Ben's training. Pads, pad holding, and a light spar.

Lose.. Lose.. Win!

Hi guys, hope you are all doing well. I am so stoked about the Cubs winning after 108 years without a championship I can barely contain myself. Its such an amazing feeling overcoming the obstacles that present themselves but in this case it was on a world stage.  However many times this team has tried to achieve its ultimate goal it failed and though the rosters have changed innumerable times the results remained the same until now. So this blog will piggyback off that and give some insight into the truth of competition and perception.
      In my second Muay Thai fight I showed up with confidence and ran into my opponent whom I had met a few months before when I won. He asked me if I had been training, I replied, "a little",  I might have been being smug. Either way he gave me a shellacking. He later explained that he and his coaches were watching me in the last fight and knew that I liked to throw a lot of hooks so they were ready to counter with straight punches and forward movement. I had realized something that I didn't know before and it was that this wasn't going to be easy and I had to learn more because as it stood I didn't know anything other than a straight will beat a hook. So the process of studying began.
     

   I started doing Jiu-jitsu because it was a natural progression for me and ideas of MMA had been bouncing around my brain for a while. First I did no gi which I was successful in and completed and won then I switched to gi and as a white belt I continued to have some success then again came the wake up call. My name gets called I am prepared for a fight I am a blue belt now. I am just not afraid of my opponents at this point having competed in both Muay Thai and Jiu-jitsu already I am just ready to fight. I quickly secured a takedown, a Judo throw called an Ouchi-gari. With the top position I tried to pass his guard without any luck. As time expired he swept me and win with an advantage point. I have endured this in a few different ways in Jiu-jitsu as well as some poor judging and at least one draw in Muay Thai. So what does that mean in layman's terms?.. It means that the Instagram posts showing an athlete with medals and trophies is only the fun part of the story.
          Accomplishments for fighters are measured in the public perception by how many  awards are won and in what organizations and how much money was made. I will contend that to fighters accomplishments can be measured by time spent catching bruises and nagging injuries in the gym, by the number of times we are made to tap and submit to our training partners on the mats and by the mental and emotional struggles that have to be put in check just to show up every day. We sacrifice friendships, jobs, and stability to get some real connection to life. A win is not a result of what is done in the ring or in a tournament time period. A win is a consolidation of everything that it took just to get to the point of the competition as well as the competition itself. Losses on the other hand are the stepping stones to having a hand raised win the bell sounds but also a revealing look at the character of a fighter.
         The perception is so much more appealing than the reality. Likes on a picture or a post are awesome and they feel great to get the support but the time difference between a loss and a win can feel like 108 years. I have lost and lost and eventually won and as proud as I am of the winning I am just as proud of the ability to endure the agony along the way. Define us by the depth of our resolve because what you might not know is that the majority of don't make money but actually pay for the chance to compete, to challenge our very spirit.
        

Adjust and re-adjust

Oh boy has it been a minute. Glad to be back writing again I missed reaching out to all of you and as the title suggests I've been working towards making adjustments in my skills as well as my life.   The key to being successful in the ring or on the mats is the same in life, the ability to adapt on the fly as the circumstances change.
      In sparring sessions I was beginning to notice that either I was being lazy, my timing was off or everyone I sparred was just getting so much better that one of my best tools, my counter left hook was just no longer a factor. After a series of frustrating goes I began to pick it apart. What I found was a few things, first off it was absolutely laziness as I had become complacent because had used it successfully so many times that I had taken it for granted that it would just land when I threw it. The second thing I realized was I wasn't really willing to be there I was counting on my length and speed instead of proper technique. I found myself leaning away and the punch becoming wide and generally hitting nothing but air. The reason this came to light was because of my lingering shoulder injury. Without the use of my right hand to any great capacity all of my inadequacies with my left hand became obvious. In order to fix this problem I have been basically testing different approaches. Staying in the pocket longer, trying to time my opponents advancing movement, and setting traps to lead them into the hook. I've had some success and some miscues but it's a constant work in progress as it is in life. There is no one right way to deal with adversity in life. Each situation requires an honest interpretation as well as a educated plan of action. Adjusting and adapting to the curveballs life throws at you is not impossible but can definitely be challenging. Trying your best to keep a positive attitude and a vision of how you want those situations to turn out is imperative. I recently spoke to a nephew of mine that gas struggled through some tough times in his life and is about to get a second chance and for me the most valuable thing I could express is one thing I've learned to be true and that is to never quit. People will have plenty to say about what you do both positive and negative but the reality is that it doesn't matter what anyone says if you are persistent and persevering anything is possible. As Nas once said, "The world is yours", never forget that and never give up. It will all pay off in the end. Create small goals and absolutely crush them on your way to realizing your vision. Adjust and re-adjust until you clear the obstacles in your way, anything is possible. Peace and blessings.

