One of my awesome students chose this subject to write about for her writing class at school so I was grateful for her generously allowing me to use it in my blog.
Thanx Emily!
Emily Smith
Professor Prabhjot Parmar
English 105
28 November 2011
Mixed Martial Arts: Benefiting All Those Participating
Over time mixed martial arts has grown into a very popular sport for men and women. Many viewers tune into the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) during fight week to watch their favorite fighters in combat. With the UFC's increased popularity there is a rise in participation at local community gyms. The results that participants see from mixed martial arts (MMA) is positive. It is shown in various ways that MMA fighters are very well-rounded people in all aspects of life. Many different parts of the sport directly and indirectly affect one’s life. A fighter from a local gym can see these results, in the same way that a professional fighter would, like Muhammad Ali or George St. Pierre. Mental stability, perseverance, good organization skills, and excellent social abilities are the main areas affected by a participant of MMA. Also, with good health and nutrition, there is an obvious positive body image result.
To be able to keep up with and beat the endurance and power of an opponent, a fighter must have a superb physique. Boot camp, weight lifting, or cardio classes are offered at many MMA gyms. In these group classes, coaches and trainers push the limits of everyone with their commanding workout routines. Depending on a person’s desire for the perfect physical body shape, a gym member could get personal one-on-one training with a coach. Personal training uses expertise to maximize the safety and proficiency of the workout. Both the group workouts and the personal training give the client the mental edge to take their fitness beyond what they can do on their own. Usually coaches have been involved with the sport for their entire life. They also possibly went to school for things such as kinesiology and sports medicine. With this experience and knowledge they are perfect teachers for the sport, and can help one get a lean physique, built body or toned muscular look. Muhammad Ali, the famous American boxer, developed “granite abdominal muscles with a grueling regimen of calisthenics, spending an hour every morning hardening his gut by doing sit-ups with his legs held up at a 45 degree angle” (“Muhammad”). This is taking working out to an extreme; although if one wants to see this level of results, extreme measure will be necessary. On the other hand, engaging in these classes and workouts are supplementary to regular MMA classes: Brazilian jiu jitsu, muay thai, boxing, judo, and wrestling. There are many moves in the various divisions of MMA that are directed to certain muscle groups. For example, a knee to an opponents gut is a kickboxing move which works the thigh and core abdominal muscles. Most muscles, including the hip-flexor, thigh, core, and arms are worked in a jiu jitsu move called the armbar. A straight punch with the right hand in boxing works the oblique muscles and the right arm. A member of a gym could strictly take these MMA classes and come out looking and feeling great; however, to achieve top desired results, alternative workout classes are recommended. Peers in class can also be a motivator for participants to train harder. All it takes is one good look at a friend with a nice six pack and toned thighs to get that inner drive. Whether it be alone, with a personal trainer, a group boot camp class, or in MMA classes an excellent physique can be achieved.
Without good nutrition, exercise is meaningless. Food serves as a fuel source for the body to work through the day, but also as a hormone release. This release and energy is needed to get through vigorous workouts. High protein and carbohydrate filled diets are promoted for fighters. The carbohydrates are not from breads, rather from a variety of vegetables. Vitamins and supplements aren’t necessary, but can definitely benefit a fighter in training. When dieting, certain foods are cut out that are essential nutrients. These vitamins and minerals can be received from supplements and ills. It is first important to understand the effects of the foods regularly consumed including the pros and cons of one’s unchanged diet. This knowledge is easily obtained from coaches. They are constantly on the search for the latest research in health and the newest diets. Rather than, going to do the research yourself, it is often presented to you in weekly classes. Local Maple Ridge MMA fighter, Oliver Vajda says, “With training for MMA I have learnt the priceless "art" of nutrition, how the body works (breaking down calories and proteins), what to eat for maximum results, and learning what the body can or cannot metabolize.” After retaining this knowledge it is up to a fighter or person training to follow through with the diets. For most athletes in this sport this is not too hard because behind every diet are many benefits. A healthy-eating lifestyle correlates directly with a toned and muscular body. It is also favorable for long-term health. If a fighter is readying themselves for an upcoming fight or tournament it is crucial to begin the dieting process. Quite often gaining or dropping weight is essential. A fighter has to get to a certain weight for whichever weight class they are registered in. The day previous to their fight they have to be approved by a doctor and meet the weight requirement. Dieting is another lifestyle benefit received from participants in MMA.
Along with the physical and nutritional benefits, a fighter has to acquire exceptional mental stability. Throughout the training process, their confidence will grow as they gain new skill and practice old moves. A fighter must be completely confident in their ability before going into the cage or ring for a fight. With confidence, comes a low fear level. Plus, with mental training comes the product of zero doubts or fears in one’s mind. Any amount of skepticism could completely alter the outcome of the fight, not for the better. Having this mental stability creates a calm and relaxed person in general day-to-day activities. For example during a stressful situation at work, a fighter will be tranquil and composed. People well trained in mental stability also understand about letting other’s negative opinions become insignificant. Under this category falls self awareness. Holding a great amount of integrity is possibly of highest importance. An article about George St. Pierre states that, “He likes the lesson about being true to your own nature and beliefs. And he embraces it’s message about not accepting other people's limits.” (Gatehouse). It is crucial for St. Pierre to keep a consistent mental stability because he is always in the public eye. For the average fighter it assists in keeping calm in all situations including fight matches. Mental stability can be one of the hardest concepts to pursue, but once achieved it is a fabulous benefit and a component to being a well-rounded person.
