Consult a professional before embarking on any activity or lifestyle change. The author, publishers and distributors jointly or separately do not accept responsibility for any injury, damage or loss of anything, including, but not limited to life, person or property due to any advice from this book.

Copyright © 2004 by Kobus Huisamen. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

Pictures by John Yoo.

To the trainers who made the most impact in my career: Steve Kalakoda, Henk Pelser and Ivan Hippolyte.

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All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

And you too!

So you’ve trained hard and you’ve fought and fought again and you’re still training?

Well, my dear friend, tell me if you experience any of the following:

• Have no energy
• Not sleeping well
• Bored
• You dread going to training – it’s become a drag
• You worry about the next fights, and the ones after that
• You’ve just finished a fight – win or loose
• Joint injuries
• You’ve got recurring injuries that don’t want to go away
• Small injuries that you pick up in the gym stay there for longer than usual
• You’ve been living in a hotel for the past 2 months, or more
• You’re missing your family and can’t stop thinking about them

Does any of this sound familiar?

Then you need rest.

You are a man – not a machine. You need rest – physically and mentally.

When you train non-stop, you’re prone to injuries and mental boredom. As soon as you feel this kind of thing setting in, take a break.

Your body will scream for a change in routine and especially a break away from the hard sparring.

Your mind would like a break also. Most of the things in training are routine – it takes very little intellectual effort.

So your mind needs a new view.

Any good trainer will make you take a rest as soon as he becomes aware of this. If your trainer is unaware – have a sit-down and talk about it. I don’t know of any trainers who won’t give you a break – unless the next fight is upon you.

Then as soon as that fight is done – take your break.

Go away if you can – go lie on the beach, hike in the mountains or hide away and spend your time with video games, movies or reading. And eat like crazy – everything you’d like and that you wouldn’t eat while you’re training.

Whatever you do, get away from the gym, and, get away from your phone.

I have found that when I’m frustrated or bored senseless from continuous training and after every fight; I would need a break of at least one week.

In this time, I wouldn’t be seen near a gym – I would spend my time on other pursuits.

I’d sleep late every morning, read, write, lie in the sun and go partying.

Take up a hobby, or enroll in some program or club, or something academic, if you like.

A fighter’s lifestyle is very unforgiving. Repetitive training, injuries and hard fights all take their toll physically and mentally.

It is advisable to take a few days off after a fight, so that your injuries can heal and you can mentally digest the fight.

However, take a break at least two to three times a year, of about a week each.

And, if you’re injured, take a longer break.