my fight at the weekend.

Hi Everyone,

Well, I'd like to start by thanking my coaches and all of you that sent such awesome good luck messages on face book and twitter.

This recent fight was a 1st in NO GI jiu-jitsu for me, and i felt very fit and comfortable in this event. i trained very hard and was very happy with my fitness level.

my fight was scheduled for the saturday, so on the friday the WEEK before i met douglas santos "my master" to go thru in depth my fight game plan, and after that session my confidence started to climb.. on the saturday i trained like a machine, i had been cutting weight for the previous 6 days, so hunger pains were starting to make me mentally angry.

i had to find lots of alone time in the lead up to stay head strong, but in this "people's" job and my life choice that really was not going to happen.

i rested well on the sunday and focused on training top end cardio 530am monday. i met doug viney "my kikboxing trainer" and the mixed circuit session started. we finished around 7 am and i continued to ride a bike then i hit the rd for a run, shower and a feed. at 10am i had another 1 on 1 session with my jiujisu master, to fine tune my attacks and counter attacks etc;, something felt strange, i was a little fatigued but nothing i had not felt before. we started talking after i bowed and entered the matt, i was sitting down and gently moved around in a light rolling session, i was so focussed, we started the warm up process, and then oh my!! as i stood up it felt like i had been shot with a TAZZER gun? my face went pale and the worst pain rushed through my legs and feet? now i have been in wars before, broken bones etc, however this pain worried me very quickly. Douglas asked me to sit back down, i couldn't stand, sit, move, breath??

my whole lower body was dead? i took 100mg of an anti inflammatory that i always carrie and the boys got ice on my back a.s.a.p.

1hr later (i don't know how) i painfully walked bent over to my car, i drove straight home were i rang bryce hastings (the best physio on the face of the planet i kid you not!).

i made appointments for tuesday. That night i had no sleep and as so angry at my self for not understanding how this injurie so close to my fight had happened? i awoke tuesday with my fingers crossed that the pain was gone and i could walk, "nope" the pain was terrible and i was sore, i saw bryce that morning, and upon assessment we spoke about the compressing of the spine and movement patterns. All i asked was can you push the magic button please so i can fight on saturday. At that point my heart broke as i herd the words" this cold take days or it could take many weeks to come right? less assess you each day, no exercise dan and no moving around, lay on your back feet above your hips and will do another treatment tomorrow. i staggered out of his room, and went back home were i stayed until thursday morning.

i had no food to keep my weight down since the injurie happened and as a result i felt dehydrated and weak. on the thursday i could slowly walk again with poor posture but i didnt care at least i was now moving, bryce gave me some exercise that i had to do slowly and day 1 of rehab started. by the thursday night i as still burning all thru my lower back and down both legs, however again all i could think about was sleeping great, training friday, cutting weight in the sauna and fighting on saturday.. bryce wanted me to roll with another jiujitsu buddy before my fight, and so did my master douglas. i did a great guy called nick. i was in pain but hid it well from my master and braced my core and rolled for 15 minutes or so. i saw bryce for a second time on that friday and he cleared me, well it didn't matter as walk or not i was still going to fight! i finally slept well but was very dehydrated still. i started the week at 71.8 kg and on saturday i weighed 64.9 kg and my fight was 68kg or under! i had cut to much, i ate a good breakfast and drank a shake. i had been in a war all week and when i finally stepped up to fight i was mentally in a good place.. i mean i had to be. i ended he day with 2 wins and 1 loss placing me overall 3rd and a medal around my neck.

i learnt a lot that week about staying head strong, and i can take that to the next fights, either muaythai , kickboxing, or MMA, i learnt a hell of a lot.