Only recently have I been introduced to the gym and heavy weightlifting and things like that. Before that, when I grew up, I just did a lot of gymnastics and dance. I had more of an athletic background, but nothing where I was in the gym or using any kind of weights.
My training? I don't do weights. It's hard to believe, but I don't do weights.
I lift pretty heavy for my body weight, and I don't do any of that girly stuff like cardio or any light weights. I go really heavy, and that intimidates some guys. I enjoy that.
I've adopted that mentality: every day I do weights and core in the gym in the morning and train on the field in the afternoon. And I'm strict with my diet - I include protein in every meal and snack.
My body shape has transformed as sports science research has developed. It used to be thought that footballers needed to be big and do lots of weights and little cardio.
Me and my brother are players that spend three to four hours in the gym every day doing running, lifting heavy weights, and doing treadmill stuff.
I spend around two and half hours on the track every day running and another 2 hours in the weight room lifting weights with my strength coach.
You can hit the bags, the pads, and you can run and do your fitness and your weights as much as you want, but if you don't spar you just don't have that true experience, that true knowledge of how to beat a man in one-on-one combat.
I was in the Pritikin Center in Santa Monica once, trying to lose 30 or 40 pounds in a month. I'd work... on a treadmill and with the weights, but it was driving me nuts. So I escaped. Tom Arnold picked me up and we went to Le Dome and had tons of desserts.
It wasn't until 'Thor' that I started lifting weights. It was all pretty new to me.
