That's Fit

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

My guest this week is one of the most menacing creatures the Octagon has ever known. Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski is a contradiction as one of the Ultimate Fighting Champion's Title Holders, and the kind of guy anyone would die to call their friend. As generous as he is powerful......Andrei is someone I'm proud to introduce you to.

In fact, a couple of weeks ago I watched Andrei win a UFC match on television. Normally, he lives up to his nick name "The Pitbull," but on this night.....the story was only slightly different. He overwhelmed his opponent in a completely lopsided first round, and then chose not to go for the knock out in the second and third (UFC rounds last five minutes). This was very smart of Andrei, as it preserved his win and kept him far from risk. But.....the crowd wanted blood and gave a little "Boo." This is what I love about Andrei. He totally could have left his opponent unconscious if he would have chosen to, but since he didn't go for it....he took responsibility to the UFC fans. The man actually took the microphone post-win and apologized to the crowd! Have you ever heard of that? The guy is both and monster and a gentleman at the same time. A perfect combination.

Andrei is a former police officer and is now playing hero to his sport. Interviewing Andrei was a lot of fun for me. He speaks English extremely well, but I left his "accent" here in the interview. I think it adds to his charm. Enjoy!

Fitz: How did you get involved with Mixed Martial Arts and UFC?

Andrei: When I was a student in the Police Academy. It is a four year school like University here. Every student needs to learn a combat sport and I learned Sambo. I excelled at this and after the Academy I tested myself with cage fighting. I then moved to Chicago and had my first fight with the UFC.

Fitz: What are your workouts like when you don't have a fight pending?

Andrei: I work on my technique in Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu and freestyle wrestling. I also do my cardio to keep in shape.

Fitz: What are your workouts like when you do have a fight in the near future?

Andrei: My work out changes as it gets closer to the fight, and also changes depending on the opponent. I work out six days a week and 6-8 hours a day.

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy

My guests this week are a bit dear to my heart, as they share the same passion for fighting as I do. Doug Anderson, a highly decorated Iraqi war veteran from New Jersey traveled across the world with Jimmy Smith, a young Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter. Their journey had them test their skills against locals and various fighting styles, often styles they had never seen before. Always exciting, often painful, and always real....the Discovery Channel's Fight Quest stars went on an adventure of a lifetime and returned home with bruises and scars to show for it.

Fitz: Most folks dread the thought of even verbal confrontation. You guys volunteered to go fight a bunch of unknowns from around the world, many of which were yielding weapons you didn't know how to use! What scares you?

Doug: I was shot at in Iraq and had bombs explode 100 yards from me while there. None of that stuff ever scared me. But fighting like we did on this show was different. In Iraq I was part of a team; on Fight Quest I was alone. If I failed.....the onus was on me. I was always most nervous right before each fight, but I'd lose those nerves as soon as I got hit. It made me want to go running face-first into the other guys fist. Just to get it over with!

Jimmy: What scares me is not putting my best foot forward. It's OK to lose to someone better than me, but I hated the idea of losing to someone because I was fatigued or didn't put forth my best effort. As far as nerves go, you can't kill what's inside you. It's best to use those nerves to make you react; make you sharper.

Despite recent controversy, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is all the rage these days. Starting first with the popular Ultimate Fighting Championships in the 1990s (which still remains the top dog in the MMA world), Mixed Martial Arts has quickly rose to the ranks of being considered a legitimate sport.

Ask anyone that's ever been involved in full-contact sports, and they'll be quick to tell you that no exercise program in the world can completely mimic an actual competition. If you were to spend as little as one round sparring in a boxing ring, or rolling around on a mat in a Brazilian Ju-Jitsu class, you'd almost certainly agree with that statement. This is why it is of the utmost importance that full-contact athletes keep their bodies in peak physical condition, for being even the slightest bit slower, weaker, or dexterous than their opponent can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

In this month's edition of Men's Fitness magazine, you can find out exactly what it takes to step into the octagon and how these athletes prepare themselves for a fight. To read the article and see the workout, click HERE.

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

Bruce Buffer is known worldwide as the Voice of the Octagon as he announces for the UFC. If you're not familiar, UFC and mixed martial arts is the hottest sport in the world earning fanatics by the millisecond. So is Bruce. He's got a pretty face, hot body, big voice and the business savvy most millionaires still wish for.

By day, the man is President and CEO of Buffer Enterprises, managing not only his career, but the career of his big brother Michael Buffer. If you've ever heard the phrase "Let's get ready to ruuuuuumble!",(Michael's below) which I'm positive you have....Bruce made some money off of your listening pleasure. He's turned a phrase into an empire and he's not done yet. By night, Bruce stands amongst some of the most athletic, aggressive and entertaining athletes in the world. He starts the UFC action with his infamous phrase, "It's time....to begin", and all hell breaks loose. Definitely a guy to keep tabs on.

Fitz: You spend so much time surrounded by some of the most elite athletes in the world at events, how does that motivate you?

Bruce Buffer: I have always approached life with an athletic winning attitude and being surrounded by superior athletes only motivates me more to keep it all together.

Fitz: Do you ever train with any of the competitors you announce for?

Bruce Buffer: I rolled with Randy Couture years ago in which was an eye opener.

Fitz: Who is the last person you'd ever want to be struck by?

Bruce Buffer: Bas Rutten, Chuck Lidell and most any 200 lb. or heavier striker.

Fitz: Sometimes UFC fights get gory. Do you flinch much? Look away?

Bruce Buffer: No, it's all part of the job.

Fitz: Even though it' your voice people pay attention to and value, you're in show business. Besides staying fit, what measures do you take to stay so 'pretty'?

Bruce Buffer: Vanity and personal pride... thanks for the compliment.

Fitz: Where is your favorite vacation spot? Do you workout on vacation?

Bruce Buffer: The south of France or any place tropical with waves. Yes, I workout on vacation by surfing or at the very least 30 or more minutes of cardio.