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 .