Alrighty then, the shoulder pain has kicked in. No more flat bench ever again.
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Coming back to this. I’ve never dieted down further than my current level of leanness. Before I ask, this isn’t a ‘what BF % am I??’ That is often asked here. Moreso, I need to lose 18lbs to put me within an easy water cut to make weight. Based on this level of leanness, does that seem reasonable?l 243lbs in picture. Tagging @RT_Nomad because I’m interested in your take form reading about BB past. I’m looking to compete in a <222lb weight class. Weigh in is an hour prior to fighting and I have to wear a Gi (~3-4lbs). So heavy water cuts are beyond what I would want to do, given short refueling window.
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Considering your weight is about where I started my diet shooting to get what was usually about 218lbs, I could easily get to 225lbs without losing much, if any strength. But that was with me starting an AAS cycle at the same time I started my diet. This could be done in 8 weeks.
Without AAS, it only be a guess.
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Won’t be on AAS, but will be on TRT.
Appreciate your thoughts. Think I’ll be a skeleton, if I drop 20ish lbs?
Started the reduction in calories yesterday and shifted carbs down and protein/fat up.
Tuesday
Pull-ups
5x5 w/45 sec rest
KB Rows
4x12
Cable Rows
4x12
Face pulls
4x12
- Pretty happy with pull-ups. My body doesn’t feel heavy at this weight (243ish)
- Back and hips still feeling good
Wednesday
Got up for 6am class. Worked butterfly sweeps from double butterfly and half guard. One of my favorites. Then did positional rolls starting from double butterfly with double belt over hook. I started on top all rounds, was able to body lock my way out. Then worked on reverse gesa to knee on belly, to mount. I never do this, but want to make sure I’m thinking about points for when I compete. Also worked K Guard in all my rolls. Was able to hit 4-4 times. From both closed guard and knee shield.
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Out of curiosity, is there a weight class above 222lbs that you would feel comfortable competing in?
As lean as you are, I don’t have the experience of you dropping 20lbs from where you are without losing strength, without AAS.
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There is no weight limit above 222. Reserved for 300lb monsters.
All good. Appreciate feedback. A 7% drop in bf would get me 16lbs. From there water (hopefully not much muscle), can get me final 7ish lbs.
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Might your match be quite a bit longer than just one hour after weigh in, being in a heavier weight class? One hour isn’t much time to rehydrate 7 pounds, unless you IV the fluids.
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Sadly this particular org is very strict. They call a group in, weigh them and then it’s anywhere from 30-60 minutes away from first fight.
I’m gonna shoot for it. It gives me a solid goal for leaning up further. If it’s too much of a stretch, there’s another org I like that lets you weigh in at 7am for afternoon fights. It’s not quite as prestigious, but I’m a career dad of four kids
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I like the approach. Worst case you’ll be lighter and quicker on your feet carrying a few less lb’s around!
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I’ve been bad at logging, but still getting after it. I’m traveling for work, so found a cool spot to train yesterday. I long visiting different gyms to see how they conduct class. It was nogi night and we warmed up with 10 minutes of pummeling from standup. Then 10 minutes of more aggressive standup, but not finishing takedown. I got paired up with a recent college grad and wrestler. Did surprisingly well at this. Nice to be bigger, was able to shove off collar ties, grab singles or arm drag to back.
Then moved to drill uchi matas and various options if initial kick isn’t working.
Then, lots of heel hook defense and knee bar defense. When we rolled, I smashed the first guy. Was able to get my favorite submission, the S Mount with a straight arm-arm bar and wristlock finish. One of those trilemna submission… do you want to be T bagged by 245lbs, have your arm broken or wrist broken, all while I’m working to cinch a triangle down.
Next roll was very solid. I couldn’t pass opponents guard and he couldn’t pass mine. Might have been some sweeps on both sides, since he both were trying to pass guard.
Finally, went against the coach. He just had his way with me. Just a wirey 170lb guy who heel hooked, knee barred and triangled me to death. I’m terrible at nogi when people touch my feet.
I’ll be back tonight in pajamas.
On another note, signed up for Jan comp and my actual prof asked me if I wanted to do a local promotion in mid jan. It’ll be a prelim fight against a purple belt, with weight limit at 225. It’s also in a cage for some reason. So… I’ll probably do it for the experience.
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Saturday
Incline Bench
10x135
10x155
10x175
5x185
5x205
5x205
3x225
10x185
Cable Fly
3x12
Bis and Tris
3x12
3x3 dead hang for 10 sec, followed by pull up
- Signed up for the fight night. Looking forward to finding out who my opponent is. It’s Jan 17th and probably won’t fight until around 9pm, which is when I normally go to bed. So, will have to train to stay up late. Also, it’s a 10 minute sub only match, with EBI finish. Need to improve cardio, and finally, have to drop to 225.
- Signed up for tournament the first week of February, which will be first at blue belt. Weight limit is 222, which should be easy since I have to make 225 two weeks prior
- Time to start getting after it with diet and training. Good news is I only have to work M/T next week, then off until Jan 6
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Sunday
2 hour open mat. Lots of good rolls. Worked my rolling guard to DLR, Ashi or general sweeps - Tripod, dummy and foot trips. I can successfully get white belts any time. Need to improve timing to get the foot trips on higher level belts. Tripod is my goto right now. I set up for DLDR, grab the pant leg, then kick my leg over and knock them over.
