Brian McLaughlin - Poughkeepsie Martial Arts Instructor and Hudson Valley MMA Fighter
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • Rss
  • Home
  • BJJ Techniques
  • Train with Brian
    • Precision MMA
    • Sussex County MMA
    • Pure Mixed Martial Arts
  • About Me
Home» 2013 » December

Apartment kicking practice

Posted on December 18, 2013 by fighter in Uncategorized

An unfortunate reality of life in the Hudson Valley is snow…lots and lots of snow.  Today I was supposed to have a great day of teaching and training BJJ and Boxing, but instead I was stuck inside all day.  Rather than simply rearranging my socks, I decided to get a workout out in.  I’ve never been a big fan of exercising for the sake of exercising so I try and incorporate practical martial arts skills into my workouts whenever possible.

Today I worked on my flexibility and kicking, by throwing round and hook kicks over the computer chair in my apartment.  After a few rounds I figured I’d make a short video so you too could have fun on your snow day – Enjoy! 

No Comments Read More

The key to rolling pain free

Posted on December 13, 2013 by fighter in Hudson Valley MMA

ouchAches, pains and injuries are an unfortunate part of training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts, but they are also unavoidable.  I started training when I was 15 years old.  I gave little thought or concern to recovery, rehab, prehab, warming up, or general injury prevention.  I thought I was invincible and in reality my body was still strong and very resilient.  I spent all my time figuring out ways to train harder.  I’d go on 10 miles runs, do hundreds of situps daily, and roll like it was life or death every minute of every round.  Everything changed just before my 18th birthday when I was rolling with someone nearly 100 pounds heavier than me and suffered a traumatic injury.  I tore my ACL, my lateral meniscus and fractured my tibia all in one shot.  I had to have major reconstructive surgery and in many ways my body was never the same again.

Full recovery took an entire year.  Once I got back into training I was very cautious with my training.  I was scared that I’d never be able to compete professionally or worse, I could suffer another injury and be kept off the mat altogether.  I was still young though and eventually I set aside my cautious ways and jumped back into my previous kill or be killed training methodologies.  Sure enough a new problem arose, intense hip pain.  I had a constant dull ache at all times that would transform into acute shooting pain following hard rolling.  I began stretching more and paid close attention to my diet…no change.  Eventually, things got so bad that I would have to take a fist full of Aleve just to walk my dog around the block.  I even saw a doctor and had an MIR done.  The doctor told me aside from painkillers, nothing could be done.

Around this time a friend of mine was raving about a strength and conditioning coach he went to that not only got him into great shape, but fixed his aching hips.  I was willing to try anything so I signed up for a private training session.  The coach took some time to correct my posture and give me a few rehab exercises, but what really changed everything was when he pulled out a foam cylinder he called a “roller”.  He explained that I had tightness in my IT (Iliotibial) bands and piriformis muscles were very tight and that the foam roller would provide relief through a process of “myofascial release”.   Without getting overly technical, myofascial release causes muscles to relax by engaging the golgi tendon.  The process is nothing short of agonizing.  When I first positioned my legs on the roller I was told to find a tight spot and then remain in position for 90 seconds.  I felt time stand still while my leg shook and I experienced a new fantastic level of agony.  I thought for sure this was voodoo, but I was desperate.  As time went on each foam rolling session became less painful and the trembling became less pronounced and then something incredible happened – my hip pain stopped.  I felt limber and relaxed without the aid of painkillers.

Here is a short video that gives a general idea of the problem and treatment
 

Since that time foam rolling has become a daily activity.  I’ve also discovered new ways of using golf and tennis balls to elicit the same benefits.  I literally roll out every part of my body, from head to toe.  Stiff neck, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis and a host of other ailments I’ve suffered have all been cured by myofascial release.   

So if you want pain free rolling, then you better get yourself a roller and give these exercises a shot

Hudson Valley Martial Arts

Hudson Valley Martial Arts

Check out Precision MMA a Poughkeepsie MMA gym

If you live further south on the east coast visit Tampa Gracie for Tampa Boxing and Kids martial arts Tampa

Foam Rolling BJJ, Foam rolling MMA, Pain relief, Tight hips BJJ No Comments Read More

Quantum Mechanics – The Jiu-jitsu of Ryan Hall and fifty/fifty BJJ

Posted on December 7, 2013 by fighter in martial arts

fifty fifty

If you train at Precision MMA then you know how much hard work Chris Stanley does to keep things running smoothly.  So for his birthday I wanted to show him how much I appreciated all he’s done for the gym and take him to Virginia to train with his favorite grappler Ryan Hall. Ryan was gracious enough to make time in his very busy schedule to welcome us and teach a private to Stan.

I love traveling to different gyms.  I get to experience a different training culture, techniques, philosophies and strategies and use them to enhance my game as well as my students’.

When we arrived at 50/50 we first took part in Seph Smith’s competition class.  The class is tailored specifically for seasoned BJJers. A series of movement drills and dynamic running warmed up the class before getting into technique.  The techniques were a series of 5 moves in what I term the “call and response” method.  One partner mounts, the other escapes and sweeps – each partner has an active roll in the drilling sequence which helps keep students from zoning during their repetitions. Seph would make his rounds pointing out the finer points of the techniques and reminding students of the competitive aspect of the class.  Techniques were to be executed immediately without hesitation, the second you were mounted you were to shrimp, delay would be the beginning of the end from a competition stand point.  

