On June 16, 2012 I made my amateur mixed martial arts debut at Yankee Lake Brawlroom; a small promotion in Ohio. Originally, I was supposed to fight at WCC IV on June 8 in Greensburg, PA but my opponent backed out for unknown reasons. I was disappointed because three of my teammates were already lined up to fight on the same card and I didn't want to be left out of the action. A short while after, during a training session at Fight Club Pittsburgh, I was offered a fight in Ohio at Yankee Lake Brawlroom 34, set for June 16. I was familiar with the promotion because several of my training partners had fights there in the past and generally agreed that it was a good place to kick off an amateur career. I accepted the fight and anxiously started counting down the days leading up to my debut.
The opponent I was matched up with had an identical build but apart from body type I didn't know much about him except that he was a white rapper from Ohio. My confidence was high going into the fight because I had been training for nearly two years while many amateur fighters make their debuts after just months of preparation (sometimes even less). Not only that, but I knew the caliber of training partners I had were much higher than any of my opponents could hope to have at this level. Also, I was excited to fight under Ohio rules which are far more lenient and realistic than those established in Pennsylvania for amateur competitors (i.e. the required use of shin pads and over-sized gloves in addition to no ground-n-pound).
A few days before the fight, my opponent was unsurprisingly changed once again and for whatever reason the weight limit became 210 pounds instead of 205. I was informed that my new opponent was making his debut as well but only had about two months of training. I figured the largest obstacle I would have to overcome in the fight was the weight advantage, because I knew for a fact I was going to show up lighter than him. My opponent probably had to cut from heavyweight or else the bout would have stayed at 205. The biggest concern I had at this point was making sure I weighed in somewhere between 205 and 210 otherwise the fight would be cancelled.
I woke up the morning of the fight and immediately weighed myself. I was shocked to see "199.5" on the scale after I went to bed the night before right at 205. Up until I left for Ohio around noon, I chugged water bottles and ate constantly in an effort to get my weight up. However, it was still not enough so once I got to the weigh-ins a few people let me borrow their keys and cell phones so I could stuff them in my pockets in order to make the weight minimum. It worked, and I officially weighed in at 207.5!
It was extremely hot that day in Brookfield, Ohio so the organizers had to set up a cage in the backyard of the original venue which was deemed unsafe due to lack of proper ventilation. The whole setup was far from glamorous. The seats were your standard lawn chairs, with sections separated not by fences or railings but big planks of plywood and other haphazard materials. There was a DJ booth that blasted crappy death metal in an effort to pump up the crowd before the fights started. As for the cage itself, it was rickety, plain and probably unsafe. Say hello to your average entry-level MMA promotion!
The hours leading up to fight time were interesting to say the least. A training partner from Fight Club Pittsburgh also had a fight on the card but his opponent mysteriously vanished after weigh-ins. A short while after, we received word that his opponent went to a nearby gas station, slipped on an oil puddle, and banged his head against a gas pump, forcing him to go to the hospital and withdraw from the card. You can't make this stuff up.
After a while, the fine citizens of Brookfield, Ohio and surrounding areas started filling up the seats, eagerly awaiting the sound of the first bell. As I was getting my hands wrapped, I finally started feeling a little nervous. The fights before mine were ending quickly and the time to test my skills was fast approaching. As I was warming up, I thought about all the training I had gone through over the past two years to get to this point. I felt very confident and surprisingly relaxed because I was certain I had worked harder than my opponent, therefore I could not lose. I was ready both physically and mentally. It was time to fight.
After the announcer called my name, I steadily made my approach towards the cage. Once I got in and the door shut behind me, I felt an incredible energy and couldn't wait to go to battle. Before I knew it, the referee said "Go!" and what ensued was one of the realest experiences of my life. Every time one of my punches connected, I could feel my opponents skull through the gloves. It was the hardest I had ever hit anyone in my life. I remember thinking to myself that my hands were definitely going to break at some point but the adrenaline rush made it hard to feel any real pain. I clinched with my opponent several times and delivered some brutal knees to his midsection. I could tell he felt every one of them. As the fight went on, I ended up rocking him several times until I finally secured a standing guillotine choke and forced him to submit in the first round.
Immediately after the referee stopped the contest, I felt a wave of happiness, relief and countless other emotions wash over me. I had just accomplished one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life; I had won my very first MMA fight! All the blood and sweat (no tears) I put in on the mats for the past two years finally paid off. I felt like I conquered a massive obstacle and proved to others as well as myself that I could not only compete, but win in the toughest sport in the world.
