Training in Montreal - 3rd Trip

[R. Devane]

Day 1 (Saturday):

Howdy peeps. I only got about 3 hours sleep before having to leave very early for the airport. A long 7.5 hour flight to Newark and a few hours wait before getting on a much smaller plane to Canada. Eric O' Keefe picked me up at the airport and we went straight to a RINGSIDE pro mma show. I met up with loads of people I'll be training with this week including GSP's strength and conditioning coach Jonathan Chaimberg and GSP's Muay Thai & BJJ coach Firas Zahabi. I watched a few fights plus I was in the dressing room a couple of times as they were coaching some of the fighters. The fights were a good standard. It was cool except for the fact that I was jet lagged. Oh yeah, I met UFC ref Yves Lavigne too which was cool.

All of you think it's cold at home but it's freezing here at around -12 and there's deep snow everywhere. I'll keep you posted but I don't think there will be much happening for me today (hopefully) as it's Sunday and from tomorrow onwards I have a very tough schedule.

[Kiefer.c]

Well done again Rob for heading over - don't think many people would go to a top pro training camp and train with top fighters on there own!Not an easy thing to do but it will all be worth it.
Best of luck this week we know you'll fly through it well done again and can't wait to hear the reports...

[R. Devane]

Kiefer sent me a text hoping to get a sneak preview on how my training is going but I told him he has to read this blog ha ha he wasn't impressed.

Day 2 (Sunday)
As I hoped for, Robert was a lazy boy and simply tried to rest up and get over the jet lag.

Day 3 (Monday)
Session 1: Small Gloves Sparring
Off to Tristar for small glove sparring. With small glove sparring, striking is still allowed but the emphasis is on takedowns and grappling. First we did loads of takedown drills. For some reason I was knackered quickly. Probably a mix of jet lag, climate and nerves. My muscles seized up and it was like I was dehydrated and couldn't get the oygen into my body. Weird. I was dissappointed because I have been training really hard. Then, after I was already wrecked, I saw my first opponent. I thought to myself, "Just my bleedin' luck. I'm already wrecked and now I'm paired off with the heaviest fighter in the room!". Despite being very tired, I did do well at the sparring so I was happy with that. I did 3 rounds with probably the heaviest 3 fighters there.

Back to the hotel and got some food. The time flew in as it always does and back out the door.

Session 2: No Gi BJJ
Firas Zahabi, GSP's coach went over loads of cool techniques with us. Takedowns using S Guard, X Guard and Open Guard. It was mainly a technical session. I did want to stay on to grapple but I have a bit of a mad day tomorrow so thought it a bit smarter to take an early night.

I've got boxing sparring with UFC fighter Patrick Cote in the morning. Anyone know him? He fought Anderson Silva not that long ago. Anyway, I reckon it's going to be a banging session so wish me luck..................

[michael]

WOW!! sounds like its getting rough over there man. Yeah ive seen a few of his fights and he is very good so dont burst him too much ha ha ha. Your doing a great job so keep it up and keep us posted as it keeps us all motivated when we hear THE MAN is training hard.

Michael

[Kiefer.c]

Its ok i rang GSP and he told me what was going down over there haha NOT!!

Training sounds hard , you would have to land with a big heavyweight ha just your luck ,Thats cool sounds like you've done some cool tech in the grappling class! Patrick Cote is very good it should be great to spar a fighter with experience like his..Best of luck with it Rob and as mick said take it easy on him haha ...
Enjoy the rest of the week can't wait to here todays report!!

[stephenlarge]

Sounds like a great opportunity to try different types of training with some of the best in the world. Looking forward to the other reports.

