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Western Connecticut Wrestling Team Ridgefield Wrestling Team/Westport Regional Wrestling Team/Greater Brewster, NY Wrestling Team/ Western Connecticut Submission Grappling Team
The hour of reckoning faced me like a Tsunami. But, I took cover within myself and searched for everything positive about thinking and found the source of happiness to make it through my seemingly unconquerable dislike for fish. Yes, fish. I had developed a disgust of fish over the years that it seemed impossible for me to ever attempt to scale back (no pun intended) to my childhood years when I believe my anti-fish attitude began, and see what I could do about it. Ironically, I use to like to eat cocktail shrimp from the jar as a kid. But somehow that childhood fish consummation disappeared for whatever the reason, although I still contend that it was my mother�s dislike for fish overall that fostered my anti-fish attitude in general. In fact, my anti-fish attitude was a topic of concern during a cable TV program I did with Jaqueline Lapa Sussman at Comcast several years ago. Ms. Sussman said that through imagery psychology I could conquer my anti-fish with a positive attitude and like fish. My involvement with Ms. Sussman must have created the right psychological netting to catch the biggest fish in my life, the fearful one, and overcome it with a powerful inner sense of I know I can do it and do it with absolute success, which is what my cardio/wrestling project is all about. Vito is a 21 year old 285 pound outstanding wrestler who towers with the presence of the Empire State building. His smile radiates like a happy solstice on any getaway island of peace and prosperity. Perhaps, Vito�s peaceful sense of life sends all the good messages about living and I soaked them up within myself as he entered my home January 4 to prepare a gourmet red snapper entr�e. He made his way around my kitchen like a real pro on the cooking cable television network. Between 5 and 7pm, Vito took basic ingredients like red potatoes, squash, zucchini, red snapper filet, parsley, marjoram, thyme and produced an upper scale New York city fine restaurant entr�e. Vito is a product of New England Culinary School. As my wife Nancy, son Eric and I sat down to dine with Vito and his red snapper entr�e, Ryan, a 23 year old 230 pound outstanding wrestler and tennis pro entered my home to join our rare experience in life. I started to eat the pan sired potatoes, squash and zucchini thinking it�s now time to try the red snapper. As a sliced a piece of the red snapper, I kept a real positive attitude and thought this is the moment in my life. And, it was. It tasted like chicken as Vito had said it would. Now, I finally captured my biggest fear about fish and devoured it with special delight. Yes, it�s cumulative, a string of processes that gets one like myself to take on the big one in life and succeed. There are many experiences in the making that affect the real moment of truth in life. And, that�s what it is all about. Believing in oneself to do the impossible and succeed with a heroic moment of truth in life especially with people like Vito and Ryan who can and make it happen. Vito is my dietician and menu planner. After our historic moment at the dining table, Vito, Ryan and I started our cardio/wrestling first training session in my home gym. Eric joined us too. Ryan towers like Vito and has the same radiant personality like a huge sun setting in the pacific ocean near Carlsbad, California, my favorite place in America. We started with simple cardio exercising including various push-ups, sit-ups and crunches. Then, Ryan demonstrated the essential technique in wrestling with stance to lock-up and control producing a �tug-of-war� scenario. Balance is the utmost importance in any wrestling encounter and Ryan and Vito demonstrated that repeatedly during our nearly two hour training session on the mat. Live wrestling took place like shark bait with Vito, Ryan and I grappling with one another for one minute periods. Who captures who is the objective of shark bait. Like big fish in the sea, we baited one another for moves and predicaments to net a win on the mat. Both Vito and Ryan coached me to better move around on the mat and to escape from my predicaments. Following our wrestling practice, Ryan started my first round of weightlifting training. Legs are the focus now. In one of my weight training rooms, I did leg extensions 60lbs. ten