Well here we are on the coat tails of 2009, and I have one question for you… where the hell did it go?? I suppose time remains the same it is simply my perspective that has changed. I have a bad habit of catching diarrhea of the word processor, so I will do my best to keep this short and as sweet as I get.
09 has been a good year overall where I have made some big jumps in my martial skills, made more friends than enemies (I hope), learned some important lessons, and shed some tears I wish I could get back.
TRAINING
My personal training has had its ups and downs in 09, but overall it has been nothing short of great. I have surrounded myself with great coaches such as Brian my BJJ coach, Wes my boxing coach, and of course Hu Xi Lin and Tim Cartmell who remains one of the biggest influences in my life. I owe all of you more than I can ever repay and am eternally grateful!
TEACHING
Firstly I want to say to all my students worldwide (okay, in North America anyways), just how proud I am of all your dedication and hard work. I do not have many students, but the ones that have stuck around and dedicated themselves have made huge improvements in their skills and met many of their personal goals. I love teaching. Period. And their is nothing the makes a teacher happier than seeing his students improve at something they have put 110% of their blood, sweat, and tears into.
Two students in particular stick out:
“The Shadow” is my right hand man both on and off the mat. When Mike first came to me he could not strike his way out of a wet paper bag. His previous teacher ingrained some things that were just plain fucked up and wrong. We had to work to de-program such teachings, and rebuild a foundation from there. A strong wrestler (who has taught his teacher much in that regard) without striking skills is no good in my opinion. So Mike put his mind to it and has worked hard on all aspects of his striking game. Lets hope he does not forget everything I taught him over the next 6 months away!
The other is my silent Asian assassin, “Bonzai!” Bonnie has been my most consistent student in Seattle. She started at Allstar where she continues to attend EVERY kickboxing class I teach (6 classes over 4 days, EVERY week), and eventually came to my group class at the academy where she has been working hard on the grappling aspects of her game. For those keeping score that is over 9 hours of group training a week! In the dictionary under consistency and dedication it says “see her.” Bonzai holds her own with scrappy students half her age. I cannot express how proud I am to have her as a student and a friend. “Xie xie ni Bonzai.”
COMPETING
Most of 09 (and 08, and 07…..) has been quite dismal in terms of my competition. I have little desire to do any striking events anymore, coupled with my lack of health insurance (thanks Bush, you fucking prick!), pretty much means I only compete in grappling events anymore. And in that regard I have little to brag about this year. To be honest I was seriously contemplating whether or not I am made to compete. Losing consistently screws with your confidence and when your confidence fades your mind weakens. BJJ does NOT come naturally to me and I have (still do) struggled in terms of grasping the central themes and principles of the art. But I have found a new love for competition and now yearn to put my skills to the test as I learn more and more about myself every time I touch the mat!
In the end it all paid off. The 2009 No Gi World Championships last November has been one of the greatest experiences I have ever been a part of! Even without a win I would feel the same way (just not as happy). Taking first in my division, third in the absolute, and getting my first two submissions in competition is a feeling I will never forget! I look forward to the challenges and precedents I have set for myself in the coming years. Competing has awoken a fire in me that is quite needed at this stage in my life.
LOSS
09 has been one of the toughest years of my life in regards to loss in the martial realm. Over the summer I received one of the worst phone calls I could imagine (short of family of course) when I heard my teacher, my friend, my bud Mike Martello passed in Belgium. I write this with tears dripping from my chin, as not only is this a great personal loss to me, but also to the whole martial arts community and the Chinese martial community specifically! Mike was taken from us too early. Loss such as this serve as a lesson to remind us that life is NOT guaranteed tomorrow. It is precious and can be taken from us in a flash. Kiss your lover, tell mom and dad you love them, and do what makes you happy every single day. That is how Mike lived and that was his enduring lesson to us all.
2009 also marks the final year of the Shen Wu Academy of Mixed Martial Arts in Garden Grove, CA. Tim has decided to close the doors of his long running academy to go teach at Ace Jiu Jitsu full time. Though this certainly is not the end of Tim’s teaching it marks an end of an era where many of us cut our teeth and trained with one of the best teachers in the world! Farewell to the Wu.
BLOG
What would 2009 be without this blog?? First of all you would not be reading my rants, reviews, and raves. I sincerely hope this blog has brought something positive to you over the past 10 months or so. Even if it is just a smile it is my sincere hope that I have affected your life positively via this blog. Secondly I want to thank each and every one of you for your support, and I wish for nothing other than bigger and better offerings in the year 2010.
Die Living,
Jake 2009
Jean Jacques Machado is a great inspiration to us all. Here is a piece they did on Fit TV on his training, his attitude, and his academy.