The live rounds began working specifically from the mount or guard to reinforce the previous techniques taught.  Short in duration, but high in intensity students were encouraged to take the bull by the horns and make things happen rather than grappling lackadaisically.  The biggest difference I noticed rolling with the students at 50/50 vs my home gym was the approach from the guard.  50/50 students welcomed the open guard, alternating between butterfly and various forms of De La Riva predominantly as opposed to the tight closed or high guard I typically encounter.

Following the class Stan and I took a private lesson with Seph.  I’ve watched Seph for years on the competition scene and the thing that always stood out about his game was his lethal leg lock game. Leg attacks are far from my strong point so I was very excited to add some new wrinkles to that aspect of my game.  Unlike the way many teach leg attacks, Seph emphasized the enteries and counter attacks as much as the submission finishes.  I was especially happy that he worked his attacks off the leg drag and knee slice passes since those are two of my favorite passing methods.  Seph showed us his unique way of trapping the foot in the heel hook position. I would elaborate, but I was sworn to secrecy.  What I can tell you is the details were 100% “game changers” for me.  We also went over strategies from the 50/50 position, which as the gym’s namesake would indicate, were pretty incredible.  Seph then peeled back the curtain on his strategy, pass to leg lock, leg lock to pass.  The ebb and flow of his transitions smoothly relied on the old adage of the finding the path of least resistance.   

 The following day Stan and I made it to 50/50 early so we could rep everything we had learned from Seph.  While drilling I saw Ryan working his boxing in the corner of the gym and was surprised how comfortable he looked on his feet.  I have no doubt his striking will surprise whoever has the misfortune of fighting him next.  Once I finished drilling I saw a few blue belts practicing the 2 on 1 Russian, one of my favorite positions. I gave a few pointers and then we had an awesome rolling session.

Ryan finished up boxing and joined Stan and I in the corner of the gym.  He wanted to get a feel for Stan’s game so he first watched the two of us roll so he could evaluate his game.  Ryan then got on the mat with Stan himself for further investigation.  After a few minutes Ryan reported his findings.  Ryan’s outlook on jiu-jitsu was very unique.  He focused his attention on the “big picture”.  He wasn’t so concerned with the precise grip Stan was using, but rather the structural integrity of his overall positioning.  Ryan told us that when using the guard his goal was to always keep his lines of defense tight.  Knees and elbows connected with an engaged core and advantageous angle.  The particular moves were less important since they could only be executed from proper positioning.  He then broke down the instances where Stan was extended, flat, or disconnected.  Conversely, Ryan explained that guard passing was simply finding the hole in the structure and occupying that space.

Ryan’s approach to grappling wasn’t concerned with particular techniques, but rather with physics.  Rather than discussing underhooks and grips he spoke of levers, wedges and points of leverage.  At times listening to him speak evoked memories not of jiu-jitsu class, but of science lectures on simple and complex machines.  Ryan’s approach has no limitations.  There is no dogma or prejudice in Ryan’s approach, it was simply problem solving.  Techniques were evaluated with a scientific method – arrive at the proper conclusion and duplicate the results under varying circumstances. 

The two privates we took were invaluable.  With Seph we walked away with a solid sequence of techniques we could practice and begin implementing, while with Ryan we were provided a framework we could use to approach all of our existing techniques.

If you happen to be fortunate enough to live in the Virginia area check out 50/50 HERE

Otherwise, you can still check out Ryan’s incredible instructional videos HERE

  

50/50 bjj, BJJ, fifty fifty bjj, Ryan Hall No Comments Read More

A Great Fight

Posted on December 7, 2013 by fighter in martial arts

hunt
There is nothing quite like a great fight.  Some fights exemplify technical prowess.  Techniques are disguised with feints, fakes and misdirection like a magician’s prestige.  Attacks are sequenced in endless combinations and flow before the audience in a series of chain reactions.  Fighters solve physical riddles and challenge their adversary’s reflexes and intuitions.

Other fights are chaotic displays of unbridled fury where caution is thrown to the wind.  Courage accented with insanity creates a wild parade of speed, power and grit.  Fighters become less like artists and more like daredevils as they stand in the line of fire.

Finally, there are fights that devolve into wars of attrition, crucibles of endurance which are no longer battles of techniques, but wars of wills.  These fights become spectacles of character where the only thing keeping a combatant going is his unwavering devotion to the pursuit of victory.

Every once in a great while a fight is all of these things simultaneously, a synergistic combination of mind, body and spirit.  Great fighters challenge our concept of reality; they display unimaginable feats and in the process force us to reconsider what is possible for human beings. 

Mark Hunt and Antonio Silva put on a great fight and if you were not privileged enough to witness it, no amount of hyperbole will do it justice.

Bigfoot Silva, mark hunt, UFC No Comments Read More

Post Archive

  • December 2017 (1)
  • July 2016 (2)
  • April 2016 (1)
  • February 2016 (1)
  • January 2016 (1)
  • November 2015 (4)
  • December 2014 (1)
  • November 2014 (1)
  • September 2014 (2)
  • July 2014 (3)
  • June 2014 (3)
  • May 2014 (5)
  • April 2014 (9)
  • March 2014 (6)
  • February 2014 (2)
  • December 2013 (4)
  • November 2013 (8)
  • October 2013 (11)
  • September 2013 (4)
  • August 2013 (6)
  • July 2013 (9)
  • June 2013 (14)
  • May 2013 (5)
(c) 2013 Brian McLaughlin - Poughkeepsie Martial Arts Instructor and Hudson Valley MMA Fighter
Site by Precision SEO