What is Active Recovery? w/ Dr. Kate Kelly - Training Tips, Injuries, Training for Women, Aging/Adapting

Today I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Dr. Kate Kelly of Active Recovery Boston [ https://www.activerecoveryboston.com/ ]. Dr. Kelly has helped me work through a myriad of injuries over the past 10+ years. She is one of my first stops whenever I have something getting in the way of my training.

We had a great discussion on ‘What active recovery means', and how it can interplay with injury prevention and recovery; strategies to apply it, and why it is important to athletes and non-athletes alike. We also delve into the differences in training for women and men, and the affects of ageing on athletes and how we can keep training smart well into our twilight years. Join us for this excellent conversation.

Active recovery activities include - walking, swimming, tai chi, qi gong, yoga, stretching, and more.

Qi Gong

Check out our new Qi Gong course here for an excellent active recovery training program that I have used for years.

Our Brain on Solo Training

How our brain and body benefit from solo training in martial arts. But there are pitfalls too.

The Art of Counter-Striking

photo by Max Kotchouro

There are two types of fighters - offensive fighters, and counter-fighters. A list of descriptors that may indicate we are an offensive style fighter are comprised of, but not limited to - competitive, aggressive, confrontational, type-A personality, control freak. We know who we are! On the inverse, if we’re a counter-fighter, we may be described as - laid back, docile, relaxed, non-confrontational. I contest that, no matter what our style of fighting is, counter-striking skills are crucial to both camps of fighters. For now, if you are an offensive fighter, skip ahead to the section below on offensive fighters. If you are a counter-fighter, then continue on to the next paragraph.

Counter-Fighters

If we are a counter-fighter, then the following techniques are going to be our bread and butter. We are the ‘shield-bearers’, the ‘defenders’. After we attain a base proficiency in blocking then we will need to immediately gravitate towards applying counter-strikes. We cannot defend, or retreat forever. In order to prevent our aggressor from becoming emboldened and running us down, we need to hit them back from time to time to send a message.

What defines “a base proficiency in blocking?” This manifests from learning to trust our blocks; an absolutely crucial facet to counter-striking strategy. Slipping and ducking can apply here as well. When we’re new to the striking arts we learn to block, slip, duck, dodge, but in the interim we usually have one, and only one gear we know how to use in regards to our footwork - reverse. This is OK at first, as it hedges our bets on blocking and keeps us at a safer distance. Meaning we can block, but we’re essentially neutralizing our opponents attack with our footwork at the same time.

If we examine this move for move, our opponent advances with a strike and our footwork, ‘could’, if properly timed and spaced, eliminate the need to block. While this is a fair tactic, we cannot backup forever and our opponent can move forward further and faster than we can move backwards.

The solution comes down to taming our fear, or attaining some semblance of emotional control. We do this by either learning to take a punch (an ill advised solution), or by gaining proficiency in blocking, slipping, ducking, or a combination thereof. The latter cogent so that our defensive deflection is dependable and worthy of trust. Once we have achieved this skill, then we can venture forth into the counter techniques shown further below. First, we need to address those offensive fighters, whose skills are also necessary to us when faced off against another counter-fighter. Otherwise…there is just an uncomfortable stare down.

Offensive Fighters

If we’re an offensive fighter then our strategy/tactics/game are comprised of - going in, stealing the initiative; or obtaining the first-strike. Unsettling our opponent so they cannot gain first-strike capability on us. We prefer to dictate the pace and energy of the fight. For us, bridging tactics, rather than counter-striking are the key to our survival; the primary swords in our arsenal. In a battlefield scenario, we are the ‘cavalry’, or the ‘archers’. We launch the preliminary attack, engaging the enemy, gaining initiative, and disrupting their defense.

Let’s examine this more closely in a play by play:

1. We launch our first-strike attack on our opponent.

2. As we enter the fray they blast us in the leg with a powerful round kick to the soft tissue of the quadricep muscle (think charly horse). Or equally destructive, the femoral nerve on the inside of the thigh.

3. This counter-attack stops us in our tracks and we miss our attack opportunity, opting to retreat and recover our position instead of pressing forth.

4. The second attempt…ends with the same result. If our opponent is good, then they nailed us in the same target as the first time.

5. We may muster the courage to try once more with the same assault. For the sake of this scenario, we meet the same fate for the third time. Our leg is now feeling like rubber and we decide at this point to stop pressing the attack and try to nurse our wounds.

What’s next? Scroll back up to the section on counter-fighting because we just got schooled on why, as offensive fighters, we need to have a counter-striking game in our arsenal. Our opponent just turned us into a counter-fighter.

