When people talk about mixed martial arts, it's usually about training, competitions, motivation, techniques, and even nutrition and supplementation. You don't hear many people talk about proper training etiquette or respect. Well, I decided to write about that today. Here's why. . .
A few weeks ago, I was teaching a class and a "sandbagger" (i.e. someone who pretends to be a beginner) came to train. We talked before class a bit and he said he's trained for a couple months. It took me only a few seconds to realize this guy was full of it (which I honestly didn't care much about him lying to me). When I explained a technique, the guy wouldn't listen and gave the impression that he knew it all. When he partnered up to do technique, he didn't listen to me call out the steps and used a lot of resistance when beginners were trying to do their reps on him. When it came to sparring time, this guy was toying with all the beginners and basically disrespecting them.
Now, it takes a lot to get me truly pissed off, about anything. I hardly get angry and I rarely am "violent." But certain things at certain times put me over the edge. This guy, well, he pushed all the right buttons. I don't care if people disrespect me by not sticking to the technique I teach or if they don't continue to do reps like I instruct. I don't mind because if they think they know a technique enough to not practice, then that's up to them - even though I know they aren't "masters" at the technique. However, when someone disrespects other students, especially beginners, the way this guy did, it's another story.
To my delight, the guy called me out to spar. I've been telling people for the past few years that since I started my law and mba studies, I haven't been able to turn on that "killer instinct" when I train. I've even told people that they have to get me pissed off and angry or else I'll just be on cruise control when training. I used to be able to turn "it" on whenever I wanted to and always did my best in that zone. But these days, my brain is busy working on other things. Anyway, for the first time in almost 3 years, I found myself extremely pumped to train. In a nutshell, I tried to rip off the guys limbs off. After our round, he stopped sparring, wouldn't talk to anyone, and sat to the side by himself. He no longer was disrespecting the other students and me.
Fast forward to this week. Someone very close to me tells me that this same "sandbagger" went to another school to train. Same story. He was disrespectful. What did the instructor do to the guy? Let's say he did something I wanted to do but couldn't at that time (there were a number of older women watching while waiting to take a boxing class).
What's the whole moral of the story? Learn to show some respect and use proper training etiquette. This is not an exhaustive list and merely reflects some of the more common things I encounter, in no particular order.
1. When someone is teaching, listen. It's simple. Show respect and be polite. Even if it's the most basic technique in the world and you know it like the back of your hand.
2. If an instructor tells you to do a certain technique a certain way, do it. You can experiment and that's often encouraged, but first put in a good amount of time doing the technique as explained.
3. Keep doing reps until you're told to move on - again, it's about being respectful of others. This happens a lot, especially with the arrogant students in class. They do a technique a few times, then either stop, or worse, start to play instructor themselves. As I mentioned above, I usually let them be. I will tell them to keep doing the reps a couple of times, but if they persist, they won't hear from me again.
4. Use control in all of your techniques. First, this will increase your performance because if you can execute techniques without a lot of strength and speed, imagine what you can do when you add all of your physical attributes to your technique. Second, you won't injure your training partners. Third, other students will be more willing to spar with you.
5. If a lot of you are training on a mat, ring, or cage, the area can get cramped quickly as partners get near each other. In these situations, it's normally the lower ranking or less experienced students who have to move and find space. The senior guys normally can stay where they are. Now, I believe that everyone should be treated equally, but this process actually makes sparring and drilling run smoother.
6. If you are rolling, doing take downs, etc. and you accidentally hit or bump the pair next to you, be polite. Say sorry. You won't believe how many people fail to do this. In my experience, I'd say less that 20%.
7. Keep you, your equipment, and the gym clean. For instance, I can't understand how people can go walk barefoot into the restroom, then out to the street, then all over a gym floor, then start sparring on the mats. Ringworm or staph anyone?
Again, there's a lot more. The basic point is to make sure you're respectful and practice a decent degree of training etiquette. Everyone will like you more for doing so.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Respect & Training Etiquette
Monday, May 26, 2008
Training When Injured - Revisited
UFC 84 was a great card. I loved Silva's match a lot, especially when he was holding Jardine down by the throat in a "where's my money" posture. Awesome. I didn't expect the match to end so soon. I did think it was going to be an exciting stand up fight, but thought Jardine would land some solid blows. He didn't even get to turn on the entire fight! BJ's fight. I guess no one was surprised. I was pretty shocked that only 55% of the people who voted in, thought BJ was going to win. I was expecting much more votes for BJ. Machida, great strategy and continues his winning streak. (For those of you who may not remember, Machida beat BJ in Japan in 2005. Of course, he outweighed BJ by a ton back then and BJ did very well, taking the match all the way to a decision.) Anyway, this weekend should be good, too. Uriah, Jens, Munoz...good fights.
So I received an email from a blog reader who was asking about training while injured, and I thought I'd go into more detail in my answer. I touched up on this subject before, but here's another go.
We all know how it feels to get injured. It sucks. Besides the pain, injuries prevent us from training. Knowing how to train around injuries is an important part of getting better at any sport. For minor injuries, a little bit of ice, some rest, tape and/or braces, and easing back into training often do the trick. However, major injuries are more tricky.
