2016 Tigerbalm Internationals - My First Fight

[Thrillho]

Sure, I "fought" at Ellismania, but that was about as far from a real fight as it's possible to get (and after watching the video of my fight a dozen times, I was just about as sloppy a boxer as it was possible to be). No, this is different.

 

I have been with Kaiten MMA for about a full year now.  I was there for a few months a couple years ago, but I left because I was basically being used as a hilarious punching dummy for a lot of the amateur / semi-pro fighters, and I didn't really feel like paying for that level of verbal and physical abuse.  I came back properly last year, thirty pounds lighter and with a lot more self-confidence, and I've been holding my own and doing pretty good since then.  More than once I've been called upon to properly demonstrate certain moves, and I get to help a lot of the newcomers when the coaches are busy with the more experiences students.

 

 

 

 

Kaiten MMA has a reputation that is difficult to live up to.  Gyms down south that have 50, 100, 200 students will enter four or five in a tournament and take home two or three medals.  Kaiten has about 12 full-time students, enters six or seven students and usually takes home ten medals. Our coach has been in the MMA game for about twenty years, and he lives and breathes this sort of thing. He has repeatedly said that anyone who's been going there for two years should be able to enter any of the local events, and win... and we'll be coming up in the end of my second year pretty soon.  To my advantage, he says that the heaviest weight classes are pretty sparse.  Where you might have a couple dozen middleweights or welterweights or lightweights competing for a single medal, you'd be lucky to get ten heavyweights, especially since the heavyweight classes have been consolidated locally.

 

So... March 2016, I will be biting the bullet and entering three events as a heavyweight. These will be my first real fights.  And everyone is expecting me to bring home a medal, and keep the Kaiten reputation strong.

 

... and obviously, I've got a little ways to go. I starting putting together a plan with my coach and the rest of the fight camp, but right now all seven of them are in five-week high-gear go-nuts mode for two events next month, INCLUDING A TITLE FIGHT FOR THE ASSISTANT COACH which is going to be SWEET, and bringing that particular belt to Prince George for the first time ever. Consequently, they don't really have time for ME, since they're actually, you know, nationally-ranked fighters preparing for major bouts on the same card on short notice. BUT, there was plenty of talking, and it broke down thusly:

1.) The weight needs to come off. This is the biggie, so to speak... I need to get down to approximately my fight weight so I can TRAIN at my fight weight, and I simply can't train as hard as I am capable of if I am lugging around 40 extra pounds of fat (especially if it's preventing my knees and ankles from making much progress). I also need to get down to this weight as SOON as possible, but in a sustainable recoil-free manner. This is going to mean another huge dietary shift... basically January all over again. And January kind of sucked. However, I will have the added bonus of sunshine and outdoor activities, which was a huge help the last time I dropped a bunch of weight. So... July-August, SHED THE FAT. As much as possible. Slower weight loss September through December, with my hopeful "fight weight" achieved in January to give me eight solid weeks of over-training and two weeks of pre-fight prep.

2.) Identify deficiencies in my fitness. Right now a lot of these are weight-related, but they come down to three specific areas: upper body strength (specifically pull-downs, IE, the "clinching" muscles), core strength (front, sides, and lower back... pretty much all of it), and knee range of motion. I realize that's pretty much my ENTIRE body, but it sort of gives me places to focus on. My endurance is actually pretty good, especially considering my size (I can out-band most of the less-experienced but much fitter people at my gym).

3.) Identify deficiencies in my technique. I am a striker, first and foremost. I am 6'4" with a big frame, I can throw head kicks at my own height just fine, have tremendous range with my jab, and have great parrying reflexes. My striking deficiencies are mostly spinning kicks (which are coming along nicely!), checking with sufficient speed (I often just eat kicks because I know I'm not going to make it), and ducking/dodging/head movement. Again, almost all of those are just due to my size and my knees, both of which will improve when the weight comes off. Also, I need a lot more sparring, with lighter gloves for increased speed. I tend to panic and turtle, and I basically need to beat that reflex out of me. My wrestling is pretty good, when I ever use it, but I only know a very small number of techniques and often have problems getting swarmed and properly responding with my arms AND legs. As for jujitsu, I... suck. I really do. This is 99% related to my weight, my lack of core power, and my inexperience that usually ends up with me pretty much handing a joint lock to my opponent. I always just try to strike and end up twisted and choked out. SO... in the Fall, I will be coming back to JuJitsu nights at the gym. *shudder*

 

Fun fact... I'm the one doing the punching.
 

