Why We Not Hit Hard?

Make sure your gi pants work properly

2009-06-27T17:26:00.004-05:00

Frantic posted this on the Underground and the video is too funny to pass up.

This video should help you if you've ever had the string in your gi pants get pulled out.

Remember to maintain control of the brother.

Post-Seminar Checklist

2009-05-18T09:05:00.005-05:00

by Mike

This article is a companion to Seminar Checklist.

* Do your notes make sense?

You did take notes, didn't you? Depending on your familiarity with the material, taking notes can be either simple or trying to describe something entirely new to you. With time, you'll figure out a shorthand system that works for you, but for most people, the closer you get to the end of the seminar (especially if it's a multi-day seminar), the less sense your notes tend to make.

If you can't make heads or tails of them (or just can't read a word somewhere inside) go to the next item:

* Do you have any questions?

This should actually go into the "Just before the seminar's over checklist" but...you're paying the presenter for their expertise and they're accepting your money in order to teach you. To make sure you get your money's worth, make sure you get any areas of confusion cleared up. Most seminars that I've been to will have a Q&A session at the very end where you can get the finer points of the techniques ironed out. If you have any questions, be sure to speak up so you don't end up with some new moves that you can't use because you forgot a step in the middle.

Also, don't be an idiot and write in your notes, "not sure about this, remember to ask Robson" and then forget what technique that question went with. Not saying that I've done that because I forgot my notebook and ended up writing a day's notes on the back of random scratch paper then lost the scratch paper....

* Do you have someone you can compare notes with?

I've yet to meet someone who can take perfect notes. But I have met groups of three or four that can go over even the most complex lockflows and work them out with a high degree of accuracy. Make sure you find someone to help you. Guaranteed that even if you don't have questions at the end of the seminar, you will a week later when you review your notes.

* Have you set up a time to review and practice the material?

This is completely unscientific, but I like to tell people that you'll remember some stuff if you pay attention to the seminar and practice the techniques diligently. You'll remember 10x more if you take [good] notes. You'll remember 100x more if you take notes and review them. You'll actually assimilate the material if you take good notes, review them and practice the techniques.

* Do you have all your gear?

You'd be surprised what people leave behind. Be careful that you leave with everything you came with, especially if the seminar is at a faraway school.

* Did you thank the instructor (and the host)?

It's only good manners.

* Did you have fun?

If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.

Photo from Degerberg Academy

BJJ for Wrestlers, Part I

2009-04-06T20:00:00.004-05:00

by Mike

Flipper's series on Beginning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu got some more interesting comments.

This time we got a question that asked:

Well, im 15, and have wanted to do BJJ for a long time since I watch UFC 1 about 5 years ago. finally saved up and felt it was time to start. hopefully gonna start soon. conditioning was what I was worrying about. I did wrestling for 2 years. Is the conditioning similar to wrestling? Also how well will the wrestling transition to BJJ?

Interesting question and I think that there's an article hiding in the answer....

The short version goes something like this:

The conditioning will be similar but not the same. BJJ can be fast or slow, technique or strength (but hopefully more technique than strength!), etc. Especially in a gi game, you'll need to temper the all-out explosiveness for a more patient gripping game (where you can expect to roll for 1/2 hour rather than 3 two-minute periods). Just remember to be patient and take advantage of openings when they present themselves and you'll be well on your way to getting through the first couple classes without gassing.

But keep in mind that gis get very hot very fast, be prepared to deal with this aspect of things.

To be sure, conditioning will turn out to be the least of your worries as a new student. You'll pick it up as you go along, just like all the other tips and techniques that find out any time you start studying something new. I've found that the thing people have the hardest time with after starting BJJ is not boring their friends by talking about nothing else.

As for the transition, one of the wonderful things about BJJ is the variety of styles that can work within it - there's a 'big guy' game a 'little guy' game, an 'athletic' game, an 'acrobatic' game and so on. You'll be able to build a game that fits you and what you do best. If you're a better wrestler than your classmates, you'll probably develop a much stronger top game than they have. Nothing wrong with that as long as you remember to train the other parts of the art as well.

Most likely, the biggest difference will be that being on your back is not necessarily a bad thing in BJJ. New wrestlers often go to great lengths to not go to their back and end up in bad positions because of it.

But you'll figure that out soon enough. Good luck and have fun!

Anyone got any other comments for our friend?

How to clean your mouthguard

2009-03-31T20:44:00.004-05:00

by Mike, with an assist from Doc Dill

Since you already know how to properly fit a mouthguard, you've presumably been wearing it when appropriate (both for sparring and to make workouts more difficult), you've probably gotten some good use out of the thing (while maintaining good mouthguard etiquette). Now all that's left is to figure out what to do when it gunks up on you.

And gunk up it will, even if you take good care of it - but here's some guidelines to taking care of this most important piece of equipment:

Wash your mouthguard after use
Put it away in something clean - NOT the bottom of your bag
When you get home, take it out and let it dry
If it starts to get disgusting, let it sit in Listerine for ten minutes or so, take it out, scrub it with a toothbrush and wash it. Be careful, because you're gonna be tasting the Listerine for a few days afterwards. Air dry and get ready to use it again.

Some people prefer to eschew the Listerine and go straight for toothpaste or some of that fizzy denture cleaner. Your choice.

This should take care of 99% of your mouthguard problems. If you run into something that this won't help...you either need to get creative or just get a new mouthguard.

