My window to the world

The last 2 weeks have been really good, at a personal level and for TrainForLife in general.

My 4yo boy son Milo started to walk my in my footstep and started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). This is big for me as I am starting to pay back. As a child I started "club" sport at the age of 12yo. Why so late? I am of a family of 7 children and my parents did not have the means and the time to send us to practice sports. I also believe that they did not know how important it is.

Fortunately, I know how important sport is and all the benefits it brings, such as discipline, coordination, mental strength, self confidence, team spirit...

I can see my son developing into a better, stronger more mature Milo and this fill me up with joy and a sense of achievement.

The TrainForLife community is growing and the people who adopt our work ethic are joining in numbers.

I proud myself in providing demanding classes, call them, tabata, HIIT, Kettlebell or Spin. Lately I saw the numbers of people joining the classes increase.

The best examples,  are HIIT and Spin.

In the case of the HIIT, Rebekah and Lauren when they first joined, mentioned how hard it was and anyway anybody could see that they were not having the time of their lives...three weeks later, they are still coming and some progress can be appreciated.

The spin classes are just awesome, the Monday and Wednesday 12.30pm class have stabilized with an average of 5-7 participants while the other classes have seen a major increases in the number of participants.

Tuesday 6-6.45pm class averages 15-20 people, what I like about that class is that more of 90-95% are female members and are new to my classes.

Nevertheless they embrace the idea of working hard, pushing themselves and here they are day in and out.

Friday 6.45-7.30am spin is just what any instructor dreams of, yesterday the class was filled up with 17 people, some of them were present Tuesday evening.

If you get up early to train, you mean business and the result can only be awesome.

On the same line are the weekend classes with an average of 8-12 pax on Saturdays and Sundays.

At a personal level, I am grateful to my family and friends, the TrainForLife community, and to Icon BJJ Norwich, Luke P, Steve C and ZeMarcello.

My family, meaning my wife Susannah and my sons Milo and Noah. They give me the support and the challenges necessary for me to grow as man, father, husband and competitor.

My parents, brothers and sisters also remind me where I am from and that I have to bear my name "Kabuiku" with pride, "Walk the Talk" and Lead By Example.

The TrainForLife community is my group of pals, between my family, work and training, I have little time and need to socialize. The guys I train or train with have become  true friends, Gurvinder, James, Carl, Paul, Tim, Neil, Kirsten, Tracey, Sarah, Rachel, Emma , Greg... and have an important impact on my life.

Finally Icon BJJ norwich: these guys are my BJJ training partners. You only get better I believe when you are surrounded by the right people. Fortunately, I am. All the guys I train with help me to improve, but obviously some more than the others, such as Tom J, Michael P, Michael D and Fordy.

A special mention to Luke P, my training partner, Steve Cowan my coach (owner of Icon BJJ Norwich) and ZeMarcello my Sensei (former BJJ World champion, founder of icon BJJ).

These 3 guys  play a massive role in my development and improvements. Luke and I train 4 times a week from 5-6.30am, since we started doing it, I am at another level.

Steve C is the attentive coach who understands your needs and provide you with the support you need in order to grow.

Finally, ZeMarcello is the "Reference", the World Champ, the ALPHA MALE in an environment of Alpha Males.

Thanks to Luke and Steve, I managed in a year time to be submitted "JUST" Once while sparring 6 minutes with ZeMarcello instead of 5-7  times a year ago.

ZeMarcello congratulated me and told me to keep on with the good work... These words filled me up with Pride and made me realize how lucky I am to have YOU guys.

THANKS TO YOU GUYS I IMPROVE IN EVERY IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF MY LIFE!

The extended Family

TrainForLife guide to Muscle recovery

Lately some of the guys at the gym came to me complaining about muscle soreness, the truth is most of them have been off training for a while and consequently ached the days following their session (up to a week).

The guide below will help anybody no matter the level of fitness or activity to recover faster and better. 

Before we start, what are Muscle damage and Muscle recovery?

The muscle damage: 

After an intense workout, (6.45-7.30am Tabat, HIIT or Kettlebell classes) our muscle fibres suffer a trauma. Our energy stores are depleted and dome waste product is produced (lactic acid).

We generally experience an intense soreness and a temporary drop off in strength that can last between 24-72h post workout.

The muscle recovery: 

It is influenced by 4 factors, which are the muscle and tissue repair, the reduction and removal of waste product, the restoration of energy stores and nutrients and finally the recuperation of the brain to muscle connection.

The strategy to implement to speed up muscle recovery will be mainly based on nutrition and therapeutic actions.

1. Restore your nutrients stores: magnesium, glutamine, vitamin D and fish oil aid for different reason the muscle recovery, especially after a strenuous workout.

2. Eat the following food: high quality protein, such as eggs, fish,  and organic meats, Cruciferous vegetables, almonds, walnuts as well as dark chocolate and drink black coffee. In regard to the coffee, drink it before training and not after your last training session as it won't help you to unwind.

3. Supplements: I personally use glucosamine sulphate and I feel the positive results, I feel fresh for my second workout. I also use topical menthol rub gel (deep freeze), that relaxes me and reduces the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

Other supplements such as Curcumin A, BCAAs or Taurine will help the muscle recovery.  

Finally, simply stretch, use a foam roll, relax listening to music or get a massage.

Give it a try  and let us know!

These guys need to recover... 

My window to the world: Week of the 15th to 28th of August

 "Failure is not an option, it is a step forward" just don't abuse of it and listen to your body or to others...

Last week I was talking about Sunday 21st as being a perfect day and it felt like that. At a fitness level, I felt accomplished as I managed to push my body so hard and survived.On that morning, I swam, did a demanding conditioning session and finished with a spin class.I felt mentally good as I raised my game to the challenge but my body took a hit...On Monday, I was half of myself, as I got up I wished nobody would come to the 6.45-7.30am Tabata class as I was still really tired.It was funny as I knew that training would help me to recover and get rid off the stiffness, but I didn't want to train...
I did train and felt good about it...On Wednesday I was fully recovered, and the following day on Thursday I decided to go to swim after my 6.45-7.30am Kettlebell class and I felt terrible again...
On Friday morning 5.30-6.30am I trained BJJ and felt energy less, then did the spin class and felt weird, different, almost fainting...Carl my 7.30am client kept on asking me "are you all right?", at that stage I had to admit that something was wrong and I needed to stop and rest.
The irony was that during the spin class I forced one gym member to get out of the studio for 5 minutes as it seemed that He was struggling. Steve, the member in question came back to me at the end of the spin session and thanked me to stop him and ask him to go for some fresh air, as he was feeling really bad.
What is the take:Challenge yourself BUT RESPECT YOUR BODY, TRY TO RECOGNIZE THE WARNING SIGNS. We are NO machines, we can and should train Hard. We MUST REST CONSEQUENTLY!

