Welcome to Myles Vives's MMA Training Journal for Fighters in the Philippines! By PinoyMMA.com

PinoyMMA's mission is about helping Filipino fighters get better. Pinoys have tremendous potential, and I want to help develop their MMA ability by sharing my knowledge and experience. Here, I'll blog about my personal training sessions, various competitions and events, and random thoughts about martial arts, offering personal advice to help Filipino fighters excel. I encourage all of you to get involved too, posting your suggestions, comments, and valuable insights. We all can play a role in taking our fighters to the next level.

Myles Vives
mylesvives[at]pinoymma[dot]com

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

How to Get Better When You Can't Train Often

About a week ago, I got an email from a blog reader who asked for some advice. The reader (a Pinoy) is living abroad and working at an investment bank. As any banker knows, that line of work is time consuming and leaves little spare time to train. He was seeking my opinion on how to approach his training and "get good" with the limited training time that he has. I've had more time to think about his question, and below is the answer I gave to him with additional thoughts I've come up with since I was originally asked.

We've all been in similar situations. If you work, projects and deadlines take priority, and if you're in school, training time might need to be replaced with studying time. In the Philippines, it's not out of the ordinary to hear students complain about missing training because of traffic, too. Training time can be severely limited if or when we get injured.

So what can be done? If your training time is limited, let's say you only training once or twice a week, what's the best way to progress in BJJ, MMA or Muay Thai. First, I think that a person should really focus on technique and timing. If you're only training a couple times a week and have no time for exercise or training, it's unlikely that you can build the endurance and conditioning required to hang with your school's "top dogs." When you train with your team members, they may always get the best of you because you gas early. This is simply something you have to accept. Think of it this way, they are only beating you because they have the luxury of training more. However, you can become very technical by focusing on the many variations and details to different positions and moves. You can also develop good timing, again by focusing on technique, while you spar at 25%-50% intensity with a partner. It's easier to build your cardio than it is to learn the details of many different fighting arts. As long as you focus on technique, you'll be able to catch up to your peers by training your cardio when you have more time.

Second, if you want to get good at BJJ, MMA, or whatever fighting art you're concerned about, then make sure you focus only on that art. You only have a limited amount of time to train, so focus on what you want to improve. I notice it many times in the Philippines. For example, some people want to get good at Muay Thai, but they spend a lot of their time doing BJJ. With limited training time, it's very important to "master" one area before moving on to something else. Essentially, if you want to "get good" at a martial art, make sure you are training that martial art.

Now I'm not saying that rapid progress can be made training only 1-2 times a week. It's just a fact of life--if you want to get good at something fast, you have to make sacrifices and focus a lot of time and effort to one particular activity. But, progress can be made even if your training time is limited. Just remember to make technique and timing your priority, and focus on the art you want to improve at.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

MMA Apparel Brands

I have a lot of work to catch up on so I can't write much. I did want to quickly rant about how it seems like there are so many new MMA brands coming out in the apparel market. I'm amazed at how many new companies are trying to enter the market but do not realize they have little value to offer consumers. No real benefits. No differentiation. It's getting pretty ridiculous. There are new brand names that are just plain horrible, but I'll refrain from stating names because I don't want to step on any toes. I'm not really sure what the people behind these companies are thinking. I hope they didn't invest that much in their clothing ideas because I think they are wasting their time, money and effort.

Monday, April 28, 2008

Copa De Hong Kong Jiu Jitsu Competition

I'm back in San Diego after another long day of traveling. In several weeks, I'll be heading to San Francisco and back to Vegas. In the meantime, I have a lot of work to catch up on because I didn't get much work done while in Chicago.

I wanted to send a shout out to the Philippine contingency who competed in Hong Kong this past weekend, namely Ali Sulit and Ralph Go from New Breed Jiu Jitsu Philippines. Both performed well and brought home gold medals. (PinoyMMA will have a report with pics/video in the coming days.) I believe they will also be competing in the coming Pan Asians in the Philippines this weekend.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The skill level of a good number of BJJ practitioners in the Philippines is definitely on par with athletes around the world. Keep up the good work.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Back to San Diego

(Beluga Whale Exibit at the Shedd Aquarium)

Well, the weekend is over and I'm heading back to San Diego tomorrow. I was supposed to teach a private today, and I wanted to train a little, but I ended staying out pretty late last night; so, those plans went out the window. Instead, I spent the day in the city with my brother, my sister-in-law, and my nieces. We spent the day at the Shedd Aquarium and met up with some New Breed students for dinner. I wish I could have trained, but it seemed like there was no time.

Last night was fun, although the "bar" we went to seemed more like a club in the Philippines, rather than a Chicago, or even, Hawaiian bar. There were a ton of Filipinos at the place. My friend even sported a Philippine jacket! He had no clue that the majority of the people would be Pinoy. I was surprised to see a girl (Janet) I knew from 6th to 8th grade working at the bar (I dated one of her friends for a while). When I walked into the place, we looked at each other a number of times and she looked really familiar. When my brother mentioned her name, it all came back to me. I knew it in Jr. High. I knew she was going to be a very "talented" woman.

(With one of my best friends in grade school, Nick .)

(Very talented...)

Some reporters from ABS-CBN were covering the opening of the club. They took footage of the activities inside and also pulled people aside for interviews. While the reporters were interviewing an owner (I think), one of our friends (Kuan)--who always has too much to drink--decided to get some camera time. Btw, Kuan decided to take a leak in a trash can instead of a toilet (I have evidence!), and he pretty much got us kicked out of the next place we went to!

(Kuan showing his abs to the video camera.)

My Chicago trip was short, but it was nice to see my brother and his family, to catch up with old friends, and to help the guys at New Breed Chicago. I'm happy to see that the school is doing well. The team has become one to reckon with in competition. Moreover, I like how the team has built a strong sense of camaraderie among its members. Pretty much all of the members hang out regularly inside and outside of the academy. A good number of students from other schools have switched academies because of the open and friendly atmosphere. If you're in Chicago and you want good training, check out New Breed. Look for my brother Mark and he'll take care of you.

(Nick and Mark rolling before the seminar.)


(Some rolling before the seminar.)

I didn't get to take the video footage that I wanted, so I won't be posting video. However, I will eventually put some video clips up that cover some of the techniques that I taught during the seminar.

