However, I have rules, regulations, and teaching ideals that remain constant throughout the different martial arts I teach, regardless or gender, age, or experience level of the students. My hope is that these rules and ideas assist all of us live, grow and love the martial arts. The study of martial arts has been one of the most positive forces in my life, and could be a defining element of joy in a student’s life as well.

Teaching Ideals

• Safety is priority number one. No goal, however worthy, will be worked on unless it can exist in harmony with this prerogative.

• My martial art classes are not a place for rehabilitation, mental or physical. True, martial arts strengthen the body and mind; but there is a base-line of personal well-being that must be maintained in order to maintain safety of the instructor and students. Serious emotional or physical injury need to be taken care of by a competent professional.

• We strive to respect others and ourselves. We cannot truly have one without the other.

• Our class is an environment of learning.

• We leaving our ego at the door. This is not a trite saying– we train in a space of safety and respect, so there is no need to prove anything to anybody. We know ourselves and accept ourselves with our combination of flaws and strengths. We do not compare ourselves to others for the purpose of creating a pecking order.

• All those in our classes are teammates and not competitors. We share knowledge, experience, and respect liberally with each other. The stronger our teammates become, the better off we are for it. We accelerate our growth collectively.

• When we train hard with each other, it is still in alignment with our views of safety, respect, and ego. When we compete, we do not deviate from our philosophies.

• As an teacher, I try to perpetually focus on fundamentals and strive for principle based instruction. As a shining example, I quote martial art instructor Matt Thornton, “The entire curriculum … revolves around the fundamentals of the delivery system. And because of this, each individual athlete is given the freedom needed to develop his/her own style; one that is optimum for their own body, mind and temperament. In a Gym that focuses on fundamentals, as opposed to a technique-by-technique template, each [student uses] very different types of games. And this not only produces better athletes/technicians quickly, it also helps impart and preserve the core Art (delivery system) itself.”

• Martial arts is a way of life. Our training is not a compartment our being, it is a fiber that runs throughout. If we are jerks outside of class, we bring that to the mats. Likewise, if we keep our cool, show respect and determination on the mats we will take that everywhere we go and to everyone we meet.

• Life is about joy and martial arts reflects that. We train hard, yes, but we laugh, play and relax in the joys of it. Our team is primarily a group of friends with a common interest in martial arts.

Rules, Regulations, and Expectations

• Arrive on time to class and notify the teacher if you must leave early.

• Wear appropriate training clothing. Sport shorts, athletic pants, or martial arts uniform (gi) are acceptable. Shirts are required. No clothing with metal zippers, rivets or buttons are permitted.

• No shoes of any kind are allowed on the mats.

• Body piercings and jewelry (including watches, wedding rings, necklaces) of all kinds are to be removed before training begins. They are safety hazards.

• Students “going too hard” in training will be reminded to relax first. Next they will be asked stop participating for a time if they cannot or will not control themselves. Repeat offenders will have private talks with the coach to determine if they can continue to train with team members.

• Students are expected to communicate with each other about how comfortable they feel about training intensity. Honesty-with-self and lack of ego make this easy – it is never a problem to say to a teammate, “I need to take it light today.”

• Cursing and vulgar language is not permitted.

• Remarks or gestures of a sexual nature will not be tolerated. I take such offences very seriously– depending on the instance, there may not be opportunity for students to remain training with the team. Our ability to grow as a team is affected when individuals create such discomfort.

• Students are expected to clean, take out, and put away the mats as necessary. This is a form of respect for self, team, and our environment.

• If students are found instigating fights, inside our outside of class, they will not be allowed to train with the team. True warriors save it for the ring.

• If students are sick, they are invited to watch but not participate.

• If you have medical conditions that could get others sick – hepatitis, various rashes, warts, etc – the instructor and training partners need to be aware. See below.

• Students are NEVER expected to share details of physical illness, disease, injury (emotionally or physically), but are expected to take responsibility for their own well being and sit out when necessary.

• If students are uncomfortable for any reason, they are not required to participate in the activity and may sit out.

