I began working out in 1989 when I was 17 years old and never thought I would be any bigger than I was then, a measly 155 pounds. That way not seem to small, but for a guy who’s 5′ 11′, with a bit of a self esteem problem, I wanted to gain size. The trouble with working out in a typical gym is knowing what to workout, doing the workout right, and working out what is right for your body’s needs. Now, almost 20 years later I am 195 pounds and 37 years old so not only am I trying to stay fit, but I have to keep the fat off as well. When you’re young you can workout and usually don’t have to worry what you eat, as you get older, your metabolism will slow down (I never thought it would actually happen to me) and you have to be more aware of what you put down your throat.
After all these years of pumping weights and the same old boring routine, I grew tired and began to slow down. Of course, it didn’t take long before the muscle faded and I began to look my age, something I never wanted to do! When I was in college I remember being at a party and somebody telling me “you have to check this out” and proceeded to show me UFC #1. I had never seen anything like it and was taken back because they were beating the hell out of each other,but it was sure exciting. The original UFCs would pit a 180-pound grappler against a 500-pound sumo wrestler or maybe a man versed in Kempo Karate would battle a eighth degree black belt in some outrageous martial art that had a cool title. I would size the people up and usually thought I could pick the winner, but to my surprise I was always taken back when the underdog or the guy who wasn’t as fit as the other would demolish his opponent. If these fighters won, they would have to move on and fight again, in the same night until they reached the top and would be awarded a small fee.
As time went on the UFC had weight classes and in a few short years the skills of the fighters skyrocketed. Once Royce Gracie showed us that size truly didn’t matter, it was on! Most fighters know that no matter how well they are in a stand up game, the fight will more than likely go to the ground, especially if your opponent has a wrestling background of any type. I have seen so many fighters do well standing up, but the moment they hit the ground panic sets in and they are wiped up as cleanly and as quickly as possible. In the beginning this surprised me, but as time went on I knew exactly why. People were learning the art of Jiu Jitsu, “The Gentle Art” and could use their body in ways they never dreamed of. When I was growing up if a fight went to the ground and you were on bottom, you were surely going to lose! In Jiu Jitsu, some prefer being on bottom, or “pulling guard” so that the other is directly on top of you but inside your legs, which are usually wrapped around your opponent to set up your next move.
Although I have been watching UFC for 15 years now, it wasn’t until recently that I decided to actually try it. Besides, I had been watching it, it excited me, but I was a little intimidated. Once I joined a local gym in my town that teaches MMA (mixed martial arts) called Out of The Box. I found there was nothing to be intimidated by. All the people were great in helping me learn and as time went on I grew closer to these people than I ever had with any gym membership. I would leave class feeling so energetic and excited, even after the intense workouts! When I was a member at a gym I would workout and be super tired because I was doing the same thing over and over again. I would “roll” with a partner, which is where we would basically stay on the ground and go until one of us tapped out. In my new classes I would drill different moves that made me more confident the next time I would roll. I learned taps like the Kimora, key-lock or Americana, Triangle choke, arm bar, neck crank, and even found myself somehow in a crucifix, which I couldn’t have gotten out of in a million years.
The guys in the UFC are ripped for a reason. After reading Chuck Liddell’s book “My Fighting Life”, I understood why he can fight for 25 minutes if he had to. The most amazing thing began to happen as I went to these workouts. I began to get more cut than ever before, my confidence skyrocketed because now I could defend myself properly, and now when I watch the UFC I understand exactly what is going on and love it even more. I have not been back to a “typical” gym since I started MMA training because it could never give me the workout or the excitement I get from my new sport. If anyone has doubts about this type of training, join the club, I was hesitant, but once I began to see the results of my training I knew this was “it”. I have more cardio than ever before, my muscles are stronger than ever, my confidence is at an all-time high, and I continue to get better and better each and every day. I found that by just giving your body a small workout that you enjoy, you will not give up on it, you will maintain your physique, and you will have the confidence when you take your shirt off. The workouts we do are intense, but they are energizing and muscle-toning and muscle-building, bottom line! Thaiboxning