by Todd Yeakle
2007 was definitely a year to remember in MMA. With many highs and many lows it will definitely be a year to remember.
Who can forget "The Croation Sensation" getting a dosage of his own medicine with a kick to the head from Gabriel Gonzaga that would send most people into a permanent dream state. Or how about the werewolf Quinton Jackson dethroning one of mixed martial arts greatest strikers with a vicious right hook to the head. There were many moments that defined mma in 2007 but for me one thing came to mind when I thought of the best way to describe this year in mma. It was the year of the upsets.
2007 had some of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history. It is often said that "anything can happen" in mma. But Forrest Griffin submitting Shogun Rua was not anything. It was more than anything. Randy "The Natural" Couture defeating the 68" giant was more than anything. These fights were everything to the winners and made them superstars overnight in the crazy world of MMA.
I wanted to wrap up the year by talking about some of the greatest upsets of all time. Things most hardcore mma fans never thought would happen. These fights were proof that anyone can conquer if they believe in themselves and have the perseverance and willingness to succeed in life. In the world of mixed martial arts truly "anything can and will happen".
Upset #1 Nick Diaz def. Takanori Gomi - I have never been more excited at the end of a fight than I was after Nick Diaz submitted Takanori Gomi with a Gogo Plata at Pride 33 Second Coming. Not only is this one of the biggest upsets of 2007 it is my personal favorite fight of all time. Talk about exciting, I was jumping up and down at the end of this one.
This fight was a total knock down, drag out war. At one point Nick Diaz was bouncing Gomis head off the ropes with his punches like a punching bag. Diaz got rocked in the beginning but weathered the storm and turned it into a signature Nick Diaz brawl eventually tapping Gomi out with a Gogo Plata at the beginning of the second round. Diaz won the fight but you couldnt tell by looking at him. His face was a bloody mess, an indication of how hard Gomi punches, considering he took a lot more than he gave.
This was truly a fight for the ages and one I will never forget. Unfortunately Diazs win was overruled and the fight was considered a no contest.
Upset #2 Randy Couture def. Tim Sylvia - Anything is possible when you think of the name Randy Couture. He is one of the greatest mma fighters of all time and a legend of the sport already. Everyone thought he was finished. He had hung up his gloves after his second loss to "The Iceman" and many thought that was it.
But that wasnt the end of Couture. He was still a commentator and he was still hungry for more. Couture was unimpressed with the heavyweight competition and felt he could still compete at the top level.
So he did the impossible and the then 43 year old fought Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight belt at UFC 68. It was one of the greatest upsets of all time. The wrestler out struck the striker in a 5 round all out war of attrition that left spectators in complete amazement. Randy completely took Sylvia out of his world and dominated the stand up for 25 minutes. He even dropped the giant within seconds of the first round with a ducking right hand that stunned and surprised "The Maniac".
This fight was a battle royal and is considered, in my book, one of the biggest upsets of 2007.
Upset #3 Quinton Jackson def. Chuck Liddell - Many thought Chuck was unstoppable. Many thought it couldnt be done. I myself wondered, is anybody going to be this freakin guy? He had so much confidence with wins over the highest level of competition including Tito, Jeremy Horn, Sobral, Belfort, Mezger, Randleman, and Couture twice.
It seemed like nobody could break "The Ice" or even last a round with him for that matter. His counter striking with the power to end fights alongside his superior take down defense enabled him to knock off his opponents with the precision of a sniper. Who could stop the unstoppable? Was anybody up for the job?
In May of 2007 we found out. It wasnt the first time Liddell and Rampage had entered to cage. In their first bout Rampage stopped Liddell in dominating fashion ending the fight with a TKO. Now it was time for Chuck to redeem himself. Would his loss to Quinton play a role in their second fight? Well either way Rampage was on that night. He came out swinging and with improved striking skills. All it took was one little mistake and it was all over. Rampage caught Chuck on the chin with a quick right hook that dropped Liddell. He then went in for the kill the fight was over. Chuck quickly sat up with glazed eyes trying to figure out where he was. It can happen to anybody and this night it happened to "The Iceman".