[R. Devane]

Right so - Day 4 (Tuesday)

Session 1: Boxing Sparring
We went to the Grant Brothers boxing gym: www.grantbrothersboxing.com/home_boxing.html
I warmed up with skipping and shadow boxing. Then on with the gear: Pro Head Guard, hand wraps, 16 oz lace gloves which are taped to cover the velcro and vaseline around the nose and eyes. Then I was good to go. I did 3 x 3 min rounds of sparring with Patrick Cote. www.sherdog.com/fighter/Patrick-Cote-6612
Because of the gear, we were able to bang away. I enjoyed it and felt comfortable. Patrick is a good boxer and we have different styles. Then Eric gave me 3 rounds of various drills on the bag. My morning wake up call was finished. I was barely back at the hotel and it was time to leave again.

Session 2: No Gi BJJ at Tristar Gym: www.tristargym.com/
We drilled techniques and then take downs. Then I got to grapple with Firas Zahabi (the gym manager and the coach to GSP & many others). We did what felt like a 6 minute round (we didn't set the timer). Firas is slick at bjj and tapped me twice. I'm not saying he couldn't have tapped me more but I was delighted because the first time I grappled with him he tapped me out probably 20 times. It was an honour that he would deem me to be worthy enough to even grapple with. I looked around for a few more grapples but everyone was done (I was secretly happy!). Then back to the hotel to hydrate and eat.

Session 3: More No Gi BJJ
We drilled more techniques and takedowns and then I got to do 4 x 5 min rounds of grappling with various opponents. All were very good but I felt a lot more at home this time than the last time I was here. I felt that all my hard training over the past while is starting to show.

3 hard sessions today and I was feeling a lot better than yesterday. I can still feel a little of the jet lag but I didn't gas out today thank god. The only thing is that now I am as stiff as bejaysus. My back is very stiff but I actually think that it's from the hotel bed ha ha Going to get a bath and prepare for another mad day tomorrow. Night Night

Oh yeah, here's a picture of me and Patrick Cote after we sparred. It was embarassing asking for a picture but I know that you guys want proof!

Attachments:

[Deleted]

Hope Your Enjoying yourself Robert with all the training. The Training looks rough and well done cause for going over there with all those amazing fighters is Brilliant and great Publicity for you and MAI

[Kiefer.c]

Getting to spar with Patrick Cote is cool - he's a very good fighter and has fought some great fighters..
Fair play Rob sounds like a rough week but sounds like your doing a great job keep it up..

[louise devane]

Wow sounds crazy alright, I can only imagine. But Rob knowing you, you wouldn't have it any other way. You love the challange. It's terrific experience, which is not there everyday. I don't think I would like the cold though. I'm wrapped up now all cosy. But dying to hear how todays training went.

[R. Devane]

Day 5 (Wednesday):

Session 1: Strength & Conditioning Training
Headed to Jonathan Chaimberg's gym. He is the strength and conditioning coach for many great fighters: GSP, Nate Marquardt, Kenny Florian etc.
He put me through my paces - weighted sled pushes, jacobs ladder, resistance bands, box jumps, trx inverted pull ups, clap pressups, hanging chin ups, single leg squats, lunges and weighted lunges etc. I thought it went well but I'm sure he'd say I was brutal.

Back to hotel for a short break and food.

Session 2: Big Gloves Sparring
Warmed up and my very kind coach picked out 5 of the largest and toughest fighters there for me to spar. The sparring was competitive. The thing about training is that you are always happy with some things and not happy with others. The not happy with bits are the ones that drive you forward to improve. In general I was happy with my performance but I did make some mistakes too. The want to get better never goes away.

I've 3 sessions in a row tomorrow. Boxing, Bjj, Muay Thai - should be interesting...............

[R. Devane]

oh yeah - did I mention it's minus 12 here!

Attachments:

[louiseod]

Hi Rob
fair play to you for going over to Canada again , the training sounds brilliant but i'm exhausted just reading about it zzzzz
sounds like your haveing a blast

enjoy

[sineadc]

Wow what a range of experience you are getting, though sounds exhausting!

