Hanma Yujiro: "Demon in the Back" Workout

Hanma Yujiro is the strongest creature in the world. Not the strongest man-- the strongest creature. He regularly tests his abilities against the monsters of the world, whether they be human, ape, bear, or elephant. He possesses the face of a demon in his back and those muscles are the muscles primarily used in combat. He's so terrifying that even the President of the United States swears an truce with him when elected.

The muscles of a monster.

Weight Lifting

1. Deadlift- 3 sets of 6 Reps
2. Bent Over Row- 2 sets of 8 Reps
3. Zercher Squat- 1 set of 10 Reps
4. Wide-Grip Pull-up- 1 set of 10 Reps
5. Romanian Deadlift- 2 sets of 8 Reps
6. Bench Press- 3 sets of 6 Reps

A bodybuilder's back muscles.

Combat (Rest 30 Seconds after each set)

1. Heavy Bag Punching- 1 Minute
2. Heavy Bag Kicking- 1 Minute
3. Heavy Bag Throwing- 1 Minute
4. Grappling- 2 Minutes

3-5 Rounds, depending on fitness

Holyfield's massive back.

Cardio (Pick One for 30 Minutes)

1. Swim- Freestyle or Butterfly
2. Sledgehammer Swings 
3. 100 Meter Sandbag/Rock/Log/Barbell Carries (Rest 30 seconds in between sets)

Swimmer's Back

Notes:

1. This workout is all about exercises that will build that "Demon" in your back. These exercises are mostly compound and full body, to make sure that you are developing the most amount of strength, while simultaneously stimulating the growth of the back. 
2. Warm-up up before this workout. Make sure you perform each of the above lifts with a light weight to get yourself ready for the heavy lifting. 
3. Your lifts should all be close to 90-95% of whatever exercise you are doing's RM. So, Deadlifts would be 90-95% of your 6 Rep Max (RM) and you will attempt to hit 6 reps on all three sets with that weight. If you achieve that, on the next time you do this workout, raise the weight by 5#. 
4. Rest 1-2 minutes in between each set of lifting. 
5. Be careful when throwing the heavy bag. Make sure you keep your core braced and use proper throwing technique. 
6. All of the cardio exercises are designed to use your back in one way or another. I recommend changing it up and not always doing the same activity. 
7. Your carries can be as light at 50# or as heavy as you can manage for the time period. 

That's all for today! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Blackforce MMA (Charleston, SC)- Facilities Review

About a week ago, I went to train with the guys at Blackforce MMA down here in Charleston, SC. I came in for an MMA Conditioning Class. I posted the workout to the blog at that time and I was pretty satisfied with the overall intensity of the workout. It was a good circuit with a lot of options. There weren't too many people training that night, but the people who were there at least seemed like they wanted to be there (except for some random kids that were "training"). 

Something tells me they've worked out before. 

I was mostly impressed with the facility. There was a huge wrestling mat in the main section (which you can see on their main site), with padded walls. I imagine some kick-ass sparring could go on here. Upstairs, there were numerous hanging heavy bags and a couple of heavy bags lying around for GnP, I'm guessing.

Look at that poor little guy in the corner.

I love the fact that they actually have a weight room, because that's something you don't see in some MMA gyms and almost never see in traditional martial arts dojos. It's not huge, but they have a good selection of equipment, both weight-wise and cardio equipment. There's also a big-ass tire out back and some sand-filled PVC sections to tote around. So, yeah, as far as conditioning equipment goes, I'm loving this place.

Ain't no Cardio Theater here, fellas!

I'm eager to get back into this place as soon as my schedule clears up a little, so I can take advantage of the classes available here: Japanese Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Catch Wrestling, and Sambo. (And you never see Sambo freakin' anywhere!) The head trainer is Dwight Decker, who possesses black belts in Karate and Jujitsu and has been involved in martial arts for a long, long time.

So much awesome, my camera wouldn't take a clear shot. Trust me, I tried.

In any case, I only have one experience with Blackforce, but I'm very impressed. I'm eager to see the skill-set they have in action, because it's so very different from what most places have. Since my strengths generally lie in fitness/conditioning and my striking anyway, I'll be expecting to get my ass handed to me in grappling. We'll see what happens and I look forward to keeping you guys updated with this place and anywhere else I can visit. 

Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Becoming a Professional Athlete

Recently, in my post entitled Goals for Real Anime Training and Personal Goals, I discussed my desire to become a professional athlete. This may conjure up images of any number of professional sports in your mind, with multi-million dollar contracts and the super celebrity we've come to associate with the term "professional athlete." However, this is not necessarily the imagery that I wish to evoke. 