Happy Holidays,
JAB
One of the things I respects most from our friend and teacher Alberto Crane is that he is constantly working to improve all aspects of his game. Here he is training in Phuket Thailand at Tiger Muay Thai. Looks like good solid Muay Thai training!
Here are some pics of a seminar Alberto gave while visiting Tiger Muay Thai.
Rumor has it that Alberto will fight in China’s Art of War 16, but I have not confirmed that anywhere reliable, nor do I have a clue who his opponent would be.
Cheers,
JAB
According to an article on Maximum Fighting dot com MMA is now legal in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. This is a major win for MMA and fight fans living in Canada’s second largest city where up until this measure passed MMA was illegal within city limits.
One more win for MMA in the Pacific Northwest where we have some of the greatest fighters on the planet!
Cheers,
JAB
The City of Vancouver has legalized MMA in Vancouver during their council session today. The motion to allow MMA on at two year trial basis was passed by a vote of 6-3. Councillors Meggs, Stevenson, Anton, Chow, Deal, Jang voted for MMA legalization, while Councillors Woodsworth, Reimer, Louie voted against MMA.
Smaller promotions may still be out of luck as they will have to purchase enough insurance to indemnify the City of Vancouver from any liabilities. There is no idea how much insurance would be required. The City Manager will determine the appropriate amount.
Earlier this week, a report was prepared for the Vancouver City Council that was very favorable to MMA. Today the Council debated the report and decided in favor of sanctioning MMA.
The Maximum Fighting Championship easily Canada top MMA organization and one of the biggest in North America will be applying immediately for a show in 2010.
A friend, Bob, shared this on one of the forums I haunt occasionally and it was something I have never read of Joseph Campbell’s before. It was posted on a thread talking about how plants are living too and some even believe we should not consume plants nor animals. Obviously the thread was in desperate need of a serious dose of “man the fuck up!” I personally took a lot away from it on several different levels.
Hope you find something of value in Campbell’s words.
Enjoy,
JAB
Goats and the Tiger A fable tells of a tigress, pregnant and starving, who comes upon a little flock of goats and pounces on them with such energy that she brings about the birth of her little one and her own death. The goats scatter, and when they come back to their grazing place, they find this just-born tiger and its dead mother. Having strong parental instincts, they adopt the tiger, and it grows up thinking it’s a goat. It learns to bleat. It learns to eat grass. And since grass doesn’t nourish it very well, it grows up to become a pretty miserable specimen of its species.
When the young tiger reaches adol
escence, a large male tiger pounces on the flock, and the goats scatter. But this little fellow is a tiger, so he stands there. The big one looks at him in amazement and says, “Are you living here with these goats?” “Maaaaaaa” says the little tiger. Well, the old tiger is mortified, something like a father who comes home and finds his son with long hair. He swats him back and forth a couple of times, and the little thing just responds with these silly bleats and begins nibbling grass in embarrassment. So the big tiger brings him to a still pond.
Now, still water is a favorite Indian image to symbolize the idea of yoga. The first aphorism of yoga is: “Yoga is the intentional stopping of the spontaneous activity of the mind-stuff.” Our minds, which are in continual flux, are likened to the surface of a pond that’s blown by a wind. So the forms that we see, those of our own lives and the world around us, are simply flashing images that come and go in the field of time, but beneath all of them is the substantial form of forms. Bring the pond to a standstill, have the wind withdraw and the waters clear, and you’ll see, in stasis, the perfect image beneath all of these changing forms. So this little fellow looks into the pond and sees his own face for the first time.
The big tiger puts his face over and says, “You see, you’ve got a face like mine. You
‘re not a goat. You’re a tiger like me. Be like me.” Now, that’s guru stuff: I’ll give you my picture to wear, be like me. It’s the opposite to the individual way. So the little one is getting that message; he’s picked up and taken to the tiger’s den, where there are the remains of a recently slaughtered gazelle. Taking a chunk of this bloody stuff, the big tiger says, “Open you face.” The little one backs away, “I’m a vegetarian.” “None of that nonsense,” says the big fellow, and he shoves a piece of meat down the little one’s throat. He gags on it. The text says, “As all do on true doctrine.” But gagging on the true doctrine, he’s nevertheless getting it into his blood, into his nerves; it’s his proper food. It touches his proper nature. Spontaneously, he gives a tiger stretch, the first one. A little tiger roar comes out—Tiger Roar 101. The big one says, “There. Now you’ve got it. Now we go into the forest and eat tiger food.”
