Determined To Succeed

Day ninety-three.

I can’t begin to tell you all the times Bill Ivory Larson wakes up on a given morning NOT feeling like doing something that particular day. Going to the store. Cleaning the house. Making a phone call to a creditor or business. Putting my nice warm and toasty feet on the cold, hard floor. It doesn’t matter. From time to time all of us face that point where we have to do something that we don’t want to do but have to do anyway.

Take for example working out, which for me has been more mental than anything lately. It’s not that I hate going to the gym. In fact, I love going and love sweating my ass off when I’m there. Sometimes, though, it’s purely because I HAVE TO GO that makes me not WANT to go. Know what I mean? It’s that I wish I didn’t HAVE to do it all the time. I wish I was one of those people who could (seemingly) eat whatever they want and not gain an ounce AND look like they just stepped out of a fashion magazine ad. But noooooooooo! I HAVE to go workout if I am going to merely keep my weight down. Bah! Bah, I say! The same goes for eating more nutritious foods, eating right and exercising portion control.

I know I should have a better mental attitude sometimes about weight loss. I absolutely do but I am human. But the thing that makes me know this is a story my sensei, Doug Shaffer, told me last week.

Doug told me the story of a kid he knew (you know a story will never end well when the words “kid” and “knew” crop up. Very foreboding, indeed) who was onloy twenty-one years old and died from an asthma attack. Poor guy. Went to a party, got plastered, went back to his place and zonked out. Somehow, he started having an attack and couldn’t get to his medicine (or was passed out while it was happening) and he died. he was found the next day by his girlfriend.

Just twenty-one, and with so much life ahead of him.

The reason I tell you that story today (and tell myself that story) is that we cannot sit on our butts and wait to feel like we WANT to do something. If there is something we have to do we should just go do it, for the love of God, and get it out of the way. I know I have never in my life been good at doing that because I was afraid of hurting someone’s feelings (that they wouldn’t like me anymore), or that there would be repercussions (like at my former job where you would just not want to open your mouth out of dread and a constant fear of being fired for daring to speak out). If we wait, if I wait, to do do something for when I WANT to do it I might be waiting a long time. Worse, I will be wasting time in the process, and I have wasted too much time on addictions to waste anymore of it on silly things that are only in my head.

Next month, I am going to celebrate being 40 years old and in the coming weeks I will tell you how I plan to celebrate my birthday all year long. But in the meantime I’m just going to think about how I lived almost 19 years longer than a kid who died simply because he couldn’t take a breath. I know exactly how that feels. I, too, had asthma so bad I couldn’t breathe at times. Hell, it even made me pass out once. I’ve lived 19 years longer and that means I SHOULD do something with that and because of that. That is purpose. That is drive. That is will.

I will because I must make the most of each and every day. No. Matter. What.

My friends, if there is something you don’t want to do today but know that you have to keep two things in mind. One, that you are not alone. There are so many others facing similar feelings about their own situations. Two, once you get it over with you will feel so much better and can move on to the things you WANT to do (and yes, that does include eating what you should and exercising to keep weight in check). That is what I will do today. Do the things I need to do to make the time to do what I want to do.

In honor of that kid who didn’t make it to see 22.

In honor of my mom, JoAnn Larson, so I do not disappoint her.

Most of all, for myself so I can be the man I’ve always wanted to be and now strive for every day. One of which my mom can be proud and I can say did the hard things even if he didn’t want to so that he, and those closest to him, could be happy in the long run.

Day Fifty-seven.

Did you guys ever watch “Lost In Space” when you were a kid? Of course, I wasn’t around when the original 60s show was on the air but I did catch them in reruns throughout my childhood and remember, very vividly, Dr. Smith, the mischievous stowaway (and comic relief) whose favorite way of complaining was to say “Oh, the pain…Oh, the pain…”

Well, my friends. Oh, the pain ! Do I ever ache today! And today is way better than yesterday!!! My sensei, the awesome Doug Shaffer, warned me that the first mixed martial arts workout back from being out for a bit was going to hurt. But, damn!!! He didn’t warn me my legs were gonna burn and feel like spaghetti for two days straight! Well, O.K., he actually did but I keep telling myself it’s a good pain (and I know it is). It’s just a bitch when I am trying to get back into the routine and my muscles ache like when I first started weight loss and martial arts fitness months ago.

It started out just as I expected. My body needed serious warming up. Sensei Doug invited me to come a few minutes early to check out the adult karate class going on as a sort of dual “get inspiration to jump back in”/”see some of the things we’ve learned put into use.” That was very cool, especially since I learned a neat block a potential clubbing move. Anywho…the time came for me to take to the mat and I started my day.