My goal as a "professional athlete" is to pursue and catalog athletic endeavors as my living. While I would of course like to fight professionally in MMA (as my main sport), I am also interested in boxing, submission grappling, kickboxing, full contact Karate, distance running (marathons and ultras), power lifting, obstacle courses (mud runs, Tough Mudders, and Spartan races), competitive climbing, and anything else that might present a challenge and add a dimension to my training that would set me apart as an athlete and lead me closer to a greater understanding of myself and others. Of course, successfully competing at a high level of any sport will bring monetary or sponsorship awards, but that's not the main intent. 

And I do not merely wish to compete in these sports. I want to catalog all of my experiences in my training and the competitions themselves, so that there is a record of the experiences in the form of blog posts and videos, also creating a showcase to individual sports and other athletes within those sports, as well as an encyclopedia of training information (of course using anime and manga as inspiration) for everyone who reads this blog and watches our videos (which there will be more of soon, I promise). 

I want you guys to be there every step of the way: the pain, the dedication, the (hopefully few) injuries, and the eventual triumph as the results of my training manifest themselves into medals, trophies, wins on a record, or just things checked off my list of accomplishments. How far can I push myself? How much can I achieve? How much knowledge and information can I accumulate and relay to my readers? I want to find those answers.

Anime characters often have dreams and goals. They may want to be the best at a sport or to become the strongest in the world or they may dream of protecting their friends and family or maybe they just dream of finding the next strong opponent to test their mettle against.  It took me a long time to figure it out, but I finally know on what I'm setting my sights. 

I'm going to be creating a project very soon in order to help me accomplish these goals for myself and all of you, (which I am going to start specific fund-raising for soon). I am going to do the project, regardless, but any and all help would be appreciated in the form of spreading the word about Real Anime Training, visiting our sponsored ads, or donating via PayPal until the fund-raising for the project officially begins. I promise to put forth my all to deliver more and more content to you guys, whatever the case, but the less time I have to worry about feeding myself and my family, the more time I'll be able to put into the project. 

I greatly appreciate everyone who reads this blog. You guys are awesome! I know that I can become a professional athlete, a good one. But, with your support, I can become more than that. With your support, I can become a new kind of professional athlete.

That's all for today, guys! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Stephen's Second Amateur MMA Fight- 2009

This is my second fight. Uploaded this one to the Real Anime Training YouTube page, too. Watch me fight as a lefty... ya know, just for the hell of it.

Stephen's First Amateur MMA Fight- 2009

Just re-posted my first fight to YouTube on the Real Anime Training page. Feel free to poke fun at me. :P

Stephen "The Wonderboy" Thompson's UFC Debut

Props go out tonight to Stephen "The Wonderboy" Thompson of Upstate Karate in Simpsonville, South Carolina for his first UFC victory, via head kick.

I really had no doubt he would win, because he's got kickboxing skills from forever. Congratulations to him and everyone at Pitch Black MMA. All you guys' hard work for all this time is coming to fruition and I really look forward to Thompson's rise to the top of the Welterweight Division in the UFC.

It's nice to see your hometown get a little more put on the map. XD

Baki's Worldwide Training Menu

In the manga, before Baki fights Shinogi Koushou, he is shown training in his basement gym. It shows him using (or owning) various training equipment from around the world. I imagine he learned these training methods while traveling the world before coming back to Japan. The workout is a bit extreme, because (well) it is Baki we're talking about here. Please feel free to scale it down. Hope you guys like it!

Baki's Worldwide Training Menu 

1. Run 18.5 Miles*
2. Wing Chun Dummy Practice*- 10 Minutes
3. 3 Sets of MAX Reps Pull-ups
4. Bench Press- 3 x 5 Reps 
5. Alternating Dumbbell Curls- 3 x 10 Reps
6. Indian Club Training- 5 Minutes
7. 3 Sets of MAX Reps Decline Sit-ups
8. Double-end Bagwork- 10 Minutes
9. Makiwara Punching- 50 per hand
10. L-Rope Climb- 10 Laps
11. Speed Bagwork- 10 Minutes
12. Conditioning Bag Striking- 50 Strikes per hand
13. Heavy Bagwork- 10 Minutes

Notes:

