Johnnie,

First, thank you for all you have done to help others and myself.  Your philosophy and program have not only made me a more powerful athlete, but deemed the nickname “Super Boy” by my MMA coach.  I consistently have more strength and power than my training partners who are a weight class or two heavier than me, and I attribute that to your program and fitness training.

My question is semi complicated, and think it’s just could be from over-training.  In the past few weeks, I have been training MMA daily, while supplementing rugby into the training.  This makes my days of physical activity quite taxing.  I try to stick to the nutrition guidelines you have given us, and for the most part I have been able to keep up.  In the past two weeks though I really started to feel drained and tired.  Two days ago while at rugby practice the coaches pulled me aside and asked me if there were any issues going on.  They noticed I had lost some major weight, and I had lost the “spark” in my step as far as sprinting.  Basically I looked smaller and sluggish.  While I haven’t really lost anything in the strength department, I had been cutting some weight for my MMA weight class. After practice I noticed swelling in my ankles, nothing painful I am just not as vascular in my feet and ankles.  I hit the sauna at my MMA gym to try to get some of the lactic acid out, but when I woke up this morning I had A LOT of puffiness in my face as well.  Needless to say in the last two days my entire body looks smooth and flat. I’m starting to look really puffy all over.

I’m thinking I’m probably over-training, and taking the entire weekend off.  I also looked at my diet; does it sound like too much sodium/not enough potassium?  I ate a sweet potato, banana, a bottle of coconut water, and handful of almonds with breakfast when I saw all this puffiness.  But right now I guess what I’m looking for is more advice.  I don’t want to lose the “Super Boy” status I have achieved thanks to your programming, so I want to come to you first for help.

KAL-EL #1

I might have blacked during the second paragraph…so let me see if I got this right.

You have been following the site, doing MMA with a big sprinkling of rugby for good measure. Then you decide to cut some lbs to drop a weight class. People around you notice you are down in weight and lost your “spark”. So to flush the body of any weakness and/or extra water you hit the sauna. As a result you start to swell up and look flat and puffy.

What did you think you happen, super boy? The super powers bestowed on you by Jor-El during MMA practice would protect you?

Sounds like Lex Luthor’s diabolical plan to watch you self implode is being executed to perfection.

The only way to combat over-training is to eat more and return to your fortress of solitude for longer sleep. I am going to go out on a limb and say you are doing too much work for the calories you are taking in.

Just for anyone reading this, if in the midst of defending our universe from a bloody mosaic of interplanetary war you decide to cut your calories and/or cut body weight you must adjust your volume until your body comes out of the initial shock.

Remember the immortal words of your father, Jor-El, “You will travel far my little Kal-El. But we will never leave you. Even in the face of our deaths. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father, the – The son.”