A special night it was. I was on stage telling jokes to almost 300 people. It was my standup comedy debut. While I’ve done many public speeches, this was a whole different animal. Was I nervous? Sure. But I’m so glad I did it. While you don’t have to sign up for comedy school, you should do something that will get you out of your comfort zone.

Are you stuck in the same boring routine? Get up. Go to work. Come home. Hopefully train. Eat dinner. Go to bed. Wake up. Repeat. If this is the case, you need to shake things up a bit. Getting out of your comfort zone can be exactly what you need to get some passion back and make the most of life.

Losing passion for the thing you love

I was recently talking to a very accomplished BJJ black belt who told me that he lost his passion for training at one point. It’s not that he didn’t love BJJ anymore. It’s just that he got bored doing the same old thing. The good news is he got his mojo back. How did he do it? He attributes the new found passion to two things. First, he changed his routine. He started training with different higher level guys which motivated him to improve. He also started working on specific areas of his game. This way he would have goals, see some progression, and keep the fire burning.

Taking Action

Remember, action builds momentum and creates results. Take massive action. Without it, nothing will ever happen. The more action you take, the more opportunities you will have. Getting out of your comfort zone isn’t limited to BJJ. It can and should happen in every area of your life.

Here are some examples of ways to possibly make it happen…

• ·         Compete in a BJJ/Judotournament (or even an obstacle race)

• ·         Take an amateur MMA fight (of course if your coach thinks you’re ready)

•            Do some public speaking

•       Train with better people

•           Apologize to someone you’ve wronged (This requires vulnerability)

•           Start or develop a positive relationship

There are many examples and these are just a few. What can you do to get out of your comfort zone and start seeing RESULTS?

“Billy, you seem like the kind of guy that can accomplish anything you put your mind to.” Those words were spoken to me almost 15 years today and I can “hear” them like it was yesterday. I’ve had many moments where a coach or mentor motivated me to become more. I attribute much of my success to having great mentors and coaches.

Most, if not all people will reach a higher level of performance (in any field) with a mentor. Here are 3 ways that I have benefited from relationships with mentors. You can do the same…

• Skill development – Whether it’s learning how to put your combinations together, learning a new arm lock, or improving your business skills, a mentor will help you get there faster. I’ve been coached in all three areas.
• Motivation and Inspiration – We all go through periods of time where we feel like we hit a plateau and are just not getting better. A good coach can help you break through. They will help you set healthy goals which will force you to become better.
• Relationships – This relationship with your coach should not be taken lightly. Some of my relationships with mentors have lead me to other beneficial connections. Show gratitude to your coach and strive to bring something to the table to make it a two way relationship.

I’ve had mentors that are more structured where I pay for the coaching. In fact, in a couple of weeks I’ll be spending some time with a very successful fitness industry veteran. I also have others I consider mentors where the relationship is more informal. For example, today I trained with a highly skilled martial arts coach who is also a friend of mine. If you work hard each day to become your best, you will come across great individuals who can help you reach new heights in your game, whatever that may be…

What kind of things have mentors/coaches helped you with? What did you do to make the relationship even more productive?

I’ve had years and years of being coached by some of the best names in personal training, martial arts, and business. If you feel like you could benefit from having me as a mentor or coach, shoot me an e-mail and we’ll see if we can set up a phone call. This will allow us both to see if it might be a good fit.  

When most people think about the core, they think about the much desired 6 (actually 8) pack. The musculature we know as the ‘6 pack” is called the rectus abdominus and runs along the anterior wall of the abdomen. If you are only training this muscle with exercises like crunches, you are missing some key principles which if neglected may increase your chances of injury.

One of the most important reasons to train the core is to develop better stabilization in the spine. Contrary to what some think, extreme rotation at the lumbar spine is NOT what it is built for. Here are some tips and exercises to include in your core training to maximize results and minimize injury risk.

• To prevent too much rotation in the lumbar spine during striking, make sure you have good mobility in your thoracic spine and hips. The following exercise will help with this. There are plenty of hip mobility drills you can do like leg swings, hip circles, and glute bridges.
  

• You have to train the muscles of the spine and trunk specifically how they are used. For example, various medicine ball exercises should do the trick.

