Measuring and motivation

    What is really good people??!! This was on my mind and I couldn't quite hash it out in my manic brain so I decided to try to do it here. The question is how do you measure success and if you do so by comparison to others, at what point does that become detrimental. When it comes to fighting we are often compared to or making comparisons to other fighters. We as a combat community often take cues from those that innovate with a spectacular knockout or technique in competition.

Soon after Anderson Silva used a front kick/teep to the jaw of Vitor Belfort the front kick to the face became a regular staple of mma fighters much the way people are using Saenchai's cartwheel kick regularly now. These moments how we grow in skill and community as well as evolve our independent artforms on an international scale. As fans we compare fighters and accomplishments to determine who is the best. As fighters we see others in positions either better or worse than our own. With the right training, mindstate, diet, recovery, coaches, training partners, will, promoters, and a dash of luck you can be one of the few fighters that reach the pinnacle of your sport. Clearly it won't happen for everyone. So when we look at this on a more personal level, how can you compare yourself to someone else that has everything you believe you are missing? The simple answer is that you cannot. The better answer is to try and have a different perspective. The phrase quality over quantity comes to mind first. I will forever believe that you must be great at the tools available to you. It means to buy in on the things you are good at and double down on them while adding other skills to compliment that base. If all you have is a jab, then work extensively on that while learning the technique of the cross. Step by step increase your base tools and expand. Your contemporary could have been blessed with athleticism that you do not have. Either you live in mediocrity or you work hard on your personal gifts to find your greatness. As fighters and martial artists the fastest way to get to place of non-growth is not using what we lack as motivation. As fighters we are sort of bound by the idea that we can beat whomever is in front of us. It is often said that if you don't believe that, you should not be competing. I believe this as well. The very idea that someone is considered better than you, can do more, or accomplishing more should be a clear motivation to get focused on your craft. As a human being you can toil at a job for years and never get that promotion, even worse you can watch the new guy get it in a year. Life is not fair. It is irrelevant, do not get stuck on fairness but do get stuck on forward momentum. Don't just stay in your lane, if you want a clearer path then you must build more lanes. If you do this, nothing can get in your way.

Peace, 

L

How pain builds and destroys champions

       Hola my friends! Just got back from beautiful Costa Rica with the family on a much needed vacation. I desperately needed a break and a moment to breath and clear my head. Now that I'm back it's time to get ready for October 9th at the Bradenton Convention Center where I will be putting my Muay Thai skills to the test against Aaron Conway. Hit me up for tickets if you need them I'm stoked to fight someone with a similar mindset like mine, I'll write about that at another time but for now let's get into this. 
       Pain breeds champions and it also destroys them. When I mention the word pain it naturally gives the connotation of a physical trauma of some sort but I'm talking about mental and emotional pain. The pain of sharing clothes between 2 or 3 siblings, of violence in the neighborhood, losing a friend or family member, domestic violence, the kind of pain that starts a fire that can only be extinguished by accomplishment and success beyond the comprehension.

I mean Mike Tyson made 300 million dollars between the 80's and 90's. That type of money was unfathomable for anyone coming from his type of background. A street kid from Brooklyn committing petty crimes with no real chance of a future until he started boxing. Emotional suffering is as much of a motivator as it is a shackle. It is this feeling and the ability for those affected by it to inflict their pain on others whether consciously or subconsciously.

    Most underprivileged youth and even adults don't have the resources to get mental health care to deal with the pain. Counseling is so far out of the realm in some places that it is even frowned upon. The question becomes then, would we have the greats like Bernard Hopkins, or even Johnny Tapia if it wasn't for the struggle of an unfortunate background ie. the pain. What about the Muay Thai greats and there are many and as much as the sport has grown worldwide Thailand is still a very poor country. Children are fighting in Thailand at an early age to earn money to feed their families as chronicled in movies like Buffalo Girls. Sylvie von Ittu recently wrote that her friend Phet Jee Jaa, who my

daughter Nin was named after, was until recently sharing a mouthpiece with her little brother. Phet Jee Jaa is such a good fighter that she was at one point banned from fighting boys. In my experience the Thai people are always smiling and happy but there must be something to the fact that some of the best all around strikers in the world come from one of the poorest places.
    When we discuss why inner city kids don't really get into games like golf in this country it always comes back to economy. Golf is expensive, you have to buy the equipment, the balls, not to mention you can't even get on a course if not dressed properly. Fighting is cheap, you have all the equipment you need attached to your body. Obviously gloves etc. would come in handy but as I remember it growing up in Chicago some of the best fights I ever saw were out in the streets. I can't even remember how many times I or another friend uttered the words, "let's play karate". It didn't cost anything for us to wrestle or kick the crap out each other for an hour.
    Sorry, started to ramble..lol. The truth is that pain, emotional distress, anger about growing up in an unfortunate situation can push a person to the limit. Take a fighter like Ronda Rousey, the other female fighters in her division are all good athletes but having lost her father/best friend to suicide at a young age has pushed her to be better then everyone else. She was a bronze medalist in the Olympics at Judo and started off her MMA career by finishing all of her opponents by throws and armbars but just recently she face planted Bethe Correia with a right hand. Bethe made the mistake of mentioning suicide when trying to build the fight. That punch that put her down was partially solid technique and part punishment for having the gall to involve herself in the pain that built Ronda.

