2024 Training Log Part 28

And this time, it’s from Portugal…

Not much training. Much adventure.

On the headphones on the plane. David Bowie- Ziggy Stardust

Monday

Gym session- BFR

1) Weighted Neutral Pull Ups- 5×5 worked up to +15kg
2) Decline Press 2x max at 60kgs
3) T bar row 30, 15,15,15,15
4) Core superset a) Decline weighted crunch 3×15 b) leg lift plank 3x60s
5) Push downs 30,15,15
6) Hammer curls 25,20,15

The BFR straps are definitely a winner for pump. It remains to be seen if they’re adding strength.

Tuesday

Jiu Jitsu. 6×5 minute rounds from standing.
I knew I didn’t have much good sparring training in the tank for a few reasons, and only had blue and purple belts on the mat. So I decided to work on stand up only in preparation for Friday. Got a good rattle out of the guys.

Wednesday

Did nothing.

Thursday

I travelled to Lisbon.

Friday

Competition day. The match was a bit frustrating. The guy was good, but I had a really good chance early on with a footlock that I gave him too much respect with. I played too tactically and he got a pass and a back take. I got a decent escape, swept, had an arm bar and footlock attempt sequence again but got nothing out of it and ran out of time. Signed up for the absolute but my ribs started to hurt once I cooled down so I withdrew.

Loads of coulda, shoulda, woulda stuff in the match.

Looking back, I’m not unhappy. 3 training sessions in 2 weeks isn’t ideal. I only stopped feeling the effects of whatever bug I had early on in the week. But the highlight was warming up with my own son and him cornering me. Amazing experience.

After that, I coached for the weekend, and after that, I enjoyed Lisbon with my family. There’s a place there that served me a hot Pastel de Nata with a glass of port for my dessert. I strongly recommend it. I love Portuguese food, and I can put it away pretty well. The trick is to not think in terms of meals. Instead, consume when you smell something nice. I sat down to eat 5 times yesterday. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Supper, plus food consumed while walking or standing, which as everyone knows, doesn’t have any calories.

Training Thoughts of the Week

Nothing replaces sparring, and bad sparring can be as bad as not sparring at all. You become lazy and complacent, letting people away with things or reinforcing your own errors.

Non-Training Thoughts of the Week

I have this thing I say to people- Most people do nothing.

So when you lose in the first round, or even when you get the default gold for showing up when no one else did, it seems like it’s not worth much, but most people do nothing. Being here to collect the default medal, or to lose in the first, puts you ahead of around 90% of people who could potentially have been in your category, in my estimation.

A few of them couldn’t make it.
A few of them trained hard and thought about going, but didn’t take the leap.
A lot more thought about going, didn’t train hard, and also, didn’t go.
Way more trained, but never even thought about going.
Even more than that thought about doing Jiu Jitsu one day, but never started.
And an impossible to estimate number of people sat and watched Netflix and scrolled on their phone and never thought about doing anything. This is in fact, most people. They take no risks, never try very hard, and do more or less nothing comparable with what you were trying to achieve when you lost your match.

It’s not what you wanted to get, but you risked something. And when you risk something, there’s a far higher chance of losing than winning.

Anyway. That’s just what I reckon.

I’m taking a break for a day or 2 and then back into training next week. I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself without a tournament to train for but I’m sure I’ll think of something.

See you on the mat,

Barry