Major injuries do not go away quickly and it's important to not let an injury get worse. Hence, you have to be very smart about how you train, if you are even capable of doing anything physical. For hand, arm and shoulder injuries, for example, you probably won't be able to strike effectively, but you might be able to grapple lightly if you tuck your arm into your belt and work your open guard using just your legs and one arm. If your opponent passes your guard then stop; let your opponent go back into your guard; and then start again. I've done this countless times when I've jacked up my arms in the past, and it helped me really improve my open guard game.
Athletes are stubborn and usually train despite injuries. Smart athletes, however, will train smart when their injured and know how to control their training sessions. Here are some things to keep in mind if you plan to train while healing an injury:
- Only roll or strike lightly. I think any takedowns are a bad idea when injured.
- Roll or spar with people who are more advanced and know how to control their power, speed, etc. Stay away from beginners who can injure you.
- Avoid positions that will place your injured body part in dangerous situations. (e.g. If you have a shoulder injury, don't even bother resisting when someone tries to go for an american/figure four lock on your arm--immediately tap).
- Tap right away if you even think you are near a position where your injured body part will be affected
If you keep up with a similar program while you're injured, when you've recovered, you'll still be in the game mentally and ought to still have decent conditioning. Hope this helps.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sparring/Grappling with Bigger Opponents--Some Tips for the "Little" Guys
Yesterday I took a pretty hard head butt to my left ear while grappling. So what happened? Can anyone say cauliflower ear? My left ear has been messed up for years, but now it's worse. It hurts like hell and I'm forced to wear headgear while sparring--which I don't really like. I guess I'll have to deal with it though for a couple of weeks so I can give my ear some time to "heal."
In any martial arts school, particular in North America or Europe, you're going to get some really big guys who enroll and want to learn how to fight. If you're a decent instructor, you'll make it a point to spar with all of your students--small or big. As I'm beginning to teach again, I'm noticing a lot of different people joining who have various training backgrounds and body types. As one of the 140 pounders out there, most people are bigger, heavier, and stronger than I am. So, I thought I'd give some pointers to the other featherweights who have to spar with bigger guys often.
First, face it. Strength and size does really matter. As a "small" guy, we can be a placed in a very disadvantageous situation. If we are talking about grappling, you are likely going to play guard and will have to deal with a lot of pressure and strength. In terms of weight and strength, we're already at a disadvantage. When it comes to striking, you will clearly be at a disadvantage as well. Your sparring partner will have a reach advantage and they will hit much harder.
Don't think a heavier sparring partner will understand that they outweigh you, are stronger, or have longer reach. Don't expect them to take it easy on you. For most people, it comes natural to use all of their physical attributes when sparring. As a result, it's important to get good position/distance, use your speed, and use your brain! (You have to be wiser than your sparring partner.)
Here are some grappling tips that might help you (in no particular order):
1. Although this doesn't apply in every situation, it seems to hold true for most situations when a smaller guys is sparring a bigger partner. If you have to play guard, try using your butter fly guard or open guard more (e.g. x-guard). You're in better position to keep your opponents weight off of you and are more mobile. If you are sparring against a heavier and stronger person who is technical, it can be difficult to mount an attack from closed guard because they may be able to control your hips better. Likewise, you will have to deal with more of the weight because you won't have a leg in between your bodies and there will be much less space for you to move.
2. This should be common knowledge--try and get the person's back. You have a much better chance of finishing your opponent because you will not have to worry about them mounting a serious attack on you. You will have more time to focus on your offensive techniques without have to worry as much about your opponents strength, size, etc.
3. Use arm drags. They may or may not work. But they don't require a lot of strength, and if executed properly, you have a great chance of getting the person's back or even turning them over.
4. Use guillotines. When you're sparring a person who has good core strength and powerful arms and legs, it can be hard to hold them down in many positions and secure a tight armlock or even a footlock. However, if you can secure a good hold around a person's neck, you have a much better chance of submitting them.
Now for some striking tips:
1. Keep your guard up! It's obvious that a bigger opponent will be able to land some heavy blows, so make sure you have your arms up in position to block.
2. Understand how to control the distance between you and your opponent. This requires good footwork and angling. Respect your opponents strength and reach.
3. Work on your counter striking. Bigger opponents often get over confident when fighting smaller guys. They may throw their techniques without setting them up in combinations and you can possibly capitalize on this. If you counter and land a good strike, you have a great window to enter in and land a solid combination.
4. Stick and move. Once you land a good combo, get out (unless you know you've hurt them and put them on the defensive). You don't want to be in your opponent's range when he recovers.
5. Work on your timing and power. When opportunities to attack arise, you will have to be ready for them. So make sure you can time your moves properly. Likewise, develop power behind your strikes so when you have the chance to hit, you can land solid combinations. You don't want to waste your strikes by throwing weak punches or kicks.
There are countless tips and ways to approach sparring/grappling/fighting against a bigger opponent. However, I find that these tips work well for me and I hope they help you too.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Passing the Guard in Mixed Martial Arts
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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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