As a martial athlete I think it is very important for us to be able to write down

and actually see what we are doing to and putting in our body. It is always a good

idea to get a journal or book of some sort to record our daily thoughts and what we

are doing on a daily basis, especially when we are preparing for a fight or trying

to achieve any goal of making ourselves better. I have always found this very

useful and I recommend it for everyone. Below are some of the things that I write

down in my personal journal.

Write down what you eat no matter if it is good or bad! I try to stick to a strict

diet but I’m human and when I write down everything it keeps me honest. I don’t

cheat as much when I write it down.

Write down what time you go to bed and get up. It helps me see if I’m getting

enough rest. You can jot down little personal notes to see what is keeping you from

getting the 8-10 hours I recommend when you’re getting ready for a fight.

Write down the vitamins and minerals you’ve taken for the day. When you’re

training, your immune system akes a major hit so make sure you keep up on all your

supplements. This includes any protein supplements or additional amino acids to

what should be your six to eight meal-a-day diet. I take Sports Formula, CQ10,

Vitamin C powder, glutamine, and a glucosamine/chondroitin mixture with MSM. I

believe so strongly in Sports Formula that I’ve started distributing it on my

website, www.erikpaulson.com.

Write down what your mindset has been for the day. When you are on a rigorous diet

and training routine I feel that you should write this down because you can see if

you have a good mental outlook and try to adapt if you don’t. Your diet can have a

major affect on your outlook and when you’re getting hit over and over again your

mentality sometimes changes. A fighter’s attitude doesn’t always work on the

homefront. So if you see that you have a poor attitude or are neglecting your

family life it helps you change it.

I also utilize a performance chart to help me keep a balance with my daily

checklist. This helps me stay accountable for all my daily activities and actions.

My chart contains the following checklist, and this plays a very key role in my

development as a human being.

1) My social life: What I’m doing when I’m not training.

2) How my academy is doing: What I need to do to make ends meet.

3) My personal training: How did I develop my skills today?

4) Injuries: How it happened and how I can prevent it next time.

5) Sleep: Am I alert or groggy?

6) Environmental factors: What is happening around me, positive or negative.

7) Nutrition: Food and supplements

8) Coach-athlete interaction: If I trained with my coaches or teammates or anyone

else and how it went. Did I listen? Did I agree? How can I change things that I

felt weren’t right for me?

I based my chart on a performance chart that I got out of a book several years ago

called “The Encyclopedia of Weight Training.” The book is an amazing reference and

if it’s still on the market I recommend it to everyone. I also recommend that you

get a massage once a week if you can afford it.  This will make a major change in

the way you feel after a hard week of training.

For more information on my complete line of training gear, books, and DVDs, or for

personal or group training at my Los Angeles-based school, or to schedule worldwide

seminars, visit www.erikpaulson.com.