To the guys in Chicago reading this, it was good seeing all of you and keep training hard. Hopefully I'll be back in Chicago again soon.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Sore Necks and Throats

The No-Gi Chokes seminar went well. I saw a number of familiar faces, including my best friends in elementary school. IFL fighter Chris Albandia, who looks like a Filipino version of Wolverine--I mean that in a good way, also attended the seminar and was very open and receptive to learning new techniques. I covered three main submissions: the guillotine, the brabo choke, and the rear naked. I taught how to transition into the chokes and showed a number of variations and positions that can help one effectively execute the techniques. I also went on to show defenses to the chokes, including the anaconda choke.

I was glad to have participants come to me after the seminar to let me know they were happy with the new techniques and details they learned. Unfortunately, no one took notes. So, I hope they remember everything.

I'm heading out in a little while so I won't be able to post pics or video right now, but I will tomorrow, hopefully. Tonight should be interesting. A bunch of the guys are getting together at a place called Tiki Terrace. From the name of the place, I like it already--hula girls, friends, drinks...good fun. If I'm not too lazy, I may carry my camera around and take some pics. If I do, I plan to get some of the guys drunk and video them hitting on girls. Haha.

New Breed Jiu Jitsu Chicago

It's cold and it's early. I'm at New Breed Chicago and was surprised to find out that the school is located right across from where I went to Jr. High! The school has a large mat space and has a long padded wall, good for working takedowns against the cage.

The seminar starts in a couple hours. I'll post pics and some video later.

Friday, April 25, 2008

I'm Beginning to Dread Air Travel

I just arrived in Chicago-- it's been one long day. I was up at 3am in San Diego, and because of a pretty bad thunderstorm in Chicago, I was stuck in Salt Lake City for a long time. It's now 3:30pm in Cali (5:30pm here). I feel like I've wasted my entire day!

To my surprise, it's actually warm here. It's about 80 degrees. But, the rest of the weekend is supposed to be much cooler.

I'm waiting for my sister-in-law to pick me up, and then will probably meet up with my brother.

Sent from my iphone.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Leaving for Chicago in a Few Hours

I'm finally "done" with my day. I'm pretty much done with my packing and will be leaving for the airport in a few hours. I trained for a little bit earlier. A few of us started by helping Jon (aka War Machine) prepare for his UFC fight in May. However, the training ended after a few rounds because Jon was feeling a little pain in his body from his earlier training session. We all just started to train with one another. I rolled with Baret for 5 or 6 rounds and called it a day. I was thinking about hitting the bag or rolling longer, but wanted to make sure I had everything in order for my trip.

I'm going to try and get a couple hours of shut eye before heading to the airport, so I can't write much again. I'll be online regularly while I'm in Chicago and will write about what's going on in the Windy City.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Mark Munoz - Pinoy MMA Fighter

I have a lot of things to do tonight, so I'm going to keep this entry short. I did want to mention that I am eager to see Mark Munoz fight in the WEC in June. Mark is one of the few heavy weight Filipinos out there who excel in MMA. He has a strong background in wrestling and is a 2x NCAA Champion. That alone says he has a lot of intensity and has the potential to go far in the sport. I'm looking forward to watching him fight, and I hope he becomes successful in MMA.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Training for Peak Performance During Competition

How many of you believe that the best way to peak for a competition is to train hard for 6 weeks, more or less, and then completely stop training a few days before the competition? I'd say 95% of you have learned and adopted this method without bothering to question it. I'll go out on a limb and say that the people who taught you to do this, also probably never questioned the individuals that taught them. "Everyone" said to do it, so "everyone" did it. Does it work? Yes, it can help people peak at the right time. Is it the best method? Not necessarily. Also, if you've never tried a different method, you have absolutely no idea if it is the best method for you. Well, here's some food for thought.

Some time in 2002/2003, I learned a "new" method of peaking. Many of the people who I've told about this method, and shared the details with, have never heard of it (if they did hear of it, they never tried it and had very little details about the method). This technique is used by some of the world's best athletes (e.g. mixed martial artists, Olympic athletes, professional boxers, etc.) Who knows? Maybe it's one of their "secrets." Here's the gist. . .

Let's say you have a competition that is two weeks away (14 days). Most people would keep training hard until the 10th or 11th day. The rest of the days would be for rest to prepare for day 14. Now, let's take a different approach to training. Instead of training hard until the 10th or 11th day, certain athletes would stop training hard on the 7th day. From the 8th to the 11th day, these athletes would have complete rest. No athletic activity whatsoever. On the 12th day, a light intensity workout would be on the agenda. On the 13th day, the athlete would train at no more than 50% intensity. The 14th day, it would be "game time."

The method is rooted on the principle of tapering up as competition day approaches. It also considers the mental aspect of training/over-training--in a nutshell, athletes are more driven when they are fully rested, physically and mentally.

There are more details to this training method and it would take me a short book to convey the details and various timing schemes. I wanted to give you some insight into this training method to open some eyes to different methods. Again, if you have never tried a different method, how do you know what will work best for you? Keep in mind, this is a proven method used by world class athletes. It's the same technique I've adopted in the past as well.

I predict that after reading this, the majority of you who plan to compete will go on to experiment with this . Awesome. Please do. Take off your blinders and realize that everything evolves, even methods for peaking. Play with the principles and see how it works out for you.

Monday, April 21, 2008

How to Hit a Boxing Heavy Bag - One Method

When I was a teenager, one of my Muay Thai instructors told me that it was a good idea to do a few rounds on the heavy bag throwing nothing but 6-8 punch/kick combos. The reasons were two fold: 1) throwing that many punches/kicks in combination would work my cardio more, and 2) doing so would help me flow from one hit to the other and make my combinations faster.

As I was hitting the heavy bag today, I remembered this. Through the years, I got used to "standard" heavy bag rounds. Generally executing 2-5 hit combos, with the normal footwork and defensive movements incorporated in my bag work. Today, I reverted back to throwing 6-8 hit combos. (Keep in mind, this is not done for all bag rounds.) It demanded more energy and forced me to think more about my combinations, all the while, using footwork and angling to ensure I was not standing right in front of my opponent (i.e. the heavy bag).

This is a great method to use if you want to develop endurance and combination speed. Clearly, a skilled opponent is not going to just stand and take a 6-8 hit combo without countering or moving away. The importance of this heavy bag is not rooted in practical application. Rather, it is geared to test your ability to throw punches and kicks, in fluid combination, for full rounds without tiring.

When you hit the heavy bag with 6-8 hit combos, do so with speed and power. I often see people throwing quick combinations on heavy bags with little power behind them. You need to throw your punches and kicks with conviction and intensity to get the most out of this heavy bag technique. Don't hold back.