Fundamentals are the key

After all the years involved in Martial arts I am still in awe of the progression of techniques and evolution of the different styles. The other thing I'm fascinated with is how the fundamentals of every combat sport can in most cases nullify the new and or fancy techniques. The reason why this is so amazing to me is because watching someone jumping through the air or spinning in circles while they strike or attack with grappling is beautiful and mesmerizing to look at. However, much like a solid sharp jab will beat a power hook the fundamentals are the key to the evolution and not the other way around. When Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors is nailing three point shots from all over the court it may look like he's been doing that from the beginning I can almost guarantee that it started with learning a proper lay up or free throw shot. When I started doing Taekwondo I can remember spending a great amount of time sitting in a horse stance throwing straight punches from the hip. My Sensei wasn't teaching turning side kick or spinning back fist or jumping knees for that matter all I remember are the fundamentals. This isn't to say that flashy techniques don't work they surely do, what complicates their effectiveness is how fundamental the opponent is. In the Ufc lightweight title fight between Anthony Pettis and Rafael dos Anjos all the flashy went out the window. Rafael dos anjos put pressure and used very sharp, very strong punching and kicking and then attacked with basic wrestling double leg takedowns pressure ground-and-pound. In Glory Kickboxing Raymond Daniels used his sport kick fighting blitz style to dismantle fighters left and right with spinning back kicks and jumping spinning back kicks anything you can imagine. Strikers were falling like flies. Twice when Raymond Daniels came up on Nieky Holzken he was stopped Nieky put pressure applied simple boxing techniques simple leg techniques and it was enough to stifle Raymond Daniels and stop his flashy but aggressive style. In the case McGregor vs Nate Diaz fight Conor McGregor had a full camp came in very aggressive throwing spinning kicks and punches from all angles and that was all stifled with a simple one-two combination for Nate Diaz. Once  Conor was rocked he tried to shoot for a very poor double leg takedown which Nate transitioned into a rear naked choke one of the first submissions you learn. I wholeheartedly believe that the more tools you have in your toolbox the better off you'll be and the more opponents you can defeat but I also believe it all starts with your base. How good are your fundamentals? How good is your jab? how good is your cross? When it comes to the ground game how good is your pass? How good is your guard? How good is your control and your pressure are the questions that I often ask myself. Now this is not saying that there aren't special athletes out there whose fancy footwork or arsenal have gotten them to the top we can take a guy like Wonderboy Thompson in MMA who's on the verge of having his first title shot and  he fights primarily with his hands down bouncing side to side in a sport karate style. The question isn't how good Wonderboy Thompson is now, the question is how good is Wonderboy Thompson when he faces somebody with a skill set of fundamentals that's as strong as his skill-set coming from a karate background. It's hard to say what will happen but damn it'll be fun to watch. Maybe the reason that Stephen Thompson so good is because his fundamentals are great maybe that was the same with Anthony Pettis maybe the same with Raymond Daniels. Ultimately the base is what matters and the strength of your discipline you can't give up what you first learned and put all your eggs in the basket of if I spin or if I jump maybe I'll surprise them, maybe I'll be able to finish them, the reality is that your job can be fairly repetitive, move your head, keep your hands up, keep your feet moving and stay focused. As far as Jiu Jitsu is concerned it's important to learn positions and how to control them before you ever even consider submitting someone. My advice to all is never ever get out of your game but build your game into something effective and beautiful to watch. I often tell my Fighters it doesn't matter what the other person does it only matters what you do. Spend the time making good habits in the gym and revisit your fundamentals regularly.

Becoming it...

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What's up people!?! It's been a minute since I've been able to fingers to keyboard. My schoolwork in pursuit of this Psychology degree is taking up most of my writing time. I am actually rewriting this one because it magically disappeared overnight. Anyway, we are approaching our first fights of the year this week and the team looks sharp and ready for whatever comes their way. During this camp for them I found myself being very reflective of myself and where I am now and where I am going. I don't know if it's because I've reached middle age or the effect of fatherhood on my psyche but instead of winding things down I want to do just the opposite, I want to ramp things up. Now what that means exactly, I don't know. I just know that I am not just satisfied with my current state or any accomplishments I may have had in the past. I realized that I am stricken with the same obsession as many others like me, the obsession of Martial arts. We are Yin and Yang, pushing and pulling and connecting with something in our souls that most people are afraid of and some people won't even admit exists.
        I've been back on the mats doing Jiu Jitsu and the thought of competing is bouncing erratically around my brain. After a short hiatus I returned to the mats with an improved game and a growth mindset and with that it seems that my game has evolved. I don't care for points or for what may give me wins by advantage, I only want to go for the submission and try my best to use the art the way it was meant to be used. I refuse to settle for stalling and holding positions, I have accepted that me going for it might lead to some losses but I'll never be where I want by being complacent and safe. The greats are hardly ever resting on their laurels. As I told one of my students this week, "it isn't the belt around the champions waist that matters,it is the struggles, sacrifices, injuries, as well as friends and family members and sometimes significant others that are lost to ignorance along the way". Greatness requires understanding and belief in what is possible and what is possible is anything and everything.
        I want to be the best me possible in the arts I train daily(Boxing, Muay Thai, and Jiu Jitsu) and add a few more tools to the chest by challenging myself to learn the blade, archery, and firearms. I love this feeling of not being finished the feeling of being absolutely obsessed with what my body and mind and spirit can do when they are in tune. This can go for anything in your life that you choose to do. You must first find the thing that moves you, then fall in love with it, obsess over it, and submerge yourself in it. Work so hard at it that you simply embody the very thought of it. Become it...