This was truly one of the greatest upsets of 2007.
Upset #4 Forrest Griffin def. Mauricio Rua - Obviously I saved the best for last. This upset takes the cake by a mile. I could see Diaz over Gomi and Rampage over Liddell but Griffin over Shogun. Give me a break. I didnt think in a trillion years that Forrest Griffin could ever beat Mauricio "Shogun" Rua from Pride. That fight completely shocked me.
On the other hand it looked nothing like the Shogun I know and have watched so many times in all of the old Pride FC events. He was not aggressive at all and looked like a fish out of water. Something definitely happens when Pride fighters come to fight in the UFC. I cant pin point exactly what it is but its not the level of competition. I think it has to do with the pressure to make it big in the US and of course the rules and the octagon.
On the other hand I take nothing from Forrest Griffin as he fought his heart out and without a doubt defeated the former Chutes Box star. Shogun was considered the best in the world by many at the time of this bout, making this truly one of the biggest upsets of all time. To top it all off Forrest choked out Mauricio with a rear naked choke in dominating fashion. Forrest finally believed he has what it takes to fight with the best of the best. That is what gave him the ability to win this fight and to continue on as one of the best light heavyweight fighters in the world.
I rank this as the years biggest upset for sure. This fight was truly unbelievable.
2007 was a crazy year in MMA and its not even over. With two more of the years biggest cards still to come, 2007 is shaping up to be one of the sports biggest years ever.
Visit RedSweat.com for more Mixed Martial Arts news!
Todd Yeakle is editor in chief of the mma news syndicate RedSweat.com
Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Georges “Rush” St. Pierre vs Matt “Terror” Serra
After a long awaited postponement, the anticipated Welterweight showdown will commence when UFC Welterweight champion, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre, faces challenger and TUF 4 Welterweight Winner, Matt “Terror” Serra. Also on the card is an epic clash of original TUF Welterweights, Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez and Josh “Kos” Koscheck, when they face off to see who will be next in line for the elite in the Welterweight division, or maybe even a title shot. All-in-all, this card is one to be watched when things heat up in Houston
THOUGHTS???
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History of UFC
The UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championships, was off to a rocky start in 2001. The first pay per view special went overtime and the viewers did not get to see the end. Additionally, the early era, when rules were much less strict, was seen as spectacle instead of sport. This has completely turned around. The UFC was able to enforce standards, recast from no holds barred to MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, and now threatens to KO boxing.
UFC is sanctioned in twenty states, and the current leadership intends to regularize it across the nation. The lucrative deal with Spike TV is certainly helping, and UFC fights and television shows are very popular. They are currently averaging 2.2 million viewers in the third season of the show “The Ultimate Fighter,” which has been picked up for at least two more years. Additionally, “UFC Unleashed” and “UFC Fight Night” are showing on Spike with first run and repeat fights. In the last quarter of 2006, UFC had four pay per view events averaging 482,000 viewers. UFC is now shown in 36 countries around the world. UFC is running shows in Canada and the UK, and intends to open a UK office to expand into the European market. The increased visibility provided by the television shows has allowed the UFC to market stars, creating a media draw in their own right.
While as late as 2004 the owners, Zuffa LLC, still had $34 million in losses. However, in 2006 the UFC generated $222,766,000 in revenue on pay per view, passing WWE and boxing with the largest events nearing 800,000 viewers. There is even an agreement with THQ for worldwide rights to develop UFC based video games.
