For a little more than three months there, I was hating
life. I know, it’s total hyperbole. But it was a struggle and towards the end
there, anxiety had replaced all the fun that I normally get out of training.
Early Registration
I registered for the IBJJF Open early for two reasons: 1) to qualify for the early registration
discount and 2) to ensure that I wouldn’t chicken out. As I’ve mentioned
copious times in previous posts, I hate competition so laying a sizeable amount
of cash down that my boss… er, wife, doesn’t want me spending is insurance that
I’ll follow through on the deposit. The other thing that early registration did
for me was allow me the time to train with intention and cut weight in the
healthiest way possible.
Weight Management
So the last time I competed, I did as high school wrestlers
do and hyper-hydrated myself the week leading up to weigh-in, ate vegan and cut
out carbs completely – and then starving those last two days, peeing and
spitting out whatever was left in me. It wasn’t like I was eating totally
normal the week prior, but I definitely changed it up that last week. The last
12-15 pounds came off in that last week. As anyone who’s done this can tell
you, it’s no fun. And while I didn’t feel totally weak like some did, I wasn’t
in good shape – strength-wise. This time around, I switched things up and
adopted intermittent fasting. I know that some folks are fierce with this –
going full days without eating and really regulating their intake of protein
and carbs to gain muscle. For me, my goal was to burn fat, lose weight and
preserve both energy and muscle. I cut myself off at 8pm on the nights I didn’t
train and on the nights that I did, I would try and eat before 9pm. I wouldn’t
eat again until 12 or 1pm the next day with only a cup of coffee and some
almond milk in the morning. The first week was really rough, I must admit.
Mornings weren’t so bad but I tend to graze after dinner, munching on anything
from nuts to ice cream. So that was a tough habit to wean myself off of. In the
first two weeks, I saw about five pounds come off. That was encouraging. Given
that I had three months to prepare, this was a sign that I could manage a
steady weight loss without sacrificing energy and better yet, train in the
shape that I’d eventually be in for my match. I enjoyed a summer vacation,
several date nights and a few summer backyard barbecues without feeling like a
total party pooper. I pretty much ate like normal with a few exceptions (I
refrained from breakfast, limited my alcohol intake and ate hot dogs and
burgers without the bun). The last week before competition, I was extremely
careful since the scale at the gym and my scale at home never agreed (who knew
what the competition scale would say?). I kept my lunches limited to muesli and
berries or vegan protein shakes and my dinners consisted of eggs and beans and
carb-free. There was a lot of water and zero alcohol. When I weighed in, I came
in at 176 with gi. This meant that all in all, I had lost 17 pounds in three
months.
Cross Training
Unlike the last go around, I mixed it up because not
everyone is Marcelo Garcia (I’m a lot closer to Jerry Garcia). I ran a lot more
than I’m accustomed to. I would accompany my wife every week or so to her gym
and hop on the treadmill for a mile or two and then work a circuit that included
a variety of movement exercises such as rowing, medicine ball slams, punching
bag, heavy ropes and box jumps. I also supplemented with some moderate
weight-lifting. The result was that through the entire process, I felt strong
and energetic – and this powered me through my work on the mats. And while I
would eventually lose my match, my increased cardio allowed me to keep the
pressure on while I attempted to pass my opponent’s guard – something I could
not do a year ago.
Drills and Rolls
The first two months of training after registration were the
best. I was incredibly focused and everything was filled with intention –
especially drilling. I rediscovered details I had forgotten. In my rolling, I
worked from and within sucky positions – which actually isn’t that tough since
I often find myself on bottom. As weeks passed and game day got closer, I steadily
increased the rigor and frequency of my rolls. I made a pact with my coach and
a heavyweight wrestler to roll with them every single class and I kept to that,
even when the energy and will left my body. I stayed for extra sessions and
attended open mats, sneaking in additional rolls each week to get my body
acclimated to the movements – so that I could respond, in the moment, come the
day of the match. In the week leading up to the competition, I was present
three days in a row, keeping my foot on the gas pedal, but neither accelerating
nor coasting. The last thing I wanted to do was injure myself.
Hindsight is 20/20
So what would I do different – knowing that I would tap out
to a rear-naked-choke in the last minute of the round? Outside of how I rolled
in the weeks leading up, nothing. I was proud of how I trained and if there’s a
true success to be celebrated, it was that I had become a stronger version of
myself. I didn’t abuse my body and put in the work that I challenged myself to
do. That said, there are many areas of improvement. With regards to training,
though, it’s really about the way I rolled at the gym. Like my coach often
reminds me, I’m too comfortable on the bottom. And while that might work at the
gym, it doesn’t play out too well on the competition floor when my opponent is
going 100%. Yes, work from the bottom and bad positions, but I should not be
content with staying there when the clock runs out. If I haven’t escaped,
re-established guard or obtained top position, it is a loss. My game will not
change until I can nail that on the regular. And there it is – my tasks for the
next months and year of training.
Oss.
