Warriors and champions

EVERYONE Wants To Be A Warrior And Champion But NO ONE Wants To Do The Work . The Warrior Doesn't Believe In Pain And The Champion Isn't Afraid Of Sacrifice . He Simply Does What He Does . A True Warrior Is ALWAYS Training And The Champion Is ALWAYS Working To Reach The Next Level Because There Is No Second Chance , No Reset , No Do-Over . It's Not That He Does What You Can't Do , He Does What You Won't Do

Great quote from Mark Twain

Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one that inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it. Mark Twain

Inspired

I love Sports and Athletics ! I mean as in I truly enjoy to participate and when i can't participate I love watching . Sports and Athletics give us a glimpse of the impossible becoming possible . Sports and Athletics Inspire us and often times bring people together regardless of diversity . Imagine if MY actions or YOUR actions ETHICALLY , MORALLY , SOCIALLY had the power to inspire and rally people ? When the day comes that people start rockin GHANDI or Mother Theresa sports jerseys , shit might just be alright on this planet

Endangered species

I do not have a PHD and i am not a scientist BUT I have Masters Instructorship in the Martial Arts . I have conducted several experiments and tests and I have concluded that HONOR , DIGNITY , BUDO AND RESPECT just made the top of the ENDANGERED SPECIES list !

FOOD

So these days i am reading and researching nutrition . I only buy organic and it's expensive as hell but to me it's worth it ! What i wanna know is , why is it ok ? Why is ok for food companies to produce and sell crap ( Food that contains GMOs ) ? Why would they do that to people and why is it ok ? Furthermore anytime laws or bills are on the table to stop this or at least have these foods labeled the Food companies fight till the end in order to continue . Why ? I really want to know ! Food is supposed to sustain us not kill us

What happened to MMA?

So I am a HUGE fan of MMA! I love the sport and I love all that comes with the lifestyle, correction i love ALMOST ALL that comes with it. So i have a question, Do these fighters always have to hate each other? That's a generalization but every time i read about MMA and the Athletes all you hear is _______ said _________ is ( insert any and as many negative comments as you like ) . Seriously , this is getting corny and tired. I know that sometimes it's the media, maybe most of the time it's the media, I hope so. If it is the media maybe we should do something to shut them down because that element that they bring has NOTHING to do with the sport and lifestyle that i love so much. Damn this bickering and badmouthing is so annoying!!! back in the day we trained, fought, laughed and the repeated the process. I have learned more about love through the combat arts then i would have learned anywhere else. What happened ?

There is only one way to fail and that is to not even try. Everything and anything else just means you have to attempt a different method

Yoga

Some time soon i will be sharing my thoughts on Yoga. If you don't already practice Yoga then you should. It will change you

Hush

Some free advice to anyone who fights - SHH!! SHH! Trash talk is corny, REAL CORNY with regards to fighting UNLESS it's funny but even then it's gotta be for real funny. TRUE greatness just IS. So here are some musings and ruminations on trash talk in Fighting and in Sports : 1. As stated above it's CORNY 2. Fighting is about fighting and not about talking 3. If you talk trash and don't deliver you look even MORE CORNY 4. Now some moron is gonna say "BUT TRASH TALK HYPES THE FIGHT AND SELLS TICKETS" NOPE , it does not . I watch fights because i enjoy combat sports . Rest assured if 2 combatants are planning on beating each other up i'm gonna watch it regardless, no PRE-fight commentary is needed. 5. If you really must talk trash PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have the decency to be funny, LAUGH OUT LOUD funny 6. If you trash talk and get stomped for it can you please refund the minutes of my life back that you so CORNILY ( YES CORN-ILY ) demanded by talking trash 7. HAVING INSUFFICIENT FUNDS IN THE FIGHT BANK! If you talk trash and lose you open the flood gates to statements like "THAT'S WHAT HE/SHE GETS FOR TALKING TRASH" or my personal favorite " I'M GLAD HE/SHE GOT HIS/HER ASS BEAT!" Although when this sort of thing occurs it kinda is funny but that is beside the point 8. It occurs to me that Trash talkers probably don't have ANY REAL friends because if they did their friends should have stopped them from A.) BEING CORNY and B.) POTENTIALLY WRITING A CHECK THAT THEIR ASS CAN'T CASH. Sort of like when a good friend stops you from impulse buying or 9. REAL GANGSTERS DON'T TALK ( they just DO ). If one is truly great or truly BADASS then that skill should be as natural as breathing. No one ever brags about how well they breathe do they? The true greats and the elite should just DO what they DO and let others discuss while they keep it moving 10 If you are an elite level combatant or athlete don't cheapen your performance and victory by flapping your lips before or after just BRUSH YOUR SHOULDER OFF . Hope everyone has a great day