Sensei went easy on my to begin with, just some light punching of the bag, followed by kicking. But that’s when things started to get rough. We did line work, we did tricep dips (how I struggled to get through my usually good 20), we did push-ups (at least I did ten really good, almost full push-ups), more line work, ab rocking and kicking, more punching, more kicking, Turkish get-ups, lunges, the four corners…and despite the awesome stretches after it was enough to turn my limbs into little more than useless linguine. By the time my hour was over I was sweating but I could feel how much I hadn’t worked out…and how much I knew I was gonna feel it later.

Later that afternoon I took a really long as-close-to-hot-as-I-get shower and that seemed to help. “Seemed” being the operative word. Little did I know what was in store for me yesterday…

When I woke up it was as if I was being weighed down my a ton of bricks that burned my arms and legs (especially my legs) every time I tried to move. Oh yes, I felt every minute of that 60-minute workout. I know I’m gonna be a great old guy one day because all I wanted to do (besides moan and groan) was to sit in a nice comfy position with the greatest invention ever – the heating pad – and just not move. In other words, I sooooo wished I had the power of telekinesis (or the Force) to call things to me.

But, it was a good pain. It really was. One of the things I knew during my workout, besides that I knew I was gonna hurt) was how much I missed doing it. How much I missed being on the mat, hitting the bag and making myself sweat. Did my abs, arms, back and (most of all) legs hurt? You bet your ass. But it’s supposed to hurt. That’s why the word “work” is in workout. It is work but it’s work you put into yourself and that always feels good.

Today’s blog is late (and so sorry about that, loyal readers) due to a dental appointment today. However, I am going to try to make it to the gym later to begin my normal workouts again. Why? Because I am down to 241.0 today and that feels awesome! It’s better than the 243.3 I was on Friday and it’s better every day. So I can’t wait to hit the gym to do some elliptical work, as well as some extra tricep dips to catch myself back up. Yes, a workout hurts from time to time but always remember two things…

…one, whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger…

…two, pain is only temporary. Quitting lasts forever, and I sure as heck ain’t gonna quit my weight loss journey. No matter how much I feel my thighs burning from lunges today.

Day fifty-four.

Ah, the smell of fresh air. At least I can breath a little better today. And my energy level is up, too. Both awesome things after the past few days of dealing with a cold. I even ate really well yesterday. I had a reduced-fat blueberry muffin and coffee (extra crunch) from Dunkin’ Donuts, for lunch I had a bagel (not great but better than fast food) and for dinner I had steak and roasted potatoes. Damned tasty if you ask me. Amazing what resting does – it so helps get the body, and the mind, right again.

Today is the start of the weekend and the start of my catch-up time, taking care of things I couldn’t take care of because I was sick. Laundry, errands, writing, cleaning…all parts of life that got put on hold. I ended up not eating salad yesterday because I thought I needed a bit more protein than that and I was right. Even this morning I had the leftover steak along with some eggs to give myself a protein boost as I start my day. Also, tomorrow I restart taking my mixed martial arts classes. I haven’t been in a while and I know tomorrow’s class is gonna kick my ass, but that’s cool. According to my sensei, Doug Shaffer, the first one back is always a hard one and he should know. He’s been kind of under the weather, himself. So tomorrow’s class should be fun for us both.

But it is the weekend and my mind turns to getting back into routine. I am up in my weight and I can tell because I feel sluggish, bloated and bulky. Ugh. But I will get back on that horse starting this weekend so I can get to my goal of 225 again. I know I just need one good sweaty workout to get my mind back in the game. Until then I will do what I can to focus and continue eating better (and lighter).

You know, as we all enter the weekend and play catch-up time in our lives remember to make time for yourself. On my journey these past fifty-four days I am discovering, more and more, who I am in all of this. It turns out I like who I am, especially after peeling away the bullshit of addiction, bad behaviors, bad habits…everything. It is so great to remember joy and happiness, motivation and humanity. It is awesome. Very much so, it’s like that breath of fresh air I mentioned earlier.

When it all comes down to it we have to take care of ourselves. I used to have this phrase I employed in relation to politics, specifically the presidency, that I think applies here. I said that we need to be strong at home before we can be strong for the world. And oh, how that is true, and it applies in so many facets in life. A person needs to be strong in himself (and over his common cold) to be able to get back in the game and help others. A family needs a good foundation so that it can donate time and energies to volunteer projects and causes. And even the President needs to have a strong and fortified domestic policy and strong economy so that we, as a nation, can help other nations around the world. I mean it just doesn’t make sense to help others when there are people starving, sick and uneducated right here.

