As sure as their are dreamers and visionary people in this world there are people who like to rain on your parade. Mentor relationships are almost a thing of the past when it comes to rearing us to a life of character and integrity, barely even occurring from father to son or mother to daughter in our post modern, technologically advanced world. Thus hardwork and perseverance are not something that many of the younger generation look to. The older generation understood and took joy in hardwork, because they knew that is the only way to become experience true success.
So, when you set out to doing something great or out of the ordinary, as the old proverb says, "Those who would be wise, should walk with the wise." I have found that when I lose my way in the grand scheme of things, or find myself surrounded by obstacles and hardships in life or in business, I have to connect or reconnect with Amazing People.
Amazing people are those in your life who make the room brighter by walking in. They are successful in areas in many areas of life that you would like to be, and they always have words of encouragement. Amazing people have a way of walkin you back to your path to success with a new motivation. These are the type of people that you want to surround yourself with. Negative people are looking for any trashcan to throw their trash in, but as a leader, avoid getting caught in their web of destruction. You don't have time for people say it can't be done, when you are already doing it!
What and awesome time we had at Locked On: Vale Tudo and Kickboxing Fights. Nicholas Lipton, came out a like a Lion and destroyed the Japanese Judoka in a swift and fierce fashion. From the bell and the touching of the gloves, Nick swarmed him and destroyed him through shear strength of heart. Nick ended up taking him out with a Read Naked Choke, as they guy tried to escape for dear life. What a well deserved victory!
Benjamin "Foguete (The Rocket)" Moriniere, came out guns blazing with speed and accuracy delivering a flashy array of Capoeira style kicks. He kept his opponent at bay, a Japanese Judo and Jiu-jitsu expert, with his long reach and tricky bobbing and weaving. Sensei through in handful of Judo take downs as well. The fight went the distance and ended in a draw. Unfortunately the promotion no longer gives points for take downs in a match, but only for striking and submission attempts.
As always, we want to say THANK YOU to all of the parents and students who came out to support the event. We do it for you, and we could not do it without your support. We love you, God bless you and yours and see you in class!
As a business entrepreneur you will be faced with many challenges, especially if teaching martial arts professionally is your calling. Just like any start up you will have to make many decisions, and some of those will require you to choose between a slow and steady path or a get rich quick mentality. When you are new in business you tend to think everyone will want to come to your school and you will have so many students right away. Sure that could happen, but the pace generally follows a steady growth rate through hard work. You will find that in any business your passion for what you do will draw the resources to you like a magnet. Here are some quick points.
Don't Focus on Money
Focus on Making a Difference. When you start to make a difference in people's lives and in the community that is when your students and community will rally to your business. As you help others reach their goals yours will come to fruition. As your business continues to build momentum many things will begin to seemingly fall into place with a lot less struggle. When you need something, or when you have a big project to tackle, visionary people and resources will find their way to you.
Don't Focus on Making a Bigger School
A giant school does not necessarily mean success, giant students do. In other words, don't worry about trying to get as many students as you can, but on building leadership and motivation throughout your team. If you have never heard of the 5 Levels of Leadership, I suggest doing a quick study. You will find that the higher level of leadership you develop in your staff and student body, the more exponential growth will occur. Futhermore, growing too fast could have a horrible effect on your ability to be a manager. You don't want your business to grow past your level of leadership. It is a terrible tragedy that happens to many business owners.
Don't Focus on a Bigger Curriculum
Curriculum programs are another classic mistake of martial arts business owners. What I mean is that you try to pack all the latest and greatest into your training trying to appease the MMA and Capoeira superstar, Gracie wannabees that watch too many Youtube videos but don't understand hard work and the process of time. You can teach a person a new move everyday, or some flashy sequence and guess what, it will never work when they need it. Don't focus on a bigger and "cooler" curriculum, but on the progression of your students. Steady growth is what you want to see, and you should share that with new students up front. Those who want to have a great martial journey will stay, those who are looking to be flashy superstars... well, the students that stay on board will tap them out or KO them at a future event. Martial arts is a lifelong journey, not a sprint.
So, as you continue to build your martial arts business. Focus on these three points. Do it because you believe in what you do, because you believe in helping other people and lastly because you are interested in seeing them progress through a quality program.
Yudansha Fighting System MMA, founded in 1988 by O Sensei Mike Veros, is a complete martial arts system with its roots in Danzan Ryu Jiu-jitsu. This awe inspiring system was modern MMA back in the old days. No forms or kata, just realistic training in Jiu-jitsu, Judo, Kickboxing and Arnis.
