Blessed is the Man with Great Teachers...

It's Coach Shout-Out Day; time to give props to my PeMA FAT ("Personal Martial Arts and Fitness Advisory Team" tm). This will not be an exhaustive list/expose, but I'll try to add pictures and bios of other team members in entries to come. Today, we are featuring the core coaching staff, including:

Rob Smith-- Fencing coach, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor, student of Japanese swordsmanship and Judo, and former National-level fencing competitor. Rob has been working with me for about two years now, and he has put a lot of extra time into helping an old dog learn a handful of new tricks, for which I am very grateful. He is an excellent (and patient) coach and teacher. Rob is the proprietor of the Forge Saber Academy; any prospective students in the Western New York area should feel free to contact him via Facebook and join in the swash-buckling** fun.

Corey Norman-- MMA Coach and competitor, former competitive wrestler and Judoka, and savage fitness coach and strength trainer. "Savage," because he joyfully destroys us with insane workouts three days per week (M-W-F), which has become a (somehow) perversely enjoyable component of my overall fitness-acquisition strategy. You know how going to the chiropractor and getting a set-up occupies that weird nether-space between pain and pleasure? Yeah, like that (but a lot heavier on the pain side of the equation).

Jaye Pratt-- Track coach, Krav Maga enthusiast, and overall fitness/diet guru, Jaye will be advising me through the "Carb-Night Solution" diet program. More on this later, as the plan unfolds and the results pour in, but the idea is to burn fat, not necessarily "lose weight" (we want to keep the muscle, just ditch the fat). Jaye is a great encourager, and I'm sure he will help keep me "honest" during the trials that are to come.


(From left to right: Jaye Pratt, Rob Smith, Corey Norman)



(Brian Hammond)

Brian Hammond-- Systema Coach, former Aikido specialist and football devotee (and possible CIA agent)... Brian is one of the most humble and gentle guys you could ever meet, but when it comes to martial arts, and specifically Systema training, he knows how to dish it out "for your own good." Because sometimes love don't feel like it should (or something)... Western New Yorkers interested in Systema training can get in-touch with Brian through K.C's Gym in Buffalo, NY. For that matter, you can even train MMA with Corey Norman at the same place; K.C.'s has lots of options (boxing, Aikido, Tai Chi, kettleball training, self defense, etc.) for those interested in fitness and the fighting arts.

So there you go! Props to the coaching staff! When I attain my short-term goal of looking like Vin Desiel by July, and receive all of the attendant Hollywood accolades and thick stacks of show business green that rightly accompanies such an incredible feat, I will remember all of the little people that helped me along the way... I'll remember these guys too; my wife told me that the "little people" are all (and only) in my head, anyway.

White Belt Out



**I've never really understood what "Swash-buckling" is, to be completely honest...