I'm still putting together a "plan", such as it is, but in the shortest term it is the following:

 

Diet Control:   This is going to be the biggest one right now, and always, because I have some... food issues.  Blah blah whine, I know, but it's just not easy for me.  HOWEVER, putting this out there is the big starting point for me. I am going to weigh myself in the morning, and that's going to be my long-term starting point. I will set up milestones, weights to hit by certain points, rewards... and penalties.

 

Fitness Development:   Knees, core and upper body.  Right now this is handled with 3x a week at the gym on the elliptical and more bike riding for the knees, and pushups and abdominal work for the core and upper body.  I don't have a set NUMBER of pushups I can do in reps or sets, but I'm going to go hard on them for a couple weeks, see what my numbers are and then work to increase them, surpass them every day.

 

Technical Skill:  Also in the short term, my development will be focusing on footwork, headwork and taking advantage of my size and reach with long jabs and cutting angles. Not much to write about, but I will try and put something down here every night I train.

 

It's the beginning of a long road! Here's to About three hundred more posts in this thread.

 

Cheers!

[Thrillho]

Day 1 - June 29th, 2015 (to be updated throughout the day)

 

Diet

Small greek yogurt, coffee with milk

1 cup of Red River w/ protein powder and small spoonful of peanut butter, coffee with milk

1 can Heinz Chili Beans (24g protein, 15g fibre, 1.5g fat)

1 box of fairly terrible Campbells Tomato Pepper Soup (bleh) and a coffee with milk

Green Chai Tea.

1 chicken burrito, 1/2 beef burrito (that my daughter wouldn't finish), one tiny Naan bread in hummus.

And just for the record, I am still frickin' hungry.  Now chewing gum and drinking water.

After MMA, had water... water... water... water.. and a Clif Builder bar.  Because protein, carbs, and delicious.

 

Exercise

60 minutes on the treadmill, 13/15 resistance

 

Training

About two hours of MMA class. Ow. So much clinching and knees, AND THEN bag drills, AND tHEN sparring, AND THEN rubber band drills.  Because there was only four of us, so K (the Coach, I will just call him K from here on out) was just extra up-close and cruel.

 

Thoughts

And since there was only four of us here tonight, I got a lot of time to talk to K about training, as well as the Tigerbalms. He doesn't think I should enter three events... no, he's a jerkass and thinks I can enter FIVE.  Eep.  Not scared at all.  Also, once again, he said something along the lines of "You're all sweating, you're tired, you're all breathing hard... but Topper is barely able to stand, and he's still going, so you can all push yourselves harder." Also complimented my form, my power and my stand-ups, but said I need to work on my footwork and headwork (yeah, yeah, see above, buddy!)

 

Renewed vigor and interest! WOO!  Also, severely but back on my caffiene for the day, let's see if that helps my sleep.

[Thrillho]

Day 2 - June 30th, 2015 (to be updated throughout the day)

 

Diet

Spinach, pork and hummus wrap.  Two coffees with milk. 

1 carton of MUCH tastier Campbells Red Pepper Black Bean soup. Yum.

1 can of chicken noodle soup.  Low-fat, high-protein. Still hungry.  Grr.

Tea to try and stave off hunger.  It's not working.  Having pizza with the kids tonight, need to be careful.

... four (small) slices of mostly-vegetable pizza, one-half of a mini-naan with hummus, and one oatmeal cookie.  AND I AM STILL HUNGRY.  BUT I STOPPED, GOSH DARNIT.

 

Exercise

Push-up sets.

 

Training

Nothing specific. Very sore triceps.

 

Thoughts

Nervous about this undertaking! However, I slept AMAZING last night, so I think the caffeine thing is already paying dividends. Also, food continues to pose difficulties, or rather the fact that I am achingly hungry about 22 hours a day.  That gets annoying.