Let us know if you have any tricks in the comments.

CC-licensed photo by nycgeoff.

First Aid For Fighters: Returning to Training After a Torn Labrum

2009-03-24T09:13:00.002-05:00

Over in an older article (Stupid Shoulder Injury), Mark asks the following:

Doc Dill,

I suffered a bad fall while training for jujitsu and had to have surgery for a torn labrum.

I've sense been thru about a year's worth of physical therapy training and my shoulder doesn't always feel like it used to but at least it's not slipping out anymore.

I'd like to get back into grappling but I'd like to do so safely. Do you think a shoulder support product while grappling could help?

[...]

Thanks,
Mark

Doc Dill responds:

Well Mark, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but no external support will protect your shoulder well enough for me to tell you to return to grappling. Torn labrums are career enders for most sports that involve throwing or forceful arm movements like boxing or wrestling. I think you can train and drill but go live and I betcha you'll f*** it up again. That being said when you return to grappling you need to do something to limit the "At risk" position. that would be the position of arm out at horizontal with hand up, like when you hand signal a right turn in a vehicle.

Good luck and consider embroidery as your new hobby.
Doc Dill

--

There is some discussion in the original post, so comments have been disabled here. If you want to comment, please go to the original post.

Why bother with 25 count combos?

2009-03-01T21:17:00.004-06:00

by Mike

One of my favorite things to do in class was the long-count combos. That is, combos stringing together anywhere up to 25 individual techniques.* At first, I couldn't stand these drills - they always went something like, "jab, cross, hook, bob and weave, cross, sway, wait, no, bob, no, smack right into the trainer's mitts." The utility to me was always obvious, I spent a lot of time watching the pro boxers prepare for their fights and they made judicious use of these long-ass combos. Watching them and even the senior students spar was something to be hold - the students had nothing for the boxers, everything they threw at the boxers had an answer and then some.

Then we'd get to class and having a pro boxer teach, she'd give us a long combo. Some of the studets would groan and say, "what's the point? Like anyone's going to be standing around for you to hit them 25 times!" The rest of us, those who watched the boxers training and sparring, not only saw the utility of the drills, but also saw the results. Bring it on!

To be sure, if you have to hit someone 25 times, you're probably doing something wrong. All the same, here are

Six reasons why you should love long combo drills:

Long combos train you to keep punching. It seems counter-intuitive - if you get someone into a spot where you've got the opportunity to punch them, you will. And then keep punching them, right? However, if you train "stepping jab, cross, hook, angle out," nine times out of ten, that's what you'll do even if your opponent gives you an opening for something else. If you train staying in the pocket and throwing, you're much more likely to take advantage of those openings when they do pop up.

Considering that most of the people you're likely to find train 1, 1-2, 1-2-3 combos, adding that fourth or fifth punch into the combo is more than enough to throw them off their game.
Long combos teach you to punch properly. If you don't throw your punches properly, you'll never get to the end of that rep. You'll need to use your best technique - shifting weight, snapping your punches, breathing and staying relaxed to make sure you get the drill correct. The value here isn't on the first couple punches, it's the ones in the middle, the ones that are going to come in the middle when your opponent has moved or otherwise broken the set.
Long combos teach you to keep cool. Yeah, you might miss a beat in there, or slipped when you should have weaved, but you can pick yourself up and keep going where you left off. This is valuable training for when you start sparring and get clocked. Keeping your cool and getting right back into things takes opportunities away from your opponent.
Long combos teach you to anticipate other people's combos and timing. If your coach is doing a good job with the pads (and doubly when you're holding the pads for someone), you'll be getting some good ideas of ooks and other things to give you clues as to what they're going to do. And if you have an idea of what the opponent is going to do, you'll be well on your way to being able to counter into their combos. Which, as we've seen, is a very valuable skill to have.
Long combos will mix offense and defense, and remind you to keep one in mind when you're doing the other. Especially in light of the previous point, always being aware of what openings you are presenting your opponent has is just as important as what openings they are presenting you. A well-designed long combo will have you defending in unusual places - those places you haven't necessarily learned to defend from before and where your opponent will likely attack you while sparring.
Long combos teach you to let your hands go. One of the hardest things for beginning students to do is to let their hands go and press their advantage. These long combos help string many 'mini-combos' together (ones you've probably learned individually) and will allow you to throw them 'at will' without thinking about them.

That is, you should be able to finish a long combo without thinking about it or remembering the steps individually. If you've gotten all the above points, you'll be ready to anticipate openings and stay ready to take advantage of them when they present themselves. This will translate to your training where you see an opening and instead of going, "awesome, I'm gonna throw a hoo...crap he moved," you'll be throwing the combo and scoring points.

The above points should show you how long combos are of use to the boxer or martial artist. If you're not using them, I hope you'll start and you'll find that they pay dividends in your training.

* Could you run a combo that has more than 25 individual bits? I suppose you could, but I suspect you'll very quickly go into diminishing returns as doing 25 techniques in the space of a few seconds is quite a bit of work and you'll be inviting sloppiness at the expense of fewer reps (which also means it's more difficult to internalize the combo) and entraining the sloppiness that follows.

CC-licensed photo by H.A.P.

Glossary: How do you pronounce "Muay Thai?"