Dino
-Amature Mixed Martial Arts fighter from Stout Training Pittsburgh / Team Renzo Gracie
Showing posts with label mixed martial arts pittsburgh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mixed martial arts pittsburgh. Show all posts
Monday, September 10, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Why Train Jiu Jitsu
Why Train Jiu Jitsu? It is a fair question to ask whether you are thinking about starting or have been involved in BJJ for years. It is hard. It takes physical and mental energy. It costs money and time. It can be rough on your ego since there is probably no one practicing who hasn't been beaten. When you do experience defeat in Brazilian jiu jitsu it happens in a more immediate, intimate, and personal dimension than most other experiences. With this in mind what brings people who have families, successful careers, and limited time onto the mats on a regular basis? What makes the young guy who isn't going to make his rent payment at the end of the month give up all the cash in in wallet for a new gi? Why does such a tough sport attract enough new competitor each year to make it one of the fastest growing sports worldwide?
In order to try to answer this question I have to first come back to my story and look at why I started Jiu Jitsu. I got into jiu jitsu because I realized, after finishing my collegiate wrestling career, how much I enjoyed wrestling. One thing I enjoyed about wrestling was learning the techniques and testing them out to see if I could really execute them. It is something like the joy some get from playing video games. It is a fun challenge to see if I can execute the right techniques. Jiu jitsu seemed like a whole new technical world to explore and my learning curve was steep when I began. Everything I saw was something new. Although wrestling is a very technical sport and anyone could spend a lifetime studying it, I believe jiu jitsu presents even more technical possibilities to explore. Jiu jitsu has almost all the positions of wrestling with the addition of submission holds. And because gi and "no-gi jiu jitsu" have distinct technical modifications and it creates a rich field of possibilities to learn. Some have likened it to the game of chess with more dimensions, or, to an infinite series.
Another reason I started was that, like many people in my generation, I travelled from place to place relatively more often than probably most people did in previous years. Work and a desire to see the world keep me moving often. In jiu jitsu I found a community in each place I moved to. As jiu jitsu continues to grow worldwide I know that anywhere I go I have a group of friends already, before I arrive at a new place.
Learning to fight was another bonus for me. Notice that I don't use the term "self-defense". Self-defense is a perfectly legitimate goal and learning to fight certainly can be an asset in a self defense situation. I believe they are two different things. Self defense is about using appropraite force and strategy to save your life or someone else's in an unexpected violent situation. Fighting is a contest between two or more people (on the street, in a cage, ect). It may not be politically correct, but, I think there is intrinsic value in knowing I can win a physical fight. This makes some people uncomfortable and may be a masculine sentiment. I could write an entire post about this and having this knowledge definitely changes my outlook on the world and other people. I know Jiu jitsu has taught me how to fight because I have fought MMA and been in a couple of fight situations outside of a sport setting. I also know that I possess real skill because of the daily feedback I get when training. Recent studies quoted by noble prize winning author, Dr. Kahneman, in his book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" , point to the necessity of training our automatic response by repeated immediate feedback. Live jiu jitsu training gives this type of feedback. Jiu Jitsu effectively teaches fighting skills. It teaches them in a relatively safe way unlike striking arts where to get the feeback that develops skill you must subject yourself to being hit, which can do damage the body and brain.
What has keep me going in jiu jitsu? An interesting thing about jiu jitsu (and any form of grappling) is that you have immediate and real feedback if your work has paid off. Many efforts in life produce results that are ambiguous. For example, working at my job or other jobs in the past, I understand that doing the job a certain way is good and having certain habits like promptness are necessary. I don't get immediate feedback though as to whether doing "A" works versus doing "B". In jiu jitsu you get that feedback. If you execute a sweep it means that you had the correct grips and timing, for example. You know this immediately even on a subconscious or, to use Kahneman's terminology, "system one" level. This quick feedback, telling me that my that effort produces results has had a very positive impact on how I live my life and how I feel about the world. It constantly SHOWS ME that I can affect my outcomes. I've not found any other education method, mental or physical that reinforce this idea like jiu jitsu. Unlike often times in school/academia and even non-contact martial arts, my understanding of my progress doesn't rely on external approval from a teacher. I believe this personal experience makes it more powerful as a self development method.