times for three sets. With each set, I could feel a burning sensation within both my legs, a normal physiological experience. The toughest part of this session was lunging with hand dumbbells on the mat. I had one 10 lb. dumbbell weight in both hands and lunging forward onto right knee and then left knee ten times for three sets is the toughest exercise for developing balance within oneself. But, Ryan�s genuine sense of my ability level allowed me to deal with my frustration and lack of ability to execute the lunges with the kind of precision I want. But, within time, I will be able to perform at my expected way with lots of practice and support from Ryan as my primary weight trainer. Ryan is a tennis pro and trainer at upscale Fairfield county tennis clubs. I have my homework. And, I will exceed all expectations. It�s a matter of will and determination to conquer the unconquerable in my ocean of life. This session one will have input from Ryan and Vito as each session will during the course of this exclusive national cardio/wrestling medical project. Monthly general updates will be provided here, so stay tuned. January 2005...Freestyle wrestling skills are being taught by Ryan Adamonis and Al Bruhn is learning the importance of feeling more confident on the mat and taking a more agressive role as a wrestler. Al's heart rate has dropped signifcantly since starting the cardio/wrestling program with Ryan and fellow folkstyle wrestling coach Vito Flammia. Flammia has motivated Al Bruhn to become more agressive on the mat, and to rethink his approach to wrestling in general. Diet is still a concern to Al, but Vito contends that Al will not drop to 175lbs. since he is wrestling with heavyweights and his body needs the daily caloric intake to cope with the vigorous workout routines of Vito and Ryan. Al's current weight range is 200lbs. February 2005...Learning new freestyle wrestling skills from Coach Adamonis and scholastic wrestling techniques from Coach Flammia topped the month of training for Al Bruhn. March 2005...March 19, 2005 was the focal point of our project with USA Wrestling of Connecticut Open Tournament at New Fairfield High School. Although Al didn't wrestle, he learned a lot about the life of a wrestler at the tournament. Al Bruhn plans to wrestle April 17 at Bristol High School along with his coaches/trainers Adamonis and Flammia during an open tournament. Al Bruhn maintained a daily eating log and started at 200lbs. March 1, 2005 and dropped to 187 by March 31. Will power and determination are the critical factors in successful weight loss. There will be plenty of valuable weight loss information to be published in book next year. April 2005...April 17, 2005 was a historic day for Al Bruhn. He made medical history as cardiac patient wrestling in USA Wrestling Federation of Connecticut Open Tournament in Bristol, Connecticut. Click here for inside story. Also, Al Bruhn had an Echo heart test and did well, thus positively supporting his cardio/wrestling training project. May 2005...Diet management was critically important this month and Al Bruhn weighed 181.4 on June 1, 2005, the lowest weight in decades. Al has lost approxmately 50 pounds during the past two years. And, more importantly, Al lost 20 pounds during the past three months. Weight and diet management will be a major part of the book How To Prevent A Heart Attack:Cardio Wrestling. June 2005...June 1, 2005 was best weight day for Al Bruhn at 181.4. Continued emphasis on diet management and cardio wrestling techniques to strengthen the heart and body highligted the month. July 2005...Diet management was the biggest match Al Bruhn embedded himself with on the mat throughout the month with new collected data challenging the FDA's daily recommended 2000 calories. Bruhn has shocking news based upon his personal eating habits that will be published in the book How To Prevent A Heart Attack:Cardio Wrestling. Also, Bruhn salutes his trainers/coaches Ryan Adamonis and Vito Flammia as the best in the business, but warns of bad coaches/trainers he was in contact with last year as possible candidates for his exclusive national medical project and will help readers learn how to find and avoid them in the book. Bruhn has targeted two bad coaches/trainers from 2004 who he claims are the worst and how to deal with them. August 2005...Surprise, surprise, Al Bruhn made weight for Connecticut Nutmeg Games August 7, 2005 when he weighed in at 177.6 for the 177 weight class folkstyle