This week had a major upside to it. A phone call interview with Chael Sonnen. You can hear it as part of our podcast for TSN 1290s The Weigh In. Before the interview we talked about this project, encouraging fight fans to try aspects of the training. We talked briefly about his hilarious commercials for Nexersys (more on that later) and getting people fit. During the podcast interview we talked his picks for UFC Fight Night, and about his ability to always be ready for any fight any time. His answer was simple. It goes back to his wrestling days, and you never know whos going to be your opponent. You simply have to be ready and be your best. Chael isnt as big on strength training, and in fact sees it the same as some of the "old school" guys do. Its more to break up training than to add to it. Its a mental break, something new. It got me thinking about my week of training. I spend a lot of my time doing the work I have my pros do in the strength room. I also make time for kickboxing. Unfortunately, finding time to get to a jujitsu or wrestling class never matches my schedule, but I can always hit a heavy bag. Which led me to take a look around the internet, my hope was to find a few things MMA fans could try that could match their schedule if they wanted to try striking. The fitness you need for 20-30 minutes of striking is actually incredible. It truly is one of the top cardiovascular workouts. If you want your body to lose fat, cardio burns it off. Especially if that cardio is done in intervals, and high intensity training (HIT). I checked out a brand new franchise to the market, its called 9 Round Fitness. Basically a new class starts every 30 minutes. You are involved in a circuit of 9 x 3 minute rounds of activity. So if you are a fan of MMA or Kickboxing, but are not quite ready to enter a full fight gym, this is the perfect start. Trust me when I say, fight gyms can be intimidating. Go at the wrong time and you can see blood on the mats, and sweat flying everywhere. Its not the best starting point for a lot of people. Something with the basics of kickboxing, and people there simply to get a workout and try the sport they love is perfect. If you dont want to leave your home, you need to try a Nexersys. Its a stand-alone piece of workout equipment. It comes with software to ensure you are progressing, learning and increasing your fitness. The targets have accelerometers to insure your safety when striking. For a beginner in kickboxing its great, and it can advance you as you get better at your striking game. Again, anytime you can work in high intensity intervals into your training, its a great thing. I would love to see fight fans try something like this, just to get introduced to the sport they love. Building an understanding of what goes into training, builds more passion for the sport. It also builds sponsorship opportunities for athletes. Meaning, they get paid to train and the fans see more complete fighters. My week was capped off by a meeting with my trainer; its time to buckle down. Im looking to be able to hit 205 by the end of this 10 weeks. Currently my weight is sitting at 221 pounds. That means its time to tighten up on diet. This is the worst part of training. Its also why fighters hire trainers. Im using Jeff Fisher at Elite Performance in Winnipeg; hes helped athletes in all sports cut weight to be their best. Im using a trainer because I would not do what it takes if it was up to me. You need someone to reinforce the necessity of being strict on the diet. If a pro misses weight, it ruins his reputation and costs him a portion of his winnings. So to test how I can do with training and cutting calories my diet this week has a lot more focus. No sugar at all, increasing my good fats, using select supplements to ensure my vitamins and minerals are up even though my calories are being cut. I will eat 5 times in a day, 3 meals and two smaller snacks. Im also taking care to remove carbohydrates that have gluten, and extra dairy products. A lot of pro fighters are avoiding dairy as their fights approach. Dairy can in some people increase the production mucus, which affects breathing through the nose. Last week I started running with my SISU Mouth guard. Even though it has significant improvements in how well it fits, you still shouldnt be breathing with an open mouth. So dairy is reduced. Im on track, it feels good and I cant wait to hear from fans of the sport of MMA as they turn their health around, and develop some healthy habits thanks to their passion for MMA. Lots to learn and a lot of fun to be had while getting active. NHL Jerseys China . -- The Oakland Raiders added a veteran presence to their young receiving group by signing free agent James Jones to a three-year contract Monday. Cheap NHL Jerseys . Sami Vatanen had a goal and an assist and Anaheim used a four-goal first period to extend their winning streak to six games with a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. https://www.cheapnhljerseysjustwholesale.com/. Starting from pole, the 26-year-old Vettel turned in a trademark clinical performance to win the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday and join F1 greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as just the third driver to win four consecutive championships. NHL Jerseys 2020 . LOUIS -- The Tampa Bay Rays have placed right-handed pitcher Joel Peralta on the 15-day disabled list with an undisclosed illness. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Coco Crisp offered a long list of reasons why Oakland is such a great fit for him for years to come -- his sentiments the same whether or not he had a nice new contract to his name. The Athletics have mutual strong feelings about their do-everything centre fielder and speedy leadoff man, who is staying with the As for an additional two seasons after agreeing Friday to a new contract through 2016 that adds $22.75 million in guaranteed money. "Its nice. I dont think it was weighing on me too much," Crisp said Friday, a day before Oakland holds its FanFest. "Either way, if it happened after the season or before, this is the place I want to be." The deal includes a 2017 option that could become guaranteed, the As said. Crisp was set to attend FanFest on Saturday with the two-time reigning AL West champions, a week ahead of the start of spring training in Phoenix. Crisp has a $7.5 million salary this year under a club option exercised Nov. 1. He will earn $11 million per season in 2015 and 2016, and the 2017 option is for $13 million with a $750,000 buyout. A switch-hitter who gets things going at the top of the lineup with his aggressive baserunning and, more recently, pop in his bat -- Crisp hit a career-high 22 home runs last year. "Im just grateful they put me up there and give me the opportunity to do that. If I hit 22, thatd be awesome. If I hit 23, thatd be better," Crisp said, grinning. "If the best part of the wood gets ahold of the balls, that would be amazing." The 34-year-old Crisp, starting his fifth season with the As, hasnt played more than 136 games in a season since arriving in the Bay Area. He batted .261 with the 22 homers, 66 RBIs and 21 steals last year. Despite the power surge, Crisp has refused to call himself a home run hitter. Yet he does hope to duplicate that production iin 2014.dddddddddddd "Thats a lot of home runs. Its really impressive for a leadoff hitter," new infielder Nick Punto said. "He might not call himself a home run hitter but he has some pop in the bat." Crisps 2017 option would vest with 550 plate appearances in 2016 or 1,000 plate appearances in 2015-16 combined or 130 games in 2016, or 260 games in 2015-16 combined. In addition, the 260 combined games is with no fewer than 110 played in 2016 and he cant finish 2016 season on the disabled list. New Oakland closer Jim Johnson is happy to no longer have to face Crisp. "Hes a pain," Johnson said. "He fights off good pitches. Hes a guy you think you have a plan and your plan goes to crap." Crisps current contract allows him the use of a ballpark suite for six games per year -- excluding the Yankees, Red Sox and Giants -- and the number increases to eight for 2015-17. Former Tigers manager Jim Leyland said several times that containing Crisp was the biggest key for Detroit to beat the As in the division series for the second straight season. Crisp is a career .278 hitter in 30 post-season games for Boston and Oakland. Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes, who said Friday he hopes for an extension to stay with the As beyond his initial $36 million, four-year deal from February 2012, realizes how much it means to be playing alongside Crisp for the near future. "I dont know if Im going to be the next to get an extension, but he is the key for this team," Cespedes said. "I want to play in Oakland beyond my four years. I thank them for giving me the opportunity to play in the big leagues. I dont forget that." The Coliseum field is still dirt piles in preparation for a Monster Trucks event at the Coliseum later this month, then it will be quickly converted and re-turfed for baseball. ' ' '