Valentine's Day & The Gym

Happy V-Day MMA fans!

Though this will be mainly another G-Day for your combat-loving Fighter...

G-Day. Gym Day. Don't send flowers, no chocolate, no romantic rich-food lunch date. And definitely no balloons.  (Unless you've devised an ingenious way to use them for a timing and accuracy drill.)

He's going to the gym. He's going to workout. Remember, part of his happiness comes from hitting and submitting those who are game enough to step into the ring today.  The nirvana-zen experience that makes them forget their stresses, their external surroundings, everything, while they're in the ring. 

Perfect Example:

Post by Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

I commented on this video: "You should have said 'I'm working on my JiuJitsu 'cuz I've got some moves to show you tomorrow night baby.' But he was distracted."  

More than likely, your love will join the ranks of the everyday man who will rush to get you something so that maybe you won't be mad at him.  IF you are putting some significant amount of stock on Valentine dreams and wishes. 

J probably thinks I was setting him up, or dropping hints, when I dropped him off this morning, got coffee, came back to the gym and put an awesomely mushy card under his phone.  I wasn't! I swear! It's just that, it's Valentine's Day and I wanted to make him smile!  He did. 

Disclaimer: I put minimal stock in Valentine's Day. They put out great cards, so it's a perfect opportunity to give him something that says something special.  And I smile if he brings me flowers.  They just mean more to me if they aren't given on an 'expected' day.

So when he's limping into the house, spent and sore from drills, sparring and cardio; carrying whatever Valentine stuff that was left for him to buy at the grocery store, know that he is thinking of you, and wants you to be happy, or, at the least, not mad at him.  After all, he's been working on his JiuJitsu for you! 

Laundry

This may seem so mundane. So domestic. But any athlete knows, and so does the spouse/significant other, that gym clothes can get RANK.  And washing them to get them CLEAN can be a challenge. 

Of course, white clothes are simple. Bleach. Colors are a special effort.  And I have refined the process to get them clean.

First, it is best if you own or have access to an in-home washer and dryer.  

Option #1:  PRESOAKING

White (distilled) Vinegar is your friend. A very good friend.

For Colors

• Set your cycle to Presoak/Prewash
• When the fill cycle is almost done, pour in AT LEAST 1 cup of white vinegar. You can add a little detergent if you wish.
• When the presoak cycle is finished, set a regular wash cycle.  The long one.
• Add your detergent, any other additive (see Option #2), and more vinegar if you wish.

The vinegar helps neutralize bacteria and odor.  
No, your gear will not smell like vinegar.  It will be rinsed out during the rinse cycle and gone.

Option #2: WASH ADDITIVES 
(can be used in conjunction with Option #1)

20 Mule Team Borax & Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds

For Colors
Don't want to presoak? Add your detergent, a 1/2 cup of 20 Mule Team Borax powder, and ONE squirt of Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds.
Nice and clean.  OxiClean is also an option.

For Whites
OxiClean (and bleach, just less of it)
*Tip: Let the washer fill and turn it off. Let the white clothes soak in the OxiClean/bleach/water for 30 min. (Don't forget to resume the washer.) Will brighten them quite a bit.

J brings home a garbage bag of damp gym clothes, light & heavy Gi, shin/elbow/knee pads, and handwraps. EVERY WEEK.  They've had time to stew and simmer.  I developed the above techniques for my own sake.  

And now I'm sharing these valuable tips with you.

Enjoy!

Where to buy:
Borax & OxiClean-Family Dollar (costs less there)
Dr. Bronner's SalSuds-Vitamin Shoppe

Are You Scared?

Over the years, I have been asked many times “Doesn’t it make you nervous” or “Are you scared for him when he fights?”  My answer is always “No.”  It's a reasonable question.  Many are surprised by my reply. One would think that the sight of a loved one in physical combat with another person will immediately and severely invoke anxiety or fear.  

I am not scared for him. Why?  Since he started training and competing eleven years ago, I have developed knowledge of the sport, I have become a fan.  I KNOW what I’m seeing in the ring, and sometimes know what going to happen (or should happen) next!  I have my favorite fighters in the nationally and internationally televised promotions.  And of course, being that he’s a Pro now, I want to help him get that kind of opportunity.  He works hard at his craft.  And above all others, I’m his biggest fan.

He hasn't been knocked out, he has hardly been bloodied. He's been submitted, but is always smart enough to tap out. Except that one time... he got a broken elbow because he thought he could muscle out of the armbar.  It didn't work.  He learned and got better!  A partner should always be learning about fighting. Being able to notice improvement and refinement in his or her technique. (By no means would I give suggestions, though I will share what I observe.  I don't spar with him. LOL)

Taking You Behind the Scenes

This blog is the sharing of my experience as the domestic partner of a person who competes in the sport of fighting. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA,) Kickboxing, Muay Thai, JiuJitsu, Judo, Karate...You get the idea. Whether you are a woman or a man, if your significant other is a fighter, you will probably be able to relate to my stories of being an active participant in the behind-the-scenes world of a fighter. 

On a lot of fighter profiles aired on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), UFC, Bellatore, and other fight sport programs and promotions, there are scenes "showcasing" a competitor's family life.  You see the children, parents, siblings, spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend.  A couple of kisses, meals, or playing with the kids.  Then they are gone from the shot, back to the fighter.  These spots barely show the real life of the competitor aside from their training.  Nor do they delineate what role the partner plays in that training and preparation.

It's definitely not all done exclusively in the gym!

I'm up in a crow's nest taking pictures and videos.  Got this perfect shot of my Fighter and Children.