The physical success is directly enhanced by a strong mental toughness, including perseverance. Motivation and determination are key components in perseverance. “Through hard work and dedication lies success.” (Vajda). Unyielding determination is needed to win a fight. Once a fighter makes the decision to partake in a fight the road to success will not be easy, but the perseverance will push them to see the light at the end of the tunnel. A channeled determination is necessary to get past any set backs in the training process, such as injury. Often a person will make a goal such as achieving a raise at work. To meet and attain this goal, one needs dedication to stick with the plan. Eventually if they pursue this and leap over any obstacles their raise can be obtained. Motivation is desirable for getting to any goal in life. Attending every practice requires a considerable amount of dedication. Like any good fighter, Vajda has realized the determination and learned “how to push beyond mental barriers.” Qualities such as these can make a substantial impact on succeeding in everyday obstacles and obtaining life goals.
On a more narrow note, organizational skills hugely relates to MMA. The training regimen for MMA is quite strenuous due to the many different disciplines. A fighter must be conscious of a balanced lifestyle using their organization skills. These skills are acquired by learning how to make a plan. Before going against an opponent a rough outline of moves and tackles will be memorized so that a fighter has a game plan. Although, this outline has to be adaptable. Eventually the situation could change depending on the response from an opponent. Along with organization comes the capability to multitask. In the setting of a fight a million thoughts will run through one’s head, while listening to the roar of a crowd, and watch the bright lights shine down on the ring. Mainly the coach has to be heard, with an action produced by the fighter to benefit the round. For example a coach might yell out a combination such as, “left hook, number two punch, left uppercut, knee”. This information is understood and retained by the fighter. Then that specific action is produced, hopefully resulting in the fighter’s favor. Multitasking can only benefit a fighter and potentially produce a win over an opponent who can only focus on one task at a time. Overall MMA is the definition of multitasking because all of the disciplines of the sport are combined into one three minute round. “Most importantly, there is emphasis in MMA on integrating techniques of multiple styles together.” (Spencer 122). A kickboxing move, can slide directly into a boxing punch, followed by a muay thai take-down, and a wrestling move, with a finishing jiu jitsu submission. The organization is clearly relatable to everyday life situations. It keeps a manageable and enjoyable life, while multitasking makes for efficient work.
Furthermore social skills are learned from competing in MMA. Communication is the foundation of a successful relationship between MMA team mates. While MMA is a solitary sport fought one on one, fighters are only as good as the team that builds them. As previously mentioned, in the midst of a fight, a coach will strictly yell out combinations for a fighter to produce. The communication has to be clear between the coach and student. At practice conversation has to be constructive to learn from each other. This positive communication skills is transferable to life in general. For instance to continue a successful personal relationship, a couple has to communicate everything to each other including their issues. Also good social skills include appropriately dealing with the public. Professional UFC fighters consistently have to associate with the general population. To advance themselves in their career they require the attention from fans. With this attention a certain attitude and respect has to be shown to their fans. In addition, respect most definitely needs to be given to the opponent of a fighter. In an article George St. Pierre is described as, “Intelligent, polite, disciplined, respectful of his opponents, he is the acceptable face of ultimate fighting.” (Gatehouse). St. Pierre is an excellent example of an athlete in the public eye who understands the importance of dealing with fans. Social skills acquired from MMA can be easily used throughout day-to-day activities.
Mixed Martial Arts is an incredibly powerful sport which requires an amazing amount of physical strength. Supplementary, to see the physical results a good diet is required. To maintain that physical strength a fighter has to have perseverance, motivation, and determination. A very important quality acquired is mental stability, keeping fighters calm in all situations with limited fear. Two qualities not commonly thought of relating to MMA are organization and social skills, in which a fighter establishes to keep a plan and sustain respect with opponents. All of these personal qualities can be grasped through participating in MMA, and can be subsequently used in everyday life to create a well-rounded person.
