Hard lessons

[Ray Pina]

Trained Fri. night. Was fired up because it was to be my last full-power work out before my fight this Sat. ... turned out to be my worst class ever.

I started fired up and was doing well but it was messy. My teacher stopped the class to have everyone watch me and my training partner ... it was agreed by all ... looked like street fighting.

I think this was from watching the stupid Smashing Machine DVD which I finally broke down and bought. I love the video, but that's not our way and I really just wanted to see if I could put my partner down.... I couldn't (he's been training a lot lately), but worse it drew me out.

Then my master changed it to where he could hit me and I could only shield. Took some heavy shots which depressed me and brought me down mentally, started second guessing myself.

I made it through the class and my head has been woozy all weekend (maybe slight concussion).

But I learned I need to relax. I can't just rush in and try to end things on the first exchange -- especially when training for the ring. I need to relax and wait for the moment, not force it. But also force it at times. Know what I mean?

Surfed on Sat. to ice my head and relax and regroup.

I'm chucking it up to a "bad practice" and jet lag from a trip I just got back on. Also, I guess better to learn this lesson a week before the fight. I'll go half power tomorrow night and work on the weekness..... head still a bit fuzzy.

[Judge Pen]

Well, maybe you needed a sloppy session to focus you a bit more for your fight. Kind of like a good sports team winning a close game to a clearly inferior opponent will ground them a bit and force them to play to their full potential.

My teacher is a big fan of the "shiled only" excercise and it does get dpressing. Sometimes a good offense make a great defense.

[norther practitioner]

Sheilding exsercises, while I definitely see the advantage and use for them, is one of my least favorite drills... It is a good humbling drill, reminds you that shots will slip in, and not to dwell on the fact that you just got hit, but to keep chugging along.

Good luck with your fight e-fist... I'm sure it was just one of those nights...

[IronFist]

We had a guy who was getting ready for a fight and we did that blocking only drill for him. It was fun for me and the other noob in the class cuz we could punch as much as we wanted and not worry about being hit back. Each student would fight him for a one minute round, and then let another student take over, but he would have to stay in the whole time. This went on for a long time and I was impressed with his endurance.

[Ray Pina]

I like the drill. GREAT training. But man, some of those punches were coming from last week! and like an idiot I took my medicine and closed the gap instead of evaiding.

All in all, I'm lucky to have a great sparring partner who is getting better each week (he trains more days than I do) and who is so generous in taking his time out to help me.

The only time I get frustrated is after you do jam them up succesfully and want to disengage to try another one, they follow you and keep swinging and in my mind I'm like, "Wait, wait, let me set again" but they keep coming. One over hand got me and I had that split second dialogue of "do I go down or do I fight." I bit my teath and diesengaged but needed a breath after that.

He's more skilled on the ground than me so after this fight I'm focusing on more surfing, my kicking, internal and ground game.

[fa_jing]

You shouldn't fight a week after a concussion. You could get swelling on the brain. It happened to me with what sounds like a -slightly- worse concussion than what you have, but I had 2 weeks off from it and was simply lightly sparring 2 weeks later when I got hurt.....you are treading on dangerous ground.

OTOH my sifu said he's been knocked down and was back at it a week later, and never had this type of problem.

Up to you, but having been through what I've been through - I recommend you don't fight next week.

"One severe concussion or successive mild or moderate concussions can cause permanent damage to the brain or can cause postconcussive syndrome. The symptoms of postconcussive syndrome include headaches, dizziness, insomnia, poor concentration, memory difficulties, irritability, personality changes, anxiety, or depression. As many as 30% of professional football players have symptoms of this disorder.

A rare and usually deadly result of concussion is second impact syndrome. This syndrome develops when an athlete receives another concussion before fully recovering from the previous concussion. The second concussion may occur after a seemingly minor injury such as a blow to the chest that is strong enough to jar the brain. After the injury, rapid, severe swelling of the brain leads to uncontrollably high pressure in the skull. At first, the athlete appears dazed, but, within a few seconds or minutes, he or she collapses and develops rapid dilation of pupils, loss of eye movement, and respiratory (breathing) failure. "
That's from
http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_12_2_3.htm

Also see
http://ricketts.unl.edu/tbi/sports/sis.html


PS - I don't think it's usually deadly. I had a CT scan which showed slight swelling on my brain - fortunately they didn't have to drill a hole in my skull to relieve the pressure or anything. :eek: Even still, I suffered from post-concussion syndrome for 6 months. All without ever losing consciousness.

Don't drink alcohol either for a while.

[IronFist]

Originally posted by fa_jing
Even still, I suffered from post-concussion syndrome for 6 months. All without ever losing consciousness.

Don't drink alcohol either for a while.

What is post-concussion syndrome?

Why can't you drink alcohol for a while?

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by IronFist
What is post-concussion syndrome?

The symptoms of postconcussive syndrome include headaches, dizziness, insomnia, poor concentration, memory difficulties, irritability, personality changes, anxiety, or depression. As many as 30% of professional football players have symptoms of this disorder.

