You already know about your sacred space. That is the space that separates you from your opponent. Your sacred space is that safety zone 360 degrees around you. Typically, when you are in your sacred space, you are just beyond the attack range of your opponent or you are in a range where you can comfortably counter any attacks directed at you. Besides your conditioning and MMA Gear. Closing space is essential
But what about the next step, the step where the part when you need to close the distance? For example suppose you are on the attack, and you need to get in for your attack sequence. This moving forward is commonly referred to as closing the gap. Closing the gap correctly and decisively in a tournament competition will bring you more trophies and medals.
An extremely crucial distinction needs to be made between tournament fighting and street fighting. In a competition situation, you are in a semi-controlled environment. Closing the gap correctly in a tournament will oftentimes give you an advantage. Sort of a first mover advantage really, by initiating the closing of the gap, you are in effect pushing the attack. Your opponent is then forced to either retreat or counter. Actually, if you pay attention, many tournament fighters struggle to respond adequately under a barrage of initial attacks.
On the other hand, responding to an attack on the street is a whole different animal. This article will not delve into street fighting as that is a topic unique to itself. Suffice it to say this: in many cases you may not have the opportunity to close the gap. In a street fight, the gap is likely being closed on you, suddenly and without warning. The point is except in the most unusual of circumstances, you won’t need to close the gap in a street fight. That sort of thing is best saved for the movies.
Many martial arts instructors consider closing the gap to be a fundamental skill and teach it from the very beginning. Because it takes a combination of precise timing and an ability to sense or “read” your opponents intentions, a lot of training is required to learn to close the gap effectively.
That being said, you will find that many martial arts instructors teach that learning the proper foot work is a critical component in learning to close the gap properly. Now of course, closing the gap will mean different things to different practitioners. A Tae Kwon Do practitioner will have vastly different strategies used to close the gap compared to a classically trained boxer or even a Wing Chun practitioner. Or in an even more extreme example, look to the MMA events for closing the gap sequences. The point is that closing the gap is a fundamental martial arts skill. Whatever style you practice, you owe it to yourself to devote the proper practice time and energy to learning how to close the gap. Also consider that the number one cardinal sin in fighting is hesitation. You remember the adage “he who hesitates is lost”; well in a fighting situation that can be especially true.
Closing the gap is a fundamental skill for all styles of martial artists. Learning and practicing proper gap closing skills can enhance your martial arts practice and lead to greater success in tournament fighting. Also check out our post on 10 Self Defense Tips for Women.
Posted in MMA
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Tagged MMA
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UFC President Dana White revealed during his guest appearance on FUEL TV’s UFC Tonight about the controversial issue on cancellation of UFC 151; expressing his personal feeling and the rest of the parties concern since the issue occurred. “This is an all-time low for me as UFC President. This is the first time we’re canceling an event in 11 years.”
Unfortunately, Dan Henderson had a bad injury that would keep him out of UFC 151; the UFC quickly arranged a short-notice teleconference to substantiate the fateful news. Thus White throws some of the blame towards Dan Henderson for the short- notice communication about Henderson’s injury.
“Dan Henderson knew two weeks before the fight,” said White. “Two weeks before he told me he was injured, he knew. And if he had given me those two weeks, like he should have, this fight might have happened.”
“I’ve got no animosity towards Jones,” said White. “We’ll find out how our relationship is as we move on. This thing is a little weird. It’s never happened before.
“Jon is a young guy and he’s made mistakes that young people make. Who doesn’t at his age? If I went back to being 23 years old with a ton of fame and a ton of money, that’s when you make all your mistakes. The great thing about making your mistakes in your 20s is by the time you’ve established yourself in your late 20s and 30s, you’ve already made all your mistakes and you can conduct yourself the way you should.”
“I give Jon Jones a lot of slack. The guy is young. I’m never going to tell you because Jon Jones didn’t fight in 151 that he’s a terrible fighter. He’s a phenomenal fighter. Anyone who’s watched the UFC long enough and knows my personality, they know how I am.