Works Cited
“Muhammad on the Mountain Top.” Time. Time, 11 Nov. 1974. Web. 22 Oct. 2011
Gatehouse, Jonathon. “Lord of the Ring.” Macleans. Macleans, 4 Oct. 2010. Web. 22 Oct. 2011
Spencer, Dale C. “Habit(us), Body Techniques and Body Callusing: An Ethnography of Mixed Martial Arts.” Body and Society 15.4 (Dec. 2009): 119-43. SAGE Journals. Web. 22 Oct. 2011
Vajda, Oliver. Email interview. 28 Nov.2011.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A list of Paleo / low carb snacks. Stay lean for MMA
Almost every day someone asks me for snack ideas. I don't generally recommend snacking at all, if it can be helped but sometimes it is better than crashing the whole train into the wall! Also, I would say that most fruits and nuts should be consumed only in moderation. That being said I do have a great deal of sympathy for those of you who are trapped in this rut! The tendency for people to feel a need for snacking comes from both the ingrained habit as well as the hormonal response to the types of foods we eat. There are "trigger foods" that can cause a person to eat even when they are full. These foods generally consist of carb or sugar-laden foods because of the large swing in insulin and leptin from eating them. The more you eat these foods, the less sensitive your body is to the signals of leptin and insulin so your natural "full" response to eating will get dulled forming a cycle of apparent need - "jonesing" for sweets or carbs late into the night! I speak from experience, I'm the guy who looks in the pantry fifteen times per night even when I know there is nothing in there. I'll eat a whole box of gluten-free cookies if we have them in the house. You will probably notice that these cravings are also mostly at night and at times when the brain is not engaged and challenged ie; watching T.V. This is a further sign of hormone disregulation and brain chemical imbalances. If you follow a natural paleo-style diet you will stand the best chance of balancing these various systems and getting rid of the cravings to a large degree. Here are the guidelines I follow for eating, my "diet" if you will, it is based on Robb Wolf's Paleo Solution diet and writings by Loren Cordain, Mark Sisson and Nora Gedgaudes as well as many more nutrition experts.
1. No white carbs, ie: bread, pasta rice.
2. 5 hours between meals.
3. don't drink your calories, ie: beer, fruit juice smoothies but drink plenty of water.
4. Don't eat fruit, a handful of berries is OK.
5. Eat good quality protein and fat at every meal.
6. Eat as much "above ground" veggies as you want and make sure you eat a lot!
7. No processed oils or vegetable oils and trans-fats. Only animal fats and fish oil, coconut oil and olive oil.
8. If it could not be killed, picked or pulled out of the ground, it is not food!! Don't be fooled by "natural" or "fat free" or "healthy" labels.
9. No food for 3 hours before bed
The more I eat this way, the less I crave food in between meals and sometimes I only eat two meals per day even when I am slinging drywall in the day, followed by boot-camp and Kickboxing classes at night.
It takes a little more planning at times to eat right when you are out a lot for work or travel or even training. By planning I mean, cooking an extra portion the night before to bring to work the next day and stocking the fridge and cupboards with items that are not going to cause problems.
Now, here is a list of some snacks that you can try to incorporate into your daily plan. I hope this helps. I will also keep adding as I find new ideas and I will post them here and at Coach Toby Combat Systems facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/coachtoby/?ref=ts
1- Cook up some beef, chicken or prawn skewers the night before and bring them to work, it's like jerky on a stick!
2- Cut up lots of veggies and fruit to keep in the fridge but store them in a bowl of water with lemon juice or spray some lemon juice on them and cover this will keep them from going brown.
3- Use lots of seasonal squash and pumpkins for your stews and dinner side dishes and wash the seeds, bake them on a pan with coconut oil and sea salt to keep in paper bags in the pantry for munching later.
4- Mmmm... trail mix! Mix nuts, seeds, dried berries and a little dark chocolate nibs, use your imagination.
5- Pepperoni chips - , your kids will love them! Cut into thin slices a whole bag of firm pepperoni sticks and cook them in the micowave until they are hard. Eat em like chips!
6- Pop sorgum seeds like popcor, oh yah!
7- 85% cocoa or above chocolate seems to take away most sweet carvings with the least amount of damage.
8- Roll up strips of cheese into slices of roast beef and eat them like roll-ups.
9- A teaspoon of coconut oil in your coffee or tea gives your body what it really needs for energy but dampens your hunger and helps to adapt your metabolism to run on fats.
10- Smoked salmon and beef jerky are good stand-bys.
11- Kale baked in the oven with oil and sea salt makes great chips.
12- If you like pickles you can but naturally fermented pickles and Kim Chi and sauerkraut at farmers markets like Langley F.M.. These you can also make yourself - look up the how-tos on youtube, there are tonnes! Naturally fermented foods are very healing to the gut and have been known to help with many auto-imune issues.
13- How bout a simple boiled egg?!?
14- Full fat yogurt, non-sweetened ( you could throw in some vanilla stevia for taste)
15- Smoothy - can of coconut milk, 2 to 4 eggs raw, yogurt or Kefir and sweeten with stevia.
16- Remember pork rinds? Turns out they are not all that bad for you!
17- Coconut flakes (big ones) You can add this to your trail mix or eat by themselves.
18- Cosco has a gluten-free quinoa crackers that are very thin and low in carbs, slap on some almond butter or some goat cheese and liver pate and you got some good eatin'!
19- For snack or sometimes desert I like seasonal berries in heavy cream or coconut milk.
Try this recipe for chocolate cake! I stole it from the blog - http://paleospirit.com/2011/chocolate-paleo-snack-cake/
Ingredients;
10 medjool dates, pitted (I buy mine in bulk at Costco)
1 cup of unsweetened applesauce (or one ripe banana)
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine celtic sea salt
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
Instructions
Place the dates in a food processor and pulse until completely pureed.
