MMA News and Fight Videos

Throughout this holiday season, I’ve received several emails from readers inquiring about recommended equipment purchases. Many have asked what is best to buy with 50, 100, or even 200 dollars. My response is always the same. Monetary value does not always equate to actual value. Some of the best equipment that I use is homemade. I’m obviously not suggesting that I can build everything, but it is worth noting that more expensive purchases do not always equate to more value.

Throughout this blog, I often reference the homemade equipment sticky found within my message board. This isn’t by accident. I happen to enjoy building homemade training tools. I’m not the handiest person in the world, but many of these tools are very easy to build (not to mention inexpensive).

It is always nice to save money, but there is more to building equipment on your own (at least for me). It is in some ways similar to working on your home and taking pride in your own work. When my wife and I bought our home, we moved in knowing that it needed a lot of work. Neither of us had experience with home improvement. We bought several books and started working through one job at a time. We ripped out the old carpets, rented a sander from Home Depot and refinished the hardwood floors that were underneath. We put down the stain and polyurethane. We then tried our hands at tiling. We tiled the kitchen floor, the bathroom, and the hallway. We then put in our own kitchen cabinets and even made our own countertop out of large tiles. Over the course of a few years, we refinished every room in the house.

Yes, it was great to save money, but there was also a sense of pride in doing the work ourselves. Building or working on a home is obviously not the same as building a piece of training equipment, but in many cases there is at least some pride that you can take away from doing it yourself, not to mention the assurance that you’ve built it properly.

Below is an example of one such piece of equipment. I mentioned this tool on a recent blog entry after it was brought to my attention by one of the readers. This T-handle cost a few dollars to build and is really a great piece of equipment. This is an ingenious idea (here is the original design).  One small addition that I made was a small hose clamp to secure the weights in place.  These clamps are available at any hardware store for less than a dollar.

In the image below, the arrow points to the hose clamp, which can be quickly tightened with a screw driver.

If you prefer to use standard Olympic size plates, take a look at this design.

Video Demonstration

Why Bother?

I’ve always enjoyed one arm dumbbell swings, but do not like the feel of two hands on a single dumbbell.  And while a one arm swing is a great exercise, limiting yourself to one hand limits the amount of weight that can be handled.  A kettlebell offers an advantage over the dumbbell if you are interested in a two hand swing. This T-handle offers a great alternative however.  It also allows you to go fairly heavy if you wish. I’ve loaded over 150 pounds on the handle without any problems. The tool can be used for conditioning (higher reps) or strength.  It is truly a full body movement, with particular attention to the posterior chain.

If you already have weights, the investment will be only a few dollars. I highly recommend it.

Ross

PS - If the creator of this tool stumbles upon this thread, thank you for sharing such a great idea!

My second child is almost 6 months old now. Earlier this week, I finally got around to putting away some of the birthing books that my wife and I had read during her pregnancy. As I mentioned in a past entry, she endured more than 24 hours of natural labor! It didn’t happen by accident however. Yes, she’s obviously a very tough woman, but we had also read everything we could about natural deliveries.

Anyway, six months after the delivery, I almost forgot a section that I had highlighted in one of the books. I’m glad I marked it with a sticky note, as it is actually applicable to the training of athletes. It comes from The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth.

Dr. Bradley, M.D., suggests the following:

“To perform any physical feat with grace and dexterity, the human being must practice and practice to achieve relaxation of uninvolved muscles. Such simple acts as running, jumping, even walking, are instinctively performed gracefully and automatically by nonhuman animals. Grace in physical action is a result of ability to keep the uninvolved muscles relaxed, and economy of muscular action. This does not mean we human beings cannot achieve physical feats similar to those of animals. It means, rather, that we must recognize the human need for practice and physical conditioning of our muscles in the apparent absence of human instinct.”

There are many strength and conditioning coaches who could learn from this birthing book. I continually see those in the S&C field who focus more on fitness challenges than they do on actually improving the athlete for his sport. They seem to forget that athletes compete in specific sports, hence must prepare specifically for such events. This isn’t to suggest that general preparation is not important, but rather that one must prioritize the needs of the unique individual.