I plan to start doing this again one or two rounds when I plan to hit the heavy bag. If you're bored with you're present bag routines, or want to improve your cardio, try this technique out for yourself. Let me know how it works for you.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

No-Gi Chokes Seminar @ New Breed Jiu-Jitus Chicago

I was going to write a blog entry yesterday, but I fell asleep early. I guess my lack of sleep caught up with me. It's Sunday here and I'm not planning to train today. I have a couple of things I have to do before I leave for Chicago this weekend.

I'll be in Chicago from Friday to Monday, and will be conducting a "Chokes" seminar at New Breed Chicago on Saturday (noon to about 3 or 4pm). Other than that, I'll just be hanging out there.

As for last night's UFC. GSP--was there any doubt? He made Serra look like a complete beginner. Lutter? It seems like he didn't train much for the fight. I think the fight card was pretty lame. But, I'm looking forward to next months UFC in Vegas! Another trip perhaps?

Anyway, that's it for today. I'll get back to writing more tomorrow.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Training for a Mixed Martial Arts Fight - Some Footage

Today I woke up and felt like it was one of those days. My shoulder was really killing me from training last night; I've been thinking non-stop about some projects; and I've been busy doing a lot of other things. So, today I said, "F--- this." I decided to take the day off and do no work at all.

This morning, I did some power training followed by sprints. Early in the afternoon, I was craving deep dish pizza, so I ate some "healthy," greasy pizza. An hour and a half later, I felt like training so I headed over to the gym. Two Undisputed fighters have a match next week and it's the tail end of their training. I wasn't planning to train today because of my shoulder. That's one of the reasons I thought it would be okay to go crazy on some pizza. But, I'm stubborn when it comes to injuries. Again I said, "F--- this." So, I went--it wasn't a great idea. I felt like hurling each round, and after sparring with Baret for my third round, I had to call it quits for the day.

Because the competition is next week, we aren't trying to kill one another. The last thing we want to do is hurt the fighters when fight night is around the corner. I didn't film all the rounds but Philip, the first guy you'll see doing consecutive rounds, did 3 continuous rounds, then rested a round, then sparred a fourth. The second guy, Herman, did 3 continuous rounds with guys rotating in every 3 minutes. It sucks to be the "man-in-the-middle." Rounds are 6 minutes with 45 seconds rest. You can easily see as the rounds progress, the fighters get tired quickly. Anyone would get tired if they were sparring consecutive rounds while fresh guys rotate in to spar. Anyway, here's some sparring footage from earlier today.


Thursday, April 17, 2008

Filipino Martial Arts Schools in the Philippines

I remember when I first visited the Philippines and looked for a good Filipino martial arts school to train at, it was really difficult, and known options were limited and not necessarily the best choices. I looked in the Yellow Pages, checked the Internet, kept my eye open while driving the streets, and asked a ton of people. Yet, it was real difficult to find the "top" schools. In the end, I had to rely on my network of martial arts friends to get more information.

Many years have passed, and more Filipino martial arts schools and clubs have opened, but there hasn't been much improvement in regards to exposure. A lot of foreigners want to go to the Philippines to train, but when they try to get more information, their choices are limited. The Internet has helped people all over the world find many different things easily; however, when it comes to finding a complete list of the "top" schools in the Philippines, it's still difficult.

It's nice to know that their are FMA associations people can call to get school addresses, but finding these associations is not an easy task--especially for a foreign visitor. As MMA and BJJ is growing in the Philippines, more and more schools and clubs are popping up that need more exposure. A great way to get your school's name out in the public is to have your team compete in different competitions. If your team puts on a show and displays good skill, people will ask about your team and through the grapevine, others will hear about your team. Also, list your school with an official association (e.g. if you are into Filipino Martial Arts, make sure Arnis Philippines has your information). If your art has a local, Filipino site that lists school, make sure your school is on there even if you have your own website. Sites like PinoyMMA probably get a lot more visits and have international and local visitors. Ultimately, it still seems that the best way to find out about the "best" schools in the Philippines is through contacts. With that said, if you're looking for a school and need some help, feel free to contact me. You can also ask about schools in the forums. There are a lot of people who are kind enough to help.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

A Lot of Conditioning and Endurance Training, But You Still Get Tired. Why?

Great! So I see that my mobile blogging worked. Now I can write short entries and send in pics even when I'm away from my laptop. I probably will take more pics now throughout the day and add them to the blog.

To all the blog visitors, thanks for dropping by and reading regularly. I re-read a few of my posts earlier and realized that I sometimes mix up words and have typos here and there. I write my blog entries on the fly (i.e. quickly in between classes, when I'm taking a break from working, and/or late when I'm sleepy). I don't go back and re-read my posts and check for mistakes. So, forgive me if I don't make sense sometimes because of any mistakes in spelling/wording, etc. None of the typos were so bad that you couldn't understand what I was trying to say. I don't suspect it will ever get that bad.

I've wrote a number of posts dealing with developing athletes' physical attributes, such as intensity, power and strength, and conditioning. I wanted to change things up a bit and hopefully get some of you thinking about your training from a different angle.

If you've been training in the martial arts for a long time, especially if you compete, you probably have worked hard to improve your cardio. However, you've probably experienced the situation where you wonder why you get so tired quickly despite the fact that you train your cardio religiously. How many of you feel this way? You run a lot (sprints and long runs), you do a lot of pad work, you spar for hours; yet, you seem to get tired easily. What's the reason?

I believe most endurance problems stem from a lack of condition or improper training methods. Nonetheless, there is another reason that people tend to overlook. You might lack technical knowledge and strategy--in other words, you might need to develop more skill.

I've taught a number of great athletes--people who were hardcore wrestlers, runners, boxers, etc.--but when they spar MMA or BJJ for the first few times (maybe even longer), they remark that they've never been so tired or that they are gassing too soon. But why? These people have great endurance. Yes, they do; but they lacked "know-how." If you are not as technically skilled as your opponent, do not have solid strategies to make an opponent play your game, or cannot adapt well to changing situations, you will fall back on your physical attributes. You'll have to use more speed and power. Basically, you will use up a lot more energy than you need or want.

Let's take a hypothetical example. Say you are in a MMA match and you drive a person against the cage or the ropes. Great, you are in a pretty good position and situation. But, what do you do now? A skilled professional fighter will have an entire game plan just for that position/situation. The fighter will have a lot of techniques to go to, will understand different strategies he/she can use, and will be able to adapt to his opponent's different reactions because the fighter is "skilled" in the area of taking down his opponent against the ropes/cage. The professional fighter will be able to use his energy efficiently and effectively.