Add applesauce (or banana) and continue to pulse until pureed and combined with the dates.
Add the fruit purée to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, vanilla, coconut oil and coffee and mix on low-medium speed until well combined.
Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed, scraping down the sides, until you have a smooth batter.
Grease a 8×8 glass pan with coconut oil, pour in the batter and smooth it with the back of a spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
Here is a recipe for rolls that are gluten free ass well as carb free and they are good for dinner or desert! I stole this one from this blog - http://blog.yourlighterside.com/2009/05/gluten-free-low-carb-buns-aka-oopsie.html
3 large eggs
pinch of cream of tartar (1/8 tsp)
3 ounces cream cheese (Do not soften)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Separate the eggs and add cream cheese to the yolks. Use a mixer to combine the ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff (if you're using the same mixer, mix the whites first and then the yolk mixture). Using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and spoon the mixture onto the sheet, making 6 mounds. Flatten each mound slightly.
Bake about 30 minutes (You want them slightly softer, not crumbly). Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, and then remove to a rack and allow them to cool. Store in a loosely open sack and allow to rest on the counter before use (otherwise they might be too moist). Can be frozen.
Notes: If you are making these to be savory (for burgers) you can add dry mustard and dill or other seasonings to the yolk mixture. If you want a more sweet roll, add a very small amount of stevia natural sweetener to the yolk mixture.
Nutritional information per roll: Calories:85 , Carbohydrates: .6 g, Fiber: 0g, Net Carbohydrates: .6g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7.5
Finally, here are some ideas from Mark Sisson of "The Primal Blueprint" - http://www.marksdailyapple.com/snack-solutions-primal-alternatives-for-non-primal-snacks/
1. No white carbs, ie: bread, pasta rice.
2. 5 hours between meals.
3. don't drink your calories, ie: beer, fruit juice smoothies but drink plenty of water.
4. Don't eat fruit, a handful of berries is OK.
5. Eat good quality protein and fat at every meal.
6. Eat as much "above ground" veggies as you want and make sure you eat a lot!
7. No processed oils or vegetable oils and trans-fats. Only animal fats and fish oil, coconut oil and olive oil.
8. If it could not be killed, picked or pulled out of the ground, it is not food!! Don't be fooled by "natural" or "fat free" or "healthy" labels.
9. No food for 3 hours before bed
The more I eat this way, the less I crave food in between meals and sometimes I only eat two meals per day even when I am slinging drywall in the day, followed by boot-camp and Kickboxing classes at night.
It takes a little more planning at times to eat right when you are out a lot for work or travel or even training. By planning I mean, cooking an extra portion the night before to bring to work the next day and stocking the fridge and cupboards with items that are not going to cause problems.
Now, here is a list of some snacks that you can try to incorporate into your daily plan. I hope this helps. I will also keep adding as I find new ideas and I will post them here and at Coach Toby Combat Systems facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/coachtoby/?ref=ts
1- Cook up some beef, chicken or prawn skewers the night before and bring them to work, it's like jerky on a stick!
2- Cut up lots of veggies and fruit to keep in the fridge but store them in a bowl of water with lemon juice or spray some lemon juice on them and cover this will keep them from going brown.
3- Use lots of seasonal squash and pumpkins for your stews and dinner side dishes and wash the seeds, bake them on a pan with coconut oil and sea salt to keep in paper bags in the pantry for munching later.
4- Mmmm... trail mix! Mix nuts, seeds, dried berries and a little dark chocolate nibs, use your imagination.
5- Pepperoni chips - , your kids will love them! Cut into thin slices a whole bag of firm pepperoni sticks and cook them in the micowave until they are hard. Eat em like chips!
6- Pop sorgum seeds like popcor, oh yah!
7- 85% cocoa or above chocolate seems to take away most sweet carvings with the least amount of damage.
8- Roll up strips of cheese into slices of roast beef and eat them like roll-ups.
9- A teaspoon of coconut oil in your coffee or tea gives your body what it really needs for energy but dampens your hunger and helps to adapt your metabolism to run on fats.
10- Smoked salmon and beef jerky are good stand-bys.
11- Kale baked in the oven with oil and sea salt makes great chips.
12- If you like pickles you can but naturally fermented pickles and Kim Chi and sauerkraut at farmers markets like Langley F.M.. These you can also make yourself - look up the how-tos on youtube, there are tonnes! Naturally fermented foods are very healing to the gut and have been known to help with many auto-imune issues.
13- How bout a simple boiled egg?!?
14- Full fat yogurt, non-sweetened ( you could throw in some vanilla stevia for taste)
15- Smoothy - can of coconut milk, 2 to 4 eggs raw, yogurt or Kefir and sweeten with stevia.
16- Remember pork rinds? Turns out they are not all that bad for you!
17- Coconut flakes (big ones) You can add this to your trail mix or eat by themselves.
18- Cosco has a gluten-free quinoa crackers that are very thin and low in carbs, slap on some almond butter or some goat cheese and liver pate and you got some good eatin'!
19- For snack or sometimes desert I like seasonal berries in heavy cream or coconut milk.
