THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 7-27-08

Hello and welcome back to the wrap up. Okay, as expected, this week was a bit of a let down after all of the excitement of the UFC/Affliction showdown. But EliteXC still managed to give us a few fireworks in their CBS Primetime event this weekend, and we also have UFC 87 to get ready for, as well as a few philosophical offerings from Frank Shamrock to consider. So let's get rolling....

ELITE XC BRINGS US YET ANOTHER BLOODY BATTLE (WITH MORE YET TO COME!)

While EliteXC failed to attract as many viewers as their debut program this past Saturday night, they still managed to give us a respectable show and plenty of action. Without well-known names like 'Kimbo Slice' or Gina Carano fighting, this really wasn't a surprise.

The big fight of the night was a rematch between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith for the EliteXC Middleweight title. Their last fight was stopped by the doctor and ruled a "no contest." This time around their was just as much blood, but some quick thinking (and even quicker hands) by Lawler prevented another stoppage.

Smith came on hard during the first round, pressing the fight and using impressive head kicks to keep Lawler on the defensive. Lawler returned fire with strong punches, but it was obvious that Smith had taken an early lead. In the second round, Smith continued his aggression and just as Lawler seemed to be getting a second wind, Smith began to find range with some viscious elbows, splitting the top of Lawler's scalp open with a deep gash that began spilling blood all over his face.

It seemed certain that the fight would soon be stopped, however Lawler managed to engage a clinch and then started working some knee kicks to the body and eventually the head to drop Smith. In dramatic fashion, Robbie Lawler took back the fight, winning by knockout in the second round for a very exciting finish for the evening.

Here's a quick clip of Lawler during his post fight interview:

However, the most interesting fight of the evening happened earlier during a match between two female fighters, the Brazilian Chute Boxing/Muay Thai fighter, Cris Cyborg (yeah, I guess that's really her name) and Shayna Baszler.

Cris dominated almost every second of the fight with blistering kicks, quick footwork, and awesome punches. Shayna, to her credit, took one heck of a beating before finally falling to a particularly rough right hand.

Here's Cyborg's postfight interview:




Cyborg is an amazing fighter to watch. She moves well, with incredible strength and impressive ring-savvy. I really don't think there are many other women out there who could match her... in fact, the only one that comes to mind is Gina Carano... and wouldn't you know it, Gina also happens to fight for EliteXC... and it just so happens that she would mind mixing it up with Cyborg... in fact, she seems pretty anxious to do so!


Friends, this is the setup for the biggest Female MMA Fight in History... and personally, I can't wait!

UFC 87: GSP ONCE AGAIN INVADES THE UNITED STATES.... RUN!

George St. Pierre defends his Welterweight title against the Number 1 contender, Jon Fitch on August 9th at UFC 87: Seek and Destroy in Minneapolis. Also on the card will be the former WWE star Brock Lesnar taking on Heavyweight, Heath Herring and Kenny Florian vs. Roger Huerta.

As per Wrap Up ritual, here's the promo video for the event.


And of course, we can't talk about an upcoming UFC event without consulting the Fight Diva herself, Joanne from MMA Girls for her predictions.


ESPN TAKES ON YOUTH MMA TRAINING WITH FRANK SHAMROCK

Okay, finally here's an issue that I'm personally kind of on the fence about.

On one hand, I love the martial arts and Combat Sports and think it's an awesome activity for young people. However, on the other hand, I want to get on my cell phone and call DCFS every time I see some 8 year olds actually competing. (However, it's common for Golden Gloves/Olympic Boxers, Professional Football Players, and Gymnasts - all dangerous/highly competitive sports- to begin at that young age.)

I guess that I feel that it's okay for children to begin learning MMA (falls, holds, punches & kicks against focus pads, etc.) but feel that actual, full-contact competition should take place later on (say 15-16 yrs old)

Check out the following clip and let me know what you think. -One thing is certain... Frank Shamrock is not the person who should be representing Combat Sports on this issue!