• Students are expected to be clean physically for practice. Proper showering, usage of deodorant/antiperspirant, and oral hygiene are not just social conventions, but standards of safety and respect. Infractions will be brought up in a confidential manner.

• Fingernails and toenails are to be trimmed neatly; if they remain sharp, a nail file is to be used to smooth them.

• Training clothing is to be washed regularly, immediately after each use if possible. Just because you don’t sweat or they don’t smell does not give you permission to bend this rule. This is a matter of safety, not social convention.

• Students are expected to learn and apply the team training philosophies on their own, in addition to the instruction they learn.

• Students are expected to ask questions.

• Students are expected to inform the instructor if something un-safe is occurring.

• Students are expected to support teammates with positive reinforcement, never criticism. If you cannot offer a technical pointer without offense, don’t say it.

• Students are expected to have fun.

Assignment for U of U students:

After reading, you are required to write one comment about 50 words long. Use your first name and last initial so I can give you credit.  As for the content of your comment, it’s up to you, provided it moves the conversation along. Question, disagree, ask for clarification, add your own thoughts. I’m sure I’ve missed something – illuminate me!

As we’ve talked about before, the “Cool post bro” response is inadequate.

Also, consider other teammate’s comments when you write your own. Feel free to address them and exchange ideas.

UPDATED ASSIGNMENT:  I want you to detail your top three training axioms; the three things that you see as goals and fundamental truths for you. Ex:  Train to my personal best, Cultivate respect, and Keep things simple.

Article Summary: Self talk (ST), or inner talk, is vital to a healthy mental game and performing well – and mixed martial artists should spend some time thinking about it.

Imagine bombs blowing up around you, gunfire whistling past your head, and you’ve still got save the President from terrorists and get the girl. You’re freaking out, which is normal considering the circumstances. Now, what do you say to yourself to calm down, kick ass, and get the job done?

It’s obvious that something like, “Stop freaking out”, “I’m going to die” or “Don’t panic” won’t be as effective as “I can do this” or a confident “It’s go time.” This makes intuitive sense, right?

However, few people manage their self talk as a technical part of their mixed martial arts game. Ironically, UFC fighters frequently talk about how important the mental game is.

Words can Help, Words can Hurt

In my personal experience, I can think of no instance where someone had heavy negative self talk and competed well, no matter the sport.

In sport karate, I’d overhear competitors “get down on themselves” saying stuff like, “I’m so stupid, can’t keep letting my guard down!” Inevitably, in their next match they’d get sloppy, let their guard down and get blasted.

While speaking with a director in the U of U exercise and sport science department and some staff,  I learned how important the “head game”  was in running a triathlon.  We chatted about a man who trains very hard – even being able to complete a full triathlon in practice – but when competition day came around, he’d buckle under the pressure and would not finish the race. The man would get in his head, over and over repeating stuff like “My legs are burning.” and “I’m so tired”.  On the flip side, one woman said that she’s finished a number of triathlons despite being dehydrated and hypothermic – let alone tired. Furthermore, she talked about how she loves the head game, and when the going gets tough she yells at herself like a drill sergeant – “You f*ing b*tch, get off your ass and RUN.”

These anecdotes illustrate what science has begun to prove: Positive self talk improves performance and negative self talk impedes it.

Believe it or not: Language influences reality

Whether you believe that positive self talk can improve your game or not, ST works. In fact, one particular study noted,

These results suggested that the type of self-talk used (i.e., positive or negative) was more important than one’s belief in self-talk. Results supported previous literature indicating that techniques designed to produce positive self-talk should be included in psychological skills training programs.  (emphasis added)

In other words, ST isn’t some new-age mumbo-jumbo that only works if you believe in it hard enough.

Where the mind goes, the body follows

If you’d like to do a small science experiment, try this: Tie a heavy paper-clip at the end of a foot long piece of string. On a piece of paper draw a circle and some arrows, as below.

Holding absolutely still, hang the paper-clip a half-inch above the circle and imagine the paper-clip swinging around the path of the arrows.  Chances are, you can get the clip to move with just your “mind powers”.  You can even draw the arrows going the other direction and get the clip to move counter clockwise.