Monday
Mostly took day off
- Tuesday morning weight, 236. Keeping at it with mostly meat/fat diet. Not avoiding carbs, just avoiding bad carbs. Also eating light dinners. That seems to be best option for me. I wake up feeling much better. This likely contributes to lower weight today, as stomach is empty
- Last day of work today for six weeks!
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Tuesday
10x10 100lb med ball squats + cossack squat (just learned that’s what these are called. Always called them lateral squats)
Was a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Went in back yard and knocked these out in less than half hour. Short of breath whole time.
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Wednesday
Still on couch sleeping by son who’s sick. Wife woke me up at 230 to help put baby to bed. I finally got her, went back to couch and read 555 on my phone. F it. Just got up and went to BJJ class at my actual school. Was just two of us and my actual prof. Other guy is a 2 stripe white belt who weighs a buck 40. Did some drilling, then rolled. No time limit. I messed around with sweeps for 10 minutes and didn’t really go on attack unless it was to get the position, eg. knee shield to a back take. Then roll to close guard and start over. Once we were winded, I promptly submitted him. Then my prof came out in Gi and wanted to roll. I’ve never rollled with him. He weighs about 140lbs and is a 3rd degree with bad knees. We went for 8 minutes before he passed a DLR with spider. I flared to retain guard and he dove through my legs like a ninja. Ended up in north/south. I turtles up and he locked in a guillotine. Fought it for 30 seconds and thought I made it out. Then he jumped up into a squat and instantly had it. Black belt moves man.
Good times. Going to get shoulders in tonight.
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Thanksgiving
20 pull-ups
Seated OHP
10x135
8x155 - super easy
2x175 - forgot I haven’t hit this seated and got it for 2
10x135
Behind neck press
20x95
2x12x115
Triceps
3 sets
- my triceps and lats got hit hard on OHP. Top head of triceps were cramping
- decent enough workout
- Need to start prepping for fights. Goals will be to improve cardio and grip strength. Sub only 10 minute fight with EBI OT
- Also, need to lose 16lbs.
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8:00pm texts with wife.
Got 2.5 miles in. There’s a .8 mile section that is up hill. I sprinted the last half of it.
Also got some weights in.
Wide grip, slow pull-ups
40
High Pulls
3x10
Pull downs
3x15
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Looking forward to seeing what strategy you choose (i.e., roadwork, mat time, etc.). Will you put in extra emphasis on EBI’s overtime game? Are you a back-taker or a spider-webber?
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I’m very open to suggestions. Right now it’s a combination. I need to improve ability to maintain a slow jog. My legs seize up around 2 mines. Would like to push to 4-5 mile easy jogs. KB swings and heavy med ball medleys are my favorite. My forearms will be shot, which is pretty close to how I am in competition. The big push will be lots of rolls, playing at my pace. Baseball really taught me this as a hitter. I have to control the tempo. I need to play my slow guard game, wear the opponent out with trying to pass, while I beat on their legs. Since it’s subs only, I’m fine executing sweeps but not taking the top game if it’s going to be a dog fight. Also nothing gets adrenaline going like landing on your ass hard after a tripod sweep. I’ll be looking for back takes from DLR or arm drag from knee shield.
I know if I get someone’s back I can finish. I have long legs and am very flexible, so body triangle will happen quick.
I also feel really good about my guard. Not to be overly confident, but I don’t think many blue belts can pass it.
My weaknesses are very clear to me:
- getting caught in a blink moment. Particularly loop chokes, guillotines and darces
- if I get greedy from guard play and extend against a loose passer
- standup, but with no points to worry about I feel good about retaining guard
I need to work guillotine, darce defense
I have three training partners that are loose passers that I plan on drilling with. Two are purple belts and one brown.
Yes! Last week, I practiced both back defense and arm bar. I feel pretty good about back and only ok with arm bars. Definitely a weak spot.
I’ve always been a back taker for previous stated reasons… but I’m leaning towards arms. I’ve been hitting arm bars more and feel way more confident. Ideally, I’ll wear my opponents arms out by then with wrist control. I’m always trying to pin wrists or use arm locks to advance position.
We’ll see, lots to work on.
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Not sure what happened to my post. Swore I posted it. I’ll try again from computer later.
Saturday morning
4 rounds of: 25kb swings and 25 pushups
Afternoon
Incline bench
10x135
10x155
10x175
5x8x185
DB incline Press
3x15
- Feeling fairly beat up today
- Didn’t sleep well last night. Was up with baby from 12-4
- Might jog tonight, we’ll see how I feel
- definitely feeling the lower cals/carbs
- Sunday breakfast was a 16oz ribeye, cheese and bacon, washed down with soda water
- Going to shift protein to include salmon this week
- Might try and hit open mat this afternoon. If I make it, then that’ll be my cardio
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I thought I saw it, also. I thought maybe you deleted in that “treat it like a DM” way that throwaway does sometimes.