A pop and a gumshield

September 9, 2009

Can I buy a measuring jug for this?

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 2:25 pm

It’s almost midweek, where you’ve just gotten over the weekend just gone but just out of grasp of the one approaching and I never expected to be so confused in the middle of the week. On a weekend you have the right to be confused, you’re not at work, you’re probably off training and you’re sat around with friends wondering what the hell to do. OR it’s a Monday, you’ve just gotten out of bed and you’ve just put your socks down to put the kettle on and you suddenly forget where you put your socks – you don’t want to get another pair out of the drawer because you want to know where the first pair are… Monday morning haze…

I was with a few friends last night and one of them asked me if he could start training MMA with me and of course I replied ‘Yes’. I always try and encourage people to train at SBG to open their minds to competitive sport which is what MMA ultimately is. Plus it gives people the chance to see it as a sport rather than listen to the media and people who know nothing about it label it as ‘cockfighting’ or ‘ultimate cage fighting’, also because I want my friends to see why I love doing it so much. To see if they can see why it’s so addictive. I digress.

I replied ‘Yes’ and told him the best day and time to come would be the Intro Stand Up Class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm til 8pm. As much as I love Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and grappling as a whole, my friends aren’t the type of people to ‘roll around on the floor’ with other guys.

“Yeah Thursday sounds good man, I wanna learn how to bang man out…”, I stopped him there… “You’re not gonna learn how to bang man out, if that’s why you wanna go, you’re goin’ for the wrong reasons…”… to cut a long story short I was faced with the question;

“So how do you measure how good you are? Surely the only true measure of how good you are is to bang someone out…”

I had no reply no matter how hard I tried except for a feeble “When you go boxing, you don’t learn how to bang someone out, you learn how to BOX. They’re two different things”. I got an agreement from my other friend who loves boxing who went on to break down how boxing is as much an art form as it is a combat sport.

People do MMA/BJJ/Boxing/Muay Thai for different reasons, some to lose weight, some to fight and others because they enjoy it. I suppose some people can measure their success by how much weight they’ve lost through training and some can measure it by how good/healthy they feel/look. But how do you measure how GOOD you are without actually competing? Because at the end of the day, no matter what you’re competing in, whether it be chess, boxing or bobsled racing, your objective is to beat the other person.

So is the only measure of how good you are in MMA ‘banging someone out’?

Wise Words

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 2:22 pm

“You dont need to try and impress me with your physical abilites… I like you for who you are…” – SK whilst stood on my balcony having abit of a banter with Liam.

September 6, 2009

It’s been x months, x days, x hours since you went away…

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 9:05 pm

“…it’s hard enough, just passssssing the tiiiiime, when I cant seem to get you out… my miiiind…”

Just a little music turned blog related humour for you there.

In all honestly, 5 month is a ridiculously long time not to leave a blog post and as I keep promising myself, hopefully these will start to become more and more frequent now that O have more time on my hands and to myself.

So much has happened over the last 5 months that I can only put down brief descriptons as I remember them as what’s new news to you, has been old news to me for the last x amount of weeks/months so here we go…

  • I moved out!

After a few things happening which involved staying at my good friend John Joe’s and bouncing between my aunt’s and home – I finally made the gigantic leap and got my own place! Kinda. But a flatshare in Didsbury with 2 women is nothing to complain about. Even they are both in relationships, older and I work with one of them – but it’s the principle of the matter. And aside from the odd few jokes from friends, living with women is so far, less stressful than living with guys. And no. I haven’t taken the lock off the bathroom (a la Joey in Friends) and I haven’t accidentally on purpose walked in on them naked. And no. I wont be trying to that any time soon. (Ann’s just reminded me that I need to remember that I live with women and to stop walking around in my underwear… but I figure if Corinne is allowed, then so am I).

  • I got promoted/seconded at work!

Which basically means, a department were hiring, I wanted a challenge away from the phones but they weren’t looking for anyone permanent – just temporary with an extension being reviewed every 3 months. I get a pay rise (always good), I get my own desk this time, I don’t speak to customer and I do a job where you’re appreciated and not just another wage number in a book (I say this now but when my secondment ends I’ll be right back to square one. I say WHEN it ends because as much as you try to sugar coat it – would you keep someone on who was looking to go away for 5 weeks over the Christmas/New Year period? Oh. plus the fact that I’m a pessimist).

  • THAILAND BABY!!!