Counter-Strike Setups

In order to develop counter-striking as an intrinsic part of our game, there are some simple counters we can start with. From there we can increase the complexity. Let’s start with counters found in some of the old mantis boxing forms such as ‘upper block/punch’, and ‘upper block/chop’, and more:

This weeks episode focuses on counter-striking techniques found in a Mantis Boxing form known as White Ape Steals Peach (Bai Yuan Tou Tao). Allen helps out with the striking demo, and we show the upper block and strike, plus a few important details on your arm position for the upper block to work effectively.

Starter Counters

• Upper Block to Straight Punch, or Thrust Palm

• Upper Block to Chopping Fist (Hammer Fist)

• White Snake Spits Tongue - Circle In Block to Spear Hand, or Eye Plunder

• Circle In Block to Thrust Palm

• Circle Out Block to Ear Claw

These are simple retaliatory strikes that flow naturally off of the blocks they accompany. The key to success with these counters is more about timing, proper range (may need to close the gap as part of the counter), and seeing them real time. The last being the most difficult, and only manifests from experience drilling with feeders, and light sparring.

Adding Complexity

The following are simple counters but rely heavily on an advanced awareness of our enemies position, proper guard, good blocks, and the aforementioned timing and awareness. The overall feeder (strike thrown from the opponent) that we’re looking for is easy, but reconnoitering the enemy footwork prior to execution is critical.

In regards to executing these techniques, it is imperative that the defensive guard facets of our game are in place before applying the following counters. See further below for common fail points with these two techniques. Hint: usually attributed to a failed guard component.

These next two counters are also prevalent in mantis boxing forms that have been handed down over the generations. They are, in my opinion, some of the better counters but they are mutually exclusive; related to one another only in a general category of counter-strikes, as they require unique entries by our opponent.

Monkey Steals Peach - Opposite Arm Attack

The setup we’re looking for to initiate monkey steals peach is as follows:

1. My left foot is forward and my opponent is matching/mirroring my stance with their left foot forward.

2. The strike initiates from their left (lead/opposite) hand as they shuffle in. As you’ll see in the video, use a parry (not a block) combined with a cross circle step to their outside line.

3. Counter with a groin slap.

Alternatively, my opponent is instead starting from a southpaw stance. In this case I would need them to step in vs shuffle in with their opposite hand (left hand strike in our example above). The end result is the same, I get the opposing arm and foot leading the charge.

Here is an in-depth look at the Mantis Boxing move - Monkey Steals Peach (猴子偷桃). This is one of my favorite counters. Over the years, I've come to rely on a few follow-ups after people began countering the move. In this video we're including some small details to help you with the execution, and diving into alternative outcomes.

Crazy Ghost Fist - Same Side Arm

The setup for crazy ghost fist is as follows:

1. My left foot is forward. My opponent’s right foot is forward placing us in a southpaw position.

2. The strike initiates from their right hand as they shuffle in. I use a parry rather than a block, guiding the hand off to the side, being sure not to aggressively push it away. This will cause my body to twist up and reduce my counter-punch power.

3. Coordinate the parry with a slip offline toward the outside of their lead (right) foot.

4. Shuffle forward and counter with cannon fist to the liver.

As with monkey steals peach, an alternate setup is for the opponent to start with left foot forward, but they step in, rather than shuffle in. We end up with the same right arm/right foot combo we need for the counter-strike opportunity to manifest.

Scenarios

When and where to apply monkey steals peach (MSP) vs crazy ghost fist (CGF).

A. CGF - opponent shuffles forward with lead hand strike from southpaw stance.

B. MSP - opponent steps in with a rear hand strike from southpaw stance.

C. CGF - opponent steps in with rear hand strike from matched stance.

D. MSP - opponent shuffles in with lead hand strike from matched stance.

Common Fail Points

1. Guard

   In order to apply counters successfully, especially monkey steals peach and crazy ghost fist, our guard must be intact and operating to maximum efficiency. With even one component of our guard out of place things unravel very quickly when trying to block, never mind trying to apply a counter-strike. It is possible to trade shot for shot while staying in the pocket, but this is ill advised especially against a larger, stronger, or more skilled opponent. Proper guard positioning will not only shut down many of our openings, but also lead to a successful block|counter response.
   