• For the run, you have a few options. You can just do the run, you can run and shadowbox, you can alternate sprinting and jogging, you can carry a weight (preferably not a dog... if you've actually read the manga, you know what I'm talking about), or pull a tire. Of course, 18.5 miles is a long, long way, but you don't have to start there. Start where you are comfortable and work your way up. This is the routine for the Champion of the Underground Fighting Arena, after all. 
• More than likely, you do not have access to a Wing Chun Dummy on a regular basis and, if you do, you may not know the forms for using it, so... here's my solution. You can do a Karate kata, a kung fu form, shadowbox, or just practice techniques. You really want to focus on your form here, making sure that every aspect of it is absolutely perfect. 
• You can use any grip you like for the pull-ups. You can even add weight with a vest or a belt. 
• For the bench press, we're going for power. You want to be struggling to complete the fifth rep on these sets. Please use a spotter for this. I'd hate for you to drop a barbell on your neck or face or chest.
• We've previously covered Alternating Dumbbell Curls.
• Here is what Indian Club Training looks like. It is all about circular movement with the weights. If you don't have Indian Clubs, you can substitute them with anything of a similar shape. You don't need much weight to get a great workout. 
• We've covered decline sit-ups before. 
• If you'll remember, a double-end bag is a bag with an elastic cable at the top and bottom and, when you hit it, it bounces all over the place. It will train your accuracy and your dodging ability. 
• We've covered Makiwara punching before.
• For the L-Rope Climb, you only use your hands to climb the rope. You start out seated on the ground, with your legs straight out in front of you. As you climb, your legs will stay out in front of you, with your body in a "L" position. This will tax your arms and your core. You will climb up and down ten times, without resting at the bottom. Your rope should have about 10 feet worth of climbing room. 
• For the speed bag, focus on getting a rhythm and remember that it's all about timing. 
• With the conditioning bag, you can fill it with sand, pebbles, river rocks, or steel shot. Start with softer materials and work your way up. When you can hit the softer materials with almost full force, you can move up to the harder ones. 
• You guys know the drill for the Heavy Bag. Go hard, go fast, and use lots of different techniques. This is your time to practice combinations and movement, so use it wisely. 
• This workout is so insane, I imagine at first, you may even have to break it up between a couple of days. If you can actually complete the workout, I would say you'd have some world-class fitness to brag about. 
• If you have any questions about exercises not explained, use the search function on the side of the blog. :D

That's all for today, guys! Hope you enjoyed it! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

MMA in Anime and Manga

Unfortunately, mixed martial arts does not always receive the warmest of welcomes in anime or manga. There are plainly some biases against it, even to the point of contradiction. Mixed martial artists are often portrayed as mere sportsmen, just playing at real combat (which I will allow this argument to a degree, but I will qualify it) or that they are strong, but have horrible attitudes and are beaten out of principle it seems.
In History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi, there is a scene that shows Odin, right before he meets Ogata Isshinsai, where he had just won a martial arts match that looks very similar to an MMA competition. He appears to make light of the competition and you do not see him use any common MMA skills in his later fights. Ryouzanpaku itself is set up to be for pure non-sport Masters. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, the problem lies in the fact that it dismisses the combat effectiveness of MMA or its components just because they are used in sport.

Even Judo and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu are made to seem less than other martial arts. Ukita is a judoka, but always seems to be the weakest fighter in the group. And during the D of D tournament, the BJJ team got slaughtered by the Ancient Pancration team... Which should include wrestling as part of its skill set, but is never showcased. This is challenged slightly by the Command Sambo users, but it is an exception to the rule.
In Karate Shoukoushi Kohinata Minoru, Minoru learns Karate and a little BJJ and does very well and then Mutou just does Karate and is ridiculously more powerful; however, a fighter from the MMA club is taken down by a single front kick (mind you, from a very strong karateka, but all the same). In general, if someone does MMA in manga or anime, expect to see them get slaughtered.

There are exceptions to this in Grappler Baki, Tough, Teppu, All-Rounder Meguru, and some others, but in general, MMA catches a bad rap in anime and manga. There's nothing wrong with just Karate or just a style of kung fu or just boxing or whatever, but the problem is when an author belittles the fact that MMA has fundamentally changed martial arts for the better (another article) and that mixed martial artists defeat traditional martial artists on a regular basis. I've said this before and I'll say it again, if you want to be a pure karateka or boxer or wrestler or whatever you have got to push the limits of your fitness and strength and find ways to deal with your style's shortcomings. Don't blame your art. Pick your path and charge full speed ahead, but prepare for the trials and tribulations and don't expect to win just because you train hard. Scissors always beat paper, no matter how much you don't want it to.

