JCSantana
26-12-2009, 06:28 PM
Continued from PART I
During this time fighters were being ruined by over training, not using proper protective gear, and getting in fighting shape through hundreds of rounds of all-out sparring. I witnessed this at the beginning of my involvement with the American Top Team in 2001. Although much of this still occurs today, many of us older guys with boxing experience from the 1970s and 1980s, came in with a more organized approach in the early 2000s.
Side bar: I had the pleasure of being mentored by some of the greatest boxing coaches of my era. I gladly did their errands, held their dirty towels, and cleaned their spit buckets. Although I was a very educated and capable athlete a coach, I quietly and humbly sat next to coaches like Angelo Dundee, Eddie Futch, Ray Arcel, Freddie Brown, Kid Gavilan, and others to soak up everything they said and did. I asked questions and listen to the answer with a great sense of what I was witnessing – HISTORY! These guys were GREAT coaches –not because they knew the sport (and they did) but because they knew men! It is this coaching that is lost today with the complicated words of research and overinflated egos.
In the early 2000s, functional training specialists were conditioning athletes much in the same way that wrestlers conditioned, with some sprints and the functional metabolic conditioning that is wrestling. Since many of us trained in fitness gyms and did not work exclusively with wrestlers, we came up with circuits that mimicked wrestling's metabolic demands. These circuits were unlike the circuits being used by fighters, such as Bas Rutten, which were more like kickboxing cardio circuits. The metabolic circuits we came up with used more isometric and isotonic contraction, as well as, more MMA skill-specific techniques. The results of our circuits were showcased in the early portions of the 2000s by such fighters like Marcus Aurelio (winning two ZST tournaments), Dean Thomas (beating Mat Sera), and grappling sensations Pablo Popovitch (winning everything but ADCC) and Jeff Monson (5 time world submission wrestling champion).
By 2003 our circuits had expanded to include many strong man techniques. In 2006, the MMA world was floored when it saw Jeff Monson’s training at IHP in the UFC 65 countdown show. When UFC saw the tire pulling, tire flipping, car pushing, along with our fighting circuits they went so crazy over these new training methods UFC did not even cover Jeff’s traditional MMA technique training on that report. This was the first time this type of training was brought to the MMA fans on a large scale. Since then, not a UFC or TUF show goes by where someone does not do something we started nearly a decade ago.
Today MMA strength and conditioning has gone through an enormous evolution – just like the sport itself. Yes – strength and power is important – and all MMA strength coaches work on both of these qualities (some more than others). We work on strength and power through our periodized program and put out very strong and powerful fighters (e.g. Jeff Monson, Todd Duffee, etc.). However, in all honesty, it takes little power to knock someone out if you catch them right. It takes very little strength to submit someone if the technique is slapped on right. Over and over again we see conditioning winning and losing fights – the latest Cung Le/Scott Smith is one of a million fights won based on conditioning. That is why we focus so much on this cycle of training and most of developments have been in our conditioning methods. It is simple – more times than not conditioning wins matches –period - end of story.
So the statement “it’s all the same, everything is endurance based. It’s like what they were doing 15 years ago – nothing ever changes” must qualify for "idiotic statement or misquote-blunder of the year!" Again - you take your pick. Hell, look at what we were doing 15 years ago…… and look at us now! The deaf, dumb, and mute have changed just by virtue of living and surviving – forget about what would happen if you payed attention and did a little R&D on your won.
I hope you guys enjoyed this light and humorous recap of the last 15 years of training and realize - it NOT ALL THE SAME! I may have been slightly off on some dates and events – this little memo was off the cuff. BUT – I think it is accurate enough to make a couple of points.
1)Mind your elders young men! Us old guys are of a generation very different that yours. We are big in respect, loyalty, honor, and we don’t go down easy. How do you think we won the big wars?
2)Study your history and don’t be afraid to ask the old cats who have been around about the history of what it is you do! It does not take away from your knowledge to ask questions and seek wisdom – on the contrary. Mentoring has always been a great way to pass on wisdom that does not make it to books, DVDs, or UTUBE! Allow yourself to be mentored by someone who was there when it was happening - what you learn will be priceless. The price for this wisdom is cheap -humility and a willingness to learn; even monkyes show these two quilties!
3)Respect each other. Respect shows confidence, wisdom, and character – all on the endangered species list today. Keep respect alive young men – it is the very essence of combat and its preparation.
4)If you can’t impress them with wisdom – don’t baffle them with bullshit. It’s better to stay quiet than to eventually get a public ass-beating when you are called on your bullshit.
5)And most important – remain humble – always be humble. There is always someone who is better or knows more than you – and they could be sitting right next to you hearing your pompous ass:)
Again, and for the third time, I thank Ollie for his respectful phone call to Joel and I to give us the heads up on the quote. I respect Ollie for his excellent work in MMA and Rugby - he is a dedicated coach and the UK should be very proud of him. This post in no way is meant to disrespect Ollie or MMA Unlimited. I simply take my work, my name, and my reputation very seriously. AND - I want to practice what I preach and teach - "give respect so you can demand respect." If my name is going to be brought up - make sure your statement it is supported by facts, or I will call anyone on it as publically as they bring me up.