   Guard Components:
   Hands up - fingertips no higher than eyebrows. Preferably lower.
   Elbows tucked - covers the liver and stomach targets
   Staggered arms - 1 arm in, 1 arm out. This is assisted by a bladed body position and staggered stance.
   Shoulder Line - our hands are lined up on the opponents shoulders creating an open channel down the center

2. Crossing Zones

   This is usually a bi-product of our guard failing. Having to cross zones in order to block because our hands were down, or not lined up with the opponents shoulders. Crossing zones ties up our arms and forces us into awkward positions that spin wildly out of control. We’re forced at this point to bail out if we can, and try to reset our position to neutral.

3. Out of Neutral Position

   Allowing the opponent to gain our centerline before they close range can lead to a crisis we have to contend with rather than looking for counter-strikes. While it is still possible to counter from a bad angle, our position is so poor that our strike will lack power and we’ll quickly pay for any minor success by stumbling, falling, tripping, or succumbing to the rain of blows that is sure to follow from our opponents superior positioning. It is imperative we pay close attention to keeping neutral positioning until the engagement takes place.

6 Positions of Side Control - How to Drill and Improve BJJ Side Mount

My Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu teacher (Andre 'Dedeco' Almeida) showed me this awesome Side Control drill when I was a new White Belt. It is one of the best drills I've seen for training Side Control/Side Mount and really emphasizes the necessity for each position. I use this drill to this day as warm-ups in my classes, and pass it on to benefit my students.

The drill connects various positions by number which is a big help. We need each of these in order to control our opponent on the ground when we have side control/side mount.

The drill works not only a solid position, but also the transitions from one to the next. You can increase the complexity of the drill by having your training partner call out the number and you go to that position. Once you have the drill down, randomize those numbers to make it harder. 

Note: Position 6 is technically not Side Control, it is known as North/South, but it makes an excellent addition to the drill, and something we often need when trying to maintain side control and someone is getting out.

You can train this with a partner for best results, or with a throwing dummy, punching bag, or body pillow. Enjoy the drill!

Emotional Control - A Core Fighting Principle

Serenity Now!!!

Update (1-7-19) - I recorded a new podcast on this topic. Click below to access it.

‘Emotional Control’, this often sought after and rarely attained side effect from martial arts training. We envision a wise old master sitting quietly in meditation, serene, placid, only to turn into a verifiable badass the moment the movie needs an action star to save the day. Undertaking martial arts, consuming supplemental materials in our journey such as movies, television, or in Asian style martial arts, wu xia, or even religious or philosophical teachings that were, tacked on to the art at times. We can experience teachings and practices that espouse control over the body, mind, and spirit, and yet, fail to show us the way.

What we don’t see is, emotional control does not come for free, nor as an proxy trait of simply being enrolled in martial arts classes a few times per week year over year.  Emotional control does not come with sparring, nor does it come without sparring. This skill only comes from proper training, and constant diligence in applying said training.

Being punched, slapped, kicked, or choked induces a highly emotional reaction for most of us. Especially if we have experienced some sort of trauma or abuse in life. For others, the act of hitting someone else is a highly emotional act, and may even cause unforeseen responses in us such as: anxiety, fear, hesitation, and more.

These reactions caused by different catalysts are each, common for some, and completely foreign to others. What they share in common is, learning to control ourselves when we are experiencing these combative acts, and overcoming the body and/or minds’ natural response so that we can still function and apply our skills under duress. Sparring, the glue that binds martial arts training, allows us to confront things within ourselves that we may never see otherwise. In my experience, the mats teach us more about ourselves than we can learn in any other activity we undertake. If attended to, and cultivated we can take that knowledge, and experience growth not just physically but mentally, and spiritually.

REQUIRED TRAINING

If someone studies martial arts but never spars, they simply cannot know what it is like to function under stress until it is too late; they have not been inoculated to violence. On the opposing side, if someone spars all the time and isn’t taught to control their emotions (rage, fear, jealousy, inferiority, retaliation, pity, etc.), they will fail to develop this skill of emotional control.

Rage and anger can cost us a fight, I have won, and lost fights entirely due to this lack of control. Here one of many examples:

One sunny summer day in the early 1980’s, there was a concrete bandstand in the center of a small town in New Hampshire, USA. I was 10 years old. A friend and I were playing on the elevated deck of the bandstand when another friend arrived. I was sitting on the railing about 10 feet of the ground when he suddenly and violently pushed me off the edge.

I fell, slamming into the ground below. He raced down to revel in his glory and laughed uncontrollably as my other friend stood by. I felt the pain, but what overtook my body was an intense broiling rage. My heart raced, my vision closed to tiny tubes as if I were peering at my target through the scope of a snipers rifle; adrenaline coursed through my veins giving me a primal strength my youthful body had never felt. I attacked with all the savage ferocity my tiny preadolescent body could muster. 