This isn’t a result of magic – it’s subconscious mind creating micro-twitches, little muscle movements outside of your awareness to move the string and paper-clip.

This is just a generic way of showing how the mind controls the body in unseen ways.

In terms of self talk, the preferred modus operandi is to phrase all of your self speech in the positive. Use language such as “I going to win” in stead of “I’m not going to lose.”   Keeping your mind solely on what you want, not on what you don’t want.

Some schools of thought (Nuero-Linguistic Programming, to name one) suggest that using “negative” or reverse-commands is dangerous – a command like, “don’t think of a pink elephant” causes one to think of a pink elephant.

It reminds me of my favorite Far Side cartoon by Gary Larsen.  The picture is of a percussion player, standing behind the orchestra, holding only one cymbal. Above his head is a thought bubble saying, “Don’t screw up, don’t screw up, don’t screw up.”  The caption?  “Bob screws up.”

Different Types of Self Talk

There have been dozens of studies about self talk and specific sports performance – how self talk affects a golf swing, overhand baseball throw, butterfly swimming times – each revealing a little nugget of truth.

Generically, use self talk increases self-confidence and decreases cognitive anxiety. ST can help you relax and de-stress. Two instructors down at Fusion BJJ (Tony V and Noah J) told me that they use statements like, “Just like at home” and “It’s just hard practice” when fighting to ease their nerves and mental tension, affirming that they can perform just as well in competition as they do in practice.

Technical performance can improve as well; self spoken statements like, “Keep your head up” or “Elbows down!” can trigger a body response to clean up move.

Additionally, there is motivation self talk, statements like “Power through” and “Keep pushing” – phrases to increase your level of focus and muscle power for a particular activity.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose

There was an interesting study done with young basketball players, illustrating how different types of self talk aided them at different times.

Athletes reported a significant preference for motivational ST when dribbling and shooting, while they did not favor one ST type over the other when passing. Moreover, athletes’ motivational ST was perceived as a significant aid for their concentration, confidence, and sense of relaxation during shooting, while instructional ST as more beneficial for improving their technique during passing.

To me this suggest that you should get in the habit of practicing techniques with their appropriate self speak phrases.  Every time you practice passing from half guard into side control, you could chant, “keep hips low, keep hips low.”

Repeating the Mantras

You probably have noticed that most self talk comes in doubles – ie: “I can do this, I can do this.”  It’s a very natural way to say them, and seem to have more force when doubled up.  Why, exactly?

At this point I could reason with you about how repetition is the mother of all learning, why yoga mantras must be repeated more than once or how it takes at least 7 or more repetitions to make an impression on the subconscious mind.

Instead, I’ll pass along a hillarious story about a pick up artist, Rick H, renowned in the seduction community for his extreme confidence and potent mojo.  Rick is a character to say the least. I’ve never met him personally, but through mutual acquaintances, I’ve been told he’s a legit womanizer. Like a no-fear, funnier, crude version of Don Juan Demarco.

Anyway, a dude starts talking to him about trying to pick girls up in Vegas and running into hookers and asks if he’s ever got “ladies of the night” into bed without having to pay.  Rick says, “All the time.”  He adds something like, ” You have to be funny about it though.”

His system goes something like this, early in the night he’ll meet and chat up a lady, but eventually she’ll give a tell-tale line, “I’m working.” He then gives some BS explanation why they need to “get warmed up”, and she laughs. He ends with, “It’s good for you. It’s good for you. It’s in your own best interest. It’s in your own best interest. C’mon.”

Rick said that for some reason, the key to making it work is saying “It’s good for you,” and “It’s in your own best interest.” But you have to say them twice, otherwise it doesn’t work.”

The inner game of MMA

After hearing some guys at the gym talk about Pedro Sauer’s teaching them to “go with the flow” and “flow with the go”, I considered how too much self talk could hamper performance. I certainly knew that being “too in your head” – analyzing, considering options, assessing performance – bogged down a mans ability to perform well.

