Forgiveness!

I know guys, I know. This is going to be a little different than most posts. I just heard a quote from Mark Twain that got me all introspective and stuff. This may not be verbatim, but here we go" Forgiveness is the fragrance that a violet yields to the heel that has crushed it." Kinda deep isnt it? I don't know why this struck such a chord with me. Actually I do. It is because that is something that I struggle with on a DAILY basis. Does this mean I walk around angry all of the time? Nope. Not at all. It just means that while some things have happened some time ago, they still stir strong emotion inside of me. I would be lying if I said that the emotion was NOT anger. It is. Bearing a grudge can be a horrible thing. Like someone wiser than myself said that "Bearing a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee." Later on, someone wiser than that said that bearing a grudge is like" drinking poison, and expecting the other person to die."

That said, I would hate for you guys to get caught up in all of that. If someone has wronged you, try to work it out. Even if it was a long time ago, try to work it out. It may not be easy. Personal growth rarely is. But for the good of your heart, spirit and soul, you have to give it a try it out. On your deathbed, it is unlikely that those issues will even matter. But until then, it can be like unloading a bag full of bricks. And isnt that so much better?

FightScience: MMA

Guys,

Have you seen this show? It was recently debuted on the National Geographic channel. Basically they took a modified crash test dummy and subjected it to the techniques of a mixed martial artist. Funny thing is,that they compared the techniques of mixed martial arts to the techniques of traditional arts. It was interesting to match the science behind the bio-mechanics, but to me it was a little lacking.

Granted, for the MMA newbie, it did a really good job of explaining what a mixed martial arts competition involves. It explained how mixed martial arts competitions differed from traditional martial arts tournaments. The show included Bas Rutten, Tito Ortiz, Dean Lister and Randy Cotoure. They were allowed to Right Cross, Roundhouse Kick, Elbow Strike, Ground and Pound, and Double leg takedown this modified dummy.

Now, Bas Rutten delivered a powerful right hand to the dummy. He generated about 900 pounds of force. Comparable to the punch of a heavyweight boxer. One main problem: Bas was wearing MMA gloves. They are only 4 ounces, 6-12 ounces smaller than those used by a boxer. So is this a fair competition? I dont really think so.

Next up,Bas compared his roundhouse kick to the kick of a Taekwondo stylist. Bas's kick registered with much more force. But the problem is, Bas was at LEAST 20 pounds heavier than the Taekwondo stylist. You think that weight issue might be a factor? I would say so.

After that, Tito Ortiz landed a solid elbow to the head of the dummy. As expected, he generated a lot more force than the blow of a Muay Thai champion. Better technique? Not by a long shot. Tito walks around at about 230 pounds. The Thai champ was at least 60 pounds lighter.

Up to bat was the Double Leg takedown. Now, this was a little unfair as the octagon fence was adding momentum to the power of the slam. No to mention that the Octagon floor is much harder than a wrestling mat. Notch one up to doctored stats.

Now, the only technique unique to mixed martial arts was the Ground and Pound. You cant do it in striking tourneys or wrestling matches. That basically means that a fighter is straddling his opponent an delivering blows downward. It was interesting to see how much force was added by gravity bodyweight. This part I actually kind of dug. But other than that I found that show a little lacking. It sorta implied that MMA had a skill set that other martial arts did not. It may allow a mixture of technique, but not the exclusive use of anything other than Ground and Pound. Oh well, watch it anyhow. I bet you will enjoy it.

Martial Arts versus Prize Fighters

Folks,









Now I hate to lay this on you so late. After all, I am writing this post with my Homer Simpson pajamas on. But what can I tell you, I keep it old school!! I will give you ten points if you can tell me what Homer Simpson's middle name is.......Okay that is off topic. I am here to speak on this whole traditional martial arts versus boxing and mixed martial arts debate. Now, to me this is kind of a no-brainer. But to the newbies out there, or mixed martial artist wanna-bes, I got something for you. Just for you actually. Aww heck, why dont I throw in something for the close minded traditionalist as well :)







The fact is, this a ludicrous debate. While some people are in love with the sweet science, others are just as passionate about the traditional martial arts. Some martial artists say that boxing is nothing more than a fighting style, while boxers can tell you that boxing made them better people outside of the ring. So who is right? They both are.