In contrast, take a fighter who may have great conditioning, but lacks "know how." What do you think is going to happen? You guessed right. He/she is going to get tired pretty quick. Although the fighter may be in a better position, if the person doesn't know what to do, there will be a lot of wasted movement. Likewise, because the person is not skilled in the position, he/she will constantly worry and mentally tire themselves out, trying to figure out what to do next or how to react. It happens all the time.

Proper technique, strategy development, and skill development go a long way. Combined with great conditioning, an athlete can go places. If you lack one though, it's a weakness that can be exploited.

If you're tiring easily these days, don't just tell yourself you have to do more conditioning. The problem may be rooted somewhere else. Think about improving your technique.

At the Grocery Store Testing My Phone

I'm doing some shopping and wanted to send a test blog from my phone. Hopefully this works fine. I want to test pictures so I just took a pic of some protein powders. Someone asked me what I use just before leaving my place. Well, here's your answer...I'll be writing more in a little while.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Featherweight and Lightweight Fighters Who Want to Fight in the UFC

The UFC has clearly established itself as the mixed martial arts competition of the world. It's the competition every MMA fighter wants to compete in at some point in their careers. A lot of professional fighters would even take a lower fight purse just to compete in the UFC. However, some featherweight/lightweight fighters who dream of being in the UFC, simply cannot for a couple of reasons. First, the UFC strongly prefers heavier and bigger looking fighters even for their lightweight division (e.g. 170lb fighters who cut weight to make 155lbs). Second, it doesn't make complete sense to be a fighter who walks at 150lbs, for example, to face a talented fighter who walks around at 170lbs.

So where do all the talented fighters in the world below 155lbs go? A lot of them hope the UFC will start a lighter division, but I'm not sure that will happen any time soon. The WEC has positioned itself to be a competition that highlights lighter fighters, yet, the WEC does not have the same popularity and impact as the UFC. There are always MMA organizations in Japan that like light fighters, but they generally do not pay much.

Are the top MMA competitions solely for heavier fighters? I understand that the general public like watching bigger and stronger fighters go against each other. However, many fight fans know that lighter fighters can put on a great show of athleticism and technique. I recently read about a person who tried out for a 155lb spot on the Ultimate Fighter. The person seemed to have the skill and the right personality for the show; but, he just was "too small." His walking weight was around 155lbs, but the producers wanted people who were heavier and who would cut weight to fight.

I don't know what's in store for guys like Uriah Faber, Kid Yamamoto, etc. Maybe their respective organizations (e.g. the WEC) will truly be the top competitions for lighter weight fighters. Who knows. As one of the "small guys" in the sport though, I'd love to see featherweights get more credit and more exposure.

On another note, I just realized that "Crazy" Tim Credeur is in this season of Ulimate Fighter. Tim belongs to the BJJ Revolution Team and is a BJJ Black Belt. We used to train together in La Habra, CA when Rodrigo Medeiros and John Ouano were teaching there. Now, Leo Viera has taken over the school. (For a while, Javier Vasquez had his own school there.) It was nice to see him there and I hope he does well.

Just some random thoughts for today. I'm preparing for a big exam and have to get back to studying. . .

Monday, April 14, 2008

Correction on My Opinion of Banayad Vs. Lozada Fight

After watching the video again, I noticed that Lozada knocked down Banayad at the end of round 2. So under GAB's scoring, the knockdown would give Lozada the round. Anyway you look at it, it was a good match up.

Mike Banayad Versus Alcer Lozada: Who Do You Think Won?

I visited some friends from Manila who were in LA yesterday. I didn't plan on hanging out the entire day, but one thing lead to another and I had no time to get online. But, I'm back online now. I've been sitting at my desk all day valuing stocks and bonds. Fun stuff.

It's time for a break so I want to write a quick entry about some video clips I came across today. The videos are from the latest Fearless Fighting Championship event at Metrowalk. The fight between Mike Banayad and Alcer Lozada. I thought the match was entertaining. The first 2-3 minutes of the match were the best because both fighters displayed intensity-- I felt like I was watching a Tim Sylvia fight the second and third rounds.

The match does show how "home grown" MMA fighters still have a long way ahead of them if they want to do well against international competition. But, the two fighters showed a lot of heart, and with the right guidance and training, I think both fighters can only improve. I was really surprised with Lozada, and liked his intensity in the first half of round one. I also liked how Banayad seemed calm throughout the match and worked counter punching. I did see a number of holes and opportunities that both fighters should know about (this will be their trainers' job). One example: while Mike worked good counter punching, he seemed to be anticipating Lozada's right leg kick too early. Mike was dropping his left hand to grab the kick and counter with a right cross/hay maker. He timed some attempts well, but on other occasions, Lozada would simply make a slight movement with his write hip/shoulder or throw a light right kick, and without fail, Banayad would drop the left hand. I think Lozada could have, and should have, capitalized on this. It seemed like Lozada wanted a one-punch knock out, and this might have been his only opportunity.

The match was declared a majority draw (i.e. two judges decided on a draw while the other judge gave the match to Banayad). Apparently, a good number of people disagree with the judges. If the fight were based solely on round one, I would have given Lozada the match. Lozada showed little offense and kept backing away in rounds 2 and 3 which probably didn't look good to the audience, etc. Although, Banayad didn't overwhelm Lozada. Technically, based on GAB scoring, I would give Banayad the win. However, I can understand how the two judges decided on a draw.

Here are rounds 1 to 3. Who do you think won? (Note: The video is unclear and shaky at some points, so if you felt like throwing up when you watched Cloverfield, you might not be able to watch this. j/k)







Saturday, April 12, 2008

Fueling Your Body for Peak Performance

It was my niece's birthday today, so I pretty much relaxed the entire day. I did put myself through a quick conditioning routine though in the morning. My body's a bit beat up and resting seemed like a good idea. Because I was at a children's party (my niece, Madison, just turned one), there was a lot of dessert. I normally eat healthy, but today, I binged on some chocolate cupcakes and ice cream.

Since I was in high school, I've adopted the philosophy that the human body is the best instrument you will ever have/use--the "perfect" machine. Just like any machine, the human body needs to be taken care of properly: proper exercise, nutrition, rest, etc. Many people train well and rest adequately, but they neglect proper dieting and supplementation. I'm a huge fan of healthy living and often follow a strict nutrition program. Similar to experimenting with martial arts techniques and strategies, I've tried many nutrition programs and have tried a lot of different supplements.

