7/20 - pullups, dips, chins - gtg/ng chins - lower back is better'ish [I no longer want to stab myself in the face if I need to pick up something off the floor] but not 100%, so today's [and probably tomorrow's] PT is bodyweight work, and today in particular stuff that'll mostly help decompress & traction the spine. #thatsjustsciencebitches Also, more stretching.
7/17-20 - hamstring stretches
7/17-20 - hamstring stretches
Sakuraba talks pay and matchmaking in Pride with Dana White - Bloody Elbow: "To the untutored, Sakuraba may seem like a bit of an odd fighter to be dubbed "Ikeru Densetsu" or "The Living Legend." A 26-16-1 record doesn't exactly set the world alight, and a latter day figure that looks more average than imposing, doesn't quite inspire the raw fear expected from a fighting legend. But, beyond numbers and appearances, that's exactly what Sakuraba is for many MMA fans. Someone who beat the unbeatable, at a time when reputation meant more than record. And who fought a ridiculous string of opponents at any weight, and as often as six times a year for Pride in it's heyday. Much like BJ Penn fighting Lyoto Machida, Sakuraba's battles against Mirko CroCop, Igor Vovchanchyn, Wanderlei Silva, Rampage Jackson, and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, made the smallish middleweight beyond compelling."
T NATION | The Five Tools of Mental Strength, A.K.A. Balls: "1. Confidence - The Foundation of Mental Strength
You must have this, and in abundance, if you wish to reach the top of any sport or achieve any lofty endeavor. You must believe absolutely and without waver that you're not only capable of achieving your desired goal, but also that it's only a matter of time before you do so. You must believe this in the face of any opposition to your goals. You can never let negative influences shake your confidence or cause even the smallest amount of self doubt.
Bill Kazmaier is a legend in the strength world and for good reason. First, he dominated powerlifting and established the all-time total record of 2425 lbs. This was in 1981, well before the advanced supportive gear that's currently available. Kaz benched 661 lbs. in a T-shirt and deadlifted 887 lbs. in a wrestling singlet. Kaz also possessed an equally singular physique, more closely resembling a giant 330-pound bodybuilder than a powerlifter. Kaz achieved the majority of his fame by winning the World's Strongest Man competition for three consecutive years (1980-1982) and was so dominant that, according to Kaz, he wasn't invited back for the next six years. However, what's most impressive to me, and I'm certain was vital to Kaz's success, was his mental strength. His self confidence was extreme, even to the point that Kaz had T-shirts made up that he wore in competition stating "There Can Be Only One," and there was no doubting that Kaz believed that he was that one... As strength athletes, frequent tendonitis, painful elbows, shoulders, and lower back, and often extreme levels of delayed onset muscle soreness are all just par for the course. If you stop training or scale things back constantly due to minor irritations like these, than be assured that you'll never reach the levels of strength and size that you desire, or are truly capable of. Even competing in strength sports often results in muscle and tendon ruptures and occasionally even broken bones that may require surgery. Ask any top powerlifter, strongman, or hard training bodybuilder and they'll tell you injuries like these are just part of the game – and if you aspire to be one of the best, then injuries are just a toll you'll have to pay on your road to the top. Kaz provides us with another great example of this type of mental toughness. In the 1982 World's Strongest Man contest, Kaz was attempting to bend cold rolled steel bars and suffered a very severe pec tear. So severe was the injury that it resulted in him never benching close to 600 lbs. again (he'd been close to 700). Of course, at the time it occurred, it was immediately recommended that Kaz go straight to the hospital. Kaz' response was legendary: "I can't do that! There are still four events left." Not only did Kaz continue to compete, he dominated, fighting through the pain and discomfort to successfully defend his World's Strongest Man title. " 
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