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Thursday
Strength Isn't Everything
Because of the explosiveness it helps develop, Olympic lifting has now become part of the strength training regimen for athletes participating across many different sports, including sprinting. And certainly the program has its merits. MMA athletes in search of a strength advantage might even opt to add Olympic lifts to their training regimen. But those who implement it in hopes of a cure all would be misguided.
A lot of MMA enthusiasts know that strength is not everything in fighting, but it's sometimes easy to get carried away after watching Tito Ortiz overpower Ken Shamrock in each of three contests. Watching Rampage pick up and body slam 230 lbs Kevin Randleman is pretty convincing, too. While strength can sometimes be decisive, it's not a given. Remember that both Rampage and Tito struggled against Forrest Griffin, a guy not known for his strength. While we still occasionally see fighters use a raw strength advantage to win a fight, it's much more often that we see a fighter's weakness as his decisive disadvantage.
Often times, the weaker fighter isn't weaker in terms of muscle strength, but weaker in terms of endurance, cardio, and heart. Think about most of the fights you've seen where you thought to yourself, "Wow--that fighter is done." BJ Penn looked great in his rematch against Matt Hughes, until he came out in the third round looking gassed. And Matt put him away. Pete Williams's highlight reel knock out of a young, stronger Mark Coleman took place only after "The Hammer" had gassed and dropped his hands. Frank Shamrock's comeback against the much larger Tito Ortiz is simply the prototypical victory of cardio over strength.
Think of it this way: a fighter may or may not be at his strongest using the latest strength training techniques. But a fighter without cardio is definitely at his weakest after gassing.
Realize, too, that at the end of the day, it wasn't the lifters who ran the sprints or competed in the high jump at the 1964 Olympics. Explained one Olympic-level thrower years later: "The weight lifters were probably faster than the sprinters for the first 10 or 20 meters, but they wouldn't win in the actual, much longer 100 meter event." It seems that even for sprinters, strength is not the be-all, end-all.
Actual Testimonials on Evolve
Here are some actual testimonials about Evolve Mixed Martial Arts, Asia's premier brand of MMA academies. To read them, please click here.
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is Asia's premier brand of MMA academies. Evolve ranks among the best academies in the world for Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Mixed Martial Arts.
Wednesday
The Art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
This sort of story seems pretty common in Gracie lore, and the layperson who bears witness to such encounters will be amazed how effectively jiu-jitsu technique overcomes physical deficits, and heaven forbid, even shots to the groin. However, the jiu-jitsu practitioner who is already convinced of the value of his martial art should pay greater attention to the specific technique employed. Translated from Portuguese, the rear naked choke means, literally, "to kill the lion." It is extraordinarily effective for neutralizing larger and stronger opponents. Your opponent could be Mike Tyson, but so long as he has two arteries in his neck, he is susceptible to a choke hold.
Unfortunately, for those of us who are beginners, getting in position to execute a choke hold can seem fiendishly difficult. Rarely is a beginner capable, for example, of taking an opponent's back from the guard. In theory, it should be exceedingly simple: pass the opponent's arm, post a foot to climb around his body, seize a grip across his back, and hoist oneself up. Put both hooks in.
Practical implementation is another story. Try to grab control of your opponent's wrist, and he wriggles it free. Try to pull behind his elbow, and he holds it tight to his body. Somehow, magically, seize control of his arm to pin it down, and in an explosive motion, he yanks it back out. Especially against a larger opponent, it is tough enough just to pass an opponent's arm. Taking the subsequent steps to actually seize the back seems impossible!
This difficulty illustrates a bigger problem. For the practitioner who understands technique, the obstacle is often not lack of knowledge, but an inability to execute. Most practitioners eventually develop better execution by doing two things: drilling and visualization. If you want to follow in BJ Penn's footsteps, you might drill a technique 400 times in a day, and then go to sleep at night dreaming about it.
While there is no substitute for time spent drilling and visualizing, there are supplementary methods you can employ to accelerate your learning. Exercises that 'feel like' the technique you are trying to learn can be extraordinarily helpful. For instance, if you're trying to take your opponent's back while he's in your guard, but you find it difficult to pass his arm, try drilling clinche techniques. Practicing simple wrestling moves such as arm drags and two handed pulls will dramatically enhance your ability to control your opponent's arms. You will still have to master the other elements of seizing the back, but such supplementary practice can be great for overcoming sticking points.
Try it for yourself sometime. You may not become Royler Gracie overnight, but over time, your opponents might look more and more like that fateful karate expert who walked into that SoCal Gracie academy 15 years ago.
