I injured my neck 2 weeks and 1 day prior to the fight. It was pretty bad; my left arm was numb and in agony at the same time. I hurt the bottom of my neck and the top of my back, I think T6/T7. The muscles around tightened into a knot next to my spine. I had physio and a chiro work done for for 2 weeks, stopped sparring and could only carry on doing sprints until a few days before the fight.
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So let’s start this blog off by saying Jay Furness, you absolute warrior. The upmost respect for you my friend, raising the bar in your game fighting a tough opponent in his back yard and getting FOTN. Hat off to you my man, if only more UK fighters had the same attitude as you. If only.

Here’s my last blog of 2011 for you. To be honest I don’t even know if people are reading the blogs, like them or hate them, but I committed to Jay on a blog so I’ll write them anyway.
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I asked people for suggestions for this blog and I got back a fair few topics that I think are valid enough to open eyes. Suggestions I had were contracts, matchmaking, upcoming fighters, the business, me managing my time with different companies and the lead up to a show. These are just a few topics fired at me.

I’m sitting on a plane back to London, so let’s hit exclusive contracts. Are they good or bad? If you were a fighter — not a hobby fighter there for the t-shirt but a fighter that wants to make a career out of fighting and train to be the best — would you want to have a path? Would you want to know exactly what’s happening with you for the next 18 months? Would you want your career structured?

I know I would. Without structure and goals in training, fighting or life, you have nothing.
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My last fight was against Antanas Jazbutis on Supremacy FC 3. For those who do not know much about Supremacy FC let me fill you in. The show promoter is called Michael Surtees. He was the promoter of recently Strike & Submit before complications prevented the show from continuing. Supremacy FC is held in the same venue as Strike & Submit and the fighters fight in the same cage. For me ,when fighting on Supremacy I just pretend that I am fighting on Strike & Submit 19, 20, 21. The only thing that has changed is the show’s name.

(Andy Ogle with his Supremacy FC belt)

For those who don’t follow or know about where, when and who I have competed against, let me fill you in. I have fought on many of Michael’s shows. The majority of my fights have been held at the Federation Brewery in Dunston, Gateshead. The reason behind this is because Michael is a great promoter and he always treats me well.

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[Pro MMA fighter, BJJ brown belt and head coach of Caged Steel Gym Danny Mitchell founded his blog "The Tao of Dan-Jitsu" in 2010, and will be continuing it here at www.YourMMA.tv in 2011. To get you up to speed, we are reposting his most significant entries prior to his return.]

Well thought I’d start my blog off with a bang, so there it was.

Welcome friends, aquaintances and enemies to my new blog. I hope that this provides you with some source of entertainment on those lonely nights when facebook no longer satisfies your needs, and even if you do nothing more than crack half a smile at one of my pathetic jokes then it was worth it.

I will try my best to teach you something as I write my blog, whether its about fighting or my philosophy on life in general (yes I have an A-level in philosophy), but most of all this blog is simply here to reflect my intelligent side that many fighters do lack, or even fail to posess.

Over the coming weeks, months and even years, I will delve into the depths of my knowledge and educate you in the art of Dan-Jitsu. Hopefully when I die these words will forever be immortalised and make someone a shit load of money. All I ask is that when that happens you build a huge bronze statue of me and place it in Doncaster town centre for pigeons to crap on.

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Here’s this week’s rigorous schedule for Rus Smith which just goes to show how dedicated professional MMA fighters are to compete at the top level in the UK, while running a business and a family.

This week I’m looking to increase my lift in my big exercises, but superset them with small group higher reps to keep muscle endurance high.

While also looking to slowly increase my running by including a brief outdoor run.

My plan this week is to increase MMA fitness working with Greg Creel at Celtic Pride.

Monday
Core / weights

– squat(deep) 4 sets 8 reps @130 kg
– lunge 4 sets 15 reps @ 30 kg
– incline db bench 4 x 8 @40 kg dumb bells
– cable cross overs 4 x 15 @ 20 kg
– clean 4 x 8 @70 kg
– lat pull down 4 x 15 @45 kgs
– smith sh press 4 x 8 @70 kg
– lat, front and rev raise 4 x 15 @5 kg dumb bells

Tuesday
Weight circuit all 3 sets of 12 rep

– push up pull up 12
– squat 12 reps @80 kg
– s.a push 12 reps each arm @25 kg
– sumo high pull 12 reps @35 kg
– clean and press 12 r @50 kg