division, which he received a letter stating he would wrestle at 177. However, the 177 weight class was eliminated and Bruhn was put in a higher weight class which he declined. However, Bruhn has learned how to loose and make weight and succeed in life. August was a roller coaster ride regarding diet management for Bruhn. Bruhn now prepares for the most intense part of his cardio/wrestling project as the last third of the year presents the most challenging times for the senior wrestler. The News-Times sports department wrote an honorable article on Bruhn in its August 11, 2005 edition. September 2005...Major developments during September included the addition of two outstanding Brookfield High School wrestling team members Max Beaudry and Scott Sullivan to the cardio/wrestling team. Both BHS wrestlers, who are volunteers and earning community credit for graduation at their school as cardio/wrestling team members, bring a wealth of wrestling expertise and knowledge to the team and are great youth mentors to Al Bruhn. Another addition to the team includes Western Connecticut State University rugby player Mario Aguilar, who is Al Bruhn's specialized training/workout partner. At the same time, Ryan Adamonis has returned to New Hampshire as a result of a job change, but will attempt to continue as special trainer/coach with the cardio/wrestling team. Vito Flammia remains steadfast in his commitment to the exclusive medical project that now has been extended six months to June 30, 2006 for completion. And, diet management is critical now since Al Bruhn gained 15.6 pounds between August 7 and September 30, 2005. October 2005...Brookfield High School wrestling champ Max Beaudry assumed leadership role with the cardio/wrestling project and his expertise in folkstyle wrestling. Beaudry, a BHS senior, is a silver medalist with the 2005 Connecticut Nutmeg Games. Dr. Copen, heart specialist, told Al Bruhn October 28 that his heart is "fantastic," and he looks great following lastest EKG testing and ECHO heart test follow-up. Dr. Copen advised Al Bruhn to exercise more and stick to his diet of fruits, veggies, white meat and no diary projects. Bruhn has maintained weight at 195lbs. during October. The exclusive cardio/wrestling project has been extended to June 30, 2006. Click here for monthly account of cardio/wrestling project. November 2005...While Brookfield High School wrestling champ Max Beaudry continued his leadership role in Al Bruhn's cardio/wrestling project, father/teacher Al Bruhn was sidetracked from his cardio/wrestling project with an education issue involving one of his sons. All's well at end of month, after celebrating six decades on Planet Earth the first of the month. Al Bruhn took another stress test and passed, but now must commit to a rigid daily cardio exercising program. Diet management is a renewed focus for Al Bruhn, as he prepares for 2006 spring wrestling tournaments. December 2005...Weight management has been freestyle without daily log since Oct. 21, 2005, and there's been a five pound weight increase during the past several months. Steady weight was maintained between March 1, 2005 and Oct. 21, 2005 indicating a need for daily diet log. Stress management is another factor lime lighted during this month. It's all apart of what works when one seeks religious help! A new medical doctor is added to the team, a chiropractor who is helping big time! Dr. Christopher C. Mascetta of Ridgefield Chiropractic and Wellness Center has performed miracles on Al Bruhn. It's an eye opener and an in-depth look at what works and what doesn't work in the medical field of physical therapy. Holiday spirits aside, it's time to get back to the mat and get serious in 2006. Special thanks to Brookfield High School wrestler Max Beaudry for his untiring commitment to Al Bruhn's cardio/wrestling project despite his heavy scholastic wrestling commitment at school. A regional high school assistant football coach, a former wrestler, is part of Al Bruhn's weekly cardio/wrestling training/practice and is God send!!! Anyone who wants to join the cardio/wrestling team is welcome. Contact Al Bruhn at (203) 788-0416. Click here for update of exclusive national medical cardio/wrestling project. January 2006 February 2006...February is Heart Month and top headline:Brookfield High School Senior Max Beaudry:Heart Month Award Recipient For Ridgefield Community Work