“Anyone who’s watched the UFC long enough and knows my personality, they know how I am. I’ve dealt with the baddest dudes in the world for the last 12 years, and that’s what I like doing. I like fighters. I like how they think.
“They can be a little hard to deal with, but that’s part of the game.”
White, however was never softened at all for trainer Greg Jackson.
“He’s definitely to blame, too, but there’s never been a case, ever, in UFC history, where a guy didn’t step up and take a fight. I had pretty good reason to be upset.”
“I just think the Greg Jackson stuff… This guy… this is my philosophy on trainers, too: You need a good trainer, a guy who’s gonna be there for you, who can kind of keep you in line and keep you training and everything else. But trainers don’t make fighters. Talented fighters make trainers, and that’s a fact.”
“The thing you have to understand about Greg Jackson, too, and I’ll say it again, I said it before, this guy’s a businessman. First and foremost, before anything, this guy is a businessman. He built a business.”
“We’re a family.’ That’s what he kept telling Rashad Evans and Jon, so they wouldn’t fight, because ‘we’re a family.’ I told Rashad and Jon, ‘He’s not your family. Greg Jackson is not your family member, okay? If things go bad for you, tomorrow, Brother Greg isn’t gonna be there for you. Is he gonna pay your bills? Is he gonna take care of your family? Your real family? No, he’s not!”
“And, you saw, when it came down to it, when push came to shove, who did Greg Jackson pick? He picked Jon Jones, the guy that he believed would beat Rashad. That’s a fact. That’s a business. He’s a businessman.”
Don’t forget to buy a set of our ufc gloves.
Junior Dos Santos was able to defend his heavyweight title against two times champion Frank Mir in front of approximately 14,000 people at the MGM Grand Garden. The bout was finished in the second round, three minutes and four seconds to be exact after Santos handed Mir a wicked right hand. The fans of mainly Brazilians were energized and fully behind Dos Santos, pushing him to victory.
Santos was able to get by Mir’s jiu-jitsu game and use his strikes to put the game to his advantage. Mir wasn’t able to do much offensively and I only remember one attempted take down from him in during the entire fight. He did prove however that he can be a punching target as he absorbed hits after hits, showing great resilience and toughness.
Dos Santos first real attack came late in the first round as he was able to combine about eight or so punches to the body of Mir who was backed up on the cage and it was only the sound of the bell that came to Mir’s rescue.
If Mir was successful in getting the fight to the ground we could be talking about a whole different scenario as his ground game is phenomenal. The fact that the fight was kept standing was a huge disadvantage for him. Mir admitted that his inability to take Dos Santos to the ground had cost him the match and that he knew he was in trouble. Dos Santos was just too good for him as he was faster and stronger and the superior fighter on the day.
Not many persons realize how hard it is in the MMA to defend your title as it hardly ever happens. My hat definitely goes off to Dos Santos and I have respected him even more as a player. The champion is surely paving his path to an undisputed star.
Prokarateshop: Gi for Karate
As Martial Artists, we at Prokarateshop sometimes discuss fighting techniques in a vacuum. We review what to do in a Self-Defense situation. We discuss the emotional aspects of a confrontation. Conversely, I don’t think we take the time to look at the true statistics.
Please take a look at this infographic, understand it, and use it to combat Crime in America. Also ask yourself, “What do we know about it?” And “How can you better defend yourself.”
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At Prokarateshop.com, 45% of our products are purchased for children. As much as we have worked with kids, we have noticed a growing trend. Children are becoming less active, it’s this lack of activity and bad eating habits that have made a childhood obesity a growing problem to. The below infographic shows the trend internationally and how it impacts us.
