I've stuck in this week's weight trend line again. I'm tossing up between doing that each week for reference, or just having the past week's trend as an image in the corner of the blog. Not a big deal either way, just putting it out there. The blue dot in this week's graph is where I actually forgot to weigh in....doesn't happen often.
A good week with both my weigh in day and weekly average seeing a drop of 800 grams. This sees me at 101.3 kg on my new scales as of this morning! With my average for the week at 102.4. Both are very pleasing numbers. You may remember a few weeks ago in my Crossing the Line post, I spoke about my average weight trend slipping above the line that marks a 1kg per week weight loss. I think this week could be the last week where my weigh in day weight sits below that line. I'm actually pretty proud of the effort I have put in to keep below that line for 19 weeks. In that time I have lost 19.8 kg in total, which is 70% of the weight that I set as my goal to lose. With 800 grams between me and that line, who knows, I might actually sneak below it next week as well. There is a chance!
If you have been following from The Beginning, you'll know that one of the tools I am using to motivate me in getting fit, healthy and losing the weight is the prospect of competing in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). I cannot express how supported I have felt in my training journey by the people where I train at Synergy. Whether it be the people sharing the mat in my sweaty mess of effort with a smile and a willingness to engage in this strangely bonding experience of MMA, or the person striving beside me in the Strengthfit classes at stupid o'clock in the morning doing little more than smiling at me as we pass each other for just one more run up the stairs. Every so often though, someone will come up and have a couple of words with me that start with 'I've been reading your blog'. The conversations that invariably follow hold real significance in a couple of ways. Firstly, my apologies if I come off a bit funny, as I tend to be a bit shy in those circumstances. I know that this forum is public and that is part of the point in terms of accountability, but, there is also some safety in sitting here behind a keyboard not actually knowing if anyone will read it. That's where these moments in time are also very meaningful. Both from the perspective of knowing that even one person reads this certainly keeps my head in the game as I don't want to be reporting back about a slack week. Even more than that though, I get so much encouragement from those conversations. When someone tells me that they enjoy reading what I write, or even more that they have taken action to improve their own health in part through reading it, it's a massive boost. So thank you for taking the time and making the effort. It certainly helps keep me going!
Some of you that do train with me at Synergy may have seen this video - Mt. Taylor Sprint on Facebook earlier this week. I know I've meandered to the point of this week's post, but, here it comes! One thing that really appeals to me about the culture of MMA is its openness to use what works. That is, it doesn't limit the practitioner to a single style or set of techniques and it is an individual journey of discovery as to what works best for you. I've always been a big guy. Back row centre of all my school photos. 6 ft 4" (193 cm) from the age of 16 and have not spent much time under 100kg since that time. Remarkably though, for some reason I have managed to carry a relatively good level of cardiovascular fitness (cardio) through the years. Probably because of the hours I used to spend on the Rugby training fields. I was in 4 teams at once in my final year of high school. Oh to be that rich with time again!
I'm no elite athlete when it comes to physical fitness, strength or anything else. I have a reasonably solid cardio base that is improving all the time. The point I see to that is going to be with competition in mind. When I step onto the mat to compete, I want cardio to be one of the tools in my arsenal. I may not be the best boxer, kicker or grappler, but, what I don't want is to be limited by fitness in the execution of what skills I do have in those areas. I want to be measured by them and not beaten by the fact that I have nothing left in the tank to execute what skills I have learned.
That video is of my coach and me on our final hill sprint for the session. It was at the top of one of the local peaks in Canberra and is a popular walking trail as was evident by the number of people we saw in the foggy 4 degree temperatures. We had already jogged up the mountain and had come down a little from the top to do some sprints. When I say we jogged up, I made my usual attempt (I've done it a handful of times now) to jog start to finish that to this point has ultimately ended in a shuffle resembling a bleary eyed man in his slippers emerging outside in search of the morning's newspaper. While my coach cheerfully stuck at my pace smiling and greeting the fellow souls we passed in either direction on the way, breathing so easy he looked like he could be just as easily strolling out with his dog. He is of course training for his own upcoming competition and has now given me something to aspire to with regards to my own level of fitness.
I was reasonably satisfied that I kept up in the sprints. Although I have to admit that the effort left me completely shattered. It's a great spot for hill sprints. At least until you finish. Then you have a 1.5 km trek back down the mountain ahead of you. Sure it's a great way to get rid of some of the lactic acid as you cool down and I had no leg soreness whatsoever the next day. But, I almost had to ask my coach to carry me back down. Mind you, he looked like he had the wherewithal left to do it too!
As the date of whatever my competition ends up being gets closer with each week of weight loss, I have a greater sense of urgency about improving my fitness. I have plans in place to up the cardio using methods both familiar and new. I know the effort will pay off and I can taste the fruits of those impending labours. Win, lose or draw, I will be measured by my skills, not my cardio.
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