FEAR

Dressing room pre-fight

                As the days leading up to the competition turn into weeks and the weeks quietly become months there is a literal roller coaster of emotion that overtakes a fighters psyche. There is a mix of anxiety, frustration, happiness, a feeling off being a warrior prepared for battle at anytime and a feeling of fear that most couldn't handle. It is the way in which we see ourselves change and evolve on a daily basis and sometimes the emotions can change by the second. Our brains are flooded with questions; Is my opponent better than me? Have I trained enough? Why am I doing this? Maybe I should just quit. And this is just the tip of the iceberg it can go deeper and deeper even seeping into the fighter's personal life. Fear is the great revealer. Whomever a fighter thinks they are can be deciphered by what they do with their fear. Can they use it to become better at their craft or will they fall victim like so many before them and crumble at their opponents feet or even make it to the fight at all.
              During my camp for any competition I generally start out very upset with myself and that is on a good or a bad day. I have a genuine anger aimed at myself for not being better. I love greatness and I may not ever be great but I want to feel like I am working as hard as the great ones do, and regardless of how many hours I put in I never feel like it's enough. I eventually get passed those feelings in a few weeks and then I start to question my opponent and how good they might be and if I should even continue on and if I have an injury I wonder to myself if its enough to make me stop training and even call off the fight or drop from the competition. The answer unequivocally is a resounding no I will never quit and every moment I'm not training my opponent probably is so I have to keep working. If you catch me around this time and ask me if I'm ready or how do I feel I will always have jokingly tell you that "I am terrified". Half joking...
                By the last few weeks of training I am a ball of anxiety. Nothing is as good as it should be and if I can't correct it I am pissed off. I have turned my stress and anger outward at this point. I can safely say that it is not a time to pick at me and I am in no way satisfied with anything. I want to fight so bad but I know I am not where I want to be. I do know however that there is no way I am being out trained. I am putting in the work. That was all motivated by fear. I have heard other fighters say similar things about being motivated by the fear, not of the other fighter but about what could happen about "getting caught". This is a commonly used phrase in the fighting world meaning a fighter got clipped by a punch, a kick or even a submission they didn't see coming or they fell into as in, " I was doing great and just got caught". That fear is real, when it is said like that it is meant to say that at that moment it was out of your control the same as getting bitten by a shark, it just happened. Every day is a day training to be the one catching the other guy.

Erupting post fight

               The reality though is that we will get punched and kicked and choked and people will cheer or boo or yell ridiculous things that should be saved for pro wrestling i.e. "rip his fucking head off" or "fucking kill him"(really not trying to kill anybody j/s) but most will never understand what it is that you are voluntarily doing. Risking your health both mental and physical for the entertainment of the spectator and the promoters wallet. In return for this we get to stare deep into our own souls and determine that we are not weak or afraid, we are in fact brave. There is a moment where the fear disappears, maybe in the dressing room or as they announce your name or you step through the ropes but when that threshold is crossed you've officially realized that fear is everything because it pushed you and at that very same moment you realize it is nothing.

Pro fighter / Dreamchaser

Walking to the ring.

What is up people?!! I know its been a minute but I was completely focused on making my dream a reality. Let me first say that this might turn out to be long winded but I have so much to say that it has to be a complete thought. If you've read my blogs in the past then you might know that I wasn't at first planning on fighting and I actually started fighting in the amateurs in my 30's, a late bloomer. I didn't expect anything so I wasn't out there looking for a team or a manager or even a coach, I just decided to work my ass off and choose a few people that I could trust. It was a great decision. It led me to three amateur championships and the ability to train others, and to meeting some incredible people along the way. At this point I knew I really wanted to fight in the pros at least once, but a couple of things came to mind when I would think about doing it. First off nobody is looking to throw an over 40 fighter on their fight card unless they are looking use that person as a stepping stone for their younger fighters. The second thought that would come up is how can I find time to train like I need with my schedule and hectic life, regardless of my dream, I have family responsibilities as well as coaching others to help them achieve their dreams. Then I would have worries about the ability to compete on a high level, am I too old? I looked to Bernard Hopkins, Dan Henderson, as well as a long list of other over 40 fighters that used their knowledge to compete against younger fighters, I mean have you seen Hopkins vs Pavlik?

The signing of the contract

Okay so after I finally made my decision, I realized that nobody was planning on adding me to their already full cards. And then it happened, Master Mehrdad Moayedi a former fighter and the first promoter I ever fought in the amateur for gave me a call and offered me a fight. I was close to giving up on the dream and focusing on just being a coach. I would have forever been hanging over my head if I didn't get the chance. I signed the contract and so it began.
        Camp started and I was indeed rusty but hungry nonetheless. I started running regularly which is crazy for me because I almost never ran before my amateur fights but I knew that I had to have good conditioning otherwise I wouldn't make it and beyond that I wanted to train like a professional and fight like one. I worked tirelessly doing pads, strength and conditioning training and sparring with some friends and some monsters. It was all grueling to say the least and then it happened, my first opponent dropped out with an injury but something told me just keep training it will work itself out. I was right within a couple of days I had a new opponent and the motivation  was back one hundred percent. I was more focused then I had ever been but in sparring I wasn't as active or effective when I was active. I had no movement and that was the key to me finally raising my level. It had been a while since I have fought and I had become comfortable standing in place and countering during sparring but because of that I had become complacent.

