Day 2

So this was what the great state of Maine woke up to this morning. A foot of snow. Unfortunately, BOTH of my gyms were closed yesterday due to this huge storm. This just means I have to work twice as hard today.

Today's Mission:

Today is what I would call a technical day. I will be drilling a mixed ground game of Wrestling and Judo, based on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Aside from improving my technique as a fighter, I will also be moving at a hard pace and doing rounds.

Immediately upon entering the gym I begin my warm ups which consist of:
Stretching
Jumping Jacks
Cross Over Jumping Jacks
Back Steps (A technique used primarily in Judo for throws)
Front Rolls/Back Rolls
Bridges
Hip in/out
Leg triangles
Break Falls
Kicks from the Open Guard
Kicks up into the base position

After a sufficient warm up, I begin my rounds. For this NAGA event, rounds in my division are only 4 minutes long. To be fully prepared condition wise, I will train at full intensity for 7 minute rounds, so there is no chance of fatigue during my matches.

I've given my muscles a rest especially from the high repetition squats I did on Saturday. Those who know me know I have a different outlook on strength gain. I don't prefer traditional weight lifting with an exception of "the big three". Quadriceps, Pectorals and the dreaded Dead Lift. These three muscle groups provide a foundation for heavy lifts and athletes alike. Your body will make significant gains in performance if you regularly work these muscle groups: Pectorals, Quadriceps, Calves, Traps, Abdominal muscles, Glutes, Lats. You get my point, these are extremely important and should never be neglected.

Aside from these core muscle groups, I don't lift weight. You heard me, I don't lift weight, except my own. I'm a firm believer of Push ups, Sit ups and Pull ups. This is why rock climbing is such an important part of my training. It allows me to maximize my flexibility, work on my lats and forearms, my legs, my abdominal muscles my cardio and my state of mind. I will climb for an average of 3 hours during each session.



Fitness Tip of the Day:

Grip Strength! Focus on training your muscles in the hands. Every workout you will do will in some way involve your grip strength. Not only will training your grip strength help your workouts, it will improve your daily fitness and assist with daily activities. You can pick up grip strength devices for around $10 at any Wal-Mart, Sports Authority, etc. They make different levels of difficulty. Start with the lowest possible resistance and focus on getting into a routine (done easily enough sitting at your desk or watching television). There is no excuse for neglecting these simple and effective workouts that can be done in less then 10 minutes. As the repetitions become easier, increase repetitions per minute and in time, increase the resistance as your body adapts.