After months and months of work and redesign the Yudansha rashguard has finally arrived. Made by Tatami, the worldwide provider of jiu-jitsu training great and clothing, they are printed with the finest inks and completely sublimated. This means that it is not going to rub off like cheaper brands or Mom and Pop printers. We look forward to continously spreading the word about Yudansha (black belt or above) around the world through these beautifully designed rashguard. (More clothing to come).
We hope that you like the design and if you would like to get one they will be available on our website for purchase, while supplies last. www.capoeira-okinawa.com
It is official... wrestling has been dropped from the Olympic Games. After thousands of years, the ancient sport has taken to the sidelines, and it is a very sad day indeed.
We all know that the Olmpics are about the spirit of competition, but even more so they are abut big money sponsors getting their names pubslished worldwide. The Olmpics have always been like the world superbowl that occurs every 4 years, and as such they are always looking for each event to be something magical in its own right. The more magic the event, the more sponsors support it, and the more of the viewing population buy into world fads.
Apparently, the sport of wrestling is no longer drawing in the fans it once did. I don't think it is because people enjoy wrestling anymore, or enjoy the more entertaining versions more, but I do think a lot of the wrestling world has moved on to either Submission Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts.
It will be strange to see what happens in the next few years with this decision. I also wonder what sports will be added, maybe BJJ will finally make its way into the Olympics?
In the martial arts, and definitely in the sports world, you will hear all about the Dangers of Over Training. Everyone will tell you how your body needs rest or maybe the difference between being hurt and being injured. I always laughed at the last one as a young man, but now I say that to my students all the time.
Well, let's look at it in reverse, because the problem with most of us is not that we over-do something, but rather we don't give our 100% effort in the first place! The funniest part about improving or wanting to be successful at something is that we don't give 100% but we expect 100% success, or 100% Return on Investment. Crazy Right? I am sure we can all agree that, that does not pass the common sense test.
So, now I present to you the Dangers of Under Training....
1. You Fall Behind Your Peers
The students that over train represent a very small percentage of students. Again, most students, when they miss training, are doing absolutely nothing at all. Every time you come to class and you don't give your 100% to training, or you frequently miss a day here, or two days there, you will notice your peers start to distance themselves from you in skill. Even if you are a "natural," that only accounts for so much when your peer is someone who is truly training their hardest every class AND has great attendance.
2. You Lose Confidence
Now that all the folks you started with, or even the beginner's coming up are making you look bad, or have learned a lot of new things, you start losing confidence. Hopefully this sparks a fervor to train harder, but sometimes it does not and the downward spiral of under training continues.
3. You Quit Training
You have had enough at this point. You are tired of everyone beating you, or not being able to understand why you can't "Get It." You are tired of yelling at yourself to get better. Now, you either stop doing martial arts through making some sort of excuse that you know is not true before you thought of it, or you move from team to team, from fitness program to program, or diet to diet going through the same web of dangerous destruction. While moving around you fail to realize that if you move around and get the same results, it is not the programs... it is you.
If you were training hard side by side with your peers you would grow together and would not be able to readily notice how far they may have passed you up. But like leaving a plant to grow, if you plant the seed today and come back in a few weeks you are going to see a big sprout coming up very quickly. Students are growing everyday, or falling behind everyday. Which one do you want to be?
4. Inneffective When Needed
Maybe the saddest part about under training is that when you actually need to use it one day it doesn't work! Years of training at 99%, don't account for real life sitations that require not %100, but %110 of your mental and physical efforts. I talked to a man the other day who is a bouncer at a military club, and I invited him out to the gym to learn more in our Yudansha MMA program. The first thing he said back to me was, "I fought an MMA guy one time, and he could not do anything. He was pitiful and subpar, like he didn't even know how to fight." I assured him that it is definitely the way the person trained, and that at our gym we Train Hard and Train Often.
The best advice I can give anyone, is to keep up your attendance and give all you can each class. You will continue to see steady growth and instead of thinking that everything in life and training comes easy, you will put yourself into a class all by yourself, and become a TRUE martial artist. It is so much better for your instructor to tell you to "Slow down and pace yourself," than "You need to train harder."
One of the most common injuries for martial artists, or any active person for that matter, are injured or inflamed muscles in the back. All of the twisting, bending and even over training in Capoeira, Jiu-jitsu, Kickboxing, Judo, etc. can really tweak your back and ruin a great day or make your think twice about an upcoming performance or competition.
Did you know that one of the major problems for getting your back to heal faster is a SLEEPING problem? When we sleep our bodies can truly go to work healing us up, but the way we sleep can keep the healing process moving backwards. For the most part, our neck and back alignment causes undue stress on the back muscles, which in turn does not allow them to heal as fast as they could. The body spends most of its time compensating for unnatural sleeping postures instead of healing.