Try this recipe for chocolate cake! I stole it from the blog - http://paleospirit.com/2011/chocolate-paleo-snack-cake/
Ingredients;
10 medjool dates, pitted (I buy mine in bulk at Costco)
1 cup of unsweetened applesauce (or one ripe banana)
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine celtic sea salt
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
Instructions
Place the dates in a food processor and pulse until completely pureed.
Add applesauce (or banana) and continue to pulse until pureed and combined with the dates.
Add the fruit purée to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs, vanilla, coconut oil and coffee and mix on low-medium speed until well combined.
Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low-speed, scraping down the sides, until you have a smooth batter.
Grease a 8×8 glass pan with coconut oil, pour in the batter and smooth it with the back of a spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.
Here is a recipe for rolls that are gluten free ass well as carb free and they are good for dinner or desert! I stole this one from this blog - http://blog.yourlighterside.com/2009/05/gluten-free-low-carb-buns-aka-oopsie.html
3 large eggs
pinch of cream of tartar (1/8 tsp)
3 ounces cream cheese (Do not soften)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Separate the eggs and add cream cheese to the yolks. Use a mixer to combine the ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff (if you're using the same mixer, mix the whites first and then the yolk mixture). Using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray and spoon the mixture onto the sheet, making 6 mounds. Flatten each mound slightly.
Bake about 30 minutes (You want them slightly softer, not crumbly). Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, and then remove to a rack and allow them to cool. Store in a loosely open sack and allow to rest on the counter before use (otherwise they might be too moist). Can be frozen.
Notes: If you are making these to be savory (for burgers) you can add dry mustard and dill or other seasonings to the yolk mixture. If you want a more sweet roll, add a very small amount of stevia natural sweetener to the yolk mixture.
Nutritional information per roll: Calories:85 , Carbohydrates: .6 g, Fiber: 0g, Net Carbohydrates: .6g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 7.5
Finally, here are some ideas from Mark Sisson of "The Primal Blueprint" - http://www.marksdailyapple.com/snack-solutions-primal-alternatives-for-non-primal-snacks/
Sunday, December 4, 2011
How to control fear and axiety leading up to a fight part 2
I am posting these in a specific order so if you have not read the first in the series please check it out - http://raptorfightclub.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-control-fear-and-axiety-leading.html
As we were talking about last week, it is important to have tools to deal with the sometimes debilitating fear and anxiety that we experience in the months, weeks, days and seconds leading up to a fight or, for that matter, any of life's stressful situations where we are called upon to perform. We are wired to run away from pain and physical damage and yet, fighting requires us to trust our technique and training, let go of the instinct to bolt and put ourselves in harm's way. As I tell my students often, throwing a punch requires a great leap of faith, putting your head right into it is necessary, this is what we call; "committing your technique". If we don't commit our technique, if we are thinking about what he is going to do to us when we step forward to kick, punch or double leg take-down we will come up short every time.
The first step is to calm the mind and control the flow of adrenalin, become the master of our fear. Here is tool #2, practicing this over time will give you much more control and make it easier to use the tools I will be writing about in the remaining parts of the series.
Tool #2. "The Breath part 1": This breathing technique I adapted (ripped off) from Yoga.
Try doing this after every interval or physical training session that leaves you out of breath, preferably gasping!
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth and pulling your belly button inwards as though towards your spine. As you breath in, bring your hands up in an arcing fashion until they meet above your head and gaze upwards then arc the hands back down as you breath out and slowly bending the knees until you are tucked down in a ball.
The trick is to force your heart to slow down by deliberately slowing the breath. The adrenal system is wired to force you to breath heavily and your heart to beat faster when the need for oxygen is greater. When you slow the breath you feel almost desperate to gulp some air but you will try to overcome this and be the boss of your adrenalin flow, don't worry, you are getting plenty of air with the deep breathing.
I use this after "Burst" training - doing an interval that leaves me completely out of breath -. After each interval I slow my breath and heart rate down.
I will post a video of this this week to help.
As we were talking about last week, it is important to have tools to deal with the sometimes debilitating fear and anxiety that we experience in the months, weeks, days and seconds leading up to a fight or, for that matter, any of life's stressful situations where we are called upon to perform. We are wired to run away from pain and physical damage and yet, fighting requires us to trust our technique and training, let go of the instinct to bolt and put ourselves in harm's way. As I tell my students often, throwing a punch requires a great leap of faith, putting your head right into it is necessary, this is what we call; "committing your technique". If we don't commit our technique, if we are thinking about what he is going to do to us when we step forward to kick, punch or double leg take-down we will come up short every time.
The first step is to calm the mind and control the flow of adrenalin, become the master of our fear. Here is tool #2, practicing this over time will give you much more control and make it easier to use the tools I will be writing about in the remaining parts of the series.
Tool #2. "The Breath part 1": This breathing technique I adapted (ripped off) from Yoga.
Try doing this after every interval or physical training session that leaves you out of breath, preferably gasping!
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth and pulling your belly button inwards as though towards your spine. As you breath in, bring your hands up in an arcing fashion until they meet above your head and gaze upwards then arc the hands back down as you breath out and slowly bending the knees until you are tucked down in a ball.
