A Different Type of Goal

Separate from our one-year, three-year and five-year goals, there is a different type of goal that seems to be frequently not addressed by many instructors and understandably so.  Most instructors and school owner’s livelihood is reliant on their school.  They need students who are willing to pay for their instruction to keep their business alive.  However, I’ve noticed a few times over the last few years that a student’s reason for training doesn’t match their instructor’s philosophy of teaching. 

When determining our one, three, and five-year goals we are materializing milestones and things to strive for, but not we don't really determine why we want these things.  I suggest that at some point we all need to determine our overall goal.  That is, “Why do you train?”  Determining your “Why” is a key development in your game.  The great part of this question is there is no wrong answer.  This is your answer. 


You may train to get in good shape.  Maybe it’s for self-defense or for professional development such as law enforcement.  Maybe you want to relieve stress. Perhaps you want to fight in mixed martial arts competitions.  Perhaps you want to be a future UFC Champion.  Maybe you want to be a BJJ World Champion.  Maybe you just want to have fun and belong to a group.  All of these are great reasons to train!!

Determining this goal sets you expectation of your ROI, or return on investment, from your time on the mats.  You do invest your time and you do invest your money, shouldn’t you have a expectation of what you wish to receive in return from your time and money? 

This goal or ROI is executable from the SMART method of making goals.  This goal doesn’t need a time limit but is should be specific and attainable. 

Our overall expectations in life can change, therefore this should be a fluid goal, meaning this may change over time and that is okay.  As we age our perspectives and attitudes change.  Not allowing your jiu jitsu goals to change as well is foolish.  Either way it is a good idea to keep what your overall objective is fresh in your mind.  Keeping the big picture in mind will help us get through tough days on the mats and the occasional disappointments.    

Once you have decided your expectation ask yourself if you are doing the right things to achieve it.  Are you in the right school? Are you training with the right people?  Are you eating right?  Are you training the right way?

The reasoning of determining the overall expectation of our training is so we do not become disenchanted with our training.  I have met and talked with people that have been training for years and when I asked them “What is your purpose for training?”  They didn't have a definite answer.  They have been training for a long time yet really had no purpose in their training.  Training with no purpose is almost as bad as not training at all.


Take time and determine YOUR reason for training.  Give your goals and training a bigger purpose.

The Number One Enemy

Listen to a conversation in your office today.  I’ll bet if you listen to two people talk about any subject over a period of five minutes, the dominating theme of the conversation will have a negative topic.  Perhaps it’s negative talk about the boss, a negative political view, a negative speech about the company, or maybe it’s a person talking negatively about himself.   

The National Science Foundation estimates that, on average, humans have approximately 50,000 thoughts per day.  They also estimate that 70-80 percent of those thoughts are negative.  That is up to 40,000 units of negative energy each and every day!!! 

Negativity is easily THE NUMBER ONE ENEMY to the potential that each one of us has inside.   Negative thoughts are parasites that infect all of us, and negativity’s bastard children: doubt, depression, lack of confidence, complacency, worry and fear are the silent killers of our dreams.  Negativity, either from within ourselves or from outside influences, like our friends and family, can have a dramatic effect on our lives.  The offspring of negativity are the reasons many of us don’t take the chance to make our lives better.  They are the reasons we aren’t living the dreams we had in our childhood. 

So how can we battle this enemy?

A little over two years ago I began to notice the effects that negativity has had on my life.  I was always told to “Expect the worst, but hope for the best.”  Sayings and mottos like these have created an environment where pessimism and negativity have thrived.  Once I recognized the impact that negative thinking in my life has had, I had to make a change. I was now going to "Expect the best."

To stop thinking negatively we need to first do just that…stop.  I know that this may sound silly but that is the ultimate goal.  At first we need to make this a conscious thing. Take notice of your thoughts, don’t let negativity enter and leave your head without notice.   Once you are able to notice your thoughts, when a negative thought crosses your mind, stop it and replace it with a positive thought about the same subject. 

