Training and Wildcard Gym

Here is a summary of my last 2 weeks or so:

I have been training 2-3 days a week at Joker's Wild Academy with Mike Guymon, and 2-3 days a week at the Gracie Academy in Torrance. What is great about training at both are that Ryron Gracie shows me incredible jiu-jitsu, and Joker helps me put it all together and shows how to incorporate my wrestling into jui jitsu, which he calls wrestlitsu. Mike is not only a fighter, but he is a tremendous coach. It is amazing the amount of knowledge both have at their disposal. I started with both of them about 2 months ago, and when I first began they submitted me at least 10 times in a half hour. Now, I am submitted maybe once during a session. A couple of Sunday's ago, I went one-on-one with both Ryron and Rener Gracie. Both switched in and out on me for 40 minutes and they submitted me 5 times. That was an amazing feeling. These are multiple world champion jiu-jitsu champions, and I am learning a world of knowledge from them.

Last week I went to Las Vegas for the SEMA show, and got to train at Couture's gym. I saw some of my old college teammates there getting ready for their fights as well. They are both fighting on the Dec. 3 card with me. Then I went up to San Francisco and got some great training in with Ganyao and Tareq at Fairtex. We worked my hands and Muay-Thai all day for 3 days.

Yesterday was a great experience. One my dad would love to have seen! I went to Wildcard Gym in West Hollywood. If don't know about this particular gym, let me break it down for you. Pretty much, this gym has trained numerous amounts of World Champions in boxing. With the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya, (which by the way I might score some tickets to their fight), Evander Holyfield, James Toney, just to name a few. Panda AKA Juan Carlos Martinez held mitts for me and tightened me up more and also taught me how to put more power on my punches.
The day before I sparred Tareq, Ralek, Rolland, and Jared Kwitty (another great fighter and friend) just in boxing. We went 5 rounds of 3 minutes. Tareq then led us through drills for 4 rounds. Immediately after we rolled and drilled jui-jitsu for 40 minutes then I rolled with Ryron. In the first minute he tapped me in a leg lock, taught me how to defend it and didn't tap me for the 15 minutes thereafter and we were gettin' after it. Scrambling, rolling, defending, you name it, we were rolling hard. I'm learning so much that I can't wait to train each day.
Tareq Azim, a personal friend of mine was my hook up with both the Gracie Academy and Wild Card Gym. He trained there in the past and then moved up to northern California to be with his family.
In between training sessions, I try to lift 2 times a week, I do some type of cardio other than mma 4 times a week, I coach at Fullerton 1-2 times a week (where I get my wrestling), I run a wrestling club 2-3 nights a week, and I am a full time dad and husband. I drop the kids off at school every morning, pick them up sometimes in the afternoons, and go to soccer and birthday parties every weekend. I am busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Since my move to SoCal I've met so many great fighters and have been befriended by many great coaches and trainers. I was hesitant of the move, but now I think it was meant to be. I am excited to see what the road holds for myself and my family.