[Italian Monk]

**Week 5 ** (Aug 1-7, 2004)

Wt: 258 lbs.

Sun: MA (Stand up linear/triangular applications in forward pressures/defensive to offensive angles. Focus on hand strikes of feints, blasts, traps, throws/controls and some counters. Worked on some footwook set up, function and mobility.)

Mon: MA/Cardio (abs, anaerobic dummy/bag work, 60 min anaerobic footwork/aerobic cardo.)

Tue: Strength/Cardio (Chest, arms, abs, neck bridges, 45 min cardio)

Wed: Strength/Cardio (Legs, abs, footwork, 45 min cardio)

Thur: MA/Cardio (kicks, wing chun dummy work, hand combos with weighted glove resistance with heavy bag work, accuracy punches to 'body- Bob' dummy, blind fold sensitivity/adaption/absorption training, Stick evasions, abs, 45 min anaerobic/aerobic cardio that included alot of intense footwork drills with/without resistance bands.)

TGIFriday: Strength/Cardio (Shoulders,Back, light arms, abs, 45 min cardio)

Sat: MA (Speed, accuracy, coordination in fluidity and flow application drills utilizing partner sticks, knives and pads, and multiple dummies and the speed bag. Some kicks and rolls. Some neck brigding and strengthening.) *No time for abs/cardio today, celebrating GF's birthday ... this is her day)





Humbly,

[Italian Monk]

** Week 6 ** (Aug 8-14, 2004)

Wt: 256 lbs.

Sun: Off

Mon: Strength/Cardio (Chest, arms, abs, 45 min cardio)

Tue: MA/Stamina (some combo work on dummies, 6 sets of 3 minute rounds ... 2Xupright, 2Xground, then back to back 2x3 minute rounds (or 1x6 minute round) of ground to upright to ground ... etc..., then worked on more combo work on all striking, some wing chun dummy work, neck bridges, abs, 45 min mixed cardio (incorporating footwork)).

Wed: Strength/Cardio (Legs, abs, a little footwork with resistance bands, 45 min aerobic cardio.)(Didnt feel like training today ... but I did)

Thur: MA/Cardio (Stand up striking combo bursts, gapping, exploiting, on different dummies/bags, a little ground work, abs, 45 min cardio, some body hardening.)

Fri: Strength/Cardio (Shoulders, Back, arms, abs, 45 min cardio)

Sat: MA/Stamina/Cardio (Power, bursts, combos in multiple striking ... to the point of stamina fatigue. Did multiple sets of this. Ground work with partner, and some ground drills. Some stick drills. Some various other drills, abs, 45 min cardio.)




*** Went dancing Saturday night ... about 3 hours total of intense dancing***

(Nickname from a co-worker is 'Tornadoe Mike' .... LoL :P )



Humbly,

[vingtzun]

had a quick look through the past posts, but couldn't see what you do for cardio
cheers

[Italian Monk]

Good question. I switch that up depending on if if my legs are sore from my leg workout or kicking on things ... LoL.

Seriously, I keep the consistency of 'minimally' doing 45 minutes of road work (straight running). Some days I will have that at a high intensity by a continuous increased pace, sometimes do nothing but leg drills in a non-stop fashion with/without resistance bands specific to fighting, sometimes do a mix of max effort with a 'rest' of just normal running then another max/rest/max/rest ... you get the idea ... to work stamina (anaerobic) as well as cardio (aerobic). Somedays I listen to my body and just do a light pace 45 minute run.

In addition to my 'normal cardio', on days I do 'just' MA training, I also do alot of anaerobic/stamina work with the likes of shadowboxing, dummy/bag work, and rounds of continuous combos/rolls to build my 'wind'. I do alot of high intense solo ground work the best I can, as I dont always have a willing partner. Of course whenever I can get a partner, we train it up pretty good with sparring drills from difficult positions on the ground.

Hope that answers your question.

(If you have any nice ideas for improved stamina ... please share Im always open to innovative training ideas . . .)

Train ON !!!

Humbly,

[Italian Monk]

** Week 7 ** (Aug 15-21, 2004)

Wt: 254 lbs.

Sun: MA (Kicks, focus mitt work, clinch work, control takedowns, counters, ground work)

Mon: Off (going to be focusing on anaerobic much more for the next couple weeks ... as I may have an event. 'Still' waiting to hear back.)

Tue: Strength/Stamina/Cardio (Chest, arms, abs, 45 min cardio. (incorporated some higher reps, and anareobic bursts throughout the 45 min cardio.)

Wed: Strength/Endurance/Cardio (Legs, resistance bands, 45 min cardio incorporating anaerobic footwork)

Thu: MA/Cardio (abs, ALOT of hand/upper strike work in many variety in combos on bag/dummy/speed bag and shadowboxing with and without Kempo gloves, some kicks and knees, some footwork, 45 min cardio, some focused stretching (more than usual))

Fri: Strength/Endurance/Cardio (Shoulders, Backs, arms, abs, core body and balance work with ball, neck bridges, 45 min cardio)

Sat: MA/Stamina (abs, kicks, defense, strikes, alot of ground work and stamina in ground work, 45 min cardio.)