I mentioned rebooking for for Thailand in a previous blog but I now feel the need in wanting to share with everyone (and rub your faces in it). I came back from Thailand in September last year and always knew that I’d go back but I missed the place so much that I decided to book again as soon as possible. I got in touch with Marc, Maryanne and Dustin to see what their plans were but booked without reading their replies anyway. There’s something about Thailand that makes the UK seem insignificant. I’m not a hugely materialistic person, I mean yeah I feel lost without my phone when I leave it at home and yes I occasionally Facebook… occasionally. But being surrounded by people who brag constantly about what car they drive, their city centre apartment and how they need holidays to escape stress really gets on my left ball. In Thailand, everyone is happy – they disregard the fact that they earn considerably less than westerners, they don’t care that they ride broken mopeds, they don’t need expensive clothes and jewelery… and this is what attracts me. Even if they do try and rip me off when I go to the markets.

  • Back and knee injuries suck the most disgusting ass you can find

No lie. Picture this – you’re trying to take someone down against the fence, your leg is out behind you almost in a splits postion and 2 guys land on it. A scream and nauseau followed. Then several minutes of laying in a foetal position holding my precious knee. After being helped up, Russki taped me up and I limped away… in pain. 2 weeks no training except weights made me feel shit. 2 months on and it’s still not 100 percent. My back is another story. I say back. I mean coccyx. The shooting pain in the back is what’s killing me right now but I only have myself to blame. Conditioning on a Sunday, rolling and takedowns (with Inman) on Monday afternoon and MMA Stand Up in the evening didnt help. Prescription painkillers are the dogs.

  • Living in Didsbury is overrated

Yes I said it. Living so close to my friends is brilliant, the prices and road surface however, isn’t. Everything is Didsbury is marked up and I’m sure they give you less! It’s not bad enough I pay more for my food, they give me less! They’re like a crap version of Robin Hood, rob the poor people and take their food. And road surface… Oh my fffffff….!!! Now, my motorbike isn’t big (wahey!), and my tyres aren’t that wide so obviously I’m going to feel bumps in the road more than the average motorcyclist but COME ON! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!! If I wanted to ride a 4 mile stretch of road with bumps, cracks and potholes in, I would have moved to a war torn country! For a place so rife wih young professionals and students who cycle to commute every morning, you’d think they’d fix the bumps that cause me to almost crash every morning. I you don’t know what I’m talking about or think I’m exaggerating – borrow a push bike and cycle down Palatine – Wilmslow and Oxford Road and when you finish picking the gravel out of your face, send me a text and tell me I’m right.

  • Business Class has ruined air travel for me

Oh what? You didn’t know about this?! Let me fill you in. Things are going shit in my life when I get a text/phone call from John Joe asking me, basically, if I wanted to go Beijing with him on behalf of Fighters Onlyto report on an event… Errrrr yes. Cue frantic sending of scanned passport to the Art of War executives and begging the time off work and a mad morning dash to the embassy and we’re sat in the BUSINESS LOUNGE of Manchester Airport with a pint of Baileys in one hand and half pint of Smirnoff Vodka in the other.

We board a plane to Heathrow then onwards in BUSINESS CLASS to Beijing with British Airways and then we land in China. Wow. Rubbing shoulders with Bas Rutten, Tim Sylvia, the Gracies and some top level athletes really MADE MY YEAR. We made a quick trip to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City which was (and you’ll only ever hear me say this once), stunning. We spent something like 4 days in China but wow. WOW. But what made it all worthwhile was how we got there. Business Class. NEVER will I eat food cooked by a Michelin Star chef. NEVER will I board a plane greeted by the words of “Champagne before we take off Mr Li?”. NEVER will I sit in my own pod opposite a friend and just start laughing about the daftness of the whole scenario of how we got there. NEVER will a nobody from Manchester be in that position ever again.

  • John Joe should have his own show

Truly. Normally when I’m faced with spending a prolonged period of time with anyone who isn’t family, I have to think about it but not with John Joe. He NEEDS his own show. He is freakin’ hilarious! Now I train with John and have done for the last couple of years (back when he used to do Gi competitions) and up until a few months ago, I never really spoke to him much. Then he asked me (I forget how the opportunity came around), if I wanted to write a report on Cage Gladiators in his absence which I did. From then on… a none-gay friendship bloomed. An Irish rooted former Drum & Bass promoter/DJ turned law graduate from the infamous Salford estates is something you never see but oh my days… this guy needs his own show. The stories about his girlfriend’s monkeys are the best.

Anyway, that’s as much as I can remember right now but here is some interesting stuff to keep you entertained;

My Art of War report/contribution can be found here.

The free alcohol in the Business Lounge

The free alcohol in the Business Lounge

Champagne in one hand, phone in the other, feet up...