Tuesday
The FIRST Renzo Gracie Blue Belt Promotion!
Today was an exciting day for the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Program at Evolve! Professor Gordinho awarded his first blue belt today to none other than Charles Galland. Before joining Evolve more than 8 months ago, Charles already came with a few years of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and was actually a blue belt from another academy. However, out of respect for Renzo Gracie, he elected to start as a fresh white belt without any stripes. Charles has the won the hearts of many of his fellow students and instructors at Evolve by showing humility and taking the hard path to earn his Blue Belt.
Charles is a tough Blue Belt, especially if you have rolled with him before! Equally important, he is quite technical and moves his hips gracefully. Charles routinely submits people twice his size. Not many students enjoy being in his guard! He has a wicked armbar and plays with a few tricky moves to set it up. Charles symbolizes good jiu-jitsu. He focuses on technique instead of strength. As such, his technique has really skyrocketed. Of course, it does not hurt to have some of the world's best BJJ professors as your teachers! Gordinho, Brodinho, and Braga Neto are all Mundials World Champions. The head of the Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Program at Evolve is Gordinho. He brings over 25 years of elite BJJ experience from Brazil. Before joining Evolve on a permanent full-time basis, Professor Gordinho was the Program Director at Renzo Gracie Academy in New York, the largest BJJ school in the world. Gordinho is a 3rd Degree Black Belt under Carlos Gracie Jr and is a former Mundials Black Belt World Champion.
Team Renzo Gracie has consistently ranked #1 in the US in competitions at all levels from White Belt to Black Belt. Renzo Gracie and his team do not give out blue belts. Belts are earned through countless hours on the mat and through refined technique. If you can beat all white belts (and some blue belts) convincingly with great technique, then you will be awarded a Blue Belt by Renzo Gracie. The standards of achievement for a Blue Belt vary greatly across schools around the world. However, Evolve Mixed Martial Arts prides itself on having some of the highest standards of excellence as well as some of the highest quality instruction in the world. At Renzo Gracie Academy, it normally takes hundreds of hours (literally) of classes and mat time to achieve a Blue Belt.
At Evolve, we hold that same elite standard.
Congratulations, Charles! It is well deserved!
Sunday
New Schedule with more Classes!
Monday
Achieving the Proper Mindset
To become a champion, the level of commitment can look borderline obsessive. Consider one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Dan Gable. An Olympic gold medalist at the 1972 games in Munich, he did not give up a single point to his opponents, and he later became one of the most successful coaches of all time, winning 15 collegiate championships as coach of the University of Iowa. The man was said to have been so focused on wrestling in every waking moment of life that he could never even remember how to drive to the university--his son had to drive him every day.
The extraordinary dedication to become a champion seems a byproduct of the extraordinary individual, as evidenced by the sheer willpower of championship athletes in the face of life's challenges outside of sport. Rulon Gardner, a 2000 Olympic gold medalist in wrestling and the only person to defeat Russian wrestling legend Alexander Karelin in competition, survived 17 hours stranded in one metre deep snow in the mountains of Wyoming, after plunging his snow mobile into water. Interviewed following the ordeal, he credited his survival to his mental strength. Mark Schultz, another Olympic medalist, persevered through a staph infection that almost claimed his arm. Dan Henderson, a lifelong wrestler and one of the most successful crossovers into the MMA realm, simply epitomizes toughness and ruggedness. While fighting in Japan, Hendo was billed as the ultimate American athlete, not just a wrestler and fighter, but a rancher, too. Highlight videos showed him struggling, man against beast, as he rode horses and roped cattle. Said one UFC commentator, Hendo is so tough, "if you put him in a movie, people would think he'd be an unrealistic character."
The lesson seems to be: if you want to be champion, you must have an unbending will, relentless determination, and a toughness in life that most people never have.
A broader perspective, however, shows that these individuals' success should not obscure other paths to success. Several weeks ago, when Fabio Leopoldo came to Evolve's world headquarters in Singapore, he shared his thoughts on attaining MMA success, at one point emphasizing "the art of jiu jitsu." There was wisdom not only in the words he spoke, but in the words he did not speak. He did not say the "sport of jiu jitsu." Jiu-jitsu is both a sport and an art, but this emphasis on art, I think, differentiates it so much from wrestling.
It is not just semantics. Think about how jiu-jitsu champions are characterized. Nino Schembri, a world champion jiu-jitsu artist (both in gi and no-gi) sought out by the world's best MMA fighters for his amazing technical skill, simply looks like the anti-Dan Henderson--see if you would disagree after watching the first minute of his 2003 fight against Sakuraba. Marcelo Garcia is the ultimate jiu-jitsu professor--if jiu-jitsu were a study topic at university, Marcelo would be the Nobel prize winning faculty. Mario Sperry, nicknamed the "Zen Master," was at one point the authoritative source for adapting jiu-jitsu technique to MMA.