2009-02-22T12:20:00.003-06:00

All, right. This is one of those things that always gets me. You'll get a bunch of martial artists in a room and sooner or later one of them will say, "you people been saying it wrong all this time. It's not Muy Thai like you're ordering lots of it a Mexican restaurant, it's mwai thai like you're...you know...mwaing."

Then some other nerd will say, "but I once took a seminar with Master Chai and I swear he said..."

And on and on. And this will go on for hours. And be continued at the next party. And despite the hours of training they each put in, perfecting their technique, getting the advice of their training partners and coaches, these nerds will go on for years arguing over the pronunciation. Yet they will never think to call and ask the local Thai restaurant.

For those of you who are too scared to call up the local Thai ("tie" not "thigh") restaurant: here's what Thai-language.com has to say about Muy Thai...er, Mwai, uh, Mooye, I mean มวยไทย.

Fancy writing pic courtesy of Wikipedia.

An Improved Guillotine Choke

2009-02-15T13:53:00.001-06:00

by Mike

It's been awhile since we promised to show this technique, but here we go: a modification to the guillotine that should increase the effectiveness of that technique.

A couple things to keep in mind before we start:

This choke can easily turn from a blood choke to an air choke. As such it may be disallowed from use in competition or your school - check with your instructor before trying to use it.
This choke comes on very quickly - do not crank this choke. If you do get in position to use this choke, be very aware of your partner's position - it's entirely likely that they will be in a position that makes tapping difficult and you should be aware of this. If you put the choke on and they do not tap, switch to something else.

The Setup:

To properly perform a guillotine choke, you need to make sure that you have your hand up by your sternum:

Nice!

If your hand is too low, you'll never get the choke and trying to muscle your arm up is going to waste too much energy.

Crap! Hand too low!

Instead of holding on like an idiot, there must be a way to transition to another submission without giving up your dominant position.

There is, and it's simple. We're still going to put our hand up by our sternum, but we're going to move it, not muscle it. How to do that?

0. Make sure you are at a standstill. Transitioning into this technique will require you to be off balance for a split-second. If your opponent is still moving forward, or capable of moving forward, he'll knock you over and likely break the hold.

1. Shoot your hips out to the side. Obviously, we're going to go the opposite direction of where the opponent is. This will put you in an awkward position, so make the movement small. This will give your shoulder room to move.

2. Drop your shoulder and shoot your hand to your sternum. When you're done, you should have your opponent cradled in the "v" if your arm. Regain your posture.

3. Grab your tricep with your other hand. That "v" is a fairly weak position and you're not going to be able to hold it long against someone who doesn't want to be there. Your ulna should be on the back of your opponent's neck.

4. Complete the choke by stretching your back and scissoring down with your forearm. This is how a typical guillotine would work with the addition of the scissoring making the space in the crook of your arm that much smaller.

As we stated before, this submission comes on fast. Be very careful with it and like all submissions, it's best to have it applied to you as well so you know how it feels (and can therefore have an idea of how your opponent will react as well as a little sympathy).

It is also possible to complete this technique from the guard as well - the motions are going to be similar to the standing version.

How do you defend against this?

I'll leave that for you to discover - but as with any hold, "when done right, no can defend." Keep your chin tucked and don't let them wrap their arms around your neck.

As always, have fun experimenting with this submission and let us know how it works for you.

Glossary: Blood Choke and Air Choke

2009-02-14T17:10:00.004-06:00

The difference between a blood choke and an air choke is a very important one:

Blood chokes are chokes that cut off circulation to the brain. This is done by compressing the carotid arteries and therefore cutting off the supply of oxygen to your noggin (aka cerebral ischemia). Unconsciousness can occur in as little as three seconds.

The two most common blood chokes are the read naked choke and the triangle choke.

Air chokes are chokes that cut off air flow down the trachea. Air chokes typically rely on strength rather than technique for their effectiveness, as such they are typically not as efficient or effective in martial arts as blood chokes. Air chokes are also freakin' dangerous, as they can cause damage to your opponent. As such, many schools or competitions restrict the use of air chokes or ban them all together.

The most famous example of an air choke is the Homer Simpson choke (sadly, more commonly and tastelessly known as the "rape choke").

It's important to note that while the reaction to a blood choke might be relatively innocuous ("OK, I've been here before, work my defense. Get out or tap....") the reaction to and air choke is typically much more violent and unpredictable ("holy shit, someone's trying to kill me...panic!").

Given that 1) air chokes tend to take longer to apply than blood chokes 2) air chokes require strength rather than technique and 3) air chokes are more likely to damage your partner it should be obvious that blood chokes are superior.

One should also note that depending on a variety of factors, it's possible that a hastily applied blood choke could be an air choke. This most commonly occurs when you haven't put the choke on properly (say in a RNC) and your forearm is across your opponent's adam's apple rather than the side of his neck.

If you find yourself in that situation, don't continue with the choke and risk hurting someone - give it up and try for another submission.

The difference between "stop" and "break"

2009-02-08T07:05:00.000-06:00

by Mike

"Stop" and "break" might seem to be similar commands on the surface, but they are actually separate and distinct things and need to be treated as such. The problem arises when they're used interchangeably.

Break is a command given by a referee that action is to halt and fighters to disengage and prepare to be restarted from a neutral position. Break could be used to signal the end of the round or to allow the referee to restart non-action (stalling, clinch, etc.). When a referee declares "break" the fighters are to disengage and distance themselves from their opponent while awaiting the referee's instructions - whether he's sending a fighter to a neutral corner, calling a doctor to the ring or merely breaking a clinch.

