Nowadays I train all no gi and it's always interesting to notice the differences among sport bjj, no gi, and MMA training, techniques, and strategy. One area that has been standing out in my mind is passing the guard. Fighters who train a lot in Brazilian jiu jitsu or submission wrestling have to remember that what works in the grappling arena does not necessarily work in MMA. I want to cover some points that should be, in my opinion, fundamental knowledge when it comes to passing the guard in MMA.
Guard passing is not simple as many of you already know--especially when you face someone with a great guard. Passing requires a number of basic steps. If your opponent has you in closed guard, then you first have to open his legs. When your opponent's legs are open, you usually have to establish some sort of hip or leg control. Once this is done, then you fight to pass over, under or around a person's legs.
A simple and effective way to open an opponent's guard is to punch, either on your knees or on your feet. Most guard fighters who are getting hit will open their legs to push you away or reposition themselves so they can better defend against strikes. Another way to open a person's guard is to pry an opponent's legs open using your hands, elbows or knees (any typical BJJ guard opening technique). However, this method is usually difficult in MMA because there aren’t many secure grips available without a gi.
Once your opponent's legs are open you don’t want to give him any offensive options. Standing up is a great way to prevent the person from getting you in closed guard again and protects you from arm bars and chokes. If you do stand, you have to pay attention to the distance between you and your opponent--too far away and you give him the opportunity to stand up, too close and you may get kicked in the face. Securing your opponent's feet or shins with your hands after opening the guard, while standing, is a good way to limit your opponent's movement and protect yourself from kicks. Make sure to always watch out for leg or foot locks when you're passing, too.
When you have established control over the legs or hips you can start your guard pass. Basically, there are three ways to pass: over, under or around his legs. In MMA, fighters generally pass over or around the legs. Passing under a person's legs works well in grappling but hardly happens is MMA because these passes are typically slow and require a lot forward pressure and secure grips. When you and/or your opponent are slippery and striking each other, passing under the legs can be difficult. The passes can and still do work, but it's good to know that over and around the leg passes seem to be more effective.
Remember that MMA is not grappling. When you pass, don't forget to mix in some solid strikes. This will keep your opponent on the "defensive" and can keep him guessing. When it's time to pass, make sure you put 100% of your energy into it because speed and strength are vital for most MMA guard passes.
Once you've passed your opponent's guard, don't be too eager to strike or submit your opponent because you will probably make a mistake that allows your opponent to escape. Make sure you've secured your guard pass and the top position. When you have stabilized your position, now you can work your offense.
When you're training MMA, try to keep these few points in mind when passing the guard.
On another note, taught class last night and took some footage of the sparring. Shoulder is still painful and feeling real "heavy." It's beginning to really mess with all my training routines. Anyway, here's a short clip from sparring last night.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Passing the Guard in Mixed Martial Arts
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Escaping from the Bottom
I apologize for missing another entry. I'm finding it a bit difficult to schedule time to sit down and write while I'm here in the Philippines. There are too many things I have to do and too many distractions! (I'll have more to write on this in the next few days and connect it with people who train in the Philippines.)
I taught a private seminar for a number of students from New Breed Philippines, and we covered the topic of escapes. (For some photos of the seminar, please click here.) Most of the time, people train offensive techniques and neglect their defense, so I thought it would be good idea to teach escapes from a "new" angle. If a person can't pin you down for long, then you never really have to worry about the person passing your guard, mounting, switching from one top position to the other, etc. If you spend as much time on training your escapes as you do other areas, you can reach a point where you can escape at will.
I covered a specific system that is not openly taught (or maybe I should say, not known) by many grapplers. It's a simple and effective method that addresses 3 main areas: 1) how to prevent a pin when someone has passed your guard so you can get to your knees or recompose, 2) how to prevent a person from passing your guard (but not using your guard), and 3) what to do when someone has pinned you.
The moves were efficient and did not require the students to use a lot of speed or strength. The students commented that the techniques permitted them to use less effort and rely on their partners movement to escape. Also, the positions allowed them to know/predict what their partners would do next (i.e. what their next move(s) would be). I was happy to see that the students' eyes were "wide open" with interest and glad to hear "uwws" and "ahhs" in reaction to certain realizations.
When someone pins you down, do you find it difficult to escape? Do you think you use way too much energy to get out of an inferior positions? When someone "great" at pins and/or much heavier than you is on top, does this make escaping more difficult? If you answered any of these three questions with a "yes," then it's probably a good idea to take some time to focus on your escapes. Not only is learning to escape a matter of know key techniques, but escapes also require effective positioning and great timing. To develop these two areas, people need to put in enough hours on the mat with different training partners. Furthermore, if you decide to works your escapes, think about the different situations. It will benefit you to work the 3 areas outline above. Learn what to do when someone has pinned you, when someone has passed your guard and is about to pin you, and what to do to prevent the passing of your guard.
We all know how it feels to have someone huge pin us down. We feel "smashed" and sometimes find ourselves losing energy trying to push our opponent off of us. There are more effective ways to deal with pins and pin prevention. So, I encourage all of you to spend some time thinking about your escapes. Just like any specific area in training, escapes take a lot of time to really "master." But if you do put the time into it, I think you'll be surprised with the positive results.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Workshop for New Breed Jiu Jitsu Philippines Members on Sunday
Had a full day and didn't get to train, unfortunately. If there wasn't so much traffic in Metro-Manila, I would definitely have about 2 hours of extra time to train, or do some kind of conditioning. But, I had to go to some meetings so had no choice but to forgo any kind of training.
I met up with Steven Kamphuis this morning. He showed me his gym and talked about his new Makati branch that will open in the near future. We talked business for a while and discussed training and the development of BJJ in the Philippines. We both believe that outside of Japan, the Philippines probably has the most talent in Asia, and we both see eye-to-eye in helping Pinoys continue to excel.
I'll be teaching a private seminar for New Breed on Sunday at 3:00pm, so if you train at New Breed and are interested, please communicate with your branch instructors for the details.
I just got back from a long dinner and need to rest up a bit because my jet lag is acting up and I still plan on heading out in a little while. I'll write more about training and other topics relevant to the MMA blog as soon as I get settled in; it's been hectic since I arrived. Hopefully everything eases up tomorrow.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Short Business Trip / Mini-Vacaction to the Philippines
I finally had a chance to sit down and get online. It's been a very long and tiring day. I arrived this afternoon and have been on the go none stop until now. It's past midnight, and I'm exhausted--extremely. (And, my damn shoulder is bugging the hell out of me.) I wanted to write a quick blog entry though before passing out for the night.
I taught a private lesson this evening and got some rolling in at New Breed's Rockwell branch in Makati. I also answered some questions that the students had. I rolled 5 rounds and I felt like a zombie each round--seemed like I was just going through the motions. I wanted to roll though and break a sweat so I can sleep well tonight, hopefully.