While these jiu-jitsu champions probably all possess world-class strength of mind, we pay greater attention as fans to their technical mastery--their emphasis on technique reinforces a perspective that respects the beauty of jiu-jitsu as art. Importantly, their success also reveals a complementary path to success for all of us. The next time you find yourself slogging through technique, forcing yourself to endure, struggle instead to consider the beauty of what you are doing. Technique is not just the means to submission and dominance. As many champions have realized, it is an art in itself.
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® Achieve Greatness Within®
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts is the premier brand of MMA academies in Asia. Evolve MMA ranks among the best academies in the world for Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Sunday
A Key Lesson from UFC 101
UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva is widely regarded as the #1 pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world today. A Muay Thai specialist, he proved it once again with a 3 minute demolition of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Forrest Griffin. Silva moved up a weight class to fight Griffin and literally made him look like a beginner.
So what was the magic ingredient?
Simply put, Anderson Silva controlled the fight and made sure that it would be determined by the best part of his overall game. His greatest strength is playing the Muay Thai counter striker. In the first minute, Silva danced away and tried to gauge distance and timing. After figuring out Griffin's rhythm, Silva unleashed a barrage of counter strikes against the charging Griffin. The end came brutally quick with a KO of the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. No one in history has ever made Griffin look like a complete beginner. Welcome to the world of Muay Thai.
Along the same vein, UFC Lightweight Champion, BJ Penn secured a rear naked choke submission to end highly touted #1 contender, Kenny Florian. On a side note, Kenny Florian is a product of Sityodtong USA. Florian is a BJJ Black Belt with excellent Muay Thai skills. Nevertheless, once the fight hit the ground in the 4th round, BJ Penn completely dominated Florian and submitted him.
So what was the magic ingredient?
Simply put, BJ Penn took the fight to where he was strongest. Penn is a BJJ Black Belt World Champion and BJJ is his core expertise. In the early rounds, Penn nullified Florian's Muay Thai by changing ranges rapidly and by feinting crosses and hooks. Of course, Penn has excellent boxing and hurt Florian a few times with his naturally heavy hands. Florian was forced to try to take BJ Penn to attempt a ground and pound win. He was unsuccessful at taking Penn down. Once Florian was tired, Penn chose to take the fight to the ground. The fight ended quickly with a rear naked choke.
Ultimately, one of the biggest lessons of UFC 101 is that a fighter must control the fight so that he/she is able to use his/her greatest strengths. If you are a Muay Thai counter striker, then be patient and wait for your opportunity. Keep the fight standing and play your game. If you are a BJJ submission artist, then be patient and wait for your opportunity. Take the fight to the ground and play your game.
UFC 101 was a perfect display of this critical lesson. Whether you are competing in MMA, Muay Thai, or BJJ, it applies to all arts. Equally important, it also applies to real life self-defense situations. Play your game. Dictate the fight to where you are strongest. Of course, it is easier said than done. Nevertheless, here is to Achieving Greatness Within!
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® Achieve Greatness Within®
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® is the premier brand of MMA academies in Asia. Evolve MMA ranks among the best academies in the world for Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Monday
Congratulations to our latest Sityodtong Warriors!
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Pictured above are Sam Ahmed and Enyi Woo. Sam is a tough warrior who has improved tremendously since he joined Evolve. When he first joined, his technique was incorrect a lot of the time and he had a lot of bad habits developed from training under poor supervision. However, since then, Sam has worked very hard and has inherited the teachings of Sityodtong and World Champion Nuengpichit. As a result, his speed and power are up almost 50% and 120% respectively according to Yoddecha and Papa Sityodtong. More importantly, his technique is significantly better and he is now starting to look like a Muay Thai warrior. His punches are more crisp. His knees and kicks are very powerful. On the other hand, Enyi was brand new to Muay Thai when he first joined. He did not have any bad habits to undo. He is still a beginner, but his technique is starting to form nicely and his speed has increased a lot. Enyi always gives his heart to his training and never quits. He is humble, respectful, and a gentleman. But watch out for his low leg kicks!
