Monday, May 26, 2008

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for the week of 5/26/08

Hi and welcome back to the Wrap-Up! Traditionally, after a UFC Event, we start the report with a recap of the fights. After all, the UFC is the biggest name in mixed martial arts, and their events are always the biggest news of the week. Right?

Well, not this week! There's a new game in town, and even if it's starting out on some shakey ground, it's definitely getting a lot of attention. This week we bring you the most highly anticipated televised combat sport event ever...

MMA HITS PRIMETIME ON CBS WITH ELITEXC: SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

Remember where you where for the first Ultimate Fighting Championship? You had no idea who was fighting or what was going to happen; but it sure was exciting.

Well, that's kinda the feeling around this Saturday's EliteXC Primetime fights showing on CBS, May 31st at 9:00pm. (Okay, we now know a whole lot more about the sport, as well as more about the fighters, but it's still a really big moment for MMA.)

There's quite a few fight-critics out there complaining about the event. "Kimbo's never fought a worthy opponent," "The headlining fighters are facing MMA nobodies," "Gina's just on the card because she looks pretty," etc,. And while the critics do have some good points, we should take time to reflect on what an important moment this could be.

Exposure on network television during the prime time slot takes Mixed Martial Arts from a back-alley, pseudo-sport right into the mainstream. Although these fighters may not technically be the best out there, they're all about to become public celebrities. (Sure, 'Kimbo' is already one of the most recognized fighters around, but his superstar status is about to go through the roof.)

Regardless, of where they stand now, I think this is an important opportunity for Combat Sports to legitimize itself and make the move from spectacle to sport.

On the Card for Saturday:

'Kimbo Slice' (Kevin Fergusson) vs James Thompson

Robbie Lawler vs Scott Smith

Gina Carano vs Kaitlin Young

Also, it was announced this week that MMA Legend, Frank Shamrock will be doing fight commentary for this broadcast. This shows that CBS is honestly trying to make the event work when they put someone who knows what he's talking about in the booth.

You gotta wonder if this is part a carreer change plan for Shamrock. He might be thinking about putting his fighting days behind him. (Except, of course for a big payday fight against his brother... if Ken is ever able to get his act back together.)

-Here's a quick video from Press Day, to get us all caught up and introduced...






And the critics are right... Gina is "pretty"; but check out this photo shoot for Muscle & Fitness magazine. She can also Kick!



And finally, the Star of the Show, the one and only Kimbo Slice. (It's hard to get video of Kimbo without a lot of 'cursin' language, but luckily this one has a musical overdub!) Again, this guy may not have fought any big names yet, but he has one heck of left hook!



It would be nice to see what Kimbo can do on the ground. - I wonder if Thompson can get him there? ... Hey, I just had a funny thought... I know it's crazy; but what if... just what if... James 'the Collosus' Thompson actually won? How weird would that be!


UFC 84: "ILL WILL" - LIVES UP TO IT'S NAME

It was an exciting night for UFC 84 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

B.J. Penn and Sean Sherk surprised everyone by standing their entire fight and mostly throwing strong punches at one another. They fought three hard rounds with Penn appearing to get the better of the exchanges with crisp jabs that bloodied Sherk's face. Still, Sherk returned fire with hard punches of his own.

However, in the third round Sherk seemed to be having trouble with his right hand, wincing and shaking it off after blocks and punches. Penn, sensing weakness, launched a jump knee kick that landed squarely on Sherk's head, taking him to the mat. Penn quickly attempted to follow up with punches, but the buzzer sounded - ending the round.

However, it was obvious that Sherk could not continue and B.J Penn was declared the winner, retaining the title.

The Silva/Jardine fight was also a shocker. Most fight commentators (including yours truly) believed that Wanderlei's recent loss record and Jardine's unorthodox punching methods would be too much for Silva. We were wrong.

Jardine came out strong, but Silva quickly moved inside hitting Jardine hard and putting him on the ground. Wanderlei finished with a quick ground-n-pound before the referee stopped the bout at 36 seconds of Round 1.

Then there was Tito Ortiz against the undefeated Lyoto Machida. To his credit, Ortiz put up a good fight in what he claims will be his last UFC appearance. However, Machida's skill was just too much for him. Lyoto clearly won each of the three rounds for a unanimous decision (30-27 on all of the scorecards).

Ortiz did have a slim shot at glory, when he landed a triangle choke near the end of round three, but then attempted to transition into an arm bar which was easily escaped by Machida.

As we predicted, even with the loss, the fireworks began afterwards during the Postfight Press Conference. UFC Prez, Dana White and Tito Ortiz have had an ongoing and very vocal feud. So after the fight, Dana's people wouldn't let Ortiz into the Press Conference... and then Ortiz was going to leave, but his girlfriend, Jenna Jameson told him to stay... and... well here, I'll just let them tell you in this next clip:





Okay, there's a lot there, and I'll just let everyone make whatever they want to out of the accusations. But, I've got to say, I think Tito makes some very good points. There's no reason for the UFC to make obscene amounts of money off of the blood and sweat of it's fighters and then refuse to compensate them fairly.

But, my favorite part of this interview comes at the 3:00 mark where Tito's girlfriend Jenna Jameson, who is a porn star, (or so I've been told) compares the UFC to her Adult Entertainment company in regards to Health Insurance.

Wait, is she somehow implying that pornography and fight promotion are somehow related; That they both use and exploit people for their own purposes; That they both pander to the most basic and disgusting lusts of the public; That they both abuse their employees and the discard them when they are no longer of any use?

Actually, I can't think of a better analog. -Jenna, you are a genius!

Anyway, somehow Ortiz did get into the Postfight Press Conference. So what did the reporters want to ask about first? Wanderlei Silva's stunning upset? B.J. incredible title defense? Machida's undefeated record? Sherk's postitive steroid tests?

Nope, you guessed it; Tito!





MORE EXTREMELY LOCAL NEWS AS COMBATWIRE COMES TO CLTV IN CHICAGO

Yeah, I know; Lately I've been really pushing the Chicago MMA scene - but there's really some exciting stuff going on around here lately.

The newest thing is a program called Combatwire which shows on the local cable network: CLTV. The show is on Tuesday and Friday nights at 10pm and midnight, and also on Saturdays at 10pm. For those of you out of the area, you can check it out Combatwire.com.

