Zefff, from the forum posted this video:
Its a great full contact jujitsu video that has been circulating the net for many years. Zefff brings up the point that although this looks very similar to MMA, the actual principles and philosophy behind it are different.
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Take a moment to watch this brief video (you must watch the end to appreciate the significance).
This video reminds me of a famous Thomas Edison quote. In his words, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
I’ve seen truth in these words at all levels. I know professional fighters who have starred in main event title fights on national television who still doubt their ability. The physical talent is there, but the mind is still trying to hold them back from reaching their true potential.
The mind is certainly powerful. There is no denying this fact. Unfortunately, the mind’s power can work in both directions. The mind can either propel you forward or hold you back. More often than not, the physical talent and potential is present, but the mind prevents the athlete from moving forward.
There are times when you need to turn off that little voice inside your head. Turn it off and go! Don’t think about what you can or cannot do. Just go. Think less and do more. Challenge yourself. You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.
As mentioned in the past No Excuses article, I often see athletes who constantly search for a new and better plan. If something isn’t going right, they rarely take personal responsibility. It must be something else, right? Wrong! Often times you simply need a reminder of what REAL work is all about. Hard work is interpreted differently by different people.
For a combat specific example, we occassionally call for additional rounds of sparring when the athlete thinks he is in the final round. For example, the athlete believes he is sparring 6 rounds, but we may call for 8 or 10. Initially, you may be mentally conditioned to assume that you are fatigued in what you believe to be the last round. When you are forced to “suck it up” and continue however, you’ll often surprise yourself (and realize that you have more gas in the tank). Clearly, this isn’t something that the novice should attempt, but as you climb the ladder, you need to do more than is expected of you.
Ross
General Comments on The Fist
The skin and bones of the fist are liable to suffer much more trauma
than then objects they connect with in a fight. The skin covering the
knuckles is very thin and liable to break open when it strikes a solid
surface. When you punch an opponent in the mouth, the skin will cut
open by the opponent’s teeth. This will lead to other health problems,
including infection with AIDS, hepatitis, jaundice, and other
debilitating problems. Compared with other weapons of the hand the fist
is not a reliable, long term, general-purpose weapon. Despite this
reality, the fist remains the principal weapon in close combat for the
novice fighter. This is because it is a natural, nurtured and cultural
expression of aggression.
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My name is Matt Bryers, I run this thing along with a few other sites, most notably www.fightauthority.com. I'm 30, gotta hot wife, 2 dogs, the house, the job... all that stuff. I can't really complain. I'm also a dedicated martial artist, weight lifter, and complete internet geek. It's a GREAT combination!