Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
RHADI FERGUSON, PHD, M.A.T., B.S.M.E.AUTHOR – TEACHER – MENTOR - COACH
Dr. Rhadi Ferguson is a Bahamian-American, a 2004 Olympian in the sport of Judo, an author, speaker, former mixed martial arts professional fighter and an award winning judo coach. He is professionally called “The Intellectual Warrior” due to his academic approach as a strategist and tactician. He further staples down this moniker by having served as an Adjunct Professor in the sports science department of the University of Central Florida and also as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Asian Martial Arts. Currently Dr. Ferguson serves as an editorial reviewer for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research as well as the Theories and Applications International Edition Journal.
Dr. Ferguson has been featured on major networks such as Yahoo!, NBC, ESPN and in print media such as UFC Fit Magazine, Ultimate Grappling Magazine and he is a writer for the professional blog ProMMANow.com which is syndicated by the USA Today. Dr. Ferguson has also been published in peer reviewed journals and his motivational speaking and coaching advice can be easily found on his internet show “Coffee With Rhadi” which is a spinoff from his book “Coffee with Rhadi: Herculean Conversations with an Olympian (and some other things that you think about from time to time...)” which can be found with the rest of his publications on www.Amazon.com
After growing up in Miami, Florida and experiencing the Goombay Festivals in Coconut Grove during his youth, Dr. Ferguson got bit by the "Carnival" bug in 2011 at Miami Carnival and has been hooked ever since. Since then he has been a regular at Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago and many other carnivals such as Miami, Tampa, Palm Beach, and Orlando. Dr. Ferguson believes in attending the "big" carnival as well as the small ones, as the small ones provide a great training ground for the newbies and neophytes to carnival.
In 2014, Dr. Ferguson wrote one of the best selling books on preparing for carnival called "The Ultimate Road Ready Guide: PACE! What Every Carnival Veteran And Carnival Virgins Must." Dr. Ferguson today has been heralded as "The Carnival Doctor" by TriniJungleJuice and by many others around the world by his ability to prepare for carnival and create the best experience possible for masqueraders and revelers.
In 2013 Dr. Ferguson was selected as 1 of the top 100 Mixed Martial Arts trainers in the world by UFC Fit Magazine. In 2006 he was awarded the USA Judo Coach of the Year Award and that same year he was nominated for the top sports science award issued by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the Doc Councilman Award. Dr. Ferguson also served as the Athlete Advisory Council representative for USA Judo and the USOC.
Dr. Ferguson has also served as the Head Coach for the Bahamas Judo Federation where he has coached at the World Judo Championships, the Cadet World Championships and had the privilege of developing the first Olympian in the sport of Judo in the Bahamas during his time as Head Coach.
Professionally, Dr. Ferguson holds a black belt in Judo. He also holds a 2nd Degree black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu which is a background that very few martial artists can proclaim. Dr. Ferguson also holds a doctorate and masters degree in area of education and currently runs, teaches and operates his own dojo in Tampa, Florida where he coaches, teaches and mentors practitioners at the grassroots level of the art and sport who have been successful on the state and national levels.
At the end of the day, Dr. Ferguson likes to say that he is “…just a coach and a mentor – nothing more, nothing less.” But the truth is, he is a highly sought out and recognized High Performance Enhancement Specialist centered in education, business, carnival and sport. Utilizing his proven background as an Olympian and lecturing motivator to course corrects systems, create, modify and engineer curriculum initiatives and construct strategic framework toward improving performance and elevating desired outcomes.
Dr. Ferguson resides in Tampa, Florida with his wife of 12 years, Traci Ferguson, MD and their two children. Their son Rufus (8) and daughter Rhadi Isabelle (4).
Articles by this Author
Carnival Tip #18 - Start Packing Your Bags Now | TRUST ME ON THIS
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 21-Jan-15
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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What I'm getting ready to tell you, many of you are NOT going to do.
And I'm not sure why, but some of you all will just not do it.
If you are a CARNIVAL VIRGIN, please take this advice like it is the gospel.
I'm telling you right now - START PACKING YOUR BAGS FOR TNT!!
Yes.
Start packing now.
How To Live Your Life In 2015 Like Yuh Playing Mas
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 12-Jan-15
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
Well, here we are..... deep into the New Year of 2015 and most of you all have either stuck to your resolutions or have broken them and reset them again.
Many of you started out the New Year in church, in a party or fete. Some with loved ones and others alone. Some of you brought in the new year with tears of joy for new beginnings and some, tears of sadness due to the loss of some loved ones in 2014.
No matter how you brought it in what's most important is what you DO in 2015.
Just like a race, a good start is great, but a good finish is better -- because life is not a sprint, but a marathon.
