[James Funaro]

Currently I am 4-3 in amateur MMA. Lost my last two matches by TKO, which sucks. Took time off to work a lot and am now starting to train again. Should have a good schedule set up soon.

I figure my schedule will look like this:
Mon: BJJ morning, Kickbox night
Tues:Lift morning
Wed:
Thurs: BJJ (no gi) morn/night
Fri: Lift morning
Sat: BJJ morning
Sunday: BJJ (no gi) morn

Also I plan on sparring at a local boxing gym once a week.

My goals are to get my boxing and grappling to be awesomefantasticextremecoolgreat.

No MMA competitions for a while, I plan to concentrate on being a competitive grappler and eventually boxer for a while to aid my goals.

Also looking to get my lifts up. Goals(as 1rm)/Current
Deadlift - 500 / 455
Bench - 315 / ? 100lb DB for 9 reps
Row - 200 (t bar strict form) /160 for some odd reps
DB press - 90 / 70 for 3
Weighted Pullup- 135 / 105


OK, off to gym.

[James Funaro]

Have an order of beta alanine, creatine, GABA, and Inhibit-E (ATD) coming in. Going to wait a while on the ATD but definitely going to need creatine and beta alanine to help recovery for the work I plan to be doing.

The GABA is for the great sleep once in a while, honestly the best sleep I ever have is when I use GABA.

Also just ordered the Fairtex Saftey Training Glove, I feel like it's Christmas for me lol.

As for the gym I just got back, it was good. Not used to being up this early in a while so while I had a good workout things will go better once I get in a groove of things.

[mschatz]

Good to see, James. What weight do you compete at?

[mmuhr2]

yeah also curious as to your size, as 455 is a big pull.

[James Funaro]

I am going to be competing at 170 but my past fights were all at 175-180 as that is what my opponents weighed.

I weighed 170 when I pulled 455, and am currently 170.

[James Funaro]

Lifted weights on Monday. Had previously pulled my back but it went well.

DB Bench at 90 went for 5,3,2,1,1 in one rest pause set where you lift a few reps, 20-30 second break, lift a few, etc. Trying that as it keeps all the reps explosive and fast.

Chest supported T-Bar Rows- 5x135, 1x160, 5,6x135
Leg Press- 3x540

Didn't go all out as I didn't want my back to re-injure. I replaced the squat with leg press as I feel deadlifting and squatting on top of all the other martial arts work is too much to recover from.

[James Funaro]

Tuesday night was BJJ. Lots of sparring, 3 rounds of 6 minutes with a 15 minute king of the hill at the end, stayed in the whole time, was tired but made it through.
Blew through a new white belt first and just saw what I could do and if my back would be OK. It was so I kept rolling.
Next went with a purple and happy to say I took his back and had control for a few minutes. While I was attemoting a kimura he reveresed and NS choked me. I noticed I am able to defend chokes a lot better now, it might take them a good minute or two to get the tap or I get out. Where I used to tap almost immediately.
Last roll went on with another blue, we stalemated with him on bottom half guar and me on top with an overhook. We end up there a lot, both trying to move but we just nullify each other there so much.

[James Funaro]

BJJ then straight into kickboxing tonight. Hour each.
Went well, recently I have been jumping right into armbar from the knees when I am getting stiff-armed and it is working a lot.
Also, been using the counter shot a lot and it works 100% of the time anyone has my leg as long as I can sprawl out. Puts me in side mount easliy.

Sparring in kickboxing I made sure to stay tight to my partner so they would try and punch me in the head, worked head movement the whole time. Didn't get hit too much and occasionally I would counter, though I was really just working head movement.

Made sure to let my partners know for next time that they have to REALLY try and hit me, and not to worry about pulling punches. I even let them hit me a few times and didn't react to make sure they got used to hitting me and weren't trying to be all nice.

[James Funaro]

Lifted this morning and was supposed to go to BJJ tonight but I fell asleep. Did a lot of sparring and work the past few days so I think I am still getting used to the intensity.

Should be fine next week.

[James Funaro]

Today was a big sparring day, went to NYC'S The FightHouse to meet a bunch of people and spar (yes Bullshido TD).
Couple rounds of grappling followed by kickboxing/boxing/pankration/MMA rounds.

Had a Sambo guy just turn his back to me and roll into toe holds at least 5 times as he showed me how to counter and avoid those attacks. Spent time fixing my leg attacks and making them tigher, staying high side, etc.
Most of the other rolls I had were with people less experienced in grappling so I just worked some new things I don't normally d, or just took my time and stayed technical.

On boxing I felt great, lots of head movement, lots of counter punching, and good defence. Kept a high guard when fighting in tight which worked well ( I used to do this, it worked good, then for some reason I stoppped). Able to stick my jab in a lot and use it to set up combos.

Kickboxing rounds went OK, fought some guys from the Wat and Sitydong who kicked me in the face a lot. But I felt my boxing was doing well and kept to low leg kicks/teeps/boxing mostly. Even snuck in a few sidekicks which scored nicely when I used them.
Again I tended to do better when I extended my punches (bad habit of not doing it sometimes) and worked my boxing.

Took a hard kick in the head that put me down for a minute, I am at the moment susceptible to high kicks unfortunately, need some tuning up on that.

Did one MMA round with one of the Thai boxers and felt I got the better of the standup exchanges, feel more natural in MMA striking, proabbaly they are just more leary of throwing those kicks. Worked the corner a few times, press him up and punch/knee, and finished it with a kneebar.

Look forward to some more hard contact standup real soon.