Hosted by local kickboxer and MMA fighter, Felice Herrig and Q101 morning radio DJ , Jim Lynam, (of 'The Morning Fix') the show does a really nice job of highlighting all of the local combat sport events. They also provide interviews as well as a segment on training tips.

Although they aren't the most professional commentators you'll see on television, both Herrig and Lynam are fun and energetic (well, at least Herrig is).

I also like Herrig because she trains at my old gym in the Elgin Recreation Center (Big Props!)

Anyway, check her out getting some 'choke' tips in the following clip:





If Felice Herrig looks a little familiar, you might remember her from Oxygen channel's Girl Fight series. Here's her fighting in Phuket, Thailand during the season finale:



Okay, that's going to do it for this week. Check back again soon when we'll bring you more of the best of the web in MMA action and also tackle important questions, like... "Do 'Adult Entertainers get dental and vision insurance? -What about a 401K?"

Anyway, take care,

Rick

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for the week of 5/26/08

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Is MICE Better Than RICE for Injuries?

RICE or MICE, which is better?

From this great little post by Jiu-Jitsu Sensei Lori O'Connell on her recovery from hip flexor pull:

Conventional wisdom when it came to muscle and joint recovery used to be RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). But recently it has been found that immobilizing an injury (unless it's a fracture, torn muscle or your doctor advises you to) shuts the muscle down and restricts blood flow. Instead, modern medical research is suggesting that moving the muscle and encouraging blood flow to oxygenate the area and flush out metabolic waste helps you heal faster. Now many doctors are saying that RICE should be used only for the first 24-48 hours of the injury after which MICE should be used. In this acronym, "movement" replaces "rest."

I feel that all coaches and instructors should have basic or advanced knowledge of first aid CPR, and recovery from injuries that may be experienced in athletic training or competition. For those that do, the RICE acronym is well known. From About.com Sports Medicine's RICE page:

The R.I.C.E. Method of Acute Injury Treatment Includes:

  • Rest: Resting is important immediately after injury for two reasons. First, rest is vital to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament or other tissue from further injury. Second, your body needs to rest so it has the energy it needs to heal itself most effectively.
  • Ice: Use ice bags, cold packs or even a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a thin towel to provide cold to the injured area. Cold can provide short-term pain relief. It also limits swelling by reducing blood flow to the injured area. Keep in mind, though, that you should never leave ice on an injury for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Longer exposure can damage your skin. The best rule is to apply cold compresses for 15 minutes and then leave them off for at least 20 minutes. (Read The Proper Use of ICE).
  • Compression: Compression limits swelling, which slows down healing. Some people notice pain relief from compression as well. An easy way to compress the area of the injury is to wrap an ACE bandage over it. If you feel throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too tight, remove the bandage and re-wrap the area so the bandage is a little looser.
  • Elevation: Elevating an injury reduces swelling. It's most effective when the injured area is raised above the level of the heart. For example, if you injure an ankle, try lying on your bed with your foot propped on one or two pillows.

So what is MICE? According to O'Connell's post, it was recommended that after following the RICE treatment for the first 48 hours or so, that she basically keep things moving. Gentle stretching and conditioning were prescribed. The Google excerpt of "Sport and Exercise Medicine for Pharmacists" By Steven B. Kayne recommends letting pain be the guide - it should be uncomfortable, but not painful.

Great find by Sensei O'Connell, unfortunate that it took injury to bring it to light.

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Saturday, May 24, 2008

New Weapons for use in 'The War on Terror'

Check out some of the new techie goodies from DARPA:

Thanks to the engineers and scientists at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), our troops are using futuristic technology and weapons to put some serious hurt on our jihadi enemies, with even more advanced weaponry on the horizon. Among the new hi-tech gadgetry is the Wasp, a small aerial vehicle weighing in at only about 11 ounces that can be carried in a backpack and fly nearly undetectable reconnaissance missions for up to two hours, providing imagery to U.S. troops operating in urban areas. The Radar Scope, weighing less than 1.5 pounds and working on AA batteries, allows U.S. troops to “see” through concrete walls to determine if someone is on the other side, a particularly nice advantage for our troops in places like Baghdad. And the Tactical Ground Reporting System (TIGR) brings front-line combat into the Internet age, allowing troops going out on patrol to scrutinize a computerized map that outlines their area of operations, with icons detailing known dangers. Clicking an icon, troops can bring up information on not only past hostile action but also photos and background on local leaders, friendly or not, as well as current videos and reports from recent patrols, information previously unavailable to frontline troops.

In the wings is TransTac, providing on-the-spot Arabic/English speech translation (Star Trek Universal Translator, anyone?), and FOPEN, radar that can penetrate dense foliage to locate enemy fighters and vehicles.

Via: The Digest, Patriot Post Vol. 08 No. 21 - Published 23 May 2008

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Quote: Weakness With a Twist on Useless Acts

"We don’t actually need meaning to find fulfillment." Read - you'll be glad you did.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

My Dream Interview: 'Judo' Gene LeBell

Pat Parker has landed the big one! Not Al Gore, Pope Benedict, Kim Jong-Il, or Elvis (who remains elusive, but still Gene LeBell with Tak Kubota accessible, I've heard), but the dangerous one, Mr. Gene LeBell, AKA 'Judo' Gene LeBell!

Pat casually asks some of the questions that a serious man would, such as LeBell's opinion of kids in MMA, about violence in our society, and his history in the martial arts (I'm telling you, the guy knows everything, and I'm sure he invented dirt, then threw it in his opponent's eyes!), doesn't ask about what we really want to know: boxers or briefs? Does Mr. LeBell actually put his Judogi pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us? How many puny humans does he break before getting seriously warmed up? Ah well, lost opportunities...

An excerpt:

Patrick Parker: You've had so much experience in judo, wrestling, boxing, and jujitsu. Which of these arts seems to you to be the best way to start young children (like ages 6-8)?
Gene LeBell: I would say tumbling, gymnastics. Then if they fall off their bike they have less of a chance of getting hurt because they know how to move through the air. Then Judo and grappling involve all the skills from tumbling. Everyone should have background in boxing, judo, and wrestling.
Patrick Parker: There's been some hoopla in the news and on the blogsites lately about getting young kids involved in serious MMA competitions - do you figure that is a good thing or a bad thing?
Gene LeBell: It is a good thing if they are having fun. Less injuries occur on the mat than on a skateboard in the middle of the street.

Want more of the interview of which I've long dreamt? Head over to the interview at Mokuren Dojo and read up! Congratulations Pat!