Kru Dave Gomez, me, and Remy Bonnell

Lesson learned, I began studying a fighter by the name Rayen Simson, a Dutch champion that had beaten the likes of Ramon Dekkers and I thought for sure this is my style and using it would allow me to become more fluid. Sparring got better.
   The date was rapidly approaching and I was starting to become more and more irritable, as well as nervous. The closer to the fight the less nervous I got, I started to believe and enjoy the moment. I have been dream chasing for so long and it was finally here and then the last two weeks came and it started to get crazy. I had sent in my medicals however the boxing commission wanted a CT scan of my brain and an Ekg which wasn't presented to me. Talk about freaking out, I was lucky enough to pull some strings and get some favors in order to get it done and it wasn't until the weigh ins that I actually got the final Ekg results. That was the least of my worries though because 2 days before the fight my opponent pulled out. At the moment I received that message I was in the middle of dealing with some other things and I was devastated. I felt as if all the air had left my body and I was sick to my stomach. I had finally made it but it was not to be. All I could think about was all those that had helped me get to this point, people donated their time and energy and money all for me to fulfill a dream and it would all be for nothing.
        The next day the news came that I would have an opponent and it wasn't what I had wanted by any means. The new opponent was a friend of mine, Warren Thompson, his opponent dropped out as well. We had fought each other in the amateurs and had a beautiful fight we displayed good technique and had gotten cheers from the crowd after the fight. Since that time we had become friends so now what? We both took the fight with reservation. Neither of us wanted to fight each other but we both have dreams. It was necessary and quite possibly the best and worst outcome of our situations. When I walked into the weigh in we saw each other immediately and both threw our hands up as if to say what the "F" is going on. We shared a few laughs and decided that this would be the last one against each other. Warren is a one of the good ones out there a true martial artist and a legitimate Muay Thai fighter.

Round one

Now as for the fight, it was amazing. I was able to display my skills on a high level and it was an honor to do so. I had an amazing time having my family there as I had reached my long time goal. My friends made the trip and cheered loudly and I loved every minute of it. The fight wasn't judged in my direction and that is a little upsetting but the reality of it is that I gained more just walking to the ring than any one win could have given me. I accomplished the seemingly impossible. I had an idea years ago and began to follow it and little by little it grew and at times it wilted but I never gave up hope. The pursuit itself was enough to be proud of but what I can truly say now to my kids and others is never stop chasing your dreams.

Landing a right hand which was working for me that night.

Dreams are not un-achievable ideas they are the vision of the achievable. I remember Kevin Garnett after winning the NBA championship with the Celtics after years of perseverance and the pain of never getting there and he screamed into the microphone a phrase that I always repeat in my head over and over, "Anything is possible".

Lucky Lloyd Walton (Pro fighter)


Special Thanks to: Romeo Montana and Sarah Zdanis for giving me their time in training and cornering me. Jorge Vargas and William Candelario for the padwork. Jex Fontaine for just basically being a bad ass and expecting the same from me. Jolie Glassman and the entire gym for all the support. My sparring partners Dave Gomez, Remy Bonnell, William Candelario, Romeo Montana, and that one time I sparred that UFC fighter Alex Garcia. Juan Lazcano Trevino for always being the source of good energy and hooking up the hotels. Also Danny Silva for giving me another place to train. Master Mehrdad for the opportunity. The whole LMT crew for believing in me. Last but not least my family for putting up with what some might call a silly dream and everything that goes with it, mood swings and all. I Love you guys!

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.

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 

Racing father "Thai"me

What's up Muay thai family! I hope all is well and great on your end. This is definitely a personal one for me. If you've been around me or heard me speak over the last 15 years then you know I have been saying that I wanted to fight as a pro at least once in my life. I was a late starter and a late bloomer in the fight game. I was simultaneously taking amateur Muay Thai fights, teaching classes, training amateur fighters, and doing jiu jitsu. I was doing this and teaching myself along the way. Other than the tremendous amount of help I got from my close fiend and world champion Sarah Z., I was coachless for the majority of this time and that surely played a part in my progression and what my career could have been. I was blessed however to win 3 amateur championships in three different organizations and a handful of jiu jitsu medals. Lately my amateurs are collecting W's and I am super proud about that. I've met some amazing people throughout this time period, I've done padwork for world champions, aficiandos, and regular joes. It is always an honor and a pleasure to train people that are as into the sport of Muay Thai as much as I am. I find that I am always learning something new from them. At 42 I am considered an old man in the fight game. The dream of being a pro is fading into the sunset. I feed off of and live vicariously through the conquests of champions like George Foreman and Bernard Hopkins, the tenacity and toughness of guys like Randy Couture and Maurice Smith who knocked out an opponent via headkick at 50 years old. Now I don't claim to be one of these greats but I am inspired by them daily. Father time is undefeated and I too will fall at the hands of this adversary, but what will I have accomplished by then? Will I have done everything I ever dreamed I could do or wanted to do? What about you, will you strive to accomplish your goals no matter how far fetched they might seem to be? After the years I have put in and accomplishments I have had the only thing I wished is that I would have started earlier. If you haven't yet taken a look at yourself in the mirror and asked straight up ,"Am I everything I set out to be?", then you should do that now. The last thing you want to do is be at the end of the line and regret not having done everything you wanted to do. Life is short and opportunities are fleeting. Dreams are visuals of infinite possibilities, doubt is the only thing that keeps dreams from becoming reality. Relinquish the doubt and embrace what could be. The imagination is a beautiful place, everything that was ever created by the human race was first brought to light in the imagination. 