While some still see the sport as if it were still no holds barred, the most dangerous moves have been rendered illegal, and the competitors require great training and skill to succeed. With elements from various martial arts, wresting and boxing, the sport really is mixed martial arts. Failure to provide a firm grounding in all three areas will result in defeat. While the typical UFC fighter will have a preferred style, it is utterly normal to constantly evaluate strengths against weakness, and to go with whatever style seems likely to play to an opponents weakness. Matches can feature a great deal of movement as fighters dance around the ring trading blows, or can be very still, as both fighters grapple and seek submission holds.
The current rules were established by the New Jersey Athletic Control Board, and have been adopted as the “Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts” by several other states.
On 27 March 2007 Dana White, president of the UFC, announced the purchase of Pride Fighting Championships, the main competitor for the UFC. The organizations will remain separate as organizations, they will cooperate and co-promote supercards with champions and top contenders from both organizations in the same event. It is being dubbed “The SuperBowl of MMA!”
UFC is sanctioned in twenty states, and the current leadership intends to regularize it across the nation. The lucrative deal with Spike TV is certainly helping, and UFC fights and television shows are very popular. They are currently averaging 2.2 million viewers in the third season of the show “The Ultimate Fighter,” which has been picked up for at least two more years. Additionally, “UFC Unleashed” and “UFC Fight Night” are showing on Spike with first run and repeat fights. In the last quarter of 2006, UFC had four pay per view events averaging 482,000 viewers. UFC is now shown in 36 countries around the world. UFC is running shows in Canada and the UK, and intends to open a UK office to expand into the European market. The increased visibility provided by the television shows has allowed the UFC to market stars, creating a media draw in their own right.
While as late as 2004 the owners, Zuffa LLC, still had $34 million in losses. However, in 2006 the UFC generated $222,766,000 in revenue on pay per view, passing WWE and boxing with the largest events nearing 800,000 viewers. There is even an agreement with THQ for worldwide rights to develop UFC based video games.
While some still see the sport as if it were still no holds barred, the most dangerous moves have been rendered illegal, and the competitors require great training and skill to succeed. With elements from various martial arts, wresting and boxing, the sport really is mixed martial arts. Failure to provide a firm grounding in all three areas will result in defeat. While the typical UFC fighter will have a preferred style, it is utterly normal to constantly evaluate strengths against weakness, and to go with whatever style seems likely to play to an opponents weakness. Matches can feature a great deal of movement as fighters dance around the ring trading blows, or can be very still, as both fighters grapple and seek submission holds.
The current rules were established by the New Jersey Athletic Control Board, and have been adopted as the “Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts” by several other states.
On 27 March 2007 Dana White, president of the UFC, announced the purchase of Pride Fighting Championships, the main competitor for the UFC. The organizations will remain separate as organizations, they will cooperate and co-promote supercards with champions and top contenders from both organizations in the same event. It is being dubbed “The SuperBowl of MMA!”
Friday, August 17, 2007
Rich Crunkilton to challenge Rob McCullough for WEC title
WEC lightweight champion "Razor" Rob McCullough will defend his title for the first time against UFC and WEC veteran Rich "Cleat" Crunkilton.
Team Oyama fighter McCullough won the title in January of this year when he beat world thaiboxing champion Kit Cope by submission in the first round. His impressive 14-3-0 record is topped off with a recent eight fight win streak including, seven of which have ended before the distance.
Crunkilton, from the American Kickboxing Acadeamy (AKA) holds a 14-1-0 record with his only loss coming against UFC lightweight contender Hermes Franca. He has amassed a six fight win streak since then, beating Mike Joy to earn his title shot.
Team Oyama fighter McCullough won the title in January of this year when he beat world thaiboxing champion Kit Cope by submission in the first round. His impressive 14-3-0 record is topped off with a recent eight fight win streak including, seven of which have ended before the distance.
Crunkilton, from the American Kickboxing Acadeamy (AKA) holds a 14-1-0 record with his only loss coming against UFC lightweight contender Hermes Franca. He has amassed a six fight win streak since then, beating Mike Joy to earn his title shot.