Photo credit: Gene LeBell

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Awash in self-misery with no towel!

Whining to commence in 3, 2, 1...

I am lying in a state between consciousness and incoherence and dozing. I thought it was allergies, but the temperature, yellow stuff, and pounding headache have convinced me that I am now on my deathbed. No amount of sympathy will help, unless Jessica Alba, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, and Diane Lane are involved or just my wife is really nice to me. Uuuuugh. I can't believe I can't even produce a good post today. Mmmmmmm. Ok, it's not that different from other days, but it's still more whiny. Sorry. :'(
--

Nathan Teodoro

TDA Training – the WHINIEST martial arts training articles and information!

UPDATE: I MUST be delerious! See I can't even sppel! Hi Honey!

 

Repost: Snap-Back to Counter

This is a repost of a nice counter technique, the snap-back. When slipping a punch in boxing or kickboxing, there are several options: slip inside or outside (see example versus the jab) the attacking arm, bob (dip straight down by bending the knees, or, the little-used SNAP-BACK. Check out how you can use it. - Nathan

Drawing the lead

Snap back and prepare to push off

Drive off the rear foot

Counter with the straight right

Follow throw with the straight right

Snap-back and counter right: The lead-off fighter, on the right, leads, but only singles. Also notice the lead is dropped as it is retracted. The snap-back of the counter-fighter shifts the weight to the rear foot, and protects the head by moving it out of range. Quickly pushing off the read with the counter is accomplished by not leaning back, just shifting the weight.

NOTE: The key to this technique is to keep the weight forward! This is accomplished by taking a step back with the rear foot that is just enough to make your opponent miss, and reach. Make sure you keep the weight on the front foot and plant and push off with the ball of the rear foot. The over-extension of an expected scoring shot will over-extend the lead-off fighter's technique and create an opening for your counter. - Nathan

Monday, May 19, 2008

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for the week of 5-19-2008



Hi and welcome back for another exciting edition of the MMA Weekly Wrap Up, where we bring you all of the Internet's latest news, events, and video clips from the world of Mixed Martial Arts.


While the Heavyweights usually garner most of the attention, this week is particularly exciting for the Lightweight divisions as two big organizations have their best facing off in two enormous events. Let's start with the UFC...

WAR OF WORDS ALMOST OVER AS PENN IS SET TO FACE SHERK AT 'ILL WILL' 84


The former UFC 155 pound champion, Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk, who lost his title earlier due to a positive steroid test, will finally have a chance to redeem his title when he faces current UFC Champion BJ “The Prodigy” Penn at UFC 84: Ill Will this Saturday, May 24th.

Both fighters have been jawing at each other this week like Obama and Hillary; with BJ calling Sherk a "cheater," and Sherk denying that Penn has a rightful claim to the title. With strong fighting styles on both sides, this could be an electrifying match.


Also on the card are Wanderlei Silva, against Keith Jardine, and a highly anticipated fight between the undefeated Lyoto Machida against (Dana White's favorite employee) Tito Ortiz.
We'll keep the buzz for the Penn/Sherk fight buzzing with this preview video clip:




WEC FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE UP FOR GRABS IN FABER VS PULVER MATCH UP

Not to be outdone by the UFC, the World Extreme Cagefighting organization has put their Featherweight title on the line for a fantastic bout between Jens Pulver and Urijah Faber in
Sacramento, CA on Sunday, June 1st. The Event can be seen on Versus television (Find your local channel for the event here.)

This could be an incredible match as Faber is in tremendous shape and on the top of his game, while Pulver is a wildly unpredictable fighter. Anything could happen!

Here's a some of training interviews from both camps to get you pumped.





MMA'S 'RING BARBIE' TESTS POSITIVE FOR STEROID USE

Okay, this story took me a little bit by surprise. See, I have two young daughters and I'd love to eventually have one (or both of them) decide to enter the ring in some kind of MA event.

Now, if I had a boy, I might worry that he might be tempted to try some kind of physical enhancement drug, like steroids, to get an edge... but with girls, I had no fear of that ever happening.

Well, that illusion was shattered this week.

One of EliteXC's newest female fighters, Carina Damm (9-3-0), was discovered to have an unusually high level of the drug Nandrolone, after her last fight at Femme Fatale Fighting 4, held on April 3 in Los Angeles. The results were reported by the California State Athletic Commission.

The levels of the drug are reported to be quite high. CagePotato.com tells us that the natural level of Nandrolone in an athlete can be as high as 6 ng/mL, while Damn was found to have a level of 37.9 ng/mL! (UFC Champ Sean Sherk was suspended when he was found with a level of 12 ng/mL.)

With the explosion of MMA popularity and a slowly growing interest in female competitors, this news should really come as no surprise. Still, it's an extremely sad situation.

Here's clip from one of Carina's losses to a very capable Rosie Sexton (one of my very favorite Bodog fighters).

Check out the pre-fight interview; at one point she says, "The most important thing to me is winning... I want to be the Champion." -If only we could know how far she would be willing go to to make that happen.




EMMY AWARD WINNING REPORTER RISKS LIFE, LIMB, AND REPUTATION TO BRING US THE FUNNIEST 'KIMBO SLICE' INTERVIEW YET

Okay, here's the deal... almost every week, I find some interesting clip or interview with the current MMA sensation Kevin 'Kimbo Slice' Fergusson. However, I usually can't use the material because it violates this sites PG-13 sensibilities. (We try to keep foul language to a minimum, and well... Kimbo doesn't.)

So I'm always on the lookout for television interviews so we can bring you clean material, or at least something with all the bad words 'beeped' out.

Well, as luck would have it, someone at KCAL 9 in Los Angeles thought it would be a good idea to send their Emmy award winning journalist, Sharon Tay to Bas Rutten's Elite MMA gym to interview Kimbo Slice before his Primetime debut on CBS, May 31st.

What happens next is this poor reporter's worst nightmare.

I'll let you watch the disaster for yourself before offering my commentary.





One of my favorite highlights from this clip is at 2:15 when Tay takes off the focus mitts and sniffs her fingers with a disgusted look. -Hey Sharon, if you think that's bad, there's a few other places around the gym that probably smell much worse!

But the very best scene comes at 2:30 when Kimbo has her place him in a very reluctant rear choke. He posts her arm out and explains that he could now break it in two places.