[Kishi]

Hey, man. I'm in your corner.

 

Let's make sure that the people you gotta face need Tiger Balm at the end.

[Thrillho]

Day 3 - July 1st, 2015 (to be updated throughout the day)

 

Diet

Two coffees with milk.  Still trying to figure out a small, effective breakfast.  Probably another spinach wrap. Stay tuned!

Pork and spinach and hummus wrap for breakfast.

Resisted the free coffee, free beer and free pizza while helping friends move.  Just had water.  Currently having a soy noodle bowl, actually kind of awesome for being low-carb. Also more water.  Trying to find a way to justify more pita and hummus. Dangit.

Bacon jerky and apple juice. Yay, lowcarb-ish? IT WAS BACON, PEOPLE. Off to eat carrots and hummus (HAHA, LOOPHOLE!) while preparing the Canada Day feast of meatmissiles and veggieburgers.

Carrots and hummus, then corn chips and hummus, and then I was overdosed on hummus and only had a hot dog sans bun.

Some 11pm popcorn while watching the Canada Day fireworks. Woo!

 

Exercise

Helping a friend unload a gigantic moving truck.  Does that count?

 

Training

MMA cancelled due to holidays... so I will be practicing cartwheels and other acrobatic techniques with my kids in the park all day.

 

Thoughts

Not sure what to think yet.  I overate last night, even though it was a) less than I would NORMALLY have, and I skipped dessert.  Even so, my stomach is still a little sore this morning, because it probably was too much for such an empty stomach. A huge thing that's worked for me is just not have the food there to tempt me in the first place, but when we all make custom pizzas (mine was garlic, onion, pepper, pepper, spinach, artichoke, pepper and salami) it's hard to ignore.  Grrrr.  Food.  My old arch-nemesis.  I WILL DESTROY YOU WITH VEGETABLES.

 

I suppose I have to concede that, while I am not sticking to my diet as ADAMANTLY as I should be... I am STILL eating way less than I would normally.  I realize this when I'm just walking around the kitchen five, ten, twenty times a day, reaching for food... and telling myself to stop. 

[Thrillho]

Day 4 - July 2nd, 2015 (to be updated throughout the day)

 

Happy "That Really Unproductive Day After The National Patriotism Holiday" Day!

 

 

 

 

Diet

- Two pieces of my leftover pizza for breakfast, two coffees with milk, and probably going to have the other two pieces for lunch. Spread that out a bit. (Remember, it's mostly vegetables!)

- Had the other two pieces of pizza, and another coffee with milk.  Also a ton of water. Extremely hungry (or #hangry , to use one of my favorite terms that Machete reminded me of). 

- 1 can of beef stew, low cal, high protein, still hungry.  Another coffee with milk, and another liter of water. 

- 9 jelly beans.  THEY WERE SOUR, AND WERE CALLING MY NAME. 

- The last of the corn chips and the last of the hummus.  There, they're all gone now. Also some orange juice.

 

Exercise

Not much yet. Plan to make my Yoga routine on my app tonight. Core strength, yo.

 

Training

Probably not much today.

 

 

Thoughts

It's too early for thoughts.

I'm too busy for thoughts.

Now it's too late for thoughts.

I cleaned out my son's room tonight.  My teenaged son's room. That was without a doubt the second-grossest thing I've ever cleaned in my life. He's just had his video game privileges SEVERELY curtailed. 

[Thrillho]

Day 5 - July 3rd, 2015 (to be updated throughout the day)

 

"I gained a pound and a half? Seriously?!"

 

 

Diet

- Two coffees with milk, one Clif Builder bar.

- One more coffee

- Some terrible spinach dip and some stale chips, which I eventually just threw out. 

- Another Clif Bar because I'm out of food at work.

- A Sobe Black And Blue. Probably didn't need that much sugar...

- A spinach beef and chicken wrap.  Take that, leftovers!

- An Amp Energy. Twitch.

- A couple ciders when I got to the campsite.

 

Exercise

- Nothing specific.  Working all day then going camping tonight. 

 

Training

- Nothing specific.  Working all day then going camping tonight. 

 

 

Thoughts

- Nothing specific.  Working all day then going camping tonight. 