Champagne in one hand, phone in the other, feet up...

Some of the pictures can be viewed here.

My tattoo =o)

My tattoo =o)

This is how we roll

This is how we roll

 

My oh so tidy desk at work where I rest 8 hours a day

My oh so tidy desk at work where I rest 8 hours a day

Last but not least – my favourite picture (of me of course) when in China…

IMG_0523

April 11, 2009

Always Wear Appropriate Clothing

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 3:16 pm

I woke up today pretty close to 12.30pm and in true ‘headless chicken’ style, ran around trying to get everything ready to go training which starte at 1pm. Not a good start I know. But don’t get any funny ideas, I didn’t turn up wearing a thong or walked out of the house with no pants on.

I jumped on the motorbike and did the 4.5 miles to the gym and felt somewhat… exposed whilst riding. I normally have a pair of tracksuit bottoms on underneath a pair of jeans then waterproofs over those, a pair of proper boots, a couple of t-shirts, balaclava to keep the face warm etc but today I settle for a pair of jeans, trainers, a t shirts and my normal bike jacket. I couldn’t help but think “If I came off now, I’m going to have more than a few bumps and bruises”. It was that paranoia that had me staying below 40mph all the way. Not that I go above that of course.

Which reminds me…

NSR

NSR Tank

NSR

NSR

NSR

After spending a small amount of years on/off driving cars, I discovered in Thailand that riding was about 100 times more fun… cue CBT on my return (all paid for by Adidas!), a purchase of a Honda NSR 125 in December 2008 and I haven’t looked back since! Except maybe when I had the first initial teething problems you have when buying pre-owned… discovering the battery was jacked up. After a service and a brand new battery… she now runs peeerfect.

[insert appropriate smiley here]

Ride safe kids Uncle Ste says so.

April 9, 2009

It takes one to know one!

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 11:07 pm

A stranger that is. So… my first post of 2009… and coincidentally, a year on from when I first started the blog… EXACTLY! Wow that’s some freaky shit and I didn’t even plan that shit! Another coincidence is that I’ve just booked myself a flight to go back to Thailand on 14th December til 18th January next year… but more on that later!

I’m still trying to get over returning on the same date as I started! I honestly didn’t mean for that to happen.

Since the last post, way too much stuff has happened, life got better… then worse… then good again… then worse. now it’s settled to a nice mediocre pace which I’m happy with although all I ever seem to do right now is sleep, eat, work and train… and eat more between all of that. I’m not going to get into what happened over the New Year, all you need to know is some people belong in your life, even if they play the tiniest role and some aren’t.

So I’m fitter, stronger and feel loads better in the gym. I’ve gone down to a nice 74kgs from 79 when I returned from Thailand. Although at one point, I went down to a sickly 72 and couldn’t find the balance between eating healthy and being neurotic. Now 74kgs, doing weights and sprints on a regular basis with a set routine has had my stamina through the roof (by my standards anyway) and my training in the gym a little more technique based and little less spaz like. It feels good!

I’m determined to finish the Thailand ‘Blog’ too, I say ‘blog’ in inverted commas because it’ll now be more like ‘a recalling of memories onto a website’… a diary. A flippin’ diary. A crap one at that because you already know how my life went, you just need reminding of the interesting bits that happened along the way. A flippin’ diary.

Anyway, it’s important I fill you in on the training as that’s the main basis of this blog stuff even though I didn’t mean it to be. On my return from Thailand, I competed in Next Generation’s Ground Control 2.0 Grappling Tournament in Liverpool… which saw me take a decision loss, a by into the Semi’s then to get triangled by the eventual Bronze medallist who Matt Inman beat in the tournament to follow to take Gold. Karma’s a bitch ain’t it?

The start to my lower weight came in the form of a 75kg category in one of the most. Sorry I mean THE most shoddily run competition I have ever been in. UMA. Run by, in my opinion, a bunch of self important tw*ts who want to take over the grappling scene using fancy abbreviations and terms for each other. One referee for the whole day, as in, the WHOLE day. He reffed from the womens lightest to the mens heaviest…. but good on him. He did a fantastic job of asking people to hold the mats in place and help relocate the mat area a few metres along after a leak appeared in the roof.

UMA: SBG Team

Team SBG at UMA

I think we took 4 golds…

Anyway… 75kgs. having never weight cutted or purposely tried to lower my weight for any particular reason I decided to stop taking on carbs and eating next  to nothing and for some reason I made it and have maintained and gone even lower since. But I need to stop eating chocolate before I sleep. It’s a bad thing apparently.

