Hi. It’s good as always to check-in. This week unfortunately is a gym-free one due to me not only coming down with a pretty terrible cold on Monday but also testing positive for covid. Despite 3 vaccinations it still managed to sneak its way in but I guess I was never immune anyway. Thankfully, I’m on the mend and even my cough has decided to make its departure.

Illness aside including road traffic accidents all is well in my world. I’m going to be training again from next Tuesday onwards and I’m sure next week should see me getting back into sparring too. There are some big shows coming up over the summer and although it’s very easy to get weighed down with setbacks I think if I put in some work at some point I might get a shot at fighting again. Even if I don’t that’s ok too. I’m off to Notting Hill carnival next month with good friends so that’s also something to look forward to.

This Sunday and Monday I’ve got a nice run out to the woods near me already planned and I need to make sure I start working on my stamina more as of late I’ve been pretty lazy with running. I train a reasonable amount although I need to train more and I’ve been procrastinating a lot about running. it’s all a part of what I do as a martial artist and a fighter so I need to make sure I’m making the effort. I’ve also cut down on alcohol. There’s a lot of chest-beating locally and I can’t help but smile when I see local “lads” playing hairy eyeball, I know full well a 100-yard sprint would no doubt write them off for the best part of a week.

However, to me, it’s just water off a duck’s back. I’ve got too many positives in my life to allow room for idiots. As one of my trainers said to me I need to remember to check in with myself more. It’s not me it’s them but I’m a lot more emotionally intelligent and wiser these days than I used to be. Training is something that has always helped give me focus and balance in my life so I’m looking forward to getting back to it from next week onwards.

When it comes to training itself there’s a lot I need to work on but hey it’s improving. Bag work can have a limited shelf life so testing what I know is something I’m looking forward to as well as building on my current skills. The nice thing about sparring is that it’s like riding a bike, it never goes away and the same applies to fighting. It’s very familiar territory, even if there’s rust there I know it and it knows me. We’re old friends.

When it comes to bag work I work on my basics but also work on counters and simple but effective combinations. I seem to spend a lot of time focusing on my power but it’s nice to know when I need it my speed is there too when it comes to hands and low kicks at least. I’ve spent some time of late working on turning my cross into a knockout punch by taking a step forward. Sometimes I follow up with a straight knee off my lead or a low kick.

My left body kick is strong but needs to be a lot faster, and I’ve started working on moving around the bag to focus on getting off the centre line and not being such a static target. I hit and kick hard and from what I’ve been told my knee game is strong. I need to spend more time drilling them from next week onwards.

As you can probably tell, I’m currently missing the gym. Maybe I just need to rest up and let my body heal from the injuries it’s sustained of late. It’s very easy to push too hard when really your body is telling you otherwise and slowing down for a brief pause never hurt anyone, what’s a week these days anyway? Tuesday soon come. I guess for now that’s all she wrote. Have a great week, train hard, and just like the last time… I’ll see you on that road.