The lessons that jiu jitsu teaches are very unequivocal. There are no teammate to blame mistakes on. If someone beats you it is on you alone. If I drank too much beer and am feeling exhausted as a consequence, a jiu jitsu training session will bring that to my attention like nothing else. Joe Rogan, UFC commentator, says: "I think in life we can distort our perception of things in order to make ourselves more comfortable, in order to make ourselves accept where we are, and there are alot of people that are running around full of shit. When you do jiu jitsu it is impossible to be full of shit because reality comes at you in the purest form possible." Mr. Rogan makes an important point; that is, it is very easy to trick yourself. Scientific research by behavior psychologists, decision theorists, and economists have proven this. In order to grow I have to see my limitations and then push my comfort zones. Jiu jitsu is a tool to do this. Another lesson I believe jiu jitsu teaches is how to tolerate discomfort and endure uncertainty. It is not a coincidence that Renzo Gracie's motto is 'through endurance we will conquer.' When you begin a live jiu jitsu training session or competition you don't know how it will develop. If you are caught in side control and you can't breath because your training partners weight is pressing your lungs, the patience to wait for him to move out out of position so you can escape. It is one thing to understand that you need endurance and perseverance but quite another to PRACTICE it. The great Samurai and philosopher Musahsi ended every section of his "Book of Five Rings" with the statement: "you must practice every day." Knowledge doesn't become vital and useful until it is practiced. This training has served me in all aspects of my life ranging form business to family life.
Another reason I practice brazilian jiu jitsu is for the health benefits. I love the way my body feels because of the training. After a hard training session what some call runners high sets in. Because jiu jitsu develops flexibility and balance through movement it makes me feel more fluid just moving around when I'm not in class. Jiu jitsu gives me an extra incentive to diet correctly (I know I feel better in training when I eat correctly). It gives me functional strength. It cleanses my body through sweat (think soaking wet gi). It develops awareness. Once I was mountain biking and crashed. I broke just about everything in my pack and my camera I was carrying but rolled through the crash and was fine. Jiu jitsu is the most efficient way to get all my fitness bases covered including strength, flexibility, balance, cardiovascular and lung health, cleansing, and coordination. In order to get these benefits form other activities I would have to do yoga, lift weights, surf, kettlebells, rock climb, run, and sauna for example. I like and do many of these activities because of their own merits, and, they can supplement jiu jitsu. They are not though as efficient a way to get in shape if you are pressed for time. Brazilian jiu jitsu is less hard on the body than other grappling arts such as judo, wrestling, and sambo. This is because there are less high amplitude throws and, in general movements are smaller and less athletically inclined.
Those are the main reason's I do jiu jitsu. I'm sure there are others, some good and some not as positive. Recently one of my main jiu jitsu teachers Rolles Gracie said to a group of Renzo Gracie Association school owner (my paraphrase); "What if someone offered you $10,000 for your black belt, but not just the belt, all the experiences, friends, fun, and other benefits that you had along the way, would you do it?" Everyone emphatically said no, some aloud and some to themselves. Rolles then said: "I wouldn't sell mine for one million dollars, or, ten million, not any amount." I believe most things/people have a price (an uncomfortable thought) but I found myself thinking I agree with Rolles and feel the same way. If you train jiu jitsu, stop and think about why you do it. If you have not tried it you at least owe it to yourself to look into starting and giving it a try.
In order to try to answer this question I have to first come back to my story and look at why I started Jiu Jitsu. I got into jiu jitsu because I realized, after finishing my collegiate wrestling career, how much I enjoyed wrestling. One thing I enjoyed about wrestling was learning the techniques and testing them out to see if I could really execute them. It is something like the joy some get from playing video games. It is a fun challenge to see if I can execute the right techniques. Jiu jitsu seemed like a whole new technical world to explore and my learning curve was steep when I began. Everything I saw was something new. Although wrestling is a very technical sport and anyone could spend a lifetime studying it, I believe jiu jitsu presents even more technical possibilities to explore. Jiu jitsu has almost all the positions of wrestling with the addition of submission holds. And because gi and "no-gi jiu jitsu" have distinct technical modifications and it creates a rich field of possibilities to learn. Some have likened it to the game of chess with more dimensions, or, to an infinite series.