On that philosophical note, I'm going to leave you for this week. Check back again soon as we continue to keep you updated on all the latest happenings and news in the world of Combat Sport!

Respectfully,

Rick

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 7-21-08!

Hello and welcome back to the MMA Weekly Wrap Up. The first of (hopefully) many challenges between the UFC and Affliction took place over the weekend. Prior to this Saturday's Ultimate Fight Night and Affliction: Banned event, there was a lot of speculation about which organization would win the hearts and minds of MMA fans everywhere.

Who would get the most viewers? Who would put on the best/coolest show? Which fights would be the most exciting to watch?

Well, the fights are over, the numbers are in, and the viewers have been heard; The official winner of the Affliction vs. UFC competition is... (drumroll)... the Fans!

That's right people, you heard it here first! Both organizations put up some really great fights - The kind of stuff that we'll be talking about for a long time to come. The real winners of this situation are those of us who love combat sports, the people that like to see athletes, at the top of their game, demonstrate their full capabilities. Both organizations had that this weekend and it made for one very exciting evening.

FEDOR DOMINATES SILVA

First up was Afflictions Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia fight. Sure, almost everyone on the planet expected Fedor to win, but most of us also thought that the former UFC Heavyweight Champ would at least give him a run for his money. It didn't happen.

Instead, Emelianenko caught Sylvia with a mean left uppercut/hook combo that put him on the canvas during the opening moments of the fight. Sylvia tried to pull out a ground game, but Emelianenko quickly took his back and sunk a rear naked choke, ending the fight.

Not that anyone was seriously doubting Emelianenko's abilities before the fight, but his utter domination of Sylvia has cemented Emelianenko's reputation as the most dangerous and power fighter in the world.

Seriously, who can even challenge this man? As the clip below shows, he's even beginning to take on the mythical "Chuck Norris" status.

Okay, that question about challenging this man was supposed to be rhetorical. -As it turns out, Randy 'the Natural' Couture has been trying to set up a fight with Emelianenko for quite some time. Couture, who has been battling legal contract disputes with the UFC, hopes to get the issues solved in court sometime this week.

Just think; Couture vs. Emelianenko! WOW! What a fight.

Randy has forgotten more about fighting MMA than most pros will ever learn. He has the knowledge, the experience, the power, and the heart to stand up against Fedor, but he's also been out of the ring since October 2007 at an age when most fighters are safely considering retirement.

This could be an incredibly tough match for Couture as the advantage would now have to go to Emelianenko.

ANDERSON SILVA ROCKS THE UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION

Not to be outdone by the Affliction fights, the UFC brought out it's biggest gun in Anderson 'the Spider' Silva to face James Irvin for Ultimate Fight Night. Silva moved up to the 205 weight class for this match.

If there was a lot of anticipation and stress leading up to this fight, you'd never have known it by looking at Silva. He looked more like someone casually entering a family reunion than someone about to enter the Octagon and face a dangerous opponent.

On his way up to the cage, he was busy giving out hugs to friends, cornermen, and training partners. Completely relaxed and confident, he gave little indication of the amount of violence he was about to inflict on Irvin.

As the first round started, Silva tested the waters with a few low kicks and Irvin tossed out a couple of jabs. Then, suddenly Irvin threw a strong roundhouse kick and all hell broke loose.

Silva countered by tying up the leg, Thai-style, and then jacked his right hard into Irvin's face.

Irvin went down hard, as Silva followed blasting another eight rights into Irvin's head before the referee could stop him.

Anderson's entrance into the Light Heavyweight division was over in a matter of seconds as the referee waved Irvin out.

After the fight, Silvas hostilities disappeared as quickly as they came, as he once again returned to the humble and friendly guy who'd entered the cage just a few minutes before. After having his hand raised in victory, Silva dropped to his knees and presented a formal bow to his opponent, then stood and gave Irvin a big hug as thought they'd been good friends forever.

