Christmas is often used as an excuse for over indulgence and general idleness and relaxation. I had fully intended to indulge myself as much as the next man, but have actually managed to lose weight and get fitter over the last 2 weeks. Bizarre I know. The reasons for this peculiar behaviour are complicated and I shan’t explain in detail. Suffice it to say I haven’t touched a drop of booze (bar one pint which fell into my mouth on Christmas Eve) and have eaten quite cleanly. I’m not writing this to make anyone feel bad, I just think its strange that despite my best intentions to overdose on twiglets, wine and Christmas pudding I never actually got round to it.

This stands me in good stead for January though as I have agreed to a fight on February 28th at Ross Pointon’s new promotion in Stoke on Trent. I will list details as appropriate later next month. I’m entering 2009 with a fresh attitude and a good level of base fitness. I’ve concentrated more on cardio and short sharp high intensity intervals, which are paying off as my numbers and times are climbing back to the standards I’ve expected of myself in the past. Hopefully by January’s end they will be better than ever.

There is an irony in that I had intended to do an intense 6 week ‘camp’ to prepare for this fight, but due to current circumstances I think my preparation may be a little less intense this time as my fitness is at a good level already. Hopefully this will give me more time for technique and strategy this time round (I was very fitness oriented for my previous fights, bar Rocci). All my fights have differed in preparation and result and I have yet to ‘get it right’. Funnily enough Matt still maintains that the best prepared I’ve been for a fight is the one I lost against Eugene Fadiora. What does that tell you?! Actually, I’ll be interested to see how he fares in the future as he’s clearly a talented lad. I still feel that that fight could’ve been a real belter but I didn’t perform. I’m not saying the result would be different necessarily, I wouldn’t be so unsporting, but I think had I not shot on him like a cartoon Frankenstein the fight may have been very different. I digress, back to the impending fight.

Preparation for this fight will be different again. I don’t feel I need to spend as much time on my cardio or even sparring this time, obviously they’re not to be ignored completely though! I think some of my Jiu Jitsu needs refining and while my wrestling is a strength, it lacks finesse. I inevitably at some point end up ‘spazzing out’ (to coin an oft used and highly inappropriate phrase) and going for brawn over brains. It works, but therein lays the reason for relying so heavily on my fitness. I do need to definitely put on weight. My intention since September had been to put on a few kilos as I walk around at 84kg on the button. Hopefully my massive order from Myprotein will help me out there through the New Year. I’d like to be walking round at close to 87-88kg really but find the strength training/cardio ratios of training end up favouring weight loss. I need someone to boss me around a bit more.

I apologise for 2 things before I finish. One is that it’s been so long since I posted and the other is the rambling nature of this entry. I’ve been very (positively) distracted over the last week and a half and the Christmas break saw very little MMA. Onwards and upwards in 2009, I’m looking to a special year. Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous New Year!

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!