Coach’s Corner: The Black Belt Way of Life
Last month we had the pleasure of hosting Professor Pedro Sauer here at The Academy for an all day seminar. Jiu jitsu students from all over the state came to learn from Professor Sauer.
Among those students were students from The Academy that had the opportunity to test for their next belt rank. These are students who care deeply about being a martial artist and becoming a black belt. The dedication and focus that these students have shown throughout the years has inspired this topic of “the black belt way of life.” What does that mean and why is it important?
The black belt way of life is not just about dedication and discipline, it’s about your character off the mat too. Black belts shouldn’t just be masters of their art, but they should be humble, kind, willing to help others who aren’t as skilled or as experienced, they put the needs of others in front of their own. They are leaders who take on challenge with pleasure, and seek to make jiu-jitsu fun and accessible to all people.
Sometimes we forget that martial arts is not just for the strong, but for the weak. It’s because of martial arts that those who seem weak, frail, insecure, or uncoordinated become strong, determined, and confident. Becoming a black belt is about encouraging those who need it the most. We all have stories of feeling insecure or nervous when we first started training, but there was probably someone who was a higher rank that took time to be patient with you, to teach you what they know, to help you work through certain moves and techniques. Right?
As you continue on your journey of becoming a black belt (it doesn’t matter whether you do Muay Thai or BJJ) think about what kind of black belt you want to be… Think about why becoming a black belt is important on and off the mat.
If you’re reading this and you’re thinking that becoming a black belt isn’t one of your goals, ask yourself how come? Are you afraid of the commitment and the discipline it takes? aRe you nervous about the testing? What’s holding you back?
Achieving a black belt should be a goal of yours if it’s not already because the skills and tools that you learn, the experiences you gain are priceless and unique to this form of martial arts. As coaches, the time, money, blood, sweat, and memories that we’ve gained have made us better people in more way than we could have ever imagined. We believe that no other sport can make a more well rounded human being that the martial arts. Physically and mentally – martial artists learn to master and control their bodies and mind in ways that most people never learn how to do in their lifetime.
Sometimes life gets busy and maybe it takes us away from training and testing regularly. We want to remind you that training and testing regularly is critical to your progress as a martial artist and we strongly urge you to make testing a priority. Training prepares you for testing and testing is a way for you and us (as your coaches) to measure your progress towards becoming a black belt.
So whether becoming a black belt is a definite goal of your or you’re still on the fence about it, we want to challenge you to think about your own definition of a black belt and what it means to you. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by continuing your training here so keep up the great work!
Until next time,
Your Academy Coaches
Coach’s Corner: The Value of a Good Training Partner
Hey Team! This month’s coach’s corner comes to you from Coach Lance King, who is a blakc belt in muay thai, an instructor here at The Academy, and a rockstar (literally)!
I’ve trained Muay Thai now for over 14 years. The one thing that is probably the single most important aspect of my growth while training was “who I was training with”. The person on the other side of the pads is hugely important to your success and growth; how they hold, how they move, how fluid they are, how relaxed, how rigid or strong they are, all these aspects can create a variation in feel and how the training session goes. Every aspect of what they do will effect your performance and what you’ll learn or what you’ll physically get out of the training session.
There is no doubt some days you’ll come in and you’ll have to go with someone that you’ll be training more than they will be training you. Step into this position positively when it happens, as you are now their mentor for that session. In the beginning when you start training a certain style, you’ll be learning more than teaching, the better you get, the more that will likely change. But regardless of that, when you are in the position of holder, you should consider yourself a trainer, and realize you are responsible for the other persons growth. Of course coaches will step in and point out the things both the hitter and holder need to focus on improving, but the holders eyes are always on their partner, and that makes you very important to your partner’s success.
As the holder, you will be monitoring your partner’s ability and conditioning level and pushing them to their absolute best level they can deliver that day. Some days you’re going to be bursting with energy and some days you may be drained, each is an opportunity to learn and grow if you push yourself and your partner to their max ability. I find that if I’m really drained on a particular day, that is a day I will focus more on “form” and “flow” as opposed to going really hard. It’s good to share what you want to focus on with your partner/holder and how you’re feeling that say do you can be in synch.
In general, holding Thai pads should be done in a focused and aggressive way with a strong stance. This still can be fun and enjoyable, but there is no doubt you will get a lot more out of your workout if your holder pushes you to your best. Quite simply, this action will lock out over thinking things and forces your body to react. A side benefit is you’ll think less about being tired. You’ll be amazed at how much more your body will automatically put into your pad training session.
IF you’re training to be a fighter, then it’s more serious business. But even fighter need to control their aggression as to not hurt their training partners. It’s one thing to be competitive and quite another to loose your temper because of ego and try to inflict damage to your partners while training. There is a fine line between not enough and too much aggression.
Most great fighters are naturally aggressive and they need to train in a more aggressive way because they’re conditioning themselves to go hard and to hit hard “all the time”. However, they also need to continue to train consistently. Injuries happen, but it’s not something that helps consistent training. An injury can take you out of training for weeks or even months, so it’s good to try and avoid them until you’re in the rind or in the street where it’s time to seriously throw down. It’s always important to wear as much protection as you can. Cups, mouth guard, hand/wrist wraps, 16-18 oz gloves, and if you’re going hard, headgear is always a good idea! Remember, you want to have the best training partner possible, so it’s important to be one in return!
