Philippians 4:13

Edward Thommes
MWF – 12:00

Title: Functional Strength Training

General Purpose: To inform

Specific Purpose: To inform people the benefits of functional strength training, leading all the way back to the gladiator days.

Central Idea: Why functional strength applies to real life, while gym strength does not.

Introduction

I.                    (Attention Getter): Are you an athlete, someone who works out, or someone who wants to get in shape?

II.                  (Reveal Topic): Well today I will inform you about functional strength training.

III.                (Relevancy): This relates to all of you because you all have worked out before whether it is a drive in you, a hobby, or your PE class in high school.

IV.                (Credibility and good will): I recommend that athletes and people wanting to get in shape know what functional strength is, as well as the difference between that and what gym strength is.

V.                  (Preview): Now I will be going over what it is, as well as the benefits it can have for your life.

(Transition:         Okay now let’s begin)

Body

I.                    Functional strength training is any type of exercise that involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life situations.

A.                  It is the original form of training tracing back to the ancient warrior days.

1.                    This is the most natural and effective way to get stronger and in shape.

2.                    It does not require any fancy equipment and is as basic as it can be.

a.            Doing these types of workouts reduces chances of injury.

b.            These workouts are very natural for the body to work with.

B.            Functional strength training usually covers five different types of workouts: 1) explosiveness 2) lifting, carrying, dragging, pushing and pulling odd objects 4) sprints 5) body weight exercises.

(Transition: Now let’s talk about how to get involved in this)

II.                  You can train or get in shape wherever and whenever you want to.

A.                  The great thing about functional training is that you don’t need a rowing machine or some fancy equipment to get progress.

1.                   You can get all the equipment you need for free.

a.            They can be found in your very own backyard, the forest, the beach, or wherever outdoors and even the jungle gym’s pull up bar at the park.

b.            You already have your body weight to work with, now you can use logs, stones, sandbags and the other of nature’s materials we’ve been blessed to train with.

B.            These types of trainings are starting to become more popular once again, and gyms are being opened throughout the world even holding classes to train together, calling their functional strength training “crossfit”.

1.            Crossfit is a great way to get functional strength training, and is a little bit more modernized.           

                a.            It is modernized because there is some equipment that is used but not as easy for the average Joe to acquire, but still kept very simple and basic.

                b.            Equipment that is commonly used in crossfit besides the natural elements mentioned earlier, can be sleds, gymnastic rings, pull up bars, barbells, and kettle bells.

(Transition:         So you think you can do it?)

III.           Access to this training is easy, but actually doing it is a million times harder.

A.                  To be honest this type of training is not for everyone, it’s not for the weak minded.

1.            You don’t have to have the most athletic body to start with, but you can work towards it with a strong mentality that not everyone realizes they possess.

2.            These athletes work much harder and get way better results than the average power lifter at your local 24 Hour Fitness or Powerhouse Gym.            

B.                  For the hardcore athletes, bench pressing six plates a few times isn’t going to help you win a fight or aid you in any real life situation. 1.                   I’m talking about grabbing a heavy stone or sand bag or keg and lifting, loading or pressing that bitch till your completely toast. You can even start pushing a truck for 1 mile.  

2.                   That’s functional strength. It builds stamina, strength, endurance, mental toughness.

C.                  I see all kinds of scam workouts, stomach programs, pills, and creams trying to target the weak minded.

 1.                   If you want real results, you’re going to have to work hard for it.

2.                   According to a Navy Seal site my strength and conditioning coach follows, it couldn’t say it better. “A fit candidate (gym strength) does great till they have to endure, lift, carry, and drag some heavy shit…. Then we watch them crumble and we drive on.”

(Transition:         Those who want to be the best need real results use functional strength)

Conclusion

I.                    (Signal End): I hope this helped you get better informed of what functional strength training really is. It’s been around since the beginning. A lot of people tend to go with the latest fads in training, but forget to stick to what works.