Vegetarianism Is the first turning away from life, Because life lives on lives. Vegetarians are just eating Something that can’t run away.
Now, of course, the moral is that we are all tigers living here as goats. The right hand path, the sociological department, is interested in cultivating our goat-nature. Mythology, properly understood as metaphor, will guide you to the recognition of your tiger face. But then how are you going to live with these goats?
Well, Jesus had something to say about this problem. In Matthew 7 he said, “Do not cast your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet and turn and tear you.”
The function Of the orthodox community Is to torture the mystic to death: His goal.
You wear the outer garment of the law, behave as everyone else and wear the inner garment of the mystic way. Jesus also said that wh
en you pray, you should go into your own room and close the door. When you go out, brush your hair. Don’t let them know. Otherwise, you’ll be a kook, something phony. So that has to do with not letting people know where you are. But then comes the second problem: how do you live with these people? Do you know the answer? You know that they are all tigers. And you live with that aspect of their nature, and perhaps in your art you can let them know that they are tigers.
A Joseph Campbell Companion, Diane Osbon, 1991 by the Joseph Campbell Foundation, pp 117-119
A great article posted over on Lockflow.com on endurance. Has a different take then most. Some good food for thought!
Enjoy,
JAB
Shen Wu Martial Arts Academy
New Mexico Branch
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Clinic
with
Black Belt Tim Cartmell
Dominate Your Opponents with:
The Transitional Guard
The “transitional phase”(between open and closed guards), is often overlooked. It is a powerful technique
that applies the best of both guards creating openings for a multitude of submissions, sweeps, and counters that aren’t available from just one guard. The crab can be used with or without a Gi and has been employed successfully by Mr. Cartmell and his students at all levels of competition.
January 24, 2010 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Guzman’s Sport Karate and Kickboxing School
1203 North Main Street Las Cruces, New Mexico 88001
All Experience Levels Welcome
Fee: $55.00 at the door
$45.00 if fee paid before January 10th
Register Early Space is Limited!
“Masters Class Open Forum”
Sat. the 23rd beginning at 1pm an open forum at least 6 hours long
of “ask any martial question” from Tim Cartmell. That day is $125 by itself.
Both days can be attended by payment in advance of $150.
Potential participants need to contact Russell or Norwood for accepted attendance in this special workshop!
For more info and registration call:
Russel Coryell 575-649-6308,
Norwood Yamini 575-640-4640
Tim will also be in Portland OR. Feb. 13-14, 2010 / October 2-3, 2010
And Seattle, WA. in March. More details on both seminars soon!
Congratulations to my teacher, and mentor, Tim Cartmell on earning his second degree in BJJ from his grappling coach Cleber Luciano. Cleber just promoted several new black belts for a total of 20, Tim being the first one several years ago.
Congrats to all,
JAB
This is what happens when you are cruel to monkeys! Check out the perfect jump side kick to the head here!In a follow up to the interview I posted a few days ago with Igor Gracie, here is his fight with Chris Vorano. Excellent grappling!
Cheers
JAB
From John Will, our brother and teacher in Oz:
In the last few seconds of the last round on the Saturday 12th December, Haydn Clasby from Submission Martial Arts (NZ) suffered a serious injury to his neck. This injury was sustained in a controlled BJJ environment and was a freak accident.
Haydn broke one of his vertebrae in his neck and damaged his C5, C6, C7, he is paralysed from the shoulders down at present. At the end of this week they will operate and put a plate into his neck.
At the moment the Doctors are providing worst-case scenario information to us, but due to the complexity of the injury it is going to be a wait and see. So as we all sit here with all our fingers and toes crossed, the initiative has been taken and an account has been opened in Haydn’s name at Kiwi Bank.
The aim of this account is to provide funds towards the costs of Haydn’s recovery and to help his partner Gen and family as they take extensive time off work to support Haydn during his recovery.
Any contribution no matter how small would be greatly appreciated.
Following are the account details for anyone wanting to contribute.
Haydn Recovery – M E McDonald
38 9000 0109787 02
A paypal donation link has also been set up for anyone overseas wishing to contribute to Haydn’s fund.
Please visit this link to donate!!
All here at NWJJA and Three Harmonies wish the very best for Haydn and his family. Incidents such as these bring a sober moment of reality to something we often do not think about; we are engaging in combat sports which can be very dangerous! From the sounds of it this was just a freak accident, I do not know more specific details.
What I can offer is a few words to contemplate over the next few hours before you hit the mat tonight with your brothers and sisters. As much fun as we have training in the martial arts, as much release we get from our daily grind of stress and anxiety, as much gratification we get from training hard for an upcoming bout… we must always keep in mind our own safety, and the safety of our partners.