• You can use exercises that create rotation as well as those that resist it. Anti rotation exercises are great to strengthen the obliques, abs, and lower back. An example is…

One of the best “tools” to develop power in the core is a medicine ball.

What else do you do for a strong and powerful core?

-Joe Stankowski

This is a common question I get asked. How much rest is the perfect amount to maximize the workout? Another common question is what else can I do besides wait patiently, mentally focus, and send Twitter pics of myself flexing?

The answer to the first question is that it depends on the goal. Here are some general guidelines that I try to stick to.

Fat burning – For fat burning, we generally keep the rest periods low around 20-30 seconds. This is partly why we (and many others) use a circuit training format.

Muscle building – To maximize hypertrophy, the best bet is to train like a bodybuilder. Sets of around 10 with about a minute between.

Strenth/Power Development – This is definitely an important factor in MMA and grappling so make sure you are including some strength workouts in your routine (1 per week minimum). These types of workouts can require up to 2-3 minutes of rest. This is partly because the central nervous system is so taxed after a heavy set. Additional time is needed to recover and be strong for the next set.

Now that you have an understanding of the proper amount of rest between sets needed for your goals, now I’m going to share some tricks to maximize rest and overall workout…

• Supersets – This is probably the best way to maximize a workout. You would do a strength exercise followed by another exercise using a different movement. For example, 8 reps of a pressing movement followed by 8 reps of a puling movement. There is also something called a compound set which is doing 2 sets of similar movement back to back. For example, a set of pull ups followed by seated rows.
• Correctives – Rest between sets is a great time to focus on some corrective issues you might have. For example, if you have tight hips like me, you might use this time to work on hip mobility with hip circles and other stretches.
• Abs – Similar to the other two ideas but with abs. Instead of throwing on a couple of half-butt sets at the end of the routine why not sprinkle them throughout?
• Active recovery – Keeping your HR up just a bit can actually help with recovery. Try some light shadow boxing.

Hopefully these tips will help you to be even more effective in the gym. Let’s not overcomplicate things. Keep these principles in mind and get to work. What other things can you do to maximize rest time?

I remember talking to one guy about his training program and he began listing all the “supplemental training” he was doing. Yoga, Weight training, and more. I wondered when he did his skill training. As the saying goes, “Skillz pay the billz.” Skill training should be added to your schedule first if your main goals is getting better at grappling or MMA. After that, schedule in your important strength and conditioning sessions. It’s so easy to neglect doing this and I speak from experience. However, sooner or later it will catch up with you and you may become injured from muscular imbalances, run out of gas when it matters most, or just limit your progress.

Start with the Abs and Core

I’m not suggesting this because the abs and core are the most important aspect of training (although there is no denying their importance). It’s just that there is no excuse for neglecting these areas. You can easily spend 10-15 minutes after your skill training sessions one to two times per week and see some great benefits. Here are two different core and ab workouts I did recently.

Bodyweight Core and Ab Blaster

Bicycle crunch * 20 reps

Side plank * 30 sec. each side

V- Ups * 15 reps

Reverse plank * 1 min.

Stability Ball Ab and Core Circuit

Stability ball crunches * 10-15 reps

Shoulder roll outs * 10

Pike knee ins *10

Reverse hyper-extensions * 15

*Repeat these circuits 2-5 times depending on level and time availability

Benefits to Ab and Core training for grappling and MMA

When we know WHY we’re doing what we’re doing, it helps us stay focused. Some of the reasons to include regular and core training in your grappling and MMA program are…

• Injury prevention – A strong core will keep your lower back (a common injury site) strong
• Increased power – Your punches will really snap and pop with the addition of some core strength to some solid technique
• Durability – Similar to the first benefit, a strong core will help you overcome in later rounds and deep into a rolling session.

These are samples that I did recently. You can include different exercises or substitute different variations. How is your training balanced? What does your weekly schedule look like? What are your favorite ab and core exercises  and what are your favorite “tools.” I believe a well-rounded program includes exercises for the lower back as well as some rotational exercises.

“That’s a really difficult question to answer as there are several (at least) factors that will determine how much weight you lose, one of them being the other 165 hours per week you don’t spend with me. I will say that it can be realistic and healthy for an individual to lose 1-2 pounds per week and we have plenty of clients who achieve this. However, not all people are the same and respond the same. I will say that you will become better and if you are consistent, good things will happen!”