Randy Couture on Jim Rome Today
From UFC.com: ESPN’s Jim Rome is Burning will be running a feature on Randy Couture as he readies for his title fight against Gabriel Gonzaga. They show how Randy trains and how his regimen helps him in the cage. He takes a rare moment to reflect on his bout with Tim Sylvia and analyzes Gonzaga’s knockout of Cro Cop. The show runs Friday, August 17 at 4:30pm ET/1:30pm PT.
Man, Randy is everywhere these days. If he wins his upcoming fight the momentum will just continue to grow. However, if he loses, will that be a step back in coverage for MMA in the mainstream? Randy is so popular not only because he’s an amazing athlete but also because he’s well spoken and likelable. What if Gonzaga takes the title? He’s a great fighter and likeable guy, but not the most well spoken fighter out there. This fight probably has more implictions than most think.
Man, Randy is everywhere these days. If he wins his upcoming fight the momentum will just continue to grow. However, if he loses, will that be a step back in coverage for MMA in the mainstream? Randy is so popular not only because he’s an amazing athlete but also because he’s well spoken and likelable. What if Gonzaga takes the title? He’s a great fighter and likeable guy, but not the most well spoken fighter out there. This fight probably has more implictions than most think.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
By now, most sports fans are very familiar with the UFC and the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. In fact, the sport is rapidly growing to be more popular than boxing. The UFC Ultimate Fighting Championship) has become a household name in many countries around the world. The Cage Fury Fighting Championship is not as well known as the UFC, but they are doing a good job of drawing attention to themselves, because hardcore MMA fans across the globe are anxiously awaiting this weekends show, and the main even in particular. A topic that is often debated is whether or not a world-class boxer would be able to compete successfully in Mixed Martial Arts. Perhaps on Saturday, June 23rd 2007, we'll know at least how former world heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer performs in his MMA debut against an internet legend and brawler by the name of Kimbo Slice.
Ray Mercer has a very impressive boxing record, which includes a WBO World Heavyweight Championship, as well as an Olympic gold medal. During his boxing career, Ray Mercer has fought some of the best heavyweights of our generation, such as Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes, and Wladimir Klitschko. Since retiring from professional boxing, "Merciless" Ray Mercer has decided he wants to try Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the fastest growing sport in the world.
Mercer’s opponent will be another big name making his professional MMA debut. Kimbo Slice is a big, scary looking heavyweight who developed a cult following on the internet due to his famous bare knuckle brawl videos that are posted on various internet sites. Kimbo has appeared very impressive in these fights, but I'm not sure about the quality of his opponents. Nonetheless, Kimbo's power seems unquestionable. Also, in 2003, Kimbo Slice squared off against Sean Gannon, a MMA practicioner who later fought (and lost) in the UFC. Sean Gannon won his fight against Kimbo, leaving Kimbo laying on the ground unable to continue. However, most of Kimbo's opponents were not as skilled. If you watch his videos online, you will see overweight and untrained fighters that use names such as "Afro Puff" or "Big Mac" and inevitably they get punched out by Kimbo.
Both Ray Mercer and Kimbo Slice are primarily stand-up fighters, preferring to slug it out with their fists. Most MMA fans don't believe either of the fighters have any ground skills, but Kimbo has been seen working on his grappling with Bas Rutten, a MMA legend. Ideally, fans would like to see a slugfest, but I won't be surprised if Kimbo tries to take this fight to the ground, considering Ray Mercer is a former boxing world champion with fierce punching power.
Age could also be a determining factor in this match. Kimbo is 31 years old, and Ray Mercer is 46, but that extra experience could be in Mercer's favor. I definitely give the advantage to Ray Mercer if this turns out to be a stand-up battle. Ray Mercer hits like a truck and is known to have an iron chin. Kimbo should try to take this fight to the mat as quickly as he can, unless he just feels confident that he can take Mercer's punches. Also, Kimbo should not make the mistake of underestimating Ray Mercer on the ground, as he has supposedly been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and also has some background in wrestling.