II.                   (Reinforce central idea): We went over that functional strength training is any type of exercise that involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life situations. My second main point was that if you really want to work out or train, you can do it with your body weight, or objects you find outside. Then lastly, even though you have easy access to functional strength training wherever and whenever, it’s a lot harder to actually do it. If you have any other lame excuse not to train, then it’s not you “can’t” train, just face it, you don’t want to.

III.                (Memorable closing statement): I hope this presentation opened up your mind and learned about what functional strength training is as well as the benefits that come with it. If you want to learn more you can check out my Strength and Conditioning team’s website and read my coach’s blogs as well at www.warhorsestrength.com, or you can even go ahead and join a Crossfit club.

IV.                If this speech offended you, good. That just means you’re that guy that talks but has no results. At War Horse Strength we dominate people like you. Anyway…thanks! NO LOVE JUST WAR!!!

Edward Thommes

53-177

1/22/11

The Road to Destiny

            Nearing the end of June 2010, my MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) record at the time was 2 wins and no losses. I wasn’t sure when my next fight would be, but I was hoping to get a big fight at the Neal Blaisdell Arena. There was an event rumored to be held there on August 6th, 2010. The promotion was called Galaxy MMA and it was a huge production, and being on that fight card would get my name more exposed to the world. Then I was browsing on the web one night, and I got the call to confirm the fight. I was scheduled to face Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Kenny Melchor from Kauai, a very interesting match up in styles between the two of us at the 145 lb. Featherweight Division. For the next four weeks I spent my focus training for someone who was going to try to take me down to the mat and try to beat me up then attempt to submit me.

Unfortunately plans change as three weeks before the fight the promoter acknowledges to my manager that he wants to call the fight off and find me a replacement. My recent opponent apparently disappeared off of the earth and isn’t returning any calls or turning in his blood work for the fight.

A few days later Galaxy MMA found a replacement, his name Kekoa Carvalho. The name sounded very familiar to me, and found out it was my teammate’s cousin. A few days before I found out he was my opponent, he came to train with us and left halfway through the session. I never personally got to spar with him or anything, but he actually had to nerve to scout me at the gym! I was alright with that though; to me it showed his concern with my skills. 

It was two weeks out till the war I’ve been working so hard for more than 5 weeks. I was more than ready as I had to overcome many personal issues leading up to the fight; and they were all put behind me now. But the problems weren’t over. The obstacles I would have to overcome just began to start.

 I just injured my nose. I was lucky I didn’t break it, but during an MMA sparring session I was clipped straight on my white boy nose. It gushed out blood like there was no tomorrow, I was jokingly amazed at how much blood I had in my head. But the jokes wouldn’t last long as for the rest of the training camp I couldn’t spar at all. Just a light tap on my nose would cause so much pain and blood to drip. It was so frustrating, but when it comes to situations like these the only thing you can do is be positive. I would continue to remind myself that it was all part of God’s plan. Everything happens for a reason, and this was just something I would have to overcome.

Finally, it was fight week. My nose was still sensitive but slowly getting better. It’s Monday morning and the fight is on Friday night. I get a call from the Galaxy MMA promoter and hear news about the fight that breaks my heart. Carvalho, my opponent decides to drop out of the fight because he felt he wasn’t ready. He had so much time to prepare for the fight, but decided not to and be very unprofessional about it. I was so upset that he did that to me; I felt like he just took all of my hard work out of my hands and crushed it. Getting a replacement in one week would be almost impossible. The promoter still had to find someone who will take a fight on a one week notice and be able to do the blood work and physical in time for the athletic commission to pass him to fight. But I still kept my faith that something would come around, after all I had to be mentally ready to fight.

When Wednesday morning came along I answered my phone to great news. Thanks to the promoter and my manager’s hard work, they found me a fight. My teammate Fatu Tuitasi who fights a weight class above me was scheduled to fight the same night, but his opponent wasn’t physically able to compete. So during the time he and I never had opponents, the fight card switched up a little bit. Shaison Laupola vs Brayden Kalahiki was moved around as I was now scheduled to face Laupola and Fatu against Kalahiki.