During the postfight interview, he graciously thanked his trainers, the fans, and in broken English, even his deceased Mother. How can you not love a guy like that?!

He's a true combat sport champion, who shows what winning with class is all about.

Here's a quick clip of Silva interview after the fight - still showing his humility and grounded attitude.


ELITE XC BACK ON NETWORK TELEVISION THIS SATURDAY.

After all of the excitement this past week, it's going to be real hard for CBS to match the intensity with another Elite XC show on Saturday. The biggest draw will be a rematch between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith, which was called early last time by the fight doctor. However, the rest of the card seems pretty weak. (No Kimbo or Gina this time around!)

Other fights include:

Thomas Denny vs. Nick Diaz
Nick Thompson vs. Jake Shields
Christiane Cyborg vs. Shayna Baszler
Justin Eilers vs. Antonio Silva
Travis Galbraith vs. Rafael Feijao
Brian Caraway vs. Wilson Reis

Here's a quick promo of the event.


ROAD RAMPAGE
Finally, if you haven't already heard, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson was arrested in California this week after a hit-and-run accident and police chase that included Jackson driving on the wrong side of the road and blowing out one of the tires on his pickup truck.

This is extremely sad news and certainly a very trying time for Jackson. All reports indicate that alcohol or drugs did not contribute to his arrest. UFC President, Dana White is understandably keeping mum about the whole situation, but Internet chatter seems to speculate that Jackson is suffering from some stress induced psychosis.

For more information, here's a clip from CelebTV.com;



Just a couple quick notes for anyone thinking about leaving the scene of an accident.

1st. Be sure that you are not a well-recognized and internationally known athlete.

2nd. Make sure that you don't have a life-sized picture of yourself on the side of your monster truck. (Granted, the rest of the truck was painted camo - but unless he was planning on making it to a nearby rainforest and hiding out, I don't think Jackson stood a chance in hell of getting away from the police.)

Seriously, I hope Jackson is okay and that he gets the help he obviously needs. (You're in my prayers Rampage.)

That's all for this week; Check back again soon as we continue to bring you the 'Best of the Web' in the world of Combat Sports.

Respectfully,

Rick

Soliciting feature writers to TDA Training

[Bumped - I will keep this at the top of the blog until we fill the openings. Scroll down for more posts]

We would like to expand our feature writing to include more weekly features (similar to Rick's MMA Weekly Wrapup). If you are a martial arts writer and have an idea, please contact me: tdatraining at gmail dot com for details and to discuss. We are looking for three or four

In particular, if you're an active or reservist armed forces member who's also a martial artist, or current/former law enforcement officer with a heavy DT-instructor and/or civilian martial arts background get in touch! Any other ideas (grappler column, MA humor, etc.) are welcomed.

TDA Training is one of the most widely read blogs in the martial arts milieu. Our posts are on anything useful for defensive tactics, combatives, and civilian self-defense, or to improve traditional martial arts training and conditioning!

Technorati Tags: martial arts blogging

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 7-14-08

Hi, and welcome to yet another edition of the MMA Weekly Wrap Up, where we bring you all the Internet's latest news, events, and happenings from the world of mixed martial arts. We're in kinda the 'Quiet before the Storm' right now before all Hell breaks loose this Saturday with two huge events taking place. But, if you need a refresher for this weekends festivities; then you've come to the right place!

JULY 19TH - SILVA VS. SILVIA

This Saturday will see both the debut of the AFFLICTION promotions as well as the entrance of, (pound for pound - the Greatest Fighter in the World) Anderson Silva into the UFC Light Heavyweight division.

First, the AFFLICTION BANNED card: Fedor Emelianenko will face Tim Silva for the much anticipated Heavyweight Championship. The show will also star; Mike Whitehead, Babalu, Matt Lindland, Josh Barnett, Ben Rothwell, Andrei Arlovski, and Megadeath. (I hope Emelianenko enters to Peace Sells... but who's Buying)

Here's an excellent promo for some of the action we can expect to see out of Anaheim, California this weekend.

