Muay Thai in the evening. With our partner we would throw a punch and a kick, switching off. My partner was coach Anthony which is always fun. I was chasing him around and getting tagged, but my jab found its target several times while he was showboating. My sense of distance is something I'm really going to focus on.

Other partners were either more inexperienced than me or, in the case of one guy, more out of shape, so I significantly held back and took the opportunity to lightly work on inside leg kicks and higher body kicks against moving opponents.

Told coach I'd been watching Bazooka Joe tutorial videos on YouTube at his behest and he invited me to stay after hours and work on things as I wanted to. Ended up staying until 9 pm. Took some bagwork video.

Ate a lot over the weekend. Went to the Gilroy Garlic Festival Saturday afternoon and ended the evening at an Italian restaurant for my niece's birthday. So much pasta. Alcohol intake was a single tequila drink with dinner and when I recoiled at how much sugar it had I cut myself off there.

SSB squats
310 x 5
360 x 5
405 x 5
Been having right knee pain the past few weeks. Warmed up extensively today and I didn't feel it today.

Neck crunches between squat sets. Forward, backwards, and each side with the thick Iron Woody band.

310 x 8, 8, 8

Hise shrugs
310 x 20

Romanian deadlifts
215 x 2 x 8
First time deadlifting anything since last year, or picking up something that weighs this much for that matter.

Did 4 hill sprints on Thursday. Just wanted a short, 10-minute burst of activity to counter the hour-long Muay Thai sessions.

Yesterday was sparring. For the third time now only I showed up for the class. My buddy Daniel was already there for some earlier open gym training and was surprised someone showed so he decided to stay and spar. Coach Anthony remarked how he's probably going to nix the class because nobody ever attends, but that he'll incorporate sparring throughout the week so I'll still get the training in. His other idea was to maybe invite other gyms to spar on this day. People are wimps.

My defense is really bad. It's okay for the first round or two but it quickly deteriorates if I'm working up a sweat. My chin comes up too much and I leave myself open when I throw if I'm a little tired. I also need to move more laterally when under fire instead of backing up.

My jab continues to give everyone trouble and they remark on that, which is cool. I'm throwing more kicks now and trying to stand more laterally at behest of the coach, although I just watched a YouTube video where the instructor says that in Muay Thai you want to stand square unlike in boxing. 

At one point I checked a kick and he was limping so he took a break. 

Near the end of the session I got caught in a combo that ended with a head kick that caught me right under my eye. I saw stars and had to stop because I couldn't see out of it for several minutes, so coach called it a day. There was a lot of blood.

Just rested up for the remainder of the night because I work today. Went out to Rite-Aid and bought some butterfly band-aids. Already had Neosporin.

Wednesday I started the 5/3/1 protocol for the bench press. Think I may go back to axle pressing, as it just feels better and I have no meet coming up.

Bench press
170 x 5
200 x 5
225 x 8

Dips
12
45 x 10, 10, 10
Super-set with pull-ups up to 45 x 8

Rear delts, curls

Muay Thai at night.

Yesterday I box squatted up to 330x5 for 3 sets, did walkouts with 470, and good mornings with 150. Tweaked my right lat muscle just by working up with 290. Nothing too bad, just some discomfort.

Sparred in Muay Thai. First guy was a smaller guy I've went at it with before and am friendly with. This time he was really wailing on me despite the coach saying he wanted very light contact. Nothing I couldn't handle but was annoying. My shins and left glute are very sore today from his kicks. He also kicked me in the dick right as the round ended. I mostly kept it light but clocked him a few times when I felt he was benefitting too much from the fact that he didn't have to worry about my strikes hurting as badly.

Other two partners were good. Noticed that my chin starts sticking out a little when I'm tiring. I don't gas anymore, though.