My new opponent was a veteran fighter who held championship titles in kick boxing. I remember before I started to even train for MMA, I was watching him fight in the ring and cage. It was a huge test and step up for me, but I love challenges. I want to challenge the best fighters out there. I knew for a fact that my ground game would be better than his, but I still held some concern when the fight was on its feet. He was an excellent kick boxer and I needed to take him to the ground where I was stronger than he was.

Finally, it was fight day. Time to let the leather fly! I entered the Blaisdell and was amazed to find how nice the production of the event was. There was a spotlight, entrance ramp, white cage, different types of lighting throughout the arena. It truly was a spectacle. Running late to warm up, I had to rush getting my hands wrapped and putting my gloves on. It was a little stressful but you don’t let little things like that bother you.

Fighting is 20% physical, and 80% mental. When fight night arrives, your body is already trained and in great shape. Now it’s time to make sure my mind is 100% focused on the fight. As I was warming up, my timing hitting the mitts was off. Before we finished, they were calling my name to prepare me to walk out to the cage. Before that me and my team gathered and said a prayer, a very emotional moment for our team. We then waited by the entrance ramp awkwardly by my opponent. The fight before us went all three rounds, so I ended up standing around a little longer than expected. My body wasn’t warmed up anymore and I was cold, but it’s too late now. Time to put all problems aside and focus on my goal.

 My opponent’s name was called first, and he walked out through the Blaisdell Arena. Next was me, hearing the introductions, then my name. The crowd erupts with cheers. My entrance song “Time to Say Goodbye,” plays. My teammates and I laugh because I chose to enter to an opera song. It helps keep me in a positive, playful and calm state of mind. I walk onto the entrance ramp and right away the bright spotlights shines on me. It was an unreal feeling, I’ve been dreaming about fighting at the Blaisdell for years and it has become a reality. But all I see is the cage with my opponent inside of it. I stand outside my cage saying my pre fight prayer. As I’m about to go inside the cage, I realize something is different. My body did not have as much adrenaline as I usually do when I fight. But that was about to change. This was it; the referee yells at each of us “Are you ready?” We nod heads one after another, and the fight starts.

            We both touch gloves and I immediately try to find my range using my jab. I try to clinch but he lands hard punches on my face. After that attempt I shoot in for a takedown without setting it up, and it’s easily defended. I get hit again, and now I’m covering up with my back against the fence trying to survive. I try to take him down again and once again it is stuffed. We end up clinching along the fence, and I’m finally landing the bigger shots with knees and elbows. Surprisingly he grabbed a hold of my leg trying to take me down. I quickly threw a flying knee that landed, and then followed up with strong elbows. Breaking off the clinch, I saw him backing up exhausted. I thought, “This is my chance!” I threw a jab followed by a strong body kick that he caught. Winding up he threw a huge right that dropped me to the mat. Scrambling to my feet, he caught me once again with a punch making me fall on my butt. But there is no give up in me. I fight till the end. I shot in for a takedown and drove through him for my life. Finally, he was on his back where I wanted with him on top. I land a shot to his ribs, and I hear him complaining about something. The ref continuously asks him if he’s alright. He then takes me off him and calls the fight over. I won by Technical Knockout, Shaison dislocated his hip.

            But that was not how I wanted to win. It almost felt like a lost. Who wants to win by accident? What the hell happened? I didn’t mean to hurt his hip, it just happened, unfortunately. The fight only lasted close to three minutes. I felt like I never secured the win in my hands and I was devastated. I couldn’t sleep the entire night. But that night did have its positives; I fought a very experienced and tough opponent, I showed my heart and desire to fight, and many more. It was a great experience despite the outcome. A win is a win, but it still hurt that it never ended how I would have wanted it to.