My opponent, a student of karate, laughed and remained calm in face of my oncoming barrage. He deftly applied his superior range and agility, side stepping my furious charge and throwing me to ground like a doll of rags. I sprung to my feet again and again, each time he would deflect, sending me into the dirt face first. This only angered me more, causing me to go back with increased fury.

Eventually my newfound ally adrenaline fled the front lines, leaving me spent and broken in the coarse hot dirt, starkly aware that with my greatest of efforts, I was utterly useless and defeated. At the time, I could not see that my excessive, wild, and animalistic attacks were causing my own demise. 

Emotional control does not mean we are immune to feeling fear, anger, or the other emotions that accompany the chaos of engaging in conflict with another human. It means that we experience these feelings, and we continue function without letting them control us, without allowing them to inhibit us, or prevent us from defending ourselves.

In order to build this skill in training we need to spar, to test our skills to ensure that they work. However, doing this improperly, or too soon, can have permanent adverse effects much akin to trauma.

How do we train Emotional Control?

If sparring is necessary to build emotional control, how do we do so without putting ourselves in the fire of all out conflict and no holds barred fighting? How do we lower the cost of failure in sparring in order to build fighting skills along with emotional control?

There are a few mandatory components to ensure effective results. First though, is understanding what all of us will do if/when we are introduced to sparring too early in the training process.

Slow to learn, fast to test.

Each an every one of us walking into martial arts training has two attributes we come through the door with regardless of whether or not we are absent of skill. These attributes become a crutch that we fall back on whenever we are faced with stress, anxiety, fear, aggression, or the unknown. These attributes are speed and power.

You can easily say, “I’m not strong.”, or “I’m not fast.”, but when push comes to shove, you will move fast and go hard, it is instinctive. In order to properly train skills we need to remove these elements from the training process. Slow things down so we have time to figure things out, to diagnose, to recognize mistakes.

When I was first introduced to this idea, I latched right on to it. Some research on the human brain, learning methods, teaching techniques over the years, all reinforced this in various ways. But the place I learned it didn’t enforce it, only said it over and over like lip service. I spent years saying it in my own gym, telling students to slow down, to stop using strength. Things improved but it was never reliable.

There was one way to mitigate this, and it truly works.

Talk

Yes, talking. It is that simple. Before sparring with someone, especially if we are nervous, try talking with them for a moment. Ask how they are doing. Talk about a recent movie, or current event. Find a way to break the ice, to create a connection between the two of you. This can change the future.

What follows next, is a vastly different approach to the sparring match than what would have happened had we gone into the match amped up, nervous, scared, etc. Silence is deafening. Especially in the training hall. Help one another. Point out what we like about the other's technique or skills.

When I learned this principle from a Mantis Boxing coach I was already a coach myself. I was traveling across the country to train two to three times per year with this group. I only sparred with members of this group on those trips. The rest of the time I was sparring with my own students, and friends, which changes the dynamic of using this principle, especially when you’re the only one who knows it. I was always the one using it to help my students acclimate to sparring.

Aside from when I was first shown it, I never really benefited from this being used to help me, but I gained a invaluable insight from this process. As I traversed my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu path, more times than I can count I would attend class, team training, or visit another school to train at, invariably I would get paired up with the meanest looking player in the room.

The coach would pair us off, and having already scouted the room beforehand, I knew who was trouble. They would usually have a disgusted or angry face on, and no one would go near them to even talk to them before class. Looking at them, I could ascertain that if I were paired up with them it was going to be all out war in the ensuing match. Instead, I fell back on this skill I had built from coaching.

As it so happened, I would usually end up being paired off with these folks. When the coach called out our names I would go up, shake hands, and sit in front of them or aside them on the mats. As we waited for the coach to finish pairing people off, then for the bell to go off, or after the bell if there was no time, I would ask their name, where they are from, or what they do for work. Something to break the tension.

It turns out, with the exception of one person out of all the times this happened, and it was many, the individual was super nice, and we found something in common after talking for a few minutes. The result? The match would be relaxed, smooth, and injury free. Excellent experiences and the beginning of new friendships.

What I came to realize is, these individuals were just as nervous, anxious, afraid, not of my hulking 5’6” demon frame, but of sparring with people they didn’t know, or wondering if they were going to get smashed again today, or even worse…injured. By the look on their face it was easy to assume they were angry, or mean, but this was simply a mask, their mask, to hide the real underlying emotion - fear. Once someone took the time to say hello, they became completely different people and showed their true colors.

