Instructional – GnP from Guard

Another instructional Spenna did for the Warrior Collective

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Instructional - Abe Roll from duck under

Here is the first of a couple of videos I filmed with the warrior collective:-

   

Cheers Spenna

Mi Vida Loca - Book Review

On the recommendation of my friend Aaron I bought this book not really knowing what to expect, I am not a massive boxing fan and I know nothing about Johnny Tapia until I read this book .....

Here is the Product Description from Amazon –
"There is only one winner in boxing. Fighting against your opponent and fighting against your own inner demons become one in the same. Those who survive both in and out of the ring are beloved worldwide. Those who do not spiral downward into drugs, prison, and even murder. ...[My] life's been pretty tragic, remarks Johnny. But in the ring, it's been a blessing. Mi Vida Loca is not just a nickname for Johnny, but a legendary tale of a life lived over the edge and back.

To be honest I don’t know where to start with this, Johnny Tapia takes you on a hell of a ride, just as you think things are going to go well and everyone is going to live happily ever after ... along comes Johnny.

I think this is the first book I have ever read and at the end of ever chapter said out loud “YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME” …. Every chapter

This book made me laugh and pull my hair out, I could never have a person like Johnny in my life I would end up been a broken mess.

If you want a Rudy type story to read, this book is not for you. If you want a story that is going to make you twitch your bum get it … get it now.

 

The Universe Doesn't Give a Flying F*ck About You - Book Review

FREEEEEEE!!!! that is right it is free...

This book was suggested to me after I put up a book review on the Chimp Management book which I really enjoyed. This book though is a quick little read that does not lures you into a false sense of security and then slaps you in the face and tells you to sort your crap out!!

Although it does not give you many techniques or drills the book can be summed up in my opinion with one quote from it :-

"your shit needs to be more epic. level it up broseph"

Little Evil - Book Review

Little Evil: One Ultimate Fighter's Rise to the Top

Jens Pulver was always a fighter I looked up to when he knocked out John Lewis back at UFC 28, I was impressed by how he found the gap in John Lewis game which lead to the KO.

Jens was the first person to be crowned the UFC Light Weight Champion in an amazing war with BJ Penn and although this is featured in the book his back story on how he got to the top is what really makes this book.

The product description sums it up better than I could:-

"This gripping tale follows the life of Jens Pulver, the current lightweight Ultimate Fighting Champion. Pulver reveals a youth spent in a family in which violence was the only way to deal with conflict, and in which his father's alcoholism made all family relationships contentious. Set against Pulver’s tumultuous upbringing, this account offers insight into his rise to prominence in the ring and his drive to overcome adversity and find inner peace."

This book is not a big book but it really packs a punch, I had the pleasure to meet Jens Pulver at UFC 100 at a breakfast buffet. Although it may be rude to interrupt his meal have been rude ...  I am glad I had the chance to tell him I really enjoyed his book

The Chimp Paradox - Book Review

Uncle Spen reads books …. Well sometimes here is a blog about one:-

The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness 

Coming from a Family with a fiery disposition, my monkey is powerful and my gremlins are many!

No I have not gone crazy …. Well ok … no more than normal but we all build up a mental blocks and patterns that effect our judgement and how we react in situations. It can be very difficult to identify these patterns and habits because we have been doing them for a very long time, many times I have looked back at some situations and thought I could have handled the situation a lot better.

So what attracted you to the book uncle Spen? …. It was the monkey on the front cover and once I noticed the book title (Chimp Management) I was sold.

What is so great about the book uncle Spen? …. The book discusses psychological techniques that can be used to help review past situation and how to deal with difficult situations in the future.

The book is written in an easy to follow way which uses examples of situation’s which match my own experience without been patronising and reading like bible from a cult. You don’t need to be looking for a self-help book to want to read this, the author has put together a great book which anyone can take away something.

I love it when a plan comes together

When teaching grappling it does not matter if it is a pro level MMA fighter or a BJJ white belt I always try and get my students to game plan and I think one of the best ways of doing this is to flow chart you game.

Not sure what a flow chart is  ..... Wikipedia - Flowchart

Flow charts help you not only focus on a goal and understand what your progression is from position to position but it can be a great tool to improve your game.

When a new student starts at Fulinkazan we teach them the progression and movement from position to position. A great way to do this is to flow chart your game plan, this really helps new students understand how different positions interlink:-

I have been training in martial arts for 15 years and I find this to be a great tool, I will write out my game plan and look at what I need to work on. When I find myself doing the same thing over and over again I write out a flow chart and then add other things in.

For example I wanted to add the head and arm choke from mount into my offence, so I wrote out my mount game and then looked how I could add this to help me get a head and arm choke .... did it work?

Yeap!!!! it took a couple of weeks but I managed to hit on most people in sparring.

So what are you waiting for ? Grab a pen and paper and start designing you game plan! Send us an example of your game plan for part 2 of game planning series.