Conditioning involves much more than running, calisthenics, and other fitness exercises or routines. I’ve seen so many fighters over the years who can run all day, yet “run” out of gas after a few rounds of sparring. From a physical fitness standpoint, they are in excellent shape, but from a combat sport standpoint, they are in terrible condition.  This phenomenon often hinders novice fighters.  These athletes train feverishly in the gym.  They train long hours and can never figure out why they fatigue so quickly inside the ring.

These athletes are often too tense. They are unable to relax and operate freely. Instead, they become tense whenever their opponent moves, feints, punches, etc. They cannot operate under those circumstances mentioned in Bradley’s text (ie. achieve relaxation of uninvolved muscles).

No amount of running, burpees, or kettlebell swings will teach a fighter to relax inside the ring. The only way to become comfortable inside the ring is by stepping inside and building your experience one round at a time. Experience doesn’t happen overnight however. It takes time. Experience means sparring with more skilled fighters, competing in competitions, etc.

What Does This Have To Do With the S&C Coach?

An S&C coach cannot give his fighter experience. What he can do however (unintentionally) is interfere with his fighter’s development of skill and experience. S&C work is a supplement, not a replacement. The supplemental work that takes place outside of the ring must jive with the skill needs and tasks of the fighter.

For example, if a conditioning workout destroys the fighter so he is unable to spar the next day, it hasn’t improved the athlete. It has simply interfered with more pertinent matters. This is particularly true for novice fighters. These fighters will have enough trouble adapting to the physical demands of the actual sport. It isn’t natural to receive punches to the body and face, which is why it IS natural to tense up when placed in such an environment. The only way to remain calm under fire is through experience, which is why a novice fighter must focus his efforts towards the actual sport. Remember, the sport itself is strenuous. Over the years, I’ve seen many so-called fitness studs collapse after a few rounds of intense bag or pad work.

A fighter must be fresh and prepared to endure such a physically challenging sport. Novice fighters need more time in the ring, on the mitts, on the bags, etc. They must tackle a significant learning curve as they learn to perform without excess tension. This doesn’t happen on the track or pull-up bar. It happens inside the ring.

This isn’t to say that supplemental work cannot and should not follow ring work, as it remains important, but such workouts must be designed with sporting performance as the primary concern. Don’t let your ego get in the way of the athlete’s development. A coach is there to improve the athlete, not brag about how his workouts were too difficult to perform. Anyone can create a challenging workout, but not everyone can create workouts that aid in the development and performance of the unique individual.

Ross

A glimpse at “The Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski as he prepares for the heavyweight superfight with Fedor Emelianenko at Affliction 2 “Day of Reckoning” on January 24th from the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.

The former UFC heavyweight champion shows some nice hand speed in the video.

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The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 finalist Phillipe Nover earns his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Alexandre “Soca” Freitas, according to his personal blog. Soca an Abu Dhabi champion, runs the Soca Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Long Island, New York.

My teacher Soca gave me my black belt today. It has been a long journey and I have finally arrived. I’ve been training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu for over 8 years. To me, obtaining a black belt brings the art to full circle. I will continue to train just as hard as I have been and will strive to the top. Thank you to all my training partners and teachers, especially Soca for believing in me! I only hope to make you all proud next week and bring home victory! I will keep this fire in me burning. My time is now!

Nover will take on Efrain Escudero at the TUF 8 Finale on December 13 from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Earlier this year, I dedicated a blog entry to those who have significantly influenced my life (both in and out of the gym). At the top of the list was Rollie Pier. When I wrote the initial entry (June, 2008), I mentioned that Rollie was a member of the New London Sports Hall of Fame.

I am happy to report that I now must update the original blog entry. This past weekend (November, 2008), Rollie was inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame. And while much of the media coverage focused on fellow 2008 inductee Gene Tunney (legendary heavyweight champion who passed away in 1978), I was happy to see the following article from the New London Day newspaper:

New London’s Treasure Now State’s, Too

I regularly receive complimentary emails from readers of this site who have benefited from my material. I am obviously grateful to be able to help others, but I must make it clear that I would have never become who I am without the help of Rollie Pier.