About 5 years ago, I found what I think is the "perfect formula" for my body. It took a lot of patience and determination to go through all the experimenting, but it was worth it because I feel strong and energetic when I follow my program. In a nutshell, I eat six times a day and avoid the low carb lifestyle. Moreover, I use a good multi-vitamin, a range of natural herb supplements, and several sports supplements. For the past few months, I've been experimenting with a new approach that calls for eating different organic and natural foods, and supplementing with a ton of different vitamins. Thus far, I think the organic foods are making a difference. As for the vitamins, I won't continue taking about 70% of them when they run out because I don't feel a difference.

If you've never been on a strict nutrition program, I highly recommend you give it a try--I guarantee you will feel better and have more energy. Eating right can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be, especially when you're just starting. In the Philippines, I don't know many people who really eat healthy. For those that do, they usually only last a few weeks. To explain how I go about my own diet, or to describe all the steps I think people should take, etc. etc. would take a long time. So, instead, I'll provide some personal insight into nutrition that might help lead you in the right direction. This is far from a comprehensive list and I could go on, but the idea is to provide you with some basic info (in no particular order).

1) Eat lots of chicken breast - For people who don't want to spend an arm and a leg on eating right, start out with chicken breast. It's cheap and it's easy to cook. It's low in calories, has a ton of protein, and has very little fat. There are times where I'll eat one or two chicken breasts every day, for months. Yes, it can get boring, but I rely on a lot of different herbs and spices to change the taste. I suggest you broil or grill your chicken. I prefer broiling. Oh, don't even think about eating the skin. Throw away the skin even before you cook your chicken breast.

2) Eat salad - There are a ton of benefits to eating vegetables and other green foods. Besides the common nutritional benefits, vegetables are low in calories, so you can eat a lot of it to help satisfy your hunger until your next meal. To make your salad more appealing, mix it up with different kinds of vegetables that you like. Steer clear of fatty dressing. If you don't like salad, try seasoned stir fried vegetables. For some reason, people who dislike cold salads sometimes welcome hot and "cooked" vegetables.

3) Simple/Complex carbs in the morning - When you eat breakfast, you should feed your body foods that have simple and complex carbohydrates. If you don't know the difference, here's a quick and dirty explanation. Simple carbohydrates equate to quick energy, while complex carbohydrates are commonly known to provide more sustained energy. Because your body has been sleeping, it needs some quick energy. Fruits are a good source of simple carbs. I usually have a banana and some berries with my breakfast. Oatmeal is a good source of complex carbs. When I can't get either of these, I will normally drink some fresh orange juice, or something with sugar (simple carbs) and eat some whole wheat/grain bread (complex carbs), and take in some protein--normally a protein powder.

4) Protein is your friend. Invest in a good protein powder that you can use daily. I use protein powder twice a day, usually, because I think it's convenient. I rather drink a protein shake than cook up some egg whites in the morning, for example. If you're using a protein shake/powder, drink one in the morning for breakfast, some time during the day, and one before going to bed. Personally, I drink casein protein at night--I do feel a difference between casein and whey.

5) As a snack, or even a short time before bed, cottage cheese and an apple is a good combination. Without getting detailed, the cottage cheese will stay in your system for a while providing you with a good source of protein, and an apple will give you quick energy without the crash (it's a low GI food).

6) Water. You've heard about it time and time again--drink 8 cups a day. But, don't stop there. Drink more. I drink at least a gallon a day. If I can, and normally during periods when I train hard, I drink 2 gallons a day. At first you'll be heading the the restroom very often, but your body will adjust.

7) Try staying away from "cheap" energy drinks. They're usually low quality beverages with lots of sugar, some taurine, a negligible amount of vitamins, and caffeine. They're good for waking you up, most of the time, but aren't great for athletic performance. There are some decent ones out there, but they are expensive. Also, they are not readily available in the Philippines. If you drink coffee, make sure to follow it up with a glass of water. Coffee is known to dehydrate the body, so the water will help off set this. (As a side note, I remember one time when I rolled shortly after drinking a cup of coffee. It was at the Carlson Gracie Academy and I was training for the Gracie Worlds. During my first sparring session, I gassed so fast and felt my feet cramping up. I blame it on the coffee.)

8) Supplement properly. Finding the right supplements for your body is difficult. There are a lot of supplements out there that are nonsense, while others work for some, but not all. It's a matter of experimenting. I do recommend that you at least take a good multivitamin - not one of those "once a day" multivitamins. Take one that is either time-release formulated or a twice a day formula. Also, I find that a good amino acid or glutamine supplement taken religiously, helps me recover much faster and helps me build quality muscle.

Now, people always ask me what supplements I take. When I tell them, they can't believe it. I've even heard people tell others that I take or have taken steroids. (I've never taken steroids and don't plan to. I don't even know the first thing about steroid use!) So, instead of answering that question, I'll ask you a question. What do you want? What are your goals? Do you want to be Mr. Olympia, or do you want to be a bad ass fighter? If you want to be as big as Batista, then you probably won't believe me when I tell you I don't take the latest body building supplement. If you're supplementing to perform better, then you'll likely understand why I like using herbs such as grape seed extract.

You can train well. You can rest a lot. However, if you're not fueling your body with the right stuff, you might be limiting your ability to perform.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Heading to Chicago (April 25 to 28)

I confirmed my trip to Chicago today. I'll be heading there on April 25 to visit my brother, Mark, and conduct a seminar for New Breed Chicago students. I haven't been in Chicago for about two years, so it will be nice to see how things are going over there. Since the last time I was there, New Breed Chicago changed locations and has grown. For New Breed Chicago members who read this blog, check with my brother Mark for more details. The exact subject matter has not been decided yet, but will be soon.

I did some MMA training today and helped prepare a team mate who's fighting in May. The event uses a cage so we got inside the octagon and sparred several rounds. For those of you who train in the Philippines, you might only have access to traditional boxing rings. So, if you are going to be fighting in a cage event, make sure you consider the differences. There are a number of pros and cons that you should be aware of. If you don't have access to a training cage, a good substitute would be a padded wall (although a cage would have some "give," unlike a wall).