Another reason I started was that, like many people in my generation, I travelled from place to place relatively more often than probably most people did in previous years. Work and a desire to see the world keep me moving often. In jiu jitsu I found a community in each place I moved to. As jiu jitsu continues to grow worldwide I know that anywhere I go I have a group of friends already, before I arrive at a new place.
Learning to fight was another bonus for me. Notice that I don't use the term "self-defense". Self-defense is a perfectly legitimate goal and learning to fight certainly can be an asset in a self defense situation. I believe they are two different things. Self defense is about using appropraite force and strategy to save your life or someone else's in an unexpected violent situation. Fighting is a contest between two or more people (on the street, in a cage, ect). It may not be politically correct, but, I think there is intrinsic value in knowing I can win a physical fight. This makes some people uncomfortable and may be a masculine sentiment. I could write an entire post about this and having this knowledge definitely changes my outlook on the world and other people. I know Jiu jitsu has taught me how to fight because I have fought MMA and been in a couple of fight situations outside of a sport setting. I also know that I possess real skill because of the daily feedback I get when training. Recent studies quoted by noble prize winning author, Dr. Kahneman, in his book "Thinking, Fast and Slow" , point to the necessity of training our automatic response by repeated immediate feedback. Live jiu jitsu training gives this type of feedback. Jiu Jitsu effectively teaches fighting skills. It teaches them in a relatively safe way unlike striking arts where to get the feeback that develops skill you must subject yourself to being hit, which can do damage the body and brain.
What has keep me going in jiu jitsu? An interesting thing about jiu jitsu (and any form of grappling) is that you have immediate and real feedback if your work has paid off. Many efforts in life produce results that are ambiguous. For example, working at my job or other jobs in the past, I understand that doing the job a certain way is good and having certain habits like promptness are necessary. I don't get immediate feedback though as to whether doing "A" works versus doing "B". In jiu jitsu you get that feedback. If you execute a sweep it means that you had the correct grips and timing, for example. You know this immediately even on a subconscious or, to use Kahneman's terminology, "system one" level. This quick feedback, telling me that my that effort produces results has had a very positive impact on how I live my life and how I feel about the world. It constantly SHOWS ME that I can affect my outcomes. I've not found any other education method, mental or physical that reinforce this idea like jiu jitsu. Unlike often times in school/academia and even non-contact martial arts, my understanding of my progress doesn't rely on external approval from a teacher. I believe this personal experience makes it more powerful as a self development method.
The lessons that jiu jitsu teaches are very unequivocal. There are no teammate to blame mistakes on. If someone beats you it is on you alone. If I drank too much beer and am feeling exhausted as a consequence, a jiu jitsu training session will bring that to my attention like nothing else. Joe Rogan, UFC commentator, says: "I think in life we can distort our perception of things in order to make ourselves more comfortable, in order to make ourselves accept where we are, and there are alot of people that are running around full of shit. When you do jiu jitsu it is impossible to be full of shit because reality comes at you in the purest form possible." Mr. Rogan makes an important point; that is, it is very easy to trick yourself. Scientific research by behavior psychologists, decision theorists, and economists have proven this. In order to grow I have to see my limitations and then push my comfort zones. Jiu jitsu is a tool to do this. Another lesson I believe jiu jitsu teaches is how to tolerate discomfort and endure uncertainty. It is not a coincidence that Renzo Gracie's motto is 'through endurance we will conquer.' When you begin a live jiu jitsu training session or competition you don't know how it will develop. If you are caught in side control and you can't breath because your training partners weight is pressing your lungs, the patience to wait for him to move out out of position so you can escape. It is one thing to understand that you need endurance and perseverance but quite another to PRACTICE it. The great Samurai and philosopher Musahsi ended every section of his "Book of Five Rings" with the statement: "you must practice every day." Knowledge doesn't become vital and useful until it is practiced. This training has served me in all aspects of my life ranging form business to family life.
Another reason I practice brazilian jiu jitsu is for the health benefits. I love the way my body feels because of the training. After a hard training session what some call runners high sets in. Because jiu jitsu develops flexibility and balance through movement it makes me feel more fluid just moving around when I'm not in class. Jiu jitsu gives me an extra incentive to diet correctly (I know I feel better in training when I eat correctly). It gives me functional strength. It cleanses my body through sweat (think soaking wet gi). It develops awareness. Once I was mountain biking and crashed. I broke just about everything in my pack and my camera I was carrying but rolled through the crash and was fine. Jiu jitsu is the most efficient way to get all my fitness bases covered including strength, flexibility, balance, cardiovascular and lung health, cleansing, and coordination. In order to get these benefits form other activities I would have to do yoga, lift weights, surf, kettlebells, rock climb, run, and sauna for example. I like and do many of these activities because of their own merits, and, they can supplement jiu jitsu. They are not though as efficient a way to get in shape if you are pressed for time. Brazilian jiu jitsu is less hard on the body than other grappling arts such as judo, wrestling, and sambo. This is because there are less high amplitude throws and, in general movements are smaller and less athletically inclined.