It generally hurts meanwhile or right afterward, but the PRIDE and the sense of Achievement have NO EQUAL...

My window to the world: Week of the 15th to 22nd of August

"The perfect day"

Sunday the 21st was for me a perfect day...in my perfect days certain elements are included, like working or studying, training, spending time with my family and friends and praying.

Last Sunday all the important elements were present and made of the day something different, awesome, perfect.

I had a decent night on Saturday and was looking forward Sunday triple training session. The truth is that I was excited and anxious as I knew it would hurt...and it did!

From 7-7.50m, I was at the UEA swimming pool doing some drills and pool lengths, trying not to think too much about the 8.30-9.30am conditioning session.

8.30-9.30am, I arrived at the gym to find the crew, Tracey, Kirsten, Emma, Greg, Tim and Paul , MY ARMY.

I used to to say and repeat that the number is nothing compared to the quality of the cast and these guys are "quality" and fierce competitors.

We embarked ourselves in a 15 minutes free weight workout, followed by a 15' heavy Kettlebell routine and finally 10' body weight as we were running out of time.

It was "painfully enjoyable", and the hardest was to think about what was coming our way ...

10.30-11.30am spin class... The truth is that I wasn't on the bike for the whole hour as I had to tidy the weights and Kettlebells.

Nevertheless, the time I spent on the bike felt like an eternity.

10.35am on the spin studio floor swimming in my sweat, chatting with Paul and Tim about  how tough was the morning and the BBQ.

That exact moment was quality! We suffered together, we were now laughing, exhausted  proud and looking forward to share an afternoon meal surrounded by our families.

10.45am, I dragged myself to the shower, then jumped in the car to finally make it home. There I reunited with my wife Susannah, my sons Milo and Noah...half an hour later we were en route to the Train For Life Summer BBQ.

The BBQ went well thanks to James the owner of the Eagle, he supervised and made sure that everything was up and running before leaving us.

It was a wonderful day, the kids were running, laughing and playing with each other  while the adults were chatting, drinking and eating.

Simply put, it was THE PERFECT DAY!

Be part of a supportive community! 

My window to the world, Week of 8th to 14th of August

The Beauty, the Ugly, the Beasts and the Ugly Beast

What inspired me this week is our body language while we train, what we transmit, how we interact, and influence others.

The Beauty is that person who comes to the gym to train, attend a class or socialise. Normally that person is all "GEARD",  wearing the latest trainers, the trendiest pair of leggings or vest, make up on, cup on...READY FOR THE CAT WALK...

That person generally looks as good at the beginning of her/his workout as at the end of the mentioned workout.

That person didn't understand the meaning of "Look like A Beauty Lift Like a Beast"!

The Ugly is the most beautiful person you can meet on the gym floor, or in a class. It is that person who inspires you, that person who is so committed to her/his workout that She/he forgets about her/his physical appearance.

That person knows that how you look on the gym floor is secondary, what is important is how you are perceived. How your peers, training partners appreciate and respect you for your fitness and physical achievements.

The Beast is what we have inside, that monster that sleeps inside ourselves, who gets up from time to time or often when well trained in order to push us to our limits and beyond.

My best definition of the Beast is "WILL POWER". I meet and see on daily basis people with very strong WILL POWER and what has surprised me the most during these years is that you find totally  different people that possess a very STRONG WILL POWER.

You will have really extroverted, angry, aggressive people and on the other hand, calm, quiet, sweet, and even shy people.

I am, as a matter of fact extroverted, angry, aggressive in my approach to training and others like Tim are QUIET, Paul is COMPOSED, Rachel is a FIERCE competitor but shy,  Kirsten is sweet and driven, Aaron is as Angry As Neil...both are examples of work ethic.

In my numerous spin classes I am generally amazed by the women who join the class for the first time and work so hard that it brings TEARS OF JOY IN MY EYES, Nicola from Newcastle is one of this person that I find highly INSPIRING.

She is somebody who shines by putting such effort and showing full commitment... Someone who sets free her BEAST TO GO BEYOND HER LIMITS!

The Ugly Beast is a state, a state we want to reach each and every time we start a workout. I train almost twice on a daily basis, six times a week and no matter how long I train, I need to release my BEAST, I need to get to the Ugly Beast Mode.

It is hard to be motivated all the time, this is why it is important to surround yourself by people who inspire you and help to give the best of you.

No matter how many people, JUST QUALITY PEOPLE. As a matter of fact, yesterday spin at 9.30am, we were a handful of people but we gave such a fight, worked so hard that it was satisfying to be part of it, to end up sweaty, broken , tired BUT SO ALIVE AND PROUD.

I USED TO REPEAT THAT IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE WE GO AS "WE ARE THE PARTY".

The right thing to do when you train is to give your all, the training ground is a very democratic place. In fact people, are judged for what they can achieve while training, nobody think about which car they drive, what job they do...

You are assessed, appreciated, respected for what you can do AND THE UGLIER YOU LOOK AS YOU DO IT, THE BETTER!

Breathing HARD

Trying to Breathe... 

My window to the world: Week of 1st-7th of August

My week started on Tuesday, we came back on Monday night from a family trip to Eastbourne to visit  the boys grandparents.

I looked forward and dreaded these mini family breaks!

On one hand I like to move away from Norwich and have a break of my routine. On the other hand, my sons are generally super exited when we are away, so they are in their BEAST MODE... Super active, never tired, not receptive... Hard work!

Ah yes Tuesday! A good Kettlebell class with a good group. All the assistants were working hard, the atmosphere was great.