The guys are getting better and better every time I see them. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I think that a good number of Pinoy jiu-jitsu practitioners could hang with competitors anywhere in the world at their respective belt levels. Personally, I think outside of Japan, the Philippines has the highest level of BJJ athletes right now in Southeast Asia.
I took some video and pics of the training, but I'm too tired to do anything with them yet. I'll compile some more footage/pics and post some up in the coming days.
Tomorrow's going to be a busy day. O joy... Will write more tomorrow.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Teaching Starting in May; Visiting Chicago; and Heading Back to the Philippines
I've been pretty stressed out the past few days with a lot of things, but everything is good. My head wasn't in the right place to train today, but I went anyway to loosen up. I took it light and did a few rounds on the bags to test my shoulder--still a lot of pain. Each day I'm more inclined to get surgery. I will probably wait till after the summer though, and I will first get a MRI to see if there are other problems going on with my shoulder.
Baret left for Japan already for his fight in Shooto. He'll be fighting on Friday, so I wish him the best of luck! I'll be rooting for him.
I had lunch with the owner of an upcoming LA Boxing franchise in Rancho Pensaquitos. He confirmed that I will start teaching BJJ and MMA classes in May. Because of my personal work, study, and training schedule, I'll probably be teaching only 2-3 times per week. I'll be working with two other instructors to run the BJJ/MMA program. The gym sounds like it's going to have a good set up so I'm excited to check it out.
I'm leaving for the Philippines tomorrow for a short trip, and will head to Vegas from there for Throwdown's fight camp with Uriah Faber, Robert Drysdale, et al. (Of course I'll be hanging and catching up with fellow Pinoys, Justin and Mike. I'm also going to try and meet up with some old friends who live in Vegas.) The third week of April, I'll be spending a few days in LA and will be training while I'm there, and I'm planning to be in the Bay Area beginning of May. In between, I am going to visit my brother Mark in Chicago and do some training and teach a seminar. I have 8 free flights on Northwest and 2 on Cathay, so I'm planning to fly around for fun. While traveling, I'll be sure to drop in and train at different schools.
I've got to pack so I'll end this entry here. Because I'll be on a plane and because of the difference in time, I may or may not be able to update my blog with an entry or two; but, I will if I find time in between flights.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Traditional BJJ Gi Training Needed for MMA?
When I first started training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, it was to learn techniques needed for anything goes type of fighting. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu took the martial arts scene by storm and every serious martial artists wanted to incorporate the ground game into their arsenal. However, practically every BJJ or "MMA" school trained in a gi and never really focused on actual MMA training. Almost every "MMA" school was teaching and training in sport BJJ.
Not many people complained though because a lot of people could see the practical applications of the moves and with a little creativity and experimentation, they could make the techniques work in MMA situations. Also, a lot of people got "brainwashed" to a certain degree, learning that the best MMA fighters had to be high ranking BJJ competitors first (i.e. Black Belts), then had to get good at No-Gi fighting, and finally, they then could start training vale tudo. As many people know today, this progression was and is not necessarily the best way to approach MMA training.
Although techniques from sport bjj, no-gi, and MMA can be used in each area with some tweaking, they are all still very different and require focused training--if you want to compete in sport BJJ, put on a gi and train with it often; want to be good at submission grappling, stop using the gi; and want to get good at MMA, start realizing the major differences with grappling without any kind of striking involved and train MMA. I do think that training with the gi and doing submission grappling are important to getting good in MMA. But, looking back, I don't think you need to spend years training with the gi, then years doing just submission grappling, then finally MMA. Just think of some the the great BJJ fighters who followed that path and then tried MMA for the first time. They didn't do too well.
I think if a person spends too much time focusing on ground work with the gi and/or without, he or she is developing a false sense of confidence for MMA fighting. You simply have to include the hits into your training. It makes a world of difference when someone is trying to take your head off. Just because you can grapple or take people down, doesn't mean you can fight. Moreover, a person needs to get accustomed to the various positions, techniques, and strategies that MMA fighters find themselves using all the time. The more one practices these areas, the better the person will get. It's about focusing on MMA rather than spreading oneself too thinly among sport bjj, no gi, and MMA training.
If definitely think a person should train and pick up solid fundamentals with the gi. At least a solid blue belt, preferably a purple. But, grappling training would not stop there. It should continue with the guidance of excellent grappling trainers, but the emphasis should be on MMA. Ultimately, the athlete has to pick his or her focus. Again, it's not a good idea to spread yourself too thinly.
In the Philippines, it might be a good idea for some fighters to spend a lot of time really learning the basics of ground fighting. I'm not talking about just watching techniques, doing a couple of reps, drilling a little bit, and that's that. They should really know the basics, just as well as guys who solely train BJJ. It might be a good idea that they try competing in strict BJJ competitions too just to test out their ground skills and make sure they've reach a certain level. I think this simple change in training could really increase the level of Pinoy MMA.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Choosing a BJJ or MMA Instructor
Today was one of those mornings. I woke up early, but also stayed up real late working on some things. It's been the norm lately. I was planning to train this morning, but I was simply too tired. Again, it's the ongoing challenge to balance different passions in life. No complains thought. At least I'm doing what I enjoy. (Also, I had a pretty bad burn on my tricep from the ropes while training MMA, which just started to scab and heal quicker.)
I thought about the different fighters, trainers, and instructors I've learned and trained with my entire life, and tried to determine who had the most impact on my developed skills (i.e. who "taught" me the most). Everyone had a different teaching style, emphasis, philosophy, and overall approach. Some taught by way of a strict class and lesson structure, while others advocated an unorthodox style of trial and error, and question and answer. Choosing a good instructor is very important and I wanted to share my thoughts on the subject.
Now, this is not a blog about visiting schools, feeling out the instructor and/or deciding whether you're a fit. To me, that is common sense when joining a martial arts school, taking private lessons, or attending seminars. This blog focuses more on the various teaching styles instructors have and which methods seem the most effective to me.
I'd say that over 75% of the "seniors" I've trained with were the type that focused too much on techniques. Being technical is not wrong. What I mean by focusing too much on technique is that these instructors simply taught a lot of techniques to students. Day after day there would be new techniques; but, there wasn't enough understanding and drilling of the positions. No one really had a chance to get a good grasp of the techniques. Likewise, many people forgot a lot of the techniques. I'm a visual learner and tend to rehearse moves in my mind well, so I didn't have much difficulty just seeing a technique a couple of times. But, I know a lot of other students struggled because they needed more practice.