When she says, "let's not do that," he instead throws he over his shoulder and places her into a very sweaty side mount. I'm pretty sure she had to take a two hour shower after that interview!
In another rather awkward Kimbo television appearance - This time, for some reason, at the Country Music Awards (Yeah, I know... Huh?), Kimbo gets on stage to help present an award.




While his appearance was hilarious, I don't think it's for the reason that that the promoters hoped. What's next; Kimbo on Seseame Street? Maybe 'The View'? Or what about 'The Bachelor'... hey wait, that just might work!

Anyway, that's all for this week. Check back again soon. With all of the upcoming events, we're sure to have plenty to discuss.

Respectfully,

Rick

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Breakdown of the High Thai Kick

I like this video analysis of the Thai kick to the head.

The only thing I'd quibble with is that the counter-rotation of the upper body by swinging the lead arm counter to the direction of the kick is more for balance than torque. My opinion only, but the torque is created by the lead foot stepping out, toes angled out at 45-degrees from the target, and the rotation of the hips into the target.

One other safety point: make sure you pivot on the ball of the supporting foot. If you plant it your knee will blow out a la Jason on the Human Weapon. One of my students did the same thing during a test and it was ugly.

Via: Fight Geek: High Round Kick

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The Dark Side of Goals

This month's guest post is by the Fight Geek, a Muay Thai practitioner and fight fan from Down Under who's been one of my favorite reads recently. He's got some strange and exotic training ideas (like Caveman training??). Anyway, read the post in an Aussie accent (as intended), and then check out his site for some great ideas, posts, and fight videos. - Nathan

Introduction
Let me start off by stating the obvious: goals are good—M'kay. I set goals, I develop strategies to reach them, and I feel outstanding when I've accomplished them. But mis-handling goals can get you into serious trouble—particularly when it involves fitness, health or sport: the bread and butter of martial arts.
Here's three examples of what I mean . . .

Unrealistic Goals + Impatience =
Johnny was going through a mid-life crisis. He longed for the slender, toned and limber physique of his youth. Not being one to do things by halves, he went out and purchased a complete series of advanced yoga DVDs. Later on that day, his best mate found Johnny dead—lying in front of the TV, with his legs thrust over his head in a contorted plough pose. The only clue to the cause of his death was what he was watching on TV: A scantily-clad blond nymph bending over and touching her toes. Johnny's mate wasn't the smartest of dudes, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to work out what Johnny was up to just before he died . . .
So what does this cautionary tale teach us? Only dogs are anatomically designed to have their heads so close to their balls? Sure, there's that. But more importantly—unrealistic goals combined with an impatient attitude makes a potent cocktail—shunned by the wise and skulled by fools. Women want to be supermodels, men want to be superstars and athletes want to be superheroes. And they want it to happen NOW! Unfortunately genetics and 'the effort required' will prevent 95% of them from ever accomplishing such lofty goals. And many will be lucky to survive their half-arsed attempts at doing so.

The fact is, adopting unrealistic goals and giving in to impatient compulsion will almost certainly lead to failure—a nasty, soul-destroying, "I don't ever want to try again" type of failure.
To set realistic goals we must be brutally honest about our own abilities and set our goals accordingly. And we must also recognize that any goal worth achieving will take time. By all means, dream big dreams.
But big dreams are best accomplished by setting progressive, realistic goals, that are gradually achieved, over a long period of time.
Confusing Tools and Goals
Luke just joined his local gym. After watching some of the other dudes pushing some serious iron, Luke realized he was a serious wimp. But he had a plan. In the latest copy of Beefcake Development™ magazine he found a solution to his wimpiness in a six-page glossy 'review' of The MEGA-Workout 9000. Its the latest muscle-building equipment accompanied by ten instructional DVDs and a twelve month supply of the ultra-effective, patent-pending MEGA-Workout 9000 supplement—all for the low price of $3999.

It will be his—oh yes—The MEGA-Workout 9000 will be his.

Luke starts saving. He takes on extra hours at work and cuts back on expenses. He cancels his expensive gym membership and starts doing some bodyweight exercises at hom
e—he'll get into the serious training once his Mega-Workout 9000 arrives. After a while he stops working-out completely—he hasn't got the time anymore. And he's too tired after the long hours at work anyway! He's also too busy to prepare his own meals, so he starts to eat out more. Eight months down the track, he wakes up one morning and realizes he's thirty pounds heavier, stressed out of his brain, and feels like s*** (the 'it's-been-waiting-to-come-out-for-a-week' type of s***). He decides to take the money he's saved up and go on a well-deserved holiday . . .

If I had a buck for every person who's done something like this! (I'd probably squander it on redundant training gear—doh!). In today's world it's so easy to confuse the goal of bettering yourself with obsessive purchasing of must-have gear. What's holding you back from achieving the body of your dreams? What's stopping you from winning your next competition or tournament? It's obvious! You haven't got the latest training gear, workout DVD, weight-loss pill or muscle-potion. Money can solve all of your health and fitness problems—if only you had more of it!

No matter how impressive any piece of kit is, it's still only a tool. And the problem with most people isn't a lack of tools, but a lack of motivation to use the tools. Filling up your garage with training equipment isn't a useful goal—it's an avoidance strategy. One that's been promoted by a mass-market culture and uncritically swallowed-whole by most of us. Be harsh when determining what tools you actually need to achieve your goal. And never fall for the old chestnut: "I can't achieve my goals because I haven't got [insert cool product here]." Nine times out of ten there's a way of achieving your goals (or at least getting closer to them) without using the latest and greatest products.

Ignoring the Side-effects of Process
John's finally got the biggest guns at his gym. It's taken him three years, some serious cash, and a s***-load of illegal substances. Sure he's lost his 'unsupportive' girlfriend and his non-gym mates, his arms now have more tracks than a train station, and his ever-growing man-tits are starting turn-on the creepier dudes at the gym. But he's achieved his goal . . .
When a goal becomes so important that you're willing to do ANYTHING to achieve it—you really have got a serious problem on your hands. This kind of mentality has lead many a hard training athlete into a lifestyle of self-abuse, self-deception and ultimately self-hatred: steroid use, dangerous dieting practices, anorexia, bulimia, medication abuse, over-training, faddish training, exercise addiction—they're all collateral damage to those who fall victim to the 'goals at any cost' mentality. When it comes to health, fitness and sport, HOW you achieve your goals is just as important as WHAT goals you achieve.