Right after the Kettlebell class, it was time for spin and there were new faces, so anything could happen.

Some days you win some others you lose, Tuesday was a winning day. I leave you to interpret. There were two new girls, 2 friends and after 2 tracks, one has left the spin class while the other looked like a VETERAN.

I looked at the first one leaving the studio without saying a word and smiling, the truth being told is that she hasn't done much (effort) before her departure.

In regard to the second one, I stopped the music after the second track to publicly CONGRATULATE HER.

It was the first time I saw her in the spin studio and I praised her for her display, she was simply "Awesome" working as hard as she could. It was simply INSPIRING.

What is the take?

If you train seriously, you will struggle and suffer. You can embrace the pain and be proud of your achievements or waste your time...

Wednesday 6.45-7.30am HIIT was a one on one session with Paul. I often say: "the party is where we are,  We are the party".

Paul and I had a wonderful face of, we worked as hard as we could. We pushed each other to our limits and beyond. Paul was about to win a workout...but I didn't let this happened...

Paul told me something interesting. He said that he does not enjoy the HIIT session as much as the Tabata, Kettlebell or spin, but He acknowledges the benefits of it, so makes a point on taking part every time he can.

What is the take?

We don't always like what we do, so why do we do it? An example, I don't fancy doing Good Mornings, but it turns out that because of them I squat more and better!

Thursday 6.45-7.30am Kettlebell was just amazing. It was a very hard session, Really hard one and I had some new comers in particular a girl who just SMACHED IT. She worked as hard as anybody in the studio, but on top of that she showed an awesome positive attitude and disposition to work hard.

I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED AND THAT MADE MY DAY.

What is the take?

I never tire myself of repeating the same things over and over. What is important is not your current level of Fitness, what really matters is HOW HARD YOU WORK.

I GET INSPIRED ON DAILY BASIS BY PEOPLE WHO WORK HARD, NO MATTER HOW FIT THEY ARE.

REMEMBER WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THE JOURNEY

To finish the week. Let talk about the weekend: on Saturday I planned an awesome weight session, BUT I decided to stay in bed with my wife (both sleeping) and then play with my boys who were up around 6.30am...

On Sunday I made it to the U.E.A swimming pool and went through 45 minutes of swimming drills. The U.E.A swimmers on Sunday early morning are over 50-60 years old. I am most of the time one of the youngest, so I really feel humbled and grateful to be surrounded by such an inspiring cast.

In the shower some of the old guys were having a chat and one of them in his 70ies praised my physique. My reply was: "YOU ARE THE ONE TO BE PRAISED, I SIMPLY HOPE TO BE AS ACTIVE AS YOU ARE WHEN I TURN YOUR AGE..."

What is the take?

REST AND FAMILY MATTER!

Show RESPECT TO THE ELDERLY AND PRAISE ANYBODY WHO DESERVES SINCERE PRAISES.

This is the Train For Life Way of Life!

Only way to learn... 

My window to the world:

I had a nice chat this Friday morning with Paul after the spin class. I told him that he is one of those inspiring people I have around, from whom, I would like to learn more about...life and...

As we chatted he revealed me something interesting, he said that he was missing my weekly post on Facebook, where I was writing about the Train For Life classes and how people and myself were getting on.

I was puzzled, as the main reason why I went quiet is that I like to say "relevant" things and try to engage people with "interesting" subjects and lately I was focused on learning new stuffs related to fitness and nutrition.

Writing posts became secondary...

But, I was remembered that to praise people, and to lead by example is important!

Thanks to Paul's input, I will on weekly basis write about our community, sharing stories, trainings sessions, impressions and thoughts...

Read more on: www.trainforlifeuk.com

The Train For Life community has several objectives, one of them is to connect like minded people.

On Wednesday the 13th of July, 8 of us, Paul, Hajj Amal, Gurvinder, Neil, James, Daniel, Luke (gym members, clients and all members of the Train For Life Community) and Myself met up for a dinner and a catch up.

It was one of the best event of the year, I have never been a fan of going out to drink as I don't drink, but I always thought that spending time with fellow training partners was something to be done.

We had a memorable time, not everyone of us knew each other but people blended with no effort. After the evening I spoke to the guys and we all thought that it was a successful evening and had to be repeated.

What is the take?

You will get along with people who share a "common" passion with you.

We guys are bond by fitness, but we all like to EAT AND RELAX, what a better way to get to know people than around a table eating chicken!

Believe it or not 6/8 has a whole chicken for dinner!

By the way on the 21st of August, the Train For Life community is invited to a BBQ, families and friends are welcome! 

Sharing, driving, inspiring ...is our MISSION! 

#TheTrainForLifeFoodList/TheUggly12

This list is inspired by the many authors I read, fitness and nutritional gurus such as Poliquin Charles, Venuto Paul, Rooney Martin or Michael Matthews, as well as the information collected in the many diets I explored. I read a quote that clarified everything," if you want to be lean or burn fat Learn from those who do it best, "the natural body builders" ; here I am humbling myself putting aside my own prejudice  and learning from the masters of nutrition.

I want to share my knowledge with you guys, so read and apply. If at least you stay away from the baddies and focus on the good ones, you will be in the right direction.

The 12 worst fat storing foods

Chips and other deep fried foods

Ice cream and milk shakes

Doughnuts and pastries

Sweets and confections

Sugar sweetened soft drinks

Sugar sweetened juice drinks, energy drinks, and dessert coffees

Margarine

Crisps and fried tortilla chips

Bacon, sausages and processed meats

Hot dogs and fast food burgers

Pizza with thick crusts and fatty meat toppings

Sugary breakfast cereals

Everybody knows I am personal Trainer, so wherever I go, they feed me "good" food. Jokes aside, it is BAD food choice, nevertheless, life is about moderation or good planning! 

#TheTop12BestFoodToEat

The Fantastic 12

This list is inspired by the many authors I read, fitness and nutritional gurus such as Poliquin, Venuto Paul, Rooney Martin or Michael Matthews, as well as the information collected in the many diets I explored. I read quote that clarified everything, if you want to be lean or burn fat Learn from those who do it best, "the natural body builders" and here I am humbling myself and learning from the masters of nutrition.