            I took a week off and immediately returned back to training with a fire lit in me. Everything happens for a reason. I got the call to fight Bone Pali from Maui on October 16th, 2010. I would be fighting on the main card for the promotion “Destiny” and it was going to be held at the Filcom Center. Five weeks to prepare till fight night and I was already feeling great. I changed things up for this training camp; I worked a lot on my boxing and had a strength and conditioning coach to work with on the weekends. One thing I always brought to the table was great cardio, but not strength. Things were going to change for this fight.

            Bone Pali was a though brawler and always brought a fight. The plan was to take him down and submit him. Three weeks till the fight I get a late night text from my manager saying my opponent changed, Pali broke his hand in training. What’s new? It seems to happen all the time to me! My new challenge was Noel Castle, a very experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt. I did my research on him and found out he had the exact same style as me. I believed my stand up would be more superior with my boxing, so the game plan we were training for is now totally reversed. We’re training now to keep this fight on the feet. It was going to be an all out war.

            Fight week finally arrived and everything is going great! My body, mind, and soul are one and at peace. I’m excited and ready for action, ready to put on a show for the fans, my family and friends, and team. I’ve done everything I could to prepare and the fun part was ready to begin. The weight class was in the Featherweight division at 145 pounds. Weigh-ins takes place the night before the fight. The morning of the weigh ins I had to lose about 6 more pounds, which was fine. When you cut weight, having someone around to talk to you and motivate you is a huge help. My good friend and teammate Ian Dela Cuesta was planning on helping me shed the last few pounds of water, but he called me right when I was on my way to the gym and said his car broke down. It looked like I had to do all of this by myself. Starving, weak and dehydrated, I made my way to the gym and began cutting weight. First I started on the treadmill, shadowboxing, and then made my way to the sauna. My mind was going all over the place, so delusional. When I made it to Ala Moana where the weigh-ins were held, I found out I needed to lose just one more pound. I was 147 lbs but there was a one pound allowance, meaning I could weigh in at 146 lbs. I immediately put on the sauna suit and started working out, but this time my coach was there to support me. My body was so tired and fatigued, I could barely walk. I sure was sweating the weight off but my stomach was cramping on every step. After we felt I lost the pound, I stripped down and jumped on the scale. I was 144 lbs; I lost two more pounds than I originally had to! But at least I was at peace now and ready to fight, right?

            Apparently my opponent didn’t show up to the weigh-ins. He seemed to have disappeared and is avoiding his coach’s calls. It became my concern as I didn’t have anyone to fight. But once again I had to be sure my mentally was ready to fight, stay positive and everything will work out fine. The next day comes, the day of the fight. I’m offered a fight against a first-time fighter at 145 lbs. But he didn’t want to fight MMA, but have special rules like no striking on the ground. Then I receive another offer, a tougher challenge. A fighter at 155 lbs. also didn’t have an opponent and his name was Micah Ige. He’s had a countless number of fights at Professional and Amateur, and I believed this was a bigger opportunity for me. Believing in my technical superiority, I accepted the challenge.

            Making my way to the arena, I’m told that he actually weighed in at 175 lbs. I had a 30 lb. weight disadvantage. Do I still take the fight? Of course I do! It was a huge concern, but I knew that technique always beats size! I only told a few of my friends about the weight we were fighting at. I knew that most people would think I was crazy, and I am. I believed it was just but another obstacle I would have to overcome. Aside from keeping it a secret from my family and friends, we also had to lay low with the athletic commission. If they found out about the 30 lb. difference the fight would probably be called off, they’re just doing their job since they don’t want anyone getting hurt. But the fight card said our weight class was at 175 so everything was fine.

            Warming up this time unlike the Galaxy MMA fight, I had plenty of time and felt sharp. My timing was on key, I wasn’t too nervous; I was joking around having fun. But my body was exhausted from the weight cut. I also realized later that I was actually sick that night. But that’s not slowing me down. I worked too hard to get where I’m at and it’s not slipping away from me this time. If I got tired it wouldn’t matter. I was going to push my opponent harder as if I was an unstoppable machine.

