This week at Dynamic MMA

Pre contest workouts this week.

Kodokan Judo--throws and escapes from pins

MMA--strikes, takedowns, and positional dominance

BJJ--We have a little time before the next tournament, but we are still working some strategies. 


We have to make team effort to help Tyler and Mike be ready for the UCS fights on April 16th.


We also need to make sure our Judoka are ready for the Grant Pass Shiai. It will be the first tournament experience for several of our members.

Principle of the week--Respect is something we offer to others, not something we demand from them.


See you at the dojo!
-Sensei-

strong foundation...

My father was an advocate of strength training and started me lifting weights in my early teens (about the same time I began martial arts).

He taught me that upper body strength was useless if you did not have a solid foundation under it. He built a small training room for me that had a heavy bag and a barbell, weight bench. Part of my training regimen included hill climbs, running sprints, and most importantly, free weight squats.

Nowadays, I am often asked what strength training exercises a person should do to be stronger in martial arts. My answer is always the same, “Squats!”

Free weight squats are one of the most beneficial weight lifting exercises you can do, but unfortunately they are also the exercise least often seen performed at the gym. Part of the reason for this is because of DOMS or “delayed onset muscle soreness”.

This soreness usually is at its peak in the second or third day after the workout. The legs are the largest muscle group in the body and therefore produce the most post-workout acids (soreness) after lifting than the smaller muscle groups. This is especially true if the weight lifter is inconsistent with their squatting exercises. The body is made to adapt. If squats are a consistent part of your workout routine, you are going to find yourself recovering more quickly than if you only do squats once every few weeks.

The primary muscles that benefit from squats are the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus muscles, spinal erectors, abdominals, and the calves. However, squats will incorporate virtually every other major muscle group.

Squats also create an overall anabolic environment in the body that maximizes lean muscle gains from other exercises. Because squats are a multi-joint movement, involve a large muscle group, and require a tremendous amount of energy, they trigger the release of extra testosterone and growth hormone. That natural boost helps to build the entire body, not just the legs.

One of the myths about squats is that it is bad for the knees--In 1989 researchers at Auburn University found that men who performed a full squat, bending their knees and lowering their bodies as far as possible for 8 weeks did not lose any knee stability. The researchers also observed that men who squat long-term have tighter, stronger knee ligaments than guys who don't squat at all. In addition, physiologists at the Mayo Clinic have determined that free weight squats place less stress on your knees than leg extensions, a popular machine exercise.

As for squats in martial arts, we Judoka have a special need for that particular type of strength. Many of our throwing techniques rely on our ability to get our center of gravity lower than that of our opponent. In MMA, we need that leg and core strength to secure and defend takedowns, throw powerful strikes, maintain balance, and to accelerate on command.

Everyone wants to be a champion, but not everyone wants to train like a champion. Champions do squats! If you want to build your fitness foundation, it begins here.

DFCC 2011 Subleague HL

DFCC members competing at the 2011 Subleague qualifier tournament.

weekend results and what's coming this week...

Subleague qualifier #1—

DFCC team members did very well at the Subleague qualifier tournament this weekend.

Ryan, Jessee, and I made the trip to coach for our team and were made very proud of our athletes’ performance. It was a long day, but a great event.

--Thomas Crawford won 1^st place in the No-Gi division and 2^nd place in the white belt Gi division.

--Ian King won 2^nd place in his No Gi division

--Riley Black won 1^st place in his No Gi division as well as the trophy for fastest submission in the youth and teen divisions. He secured a 7 second guillotine choke on his opponent.

--Maddie Patrick won 4^th place in the kids’ No Gi division.

--John Dennis did not place in his division, but still displayed determination and toughness, being in a division against much larger opponents.

--Taylor Patrick was sorely disappointed that she did not get to compete due to having no opponents in her division. She will try again at the next event.

Thomas, Ian, Riley, and Maddie all qualify for the championships. Our team points should put us pretty high on the list. (Please register as DFCC for all future events)

Also, this is the third time DFCC has brought home Subleague’s fastest submission award. I am not sure if any other dojo/gym has accomplished such a feat.  