I want to share my knowledge with you guys, so read and apply. If at least you stay away from the baddies and focus on the good ones, you will be in the right direction. 

Please find below a list of foods you must have at home! 

THE FANTASTIC 12 

Whole fresh fruits

Cruciferous vegetables 

Root vegetables (sweet potatoes)

Quinoa

Beans and pulses

Coconut milk

chicken and turkey 

Cold water fish

Sea food

Eggs and egg whites

Lean cuts of red meat, game meats

Coconut oil

Picture from my own cupboard, no hypocrisy... I have the BAD on the left, milk chocolate and ketchup and the GOOD  on the right, 85% dark chocolate and fresh tomatoes. To be on track get more from the right than the left side! 

Want Vs Wish...

Summer holiday is approaching and the gym and many fitness facilities, clubs will be invaded by people who WISH to be or look fit for the summer!

Many people will recognize and should recognize themselves while and after reading this post.

But let start by stages... What do you really want? This is an important question! Do you really BADLY want to be fit, Fitter at YOUR FITTEST?

If the answer is yes keep on reading although it hurts... If the answer is NO, I am sure you have better things to do!

Everything important in our lives follow the same process:

We first decide, We WANT IT.

WE PLAN, WE PREPARE OURSELVES.

WE LIVE THE STRUGGLE, WE SUFFER, FIGHT, FALL AND STAND BACK UP.

AND AFTER MANY BATTLES... WE CONQUER!

Examples: it takes approximately 9 months to become a parent?

WRONG!! It took me 17 years...

I HAD TO FEEL READY, WHICH TOOK ME AGES...

TO FIND THE ONE!

TO CONVINCE HER THAT I WAS THE ONE!

AND FINALLY TO TRY FOR A CHILD AND BECOME A FAMILY...17 years!

To get your life time job can also be a lifetime investment...I work since I am 20 years old and I am working or better living the dream for 6 years now.

In fact I am personal trainer for 6 years now, during 16 years I worked but it is only 6 years ago that I am doing what I REALLY WANTED TO DO.

What do I try to say?

Something powerful and simple, everything, anything important we want to achieve in life takes time.

In order to achieve anything significant in life, we have to work hard, work properly, be consistent and determined.

IS IT GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR FITNESS OR GETTING THE PHYSIQUE OF A LIFE TIME?

"HELL NO"

"I was born a fighter and I became a champion".

I was chubby as a boy, always in the pack...NEVER WINNER!

BUT I HAD A VISION, A PLAN.

I WANTED TO BE HAPPY, I WANTED TO INSPIRE, I WANTED TO WIN!

"I did what the majority of people with FEW TO NO TALENTS DO.

I researched, studied, PLANNED AND WORKED REALLY HARD."

At age 33 after, 21 years of training athletics, football... I finally won a National individual competition.

21 YEARS!!

So DO YOU STILL THINK THAN TO BE READY FOR THE SUMMER IS GOING TO BE AN EASY TASK?

To be ready for the summer or to really WANT to be ready for the summer is the first step.

I will help you in the weeks to come with posts on nutrition and training to prepare yourself for the necessary changes you need in order to achieve your goals.

The lucky members of 24/7 Norwich, are invited to come and sweat with us in the many classes I run, the others get in touch!

I will post the workouts we do and I will also sell a 2 months TrainForLifeHotSummerBody Nutrition and Training plan.

One image says more than thousand words...hard workouts, you end up breathless, destroyed but YOU FEEL ALIVE AND FILLED WITH A FEELING OF ACHIEVEMENT... 

#TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

Week of 16th of May

"Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn". Losing is sometimes a blessing in disguise...

I will refer in that post to Luke my friend and training partner and to myself. We both trained hard to take part to the BJJ British Open which took place Saturday and Sunday 14-15th of May, last weekend.

Luke went, and I had to pull out as getting there was impossible due to some problems with the competition organization.

Luke didn't do well, as he lost in his first fight, but he came back with lots of positive things to think about.

In my case, I enjoyed my No Show,I went to train on double sessions on Saturday and Sunday, on both days I was with the people I enjoy being with my PT clients and the gym members as well as the members if the Train For Life Community.

To add to the mix I spent more quality time with my family, instead of being on the road for over 6 hours,  I spent the day with my boys and wife and add a catch up on FaceTime with Aziz my best friend.

All situations have always different lectures and if we look closely, we can find or make good from bad.

We both started the week with a break of BJJ, We resumed our BJJ training on Wednesday morning. I, nevertheless went to spar at Icon BJJ Norwich academy on Monday evening and saw and felt that the competition preparation was starting to bring some benefits as my BJJ has and is improving.

As we first met Luke and I on Wednesday, we reflected on what happened to him during the competition and started to work on solutions.

The best, was that him not doing well was not down to our training or our approach of the competition. It was done to a lack of competition experience. Luke last competed years ago, so there was a lot going on for him on the day.

On top of that, he realized first hand that in term of BJJ and conditioning, he was far better than his opponent! He was actually really well prepared, despite not competing for years his BJJ was solid and at "good" competition standard.

Without getting in details, we were satisfied about the outcome. As it turns out that the "negative" experience reinforced our focus.

The way we planned our training sessions totally fit to the competition context. The problem was simply linked to the faith!

In fact we plan, then we need to believe in our preparation and APPLY!

Right after our chat, we started to train again and plan our coming training sessions for weeks to come.

The moral is high, so his our energy and determination. The upsetting situation we went through had just boosted our desire to become HARDER, BETTER,FASTER, STRONGER

Luke and I, with OUR Bronze medal from the BJJ European Championship 2016. Our medal, as without Luke support, I would have come home empty handed!

#TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

Week of 9th of May

Monday:

5-6.30am BJJ: Medium intensity.

6.45-7.30am Tabata Class: High intensity. 5 5' workouts, 3 with free weights and 2 cardio and body weight routines . Really tough, what I needed. It sets the tone for the week.

6.20-7pm Cardio and Bodyweight HIIT as I couldn't attend the sparring BJJ class.