Kiichi's Iron Kiba Training A

This is most of the training that Kiichi did to prepare to face "Iron" Kiba in the stead of his father, after he is injured in a car accident. Some of his previous opponents and friends come to help him train for this match. The training contains power, endurance, and skill.


Kiichi's Iron Kiba Training- Workout A

LEVEL ONE

1. Power-chan #1- 3 x 3 Minute Rounds
2. No-hands Bull Riding- 3 x 1 Minute Rounds
3. Continuous Sparring- 20 Minutes
4. Continuous Grappling- 20 Submissions
5. Run- 30 Minutes

LEVEL TWO

1. Power-chan #1- 5 x 3 Minute Rounds
2. No-hands Bull Riding- 3 x 2 Minute Rounds
3. Continuous Sparring- 20 Minutes
4. Continuous Grappling- 20 Submissions
5. Run- 40 Minutes

LEVEL THREE

1. Power-chan #1- 5 x 5 Minute Rounds
2. No-hands Bull Riding- 4 x 2 Minute Rounds
3. Continuous Sparring- 20 Minutes
4. Continuous Grappling- 20 Submissions
5. Run- 50 Minutes

LEVEL FOUR

1. Power-chan #1- 5 x 5 Minute Rounds
2. No-hands Bull Riding- 5 x 2 Minute Rounds
3. Continuous Sparring- 20 Minutes
4. Continuous Grappling- 20 Submissions
5. Run- 60 Minutes

Notes: 

• This workout will require some equipment. Some of it is relatively expensive, so this may be one of those workouts you rarely get to do. 
• Power-chan #1 is an apparatus created by Kiichi's father to help him train. It is a series of springs attached to Kiichi's limbs and body and connected to the wall. This provides resistance for punches and kicks. But that's just the first part. There is a long heavybag about twenty feet away that he has to get to before he can actually throw any of those strikes. You would probably have to build something like this using bands, like from LifelineUSA, whose products I've mentioned previously.
• No-hands Bull Riding is not to be done as it is in the manga. Kiichi actually used a real bull... yeah, don't do that. Instead, you can tie your arms and then use a mechanical bull to simulate the training. What you'll have to do is really squeeze your legs together, which will build stability, leg strength and the ability to stay on a squirming opponent. If you can find a mechanical bull, start slow and please have large mats around to catch you when (notice I didn't say if) you fall. 
• For continuous sparring, you may do any kind of sparring you like, but do not stop for 20 whole minutes. As this gets easier, you can up the intensity of the spar or add more people. Whatever you'd like to do. 
• For continuous grappling, it is not twenty total submission, but the first one to twenty submissions. These do not have to be in a row, mind you. 
• This final run is a continuous, even pace. You won't add any sprints in here. The main purpose of this run is to build muscular endurance after all the other training. The low-end aerobic cardio is just a plus.
• If you wish to do this workout, but lack the necessary equipment, please feel free to modify it as you see fit. 

That's all for today. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

On Mastery (Part 2)

(Part 1)

When I sat down to type out my thoughts on Mastery last time, I wasn't sure that I was going to continue. Not because I said all there was to be said (certainly not), but because I was quite certain that whatever I said next (if anything) ought to be worth saying. This is far from an obvious conclusion, for people often ramble on about a subject far longer than necessary, in much the same fashion as I am currently doing. However, this is not without purpose, and serves as an example of what Mastery is not.

Primarily, Mastery is not superfluous. It does no more than is necessary. It does not write a paragraph when a sentence or a single word will do. Mastery is not just the ability to know what is necessary, but the ability to do that very thing at will. In fact, they are one and the same to the person in possession of Mastery.

That leads me to the second thing Mastery is not: contemplative (with exception). It is possible to reason over time what is the necessary action and then complete that action based upon the outcome of your contemplation, but that is not Mastery. If asked a question, a Master mathematician does not ponder the problem at length and then give sufficient answer.  He merely answers, because the rules of the mathematics are so deeply ingrained in him, he cannot help it. It is the same as tossing a ball to someone and seeing them catch it without thought. They did not calculate the trajectory and position themselves in such a fashion to be able to catch the ball-- they just caught it. To be fair, I'm certain there are Master mathematicians who use calculators or must consider a problem shortly before answering extraordinarily complex problems.  Indeed, things of sufficient difficulty can force any Master to struggle or even fail. This may seem like a contradiction, but only if you think of Mastery in completely finite and blanketing terms. Depending on the subject or the method, Mastery may mean different things. I use such a complex thing as math to lay out my next point.

