Tackles, Takedowns, Throws and Counters

Following is another video from Erik Paulson giving some great background on single and double leg takedowns.  BTW - this was filmed at the old Inosanto Academy in Marina Del Rey, CA at least 10 years ago.

No Arms, No Legs and No Worries

Watch this video and think about all of the excuses you make for not doing your best in your life, your relationships and in your training.  You've got no limitations - only the ones that you make for yourself.

"Sucker Punch"

Love them or hate them, Zack Snyder makes visually stunning movies that are packed with action and fights (think "300" and "The Watchmen").  One of his latest projects is called "Sucker Punch" and it's due in theaters in 2011.  Looks like a MAK Movie night to me...

Sparring as "Sharpening the Blade"

There is a Japanese martial philosophy behind training as a method of keeping "the blade" (i.e., the mind, body, and spirit) sharp and resilient.  A common method of doing this is through harsh training methods (look up the term Shugendo) or through sparring.  Unfortunately most sparring sessions look like a "cluster f#$k" with gloves on.  Egos and tempers get in the way and the sparring session quickly degrades into a brawl.  Watch the following video from Erik Paulson's CSW Training Center to see two well trained athletes test each other out and develop their timing speed and power.

Jane Austen's Fight Club

I have no idea how I can across the link (might have been on Fark) but I really got a kick out of it - no pun intended!  Think about combining Jane Austen and Fight Club - CLASSIC!  Almost as good as combining Jane Austen and Zombies - now that's quality entertainment!!!  Enjoy!

Judo at the CSW Training Center

Everyone knows that I think Erik Paulson is one of the best MMA trainers in the business.  Disregard that he's a friend and a full instructor under Guro Dan Inosanto - focus on the information he puts out, the people that he trains and his enthusiasm for the grappling game.  Erik is an amazing instructor and a masterful technician... and he hits like a sledgehammer!

In this video, which it looks like Erik shot with a hand-held camera, a series of "classic" Judo throws are demonstrated by one of his CSW students from Germany.  Great info and it fits right into the "K.I.S.S." methodology that I profess.

Do You Have a Chubby?

My good friend Richard "Army" Maguire has designed a new training bag that he calls a "Chubby".  I had a chance to work with one while I was in LA and it truly is an amazing training tool.  The one I worked with was filled with Mung Beans and weighed about 20 pounds.  It was solid (due the the 20+ pounds of beans inside it) and felt like you were punching someone in the face.  You can imagine that I really liked that... and look for four of them to be hanging in the school sometime soon!

Here is what Army says about the Chubby:

"New bag I developed called the "Chubby'  in use with BJPenn UFC fighter
and MMA superstar.  This bag is multi-functional for developing hand
conditioning , maize bag, top bottom bag application ground and pound as
well as lock compression development as demoed her by Baby J himself.  This
bag also great for kids and can be taken with you as a traveling companion
piece of equipment."

Here is a picture of BJ Penn "choking" the Chubby -

"The Expendables"

So what do you get when you bring together all of the action movie stars of the last 20+ years (with the exception of Clint Eastwood)?  You get lots of fighting, explosions and really bad one-liners!  What - you expected compelling dialogue and insight into the nature of man?  Get out of your mother's basement and just enjoy the show...