Well, here comes your pillow to the rescue. Here are a couple of quick tips to use your pillow for a better nights rest while your back is recovering. Hope this helps.
Sleeping On Your Back
When sleeping on your back. Place your pillow under your thighs closer to your knees than your buttocks. This will elevate your legs slightly and cause your spine to align to a more natural curve.
Sleeping on Your Side
If you like to sleep on your side, take your pillow and place it between your thighs. This will cause your hips to align with your spine for a more natural curve.
Sleeping on Your Stomach
For those who like to sleep on your stomach, place the pillow right under you hips, or the lower part of your abs. This will cause your spine to align to a more natural curve.
I hope this helps you get better sleep at night. Most of all remember that this is for minor injuries. If there is something serious going on with your back, e.g. persistent pain for a few days, you really should consult a licensed physician. Everything contained in this blog should be used at your own risk and liability.
Benjamin Moriniere "Sensei"
Capoeira Academy Okinawa | Yudansha MMA Okinawa | Girl World Ladies Kickboxing
Capoeira, the Brazilian martial arts characterized by fluid, powerful movements and acrobatics set to music, is definitely on a rise in today's MMA world. Lots of well trained fighters who have a base style of Capoeira are making headlines on a worldwide scale, mostly due to their exciting knockouts and agility in the ring. Oh... and definitely the celebratory victory dances.
For many years though, Capoeira was never taken seriously in the ring or in the martial arts world as an effective martial art. Times are changing so let's cover a few points of how the "Capoeira Fighter" has developed over the last few years. Now, don't confuse the martial artist with a fighter. Both disciplines call for a certain level of specific training.
Typically when you see pure Capoeira training you may see passive or aggressive training or even crazy and awe inspiring demonstrations. Realize though, that the nice demonstrations or classes you have seen are only one side of Capoeira; the fun and playful side. This is why Capoeira is referred to as a game between to players. On the other side of the coin you have a very brutal Capoeira likened to Muay Thai with elbows, knees, headbutt, razor blades and very tricky movements, most of which can cause a traumatic damage or KO an opponent. Moreover, 90% of these movements come from completely unpredictable, crazy angles.
One of the saddest commentaries for years, has been the Capoeira fighters who are really not fighters (or who don't fight very well) who try to fight using Capoeira in MMA or sparring competitons. They dance around and get quickly subdued and the video goes viral. Luckily for the Capoeira world, the crazy Capoeira KO's go viral as well.
Now let's get to the heart of the matter and address a few ways that will take your Capoeira, for MMA specifically, to the next level.
11 Ways to Improve your Capoeira for MMA
1. Remember Capoeira is a martial art, MMA is a sport. This realization calls for a completely different mindset.
2. Train like a Fighter, not a Capoerista. You have to become a fighter in your mind, not just a Capoeirista.
3. Find a professional strength and conditioning coach, because you are going to need it. In Capoeira class you may be used to performing high velocity movements for 15 - 30 second bursts when you buy into a Capoeira game, but in the ring it is going to be a couple of high intensity rounds with someone intent on taking your head off by any means necessary.
4. Find a professional fight coach. Unless your Capoeira professor is also a fighter or coach, you will need to find someone who can prepare you for the ring. This may call for training across several disciplines like jiu-jitsu, judo and kickboxing as well.
5. Spar Often with everyone you can. With Capoeiristas, with kickboxers, MMA, judo and jiu-jitsu fighters. Anybody and everybody.
6. Video tape your sparring sessions and improve your Capoeira for MMA.
7. Learn to recover after missing the "big" move. So many Capoeiristas miss the mark with this one. They throw a big move, then they look like a deer in the headlights when they miss. Did you expect the other person to just stand there? No right? Well learn to recover so you aren't caught wide open when you miss a big move.
8. Learn how different styled fighters react to the same moves or setups. During your sparring make sure you take note of how people from each base style of martial arts respond to your movements, feints, attacks and defense.
9. Learn the common counters for your movements from different styled fighters, then practice your attacks in 2/3 movement sequencias to train your muscle memory. For instance, if your do a Meia Lua de Compasso and your opponent always hits you with a bencao type movement or tackles you at the end, you will need to adjust your movement, etc.
10. Don't do wild and useless attacks trying to get a big KO. Ahh yes, some people just get so excited that they throw wild and crazy Capoeira moves. These moves would be effective if they just took their time and let the fight develop. Openings for attacks are opportunities that are discovered in the moment as someone reacts or responds to you.