O.K., enough of my soapbox. The point is we all need a breath of fresh air sometimes. It doesn’t matter if we are getting over a cold or just need a break from the routine. We all need that air because we have to be strong to take care of ourselves. Once we can do that we can handle what life throws at us. And not only that, we can appreciate the blessings we enjoy every day including our continued better health and weight loss.

So tomorrow I will sweat my ass off again and start, once again, re-re-re-re-losing the extra weight I’ve gained. Afterward I will look up and thank God and my mom’s spirit and the universe for the strength to be able to do those things and not take them for granted anymore. Times a wasting if you do. Because in this thing we call life, if we don’t take care of ourselves and do right and better by others, we will find we have precious little time left to enjoy life and those breaths of fresh air.

Have a great weekend, my friends. Talk to you on Monday.

PS: Don’t forget to workout. I will, too.

Day forty-five.

My friends,  since I don’t know what time of day you usually catch all the blog that’s fit to type (thank you, New York Times) I will wish you good day. I feel so energized today for two reasons: one, I had a wowzer of a twelve-step meeting last night and I am down in my weight thanks to some mighty powerful positive energy and a kick-ass workout yesterday at the gym.

Let’s start with the gym…

I know I’ve said this before but I am sticking to my guns now – I am making working out my religion again. No, there is nothing that replaces God, but working out makes me feel, well, “high.” It gives me both a physical and mental boost and I got the chance yesterday to work out – both physically and mentally – a lot of the demons that had come to visit these past couple of days.  It felt good to employ much of what my sensei Doug Shaffer is teaching me about mixed martial arts as part of my workout. I did leg work and arm work. Hell, I even did roundhouse kicks and had a great day with my ever-aging hip. I did my tricep dips, push-ups and shadowboxing (which works up a sweat by itself). Also , I am eating better, too. That is the vital co-component to any weight loss, don’t forget. I am working out AND also not eating the comfort foods, and I am drinking more water. Because of that I am enjoying my new downward trend, thank you very much. Even with just a few days of recommitment I saw a 239.2 on my scale today, and I so can’t wait to hit the gym again today. Woohoo!!!!

As for my twelve-step meeting last night I have to say it was a whopper. You’ve heard me talk about my meetings before but last night I attended such a powerful meeting I just have to share. I will never betray the tenets of the meetings (meaning I will never discuss details, names, etc.) but suffice it to say I am a true believer in those meetings. They offer places in which individuals from all walks of life can  let it all out and allows people to  express themselves – whether through anger, sadness, contemplation or happiness – in the safest, most non-judgmental environments. We are all there for various reasons connected through addiction, but I pray for some of those people sometimes. I really do, especially in a world that would shun, ridicule, belittle or make fun of us for even being there. At least for that hour we are safe from all that BS, and our shame, anger, worry, resentment and misery all have company.

When I left that meeting I looked up at the sky and thanked God for the positive things and people in my life, because many people in that room do not have that going for them, and many also have other addictions they are fighting, not the least of which is food – something to which I can totally relate. That’s why I was so jazzed to hit the gym. Working out centers me. It lets me know I am putting sweat-equity into myself and doing work on myself both spiritually and physically. It helps me make “living amends” to myself and others and keeps me on the path to be that better man.

Have a wonderful, positive day, my friends. Go and conquer the world, or at least your parts of it. You are so worthy of success in whatever form, but especially in weight loss. If losing weight is your goal, go for it. I am proud of you and with you 100%. And I know this blog is rambly today and I apologize. I am still in utter appreciation, wonder and, admittedly, shock over some of the things I heard last night. And even when I might not feel O.K.  I will be O.K. We all will be because of one simple thing…we are here now, and present in our own lives and that makes all the difference in the world. And  I am going to do my best to stay here and be here for as long as I am here.

Hear, hear!

Day nineteen.

I woke up this morning and I cried. I cried because of the realization that I was finally becoming a whole person again. I cried because all those parts of me and my soul that had been scattered to the four winds (despair, shame, guilt and gluttony) have started coming back and are now a part of me again and for the first time in my recent memory I am here and present.

I can’t begin to tell you what it’s like having your soul, brain, heart and energy segmented like that.  Sad to say it is something you have to experience to know. To use a movie analogy it’s like being Voldemort from the Harry Potter books. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Voldemort uses physical objects to place parts of his soul so that, no matter what happens to his physical body, he can return. In that world it is the darkest, blackest magic there is. In this world, my world, it was the darkest and blackest my soul had ever been. It’s so bad that you put yourself aside for the drug. You do, and the motions you go through aren’t for you. They’re for the drug.