[Kishi]

Geez, you are just tracking every little thing, aren't you. That is impressive. Sorry to see the weight's up, though. I'd be inclined to think that could just be a fluctuation, though...

[Thrillho]

Trying to track everything.  At some point later I'll have to fill out my weekend on here, but.... it was camping, and I indulged a bit with the cider and snacky stuff.  Darn holidays.

[Thrillho]

Days 6 and 7 - July 4th and 5th, 2015 (I was camping)

 

Camping with kids...

 

 

 

Diet

- Too much popcorn, too much cider, too many potatoes.  Good camping fare, though.

 

Exercise

A lot of time in the sun, a lot of jogging, a lot of fishing, a lot of just being outdoorsy and whatnot.

 

Training

I... watched a lot of American Ninja Warrior tonight when I got home?

 

 

Thoughts

I

[SevenofSeven]

Just a thought for snacks.......boiled eggs? If you like them and aren't allergic. I usually boil 5/6 every couple of days, keep them in the shell and store in the fridge for those times when I can't find snacks. My problem is my Lads like snacking on them too!

Doing awesome though Thrillo, this is soooo exciting.

[Thrillho]

Actually, me and my oldest girl both love those, and we used to buy the 12-pack of pre-boiled at the restaurant supply store (10 cents more than buying a raw dozen, and they were shelled... worth it!) Sadly, that place closed so it fell out of habit.  Might need to try that again!

[Thrillho]

Day 8 - July 6th, 2015 (Monday, back to work!)

 

Mondays always make me think of this...

 

Diet

- 1 Clif Bar, two coffees with milk.  Lots of water. Back in the swing of things.

- - Reminder for tonight: green veggies, no starches. 

- Subway ham & veggie.  Lots of veggies. Probably didn't need all that bread, but this is going to be my last lunch kick for the week.

- And then... fried everything! One big bowlful, and this will give me about five whole days of leftovers.  Trying to go vegetarian for the whole week.

- One. Single. Oreo. For dessert.  Which is pretty good, and a good reminder of why I don't really like Oreos. 

 

 

Exercise

Had to miss workout this morning so I could drive my wife to work, because she has to take a chem truck and leave town for a week again. Will be at MMA tonight, though, so that will kick my ass.

 

 

Training

Will be MMA night tonight.  And me still recovering from camping and sunburns. Wheee. 

 

 

Thoughts

It's very humbling watching American Ninja Warrior, just because I will likely never be in the sort of shape that would let me do ANY ONE of those obstacles, let alone all of them front to back. It does fill me with inspiration, though, even though the inspiration is fleeting.  It's always fleeting for me.  I get off my ass to do something about it, and always just... sit back down again. Sometimes with a cookie. 

 

Trying vegetarian for a whole week. 

 

Also, the afternoon sensation after having a giant sub reminds me why I don't eat at Subway... the 6" sub isn't enough food, and the 12" sub is too much, and I just felt gross and logey. Pita Pit is the far superior lunch place, and the 9" pita is the exact right size, and MUCH more delicious.  

[Thrillho]

Day 9 - July 7th, 2015 (Tuesday is like a fake-out Monday)

 

Don't you just wish you could, too?

 

Diet

- 1 Clif Bar, two coffees with milk.  Lots of water. 

- Another coffee with milk, another water. 

- 2 cups (1 large twist-top container) of Veggie Fried Everything.

- ANOTHER 2 cups of Veggie Fried Everything. 

- 1 small bowl chicken soup, very few noodles, and some hummus.

- 1 Pocky.

- Stopping now.

 

Exercise

Didn't exercise this morning.  Really falling behind on my exercising. My wife out of town really screws that up.  MAKE ME EXERCISE TONIGHT!

 

 

Training

Will try to incorporate SOME part of my training regimen into exercise tonight. 

 

 

Thoughts

Mmmm, fried everything. Made enough for leftovers all week. Click the link or check the Monastery Kitchen (or just ask me, I guess...).  Vegetables, curry, low-fat coconut milk... it's vegan, low-fat, and DELICIOUS.  It's one of those things I could eat every day (and this week, I'm going to).  This is somewhat bolstered by the fact that I'm already down weight again after giving my body a day and a half of the veggie treatment and being back in my own bed.  Mmmmm bed. 