[fa_jing]

Post-concussion syndrome for me was difficulty thinking, forgetfullness (especially the 1st two weeks), headache, a little loss of feeling in part of my scalp. I seriously couldn't even function in my job as a computer programmer the 1st week. It took about 6 months for the symptoms to go away 90%.

Concussions are cumulative to some degree - my past injury predisposes me to concussions in the future - though I haven't had any problems since.

Re: Alcohol - see Ernest Hemingway. Concussion + alcohol = dementia.

[Ray Pina]

I'm not sure if its a concussion. I'm taking it easy the next few days and keeping an eye on it. Headache went away yesterday morning and feel noticeably better today but still a little unfocused. COuld be that it's a Monday.

Been working to hard for this fight. My healthy is important, though. If I don't feel sharp by Thurs. I'll stop by my doc. (took off Thurs. and Fri. to chill out). The event has doctors who give ya a pre-fight check.

I think mentally I'm just a little down too, being disapointed with my performance so close to fight time.

[fa_jing]

When I went to spar 2 weeks after my concussion, I was probably still feeling the effects a little. So if you aren't, that will probably work in your favor. Seriously don't drink or smoke weed this week, and pay attention to su cabeza. If you have a question - see a doc. Sounds like a good event, having a pre-fight checkup is a great idea. Our full contact event was seriously lacking - they didn't even have a 1st aid kit. One fighter got cut (automatic fight stoppage) and my sifu had to run to his car for some bandages, the promoter had none. LOL

[IronFist]

Originally posted by fa_jing
Re: Alcohol - see Ernest Hemingway. Concussion + alcohol = dementia.

Eep! :eek:

[Ray Pina]

Iron, thanks.

I actually just set an appointment to see my doc on Thurs. I'm going to take it easy. Do some light running just to keep my breath up for the fight and see how I feel. Hopefully before Thurs. I feel crisp and strong.

Been training and sacraficing for this fight for a while because I was supposed to fight in the end of Jan. and the guy never showed up and then prepared for this one. So I haven't been partying at all now for months. I want to fight this fight. At the same time: many fights, only one brain.

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by fa_jing
Re: Alcohol - see Ernest Hemingway. Concussion + alcohol = dementia. Having an over-bearing mother that dressed him like a girl for most of his childhood might have something to do with that, too.

[fa_jing]

Uh .... that was Jean-Paul Sartre, not Hemingway

[dwid]

Funny, I thought it was H.P. Lovecraft. Geez, how many of these guys had the same weird childhood?

[MasterKiller]

There is no shortage of overbearing mothers in the world, or the warped men they create.

[fa_jing]

MK - still have that blue polka dot sundress that mommy gave you? I have a niece that needs a new outfit for the Spring Picnic & Fair.

[MasterKiller]

Actually, I had the distant, unattached, and emotionally unavailable kind of mom. Guess that's why I'm such a swell guy.

[Banjos_dad]

About the alcohol, it thins your blood. Maybe that would compound the bruising or something.
I read when people bleed out it's way worse if they were drunk because it comes out way more readily, makes a huge mess. :) B_d

[Mutant]

EF,

Just stay focused on your fight man, don't psych yourself out worrying that you didnt do this or that in your last full-contact sparring... And don't allow too many distractions. Everyone has a bad night sparring now and then, don't sweat it... and don't get your sparring with a training partner at the gym confused with how you will perform and with what you need to do in the ring this wkend. 2 different things. Related in a way, but also a lot different. As you know, unless there's a mismatch, fighting is chaotic and things don't always happen so elegantly and often get ugly. So you had an ugly fight on friday, so what... While analyzing your fighting is great, try not to get over-analytical this close to your fight. Relax, just work on conditioning, stretching etc, let your body and head get all healed up this week. And then just go in there and fight. You'll be fine.

Of course thats assuming that you don't have a real concussion. If you do thats serious, and nobody wants you to get hurt. Rest up, plan on fighting so you don't confuse your focus, and then bail if you really should when the time comes. Your doctor will probably be waaay conservative advising you with this kind of thing for liability purposes. I'd just rest up, see how you feel on saturday, and then see what the ring side physicians say when they check you out for your pre-fight physical.

I know how frustrating it is getting injured right before a fight after training for months, it sucks. But don't let that get you down, you might be fine after all, so just stay focused and relaxed.

Good luck EF, and kick some ass!

[Ray Pina]

Thanks Mutant. You're absolutely right.

I woke up this morning feeling noticably better, more fucused, energized and determined about this fight. I'll be fine by Sat. One more good night of rest and the cobwebs will be cleaned away.

I heard the guy I'm facing comes from a pretty good MMA school so this should be a nice challenge for me. I heard they like to throw a lot.

I took off on Thurs. and Fri., so I will just collect myself those days and prepare myself so that when I step into that ring I give it my all.

Thanks for the good wishes folks.

[fa_jing]

Hey! Keep your hands up!
;)

[scotty1]

Good luck EF.

Got a link for the event?