Being addicted to something – anything – means you not only get a high from it but you eventually start trading things, including pieces of your life and soul for it. If you know anyone who’s an addict they will tell you that. They will also tell you what withdrawl is like – that maddening craving for the drug when you ween yourself off of it. But what I am going through isn’t withdrawl, it’s reverse withdrawl.

I cried today because I really felt myself coming back together today. I felt the parts of my soul that had been gone for so long come back home. I watched the sun rise a bit this morning, listened to the birds sing their morning songs of hunger and felt myself take in such good, deep breaths that I felt almost overwhelmed. I felt heavier. Not just because I’ve been eating like a pig lately but because the best parts of me rejoined me. My mind wasn’t in one place while my soul was shoved away in a closet somewhere. I wasn’t spending my time being an addict and splitting my time, energies and self between so many different things. I was here again and I was at peace.

The last time I felt peace like that was when I sat with my mother, JoAnn Larson, as she lay dying from pancreatic cancer. I’ve said it before and I will say it again I know exactly how lucky a bastard I am because I was able to say to my mom “I love you, mama” and hear her say “I love you, too, son” back. Those were literally her last words to me. Those were literally her last words. After that she slipped further and further away until finally she became eternally free and healed from that terrible bitch disease. Those words brought me peace and they are what I held onto as her hand grew cold even as I held it watching her take her last breath on this earth.

Reclaiming what had been gone so long makes you heavier. I don’t know how but it does. They say when your spirit leaves your body you actually lose weight. Well, I now know what it’s like to breathe and live again. I was dying. Maybe not physically, but emotionally and spiritually. This morning, and these past few weeks, have all been part of a process I hope to and want to continue. I love this reverse withdrawl. It’s renewed my senses and it’s making me whole again.

I talk all the time about seeing the “promised land.” In the past I meant about weight loss and I still do. I lost the weight of a grown person and I will never, EVER regain it back because I knew I would be dead had I kept it. But I have also seen the “promised land” of what it’s like to crave something so much it takes over your life, and yes, that can be food, too. But I would try to save you that pain and have you learn from my experience to stay away from that rancid hell on earth.

No matter what your addiction you are worth so much more than that which drives you. Our souls must be one within ourselves to truly be alive and that cannot happen craving something else. Yesterday I made a kick-ass soup (the Delicious Bean Stew I listed the recipe for – it’s awesome, by the way). Today, Friday, and tomorrow, Saturday, I’m going to workout with my martial arts instructor, Doug Shaffer, and it’s going to feel great. I am going to see and talk with friends and I am gonna drive with the windows down to feel the warm air on my face. That is life, and I am embracing it again after such a long, long time.

If you are new to reading me, welcome. I truly appreciate you stopping by to check out this website to gain inspiration in your weight loss journey. I am still on that path and will forever be on that path with you. There are two parts of it, you know. Losing weight and keeping it off, the latter being the on-going, lifestyle-changing part. It may be rough, and I know it is, but there is a difference this time as there is now a difference in my life.

I am here and present, and when we can say that, and really and truly mean it, we can and will do anything because we have our lives back and finally back in our control. Have a great weekend.

You all know I started taking martial arts classes about two months ago as a new way to workout given by the awesome sensei Doug Shaffer. It is awesome! I do things like shadowboxing, kicks, bag punches, leg and floor exercises and stretches and I do my best to try to repeat those exercises in a gym when I am not in my classes…

…but I never told you about how it FEELS to do it alone – without an instructor and to do these things in front of others.

When I am in my sensei’s training area, even though there is a huge clear window at the front which allows people to stare all they want (and sometimes they do) and the door is always open so they can come in I do not feel self-conscious about doing my shadowboxing, Turkish get-ups (my least favorite thing but only because by the time I do it my arms are really tired) and line kicks because my sensei is there with me. He is obviously guiding me. A casual passerby can look or drop in and say “O.K. the big guy’s the student and the other guy is telling him how to move…”

When I am alone in my gym it’s a different story. The gym I go to is of decent size but has machines and equipment throughout, enough to make line kicks hard because they are in the way and the space is way smaller. It’s also a challenge to find a good big space on the floor to do the get-ups and other floor stuff but I manage. Those things I can handle. The biggest problem I face is the problem we all face when we go to the gym…other people watching.