I remain humbly yours
JC Santana.
During this time fighters were being ruined by over training, not using proper protective gear, and getting in fighting shape through hundreds of rounds of all-out sparring. I witnessed this at the beginning of my involvement with the American Top Team in 2001. Although much of this still occurs today, many of us older guys with boxing experience from the 1970s and 1980s, came in with a more organized approach in the early 2000s.
Side bar: I had the pleasure of being mentored by some of the greatest boxing coaches of my era. I gladly did their errands, held their dirty towels, and cleaned their spit buckets. Although I was a very educated and capable athlete a coach, I quietly and humbly sat next to coaches like Angelo Dundee, Eddie Futch, Ray Arcel, Freddie Brown, Kid Gavilan, and others to soak up everything they said and did. I asked questions and listen to the answer with a great sense of what I was witnessing – HISTORY! These guys were GREAT coaches –not because they knew the sport (and they did) but because they knew men! It is this coaching that is lost today with the complicated words of research and overinflated egos.
In the early 2000s, functional training specialists were conditioning athletes much in the same way that wrestlers conditioned, with some sprints and the functional metabolic conditioning that is wrestling. Since many of us trained in fitness gyms and did not work exclusively with wrestlers, we came up with circuits that mimicked wrestling's metabolic demands. These circuits were unlike the circuits being used by fighters, such as Bas Rutten, which were more like kickboxing cardio circuits. The metabolic circuits we came up with used more isometric and isotonic contraction, as well as, more MMA skill-specific techniques. The results of our circuits were showcased in the early portions of the 2000s by such fighters like Marcus Aurelio (winning two ZST tournaments), Dean Thomas (beating Mat Sera), and grappling sensations Pablo Popovitch (winning everything but ADCC) and Jeff Monson (5 time world submission wrestling champion).
By 2003 our circuits had expanded to include many strong man techniques. In 2006, the MMA world was floored when it saw Jeff Monson’s training at IHP in the UFC 65 countdown show. When UFC saw the tire pulling, tire flipping, car pushing, along with our fighting circuits they went so crazy over these new training methods UFC did not even cover Jeff’s traditional MMA technique training on that report. This was the first time this type of training was brought to the MMA fans on a large scale. Since then, not a UFC or TUF show goes by where someone does not do something we started nearly a decade ago.
Today MMA strength and conditioning has gone through an enormous evolution – just like the sport itself. Yes – strength and power is important – and all MMA strength coaches work on both of these qualities (some more than others). We work on strength and power through our periodized program and put out very strong and powerful fighters (e.g. Jeff Monson, Todd Duffee, etc.). However, in all honesty, it takes little power to knock someone out if you catch them right. It takes very little strength to submit someone if the technique is slapped on right. Over and over again we see conditioning winning and losing fights – the latest Cung Le/Scott Smith is one of a million fights won based on conditioning. That is why we focus so much on this cycle of training and most of developments have been in our conditioning methods. It is simple – more times than not conditioning wins matches –period - end of story.
So the statement “it’s all the same, everything is endurance based. It’s like what they were doing 15 years ago – nothing ever changes” must qualify for "idiotic statement or misquote-blunder of the year!" Again - you take your pick. Hell, look at what we were doing 15 years ago…… and look at us now! The deaf, dumb, and mute have changed just by virtue of living and surviving – forget about what would happen if you payed attention and did a little R&D on your won.
I hope you guys enjoyed this light and humorous recap of the last 15 years of training and realize - it NOT ALL THE SAME! I may have been slightly off on some dates and events – this little memo was off the cuff. BUT – I think it is accurate enough to make a couple of points.
1)Mind your elders young men! Us old guys are of a generation very different that yours. We are big in respect, loyalty, honor, and we don’t go down easy. How do you think we won the big wars?
2)Study your history and don’t be afraid to ask the old cats who have been around about the history of what it is you do! It does not take away from your knowledge to ask questions and seek wisdom – on the contrary. Mentoring has always been a great way to pass on wisdom that does not make it to books, DVDs, or UTUBE! Allow yourself to be mentored by someone who was there when it was happening - what you learn will be priceless. The price for this wisdom is cheap -humility and a willingness to learn; even monkyes show these two quilties!
3)Respect each other. Respect shows confidence, wisdom, and character – all on the endangered species list today. Keep respect alive young men – it is the very essence of combat and its preparation.
4)If you can’t impress them with wisdom – don’t baffle them with bullshit. It’s better to stay quiet than to eventually get a public ass-beating when you are called on your bullshit.
5)And most important – remain humble – always be humble. There is always someone who is better or knows more than you – and they could be sitting right next to you hearing your pompous ass:)
Again, and for the third time, I thank Ollie for his respectful phone call to Joel and I to give us the heads up on the quote. I respect Ollie for his excellent work in MMA and Rugby - he is a dedicated coach and the UK should be very proud of him. This post in no way is meant to disrespect Ollie or MMA Unlimited. I simply take my work, my name, and my reputation very seriously. AND - I want to practice what I preach and teach - "give respect so you can demand respect." If my name is going to be brought up - make sure your statement it is supported by facts, or I will call anyone on it as publically as they bring me up.
I remain humbly yours
JC Santana.