This first must be done consciously but after practicing this multiple times a day it becomes more and more automatic.  I equate this type of process of learning to learning techniques in sports or martial arts.  For those of you who are grapplers, remember the first time you did an arm bar.  It felt awkward, hard, and maybe it even felt impossible.   Now fast forward to where you are a couple years later: after practicing the arm bar an uncountable number of times, the ability to complete it is almost instinctual.  Through repetition, you have moved the conscious movements you had when you first started to the unconscious.  Using this method of battling negativity will eventually travel the same path.

The Challenge

Negative thoughts will never completely leave our lives, but reducing their frequency can have a dramatic impact on our lives.  I challenge you to consciously stop the negative thoughts and replace them with positive and confident thoughts every day, for the next 30 days.  Then enjoy the effects that more positive thinking can have in your life.

Let me know how it goes.

Jerome

www.fightlogs.com

MMA Strategy The CARVER MATRIX

Mixed Martial Arts and other combat sports are highly competitive.  It seems that every competitor or fighter is searching for an edge to help them get a leg up on the competition.  Fighters are often changing camps trying to find the winning formula for their personal success.  One of the most successful MMA training camps is in Albuquerque, NM with Greg Jackson.  Jackson has earned a reputation of being an excellent game planer and his teams winning percentage shows it.

But how does one game plan for fight, which is very chaotic?  Does a trainer fight to use his strengths or his opponent’s weaknesses? 

Well I want to suggest an idea that could help fighters develop game plans for their fights.  I will use the example of MMA for the matter of consistency but I believe that this method could be used in all the combat sports and all areas of life for that matter.

CARVER

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Military developed a risk based assessment matrix to help prioritize enemy targets.  This assessment matrix is called the CARVER matrix.  Today, many law enforcement and emergency personnel utilize this method when creating agency strategies. 

So how would this matrix work when planning for your next fight?

The acronym CARVER stands for Criticality, Accessibility, Recuperability (also Recoverability), Vulnerability, Effect and Recognizability.  Here is a break down on what each means when using this for MMA.

Criticality  Is this critical to win the fight?

Accessibility  Is this accessible or am I able to do this? 

Recuperability  Will my opponent be able to recover from this?

 Vulnerability   Is my opponent vulnerable in this area?

 Effect What is the impact of accomplishing this psychologically?

Recognizability Will the judges recognize the advantage or strike?

So how does this work and what does this mean?

To set up the matrix make a spreadsheet similar to the one you see below.  After reviewing film on your opponent’s fights get with your coaches or training partners and write down 4-8 areas that you may want to focus on when training for this particular fight.  Then rate each position or area of training, in each CARVER category, by scoring them 1-5 (5 being the most critical, the most accessible, the hardest to recover from, the most vulnerable, the biggest impact, and very recognizable; 1 being the least)Rating these areas could be done statically by taking careful statistics of your opponents last three fights.   You may also want to have your coach and training partners create their own matrix for your fight, then compare them.  This will give you a less distroted view and give you ideas that maybe you would not have thought of.

Below is a sample CARVER matrix of what a possible Muay Thai dominate fighter may come up with if he is fighting a fighter that is predominately a wrestler who likes to utilize the cage for dirty boxing. 

THE CARVER MATRIX

	Escaping from the guard	Takedowns	Single Leg  Defense	Boxing	Escaping against the fence	Passing the Guard
Criticality	4	2	5	4	4	1
Accessibility	4	2	4	4	3	1
Recuperability	2	1	2	3	3	2
Vulnerability	4	1	2	3	2	3
Effect	4	5	5	3	3	4
Recognizeability	2	4	4	4	4	4
Total	20	15	22	21	19	15

Utilizing the above matrix, would give the fighter the direction that training cage work and takedown defense is probably more important that drilling single legs and guard passing.   I realize this may be common sense but I believe that adding quantitative data to a problem can make solution easier to discover.  Using this type of matrix to organize your training could have dramatic impacts on your effectiveness, attitude, focus, and motivation.