Went to sparring on Friday and was the only one who showed up. Worked the heavy bag for a bunch of rounds until coach Payam, who was skipping rope nearby, approached me and said he'll spar. Boxing only. We went several rounds at an intensity I wish everyone here could adopt. He hit just hard enough to punish but that's it. He complimented my jab that snuck through several times. In return, his body shots started to find their way in by the later rounds, including one that mildly knocked the wind out of me. I would say we did 6 or 7 rounds and my cardio held up well. After we were finished I used the exercise bike for 5 minutes to cool down.

On Saturday I did a deload overhead press workout. Push pressed the 100 lb dumbbell for 4 reps and strict pressed 130 x 8 for several sets, all super-set with bodyweight pull-ups. Went to a pool party and barbecue that afternoon at George's.

Deload squat workout yesterday, up to 280x5 and repping 250x8 for 3 sets. Did rear-delt and external rotation work between sets. Also, neck crunches.

Was 9 minutes late for Muay Thai due to an accident on the freeway but the substitute coach was cool about it. I walked in and 4 people were already partnered up and doing kicks down the length of the gym against the shield. Coach held one for me and we went way faster than everyone else. Left kicks going down the gym, rights coming back, and then repeat for push kicks. I finished before everyone else so I skipped rope and stretched.

Worked on several combos against the Thai pads next. Too many to remember but one involved a 1-2, right elbow, left uppercut, right elbow again. Elbow in a downward fashion, like it's divebombing. Much more powerful. Coach greatly mixed things up by calling random shots out for me to throw between combos.

Finished up with a minute of speed kicks on the heavy bag each side, then planks.

Yesterday:

Deload

Landmine press up to two 45s + 25 x 8, 8
Super-set with dumbbell rows x 100, 115 x 8

Dips
Up to 25, 45, 45, 45 x 10
Super-set with weighted pull-ups of 45 x 8
Decided to just plunge right in and go for it with the pull-ups. Couldn't resist with a 45 hanging off of me once again. Used a little leg drive here and there and could feel my arm being strained but still just terrific to be able to do.

Dumbbell press with 50s
20, 17

Facepulls, curls

Went to Muay Thai later. Got taught by my partner some good defensive moves, which I desperately need more work on. Slip the jab, jab the body and throw an overhand right. Now this made my arm feel it, but I was able to proceed and is something I'm going to keep working on. Really glad to have a good partner like this.

Had a fun and restful weekend, then did a deload leg workout yesterday after my overtime shift. Worked up to 170 lb lunges for 14 reps over 4 sets. Added super-sets with good mornings x 8. Really like the suckiness and am going to keep doing this.

Ordered 2 new sets of wraps for Muay Thai so I can rotate them out when others need to be washed. The $330 headgear I want is available in black on Rakuten. Can't pull the trigger on it this week but hopefully next.

Strict press
Up to 180 x 1, 3
200 x 0
Super-set with pull-ups x 8-10

One-arm dumbbell push press
115 x 2, 3

Bench press
215 x 6, 8, 8, 8
Super-set with pullups x 10

Lots of sets of dumbbell presses, facepulls, lat raises, and curls

Heavy session. I would like to run a full 5/3/1 program for all the lifts after this deload. I should be able to start deadlifting again, I believe.

Muay Thai yesterday consisted of a lot of defensive work. Partner attacked with just a jab and middle kick and I had to either block or parry and check. Added on longer and longer combos. Payed special awareness to not moving in the direction of the incoming strike. Block the hook while swaying away from it, move away from incoming kick. One of my most productive sessions in awhile because I got to focus on defense so much. Will come in handy for sparring.

Three consecutive days and no mishaps from landing my feet wrong on kicks. Toes are thanking me.

Weight loss pictures from January to yesterday. Flexing in both pics.

Muay Thai yesterday. First we went down the length of the gym throwing two speed kicks on each side at the Thai pads, alternating each time. Even before I did anything the substitute coach knew me well enough to preemptively tell me to keep high on my toes when kicking. Followed up with push kicks, again going down the length of the gym. Next was one minute each side of non-stop speed-kicks. Calves started to hurt at this point. Good.