Not to be outdone by the rookies, the UFC is also putting on a free event at Spike TV at the same time. (In a not so subtle attempt to lure viewers away from the Affliction Banned pay-per-view event.) Knowing that most die-hard fans want to see the Emelianenko/Silvia fight, Dana White has pulled out one of his biggest guns... Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva to go up a weight class and face James Irvin as a Light Heavyweight.

As the following clip demonstrates, Anderson is easily one of the most well rounded fighters out there today. He can kick, grapple, punch, clinch, ground-n-pound, and move effectively from almost any position.

Regardless of which individual fighter wins whatever match; come Monday, every Blog is going to be talking about who got the most viewers... Affliction or UFC. (I hate to say it, but the UFC will probably win out again... I'd love to see Affliction put up some competition, but FREE is an awfully tough price to beat!)

PHIL BARONI GETS MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR @ 170LBS

Phil Baroni dropped from 185 to 170 to make his debut in the Welterweight division at Elite XC's Cage Rage 27 this last week in London. After a convincing 1st round knock out of his opponent, Scott Jansen, Baroni walked across the ring to check on his Jensen and found himself being attacked by Jansen's cornerman. In the following video clip from the fight, you can see Jansen's cornerman headbutt Baroni at the 4:45 mark. CagePotato.com also reports that Jansen's girlfriend also began verbally attacking Baroni after the fight. - Hey people... It's a Mixed Martial Arts Fight! What did you think was going to happen?

To Baroni's credit, he shrugged off the assault and continued as if nothing had happened. -Very Classy!

KIM COUTURE LOOKING GOOD AND READY TO FIGHT AGAIN!

Yeah, I know I write way too much about MMA Legend, Randy Couture's wife and her attempts at entering professional combat sport competition, but these two show so much grace and class, that I can't help but admire and respect them. (What really sucks is that Randy is already almost too old to be fighting and his legal problems with the UFC have kept him out of the ring during the last years of his career. I'll never be able to forgive Dana White or the UFC for preventing us from seeing just how incredible one of the greatest fighters ever could have really become. It's one thing to have your career cut short by an injury or an accident, but to have it thrown away by some petty lawsuit is absolutely revolting.)

Anyway, enough of my rant, here's Kim talking to Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten from HDNet's Inside MMA (and for some reason, Rob Schnider!) about her recent loss, her injuries, and her plans to get back into the ring!



Well, that does it for this week, Check back again soon as we bring you all the latest on this weekend's madnesses!

Respectfully,

Rick

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 7-6-08

Hi and welcome again to the Wrap Up. The UFC helped celebrate the U.S. birthday by giving us some real fireworks Saturday night. Still, the biggest explosions may be yet to come!


THE NEW UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION... OPIE TAYLOR!

Photo from http://www.mayberryinthemidwest.com/mayberry/stars/sullivan.html

Okay, it's not easy being a redhead in today's society, let alone the rough and tumble world of MMA; There's always some jerk on the Internet comparing you to the same three famous redheads... Opie, Howdy Doody, and Bozo.

But every so often, there comes a man who blows away those wimpy stereotypes and proves that it's not how you look but how you carry yourself that really counts. Forrest Griffin is that man!

This weekend, the friendly and somewhat mild mannered UFC star sacrificed his blood, sweat, and even some (manly) tears to take the Light Heavyweight title from Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson.

During his career, Griffin has had some all out battles. His fights against fellow TUF competitor, Stephan Bonnar are legendary, while his recent win at UFC 76 over the Grand Prix champion Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua has elevated him from 'Journeyman fighter' to 'full Contender' status.

But Saturday at UFC 86, Griffin proved that he deserved to wear the belt by taking a unanimous decision against Jackson. The fight was brutal with Jackson delivering explosive punches and body slams that stunned Griffin several times, but never seemed to stop his forward advance.