While the mixed martial arts competitions are gaining popularity, it is still a niche sport. It is still seen by most of the American public in the same light as the X-games, or other types of extreme sports. That is just fine with me. The fact is that the term mixed martial arts can be misleading. Martial artists are often seen as people who are looking to improve their life using the benefits of the traditional martial arts. While that does fit SOME of the mixed martial artists in competition, it is the exception to the rule, and not the rule itself. Most people who get into mixed martial arts are sports competitors. With the aggressive marketing by mixed martial arts companies, their is the allure of money,fame, and (dare I say) ample attention from the opposite sex. In short, these folks are prize fighters. Those who exhibit the traits of traditional martial artists are far and few in between. Some examples would be: Anderson Silva, Rich Franklin, Frank Shamrock, Kazushi Sakuraba and Randy Cotoure. Now I realized that there are others, my bad if I didnt mention your name. I said that to say that most people who get into mixed martial arts now where former competitors in other sports. A huge number of mixed martial artists are ex wrestlers, rugby players etc.







Now, boxing on the other hand is a different animal. While the politics of boxing have turned many people off, it is still a THRIVING business. Let me explain. In 2007, boxing had a RECORD year in terms of revenue, and salaries paid. While admittedly, it lacks big names like Tyson,Holyfield,Leonard or Hearns, boxing is here to stay. With names like Mayweather, Jones, Trinidad, Hatton, Cotto, Calzaghe and others, boxing is still chugging along. And more importantly, boxing has history. Most people still feel that boxing champions are the baddest men in the world at their weight. While mixed martial artists scoff at the idea, the public's perception is the public's reality.







Let me show you how it all gets messy. Mixed martial artists often claim that traditional martial arts are being rendered obsolete. They claim that since no traditional martial artists are winning mixed martial arts titles, that the traditional arts dont work. Traditional artists say that there is a WORLD of difference between fighting to see who gets the belt, and who is fighting to go home to their loved ones. Traditional artists then mention that EVERY SINGLE technique that is being used in mixed martial arts comes from a traditional system. More importantly, the main 4 arts used in mixed martial arts are at LEAST 100 years old. The mixed martial artists are not superior, they are just devoting all of their time to win using certain rules.







Mixed martial artist get a little huffy and say, " Oh yeah? You can look on the internet and watch as mixed martial artists MOP THE FLOOR with your traditional guys. If the techniques are the same, why are the matches so one-sided?" Martial artists counter with"Well, once again, these are matches and not fights. Those internet matches are where two guys agree to meet at a certain place and time to fight each other. In that context the advantage lies with the mixed martial artists. Because they usually are more athletic than your average martial artist with a 9-5 job. If your entire livelihood is in fighting, you practice more than I do."







That is about the time that traditionalists jump back with this: Yeah well Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Lyoto Machida all give credit to their traditional arts backgrounds. And last time I checked, all of them are either a champion, an ex champion,and an up and comer in the ranks. So this is just another rung in the tall ladder of "mine is better than yours."



Come on folks, knock it off. If you have an athletic background, and fame, glory and notoriety havent been knocking on your door, you still have hope. If you KNOW that hitting and being hit doesnt bother you, sign on up. If you have the discipline to learn more than what you currently do, give it a try. If you can take everything that you think you know, and start over, MMA may be for you. If the roar of the crowd and the admiration of thousands make you quiver, this might be your gig. Good luck. Fame and fortune may await you!!!! You can be an MMA prizefighter.





If you are looking for something to change in your life, it is your turn. If you are looking for a path that will work your muscle and your mind, you may know just the thing. If you want to involve yourself in a fraternity/sorority that has included poor men and presidents, slackers and samurai, check out the traditional martial arts. You may not win fame and glory, but the gains can be life lasting. I have nothing but respect for anyone who partakes in a legal, sanctioned competition. Combat sports can be grueling to say the least. But they are just that, competition. While the skills learned there CAN be applicable to real self-defense, you should know the difference between real fighting and prize fighting. Prize fighting involves a referee and time limits. Real fights can involve tire irons and knives. A prize fighter knows that someone in the ring with him will not allow him to take undo punishment. A real fight can involve you and the emergency room, or worse yet, the morgue. Know the difference folks. Take your sport life seriously. Take your self defense skills even more so. One love folks!!!