The past few days, I've been thinking about power and intensity in training and competition. Training in BJJ since the 90s, I've observed how many Brazilian jiu jitsu stylists frown upon people who use too much strength. Some instructors would even say, "He isn't good. He uses too much power." In MMA, I think power, strength, speed and overall intensity are necessary, and are great to have and use. Why limit yourself to just using "technique" when you have physical attributes that can make your technique so much more effective. Doesn't it generally make sense that a technique that is properly executed faster, is more effective? It makes perfect sense to me. Yet, why do so many grapplers think this is bad? Okay. If a person solely relies on physical attributes and has no technique, relying on intensity is probably going to end badly. And yes, one can use too much power and get tired; but on a professional level, fighters are smart and experienced enough to control their intensity and adjust throughout a match. Also, world class fighters recognize that power, speed, and technique are the ideal combination.

Intensity is so important because not only does it allow you to physically dominate your opponent, but it also helps you break down your opponent's will--you want your opponent to think that he/she made a big mistake by stepping in the ring with you. So, don't forget about improving your physical attributes. Make sure you incorporate strength and conditioning programs to your regimen. "100% pure technique" no longer rings true. If you want to be at the top, you need to execute your techniques with as much intensity and speed as you can.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Taking Notes at MMA Seminars or Classes


Since I started training, I've generally taken notes at every seminar I've gone to. If I attended a class, the first chance I got, I pencil out exactly what I learned in class. I'd consult my notes almost every day and practice what I wrote down. Beside each technique, I would write down any questions I had or problems I encountered. If, after a while of testing, certain techniques worked, I placed a check mark next to them. If they didn't work well, I put an X next to them. I have several years worth of notes in small notebooks tucked away in the Philippines. I have about half a dozen other journals that listed and organized all the "checked" techniques. I also have several other notebooks I set aside just for private lessons.

I never really thought about taking notes much because it just came natural to me. Lately, however, I'm beginning to pay more attention to how others learn. While I was in the Philippines just a week ago, I observed how some students diligently wrote down notes and asked good questions during my seminar (and also at the classes I taught). I was glad to see this. In contrast, at the fight camp over the weekend in Vegas, only one person took notes. I have a feeling many of the participants are going to forget a lot of the techniques that were taught--too bad. I, on the other hand, have the 63 techniques that I wanted documented listed in my handy cell phone. (Oh, you might find it interesting that the only person taking notes--besides me--was a Filipino. Also, if you're wondering, no I did not break out my cell phone and take notes while Uriah, etc. were teaching. I guess building good habits from years of note taking and studying the law/business helps me remember techniques long enough to retain until I have a chance to write everything down.)

(A screen shot of some of my notes if you don't believe me.)

Think about the most successful students when you were in school. Did they get straight As without taking notes, going over class discussions, or practicing what was taught? Probably not. Most top students, regarding any topic/subject, take notes that they review regularly. So why don't you? If you want to get good, as fast as you can, you have to do more than the "competition." You want to be better than the guy to your left or right? Then always do more than what's required.

So how do you take notes? Well, there are so many different ways and taking notes is a very comprehensive subject. The best method of note taking depends on many factors such as how you learn best, your study habits, who is teaching you and how, etc. But, when it comes to taking notes for MMA/BJJ classes, seminars, and privates, I find that many people agree with these tips:

1) Try to name techniques. If you can't, don't stress. However, naming does help in retention and recall because it helps you organized techniques neatly.

2) Take down your own notes and don't rely on someone else's notes. Most of the time, you won't be able to completely understand another person's descriptions. You might miss a lot of detail to techniques, too.

3) Use a pen/pencil and a small notebook. Jot down your notes when appropriate, and as soon as possible. Soon after your training session, find a time to go over your notes and transfer everything that was on paper, to an electronic format. Why? Because people who take notes and leave them in notebooks, tend to let the notebooks pile up and hardly ever look at them. Soft copies of notes are so convenient that you can take them with you anywhere or access them easily from many locations.

4) Generally, steer away from "video note-taking," especially if you aren't a good visual learner. First, just like the notebooks piling up, if you have video, you'll probably say to yourself that you can always go over the video whenever you want and you'll end up hardly ever watching the video. Second, people who take videos tend to pay less attention during the actual lesson because they tell themselves they can just go over the video later. Again, most people won't watch an entire video.

Sounds like a lot of work? Yes and no. It's all relative and the results will vary. But, history and experience indicate that people who take notes develop a better understanding of techniques and can apply them sooner and more effectively than others.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Thoughts on Training with Faber and Drysdale; Teaching Starting in May


Last weekend's Fight Camp was a real treat. Uriah Faber, Robert Drysdale, Shawn Tompkins, Ken Hahn, Jay White, and Mike Springer showed some great techniques in every area: grappling, MMA, striking, takedowns, and even conditioning. Arianny Celeste, the UFC's main ring girl, was there (she's part filipina by the way). (Frank Mir could not make it and sent one of his team mates to handle his session.) In my opinion, this camp was Throwdown's best so far. I was particularly interested in training with Uriah and Rob. I enjoyed talking to them and picking their brains--it made the entire trip worth it.



I will be writing a full report for PinoyMMA that focuses on the camp (i.e. what was taught), so here, I'll focus on some random thoughts about training with Uriah and Rob. The first thing I noticed about Uriah was his intensity and power. Even when he was just demonstrating technique, I could tell that he has a lot of energy and great conditioning. Also, when he demonstrated positions on me, I was pretty amazed at how strong he was for a 155lb guy (he walks at that weight but fights at 145lbs). Some people have told me that for a 140lb guy, I feel like a 155-160lb fighter. Well, Uriah felt like he had the strength of a 180lb fighter.



I appreciate that Uriah is very technical. He has strength, power, and speed, but also has great technique. Now, he isn't a Brazilian jiu jitsu stylist and probably can't tell you about the latest butterfly guard sweep, etc.; however, when it comes to MMA, he knows a lot. I like working takedown defenses when training MMA, and Uriah showed me some great details that I haven't come across yet.

Uriah and I talked about a number of different things over lunch: MMA training and competition, training in Hilo (we both had the opportunity to stay with BJ Penn and train with him), and BJJ training. In fact, Uriah just found his new BJJ instructor--one of the very best out there, Robinho. Since I was a white belt, Robson Moura was someone I looked up to and has to be one of the most technical and successful grapples out there. Uriah told me how he met Robson at an event, rolled, and how Robson was a great match for him. Uriah, even at 155lb, taps out heavier BJJ black belts. Robson is a featherweight fighter. Uriah mentioned that Robson's technique was simply on different level from other black belts he's rolled with. So, he asked Robson to train him and I believe arrangements are being made to fly Robson out to Sacramento.

Robert Drysdale submitted Marcelo Garcia in ADCC 2007. Rob is no joke and he taught some great techniques to everyone present. Coming from a BJJ background, Rob was very detailed and technical when it came to ground positioning. When he rolled, although he was about 210lbs, he moved slowly and smoothly, and showed how great technique can go a long way.