Out of the remaining 25%, I would say 10% were "traditional" instructors who showed maybe 4-6 techniques/positions/moves for months. I think there was a time where I did the Americana and Ezekial choke for three straight months. This was back in the 90s, and clearly, these instructors were trying to hold back. Unfortunately, these instructors' students often get beat in competition now.
The other 15% were simply the best instructors I've ever experienced. I should say that they still are, too. I find it amazing that the 15% that I know are respected by the MMA/BJJ community, but they do not get the credit they deserve--and I tell you, they deserve a lot of it. They aren't as popular as other instructors, but their knowledge and experience blows the competition away in many areas. These instructors were not about feeding you a ton of techniques. They were not "BJJ encyclopedias" who just continued to throw technique after technique at you--to the point where you might get confused or overwhelmed. These instructors were people who knew the little details that many other "professionals" did not know. The details that make all the difference in the world. The 15% were the type who taught a technique, its details, and then conducted drills until the technique was strongly understood and could be applied when sparring. There was never wasted time, and there wasn't endless and "useless" repetition (as opposed to the "traditional" instructors I had). Also, athleticism was never needed to pull off the techniques they showed, but athleticism did make using the moves even simpler.
If you're looking for a class to join, about to attend a seminar, or take private lessons, I recommend that you learn from someone who conveys that he/she truly has a deep understanding of many areas--not just superficial technique, but specific reasons behind very specific moves (e.g. hand placement, hip movement, etc.). When I say very specific, I mean, extremely. One instructor told me to listen/feel for when a person inhales/exhales and how it will tell me when they were going to "burst." It's been years, and that little detail has held true. No one has ever come close to teaching me that or hinting that they knew/know about it.
Keep in mind, you'll want to learn from someone who is a "teacher." The best teachers can break things down into little pieces of information that you can absorb quickly and more effectively. Remember, a good fighter does not always equal a good teacher. However, to get the best of both worlds is ideal. You want to learn from someone who is a great fighter and excellent teacher. If you're still not sure, look at a school's team or instructor's students. How did they do in competition? How are their attitudes? How do they train? Often, their actions reflect a lot about their instructor.
Friday, March 21, 2008
In the Philippines in a Few Days; Blue Belt BJJ Requirement Correction; and Never Back Down
I'm leaving for the Philippines in a few days, so I've been busy with a lot of things I have to take care of before I leave. My trip will be pretty hectic, too. I'll be taking care of some business for projects I am starting in the U.S., teaching some privates, training, etc. But, it's always good to be back in the Philippines. I'm busy taking care of some work right now and will have to keep this blog entry short.
In my rush to blog the other day, I completely forgot the half guard position for the Blue Belt requirements I listed. You can add on 3 sweeps from half guard, and 3 passes to the list. When I'm back in the Philippines, I'll check the original videos I made to see if I forgot anything. I might even record a new, updated version if people are interested.
I finally had a chance to watch Never Back Down. The story was very predictable and is one that I wouldn't pay the $10 ticket price to watch (i.e. I didn't pay to watch it). I don't know if my reaction would be different if I was as young when I watched The Karate Kid and other similar movies, but I didn't care much for the movie. There were some brief moments of inspiration that give you the feeling of wanting to train, but very brief. I truly hope the other upcoming MMA movies will be much better. Don't go out of your way just to watch the movie.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A MMA Road Trip, and A MMA Sample Training Routine
I talked with Mike Perez this afternoon, who was with Justin Lopez at Throwdown's headquarters in Las Vegas. Justin had the great idea of taking a MMA/BJJ road trip all around SoCal in the Throwdown RV. Justin, Mike, and I could be the Pinoy crew going around interviewing fighters and checking different schools throughout America's BJJ/MMA mecca (i.e. Southern California). Sounds like a cool I idea. We might get so into it and decide to drive all over the U.S.! I didn't get all the details, but if it's going down, I'm there. I'll be in the Philippines next week for a little while, so hopefully they don't plan on taking the road trip anytime soon.
I said I'd give you guys a sample MMA training routine, so here it is. Choosing a MMA training routine is not an easy task because there are so many variables and things to work. Also, training needs to be altered for different individuals and for different opponents (e.g. if you're facing a striker, stand up drills would be different than if you were fighting a strong grappler). This routine is more of an everyday, maintenance session, for those of you who don't know where to start or looking for some new ideas. With this "skeletal outline," a lot of different parts of the game can be worked in each of the drills/areas covered. (Note: This routine assumes you have solid skills in striking, takedowns, and ground work.)
13-min round Jump Rope
2 3-min rounds Shadow Boxing while working your shots
2 3-min rounds Defending the Single/Double leg (your partner(s) should already have position--they shouldn't need to shoot in on you)
2 3-min rounds of Finishing the Single/Double leg (again, you should already be in position--no need to shoot in on your partner(s))
1 or 2 3-min rounds of Pummeling for Inside position w/ all hits allowed (i.e. clinch work)
1 or 2 3-min rounds of Pummeling for the Take Down w/ all hits allowed
Then 3-5 5-min rounds of 1 of the following:
a) Work specific ground positions (e.g. working from your guard while your partner(s) try to hit you, pass your guard, etc.)
b) Stand up sparring with takedowns (wearing boxing gloves with lace covers works well)
c) Start in Over-Under (Pummel Position) and begin MMA sparring from there (use grappling gloves). When someone hits the ground, keep going. If both partners stand up, re-tie and start over.
Give it a try. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. Good training to you.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the Philippines - Blue Belt Requirements
Since I started teaching Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, one of the most common questions I encountered was, "What do I need to do to get my [color] belt?" It's not surprising in an art that uses belt ranks and in a society that seems to respect higher ranking martial artists more than others. I would always encourage my students to not get too caught up with the color of their belt and assured them that if they kept training hard and focused on improving their skills, the belts would come in time. Some students took what I said to heart, while others were, and still are, too focused on belt color.
Nonetheless, around 2002 or 2003 (if I recall correctly), I came out with a set of Blue Belt requirements that I thought any solid Blue Belt ought to know. Now, these requirements were the minimum technical requirements needed to be considered for the belt, but did not guarantee you would be promoted. All of us who have been training for a while know it takes much more than just memorization to "move up the ladder."
I wanted to share with you what I outlined as requirements for blue about 5-6 years ago, and how the past years have changed (or maybe I should say, reinforced) the requirements I set forth for my students. I demonstrated specific techniques in detail to my students, and have a Blue Belt Workshop I held on video. Below is just a brief outline of the requirements. So, when I say 5 side mount escapes, there were certain basic ones I wanted everyone to know. In addition, there are details that I'm omitting to make the outline shorter (e.g. posture-where to place your arms, legs, etc. in certain positions).
Note: I'm writing this quickly in between classes so I might have overlooked a certain area.