When people see you on an elliptical or using a treadmill or using free weights they can see something else physical, kind of like when people see an instructor in the room. It processes in the brain. Even if someone is on the floor doing crunches or push-ups you are familiar with those exercises so it doesn’t seem so, well, foreign. But when you are trying to walk the length of a gym back and forth kicking the air in front of you, or are trying to defeat Ivan Drago from “ROCKY IV” in your head as you punch air you can start to feel eyes on you. And even if they are not they FEEL like they are, because it’s not “normal,” like “what’s he doing?”

That’s when I focus and picture my sensei right next to me telling me “Give me two minutes of kicking legs and boxing arms…GO!” I put aside what I perceive as being looked at and focus on what I am doing. When I stand in the corner looking in the mirror practicing my punches or, better yet, my upward knee kicks, I imagine my sensei there telling me to “give him ten on each side, then go back to shadowboxing.”

Today when I hit the gym it’s going to be all about the abs, doing this rocking back and forth thing (kind of like a turtle on its back) which works out your abs like a sonofabitch. And I know that, to the untrained eye, I will look like a turtle. But I will look like a turtle doing his best not to get back on his feet but one trying to firm up his “flabs of steel.”

If you go to the gym and worry about how others look at you, don’t. That is a silly, silly waste of time and energy. Most people  go to a gym to do exactly what you are doing – get fit and exercise. I am sure there are some people who go to show off and/or to judge and those people can suck it. If you go to a gym or other public place to workout you have already taken that step. Don’t let perception drag you down.

Just imagine your own personal sensei (whatever/whoever that is) right by your side giving you the encouragement you need to keep going.

My friends, I have been honored.

Yesterday, Unbeknownst to me and on the same day I wrote part one of my blog post about him, martial arts and self defense expert Doug Shaffer, my sensei, wrote his blog post about me (WHICH YOU CAN READ BY CLICKING HERE) . It was very cool to read how my workouts could inspire a teacher who has been doing this for as long as he has, especially when just being in his class inspires me (and by the way I DID TWO HONEST-TO-GOODNESS PUSH-UPS YESTERDAY).

In my blog yesterday I began my Q&A with Sensei Doug about how mixed martial arts can be awesome for physical fitness. Today, I continue my conversation with Doug so grab your morning cup of coffee and jump into (or kick or punch) reading more about the benefits of using MMAs (mixed martial arts) to enhance a weight loss journey…

Sensei, what do you want people to learn when they come to you inquiring about MMAs as a way to improve fitness? Are your goals the same as theirs?

I guess the biggest thing I want people to understand is that everyone can do this at any point in their lives. It’s never too late to get yourself in shape and start moving. Everyone has reservations about embarking upon a life change such as this, but when you have good coaching, it’s a gradual, beneficial change that is much longer lasting. My goals as a teacher are the same as my students’. Most teachers might have a different opinion, but not me. I’m in the business of improving the quality of people’s lives through staying healthy, training, and learning. I still compete, and I still train everyday, just as my students do. The students tell me that they, too, are there in order to improve their lives through what I have to offer. We all treat each other as an extended family and every time a new student walks in the door, they are welcomed as a part of that family. We all have learned over time that this is not easy, but we also lean on each other for support along the way. I want everyone to know that they can do this! EVERYONE can practice.

What kind of diets do you suggest people follow to go along with MMA training?

This is a complicated question, and the answer is subject to the needs of the person training. Again, please ask your doctor first. If you’re not used to any kind of training at all, you’ll need to do some research as to what to eat to provide the correct nutrients and long lasting natural energy. Asking your health care professional is the best place to start.

What are the benefits of doing MMAs? Toning? Strength training? Etc?

MMA is a great way to not only improve your cardiovascular health, but increase your range of motion, and flexibility while toning and developing. It really is a complete system that calls on your whole body to perform. During an average session you’ll not only be burning calories, but you’ll be focusing on the development of your body and getting closer to the way you want to see yourself in the mirror. It’s a very rewarding feeling watching your arms, chest, back, and stomach begin to chisel out after just your first few weeks – yes, I said weeks – of training. There is no such thing as being too strong. This is your time to improve yourself and work on your own personal goals.

What is a good recommended workout regimen in terms of days per week, hours per day and time spent?

If you are just getting started with a new routine, I recommend training at least three times per week. If you are training in a studio or a gym with a trainer, they will have a program in place for you that will have you working anywhere from 45 minutes to and hour. When you are not at the gym, it’s important to stay lose and open by stretching at home, and making sure you’re staying on track with the proper diet as recommended by your doctor. Diet and exercise must work together in order to have any good results. If you’ve already been training for some time you might want to try bumping up to 4-5 days per week. Most importantly, it’s key to listen to your body. If you feel that you’re over doing it you need to take time to rest and prepare for the next session. Your body will tell you when it’s tired. Please take time to enjoy what you do.

