UFC / MMA Fighting

[StringJumper]

I just finished a book on Chuck Liddell (aka Iceman). I am not a huge fan of UFC fighting but evidently he is one of the legends of the sport. But what impressed me most is the training and conditioning they go through in order to be competitive in the sport. Wow!

These guys are nothing more than well conditioned human pit bulls. And I say that in a respectful way...I wish that I had the discipline and competitive drive that these guys possess. It's amazing.

[DancesWithKnives]

At the martial arts academy I used to attend, one of the instructors fought MMA and was formerly the world light-heavyweight Shooto fighting champion. I was on the mat with him once or twice for some instruction and the guy was so solid that it felt like his body was made out of lead. Unbelievable muscle density and strength. I outweighed him by 30-40 pounds and he could toss me around like a ragdoll.

On Saturdays I would sometimes do a two-hour Kali class and two one-hour classes in other disciplines. I was shot for the rest of the day and that doesn't even come close to the intensity of training those MMA guys put in on a "light" day. They are some tough SOBs!

DWK

[AK-49]

i know a guy that use to be a cage fighter in soldotna... he got an eye injury during a training session and that ended his career... now he works on the slope for an oil company

i used to watch that crap but now i think it is way over the line. thanks but no thanks...

[DancesWithKnives]

That's a good thing about our system: If you don't like it, you don't have to watch it.

DWK

[AK-49]

I think ultimate fighting and the like sends a less than positive message to those considering being involved in the martial arts.

[DancesWithKnives]

I think you could say that about a lot of the TV shows designed for entertainment, including some of the hunting, fishing, and survival shows.

DWK

[Hi Ball]

Stringjumper......You know there are a lot of so called fighters out there today, most of them could not find their way out of a paper bag. There has always been a lot of HIPE concerning the martial arts etc. There are many styles, including the Bruce Lee modifications etc.

Never did any of the martial arts, however I did dance a round or two around the squared circle for awhile. I can say this much, that a Pro-Boxer is the most conditioned athlete of all period. Now before you go jumping out of your seat, I am speaking of those who are in the upper level of the sport, not just club fighters who go 4 or 6 rounds.

Most of the cage fighters that I have seen, are NOT in near the cardio shape they should be in. I have witnessed many who are huffing and puffing after the 1st round. A true sign of NO LEG WORK or ROAD WORK ON HILLS!
There are very few who take things real serious and train like they should, however I believe there is just to much BS and hipe in the sport. I view it more like Pro-Wrestling today, not really a fight.

Now to begin with I have seen very very few of those cage fighters who even know how to through a right hand straight or a right cross, left hook etc. They all punch with their arms and NO BODY behind the punch. More like round house rights and lefts and hail mary to the one who conects! ;):rolleyes:

[DancesWithKnives]

Yes, I'd agree that the good pro boxers are in phenomenal condition. Oscar de la Hoya has a training camp a bit over a mile high in our local mountains and that's where some of the best go to train. I watched some programs on their prep and it is astonishing.

Since Stringjumper started a thread about conditioning, I'm not going to get off topic on ground fighting, etc.

DWK

[Hammerxc]

Heart and stamina of unimaginable proportions in a champion MMA fighter.

[Hi Ball]

I have watched several of these cage type fights in more than one different association and they just don't seem to produce the kind of athlete that steps into the ring for a boxing match.

Now some 90% of all those I watched were huffing and puffing during their time out between rounds and showed far less excitement in the next 2 rounds verses the first round.

Now it used to be that in boxing, a 15 round fight was to be a championship fight only. Now days it is 12 rounds, sorry to see that as it just promotes the athlets into getting into the best shape of their lives.

This is not the case in the so called cage arena today! It is still more of a "SHOW" for the fans instead of a real fight. Most of these guys can't even through a decent left hook or right cross and that is a total fact. It they did, they would no doubt be a much better over-all fighter.

I like to watch a good Karate match or Judu match and love a good boxing match too. However, all this mix/match crap is for the birds simply put. I know for a fact, that 15 years ago I could whip the tar out of most those who call themselves cage fighting athlets today. :rolleyes:

[President Obanana]

Ha! Ha!

[Rock Chuck]

Strength and stamina - have you ever watched a man in world class pairs figure skating? They have more than just strength, they have the ability to make it look easy. I can't imagine sliding along gracefully while holding 120lb over my head with one hand.

it's amazing what the body can do with the proper training. It applies to many sports.

[Hi Ball]

Rock Chuck those skaters spend years getting to that point of strength! I have never seen any skaters up at 5 o'clock in the morning running mile after mile before breakfast. We ran at least 2 miles for every round fought, when I was fighting in my youthfull days. We never lifted any weights heavier than 5 or 10 pounds.........lifting weights, slowed our speed down, I was told early on.

Now after breakfast we relaxed for an hour or two, had a snack laid down for 45 min and back to the gym. Warmed up skipping rope for 30 minutes, then stretching, hit the heavy bag for 3 rounds hard, move to the peanut bag for a round. Then swim 12 laps in an Olympic pool. Go back to barracks, eat a snack, rest or watch TV etc.

Eat at 5 o'clock hit the gym at 7 o'clock, do warm ups, hit heavy bag for 2 rounds, then box for 3 rounds in the ring, 100 pushups & 250 situps. Then climb the rope with your arms only. Run wind sprints across the gym floor, eat a snack and go back to barracks to sleep. This was 6 days a week, most of us were always to tried to go out at night, even though we had a pass 24/7 as long as we made practice and weight.:)