1. Forward, backward rolls/forward, backward, and side break falls
2. Basic hip movements
3. Escapes
a. 5 Side Mount Escapes
b. 3 Mount Escapes
c. 3 Escapes from Modified Scarf Hold
d. 3 Escapes from Traditional Scarf Hold
e. 3 Escapes from Knee-On-Stomach
f. 3 Escapes from North/South
g. 3 Escapes from Reverse Scarf hold
h. 3 Escapes from Rear Mount
4. Guard Passing
a. 3 ways to open standing
b. 3 ways to open on knees
c. 5 ways to pass guard
5. Mount
a. 3 chokes
b. 2 arm locks
6. Side Mount
a. 4 arm locks
b. 2 chokes
7. North/South
a. 2 arm locks
b. 1 chokes
8. Guard
a. 6 sweeps when opponent is standing
b. 4 sweeps when opponent is on knees
c. 3 chokes
d. 3 arm locks
9. Knee-on-Belly
a. 2 chokes
b. 3 arm locks
10. Rear Mount
a. 4 chokes
b. 1 arm lock
11. Foot locks
a. Basic foot lock
b. Basic heel hook
12. Transitioning/Positioning - Basically from every major position to the other
13. Combinations - I had a list of basic combinations I wanted students to know
The outline makes it look quick and easy. But, actual requirements that I wanted to see were comprehensive and more detailed. Now that I think back about the basic requirements set back then, I think I would keep most of it even today. The movements are the fundamental techniques that I think every BJJ stylist needs to know. They are "bread and butter" moves used everyday by all top grapplers. Again, these requirements are purely technical. I think now, I'll even add a competition requirement--maybe something like at least 10 competition matches won by submission. This would encourage people to go for the finish instead of playing the point game.
For all you reading this, try going through the brief outline above and see if you can quickly/instinctively go through all the requirements in your head and visualize the moves. If you can, I think you're on top of your fundamentals and are definitely at least a Blue Belt. If not, you might want to do some reviewing. There's no shame in forgetting. But, try not to neglect the basics because you're always going to go back to them.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
MMA in the Philippines: Mixed Martial Arts Competitions
There have been recent posts on the forums about the two main professional MMA competitions in the Philippines, and also a team based amateur competition. For a while now, I've thought that it seems like the same people are competing over and over in the various competitions in the Philippines. Of course there are new faces and new talent who enter the ring or the cage, but I think our local events could do better to get more people fighting, especially highly skilled fighters. I'm sure spectators would enjoy the variety, and the higher level of talent. Matchmakers might want to visit different gyms and watch classes to observe the athletes. So, kind of like a professional scout for the NBA, NFL, etc., matchmakers may be able to spot budding fighters. A more active approach to finding "new blood" should improve the talent pool. Many times, I hear that matchmakers simply just ask if schools or gyms have anyone who's interested in fighting.
On the flip side, I think a lot more of the talented mixed martial arts practitioners out there ought to consider competing. I always find it interesting how some of the best athletes out there don't like to compete or have no urge to compete, while wannabe fighters or MMA newbies seem to always want to fight. (As a side note, it's pretty amazing how many "gung-ho" beginners start training at a school, say they are there to "fight in the UFC," but after a while, they quit.) I understand that some people just do not have the urge. Normally this comes from people having other priorities in life. This, I completely understand. However, for other practitioners who seem to have nothing in their way of training seriously, I often think there may be other reasons. These kinds of people are the ones who are always training, they have solid skills, but they shy away from competing. Maybe they don't have confidence. Maybe they don't want to get hit in the face. Maybe they don't want to risk losing. There are so many possible reasons.
Whatever the case, I think that anyone who is serious about mixed martial arts and wants to take their abilities to the next level should compete. Start out with a few amateur competitions. Then, slowly move up the ladder. The competitions in the Philippines need more fighters who are willing to step up to provide better matches. On the flip side, fighters need competitions as a venue to test their skills and push them to their limits.
Now, although I'd like to see more and more people training to compete (a big difference from people who are just training), I hope to see that these people are dedicated and serious about training. It takes a lot of sacrifice. No late night drinking sessions, you have to train consistently and properly, you need to eat right, you have to rest adequately. There's a big difference between a "fighter," a "good fighter," and an "excellent fighter." I'd like to see the Philippines breed excellent fighters. Yes, it is tough and it takes a lot of work and resources. But, just like any dream that you have, if you want it bad enough, you'll normally find a way.
For guys in the Philippines who want to compete in events like the URCC, Fearless, or amateur events, keep up to date with tryout information, join a reputable school who can set you up with fights, or start tearing up the competition in your school/region and matchmakers will be bound to hear about you. Good luck, and hope to see more people get involved.
Monday, March 17, 2008
More MMA Training and the Importance of Good Training Partners
(UFC Fighter John "War Machine" Koppenhaver coaching)Baret did his rounds and then Bob, Philip, and I helped out another fighter who has a fight coming soon, too. Sean/Shawn hand his chance to be the "man-in-the-middle." After the sparring was over, Baret and Bob decided to head to a nearby track and do sprints. He asked me if I wanted to do some sprints, but I had left my running shoes at home. I really wanted to join them because I missed out on my morning conditioning. I'll make sure to always bring a pair of running shoes with me now when I train. I decided to just roll for about 30 minutes then watched the MMA class for a while and took a few pics (below).
During our sparring session today, the importance of having good training partners popped into my head. We all probably know that if you want to get good at anything, you ought to surround yourself with good people who want you to succeed. But, as the fighter training, you also have to have some trust in your training partners. While Baret was sparring, everyone focused on his movements and motivated him the entire time. Throughout his training, "War Machine," Bob, and I were giving Baret advice and tips from our perspective. Baret was the most experienced fighter there, but he welcomed our insight. In fact, he encourages us to tell him what he's doing right or wrong. Ultimately, Baret will be fighting and he is smart and experienced enough to take everyone's advice as a whole--he'll keep what is useful to his game, and scrap what he thinks will not work for his fight.
As a training partner, it's important to be a coach. You are out there to help your friend/ fighter/instructor/training partner get ready for competition. You can't take it easy, but at the same time, you can't hurt your fighter before an upcoming fight. As the fighter, you need to have an open mind and listen to what your partners say. They have a better chance of seeing things that you might not notice while sparring. MMA can be considered a team sport in a way. You need to find a solid group of guys, that you trust, to help you be your best.
In a few days, I'll blog about some MMA and BJJ training methods you can implement in your regiment.
(Here are several pictures I took of some students sparring in the MMA class.)
