IS IT GOOD OR BAD TO HAVE SEX BEFORE A BIG GAME?

A perfect question for the day before the Super Bowl. The debate revolves around the myth that abstinence can improve an Athlete’s performance. We know that testosterone levels fall temporarily after lovemaking, and that testosterone allows people to build muscle mass and strengthen performance, endurance, and physical ability. It also has been linked to aggression. So coaches who endorse pre-event sexual abstinence policy believe that sexual frustration will increase a player’s aggression, and that ejaculation of any kind (including masturbation) will decrease testosterone. Muhammad Ali, for one, was a strong proponent of the Ejaculation Embargo, and often went six weeks without any sexual satisfaction prior to a fight. But scientific studies have never found a connection between abstinence and increased performance, endurance, or strength. Bottom Line: You can shoot and still score! Or score and still shoot!

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2nd 2008

Forrest is really one of a kind. This note definitely helped calm me down and relax and I think kind of took my mind off of everything so I could concentrate. Looking back it was an awesome coaching move on Forrest’s part. I am not sure about the contents of the note being that I lived in a prison environment with 15 other guys but I guess the humor had the desired effect.

Day 13

I woke up early to eat and as I got out of bed I noticed that my lower back was really hurting me. I figured it was no big deal and I could just run it off in our morning run we were going to do with Forrest. Wow we did 4 miles in the Indian run style and it was a bone crusher. Indian runs are when you run in a single file line and the last person has to race to get to the front of the line and so one and so on and so on for 4 miles. My back was just killing me but I figured since I started the run there was no quitting until it was over. When we finished we did 15 min. straight 100 yard wind sprints with a partner, as your partner was running his sprint you shadow boxed until he tagged you to begin your run. These two workout combined pretty much crushed all of us. After that I was completely spent. I needed a chiropractor bad. I was definitely concerned about my back but I was more concerned about not training with my team for their fights, they were there for me when I needed them and I considered it my responsibility to be there for them as much as possible. Then I remembered what my friend and training partner Rich Clementi told me before I left for the show. He said “Just make sure you’re healthy and ready to fight no matter what. There is only one winner so remember that and take care of yourself and your body no matter what.” These are obviously the words of a veteran and someone who speaks with great experience. Rich usually doesn’t give much advice to people but if he says you can take it to the bank it is usually 100% accurate. I definitely heeded his words and thought about this opportunity and told myself I needed to be true to myself and make sure and stay healthy for my fights. The chiropractor definitely fixed my back a little and then the masseuse helped me out even more so. I took some ibuprofen and called it a night. I needed my rest so I can be 100% for my next fight.

Day 14

I stayed in from the morning practice at the be heist of Forrest and also Cameron Diffly. I really needed time to heal up but I think they both realized I was not going to say anything on my own. I am a little too proud and arrogant sometimes but I also fought two pretty amazing 185er’s on the Ultimate Fighter in less than a week of one another. I guess you may need some time to heal after something like that. Once I got up from a long sleep I felt leaps and bounds better and went to the PM practice and so much fun getting to get my roll on with Cameron “The Young Phenom” Diffly, Gray “ I don’t care how big you are I am the BULLY” Maynard, Forrest “ Wildebeest” Griffin and of course the illustrious JTMoney. I definitely felt like I was getting back in the swing of things now. Tomorrow is just going to be better for sure. After the Jits practice Forrest and I did the 20 Min. Airdyne of death thing with each taking a hard minute and it sucked as always. I think I will definitely take this Airdyne workout back home with me it is really amazing stuff for your cardio. On the way home from the gym JTMoney was making me laugh so hard my ribs were breaking. He heard a couple jokes out of the back of a skateboard magazine when he was a kid and he has been telling people them his whole life. They are perverted and hilarious but the fact that he has been telling these ridiculous jokes for over 20 years to everyone he meets is even better. I can’t wait to take Mamie out to San Diego and spend some time with Jesse and Rodrigo just hanging out and enjoying life together. I really don’t think I would ever do something like this again. I just love my wife too much. It is a great experience and I know it is going to be completely worth it but having no contact with the person you love most in the world is almost crushing. I know we will both benefit from this experience and I want her to have the things in life that she deserves so I will endure and I will fight to my last ounce for the victory each and every fight no matter what the cost to myself. I think everyone in the house despises Jeremy May to the utmost. I am completely disgusted with him each and every day. Even his own team just really despises him a lot. They say he is terrible in the gym. He can’t wrestle, jits or stand-up with anyone on the team really. He made his bed when he put that lime juice in Matt Brown dip. Him and Matt Brown are not even cool in the least, they do not even speak to each other before the incident I don’t know what gave Jeremy the idea they were cool, he is delusional. Matt Brown went straight up to him and told him it ain’t no secret the next fight if we get to pick is going to be Matt versus Jeremy. Jeremy turned into a scared little girl and put his sunglasses on and slept in his bed with the covers over his face for the rest of the day. We all laughed our asses off at that. We at Team Forrest just think that Jeremy May has come to the realization that in a skill capacity he does not belong here so he is playing childish pranks to get him some camera time. God knows he will not get much camera time in the ring if he even makes it out of Round one without a mortal wound. His fight will not last very long at all everyone knows that. I just hope after the show he disappears back into MMA obscurity and we never have to hear from him or about him again. He is worthless in my eyes and I am a pretty nice guy so you do the math.

