Blandy's training log for weight loss ( BJJ and conditioning)

[blandy]

Previous log here

Goals

Imediate short term goal is the 2008 European BJJ championships at the end of January, I have been working towards these for the last few weeks. I have been training BJJ 4 times a weeka and an additional conditioning workout based of Scott Sonnens Sierra workout for Alberto Crane with a slight variation (6minute rounds with 3 minutes between rounds as that is the length of a blue belt match and similar to the rest amout of rest you will get in my experience)

Long term goals for the year
Conditioning

1. weight loss, WEIGHT LOSS, WEIGHT LOSS!!!!!! every time I write my goals down for a new log I always seem to mention this yet I never actaully then put the work it to achieve it. Need to stick to a diet consistantly instead of for a few days or weeks then eatting like crap. I currently weight around 130kg (295 lbs) and I really recon I could compete at Super heavy weight at BJJ so under 100.4kg (220lbs) with the Gi
2. 10 pull ups - Aloways been too much of a fat ass with too low a stength to body weight ratio to do these. 10 seems like a good starting goal
3. One arm kettlebell clean and jerks - 150 in 10 minutes (24kg kettlebell) I've been enjoying using Scott Sonnons protcalls in my training so want to give some of his other ideas and recommendations a try.
4. 130 Clubbell Swipes in 10 minutes. Again same reason as above really, I will make my own clubbells for this and then maybe buy some in the future If i find value in this type of training.
5. 100 burpees in 7minutes 30

Martial arts

1. Compete No GI. My first competition was no gi since then I have only done GI (no particular reason) and want to try no Gi again
2. Win Gracie Invertational at Blue Belt. I won my last competition, the Northern Open -argueable the second 2nd largest comp in the UK, and came 4th at the Gracie Invertational, the largest comp, this year
3. Work on my escapes - I need to set aside time each week to drill this. I don't often get put in really bad positions in training due to my size and being one of the more experienced people in class. That being said as I move towards purple I feel the need to make on sure I keep working these areas of my game.
4. Work on my stand up (wrestling/judo) more. I start from my feet as often as I can but could always do with more work.

My instructor has been on about doing a condititioning session one a week with me and a couple of other people, people that compete and put a lot of work in at the gym and help others. HE said that while I he thinks my fitness is good I need to improve at being more explosive towards the end of rounds/fights and agrees that I should be competing at a lower weight class, he recons I could get right down to heavy (94kg). I think these sessions will involve some hill sprints, partner work and condition exercises but we shall see in the new year! Past experience has shown me I can consistantly train 5 days a week and for short periods(1 month tops) 6 days a week, so I am going to have to do 2 a days a few days a week to get the work in I want to do. I have to be out of the house by 6.45am for work so will have to concentrate on short 5-10 minute am workouts or when I get back from BJJ if its been a fairly easy session.

[blandy]

Saturday 29th December

Open Mat

First session back at Ju Jitsu after christmas. Its normally pretty quiet Saturday mornings but you could the break had been getting to people as there was loads down. Ended up working with a fairly inexperienced guy how doesn't get to training often. He is pretty strong though so got him to work his passing and control from top so I could work my escapes. Worked on ironing out mistakes he was making to make his control tighter so my escapes were harder.

My instructor gave me my 4th stripe, strange sport Jiu Jitsu its only a couples ago I was at 2 stripes and feeling like my game had stagnated and why am I bothering to train.

[blandy]

Sunday 30th January

10 minutes working on one arm clean and jerk. I have a problem jerking, I struggle to dip down a second time so end up doing more of a push press. Lots of singles and doubles just concentraing on good form.

Sierra - 3 minutes between rounds

Quad Switches
2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,5,5,6,6
BW Squats
7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,11,11,12,12
Push Ups
2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,5,5,6,6
Kettle bell cleans -24 kg
1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,5,5
Burpees
1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6

[blandy]

Thursday 3rd January

BJJ

The club is normally open 5 days a week, 3 taught classes were we do warm up/conditioning, techniques and then spar at the end. The other two days are normally open mat/spar class’ Normally Thursdays is just open mat, however since we’ve missed two other class this week all ready with the new year we started with conditioning. Did ~10 minutes of alternating animal walks (bear crawls, bunny hops etc) with callisthenics.

Started with 6 minute rounds with a brief rest in between, enough time to swap partners and then go again. We alternated one normal round with one round with no submissions just concentrating on obtaining dominate position. After around 6-7 rounds we had a brief rest and then just normal free rolling with partner of choice. I partnered up with Dan, a newish blue belt. Worked mainly from top, Dan has a comparatively strong guard, caught a few Jacare Chokes (it’s a Gi choke Jacare has a tutorial for on Graciemag.com, don’t know any other name for it) from side control, a couple of armbars from back and a sliding collar choke from back. Was reversed a couple of times while transitioning to mount from reverse scalf hold, need to control how I position better. When I was on my back I stuck to half butterfly guard, x guard and de la riva guard, when I am on my back I try to concentrate on open guard. Finished with about 20 minutes of explaining to Dan exactly what I had been doing from my back and how he could counter me as he was getting a little frustrated.