The trick is to force your heart to slow down by deliberately slowing the breath. The adrenal system is wired to force you to breath heavily and your heart to beat faster when the need for oxygen is greater. When you slow the breath you feel almost desperate to gulp some air but you will try to overcome this and be the boss of your adrenalin flow, don't worry, you are getting plenty of air with the deep breathing.
I use this after "Burst" training - doing an interval that leaves me completely out of breath -. After each interval I slow my breath and heart rate down.
I will post a video of this this week to help.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
How to control fear and axiety leading up to a fight.
One of the most important pieces of the training puzzle and one that is most overlooked by fighters, is the so called "mental" aspect. You know: "one part physical, three parts mental" - bla-bla. What does any of that crap mean? Try to visualize your next fight, or for that matter, your last fight; picture all the hours of training technique, strength conditioning and sparring as well as dieting your butt off!
See yourself warming up in the dressing room then walking down the isle towards the ring or cage suddenly feelings of self-doubt and fear as you look at the size of the crowd and the dude you have to fight and realize that they are all here to watch you either do your thing or get yer ass kicked! We didn't think about this very much when we were training did we? I have seen it all, from fighters with supreme confidence to outright paralyzing terror. Sometimes these feelings start much earlier in the training building to a crescendo on the night of the fight.
Depending on how green you are as a fighter but also affected by the amount of time since your last fight your level of fear is variable. It is almost not fair when you have had a one year hiatus between fights and you are thrown into the ring with a guy who has been fighting regularly, you feel like a rooky all over again. They call this "ring rust" but it feels more like "shit my pants".
I have been in these situations and spent a great deal of time trying to understand the mechanisms behind the sensations and trepidations and also, how to deal with them, possibly master them.
"Why do some people seem to have no fear while most of us have a hard time getting one foot in the water? What can I do to get past this issue? Does it ever get any better?"
We have to be honest with ourselves, first of all, and admit that we are not all Thor, god of thunder and rock-n-roll! The guy standing across from you probably had his own diaper to change on the way to the cage!
I spent some time working with a mental coach and I also studied NLP ( neuro-linguistic programming) as well as trance induction and hypnotherapy techniques. I have used many forms of meditation from different martial arts and Yoga etc. I am going to lay out my secrets and tips in the next series. I believe in coming up with tools, be they drills to build skills or simple techniques to create new constructive habits.
In The next few weeks I will be posting some of the techniques that I use myself or that I encourage my fighters to use for the purpose of gaining control of fear and anxiety as well as focusing the mind on the task at hand (breaking some dude's face).
Please send me your feed-back and let me know if this is useful to you. I understand that some of you may find all this too esoteric and fluffy but give it a shot, you might be thanking me next time you roll up to the battle front!
Tool #1. Mental relaxation:
This technique has to be practiced on a regular basis. The more you use these methods, the more you reinforce the structures in your brain and create strong pathways. I break the technique into 2 separate parts a) for relaxation and b) for focus.
The technique for achieving mental relaxation is basically the same as the technique for learning focus. We can never have too much focus, if anything, we are a very scattered species!
Think of something that you do very well, a hobby or something job-related that you are very good at. I will give you an example;
I have been a tradesman drywall, paint carpentry for many years and I am quite good at all of these things. I think that anyone could possibly be good at painting, especially the rolling part!
a)I like to picture an enormous black wall and a huge pan full of white paint. I proceed to mentally roll the entire wall over with paint and then roll again until the wall is stark white in my mind.
b) Then I take a huge paint brush and a can of red paint and start painting the numbers from 1 to 10 in massive violent strokes. Keep going from 1 to 10 for as long as you wish but the longer the better. If you feel a slip in your focus take it back to step a) and start over as often as you want.
Try these 2 techniques out for a week and see how your focus and concentration improve and how you feel more mentally relaxed. Keep following for the next few weeks for the next tools I will be posting regularly.
See yourself warming up in the dressing room then walking down the isle towards the ring or cage suddenly feelings of self-doubt and fear as you look at the size of the crowd and the dude you have to fight and realize that they are all here to watch you either do your thing or get yer ass kicked! We didn't think about this very much when we were training did we? I have seen it all, from fighters with supreme confidence to outright paralyzing terror. Sometimes these feelings start much earlier in the training building to a crescendo on the night of the fight.
Depending on how green you are as a fighter but also affected by the amount of time since your last fight your level of fear is variable. It is almost not fair when you have had a one year hiatus between fights and you are thrown into the ring with a guy who has been fighting regularly, you feel like a rooky all over again. They call this "ring rust" but it feels more like "shit my pants".
I have been in these situations and spent a great deal of time trying to understand the mechanisms behind the sensations and trepidations and also, how to deal with them, possibly master them.
"Why do some people seem to have no fear while most of us have a hard time getting one foot in the water? What can I do to get past this issue? Does it ever get any better?"
We have to be honest with ourselves, first of all, and admit that we are not all Thor, god of thunder and rock-n-roll! The guy standing across from you probably had his own diaper to change on the way to the cage!
