Injury - downtime :(

So it's now over a week since I injured my ribs, they are still sore as fuck.
I breathe to heavily - it hurts
I exercise - it hurts
I sneeze and feel like my whole side is on fire.

It's driving me nuts - I just want to get back to training, but can't.
Simply because I'd be useless there:

Lift this - pain
Spar - pain
hit the bag - pain

To some extent pain is expected in this sport and I can normally deal with it, but when it's affecting every single thing I do - it's fucking annoying.

I trained tonight trying to put the pain aside - 40 minutes on the cross trainer (500 calories) and found it ok while I was working - just slight twinges, but afterwards it's sore as again.

Dr recommended a few things which I've been trying but hasn't really helped to much.
Question is do I suck it up, risk it being worse and go back to training or keep trying to train outside of fight training?

*Sigh* Why did I have to take this sport up at 30....?

Injured. Again.

Injury sucks, but it is in the very nature of my sport. You can't expect to hit & kick and in turn be hit and kicked without injury, that's just how it is.

This is the second injury I've had to my ribs, this one being a strained intercostal muscle (the little strap between each rib).

Basically this muscle helps the rib cage expand and is in constant use.

Breathing heavily hurts, coughing hurts, exercise really hurts and sneezing.......

The pain is mostly dull throbbing, but other times it's sharp - kind of like someone sticking a knife in your side.

So, with that said I'm on 'rest' right now, which is really frustrating. I'm on a tight schedule to reach my goals and want to push my fighting skills to the next level, but if I push it more right now a week might turn into three, four, five who knows - not what I want.

These things suck but can't be helped the key is to stay focussed, wait it out then smash it when I can go back.

Open to suggestions for any exercises to try that won't aggravate the issue.

Quick update

It's been a few days since I've updated.
Had some good eating and some very good workouts.

Friday was interval sprints that left me knackered.
Saturday I did fight training conditioning and sparring.
Today I have cycled and done a kettlebell tabata session.

Tomorrow is 2 x sessions at fight training.
I'm enjoying pushing myself so far - I haven't had the feeling that I'm doing to much yet - but it's only early.

I really want to hit the 10% target before May so I know I have to work hard.
I've also started including at least one protein shake per day - just to help muscle wastage and that seems to be working as well.

Can't wait for the rest of this week :)

3 month challenge

I decided yesterday that I want to step my training / fat loss up for the next three months, taking my efforts from high to maximum.

My short term goal is major fat loss (as opposed to weight loss.) - I've given myself three months to go from approx 18% body fat to 10% or below.

The deadline is 01-May-2012.

I know it's going to be brutal, my diet needs to be strict, my training regular and at the right intensity - but I think I can do it.

Will be looking to adjust diet over the next week and add some HIIT workouts to my routine.

Diet wise I expect it to be fairly plain, repetitive and boring, I can stick to it if I'm getting results so no concern there.

Workout wise it's going to be hard. Theres no other way to put it. Basically working everyday ranging from martial arts conditioning / sparring, weights, running, cycling and hiit.

My only real concern is making sure I don't burn out working this hard.

Time will tell.
I'm also going to document all food, exercise, mood and sleep everyday.

I'll keep a photo log - one per week - that will be uploaded on completion.

Will add a new page along with the stat updates.

The four cornerstones of weightloss

I had a realisation earlier today while talking to my fiance about weightloss.

There are four cornerstones - and that's all there is to weight loss.
You can think about it 100 different ways, but it always comes back to the same four things, divided into two categories.

1. Mind
1. Goal setting
2. Accountability
2. Body
1. Diet
2. Exercise

In a nutshell that's all there is to it - yes I am over simplifying here but think about.

You set a goal and make yourself accountable, then you change your diet and start exercising.

I'll elaborate on this another time, just wanted to get my thoughts done quickly tonight.

Don't hold back.

Last nights fight training consisted of two sessions, the first cardio and conditioning, the second sparring.

The first session was good, I pushed hard, felt like I was going to die, but still did all I could.
I enjoy those sessions, where I can feel like I've worked hard.

The second session was sparring, first two rounds body only the remainder head / body.
I was paired with Cathy - fight team's first female fighter - and at first I found it really difficult to spar with her, not because she can't fight (she definately can) but because I kept getting caught on the 'Don't hit girls' mentality that I was brought up with.

The coach kept calling out not to hold back, as did Cathy - by the second and last round of sparring I wasn't holding back. I accept that she is just another fighter, another sparring partner - there for the same reasons as me, to improve and get into the ring to compete.

Gender doesn't matter, but initially I struggled with it.
Next time - not so much, the time after that - less again.

The sparring itself was really good, Cathy landed some good shots and almost bloodied my nose.
I know I landed a few good shots as well, one in particular from a hook that landed right on the jaw.
I pulled the punch at the last moment because I could see it was going to hit home, as it was it pushed her jaw sideways and a bit of spit came out.

I also worked with Scott on my technique for Jab / Cross - something I still need more work on.
One of the key things for me is trusting my reach and using body mechanics to deliver powerful punches.

Working with Scott is always good fun, because I know when I get sloppy he'll through out the focus mitt and tag me, he also knows how to push my buttons and get me all fired up.

Another good thing.
Have to say today though my body is feeling smashed - sore everywhere, some soreness in the face from where it was tenderised - thanks Cathy ;)

Overall a great night, tonight is Thai boxing a class I love, but haven't been to in a while.
Side note:
I got new protein last night, Elemental nutrition shredding matrix in hot chocolate flavour.
Mixes well, tastes nice and seems to have all the good things.

I'll update about the protein as I use it more and more.

Stat update day - win all round.

So yesterday was supposed to be stat update day, but due to circumstances I didn't get to it.
Fight training, getting home late and some pesky ants that wanted to interrupt quiet time.

Instead I have got 90% of my stats done today.
Improvements all round, makes for a happy camper.

The stats for today are:
Previous figure in brackets ()
Weight: 77kg (82kg)
Body fat %: 18.5 (19.5)
Waist: 92cm (94cm)
Pushups in 1 min: 61 (40)
Situps in 1 min: 43 (34)
4.85km run time: --- pending
HR Average: --- pending (run)
HR Max: ---- pending (run)
Calculated V02 Max: 56 (50)

The ones that are pending - I need to do.
Run will be tomorrow AM, V02 Max will be later tonight while relaxing (as per the instructions)

As you can see there's been some massive improvements and I'm going to keep going.
My goal is below 12% body fat, 70kg, 70 pushups in 60 seconds and 60 situps in 60 seconds.

Pushing hard :)