As for me, at some point I will only be able to hold pads, write workouts and supervise training. I will sit and reminisce about my days competing with a huge smile on my face and a cold beer in my palm. I will not however do that today, today I will have entered my name into a pool of fighters looking to fight on the only pro striking card in Miami. Mixed Striking Challenge 2 will be held in July and if I'm blessed enough I will have an opportunity to represent my brand of  Muay Thai and live my dream before it is too late. I hope that whatever your dream is you decide to grab it by the throat and never let it get away from you. Just to reiterate, life is short and opportunities are fleeting.

Peace 

Bring on the recovery!

Jorge and I post training.

What's up guys?!! Hope you guys are doing well. I am writing this one because for whatever reason I have been super sore lately. I mean my body feels like I got run over by a tractor, then a semi truck, then a steam roller, and then had an anvil dropped on my head. Anybody out there still using anvil's? Watched entirely too many roadrunner cartoons as a kid. Anyway, it's been brutal. I train pretty regularly and I am definitely at the point where I know how to listen to my body. So right now my body is screaming RECOVERY PLEASE!! The real question is how am I going to do that and hopefully giving some suggestions for you as well.
  I think the first thing I have to do is examine my rest. I would say I get about 7 hours of sleep per night and that seems to do the trick, however another one or two would be oh so sweet. I also believe that I need to take a longer break between sessions. I find myself going from client to client to my own workout and then teaching a class that I participate in on occasion and that sometimes ads up to about 4 to 5 hours on a given day. Yep, that might be a bit too much. Overall I guess I get enough sleep but rest between training can sometimes be non-existent. This has led to muscle soreness, nagging minor injuries, and just overall exhaustion. So from me to you, choose the amount of rest that matches your output in the gym. Don't end up with a permanent injury because you didn't listen to your body telling you that your knee was more sore than normal or your shoulder was feeling weak. Next thing you know it's a loud pop and now you're stuck with an injury that will forever be your training partner.

Cryotherapy chamber

   Next thing to do is to look into some ways to help your recovery along. A post workout drink containing some BCAA's (Branch chain amino acids) or L-Glutamine should be helpful. I am fond of epson salt baths as well as ice baths to help either relax the muscles or help with soreness. With technology now instead of doing ice baths the plain old fashion way, fighters are going to cryotherapy chambers to get their recovery fix. At these centers the fighter is stepping inside a chamber where the temperatures are a whopping 200 below zero. The treatments last only 3 mins. These chambers are known to help with a number fighter related problems such as inflammation but are also starting to be used to deal with other medical issues like arthritis and circulatory problems. For now, I'll stick to a few bags of ice and a bath tub..lol

Pre Ice Bath look

   Last but not least, get worked on! Line up a massage, some reflexology, acupuncture, and even some chiropractic work to get yourself back in order. If you are a fighter or you just hit the gym regularly some of these ideas might benefit you. I mean what good is all that working out and training if when you really want to use it, you're too sore or limping around on a bad injury.
  I suppose I'll get around to taking my own advice sooner than later! Peace and Love guys and go fricking recover!

The night we introduced LMT, again.

The team after an amazing night

What's up family? Hope you guys are having blessed days and amazing nights! It has been a great start for the LMT team this year so far. We started our first competition with four fights and four wins. The fights were competitive and exciting which made the victories even more fulfilling. Watching the fighters train so hard and then apply the knowledge they learned and techniques they worked tirelessly was absolutely mind blowing. They deserved the glory and we made a huge statement fighting some of the biggest Muay Thai gyms in Florida.

Felipe throwing a hard overhand 

     As for me, it was my greatest accomplishment as a coach to have all of my fighters win on the same night and I am stoked. I have been working at this for some time and I pride myself on studying. I might not be the most experienced, but I study as hard if not harder than a large majority of coaches. I study everything all the way down to the smallest detail of every technique. From fights to padwork etc. but I also study the minds of the masters. Genghis Khan, Sun Tzu, and Miyamoto Musashi. These three to me are the foundation to having the proper mentality to combat, sports and real world. I could sit here and spout of a bunch of cliche quotes that I might have just googled but that is not how I perceive what I have read. To be successful at combat on any level you must first accept your fate. I relate this to my students first and foremost. From that point forward we can't believe that there is only one road to victory but that the road forks several times and each fork offers a new opportunity to display a new set of skills. You must also be prepared to do so.

Jennifer with a nasty uppercut

    Being aware of my fighters abilities, gifts and mentalities

Sarah throwing her jab over the top 

has allowed me to choose in what fashion we can attack our opponents. The thing I am most proud of for myself in these fights is that I had laid out separate and unique strategies for each of the fighters and they went out and believed and applied. I spent time meditating and visualizing on what we would do and when. I had come up with a new way to get my point across in the corner in between rounds and it was more effective than the previous way I had done things. It allowed me to make adjustments without messing up the flow the fighters had. Making adjustments must be done by fighters and coaches and in this case it was happening fluidly. We had worked extremely hard and put ourselves through the ringer during the training camp for these fights and it showed.

Romeo dropping bombs on his larger opponent

This was the most organized I had ever been, I have taken different aspects of strategies for training and fighting from the masters of the past and the coaches of now ie. Greg Jackson, Faras Zahabi, and Duke Roufus. I am finally feeling like I am becoming the coach I really want to be and the fighters are starting to come into their own. I will continue to out study the opposition and give my fighters the best chance of winning. We won't win them all but they will remember us without a doubt. I Love this team. I am so proud of where we are and we are going.

This great honor!