Enjoy

[R. Devane]

Day 6: (Thursday)

Session 1: Boxing
Went to Grant Brothers boxing club and got trained by Howard Grant - legendary boxing coach. I did about 15 mins of shadow boxing to warm up. Then about 10 rounds on the mitts with Howard and a couple of rounds on the floor to ceiling ball.

Session 2: Bjj
Straight to Bjj class and we covereing and drilled lots of techniques. Then we did a tough takedown drill that we've been doing all week and then we grappled.

Session 3: Muay Thai
Didn't happen because Peter the coach was sick and had gone home. So I skidaddled back to the hotel with the rest of the evening off. Just as well because it's pro sparring tomorrow with all the big boys.

[Kiefer.c]

Sounds good - best of luck with the sparring today Rob, sounds like an intense week that most people would avoid,but as louise said you love the challenge..
Enjoy the last few days and best of luck, talk soon...

[Deleted]

Hey, it sounds brill over there, its all good your having a good but tough time. these things pay off. ) Enjoy the rest of the week. talk soon.

[R. Devane]

Day 7: (Friday)

Pro Sparring
The session starts at 11am and everyone does their own warm up. There is always a lot of tension and anxiety in the air. Everyone that attends is a high standard. Kenny Florian attended the training. Then Firas does the draws of who fights who on a big white board. The fights start at around 12. I fought UFC fighter Jonathan Goulet for my first round and then another very good fighter and another 2 good fighters. We had one minute breaks between rounds but that time just zipped in. What happens in training stays in training so I won't be going on about what I did or who did what. Needless to say, I was and am very happy with my performance. This is the third time I've attended this pro sparring session here at Tristar and I do feel it was my best. Yes, I want to be better but I did see an improvement in myself since the last time I was here. I do feel my hard training has paid off. Sometimes we live in a fish bowl and it's very hard to see our own progress - I saw some progress today. After my four rounds of sparring, I did 3 rounds of submission grappling. This went well for me too and I left training feeling happy. It was a good way to end my week here. The pro sparring session is a culmination of the week's training here. I will be doing Gi Bjj tomorrow but the pro sparring is what it's all about. An official photographer took pictures of the training session and I got a cool one taken with Kenny Florian, Eric & I - I just have to get them from him.

Some of you may be wondering where GSP is. A good few of them went to Greg Jacksons in New Mexico for this week. They were scheduled to be here when I booked but the fact that they were not around probably worked in my favour because I've really been looked after by everyone. I should get to talk with GSP tomorrow evening.

Eric got me a ticket for Motley Crue tonight and we are heading there with a couple of other fighters. I've no idea what it's going to be like because I've never listened to them before - should be interesting.

[michael]

It really does sound tough over there but most importantly they always seem to go out of there way to look after you and make the grueling training a little easier with there hospitality so well done to them. I met Eric myself and i found him very easy going and always there to give advice even when he did that seminar for us here. And not to forget that choke he put me in ha ha ha. U are doing us all proud over there Rob so keep it up and keep getting stuck in and let us no how Motley Crue goes as id say that will be interesting!!

Michael

[R. Devane]

The Motley Crue concert was cool. We had a private booth at the arena. It was like a full sitting room with kitchen and toilet and private balcony over looking the stage - plus a private waiter - very plush. I think I've had enough 80's style rock and metal to do me for a long time. It reminded me of Wayne's World! I had a good laugh with English fighter Tom 'Kong' Watson who has moved over here to train.

Day 8: Saturday
Gi BJJ
Okay, just to remind you, a Gi (yes pronounced like a different word you know!) means a uniform. We did loads of techniques and drills and covered a lot of stuff. Then I got to do 4 x 5 min rounds of grappling with different opponents. I did well and felt I finished strong.

A lot of us are heading out later and hopefully we'll get to see the UFC so I'll keep you posted about that. After tonight I'm done and I leave tomorrow but don't get back in until Monday morning. Tuesday morning I'm off to train in Newcastle with The Machine. It's all go. Hopefully all of you aren't missing me too much! Thanks for the texts and emails while I've been here. Talk later.