Remember, even while breaking, keep your guard up - you can be sure that you heard the referee's command, you can't be sure that your opponent has. Your opponent may not have heard the referee but did see an opening and he attacks you while you're not defending. This isn't necessarily cheating, especially at the end of a round where someone tries to beat the bell, but instead hears it an launches the attach - which, depending on their reaction speed, might actually come after the bell. You've seen this in matches before. It's not intentional, but definitely illegal and a huge disadvantage for the fighter struck with his hands down, chin up and mouth open. Times like this are what the referee means when he says, "defend yourself at all times."

Another point about "break" to keep in mind is that if you're on top of an opponent (in BJJ say), or you're releasing a submission hold, to let go of it slowly. If your opponent is resisting the hold, they're likely to be using all their might and to suddenly let go of the hold could cause injury.

Stop is not often heard in boxing matches, but rather in MMA events or in class. The order to stop means to cease your actions, but remain in the same position. In an MMA match, this could be used by the referee to indicate that they are going to restart action in the center of the ring and need to make sure the fighters remain in the same position or in class when your instructor is going to point something out to you. In the latter case it might be that you're halfway to a single-leg but are having trouble finishing it and he's going to walk you through the part you're having trouble with. An instructor might also call stop in order for the class to freeze and make sure they're in the proper position they need to be (good posture/stance, etc.).

Just as with break, one should maintain a sense of where they and their opponent are, just in case your opponent doesn't hear or respond to the command.

Now you can see the difference between these two terms and have a sense of when it is appropriate to use them in class and in the ring ("stop" and "break" could both be used in the course of training, for instance, shouting "stop - check your stance" to make sure everyone is keeping up with their technique during a round and then ending the round with "break!"). Hopefully this will make your training more productive and less confusing (especially if you decide to make the transition from merely training to competing!).

Preworkout hydration

2009-02-01T11:03:00.005-06:00

by Mike

Dehydration is one of the more dangerous parts of training (or any exercise, really), yet drinking water is often looked down on in many gyms - a holdout of the old-school toughguy days.

The Grappler's Guide to Sport Nutrition tells us that dehydration is be a serious bogeyman, and

can lead to increases in perceived exertion and central fatigue, a reduction in plasma volume (blood volume), decreases in sweat rate and cooling, decrease in mental performance, a decrease in fine motor skills and precision, and a decrease in endurance and work capacity.

Obviously, avoiding dehydration is something that is both necessary and easier said than done (and hydration during a workout is another subject entirely), but one of the best ways to cut down on the effects of dehydration is to make sure you're properly hydrated before going into the workout. Now, how should one do that?

The American College of Sports Medicine suggests:

To avoid or delay the detrimental effects of dehydration during exercise, individuals appear to benefit from fluid ingested prior to competition. For instance, water ingested 60 min before exercise will enhance thermoregulation and lower heart rate during exercise (34,56). However, urine volume will increase as much as 4 times that measured without preexercise fluid intake. Pragmatically, ingestion of 400-600 ml of water 2 h before exercise should allow renal mechanisms sufficient time to regulate total body fluid volume and osmolality at optimal preexercise levels and help delay or avoid detrimental effects of dehydration during exercise.

A-wuh?

Basically: drink 12-20 oz. two hours before a workout to ensure proper hydration (and still have enough time to take a leak and get rid of any excess).

The knuckleheads then ask: How do I know if I should drink 12 or 20? Well, that depends: how much do you sweat? How hard are you working out? Do you get terribly thirsty during/after the workouts? Do you need to run to the bathroom in the middle of the workout for fear of wetting yourself in the middle of a round? Aka, experiment.

Even if you think you're properly hydrated before a workout, be sure to follow the above guidelines to make sure that you're "topped off" and you'll have one less thing to worry about during training.

CC-licensed flickr photo by lanier67.

What is the best martial art?

2009-01-26T06:49:00.000-06:00

by Mike

Stick around long enough in martial arts (like, long enough for people to find out that you are a martial artist) and you'll get this question.

There's really no way to answer this one without it being a total cop out - at least not if you want to get out of the conversation anytime soon. Without getting into the "well, if you want to learn boxing...boxing. If you want to drop the kids off so you can get a couple hours of quiet a week...whatever's closest. If you want to 'fight UFC'...anywhere where I don't have to put up with you, etc." you 've only got one real and legitimate answer:

The best martial art is the one that does what you need it to when you need it to.

Without getting all metaphysical or annoying philosophy-student on you, it's not only possible but likely that what you think you need (i.e. want) and what you need are two different things.

Granted, what you need it to do could be anything from preparing you to be a well-rounded fighter for your amateur MMA debut, provide you with a positive atmosphere and camaraderie for your attempt to get (and stay) in shape, or to give you the presence of mind to stay calm save yourself and your husband from armed house invaders. What you need may change over time - hopefully you'll be active in martial arts long enough that you see this changing - I know at least one guy who started training because he thought it was fun, but it ended up providing a focus for him while he quit his alcoholism.

Now, you'll note that what you "need" isn't necessarily the same thing as what you "want."

Or you could just say, "I dunno, whatever those UFC guys do seems pretty good" and point them to How to Choose A Martial Arts School.