Pictured above: Congratulations to Jerry Liu, Stanley Wong, and Lukman Kasmani! Jerry has trained hard consistently ever since he joined Evolve. His punches are solid and he is starting to develop some strong kicks too. Stanley is a tough warrior with excellent natural talent. His kicks are smooth and graceful - and very powerful. His knees are really starting to look amazing. Stanley will be a great addition to the sparring class. Lukman is yet another Evolve student with excellent work ethic. He trains hard with 100% intensity and focus. As such, his Muay Thai game has improved a lot with a 150% increase in the power in his kicks and punches since he joined Evolve.
Congrats once again to our newest Sityodtong warriors! Train hard, love the game, and achieve greatness within!
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® is the premier brand of MMA academies in Asia. Evolve ranks among the best academies in the world for Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Eat like a Champion!
Nutrition is one of the most discussed topics in fitness.
Your diet is the most important component in any fitness program. Different kinds of proteins like Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) repair muscle fibers after they have been broken down through your training. Carbohydrates fuel your body and give you energy. By fine-tuning your diet with the correct macro-nutrient ratios, you will see many noticeable positive improvements. These will include such benefits as increased energy and general well-being, to improvements in strength and body composition.
Basic Nutrition Guidelines
1) *Follow a basic guideline of 50% carb 30% protein 20% fat
2) *Select correct number of calories per pound of bodyweight (divide by 2.2 = KG)
a) 10 for a sedentary (no training)
b) 15 for light training (1x per day)
c) 20 for hard training (2x per day)
(E.G. 160lbs x 15 (training once per day) = 2400 total calories 1200 cal = carb 720 cal = protein 480 cal = fat)
*This is just a basic outline to follow to get started, adjustments will be made later in program to account for the many different Metabolic Types and calorie needs.
3) Keep a nutritional diary
4) Increase H20 consumption (one ounce per pound of bodyweight)
5) Eat 5-6x small meals per day
6) Choose lower Glycemic Index carbohydrates (the Glycemic Index indicates how rapidly food is broken down into Glucose, the lower G.I. foods are better for blood sugar regulation)
7) No Fruit Juice
8) No processed foods
9) NO SOFT DRINKS including diet sodas (Beware of Aspartame)
10) Whenever possible always choose Organic products!!!
Protein
Proteins are the building blocks for our bodies. They repair muscle tissue after exercise. They also have hundreds of other functions and play a vital role in enzyme & hormone production and utilization. They are responsible for transportation of hemoglobin in the blood, growth of hair and skin etc. Protein can also be used as a source of fuel although carbohydrates are naturally the bodies preferred source. Protein can be broken into 2 basic types; complete and incomplete. Complete protein contains all 10 of the essential amino acids and incomplete protein means it lacks some of the essential amino acids. For example protein sources that are complete are chicken, fish, red meat and diary products. Incomplete protein sources are beans and other plant sources. However, you can combine incomplete proteins together to form a complete protein (e.g. rice and beans).
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates fuel the nervous system, the brain and muscles. There are 2 types of carbohydrates= simple and complex. Simple carbs are broken down quickly inside the body (High G.I) complex carbs take longer to process. When choosing carbs in your diet, focus on particularly on whole natural carbs that haven’t been processed or refined that are Low to Moderate G.I
Fat
Dietary fats are just as important as protein and carbohydrates. Fat is a major component for health and is often overlooked. It helps transport the fat soluble vitamins A E D K all are needed for us to remain healthy. A diet exclusively devoid of fats is very much an unhealthy one! For instance fat can help you stay fuller longer increasing a feeling of satiety, which is useful when dieting hard.
Omega 3 is an important Essential fatty acid (EFA). It has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, which is obviously important for fighters. Not to be confused with Omega 6, most of us have in abundance in our diets. Avoid if possible anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil or trans fatty acids.
These are bad synthetic fats the body cannot break down fully. They can lead to many health issues such as obesity and increases in Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) bad cholesterol.
H20
The most important substance in your diet and body is water. Your body is 70% water and being de-hydrated by as little as 2% can affect your performance.
Supplements
- Take a high quality multi-vitamin 2x per day
*This is nutritional insurance to make sure your body has everything it needs to run at the highest level possible.
- Take 6 grams of a high quality omega 3 fatty acid
- Before workout BCAA are recommended to maintain a anabolic state (positive balance)
- Drink a high quality Whey Protein Shake 20-30 grams after a workout, with fruit (banana or berries)
• After a workout you have what is called your “post work out window of opportunity” this time period is when you need to replenish your body with the nutrients you just lost or utilized. During this “window” your body is able to utilize and assimilate more of the nutrients you eat. Also, your muscles are ready to absorb more amino acids during this time which are needed to repair the tissue that was just damaged due to training. If at this time you take in a liquid form of protein and carbs it digests faster and will be absorbed more readily into the bloodstream.