I almost didnt do the session as my legs were so stiff that I could hardly move them, but after 5' of a slow warmup, I was good to go. It was painful but I hit an extraordinary sense of achievements.

Tuesday:

Got up at 86.2kg on the scale. I LOST 700g in a DAY!!!!

5-6am BJJ: Medium intensity

6-6.45pm Spin: Medium intensity

I AM SHATTERED, I CAN HARDLY MOVE. It brings me back bad memories. Last year for the same competition I felt like this. Unfortunately, it was during the competition.

IT IS AN OMEN! I planned to train Friday and rest just on Saturday before the competition on Sunday. I DECIDED TO CHANGE MY PLANS, I WILL REST FRIDAY AND SATURDAY TO REACH THE COMPETITION IN A GOOD STATE AND NOT BURNOUT!

Wednesday:

BJJ 5-6.30am: Take downs and side control, Medium intensity

HIIT 6.45-7.30am, High intensity.

Thursday 11th Last training day before competition.

BJJ 5-6.30am

6.45-7.30am conditioning, High Intensity

6.30-7.30pm swimming session, High Intensity

This is me done, now I have to unwind and prepare myself mentally for the competition ahead.

Friday: Rest.

As you may know, I finally decided on Friday not to attend the #TheBJJBritishOpen2016. Instead of dwelling on the "Negatives". I decided to focus on the POSITIVES.

I Got to train on double sessions on Saturday and Sunday, on both days I was with the people I enjoy being with, my PT clients and the gym members and the Train For Life Community members.

To add to the mix I spent more quality time with my family, instead of being on the road for over 6 hours,  I spent the day with my boys and wife and add a catch up on FaceTime with Aziz my best friend.

All situations have always different lectures and if we look closely, we can find or make good from bad.

Nothing compares to family time... 

#BJJBRITISHOPENORGANIZATIONCHAOS2016

BIG PROBLEM!!The BJJ BRITISH OPEN ORGANIZATION HAS MESSED UP WITH THE ORGANIZATION.The competition was supposed to take place from the 14-15th of May, today and the tomorrow.We received the "Pre-Schedule of the fight at 00h32am  in the night of Thursday to Friday. 

This was not it, The schedule was then changed on Friday at 3pm, distorting all the last minutes arrangements possibly made by the competitors...

IN PROFESSIONAL BJJ, SOME FIGHTERS RAISED THEIR VOICES REMEMBERING THAT MEDALS DONT PAY BILLS!

We are amateurs who are paying to take part in BJJ competitions, in order to do so we have to make sacrifices, arrangements to be able to do what we like, which is to practice BJJ.

The last thing we need is the organizers of the competitions to mess up with the organization!

WHY AM I PISSED OFF?

I haven't heard of a BJJ competition where the fighters don't have any idea of when they fight the afternoon before the competition.

But on the other hand we receive a Do and Don't set of rules, like being there 1h30min before the start of the bracket or food bag check...

THE QUESTION IS WHY?

The answer is simple, QUANTITY DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN QUALITY!

The organization of the tournament proudly stated that we are 1600 participants, but because of the lateness of the information (schedules), the abusive time certain brackets are starting some of the competitors like myself will not be able to attend.

As an example some brackets start at 9am when the doors open at 8.15am ( we have been advised that their will be a bag check!) and you have to drive 3 hours to get there and you didn't have the time or money to book a hotel nearby or when your brackets starts around 8pm assuming there are no delays, which means you will be home around midnight...

WHAT I TRY TO SAY IS, THAT EVERYTHING ABOUT THE COMPETITION IS FOCUSED ON MONEY AND NOT THE FIGHTERS.

LATENESS OF INFORMATIONS, LATE START OF THE BRACKETS: All that lead to extra costs in hotels, work arrangements or etc...
SECURITY CHECK OF THE BAGS TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BRINGING FOOD: I understand that they want to sell their own food, nevertheless if the fighters are expected to be in the venue 1h30 minutes before the start of their brackets and the doors open at 8.15am WITH ON TOP OF THAT A SECURITY CHECK...IT IS CLEAR THAT THE TOURNAMENT MAY NOT BE ON SCHEDULE!

As a customer who paid for a service, my sole interest is to be able to enjoy the service I paid for. After weeks of hard training and dieting I will not be able to compete because we are 1600, a number that the organization of the tournament could not handle!

 **ATTENTION ALL COMPETITORS**

Thank you once again for your amazing support, we have well and truly smashed last years numbers with over 1600 competitors in total competing over the 2 days.

Please make sure you read all of this email as it holds some very important information for the upcoming weekend.

Firstly, if you need to get in touch, please DO NOT reply to this email as it will not get actioned.

The timed schedule has now been confirmed and attached so you can see what time your category will be called to the ball pen.

**PLEASE NOTE THE TIMES GIVEN ARE AN APPROXIMATE TIME.  ALL COMPETITORS MUST AIM TO BE AT THE VENUE AT LEAST 1HR 30MINS BEFORE THE TIME GIVEN INCASE WE ARE RUNNING AHEAD OF SCHEDULE**

This year we are planning on opening the doors at 8:15am on Saturday, this is to ensure that everyone gets inside with enough time to get changed and warmed up before the first fights at 10am.

Upon arrival of the venue, there are 4 doors at the main entrance, door 1 and 2 will be for the competitors and coaches (who have requested a coach pass) and door 3 and 4 will be for ALL spectators. Parents, please note that 1 responsible adult can wait in the competitors line with your child and can pay as a spectator at the competitors registration desk, you will not be expected to join the other queue once your child has registered. However all other spectators that have travelled with you will need to queue up in the designated spectators queue.

**THERE WILL BE A SECURITY BAG CHECK UPON ARRIVAL, THIS IS REQUIRED BY THE VENUE BY LAW SO PLEASE BE READY TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE VENUES SECURITY STAFF AND HELP US TO REDUCE THE DELAY OF GETTING INSIDE THE VENUE**

Food and drink (fizzy drinks) will NOT be allowed inside the venue unless it is for medical or dietary requirements, therefore, if this is the case please make sure you tell the security when they are checking your bags.

The venue have confirmed that fruit, water, protein drinks & healthy snacks WILL be allowed.

I hope you are looking forward to the weekend as much as we are.