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Teaching at LA Boxing and Shout Out to Michael Perez
Sunday = Rest day. Didn't train, run, or do anything very physical today. Just relaxed and took care of some things I had to do. Oh, also watched the movie Hitman at home--must say I thought it was pretty good. Made me want to go out and shoot people. j/k I've been communicating with people from LA Boxing about teaching classes in a new Southern California location. I will most likely be teaching regularly again if we can arrange classes that fit into my busy work/study/training schedule. I got an email this morning from one of the managers, and it seems that they will adjust to my schedule. I believe they are labeling the position, "Master Instructor." Lol! I think 2-3 instructors will be handling all of the BJJ and MMA classes together. I haven't taught regularly in a long time because of school, but it will be nice to teach again. For some reason, when I teach, I feel that my own learning progresses faster.
I learned from my friend and Pinoy MMA photographer, Mike Perez, that he recently started to blog about his escapades in the MMA world. Check out his blog at www.chickenadobo.org. Mike is a real cool and funny guy. He lives, breathes, and s#&ts MMA because he's a fan and he works in the industry. He also shoots a lot of hot models. I get a kick out of reading his blogs and looking at his photography. You guys might want to check out his site.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Saturday Morning Training
Baret taught the regular class this morning. I decided to take the class because it would be a good warm up for our MMA training. My brother Mike, and our friend Bob were also there to help Baret with his MMA training. We went over some X-guard techniques, drilled, and sparred. Baret seemed to be a little exhausted this morning, so he decided to postpone the MMA training until Monday--it was a good thing because my head isn't on right today, and I'm feeling sluggish today. We all ended up rolling with one another and different students in the class for about 45 minutes to an hour.
Baret was focusing on his leg locks today; Bob has been trying to work some new passes he learned in Brazil; my brother seems to playing around a lot with a specific Brabo choke setup; and I decided to work some half guard techniques. As Like I've said in previous entries, it's always good to go into training with an idea of what you want to work that day. People tend to improve more when they set little goals for themselves.
As I mentioned, I'm a bit drained today so I'm going to cut this entry short. Before I go, here are some pics and a short video from training today. My brother and Baret are rolling in the pics, and both of them are also in the video clip rolling with Aaron. I apologize for the background conversations you can hear. I'm too tired today to edit them out or mask them with music.
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Friday, March 14, 2008
MMA Training with Baret Yoshida
(Baret teaching a no-gi class after training.)This morning I started a new conditioning program to help increase my endurance. I'm doing a combination of stairs and wind sprints. I was completely drained after just 15 minutes and my legs were burning. As I type this entry, my hamstrings are so sore and painful, that I can't even touch my toes!
After conditioning, I had a good stretching session, then took care of everything I had to do today. I'm some weird natural food craze and have been experimenting with all sorts of vitamins and all types of natural and organic foods. My findings thus far are very interesting and surprising. Because of grad school, I started drinking coffee to make sure I could keep up with all the work. I became dependent on numerous cups of coffee a day to just stay awake. I no longer drink coffee, and I truly feel that the vitamins and other natural foods I'm taking are a big reason why I feel energized throughout the day without caffeine.
Late afternoon, I went to Undisputed to train. I was planning on just rolling, but Baret needed some help preparing for a fight, so we stepped into the ring for some MMA sparring. Baret did three 6 minute rounds straight, alternating a fresh guy at the 3 minute mark. The type of sparring we did is extremely tiring--extremely. Baret was visibly exhausted, but being the fighter that he is, kept pushing while Philip (another guy at the gym) and I were alternating every 3 minutes. After, Baret was pretty spent and also had to teach class. I sparred one more round with Philip, then we rolled for about half and hour.
I was planning to take some pictures today, but I got caught up with training. This always happens! We're going to do more MMA training tomorrow morning, so hopefully I'll get some pics or video up for you guys. Baret suggested that whoever is resting tomorrow should take pics of the training. Maybe Baret will be kind enough to show some techniques, too.
For those of you who are not completely familiar with Baret, I want to take some time to give him some genuine compliments. There are a lot of great fighters in the world who don't get much publicity or as much credit as they should receive. In my opinion, Baret is one of those fighters. Brazilian jiu jitsu stylists and MMA fighters who've been in the sport for a long time know Baret and recognize him to be one of the best grapplers out there. However, many people, especially those relatively new to the sport, don't know much about Baret. They may have heard his name here and there, but they may not realize how good Baret really is.
I tracked Baret's career since I was a white belt and watched a ton of his matches and videos. He was one of my favorite fighters in the 90s--someone I really looked up to, and he still is today. I'm not alone. Many of today's young, star grapplers even mention how they looked up to Baret a lot. It's great to be able to train with Baret regularly.
Baret was #2 in Shooto at one point in his career, and is now back in the game after a hiatus. He is fighting on March 28 in Tokyo against the 5th ranked Shooto fighter in his weight division. I've read how some people suggest that Baret should work his way back slowly into MMA, but these people might not really "know" Baret.
Baret is down to always compete. He doesn't look for easy wins and is always out there trying to finish his opponents. He isn't a point fighter--he goes out there for the kill, which is why he's nicknamed "The Finisher." In addition, Baret is a fighter who "stays hungry" and "stays foolish." He's constantly looking for more ways to improve and get better. He doesn't have the luxury of having a big sponsor who will provide help provide the very best training support out there, but Baret pushes himself, trains hard, works with what he has, and continually excels. He also has to be the humblest fighter I've met. I can't quite explain it, but Baret has a different mentality from typical mixed martial arts trainers or fighters.
I was hoping to be in Tokyo for his fight because I'll be in the Philppines, but my schedule isn't looking to good. Baret and I also talked about him visiting the Philippines after his fight, but we aren't sure how it will work out because he may have to be back in San Diego right after his fight. We'll see what happens.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
"Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish."
Have you ever watched Steve Jobs's (CEO of Apple) Stanford Commencement Speech? If not, I encourage you to take 15 minutes to listen to a speech that will motivate and inspire you. (Everytime I listen to this, I have to get up and do something.)
So what do you think? Good advice? I enjoy it and think that what was said applies to a lot of things in life. The reason I wanted to share the clip with you is twofold: (1) to give you some inspiration to go after what you want in your life, and in connection with this blog, (2) to emphasize how "staying hungry" and "staying foolish" is not only a great philosophy in life, but it is an excellent mindset to have when training.
Have you ever noticed that people who start training for the first time seem to always be excited about training? They always have questions and always want to learn more. They're hungry for knowledge. In addition, these beginners make a ton of mistakes. They try crazy moves and make things up as they go. They're foolish. But, I really envy them. They have a feeling of wonder and curiosity that reminds me of a growing child--they have the energy and will to keep making mistakes and to keep learning. When someone adopts this way of thinking, their knowledge and experience develop the quickest. However, somewhere along the line, people become complacent and lose the fire inside. They also feel that they can't make mistakes.