Since I have come back from the worlds it seems as if I have a big target painted on my back. Their seems to be an abundance of testosterone and spaziness with some of the people I have sparred with both inside and outside my academies. Perhaps coincidental, these rounds have gotten me a bit dinged up, and quite frankly I have learned very little. Spazy bursts of 120% have left me wondering what I have been doing wrong to deal with such situations, and in the end I become quite defensive in my sparring which is not something I want to become accustomed to.
So I leave you with some food for thought from my experience… think about your partners growth, development, progress, and most of all their health! Sure their are times to go all out, but let us not forget the principles ALL martial arts were founded on: leverage / position / skill. Martial arts were developed so the little guy can be given a fair shot against a bigger, stronger opponent. Their seems to be an overbearing reliance on strength and brute force lately which is stalling the learning of both partners involved, and leaves everyone more susceptible to injury. Leave the ego at the door kids, a tap is not the end of the world and quite frankly sometimes it is the best learning tool.
Peace,
JAB
Came across this gem on Youtube. Too short, but an interesting glimpse into Ju Jitsu 100 years ago! Some things have changed…many have not.
Enjoy,
JAB
While we are at it…. top 5 of the decade!
JAB
I do not follow boxing as closely as I should, but here is a great compilation of Gorilla Productions’ top five fights of 2009. Can’t argue, some awesome highlights! Thanks to Ross Training for this!
Enjoy,
JAB
Some of you may remember the review I did of the inaugural issue of BJJ Legends back a couple of months ago. Against my better judgement (I was not impaired at the time) I purchased the second issue of the new rag, lured by the promise of deep, inspiring words and thoughts by BJ Penn; Luis Heredia; Penny Thomas; Leo Viera…. and of course the crack at the bottom of the gift box… an exclusive DVD!
In an effort to improve my writing skills (In the latest issue of Journal of Asian Martial Arts I reviewed Liang and Yang’s book “Bagua”) I have been reading a bit about how to review a products, and one of the first things they say is to review what the product IS, not what I want it to be. Seems simple enough, lets give it a whirl.
What is needed is a magazine that covers grappling. Not just grappling, but we need a rag that represents BJJ / Sambo / Judo / Catch / Freestyle etc. etc. Currently the market is saturated with MMA magazines. It is worse then the women’s clothing section at the bookstore! So lets just get that out of the way, we need serious grappling coverage!
Suffice to say our cravings will not be quenched with this second issue of BJJ Legends. Dare I say it has actually gotten worse if such a thing is possible. The DVD was the highlight this time, only because there was footage from 2008’s Joe Moreria’s Black Belt Challenge including matches with Jean Jacques Machado black belt Jimmy Tang, and Megaton Dias! The interviews were lame. No pressing questions, even with pro trainer Lou Smith it was basically three pages of people saying how good Lou Smith is! I don’t give a shit how good Josh Barnett thinks Lou is, I assume if he is worthy of being interviewed then he knows his shit! I want to hear some tips from Lou. Some training ideas to keep things fresh. How he approaches dietary concerns. I am not interested in hearing BJ talk about how nice it is to live in Hawaii. No shit Sherlock! I can’t imagine it is too bad!
All the interviews lacked substance, and journalistic integrity. The techniques shown were basic and nothing to get excited about. Nothing wrong with basic, but at least add in some tips. Not just “put left foot on right hip, push.” The one exception to this is Ary Farias an up and coming competitor in the brown belt division, who had some cool bicep cutters from guard , and top 4 quarter. Save your $13+ and I will show you in class next week!
So in closing…reviewing what this is… it is a waste of money. Save your bills for Jean Jacques Machado’s newest book due out next month!
Cheers,
JAB
Few have broken the cultural divide of Mongolia and it’s long, rich wrestling tradition. Local firefighter / martial artist Aaron Fields of Seattle Ju Jutsu / Sea Town Sambo is one of those lucky few to have traveled to Mongolia, trained with the nations top wrestlers, and be invited to compete in their annual wrestling competition (to the best of my limited knowledge he is one of the ONLY westerners to be extended this invite)! I will post more about this fascinating art later, but this is an extremely RARE opportunity to train in Mongolian style wrestling, and to learn about the rich grappling legacy of inner Asia.
SAMBO Roots clinic on Mongolian Folk Wrestling
at
Sea-Town Sambo and the Seattle Jujutsu Club
An American Sambo Association Seminar Series clinic
Saturday December 12th , 11 am – 3 pm (or so)
20 dollars for the day
Aaron Fields will be showing Mongolian folk wrestling technique as well as talking about the cultural background of the sport
This is as close as you are going to get without 
living in Mongolia!