John Will, black belt under JJ and Rigan Machado and one of the ‘BJJ Dirty Dozen’ – the first twelve non-Brazilian BJJ black belts in the world – says this about being fully in the moment while grappling:

“…[O]ne of the hallmarks of the truly good grappler, is that he or she becomes more fully and completely ‘engaged’ in the moment than others.

You can repeat some mantras but you don’t want to suffer from getting too in your head.  You’re supposed to be performing a motor skill, not assessing complex behavior and situations. (I believe this is called analysis paralysis).

Resources

http://bjj-australia.blogspot.com/2009/05/struggle-of-combat-demands-our.html

http://www.athleticinsight.com/Vol8Iss4/SelfTalkandPerformance.htm

Negative Self Talk and Sports Performance :

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-35005403_ITM

How and When athletes use self talk

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/10413200490498357

Mechanisms underlying the self-talk–performance relationship: The effects of motivational self-talk on self-confidence and anxiety

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6W6K-4T4J865-1&_user=418636&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000019853&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=418636&md5=61753a3754e7157a9a30a8d0e225abd5

Self Talk improves penalty shot performance -

http://jvi.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/25/3/233

Self Talk in Basketball

http://www.athleticinsight.com/Vol9Iss1/BasketballSelfTalk.htm

Olympians Use Self talk

http://www.sports-psych.com/interviews.html

Randy Borum on the Mental Aspects of Fighting

https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=blog.home&entry=3117

Want to be a warrior? Me too. A couple of articles from the net got me thinking.

There is beautiful, philosophical side to martial arts. MMA has it too – even though it’s popular to wash over it with a testosterone-driven gladiator mentality.

Rodney King, from the Crazy Monkey Defense crew, addressed some of this in his post on his Embodied Warrior blog, called The Everyday Warrior – How MMA Can Be A Positive Force In The World

… [W]hen one speaks to these men in modern martial arts today, about going beyond the physical- about using the vehicle of (Mixed) Martial Arts as a way to become more as human beings, to make a positive difference in other men’s lives- an uneasy silence befalls the air.

True warriorhood is the ability to deal with ones dark side … and to admire ones positive side. This requires a philosophy that sees the physical expression of martial arts as a doorway to a purposeful personal enlightenment and transcendence above the narcissistic needs of the self.

I’ve had the good fortune of dealing with both extremes in the fighting/MMA sub-culture. Some guys are just in it for the physical, technique driven, beat-the-crap out of you part, and that’s fine by me as long as you have a positive energy behind it. I love rough-housing just for the sake of play.

On the other hand, there can be a philosophical, spiritual side to a warrior. It doesn’t have to be a new-age let’s hold hands and heal the world type of spirituality either. There is a refinement of character with physical discipline, and martial arts can bring a new appreciation of the frailty of human life and the reality of death.

People can point fingers at the MMA forums and fans, saying they are immature loud mouths who crave violence. I can’t say that their wrong – because many probably are. But there is more to it. Anyway, a nice article.

Also, over at the Art Of Manliness, there is a post titled, “The Hard Way.” To me, it emphasizes how the path of least resistance, easy living and hacks are chipping away at our life. As my old Sensei might say, “There are no secrets to the art. Relax and keep drilling.”

The author of the post says it succinctly:

We’re missing out on a fundamental truth of manhood – doing things that are hard molds boys into men of strength and character.

Again, worthwhile read. Bushido isn’t dead in MMA, it’s growing.

Especially true for amateurs, there is always someone better. Some times it’s a harsh thing for your ego – but a good thing for your character (the best ego defense is not to have one).

BJ Penn has cleared out his division and was handed a crushing defeat by GSP.  I remember when Wallid Ismail beat Royce Gracie with a clock choke back in 1998 – it was the first time I heard of a Gracie being defeated. Now of course, there are tons of people better than me, but I recently got owned by John McCain (not the Presidential candidate, but a Utah local MMA’er ) while rolling. John was kind enough to show me a couple pointers on how he uses side control, and I was grateful for his help.

Does this stuff diminish from how good the Gracie’s really are? Or does this mean that BJ isn’t top notch in his weight division? Of course not.  For a moment, sure, there’s a depression with the loss but ultimately, if you let it, defeat can be an awesome tutor.