Rob is great at executing Darce/Brabo chokes and he showed us a real sneaky entry from side control (which I will be using a lot!). At one point he asked everyone what techniques they wanted to learn. Justin Lopez and I quickly thought of having him show us more chokes because it seems to be one of his specialties; however, the majority of the other attendants wanted to do some guard work--we couldn't understand why. It was okay though; however, I think it makes more sense to have someone go deeper into what they're good at so that they can show you details that others may not know or teach.



Rob is focusing on MMA now. He's training and teaching and Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, and Jacare is staying with him. I think Jacare is going back to Brazil soon though. Rob's only been doing MMA full time for 2 months, but he mentioned things are going well and he is improving every week. He loves the training and enjoys being a MMA student. He's looking forward to fighting in MMA, but isn't in a hurry. He wants to make sure he's ready. Probably a good idea because a number of great BJJ athletes have had pretty disappointing MMA debuts. Rob doesn't want this to happen, so he's training with some of the best right now.

We talked about how MMA is evolving and whether he still wants or will compete in sport BJJ or submission wrestling. We both shared the same view on things and now want to focus more on MMA. We got to do some guard drills together and it was fun. He was playing guard and I was passing. Our first round, I didn't really know what to expect so didn't mount any kind of offense and he swept me in about 20 seconds. The second round, I was able to fend off a couple of his sweeps and pass to knee-on-stomach, but being as big and technical as he is, there was no way I could hold it. He simply transitioned to a knee bar and in order to defend it, I had to sit to my butt and get swept. Of course, he'd probably crush me if he was going harder, and even if I was going at my hardest.

Anyway, stay tuned for my full report about the camp on PinoyMMA. On another note, I will be teaching at LA Boxing starting the first week of May. For more information, check out the microsite for the specific location I'll be teaching at. They will have their own site up soon. http://www.laboxing.com/sandiego2


Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Using Instructional Videos and Books

I'm pretty busy preparing for an upcoming exam and some different projects, but I wanted to write a short entry about a thread I noticed in the forums. Someone asked about supplementing one's training with instructional books and videos. I think that using any kind of supplemental material is great. If you're serious about learning something, you'll always do more than is necessary and continually search for additional insight and knowledge. Instructional videos, books, and websites are a great way to leverage other people's time and experience for your own benefit.

However, it's important to note that videos and books are not substitutes for learning from an experienced instructor. Often, instructional material will show you a number of "new" techniques, but keep in mind that many details are usually missing. For instance, if a move requires 8 steps, instructional books might only cover step 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8. Instructional videos can do the same. Also, there are many books and videos in the market now and some are good, while others are garbage. Normally, the more popular instructors produce quality material while unknowns are out there to just take your money. (This isn't always the case though.)

The more experienced you are, the more you'll be able to see holes in supplemental material and you'll be wise enough to adjust techniques to fit your game. If you're a beginner, do not take everything you see or read for granted. Make sure to test every technique thoroughly. Videos and books are a great way to supplement your training. If they are your only means of instruction, then they're better than nothing; but, I suggest you seek instruction from qualified instructors.

I'll be writing about training in Las Vegas and will post some pics up in a few days. My schedule should clear up by Friday.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Finally Back in San Diego

I arrived in San Diego late last night after my flight was delayed for over two hours! I could have relaxed and gone to dinner first! (Again, I was too exhausted to get online, so I couldn't write a blog entry. I apologize.) I'm glad to be back "home." It's been a long week and a half. I'm still messed up from my quick trip to the Philippines. This long weekend in Las Vegas didn't help my jet lag, too. Although I had a great time. Drysdale lead the show on Sunday showing some great moves. Springer conducted a strength and conditioning session in the morning, and Thompson and White conducted a striking and MMA session in the afternoon.

I'm not so glad that tomorrow I have to be in class tomorrow and that I have a ton of work to do. I wasn't able to tend to some things while in the Philippines and Las Vegas, so everything has piled up now. Great. It's going to take me two or three days to finish all that I have to do, so my blog entries may be shorter than usual for a few days.

I have LA and San Francisco trips coming up, so I'll be writing about what's up while in the two cities. June might also bring me back to New York and South Beach for a few days. Then, there are plans to head to Brazil some time in June. More planes...

On a serious note, I want to send out my sincere condolences to Mike "Chicken Adobo" Perez and John Ouano. Mike's father passed away last week and John's father passed away yesterday. Please drop them a message if you want, as I'm sure they could use some support in dealing with their fathers' passing. Mike and John, if you guys need anything, I'm here for you. Take care, and I'll talk to both of you soon.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Training with Uriah Faber

I finally made it to Vegas this morning. (Thanks to Gian for picking me up at the airport and taking me to Throwdown. It was good seeing you again after all these years.) I'll be writing up a full report for PinoyMMA on the camp later, so I won't go into much detail right now.

Uriah Faber, WEC Featherweight Champion, lead the show today at Throwdown's fight camp. He focused on wrestling for MMA. I thought the material he covered was great and enjoyed his teaching style and his added insight. I liked how he focused on a specific area that "MMA wrestlers" often neglect to teach well. I also appreciated how Uriah took the time to show me and my partner (Josh) a number of advanced moves and variations--in addition to what was shown to other camp. He's a friendly and open fighter. He invited me to train with him and his guys at his camp, and if I'm ever in his area, I'll definitely pay him a visit. In fact, if any of you are in Sacramento, check out his gym (Ultimate Fitness).

After the day's activities, we all went to dinner (Uriah, Arianny Celeste, Tracy Lee, Justin Lopez, et al). We enjoyed some good Japanese food and some good laughs. Some of us were planning to go out, but it seems everyone got tired. I was planning to go out to meet some friends, but jet lag is hitting me, again. In fact, I was sleepy and tired throughout the entired day. I brought my camera to take some pics but I was too sleepy and tired to do so. I'm surprised I lasted the entire day.

Anyway, tomorrow is going to be a long day of training, and Robert Drysdale will be handling most of the instruction. I have a feeling the training will be just as good as today's sessions. Sim Go also dropped by today to check things out, and will most likely be training tomorrow. That's all for now. I have to crash...

Friday, April 4, 2008

Training Even When You're Physically and Mentally Tired

I missed my flight to Las Vegas. O joy. I didn't get to San Diego in time from the Philippines to catch a 9pm flight. All isn't lost though because I got the first flight out tomorrow morning, so I'll be in Sin City before 8am. Boy, I'm feeling the jet lag and all the physical and mental fatigue that comes with it.