All experience levels welcome
Clinic location:
Sea-Town Sambo/Seattle Jujutsu Club
1314 NE 56th St
206-713-9745
www.seattle-jujutsu.org
Please reserve space ahead of time and feel free to contact Aaron directly with questions.
Please bring a ju jitsu/judo dogi top, kurtka, belt, shorts
The club has a limited number of loaners
Lets get this out of the way right off the bat… I hate running! I figured out early in life that I was not going to outrun anyone so I may as well learn to stand and fight, hence my first step into the martial arts. And I have seriously tried. Throughout high school I played Lacrosse which had us running, oh I don’t know, ALL THE GOD DAMNED TIME!!! Grew up playing basketball. I even tried in the off season’s to get in the “groove” (whatever that means). Never got into it. Experienced what some call a “second wind” a couple times, but it was not worth the effort!
So when I started getting serious about cross training for my martial arts practice I had to reconsider running as a supplement. Plane and simple verdict; running long sustained distances does not mimic what I train / train for in the martial arts! I need short, intense bursts of 120% both aerobically and anaerobically! This is more representative of what I will experience either on the mat, or in a self defense situation.
I will do sprints and what not when close to a competition. I jump rope all the time which I find better and more stimulating than running. But most of all I grapple for cardio.
I have had the luxury to train with such notable pro’s as Anderson Silva who claims he hates running as well, and when asked how he trains for a fight… “I fight. I am not running in a fight, I am striking, grappling, wrestling. So that is what I do to prepare.”
As of late a lot of information has been coming out about the detrimental effects of long distance running. So check out this article for some food for thought regarding one of the most popular exercises in the US!
Enjoy,
JAB
So my little blurb about diet seems to have opened up some different avenues in respect to supplements, vitamins etc. I have always been a bit leery of any supplement being sold by anyone. I have tried many things over the years especially going through massage school where it seemed like everyone had the next best thing!
Overall my experience has been that many of these tinctures, pills, and powders are bunk. Bullshit. Nothing to ’em. You dish out lots of money for very little, if any, return. Currently I take three things: Glucosimine – Chondroitin / Cod Liver Oil / Greens Today
The greens formula is loaded with veggies and in general things that are good for me. I have tried many greens formula’s and not only is this the best tasting one (mixed with apple juice), but it seems to be the strongest one I have found in terms of how it makes me feel. Typically in the past I would take a formula for about 2-3 weeks feeling positive effects (increased energy / better bowel movements / clarity in thought / better food digestion etc.), but then it would taper off and eventually I would feel nothing. With the Greens Today powder I get all those positives without it ever tapering off! I have been using it for about 2 years now (I think) and to be honest my body misses it when I run out. I try to listen to what my body tells me, as it is much smarter than I am;)
The Glucosimine – Chondroitin is purely for the joints. My joints take a lot of abuse with the activities I am involved with, so this is one preventative measure that is worth it to me! Again, when I am off of it I really feel the difference. As always I try to be as smart as possible with my training but a certain level of abuse is simply a factor of what I do. I try to minimize it and supplement with GC.
The Cod Liver Oil is for Omega fatty acids. I do not eat a lot of fish due to the cost, and I am not a big fan of the taste, so I feel a need to supplement my diet with CLO. I have a history of high blood pressure and cholesterol in my family, and since I cannot afford health insurance I try to be proactive with such risks. Will it save me? Who knows. But I check my own blood pressure regularly and it stays in the healthy range (except after driving in Seattle!!!!). I check my blood sugar when I visit my sis (she is diabetic), and I had a free Cholesterol screening a few months back. It was a couple points high, but I had just eaten some eggs and what not.
Beyond those I try to get all I need from food, water, and exercise. The greatest gift the martial and healing arts have given me is the ability, patience, and quietness to listen to my own body. Our intuition is our strongest attribute in my opinion, and most people are so out of touch with it they can eat McDonald’s day in and day out without noticing the damage they are doing to their bodies!
There is a lot of evidence coming out lately that not only are supplements a waste of money, but they can quite possibly do damage to your immune system and retard certain health promoting effects!
Check out this very scholarly article on the subject!
For those who wish for a little easier of a read, check out this study on antioxidants and their effects on patients with various diseases. To summarize the results of this study:
Plain language summary No evidence to support antioxidant supplements to prevent mortality in healthy people or patients with various diseases Previous research on animal and physiological models suggest that antioxidant supplements have beneficial effects that may prolong life. Some observational studies also suggest that antioxidant supplements may prolong life, whereas other observational studies demonstrate neutral or harmful effects. Randomised trials have largely been neutral. We need evidence from randomised trials to decide if antioxidant supplements should be used for prevention.
