MMA's Full 38' 10.24.07: Learn MMA How Evan Tanner Did
Posted by Sid Needelman on 10.24.2007
Without paying $150 a month on lessons, or driving three states over to train with a Gracie, find out in this week's article how instructional DVDs, a "how to" book, and a CD-Rom, could help you get started in MMA.
Coming home from training at an American Top Team branch in Miami, I realize not everone has such a great school nearby, nor can everyone afford to go to one. People want to know how to do a proper arm bar, and they need a way to learn how. He is the exploration of DVD instructional videos, a book on MMA, a fighter fitness CD-Rom, a semi-documentary featuring Team Punishment and a men's issue magazine.
My first step was to focus my mind like Evan Tanner. I knew he started a lot of his training from instructional DVDs, and if it were not a losing battle with alcohol, he would be as huge of former champion, as any of them. So my first step was to get some of the instructional done to let you guys know where to start DVD-wise.
A fellow MMA Fan and writer, Jonathan Gorajski did lots of different research to come up with "The Right Choice" for a DVD that will be suitable for him. Tito Ortiz was a performer that he knew was successful and that maybe his DVD's would sharpen his game.
The Tito Ortiz Instructional DVD breaks down in 7 volumes.
• VOL 1: PRE FIGHT WORKOUT ROUTINE
• VOL 2: SUBMISSIONS AND STRIKES
• VOL 3: ATTACKS FROM THE GUARD
• VOL 4: DEFENSE AGAINST TAKEDOWNS
• VOL 5: TAKEDOWNS
• VOL 6: UNDERHOOKS
• VOL 7: BASIC FREE FIGHTING
Do not watch them all in 2 days because it is too much information to absorb. Instead, set up a television next to your mat, so that you can watch the DVD and also have a friend to help you go over moves as Tito is instructing. Tito does a good job showing you moves from different angles so you can have a better understanding on how to execute them. You will not have to worry much about pausing and rewinding after every move to catch up with him. Every thing he performs you will see about 5 – 6 times with different angles to help you understand it better.
One thing Tito did a good job at teaching was – The Underhook. He breaks it down in many variations. Starting all positions in the Underhook and ending them in headlocks, knee taps, body locks, single leg and double leg take downs. He started to end the series with Strikes from the Underhook which I found more interesting because I thought that was one aspect Tito did not really emphasize on enough – striking. I think I would have enjoyed the DVD's a lot more if he incorporated some form standup striking.
All 7 volumes were good in their own way. Jonathan recommends watching them all as the Volume 1 is just as important as Volume 7.
If your conditioning is not well then your fighting will not be well either.
In the Spirit of Tito Ortiz, I took a look at 7000 Feet Featuring Tito Ortiz
What I thought would be a training video with some story behind it, did not end up the way I expected. The DVD was more a blooper reel, with some training techniques mixed in. They speak highly and often about the advantages of high altitude training, but unless you can afford a cabin in Big Bear, the important info about wrapping your hands correctly and a few training techniques will be the most you will learn. This is not a DVD to learn how to be an MMA fighter from. And on that note, neither is the Wing Chun instructional with crazy chops to the wrists, I am glad that I got that one for free to review.
Another outlet to learn from is from events themselves. I suggest events where a single art is shown, such as an ADCC event where you can really focus on the grappling, or an old local MMA show, where you can watch the skill and not who the fighters are. I took a look at the Best of ADCC 3 You can really get a sense on some of the move you see played out in the Octagon, being used by some of the best submission guys in the world. I also took out my copy of Grappler's Quest 6th West Coast Championships, with Marc Laimon taking on Ryron Gracie. other guys on the event DVD you can emulate include Joe Stevenson and Jeff Monson, who got married this past weekend. Congrats Jeff!
Another source of learning to change oneself from a coach warrior fan screaming nonsensical submission suggestion, into one that knows the proper transition from arm bar to triangle, is the unlikely source of a book. 1001 Submissions by David Roy and Kirik Jenness. I did not even think about paper instructions, as we are part of the digital age, but they are on to something. I cannot bring a TV to the gym with me every night, nor do I want to switch in different DVDs, scan chapter and such, to figure out where to put my head on a takedown. The book is handy as it can travel with me. I open to the chapter I need in the 857, full photo instructional and I see what I need to be doing to get the move executed.
For instance, in most schools they neglect to teach heel hooks as it is just asking for injury and it is not useful in may circumstances for the novice, or intermediate grappler/fighter. So I wanted to learn how to do one and I turned to page 76 where various types are shown. For instance, you look down the page and decide if you want to learn how to do one from the scramble or from a straight ankle lock position. If you want to do it from the scramble, trap "his toes in your armpit, catch the underside of his heel with the blade of your forearm…" and you have five pictures taking you through the process.
For Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I wanted to see what JJ Machado had to offer. For instance, his breakdown of the "No Gi Across Side Armlock" reminded me exactly what it felt like to be learning at the academy. He was slow and showed the stepping over the head, in a way that was easy to follow. I think that his material would be a good source, but only for BJJ and not necessarily MMA, or at least the Online learning series I reviewed. Some of his instruction was hard to follow, and not important to me as it was with the Gi. I am not sure if I could follow the "Gi Choke from Side Control," even if I had trained in a Gi sometimes in the past few years.
But there is an unlikely source you can turn to. Maxim Men's Magazine, in the same issue they spotlight Kimbo, the now ShoXC brawler, they feature a "how to" section with Randy Couture, Rich Franklin, Chuck Liddell and Jason Lambert. It was free, as I would never pay for that magazine, and those who do, would probably have done so anyways. The October 2007 edition starts the section off with Randy teaching us his "Overhand Right to Double-Hand Takedown," the move that helped him regain the heavyweight title. The article breaks down the moves but also gives pointers like "Always strike hard, even if you're just setting up a takedown." Jason Lambert chimes in with how to counter Randy's move. Rich then breaks down his "Outside Leg Kick," noting where your fist, eyes, feet, hips, body and shins need to be in order for the perfect strike. Think about how quickly you can go from a guy who thinks he knows how to punch, to one who really does after reading a few of these and trying them out (safely) with a friend. And in the spirit of the punch, Chuck shows how to do a proper "Left Hook to the Body."
So from what I gathered, fitness and basic grappling can be learned from a video. But it may just be that if you cannot get to a gym, or cannot afford to go, try a book, or some other written out sources, grab a few friends your size, and see what you can learn like that.
Video does however work well I think for fitness. Fighter-Fitness 2007 straight out of Germany was a good tool to pick up a few exercises on target areas. You pop the Cd-Rom into your computer and click on the section of the body you need work on. There, with South Beach style music, watch either a male or female fitness expert do a few tailored moves to strengthen that area. You can find more info on the resource at http://www.fighterfitness.net/index.html The creator of the program, Björn Friedrich is a long time practitioner of the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and has been a personal student of Roy Harris since 2001.
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And for those of you wondering what is MMA's Full 38' It means: an octagon is 30 ft across with 4 feet extra on each side, for cornermen, doctors and camera crew. To know MMA, sometimes one needs to make sure they cover some of the lesser know aspects of it, and 38' represents a number a lot of hardcore fans would not recognize. But be warned, do not try to set up an arena without knowing how big the octagon really is, or there will be problems.
Sid Needelman