Homework: left hook to head, right straight to the body

2009-01-25T09:27:00.005-06:00

by Mike

So, you've got a homework assignment this week, given to you by none other than Bas Rutten. During the Affliction 2: Day of Reckoning match between Vladimir Matyushenko and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Bas saw one of Minitoro's combinations (right cross to the body, left hook to the head) and decided to improve it:

Left hook to the head, right straight to the body - for sure going to be a hit, esepecially if he blocks that left hook, that right straight's always a hit. Try it out in sparring, you'll be amazed.

So? Give it a go. Let us know how it works.

Mailbag! Too many rules

2009-01-19T06:28:00.000-06:00

I get caught in class from time to time "breaking the rules" my instructors have been known to say "Hey, this is boxing only, you can't throw a backfist!" "Hey, this is kickboxing, no sheilding and kicks above the waist only!", etc.... How or where can I find out the rules to all the different styles we use?

-The Bear

While one might think that knowing the rules and regulations of a given style would be the responsibility of the student, many times instructors don't explicitly describe the rules of a given contest, which can be pretty difficult for new students (whether new to martial arts or new to a given style). This is especially annoying nowadays when most everyone is cross-training and often switching between multiple styles within a single class.

1. For starters, check out the rules compendium. This will tell you the official rules for a given governing body. If you're not competing, you'll be able to skip a lot of the sanctioning/regulatory information, but be sure to read the allowed techniques/fouls section.

2. The ultimate responsibility for students knowing the rules lies with the instructor. There's no harm in asking the instructor to go over the rules before a sparring session to make sure that everyone's on the same page and someone doesn't think that boxing includes a single-leg takedown (true story!). This is a good opportunity for instructors to let people know house rules ("no leg locks for white belts," "don't hurt anyone - if you hit them and they look stunned, stop and make sure they're OK. If they need to, take a break, of they're OK...hit them again")

To be sure, inaccurate or vague rules don't just happen in class - I've been in rules meetings where the entirety was, "We're basically gonna do UFC rules tonight." I won't get started on that, but instructors/promoters please, make sure everyone knows the rules, even if that means repeating yourself.

CC-licensed flickr photo from parhessiastes

Review: Fight Gear Bomber Headgear

2009-01-12T06:49:00.000-06:00

One-Liner: Excellent headgear!

Overview:

Before we get into the review of this headgear, make sure you understand why it's a good idea to wear headgear.

Fight Gear's Bomber Headgear is a great piece of equipment. Unlike some headgear, the padding actually helps out with softening shots while still letting you know you got hit. There's an odd little multi-way velcro adjustment in the back that makes sure you can find a tight fit that won't slip around during the middle of a round.

I don't know that the "cool max" lining helps keep you that much cooler but if you sweat it up, I can tell you that it stays slimy and clammy longer than other headgear. But that's neither here nor there because the headgear is MACHINE WASHABLE! Hot damn. Toss it in the washing machine, let it air dry (it can take awhile, so let it sit out on your off-day) and you've basically got new headgear.

The Bomber's durability is great - mine's lasted a couple years and held up nearly perfectly. The only complaints are some of the stitching across the badge on the forehead is unraveling and the hole I use in the chin strap is stretching a little. These are relatively minor concerns and I expect to get a lot more use out of this thing with no problem.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised to find out (yet kind of disappointed at the same time) was that this headgear actually absorbs some of the impact of incoming punches. Unlike other headgear that generally merely protects against headbutts and cuts (and possibly turns not-entirely-flush shots into glancing shots) this headgear actually saved me in a competition - my opponent had me on the ropes and as I tried to swivel out of the way he caught me flush with a stiff cross. I immediately thought "M*therf*fuck, hands up! Waitasecond...wtf? Why am I still standing?" My opponent was apparently thinking the same thing, which gave me a second to finish moving and win the round. Thank you, Bomber head gear!

The Good:

Machine washable! You have no idea how happy this makes your training partners.
Unlike some "stiffer" headgear that merely takes glancing blows and turns them into nothing, this actually has a bit of padding that will take some of the sting off of flush-on punches. Not a substitute for keeping your hands up.
Great value for price.
Velcro adjustment on the back makes sure it will fit your deformed noggin.

The Bad:

The chin strap holes can be hard to find on your own and can stretch after repeated use. You may need to have someone help you put it on (or have to leave the chin strap and undo the back velcro).
Seems to randomly unravel some of the seams (especially the "badge" on the forehead), but this hasn't affected performance in the year-plus I've had mine.
Not suitable for amateur boxing competition, so you'll need to go back to the stiff, leather stuff sometime.

Recommendation:

Excellent headgear that will stand up to years of use in the gym.

How to knock out Wanderlei Silva (or other straight-on brawlers)

2009-01-07T21:12:00.006-06:00

by Mike

UFC 92 was a sad event for Wandy's fans, but Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's knockout of Silva was nothing short of awesome, especially when you see it as a supreme use of tactics.

A bit of history: the first two fights between Rampage and Wanderlei (Pride 28 and Pride: Final Conflict 2003) ended poorly for Jackon, with him getting brutally KOd in both. The main difference in Jackson's strategy seemed to be: don't try to fight on your terms, instead play into his strengths.

The first thought, of course is, "why in Christ's name would you want to play into Silva's strengths? That's asking for a knuckle sandwhich and a nap in the middle of the cage!"

Check this, though: when's the best time to punch someone? When they're punching. Timing single strikes can be difficult though, so counter into their combinations.

Why into?