Conclusion
Poorly chosen goals can often be more destructive than having no goals at all! Some goals are unachievable, some aren't worth achieving, and some can change your life forever (for better or worse). So be careful when setting your goals. Otherwise you could end up a drooling corpse in a compromising position with nothing but your friends deductive-skills to determine how you died. I for one don't want to be remembered as the dude who died trying to orally pleasure himself. How about you?

:)

 

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Don't flinch it's just a Clinch

I know the title doesn't make sense, but I couldn't help myself. Heh.

Anyway, the occasion for this post is to inform my dear readers that we've added a new clinch category! Ta da! There are so many posts  on the clinch that I thought it deserved it's own grouping, and it's now easy for you to find the posts on:

Learning the clinch
The Thai clinch
Defending the clinch
Drilling the clinch
What to do when you achieve the clinch

It's a cinch, try the Clinch! [Again, my apologies!]

Monday, May 12, 2008

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 5/12/08

Okay, it's almost Summer time and for fight fans that means lots of events. Every organization is eager to pull us away from the ball game and into some kind of cage or ring. So let's take a quick look at some of the excitement that awaits MMA fans this month... Starting with the biggie...


UFC 84 PREDICTIONS FROM EVERY ONE'S FAVORITE 'FIGHT DIVA'

UFC 84: Ill Will, heads back to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 24th. Like we mentioned last week, this might not have the most exciting matches of the season, but if Tito Ortiz manages to beat Lyoto Machida there will definitely be some fire works in the octagon. The following trailer will review the main card fights.

As per tradition, here's the beautiful and talented fight-diva-guru Joanne from MMA Girls to give us her predictions for next Saturday.



While I agree with most of her predictions (I'm also rooting for Ortiz, if only to hear what he'll say after the fight), I'm going to disagree with Joanne for the Jardine/Wanderlei Silva fight.

Although I really like and respect Silva's ability and training ethic, I just think that he's going to have a tough time against someone as unorthodox, and let's face it - as crazy- as Keith Jardine. Then again, if Silva throws caution to the wind and just lets loose against Jardine, this could certainly be the most entertaining fight of the night.


CBS PROMOTING GINA CARANO FOR ELITE XC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

With MMA coming to Prime Time television on Saturday, May 31st, CBS has released the following interview with female mma sensation and headlining fighter, Gina Carano...


CBS execs are probably wise to let Gina do the interviews. Kimbo (Kevin Ferguson) Slice isn't exactly the spokesperson you want for this already controversial sport. To her benefit, Gina is well spoken, smart, pretty, and disarming (everything Kimbo is not... but hey, we love him anyway.)

EXTREMELY LOCAL FIGHT ALERT FOR THE CHICAGO AREA

Okay, now I happen to live about 8 miles from the site of this next event, yet I hadn't heard anything about it until reading CagePotato.com (how humiliating!).

Anyway, Adrenaline MMA (whoever they are) is having a big event at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates Ill. on June 14th. At this inaugural event, the headlining fight includes a Chicago Police Officer, Mike Russow (9-1) against a "fighting veteran" Jeff Monson (23-7).

Cagepotato.com points out that it's probably a smart to have local talent (cheap) rather than well known outsiders (expensive) competing. While I can see the logic, I have to wonder if it was a good idea to hold the fights outside of the city. Although the Sears Centre is an excellent arena, I can't see people coming out to the suburbs to see a fight.

Also, since even the suburbanites who (like myself) enjoy mixed martial arts don't know about the event, they could have a tough time selling 'nosebleed' tickets for $42.00 ($175.00 ringside!)

Regardless, I hope they do well and still plan to check out the fights.


AFFLICTION FIGHT CARD SHAPING UP TO BE THE 'HIT' OF THE SUMMER

Despite the lawsuits and general hating from the UFC, the Affliction clothing-line-turned-fight-promotion has announced some excellent fight match-ups for their July 19th card.

Included for the event are:

Headliners; Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia

Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo

Renato Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead

Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Negao

CagePotato.com is also claiming that two other anticipated announcements will include Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Paul Buentello and... get this... Ben Rothwell (former IFL heavyweight) and Andrei Arlovski (former UFC heavyweight champion) !!!

Now all we have to do is hope Randy Couture somehow wins a court battle and enters the ring as well.


THE HOTTEST MMA MEMORABILIA FOUND AT 'ROUND 5'


Speaking of Randy Couture, it was only a matter of time before goofy sports dolls (err... figurines) made it to the world of Combat Sports. Well, thanks to Round 5: World of MMA Champions, they're here...

Sure, they're dopey, but at the low, low price of $16.99, the real question is "How can you afford not to have one?"

They come in four adorable varieties... Randy Couture, Quinton Jackson, Tito Ortiz, and just added, Matt Hughes.

My wife will be so happy that I plan to spend real money on these things. I'll just have to put them up somewhere high, so that my 3 year old daughter can't get to them... maybe the china cabinet.

-"No, honey put those down; you can't play with daddy's dolls... err... figurines!"

Anyway, that's going to do it for this week's edition. Check back again soon as we bring you everything you need to know (and a lot of stuff you don't) about the world of Combat Sports as found on the internet.

Respectfully,

Rick


Saturday, May 10, 2008

Among Friends: Blue Wave TKD

Meeting Gordon White When traveling on business last week, I finally had a chance to meet one of my martial arts blogging peers, Gordon White of Blue Wave Taekwondo in Burlington, Vermont. I became acquainted with Gordon about a year or so ago when he joined the Convocation of Combat Arts. I grew to respect his opinions through his blog and the unpretentious opinions he's shared at CoCA.

Since beginning to write about martial arts , one of the thing's I've long wished to do was actually put faces to the names of my fellow MA bloggers. Meeting Gordon did not disappoint. After circling the block about three times, I realized that door between a couple of other businesses may be the one I was looking for - I decided to park and investigate. I walked up the stairs to the first landing of the nondescript building and realized there were many doors, and none of them said "Blue Wave Taekwondo." I decided to just hold still and be quiet. Still nothing. I went up another floor, around a corner, then heard what I was expecting, sounds of commotion and yelling. Rather ki-ap! I was on the right track!

After going down a hall, I heard an instructor using his "command voice" and then more commotion. I was able to catch about half of a tournament team practice that Gordon later told me were some final preparations to go to the nationals. I was impressed! Technique was sharp, intensity was high, and there was a camaraderie built by hours of hardship, sweat, and probably a little blood. I was warmly greeted by Gordon, then introduced to the class, and sat down to watch it all happen. Afterward, several of the competitors took the time to greet me with warmth and respect, a credit to their instructor and their art.