Griffin countered with strong roundhouse and knee kicks, focusing on Jackson's lead, left leg. By taking that leg out, he was able to hamper Jackson's mobility and extinguish much of his power. Griffin then utilized his incredible endurance and smart use of angles to keep Jackson under constant pressure. The fight was close, but in the end Forrest proved, once again, that he could win toe-to-toe against the best.

Like I said last week, I love both of these fighters, so it was difficult to choose someone to cheer. But now that it's all said and done, I'm happy to see Griffin holding the title. He deserves it! I hope he's the UFC Light Heavyweight champion for a long, long time to come!

Oh, what's that.... this just in.... Anderson Silva has just received permission to pursue titles in both the Middle and Light Heavyweight Divisions... Run Forrest.... RUN!!!

Here's a quick post fight clip of Rampage giving props to Griffin while still expressing his desire to get back in for a rematch. A lot of people don't like Jackson because he talks a lot of smack, but the truth is, even after a loss, he still handles himself like a true champion.

UFC VS. AFFLICTION - JULY 19TH

As we get closer to the big Affliction debut, the war-of-words from UFC president Dana White has begun to intensify. To counter fan interest in the Affliction event, the UFC has decided to present a free Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV featuring Anderson Silva's entrance into the Light Heavyweight division as well as TUF finalist (well, sort of) Jesse Taylor's return into the Octagon after being kicked out of the last fight of Season 7 for drunk and disorderly conduct in Las Vegas.

In the following clip, HDnet's Inside MMA Discusses Donald Trump's involvement with the Affliction Banned promotion.

Never one to take competition lightly, here's UFC President, Dana White talking to a radio show about the Affliction Banned event. Rather than discuss the merits of the Affliction promotion or present any honest criticism, Dana instead feels it's more important to make fun of their t-shirts, complain about Internet bloggers (like yours truly), and discuss getting in shape for his appearance on the cover of a fitness magazine. Way to take the high road Dana!

Is it just me, or is that radio interviewer like the biggest suck-up ever?! Oh well, I think I hear my Mom calling me for dinner... time to leave the basement where I spend all day anonymously blogging as part of a vast Right-Wing conspiracy to discredit Dana White... Whatever!

Seriously, Dana; it's not that we hate you or the UFC, we just want to see some free enterprise in the world of MMA. A little bit of fair competition would be good for the UFC, good for the fighters, and good for the fans. Everybody wins.

Besides, without the UFC, Spike Television would quickly turn into the 24 hour Star Wars cable channel and Nobody wants that! (Everytime I turn on Spike, they're either showing UFC or yet another Star Wars rerun.)

VIDEO AUDITIONS FOR TUF SEASON 8 NOW UNDERWAY

With the return of Jessie Taylor and the fact that UFC has no problem with their athletes tearing apart the house on the Ultimate Fighter television show (but then throws a fit when you kick out the window of someone elses limo), we've discovered some hidden talent that should be a valuable addition to future episodes of the show. Check these guys out.

All they need to do now is drink a couple liters of vodka and wet themselves; then we could be looking at the next 'Ultimate Fighters' (WARNING, there is a little bit of rough language in the following clip)

Well, on that note, we'll call it quits for this edition of the Wrap Up. Check back again soon as we continue to bring you the 'Best of the Web' for MMA action.

Respectfully,

Rick

A good big man...

It is a maxim of unarmed combat that even a very skilled smaller man is always at a disadvantage versus a skilled bigger man. In other words, size matters - a lot. This, by the way, is one of the reasons I've always advocated weapons as an "equalizer." I don't care how many martial arts classes a small woman or elderly person takes, they may never beat a large vicious male, or more than one attacker. A weapon changes that dynamic completely.

Back to the subject at hand, let's use the match-up of a good big man and a good little man here to illustrate the point. Watch Joe Frazier versus the big George Foreman. Some of you may not know this, but at one time George wasn't just a grill salesman on TV. Watch.