Mastery is not definitive. What I mean here is that Mastery can change over time. In the scope of an overarching concept such as math, which is constantly evolving, it is only possible to attain Mastery if one has Mastery over the concept's parts. Math can be as basic as adding and subtracting or simple algebra or as complex as is necessary to explain the most detailed of physical or non-physical representations. This then means that if you can count to 100 without thought, you've gained Mastery of the ability to count to 100. It seems overly simple, I realize, but it is necessary to think in these terms because of the sheer vastness of the concept of mathematics (granted, math is not the only thing that is horribly, horribly complex).  To have Mastery of such a thing, one must be expected to be enormously skilled at a variety of different mathematical procedures, often without having to really think about them. The other side of Mastery not being definitive is that, Masters often expand the field in which they specialize. The Master mathematicians or martial artists of 500 years ago are not the same, for things that exist today did not exist at that time (though are the product of those men and women's pursuits).  In this way, Mastery is not definitive, because it expands and develops as it goes.

This post and its predecessor are not the be-all, end-all word on Mastery. There is much more that has can be said and has been said by far better men than myself. As far as your own journeys go, I hope I have been able to shed some light to whatever paths you are following.

All-Rounder Meguru (Meguru's Workout)

This is a really cool MMA manga. I really recommend it to anyone interested in the martial arts, because it is pretty realistic and informative. I won't give the story away, but there's competition and Yakuza and girl fights to be had. Check it out!

The first workout I'm bringing you is not the first workout that we come across in the manga. The reason behind this is because the first workout is the Pro workout and I figure it's best to start a little simpler than that, so we'll go with the training that Meguru undertakes, himself, in order to get stronger. He is also attending grappling and kickboxing classes during this time, so he's not just doing this training.

Meguru's Workout


(Meguru does the majority of this workout at an outside fitness course, but you could do it at a gym or a playground)

1. Run 3 Miles
2. 3 Sets of MAX Push-ups
3. 3 Sets of 1 Minute "X" Hops
4. 3 Sets of MAX Pull-ups
5. 3 Sets of MAX Decline Sit-ups 

Notes:

• For "X" Hops, all you need to do is draw a plus sign on the ground (with chalk or lay it out with a string or tape) and hop, with your feet together randomly from section to section. They are going to be short hops and you won't bend your knees much.
• If you don't have a decline bench, you can just do the sit-ups on the ground or a mat. 
• Very simple workout, but it is toward the beginning of Meguru's strength and conditioning training. 

This manga has some really nice stuff in it, so expect some more out it! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Super Training Schedule

I may have a fight coming up soon, so I am in Training mode, currently. I will try to be as frequent as possible with posting, I promise!!  Working the living crap out of my ground game and hopefully looking to get some sparring in when I can. It's a poor substitute for China, but I'll try to make up for it as best I can. 

Pretty much, I've got Brazilian Jujitsu 6 days a week, Kickboxing 1 day a week, my personal practice (boxing, kickboxing, Karate, and some things I've stolen/traded for with other people) most days, and conditioning 5-6 days a week. I'm supplementing like crazy and being very, very clean with my diet, so I am hoping that will help my recovery, especially since I'm operating at about 6 hours a day sleep. 

Trying to use a bunch of Real Anime Training workouts for my personal practice and conditioning. Gonna train hard and we'll see what happens. I will try to video the fight for you guys so I can post it (I'll try not to embarrass myself too much!).

If any of you compete in anything, please feel free to submit upload your videos to YouTube and then either e-mail them to me at realanimetraining@gmail.com or post them in the comments of a blog post. Would love to see it!

That's all for today. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Koko Tekken-den TOUGH Workout #1: Kiichi's Basic Training

This is a really good manga for anyone interested in the martial arts. It's sort of a less serious Grappler Baki, but is great because the author really likes to draw grappling situations, which is not often found in manga. The training that we see Kiichi doing toward the beginning portion of the series is simple, but can be taken to extremes.