If there's ever a time for them to be sloppy, this is it. It's easy for even normally-technical fighters to become sloppy: they tend to let their hands come loose, their mouths open and their chins up. They're also likely to be off balance and are mentally or physically set into their combo so they can't change course in the middle and defend, or even notice that you're standing there, returning blows. If there's ever a time for you to hit someone, this is it.

Countering into combos is a very difficult thing to do, no doubt. It requires highly developed timing, distance, observation and confidence in your defense. A good chin is also necessary in case you miss some of your calculations.

What's a smart way to develop this skill without getting clobbered round after round? Like most other skills, it's really a 4 step process.

Mitt drills. Like most other skills, mitt drills are the place to get the basics down. Pick a pattern where your partner is attacking and build in places for you to counter.
Partner drills. Same as above, but with your sparring gear. This is an excellent drill for all involved - the uke gets to work on tightening up on their game as well as seeing where potential holes in their technique are. After a few rounds with different partners, countering into combos doesn't seem quite so scary anymore. Helpful hint: work with combos of 5 or more techniques at first, counter between the 4th and 5th. Then work your way down until you're confident getting them between "jab" and "cross" (or for local-circuit MMA guys: between "left wild-ass hook" and "right wild-ass hook").
Assaut a teme: Like any other new skill you're working on, have one person work a specific combo into your sparring. When they throw that combo, counter into it. This will get you in the habit of seeing combinations coming while still giving your partners the ability to defend themselves.
Sparring. This is where it gets fun (and scary again). First priority: observe their timing and tendencies. Second: making them regret attacking you.

You'll know you've developed this skill when your sparring partners refuse to attack you anymore. They might come in for one or two long-range attacks and then back out, afraid of getting caught when they're weakest. Next up are mastering the skills of cutting off the ring and engaging the timid.

Heart-breaking .gif from Fight Report.

Want more sparring partners? Bake cookies!

2008-12-22T04:32:00.000-06:00

by Mike

You'd be surprised how well this works. Chocolate chip works best.

CC-licensed Flickr photo by appaloosa. Includes recipe.

Getting motivated when you're not.

2008-12-15T07:15:00.000-06:00

MMA fighter Rosi Sexton has some interesting thoughts on, I'd want to say structuring a training program, but it's really about finding your groove when your mind/heart isn't in your training. One of my instructors likes to call these "low energy days." Days when you can't seem to get anything to work and you start to question your skills and your motivation. Emphasis hers:

I hit my low point one padwork session. I’d done three hard sessions the day before, including an hour of solid wrestling. I felt sore, and just completely drained, nothing left. When I’m feeling like that, the doubts start creeping in. I can’t do this, what’s wrong with me? Maybe I’m getting sick? Or perhaps I’m just too old for all this… I’m sure it wasn’t this bad last time… But then, like a plane taking off, you get to a certain speed and all of a sudden you’re airborne. Hey, this isn’t so bad now. The pace feels easier and I’m not tired all the time.

Getting that feeling is all part of the art of writing training programs. I say “art” because it relies so much on intuitive judgement. It’s different for every fighter.

At first glance, it might seem like you're looking to break through a barrier. But read it again: you're not looking to break through anything, what you're looking for is your own speed.

Banging your head against a wall is only going to hurt your head - getting someone to guide you past your own (most likely mental) blocks will pay dividends as you end up sidestepping the problem.

Granted, this won't work in all situations (such as when you might have overuse injuries or if you've been training too hard for too long) - but it's a wonderful way to get past your day-to-day slumps. One of my favorite things about martial arts is that it gets more interesting (and fun) as it gets harder.

Of course, you're often not the best judge of where you are in your training or what motivation you need to continue (that is, how hard things need to be before they become "fun" again). So, going another round on the bags might not be what you need. This is where you'll have to rely on your instructor or training partner for that extra push. This of course assume that your partner knows you, your motivation and your abilities - that is, you've got a good partner. If you don't have a good partner, well, getting someone else to help you bang your head against a wall is not only going to give you a bigger headache. Hopefully you have enough discipline to realize that you're not likely to get much out of that training session and head home early.*

Essentially what you're doing when you start to speed things up is you shut down your conscious mind, that little bit that tells you that you can't do this, or that you're not good at that. Turning down that little critic is going to make you ten times better if only because you're running on your instinct and ingrained skills. When you take a break and your conscious mind pops back for a second, you have the opportunity to think, "holy crap, not only can I do this, but I just did." Silencing those negative thoughts gives you that opportunity to remember how good you are.

Next time you find yourself with negative thoughts that are affecting your performance, try finding a trusted partner to push you. I think you'll be surprised at how quickly your attitude turns around.

* If you don't have trusted partners, definitely stay away from the sparring. Remember, "if you're not all there, don't be there at all."

Be kind to your uke.

2008-12-08T18:31:00.000-06:00

by Mike

You uke is very valuable to you as a training partner and demonstration tool for the rest of the class. A good uke is like a good partner - they'll make you both look good and make sure you get your point across.

Given that the uke is typically one of the more advanced students in class, there's a definite trickle-down/setting examples of how you expect your class to run. Toss the uke mercilessly and you'll see the less-experienced in your class hurting each other while they try to imitate your example. Take care of your uke and you'll see your students being respectful to each other while making sure they understand the technical aspects of the techniques.