[Thrillho]

Day 10 - July 8th, 2015

(Wednesday is like that last painful bit before the top of the hill)

Tolerate my tiger, dammit!

 

Diet

- 1 Clif Bar, one tea with milk, one water with milk, a TON of water.

- 1 poppyseed muffin (and considering there were FREE DONUTS, I think that's pretty good).

- Another coffee with milk

- 2 cups (1 container) fried everything.

- 2 cups (yes, one more container) fried everything, with a double Black Tea (no milk, no sugar). 

 

 

Exercise

- Set a new record on the elliptical this morning (small problem: the indoor track is closed for maintenance and resurfacing until the end of August, and the air quality is so poor with the fires right now that I get a sore throat and start coughing ash up if I just jog to the Dollar Store.  This might put a crimp in my distance training plans for the moment...)

 

Training

 

 

Thoughts

And the weight is falling off a little faster now!

 

So I think I definitely have one of my important summer goals down, to help keep me focused through this unpleasant weight-shedding period... if I am taking MMA off for the summer (just because based on my schedule I'm clearly missing more than half of the nights, but I would still have to pay full price), then I need to do something dramatic for when I come back. I want to come back September 7th, and not have anyone recognize me because of how much I've dropped. I don't want to be 'the fat guy' in class anymore. 

[Thrillho]

Day 11 - July 9th, 2015

(I can see Friday from my house!)

 

Because Deadpool.

 

 

Diet

 - 1 Clif Bar, two coffees with milk (I'm seeing a trend forming!)

- 2 cups (1 container) Fried Everything, 1 more coffee, lots of water. (Deja vu!)

- 2 more cups Fried Everything. Mmmm afternoon.

- Maybe 2oz of hummus and a couple broken tortilla chips

- some orange juice and a little bit of leftover pesto (like, a couple mouthfuls)

- Water! TAKE THAT!

 

 

Exercise

A seemingly endless amount of walking, but nothing major.

 

Training

Some light rolling at MMA because they were low on partners for the teen class.  Mwahahhaa.

 

Thoughts

Bleargh. Actual hunger pains last night. I need more things I can snack on that won't completely derail me.

 

But actually feeling... great today. I will say one thing, my energy has been UP all week.  I've felt bright and not brain-lagged at all.  Heck, Im not even sleepy in the afternoon.  For whatever reason, seriously cutting back on everything except veggies has BOOSTED my general sense of well-being.  I feel more positive, too (although my kids can, with a little digging, find my grumpy side without too much trouble... I KNOW YOU HAVE "NO IDEA" HOW YOU LIT THE STOVE ON FIRE! THAT LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IS WHY I AM ANGRY RIGHT NOW.)

 

So yay! This actually makes me feel BETTER about doing this for two whole months!  Also, some quick figuring with the food bill and I'll eat somewhere like $100 less a month this way. WTF.

[Thrillho]

Day 12 - July 10th, 2015

(It's a double Friday for me... free unpaid day off!)

 

I am, too...

 

Diet

- 1 Clif bar, i large tea with milk, 1 large coffee with milk

- 1 falafel pita, lots of veggies, tzatziki and hot sauce.

- Teensy bit of hummus and rice crackers.

- Fried everything (with a slightly southwestern tang. Mmm!)

- Trying not to eat anything else.  Curse you, food!

 

 

Exercise

63 minutes on the elliptical.  Thinking I need to up the resistance before we transition to outdoor training.

 

Training

 

 

Thoughts

Also, I bought one of those armbands that holds your smartphone, since I got a run-tracker dealie and that Run! Zombies! app, which I have been wanting to try out.  Yay running!

[Thrillho]

Day 13 - July 11th, 2015

(My final, final... final exam. Finally.)

 

How I feel after all this studying...

 

Diet

- 1 Clif bar, 2 large coffee with milk

- Pulled pork with apple slaw and a green salad.

- Some homemade hummus and guacamole (my first time having guac by itself... tasty!)

- Now trying to resist eating what my family is eating and just have some simple veggies

 

Exercise

Going for a zombie run shortly!