In the end I encourage you to listen to your body, exercise every day, and try to eat and drink as clean as possible. It is your body, your vessel, the only one you get…love it, respect it!
Train Hard, Train Smart
JAB
Are you old school in your training? I mean REAL old school? I have found this rare gem shot from the early 40’s (I believe) where a certain German dictator vent’s about the lack of discipline, focus, and attention to detail with the fundamentals of grappling. This is extremely rare and sensitive footage, share carefully!
Train Hard, Train Smart
JAB
Though it has only happened once or twice, it makes me feel great when I get feedback from people I do not know that read my blog and find inspiration or reassurance from it! Just such a thing happened with my post on diet last month.
We shall call him “Mike,” and Mike is from Arizona and stumbled across my blog in his ramblings on the world wide intertube! I wanted to share Mike’s words with you all, including his personal lab results from a recent physical. Also Mike included some links you all may find interesting.
Enjoy,
JAB
Hi Jake,
Thanks for your recent blog post on diet.
I’ve been following a primal type of diet since the beginning of the year. I can tell you that I feel it’s the true way to live. You’re also right in that eating like this is not so much a diet but a lifestyle. Less sugar and starches in the diet is always a good thing, especially in these days. I did a couple of experiments on myself just to test the theory. September last year I challenged myself to give up juices and just drink water or milk during meals and such. I weighed 180 lbs at the time. Well 2 months later I was down to 170. I wasn’t really doing any exercise either, just moderate stretching every now and then. Then in December, I found Mark Sisson’s blog: www.marksdailyapple.com and absorbed everything written. I tried out the high-fat, low carb lifestyle and lost 12 lbs and 12% body fat in about 3 months. I also gained 8% skeletal muscle.
I too recently watched Food, Inc. It’s very similar to these which I think you’ll like too
http://www.hulu.com/the-future-of-food
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/peter_jennings_reporting_how_to_get_fat_without_really_trying/
I just had my annual physical and bloodwork done about a week ago. Here were the results with their percent differences from last year:
235 Total +25%
63 Trig -22%
73 HDL +40%
152 LDL +36%
11 VLDL -21%
3.2 Total Cholesterol / HDL
0.86 Trig / HDL radio
0.8 CRP
As you may know eating fat doesn’t make you fat nor does eating cholesterol (eggs, etc) hurt you either. It’s the insulin response to sugars that tells the body to store fat.
My doctor also ordered up a CRP (C-reative proteins) test. This test measures the amount of inflammation in the arteries. It is the swelling of the arteries and their eventual bursting that causes clots and heart attacks. Any number below 1.0 is fine
http://www.medicinenet.com/c-reactive_protein_test_crp/article.htm
I’ve also learned how LDL is a calculated number and very inaccurate when triglycerides are below 150.
http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/weight-loss/low-carbohydrate-diets-increase-ldl-debunking-the-myth/
From what I understand, most labs just use the Friedewald method which if your trigs are greater than 150 is decently accurate. However the more that trig number is below 150, that method it can become very skewed. Using the Iranian method to calculate my LDL result was 126. I hear that to accurately test for the different kinds of LDL (small dense vs large puffy) is more expensive so almost all labs just go with the calculated Friedewald method.
Also with the trig/HDL ratio way below 2.0 and Chol/HDL ratio below 5.0, I’m doing pretty good. My doctor is onboard with all this actually said that some of her cardiologist and doctor friends might want to prescribe me a statin to lower the LDL and total cholesterol. Thank goodness that we have other ways (CRP, etc) to determine if that number really means anything.
Take care and thanks for a great blog.
Mike
Phoenix, AZ
Congrats to Semmy Schilt who won his 4th K-1 World Grand Prix Title over the weekend in Japan! Semmy destroyed his competition with 6 KO’s in 7 fights! Check out Fights 4 You for the latest clips!
Cheers,
JAB
Kyra Gracie is offering a ten day Brazilian jiu-jitsu training camp in Rio de Janeiro from February 24th to March 3rd, 2010. This is the first time Kyra is offering a training opportunity of this sort, and it is only open to women over the age of 16. There is only room for ten students so if you are interested you had better move fast.
Kyra is of course, a multiple time world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and well, Kyra Gracie. We expect some of the female members of the Mighty 600,000 to attend this camp and bring back a full report!
Kyra has asked that anyone who would like to make arrangements to attend her training camp simply contact her at [email protected] To confirm I’m not just making this stuff up, check out Kyra’s site
Thanks to fightworkspodcast.com for this announcment!