Hola people! Hope everyone is great after an awesome couple of weekends of fights and that crazy Superbowl. I first want to start out by saying I am in a great place right now. I have an awesome family, a passion for my career, and an amazing Muay Thai team. As we move through fight week I had to express what an honor it is to be in this position. It's really an unbelievable reality.
    To begin to understand why this is such a far fetched reality for a guy like me you have to first make some comparisons to major sports and how they affect the coaches and players that are involved in them. Take Basketball for instance. Started in 1891 by a P.E. instructor trying to figure out how to keep his students active on rainy days. Now basketball players of the stuff of myths and legends. Questions arise about who the best player is or was. Often these questions boil down to a handful of guys that are in my opinion the usual suspects. Boys and girls across the country have posters of their favorite player or players lining their bedroom walls or lockers. Basketball, with a few stars has changed the culture of sports and lives across the board.
     In 1869, American football was created. teams have come and gone and great players and coaches are once again debated by Monday morning quarterbacks around the world. Over one hundred million people watched the Superbowl this year. That is a huge tell regarding the love of football as well as the history from which it comes.
     In the U.S. and abroad baseball is no different . With a rich history dating back to the 1830's and maybe further, baseball is considered to be America's past-time. Players are making outlandish amounts of money and the game is played worldwide. Players even defect from their communist ruled countries risking imprisonment  and death for a chance to play in the big leagues.

      In sports around the world you often hear the players and coaches in championship victories saying things like,"I feel blessed to be here", "It's just an honor to have my name mentioned among the best", "I just love being involved with a sport with such rich history", and they are right. However, in my case and in the case of the other fighters and teachers(Kru) that are involved in Muay Thai, it is more than that. It is a spiritual undertaking filled with honor, humility, inner conflicts, and pain. This isn't a sport that you can look back and debate who the best is because he doesn't exist mainly because it isn't a sport as much as a lifestyle. The history is more rich than the sports of of today and had multiple applications in life as well as battle.
We don't have "bests" in Muay Thai, we have legends. This sport was being practiced and applied in military training in the 1500's and against the invading Burmese army in the 1700's. It is not a sport as much as it is a calling. It is a burning passion that I cannot hide and it draws many to me but only few can actually deal with the commitment even on a exercise and fitness level. It is complicated and yet simple, it can build you into a piece of iron or crumble you into sand but all the while it is connected to your very soul. I have been involved in it for 15 years now and only in the last 5 have I been somewhat comfortable as a fighter and only the last 2 as a teacher. I am honored and humbled to be able to share my knowledge with those willing to listen and undertake the huge responsibility of being a teacher. I am passing on methods and theories passed down for hundreds of years to students that have trusted me, in some cases, with their lives. This reality is not a joking matter I take it very seriously. I received my green belt in Taekwondo in 1983, I was 11 years old.
I have been a martial artist ever since. I was just some kid in the South side of Chicago that liked
Bruce lee movies. After all this time I am still in love with the arts and I learn something new everyday. I have conceded that this is the way it will be for me and I will continue to pay homage to the students, fighters, warriors, and teachers that came before me. I am Nak Muay, I am a teacher, I am Muay Thai!

The psychology of my canceled fight

What is up people?!! I hope you are living the dream and loving life. I am for sure starting new chapters in the LMT world. Spending time working on broadening the horizons of and for the LMT team as well as the reach of the movement. I am also getting ready to put on my first event. So all in all there are a lot of positive things going on however in the midst of all this good stuff I had planned on having a fight. Now, it was to be a tune up, keep me active fight leading into a big fight in May. I had started the grind of extra training, started going through the emotional rollercoaster, and the ideas of am I good enough ,should I be doing this,etc.. Everyone is different but for me it is always like this until the last week of training when I just move into a space where I just don't care about the voices in my head and only think "please just ring the bell". As I am dealing with all of that I get the news that my fight has been canceled. Just like that, the rug has been snatched from beneath my feet. It was extra crappy because I had to tell some of my team that they wouldn't be fighting either. It may not seem like much but for an older fighter with no coach, manager and self awareness enough to know that there aren't many opportunities left, it is a huge let down. After the shock and let down comes the doubt, maybe that was it the last hurrah. "There's no reason to fight anymore, I've done everything I can do", the mind is an incredible motivator and even worse negative Nancy. Once I have come to the realization that I am not fighting and the emotions have settled it becomes easier again just to focus on the fighters competing in the next month. That is until I start to watch fights on youtube or see fights on TV, read blogs, teach class, spar, and on and on. I am addicted to it. I am addicted to the grind of training, teaching, and challenging myself. I've come to the realization that it just won't change and I need to compete physically.So planning on spending the next month stretching, getting strong, making money, and getting ready for the challenge of competition as I know for sure I will be fighting in some way either Muay Thai or Jiu Jitsu.
   I've spent a lot of time learning my craft and I was a really late starter for Muay Thai, but I truly love it. Some people will never understand the amount of work it takes to train, teach, learn, and apply but it is a labor of love to the fullest extent. I am more in Love with it now than ever. 

EPILOGUE: Shortly after writing this I slammed my finger in a steel door.. Ugh. So the plan is solidified. Train what I can with focus on healing body and mind. Sometimes the universe makes your path for you. 

Peace

Luck 

Be inspired!