Good luck everyone and we will see there!!

British Open Team

Last and only time I won the British Open... I won't repeat this year for sure!! 

#TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

 "Hard Work and consistency (in nutrition) Always Pays Off"

Sunday morning 6.30-7.30am TOUGH CONDITIONING SESSION with my client and friend Gurvinder.

9.30-10.30am Spin class.

To start with massive credit to Gurvinder for several reasons, first of all he smashed the workout time beating his time by miles.

The workout consisted of 21 thrusters  and 21 push ups,  bar with with 43kg barbell then 18, 15,12,9,6 and 3 reps.

He did the workout a month ago in 25'55" and today in 20'15". On top of that he dropped 2.5kg in the last month sticking to his diet and it paid off!

I myself completed the 16.5 Crossfit open workout in 14'00" beating my best time by 1 second...

I kept on with 4 sets of 5 90kg squat and deadlift and finally I finished with 1 hour Spin.

What is the take?

You don't make it happen without hard work and consistency, without intensity and discipline!

Here is the man, hard working fella! Now the table seem to turn and go his way. Well deserved. 

#BJJBRITISHOPENTRAININGCAMP2016

Day 3 to 8 followed the same pattern, after 17 training sessions in a week and a tight control of my food intake. I managed to lose 3.5kg!!

My fitness routine is as shown below, I trained 2-3 hours per day divided in 2-3 sessions per day. One session of moderate intensity (BJJ) and the others are HIIT (high intensity interval training).

Fitness:

Friday: BJJ medium Intensity and Spin High Intensity.

Saturday: Rest as, I was knackered, stiff and achy.

Sunday: 1h Resistance training, light Intensity and 1h Spin high Intensity.

Monday: BJJ medium Intensity, 30' Conditioning High intensity and 1h Spin High Intensity.

Tuesday: BJJ medium Intensity and 45' Spin High Intensity.

Wednesday: BJJ medium Intensity, 30' Conditioning High intensity and 45' Spin High Intensity.

Nutrition: 

I made sure to stick to my calorie intake, between 2500-3000. My usual calorie intake is around 3500 calories with the same level of activity.

My protein intake is high, The fats an carbs are medium/low.

My water intake is between 2-3 litres. 

Finally, I listened to my body, ate when hungry and didn't stop myself from having the things I like, just stick to the quantities and calories. 

The bottom pictures was taken first thing in the morning before training last week Thursday 28th of April. I weighed 90.2kg at the time.

The tp picture are from this morning Wednesday the 4th of May. I now weigh 86.7kg, I lost 3.5kg in a week. 

The differences if you pay attention are my waist is smaller, my face slimmer and my abs start to show more. 

#BJJBRITISHOPENTRAININGCAMP2016

And here we go again, the training camp has started...HARD diet AND training ARE IN ORDER.

I came back from a 4 days break in France to celebrate my 42nd Spring, slightly overweight.

I weighed myself at 90.2kg and my fighting weight is 86-86.5kg. In other words, I have 4kg to lose in 19 days in order to compete in the BJJ BRITISH OPEN 2016.

It is an important competition for me, as the last time I went there, I lost BADLY as a purple belt in the adult bracket.

IT WAS A FRUSTRATING AND HUMBLING EXPERIENCE...it reminded me that I love BJJ, I love to compete and I love TO WIN.

Since that experience I practice BJJ train BJJ 4 times/week from 5-6.30am for a total of 10-15 hours  instead of 1-2h. I put away excuses and turn my expectations into achievable goals.

The hard work has paid off as I turned Brown belt and won a Bronze in the 2016 BJJ EUROPEAN Championship, so my goal is to get better and be the best British brown belt.

Day 1 Wednesday 27th of April

5-6.30 BJJ Drills, Moderate intensity.

6.30-6.40am, High intensity: Bike 10' 5440m R10 with altitude mask 18000m. Felt i could do more, but satisfied as it was the first time in a month that I used the mask and also because I am overweight. 

HIIT 6.45-7.30am, High intensity:

I managed 10 minutes workout and another 4 minutes then I had to stop as my lower back was really tight.This was it for the day.

Nutrition: heavy breakfast of pasta (little) and lots of chicken, very light lunch and medium dinner, rice, Vegs and chicken-roughly 2300 calories- A GOOD DAY.

Day 2 Thursday 28th

5-6.30 BJJ Drills, Moderate intensity

6.30-6.40am Bike, High intensity: 10' 5590m Resistance 10 with altitude mask 18000m. I Felt confident almost comfortable, and managed 140m more than the previous day.

6.45-7.30am Bodyweight, High intensity:

a 10' workout of 10 body weight Squat, 5 Burpees, 5push ups, add 5 Burpees in each round. I reached Round 35 and 3Burpees. A total of 123 Burpees, 70 bodyweight squat and 30 push ups in 10 minutes.

402 body weight squats in 9'...

6.30-7.30pm swimming, High intensity: My first session after 2 months and it hurt all the way through and even now while I am writing. It was so hard that I lost 1.1kg in the process, call it water or whatever. I left home weighing 88.8kg and weighed myself at 87.7kg before dinner!

Nutrition: heavy breakfast of rice (little) and fish, very light lunch and heavy dinner, chickpeas and beef and some fruits. Roughly 2700-3000 calories- A GOOD DAY.

JUST WEIGHED MYSELF AGAIN, 88.8kg AFTER DINNER. I LOST 1.4kg in 2 DAYS!!!!!

Here I am showing my 2 packs, in normal circumstances I have 4-6. This is what happened when you abuse your mother food. There I am with the altitude mask, I laugh as I start to get used to it and Luke my training partner is knackered... 

TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

From the 4th to 26th Of April

 #TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

"Never say Never, Live life fully with no guilt... Take full responsibility, then when the time comes make it Work"

I used to write on a weekly basis, but it took me A bit more than 3 weeks to write this post.

During the last 3 weeks, I just did what I felt like, what I fancied. We, as human being we often make the same mistakes, so it is better to acknowledge that fact and "Never say Never"

1. "Never say Never":

In a perfect world, we are rational people, we plan and execute and by logic everything, go the way we want.

