curious about MMA,
check out this link: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y1sEVxwg5I">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y1sEVxwg5I</a>.
It's a little long, but it's a really interesting video on the
mechanics of the sport. The video really drives home the fact that
these athletes must be like finely tuned machines to get the
conditioning and strength needed to be a good fighter. Ironically,
the physical intensity of the sport makes it mostly about mental
toughness. An example from one of my crazy morning sessions this
week:
</div>
<br />
It was the last minute of a 5 minute
sparring session- the second and last round. Sparring is extremely
exhausting; I can't even think of another physical activity to
compare it to. Your muscles are tense the whole time, it's very
difficult to control your breathing, and your mind is racing trying
to remember everything you've learned while your heart is racing
trying to keep up with your mind. I had already been training hard
for about two hours, and I was running out of gas. My body was
starting to tingle and my eyes couldn't focus on anything, but my
sparring partner kept throwing punches. In any other situation, I
would have thought I had nothing left to give and would have just
stopped. Yet, when someone is attacking you (whether it be
maliciously or for training purposes) you can dig deep and keep
going. It took everything I had to keep my hands up, and everything I
didn't know I had to counter back with a few knees and punches.
Granted, I use those terms loosely; I was so tired that they probably
felt more like love taps. Just the fact that I didn't collapse
surprised me. I can honestly say that I did not know I had that last
minute left in me. After the buzzer sounded, I took a minute to
recover. Once the feeling of imminent death passed, I felt great. I
felt empowered knowing that I pushed myself as far as I could go, and
that next time I will push myself just a little further. Being an MMA
fighter is being able to dig deeper than most people are willing to
dig. It's being so mentally tough that your mind forces your body to
work when everything else is telling it to shut down. There's
something incredible and almost profound about harnessing this power of
your body.
<br />
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From the start of this week, I've
focused a great deal on skills. I finally realized that working on
too many things at once makes you crazy. I started out my by picking
two skills and focused on mastering those skills in every drill. It's
all about muscle memory, so drilling the same thing over and over
again is the key to success. This week, my archenemy was a little
yellow ball. It's a small speed ball that helps you learn how to move
your head when punches are coming at you. Using it looks easy, but I
can't keep track of how many times it clipped me in the cheek or I
hit the ball at the wrong angle and lost the rhythm. I've spent
countless minutes (surely adding up to hours) trying to beat the
ball, and I still have a long way to go before I make it look good.
That said, I have noticed an improvement on how I evade punches.
Maybe, just maybe one day, that little yellow ball will be my friend.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-85483910859685947622013-11-04T19:24:00.003-08:002013-11-04T19:24:42.369-08:00Ask and ye shall receive
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I took yesterday off from
training...Sunday is usually my day off and by Sunday night I feel
energized and ready to get back in the gym. In my eagerness to get
back in the gym, I texted my trainer and asked to amp up my training.
After two killer workouts, I'm starting to think that I might be
missing a few brain cells to ask for such a thing! I always used to
make fun of people who made sound effects while they lifted weights,
but this morning I was pushing myself so hard that I had no choice
but to grunt as I pushed through my last few exercises. Extra
motivation came when I was doing bag work and I managed to completely
break the bag in half. It was already slightly split, but months of
taking a beating from my shins and knees (others contributed, but it
was my favorite bag!) left it vulnerable. Everything was caught on
video and watching it boosted my confidence; I hit the bag a lot
harder than I thought!
</div>
<br />
Tired as I was, it did feel good to
push myself so hard and I had enough energy left to make it to
training in the evening. Monday night's class is always a pretty
tough strength and conditioning workout. We had a good turnout, and
being in good company helped me push through the misery. I even
managed to stay after the class and get through 18 minutes of
sparring. My conditioning has definitely improved a great deal over
the past few months and I feel more than ready for a fight! Although
I don't have a date for one yet, my trainer is working hard to get me
one and I have a feeling the time is coming soon. This is going to be
a tough week of training, but the thought of getting in the ring is
keeping my screaming muscles from giving out on me.
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-73121637891763662992013-11-01T19:09:00.000-07:002013-11-01T19:09:10.148-07:00Back on Track
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Training this morning was intense. I
was a little sore from doing my own workouts yesterday; my energy
level has been high this week because all I want to do is fight! The
workout this morning was only an hour and a half, but an hour into it
my legs felt like jelly. I made the mistake of commenting on this,
and my trainer created a circuit for the last 30 minutes that
included lunges, squats, and high intensity bag work. The last round
of bag work took every last ounce of energy that I had- I was
grunting with every punch and kick that I threw. The guy training
with me was just as winded. The both of us didn't even have the
energy to properly stretch after!
</div>
<br />
As tired as I was, I left the gym
feeling incredibly strong. It's giving me the motivation to slowly
start back on my diet. Last week I went off my diet, and I ate way
too much! As much as I want to stay within 5 pounds of my fighting
weight (around 140), it's really hard to do when I don't have a
concrete date for a fight. And even though it might sound like a lot,
145 is a hard weight to stay at. I've always been bulky and now I'm
more muscular than ever, so I have to stick to a strict diet of low
carbs and no sweets. I eat a lot of fruit, salads, and protein
shakes. It's not as bad as it sounds, but once I'm off my diet
getting back on it takes tremendous will-power. I think about it too
much; when I think about how many calories I expend by working out
twice a day, my brain tells me that I can eat anything I crave
because I burn it off. Unfortunately it's not just about replacing
calories. I've noticed that I am able to train twice as hard when I
stick to a healthy low-calorie diet. Protein shakes keep me going-
I've grown to love them! I make mine as thick as a frosty by using
lots of ice, almond milk, chocolate protein powder, and two packets
of stevia. It really is almost as good as ice cream, and I add things
like flax seed or banana to change it up a little.
