A Few of My Favorite Things

The only thing truly necessary to have a successful training session today is a willingness to push yourself beyond what you could do yesterday. That being said, I have a fond affection for stuff, and over the years have found several things that make my training sessions more efficient, more pleasant, or just plain better.

The 10 glowing reviews below are not necessarily the views of the other staff or owners of Fit and Fearless – I just happen to like them personally and thought you might like them, too.

1.Glove Dogs – I love these glove deodorizers so much I automatically roll the cost of a new pair (about $9.00) into the cost of any new boxing gloves I buy. They're quite simple: just a bunch of cedar chips in a couple of cotton “socks” connected by a nylon strap. But these little doggies will save your gloves from smelling like a month-old corpse, and I'm not kidding. Plus, the strap makes your gloves easier to carry and easier to find in your gym bag. Stuff them into your gloves the very first time you use the gloves, and immediately upon removing them after every workout. I bought mine in the pro shop here at Fit and Fearless.

2.Harbinger wrist wraps – I trashed my left wrist throwing hooks wrong & my right wrist by making it do all the work while the left one healed. Proper hand wraps are really best, but take a long time to apply and remove, so I cheated by buying these wraps for the wrist only. They not only protect the wrist by helping to stabilize it, they also leave the hands free for self-defense training. If you need hand/knuckle protection under your 16 oz. gloves, these will not help you, but if wrist support is all you need, these are a good option. I got mine at Academy for $7.99.

3.PerriBerri hair ties – Let's face it, at $2.00 each, these little ponytail holders are ridiculously expensive. I don't care. I have 1.25 tons of hair & it won't stay up while I train. If you have the same problem, try these colorful little soldiers. I'm kind of obsessed with them. You can go to PerriBerri on Bee Caves Rd. or just buy them at http://www.perriberri.com.

4.Fittest Foods - I hope I won't get into trouble for saying this, but in the beginning I frankly thought it was a little expensive for the amount of food in the packet. But I'm extremely fond of Kara, who created the recipe, so I bought a packet to be nice. Holy cannoli. This is the best stuff ever. Ever. How can that little packet be so satisfying? Seriously, I would like an answer. They are made with extreme care by people I respect, and the quality is the absolute best. Getting the right nutrition after a workout is key in recovery, and I reach for one of the 2 block packets every time I can get my hands on one. You can find the individual packets at the Box (though I confess I've decimated the supply), order them at the Fit and Fearless front desk, or online at http://www.fittestfoods.com. Just don't order the bison and walnut, because that one's my favorite and I want to make sure they have enough for me at all times.

5.Flip Video – Once upon a time I was told by more than one person that my technique was incorrect on a particular strike. Naturally, I did not believe them. It certainly felt right. Then I caught myself on video, and we can all be thankful for that. Though it kills me to admit it, they were right and I was wrong. Seeing yourself train on video is one of the most useful things you can do to improve your game. As they say, the camera doesn't lie. You'll find out what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong, and if you take a later video you'll be able to chart your progress. Certainly, you can use any recording device, several of us just happen to like the Flip because it is handy, portable, and so darn cute. I got mine at http://www.theflip.com.
(Warning: mine is a little shaky sometimes. Using the camera while sober helps, but does not completely eliminate the problem.)

6.Title Classic Panther Micro-Mitts – Focus mitt work is a challenging and satisfying workout, but those big black curvy focus mitts slide around uncomfortably on my hands. These micro mitts fit my smaller hand more comfortably and are far more fun to hit. I can't explain the last half of that statement, but opinions aren't facts that have to be backed up. That's why I like them. At $24.99 (they seem to be perpetually on sale) you can ask for the mitts as a gift for your next birthday and not feel guilty. Buy them at http://www.titleboxing.com.

7. http://www.rosstraining.com is a truly wonderful blog. Ross Enamait is a former professional boxer who now coaches, and this blog is a testament to his broad knowledge of the field of athletics and his dedication to serving the combat sports community. Several days a week I check in with this blog and never once have I walked away disappointed. Any time you feel like skipping training, take a look at the inspiration section of the blog, and you'll probably have your best training session ever.

8.The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker and Meditations on Violence by Rory Miller – The two best books I've read so far about the nature of violence, how to avoid it, and how to use it when avoiding is not possible. Both my copies are highlighted and marked up like crazy, because they apply in real ways to my life both on the mat and off. If you are serious about your education regarding training, please read these books. You can find them at http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_4?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=gift+of+fear&sprefix=gift and http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_19?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=meditations+on+violence&sprefix=meditations+on+viol.

9.Bas Rutten workout CD's – If you'd like to sweat and work and pray it's over soon, look no further. Bas workouts are multiple rounds of 2 or 3 minutes, which doesn't sound bad at first. Kind of like Tabata doesn't sound bad at first. I know you know what that means. To purchase, scroll to the bottom of the page linked to here: https://www.basrutten.com/hex/dvds.html/.

10.Last but not least, can we please talk about my aching feet? No? Then let's talk about these totally badass shoes. I am insanely picky about training shoes, and the best of the bunch so far are wrestling shoes. Wrestling shoes are light, flexible, and supportive and don't hurt my lovely and well-pedicured but hideously screwed up feet. And ladies, you know how they never make combat sport gear for females that isn't pink?(!). If you wear a 7.5 shoe you can wear an Asics boys size 6.5 wrestling shoe with great comfort, and since they're kids shoes they're only $20.00! BWAHAHAHAHA! I love my life. I bought mine at Academy, but you can stay home and buy them here: http://www.academy.com/index.php?page=content&target=products/footwear/boys/wrestling.