Feeling comfortable in guard

Guys,


This is for all of my grapplers out there, especially sport ones. A lot of you guys cite that the main difference between the striking arts and some of the grappling arts is that you can defend yourself from your back. Now for the most part, that is a decent point. But the sport grappling technique will get you elbowed, forearmed or just generally pounded on until you go to sleep. I contend that fighting from your back is that last thing that should be on your mind.



I know that it is okay to be proficient when fighting from your back. It really is a good thing. But the idea of being comfortable I think leads to a destructive mindset. Even Helio Gracie admitted that he never CHOSE to develop his guard game, he HAD to. I think that the guard jumping and all of that stuff cause real problems. If you would like a demonstration, or an articulation of said point, here I go:


I have heard people say that you fight the way you practice. I am in pretty much in agreement with that saying. If you practice in a cooperative environment, you will do pretty well against those who cooperate. Case in point, boxers do well against other boxers. Taekwondo guys do well against other kickers and so forth. Anyone will do rather well against those who "agree" to fight in the way that they are fighting.

Now, stay with me, MOST martial artists do NOT train realistically. Since today's rant is particularly against sport jujitsu grapplers, I will focus on them. My first point is that most grappling schools do NOT practice their takedowns. I am granting an exception for jukoka, wrestlers and samboists. From what I have seen, most jujitsu schools start their randori from the knees, completely eliminating the need for takedowns, and takedown defense. Now, I understand the rationale behind this. The explanation goes something like this. " We can't have everyone at once practicing takedowns. It is too easy for people to crash into each other and get hurt." BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!. I think that this is a cop-out. Any jujitsuka out there will not be able to use their skills if they are not able to achieve an effective clinch. Practice your darn takedowns.

Wait a minute........Yup, I just got off track. I came here to hate on the guard game of most sport grapplers. Now dont get me wrong. I have watched the Mundial competition, ADCC and a whole host of other sport grappling tourneys. And I like them. But when people go to their sport classes and think that all of their skills transfer to real self-defense, they are mistaken. I find a lot of sport grapplers using a lot of sophisticated guard techniques that require the use of the gi. That is okay for sport. Problem is that most of them leave your face WIDE open. The spider guard and the X guard will get you hurt. I mean, wake in up in the ICU asking"Where am I?" kind of hurt.

I think that a lot of guys forget that the guard is a last resort position. Your main goal as a grappler should be to achieve the mount position or to take the back of your opponent. In a real fight, concrete, hardwood, a bar or club floor is the wrong place to be if you can help it. And if you have to be there, the mount position, or the knee on stomach position are usually the best. We all know that the guard can get you punted by your opponents friends, or stepped on in a melee. My solution is simple. Do NOT plan on using your guard! EVER!!

You may be tackled by a larger stronger opponent. If that is the case, the guard should be used to hunt for the quick submission hold. If you cannot do that, then the guard should be used to sweep your opponent and get into a better position, hopefully the mount or knee on stomach position. The last thing on your mind should be trying to finesse your opponent into a cool submission like the ones you see in class.

More importantly, without the proper takedown practice, I see a lot of guys who are willing to concede a takedown. Bad idea!! Fight for the top position!!! If you fight the way that you practice, then you need to practice harder. Dont ever feel that the guard is an okay place to be. If you feel comfortable in the guard in class, you may feel comfortable there in a fight. If you have a great spider guard in class, you may find that out of instinct, you may try it in a fight. That instinct could lead you into some unplanned face punchery. Or some elbow smashery. After all, your face is WIDE open. So for goodness sakes, learn to get on top. The guard should only account for about 30% of your practice. Spend your time learning to get mounted or side-mounted. Guaranteed, that when you need it, that is where you will end up to. Now, I gotta go. The Boondocks is about to come on, and I never miss it.

For you strikers out there

I have watched tens of thousands of rounds of sparring in western boxing, Kickboxing and Muay Thai. One thing that I have noticed is for the large part, Thai fighters dont get cut. I have seen elbows blast them in the face tons of times, and they dont bleed at all. What is the deal? Do you think that it has anything to do with that liniment that they put on their faces? If anyone has any insight, help me out please.