Defeat is an opportunity – so is criticism and failure. So you’re the biggest fish in your grappling pond? Finder a bigger pond and work your way up the food chain. If you’re at the top, it just takes one bad day, another set of rules, or a new weight class and boom – #2 spot for you.

I think it’s kind of liberating, actually. Instead of having to defend and justify – you can just accept, evolve and move on.

In short, there is always someone better. Unless you are this guy.

Note: My remarks were sparked by some thoughts given by Paul R Scheele in his incredible book, “PhotoReading“. If you’re into accelerated learning or speed-reading, check it out ASAP.

Also Note: This lion cub is totally submitting the other with the rear naked choke (mata leo choke, ten finger variation).  I’m totally going to make “grrrrrrr” noises next time I get this move.

Also Also Note: Fedor choked out Sylvia in the Affliction Banned event with this choke. You know, FYI.

Summary

Strict practice has it’s merit and place. Try incorporating playfulness to sparring or drills and being creative with your training methods. Keep your ego subdued – compete against opponents, train with friends, and have fun with a lifetime of martial arts.

The Human Animal

Man, as a species, is an unusual animal. We are the only animal that is not born with the innate knowledge of how to survive. When it comes to fighting, we may have the natural emotion and cause to fight, but we don’t intuitively know how to do it. Children have the inborn inclination to wrestle, but do so without technique.

This type of play-fighting is done by most hunting animals (lions, tigers, etc), and is an essential part of activating their abilities to stalk, strike, and kill. For humans it’s no different – playing is a big part of how we acquire skills.

Overcoming Ego

The biggest obstacle to becoming a better fighter is, quite simply, you. I’ve heard several UFC fighters say something like, “The gym I’m at is awesome. We leave our ego at the door, train hard, and help each other out.”  To me, this means that you don’t over push yourself. You don’t try to kill people by cranking your submissions.  In sparring, you tap out early and often. You don’t get competitive with your training partners. You don’t get angry after “losing”. You don’t get angry during practice.

Removing your ego means that you are in control of your emotions and body. If someone gives you a good training tip, no matter how advanced  you are, humbly consider it. If someone gives you un-helpful training advice,  don’t freak out and try to put them in their place. You resist the urge to help people just to show others how awesome you are ( I know this is hard). You let people learn at their own pace. You don’t force things.

Lion cubs have a natural sense of how hard to wrestle when playing.  Even though they are practicing biting throats out, they don’t get hurt. They let go and continue playing around. When training stops becoming fun and becomes a quest to satisfy a bruised ego (or fill a large hollow ego), it’s time to stop training.

Play Fighting

It’s fun to tussle with your friends.  For me, sparring is a place to activate techniques I’ve installed through focused, disciplined hard work. It’s not a time to try to “muscle in a technique”.  Ease up on the physical effort and see if your body mechanics are correct.

There is a time for boot camp drills, fighting for your life, competing and playing. Competition kills play, and it’s when training partners compete with their egos that people get injured.

Fighting Games

To get a boost in your training, play games that model elements of fighting.  Ideally, the fight games should be fun and have enough similarity to overlap so they can increase usable fighting skills.  I’ll mention only a few.

One of my favorite games is pseudo-sumo wrestling. You can have any rules you like, but I like these: you try to push your partner out of bounds or to touch the ground first with some body part other than the feet.   Start matches in a big arena and then shrink it down after each match. When it becomes too tough for two people up to stand up in the arena, game is over.  Be creative, emphasize learning. It is far more important to learn balance than to “win”.

Another “game” is to have one fighter punch some focus mitts held by another team member. While executing different combo’s, other 3-4 guys randomly whack the fighter with foam padded sticks. The fighter can block, parry or dodge them but he must continue throwing his striking combinations. Increase the speed and number of foam whacks until there is no way to evade all of them. The striker must learn to strike through the barrage and focus on his target.

Also, you can practice and play with your submission escapes by having one person completely sink in a submission or position on a relaxed opponent. Not tapping them out, but holding firmly, the relaxed person has to struggle to escape under the handicap. The “holder” doesn’t fight back but tries to retain the hold.