Upcoming this week

In November while in Russia, I became the first American inducted into the International Club of Leading Specialists of Martial Arts and took part in the International Martial Arts Festival/Conference. While there, many connections were made with instructors, fight promoters from other countries and regions like Russia, China, Mongolia, Thailand, and others.

I was also privileged enough to be invited to do seminars for several martial arts schools in Russia while there. I have worked many years to develop a good standing relationship with the martial artists in Russia.

As a result of those relations, our dojo has been invited to bring a team of our fighters to compete in a new MMA promotion in China. The event is being hosted by Russian and Chinese promoters working together. To truly solidify the international status of the event, they would like to have fighters from the U.S. DFCC is the U.S. fight team they have requested.

The promoters are paying the way for three of our fighters and one coach. We are doing fundraisers to come up with money for two other coaches.

This Friday at 7pm, we will do a push-up-a-thon to help raise money. We would like that all of our members recognize that this opportune trip to China is not just beneficial to the fighters and coaches that go this time, but also for future members that someday get their chance as a result of this international event.

Everyone in our dojo is part of the team. Our team must support all of its members. When a fighter wins at an event, it is a win for the entire dojo. This time when our fighters win in China, it is a win for our dojo and a win for our country. Please pick up a push-up-a-thon pledge form and take part in the fundraising events and show your support for your team.

See you at the dojo--

-Sensei-

This week at the dojo—

Ryan will be away Tuesday through Friday this week. Check with Olga or Sensei if you would like to volunteer to help in the kids’ classes this week. Also, be sure to wish Ryan good luck as he will be representing our dojo in the Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Pan American Championships this weekend.

Jessee Filan is now the instructor for our kids’ BJJ and randori classes. He is doing a great job. The kids and parents are really enjoying his input. The kids’ Muay Thai class has been discontinued until further notice.

Kodokan Judo—

Monday-Thursday—we will be focusing on dynamic completion of throws. We will be completing a lot of throws and have grip fighting drills at the end of each class.

Tuesday-Friday—we will work kumikata (forms of gripping). We will work on setting up dominant grips and what to do with them once they’ve been acquired.

Mixed Martial Arts—

Monday-Thursday—we will be working some tournament preparation drills designed to tighten up the submission game.

Tuesday-Friday—we will be doing some bad position drills and escaping submissions.  

Muay Thai—

Wednesday—tying combinations together.

Feel free to comment and/or ask questions regarding our blogs. Thanks for reading.

This weekend

Some of the events going on this weekend include:

Saturday, March 19th— Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Seminar with Rafael Lavato Jr.
Salem Keizer Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Academy
4122 River Road North
Keizer, Oregon

Saturday, March 19th—
UFC 128— Shogun Rua vs. Johnny Jones
You can even watch a couple of preliminary fights on Facebook at UFC prelims
 
Saturday, March 19th--
Bellator 37 Featherweight tournament quarterfinals will return to MTV2.


Have a great weekend and keep it safe. Remember, next weekend is the Obukan Judo tournament in Portland. 

Also, the Pan American Jiu-jitsu championships will be happening that same weekend and will be broadcast live stream at 2011 Pan American Jiu-jittsu

This week at Dynamic MMA:

*Kodokan Judo—

-Monday and Thursday—More ways to turn over the turtled opponent

-Tuesday and Friday—Combination attacks. Using Ko-uchi-gari and O-uchi-gari to set up other throws

*Mixed Martial Arts—

-Monday and Thursday—Flow drills designed to help transitions from position to position, position to submission, and submission to submission

-Tuesday and Friday—Entering leg knot positions from various starting positions

*Brazilian Jiu-jitsu—

-Monday and Thursday—Variations of the bow and arrow choke

-Tuesday and Friday—Variations of shin stab arm lock (juji-gatame)

*Muay Thai—

-Wednesday—More on elbow strikes, combinations, and defenses