TALK BOX

You can even talk while sparring. I know this seems silly, and it can be quite difficult at first, but later this becomes a crucial training tool. By talking we learn to stabilize our emotions while getting hit or hitting someone else. Removing the stress from the situation allows the brain freedom to learn, and the ability to maintain a good 'speed' for gaining, and advancing skill.

We want to focus on relaxing, and gaining this coveted emotional control. Later on when we have achieved this and sparring is less of a stress to us, we can focus on trying to fix things while we’re sparring. At this stage, we'll be in a different place skill-wise. As our training progresses, so too does our ability to control our emotions. We train, not only to be able to handle ourselves physically in bad situations, but also to inoculate ourselves to physical contact so if and when things go bad outside the gym, we react without thought, we perform as our training has prepared us, without our emotions getting in the way.

UPDATES

All of the above is true and I still stand by it. However, I will add that in the past two years we have taken another step to ensure success. We no longer allow sparring until students have gone through the entire curriculum one time. By giving people skills to fall back on, rather than relying on speed and power when faced with the unknown, we’ve been able to reduce injury, increase camaraderie, and begin building emotional control from the ground up, rather than what we were doing prior.

At the time of this article, and since first learning and instituting this in my gym back in 2006, the success rate was pretty poor from student to student. This was due to sparring early on. We had not replaced the attributes with skills, or instituted a few other necessary practices that have shown extremely high success rates. When it is complete, I’ll post a link to my recent talk on this at the Martial Arts Studies conference in Cardiff, UK. Stay hooked.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

In the meantime, check out my friend Ando’s vlog on this same topic. Ando is an extremely high level martial artist, and incredibly adept coach who has spent decades perfecting his teaching methods. Take a few moments to watch this great video he put together on how he deals with emotions in the training process. You will laugh, and perhaps cry along with him as you watch. I highly recommend following his channel to see some of the great work he puts out.

Increase Your Martial Arts Learning Potential

photo by Max Kotchouro

"I don't like this move."
"This technique isn't for me."

These are examples of things I hear from students from time to time. Usually they are unaware I am listening, and I like to keep it that way so they feel free to express themselves in the process of learning. I myself have said similar things in the past while going through the process.

One such time, I was on a trip to San Diego to train with a Mantis Boxing coach for a few days back in 2008. On this particular trip, he was passing on to me, his entire 8 Step Mantis Boxing throwing curriculum as taught to him by Sifu James Shyun.

I was excited to go through this material, and we spent the entire afternoon at Sifu Mike Dasargo's school going through all 20 of the throws and their variations. During the session, I remember getting to one throw, what we call Thigh Lift Throw (see photo) and absolutely hating it.

I felt so disconnected from the movement, and I was laying out reasons why this throw wasn't for me, and why I would never use it. I convinced myself to learn it, practice it, but I put it in a category for something that will work for someone else's body type, but not mine.

I returned from San Diego and set out practicing all the material from that weekend. I spent months going over everything, and working on integrating some of it into my fighting. Obviously some takedowns worked better than others, but I practiced them all.

Fast forward a couple of years and I was hit in the head by an 'epiphany stick'. Also known as that voice in your head saying - "Look at you dumbass." I noticed the throw I was successfully using the most, was none other than...the Thigh Lift Throw. The one throw out of all of them that I despised, turned into something I relied upon heavily in my fighting repertoire.

I realized how silly I had been, and I picked up the pieces to move on, vowing never to make that mistake again. I can't say for sure that I have been completely successful in that undertaking, but I can be certain that I stop myself whenever I hear those words enter my mind.

This single experience helped me beyond measure when approaching the learning of a different art - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. There were many times I was attending a camp, workshop, or class, and felt that what we were learning was way beyond my level. Instead of getting angry and throwing my "sucker in the dirt" (Sifu Puyot), I categorized what I was learning as 'something for later', and committed myself to participating in the workshop with full focus, and effort so my partners could get the most out of the workshop too.

The things we struggle with the most, will occasionally turn into some of our best work. As we go through the process of learning and meet these moments of difficulty, if we step back and observe ourselves in the moment, as well as what we are learning, we can approach things with an open mind and empty cup.

If we try our best, ask questions, assist our partners, and prepare ourselves to see that material again in the future, we will be better prepared at that time to receive the knowledge and we will not become bogged down with bitterness and despair.

We should never discount what we are being taught as something - "not for us", or - "that will never work for me", etc. In doing so we limit our potential for growth.