My heart wants Ray Mercer to win this fight, but if you're going to guess who will win you have to consider which fighter has more desire to win. Kimbo is young, and may still feel like he has something to prove, whereas Ray Mercer has been champion and already established himself in the fight sports world. In 2005 Ray Mercer fought a kickboxing match in K1 against Remy Bonjasky, and quit after being kicked upside the head. I may be wrong, but I'm still going to say Mercer wins this. Regardless of the outcome, I just hope it lives up to the hype and is a legitimate, outstanding fight.
Ray Mercer has a very impressive boxing record, which includes a WBO World Heavyweight Championship, as well as an Olympic gold medal. During his boxing career, Ray Mercer has fought some of the best heavyweights of our generation, such as Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Larry Holmes, and Wladimir Klitschko. Since retiring from professional boxing, "Merciless" Ray Mercer has decided he wants to try Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the fastest growing sport in the world.
Mercer’s opponent will be another big name making his professional MMA debut. Kimbo Slice is a big, scary looking heavyweight who developed a cult following on the internet due to his famous bare knuckle brawl videos that are posted on various internet sites. Kimbo has appeared very impressive in these fights, but I'm not sure about the quality of his opponents. Nonetheless, Kimbo's power seems unquestionable. Also, in 2003, Kimbo Slice squared off against Sean Gannon, a MMA practicioner who later fought (and lost) in the UFC. Sean Gannon won his fight against Kimbo, leaving Kimbo laying on the ground unable to continue. However, most of Kimbo's opponents were not as skilled. If you watch his videos online, you will see overweight and untrained fighters that use names such as "Afro Puff" or "Big Mac" and inevitably they get punched out by Kimbo.
Both Ray Mercer and Kimbo Slice are primarily stand-up fighters, preferring to slug it out with their fists. Most MMA fans don't believe either of the fighters have any ground skills, but Kimbo has been seen working on his grappling with Bas Rutten, a MMA legend. Ideally, fans would like to see a slugfest, but I won't be surprised if Kimbo tries to take this fight to the ground, considering Ray Mercer is a former boxing world champion with fierce punching power.
Age could also be a determining factor in this match. Kimbo is 31 years old, and Ray Mercer is 46, but that extra experience could be in Mercer's favor. I definitely give the advantage to Ray Mercer if this turns out to be a stand-up battle. Ray Mercer hits like a truck and is known to have an iron chin. Kimbo should try to take this fight to the mat as quickly as he can, unless he just feels confident that he can take Mercer's punches. Also, Kimbo should not make the mistake of underestimating Ray Mercer on the ground, as he has supposedly been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and also has some background in wrestling.
My heart wants Ray Mercer to win this fight, but if you're going to guess who will win you have to consider which fighter has more desire to win. Kimbo is young, and may still feel like he has something to prove, whereas Ray Mercer has been champion and already established himself in the fight sports world. In 2005 Ray Mercer fought a kickboxing match in K1 against Remy Bonjasky, and quit after being kicked upside the head. I may be wrong, but I'm still going to say Mercer wins this. Regardless of the outcome, I just hope it lives up to the hype and is a legitimate, outstanding fight.
General Tips
When you spar, how hard should you and your partner hit?
The short answer is – as hard as you want.
If you’re preparing for a full contact match, then at least part of your training will need to be full contact. Most martial artist don’t compete regularly in full contact though, and many of them don’t compete at all. For them, sparring full contact probably isn’t what they want to do . . . but then they miss the benefits of full contact training.
And what are those benefits? Well, hitting and kicking full power requires better conditioning, better set ups, more exact use of leverage, footwork and rotation and it conditions you to not freak out when you get hit.
On the other hand, you’re going to have injuries – jammed fingers and toes top my list. Also, getting hit hard in the head is sort of like getting x-rays: you should only get so many in a lifetime.