 

Training

 

 

Thoughts

AUGH! FINAL EXAM!

[Thrillho]

Day 14 - July 12th, 2015

(Sunday, boredy Sunday)

 

Sensuous up, get me a beer...

 

 

Diet

- 1 Clif bar, 2 large coffee with milk

- 1 pancake, 1 double black tea

- 1 onion ring, 3 Mike & Ikes, one flavored water (SHE WAS EATING THEM RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME)

- A couple Naan chips and the last of the hummus

- 1 small bowl Fried Everything

- a few small pieces of roasted chicken... AND STOPPING NOW

 

 

Exercise

Going for a zombie run and Runtastic run SIMULTANEOUSLY. Let's test out the power of.... science!

Cramped up around the very end, so not a great time, but the app is awesome! Plays music from your own playlists, tracks distance and time with GPS... osm.

 

 

Training

A lot of stretching.  Whoof.  Seriously.

 

 

 

Thoughts

I earned one pancake, right?

 

I need to run more.  I just need to GET OUTSIDE more.  I keep finding ways to distract myself.  School is DONE, so that's one of my biggest (and largely least actually true) distractions gone. Yay, zombie RPG!

[Bekah]

[Thrillho]

Day 15 - July 13th, 2015

(A Monday, and a 13th, simultaneously? Uh oh...)

 

 

Diet

- 1 Clif bar, 1 large coffee with milk, 1 tea

- 1 fried everything w/ some leftover chicken, 1 smaller coffee

- 1 more fried everything w/ chicken, 1 smaller coffee

- Another coffee.  Needed coffee.

- Naan chips and guac

- A little bit of pesto gnocchi, way less than I would have normally had.

- Then, unfortunately, two double-oat chocolate chip homemade cookies because I made them AND THEY SMELLED SO GOOD dammit. Gotta run those off in the morning.

 

 

Exercise

60 minutes on the elliptical.  I definitely need to up the resistance a little bit. 

 

Training

 

Thoughts

Morning came a little early today, woke me up when I wasn't ready.  Pleh.  Still managed the hour, and that was after beating up my legs yesterday. Also didn't lose nearly as much weight as I'd hoped, and I only cheated a TINY bit on the weekend.  Seriously, the amount of food I could have eaten but didn't could probably have filled a second fridge.  Yarg.  This is starting to get difficult...

[Thrillho]

Day 16 - July 14th, 2015

(Tuesday is my Wednesday this week!)

 

 

 

 

Diet

- 1 Clif bar, 1 large coffee with milk

- 1 congratulatory post-run cookie (see below)

- Fried Everything (added some lentils for some extra sauciness and protein)

- 1 more Fried Everything and another coffee. 

- 1 beef and spinach and pepper wrap for supper INSTEAD of pizza

- some orange juice.

 

 

Exercise

38 minute 6k run at 6 in the morning (not very fast, I know... it was very early)... I'm finally, finally getting up in the morning to run. I've been putting it off and claiming sleep or ankle soreness for too long. TAKE THAT!

 

Training

 

Thoughts

... we put in an offer on a house.

[Bekah]

Good luck!!!

[Thrillho]

Day 17 - July 15th, 2015

(Today is my Friday (prior to a 4-day vacation in hell!))

 

That's it! Back to Winnipeg!

Diet

- 1 Clif bar, 1 large coffee with milk, 1 tea without milk

- Fried Everything, and a coke

- Fried Everything (with a chicken burger patty on it) and another coffee

 

 

 

Exercise

I felt really wrung out on the elliptical this morning, AND I forgot my water. 20 minutes on the elliptical, then some recovery walking, then 30+ minutes on the bicycle until my knees gave out.  Since I'm gonna spend the next four days driving and standing and eating, I wasn't about to miss today or wuss out.

 

Training

 

Thoughts

Erh.... vacations. I don't think there's been a 'family vacation' that I have more good memories of than bad, and I am including my childhood as well as my adulthood.  So... wish us luck!  Also we bought a house, so now's a good time to leave town. 

[SevenofSeven]

Ellipticals, vacations and houses, oh my!

I don't think your in Kansas anymore, good luck with all of it man, seems you do not do things by halves.