Those are the main reason's I do jiu jitsu. I'm sure there are others, some good and some not as positive. Recently one of my main jiu jitsu teachers Rolles Gracie said to a group of Renzo Gracie Association school owner (my paraphrase); "What if someone offered you $10,000 for your black belt, but not just the belt, all the experiences, friends, fun, and other benefits that you had along the way, would you do it?" Everyone emphatically said no, some aloud and some to themselves. Rolles then said: "I wouldn't sell mine for one million dollars, or, ten million, not any amount." I believe most things/people have a price (an uncomfortable thought) but I found myself thinking I agree with Rolles and feel the same way. If you train jiu jitsu, stop and think about why you do it. If you have not tried it you at least owe it to yourself to look into starting and giving it a try.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Watching a Cagefight
I first met Mike Wilkins at Mad Dog Gym a few years ago. It's a little gym in the back corner of a tattoo parlor. Inside, you'll find mats, punching bags, and screaming death metal. I was new to the world of MMA, and in between getting slammed, spraining my neck, and being caught in bicep slicers on a nightly basis I met Mike. He was a friendly guy with an oddly likeable alpha-male persona. These days, we train together at the Renzo Gracie Pittsburgh Academy in Lawrenceville.
Two weeks ago, a bunch of us drove out to Altoona, PA on a chilly fall Saturday night to support the "Monongahela Miracle". I made the two hour drive with two whiny teenagers, and was all too happy to arrive at the arena. As soon as I parked, I literally ran to the door of the auditorium.
I arrived 45 minutes late, but it was no big deal. There were a bunch of amateur fights on the card, and Mike's fight was second to last. As I entered the auditorium, the first thing I heard was the sickening slap of a shin guard against another man's cup. The crowd booed and groaned, and the hapless victim had a minute to recover. I surveyed the surroundings, looking for my friends. The seats were packed with folks from every walk of life. I saw casual fans, hardcore fans, nursing mothers, guys in XXXL Tapout shirts, and numerous old folk.
I found my friends from the Jiu-Jitsu Academy and sat down, getting cozy and catching up with the results of the previous fights. Only 8 feet away from me was the cage, and I could see two men locked in fierce combat. One man was pressed against the fence, defending the takedown, while the other man was working tenaciously to plant his opponent on his back. After a while, the ref broke them apart for stalling. Time to grab a beer.
Later in the event, they finally announced our teammate Mike Wilkins. We all stood and cheered--unbridled screaming, beer cans spilling, strobe lights inducing far away seizures... I could go on with this, but the English language has only two words which adequately sum up the experience: BUCK WILD. Yes, we ALL went BUCK WILD.
The fight started like I'd imagined. Mike was a ferocious southpaw, and immediately worked his clinching game. I've sparred with Mike in the past. He's one of those guys that doesn't hit you as hard as he can, but only as hard as you need to be hit. The high point of the fight was watching Mike and his opponent just a few feet from us, clinched against the cage. You could hear them grunting and trying to knee each other. I felt like Mike was the DJ and I had requested my favorite song, "Knees to the Head". Mike must have worn his tin foil hat that night, because he instantly whipped those knees up in the face of his poor foe. In the second round, Mike got his opponent belly down and battered him like a lanky white blonde gorilla. He slipped in the choke, his foe tapped, and the ref stepped in.
As the fight ended, I could already imagine tomorrow's updated Sherdog MMA profile: "Mike Wilkins-Win-Round Two-Rear Naked Choke". I feel like those quick factoids we see on the profiles of our favorite fighters fail to capture the immense drama of two men (or women) locked in a cage in the fiercest struggle imaginable. It's a glorious thing, this challenge of the human spirit we call a "cage fight"- to battle your equal in the most fundamental score-settling manner as humanly possible.
If you haven't ever seen a cage fight live, you should.
-Casey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)