Pad work 4 x 2mins 30 sec’s rest

Wednesday
Indoor running

- 2 x 600m, 3 x 400m, 4 x 200m and 5 x 100m
– core – matt work

Thursday

– dead lift 8r 4 sets@140 kg
– prone pull 15r 4 sets@40 kg
– flat bench 8r 4 sets@ 100 kg
– db fly 15r 4 sets @17.5kg dumb bells
– leg press 8 r 4 s @300 kg
– stiff leg dead lift 15r 4 s @70 kg
– military press 8r 4s @60 kg
– upright row 15r 4 s @45 kg

Friday

– mma fitness 2mins work 30secs rest on each exercise
– then 1min work 20sec rest, then 30 sec work no rest.
– punch bag
– ring pull ups
– kick bag
– monkey walks
– ground and pound

then some take down defence with Greg, defence in to attack movement

Saturday
300 training

25 chins
50 dead lift @60 kg
50 box jumps, 50 pushups
50 floor wipers
50 clean and press@25 kg
25 chins.
To be completed in one circuit
Do twice full recovery between sets
1 forgot to time
2 12mins 14secs

2.5 mile run to finish out side

More next week as this man machine works his way back to peak fitness…

(Rus Smith backstage before his fight at Knuckleup At The Manor)

Rus Smith – Pro MMA Fighter (4-1-0)

Background

G4 MMA fighter Rus Smith had a bright and promising international rugby career at the age of 20, having led Wales as their captain from U16-U19 on tours to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. His rugby days sadly came to a close after extensive knee surgery in 2007. Not one to give up, Rus became a qualified personal trainer and fitness instructor and bought his own gym “Exert” near Newbridge in South Wales.

 His combat sports career started back in 2008 with boxing, which seemed too one dimensional. With his takedown and tackling experience from rugby he turned to MMA in 2008 and won the Grapple & Strike title as a semi-pro. Rus entered the proffesional ranks in 2009 and signed with G4 MMA Fighters where he’s appeared on the prestigious ‘Knuckle Up at the Manor’ show, Absolute Adrenaline and BAMMA 2 at London’s Roundhouse Theatre. After his last epic war with David Round in March 2010 on Spartan Fight Challenge,  which has been voiced as the domestic fight of the year, the old rugby injury flared up and Rus has since undergone knee surgery once again.

 As Rus works his way back to peak fitness which should see him back in the cage next February, we get an insight into his rigorous training regime on a weekly basis. Rus works with Greg Creel as his BJJ and takedown coach, with Andrew Johns and Bradley Pryce for stand up sparring and he will introduce Gary Lockett for full striking as soon as the knee is better.

 For anyone wanting to get into a cage with Rus, this is what you’re going up against. So beware, he comes to win…

Fitness

Over past couple of weeks I have been doing a lot of rowing and biking to strengthen my knee area.

Session 1

Pad work – 2mins high intensity, 30secs rest x4

Rower – 500m fast, 30secs rest x4

Bike – 2mins fast, 30 secs rest x4

Session 2

2000m row – fast as poss

2 mile bike – high level, as fast as poss

2 mile arm bike

I do both of these twice a week.

Session 3

15 mile bike ride across mountain! Tough! Arse killing me, but really good for the knee.

I started running straight lines last weeks on the recommendation of my physio (4 weeks ahead of schedule). I’m up to running 2 miles at just over 15mins.

I will be looking to build up to 4 miles in under 30 mins by 6 weeks.

I’ve added running to my above sessions as well. Looking forward to running outside soon.

Weight training

For each body part I’m up to doing 4 sets of 12 reps for my first exercise (compound exercises) then 5-7 exercise circuit, 15 reps 2 sets. For example:

Back – Dead lift 4 x 12 reps. 1 min rest in between (up to 145 kg at mo)

Then the circuit is:

Cleans, bent over row, lat pull down, rope pulley, single arm row, single arm snatch. All 15 reps no rest, when finished 2 mins rest and then repeat.

I’m looking to change training next week move towards strength training.

MMA

Started doing some bag and pad work, have to be careful on certain shots not to extend and twist too much!

Done some Jiu Jitsu last week, only working of my back.  Had a reaction on my knee so leaving off that for a few weeks.  Starting back with my coach Gregg Creel next week, just working technique and movement.

Do the same for chest, legs and shoulders.

Average week

Mon – Weights and core

Tue - Weights and CV

Wed – Weights

Thurs - Weights and CV

Fri - CV and core

Sat – Weights

Sun – CV