Explore Training Your Training With Creativity

Play with the moves you know – see how they work if your eyes are closed or if you can only use one hand. Try a submission from a new position – like an omoplata from mount.  Mix it up.  Over at Aesopian’s jujitsu blog, he has a article that embodies this kind of thinking called Rethinking Position.

Also, if you’re training with guys who have truly left their egos at the door, you’ve got an environment where you can learn new moves and tweak old ones.

For the formulaic, Paul Scheele (see note at top) discusses a mastery pattern called NOPS -Notice it, Own it, Play with it, and Stick with it.  If you get a chance, film yourself competing and sparring. Notice what punches land and ask your self why they hit. Figure out what submissions you pull off successfully and determine what factors made them work. Own your successes and really get into studying and performing them.  Mess with your success (Play with it) and keep practicing (Stick with it).

Epilogue

Have fun training. Enjoy what you do. I hope these ideas have sparked something in your brain to be a better fighter.

Sometimes life just beats you down, and that’s a good thing. Don’t get angry, don’t seek revenge, just deal with it in a positive way. Some guys just don’t get good until they get defeated. It takes a lot of mettle to rise from a loss. The physical and emotional breakdown and rebuilding process is tantamount to a great fighter’s spirit.

Now don’t take it the wrong way – you want to take on tough competition, but you don’t want to fight out of your league just to get pummeled. I think that’s Kimbo’s story – he had some internet fame and was hyped up and pushed to compete at a level that he’s just not ready for (Team Xtreme Couture agrees). He probably could make himself a good fighter but needs to crescendo into the sport.

When you get defeated, you need to make an important distinction: did you lose because you were doing the wrong thing (attempted putting square peg in round hole: double wrist control jujitsu vs. ground and pound wrestler) or you just didn’t do the right thing hard or well enough?

If you are in the first category, you have the opportunity to expand your mind and kill your egoist blind-spots. It takes time to gain the conscious awareness of how to modify your fighting style mid-competition. It’s easier to watch a fight on video and comment, “Oh, I should go for an arm bar here,” or “I need to throw more straight punches.” Seek out a good trainer who can help craft drills for you that focus on pattern recognition and adaptive counters. Cut back on your athleticism when training and focus on keeping a calm, open mind. Train your mind to be flexible enough to flow beyond what you normally do and take advantages of opportunities as they arise. Be like water.

If you’re in the second category, it’s time to channel your frustration. Step up your game by being more disciplined in your exercise routine and what you eat. Focus on the “boring” repetitions that make you a good fighter. Drill the same move a hundred times. Avoid over-training and injury, but push yourself. Limit the number of new moves you learn in favor of perfecting the basics.

Bottom line: Be thankful you’ve been shown how to improve your game. Defeat is an excellent tutor.

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.

- Siddhartha Buddha

Your biggest roadblock as a fighter is you. Laziness, assumption, arrogance, fear … all of these are personal battles for you to win. Even if you don’t ever beat the heavy-weight champion, when you have mastered yourself you have lived a full life.

The wise Chinese strategist stated,

Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.

- Sun Tzu

Getting to know our enemy – our competition – is pretty straight forward. We watch videos of their fights, learn who they train with, what gym they work out of, etc. We put the pieces together to get a pretty good idea of who they are. Also, if you’re serious about your craft you get to know your opponent on a deep level when you fight.

In a way, you learn a great deal about yourself from an intense confrontation. However, as “enlightened” mixed martial artist, you should think of your character as a fighter being revealed during a match rather than discovering it as you compete. You should already know that you’re hardcore – you’ve trained well, shored up the weaknesses in your game, polished your strengths. The higher the level you train and compete at, the less you should have surprises on your end.

Those who gain mastery of martial techniques are good fighters. Those who master the inner game in addition to the physical are great fighters. It takes discipline of body, mind and spirit. I won’t lie. It’s a tough fight. But even if you do hold the title belt, if you haven’t conquered yourself all the victory isn’t enough. It’s a hollow success covered with puffed pride.

Know thyself.

For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.

The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself; to be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.

- Plato