I’m not sure if Rollie even realizes how much he has influenced my life. If I never met Rollie, I’m not sure where I’d be. One thing that is for sure is that I wouldn’t be doing what I currently do. I boxed under Rollie’s tutelage many years ago (for many years). And while much of what he did was teach me the ins and outs of the Sweet Science, anyone who knows Rollie knows that he teaches much more than boxing.

His influence may have started inside the ring, but it certainly travels far beyond the gym. I will never be able to thank him enough.

Ross

Shogun showing off some impressive knee skills during a recent training session. Rua has been sidelined all of 2008 with a ACL knee injury. Rua underwent surgery to repair the injury and is now medically cleared to fight.

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A little clip from KOB hear in Albuquerque featuring kids MMA training from the famed Jackson’s Gym.

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UFC fighter Joe “Daddy” Stevenson has earned his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under accomplished Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion Robert Drysdale.

Stevenson will enter the cage next weekend to face Kenny Florian at UFC 91 “Couture vs. Lesnar” on Nov. 15 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

Below is a clip of the ceremony at the Cobra Kai Jiu Jitsu academy in Victorville, California.

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From MassWrestling.com Henry Cejudo – 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist MA USA Wrestling Presents: “Legends of the Fall Wrestling Clinic” 4x H.S. State Champion ● 2x Pan American Champion ● 2x National...

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Below are a few excerpts from a book that is linked to at the bottom of this entry. The entire book is available online. Before glancing through the full book however, take a guess at what year this book was written, based on what you see below.

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Probably more men walk past the corner of Broadway and Fulton Street, in New York city, in the course of one year, than any other point in America – men of all nations and ages, heights and weights. Look at them carefully as they pass, and you will see that scarcely one in ten is either erect or thoroughly well-built… A thoroughly erect, well-proportioned man, easy and graceful in his movements, is far from a frequent sight. Any one accustomed to athletic work, and knowing what it can do for the body, must at times have wondered why most men allowed themselves to go along for years, perhaps through life, so carrying themselves as not only to lack the outward grace and easy they might posses, and which they occasionally see in others, but so as to directly cramp and impede one or more of the vital organs…

The advantages to men of a well-built body, kept in thorough repair, are very great. Those of every class, whose occupation is sedentary, soon come to appreciate this. Some part of the machinery gets out of order. It may be the head, or eyes, or throat; it may be the lungs or stomach, liver or kidneys. Something does not go right. There is clogging, a lack of complete action, and often positive pain. This physical clogging tells at once on the mental work, either making its accomplishment uncomfortable and an effort, or becoming so bad as to actually prevent work at all. It may make the man ill. There is very little doubt that the large majority of ailments would be removed, or, rather would never have come at all, had the lungs and also the muscles of the man had vigorous daily action to the extent that frequent trial had shown best suited to that man’s wants…

Hundreds of thousands of men and woman have hard work, mental strain, fret and anxiety, daily, and for years together, - indeed, scarcely do anything to lighten the tension in this direction. They tell you they are subject to headache or dyspepsia, or other disorder, as if it was out of the question to think of preventing it. But had the work been so arranged, as it nearly always could be – far oftener than most persons think – to secure daily an hour for vigorous muscular exercise for all the parts, this running down would, in most instances, never come. The sharp, hot work, till the muscles are healthily tired, insures the good digestion, the cleared brain, the sound sleep, the buoyant spirits…

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Everything stated above seems relevant in today’s world.   It wouldn’t be too surprising if this piece had been recently written.  But perhaps it will be a surprise to learn that this book was written in 1879.  This material is well over 100 years old!  Yet oddly enough, much of what the author described is no different from our world today.

Often times, you’ll hear that nothing is new under the sun.  Much of what we know (and do) from an exercise standpoint is everything but new.  What many do not realize however is that many of the problems that our society deals with today are also everything but new.  Yes, the world has changed, and our problems are often unique to the times, but many of the underlying causes are still very similar (ex. sedentary lifestyle, the false perception that one has no time to exercise, etc.).

When time permits, take some time to glance through the entire book (referenced above).  It is an enjoyable read. Simply refer to the link below:

How To Get Strong and How To Stay So - By William Blaikie

Enjoy,

Ross