If you manage to do that, great chances are that you are successful! Don't get me wrong, I would like to be able to do that, to plan and execute like " a machine"

Unfortunately, life comes in the way, in form of temptations, opportunities...

As an example, how many of us eat healthy and well for a certain period of time and then lose control?

It happens to me, so I understand that it happens to others. 80/20 is a good ratio of consistency. If you manage to do right 80% of the time and not so good 20%, most likely you will be successful.

Nevertheless, remember, we are human, so not perfect... "Never say never" and live live fully with no guilt.

2. "Live life fully with no guilt"

What make life worth living is to enjoy each and everything we do, in other words, today is to be lived and tomorrow we will make the adjustments and corrections.

I previously talked about nutrition, now I will take work as an example.

In order for me to be happy, I need to comply with my religious, family, fitness and work duties.

Early this year, I was working really hard and getting the financial rewards of my hard work. The truth is that I was not totally happy. As there are so many hours in the day and if you spend a lot of time working you may miss out other important things.

With no shame, I can say that work is important but not to the point that I have to miss out the other vital aspects of my life.

In the last 3 weeks, I put work on "Hold", I worked enough to fulfil my duties, but put forward my welfare. The result is that I feel generally better, as I can rest more, train more and better and give the best of me to my loved ones.

Do I feel guilty of not working as hard as I could? The ANSWER IS NO!

Back in 2002, I was taught about "The cost of opportunity" an economic concept that states: "when we do something, we lose the opportunity of doing something else" in other words if you are busy doing something don't spoil it by thinking about something else or "Live life fully, with no guilt... Take full responsibility, then when the time comes make it work"

3. "Take full responsibility... then when the time comes make it work"

There are many things in life we can control and many others we cannot, so we just need to worry about the things we can control.

To assume our responsibility is important, as stated previously we often make questionable choices. Nevertheless, I believe it is human nature. Personally, I believe that we go through cycles of being and doing really well and then we don't do so well and we have to bounce back and get back on the right path again.

This 3rd point, is just to remind us that our lives is made of cycles and the way we apprehend the phases 1 & 2 make people happy or Miserable.

What is the take?

"Never say Never, Live life fully with no guilt... Take full responsibility, then when the time comes make it Work"

It is a call to Optimism, to enjoy life responsibly!

To be happy, you need to do things that make you happy, you then have to deal with the consequences of your acts. Obviously, the things you do are not unlawful or life frightening!

Finally, once you satisfied that mental, physical break you get back to that healthy routine of yours.

Remember Even successful people go on holiday or get fat...so don't knock your head against the wall because you ate too much or haven't exercised for 3 days...SURELY YOU HAD SOMETHING BETTER TO DO!

My crew, so good to be back home with my Mother, Bros, Sis, Sons and Wife (the photograph) 

My sons crossing the channel...family time is priceless even if it means kilometres on the roads... 

#TogetherWeAreStronger

 #TogetherWeAreStronger

The guys on the pics are important in my BJJ evolution. They supported, support and help me getting better.

A massive thanks to my coach Steve Cowan, Black Belt under maestro ZeMarcello. You always believed in me, never said much but always demonstrated your support when I needed the it most. That Brown Belt I proudly wear, I owe to you.

Thank you Maestro ZeMarcello, people are proud to be coached in important teams such as Atos, AOJ or MGinaction. I am proud to be part of Icon BJJ. 

As Steve, you always have been with me in all my important tournaments from the English Open to The BJJ EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP, where I won 1 bronze, 1 silver and 2 gold under your guidance. 

Finally Luke, my training partner. Luke is purple belt at Icon BJJ and we spend 4 mornings a week from 5-6.30am improving our BJJ, then we keep on with some conditioning. 

I am not ashamed to say that Luke is my "worst"  opponent, as we train so much together, we know each other which makes it really difficult when we spar.

On top of that his guard game is deadly and his top game is getting better everyday.

I feel blessed, I was really proud of becoming Brown belt but I always felt that I was not totally ready for it.

In fact, I became Brown Belt after 5 years of practicing BJJ and 2 years "off" due to the birth of the first of my two sons. 

Steve once told me, "some deserve their belt for different reasons and they GROW INTO BROWN BELT". 

I took at heart to make Steve and Ze proud, I am at Brown belt competition level, but technically I feel like a Blue belt.

There are so many gaps in my game, so many basics that need to be worked on.

I am thanks to Luke's support and the work we put on every week starting to feel the difference, I feel that I am growing into the BROWN BELT STEVE AND ZE SAW IN ME... 

Coach Steve, Maestro ZeMarcello and Luke and Bronze at BJJ European Championship 3 months after becoming Brown Belt. 

#TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

Week of 28-3rd April: THE FAT LAZY WEEK

"TIME OFF IS TO REST AND RELAX"...As in the previous post, I will not focus on my training but more on the mental approach. As I wrote  "TIME OFF IS TO REST AND RELAX"..., and it is exactly what I did. It is necessary to relax from time to time, it is vital...

MONDAY: double training session

TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY OFF

THURSDAY: Bjj light drills and Kettle bell

FRIDAY: Conditioning and 45' spin. Hurt my right calf while squatting.

SATURDAY: REST

SUNDAY: Conditioning felt good even with the altitude mask. I feel strong and rested.

Conclusions:

Nutrition: I was really bad, I started the week at 86.5kg but on Sunday morning when my sons got up, we went for a "Easter Eggs Hunt", so the first thing I ate from Sunday till Wednesday has been chocolate or cakes. During the week of the 28th 70% of my nutrition was made of chocolate or cakes.

I was 88.8kg on Tuesday around 90.5kg on Thursday...

Fitness: It felt good to be back to train even OVERWEIGHT, I was 2-3kg heavier than usual but just felt slow, not too uncomfortable. I was also full of energy and enthusiastic, the time off did me good.

Rest: I rested a lot during the week, getting up as late as I cod and enjoying naps in the afternoons. I also stayed away from work and spent time reading mangas, watching cartoons and playing with the boys.

Work: I cut myself off the world, no Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. On top of that I did not read any books related to nutrition or fitness...