This same matrix can be used for many purposes using the same guidelines of ranking each category.  Proper planning and preparation can mean the difference of winning and losing, being poor and being rich, getting hired and getting fired.   Try using the CARVER method with your training and let me know how it works for you.

Jerome

www.fightlogs.com

Four Elements of Self-Defense

While teaching grappling and use of force classes over the past few years, I have been asked many times “What is the best martial art to train for self-defense?”  While I would not consider myself close to being an expert of any martial art, or in self-defense in general, when teaching such classes you are expected to have the answers or be able to direct the student in the right direction. 

In order to answer such a question, I really needed to examine what I believe, what I have been taught and what I have experienced.  Having attended many training courses covering topics of the like and utilizing the information from them, I have answered the question with four elements of self-defense.  I realize that even situation is dynamic and unique, there can be some commonalities in many situations that can be addressed.

Please recognize that the information is mainly about physical assault not involving firearms, home invasions, and other off-beat occurrences that could happen.  The topics here are to illicit an open discussion about the topic and so we all could benefit.

Element I: Avoidance

The best way to get out of a situation that may require you to be worried about your personal safety is to avoid the situation completely.   When I speak about the avoidance elementl I often refer to my Jiu Jitsu instructor’s, Kevin Jones, reply when I asked him how to get out of a certain submission.   He simply said, “Don’t get in it.”  The same can be said for self-defense situations, avoiding the situations is often times the best solution.

I grew up in a blue collar railroad town that was known for the fist fights and copious assaults that would take place.  However, in this town, and probably like most towns, the majority of the assaults took place when alcohol was involved.  Therefore to decrease the likelihood of being involved in a situation where you may need to defend yourself, avoid places where the majority of assaults happen such as bars, nightclubs, and other places alcohol is served. 

It is clear that alcohol, mainly alcohol abuse, plays a significant role in assaults.  In a 2006 FBI report of violent assaults on law enforcement officers, 81 percent of participating offenders that assaulted an officer reportedly drank at least once a week.   (Keep in mind that these numbers also include assault with deadly weapons as well.)

Element II: Awareness

Because I realize that assaults do happen in the strangest of places such as the dog park, the McDonald’s drive-through line, little league games, and so on, and because I realize that we must live our lives, there is more to being safe than just avoiding the environment. 

First, be aware of who is around you.  If you find yourself in a bar, dog park, or wherever, scan the area to make sure there isn’t anyone that poses a threat to you or may be looking to cause trouble.  If you feel unsure about an individual or group of individuals, I would suggest that it is best to trust your instincts and find a different place to spend your time.

Secondly, when you find yourself in a situation and you feel the need to protect yourself, being aware of certain tendencies and gestures can forewarn you of what is about to happen.  They are commonly known as pre-assault indicators.  The human body is often giving off signs that can give you clues to what someone is thinking.  Non-verbal communication leaks from the body constiantly and can be obvious if you know what to look for.  Knowing these indicators can and have saved people’s lives. Here are a few easy ones to remember:

• Grooming.  If the threatening subject begins to touch his face, hair, or chin it is because of the stress of his future actions.  The most common grooming I have seen is the touching of the chin as if they were combing their goatee, or adjusting the clothing (pulling up on the pants, taking off the a hat, ect.).

• Fake Yawn.  

• Bladed Stance.

• Contacts with associates.  If the subject is with a group, the subject will often speak to his friends or gesture to them prior to acting.

• Scanning.  Many times a subject will scan the area or look over his shoulder to ensure no authority is around or to be certain that you are alone.  Or he may be scanning you up and down.

This video is from a Tru TV show, which makes me question the authenticity of the video.  However the punches look hard on the ground so we'll call it legit for now. See if you can spot a couple of the pre assault indicators.

For those of you that may be interested in ways of increasing your awareness, Roy Harris has written a great amount on developing awareness that can be found at http://www.royharris.com/tag/awareness  .

