[Team Dragonfire]

I'm not sure how many people read my original thread in this forum, but more than a few of you contributed to the successes that I've made because of my first log. For reference, I've copied my first post in my original log and will comment on it after.(flab to fight ready... post college plan - Sherdog Mixed Martial Arts Forums

Originally Posted by Team Dragonfire

hey guys and gals,

I just graduated college and I'm weighing in at 220lbs and i'm about 6'1" - 6'2" (the latter is on a good day). I was down around 215, but i've recently begun taking creatine and i've put on about 5 lbs on water weight... at risk of being photoshopped, i might put some pictures on here as to track my aesthetic progress...

i figure if i start keeping a log on here of what I'm doing every day, then I'll have even MORE motivation to continue working out every day to get in shape. I'm currently living in northern indiana where there is NOWHERE, and i mean NOWHERE to train in any sort of kickboxing, wrestling, jiujitsu, or judo... maybe i'll join a boxing gym soon enough, but for now, its the YMCA (a brand new AMAZING facility)..


Thats all for now... hopefully I can keep this thing going all summer and into my teaching career and then even into me moving to chicago next year where I can really start training!

Any input would be great!

Summary: I found a few guys who did jiu jitsu back where my parents lived and trained with them a bit while lifting heavily. I watched my strength increase a lot but I wasn't gaining too much skill by only rolling once or twice a week and training with 3 other guys. Then I moved up near Chicago, but didn't have money to train for a long time so I continued lifting weights as much as possible and getting into more grappling oriented workouts. Finally, I have the money and independence necessary to eat, train, and generally live the way that I want to. The last log chronicled one of the most intense periods of change in my entire life.. hope you enjoyed the ride... I did.

CHANGES:

The difference between the first log and this is:

• I've moved to Chicago and live on my own
• I have jobs that more than pay for me to live and train
• I have exponentially improved my overall nutrition
• I weigh 193lbs. (still a little flabby, but a lot of lean muscle)
• I have an AMAZING gym that I train bjj and kickboxing (Torres Martial Arts for any of you in the area)

I've made a lot of changes in my life since the inception of this log and couldn't be happier that I've shared them with you all. I can't wait to update this log after every class / workout and it keeps me going to just reread all of my older entries.


GOALS(*edited 6/26/08*):

• Compete in another grappling tournament prior to the arnolds next year
• Work on opening my guard more
• Work just as much on conditioning as strength
• Get my blue belt
  

  Strength and Conditioning - Current / Goals:
  Bench - 230/ 250 (12/24/07)
  Push Press - 205/ 225 (7/13/07)
  Power Clean – 205 / 225 (12/20/07)
  Squat - 375 / 405 (9/11/08)
  Front Squat 275/ 300 (1/26/08)
  Deadlift - 450 / 495 ('08)
  PL Total = (Bench(230)+Deadlift(450)+Squat(375))=10 55 (9/11/08)/1100

  1k Row - 3:19 / 3:00 (1/26/08)

Strength Lifting Routine:

1. Main Lift
2. Main Assistance
3. Main / Secondary Assistance / Power
4. Power

EXAMPLES:

Push:

• Bench Press (Main)
• Push Press / Strict OHP (Main)
• Close-Grip Bench Press (Assist)
• Weighted Dips (Assist)
• Medicine Ball Throws / Plyo Pushups (Power)

Pull:

• Deadlift (Main)
• Stiff-Leg Deadlift (Assist)
• Weighted Pullups / Chinups (Assist)
• Rows (Assist)
• Cleans / Swings (Power)

Squat:

• Squat / Pistols (Main)
• Front Squat (Assist)
• Lunges / Weighted Step Up (Assist)
• Jump Squats / Lateral Jumps (Power)

GPP / Fight Specific Lifting (updated 3/23/07):

Will be doing alot of stuff from the crossfit website. Really picking and choosing my favorite workouts. So, odds are, that anything labelled GPP / Interval / Core in here is either stolen from Ross Enamait or Crossfit. Welcome to CrossFit: Forging Elite Fitness OR RossTraining - Bridging The Gap Between Ordinary and Extraordinary

Comments:

I hope to keep this log going all year. I felt that I had changed too much and my goals have changed to reflect that. You'll see me in training and competing in my first competition ever and I hope to have as much input from others as possible.

[Team Dragonfire]

Jiu - Jitsu (Gi):

Worked on flattening out an opponent when you are in their half guard:

• Cross Face - Put forearm or bicep across face and walk fingers forward until opponent flattens onto their back to relieve pressure
• Tricep Grab - When opponent uses a cross face defense, grab their lower arm tricep and pull upwards (not sleeve, too much slack), this should pull out their base and cause them to flatten out
• Once opponent is flattened out, begin working out leg.

Rolling:

4x 3min. rounds - Went with two larger guys and, with a gi on, I have no idea how to get out from under larger opponents. Both times, I was able to prevent submissions, but we also didn't get anywhere.