-Coach Lance King
The Academy welcomes new purple and blue belts to the team.
In March, four new purple belts and ten new blue belts were welcomed to Team Academy. We are extremely proud to have students who are so dedicated to their training. These students have been training tirelessly for many months, some even years. The road to becoming a black belt is not an easy one. However, the lessons learned, the skills gained, and the memories made, are worth more than the setbacks and obstacles. Black belts are not just masters at technique, but they are masters of their mind and body. Due to years and years of training, competing, failing, and winning – black belts have developed great mental fortitude and strong physical awareness of their bodies. As the saying goes, “Black belts are simply white belts that never quit”. So whether you are a new student to jiu jitsu, or you train in another form of martial arts, don’t give up. Don’t stop training when you feel discouraged, don’t let injuries scare you away from coming back to class once you’ve healed. Stay true to your path as a martial artist. In the end you will have more than just the honor of being a black belt, you will have all the memories and all the experience and insights that come from so many years of dedication. Once again, congratulations to those who tested in March and are continuing their journey towards becoming a black belt!
Purple Belts:
Coach Nat McIntyre
Coach Adam Ahern
Subash Seshadri
Shawn Woodhull
Blue Belts:
Brady Sheehan
Alex Wolter
Randal Rasmussen
Kirsten Magnuson
Megan Bugge
Joe Lahoud
Ron Winslow
Nick Pielert
Blake Vierling
Barry Nelson
Coach’s Corner: Pad Holding by Coach Andrew Kapel
Coach Andrew on the right delivering a sweet head kick!
Hey Team! It’s officially spring and we have nothing to look forward to but warmer, sunnier weather from here on out! This month’s Coach’s Corner come to you from Coach Andrew Kapel, who is not only a muay thai coach at The Academy, but a fighter on our competition team.
A commonly undervalued skill in the combat arts and an aspect not frequently emphasized, is holding pads.
To be a good pad holder for muay thai, a basic idea is to create a solid impact surface to fully utilize the technique with power and accuracy.
Remember: repetition is the mother of skill! Once singular strikes land sharp and cleanly, the next step is blending them into fluid combinations and incorporate defense. Be patient and be willing to keep it simple.
Personally, I will often spend an entire round focusing on one strike and the details of the move until no detail is unaccounted for. This mentality is what sets the standard for consistency. It is the foundation of Muay Thai.
Holding pads well will give you an unrivaled understanding for what a strike should look and feel like, as well as raise your ability to be proficient on the opposite side when its your turn to hit. Furthermore, being a good padman (or woman) makes you a valued asset to others who are preparing to fight even if you are not training for or interested in fighting yourself. It raises the overall level at our gym.
If you feel like something isn’t connecting correctly, feels disjointed or off, don’t hesitate to ask! A small adjustment could make the difference between having a satisfying and quality session, versus an awkward and frustrating one.
Like everything else, with many hours of practice, you’ll develop your own style and approach to pad holding that is unique to you. And just like sparring, hitting pads or hitting the bag, observing people more skilled than yourself on youtube or in person is an invaluable resource for improvement. – Coach Andrew Kapel
Team Academy Profile: Ben Smith
Ben smith Def. Rico Washington by Unanimous dec. 1/26/13
Calm, cool, and collected but ever the competitior is Ben smith.
Moving from Las Vegas to Minnesota months ago with his Family, Smith has been a great addition to The Academy MMA team as both a practice partner for everybody big to small, but also an overall great pressence to have in the room everyday.
What is your martial arts background & how did you get started in MMA?
Ben:” I started training in MMA around 3 years ago in an effort to connect with my roots as a wrestler. I started wrestling when I was 5 years old, and after having been disconnected from the sport for almost 10 years, I felt there was a major piece of my foundation as a person that was missing, or at least lacking the appropriate nurture. MMA has filled those gaps for me.”
What motivates you day in day out?
Ben:” I’m motivated to wake up and face the grind every day by an uncompromising need to seek out personal actualization. The sense of merit and accomplishment, which my involvement in MMA supplies, allows for me to be a better, happier, and more adjusted man for my family.”
How did you end up at the academy?
Ben:” I spent the last couple years training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Although I was happy to move back to Minneapolis in order to be closer to family, I was nervous about finding a gym that would suit my needs as well Xtreme. Everyone I asked told me that The Academy was where it’s at. They were completely right, and I’m incredibly honored to be a part of the gym.”
What are your goals as a competitor?
Ben: “My only concrete goal in MMA since I started was to get myself to the UFC. I figure that when that happens, I will reassess and come up with some new ones.”
What do you enjoy most about the sport/ training at the academy?
Ben:” I love competing in MMA because its a tangible attack against immobility, doubt, and fear. Every person, in one fashion or another, has to face those things in life. Competing in one on one combat just happens to be the medium that best suits me.”
“What I love most about The Academy is the motto it operates under (Opera non Verba…Deeds not Words). I wish all factions of the world would operate under this very simple, and very noble principle.”