Heavyweight title fight between Joe Frazier and George Foreman

What do you take from this? I'll give you my impressions, and ask for yours in the comments below.

1. George Foreman outweighed and outreached his opponent. Joe Frazier was 5'11" to George's 6'3", but their disparity in weight and reach was certainly greater, with Foreman probably weighing close to 225, and Frazier no more than 205 (he would be a very small heavyweight today).
2. Frazier was the certainly a skilled "little man." He was the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world at the time, and had earned the belt by first winning a "tournament" of bouts to fill the vacated throne of Muhammad Ali (who was stripped of his belt by refusing induction into the military during the Vietnam conflict), and then legitimizing his reign by convincingly beating Ali in a 15-round decision. Prior to Ali and Foreman, Joe Frazier had defeated a who's who of top heavyweights of the day: Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Ellis, Oscar Bonavena, and Georges Chuvalo. He was 29-0, with 25 KOs, and was on top of the world. Was the big Foreman a match?
3. Frazier was never in this fight. Foreman took a few glancing blows by Frazier early in round one, but from that point on, it was a systematic and inevitable destruction of the smaller man. After three knockdowns of Frazier in round one, Foreman finished the fight in the second round after the Joe Frazier's sixth trip to the canvas.
4. I am glad that there is a three knockdown rule today, as it spares fighters undue punishment and reduces the likelihood, in my opinion, of permanent brain damage due to concussion. Frazier and the fighters of his day had no such protections.
5. Frazier was like meat served on a platter for Foreman. To fight a larger man, one should use angles of attack, and stay inside (closer). Foreman witnessed a small man who attacked straight ahead with indirect attacks (hooks), and couldn't stay inside because he was able to parry him aside or push him back to keep him at his ideal range. A smaller fighter needs to be behind or beside a larger fighter and force him to have to turn to bring his weapons to bear.
6. As mentioned in the previous point, closing the gap should be done with a proper lead, or any weapon that forces a defense, thereby creating an opening.
7. While Frazier's punching power was tremendous, it relied on the accuracy of his only real weapon, the left hook. He couldn't get close enough to George Foreman to land it. On the other hand, Foreman's power was based on his weight and uncanny strength. Any part of the body that Foreman hit was a good target - it hurt! He did a good job of mixing body shots with straight punches, then almost literally took Joe Frazier off his feet, seemingly without effort.

While this was a fight that, stylistically, George Foreman would win 99 times out of 100, it's worth studying to develop your own tactics.

For more information:

TDA What is an effective lead?
TDA The Three Cs of Sparring: Offense and Defense - repost

Technorati Tags: George Foreman,Joe Frazier,Muhammad Ali

Stages of Cop

This was sent to me by a guy I worked with, a former officer. Thought I'd share it because it rings very true! - Nathan

FASCINATION STAGE Years 1 – 4: For most officers, this is their first time outside of the middle class bubble. They have never seen a dead body, never seen life threatening injuries, never dealt with a family disturbance, never witnessed the shit some people call ‘home life’, and never really understood the phrase ‘Man’s Inhumanity To Man’ until now. Everything is new to them. You can identify them by the amount of fancy new equipment they carry. A ten billion candlelight power torch, pens that write in the rain, a ballistic vest rated to stop tomahawk missiles, and an equipment bag large enough to house a squad of marines. They love it, they show up early for their shift. They work way past the end of their shift without even considering an O/T slip. They believe rank within the job is based only on ability and those in the upper ranks got there by knowledge and skill in police work only. They believe everyone is competent, everyone is on the same page and working towards the same high minded goals. When they finally go home to their significant other, they tell them everything they did and saw. Some of the more ‘eaten up’ purchase a police scanner so they can hear the radio calls while at home.