Gordon and I headed over to a local pub that he said had some of the best local brews and good food, too. We shared thoughts and experiences about TKD, self-defense, and martial arts in general, then Gordon gave me encouragement and some great ideas for the Convocation.

Perhaps of interest was Gordon's self-defense encounters being contrary to the oft-stated position that sport Taekwondo teaches you bad habits relative to using your hands. He related that in the couple of times he's "used it," he had no problem using kicks and punches. Granted, punching is rarely used in sport TKD, but it's still trained - and effective.

In summary, Gordon's devotion to his training, quality of teaching, and his obvious results make me happy to meet him, proud to know him, and I would strongly recommend his school to anyone looking for a good TKD education in the area.

Gordon, thanks again for your hospitality, and when I'm in the Burlington area again, will definitely give you a call. Maybe we can get Karrie out there, too.

Please click here to see photos of my visit.

 

Friday, May 09, 2008

TDA Blitz 2008.05.09

It's a muggy morning here at the super-secret training compound. It's been decided by the boss that I CAN attend the Karate College, so I hope to see some of you there. Several other exciting happenings - I met one of the Convocation Partners last week, Gordon of Blue Wave Taekwondo (I'll be posting about it tonight), we're going to have a Martial Arts Blogger roundtable, and BBM is going to try to put together a meet n greet for us. Very cool! Anyway, here's your Blitz!

  1. Fist of the Red Rebel has a nice post on one of the most colorful figures in boxing history, heavyweight boxing champ Jack Dempsey! Many may not know about Dempsey, but should. His ferocious ring style is legend, and his personal history is an amazing story of American grit. Read Jack Dempsey, Boxing Legend, Hero... Martial Arts Instructor? for a twist on what you may think you know.
  2. Good news on Web security, Yahoo using McAfee to clean up search results (USA Today):
    "SAN FRANCISCO — Yahoo and McAfee are joining to offer alerts about potentially dangerous websites alongside search results generated at Yahoo.com.
  3. With the new security feature — slated to take effect Tuesday — people who search the Internet using Yahoo will see a red exclamation point and a warning next to links McAfee has identified as serving dangerous downloads or using visitors' e-mail addresses to send out spam."

  4. For those of you who have some confidence in our government's competence, uh...
    Air marshals' names tagged on 'no-fly' list: "Some federal air marshals have been denied entry to flights they are assigned to protect when their names matched those on the terrorist no-fly list, and the agency says it's now taking steps to make sure their agents are allowed to board in the future." Oh good. And why is it that I say you have to rely on yourself for your own protection? Supposedly this has now been corrected.
  5. Dojo Rat has a very good post on a book that I read in the '80's, and probably still have somewhere, "The Warrior Athlete; Body, Mind & Spirit" by Dan Millman, of "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" fame. I remember reading "The Way" then searching for this book frantically for more information. Try to find it - DR think's it's out of print.
  6. John Zimmer has a great post on an "unbreakable umbrella that can be used as a weapon." Check it out. It's amazing! The post on legal weapons highlights a basic requirement of self-defense weaponry - it should be legal. If you carry a knife and it looks like a Rambo knife, then it's going to be near impossible to justify in court, but an umbrella? No prob!
  7. Black Belt Mama shared a good story of trusting your instincts. I've posted before on why realtors are at risk, but the same goes for those trying to sell their homes. From Psycho Detection Skills Required:
    "... He then said, "So I should probably move my car up to the visitor parking area before you show me your house." He stared at me waiting for a response. After painting for 12 hours this weekend (more to come on this tomorrow), I was completely exhausted and probably lacking any form of poker face. All I could think of as I stood there looking at this middle-aged single man who was by himself was, "It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again." I quickly told him he should call his realtor or call the number on our sign and speak with our realtor so that he can make an appointment. " Good move, BBM!
  8. Watch the Kung Fu Bear via Fight Geek. I mean it. It'll be worth it!
  9. John Vesia's post, Getting Better, highlights some very good steps to take to improve, including videotape, a training log, and slooooowing down. I recommend all three.
  10. Straight to the Bar links up to a good post on "girlie pushups." I guess I'll try the manly kind now. I am shamed.
  11. Finally, I love this kind of story! Prospective juror in marijuana case is caught smoking pot

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Repost: Close to Roundhouse Knee

I thought this 2006 oldie was worth reposting, Close to Roundhouse Knee. I've been so busy the past few days I haven't even had a chance to stay caught up on email, much less create posts (I've got about 75-100 drafts, but none ready). So to tie you over, a good blast from the past, the offensive check with a round knee attack. This has utility in sport MA (MMA or Muay Thai), self-defense, Combatives, or defensive tactics (DT).

A few points: the lead technique doesn't always have to do damage, it just has to create or exploit an opening. The lead-off check is a great use of that tactic. It can transition to a trap, pressing to remove the threat of a viable counter (the opponent is off-balanced), and keeps the attention on the upper body, setting up the knee opening. Enjoy. Comments are encouraged!

Offensive (not counter) use of the knee:
1. Instead of closing the gap with a jab, the lead-off fighter uses a check of the right hand of the counter-fighter.

2. Inside the guard, and on the flank, the right hand latches behind the neck.

3. The knee to the face is delivered. The important thing to remember is that as long as you close the gap properly, any technique can be used - even a "counter". Why wait for your opponent to lead-he might hit you! Maxim: "It's always faster to act than to react."

For more information:

TDA Check, step-around, and counter
TDA Video: Checking your way to surviving multiple opponents
TDA How Long Do You Press the Attack?
TDA Checking

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

The Word is Karate

Watch this great video of Michael DePasquale's (Sr) dojo (Yoshitsune JuJitsu). You will notice many great aspects of traditional training: uniforms, one-step sparring, makiwara, breaking, self-defense, ukemi (falling), and kata (forms). It seems to be a documentary as a part of a feature. Very nice!