In 2015 I, like many of you, am committed to "living my life like I'm playing Mas!!"
Carnival Tip #17 - Think Of Trinidad Carnival Like The Olympic Games And Yourself Like An Athlete
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 24-Dec-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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Today's tip is in harmony with pacing yourself.
To date, I HOPE, that you all have followed instructions and stayed on pace in terms of creating your fete line up (schedule) and getting your fete tickets. I provided you some advice before this on making sure that you listen to a carnival veteran or find yourself in a crew because I already know a few people who have NOT purchased a ticket for a certain fete because they are "waiting to see what meh friends dem wan do." Well.... while yuh waiting allyuh goh stick and be outside de fete wit de long face because you fall off pace!!
Carnival Tip #16 - Keep Your Head(piece) Game Tight
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 19-Dec-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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Today, I want to talk about something that is specific to the women and that is... making sure that you have a way to return with your headpiece that you have paid for.
First, I want to say this -- you may take this post for granted if you are a virgin but trust me, you are going to want to bring your headpiece home. The headpiece is part of the experience of playing mas.
Most of the women who return from Trinidad after playing mas, return on the their flight with their head pieces from Tuesday. The issue with this is that.... EVERY woman in the airport is carrying a head piece. There's not enough space on the flight for all of the head pieces. So the airlines capitalize on this. The airline will try to charge you to fly back with the headpiece. Therefore, here's an option that you can utilize.
Carnival Tip #15 - Doh STICK Part Two
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 09-Dec-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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It's that time of year again for me.
The time when so much time has passed from Miami Carnival that I've lost my "high" and Trinidad Carnival is a little bit too far away so I've gotten myself into a little slump.
This is the point where I'm excited but not super motivated anymore to get my @ss up at 5:30am and workout like I'm supposed to do.
Here is where I usually falter and then have to do a 3 to 5 week "sprint" before Trinidad Carnival to get "road ready."
An Open Letter To Trinidad Carnival Diary's Saucy Trini From The Carnival Doctor
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 04-Dec-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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Dear Ms. Saucy,
First and foremost I would like to say thank you for all of the tireless work that you do in informing the masses about carnival and especially for what you do in terms of the economic growth of Trinidad and Tobago. Many people do not know that many of us writers and bloggers as yourself actually do a great financial service as well as an informative one. It is certainly clear that you love your job, what it is that you do and you are one of the best at doing it.
Carnival Tip #14 - Doh STICK
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 01-Dec-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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I am going to keep this short.
Carnival soon come and ah tell allyuh right now - DOH STICK.
Some of you are playing around with getting your fete tickets and you are going to have the long face when Carnival come.
Get your tickets. Doh Stick!
Some of you have NOT started working out or eating right as yet and are going to try to do the 2 week mad dash before Carnival to get in shape and carnival ready.
Start working out and start eating right! DOH STICK!!
Happy Thanksgiving From The Carnival Doctor | Thanksgiving Strategies So That You Don't Mess Up Your Carnival Preparation Program
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 27-Nov-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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Look. Here are the facts.
You CANNOT outrun a bad diet no more than you can "walk off" the bad food that you have eaten. I laugh when I watch people stuff themselves and then say, "I'mma go walk some of this off." You cannot eat 1700 calories in one sitting and then walk off 350 and call it even!! LOL!!!!!
It doesn't work like that.
Here's what I would suggest that you do before you act like a complete ass at the dinner table during thanksgiving.
Did You Pick Up Your 2015 Soca Mix Prescription From The Carnival Doctor and TJJ
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 19-Nov-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
- Unrated
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Today is going to be very short. The Carnival Doctor has some medicine for you in the form of his 2015 Soca Mix.
Carnival Tip #13 - The One EXERCISE That You Must Do To Get Ready For The Road And For Carnivals
- By Dr. Rhadi Ferguson aka The Carnival Doctor
- Published 18-Nov-14
- Prescription from The Carnival Doctor
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First and foremost, how you look during carnival is relevant but irrelevant for this particular piece of advice.
I think that all bodies look great. And at carnival people are concerned with your soul, your vibe and your spirit -- not with how you look. If you want to have a six pack, great. If you don't, that's great too.
This article is not at address one's aesthetics or physical display at carnival. That is actually secondary. Telling people that they need to diet and run and lift weights for carnival, is professionally irresponsible. I can tell you what I do and I can give some advice if you desire to look a certain way, but that is NOT an imperative for carnival. Not at all.
Getting through carnival is primary.
And no matter what you look like being fit means that you are "fit for" the thing that you are preparing for. That means that your fitness and preparation program for carnival should primarily focus on the primary objective(s) per the needS assessment of the activity or activities.