Drilled various combos next. At one point we had to slip the jab and throw a right upper-cut. I got told to not exaggerate the slip. Just make it a quick and sharp movement. I've been watching too much Ippo, I think.

Finished up with ab work.

Yesterday:

SSB squats
350 x 5
400 x 3
445 x 1

330 x 7, 8, 8

External rotation and rear delt work, neck crunches

Swiss ball leg curls

Right knee is hurting. Did hill sprints few hours later.

Went to Muay Thai yesterday after the usual 11-hour Monday workday. Just two other people and the substitute coach. We warmed up and donned shields. 30 seconds of speed kicks each side, then 30 seconds of low kicks, also each side. Switched partners and used Thai pads. I held for a girl named Jazz whose two brothers also go here (one of them is the big dude who I've heard has been MIA due to wrestling). Combo we worked on was 1-2-1, right elbow, switch knee. Not too much to report here. We did this for most of the class and then switched to a non-stop 1-2 pyramid on the heavy bag of 20 seconds, 40, 60, 40, 20. Then same with knees. Finished with abs.

Some areas I'm really focusing on after my last sparring session are staying less square in my stance and having a tighter guard. We all had problems with hands dropping when first learning how to throw punches, but another bad habit, even after that's been eradicated, is keeping the hands too low by the chin and not protecting the face.

Have been stretching periodically and felt more limber in class. Nothing too crazy, just doing hamstring and split stretches when I have a few free minutes at home or work.

Picked up a dip stand for $25 today from a Craigslist seller.

Workout consisted of warming up on the bench press, doing landmine presses with three plates x 8 for 3 sets, and working up to sets of 10 dips with a 25 lb plate. Felt easy. Should be good for 45 next time. Very happy about that.

Also, visible in the picture above is the 195 lb barbell I'm rowing. Feels heavy on the repaired bicep but so far so good. Finished up with a bunch of curls. 

Had an eventful weekend. Ate a lot. Hooters feast last night watching UFC 226. My boxing coach, TJ Johnson, actually helped Cormier train for Stipe. He hasn't been coming to the gym in awhile, though.

I also didn't log a feast on the 4th of July. Have probably gained weight this week, but the good thing is it just means my arm will grow. 

Went to sparring on Wednesday. Going to just write some notes as a stream of consciousness kind of deal. Here's a short clip that coach Anthony Instagramed of me and my partner at the time, Aaron.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KBBnHmxib1w836k17

Need to stop standing square, keep my shoulders up, and check more kicks in general. The most important thing, though: hit hard if we're sparring hard! Unlike previous times, sections were the mat was divided into hard and soft sparring areas. Only three people chose the hard sparring, including me. When fighting either of my partners, I realize now only after the fact that I never made them pay for rushing in on me and I was greatly holding back while they were not. I just can't wait to go back and do it again.

Worked the overtime shift yesterday and hit up Muay Thai at the end of the day. Pretty technical day. Drilled the basics in front of the mirror and followed commands on moving in the direction that was called out. Went through punches 1-6 and then strung them together in succession after moving each time. Got asked to help teach a new guy how to throw a hook. Bag work was next. One punch and one kick, then two punches and one kick the next round. For some reason I wasn't landing square on the shins today and coach told me to watch out for that. Was nailing my foot more.

Ended with ab work. Pretty simple evening.

Did this on my work break Sunday, which was only doable because Sundays are very slow and low key.

SSB squats
Up to 422 x 3

330 x 7, 8, 8

Banded neck crunches and external rotation work between a few of the sets

Unilateral Swiss ball leg curls
20, 15

Abs

Butt was still sore from lunges several days ago but it didn't seem to matter. I also did some light shadowboxing and kicking practice in the morning and my legs are feeling so tight. Need to stretch the hamstrings out for Muay Thai. More stretching in general.

Later in the evening I did hill sprints.

Did a bench press workout of up to 210 x 8 on Friday and went on a jog Saturday evening. Haven't been to Muay Thai since Tuesday due to helping my friend out with some things during the week, so will make sure I get there tomorrow after working overtime.