Speed Bumps

I know I've been slacking on writing this past week. I'm sorry but I'll catch everyone up to speed.

Thursday and Friday this week were pretty hectic. I don't like to talk about my job on here but we were short staffed this week with Thursday and Friday being even more short staffed. Meaning that I was by myself for techs those two days. It wasn't a huge deal, I managed even when we got a foreign body puppy and a cat whose spay incision herniated resulting both of those to be thrown into surgery.  Friday was much better but a long ass day.  I did manage to get my morning workouts in both days and still made it to Ju Jitsu classes that night. 

Thursday night I had a great roll with Ernie which pumped me up for training Friday. Friday's training was great and really improved my mood from my hectic last two days. 

Saturday, Ernie and I were up and at 'em and I made an awesome protein pancake breakfast and we went to the gym. I did chest and abs and I'm starting to feel more strength in my chest which is great; it is a weak point for me. 

I didn't do any cardio at the gym because I was saving it for going to KP later on to get in some grappling. Ernie was going to join me at KP later, so I went by myself. Grappling felt good, I had a good roll with a good friend and coach. I did keep on getting stuck in certain holds and kept giving up my top mount so I know some things I need to work on.                             

After that, I had a roll with another guy at the gym which initially was going well. I was feeling good about it, then I got caught in a submission called the Electric Chair (See picture below) I had been getting caught in this all day so I've been here before.  I know for me because of my flexibility, this one doesn't really bother me. So I had my right leg up by his head and my left leg caught between his. I managed to get my right leg free and put my knee on his stomach. My calf muscles in my left leg were starting to cramp from his shins digging into it so I tried to rotate my leg so I could relieve the pressure. It wasn't painful so I didn't tap, my leg was just stuck. As I turned my leg in to start moving my leg out, he sat up and my knee slipped to the inside and I felt/heard a big, painful "crunch" in my knee! I immediately said "Mate!" Which means tap or stop in Japanese martial arts. He stopped and let my leg go. I stood up and tried to take a step but I felt my knee started to buckle. "Fuck!" Was all I could think. I was super embarrassed and frustrated that I let myself get hurt and of course it was when Ernie wasn't there. . 

Ernie showed up a little while later and I sat off to the side with a bruised ego and a hand wrap used as a bandage on my knee.  It felt really weak when I tried to walk and every time I try to turn, it buckles to the inside which worries me that I tore something.  I remember when my brother tore one of his knee ligaments in football that he was in so much pain.  I don't know if I did that much damage as it seems like it wasn't painful to that kind of degree, but it does hurt and I can't straighten it or bend it so I am limping like a dork. 

We came home and quickly showered and changed and headed out to watch the UFC fights. I iced my knee a for a bit and threw on a brace, took an Advil and we went out. I was stoked to watch Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm's fight, so I wasn't going to miss it.  

The fights were overall good. The straw weight division fight between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Valerie Letourneau was great! So much action, and great strikes made it a very exciting and entertaining fight to watch! Next, of course the main event, Rousey vs. Holm. 

Now, I am a recent fan of Rousey.  To be honest, I was not a fan of hers for a long time. I thought she was cocky, bitchy and arrogant. I did read her book My Fight Your Fight over the summer and after reading it I had a lot more respect for her as a fighter. Seeing the hardships she had to go through as a child and losing the Olympics and then coming back to win bronze was inspiring.  I'm not a huge fan of her attitude sometimes, but I have a lot of respect for her as a fighter and how she really opened up the UFC for women.  Her Ju Jitsu and Judo skills are incomparable to any other fighter in the UFC.  

That being said, I was disappointed with her performance last night. I saw that she was trying to stand up with Holm to get her opening for a throw.  By half way through the first round, you could see her get frustrated and then just lose the game plan completely in the second round.  She got sloppy and was falling. Holly Holm was a beast and picked her apart with her striking until she knocked her out with a wicked kick. I was astonished, I was not expecting that at all. I expected Ronda to grab her and throw her and manage her on the ground. Holly Holm fought like a champion and is a force to be reckoned with that is for sure.  You can tell that Rousey will not take this loss very well and she will have a tough time coming back from it.  I feel bad for Ronda right now as she faces a huge speed bump in her path.  She is a truly talented fighter and has had an amazing career in the UFC that I can't see her going anywhere anytime soon.

I was feeling empathetic towards Rousey last night with her speed bump as I am facing one of my own with my stupid knee.  I am not comparing my minor knee injury to Ronda's devastating loss, I am just saying that I can empathize with some of the frustration and helplessness she must be feeling.  My knee will definitely put a halt on my progress until it heals so I have to take it easy-ish.  So for the time being I can't do any training that involves legs which is a big bummer so no squats or dead lifts until I find out if this will heal with some rest.  I couldn't sleep last night as every time I moved, my knee would seize in pain and it was quite swollen and sore this morning (see picture below). I will see how it is tomorrow and if no improvement then I will go to the doctor to see if I did any serious damage. 

 I am anticipating that Ronda will take time to recover and come back better than ever. Just as I will let my knee heal, and come back stronger and better than ever! Girls like Ronda and I are fighters, it's what we do!

Example of the Electric Chair Submission

My Knee this morning

Everyone falls but champions get back up