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As Martial Arts competitors, we have all been placed in a situation where you have either had to cut 20 pounds for a fight or trained someone who did. I have seen it many times. A guy puts on his suit then runs 10 miles then straps on his Sparring Gloves and fights. In all honesty, I have always thought the practice was crazy. Conversely, I could not argue with the results. I read an interesting article about cutting weight and I thought I would share it with everyone. It brought up a number of good points. I think the biggest point was that you did not need to starve your body of fluids and nutrients in order to drop weight.
The human body is a very complicated machine. Who would think that you could increase the number of meals you eat in a day, and increase your metabolism. Mike Dolce, a nutritionist that helps fighters cut weight, had a very interesting process. He would tweak the fighter’s diet by increasing the meals and nutrients. Then the night before the fight, he would have a fighter sit in the hot tub for at least 30 minutes. Who’d think that a hot tub would work? But then again, we have all used sauna. Once you think it about, it makes perfect sense. The tub is a lot less brutal, and in theory you can actually have fun.
Personally, I hope this process takes roots, and guys stop dehydrating themselves and otherwise damaging the body they will need the next night.
What do you guys think?
I think this a perfect example of why Sparring Gear is so important. “I was dealing with a really good boxer and he caught me with a left hook that rocked me a little bit,”. This was a quote from Welterweight Brian Foster. I have to say, as a Martial Artist and a giant fan of M.M.A., I got chills when I saw this headline. We tend to take for granted that as participants in contact sports, there will actually be CONTACT. I could not help but think about the times an opponent was dazed, or when I was on the receiving end. Though the U.F.C. will never allow head protection, I think all fighters should wear some during sparring sessions. Heck, there is no point in taking punishment when you are only trying to prepare. Apparently, Brian was injured while sparring, that makes me wonder about all the injuries that fighters have received that they either fought through or we just never heard about it. We really have to do better to protect our guys, sometimes we have to protect them from themselves. The inner-warrior in us always makes us jump back us and keep swinging. I think this unfortunate incident should serve as a warning to all us. We have to protect our bodies. I think as Martial Artist, we only have to look at the issues in the NFL to serve a reminder of the affects of concussions.
I am thankful Brian will recover, and I wish him and his family the best. I do hope there is some good to come out of this.
Studies have shown that 1 out every 4 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. For this reason, increasing personal well-being has to start and end with awareness. Awareness of the realities of life, awareness of your surroundings, awareness of the tools you have available to protect yourself.
I have put together a list of 10 things a woman can do to protect her and decrease the odds of being attacked.
1) Be aware of your surroundings, always focus and understand where you are. When walking to your car in a parking lot, observe the cars and people around you.
2) Trust your Instincts!! If “something” gives you a bad feeling, take heed to it. It’s better to be safe than to be sorry. That voice in your head was put there for a reason
3) Understand the self-defense tools you have readily available. For example, your keys are a perfect gouging weapon. Do you have mace in your purse?
4) Take a self-defense class. Even if it’s a one-day tutorial, if you remember one thing that saves your life, it was worth it.
5) Be careful of your where you leave your drink, there are an ever increasing amount of Sexual assaults that occur as a result of the victim being drugged in bars. Never lose sight of your beverage.
6) NEVER, EVER park in a badly lit area. Even if you have to walk an additional block, it’s just not worth taking the chance.
7) Never walk in dark, desolate areas. Though we all love a great hike, it’s not something we should do alone. There are too many unknowns. Take a friend.
8) Monitor your mail and how it is addressed. Criminals have become more savvy when comes to surveillance. Shred anything that you are throwing away.
9) Do not leave doors unlocked or alarm deactivated when home. An unlocked door is a major point of entry for many home invasions. Take the extra second to lock the door. Also, use the “at home” setting on your alarm.
10) Plan for the worse, what would you do if someone grabbed you from behind? What would you do if someone accosted you in a parking lot? In this case, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Think about these scenarios and what you would do…
The most important thing to keep in mind is to be aware of your surroundings. We live in a tough world and there are people who wish you harm. I hope this post spurs some thought on the topic of self. I hope that you never have to use anything I recommend!!