HOSTILITY STAGE Years 5 – 6: They now show up for work about 2 minutes before their shift, and they are hiding about 30 minutes before end of the shift, writing reports so they can just throw them in the sergeant’s in-box and leave ASAP. They have to get to their second job to earn money to pay for the divorce that is pending. They gripe about everything, drink excessively, chase women, and hate the public, politicians, media, etc. They feel they have more in common with the hookers, thieves, druggies, etc. but hate them too. Those pens that write in the rain are no longer needed. Writing traffic tickets can be a lot more trouble than they are worth, even on a nice day. To write one, or to write anything while standing in the rain, is a sure sign of an insane person. Their spouse is no longer interested in hearing about all the gore and heartache. They get the ‘you spend more time with the cops than you do wi th me’ speech.

SUPERIORITY STAGE Years 7 – 15: This is when cops are at their best. They have survived changes in administration. They know how the political game is played, both inside and outside the job. They know who they can trust and who they can’t. They have select friends within the job, and stay away, as best they can, from the nuts and boot-lickers. They know the legal system, the judges, prosecutors, defence solicitors, etc. They know how to testify and put a good case together. They are usually the ones that the gaffers turn to when there is some clandestine request or sensitive operation that needs to be done right. These cops are still physically fit and can handle themselves on the street. They will stay around the station when needed, but have other commitments, such as a second spouse, a second girlfriend (sometimes both), and most of their friends are non job.

ACCEPTANCE STAGE Years 16 – ????: Now the cops have a single objective… retirement and pension. Nothing is going to come between them and their monthly payslip. The boss, the force, the idiots around the station, and the creeps on the street can all go to hell, because they could come between them and ‘sitting on the beach’. There is no topic of discussion that can’t somehow lead back to retirement issues. These guys are usually sergeants, detectives, scenes of crime officers, community, or some other post where they will not be endangered. They especially don’t want some young stupid cop getting them sued, fired, killed, or anything else causing them to lose their ‘beach time’. They spend a lot of time having coffee, hanging around the station, and looking at brochures of things they want to do in retirement.

The retired cop usually dies within five years of retirement, saving the force a bunch of money. Of course, nothing is ever 100% true, but if you are a cop, were a cop, know a cop, then you will certainly recognize some of the above statements!!!!

Check back with Alain Burrese

It's been a while since I've looked at the Attack Back blog by Hapkido and self-defense exponent Alain Burrese. He's back to updating the blog and has some great material there. Drop over and check it out.

Todays TDA Tip: Practice is Important!

Ticked Clerk Wrecks Armed Teen’s Violent Robbery Attempt

One point that was common to all the instructors at the recent Karate College seminar weekend I attended: repetition is key to being able to actually apply any technique. The robber made the mistake of thinking the gun in his pocket was enough to successfully pull off a hold-up. The issue was that he wasn't prepared to use it, and his fumbling telegraphed the weapon and his intent. Did the clerk do the right thing?

I have always taught that skill is only earned through rep. Take a technique, make sure it's correct, the drill, drill, drill until it becomes part of your repertoire and is built into your muscle memory. The danger of martial arts training is the false confidence that comes from learning a lot of techniques, but few skills. Don't just learn it - earn it!

H/T: Of Arms and the Law

Technorati Tags: Armed robbery

Todays TDA Tip: Improve your stickfighting

Not what you think. Watch this.

Can you apply this to your Filipino martial arts?

I love this video because it shows the improvement and mastery that can result from "play." As a kid and young adult, I was always kicking and punching, spinning and ducking, bobbing and weaving. I annoyed the heck out of family and friends, but that's why I became very proficient. Adding a weapon like a stick or knife shouldn't change that habit. When you have nothing to do, twirl your stick, rap or slash an imaginary attacker. Tear apart a dead tree in the woods with your oldest sparring stick. Use your foam stick on the bag. Imagining is also called visualization, and can be key to your success in any martial art, or life itself. Have fun!

Via: Straight to the Bar

For more information:

Combat Sports Psychology

Technorati Tags: sports psychology,visualization