New Years eve

   Starting to get into that zone... I'm hungry, a little short tempered and generally annoyed at the world. I defiantly needed to unwind a bit. Friday I got to hang out to hang out with my nephew Neal. We are pretty close, he has been training with me since he was really little. I've been teaching him wrestling since he was in diapers. He is 12 now and dosnt need me as much anymore and I worry sometimes that I'm not "cool" uncle Joshie anymore. Without trying he gave my heart and my ego got a much needed boost!

   I picked him up at noon on Friday, we had lunch and kicked around for a bit. The plan was get a quick workout and then head over to the party at Punishment Training Center. Afterward we would go over and see my dad, his birthday is on New Years eve. (The whole world celebrates his birthday!!!) 

   He hit the heavy bag for a round then hit mits... once he shook the rust off he looked GREAT! I did a few rounds on the heavy bag and some floor work while he played a video game. He was bummed because a character he was playing had "leveled up" to high to compete in an event and was "banned". Once I finished up he casually said to me... "You would totally get banned if you were in the game." I smiled and we laughed as I did my superhero-flex-pose. then ave him a sweaty hug. (He's not to big for that yet.) 

   We had a great time at PTC and he chowed down on pizza and brownies. I really needed the chance to just goof off and decompress with my buddy.

   It may seem silly and I know he wont really understand how big of a deal it is to me, but knowing that he still see's me as bigger then life is the best performance enhancer there is. I feel like a monster just because of how he see's me, his opinion counts for more then I can explain.  My workout this morning was super intense, my evening workout even more so. We laid on the couch and watch the Dream New years eve fights. Wrestling and grab-assing whenever I got up or he walked in by me. 2 really really good days in a row. 

 

   I am totally exhausted after this last workout but I feel bullet proof. My mind and spirit is ready to do another 5 rounds of ground and pound... No party for me tonight, no celebration. Just some turkey and veggies, a little water and maybe some dried fruit. I cant wait for morning to get here so I can run in the fog and be a superhero again. I know my opponent is training hard, but he doesn't have the edge I have! 

Uncle Joshie is...

BANNED!

Starting the cut early

 Talking with some of the guys at the gym about the upcoming fight. I found out that the weigh-ins are are the same day as the fight, which completely changes my preparation. there will be no time for a water cut and re-hydration. I might be able to get away with 2-3 lbs but anymore could seriously affect my performance. So I have had to tighten up my diet significantly and start cutting.

 Saturday and Sunday looked like this:

SAT

weight 167

coffee and 6 prunes

Thermafuse C4, milk thistle, L Carnitine (I am out of DIM, Cordyceps, L Arginine & Omega3)

20min jacuzzi, foam roller and stretching

a.m. workout- 

4 mile run with vest, 

30 min on bike, 

leglift/jump squat/push up-8min amrap

tuna, pear

coffee, mixed unsalted nuts

more coffee

p.m workout

Anabolic Ignition & Thermafuse, L Carnitine

10k row

3-5min rounds on heavy bag

10- 100m sprints (running)

Tomato, Tuna, dried apricot

diluted cherry juice and almonds

late p.m. workout

3 min jumping rope, 1/2 mile run

4-500m sprints 1 min rest (rower)

easy 30 min on bike

more cherry juice and mixed nuts

SUN

*same supplements, and jacuzzi-stretch

Coffee!

a.m workout

3 min jump rope, 10 pull ups/25 squats x 3

5 mile run

3-5min rounds on heavy bag (lots of kicking)

2-5min rounds of Ground and Pound

turkey, tomato cucumber

water and mixed nuts

1hour nap

coffee, dried apricots

p.m workout

5miles on elliptical (26min)

2 miles on treadmill

push up/ squat/ neck harness- 4 rounds

40min on bike

tuna and (mostly) spinach salad, apple

Weight 165...

 The plan now is to get my weight as close to 155 as soon as possible so that I have time to acclimate. I want my metabolism to adjust, and be able to focus on training more then cutting. I walk the line between weight management and over-training but I have never in my life missed weight. I have it down pretty good at this point but it will be different without doing a water cut. I usually am good for 6-8lbs of water that I can replenish without consequence as long as I have a full day but that option is out. 

 Tomorrow I wont do a morning workout. After work I'll head in to the gym and depending on energy level I may get on the bike after training. I had hoped to be a huge 155lb-er but it looks like that is out the window. After X-mas when the funds are better I will replace my stocks of supplements. Including L-glutamine, DIM, Omega's, and Cordyceps.

155, here I come!

Sunday12-18, 8pm

This might hurt a little bit

Rob Emerson Interview

Saturday I got a chance to interview my Muay Thai instructor and Pro MMA fighter Rob Emerson, at Punishment Training Center. Rob is a really knowledgeable and patient coach. Plus he is an absolute nightmare to roll with, his Vale Tudo made my wrestling seem like it was junior varsity. After a quick workout and the entire Muay Thai class singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Rudy (the big dog at Punishment Athletics), Rob and I got a chance to talk for a lil bit and here it is...

Big Friday

Scientific Wrestling

Morning workout is done. I started out slow... legs heavy, arms stiff, but by the end of my run I felt better. 4miles/38 min (with 20 lb vest) an hour on the bike, 30 min of heavy bag, 6min of box jumps and pull ups. Started rough but I felt like a BEAST when I was done... It just reminds me to train no matter what mood I'm in because eventually I will find that top gear.

Quick bite to eat and I headed out to watch Tito's open workout. Fans, photographers, reporters (Karyn Bryant fom MMA H.E.A.T.)... It was very cool. A couple of the other guys wanted to get a work out and roll for a bit, I checked with the boss first... Tito said, get to work! GAME ON!!!! We watched him sparring with Ricardo for a bit and we moved to the other side of the gym to to work some wrestling. It started out with take downs and a lil cage grappling, but it somehow morphed into CATCH clinic. We spent a lot of time on front face locks, Chancery, guillotine defense, and philosophy...

I may not be an old-school authentic Catch wrestler but I was raised by an old timer that believed everything should hurt! I refer to it as "pain incentive". It is a core element of Dirty Wrestling. The logic is, when your opponent moves due to pain incentive you are forcing the action as opposed to letting your opponent strategically set up his next move. A shin bone grinding into a cheek, or a bicep tendon can force your opponent into a rushed decision, that decision often times leads to errors as he is more concerned with stopping the pain then setting up a slick move. As Dad would say, "the best way to make someone stop hurting you is to hurt them more". When I roll, I joke all the time that I "left my crossface at home" Basically I try to play nice. When I am competing or going live, then I'm an ass. I am on top of you trying to make you cry. I want my opponent as miserable as possible and asking why I am mad at him. Its not a fun way to train but it is important to address it as a tool that is possibly as important as any "go to" technique.

I want him think about the pain, not his game!

Between the CATCH and watching Tito, I was really pumped and did some more cardio Friday night. Saturday morning I headed over to Punishment Training Center and the crowd was large, they were having a big Christmas sale on clothes and gear. I think everybody there is just as pumped as the team is to see him fight Little Nog (Antônio Rogério Nogueira) next Saturday. The whole building had a buzz to it today, I only imagine it will get more intense next week.

I sat down for a few minutes with my striking coach and fellow Punishment Teammate Rob Emersion for an interview. He is a really cool guy and I will get that interview to you in a day or two. Right now I am off to watch Mayhem Miller vs Michael Bisping, its been a good weekend so far!!!