Do you have members in your gym or school who seem to always think they know everything? How about members who get easily discouraged when they aren't performing or improving? These people are everywhere. I notice it when I teach or train. When I teach, there will always be one or two "know it alls." They never ask questions, try the technique a few times, and then think they've got it. When it comes to sparring time, they can never pull it off with someone at their level or better. Other times, I have witnessed people simply quit training because they were having a slump. They got discouraged and decided to move on to a different sport.
For both these types of people, their learning stops or slows down, and they get surpassed by people who want "it" more. I know it's easier to say than actually do, but when you train, train with a purpose and do so to learn something. You should always learn something from each training session. If you aren't, you're just going through the motions and have to reevaluate things. Be a student-for-life. You can learn something from everyone, even training partners who are beginners. Once you think you know enough, the hunger will slowly go away and someone is going to knock you out or tap you out when it counts.
For years when I needed to motivate myself, while training, I would picture my opponent also training. He was training just as hard and smart as I was. He wasn't taking any short cuts. He was putting in the time and making sacrifices. That was all it took to make me "hungry" and keep pushing. There was simply no way in hell I was going to let my opponent beat me. My mind was set.
When you train, leave your pride, ego, whatever you want to call it, at home. Yes, there are times you will want to be at your best and you won't want to make mistakes. However, if you're training to learn, recognize that great progress comes from learning from your mistakes--experiment, be creative, have fun with trying out different techniques or strategies. Don't be afraid of getting hit or tapped. You learn so much from making mistakes and it's important not to get discouraged.
The best fighters are people who understand the concept of "staying hungry" and "staying foolish." The most successful business executives (e.g. Steve Jobs) know this, too. In fact, I dare say that anyone who is at the top of their field believes in the concept. So when you train, I urge you to never settle for mediocrity. You'll make many mistakes, but stay the course and you'll reach your goals.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
MMA Random Thoughts: Fighting Southpaws
I'm not sure why I was thinking about it today, but I was thinking of different ways to attack and defend against a southpaw fighter. I got very creative (because I was in a very boring business class). A lot of the stuff I thought of are techniques I've never seen, heard of, or even tried. So, I have some experimental moves and strategies to play around with. In line with this, I wanted to share some basic knowledge about fighting against southpaws. To clarify, when I say southpaw I mean right leg forward, while an orthodox stance would be left leg forward. (Everything is reverse if you use an unorthodox stance and your right leg is forward).
First, you generally want to circle to your left away from your opponents left cross (or in the Philippines, left straight). I say generally because the left cross is usually more powerful than your opponent's right hook. However, some fighters have deadly lead hooks. In this case, your movement would change. For the purpose of this blog entry though, I will assume that your opponent's left cross is more dangerous. So, as I mentioned, you want to circle left and continually make your opponent chase/turn after you. This will make your opponent reach for you if he wants to land a left cross, which will be telegraphic and less powerful. Also, by actively circling to your left, you are controlling the fight and can close the gap between you and your opponent easier--so you can land some punches or kicks.
Second, use your right hand. Your right cross is a deadly weapon against a southpaw. If you are leading (meaning you are controlling the fight by constantly moving away from your opponent's left hand), your opponent has no choice but to follow when he tries to attack. As a result, when you throw your cross, there is a good chance that your right fist and your opponents face will meet in the middle, like a head on car collision. Basically, your cross will have more impact and power behind it because your opponent will move into your cross.
Third, look at your opponents lead leg (right leg) and realize that your left leg is forward and you have a great opportunity to execute a great shot or single leg if you continue to circle to the left and close the distance.
Fourth, don't get too comfortable with throwing a right kick while you are circling and after some punches. For Muay Thai it's ok, but for MMA, it's riskier. Why? In general, you never want to throw a kick when someone is moving forward and toward you. Anyone who knows Muay Thai well should know that a great counter to a round kick is to counter it by "stepping in" with a punch. Without getting into all the details, stepping in "jams" an opponent's kick, allowing the fighter who stepped in to counter with a hard punch, etc. Going back to the southpaw situation, if I continue to circle to my left, my opponent will continually turn towards me and follow me. In other words, my opponent is moving forward. Let's say I throw a left jab while circling and decide to follow up with a right kick. There's a good chance that a skilled opponent will be waiting and will rush in with a left cross.
These are some basics you should normally think of when fighting southpaws. Situations will change and you will need to adapt accordingly. However, if you've never really thought about fighting people with unorthodox stances, this is a good start. I wish I had some time to post some pictures and/or video to make the descriptions above easier to understand. Unfortunately, I had a busy day and it's still going. In any case, if you have questions, feel free to comment and I'll get back to you.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Shoulder Pain from Martial Arts and Weight Training: The Culprit - Osteolysis of the AC Joint
Osteolysis of the AC joint. That's what the doctor told me. . .
I finally visited a Sport Medicine and Orthopedic doctor yesterday. The doctor treats a lot of mixed martial arts fighters such Dan Henderson and Jason Lambert, so I was happy that he knows what he is doing and is familiar with the sport and how fighters train.
When I had my Xray done, it was pretty cool to see all these UFC and Pride posters authographed by fighters who go to the Orthopedic clinic. Anyway, within minutes, the xray results were placed shown on a monitor that I could clearly see. The first thing that popped into my head was, "Oh, f#$k." Now, I'm no doctor, so when I looked at the Xray (the doctor wasn't in the room yet), I could see a clear white strip of bone (my clavicle) with a black gap in between that bone, and another. Basically, it looked like a solid piece of bone that was nearly cracked in half. I was thinking to myself, "S$3t, I'm definitely going to need surgery. There goes fighting."
When the doctor came in, he did some physical tests on me: asking me to place my arm in different postitions, push and pull against certain resistance, and continually asking me about the pain I felt. I told him in short, everything hurt like hell. Then, the Xray. I knew what he was going to say, "Your bone is broken." (Or something like that). However, the first thing he tells me is not to worry about the black gap and that it's normal. Thank God I'm not a doctor and was completely wrong.
In a nutshell, what I have is something that many lifters and mixed martial artists are very prone to getting some point in their lives. But, athletes usually suffer from osteolysis of the AC joint when they're in their 40s. The worse thing about this injury is that it comes on very slowly. A person doesn't really know they're injured until it's too late. It starts as a minor pain that is similar to the feeling of brusies or sore mucles. Athletes generally continue to work out or train because it doesn't seem serious--which is exactly what I did for over a year.
He suspects, and I agree, that lifting heavy was what probably aggravated the injury. We don't know what caused it because there are many possible reasons, but I may have lifted too heavy while my AC joint was already injured. Again, this is the kind of injury that a lot athletes think is minor, but it isn't. Muscles can take the weight and stress, but the joints can't.