Laundry

So you're rolling with an advanced belt, and things are going great. There seems to be more space, the usual tightness that your opponent has just isn't there in fact he/she seems to be on the run! You can SMELL victory , It APPEARS that your game is improving almost over night then suddenly that advanced belt has just had enough and he/she TAPS! You're like YES, YES my game IS getting better! I have news for you that wasn't victory you smelled and it wasn't your game that made the higher belt run and tap IT WAS YOUR GI! and it's time to wash the damn thing! I own a lot of Gis , I own several Black, Several Blue, I also have the Ultra Badass NAVY BLUE ( 3 of them ) , but I am also a bit of a traditionalist and love the CLASSIC white Kimono! Simple but gangsta, White Gis look best when they are broken in and worn looking. NO ONE wants to have a clean uniform at the end of a football game and the same rules hold true for the White Gi in the gym and on the mats. Personally i love the look and smell of clean Gi. With that being said , school is in session and i am offering you some laundry tips for your Gi. So first things first lets assemble some ingredients : White Vinegar - to neutralize bacteria and it will preserve the color of your Gi Tide Detergent Actually liquid Tide - Pine Sol - to add a little extra punch to the wash Goo Gone or Goof Off - to pre treat stains particularly the neck/collar of the Gi NO BLEACH!!! REPEAT : NO BLEACH EVER!!! And now the process : Depending on your situation it may be in your best interests to go to the local laundromat . I do this because i like to do ALL of my laundry in one shot! but if you need to just wash your Gi then you will be fine if you use your home washer. Step one : Pre treat any and all stains that you are concerned about ( for those of you that are lazy, STOP IT NOW, this takes like 2 minutes seriously . Step two : Place Gi in washing machine and set washer to cold ( preferred ) or Warm if your Gi is really filthy. Add your liquid detergent , add a cup of White Vinegar and a cup of Pine Sol to help freshen things up Step three : Go find something to do like read or run a QUICK errand ( emphasis on quick ) Step four : When the wash cycle concludes remove Gi and HANG dry if and when you are able . Steer clear of the dryer the extreme heat may shrink your Kimono or prolonged use weakens the fibers of the Gi making it easier to rip and tear Additional tips : always CHECK the lint and or dirt traps of your washer ( you'd be surprised at what nastiness you might find that will in turn find its way onto your Gi If you need to speed up the drying process place your kimono on a fan or in the DIRECT path of the in the immediate vicinity of the fan Only wash your Gi with like or similar colors Wash it alone or with several other Gis when possible . So that's it try it out go wash the stank out of your Gi you heathens LOL.

Style ?

" Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system" - Bruce Lee. QUESTIONS I hear frequently: 1.What's your style? 2.What style do you teach? 3.What's the BEST style? ANSWERS I give frequently: 1.My style 2.My style 3.(For me)My style There is only ONE way to fight and that is YOUR way(YOUR OWN PERSONAL INDIVIDUAL WAY) with regards to style BOXING and KICKBOXING are not styles they are ACTIONS . Wing-Chun, Praying Mantis, Silat etc etc are NOT styles of fighting they are CURRICULUM and POSSIBLY methods of TEACHING . A proper perspective towards training and learning will result in a fulfilling Martial Journey and the best way to move towards that goal is to recalibrate our rains and look at the arts differently. If you look at other lifeforms you will notice that their method of combat strongly evolves around the use of their natural weapons,natural tools and natural attributes . Take elephants for example they aren't designed to bob and weave , they don't have an anatomy that could permit them to try a single leg takedown and i am pretty sure you won't see them doing jump spin kicks either The only thing Elephants do is CHARGE, TRAMPLE and of course use their TUSK and TRUNK . All Felines fight the same as do all monkeys therefore it is easier to understand that ALL men fight the same based on how they are genetically and anatomically predisposed. Have you ever noticed that some people just have a talent for fighting ? regardless of whether a combatant is trained or untrained there are some individuals that just possess an INSTINCT for fighting, some have it ( the ones that WIN fights) and some don't ( the ones that LOSE fights ). Training, natural athleticism, superior strength,endurance and agility must ALL be factored together when assessing one's skill in combat . Once we are actively using and practicing this training paradigm we will be able to learn and develop better and faster as Martial Artists. We will also be better equipped to express ourselves freely,honestly and effectively in combat. The goal has always been this even when we are/were operating from a place of our own personal ignorance. Fighting is often fast and usually very chaotic anything less than FREE, HONEST and EFFECTIVE EXPRESSION and EXECUTION could result in disaster! So there you have it, there is the case and a philosophy to support the concept and belief that has been suggested by a man who I have always admired .

