Shifting and Stance Switching
#TrueTalkTuesdays 32 “The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don’t have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it. “ Chris Pine In MMA, it is now common place to have fighters to switch stance throughout a fight. But is that a good strategy? We […]
Continue readingDoes your Kimura suck?
I see people make these mistakes all the time. Even black belts! People tend to look at the BIG details and miss out on the little ones – and those fine points really make all the difference. The two tips I review here are the motorcycle grip and shoulder domination. Check it out below: If […]
Continue readingWhy Study Cramming Works And You Should Do It More Often
#TrueTalkTuesdays 31 “A mind of moderate capacity which closely pursues one study must infallibly arrive at great proficiency in that study.” Mary Shelley There are two reasons why students sit down and cram as much knowledge into their heads as they can just before a test. First, they didn’t pay attention throughout the semester and […]
Continue readingSneaky Choke from the Arm Bar
Too often people when going for a submission get so focused on facing it that they forget all other options. This happens to me as well and I have some matches that I wish I could have changed gears. A lot of that has to do with training and preparation, and @animalblackbelt shows an alternative solution […]
Continue readingMartial Artists without self control?
#TrueTalkTuesdays 30 “He who has power over himself has power over his greatest enemy.” Matshona Dhliwayo Colby Covington has been stealing headlines left and right lately. Is he just a loose cannon or is there something else in play? Love him or hate him (most hate, lol), Colby “Chaos” Covington has been getting a lot of publicity lately. True to his fight name, he has been stirring the waters and making it really muddy. He was spotted […]
Continue readingGuillotine Offense Defense Drill
While I am itching to get back on the mats, my knee still needs some more time to recover from the ACL surgery. But worry not, I have one of my top black belts Jason Soares showing a drill sequence for Guillotine choke defense. It starts off with a head and arm clinch, using the […]
Continue readingWhat I believe it means to be a black belt
#TrueTalkTuesdays 29 “Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.” Bruce Lee Call me old school, but I believe a black belt is more than just a measure of your knowledge and skill in martial arts. I find that I’m becoming part of the old guard when it comes to the meaning of black belt. […]
Continue readingVintage Guard Passing Highlights
Here are some vintage guard passing highlights. It won’t take you long to realize what my favorite guard pass was – the Knee Cut. I can’t remember when I learned it, but I know it was my go to pass when I started competing. I have been able to slice through black belt guards for […]
Continue readingThere is no honor in losing gracefully
#TrueTalkTuesdays 28 “Losing is no disgrace if you’ve given your best.” Jim Palmer I have seen it countless times, but it gets me every time I see someone coast their way to a loss. It frustrates me to no end, because as a fighter I wasn’t built to lose with grace. Whether I lost by a referee’s […]
Continue readingMy Take Down Highlight Reel
I put together a highlight video of takedowns I’ve scored throughout my 15 years of competing. Some of the more notable take downs here are against BJJ legend Saulo Ribeiro, ADCC champion Jeff Monson, Roy “Big Country” Nelson, and ADCC Absolute Champion Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu. As you can see, I have fought in my share […]
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