No DISCOUNTS!!!

Speed Kills

In martial arts there is a significant importance placed on speed. Why shouldn't there be, this trait is often times what gives one fighter an advantage over another right? Yes. The problem is, speed in 'training', has more negative effects than positive.

All too often speed is the culprit that inhibits our learning and growth when training how to fight. This is easily explained by the emotional state of the fighter who is stressed out in unfamiliar territory; confused, and/or trying to multi-task. Once we can slow down the training/sparring, we see that there is much to learn when we play things out at a decreased pace.

This is video from a private training session with Master Andre 'Dedeco' Almeida, 5th degree Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu. We filmed this to help show 'rolling to learn'. The tendency on the mats is to roll like we are competing at a tournament.

---

Example

While footwork training two students are going too fast for their skill level. One has never done the drills at all and is green as a Mantis. At the speed they are going, the two of them are wandering all over the ring with no concept of where they are, and why they are moving. Just moving for the sake of moving. They are failing to use all of their newly trained footwork skills, the same skills that they just trained earlier in the class; instead opting for speed. This causes them to revert back to what they had done the most, thereby losing possible advantages gained by reinforcing the lesson learned in class.

When we are learning something like footwork, if someone says, "Freeze!", can you explain the reason you stepped where you did on the last step? Can you describe the advantages and disadvantages of your current position? Can you map out the last 3 moves before you landed there? Or, what your opponent has to do from here to counter you?

If not, then you could benefit greatly from decreasing speed. Slowing down the footwork allows us to see our mistakes. We can then either do it over again, or move on knowing next time not to repeat our previous mistake because we were running at a speed where we could analyze instead of just react.

This principle applies to other aspects of combat training as well, and is not restricted to just footwork. Blocking is a great example. Our partner is throwing punches at us. We are blocking away. They speed up. We start getting hit more often than not. Now we're in survival mode, not training/learning mode. If our partner slows the pace down to 'success, success, fail, success, fail, success' from 'fail, fail, fail, success, fail, success, fail, fail' then we are able to learn and fix. Once we start succeeding too consistently it's time for our partner to ramp the speed up a notch or two till we again fail once in a while.

SPEED IS A MUST!

Do not mistake this as advocating an abolition of speed, as speed is a necessary component when introduced at the right time in the training process. If training is slow all the time, you will never build up the reactions, kinisthetic feedback, or gain the confidence to block for real. So speed has to be a part of the training.

Speed is used heavily to test skills, to determine if we have attained and retained a technique, movement, skill, reaction, but has to go away if failure is the higher percentage of results, or if new material is introduced.

When going fast, we have no ability to analyze our actions. We are throwing our training to the 'Fates'. Speed increases with skill, not the other way around.

"Fast as you can, slow as you must!" and "Slow to learn. Fast to Test." - unnamed source

The DO OVER

A highly productive training environment is evident when sparring/rolling and you are able to ask your partner for a 'do over'. Yes, a 'do over'. A chance to go back one, two, or three positions and try the same move over again to see why you failed. Perhaps you got your De La Riva hook in, but you were too slow and missed the sweep, only realizing after the fact. It could be months before you end up there again, so repeating the setup then and there is a perfect way to try again.

A real fight doesn't give you that opportunity, but our training environment, and friends in the dojo are able and willing to help. This produces better fighter's than an ultra competitive atmosphere where no one ever wants to see their partners succeed. In martial arts, we're only as good as those around us. If you don't help elevate your partners/classmates, then your skills will eventually plateau until you or someone else helps others rise up.

(original post - April 11, 2009 - updated September 14, 2016)

Whether rolling in Jiu Jitsu, or Boxing in the ring, speed is a factor that can destroy, or enhance your training; depending on how you use it. Here's a quick introduction for the part 2 video on Speed Kills - Rolling with Dedeco. Part 2 link: https://youtu.be/5UNFzyrJgew

Why is BJJ Easier than Boxing/MMA?

Learning to Walk Again With Martial Arts

"Why is BJJ easier than my stand-up fighting art?" This was a question proposed when we were taking submissions for a podcast. Truth be told, this question out of all, made me uncomfortable. I assumed it would be misconstrued by the internet tigers, and they would all pounce. “What do you mean BJJ is easy!?!?!” This question, out of all of them though, really stood out to me.