A couple things to keep in mind when working with an uke:

The uke should have an idea of what you're doing so they can prepare. If you're going to do three knee strikes from the clinch, make sure that you only throw three knees, elsewise, your uke might be getting ready to move the pads for the next technique while you're teeing off on him like Wanderlei vs. Rampage. Discussing "a throw" and not giving the uke enough advance notice means they'll potentially injure themselves if they can't guess correctly which way they're going to land.
A good uke should be skilled. Generally instructors pick an advanced student to be the uke because the uke will be able to execute any desired techniques (or defenses) properly. Picking a nerd is a recipe for disaster.
Ukes are people too. They need to do things like breathe. Please remember that while you're explaining how to finish a choke and taking questions, all without letting go of the hold.
Use only enough force and intensity to get the point across. Presumably because you're demonstrating the technique, you're the instructor. And you're the instructor presumably because you've got a mastery of the technique. That of course means you should be executing the techniques with intensity, but lightly. No need to crunk up your uke's leg while showing low kicks.

CC-licensed flickr photo from Sklathill

Fedor Emelianenko seminar - some interesting stuff

2008-11-30T16:26:00.008-06:00

by Mike

Here's something pretty interesting - a seminar with Fedor Emelianenko online, for free!

For those of you not in the know, Fedor is the greatest Mixed Martial Artist of all time. It's also entirely possible that we'll get to the end of the sport of MMA and Fedor will still be considered the best. Fedor's style is, as one might expect, technically unorthodox and definitely not going to work for everyone - for example his "casting" punches that are tremendously effective yet result in endless broken hands for "The Last Emperor."

What is great is that you've got just over an hour of a seminar with Fedor that was taped and put on YouTube, with English subtitles. Some of what is covered is stuff that you already (or already should) know, but between "new" stuff and the look inside Fedor's mind, you should be able to add a couple new tricks to your game. Even being able to watch how Fedor moves is a treat. Seeing how Fedor uses Sambo (rather than Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) to defend or sweep in common positions is very interesting in and of itself.

This is a great document for the thought process of a great fighter and even if you aren't able to put some of his techniques into practice (i.e. while the casting punches are cool, even with properly wrapped hands, they freakin' hurt, so while I've incorporated them, they're mostly just a distraction/set up for something else) this is a great way to see into the mind of an elite fighter.

Shoutout to FedorSeminar for making this available to us all! (found via MMA Mania)

Fedor Seminar Part 1: Slipping and Punching/Counter Punching

In this section, Fedor teaches us how to slip/advance on a punching opponent, the differences between defense in boxing and MMA and shows us how to hold our hands while we punch (which I can guarantee is not what your boxing coach taught you and may partially explain Fedor's constantly broken hands, see 4:36). Also a simple takedown from moving into clinching range, a couple throws and a sweep from the mount in case you're up against a n00b.

Fedor Seminar Part 2: Working from the mount - top and bottom

Mount escapes. Working the Americana/V-lock and defending the same. Strangely, I don't remember the defenses from his fight vs. Mark Hunt. Stopping armbar defense via hammerfist to the solar plexus.

Fedor Seminar Part 3: Armbars & kicks

Armbars, defense and counters. More striking to the solar plexus.

Fedor Seminar Part 4: Kicking defense & more

Shielding and the parry-by-opposition. No hopping when doing switch-kicks?!? Misc. striking/wrestling/submission drills & techniques.

Fedor Seminar Part 5: Ground work

Kimura defense, the Kimura sweep, getting back to your feet from the guard. Alternatives to the triangle choke. Armbar defense.

Fedor Seminar Part 6: Ground work continued

Not all moves work all the time. Armbars, leg locks.

Fedor Seminar Part 7: Those crazy Sambo guys

A most curious calf-cruncher and a miscellany of leg locks. Kneebar from half-guard that I've been trying to remember from a Renzo Gracie seminar I took years ago (3:30 in or so).

Brawl At Bourbon St.

2008-10-25T09:33:00.002-05:00

WWNHH? Training partners "Dangerous" Jim Peterson and first-time fighter Kevin Lahey are going to be making an appearance at the Brawl at Bourbon Street next month. Check out my awesome hommemade poster below.

If you want to pick up some tickets, email tickets@whywenothithard.com

Recovering from injuries help?

2008-10-25T08:21:00.003-05:00

Over in First Aid for Fighters: Stupid Shoulder Injury, Green TSD has some questions about a recent injury and is looking for other readers' experience with similar situations (specifically how the recovery process relates to his future training.

If you've got any thoughts or experience to contribute, please stop on by and let us know your thoughts.

A time to tap and a time to not tap

2008-10-15T13:53:00.002-05:00

by Mike and Flipper

A couple months ago, a 10th Planet guy was at the school, showing demonstrating how to pass the Lockdown. I was the uke and unsure of what he wanted me to do - let go of the lockdown, or tap to show what happens if you let go. Since it's generally easier to say, "or you could let go," I decided to try to hold on and tap. The guy looked at me like I was a fool and said, "don't embarrass yourself - you should have just let go. Don't tap to that."

That got me thinking about other holds I see beginners try and other beginners tap to - Kimo-style straight ankle locks, Branko Cikatic-style forearm-on-trachia, smothered under a big guy's cross-body, etc. When these students get a little more advanced, "dude, only nerds tap to that...."

While putting together an article tentatively titled, "things you shouldn't tap to," Flipper chimed in with the following:

I've generally gotten more crunked up by refusing to tap to things I think I shouldn't tap to than by just tapping to stuff that hurts like hell for whatever reason.