March 2006...Oh, the Ides of March are upon us! Beware! Nonetheless, March provided a stage to give it your old saying "college best," as new last quarter diet/daily cardio/weightlifting program was designed for April, May and June. April will spring ahead with a renewed interest in how to prevent a heart attack BIG TIME. Stay tuned here for developments. April 2006...Spring has sprung BIG TIME! Weight is under control. New healthy heart herbal program is implemented as prescribed by Connecticut based cardiologist Dr. Steve Sinatra. Martial Arts submission grappling takes on a new twist. Home and school are stree free living. And, New York High School top wrestler helps Al Bruhn. Pankration is the ultimate fighting sport of submission grappling and boxing. And, for the first time in my life, I fought like a real man on the mat and it was an awesome experience. My opponent is a seasoned amateur wrestler with martial arts Brazilian Jujitsu training. He�s Vincent Argese. The 18 year old 120 lb. Carmel High School outstanding wrestler, who earned top honors in his New York State Section One division, fought me for several bouts of Pankration during this session. Fighting Vincent was tough, but it was a super experience in my life. Yes, there is a 42 year difference between Vincent and I and a 70 pound advantage on my side. But, Vincent who has training in Pankration demonstrated simple techniques of hitting an opponent with the palm of the hand to the head and upper body prior to our matches. We are both students at a Patterson, New York Martial Arts Brazilian Jujitsu Academy. Vincent and I had a half dozen Pankration matches and I lost all of them, but I felt like a real man at 60 years. And, that is the ultimate warrior call to action. At times, I didn�t feel the hitting hand of Vincent because there is a high level of energy between our bodies. It�s exhilarating! Yes, it�s ultimate fighting on the mat of man versus man. Vincent and I agreed that we are enemies on the mat and brothers off the mat. That�s a unique experience to fathom in life. Vincent is quick in his attack on me and despite my intense fight to avoid his choke holds, I found myself caught several times in a triangular choke hold with his legs painfully and tightly wrapped around my head and his hands forcing my face into his groin making me tap out. It�s a typical scene of ultimate fighters on TV. We were profusely sweating and felt a constant surge of high adrenaline in our bodies to continue our fight on the mat. It was a natural high that both of us had never felt before and we respected one another for it. The more we fought the more we wanted to fight. It was a tough natural high that only Pankration fighters can sense. Young versus old is the ultimate encounter in life especially on the mat and in martial arts as well. A few times, Vincent caused me to bleed and the sight of blood just intensified our bout. Vincent made Pankration easy to do and I respect him for it. I was never a fighter as a kid and have always wanted to battle someone fist to fist. It�s a male thing I suppose. I tried boxing in the United States Air Force and quit after my first official bout. It was a disaster. But, now some 40 years later, I have revisited my fighting instinct and find a new way to deal with it. Yes, amateur wrestling is a great contact sport and so is submission grappling. But, Pankration is the ultimate fighting sport for any man. I think Pankration is a way for man to dig deep inside oneself and feel the male testosterone and allow it to make one act like a pit bull dog. It�s a raging sense of fight that has no boundaries, no limits. It�s getting in touch with the real man inside oneself and go for the ultimate experience in life. We hugged one another several times between matches as a sign of respect and love for one another. While we�re intent on trying to hurt one another during a match to show our individual force and power over one another, we respect one another after an intense match of Pankration to show our admiration for one another at enjoying the ultimate fighting sport. Al's blood pressure registered at 128/61 with heart rate at 76 and weight 188.2 on May 1.May 2006...Here is a sneak preview of one of many sessions to be part of Chapter 7 in the book How To Prevent A Heart Attack:Cardio/Wrestling A former teacher friend of mine e-mailed me today and wrote: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJVJune 2006...June 10, 2006 will go down in history as the best day in the life of Al Bruhn. Earning a silver medal at a USA Wrestling Federation freestyle wrestling tournament and a sportsmanship medal at a martial arts event highlighted the day and month. June is bustin' out all over is so true! Weight management is under control with Al Bruhn on scale at 183.6 July 1, 2006. 