Warrior Monk ?

A great day in the life of a modern day Warrior Monk. This morning i started my day @ 6am with some stretching and some water next was 7 rounds of Boxing sparring and then 5 rounds of No-Gi BJJ rolling. I am tired, I am sore, I am HUNGRY, I am content. My afternoon is in full swing and i am teaching Boxing to urban teenagers. A day in the training hall is just what everyone needs. It is a place to feed and grow the soul, strengthen the body and hone our skills. Many practicioners of the fighting arts consider themselves warriors HOWEVER i believe i am more i am a WARRIOR MONK . I approach the "WAY" differently if my training doesn't cultivate my spirit then it is incomplete and insufficient. There is more to training then just physical execution and exertion . We will talk more about this

It's been a while

So yeah , it has been a while, a LONG while since i've stopped by to say hello to myself. I don't have much profound going on or to share BUT it is time to break the silence . So these days I am running the gym and teaching and just trying to find answers to any questions that i may have. I have learned so much since the last time that i posted . I guess I can take a moment and share some random musings and ramblings , I have been coaching kids and teaching them the science of Boxing it is challenging but it is fun ( SOMETIMES ). I have really connected to my step daughter and she has discovered a love of Martial Arts ( BJJ in particular ) . My son has been doing some VERY amazing things with his Eskrima/Kali ( He has strong Boxing/Kickboxing and BJJ skills BUT he really has a talent for Eskrima . There was a FIRE in the gym ( NOT COOL ) . I rediscovered my love of Striking ( YES ) . I have been putting together some awesome training progressions and doing some truly creative stuff with my Martial Arts . I DON'T SLEEP ( maybe 2 hours a night ) . I am also VERY present these days , my personal goal is to be in a state of complete immersion in the moment . I will be elaborating more on these things and other stuff in the upcoming posts but for now at least there is activity here . Be well ,stay well Namaste, Chris

Preparing for a Fight: A Fighter’s Perspective

For a combat athlete, fight preparation is both trial and tribulation. Though laborious training for a fight needs to be more than just physical, it also requires development of one’s mental toughness and cultivating the ability to improvise.

All fighting: cage, ring, street etc. is challenging mentally and physically. A fighter is the charged/tasked with accepting, meeting and overcoming &surpassing the challenge before him. In order to facilitate this, a training ‘camp’ or program is required to provide an environment and an opportunity for growth.

The physical aspects of the training can be easy depending on your point of view. The athlete must train or work to become physically faster, stronger, more athletic, coordinated and agile. Perhaps it is unfair to say that the physical training is easy but it must be realized that ANYONE can do the physical work. The physical training is sometimes monotonous, often arduous, very demanding and absolutely necessary. The physical training of a combat athlete must include but is never limited to the following- strength training, speed, agility, cardiovascular conditioning, and reflex training.

Strength Training or better yet functional strength/combat strength training. This type of work builds a different type of muscle tissue and fiber. We are not talking about aesthetic looking muscles, we are talking about muscle tissue that is responsive and can be engaged in a multitude of ways at different times. Muscle tissue that engages ON COMMAND. An example of this is how a bench press may prove useful but being able to throw a heavy bag by 10 feet or more is more combat specific.

Put simply, “Speed Kills” and it is a nightmare to the fighter that doesn’t have an answer for it. Physical speed increases the Hit percentage of all of your attacks. Speed will enable you to evade or pursue, it is a major factor that helps control a fight. Speed is a Bitch
to deal with offensively and defensively; in fact, the only thing that can overcome Superior Speed is Superior Timing.

Agility is that very necessary attribute that enables us to engage our muscles with athleticism and coordination; without agility we would move awkwardly and clumsily. When applied with well developed muscles, agility gives us the ability to create, to move to move with style and grace, to be dynamic and extraordinary. Without well developed agility, accurate, multi strike combinations are not possible.

Cardiovascular Conditioning is invaluable to say the least, if you can’t “Dance for a long time you will be in for a very long night or a very short one. The long night is when you just don’t have enough to push the pace or keep up. Sure you have enough to stay in there But Not Enough to Take Control or maintain control. When this happens the end result is a nice Loooong Ass Kicking.
At the other end of the Bad Cardio Spectrum is when you “gas” early. This type of problem produces one very undesirable outcome – you get Knocked the F@ck out!
You will need Strong Cardio Endurance to fire lots of Multi Strike Combos, to be Evasive and Aggressive for multiple rounds, to compensate, manage and overcome adversity. Cardiovascular Fitness is what enables us to fight long and finish strong. Having Superior Cardiovascular Conditioning gives us an extra element and enables us to establish control in a variety of ways.