We discussed a whole lot of other issues and possible remedies. I was going to get a special MRI, but it would put me out of the training for about 2 weeks, so I said forget it. It's not the typical MRI where there is no down time. I just got a cortisone shot and we'll monitor everything too see how things go. I may need to get another shot or that MRI if there is no improvement in the coming weeks. The worst scenario is a minor operation; which, I don't want because there will be downtime.
My doctor was cool, and before I left, he mentioned he knew I was going to keep training and nothing he said or did would probably stop me. He recommended that I take it easy for a couple days though and just work technique. So, what did I do? I went straight from the Ortho to training and I sparred for more than hour. Well, he said he knew nothing he said or did would stop me from training, right? lol! Oh well.
What's the point of all this? Connected with the power training entry I wrote a few days ago, I wanted to reiterate how important it is to use perfect form when lifting heavy. It's extremely important. You might injure yourself and you may not feel the pain until weeks or months down the road. If lifting heavy, I recommend that you should avoid locking your elbows during the bench press, use a narrower grip on the bar, and avoid bending your elbows past horizontal.
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Beginning of MMA Movies?
It's the start of another week: morning conditioning and training tonight, with some work in between...
I noticed how "tigerstyle" in the forums post about how lots of people will be sporting MMA clothes and will start to get involved in MMA because of movies such as, Never Back Down and Redbelt (both to be released soon). I think he's right. One good thing about this is that the sport will gain more recognition and popularity. However, with increased growth comes more problems. A negative result could be that MMA becomes as commercialized as common TKD or Karate schools. That would be very sad. Another negative might be the plethora of wannabe fighters walking around "tough" everywhere they go. It happens a lot, in all sports. All of a sudden, everyone becomes an expert - even with little or no training time.
A few weeks ago, I went to a neighborhood MMA store to buy a pair of shin pads. Being in the sport for a long time, I knew exactly what I wanted, and knew the differences among the different kinds of shin pads in the store. To make a long story short, the store's sales person was bigger than big, and not in a good way. He had to be 250-280lbs and was as round as a ball. The salesman kept telling me this and that about the shin guards, and how I have to train, etc. He was basically making me feel like a lowly beginner compared to him. Not once did he bother to ask if I trained, where I trained, and/or how long I trained. He treated me like he was the world's best pound for pound fighter. So, I just let everything go and didn't say a word. In my mind, this guy was just another one of the new "experts," licensed by watching the UFC. It's not a big deal, but it can get annoying. (If I ran the store, as part of good customer service and PR, I would make a point for all sales people to quickly recognize or find out if the customer trained, how long they trained, and maybe even where. That's providing personal customer service.)
Redbelt appears to be a better movie based on its trailer (http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/redbelt/trailer/). You've got a better cast and professional fighters starring in the movie. Never Back Down (http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/neverbackdown/trailer/) reminds me of old martial arts movies like No Retreat, No Surrender and Best of the Best. The movie might be entertaining, but it looks like a corny teen flick. I haven't watched the movie yet, so I'll have to wait and see.
Ok, time to run...
Sunday, March 9, 2008
"Use Your Legs More"
One way I can spot a more experienced fighter from someone just starting out, is in the way they use their legs. Higher level fighters know how to use their legs and their feet very well--as skillfully as they use their hands and arms. When I was really into Muay Thai, I noticed that the best fighters had great footwork and knew how to flawlessly incorporate their kicks into their combinations. When I was a Blue Belt in BJJ, I began to notice that the best Black Belts were also "masters" of using their legs in various positions, submissions, and transitions.
Many people focus too much on their hands and arms and neglect the use of their hips, legs, and feet, which are just as important, if not more important, then using the upper body. Clearly everyone uses their legs, but I am talking about using your lower half with more actively--to the point that your two legs can serve as two extra arms.
With this said, try using your legs more when you practice with your team and training partners. When striking, don't neglect working on your footwork. All decent strikers know how to move foward, back, left, right and circle. But, how much time is spent learning and practicing the use of angles. Angling is a huge aspect of striking that top caliber fighters incorporate daily into training, and it requires good coordination and skilled use of your legs. Also, strikers need to practice on making their kicks, quick and light, yet powerful. There are ways to develop power, and also ways to develop speed. It's a good idea to make sure there is balance (i.e. don't only train for power).
Grapplers can use their legs in almost any position. If a grappler becomes very skilled with the use of his or her legs, that person will definitely see a huge leap in performance. Try experimenting with using your legs more when passing the guard. For instance, use your knees, shins, and/or feet to help control your opponents legs to make it easier for yourself to pass. If you're on the bottom of someone's side mount or mount, don't forget to use your legs to help move your opponent. With your legs you can bridge your opponent, build momentum and space, and even control parts of you opponent's body (even when on flat on your back). There are so many instances where more use of your legs can improve your game.
Analyze your game and ask yourself if you can use your lower body more effectively. Don't be afraid to try things out and be creative. In the process of playing around while training, I'm sure you'll learn some new techniques on your own.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Developing Strength and Power
If you lift for strength and power, how long do you spend in the gym? 1 hour? 2 hours? 3 hours? How often do you go to the gym? 2, 3, or 5 times a week? Without getting technical and explaining the difference between strength and power (there is a difference), I'm always surprised to hear people tell me they lift to develop strength and/or power [for performance]; yet, they spend about 1.5-2 hours on average in the gym. In addition, their work out programs mimic body building routines having nothing to do with building "real"/functional strength. In the Philippines, I also notice a lot of people who socialize about 10-15 minutes in between sets.
This said, I wanted to offer up some advice and techniques that I have learned from others and have personally developed and tested time and time again. There are many ways to develop strength and/or power. Here, I'll give you several quick tips that revolve around conventional methods (i.e. things you can do in any ordinary gym with common equipment).
First, forget 8-12 reps. I normally go for 1-6. On average, I normally reach 3-4 reps for all of my exercises. Doing 4-6 reps is a good start. Pile on the weight! If you want to develop strength or power, you have to move more weight. If you haven't been increasing the weight every week to two weeks, you might have to change the way you lift.
Second, intensity, intensity, intensity. Focus on the quality and not quantity. Perfect form. Be strict on yourself. If you don't know the right way to lift, do yourself a favor and learn how to lift properly. You don't want to injure yourself. Once you start lifting real heavy, you need perfect form.
Third, get out of the gym within an hour (this includes cardio work). Only body builders stay in the gym for a long time. If you're goal is to look good and not be able to fight at peak performance, then maybe it's a good idea to lift like Mr. Olympia. If you want to be at the top of your fight game, focus on step two, and thinking about developing power. You don't need a "pump" in your muscles. Personally, I'm in the gym no longer than 45 minutes. That includes 20 minutes of cardio. I've been following this time scheme for over a year and am very happy with the results.