Cheers
JAB
Though not a fan of his attitude, I love to watch Roy Jones Jr. fight! Fluid. Faster than hell. Powerful. Jones has it all for the most part. His range, and timing are exceptional hence why he often fights with his lead hand down.
Well in case you missed it, even the greatest of the greats gets caught every now and then. Sad thing is the punch Green threw was relatively weak. But since Jones’ hands were down, Green found the “button.” Lesson to all….
KNUCKLES UP!! KEEP YOUR HANDS UP KIDS!!!
Here is a fascinating article on Jack Johnson, boxing’s first African-American Heavyweight Champion. Johnson is an inspiration not only for his physical attributes, but also for his unwavering attitude and outlook on life and society living in a time when even champion sportsmen were treated with indifference and racist hatred! In the early 1900’s he was convicted of transporting women across state lines for immoral purposes (they were prostitutes with whom he had personal relationships with). Johnson skipped bail and fled for the next few years, eventually coming back and surrendering to the authorities. While in prison he patented a tool and was a model prisoner.
Posthumously George W. Bush signed a bill in 2008 to pardon Johnson, but a companion bill by good ol’ boy John McCain shot it down (the more I read about McCain, the less I like him, and I hate fucking politicians!!!!) with the same animosity he has exhibited towards MMA. It is interesting to note that McCain has argued against MMA because of it being “Human cock fighting” and not civilized like boxing. Yet he shoots down a bill to pardon one of boxing’s great, POSTHUMOUSLY! I mean really how big of a douche waffle do you need to be to NOT pardon someone for a draconian, antiquated crime even after they have died!?!?
In July of this year Obama passed the pardon 53 years after Johnson’s death.
Anyways… check out the article. Neat stuff from one of the greats of the sport!
Cheers,
JAB
Check out the size of the gloves in the pic to the right!
Originally published in the May 1905 issue of “The Cosmopolitan,” this article (thanks to EJMAS) sheds some interesting light on the subject of grappling in general, western wrestling (CACC) and Judo specifically. Take a peak at the way these arts were portrayed over 100 years ago! Very interesting.
Enjoy,
JAB
Thanks to Wreck MMA for this nice interview with Igor Gracie, son of the legendary Rolls Gracie. He seems to have a better attitude then many in his family, which may be due to him training with his cousin Renzo!
Enjoy,
JAB
Igor Gracie, is the son of the legendary Rolls Gracie was born in Rio de Janeiro, and currently resides in New York teaching with his cousin, the world renowned Renzo Gracie. Igor Gracie is a black belt from the Gracie Barra Academy and is a successful competitor, including two time state champion and Pan American and Mundial medalist.
Wreck MMA sat down with Igor, who will be the first Gracie to ever fight in Eastern Canada on December 12th in Gatineau (5 minutes from Ottawa) at Wreck MMA: Fights for the Troops
Wreck: At what age did you realize you were a part of a very special family?
Igor Gracie: My family was always very united. So since I was a kid my mom always made sure I knew family comes first. But it was around 12 years old that I started understand how my family spread the art all over Brazil and soon the World.
Wreck: How old were you when you began studying Gracie Jiu-Jitsu?
Igor Gracie: I started going to the academy very young. Going in there to play, learn a few moves… a kid’s class. When I was about 4 or 5 years old.
Wreck: Was there any point in your life where you thought of becoming anything either than an instructor and professional fighter? Or being born with a famous name like Gracie, did you feel it was your destiny to learn Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and help teach the world about the sport pioneered by your family.
Igor Gracie: I went to Law school for 2 years and Business School for another 2. I think it’s very good to have an education regardless of what you want to be in the future, you got to be ready to whatever life throws at you.
But when I was 22 I started training and teaching full time, moved to New York and could finish the University.
Wreck: In 1993, when Royce Gracie won the first UFC, what was your reaction as a young Gracie in Brazil?
Igor Gracie: I grew up seeing those types of challenges. My Grandfather traveled the whole country challenging other martial artists to show how efficient Jiu-Jitsu was. But 3 fights in one night that was pretty impressive, I knew that I wanted to get in the ring and show my skills just like my Grandfather, Uncles and Cousins.
Wreck: Do you believe that your legendary father, Rolls Gracie, being the first Gracie to openly study other arts and integrate techniques into Gracie Jiu-Jitsu have a great impact on how Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has evolved to where
it is today?
Igor Gracie: Of course. That’s what everybody from the earlier generation keep telling me. How he developed tons of moves; made the guard more offensive; did conditioning training for jiu-jitsu; trained sambo; judo etc… He was many years ahead of anyone else at that time.