It made me think about something I hadn't previously considered. Something that was clearly on the mind of more than one of my students who train multiple fighting modalities. At first, I opted not to address this question, even though I left it on the list. I needed more time to think about it. To ponder the implications. It wasn't until a few months later that I had formulated a decent answer and can now commit to writing it out. The question:

“Why is it so difficult to get the stand-up game compared to BJJ?” Let's break it down by each element and hopefully make some sense of it. BJJ is not easy, and I know that was never the intent of the questioner, but it is certainly easier than learning stand-up fighting.

Crawl. Walk. Run.

When fighters get frustrated with footwork, I ask them - "Did you walk out of the womb?" A rhetorical question, to set up the greater lesson - First we laid on our back kicking our legs. Then we laid on our belly for a while doing push-ups. Next we started to crawl. Then we started to use our arms to climb, and stand. Once our legs gained strength, we began to take our first steps.

After falling quite a few times, we got the walking thing down. Later we started to run. Fast forward to here and now. We are learning to walk all over again, in a way that makes us effective boxers. But rather than laying there kicking our legs for a while, we are insisting we should be able to run right away. Therein lies the problem.

You Monkey!

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Monkey Staff - 2003

At our roots we are primates. Our instinctive method of striking is large, powerful swings that maximize our anatomical structure. This creates power, but leaves little in the way of protection.

In martial arts (boxing, kickboxing, karate, etc.), we learn a new way of striking. Ways completely counter to our instincts, and some that will build off of them. These new methods we learn can provide power while simultaneously offering a guard for helping to protect our own head in a fight.

Striking seems simple from the outside. I believe that is why I see so many people baffled by the amount of time it takes to get good at it.

I read a blog post from Dan Djurdjevic yesterday speaking about 'what it means to be a beginner' (see his post here). In his article he brought up boxing, and the amount of time before a boxing coach thinks you are moderately skilled at striking. This was new to me as I am not in the western boxing circuit that focuses solely on striking (no kicks, takedowns, elbows, or knees like mantis boxing). Dan claimed, 4 years for proficiency. That coaches do not consider you close to stepping into a ring with a pro-fighter until much later. This is a martial art modality built around 'STRIKING AND FOOTWORK ONLY'. Yet four years of training before an amateur level is achieved by the average person.

It is healthy to have realistic expectations. A heavy bag routine a few days/week can help increase our striking game and cut down on the mistakes we make. Remember, it's about building motor function. The more we punch, the easier it becomes to tweak and fix.

Building Blocks

We may have come with a natural affinity for striking, even if a coach tells us it is the wrong way to fight. But when it comes to blocking, we will definitely have more limitations to proficiency. Our natural instincts tell us to shield up, turn into a ball, or flail wildly.

When we enter martial arts, these motions are new, and we have to refine and work on them. Which includes technical elements, structure, timing, position. The training time for this can be fairly quick with proper partner training, but is not enough by itself. Unfortunately we can't stand there and block all day long. Eventually they will find a hole in our defense.

Your 'Other' Left Foot

‘Soooooo…we thought we knew how to walk...?’ Since we spend a large part of our life moving around on our feet, you'd think footwork would be a given. Nope. On the contrary, building a proper stance and then learning how to move in that stance, takes a lot of repetition for it to become second nature. Until we achieve said proficiency, we will have holes in our game that are easy to capitalize on for a moderately skilled opponent.

Shuffling, stepping, circling, angling, cross circle steps, spin outs, change steps, are a lot of meat on the table. In order to polish these, we'll need to spend time working it out. The nice thing is, we don't NEED a partner to practice footwork. Just a small open space.

Just for Kicks

As if all the aforementioned challenges were not enough, now we're thinking we should be able to throw kicks with ease. To go from a bi-ped day in and day out, to now standing on one leg while breathing, relaxing, and kicking someone hard enough to make them think twice about attacking us again. This one is definitely outside the normal realm of human motion and fighting instincts.

Kicking is going to be a skill that takes on a focus on it's own. There are entire martial arts built around this one modality (see tae kwon do). As with striking, if we have a bag we can beat on, it will do leaps and bounds to help us get our kicking to a decent skill level. Once we have the repetition, and we aren't falling on our ass every time we lift one leg off the ground, then we can grab a partner and focus on targeting, plus timing.

Kicks expend more energy, and create bigger liabilities (depending on the type of kick). Wasting them on targets that are not open can bleed out our endurance, and leave us sucking wind. Knowing when and where to throw the kick is the key to the leg game.

Throwdown!

Next on our list is another completely foreign skill that we did not come pre-packaged with. Beyond the basic charge and tackle, throwing another human being is an art form. Also, as we saw with kicking, evidenced by the fact that there are entire martial arts styles built around this pillar as well. Styles such as Shuai Jiao, and Judo. Both comprised of techniques not inherent to human instinct.