Element III:  Anticipation

If you are not able to avoid the situation or are not aware of your surroundings enough to leave prior to the incident, but you have seen and witnessed a pre-assault indicator (or even if you have not), anticipate the assault happening.  Anticipating the incident can help you prepare for what is about to happen.  However, you must be careful not to confuse anticipation with instigating. 

In a world of video cameras and a lawsuit happy public, your appearance could be very important.  I would pose this solution that was given to me by Tony Blauer a few years back while attending a S.P.E.A.R. training.  The most important thing in a fight is to protect yourself.  If you have been in a gym I am sure you have heard numerous times “keep your hands up!”  But throwing your hands up in a tense situation with your fist balled up can escalate the situation when there may still be a way to avoid the whole thing. 

Many times in a heated discussion people will have their hands down at their sides and face leaning forward in an alpha male way of invading the other’s space.  This is natural.  I will ask you to avoid nature and keep your wits about you and do what is safe.  Avoid leaving your hands at your side.  If a fight is going to happen having your hand low could be a costly mistake.  Instead I want you to raise your hands so your fingers are at about nose level and palms facing the subject in a non-aggressive posture with the head slightly leaning back and make sure your hands are closer to your face than the subject’s.  Make sure to speak calmly and softly.  Remember that the idea is to avoid this entire situation if possible.   Keep your weight on your toes with your strong foot back.  Although we don’t want this fight to happen we can’t be caught with our weight on our heels.

This stance can accomplish multiple things.  First, it could possibly defuse the situation by relaying to the subject that fighting is not what you want to do.  Secondly, this posture is not an aggressive posture and if there are witnesses and/or cameras, this is normally seen as self-defense.  Thirdly, by assuming this stance you are putting yourself in a position to best defend yourself from a haymaker punch and you are only a few short movements to a full-on fighting stance.

Since learning this nice little stance I have been teaching it to students that have inquired about such things and I have been told more than once that this stance has either saved them from a fight or saved them from getting punched. 

WE SHOULD ANTICIPATE THE FIGHT, NOT INSTIGATE THE FIGHT.

Along with the above a big portion of anticipation is running mental senarios in your head from time to time asking your self, “What would I do if (fill in the black) happened right now?”  Einstien used what he termed “thought experiments” which eventually lead to the Theory of Reativity.  Using  your own “thought experements”,like posing that question, can help provide a mental road map of and pepare your mental state for the incidents that may occur. 

Element IV:  Ability

Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting, but never hit soft.

- Theodore Roosevelt-

This is the element where the fight is on.  From this point our skill, training, and conditioning will play a factor.  This is the element where the art you chose to study and will matter. However, I would like to suggest that just because you study an art doesn’t mean that you are prepared for a street fight.  If you are not training for a street fight you may not be prepared for a street fight.  I can assure you that there are no advantage points when things get serious. 

If I have learned anything over the past decade it is that training is specific.  If self-defense is the primary concern for training an art, I feel that it’s important for you to relay that to your instructor so he can address your needs as well as others.  Bad habits ,or training scars, can be formed if you are not training how you plan to fight.  A good example of training scars can be illistrated by an incedent that occurred during a training session.  While conducting use of force senarios an officer in the class pulled guard when the senario became physical (probably not the best idea in the Arizona desert).  I am not saying it’s wrong but I don’t believe that training to be under a man that is seriously trying to hurt or kill you is the best solution to that type of problem. 

Although I’m not the foremost authority of the subject I feel that the points made above are worth considering.  I hope this has helped some with and has ignited questions and concerns.  Thanks for taking the time.

I would love to hear any comments about this.  Perhaps there are things or elements that don’t fit into these categories that I have not thought of. 

Jerome
www.fightlogs.com

Intimidating

An overlooked part of today's competition  based martial arts programs is a psychological approach to the match that takes place before the match even happens.  Your body positioning positive or negative can dictate your opponents thoughts about you. 