If you are ever faced with having to fight a person that comes from a painful situation there are several ways to go about the mental battle with that person. You can bring up there personal life and issues to try to get them to be emotional and out of their game or you can simply let them know that your skills are better. It's often been proven that the latter way is the better and more honorable way in other words, don't poke the bear.
          Fighters can start to feel unstoppable and sometimes they are. The downfall of course comes later, but not always. It definitely depends on the person, but it also depends on their circle of friends and whether or not they have dealt with the pain. I feel like that need to release the built up anger and emotional destitution sometimes just doesn't get quenched. You can be on top of the world with everything you ever wanted and the ability to take care of your family but behind your smile and beneath the scars of battle the pain is still their. Drugs and alcohol often become the crutch for fighters when they can't release that pain anymore. Look at a champion like Oscar de la Hoya, he ended up with a cocaine problem and some unsightly photos floating around on the internet. Maybe it's the you that nobody else sees. The part of you that you can verbally share and even shed a tear about with friends but they can never actually understand unless they had a similar upbringing. So when people say things like "I can't believe he blew all his money" or "why does he keep getting in trouble it makes no sense". They should actually step back and evaluate the person for where they came from or what they might have experienced. Fighters and other athletes that come from places most people would be scared to walk through carry with them a deep cutting pain that's hard to get away from even in the midst of success. Now I know it doesn't apply to everyone but do some research on your favorite fighters and other athletes, I think you'd be surprised at what you find.
        I've spent years trying to get past the pain of my youth. I started fighting late but I don't know how to live without it. Once I found out how to win I couldn't stop competing. When I do stop I feel incomplete and like I have to do something to get that feeling back. It's where I feel the safest, when it's not safe at all.

Peace guys, don't forget to support me in my October 9th fight. Message me for details and I always appreciate comments.

A couple of stars does not make up the Universe

So as of late we are beginning to see some of the biggest names in kickboxing and Muay Thai defect over to MMA. The question that needs to be answered is what does that mean. In an interview I recently watched one of my all time favorite fighters, Tyrone Spong said that the organization he fights kickboxing for(Glory) can't afford him at the moment. We've also seen another big name in Joe Schilling win the Glory middleweight tournament and then eventually make his way all the way down to our lovely state of Florida and join American Top Team so that he too can reap some of the benefits of those MMA dollars.
So what does it mean to the sport of Kickboxing or Muay Thai? Absolutely nothing. The exodus by a few top name fighters to a sport that is growing and beginning to put some cash in the pockets of the fighters participating in it is just a good business decision for them in the long run. Especially if they are successful. This type of thing just goes to show that our sport is still an obscurity for some odd reason. It's hard for me to believe that with the amount of action that's involved on a Lion Fight Muay Thai card or a Glory Kickboxing card the us hasn't really caught on yet.
I know Tyrone Spong is a draw as is Joe Schilling but if you haven't seen Nieky Holzken, Josh Jauncey, and Sittichai Sitsongpeenong(a Thai boxer in kickboxing) in Glory or Kevin Ross, Gaston Bolanos, Tiffany Van Soest, etc. in Lion Fights, then you are missing out. I don't know if it's miss use of marketing money or people just not understanding the sport but either way if there isn't a renaissance in kickboxing in North America it could be one of the biggest tragedies in combat sports. And even then our sport will live on in obscurity and in some ways that would still be okay. At least we don't have to wear uniforms. J/S.

Is your training well rounded

        What is up people?!! It has been a minute but I am back and I am going to be here for a long time. So much has been going on with the LMT crew and in my personal life that it has been hard to keep up. Let's run through it really quick. First off I am back in school studying psychology trying to add to my tools for the athletes I train. I am finally becoming a pro and fighting October 9th and my fighters are looking great in the amateurs and my daughter just turned one year old, time flies. It has been an amazing journey and I am embracing every minute even the not so great ones. That being said we are popping the clutch and peeling out as we move forward with the LMT movement so buckle the f@ck up!! I wanted to touch on this subject as I head forward towards my fight and my amateur fighters enter new realms with their careers.