Wreck: Why did you decide to move from Brazil to New York to work with your cousin Renzo?
Igor Gracie: Renzo Invited me and I didn’t think twice. Because I knew that in New York I could focus 100% in teaching and training.
Wreck: At this point in your career, what do you believe is your greatest accomplishment?
Igor Gracie: I think I’m a pretty successful Jiu-Jitsu Competitor with major titles. But I want to prove that I can do well in MMA as well.
Wreck: Who are your main training partners and coaches for your fight in Wreck?
Igor Gracie: I train with the guys here in New York; my brothers Rolles and Gregor, Rafael Sapo, we got a good team over here. I also go twice a week to Ricardo Almeida Academy in New Jersey were he got an awesome training session. All that under the supervision of Renzo of course.
Wreck: How does it feel to be the first Gracie to ever fight in Eastern Canada?
Igor Gracie: I think that’s a great opportunity the event is giving me. I want to fight hard for the Canadian fans. And help develop the sport there.
Wreck: You have come to Ottawa on numerous occasions to conduct seminars with your brothers Rolles and Gregor. What are your thoughts on the city and the talent level of the students you have taught.
Igor Gracie: I love going to Ottawa because of the people. Even though it’s a cold place in the winter the people are very warm and welcoming. And the level is very high, Pat Cooligan and his crew do a awesome job running the school and keeping the level very high.
Wreck: How much of an honor is it to see your brother, Rolles Gracie, be the first Gracie since Royce to compete in the UFC?
Igor Gracie: Words can’t explain how happy I am. He trains so hard and dedicates himself so much that, I think he’ll do a great job at the Heavyweight division.
Wreck: Is your goal to follow your brother and become a UFC fighter?
Igor Gracie: Yes it is. I want to fight in the biggest event.
Wreck: Which current MMA fighter do you enjoy watching compete?
Igor Gracie: I enjoy watching Jiu-Jitsu fighters competing in MMA. Proving the efficiency of the art. Minotauro, Minotouro, Renzo, Rolles, Damian, GSP, Jose Aldo, just to name a few.
Wreck: Is there any fighter in MMA that you would like to face in the future?
Igor Gracie: When you decide to compete in MMA you can’t pick opponents, you have to build yourself to fight the best.
Every now and again one stumbles, quite accidentally, onto a small nugget of gold while wasting away hours on this silly talking box. I just struck gold with Fights 4 You an all access site that has just about any and every kickboxing, boxing, MMA fight cataloged in it’s database! Simply put, fight heaven! Especially for those of us without HD Net, since they are pretty much the sole keepers here in the US of K-1 fights. Do you like head kicks like the one to your right?? Well then click on the above link right now for more head splitting action!
For those of you not in the know, K-1 was / is considered to be THE premier kickboxing venue for fighters! They have also started putting together MMA shows as well.
I am putting Fights 4 You on the Blog roll to the left as well!
Enjoy,
JAB
Thanks to MMA Weekly for this story and pic.
It blows my mind that the powers that be still preoccupy their time with such trivial matters such as pot smoking, when (in my humble opinion) there are much, MUCH, more important issues at hand in the MMA world.
Yet the CSAC (California State Athletic Council) has just passed a ban on medical marijuana’s use in MMA.
The most obvious thing even a novice smoker will tell you is that pot seriously does not give ANY advantage athletically to anyone, especially a MMA fighter!
There has been a lot of controversy over the use of “Medical Marijuana” and how it affects drug testing for mixed martial artists in California.
The California State Athletic Commission recently issued a statement declaring its stance on Medical Marijuana as it relates to drug testing for athletes it licenses.
The Commission made it clear that legal use via Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, in California does not negate disciplinary action due to a positive drug test result in relation to events overseen by the CSAC.
“The California State Athletic Commission’s position is that Marijuana is a banned substance pursuant to Rule 303 and that any positive drug test may result in discipline,” read the statement.
The Commission stated that a Supreme Court ruling in the case of Ross v. RagingWire Telecomm “found that an employer may discipline an employee for off-duty medical marijuana use.”
In the case of athletes licensed to compete, an athletic commission isn’t an employer per se. The CSAC, however, argued its case, saying, “Because the Compassionate Use Act only provides a defense to criminal charges, any argument that the Act would allow an athlete to use the drug without consequences to his or her license must fail. If the Court were to take up a similar challenge to discipline of a licensee, it would likely find that the Commission has a legitimate interest in whether or not an athlete uses the drug because marijuana could slow a fighter’s reflexes and endanger his or her health and safety in the ring or the cage.”