Day 3

Day 3

Okay, so last night was day 3 of MMA. I had got major butterflies and nerves the few hours leading up to going again - this time because 1. I know how hard the cardio is, and 2. I was SO very sore from the previous day it was hard enough walking down the stairs of my apartment (literally) that cardio was totally out of the question. My intentions were to just go show up and show them that I wasn't going to give up even though I was in pain and that I was going to keep going, even if I couldn't participate. I was thinking I MAY do the 'technique' portion if my legs could handle that, but who knew. It was mainly my thighs that absolutely killed me.. the rugburn is annoying as hell but you can fight through that type of pain.. but the thigh muscles were just totally shot..

So I showed up, early as usual and it wasn't open again.. so I waited and then met a new guy who showed up - Adam. He was visiting his girlfriend on the island for Christmas for a couple weeks so he would only be attending 2 classes here then going down to Victoria then back to Surrey. Which sucks.. because he was really nice and I really enjoyed talking to him and rolling with him. Then Martin showed up and we waited for the others to show up. I told Martin about how I was sore and that the bunny hops totally shot up my legs, and he said "Heh, that's funny.. I remember another guy who was new here before and he said the bunny hops did it for him too..." so that's good to know.

So John came and I told him how the cardio the previous day had totally killed me and that I was just going to come to watch, but that I'd tried to do some technique or roll later if I was able to. He said that was fine...

We did some stretching and warming up, and I was trying to message my thighs, and Martin sees me and tells me to do it WAY harder.. like pound it in there and really work them hard and stretch harder.. so I did.. and wow.. that really helped.. I was surprirsed.. I'd thought that'd make it worse but that made them like 80% better..

So they started to do the cardio, starting with the squats and then the bunny hop (they only did one back and forth on the bunny hop this time.. I think we did like 2 or maybe even 3 on Wednesday...) Then after that, Theo - a guy who I saw just drop in and talk to the other guys sometimes, but not participate, was there in gear this time and doing the cardio. He saw me sitting out and called me out asking me why I wasn't doing it.. I told him, confident in my answer because I knew I couldn't do it. And I wasn't gonna let him make me do it because I knew I couldn't.. I was just sitting out there because I was afraid or anything.. but omg.. he kept at it.. he wouldn't let it go lol.. so I finally conceeded and was like "uh... okaaaay...." he said something like "You might as well push yourself.. it's the only way..". So I started, and I was actually doing it. I laughed to myself because I was 110% sure I wasn't going to do the cardio, then there I was doing it.

It was hard like I remembered it.. and the fast crunches I swear they do for longer than 5 minutes.. has to be.. or it sure feels like it.. I actually manged to do fairly well. In fact, maybe abotu 5-10% better than I did on Wednesday. But, I'm thinking that's because I didn't do the squats and bunny hop at the beginning. I did everythign else though. I didn't do as much as the other guys of course.. I only did about 70% of the pushups that they did, and in other things we did I only did about 75% of what they did.. but I was trying as hard as I could.. it was hell but I was giving it my all.

I was NOT looking forward to the ropes, because I knew I couldn't do that... especially since it's a total killer on your legs, but they did something in replace of it. John set the timer for 10 minutes, and we jog to one end and back, then do like 10-12 squats, then jog to the end and back again, then do these 'giant steps' where you do a stomp kick then bend down deep to the other side, then jog to the end and back, then these weird hard things where you sprall/fall down into a pushup position then kind of jump back up, and do like 6-8 of those or so, then jog to the end and back, and repeat all of those until the 10 minutes were up.

Now, something kind of amazed me here. First off, I lasted this far into the cardio, and second, I didn't think I'd be able to last more than 1 minute doing this new thing.. but something strange happened.. I just kept going at it and going and going.. and some guys stopped a few times to go and sit out for a bit and get water and talk.. and at one point, it was just me and 3 other guys left doing it.. now, I'm NOT saying I outlasted those guys because that's definitely not it... they did them faster than me and they just like to chat with each other sometimes, but the point was I kept going at it.. I wasn't giving up. I made it to the VERY end of 10 minutes, and we were done cardio. I was so beat.. but I felt so happy and accomplished I did the cardio. Thanks Theo for pushing me.. I was pissed off at him at first because it was like "wtf.. just respect that I can't do it!" but now I'm happy he made me.

This time, it was my arms that hurt more than my legs unlike last time; probably because I didn't do the bunny hops, but also because those jumping pushups do a number on your arms.
So we had a quick water break, then went to technique. There were 7 people there so when we paired up for it there was an extra man, me, and I just went to where Martin and Adam were and watched them. Now, I learned my lesson from last time, and this time i made the initiative and asked if I could intervene and try a couple times, Martin said sure and sat out and I went against Adam (oh great. Me against the 6'1/6'2 200 lb guy) and we did technique for maybe 30 minutes (cardio was like 45). ONe of the positions we worked on was from side control, moving into another position which I forget what its called, then this interesting leg choke.. it was really interesting. I tried it a few times, and then I heard somebody calling my name.. it was John. He was sitting on the side apparantly with the others.. they were taking a break and talking but he appantly saw me in the action and told me to push his elbow up more into the choke to make it tighter.. but the point was that he saw me.. which made me happy.. so that he knows I'm trying and not just sitting out. Then Adam tried the choke on me.. which was scarey.. he's a big guy lol.. and he had the choke tight, but it wasnt tight enough to make me submit, so I told him (or rather motioned him with my arm because i couldnt speak) to do it tighter, then lol i submitted quickly.

After technique, it was rolling/sparing time. Martin and Adam went for a while, and Martin made him submit about 5 times.. one was with a really nicely executed armbar. Then they rested, then I challenged Martin. I didn't really know what to do because Im' still so new, and when we were up circling each other I said "I don't really know what to do" and he replied "Just kick my ass", so we went at it, and I forget what happened the first two times. I lasted maybe..... 40 seconds the first 2 times, then tapped out to weird submissions he had on me, then the 3rd time there was a lot of hard position fighting, and I got into his guard (he's so fast on the ground, I was happy to be in his guard lol) and he was moving so fast and strong, so I put my arms around his neck in a crank, and whenever he tried to roll or something i just squeezed as hard as i could.. I had no idea what to do.. I was thinking.. whats my next step? but I didn't know what to do.. he put a gutbuster thingy on me.. where you lock one leg around the body and tie it down with the other leg.. u know? so i was in tight.. and couldnt do anything but hang on.. then he managed to squeeze my head somehow and it started to hurt more and more so i tapped. then i was done forthe night. i watched a bit more, then theo came up to me and i talked to him for a bit. we walked around and talked, and i found out that one of my favourite fighters, rickson gracie, is coming to the island! he said him and some others from the gym were probably gonna go to the seminar.. wow that's so cool.. i'd lvoe to go, but I'd be way too afraid.. and it might not benefit me since it'd be soooooo over my head.

Anyhow, then I got dressed and said bye to everyone, which is one of my favourite parts as always.. next class is on Wednesday - because of the holidays, which is welcome to me, so my body can repair itself somewhat. i shoudl be good to go by wednesday. as for injuries.. im hurting more than i did from last time.. got even MORe rugburn to add to my existing ones, and hurt my big toe knuckles somehow, and my stomach really hurts when i bend a scertain way.. from that stomach lock thing Martin did to me.. but its all good pain.. u know?

So I left feeling so happy and accomplished as I always do. MMA is sure an interesting thing. Parts of it really suck ass, but when you leave, you feel awesome...