Kiichi's Basic Training

LEVEL ONE

1. Run 1 Mile
2. Handwalk 100 Yards
3. 50 Fingertip Push-ups
4. 10 Minutes Bagwork
5. 5 Minutes Mixed Sparring

LEVEL TWO

1. Run 3 Miles
2. Handwalk on Fingertips 25 yards
3. Handwalk 75 Yards
4. 15 Minutes Bagwork
5. 2 x 5 Minutes Mixed Sparring

LEVEL THREE

1. Run 5 Miles
2. Handwalk up 100 Steps
3. Handwalk on Fingertips 50 Yards
4. 15 Minutes Bagwork
5. 3 x 5 Minutes Mixed Sparring

LEVEL FOUR

1. Run 5 Miles with 20lb weighted vest
2. Handwalk up 100 steps on fingertips*
3. 15 Minutes Bagwork
4. 5 x 5 Minutes Mixed Sparring

Notes:

• For the handwalking, you need to be able to complete the whole 100 yards without fail before you can move to the next level. Same for all the other levels. You can't advance if you fall even once.
• Handwalking on your fingertips is going to be brutal. This will take you a long, long time, so that's why the 50 Fingertip Push-ups are there for the first level. You need to do those all at once, also. I'm serious when I say it will take a long time. Eventually, when you are on the last level, if you are able to walk the 100 steps without falling, you can attempt to use less fingers, until you are just using your thumb and forefinger.
• For mixed sparring, I recommend MMA gloves or practice MMA gloves (more padding), so you can strike while grappling. I recommend going light on contact, especially at first, just because things can get out of hand in a hurry with mixed sparring. If you're going full contact, wear more gear, like shin guards, elbow pads and such.
• I don't recommend a backpack in substitution for the weighted vest, because you should have a fairly even and centered distribution of the weight. You can start at less than 20lbs, of course.

That's all for today. Hope you guys enjoy this one! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Daily Training Update- 12/12/2010

Today I got to spar/grapple with a good friend of mine, James, the author of Martial Arts and Rainbow Magic. The grappling session was a great learning experience, as I've not had a lot of practice recently with my jiu-jitsu, just because of a general lack of training partners. By learning experience, I mostly mean that James managed to pretty much tap me out at will. It was humbling and I will attempt to seek out as many training partners as I can in order to correct my weaknesses.

Our sparring session was a light one, but was still very nice. In general, it was good to shake off the rust as far as distance and timing were concerned.

James also showed me several very nice Taiji (Tai Chi) techniques and talked a lot about kung fu in general. There is so much to learn out there in regards to the martial arts and I urge anyone who takes a martial art to cross train in another one, just so you can experience the subtle differences and see what you can take from one and apply to your own style of combat.

Probably going to be a little sore tomorrow, but it was a good day. Hopefully I can find some good sparring partners, soon.

On Mastery (Part 1?)

It's that time again. The time where I sit down and write the sort of philosophical diatribe that makes people go, "Seriously, wtf?!" In the past few months, I've put a lot of thought into the term "Master." What does it really mean and who is worthy of the title?

Maybe, though, it's not necessary to get caught up in the word itself, so much as the concept. Words are merely vehicles on which human beings transport thought. In Japanese, words like "tatsujin" or "shishou" might be applied to a person to denote Mastery.

But, what does it mean? Merriam-Webster defines "Mastery" as:

a: possession or display of great skill or technique
b: skill or knowledge that makes one master of a subject

And, it defines "Master" as a lot of things, but here are a few of the interesting ones:

a: an artist, performer, or player of consummate skill
b: one having control
c: one that conquers or masters

Apparently, "Mastery" is not something easily pinned down. It doesn't necessarily mean being the best at something, but it does mean that you possess a great deal of skill. I am convinced that Mastery (notice I dropped the quotes) is not a destination or a final  acquisition, but a journey; not necessarily a status, but an attitude or way of life.

At some point, when there is sufficient experience in something, the subject (whether a language, a physical skill or mental skill, or understanding) becomes less and less "outside" ourselves. It becomes a second nature. Specifically in the martial arts, it is difficult (read "impossible") to say that someone has master of a style or skill if it is not immediately available to them without the poison of having to think about it. If a man throws a punch and a boxer (assuming he is aware of the incoming attack) does not slip it and/or counter, but instead is hit because he was not "ready" for the punch-- Mastery does not yet exist for this man. Or, if a jujitsu practitioner is grabbed forcefully and he does not break the hold, move to a better position, or submit his attacker, how can he be said to have Mastery? I will not bore you with countless permutations of the same scenario, because the concept is relatively easy to understand.

Mastery is about becoming. It is that transformative path to the superhuman that tests the boundaries of our limits as people. It is not all-inclusive, but can be limited to a single pursuit or ability. You can possess Mastery on levels-- Mastery of a concept, technique, or style. I would say the more specific the endeavor, the higher the degree of skill necessary to attain Mastery. One can be the Master of a martial art and one can possess Mastery of a certain skill within that art. To be certain, to be called the Master of a style, one must have a very high degree of knowledge and skill concerning the fighting method. However, I believe if one were to be called the Master of a particular skill (say armbars, for instance) it might be necessary for him to possess a level of skill in that technique greater than the man who is called the Master of a style. Certainly, this must be the case if the two men were to try to meet on equal terms in battle.