185 has been target weight since start of Project One. Max Rinaldi and Vincent Argese are lifesavers in Al Bruhn's life. Together, the two young men have taken Al to a higher level of healthy living. Thank-you Jesus!July 2006...Target weight holds firm at 185 with blood pressure reading at 124/68 and pulse @ 66 on last day of month. Max Rinaldi's cardio program is yielding positive results for Al Bruhn in preparation for medical tests in December 2006, at which time book Project One:How To Prevent A Heart Attack:Cardio/Wrestling will be finalized with heart specialist Dr. David Copen and ready for publication in 2007. "Dr. Copen's program works, but you need the support of good friends to make it work," Al Bruhn said. "Wrestling with life is like a chess game or card game," Bruhn explained. "You protect your Queen and King on the board with pawns and play your hand of cards holding off on your highest value card," Bruhn added. As the saying goes, "a cast of a thousand" has been in the making to help Project One win the Super Bowl later this year. And, MVP will most likely go to Max Rinaldi. Click onto regional wrestling teams here! August 2006...Trainer Max Rinaldi's cardio program is producing positive results for Al Bruhn at Ridgefield Recreation Center. Al's Weight at 180 and blood pressure reading of 126/57 and pulse at 63 is a sample reading. Max Rinaldi's cardio program supports Danbury Hospital cardiologist Dr. David Copen's cardiac rehab program. In addition, Dr. Christopher Mascetta's chiropractic services enables Al Bruhn to pursue cardio wrestling without limitations.
Picture of health Al Bruhn aboard boat on Mission Bay, San Diego August 1, 2003 when first signs of heart attack started.
He suffered an actual heart attack August 9, 2003 not knowing it, while preparing to return home with family.
Passed phase two of Danbury Hospital Cardiac Rehabilation program, Al Bruhn is involved in an exclusive
national cardio/wrestling medical project to demonstrate how to strengthen the heart muscles.
Western Connecticut Wrestling Teams E-mail us [email protected] with comments, questions, suggestions Copyright 2005 Albert G. Bruhn. All Rights Reserved. All photos herein are the exclusive property of Albert G. Bruhn. Reprint without permission is prohibited. Herein defines the front page and all with the initial html coding - http://www.usatvtalk.com
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USA TV TALK |
Remember Toast of the Town/The Ed Sullivan Sullivan Show 1948-1971?
Well, bring out the champagne ~ red sparkling ~ and toast to the latest health report of Al Bruhn.
Max Beaudry has been recognized as a Heart Month Award Recipient
for his community service as trainer with the exclusive national
medical cardio/wrestling project How To Prevent A Heart Attack:
Cardio/Wrestling. Beaudry, Brookfield High School
senior, distinguished himself with the cardio/wrestling team project
as an outstanding regional high school wrestler, as part of an
18 month study on how to strengthen heart muscles as a wrestler.
Ridgefield resident Al Bruhn, a cardio rehab patient, is the subject of the project
study with medical advisors Dr. Gary T. Yacono, Dr. David Copen (Ridgefield) and Dr. Christopher C. Mascetta (Ridgefield).
Head trainers former outstanding Connecticut folkstyle wrestler Vito Flammia,
former Division 1 Iowa top ranked freestyle wrestler Ryan Adamonis (RHS Boys Tennis Coach)
along with wrestlers Mark Dollins, Pepsi, Senior Vice President of Public Relations (Ridgefield);
Immaculate High School Football coach Chris Mascolo, Newtown High School wrestler Andrew Kmetetz
and Brookfield High School wrestling team co-captain Scott Sullivan are members of the project.
Project progress can be viewed 
BULLETIN:290lb. Vito Flammia easily won two key freestyle wrestling matches during the Gladiator Freestyle Tournament to earn a Gold Medal. Flammia pinned his opponent during the matches at Bristol East High School April 29, 2006. Flammia, a former Connecticut high school heavyweight wrestler, is a chef at upscale Hot Tomato's in Hartford. His menus will appear in upcoming book How To Prevent A Heart Attack:Cardio/Wrestling. Flammia is a key coach/trainer with Western Connecticut Wrestling Team.