Prokarateshop.com
Created by Kano Jigoro of Japan in 1882, Judo is one of the most popular Martial Arts in the World today. Known for its very physically demanding and rigorous aspects, Judo is the featured technique in several International competitions. It is these facts that make owning a quality Judo uniform extremely important.
Constructed out of 100% cotton, Judo Uniforms are bleached white and generally not pre-shrunken. It is their cotton construction that allows for great breathability and user comfort. It is recommended that you wash your Judo Uniform in cold water and air-dry in order to maintain those qualities.
There are generally three pieces to a Judo Uniform. Quilted with a very thick collar and wide sleeves, the jacket, has two short splits on either side and is reinforced with extra cloth. Judo Pants have an elasticized drawstring waistband, are wide legged to allow for ease of movement. Finally, the belt which is colored according to the user level is wrapped around the body and knotted in the front.
The cloth for Judo Uniforms is made in a number of textures and weights. For training reasons, Judo Uniforms are made of single weave cotton. In areas where there is above-average stress, Judo Uniforms are reinforced at the seams and include additional material are the collar, knees, and seat of the pants. Measured in ounces, Judo Uniforms are made from 7 ounces up to 40. Heavier uniforms are usually preferred by experienced Judoka for it supreme abnormality and toughness.
The size and the style of Judo Uniforms are heavily regulated during completion. Due to the grappling nature of Judo, Uniforms must be long enough to cover a Judoka’s thighs. A Judo Uniform should also reach the Judoka’s fists. The regulations are maintained in order to prevent a Judoka from having a competitive advantage.
Throughout its long and storied history, Judo and Judo Gis have been revered and still maintain the traditional tenets of creator.
There are a number of “safe zones” that are protected by sparring gear. It is these protected zones that also count as a point when struck by an opponent.
A Korean Martial Art, National Sport, Loved by many? In case you didn’t figure it out, I am talking about Tae Kwon Do. As a sport, Tae Kwon Do competitors must wear Tae Kwon Do gear, as well as abide by a set of rules created by one the governing organizations. There are generally three rounds in a match, these rounds will last for up to 3 minutes. If a competitor loses an eight-count, that round is lost. Tae Kwon Do matches use a point system that counts strikes against an opponent to the head or body. These strikes are reguired to have enough force to show a referee that it was intention and impactful.
Tae Kwon Do is not only used in competition but also a great technique for self defense. Tae Kwon Do encompasses multiple facets of the Martial Arts experience. Practitioners will combind physical stamina with mental cognitive thinking to bring together a combat sport that is loved by many. Years ago, Tae Kwon Do was named, “the world’s most popular Martial Arts”. It is still very popular in the United States, and considered the National sport of Korea.
Translated into “the Art of the foot and Fist”. Tae Kwon do emphasizes kicks thrown while out-maneuvering an opponent. As of recently, many instructors have incorporated strikes, throws, and leg sweeps to build out the traditional aspects of “TKd”, as it called at times. A number of instructors have also started adding Joint Locks into their fighting system. These evolutionary changes serve to shed light on the flexibility and adaptability of Tae Kwon Do.
Created during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Tae Kwon Do was banned by the Japanese. Some say, it is during this period that “Japanese techniques” started to be incorporate into Tae Kwon Do. It was’nt until the occupation ended that Traditional Korean schools began to appear and teach Traditional Methods.
Control and power are extremely important to Tae Kwon Do sparring, as well as to any other Martial Arts Sparring. Due to the amount of force required to strike an opponent, and the specific areas allowed for striking, Control and Power must be exerted. A sparring partner must be able to deliver his strike or kick with as much power and accuracy as possible. Due to the inherent Benefits and principals of Tae Kwon Do, We at Prokarateshop.com are giant fans. We have seen the benefits and believe in the principals.
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