So how hard should you spar?
Here’s how I like to spar in my school. We wear head gear with a face guard, and a sturdy rib and chest protector. The rules are: VERY light contact with punches to the head (anything more than that seems to escalate), light kicks to the head. For some reason, they’re easier to control than punches, probably because the person is farther away and you don’t feel the pressure to back them off with power. Full contact punches and kicks to the body wherever it’s covered by the chest and rib protector – again, I use the most solid ones I can find. Full power (or close to it) leg kicks. They sting, but I’ve yet to see an injury from a thigh kick. Take downs are allowed, and the fight continues if it goes to the ground.
Following these rules, we’ve been able to have good matches, get a great workout, and improve timing, power, combinations, and both stand up and ground fighting.
Doesn’t all the gear get in the way? Of course it does. The face guard blocks vision, the chest guard is bulky and makes it difficult to do some moves.
You don’t have protective gear on the street, so why wear it in the School?
Huh?
Who said anything about the street? It’s a sport. If you want to get completely “realistic” in your training, why not just go at it with baseball bats, or guns? A sport is a sport. It has advantages and disadvantages when you try to apply it to anything other than the sport itself.
So, if you haven’t sparred the way I’ve just described, you might want to give it a try. I recommend that you only use a chest and rib protector that is so strong you can let your partner side kick you full power in the chest and you get knocked down but not injured or even bruised in the least.
Being able to hit that hard is fun. Knowing that nobody is going to get hurt keeps it fun.
The short answer is – as hard as you want.
If you’re preparing for a full contact match, then at least part of your training will need to be full contact. Most martial artist don’t compete regularly in full contact though, and many of them don’t compete at all. For them, sparring full contact probably isn’t what they want to do . . . but then they miss the benefits of full contact training.
And what are those benefits? Well, hitting and kicking full power requires better conditioning, better set ups, more exact use of leverage, footwork and rotation and it conditions you to not freak out when you get hit.
On the other hand, you’re going to have injuries – jammed fingers and toes top my list. Also, getting hit hard in the head is sort of like getting x-rays: you should only get so many in a lifetime.
So how hard should you spar?
Here’s how I like to spar in my school. We wear head gear with a face guard, and a sturdy rib and chest protector. The rules are: VERY light contact with punches to the head (anything more than that seems to escalate), light kicks to the head. For some reason, they’re easier to control than punches, probably because the person is farther away and you don’t feel the pressure to back them off with power. Full contact punches and kicks to the body wherever it’s covered by the chest and rib protector – again, I use the most solid ones I can find. Full power (or close to it) leg kicks. They sting, but I’ve yet to see an injury from a thigh kick. Take downs are allowed, and the fight continues if it goes to the ground.
Following these rules, we’ve been able to have good matches, get a great workout, and improve timing, power, combinations, and both stand up and ground fighting.
Doesn’t all the gear get in the way? Of course it does. The face guard blocks vision, the chest guard is bulky and makes it difficult to do some moves.
You don’t have protective gear on the street, so why wear it in the School?
Huh?
Who said anything about the street? It’s a sport. If you want to get completely “realistic” in your training, why not just go at it with baseball bats, or guns? A sport is a sport. It has advantages and disadvantages when you try to apply it to anything other than the sport itself.
So, if you haven’t sparred the way I’ve just described, you might want to give it a try. I recommend that you only use a chest and rib protector that is so strong you can let your partner side kick you full power in the chest and you get knocked down but not injured or even bruised in the least.
Being able to hit that hard is fun. Knowing that nobody is going to get hurt keeps it fun.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Build Lean Muscle Mass
If you have ever for one second thought that becoming the next arnold is going to be a walk in the park|going to be just another stroll on the beach] and that you can simply walk into the gym, “go through the motions” and then go home, you are sadly wrong.