About a month ago I was passing the guard of this guy who was like retard-strength strong. Got both of my arms under his legs and started stacking him. It felt like he was trying to triangle-choke my head w/ no arm in...and it was kind of hurting...but I was all like "screw this I can get a pass I don't tap to bullshit". Turned out he had picked up this neck-crank move from somewhere and was actually screwing up my neck pretty good. The lesson- sometimes a dude can just dig his knee into your neck and it's time to call it a day.

I mean yeah you shouldn't tap to someone getting a hard knee-on-belly or body-triangle, but for people getting used to submission grappling it's probably better for them to tap to shit that hurts and then slowly show them how to suck up some of the stuff. And you should tap to a straight ankle lock if you can't escape it. You should generally be able to escape it...but no need to walk like a drug addict for a day just 'cause some article tells you [not to tap].

The end result being: tapping and starting back up is, during training, almost always preferable to either a) wasting time or b) potentially injuring yourself because you figured something wouldn't work. That said, there are times to just let go, so you don't get caught tapping yourself out in the Lockdown or getting caught in a von Flue choke.

How to be a better uke

2008-10-02T18:07:00.004-05:00

by Mike

Being the uke may seem like a thankless job, but it's one of the more important bits of martial arts training. Learning how to be a good uke is important not only for your partner's development, but for your own as well.

A couple ways that you can make sure that you're doing what you should be when you're the uke:

Do the drill. While there are times that it seems that you'll be endlessly slipping jabs, or shooting in for a single-leg, resist the temptation to wander off onto something else. Odds are that the instructor chose the drill because the class needs to work on whatever the skills is.

Also avoid talking about non-drill related things. There's a lot of time before and after class to catch up.
Do it like you mean it. No half-assing. Whether you're throwing punches to be countered on or giving up an arm for the kimura, make sure that you're behaving in a realistic manner - not acting like a wet noodle waiting for your turn. The best way for you to keep your partner sharp is to make sure that you're sharp.

Most importantly, try to act like you would in a "live" situation. Having gone through any number of grappling classes or seminars with other [beginning] students to flatten out while being swept, it gets awfully tiresome to explain that "no resistance" means, "don't actively try to avoid sweeps or submissions" not, "fall over and go limp every time they try to roll out of the turtle...." Keep your base when it's appropriate, cover from punches, etc.
Work at your partner's level. Use resistance when it's necessary, lighten up when necessary. Make sure that they stay sharp.
Pay attention. Even the uke should be getting some practical training out of the drill. Noticing how your partners moves, how leverage changes throughout and many things besides can give you clues not only to improving your game. Watch your partner: do they ook? How do you react to their movements? Do they leave openings you can take advantage of?
Change things up. As your partner becomes accustomed to the drill, whether it's getting warmed up or internalizing a technique they've never seen before, the drill can be made more difficult by: changing your timing, going a little faster, introducing some resistance, throwing a little more heavily. Always be sure to work within the limits of your partner's skill and the scope of the drill.
Keep your partner on track. Encourage when appropriate and correct when necessary, but make sure that they're doing what they're supposed to be. Make sure that they stay sharp and focused.

CC-licensed photo by ŽakQ100

A couple sites worth your attention - Nutrition and Strength Training

2008-09-28T15:04:00.004-05:00

by Mike

Now that most of the interesting stuff on De Vany's site is now behind a pay wall, so...not much going on there. Here's our review of the cool stuff you missed. Haven't seen the DVD, so I can't comment on that, but instead of sitting through eight hours of that, I might just wait for the book. In the mean time, there's a ton of great information out there, ready for you to discover.

There's always the great debate of, "should you just go pay $30 for a book or is it more worthwhile to spend tens of hours of your time trying to piece the same information together on Web sites of varying quality?

The answer, of course, depends on where you fall in the money vs. time spectrum, but here's a listing of a few sites that I keep in my RSS aggregator, or otherwise visit every now and then just to see what's up.

Testosterone Nation: T-Nation is a sprawling site with articles on strength training, conditioning and nutrition focused on bodybuilders, power lifters, mixed martial artists and "guys who want to look good naked." The articles range in specificity from, high-level "take my word for it - this stuff works" to getting pretty in-depth with the science. The only downside to the prolific nature of the site is that there are a lot of articles that repeat themselves, especially when you've been reading it for a couple of years.

The search tool is atrocious and you can get lost in the archives while you review minutae of hand positioning for any lift you can think of, signing up for their forum will get you the "weekly dose" email that summarizes what's gone on during the past week. The guys on the forum are pretty helpful with questions if you have any.

Mark's Daily Apple is a fun site with a similar mindset to what De Vany and the Evoutionary Fitness folks have. Mark's a little more accessible than De Vany and has a variety of articles covering exercise, green/less-toxic living and more. These articles are generally interesting or good overviews, but his best articles are his nutrition articles which spotlight certain foods and provide recipes or recipe ideas.

Nutrition Facts is probably the most in-depth database of nutritional information. On top of good info, they have lots of colorful graphs and charts of varying utility.

Exrx.net is the most comprehensive collection of exercises that I've yet seen. It also probably has the worst navigaiton of any site that I've yet seen. While there is lots of information on workout construction, rehab and etc., the list of muscle groups and exercises to work those (as well as what exercises work which muscles) are where the real value of this site is. You'll probably want to start on this page and go from there.