"TIME OFF IS TO REST AND RELAX"...What is described above is nothing to be ashamed of... and I am quite proud of what I did. I work hard the whole year round to be able to enjoy my family and a proper mental and physical rest, so when the occasion arises, I just want to switch off.

Nutrition: I ate badly and paid very little to no attention to the calories, but as I am writing now, I weighed myself at 87.4kg. I am basically 900g away of my weight after 2 and a half day of CLEAN EATING. I mentally feel awesome as my body craves good food and is not interested in processed, sweet food at all!

Fitness: I came back fresh and hungry. I got frustrated when I lose a workout, so I work harder to get back to my level.

Rest: I learnt a lot these last month about resting. I am obviously older now than last year, but I am definitely having a better year. Part of it is due to the fact that, I pay more attention to my rest, I simply sleep more and accept that I can be tired!

Work: Here, I half blame myself...I should have planned better or assessed what was planned to make sure that my work is done before my vacation.

There is a famous say in the fitness industry, "you cannot out train bad nutrition habits". This also applies to everything else. Good nutrition habits are derived from PLANNING.

If you plan and put in practice in all the compartments of your life, then you will be successful, effective and happier. If you don't, you will waste a lot of Time and energy!

What is the Take?

"TIME OFF IS TO REST AND RELAX"...

We work hard enough the whole year round to relax when we have a deserved break. A good life is  planning 100%, working 80% if you work for someone else, 120% if you work for yourself and resting, chilling out 120% when you can.

Life is about balance, enjoyment and the necessary pain... I train hard not because I like the Pain...what I like is after the pain, the sense of achievement I feel.

I rest HARD, because I deserve it, then I get bored of being fat and lazy and I am happy to go back to my grueling fitness routines...

let me know if you agree or four it differently... 

As explained during this post, the idea is to demonstrate that the TrainForLifePhilosophy #TrainForLifeWayOfLife is to apply some common sense in your training and make each session counts. Bear in mind that, the rule explained above can be at a certain extent applied in everyday life...

At Euro 2012, with the Legend Roger Gracie

After winning Gold in my bracket and Silver a Blue a Belt Absolute in BJJ EURO 2012

#TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

 #TheTrainForLifeWayOfLife

Hi guys, been a while as I was ready to post the week of 21st, I realized that I was officially OFF DUTY, so I applied the second and important concept TIME OFF IS TO REST AND RELAX...

Today I will not post the workouts but just talk about the two concepts that I want to bring forward.
"Feeling sloppy, tired, Exhausted: 4 main reasons, nutrition, wrong training planning, Mental Burnout, Physical exhaustion " + "TIME OFF IS TO REST AND RELAX"...

Week of 21st-27th March

MONDAY: Felt strong.

TUESDAYFelt: Exhausted, sleepy and stiff. Nevertheless I completed a 45' spin class, which did me good.

WEDNESDAYFelt a bit more energized, but not great.

THURSDAY: a hard BJJ session with sparring starting from the bottom. Then, I Managed only 30" of 45' kettlebell class as I was so tired, exhausted. I decided to do the Best thing I could... TO STOP AND REST

FRIDAY: FORCED EXTRA REST DAY

SATURDAY: Conditioning: A strong session followed by a hour nap and 1h spin. It was a Good strong spin session, I needed 5' to warm up my "heavy legs" but it was a winning session as I was surrounded by a strong cast led by Paul, Kirsten, Laura, Emma, Flori, David, David and Nathan.In the previous conditioning session, the experience with altitude mask is mixed as I felt claustrophobic and had to remove it for 10".

Now the fact that I was exhausted lately must have played in my mental weakness. On the other hand the burpees which killed me last week were almost enjoyable. I ate and slept right after the session so didn't feel so knackerd as usual and had no headaches.

SUNDAY REST DAY: I OFFICIALLY STARTED MY EASTER HOLIDAY.

Fitness: My fitness is going in the right direction, the main reason is that I stay away from injuries. Being consistent in my training aloud me to improve.Rest and Work: My body was begging for rest and I gave it as much as I could, being tired had a negative repercussion on my work.
The Work: I have not been on top of my work as usual, I have been slacking off.I have been slacking for several reasons, on one hand a lack of planning and on the other hand I am mentally and physically exhausted!

Nutrition: I started and finished the week at 86.5kg, without worrying about it, just going through the motion.

"Feeling sloppy, tired, Exhausted: 4 main reasons, nutrition, wrong training planning, Burnout, Physically exhausted". All these elements may be related and one lead to the other.

1- Wrong food: Two examples to illustrate my point, on Wednesday after my HIIT session at 8.30am, I had a breakfast made of porridge, cottage cheese and a milk coffee. I felt sloppy, weak and sleepy. I was still hungry so I had more porridge around 12pm and still felt LOW.

On the other hand on Thursday, I arrived home tired and desperate to sleep. I had a coffee to maintain myself awake till lunch time then I had a high protein meal, 500g of lean turkey and broccoli and cauliflower. The result was that I was alert and ready to go, I felt great, full of energy.

2- Wrong training planning: After Xmas, I had to lose 5kg and at the same time train really hard to be ready to compete to the BJJ European Championship.As I came back from the European Championship at the end of January, I kept training hard and harder without mental or physical break. The break after a competition, is important and necessary to recover and unwind. Not relaxing and easing myself back to training has a cost...you reach a point that your mind and then body cannot keep up!

3- Mentally Burnout: Coming back from the competition, I just thought about getting better so I kept on training hard as if I had to compete again. I never had that mental "break", which I understood later is necessary, "vital"...I believe my physical breakdown was preceded by feeling mentally burnout!

4- Physically exhausted: I believe the body does what the mind says, if my mind does not order, my body does not respond. I train hard enough to pull one workout after the other, so I am mentally tough, but IF the desire to push is not there...there is little my body can do.
What is the take?When we say that everything is linked, it is not a joke! As you read above, being exhausted had a direct impact on my work. My mental and physical exhaustion can also be accentuated by the food I eat.
Guys pay attention to what you eat, as depending on your activity it will benefit you or bring you down. To eat a lot of porridge before a long bike ride is a wonderful idea, but the same meal before sitting down to study is not that great...

Surely one if not the Best of the History of BJJ Xande Ribeiro...