The reality is that if you want to experience any appreciable gains in muscle size and strength, You have to come ready and be set to train hard. This is one of the key factors separating those who make tny gains from those who make outstanding gains.
Most people just plain don’t train hard enough!
As soon as the exercise starts to get difficult their spotter jumps in and starts helping or they put the weight down altogether.
BIG mistake!
The gym is a battle field, and if you want to be victorious, you must be willing to endure the battle.
Your muscles grow because of an evolutionary, adaptive response to the environment. Intense weightlifting is perceived as a threat to your survival, and the body responds to this by increasing the size and strength of the muscles to battle against the threat. Therefore, in order to see the most dramatic response in size and strength, you must push your body as hard as you safely can.
This can be achieved by performing all sets in the gym to the point of concentric muscular failure…
Concentric Muscular Failure: The point at which no further positive repetitions can be performed despite your greatest efforts.
There are 2 main phases to every exercise that you perform: the concentric and the eccentric. The concentric is the “positive” portion of the exercise (such as the “pushing” movement of a bench press) and the eccentric is the “negative” portion of the exercise (the “lowering” movement of a bench press).
Your goal in the gym is to perform each exercise to the point where no further concentric repetitions can be executed using proper form despite your greatest efforts to do so.
This is very challenging and will require a lot of mental toughness on your part. I’m not going to sit here and tell you a bunch of lies by saying that training for muscle size is an easy thing. It’s not!
Anyone who tries to tell you that training to failure is easy is flat-out lying. But if you’re serious about changing your physique and seeing serious results, this is simply what needs to be done.
Training to concentric failure will place the greatest amount of stress on the musculature and will produce the most dramatic “artificial threat” possible.
Some say that training to lose is not necessary in order for muscle growth to Happen, and the truth is that they are absolutely rite. You could never train to failure and over time you would still see gains in muscle mass and strength. The only true requirement for muscle growth to occur is progression.
However, (and that’s a big however) if you’re like 99% of the population, then you want to experience those gains as quickly and efficiently as you possibly can. While training to failure isn’t necessary for growth to occur, it IS necessary if you want maximum growth to happen in the least period of time possible.
shed those lbs and finally see your abs after years dont be ashamed Click Here! For all the information to trim body fat
The reality is that if you want to experience any appreciable gains in muscle size and strength, You have to come ready and be set to train hard. This is one of the key factors separating those who make tny gains from those who make outstanding gains.
Most people just plain don’t train hard enough!
As soon as the exercise starts to get difficult their spotter jumps in and starts helping or they put the weight down altogether.
BIG mistake!
The gym is a battle field, and if you want to be victorious, you must be willing to endure the battle.
Your muscles grow because of an evolutionary, adaptive response to the environment. Intense weightlifting is perceived as a threat to your survival, and the body responds to this by increasing the size and strength of the muscles to battle against the threat. Therefore, in order to see the most dramatic response in size and strength, you must push your body as hard as you safely can.
This can be achieved by performing all sets in the gym to the point of concentric muscular failure…
Concentric Muscular Failure: The point at which no further positive repetitions can be performed despite your greatest efforts.
There are 2 main phases to every exercise that you perform: the concentric and the eccentric. The concentric is the “positive” portion of the exercise (such as the “pushing” movement of a bench press) and the eccentric is the “negative” portion of the exercise (the “lowering” movement of a bench press).
Your goal in the gym is to perform each exercise to the point where no further concentric repetitions can be executed using proper form despite your greatest efforts to do so.
This is very challenging and will require a lot of mental toughness on your part. I’m not going to sit here and tell you a bunch of lies by saying that training for muscle size is an easy thing. It’s not!
Anyone who tries to tell you that training to failure is easy is flat-out lying. But if you’re serious about changing your physique and seeing serious results, this is simply what needs to be done.
Training to concentric failure will place the greatest amount of stress on the musculature and will produce the most dramatic “artificial threat” possible.