Happy New Year to all of the LMT readers, fighters and folks that just like to the stuff I write, which still blows me away. I hope you all are ready for a blessed and beautiful new year. I stopped doing resolutions a long time ago an started just creating goals regularly that way I am constantly in pursuit and never disappointed by unrealistic expectations. So on that note I had a great 2014 doing just that. I had a beautiful daughter.

Me and Nin

I was able to win my 3rd belt, compete in Jiu Jitsu,  watch my fighters bring home some awesome victories, and help some people reach their own goals in Muay Thai. I was able to get on Sean Fagan's kick ass Muay Thai Guy podcast and and make contact with Duke Roufus and Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu. I felt like i'm finally getting to be part of the bigger community furthermore I felt successful as a coach and a fighter but then something else happened. I got extraordinarily inspired by how hard they work at their art.

Duke Roufus

I am at the gym teaching or training an average of 5 to 6 hours five days per week and compared to what they have accomplished I feel like i'm going so slow that i'm moving backwards. I can do more and I can accomplish more so my goals for the future are to do just that. I plan on being inspired by those that work harder than me until I can inspire others the way they do. I have heard plenty of fighters talk about how they work really hard to promote the growth of the sport and as I look deeper I realize that as usual a lot of people just talk.

Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu

I have to say that though I write this blog, it's not enough. If we expect Muay Thai or kickboxing to become more mainstream so fighters don't have to work full time jobs while trying to train for a fight that might or might not happen because of the lack of promotions, we have to do more.

    Though I just ranted about growing our sport I want to remind all of you and on a daily basis myself, that we have to be inspired in our lives. Allow the passion you might find in others that are making steps to accomplish their goals be the spark that lights the fire in your own passion.

Sean Fagan

When I was on the Muay Thai Guy podcast Sean asked me how I deal with haters and I don't really have many but I try to ignore them when they do pop up. The truth is don't focus your energy on those that are offering negative energy but focus and embrace those that are providing a path to follow with their positive energy. It's a great thing to be challenged but don't be challenged by ignorance be challenged by constructive criticism. 

     So that's it the first blog of the new year is a thank you. Thank you Sean, Sylvie, Duke, my family, fighters and friends that provide me with a vision of passion fueled by hard work. My goal is to be more like you as I pursue my goals. Peace and blessings. Big fights and big things coming soon.

Here are links to Sylvie and Sean's websites:

Sylvie- http://8limbs.us/

Sean- http://www.muay-thai-guy.com/

Muay Thai and Race

My man Patee in Thailand

Hello all, hope this finds you all happy and healthy as we close out this year. It was an amazing year for us at Lucky's Muay Thai and I am so proud to be a part of such a great group of people. We are already scheduled for a couple of events in the new year and I am stoked. I wanted to touch on a subject that some find uncomfortable, and that's race relations in Muay Thai or Martial arts in general. Maybe it's a good thing that it makes people uncomfortable to talk about race or it could just be, the way that I see it, in Martial arts it just doesn't matter. It matters in other places in society e.g. politics, certain neighborhoods, social issues, etc, but in Muay Thai in my experience, it just doesn't matter.

Matthew from Switerland and Jihad from France

When you walk into a gym or dojo anywhere in the world the focus is on the discipline and technique. It's about uniting your mind, body and soul. Yes something about being hit in the face or kicked extremely hard is spiritual. I'm not sure why we don't think so much about race when we train in Muay Thai or Jiu Jitsu, or Taekwondo, or other arts. Possibly because we are spending most of our time trying to learn how not to get knocked out or choked to sleep. All of us seem to realize that we will progress faster individually if we work together as a group. We are more when we are training as one. Not to say we don't have our opinions on the social issues of society but the reality is when we get matched up at a tournament or in a ring or a cage the last thing we care about is the color of our opponent. We care about how well we trained, how hard we worked, how our coaches and team feel about the efforts we've made and can we express ourselves fully when the bell rings. What I find unfortunate is that some may read this and say, well you forgotten where you came from or you're not where i'm from. All of that couldn't further from the truth. I know exactly where I came from. I had great great grandmothers who were slaves, I grew up in Chicago where at times it was one of the most segregated cities in the country, I lived in Texas where I was called the N-word by cops and chased on more than one occasion by idiot racists with guns. So yes I get it things are not fair for everyone in society, particularly minorities but in every place i've lived and with every group I've had the honor of training with one thing rang true. Race was never an issue. From my Israeli friends that teach and train Krav Maga to my Brazilians that train Jiu Jitsu, all the way to my Thai friends that train Muay Thai and beyond.

MMA class 08'

We all love each other just the same and putting our heart into getting better at our arts and using that to make us better human beings is the goal across the board regardless of race. As most of my readers know I have a new baby, she is now five months old and she is bi-racial or mixed, or whatever label people are using now but to me she is just my baby. I didn't even realize she was light skinned until people would ask me,"who's baby is that", or "is that your baby?". No joke, i've heard that and more. As she starts to get older the only place I feel really comfortable with her being and people I feel comfortable being with are those that walk the Martial path because those are the people I know will instill in her a sense of love and compassion not based on her color and I love that. I wanted to add some pictures of people I've had the pleasure of training with from different parts of the world and of all different races but it would just be a never ending collage. So I just added a few but know that I think of you all and have truly enjoyed meeting you, training with you and growing with you.