Kickboxing / Conditioning:

Around 20 x 1min. rounds. Full rounds were a mix of:

• bodyweight squats
• Ab exercises
• Knees against the wall
• Knees on heavy bag
• Punch combinations on heavy bag
• Punch / kick / knee combinations on heavy bag

Took a bit of a break at the 10 min. mark and then went back at it.

[MICAH muay thai]

the kickboxing you are taking, is is strictly kicks, do they mix in knees a lot or not really?

[Team Dragonfire]

yeah, we use knees a LOT in our combinations and especially when we train mma, but not elbows so much.

[Team Dragonfire]

January 9th, 2006

Lifting:

• 3x8 Bicep Curls (40)
• 3x10 Front Raises (25)
• 3x10 Lateral Rows (65)
• 3x12 Deadlifts (80.. wayyy to easy)
• 3x10 Double Axe Chops (25)
• 3x20 Elevated Tricep Dips (BW)

** I'm considering buying Ross's 'Never Gymless' so that I can work out at home, but although I already know a TON of exercises that I want to do at home, anything that involves me putting anything over my head is out of the question as my ceiling is only 6'6" at most and I'm already 6'1". In the near future, I may be investing in a bench so that I can start doing seated lifts.

[Team Dragonfire]

Wednesday, January 10th, 2007

Jiu-Jitsu (Gi):

• Armbar from Guard (forearm / tricep control): grab opponent's sleeve and pull it across your chest. To aid in this, reach UNDER opponent's opposite arm and grab the arm being attacked and pull on the tricep (not sleeve). BUmp hips out to the side and push off opponent's hip in order to swivel hips. Pinch knees together as tight as possible and keep opponent's arm TIGHT to chest.
• Armbar from Guard (double sleeve control): Miguel plays a game where he moves his hips a lot and this is his armbar. He gets double sleeve control and uses opponent's arms to move his hips around. Pretty much the same idea as above, remembering to keep opponent close.

Rolling:

Did fairly well taking opponents' backs tonight from the guard, but I'm still learning collar chokes and I have problems defending them because I don't know what's dangerous and what isn't.


Kickboxing / Conditioning:

Did about 15 minutes of 1 and 2 minute rounds hitting the heavy bag, ab reps, kicks, knees on bag / wall, etc.

[Team Dragonfire]

Thursday, January 11th, 2006

Lifting:

• 3x8 Bicep Curls (40)
• 3x10 Front Raises (25)
• 3x10 Lateral Rows (65)
• 3x10 Double Axe Chops (25)
• 3x20 Elevated Tricep Dips (BW)

[Team Dragonfire]

Saturday, January 13th, 2006

Bas Rutten All Around Workout - This was damn brutal. It's, without a doubt, the hardest workout that I do. 30 minutes of 1 minute sets of hard shadowboxing, pushups, abs, neck exercises, sprawls, lunges, jump ups with knees to chest. I felt ill after this workout haha.

[Team Dragonfire]

Monday, January 15th, 2007


Kickboxing:

3 min jump rope warmup
Approximately 45 minutes of focus mitt combinations: mainly punches and knees today

Jiu-Jitsu (Nogi):

Half guard sweeps:

• Push over: After getting double underhooks, try to reach down and grab opponent's NON-trapped foot. Once you have it, whip up to the side and force all of your weight into them while simultaneously pushing against them.
• Slip Sweep: From double underhooks, slide arm down and underhook their non-trapped leg. Remembering to keep head TIGHT to their hip, explode out the back door and immediately release half guard in order to control opponent.
• From failed Slip Sweep: If opponent posts out both hands and stops your from being able to slip out the back door, slip the outside leg of the half guard under their leg. Going against conventional ideas on half guard, lay flat on your back and, all at once, lift opponent with the foot on their hip, spin to opposite side, and land in their guard on the balls on your feet, ready to pass.
• Kimura Sweep:
• Breakdown at the end of sweep: if opponent makes it to turtle position following a slip sweep, grab ahold of opposite side arm with both hands (one over, one under) and push into opponent until they flatten out, leaving you in side control

Rolling:

3min. rounds with Mike and Ken. 2 on and 1 off rotating. Did about 8 or 10 rounds total.

[Team Dragonfire]

Tuesday, January 16th, 2006


Lifting:

3x8 Bicep Curls (40)
3x10 Front Raises (25)
3x10 Lateral Rows (65)
3x10 Double Axe Chops (25)
3x15 Deadlifts (40s)


Now remember, I'm not really serious about the lifting right now, I just want to do some type of less-intense workout on my off days because when I do go to the gym (2-3 times a week), the stuff we do is pretty much non-stop for 3 hours. The workouts I do at home aren't that great except for the Bas Rutten stuff. Maybe once I get some more time, I'll start researching better home workouts.