Ground Control 3.0 comes along and I get triangled and armbarred, then I up my intensity in training by doing more weights then Karl brings in the sprinting programme. That’s it up to now. I think. Oh and my memory isn’t what it used to be. Good luck with that ‘blog’.

Ground Control 3.0 : Team SBG

Team SBG at Ground Control 3.0

We took 3 Golds 4 Silvers and a Bronze!

October 14, 2008

Just one of those days…

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 8:18 pm

Those days where you got hardly any sleep, those days when you leave the radio alarm going for 15 minutes, those days where you feel like death when rolling out of bed, those days where when you step out of the house it’s wet and miserable, those days where you almost fall asleep at work due to the lack of sleep, those days where you wish that you had the balls to just walk out of work, those days where you realise you’ve got no money, those days where you dont want to be bothered, those days where you REALLY dont want to train, to go home after work, eat, shower, crawl into bed and sleep until the next morning because it’ll all be better then…

THOSE are the days you suprise yourself the most.

You could be gassing and so close to collapsing and jacking it in but something tells you to keep going, to drive, switch for the other leg, switch back to the original leg, posture, breathe, roll, stiff arm, shrimp, bridge, sprawl, defend defend defend.

You may get home a an hour later feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck but dammit… it feels goooooood….

September 25, 2008

I’ll Be Back…

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 2:00 pm

…just sorting a few things… will be back with an update on the Thailand trip ASAP =o)

August 21, 2008

Sawasdee Khrap

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 6:47 am

It’s hot, it’s humid and the training is hard… trying to keep your fluids up as well as keeping your hands up, shoulders relaxed and punches sharp proves quite difficult in the heat.

I’ve now been here a week or so and have met a few interesting people… as well as the obnoxious egotistical nobs who think a number of MMA wins gives them the right to bully and choose his gang… but you learn to ignore them, keep your head as well as your chin down and battle through the numerous rounds of thai pads and bag work.

So far, I’ve spent more time in my air conditioned room than explore but I’m slowly and surely coming out of my shell and meeting fellow fighters, especially in the last couple of days where a day at the local zoo always makes you smile… even when sat through the monkey show…

Training is almost the same as being back at home but more relaxed and longer. Once you get used to the heat and pace, you feel like you’re not cramming 6 hundred techniques in an hour… the trainers take their time with you, correct every single thing there is to correct to generate more power and more speed. Your foot could be slightly out when throwing a kick, they’ll move it to where it should be and then suddenly the boom of the Thai pad as you throw your hips into the kick like they ask you to sounds more and more attractive.

You start with 30 mins skipping or tyre bounce to warm up followed by up to 30 mins worth of running and stretching. You then wrap your hands and move to a bag or an instructor for 6 rounds of pad/bag work. You take a water break between each round after 10 push ups, unwrap your hands after pad/bag work and go into the technique part of the session where knees/elbows/blocking will take up around 30 mins. Then onto the sit ups, 200 sit ups followed by 50-100 push ups and maybe, just maybe, you’ll do 100-200 push kicks/knees/kicks just to sap that little bit out of you. Then more stretching, finish, grab a protein shake, shower then head off down to Momma’s to have a giggle and something to eat.

July 25, 2008

Time Out

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 6:07 pm

After going down with the dreaded ‘Worm’, I’ve been off training for around 3 weeks now and I am now the most unfit I have been in a long time… even after having my operation on my cyst, I competed at Seni 3 days after and even though I did absolutely rubbish, I still did it!

I did some padwork last night and was breathing out of my ass within the 3rd round, my footwork was sloppy, shoulders ached from keeping my guard up and although I still had the power, it wasnt sharp, more of a meathead strength. I LOOK alot better from weight training in my time off but not much to be completely honest…. and now, I’ve come to a conclusion:

I AM GOING TO DIE IN THAILAND…

July 20, 2008

FEDOR!!!

Filed under: Uncategorized — apopandagumshield @ 3:15 pm

36 seconds via RnC after dropping Sylvia with a series of lefts and rights proves that not only is Fedor Emilianeko is one of the, if not the best Heavyweight in the world but also closes the mouths of all the UFC nuthugging TUF fans who think Fedor is a nobody.

Randy Couture is a more than capable opponent as well as a legend – took alot longer to put the 6 foot 8 inch Tim Sylvia away.

Randy vs Fedor… I wish it was as clean cut as “Fedor beat Sylvia quicker so he’ll win”.

UFC – be prepared to be dwarfed by Affliction in the future.

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