***My fight has been confirmed !!!***

(From here on out, as noted earlier in this post ... more anaerobic/stamina work is implied for most cardio.)




Humbly,

[Italian Monk]

**Week 8** (Aug 22-28, 2004)

Wt: 252 lbs.


Sun: MA/Stamina (Movement in striking (punching, elbows, knees and kicks), motions applied in various ways, targets in motion, ground motion repetitions)

Mon: Resistance/Endurance (Chest, arms, abs, 45 min cardio(higher reps, shorter rest time, some supersets/negatives incorporated)).

Tue: MA/Stamina (Movement, movement, movement ... in upright, clinch and ground. Movement in transition and combos to a stamina/cardio effectiveness incorporating some kicks .... mostly hand strikes and positioning. Core balance and movement. Abs, neck bridges, 45 min cardio.)

Wed: Physically Resting (Listening to my body. Supposed to hit a focus on legs today, but they are aching. Will rest today and hit them tomorrow.) Will go over variety in application of techniques low pace today.

Thu: Resistance/Endurance/MA (Legs, core, abs, stand up work/combos (kind of 'hit it and quit it' today. Didnt want to over tax my legs, so I did not do the 45 cardio as usual. Nice work out ... while not overdoing it with the aching from yesterday. Will continue with my roadwork tomorrow, as my legs should be sufficently ready for the next week of very hard stamina/cardio work with my first fight the next week after that)).

Fri: Resistance/Endurance/Cardio (Shoulders, back, arms, abs, 45 min cardio, a bit more stretching than usual.)

Sat: MA/Stamina/Cardio (abs, some kicks, combos, 3x5 min. rounds of full intensity stand/clinch/ground, drills for kicks, knees, strikes, angling, speed, power. Abs again, 45 min cardio, stretch.)






Humbly,

[Italian Monk]

**Week 9** (Aug 29-Sep 4, 2004)

Wt: 250 lbs. (been eating a bit extra today to not drop below 250 ... I would like to stay between 250-255)

Sun: MA/Transition & Application (Movement/position/transition/application/energy flow)

Mon: MA/Stamina/Endurance (5 sets of full burst up/downs, stick angles, heavy glove work, footwork, 1 set burst up/downs, stick work, glove work, wing chun work, 1 set burst up/downs, glove work, bag work, 1 set up/downs, shadow boxing, abs, 45 min cardio).

Tue: MA/Endurance/Cardio (Focus on groundwork, core work and movement and transition on the ground, abs, 45 min cardio).

Wed: MA/Light (Stick work, 'techniques', took today easy to have an intense next few days ... to then rest and be fully rested for my fight. Kind of listening to my body as well.)

Thu: MA/Stamina (Focus on power kicks and punches, then focus on explosive speed and bursts, then focused on reactive speed, abs, 30 min of interval speed bursts for short to prolonged periods of time.)

Fri: MA (Stick, staff and empty hand drills and flow, core, groundwork, abs, 45 min cardio)

Sat: **MA** (All day (10 hr) camp covering 'ALOT' of stuff !!! GREAT day of shared knowledge and application ... among sharing brotherhood with other martial artists . . .)

Humbly,

[Christo]

Hey there, i have a couple of questions for you. Firstly, what type of competition are you training up for? Secondly, when you train with someone else do you spar ie box, kickbox, wrestle or mix it up with both striking and grappling?

Must say you sound like a fitness machine!!!

Cheers.

[Italian Monk]

Hello Christo,

The competition Im entering is a Pankration/MMA/NHB match. Im going to see how I do. Its been a great tool to keep me truly motivated in constant training.

Yes, when training with a partner ... love to mix it up ... covering all aspects.

Thank you for the kind words ...

May I ask, what are you into pertaining to the arts ?

Train ON !!



Humbly,

[Italian Monk]

**Week 10** (Sep 5 - Sep 11, 2004)

Wt: 250 lbs.

Sun: Rested today ( a bit more sore than I wanted to be this close to the fight. But thats ok, it was great training. Will pick it back up tomorrow, ensuring Im rested enough for the fight).

Mon: MA/analysis (Review of various videos, stick work, empty hand speed striking/counter striking via shadowboxing/heavy bag/partner, some light clinch gapping, wooden dummy (silent fighter), neck bridges, 45 min cardio, more stretching).

Tue: MA (stick work, heavy gloves with bag/silent fighter/shadowboxing, 45 min cardio, stretch)

Wed: Review/recover (I strained something Saturday, thus why no abs or kicking this week so far. Took today off physically to rest, took two salt baths and stretched. Review of martial arts material.)

Thu: MA/Analysis/Final Prep (Lt work, detailing, strategies, stretching)

Fri: Final Detailing (some very light MA applications/strategies/review/thoughts/stretch/bath)



Humbly,