            They announce my name to fight. My entrance song plays, I take a step outside and begin walking to the cage. When I reach the cage I turn around and say my final good byes to my corner men. I hug the three of them; Bronson, Harris, then Uncle Ron. I thank all of them for helping me get where I’m at mentally, physically, and spiritually. I say my prayers before I go inside the battlefield. We enter the center of the cage to hear instruction from the referee. He’s much heavier than me and makes me look like a little boy. Backing away my eyes are locked on to him, knowing that I did more to deserve this. The time has finally come!

            The fight starts and immediately punches are flying. My adrenaline was flowing like crazy but in the midst of the chaos I heard my corner men tell me to relax, and I do. I try to knock him out with a head kick but miss. He throws a lazy leg kick and I capitalize on his mistake, throwing two power punches. Ducking underneath, he scoops me and slams me on the mat. That was when I first felt the weight difference myself. Finding the position very comfortable I made him pay for taking me down. This was my world now and where my advantage is at. I swept him and land on top in the mount and throw a punch. He’s very wily and scrambling everywhere, and I go to secure an armbar. I adjust my body, and secure it tight. I hear him groaning and his elbow cracking. My corner is yelling and it’s getting louder. This is it! He taps out and the ref pulls me off, and I hear a loud roar from the Filcom crowd.

            I couldn’t believe it. I did it. All the obstacles and fear I’ve had to overcome. It was finally over. I immediately ran around the cage screaming at the top of my lungs. It was hard to hold my eyes from crying. Collapsing to my knees, raising my hands worshiping God it came to me that this what he had planned for me. Throughout everything I kept my faith in everything strong. In the end it all came together. Everything happens for a reason. I had the biggest smile on my face when they announced my name the winner. Hard work pays off, being positive and keeping my faith strong is what got me through everything. Giving everything I got in each fight is a victory in itself, if I do that I will always be a winner. This is no where near the end, but it is just the beginning. My destiny will continue to blossom!

Here’s the fight: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=441623261333

It was once said it was impossible for a human to run a mile under 4 minutes. Then one day a man stepped up to the challenge and proved that wrong. “If you can’t imagine running a 4 minute mile, how can you ever run it? Men often become what they believe themselves to be. if I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, I acquire the ability.”

Simple laid back kind of guy, I enjoy LIFE and LIVE life to the fullest! Just trying my best to follow God’s plan and finding myself getting stronger every day. Always trying to give back to people who I can help in anyway. Ladies I’m single but NOT looking!! Don’t have any time for that stuff and most girls make me go :( haha. I never do anything half way I always give it my 110%. Keeping a strong faith in Christ and having a strong mind can get me through anything, whether or not I get what I want, he always has something better in store for me, always. I learn to forgive and seek forgiveness and learn from my mistakes to move on and become a better man. I dream big and make many sacrifices, working hard and have a strong determination. If you think I’m weird or crazy, that’s just me! You gotta be crazy to be an MMA fighter, to get in the cage with someone else who’s going to try and take your head off, it takes a lot of courage! But the real fight is to get in the gym everyday and give it everything I got during the training session is an accomplishment itself. I love fighting, it keeps me POSITIVE and HUMBLE, I love this not-so-normal life style. I’m obsessed with learning something new to improve myself every training session. It feels like I’ve accomplished something great everyday. I want to be the best fighter I can be. I dream BIG and believe ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! (Philippians 4:13) With time and hard work my dreams and his plan will continue to unfold!

When you set a goal to do things you got to get your mind around the task at hand first. If its making a million dollars, winning a match, fight, tournament, or just setting a new personal record. They all require the internal vision needed to move forward. Every fighter, athlete, and business man saw the punch coming in slow motion, the million dollars hit the table before the deal closes, and crossed the finish line in their head thousands of times before it ever happened…

Because if you know what you want…and want it bad enough, see it in your mind…. you cant fall in your head. You don’t get pinned, you don’t lose the deal, you don’t get knocked out. You only win. You only succeed. Every time. So get your mind around what you want and you will get it.

No love….just war!!!!!