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Reasons to stay in bed
03 Oct 2009 12:40PM
I’m sat here on Saturday morning, its 9.55am and I’m waiting for Ian to turn up for a 10 O’clock fitness session in the ‘dungeon’ (or my garage, as the uninitiated call it). If I’m perfectly honest I’d much rather be still wearing the bed-warmed t-shirt and shorts I had on an hour ago and just sipping the first coffee of the day. Instead I made myself get up earlier than I wanted to so I could squeeze some breakfast in with enough time to let it settle in. (I can’t train on an empty stomach). You see, I have no reason for the impending hour of sweat, lactic acid and exercise induced groaning... it’s not my fight.
Ian is making his semi-pro debut on October 17th at the Urban Knights event in Derby and as a team we’ve spent the last month or more preparing him. He’s actually trained longer than normal as the event date was moved back 3 weeks. It has been an interesting exercise watching Ian’s preparations as a bit part player. I’ve been a grappling dummy for him and chimed in with my ‘useful’ tips, but for the most part Pep has had full control of his game plan and structure of the sessions. I have helped Ian a little with fitness/conditioning advice, but he was a fit strong lad already. That said the last 6 to 8 weeks have proved something to us both. I have tried to emphasise to Ian the importance of putting oneself in ‘the darkness’ (see previous blog:) if for no other reason than to gain confidence in feeling uncomfortable. It has made me realise 2 things. The first is how unfamiliar that feeling has become to me and secondly that to put oneself there takes enormous self motivation. My motivation is currently in a slump and Ian’s is soaring. It’s great to see in him, though proportionately depressing to wonder where mine has gone.
It’s now 11.35am and Ian has been and gone. He smashed the targets I set him in all the areas we worked on a few weeks back... he’s been training hard and clearly smart as well. I know this often gets said, but I feel for his opponent... Ian’s conditioning for his game plan is spot on. He has no lactic acid, his lungs and heart must now leave no room for other organs and psychologically I think he’s ready... he’s ready to eat his own guts and ask for seconds. (Film geeks spot the quote).
I think I enjoyed myself, but I’m not sure. I enjoyed getting a sweat on and I enjoyed helping Ian out. But as I said to Ian when he arrived I think I’d still have preferred to slob in front of the TV for a few hours. That said I do now feel justified in having an afternoon nap in front of some uninteresting sport and I fully intend to eat a whole tub of Ben and Jerry’s tonight... I wonder if they’d sponsor me?
Next week is Ian’s last full week of fight prep. I’ll get some video/pics of the sparring and pressure drills for your entertainment. Here is one short clip of me and Ian doing some (75%) pressure drills against the wall... please excuse David’s commentary/cornering.
http://www.youtube.com/user/nogidavid#play/uploads/3/P0q47nYo5ds
David has other videos on his channel of sparring/drills. There’s also stuff from his trip to Brazil you might find interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/user/nogidavid
Till next time... remember, there’s no headshots on the ground... oops... J
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