Reflex and Response Training. Of all of the physical training aspects, Reflex and Response training is perhaps the hardest one to train. Probably because reflex training is as much mental as it is physical. Actually we should call this Perception and Response training. First we perceive stimuli, either and attack or an opportunity to attack (mental) then we address and respond (physical). That is how our reflexes work in fighting. All combatants must train hard to be able to observe and be aware of stimuli and data, once this is accomplished we then engage our muscles and put thought into action. To React and Respond effectively for fighting we must have a very well developed and maintained nervous system coupled with a sharp yet relaxed mind.

The Mental Training is equally, or more, challenging. The mind must be strong to begin with because only a strong mind will be able to push the body beyond it’s limitations. The mind of the fighter must be sharp, able to recognize options and opportunity. It must be expanded in order to be able to create options and opportunity. The Athlete must be quick of thought to be able to make split second decisions and even quicker to change his mind if necessary. Most importantly the mind of fighter must be Clear AND Focused. Free and Clear to absorb information, date and stimuli without a bias or emotional involvement. Clear to Control and use his emotions to accomplish the task at hand. Focused, a focused mind can follow a path or plan and not get derailed or sidetracked and in the event of such an occurrence a focused mind can get back on ‘Track” or perhaps find an alternative route, a better route to the same destination. It must also be mentioned that throughout history, Athletes and Heroes have performed amazing feats and damn near impossible tasks. Such examples like walking on hot coals, lifting a heavy object off of a loved one, fighting with a broken arm, on combatant versus many; Fighting is mental and physical.

Conclusion:
Fight preparation is challenging and grueling. A journey that most are afraid to take or they aren’t equipped for it. The Path Of The Warrior will leave the body battered and bruised and the mind will be drained and taxed. This trip will take you to the deepest corners of your mind, things may break, you may break. If you take the journey you may lose yourself only to find yourself changed. In many cases some take this journey never to be seen or heard from again, they are replaced by a Warrior that bears a striking physical resemblance

Thank You

So it's a Beautiful morning today . Did you say thank you ? EVERY MORNING and EVERY NIGHT that i remember i make a conscious effort to give thanks . You may wonder who i offer my Thanks to or perhaps you wonder when or why i give thanks . The answers to these questions are very simple yet very poignant . Yahweh , Jehovah , Jah , Allah , The Creator , The One Most High (My Favorite), and of Course GOD (the most common) these beings,entities,these names are all concepts ,ideas and beliefs that are laid out for us to offer our individual thanks for the gifts and the Blessings we have received and continue to receive daily . If you do not subscribe to a specific faith ,perhaps you are an Atheist . If that is your stance then give thanks to Mother Earth , or how about YOUR Mother , or a mentor, a friend ,your boss ,the mailman , a bus driver ! What is important here is to realize that you have been blessed . Acknowledge the fact that at sometime someone has or will look out for you and offer assistance . Throughout our life we will receive and reap benefits that will enrich our life . We will receive love , money , shelter, food ,advice , transportation and friendship ,failure to appreciate , acknowledge and express our grattitude makes us ignorant and undeserving . Ask yourself what you are thankful for . If you don't know or if you truly believe that you have NOTHING to be thankful for then ask yourself: how blind are you that you don't feel compelled to give thanks ? It's not just enough to acknowledge we should DECLARE what and why . There are plenty of things to be thankful for . Here are some suggestions :Be thankful for CLEAN drinking water , be thankful that you did not awaken to gunfire ,be thankful that you woke up today! ,be thankful that you have 2 legs that work and if not be thankful for your crutches or wheelchair . I am fortunate and blessed and i KNOW IT . Personally i am thankful for my amazing son Richard , My mother, I have an awesome BEST FRIEND , I have a great career , I have friends and family whom i love and who love me . I am thankful that i have a mentor that looks out for me and i am appreciative of all the teachers in my life that guided me . I am thankful that i have a 40 inch television that enables me to view misfortune and misery and remind me that things could be worse . EVERYDAY is a gift and EVERYDAY is a test . Make sure you pass it