Want to know the kicker (ha, I made a martial arts joke)? Even though I leave Sensei Doug’s class drained and tired I always go back and try to do something I’ve learned harder and faster, to test what I’ve learned and to build on that now that my body has warmed up a bit and isn’t so stiff.

So if you’re thinking about fitness, just like Daniel-san found out in “The Karate Kid,” it all starts with a great teacher. Thanks, Doug, for everything. See you again soon.

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to begin my mixed martial arts workouts with martial arts and self defense expert Doug Shaffer. I knew this was going to be a series of down-and-dirty workouts. I knew I was going to sweat. I knew I was going to sleep until noon (well, 9:30 a.m.). I knew I was going to hurt…and I love every minute of it.

The martial arts I am learning are a mixture of Kempo karate, Jiu-Jitsu and American kickboxing, so I started my training by learning how to punch. I put on my MMA (mixed martial arts) gloves and I went to work learning how to throw a punch (something I am proud to say I have never done in my life in the real world) using the heavy bag. Next came kicks. Yep, no “Karate Kid”  “wax on, wax off,” “hang your jacket up” stuff. I went right into kicking and how to properly kick (with a flat foot against the target). Then into using my knees. Then into a combo of all three.

Can you imagine the sweat dripping from me after each class? Believe me, it’s in buckets. But that’s a good thing. That is what I signed up for. To give you all a little insight into what I’ve been talking about these past almost eight weeks I asked my sensei Doug a few questions about martial arts and why it seems more and more people are taking it to enhance a weight loss journey…

How many people come to you, like me, wanting to take MMAs as a way to lose weight/stay in shape?

“More then you’d think! Most people see UFC on television and say to themselves “I wish I could get that same type of workout, but I really don’t want to get elbowed in the jaw. Does such a workout exist?” Yes. Not all of us have an interest in competition on a professional level. Some of my students do, but my most popular adult programs are fitness based. These days people tell me that their two main reasons for training are stress relief and weight loss. What better way to combine the two worlds then hitting things? Out of all the adults I have in my studio, I’d say a good 85 percent are in it to stay in shape.”

What mixed martial arts do you teach? Why those particular ones?

“The styles of martial arts that I teach are the ones that I have had the most training in. I’ve been studying Kenpo karate for over 20 years now. I first started training in 1987. Kenpo’s main focus is on stand-up striking, and stand-up self defense. In the late 1980s, it was becoming very popular and is a very effective “street” art. I also teach Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Let’s face it, any good old street fight is going to end up on the ground. Although I did not get into my jiu jitsu training until 2006, this system of self defense from the ground, and the science of grappling has always held a special place in my heart. From the very first time I saw Royce Gracie in UFC 1, I knew that was a technique that I needed to learn. I discovered my teachers through a friend. I had no idea there was even a Gracie studio in or near Philadelphia until four years ago. I feel these two art forms offer something for everyone. I chose to teach them because I feel that it’s important to be ready for any type of situation on the street.”

What originally got you started and interested mixed martial arts?

“My interest in the martial arts started from the time I saw my first Bruce Lee movie. Like most kids my age, we all played around with the moves we saw on the silver screen. Bruce was the first person I’d ever seen that made things like that seem possible for a little guy like me. Add to that the fact I went to a VERY tough school growing up, and you’ve got the recipe for a kid that NEEDS to learn how to protect himself. At least two, maybe even three times per week, I’d get into a fight in the schoolyard because I did not like to take crap from anyone. I’d also have no trouble standing up to people twice my size if one of my friends was being bugged by some bully. It really got to the point where people knew I’d fight, so they’d look for me first.”

How can this type of training be good for weight loss and fitness?

“With the advent of programs such as cardio kickboxing, Tae Bo, and even the famous P90X, this training is becoming very easy for the public to get its hands on. A traditional martial arts workout will focus on only the areas that increase strength for standing positions. Growing up, we used to do countless amounts of stance drills. We’d practice kicking, punching, and blocking with partners, and we’d spar at the end of every class. This style of training is great for muscle tone and endurance, but it fails to activate and use every important muscle group needed. When you incorporate ground fighting and grappling, you are now able to target the rest of the body in a way that the stand-up skills lack. In order to have a complete workout, you need to be training your entire body every time you practice. Mixed martial arts does not give the body a chance to overlook a single movement.”

Does a person need to be in the “best physical shape” to begin taking MMAs?