- Glutamine 10-15 grams per day
* The most abundant amino acid in the body, it has been shown to improve immune function (it will keep you from getting sick before the big fight). Also Glutamine is anti-catabolic, which means you won’t lose that hard earn muscle while dieting.
- Wheatgrass - 1 oz per day (my personal secret)
* One shot is equal to 5 pounds of vegetables in nutrient quality, 6 grams of fiber and it tastes pretty good.
Cutting Weight
In most cases fighters will try to drop weight, as they are getting ready for a fight. It is not wise to restrict your calories while you begin training heavily for your competition. Top-level athletes should take care of themselves all year. By maintaining low body fat levels, it will allow you to focus on the fight and not on making weight. When you are given short notice and you have to cut weight in a hurry, make sure you adhere to proven techniques and strategies.
If you need to lose weight follow these recommended guidelines;
1) Set correct % of protein carb fat and calories (35% carb 35% protein 30% fat)
2) Remove all grains and wheat from diet
3) Remove all dairy from diet
4) No root Vegetables e.g. carrots and potatoes
5) No processed meats
6) Sample menu
- 4 organic eggs & 2 pieces of fruit (multi vitamin & omega 3)
- 6 oz chicken breast & 2 cups green beans
- 5 oz red meat & 2 green beans
- 6 oz tuna & 1 apple & 2 cup spinach salad
*Before workout BCAA
- 30 grams whey protein & apple & pear *after work out
- 5 oz red meat & 2 cups broccoli (multi vitamin & omega 3)
Eat Well and Train Hard!
Mitch Sityodtong
Director of Strength and Conditioning, Evolve Mixed Martial Arts
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® is the premier brand of MMA academies in Asia. Evolve ranks among the best academies in the world for Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Sunday
The Latest Muay Thai Promotions at Evolve!
In the last few months, some of our Muay Thai warriors in Singapore received official Sityodtong certificates for their technical knowledge, consistent training, and team spirit. Here they are!
John Slattery and Adrian Chue are pictured below. John possesses excellent power and movement. His skills have progressed immensely since he joined Evolve. Adrian has also sharpened his knowledge of Muay Thai. He has solid kicks and nice punches.
The masterful Mohit is pictured below with Papa Sityodtong, Chatri Sityodtong, and Nuengpichit Sityodtong. Mohit is probably the most improved student at Evolve. When he first started, he struggled with all the new moves. Today, he is a graceful Muay Thai warrior with excellent elbows, kicks, knees, and punches. Congrats, Mohit!
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Oliver is a Muay Thai sensation and was recently invited onto the Evolve Fight Team as an official protege. Even though he is brand new to Muay Thai, Oliver has unbelievable natural ability and will surely be a major force in the future.
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Tian Seng and Cheelip are below. Tian Seng is the youngest member at Evolve! At 57 years old, he still possesses the athleticism and hunger of a 20 year old! He has come a long way with his technique and has some nice powerful kicks. Cheelip has also developed a nice powerful game. Cheelip is an excellent example of what technique can do for power. His power has really skyrocketed ever since he joined Evolve and he will be a very bright star at Evolve.
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Brice Tan and Jesse Ng are true Muay Thai warriors. Brice has lost an amazing 18 kilos since training at Evolve. More importantly, he has inherited the Sityodtong technique with excellent power and speed. If he keeps improving at this pace, Brice will soon find himself at the top of the food chain. Jesse is someone that has really come a very long way. When he first joined, he had zero knowledge about martial arts. He had no idea how to stand or throw a kick. Today, his Muay Thai technique is sharp and he has beautiful low leg kicks. He has become a true athlete of Muay Thai!
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Faizan has seen some tremendous growth. When he first joined Evolve, he had poor technique and bad habits from prior training. However, he quickly adopted the proven Sityodtong technique into his game and found his power, speed, and grace explode. He is a powerful martial artist with a bright future. Congrats, Faizan!
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Tinesh, Terence, Charles, and Christopher are pictured below. Tinesh has blossomed at Evolve and has become a true warrior. Through hard work and love for Muay Thai, Tinesh has a solid game of Muay Thai with strong kicks, excellent elbows, and deadly knees. Terence has also inherited a strong foundation of Muay Thai with powerful kicks and sharp elbows. He has improved dramatically and has a very bright future in this sport. Charles is a dedicated and consistent warrior. His low leg kicks are packed with power and speed. His technique is showing excellent progress. Christopher has lost 6 kilos at Evolve and has developed into a tough athlete. His kicks are very strong and heavy. His punches are clean and crisp. Christopher will undoubtedly become an excellent Muay Thai fighter in the future.
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