Basics Win Fights. A statement I’ve been told by nearly every coach I’ve had the pleasure of training with. In watching the recent UFC matchup between Damien Maia and Ben Askeran I was reminded once again of this tried and true principle. It is precisely why a banner hangs in our jiu jitsu room that…
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There is a saying that youth is wasted on the young. For myself, I find that to be truer each day especially when it comes to learning and appreciating knowledge. I’ve read more books in the past few years than I had in my entire life leading up. Part of it was I simply didn’t…
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Growing up in small town PA (that’s Pennsylvania for the Midwesterners) we played a lot of different sports. The small population afforded kids plenty of opportunity to participate in virtually every sport. Our immediate area was made up of a handful of small communities who fielded teams, especially baseball, as there was no shortage of…
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Jim Wendler is known as much for his outspoken nature as he is his knowledge and expertise in the field of strength training and powerlifting. His statements often ruffle a lot of feathers, to which he makes no apology as his modus operandi is just because something makes you mad doesn’t mean it is untrue.…
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I recently began reading and thoroughly enjoying Sports for the Soul, a series of books by Darrin Donnelly in which the author uses various sports settings and figures as platforms for a larger, deeper message. The third installment, Relentless Optimism: How a Commitment to Positive Thinking Changes Everything, Donnelly tales a minor league baseball player…
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I started martial arts in 1986 at the behest of my Aunt when I was in the 6th grade after being on the wrong side of an after-school altercation with 3 older kids. In hindsight, I was by no means completely innocent in the incident but didn’t exactly deserve the 3 on 1 treatment.…
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A few weeks ago, we hosted a concealed carry certification at our gym taught by my friend Reggie Morton, a state certified instructor. The CCW course (or CHP as I learned it’s called in Nebraska) was very similar to the hunter’s safety course I took as a youth. Growing up in Pennsylvania the hunter’s safety…
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I recently finished a book titled by renowned trainer Tim Grover. He is widely known for his work with elite athletes, most notably Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, and considered an authority on performance, motivation and mental toughness. I highly recommend the read. Grover categorizes athletes into one of three groups: Coolers, Closers…
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“We sitting in here — I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talking about practice. I mean, listen: We talking about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talking about practice. Not a game. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play…
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Frustration. “The feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.” Psychologically it is an emotional response that arises from the perceived resistance to the fulfillment of an individual’s will or goal and is likely to increase when the longer it is denied. EVERY student I have ever taught…
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