“Absolutely not. A person can come to me in the worst shape they’ve ever been in, and still get the best training they’ve ever had. I was speaking to my class some months ago about this very same subject because this is the most common objection I hear. “I’m not strong enough to do that,” or, “I’d hurt myself if I tried that.”  One of my students said it better then I could have, and this has become a mantra for that particular class: “this is an evolution, not a revolution.” If you’re in bad shape to start with, and you make the personal commitment to change, you’ve already started your journey! The point in coming to class is so that you see the change happen in front of yourself over time and that you also enjoy the learning experience. Every exercise that we do can be altered or modified to fit any body type. As you get stronger, you work closer to your ideal body position. You don’t have to be in “perfect” shape at all. If you are in great shape, we take the training to the next level. I can always give a student more or less, depending on your needs. Any good coach should be in touch with the student’s needs.”

After my classes I am exhausted, sweaty (scratch that. I was mega-sweaty) and thirsty, but what incredible workouts they are. They’re the kind of workouts that should hurt. Sweat means you are burning fat and I am doing that. I am working muscles I never knew I had (like behind and under my shoulders) and I was getting my body into a new kind of workout to help trim off these pesky remaining pounds and, hopefully, firm up what’s left. And when you have an instructor like Sensei Doug, who wants to help people not just train-up for martial arts but get to their personal goals or weight loss, fitness or self-defense it turns a hard-as-hell workout into a partnership.

There is a saying in the studio in which we train which I have shared before and am going to share with you all again today, because it applies to all aspects of life…“A black belt is a white belt who didn’t quit.”

Damn right, and neither will I. Hell, if I can do it with my flabby arms, thighs and belly, anyone can.

About Doug Shaffer: Doug Shaffer, a seasoned martial arts and self-defense instructor with more than 20 years of personal training experience, is one of the most sought after mixed martial arts trainers in the region. Doug currently holds a third-degree black belt in kenpo karate, a second-degree black belt in Filipino Arnis, and a blue belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu.  He is currently pursuing a purple belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu from Balance Studios in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He also studies Ashtanga Yoga with Phil Migliarese, a protégé of the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.  Doug currently trains people out of his studio in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. To contact him, please visit www.amerikicklansdale.com.

Sometimes it’s really hard to get over the hump.

Today is Wednesday (Hump Day) and I can’t tell you how hard it was to just get out of bed today. You know what those days feel like, where you almost have to trick yourself into thinking the rest of the world is better than the safe and warm cocoon of sheets, comforters, pillows and blankets. And even though I am up now (grrrrrr) and writing (fueled by a fairly decent cup of hot coffee), I still am shaking myself awake trying to jump-start my brain into joing the rest of me in the world of the awake and moving especially before my martial arts training this afternoon.

You all know I’ve been at a standstill with my weight lately. I seem to hover right around that 237 mark, which is O.K. but not as good as I want it to be. I so want to be back at 225. This is my hump and I am trying to get over it. I have been eating alright (grilled meats instead of fried, a Coke Zero instead of a full-on Coca-Cola) but just alright, meaning I am here at the hump, kind of like the yoga push-ups my sensei Doug Shaffer has be do. They are slightly different because of where you place your arms and chin, and they are hard as hell. However, when we do them in class I inch closer and closer to being able to do one without it being my fat man’s push-up – the kind where the belly sags and the back isn’t straight when you lift off the ground.

One of these days I’m gonna do a solid push-up. One of these days I’m gonna get over that hump. One of these days…

Now I am going to admit something. I admit that sometimes I do eat too much of a good/better thing, and too much of a good thing can be bad. I have been on something of an emotional eating kick lately, too. It’s also not easy to say this but I am still really freaking disappointed by not advancing in the Oprah thing. That would have been one hell of an opportunity and for reasons both karmic and Hollywood, I’m sure, they decided not to use me.  That hurt a lot and I am at a mental hump of  HOW to keep moving forward and to WHAT?! (grrrrr, and he takes another sip of hot yummy coffee). So I have been turning to comfort foods, well new and healthier ones, as a way to ease that bruised ego of mine. Believe me when I tell you I am mad at myself for doing that (both still being upset and for overeating) so one way I know over my hump is to stop doing that and will myself into knowing that I don’t need as much food (that the rest of the world is better than the safe harbor of food no matter how healthy it is). Another way is to beat the shit out of that bag when I hit the class these afternoons. I may go to martial arts class but I need to step it up a bit when I am not in class. Muscle definition is coming but it ain’t here yet. And even when it is I can’t rest. I have to keep going.