I spent some time working with a mental coach and I also studied NLP ( neuro-linguistic programming) as well as trance induction and hypnotherapy techniques. I have used many forms of meditation from different martial arts and Yoga etc. I am going to lay out my secrets and tips in the next series. I believe in coming up with tools, be they drills to build skills or simple techniques to create new constructive habits.
In The next few weeks I will be posting some of the techniques that I use myself or that I encourage my fighters to use for the purpose of gaining control of fear and anxiety as well as focusing the mind on the task at hand (breaking some dude's face).
Please send me your feed-back and let me know if this is useful to you. I understand that some of you may find all this too esoteric and fluffy but give it a shot, you might be thanking me next time you roll up to the battle front!
Tool #1. Mental relaxation:
This technique has to be practiced on a regular basis. The more you use these methods, the more you reinforce the structures in your brain and create strong pathways. I break the technique into 2 separate parts a) for relaxation and b) for focus.
The technique for achieving mental relaxation is basically the same as the technique for learning focus. We can never have too much focus, if anything, we are a very scattered species!
Think of something that you do very well, a hobby or something job-related that you are very good at. I will give you an example;
I have been a tradesman drywall, paint carpentry for many years and I am quite good at all of these things. I think that anyone could possibly be good at painting, especially the rolling part!
a)I like to picture an enormous black wall and a huge pan full of white paint. I proceed to mentally roll the entire wall over with paint and then roll again until the wall is stark white in my mind.
b) Then I take a huge paint brush and a can of red paint and start painting the numbers from 1 to 10 in massive violent strokes. Keep going from 1 to 10 for as long as you wish but the longer the better. If you feel a slip in your focus take it back to step a) and start over as often as you want.
Try these 2 techniques out for a week and see how your focus and concentration improve and how you feel more mentally relaxed. Keep following for the next few weeks for the next tools I will be posting regularly.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Learning how to kill shit!
What is sparing and why do we include that in pretty much every class?
Think of it as play; a kind of thoughtful play.
Picture two lion cubs rolling around in the grass of the Serengeti, working those muscles, claws and teeth! In a controlled environment, with mom close by reffing, they are developing certain skills they will need to take down prey or a rival predator. Why do they play this way? They are LEARNING TO KILL SHIT! Without these skills they would never survive.
In combat sports this same method is used to learn timing, distance control as well as to get over the fear of getting hit. The idea that we can simply punch a bag (or a wooden dummy, or punch the air in the case of Katas) and learn all we need before climbing into the ring or octagon is ridiculous! Some martial arts were developed around a dance-like kata ie; Capoera or Tai Chi but remember that these were mostly produced in times of war to teach martial techniques without alerting the occupying armies or police-state forces. We have the advantage of multiple training partners in a safe,controlled environment - ring any bells?
Take advantage of this, don't just go through the motions of attending classes, assuming that you are a fighter just because! Class is for learning techniques and concepts then, put them to practice in specific ways through sparing.
Eg: Start with jab - one guy leads and the other guy counters. Do that for 2 rounds then do 2 rounds with both people leading and countering, then add one specific technique in random fashion as the conscious brain has a much easier time focusing on less than 3 things at a time.
Here are some examples of light sparing.
Think of it as play; a kind of thoughtful play.
Picture two lion cubs rolling around in the grass of the Serengeti, working those muscles, claws and teeth! In a controlled environment, with mom close by reffing, they are developing certain skills they will need to take down prey or a rival predator. Why do they play this way? They are LEARNING TO KILL SHIT! Without these skills they would never survive.
In combat sports this same method is used to learn timing, distance control as well as to get over the fear of getting hit. The idea that we can simply punch a bag (or a wooden dummy, or punch the air in the case of Katas) and learn all we need before climbing into the ring or octagon is ridiculous! Some martial arts were developed around a dance-like kata ie; Capoera or Tai Chi but remember that these were mostly produced in times of war to teach martial techniques without alerting the occupying armies or police-state forces. We have the advantage of multiple training partners in a safe,controlled environment - ring any bells?
Take advantage of this, don't just go through the motions of attending classes, assuming that you are a fighter just because! Class is for learning techniques and concepts then, put them to practice in specific ways through sparing.
Eg: Start with jab - one guy leads and the other guy counters. Do that for 2 rounds then do 2 rounds with both people leading and countering, then add one specific technique in random fashion as the conscious brain has a much easier time focusing on less than 3 things at a time.
Here are some examples of light sparing.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Functionality Part 3
The workout of a modern fighter is unique in its diversity. What I mean is that, no other sport comes close to the variability of the demands put on the fighter’s body. Imagine soccer or hockey, the athlete is mostly doing sprints for short periods of time, not requiring much upper body power/endurance other than for pushing other players around. Ask Wayne Gretski how much of that a player needs to be good at the sport! An American football linebacker might be able to squat four or five Muay Thai fighters but would probably puke after one 3 minute round hitting the pads! A Basketball player must have a phenomenal vertical leap and the lateral direction changing ability of a barrel racing pony, not to mention the natural genetic dispositions but let’s see him try a flying fireman carry like some people we know!