Day 15

I woke up today and I just felt great. I felt like I had really gotten the rest and sleep I needed to recover enough to train at my full potential today. We had an early AM practice and as usual Forrest said we were going to be going “light”. I emphasize the word “light” because he uses it a lot and because Forrest’s “light” is pretty much harder than any training session most fighters have ever been through in their entire lives. The hard training’s are the real gut checks and you should commend yourself for even finishing one of those at all. Most guys even here don’t finish some of the practices. So for the light AM practice we did a 30 min. warm-up followed by 5/6 min. rounds of extremely hard sparring straight. I got spar with Forrest again and as always it was awesome. He is a real beast. It is definitely making me much better. I completely forgot to write about the morning fight before practice between Dante Rivera and Brandon Sene. I woke up with Dante at 9 am we eat our breakfast and left the house to get him ready for the fight at the gym. Dante was really hyped and excited for the fight. His warm up went great and he got out there and was looking really ready to go. Dante did his style and brawled and clinched for most of the fight. I thought Dante won the fight on takedowns and control but Brandon put up a hellva fight for 3 rounds and he never gave up at all. After the fight we did the fight announcement for the next fight since again we maintained control and a dominant 3-0 lead over Team Rampage. Matt Brown called out Jeremy May for his stupid antics. I thought that Matt Brown was going to just kill him during the stare down; man that dude is pretty scary if you’re on his bad side. This is when the AM practice happened. After practice I just wanted to eat and rest because I knew the PM practice was going to be a real killer, if Forrest says that than count on it because he does not forget he is like an elephant. The PM practice was about 2 and half hours of really intense BJJ and wrestling practice. I guess I finally got sick of big ‘ol Forrest bullying me around in training and I just started to go really hard and rough with him. After about 15 or 20 min of him and me butting heads and trying to tear each other to pieces he looks at me and smiles that big ‘ol Forrest smile. He was really excited about it and he even complimented on my desire to hurt him and my intensity, he is nuts it is not my imagination. I did really well in practice today and I am stoked. I am going to go to bed early and get ready for tomorrow. I really miss my wife but this sacrifice for her is going to pay off for the rest of our lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank some of my sponsors for all of their help, support and hard work in my career. Third Coast Combat is definitely reping the Deep South (www.thirdcoastcombat.com). Assassin Athletics is a new and enterprising company down here supporting local fighters and myself as well (www.assassinathletics.com). Rocky and Kevin Miller from Xtreme Nutrition of Lafayette at both locations have gone above and beyond to really help my career in terms of suppliments and diet thanks a ton guys (www.xnonline.net). John Ouano at Ouano Kimonos has been sponsoring me with GI’s and supplies for the last ten years plus he has been a jiu-jitsu teacher and mentor all of my jiu-jitsu career, John you will never be forgotten (www.ouano.com). Scotty, Gumby and all the guys at On the Mat have been brother’s in arms for many years and have always supported me thanks a million guys (www.onthemat.com). All the guys at Manto Fight have been amazing with their sponsorship and their interests in my career thanks guys (www.mantofight.com) . Courtesy Mazda of Lafayette is a new sponsor that has come on board and really taken a chance with me I promise you won’t regret it Paul Stroderd. City Bar in Downtown Lafayette thanks for all of the support and love. I would also like to thank Barczyk Chiropractor Group and Dr. Barczyk for all his help. Dr. Thomas Montgomery and all his staff have been amazing thank you as well. I would never be here without my mentor and master Rodrigo Medeiros who has been a real life Mr. Miyagi to me in my life, your work with me has changed my life and I thank you (www.bjjrevolutionteam.com). Last but not least I would like to thank everyone out there who has believed in me and made my career possible there are just too many to name. To all my students never stop training and remember the secret is in the journey not the destination.