meta name="verify-v1" content="mxUXSoJWEFZKrtw31+uRroeKyRmf49ADfeiAbP3JB2o=" / Arizona Martial Gym: October 2005

Monday, October 10, 2005

an insight into Megaton

Here is a little anecdote that reveals a little bit about Megaton's ability and his mindset. It is very illustrative and pretty damn funny at the same time.

I had bought a DVD called Grapplebook. In it there is a section on Eddie Bravo doing the twister. It is not really a move I see using myself much, but I still liked it. Since the overall DVD was pretty good, I loaned it to Megaton. After he watched it, I asked him his thoughts on the twister. He didn't like it, since he thought it was a "sloppy" move, like a neck crank or heel hook, as opposed to a "finese" move like a choke or armbar. He said it worked, but it wasn't his kind of move to do much. So later that class, we were rolling. It was my turn to be on the sidelines (we had uneven numbers that day), so I was watching Megaton rolling. I blinked a couple of times because I could swear I saw him setting up the twister. I kept watching, and sure enough, he did it. I started pointing at him and said "what the hell are you doing?" He smiled until Dave tapped. I kept looking over at him through the rest of class even while I was rolling myself, and I saw him do the twister two or three more times to different people. I asked him after class what he was up to. He just basically said he wanted to see how the move worked. Since then, I have never seen him do it again.

So, he saw a move once on DVD, and immediately applied it in sparring against a number of different resisting opponents without any practice of the move. He did it just so he understood the move and knew his judgement of it was correct (too sloppy) and has never seen the need to go back to it. He is that good.

I hate him.

one step at a time

I really shouldn't be doing this post. My desk at work is covered in stuff I need to do, but I was thinking about the previous post, and how there is a secondary aspect to combatting having limited training time, and it is something I struggle with constantly. My experiences might help someone out there not repeat my mistakes.

This aspect I am talking about is focusing on one thing at a time, one day at a time. Unlike the early days of MMA, where good information was hard to find, nowadays we have info coming from everywhere; some of it good, some of it crap, and some of it pure gold. It is easy to see a new techinque in the latest issue of Grappling magazine, or on the internet. Or a new DVD is released featuring the current "best" fighter. Or a new book comes out showing the most innovative new moves. In a general sense, this is great. We no longer have to go to desperate lengths to improve our game. But sometimes it can be too much. For example, I am obsessed right now with improving my triangle and omomplata. Thanks to a suggestion from Adam Singer, I am working them from an overhook control from a closed guard. I am also working maniacally on the hip bump sweep. These two things work well together, so my training is heading in a defined direction. Now, this week in BJJ class, Megaton showed a couple of really cool sweeps from Koala guard. I liked them and practiced them. BUT, if I go out of my way to try to add them to my game right now along with my current focus, something will probably suffer. So I will concentrate on triangle-omomplata and come back later to these new sweeps.

Another example is my stand up focus. Right now I am working the jab and cross while stepping in and to my left, concentrating on landing with power and being tight with my structure and defense. That is the bulk of my hitting. A couple of my guys have needed some other stuff like working the overhand to help against a taller guy. Also, I am starting to see the body open up when I enter the way I am doing. BUT, I am still concentrating on just the jab-cross step in. I will probably do that for another few weeks, before any alterations.

To sum up. Decide on what part of your game you can work on and concentrate on it with like laser like intensity. If you learn some new stuff, put it on the back burner for a short time (a few weeks to a few months) and keep working on your plan. Do a regular mental review and update your plan when changes are needed. FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS, on the short term specific and the long term general will take care of itself.

time for training

Most of us who train MA have limited time to actually work out. I was talking to a buddy who trains with me at Megaton's on Saturday. He has a new baby on the way (his first) and how he is worried about not making it to class for a few months as often as he has been. Pretty much everyone of us has had similar situations that have come up. The way I have tried to overcome this is what I call one-paper-a-day training.

The name comes from an analogy told to me by Tom Cruise of Progressive Fighting Systems (Paul Vunak's group). Tom talked about if you put one piece of paper on your desk per day, over a short time it didn't look like much. BUT, if you did that EVERYDAY for a year, you would have a big stack. So, the point is, if you don't have a lot of time, use a little time, but do it every chance you get. For example, in the morning, as you are geting ready for work, before you get in the shower, practice throwing jabs and crosses at the mirror. Work on perfect form. Do it for three minutes. Then repeat that everyday for as long as you can't work out longer in a regular extended workout. That is a very productive way to at least do something and in a relatively short amount of time you will see an improvement in your game, with a training schedule that anyone can probably implement.

Remember, unless you are a professional athlete, long term consistency is more important than short term "overtraining".

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

getting older sucks

I went to my pulmonary doctor today. It has been 22 months since my last checkup. Maybe not the smartest thing someone with asthma should do, but I hate going to the doctor (even though Dr. Gottfried is very smart, and a good guy). The results? My blood pressure is still a little high, and they have upped my Advair dosage. The good news is my PFT test that rates breathing ability has stayed essentially the same. That is pretty decent since eveyone's lung capacity diminishes with age. So, in essence, I have gained by not diminishing! A small thing yes, but you take your victories where you can get them.

Monday, October 03, 2005

congrats to Chris and Colten

Last Friday (Sept. 30th), two friends of mine stepped into the cage for the first time to test themselves. Both Chris Mitchell and Colten Smith have the guts to do what very few people have the guts for. While many people talk a good game, they actually did it.

Chris won his fight by ref stoppage at 2:19 of the first round. He dominated the stand up by using crazy monkey to defend and rocking his opponent with strong open palm strikes (amateur Arizona MMA rules prohibit closed fists to the face). He then went to the neck clinch and pounded the other guy with knees, including one that literally threw him across the cage. The doctor finally stopped it when the other guy was bleeding from a baseball sized lump on his eyebrow. He executed the game plan perfectly.

Colten lost a three round decision. He controlled the stand up part, but let the other guy drop his elevation a couple of times and get the takedown. He reversed out of every tough situation to the amazement and excitement of the crowd and was thinking tactically the entire time. The big problem was after the very hard fought first round, he was out of gas. The next two rounds he fought on sheer skill and heart, almost fininshing the fight with a guilloutine. I believe the difference to the judges was the three or so takedowns the other guy got. It was a terrific performance for his first time and a great learning experience. The next time he steps in the cage, his opponent better look out!

I helped coach both of them. I worked with them once or twice a week for about 6 weeks, but the two people most responsible were their regular coaches (and my training partners and friends) Mike Grandinetti and Lawrence Robinson, who run Attitude First Training Center. They did the bulk of the daily work to get the guys ready. I only had to stick my hand in every now and then. They both should get pats on the back for a great job as well.

Standing ovation to all four of them!