While this may not have been the answer she wanted to hear, I was able to sleep perfectly knowing I gave her an honest and realistic answer. What if I would’ve said that she will lose X amount of pounds and she didn’t because she doesn’t get quality sleep and therefore has elevated cortisol levels?

Here are some factors that come into play with weight loss that I’ve learned after over 15 years of fighting fat!

• Choose Your Parents Wisely – This was the answer given by a well known exercise physiologist when asked about the “secrets” of top athletes.
• Diet! Duh! – You can’t out exercise a bad diet. If you are an athlete, combat athlete, or MMA athlete, do NOT expect to play at world class if you are nor carefully considering your nutritional intake.
• Mindset – We usually wind up how we expect. In high school, I expected myself to be an average student so I was. In college I began expecting more of myself so I became an honor student.
• Sleep/stress – This really is a forgotten link with fat loss. Studies show that those that get enough solid sleep lose more fat than those that don’t. Considering your sleep and stress levels is critical when designing your program. For example, you probably shouldn’t have that hard sparring session if you got no sleep the night before and are feeling exhausted.

There is a little more to the weight loss puzzle than just calories in versus calories out. If this is a goal, it’s crucial that you eat clean, have the proper mindset, sleep well, and of course choose the right parents! What kind of weight loss have you achieved with lifestyle modifications and how long have you kept it off?

I’ve seen it dozens of times. The hungry beginner trains multiple times per day and then disappears after 3 months due to burn out. Think about it. How many people make it from white to black belt? Or how about the MMA fighter who believes that more is always better and sadly gets to the point that he can no longer compete due to injuries?

Most of us who are passionate about training have the right intensity at least sometimes. If not, you need to ramp up the intensity in your training. For those of us on the other side of the spectrum, here are some good options to consider.

• Massage – What a great way to relax and recharge. Massage helps many injuries common to MMA training as well as helps the body to recover from hard workouts.
• Sleep – If you aren’t sleeping well, this is the first area to address. Without quality sleep you won’t have the energy needed for the hard workouts.
• Hard and Easy Days – Every workout can’t be hard. Sometimes focus on technique and reduce the intensity of your sessions. This will allow you to recover and get more out of the hard days.
• Nutrition – Solid nutrition and water intake is crucial to MMA training success. Make the time to prepare meals and eat healthy.

These are just some of the things you can do to recover and see more long term progress. Everyone is different so you have to do what works for you. What are some of your best practices to recharge the batteries?

We didn’t lose any money (although time is money) because we paid him by the day. However, he lost a lot of money. And not just the day or two that we would’ve paid him. You see my next door neighbor had a big job lined up with him next but changed his mind when he saw what happened to us. He also lost any potential repeat business from us and referral we might have given. I’m sure he wasn’t thinking of any of this when he stopped showing up.

Finishing strong is crucial not just in business but in your MMA training as well. Here are some times when you want to make sure you don’t slack off.

• Conditioning workouts – Performing finishers after your training sessions are a great way to get one degree better each time. That little push when you feel like giving up goes a long way.
• Your training program – Everyone wants to be a UFC fighter and it’s all fresh and exciting when you start. It’s the persistence in your training that you develop that makes you better. It’s the stuff you do when nobody is watching.
• During each set – It’s so easy to stop a rep or to shy of what can you do. Your mind tells your body to quit. Don’t listen. Develop the habit of not quitting and your mind won’t get tired as fast.

Starting strong is easy but it’s finishing strong that separates the good from the great. This applies to business, conditioning workouts, your entire training program, and each individual set and rep.

With all of that said, here are some of my favorite ways to finish workouts…

• Carry – This could be a sandbag or dumbbells. Suitcase or overhead. Some sort of timed carrying exercise to work the core, cardio, and grip.
• Just a few more reps – Finishing up a skill training session with just 5 additional minutes of repetitions will go a long way.
• Upper/Lower Body Interval Training – Alternating between a lower body conditioning exercise like sprints and an upper body strength exercise like push ups is guaranteed to put the perfect finishing touch on your session.

What are some things you do to make sure you finish strong?