<br />
<br />
My night training session wasn't too
hard, but my muscles were very tight from the morning workout. I went
for a jog before working out and I'm pretty sure an old man on a
rascal scooter whizzed by me. As slow as I was, it was enough to
loosen me up enough to make it through a quick workout and to finish
up with some light sparring. As I type this, I can feel the soreness
setting in! Tomorrow morning is going to be one of those mornings
where I groan loudly as I gingerly roll out of bed.
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-38744406949532964172013-11-01T09:17:00.002-07:002013-11-16T22:33:50.468-08:00The first few months- abridged<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've been training hard for about three
months now, and I've had two scheduled fights that were canceled. The
first was canceled because they didn't have an opponent for me. One
of the guys I had been training with was fighting that same night, so
I went to the fight to support him. He ended up losing his fight, but
being there was a great experience. Even though it was only an
amateur fight, the atmosphere was charged. It really made me realize
how much I needed to fight- I wanted to feel that energy and
experience that moment when your body takes over and you don't think,
you just do. From that night on, my training became much more
intense. My trainer started a fighter training camp and dedicated
most of his time getting me and a few other people fight-ready. The
intensity of the training made me become even more addicted to the
sport, and I felt the need to become an accomplished fighter burning
inside me. By the time the week of my next scheduled fight rolled
around, I felt 100% ready and confident. I was stronger than I had
ever been. I'm usually a very humble person, but I was so proud of my
defined abs and tone arms that I would catch myself flexing in the
mirror and smiling!
</div>
<br />
About 5 days before the fight, I found
out the even was postponed. I was crushed and furious, and having to
tell everyone that they weren't going to see me fight yet made it
even harder. It didn't help that I had been eating very little to try
and get my weight down to 135. My diet was so strict that I had to
resort to cutting down to half a granola bar before training, and
half a scoop of protein powder for my last meal of the day. I had
been monitoring my water intake and cut from 3 gallons of water a day
to about 1 gallon. Try drinking 3 gallons of water a day. You end up
feeling like a water balloon! Then you get used to it, and when you
cut out the water your body is screaming at you to drink more.
Needless to say, this torture to cut weight for essentially no reason
made me furious.
<br />
<br />
A few days of taking my frustration out
on the heavy bag helped ease my anger, and I was able to convince
myself that I'll just be better, faster, and stronger for the next
fight...whenever that may be. I still have no date set for my first
fight, but it seems like I might have an opportunity to fight in
November. The plan is to stay fight ready, all the while building up
my skills. I've already made up my mind that I want to go pro. The
purpose of this blog is to document that journey...to give some
insight into what an aspiring fighter goes through mentally and physically. <br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872622771111087236.post-58894562897736348032013-11-01T08:49:00.003-07:002013-11-03T13:28:43.847-08:00The Beginning<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've always been the type of person
with a million different interests. If I went to an art gallery, I
would sign up for a painting class. If I met a pilot, I would read
books about aviation. Whether it was due to lack of motivation or
lack of talent, none of these interests ever went further than a
brief investigation into the subject. With MMA, it was different.
When I saw two people punching and kicking each other on tv, I had no
desire to do it. I had always played basketball and had an interest
in the more traditional sports...the ones that didn't seem to end
with blood spattered across the playing field. It took a much deeper
look into the sport for me to realize my passion for it.
</div>
<br />
A few years ago, I went to a local gym.
I wanted to get back to some light weight lifting and tone up a bit
more. The membership counselor spoke with me for a short time and
suggested that I would be a great fit for their MMA camp. My height
and build was ideal, and female fighters were in high demand. He
suggested that I try out a class for free. Partly due to my curiosity
and partly due to my excitement at the word “free”, I decided to
take him up on the offer.
<br />
<br />
That night, I tried out a Muay Thai
class. The instructor was a drill-sergeant like Thai fighter with
legs thicker than tree trunks. Ignoring my lack of coordination, he
pulled me aside and taught me the proper way to throw punches and
round kicks. I joined in with the rest of the class, and although I
felt awkward and uncertain, I had an incredible workout that left me
eager to try another class. The workout had managed to work my legs,
core, and arms more than anything I had done before, and it only took
45 minutes. For the next few months, I trained hard and tried to
master the basics. My trainer pushed me to the max- my shins were
bruised from kicking the heavy bag, my knees were bruised from
learning the clench, and my ego was bruised from watching how good
everyone else was.
<br />
<br />
As much as I enjoyed training, I made
the difficult decision to put my life on hold and travel overseas. I
spent two years living overseas, and every time I found myself
somewhat stationary, I would find a Muay Thai gym and train when I
could. It wasn't until I returned to the US and decided to settle
down that my journey into the world of fighting truly began.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10385384642373370608noreply@blogger.com0