Nerdy Martial Arts

[z3llin]

Greeting and salutations,

 

Being a 25 year old male who had smoked for 7 years (14-21) I have my work cut out for me. I used to drinking a lot and consume copious amounts of other mind altering substances while living on a take out diet. Then recently I discovered a love for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. However having moved from one side of my country (South Africa) to the other I have been struggling to continue developing a healthy lifestyle. I have no network of likeminded individuals around me yet. I work a desk job in an office full of women starving themselves and buying everything from "Weigh-less." I have broached the topic of Paleo & Strength training a few times only to be rudely told I have no idea what I am talking about. This even though I showed them all Staci's transformation!

BJJ is a very strategic but physically intense martial art. Being a lifelong gamer and chess player I have excelled at the strategic aspect, but suffer severely when I actually have to grapple with other people. Being 1.96m and over 110Kg (6'5" and  over 240lbs) and skinny fat meant I have never appeared as severly unhealthy as my lifestyle used to be. But my horrible lifestyle has taken its toll and it was time for a change. I had begun (while still living in my home town) to adjust my diet to include more Paleo-esque concepts (and cutting out so much junk!) and doing some running to improve my cardio (which is also essential for BJJ). I managed to drop about 15 lbs and have been able to actually sustain a run for more than 1km. I consider this a tremendous achievement in its own right as I used to get winded by a couple flights of stairs.  However my new city has horrible weather for running and to be honest the fact that I live halfway up a mountain has intimidated me even further! All the roads are so steep!

 

I consider running and cardio fitness merely as small step to what I want to do: build strength! I am currently searching for a gym that operates within my schedule. No luck so far, but I will not give up! In the mean time I am starting the Home Bodyweight workout as soon as I get home tonight!

[themisfithero]

Hi, z3llin. Way to take the initiative! I hope things stay positive for you.

[z3llin]

Day after my first BBWW work out and all I can say is: Ouch! And I thought a properly locked in armbar hurts.

I'll have to keep at it and get through the stiffness phase eventually.

[Nefiros]

Hey I'm in the same boat as you! Second day of bbww and I'm curled up in bed whimpering. From previous experience though I know it gets better. Keep it up and you'll be handing out your own sore joints etc in bjj in no time!

[Blaidd]

welcome Z3llin, i'm a fellow Capetonian and i totally feel you.  It's so hard sometimes to work around fad dieters and goodness knows what else.  I just soldier on and do my own thing anyway - forget what others say.  Where in CPT have you moved? i can't imagine that internet is THAT shoddy.  I mean I have permanent access all the time with good speeds - and my boyf plays online all the time (actually i do too when i have a moment).

 

I powerlift at gym (Zone fitness gyms are relatively inexpensive if you need a gym and havent found one yet) and i do boxing through an independent club. We do a lot of body weight too, but i'm a little more prepped for it because of my lifting.  Keep at it, it will get easier, promise.

 

If you need any advice or help with anything, give me a shout.

[z3llin]

I'm staying in a family members apartment in Cape Town for a month or two until I find a place closer to my work ( Bellville ). There is no Telkom line and MTN only has EDGE signal there strangely enough. As soon as I've settled in my place I will of course get DSL!

 

If you could PM me details of your gym I would be eternally grateful.