Some say that training to lose is not necessary in order for muscle growth to Happen, and the truth is that they are absolutely rite. You could never train to failure and over time you would still see gains in muscle mass and strength. The only true requirement for muscle growth to occur is progression.
However, (and that’s a big however) if you’re like 99% of the population, then you want to experience those gains as quickly and efficiently as you possibly can. While training to failure isn’t necessary for growth to occur, it IS necessary if you want maximum growth to happen in the least period of time possible.
shed those lbs and finally see your abs after years dont be ashamed Click Here! For all the information to trim body fat
MMA Unleashed
Can Mixed Martial Arts Survive With Only One Big Show?
I could feel a movement in the force.
Seriously, I felt like Luke Skywalker detecting Darth Vader. Except this time it was Dana White buying Pride FC.
And to be fair and accurate, it was Dana White using the Fertitas Brothers money to buy the struggling Japanese promotion.
It has the underground MMA forums buzzing. Can MMA survive with only one big show?
It's amazing how a group of pimply-faced teenagers pretending to be adults on an anonymous chat forum can stir up so much testosterone. The arguements ranged from geo-political, to criminal (the Yakuza!), to the conspiratorial, to invoking the RICO act and jailing White for his crimes against humanity.
At the end of the day, there is truly only one threat to MMA.
Boredom.
If you watch reruns of Pride FC on Fight Network, or old K-1, or ancient UCC from Quebec, you get to peer into a time machine to the earlier days of this sport. I saw the Butterbean vs Gomi match the other day. The first time I saw it I laughed. You'd never see a 350 pounds man vs a 150 pound man in the UFC. Or would you?
But the novelty of the match wore off super quickly. And frankly I can't watch it again because I know how it ends. There is no dazzling displays of skill, technique or MMA wizardry.
There is a place for David vs. Goliath freakshow matches...but that place is rapidly shrinking.
What match do YOU want to see? Butterbean vs. Gomi or George St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes Part two? I blew out a tonsil screaming for GSP in that match. And the promise of part three has me forking over the PPV dollars, guaranteed.
My message to Dana White is simple. You have been entrusted with a responsibility to this sport. You've looked like a genius so far. Just don't be boring.
Personally, I can't wait to see what mixed martial arts looks like by 2010!
I could feel a movement in the force.
Seriously, I felt like Luke Skywalker detecting Darth Vader. Except this time it was Dana White buying Pride FC.
And to be fair and accurate, it was Dana White using the Fertitas Brothers money to buy the struggling Japanese promotion.
It has the underground MMA forums buzzing. Can MMA survive with only one big show?
It's amazing how a group of pimply-faced teenagers pretending to be adults on an anonymous chat forum can stir up so much testosterone. The arguements ranged from geo-political, to criminal (the Yakuza!), to the conspiratorial, to invoking the RICO act and jailing White for his crimes against humanity.
At the end of the day, there is truly only one threat to MMA.
Boredom.
If you watch reruns of Pride FC on Fight Network, or old K-1, or ancient UCC from Quebec, you get to peer into a time machine to the earlier days of this sport. I saw the Butterbean vs Gomi match the other day. The first time I saw it I laughed. You'd never see a 350 pounds man vs a 150 pound man in the UFC. Or would you?
But the novelty of the match wore off super quickly. And frankly I can't watch it again because I know how it ends. There is no dazzling displays of skill, technique or MMA wizardry.
There is a place for David vs. Goliath freakshow matches...but that place is rapidly shrinking.
What match do YOU want to see? Butterbean vs. Gomi or George St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes Part two? I blew out a tonsil screaming for GSP in that match. And the promise of part three has me forking over the PPV dollars, guaranteed.
My message to Dana White is simple. You have been entrusted with a responsibility to this sport. You've looked like a genius so far. Just don't be boring.
Personally, I can't wait to see what mixed martial arts looks like by 2010!
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