This is fun to think about, but I bring it up not to be purposefully confusing or philosophical, but because at some point, everyone who practices a particular style of martial arts or who fights, must make a decision like this. Do I attempt to become what is called a "complete" fighter or do I dredge on through the fires of hellish training to find the uttermost of a specific kind of fighting or specific technique? Surely, most fall somewhere in between.

I've said this before, but if you are the latter of the two types that I mentioned above, it is your duty to discover things about and do things with your skill that have never been done before. If you say, "I will defeat all opponents with only jujitsu/judo/boxing/muay thai/hung gar/karate/my left hand," then you will need to train to defeat those other style with your own instead of making excuses about rules or the shortcomings of your own style. Mastery is about finding The Way--

So, find it.

Kung Fu Training Book and Training Camp

Hey, guys!

A friend of mine has had the opportunity to spend a good deal of time in China training with a Taiji Master named Master Zhang. In his studies, he's learned a lot of really interesting things and Master Zhang has put a lot of that into a new book, which I find extraordinarily interesting.

First of all, anyone who reads this blog knows that I love fighting, training, MMA, traditional martial arts, getting punched in the face (etc.) and it seems like I'm not the only one. Master Zhang's book is called "How to Win Your First MMA Fight" and it is filled with the combative knowledge of a man who loves all of the things I've listed above (although, I'm not sure how often he gets punched in the face...) and has a treasure trove of experience in the martial arts.

So, if you guys are interested, here's the link to the book:
"How to Win Your First MMA Fight"

If you're considering getting into MMA or if you are just curious about what goes through the mind of a Kung Fu Master, I would really recommend this book.

(End of commercial-- No, but seriously, check it out!)


FANG MOUNTAIN KUNG FU TRAINING CAMP

In related news, Master Zhang and two other Kung Fu masters are planning a special training camp in China. You can find the details here. Essentially, the breakdown is that the students will train full-time for about three months and then enter some form of combat martial arts competition. The idea is to hearken back to the badass days of Kung Fu.

It's supposed to be intense and it's an amazing opportunity! If you think about it, in terms of hours, it's the equivalent of spending three nights a week at a local martial arts school for two and a half years. That's pretty hardcore. Plus, you get to go to CHINA! If you're going to learn Kung Fu-- there's not really much of a better place to go, right?

Check out the above links and certainly check out the rest of James' blog. Also, leave a comment with your thoughts about the training camp.

That's all for today, guys! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

UFC 117 Thoughts (SPOILERS)

Ok, first of all, the card was very nice. There were some fabulous displays of striking, wrestling, submissions, and just plain heart.

Roy Nelson, Ultimate Fighter 10 Winner, went up against Junior dos Santos in a Heavyweight match-up and, although Nelson was mostly outmatched, he stood toe-to-toe with dos Santos and never gave up, forcing Santos to win by decision. He took a hell of a beating and I tend to agree with Joe Rogan that Nelson should probably lose his gut and drop a weight class. That kind of power and toughness in the 205 division would be amazing, not even considering that he has a black belt in BJJ.

UFC Hall-of-Famer, Matt Hughes went up against Ricardo Almeida (student of Renzo Gracie, whom Matt Hughes recently defeated). Almeida sought to avenge his Master's loss (man, I love the sound of that-- it's so old school kung fu movie), but his attempts were frustrated when Matt Hughes choked him into unconsciousness in the first round. Looks like Hughes might be making another rise through the ranks.

Clay Guida fought Rafael dos Anjos in a Lightweight bout, defeating him via a submission due to Anjos sustaining a jaw injury during the fight. Amazing fight, by the way.

Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves went to war, but Fitch dominated with an amazing display of wrestling to win via unanimous decision.

The Middleweight Championship fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen was very suspenseful. Honestly, Silva didn't seem himself for most of the fight. When he was on his back (Sonnen is a VERY good wrestler), Silva made hardly any real attempts to sweep and took to mainly throwing short strikes from the bottom. Now, it may be, as Silva said at the end of the fight, that he had a rib injury that slowed him down for most of the match, or it may be that he was lulling Sonnen into a false sense of security so he could slap that nasty triangle on with 2 minutes left in the fifth round. Whatever the case, Silva is still the Champ and I very much would like to see a rematch with a healthy Silva.