I flew back with my niece, Mykee, who is probably on her way to Chicago now with my brother Mark. This made my trip less "relaxing" because I feel like I always have to keep one eye open. I brought Mykee to the U.S. a few years back, and I didn't sleep even for a second.

If you've kept up with my blog entries, you already know that I'm busy with some projects and usually stay up late and wake up early. That alone drains a lot out of me. My trip to the Philippines was not a vacation. I was all over the place during the day and was out at night till the wee hours of the morning.

Despite feeling drained, I still managed to teach and train. I find that even when I'm not in the mood or have little energy, if I train a certain way and with select partners, I usually end up feeling glad that I trained. I feel more energized at the end of a session, and always learn something new. I'm careful about overdoing it though because one thing I really hate is getting sick. If I get sick, I lose time that could be put to good use.

We all have our "bad days" when we don't have the energy, or we simply aren't into it mentally. I know that if I miss a workout, I feel a bit guilty. If you feel the same way, a possible solution is to take it really light and find technical training partners. This will allow you to get on the mat and work technique and timing at a comfortable pace. You won't get too tired and will not stress your body and mind out to a point where you might become sick and cannot perform/think at your best. However, know your own body well. Know when you are "pushing too hard" and when you really need to rest/recharge your batteries.

I have a feeling this weekend is going to kick my butt. Both Saturday and Sunday are going to be very long, active days and I feel my jet lag is going to attack during mid-day. However, I'll find a way to power through it all and will write about everything when I can.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Off to Las Vegas to Train with Uriah Faber, Robert Drysdale, and others @ Throwdown

Well, my short trip to the Philippines is coming to an end. I'm leaving tomorrow for the U.S. I wish I could extend my stay with the weekend coming and the Fearless Fighting Championship being held on Saturday. But, I have to be in Las Vegas by Friday night for Throwdown's 3rd Fight Camp and I have a bunch of work deadlines next week.



This trip went by very fast. I'm not even over my jet lag. I already know I'm going to be so "messed up" when I get to Las Vegas. I wouldn't be surprised if I have to go to sleep in the middle of the day and miss some of the training; however, I'm going to try my best to stay awake.

I taught another group class last night and covered the infamous arm-in-guillotine. At every class I taught while I was here (in Makati, Pasig, and Quezon City), there were always questions on the guillotine. So I decided it was a good topic to cover in detail. For those of you who missed the class, and for the rest of you reading this who are curious, I plan to create a little instructional clip or entry on it some time in the future.

I love the guillotine choke because it is quick, simple and very effective. In fact, it was the very first submission I pulled off back in the 90s and the first submission hold I started to use regularly (i.e. I'd try to catch my sparring partners in a guillotine at least once a round). Pretty much everyone can pull off a traditional guillotine with the arm outside and just wrapping around an opponent's head. However, some people find it difficult to use the guillotine when a person has their arm inside.

Since the arm-in version became popular, I started to experiment with it and also asked for tips from everyone I knew who could execute the technique. You'd be amazed at how many different versions/variations I have discussed with different instructors and fighters. The technique does not seem to be as clear cut as other submissions. However, through time, I've taken what I have found to be the best advice from different people and combined it with common movements that every instructor I've talked to thinks is necessary execute the move properly. I'm happy with "my version" of it as I'm able to get the choke when the opportunity presents itself. Also, all the students who learned the choke for the first time last night seemed to have little trouble and were tapping people out consistently while drilling.

If you have no clue how to do the choke, or you've been struggling with it, keep practicing and trying to vary up your positioning, and arm/body movement. Again, I will create a short tutorial on it in the future for the blog's readers. Then, you can start choking people left and right regardless if your opponents arm is inside or outside of your arm position.

To the guys from New Breed who I got to see and teach, keep up the good work. All of you are doing great and I'm happy to see solid improvement. There's no doubt in my mind that many of you can and will perform well internationally--some of you do, already.

I might be able to write another entry before I leave, but if I don't have time, there won't be a blog entry for a day or two. Las Vegas here I come!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Improve Your Flexibility to Increase Performance

For several months I haven't been able to do much power or strength training because of my shoulder injury. In fact, I think I've hit the weights only twice in more than four months. As a result, I've been doing more endurance/conditioning work and improving my flexibility. I notice that in many schools and gyms throughout the world, a good number of athletes do not spend as much time as they should stretching. Even worse, some people try to improve their flexibility incorrectly and get injured or pull their muscles. While in the Philippines and watching guys prepare for training, and after training, so many students take proper stretching lightly.

Now, I know a handful of good grapplers and fighters who hardly ever stretch (whether it's before, during, or after a training session. These guys are good and have pretty good flexibility, but tend to get injured more often and have more aches and pains on a daily basis compared to other people. I've also gone through months when I never stretched. I would simply head to training and would roll right away. I felt that my performance was ok and I didn't get injured, but when I compare my performance to when I do devote time to a good warm up and stretching routine (and also a cool down stretching routine), I feel that I perform much better and have less muscle soreness.

There are many excellent online resources, magazine articles, and books on stretching and flexibility, so I will not go into specific stretches or routines. I want to remind all of you to spend quality time stretching and improving your flexibility. The numerous benefits outweigh the costs.

The benefits?

1) Helps prevent muscular aches, pains, and cramping
2) Reduces the possibility of muscular soreness/fatigue
3) Decreases the possibility of causing a muscular injury
4) Increases muscles' efficiency/effectiveness of movement (increased range of movement in joints)
5) Increases energy levels and performance

The major cost?

1) Time

I think taking 15-20 minutes a days is well worth it, especially if you incorporate your stretching routine into your everyday training sessions.

One training method that I would like to share that always helps me improve my flexibility fast is to use proper breathing methods in combination with proper stretching technique (As I mentioned, however, I will not go into explaining stretching techniques). I discovered how breathing properly really helps when stretching while I did several yoga classes. In a nutshell, it's a good idea to execute your stretch while exhaling. Once you've reached your limit, hold the stretch and take long and relaxed breaths-- for as long as you are planning to hold the stretch. When you've reached your desired time, inhale deeply and "imagine" the air flowing to and filling the muscle you are stretching. Then, exhale slowly and "push" your stretch even further for another set of 30/60 seconds, or however long you like. I do this three times for each body part.

Be patient and give your stretching routine some time. In a few weeks you'll feel a difference. In a few months, you'll have greatly improved your flexibility.