Fourth, do Olympic lifts or compound exercises that work more than one muscle part - no isolation exercises, besides calves once in a while. I never do more than 3 exercises per body part, and generally only do 2 exercises. For example, to work my back, I only do traditional pullups (1-6 reps with heavy weight attached to my body), and rows. I also do not do any bicep or tricep exercises. I haven't done any in more than 3 years and believe compound exercises are enough. Again, if you want to be Mr. Olympia, then maybe you'll want to do them.
Fifth tip, forget the machines. Move real iron (i.e. barbells and dumbells).
If you start incorporating these tips, I'm pretty sure you will feel results within 2 weeks. Keep in mind that this is a strength/power routine. You're not going to necessarily feel the pump you get from doing 8-12 reps for 3-5 sets (something bodybuilders do); but, I guarantee you will be stronger and more explosive.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Best Featherweight Fighters in the Philippines?
Ok, although the title mentions featherweights, a lot of what I'm about to write about applies to other weight divisions. I mention featherweight because Pequeno is returning to the ring and I was thinking of how he will do (he's been away from competition for a while).
A couple of weeks ago I learned that Pequeno was returning to the fight scene. For those of you who don't know him, his real name is Alexandre Nogueira. He's one of my favorite fighters, and definitely one of the best featherweights out there. I loved watching his matches because he always seemed to finish his opponents with the guillotine--and I love the move. Even before the Brabo choke became popular, or even known by most of today's grapplers, Pequeno was pulling it off left and right back in the day. He also used the Anaconda a lot and started the buzz with the "10 Finger Guillotine." Pequeno recently signed with American Top Team and is set to fight some time in June at the WEC.
I thought of other top caliber fighters in world at the featherweight division, and started to think about featherweights in the Philippines. I asked myself, what can be done to make our featherweight fighters just as good. In fact, what can be done to make all our fighters much better? When I think of the top MMA fighters competing in the Philippine circuit right now, I feel, and believe many of you would agree, that our active fighters have a long road ahead of them. This is my opinion, but I may be wrong. If you disagree, please let me know which active Pinoy fighters do you think could fight in the WEC or UFC, for instance.
So I've been trying to analyze why our boxers are world class, and how boxing can be used as a model by MMA fighters, promoters, and instructors to help MMA fighters get better. There are a lot of potential "solutions" we can propose, but off the top of my head, I though of three:
1. Have more competitions
Boxing competitions happen very often in the Philippines. It gives our boxers more opportunities to test their skills in a competition setting. I'm a firm believer that people who compete learn so much about what they're doing right, what they're doing wrong, and what they can do to get better. MMA fighters would gain much more experience if they could compete more often.
2. More guidance from higher level trainers
Almost every boxing camp in the Philippines have professional or Olympic caliber boxers running the training sessions. Trainers, and their own skill level, make a world of difference. I notice in the Philippines, many MMA trainers sometimes "make things up" as they go. I think if MMA trainers do not have a lot of hands on experience competing, they should compete. Ideally, they should continue to compete and always search for the "bigger challenge."
3. Sacrifice and focus
It's just the way it is. The best fighters make sacrifices and train and compete professionally. They focus all their time and profession to fighting. It's their career. Pinoy boxers do this. World class fighters from around the world do this. Unfortunately, many of our MMA fighters, for one reason or the other, do not train full time, or simply do not train enough. To be a world class fighter, not only do you have to train like one, you have to accept that there are certain things you can't do and will miss out on, and you have to concentrate on improving.
I have no doubt that our MMA fighters will improve in the future. If we want our athletes to reach the next level faster, maybe we should model our fellow boxers and the sport of boxing in the Philippines.
To end this entry, let's quickly look at the growth of our Muay Thai fighters. There has been a tremendous improvement in our fighters' skills over the last decade. If you asked me how our kickboxers would do against international fighters 10, 12, 15 years ago, I would've probably told you to bet on the foreign fighter. Now, I'm proud to say that I think our top Muay Thai fighters have reached world class status, or, at least very close to that caliber. Let's see. Lots of competitions? Check. Experienced trainers who compete a lot? Check. Sacrifice and focus? Check.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Brandon Vera vs. Fabricio Werdum at UFC 85: Who do you think takes it?
I was talking with some friends today about upcoming matches. When we discussed Brandon Vera versus Fabricio Werdum, I immediately said that I thought Brandon would win. He has more tools and is a better fighter, overall. In fact, I think Brandon has a big advantage over many other fighters in his division--his stand up. A lot of the active Heavyweight fighters seem uncomfortable and ineffective when striking compared to Brandon. For the other fighters who have good stand up, I don't think their ground games are up to par. A lot of people say they'd like Brandon to drop to the Light Heavyweight division. But, who knows? Maybe Brandon knows he has a better chance of winning the title as a Heavyweight because he believes he has better overall skills.
With Couture gone, and Minotauro as the Interim Champion, I wish the Heavyweight division had some more high level and equally balanced fighters. I think Minotauro is great, but think his striking ability (or lack thereof?) might be a problem. I think Brandon will beat Werdum. If he does, I think he can take it all the way to the top. What do you think?
Thinking about being a well balanced fighter, I am amazed how so many people still believe that focusing on BJJ alone is enough for MMA, or that being a high ranking BJJ fighter guarantees that you'll be great at MMA. I don't know what makes people think this, but it still happens. It's been seen in the UFC and other events, time and time again, that fighters who are skilled in grappling only, are getting destroyed. All MMA fighters have to cross train in every aspect of the game. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to become a master at every single move, postition, strategy, etc., but I think there's a certain minimum skill level to attain. Afterwhich, I think one should not focus on strengthening their strengths, not necessarily strengthening their weaknesses.
Why do I say this? If you were weigh the costs and the benefits of strengthening your weaknesses versus strengthening your strengths, I think you'd recognize that you'd become a more effective fighter by doing the latter. Again, this all assumes you have a certain minimum skill level in all areas of the MMA game (if you're a pro fighter, the level would be higher than an amatuer, of course). Once you have reached that minimum level in your weak areas, your strengths will "kick in" to offset your weaknesses. It might be easier to use an example.
Let's take a grappling example to convey my point, although this applies to takedowns, striking or other areas. Imagine that you are great at playing half guard while always on your right side, and that you are horrible when you use the position lying on your left side. Have you ever noticed that because of your strengths (half guard or other skills), you can generally "make" your opponent fall into a position that allows you to play while on your right (strong) side. If for some reason your opponent forces you to play on your left side, you have that minimum level of skill on your weak side/area, combined with your strengths, that you use to move yourself into a stronger position.
This doesn't mean that you should never work your weaknesses. That minimum level that you should have always changes. But, it's a good idea to continually focus on your strengths. If you spend too much time on your weaknesses, you will neglect the talent that has gotten you as far as you've gone today.