There are humps in our lives, and whether you take them as mountains to climb or stumbling blocks littering the smooth paths we walk, we have them. They are unavoidable, it’s just how we deal with them that’s the true test of our mettle. It doesn’t matter whether or not it’s weight loss. In my case it is both. I want to keep succeeding in weight loss and maintenance and I know what I need to do to do that…to get over that hump and get back to my goal. I don’t know, however, to get over the hump of career choices and paths. I once thought I’d be doing well with that Oprah thing and now – poof. I just need to breathe and keep on keeping on, I guess.

Hump day means so many things for so many different people. For some it is literally what it was intended to describe – the point in the week where what we earn monetarily is now for us and not for taxes. For others, it’s the figurative working for ourselves and the process of getting to our goals. But no matter how you slice it time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ into the future. Our hairs get greyer, our joints get creakier (and believe me, when I heard my hip pop last week it was freaky). But no matter what, we have to get over these humps. We should get over these humps.We can get over these humps.

No matter the hump, the battle to overcome it begins with the mind. As for me, it’s about getting my mind around the whats and hows and whens. Once I do that I’m good…

…with the help of a nice hot crunchy cup of coffee, that is.

O.K., I know I’ve been a bit of a movie geek with you guys lately (although I do not apologize for it at all – smiles), and I know I’ve mentioned it before, but you all remember the original “The Karate Kid,” right? In the film, Daniel-san (Ralph Macchio) finally gets fed up with Mr. Miyagi’s (the late, great Pat Morita) seemingly selfish and self-serving requests to “wax on, wax off,” “sand the floor” and “paint the fence.” Daniel-San asks “when am I gonna learn Karate?” Mr. Miyagi, in his infinite wisdom, grumbles a bit but acknowledges that it’s time for Daniel to learn what he has been really doing and shows him exactly how much karate he’s actually learned doing all those things. That’s when Daniel-san put it together, the meaning of it all. How doing one thing builds to other things and how, when all the pieces are put together, your mind has been opened to something new and something wonderful.

Or, as Hannibal says in “The A-Team,” “I love it when a plan comes together.”

Even though I am in no way, shape or form frustrated with my martial arts sensei, Doug Shaffer, yesterday’s instruction was that big “a-ha” moment for me. Noooooo, not the A-Ha who sang “Take On Me” in the 80s (although that is an awesome song and video). I mean it was the class that showed me the practical applications of all the moves I have been doing. For example, how rocking back and forth on my back, kind of like a turtle on its shell, keeping a target in sight actually is not only a great ab exercise but allows you to control how close an aggressor can get to you using your legs. Then, how these killer ab exercises we started yesterday actually help complete that control by allowing you to build muscle to use those legs to fight off said aggressor.

I’m not gonna be defending myself against “sweep the leg” or doing the crane move or anything from “The Karate Kid” but it shows that the things I’ve been learning all build, not just in increased health and strength but also in skill. In the five weeks I’ve been doing martial arts I am already seeing results both in health and in physicality. But now I get to add that “a-ha” moment to it all, that one more thing that can help me push through the sweat I am adding to the blood, sweat and tears story of that mat to get to my goal.

Weight loss is the same thing. You eat less calories. Groovy. Then, you exercise. Groovier. Put those two together and you lose weight. That may be simplistic but that’s why both have to work in tandem. That’s the plan, and not doing them together means you will be frustrated. Believe me, I know as I tried both for years separately and that’s part of why I failed before 2005. Before I finally got it. Before I said “a-ha.”

When we put work aside and jump into the weekend we have to put the things we learn to use over the two days of being away from our routine. In other words it is the time to put that plan and those disciplines we learn into action in the real world. I know it’s hard to avoid the Auntie Anne’s pretzels in the mall, or the burger with fries on the run between running from the store to the dry cleaners, but it must be done. It’s time to set aside time for yourself to get in at least ten minutes of exercise, too.

When I left the class yesterday I was invigorated. Not just because I get to kick the bag or punch out my week’s frustrations, but because I “got it.” I got the “why” you do the exercises you do and for my inquisitive brain, it helps, as do seeing the results every week. And when you start seeing that first pound or two come off (or see more pounds come off) you will have those moments, too, of understanding. This is all a process and sometimes it’s a slow one, I know. But it all does mean something. It all does show results and it all does come together for your own plan.

In time you will see that, my friends. You will.

In the meantime, keep on keeping on, especially over the weekend. And remember to “wax on, wax off,” “sand the floor” and “paint the fence,” metaphorically speaking that is. Each little thing you do is helping. Trust me. You are building to something great and awesome…you.