A Mixed Martial Arts fighter needs a blend of power, speed and endurance to compete. He or she must be as strong as a plow ox yet make weight, coming in as light as their body’s frame will allow. We must have strength and stability from every angle, defending from below, punching from above, stuffing a takedown from the cage wall or launching a knee from the center of the ring.
Because of this fact fighters and trainers have assembled workout programs that put the body through more rigours than the Seven Labours of Hurcules!
There are a million Youtube vids and thousands of books, training camps and classes to give one ideas to improve their regimen but my one recommendation would be to try to strengthen every aspect of your physique, mix it up as much as possible. Make sure your cardio is always up to par, do some power lifting, speed training, core and stability exercises and always train in as much of a realistic way possible to the sport you are competing in. If you are doing a B.J.J. or Wrestling tournament, roll every day, if you are doing a Boxing or Kickboxing/Thai fight, hit the pads tonnes and spar your face off!
I personally think that M.M.A. is spawning a new generation of unique and elite athletes; we have only seen the beginning. As much as I loved the old guard; Tank Abbott, Royce Gracie, and Maurice Smith etc I can’t help being excited about the new level of physical and technical mastery and what is to come in the future!
At RAPTOR we are tirelessly adapting and developing the Crashfit fitness program. This program will benefit any athlete in their pursuit of excellence but for the fighter or the person wanting overall fitness and weight loss there is no equal!
Is it worth going organic?
So many people ask me why I only eat and buy organic produce and meats, why I only use natural home cleaning proucts. There is only so much time in a day and so much info, so many reasons why you should, if not eat organic, at least open your mind and be aware of what you are putting in your bodies!
If some dude walked up to you on the street and offered you a sandwhich I thnk you would pause before taking it, so why do we trust giant corporations to have our best interests at heart. How many times in your life have you heard stories of people getting sick due to the negligence of some fast-food joint or some large agricultural conglomerate? The next day I'me sure you don't even hesitate to strap a drive-through feed bag to yer face!
I heard a story a couple days ago and I wanted to share it with all of you who are interested in this subject then I will give you a link to a website that deals with the subject in great detail, much more than I have time to pontificate upon.
In Canada, as in most of North America, we have laws that are put in place to protect us. We have learned from a history of powerful people causing harm to the public in order to further profits and inluence and we have, at least attempted to, guard ourselves by restricing the use of things like pesticides that cause illness.
So we shouldn't have to worry about the apples in a Canadian supermarket!? Right?
Draw your own conclusions from this but I was shootin the breeze with a freind at work the other day and he was telling me about his home in the Okanogan where they grow heaps of fresh, beautiful fruit. He was worried about all the spraying in the nearby fields and he moved to the lower mainland. A short time later he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and only months after that, the man who bought the Okanogan House from him was diagnosed with the same! Bear in mind that studies linking the diseases with the causes are funded with money and who has the money; you guessed it, the big corporations!! Quelle surprise!
So, I'm not trying to preech to anyone, eat what you want. I only ask that you start to become aware of what you put in and on your body, and what effect it will have on your health.
Here is a good resource for information on organic food and agriculture etc. These people have far more time than I do and have put together a very comprehensive website on the subject. ORGANIC FOOD!
I have used a home delivery service for organic food and cleaning products called Ladybug Organics, they deliver quite cheep and you can set up a monthly or weekly drop. Check it out if you want.
If some dude walked up to you on the street and offered you a sandwhich I thnk you would pause before taking it, so why do we trust giant corporations to have our best interests at heart. How many times in your life have you heard stories of people getting sick due to the negligence of some fast-food joint or some large agricultural conglomerate? The next day I'me sure you don't even hesitate to strap a drive-through feed bag to yer face!
I heard a story a couple days ago and I wanted to share it with all of you who are interested in this subject then I will give you a link to a website that deals with the subject in great detail, much more than I have time to pontificate upon.
In Canada, as in most of North America, we have laws that are put in place to protect us. We have learned from a history of powerful people causing harm to the public in order to further profits and inluence and we have, at least attempted to, guard ourselves by restricing the use of things like pesticides that cause illness.
So we shouldn't have to worry about the apples in a Canadian supermarket!? Right?
Draw your own conclusions from this but I was shootin the breeze with a freind at work the other day and he was telling me about his home in the Okanogan where they grow heaps of fresh, beautiful fruit. He was worried about all the spraying in the nearby fields and he moved to the lower mainland. A short time later he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and only months after that, the man who bought the Okanogan House from him was diagnosed with the same! Bear in mind that studies linking the diseases with the causes are funded with money and who has the money; you guessed it, the big corporations!! Quelle surprise!
So, I'm not trying to preech to anyone, eat what you want. I only ask that you start to become aware of what you put in and on your body, and what effect it will have on your health.
Here is a good resource for information on organic food and agriculture etc. These people have far more time than I do and have put together a very comprehensive website on the subject. ORGANIC FOOD!
I have used a home delivery service for organic food and cleaning products called Ladybug Organics, they deliver quite cheep and you can set up a monthly or weekly drop. Check it out if you want.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)