        In the past the physical training that was available was limited. Fighters would do the typical calisthenics and skill training along with the daily runs and possibly some heavy lifting. For the longest time it was not only what was considered the best way to train but it was also frowned upon in some circles if a fighter stepped outside that box and tried something new. Eventually athletes were "cross-training" and that became the new thing. Now fighters and other athletes are using scientific formulas mixed with a little "bro science" to get them to their peak physical shape.
         Let me first say that the amount of exercises and programs available are mind blowing. If you go on social media and flip through pictures you'll see dozens of people at sports fitness facilities doing all sorts of training to reach their goal. Working with the top trainers and pushing themselves to the next level. The only problem for the average Joe is that those places are pricey. Many fighter are fighting just to break even and most have part time or even full time jobs to make ends meet. So how can someone compete with that type of training without having that kind of cash in the bank. Well for starters you're going to have to be disciplined. You have to make up your mind that you want to get better, faster, stronger and nothing is going to stop you. Now beyond that the next step is research.
There are plenty of free resources when it comes to fight training and the first on the list is always going to be YouTube. The great thing about YouTube is that you are able to see and understand how the movements should be done and in some cases the reasoning and science behind it. At then end of this blog I'll add some links for you to check out some websites etc.
         It's been my experience that you can't stick to one way to get into great physical shape. Of course long runs are a staple in combat sports as well as sprint work. I would contend that high intensity interval training and swimming are also great ways to increase your cardio capacity. For strength you could use a mixture of heavy lifting, kettlebell training, and body weight training. Lastly you're going to need some flexibility training. My amateurs have been seriously active in yoga the last couple of fights and it has helped immensely with their breathing as well as flexibility. I've seen high level athletes starting to make their way into pilates studios as well to get that extra edge. Ultimately you have to look within yourself and at the available resources and make the extra effort to be great. It will not be given to you, you have to take it.
        One thing I have always said and stick by one hundred percent is that your skill level can often be the key to beat the more athletic opponent so after all is said and done you can have all of the physical tools but you must master your craft in order to put that athleticism to work. Understanding how your art is suppose to intertwine with your physical capability is the doorway to achieving the highest levels in combat sports.

Links to greatness:

http://www.speedofsport.com/

http://funkmma.com/site/

http://www.nakmuaynation.com/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLH5tDGl_QiRJ1eDUTLFxQ

https://www.youtube.com/user/donheatrick 

Glory 11 and Out of the shadow epilogue

Ringside view of Glory 11

Hello all, I have really enjoyed writing this blog and because of that learning more and more about myself as it pertains to martial arts of any kind. I have come to the realization lately that things are finally changing for the better at least in the world of kickboxing. I was blessed with tickets to Glory 11 in Chicago from my awesome fiance as you might have read in the previous blog. I was absolutely stoked for the fight card and couldn't believe I was going to there. My buddy Jorge and I talked it up everyday at the gym. We probably made everyone sick but we knew it was going to be a great show.

Hooked up with hoodies

       Now the funny thing about teaching, fighting, and just being around kickboxing everyday all day is that you forget that it's not hugely popular in the states. After seeing and experiencing what I did while in Chicago I know in my heart that that is about to change. First off let me say that we had no idea where the seats were until we arrived and realized that we are sitting front row behind the red corner and every fighter had to leave walking past us. Then I noticed that Joe Schilling, the winner of the Glory 10 tournament and one of my favorite fighters was sitting 2 seats over. I struck up a
conversation and he was nice enough to take a picture and shoot the shit.

Me and Joe Schilling

We were close enough to hear everything being said in the corners and hear every punch and kick land with thunderous thuds and slaps. After an early knockout, the winning fighter celebrated with us and his cornermen gave Jorge and I their sweatshirts. It was an electric night! The crowd was into it , the fighters were performing at the highest levels. There might have been 4 or 5 decisions out of 14 fights. Glory as well as Lion fights are waking up the masses to a sport that is as exciting as anything on television. And ultimately that is the key...Television. Glory 11 aired on Spike and Jorge and I were even receiving text messages that they saw us celebrating a knockout. It was absolutely incredible.

Cool ass Errol Zimmerman

       I have been fortunate enough to have gone to a lot of sporting events. NBA, MLB, NCAA(basketball and football),NHL, Boxing, Bellator...etc and this ranks as high as they come for an event. Even better were the fans, nobody screaming racial slurs or obscenities and no fights in the stands. Hopefully with the introduction into the mainstream that won't change. Anyway, the most awesome thing about the show was that all of the fighters were accessible. Errol Zimmerman chopped it up with us and even told us after Rico Verhoeven won the Heavyweight tournament that, "watch, i'm gonna knock him out again", referencing their last fight.  No big entourages keeping fans away, they were willing to sign autographs and have a conversation. They were down for their fans.
       I can only say that it was an absolute blast and that finally Muay Thai and Glory are getting their just reward for being so damn exciting. No worry about lay and pray fighters in a sport that allows you to get swept to the floor but then makes you stand back up and defend yourself. Btw, that's not an MMA diss, the last UFC card was sick and I absolutely miss Jiu Jitsu, but that's another story. For the record the trip and show was better than I could have possibly imagined and I can't wait to go again.

Out of the shadow: Epilogue

Lloyd Sr. and I

      Something else happened in Chicago, dinner with senior. It went amazingly well. He was humble and very cool. His fiance was awesome and we took steps to start a much needed dialogue. Since then we've been in touch and trying to stay on each others radar. This is a good beginning and I look forward to continuing this as we move into the future. Life has a way of  offering you different paths to follow and allowing you to make the decisions on which ones to take.Some times life offers the same path twice.