For more information:

International Federation of Jujutsuans

Monday, May 05, 2008

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 5-5-08



TITO ORTIZ'S 'REAL' OPPONENT AT UFC 84... DANA WHITE
As we prepare for the next UFC event, returning to the MGM Grand Garden Arena, on Saturday May 24th, the usual trash talk has already shifted into high gear.
In the Lightweight division, B.J. Penn will face Sean Sherk (provided his steroid test come back negative!); While two Light Heavyweights bouts will also take place. Wanderlei Silva and Keith Jardine will match up; and Tito Ortiz will fight Lyoto Machida.
The thing is, so far, most of the trash talk hasn't been between the fighters, but between Tito Ortiz and UFC President Dana White. Ortiz has been very vocal about his feelings concerning UFC contracts and the money paid to fighters. Tito uses almost every interview as an opportunity to bash both the UFC and White.
Since this is Tito's last fight under UFC contract, the real fire works might take place after the fight. Something tells me that Dana White is praying Machida wins this match; Otherwise, PayPerView might have to cut to a commercial during Joe Rogan's customary post-fight interview.
The following interview from Throwdown.com lets Ortiz express his dislike for the UFC:





For PART II of the interview, click here.


FABER VS PULVER AT WEC - 6/1/08

In his hometown of Sacramento CA, the WEC Featherweight champion Urijah Faber faces former UFC Lightweight champ Jens Pulver in what could be the most exciting WEC event yet.

Faber recently defeated Jeff Curran with a guillotine choke last December and is still hot on a 12 fight wining streak. Pulver has moved from the UFC and dropped weight after losing to BJ Penn last year. He choked out Cub Swanson in his debut WEC fight and is highly anticipated to match with Faber.

Other matches include:

Miguel Torres vs. Yoshiro Maeda

Chuck Grigsby vs. Mark Munoz

Kenneth Alexander vs. Rob McCullough

Donald Cerrone vs. Rich Crunkilton

Mike Brown vs. Jeff Curran

Tim McKenzie vs. Eric Schambari

Jose Aldo vs. Alexandre Nogueira

Dominick Cruz vs. Charlie Valencia

The event will be televised on Versus.

Here's a quick interview with Faber talking about the upcoming fight.





'REDBELT' HITS THE MOVIE SCREENS

After years of putting up with B-movies and direct-to-DVD disasters, MMA fans may finally have a reason to go to the movies.

Written and directed by David Mamet, Redbelt "Redbelt" stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as an honest Brazilian Ju Jitsu instructor, who's school faces financial troubles and ends up fighting in corrupt mixed martial-arts competitions. Okay, so far it sounds like every other martial arts flick ever made, but the movie definitely has better production quality and solid acting. (They actually found a real actor to play the lead instead of some UFC champ who can't even remember his lines... although Randy Couture still somehow finds his way onto the screen.)

The Trailer looks pretty good; and even if the movie blows, the fight scenes are sure be worth the $8:00 admission!





Well, that does it for this week, check back again soon as we continue to bring you the 'best of the web' in MMA news, events, and happenings.

Respectfully,

Rick

TDA Interview - Bob Patterson of Striking Thoughts

Striking Thoughts blog

Bob Patterson's Striking Thoughts has been one of the must-read martial arts blogs on my list for a while. His blog features his thoughts on various aspects of martial arts from the perspective of someone who's picked up after a long layoff, and is on the verge of 1st Dan in Taekwondo. Bob has prior experience in TKD, some Wing Chun, and PPCT [Ed. Pressure Point Control Tactics] while working in corrections. In this, the second of our monthly interview series, we decided to get to know this interesting blogger and martial artist better. I interviewed him last week, just after what he calls his "last TKD tournament." Enjoy!

TDA-Nathan: Bob Patterson of Striking Thoughts. Welcome to the TDA Training Interview! As we begin, I want to make sure you know that Rick wanted to be here, but his wife should have delivered their new baby as of a couple of days ago, which is probably why he hasn't done his MMA Weekly Wrap-Up. He expressed his regrets and wanted me to welcome you here.

Bob: Well thanks for having me and congrats to Rick if she did!

TDA-Nathan: Thanks. I'll pass that along to his lazy butt (he should be working at TDA right now!). Anyway, first question. Can you tell our readers about your blog - something we don't know?

Bob: I can tell the new readers something they may not know... it started out as a non-martial arts blog that focused on politics and religion. Then when I got serious about the martial arts as I approached my mid-life crisis I gave that all up and turned it into total martial arts.

TDA-Nathan: When did that happen?

Bob: Going on probably two years ago maybe? For a while I tried combining martial arts with politics and religion. Problem is both camps complained and the politics and religion folks are less reasonable. ;) Martial arts won.

TDA-Nathan: LOL! Makes sense. I think anyone who's read Striking Thoughts has enjoyed your journey to Cho Dan in TKD. What made you resume your TKD training. I understand you've learned Wing Chun, some boxing, practical application of force/DT/PPCT, but I wasn't sure where the TKD came into play. Can you 'splain?

Bob: 15 years ago I made it to 5th gup at a "mcdojo" that had all the fancy equipment. A ex-high school wrestler buddy and I were messing around one night and he mopped the floor with me. After that I quit. I then bounced in and out of martial arts. The PPCT came when I was with the dept. of corrections along with the boxing. Then I focused on school. Kung fu for about a year while I was working at a college but the professor who taught it left. By then I was 37 (?), had the itch, and was looking for the next art. Funny thing but I swore Taekwondo off as a total joke 12 years prior. Well the school Taekwondo club had a call-out for new members and I showed up on a lark. About a month into it Sabum v. 1 let me spar with him. Bear in mind he won a gold medal in the junior Olympics. Well he murdered me. He took it easy 'til I tagged him with a jab. After that he knocked me on my ass at least five times and I could not do a damn thing about it! He had my attention and I stuck around. Now here I am close to cho dan! Who'd have thunk it!

TDA-Nathan: That's great. I know you're on the verge of your Cho Dan exam, and will make official what you've earned in sweat and, unfortunately, blood. Share with the amazing TDA readers [kissing up to my peeps here - please ignore unless you're one of them] what surprised you the most about your TKD training, studies, and practice.

Bob: That there is some viable self-defense techniques in Taekwondo. If you ask me if I think it's the best self-defense art I'd still say no. But you have to factor in that from a self-defense perspective it's "defensive" almost totally. i.e. wait 'til someone attacks you. So while that may not be the "best" like, say, Krav Maga, it's pretty darn good for John Q. Public who does not want to be John Rambo and get sued. The second thing speaks to my age: I lost a lot of skills I had 15 years ago. So it's forced me to work within my physical limitations and age. This has been the hardest part, I think.