       Only one thing left to say and that is thank you for letting go of the insensitivity of the outside world to become more sensitive and aware of your true self. Peace and blessings through the holidays and much success in your training and fighting in 2015

Last night's training all colors, all creeds, all L-O-V-E

Guess they haven't seen Kevin Ross fight

What's up people?! Hope all is well out there in your world during this holiday season. Before you jump to conclusions about the title of my post let's get one thing clear, though I am ma huge Kevin Ross fan this post isn't about how sick his spinning elbow looks or how he throws that sneaky head kick off the misdirection. No, this post is about us, the participants and fans of said fighting acumen. See we have a bit of a problem here in the U.S.. The problem is that in the midst of a combat sports renaissance world wide, from MMA to Jiu Jitsu, and even boxing finally making a comeback. Kickboxing whether it be Muay Thai, K-1, or Glory just isn't getting the love in the states. I'm not sure of the reason, because watching a high level kickboxing match is every bit as exciting as anything else on television.
           Maybe that's the problem, no major television deal. I mean we have Lion Fights on Axs which is awesome except for when I talk to people about it most of them don't know if they "have that channel". Not only that but they are not at all familiar with the fighters. If not knowing the fighters is an issue then an organization like Glory with an amazing show including dancers, pyrotechnics, smoke, and some good marketing, should have no problem promoting the fighters. Well, Glory does do a great job marketing it's product, unfortunately most of the fighters are European. So yeah, that doesn't help the American kickboxers almost at all. Leading the charge in Glory was Joe Schilling winning the middleweight tournament. Glory let his contract expire. So yeah, instead of seeing an awesome glory card featuring a fight between Schilling and Manhoef we instead had to tune in to Bellator MMA to watch the awesome knockout that should have further helped the growth of kickboxing in America. MMA wins.
           Speaking of MMA winning it just reminded me of how women's MMA has blown up and it was primarily kick started by one Gina Carano and carried on by now MMA champion Rhonda Rousey but let's keep it real, Gina is the original and was the first true face of MMA. There's only one problem with that situation and that's that Gina was a Muay Thai fighter first and had there been an outlet, maybe kickboxing could have shared in the success of women fighters.
          I don't know if we are that far away from enjoying some of the lucrativity that MMA has garnered, I don't even know how much of that we even want. How would it change our community if we were blessed with Muay Thai on Fox or Glory on ESPN a couple of times per month? Might not be in a good way as the market as we know can be oversaturated. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want fighters to have an organization that offered  good pay, promotion, marketing, and a way to let the fighters use their personalities to acquire some sponsorship dollars.
          So you see when I that "I guess they haven't seen Kevin Ross fight", what i'm really saying is I guess they have never seen Kevin Ross, Joe Shilling, Angela Hill, Tiffany Van Soest, Miriam Nakamoto, Angela Hill, Wayne Barrett, Joseph Valtellini, Chris Mauceri, Raymond Daniels,...etc..etc..because if they had they would realize that they have been missing out on seeing some of the most exciting fighters this country has to offer.

You gotta be a little crazy

Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm in most of the country. Pretty stoked about the holidays this year. not to say that I'm not normally but this year is special. Got a new babygirl to celebrate with, my sister is moving down, the team is strong and my woman is a badass. I say that because it takes a special kind of person to deal with a fighter because we are all a little crazy. And in lieu of my bad segway, i'll just get started..
     So what does it take for a human being to want to challenge themselves against another human being in hand to hand combat. Some might believe that it's money, well that's a huge misconception. Unless you are one of the top guys in the entire world, you're making some seriously average pay. How about fame? Nah, you can become moderately famous if you're winning but again unless you're getting some top billing internationally then you're just as local as the guy throwing boxes at UPS.
 So what is it then? The answer just isn't that simple, some people need it to keep control of some emotional fire within them, some do it to challenge themselves and their martial spirit, others just like to fight but all have one thing in common. We're all a little crazy. Not the kind of crazy that gets you put on the evening news... okay, a bit of that is also involved but it's not the main ingredient.
      No, what we are is a combination of bravery, heart, intelligence, passion and the ability to say at the moment the bell rings, I'm ready to face all of the potentially horrible possibilities as a warrior and I will go out on my shield if need be. Although that in itself might seem a little nuts, it's not nearly as crazy as the eight weeks of training we put our bodies through preparing to face somebody of the same mindset. Yes the actual fight can be brutal but the training is the truly insane part. What the average person sees on television or at an event is a fraction of the amount of time spent beating our bodies up in training. Between sparring, strength and conditioning, running, and visualizing it can drive a fighter to the brink. We are emotional especially in training camp, we fight our fight a thousand times in our heads, going over every possibility. It is a roller coaster ride of emotions, losing, winning, questioning why we even do it. The fact of the matter is it's in us, we are passionate for it and we do it even to our own detriment but it is a special thin we have, we are a brotherhood and a sisterhood of fighters and most will never understand us. Some might call us crazy, but we would rather be deemed crazy and know we tested our very existence against another willing to do the same, than to live a life so ordinary.
      That being said let's be clear, all of the best ever, greatest of all times, number ones, etc were a bit crazy. From artists, to intellectuals , to fighters. In every aspect of life the majority of the time the ones that were best at their crafts had a little extra crazy in them. The obsession for being great, they hate losing more than they like winning. If there is a chance you can tap into that even for a moment why wouldn't you try. I encourage everyone of you to go out and get obsessed about something you love, pour your heart in it and see what happens. The payoff is being able to say you did what others said you couldn't and doing what other people just won't. Be different, be brave, be challenged, and be a little crazy. Ossss...