I recently felt this phenomenon at a recent tournament. Knowing who one of my opponents was going to be, I saw him in the bullpen prior to match.  Normally, I try to pretend no one is around me and that anyone who is around me doesn't matter to the point they barely even exist.  However this time I caught my opponent staring at me and as I looked at him in the eye a sudden involuntary movement came over my body, and I quickly broke the eye contact.  Immediately, he had to have known I was nervous.  I ended up losing the match.


Now I'm not saying that the brief lack of confidence in my actions dictated the match; he very well could have just been simply better than me.  However, I believe it made a difference in his view of how the match was going to go.  Take a look at this short video of Mike Tyson on intimidation.

So how can we prevent making "tells" in our body's actions prior to a match?


I will be hitting on this topic in the near future....  

Next Couple Weeks

So for the next couple weeks I will be out of town. I'm traveling to a desolate place in New Mexico where there won't be much for training.  I am actually looking forward to taking a little time off to help recover from some injuries that have been bothering me.  So I will be packing my golf clubs and hoping to hit the links while I am away.  I am also working on some fun projects to me, and hopefully interesting projects to others, so during the next month I should get some time to work on them.  Hopefully by the end of summer I will have some great (or at least entertaining) reading for some of you.

Despite the plans of taking some time off, I spoke with  gentleman the other day and, I have tentatively scheduled my very first teaching seminar.  I am very excited about the opportunity and look forward to teaching a little Half-guard Hustle.
So if you are in the Roswell, NM area and wish to attend hit me up!

On another note.  I am excited to say that Fightlogs.com will be sponsoring BJJ Revolution Competitor M. Jay Petersen in the upcoming IBJJF Mundials!!  Jay is a great competitor and will be a force this year.

Hit Jay up on his Facebook an wish him luck!

http://www.facebook.com/mjpetersen


On top of all of this.....Happy Mother's Day to the best Mom I could possibly ask for.  In the 6 years of Jr. and Sr. High School I don't think she missed any of my sporting events and she even made a few in college (as I sat the bench).  Thanks Mom.

A Key to Growth

I have been teaching Jiu Jitsu classes for about two years now.  Teaching and coaching has great benefits, it improves skill, requires self improvement, and rewards in ways that personal achievements could never do.  Teaching others will increase an instructor's confidence in his training and his knowledge.  An instructor is his students number one place to go for information, and in their eyes he has all their answers. Often times because of the difference in experience and skill an instructor can seem like the BIG FISH in the water.  However, on days like today, I am reminded on just how little of a fish I really am and how immature my knowledge of the art really is.   Learning from the more experienced, the more knowledgable, the more skilled is a necessary uncomfort that is needed for growth.  This is needed to show us that there are many things yet to be accomplished and many lessons yet to be learned.

This type of learning is necessary to all of us in all areas of life.  Even if you are the number one salesman in your company, you could learn from the number one in your city. If you are the number one in your city you should seek out the number one in the state or region.  If you are the number one in the region seek out the number  one in the country.   I had a football coach tell me once that, "you shouldn't worry about being the best cornerback on the team.  Your goal should be to be the best cornerback in the conference. And your worry should be, how are you going to accomplish that?"

The great thing about athletics is the events and seasons can be small parodies of life.  Every four years there is an Olympic champion in many different sports.  These champions can call themselves the best in their sport.  However, every Olympic Champion still has a coach, or someone that can correct them, drive them, and humble them.  There is always someone that can teach you more than you know.

So if you're like me and occasionally find yourself with the false confidence that you really have knowledge about the subject.  I invite you to step out of your comfort zone and find someone to show you  exactly how little you know, and how small of a fish you are.

A little humility can go a long way...

This is the first post of the White Collar Choke blog.  This blog will cover a variety of topics from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, to Business, from Defensive Tactics to Life Lessons and Motivations, and from Mixed Martial Arts to Personal Finance.

Thank you for taking the time to stop but White Collar Choke.  Make this a daily stop.