Back For The New Year

I decided when my mom got sick to re-evaluate my priorities and updating my blog didn't make the cut. I dropped everything having to do with training my clients/fighters and spent quite a bit of time back in IL with my family as my mom won the toughest fight there is, against a very aggressive cancer. For all of the fighting that I train for, I will never measure up to my mother who fought off breast cancer by the force of her own will and determination, with a smile on the face of the most beautiful bald woman ever :) She's by far the toughest woman I've ever met, and how lucky am I that she is not only my inspiration and role model, but also my mother. Even in her hardest days fighting with the side effects of chemotherapy, she was still out there walking, jogging, and (as of recent) using her new elliptical machine daily. She did a lot of body-weight only exercises within her range of motion limits, but kept reminding me (as she did going in to her first surgery which was on her birthday in Sept.) that "This time next year I'll be windsurfing in the Caribbean and back on the tennis court in full force!" She is so strong, determined, and never once complained about what she was going through. She is so positive and by the grace of God, has just had her last successful surgery which came shortly after her last chemo treatment around Christmas.

I have certainly not abandoned training. In fact, I have been training my butt off for some (hopefully) upcoming events that I am very much looking forward to. I have brought new focus to my training to make me a better athlete, boxer, and jiu jitsu fighter. My strength and conditioning has been primarily in an effort to better myself at these specifics.

A very general idea of what I have been doing includes lots of the VO2 Max protocol workouts to increase my anaerobic conditioning which is essential to my sports. I have been working a lot with swings and high pulls and also various interval workouts that have involved strength training (lifting, etc.) w/ kettlebells. I've been runnin' for fun, the fat burning benefits, and really to keep my sanity. The gym is only good for dead lifting and squats, which I have really come to appreciate the gains acquired in those two things. I have been wrecking my abs and core (not just for vanity), but because so much of my power comes from there. Other than that, lots of sports specific stuff: boxing 5 days a week and jiu jitsu 2-3 times a week. Took a break from these over the holidays, but kept in awesome shape and came back from Christmas at home in better anaerobic shape than when I left. I did have an unbeatable place to train in our basement, and nothing beats working your butt off, hitting the steam room, then out to the hot tub. I've got it so good back there. If I just could have brought my coaches with me, it would have been a sweet ass training camp. But, I did have my dad out there who was encouraging/coaching me. He is quite the badass himself and an accomplished boxer in his day (by accomplished I mean that his dad used to take him to the bars when he was a young man and bet on him to fight the grown men).

So, my intention from here on out is to keep a training log and updates on upcoming fights, jj tournaments (my prep for them- to include cutting weight- boo), and all of the other very sweet stuff going on in my life. I'm really looking forward to this upcoming year and all the awesome things that will be happening! Till tomorrow...