Been a long time, since I left you, without a dope beat to step to

So i'm horrible at this shit ! Really horrible . Not horrible at blogging but horrible at maintaining it with any type of consistency . I get caught up sometimes . I am truly a person who lives in the NOW . I am both proud and happy about that . While it is true that we should be mindful of the future it should not be at the expense of the living moment . If we are not present in THIS moment the future really doesn't matter does it ? ALL we have is right now . Technically speaking the Future doesn't even exist until AFTER the present occurs or should i say is occurring . That's me , that's my formula : take care of NOW . My actions now pave a way for a future . Finally it is a well known and documented fact that people cannot truly multi task ( sorry to dissappoint anyone but it's true ). We are only able to manage and perform one task at a time AND anytime we try and do otherwise such as when we try to tackle more than one chore, productivity is the first and biggest casualty . A great Jedi once cautioned : “Keep your mind on the here and now.” Qui-Gon Jinn or if Bhudism is your thing try this :“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” The Buddha
So try that out and see if it fits go handle your business now ( or is that in the now )Peace

Purpose

"There's no escaping reason, no evading purpose, because we both know, that without purpose there is no reason to exist. It is purpose that created us, purpose that connects us, purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drives us, that binds us, it is purpose that defines. We are here because of you, Mr. Anderson. We're here to take from you what you tried to take from us. Purpose." - AGENT SMITH from the Matrix Reloaded




What's purpose ? Do you know ? Purpose is a powerful word By definition it is a reason or the reason why . the explanation for existence . All training sessions and opportunity should be applied with purpose . It's not enough to just go through the motions . Proper training requires applied awareness and reasoning . Know what you're doing , Experience what you're doing . Notice an opportunity and judge the distance as you prepare to unleash an attack . Feel your balance shift and your muscles engage as you deliver strikes . Upon impact damage is assessed and follow action is plotted and then takes place . If an adversary launches a counter offensive a combatant must then identify and then process the attack and Determine the correct course of action . "Do i evade ?" , "Do i intercept ?" , "Is there time to react or respond ? IF NOT then i better BRACE FOR IMPACT !" Training with purpose gives one the ability to fight and act with purpose . ALL training or rather ALL PROPER training requires Presence and MENTAL ACUITY . Without those qualities in place an individual is basically just arbitrarily punching and kicking ,"spinning" his wheels . Ponder this and i promise that your training will evolve and change .

Experiencing Bruce Lee's Jun-Fan Jeet Kune Do

It is revolutionary ! There are lots of great arts and training methods out there but I believe JKD approaches personal growth and developement BETTER than all of the arts . THAT IS MY OPINION and MY TRUTH however i have spent 21 years studying JKD , Boxing , Muay Thai , Kali and Grappling Arts ( and 10 years of BJJ ) all of the arts that i listed are great and have helped me grow but JKD and it's principles can fit into and enhance all of those arts . JKD Is invisible you can't physically see it but it's ALWAYS there . JKD is a philosophy , a learning method and a training method . Once it is put into physical application it ceases to exist . That's where and when I take over ! In simple terms JKD as stated before is Concepts , Learning Methods , Training Methods , and Philosophy . The Art that i use in fights is Called Christopher Smith

The Straight Blast

So i'm gonna bring back my Straight-Blast , The Infamous Jik Chun Choy( the proper name of the Blast ) . It's been years since i have used it both in training and in sparring . Things just got too easy back when i first learned it so stopped . It's a great Tactic to offset or unbalance an adversary and it sets you up for a big finish . When i was younger using the Blast was a bit of overkill but now with the injuries piling up and they aren't going away i guess it's time to bring it back . First step is to dust it off and refresh my timing with the execution of it and then the next phase will be to drill it and prepare it for sparring . Watch out there's a "runaway train " coming

Focus 3-17-98

This is something that i found in one of my notebooks i was 27 years old at the time of writing it .

One day My Roomate Joe and I were watching Michael Jordan play basketball . During the game Joe made the coolest realization : "All he does is put complete and total attention into making that basket" . To an Elite level athlete like Jordan all that exists is the basket. He never thinks of anything else other than making that shot and he definitely does not think about missing . For most of us our minds wander and run wild with all kinds of chaotic brain activity but not Mike . Maybe that's the key to EVERYTHING . As a Martial Artist when you spar you spar to win or to learn ( gaining knowledge is a HUGE victory in itself ) . Why not break down your own mental psyche and focus solely on landing a good shot , or put ALL of your focus into executing a a good Fake/Feint that results in landing a series of vicious strikes . Better yet be mentally present and apply a concentrated focus on EVERY move you make during combat. FOCUS , always play hard always fight hard and always stay in the game . Challenge yourself and NEVER "leave " the game test the limits of your concentration then work to go beyond your limitations . DON'T let your mind wander . Put your mind, heart and soul into the NOW ! This is a theory and formula for everything . Focus on ALL things , friendship , your job , love , rading , writing , singing , EVERYTHING