I didn't get a chance to watch any of the prelims, unfortunately. For the most part, though, I'm excited to see the level that many of these cards are at recently. Everything is high-level. People are doing new things all the time-- the sport is still evolving and I'm glad to see that. In the UFC events to come, we'll get a chance to see people like James Toney (an amazing boxing Champ) make the transition to MMA, along with other athletes from other sports. How this will affect the game, if at all, I'll be excited to see.

I'm gonna attempt to throw another workout up here tonight and perhaps that Jack Hanma steroid rant, but we'll see. In any case that's all for now. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Jack Hanma Workout #2: Fight Training

In the massive amount of training Jack did in his quest to best Yujiro, he fought continuously (although, he was in such a state of overtraining, that he could hardly stand, much less fight). However, after he starting taking the drugs, I'm certain that turned around very quickly.  Here's a workout for the fight training we see Jack do during the anime. Jack is a Pit Fighter- and he's very well-rounded and capable of learning many techniques just by experiencing them (must be a Hanma thing). He can punch, kick, and wrestle with the best of them... also, he bites... but, that's not important here. Anyway, here's the workout!

Jack Hanma Workout #2: Fight Training

1. 3 Minutes Kickboxing Sparring
2. 30 Seconds Full Power Striking on Heavy Bag
3. 3 Minutes Grappling
4. 30 Seconds Sprawling
5. 3 Minutes MMA Sparring
6. 30 Seconds Full Power Striking/Sprawl (Hit twice, then sprawl)

As Many Rounds as Possible. There are no rest periods.

Notes:

• As always, wear your gear when sparring.
• You and your partner don't have to try to kill one another, 50% is cool. Although, you are welcome to go full contact.
• If someone is submitted during grappling or MMA sparring, reset and start again.
• For the 30 seconds Full Power Striking/Sprawl, you hit the bag twice, sprawl, get up, hit the bag twice, sprawl, get up, hit the bag... you get the picture.
• Alternatively, in the 30 second break, you and your partner can take turns, so there will actually be a 30 second period of recovery.

That's all for now. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

All Anime Sparring SPECIAL!!!! (Workout)

This is a compendium of all the different kinds of sparring in anime. You may or may not be able to do them all, but do as many as you can.

All Anime Sparring SPECIAL!!!!

1. Shadowboxing
2. No-Contact Sparring
3. Light Contact Sparring
4. Full Contact Karate Sparring
5. Full Contact Boxing Sparring
6. Full Contact Kickboxing Sparring
7. Judo Randori
8. Submission Grappling
9. Medium Contact Mixed Sparring
10. Light Contact Multi Person vs. 1 Sparring
   --3 to 5 Minutes per Spar, depending on your fitness. The Spars have a 1 minute rest in between. If you're really looking for a challenge, cycle back through the rounds a second or third time. However, I doubt you'll be up for that.

Notes:

• We've covered shadowboxing and no-contact sparring.
• For all the spars, you should where at least a cup and a mouthpiece.
• Gloves are optional for light-contact sparring.
• Karate sparring is full contact, with no punching to the face, elbow strikes, or open-handed blows.
• You should wear headgear and 16 ounce gloves for your boxing and kickboxing spars.
• You should do your Judo randori with mats. You win your randori if you throw your opponent decisively to the mat once, or take him down twice, or submit him. I'll try to post some videos on Judo randori. Don't stop because someone wins, just continue until the time is up.
• With the mats, you can also practice submission grappling. Don't stop when someone submits, just reset and continue until the time is up.
• You'll only do medium contact on your mixed sparring, since you'll be doing both striking and grappling. Use MMA rules and MMA practice gloves (not the match gloves, because they are too thin). Also, since you are sparring, keep your strikes light when you are on the ground. If someone gets mount and starts raining punches down, you should stop and reset if the person on bottom is unable to reverse the position in five seconds, as it will be a TKO.
• For the multi-person vs. 1 spar, don't do any more than four on one and try to go easy on the single fighter, so he can get the hang of it. Reference early Baki posts for notes on Multi-person sparring.

That's all for now. Hopefully you enjoy this cross-anime workout. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Best in the World #6: Georges St. Pierre

If there is a fighter who is the pinnacle of learning, it is Georges St. Pierre. He's always getting better and, if he's met with a challenge or is beaten, he evolves and comes back to take the victory. He's stood at the top of the 170lb division of the UFC for a while now and I sincerely doubt he's going anywhere any time soon. He's known for being an extremely hard worker and tireless in his training. So, check out this highlight reel-- hope you enjoy it.



That's all for now. Until next time, good luck and train hard!!