TDA-Nathan: That leads us into, what advice would you share for someone about our age (40) who's starting out in TKD or any other martial art? Did your motivation change from when you started up again till now? And why are you always whining about injuries??? I though black belts were invincible!!!! :'(

Bob: HA! Beware the ones who tell you they are and move on to the next school where the instructors are honest! Even 9th dan grandmasters are not invincible. It's funny but now that I feel the physical skills slipping I have the fire to get this thing done. Back then I'd start and stop but never got serious. You don't realize what you have 'til you start to lose it. Now it's beat the clock and I plan to go down swinging. As for someone at 40 who wanted to start? First make sure your doctor says you can. Then take it very slow and expect the gains--especially at first--to be very slow. Heck the first three months back into this I was so beat up I almost quit. I tested for my second belt with cracked ribs and did not tell Sabum. Don't be stupid like me! Take it slow, stretch almost nightly, and supplement the training with some kind of callisthenics or light weights. Also make sure your instructors are willing to work with your age. Most good ones are will not expect you to do what an 18-year-old can because they too are probably as old (or older!) than you.

TDA-Nathan: Good advice all around. I, however, must agree with you. I AM the invincible black belt exception... Except when I get hurt. Or hurl on my grappling opponents. Anyway, you've had the "benefit" of some experience in a corrections/criminal justice environment - AKA: jail. What did you take from that experience (not only from a martial arts perspective). Did it change your views on human nature?

Bob: My bruises will defer to your invincibility. ;) I also must advise you that as a former medic too many punches to the head can affect your judgment [Nathan- I have no idea what he meant by that]. Four years of jail (I worked there!) taught me a few things: 1) Under the right conditions most people can be violent. 2) Your head will get you farther than your physical skills. Back in the day I was a lean 170 and outclassed by inmates who spent all day on the weight pile. However, most of the time you can even reason with a thug and avoid fights. The thing is a lot of these guys had AIDS, hepatitis, etc. So most fights led to some sort of bodily fluid exposure. Same can be said for the street if you are mugged. Yeah maybe you can beat them up but maybe not if they have a weapon. Even if you do what if you punch them, cut your fist on a tooth, and get AIDS? That's permanent and not worth a wallet. That all having been said if you have no other option be prepared to get hurt and give them all you got.

TDA-Nathan: Glad you escaped and are using the blogging halfway house for rehabilitation! We're, unfortunately running out of time, so only time for one or two more. As you reach the conclusion of your TKD studies, I know you've mentioned wanting to move to a "softer" art. Have you considered BJJ or Aikido (keeping in mind that we both know what soft means and doesn't mean in a martial arts context!)? What have you located in the area?

Bob: BJJ is out. I fear it'd be too hard on my body. I've seriously considered Aikido or Chin Na. I'm leaning towards Chin Na. I've located a school that has a curriculum that can get you to what would be black belt equivalent. I'd been advised by a few bloggers including Dojo Rat that Chin Na would be a good choice. If I complete the program or only last a year--if I move to Kung Fu, Tai Chi, etc. they all have some Chin Na. Plus, I'd still be learning how to break limbs. ;). Plus I started kung fu then stopped. So I want to close that circle if I can.

TDA-Nathan: Sounds fun. And congratulations and best wishes in whatever you do. I want to express my appreciation for a couple of things. You're consistently good blogging has probably inspired the other bloggers in our community, and those who've shared your experiences vicariously through your fine writing. You should be congratulated on the site and new design - excellent. Second, I want to thank you for the Martial Arts Blogs Toplist. I think you've got the strongest and most complete collection of MA blogs on the net, and getting them all to participate is an accomplishment worthy of our appreciation by itself. It (the Toplist) gives all of us a way to quickly find new information or inspiration to train or blog about training. Well done, sir. Is there anything you'd like to share with the TDA Training readers before we sign off?

Bob: First, thanks for the kind words. I'd advise anyone to read this to spend some time on that Toplist and check out some of the blogs. I have to say that I'm a strong believer in self-education. Part of it--even through the martial arts--can come through books. However, you can also follow a few of the good blogs and learn a lot. I think it adds a level to your training and will make you a better martial artist. Also, if your instructors know that you took the time to study their art they'll be quite pleased! With that I bid you and your readers a very good night!

TDA-Nathan: Thanks and good night. See you on CoCA and Striking Thoughts!

For more information:

Striking Thoughts

Sunday, May 04, 2008

What Can Be Gained by "Doing It Wrong"?

A couple of months ago, I was checking out a post on Bruce Lee's 'One Inch Punch' by Dojo Rat, when I came across the following video of a young martial artist training Lee's famous technique.

Watching the clip, I was really impressed by what I thought was a novel way to practice and improve the finer points of the One Inch Punch.




Apparently, many of the YouTube critics weren't as enthusiastic about the training as I was. The video clip had gotten a lot of negative comments.

People left responses saying things like:

"Why are you sitting? You cannot build any power if you don't have stability. You actually bounce back each time you hit. If you met a opposing force, you would just fall on the ground. No offence, but everybody can do what you are doing."

"I've just started training on my one inch punch and my finger tip punch and i could make a much stronger hit than this. you sit, and the energy from the ground and trough your legs disappear"

"You cant train it sitting :\"

What all of these so-called critics are missing is that the point of this exercise is to punch without using the hips or legs. - He even mentions that in the introduction to the clip (although his English seems a bit unclear).

By sitting, he isolates his shoulder, arm, and wrist - making them do all the work without any assistance from his lower body. Later, when he adds lower body movement his punch will become much stronger.

The point here is that all to often, we martial artists are far too quick to judge someone negatively when we see them doing something different from the way we've been taught. We have a tendency to view all other styles only through the spectrum of our own experience.

However, if we can suspend our judgement for just a moment and look at something new with a fresh perspective, we might learn some valuable insights into our own training. Sometimes the best way to improve a technique is by doing it "wrong" for a while.

Check out the one inch punch that was eventually developed by the kid in the video. -Not bad at all.



If you'd like to see some more of my thoughts on Bruce Lee's One Inch Punch, then check out the latest episode of The Technique Critique at TDATraining's sister blog; Kicksboxes.blogspot.com. (WARNING: Shameless plug by the Author!)

Anyway, take care, keep training, and remember... if at first something seems "wrong," be sure to take another look. You just might discover a better way of doing it.

Respectfully,

Rick