[blandy]

Friday 4th January

BJJ

Started with 20 minutes of guard passing. myself and the others that are competing at the europeans spent the technique portion of the class drilling some basics, repeated a sequence of upa escape from mount, guard pass of choice to side control, pass from side control to mount, armbar, opponent spins out of armbar, comes round to side control and then mounts so the sequence can repeat. Drilled some armbars from guard and switching to the triangle. Sparred at the end of class stand up only and then had about 10 minutes at the end freee rolling. Guy I rolled with was quite a bit smaller so let him start in top position of his choice each time.

[blandy]

Saturday 5th January

Open mat

Started with about an hour or so rolling with Gav, he is fair bit smaller than me but is really agressive so he is always good to roll with. Tried to start each roll from my back, Gav's passes seem to match up really well with my guard defence as I alway struggle from my back against him. Swept him a few times and then passed and finished with kimuras, caught him in armbar from bottom and swept him onto his back, as we rolled out I hooked my leg under his to catch him in a key lock. Rolled with Jez afterwards, he again is smaller than me (basically every one in class is )and a lot older. Again let him start each time in a dominate position and worked back to a strong postion. Kept getting the under hook and coming up for a single leg or take his back. Caught him with a single wing choke and then showed him some stuff to help him control me, defending the under hook. From there I switched to getting back to half guard so then showed him my halfguard/half butterfly stuff.

[blandy]

Monday 7th January

BJJ Class

Started class with Tabatas, push ups, burpees, pull ups, squats and sit ups x8 each for 20 minutes total

Covered sweeps from butterfly guard, started with shrimping from closed guard to create space to insert butterfly hooks, basic butterfly sweep and then two sweeps were you would arm drag them first, gable grip around their chest with an arm trapped and then sweep using similar mechanics to the basic butterfly sweep.

Sparred 2 rounds at the end, one 6 minutes and the other was 11 minutes. The 6 minute round was with Lee, they guy I would consider my "benchmark". He is the second biggest blue belt that trains at the club and really strong for his weight, he’s probable the only guy at the club that can retard strength out from underneath me unless I keep my positioning and control correct, I also some times find it hard rolling with him because I find myself starting to have a battle of strength with him rather than concentrating on technique. He’s not been training much recently so I’ve been missing out on hard sparring so my coach instructed him to make me work and go at a high pace as possible. Generally was a fairly good round for me, Hit a sweep from half guard, ended up in his guard, passed to side control, fucked up trying to pass to mount and was reversed, escaped from under side control to half guard, swept again, passed to side, mounted correctly this time and then time ran. Pretty good roll all together apart from my one fuck up when trying to get to mount.

Second round was with Ross, he is one of the other larger blue belts (still fairly small though) all ways enjoy rolling with him as he likes to go slow and really technical. Can’t remember the exact details but did generally did well and was able to control and work for submissions. Did get caught in an inverted heel hook after Ross sat back to escape a triangle.

[blandy]

Wednesday 9th January

BJJ Class

Started the class with conditioning 3x6 minute rounds with one minutes rest in between each round, changing exercises every minute. Did things like shuttle sprints, squats, flying armbars on rope, wall ball, carrying heavy bag + squats, different medicine ball exercises etc.

During the technique portion we covered different sweeps using the De La Riva hook. Started with inserting the hook if they try to pass your closed guard by breaking your guard open and going to combat base and then a basic sweep of kicking out their other knee while pulling on their sleeves. Moved on to if they stood up to avoid this first sweep, depending on how they positioned their weight and if they were able to break your grip we covered three sweeps, either taking them over your head and rolling to mount, rolling under and holding their leg or stretching them out and rolling to the side.

3x6 minute rounds sparring at the end. All with fairly in experienced people so let them all pass to mount and then worked from there to escape and get to a dominate position, caught a couple of triangles from guard at different points.

[blandy]

Thursday 10th January

BJJ Class

Open mat, sparred for about an hour and a half with Jimmy. He is a blue belt that has been training BJJ for about a year but is a black belt in judo as well, really good submission defence and good control from top (and escapes). Caught him in a couple of bow and arrow chokes and omaplatta’s and generally was dominate positionally. Generally managed to escape well from bottom, trying to concentrate on technique since Jimmy is a lot smaller than me.

[blandy]

Friday 11th January

No Gi Class

Started with some guard passing, shrimping the length of the mat and 100 BW squats.

Covered the armbar from guard, started with a basic cross gripping behind their elbow and same side wrist, pull across as shrimping your hips to get it across your stomach, foot on the hip to keep ever thing tight, pivot and pressure down with your other leg, pass leg over their head, keep nice and tight, lift hips to finish. Went on to cover the pendulum sweep, the armbar by griping behind their head and same side elbow and finally an armbar from rubber guard, “the pump” where you have mission control but they keep their hand on the mat.

Sparred 3x6 minute rounds at the end