Learning the technique is one thing; building the timing for the perfect execution is a highly advanced skill that requires years of practice and sparring.

Chin Na class. Averill's Martial Arts. circa 1999

Locked Up

Joint locks (Chin Na) are another highly technical aspect of martial arts. They require a certain finesse to be effective and become proficient in. There are tons of limb locks out there, but knowing how, when, and on who we can use them is sometimes confusing, and almost mythical. Combine this with timing these off a punch, or grab, and the difficulty increases exponentially.

"Repetition is the mother of all skill." This is the truth with joint locks especially. The more we train them, the better we will get, and the more sensitivity we will have to make adjustments when things change on the fly. Check out Size Matters for more on the intricacies of joint locks and why they usually do not work.

Hooked Up

Once the range changes, we now have to deal with the clinch and getting tied up with hooks. Learning to escape and dominate the clinch, as well as throwing elbow strikes, and knee strikes, is yet another skill we throw in the mix. Like kicking and punching before, practicing these on a heavy bag, or throwing dummy can help knock off some of the repetition and get our skills kick started, but we'll definitely need to apply it with a partner to get the full benefit.

So, "Why is BJJ easy?"

Part of my discomfort with this question was, as I said in the beginning, that I knew it would be misconstrued. I understood what the individual really meant to say, but I was afraid others might take it as "BJJ is EASY!?!?! Say, What?!?!?" That was not the implication in the question.

BJJ is not easy, and the person asking the question struggled plenty with that training as well. The elements of the question have merit though. Why does it seem easier to become skilled in BJJ than with stand-up arts?

Brazilian jiu-jitsu, at least most sport BJJ, is heavily focused on the ground game. That means we are working on a single plane. Our body weight is fully supported across a wider surface than two feet can come close to attaining. This allows for ease of movement with our arms and legs available to focus on attack, and defense, rather than balance, mobility, striking, kicking, defense, and grappling all at once.

Additionally, unlike all the items we listed in stand-up that have nothing to do with our instincts - jiu-jitsu is much akin to our natural instinctive body movements, and innate self-defense skills. Like tiger cubs that practice sparring before leaving the safety of their mother, so to do we practice fighting when we are young, pliable, and less likely to hurt one another, and ourselves. We can see this when we watch untrained siblings go at one another in the living room of our home. They have a natural inclination towards wrestling, grappling and that style of movement. If they had fur and tails we’d think they were monkeys.

We Don't Need Another Hero

We all have hero's we see in films, or in the ring/cage. We see people we admire for their skills. But that's it, we see the results. The results of their effort. What we do not see, is the countless hours of training they had to go through to get there. The blood, sweat, tears; the pain, the setbacks, the injuries.

Many people find Bruce Lee to be an inspiration. There exists a seemingly invisible effort behind his movements, joined by every other icon we may have - Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Rhonda Rousey, Holly Holm, etc. When we see them, we see them in their prime, or entering their prime. We see them after years/decades of training, practicing, sweating, sacrificing. 

There is no 'short cut' to gaining "mad skillz". We have to do the work. In order to do the work, we have to enjoy the art, the people we train with, and stay focused on our goals. If we do not enjoy the process, then we need to vacate the space and find another sport we enjoy.

The Sum of All Parts

So in summary, if we look at the base elements I listed above, we can quickly see how things can seem overwhelming and hard to accomplish. It's normal. Any skill we wish to achieve in life, takes time to master.

On top of each individual component of stand-up fighting being an art in and of itself, trying to tie all the pieces together while our brain is in the early stages of learning, is thrilling, and yet seemingly insurmountable at times. Push through this and we will be rewarded.

When we walk into a stand-up martial art like mantis boxing, at it's essence - we are being told that we do not know how to walk, talk (lingo/jargon), punch, kick, grapple, or throw. We are starting fresh. This is a great time, and wonderful feeling that we’ll one day miss when we are more experience. After a few months, when the newness wears off, we start to feel the deck is stacked against us. Things we took for granted in everyday life, are now being retrained, and in the interim, someone else is taking advantage of our newly realized deficiencies. This can be overwhelming, humbling, and at times seem unattainable. It isn’t.

Take a deep breath, relax, and focus on enjoying the process, the people we train with, and have fun with learning. If we think in terms of belts/time, or years to mastery, we will forget why we started doing this in the first place. We’ll talk ourselves out of the arts altogether. Live in the moment. Enjoy the journey.

Thank you Max Kotchouro for some of the photos and video.