Sports Training: One More Try - Sisu

"Intrinsic to Finland and its people, sisu is a form of stoic courage and unwavering perseverance in the face of long odds and hard challenges. It's the kind of thing that allows a person to quietly set his will to complete just one more rep before setting down the barbell. It's what helps a man climb a hill when his body wants to refuse."

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Sports Pschology: The 4 Sicknesses of the Heart

Although these mental principles are written for kendo, they can also be applied to jiu-jitsu.   

"....the kendo practitioner is faced with many difficulties to overcome, the greatest if which is not so much the strength or skill of the opponent, but one’s own personal weaknesses. To be more precise, personal development through kendo is related to overcoming what are referred to as the shikai (four sicknesses of the heart or mind). The four sicknesses are ‘surprise’, ‘fear’, ‘doubt’, and ‘confusion’. When any of these weaknesses are present, openings will result, and defeat is inevitable. For example, when faced with an opponent who is particularly large, has a strong presence, or is renowned for their skill, this could incite fear. If they attempt something unexpected such as a flashy technique, you may find yourself becoming a little surprised. Your opponent may try to entice you into making an attack against your will by leaving a target open for attack. This may cause doubt as you wonder whether it is safe to make an attack. Similarly you may be momentarily confused as to the best course of action or which technique to employ. This confused mental state resulting in hesitation is referred to as kogishin."
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Alexander Bennett

Quotes - Fate

"I am a fatalist, and believe that my time is appointed to come quite without reference to my own movements and will, and that if I am to go...to be killed, I shall go there and shall be killed.  God Almighty, no doubt, knows His mind about me, so I need not trouble on that point."

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King Solomon's Mines - H. Rider Haggard

Nutrition: Supplements: Garlic

Benefits:

- May help reduce cholesterol levels and reduce risk of heart disease. 
- May have antioxidant benefits. 
- May help lower chances of getting the common cold. 

Quotes: Power of Words - Find Your Motivation

Once more into the fray
Into the last good fight I’ll ever know
Live and die on this day
Live and die on this day

  

Nutrition: Benefits of Meat in Vegetarian Form

Try consuming these supplements to gain the benefits of meat without eating meat:

- Creatine
- L-Carnitine
- Spirulina
- Beta-alinine

Health: Get Some Sleep Live Better

Sleep deprivation can inhibit a person's ability to lose weight and maintain a steady weight "because sleep deprivation makes you hungrier and less active during the day." Ultimately, sleep deprivation influences a person's metabolism even over short periods of time.  

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60 Seconds Health

Sports: A Rock is More Than Just a Rock

Nutrition: Cocoa Nibs

Although high in fat, cocoa also contains high amounts of flavonoids--which may be benefit cardiovascular health.  Cocoa is also low in sugar, but maintains its chocolate taste. 

Sports: Psychology: Quotes: Words from a Master - Henry Akins

Psychololgy: Quotes - Finding Your Way

"Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in your work.  You have to love your work.  Never complain about your job.  You must dedicate yourself to mastering your skill.  That is the secret to success and and being regarded honorably."

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Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Sports: Psychology: Motivation - "My Life Has No Finish Line"

If you ever thought you were training a lot...

Sports: Psychology: Quotes - Words from a Master

Submissions are the heart of jiu-jitsu.  Well, that is what Kron Gracie tends to believe.

"...I want to fight someone to prove to myself and him...I want to see what's going to happen.  I want to see who's going to win and who's better.  I don't want to hold a position or do a position that is going to maybe get me an advantage...that isn't jiu-jitsu.  When we train at the academy...it's never about points or position.  It's about who gets the submission."

"It wasn't like this fifteen years ago...it wasn't this sporty.  Now, it is so sporty...the younger kids, the blue belts and purple belts are seeing guys who are winning the Worlds doing the fifty-fifty guard not changing position the whole fight, and holding onto their grips for dear life.  They see the guys winning and train that...they are training their whole lives to do something that is not going to benefit them except in a jiu-jitsu match.  I try to focus my jiu-jitsu on everything about jiu-jitsu from the stand-up part, to the ground part, to the bad positions, to the good positions, and to the self-defense."

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Kron Gracie
Inside BJJ

Sports: Psychology: Quotes - Words from a Master

Ryron Gracie speaks about the importance of winning.

"...when you're a child, and you have your parents pat you on the back...telling all their friends how you won.  ...you spend the whole day having your mom and dad telling everybody how good of an athlete you are at whatever sport you play when you're seven years old.  ...as you get older it continues...you only get praise for when you do good at something.  You start to build your identity around those praises.  Now you seventeen...thirty-five years old, and you win a tournament, everybody congratulated you.  ...you just want to feel that...you want to be told once again how special and how good you are.  You only feel special and good when you perform.  People aren't being patted on the back and being told 'good job' when they're getting beat."

"...you always have to see and reward the person for what they did that was good.  And there's always something.  Even if you lose in four seconds, it doesn't matter.  You stepped on mat, and by stepping on the mat you did want ninety-nine percent of the world would not do.  ...There is always something good and positive to find in the experience."

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Ryron Gracie
Inside BJJ

Nutrition: Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds may be a good supplement to add to your diet.  They are an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, and selenium.

Vitamin E - may act as an antioxidant, enhance energy and physical performance, and aid in recovery. 

Magnesium - may help maintain healthy muscle and nerve functions.

Selenium - may help prevent cell damage. 

Sports: Training: Conditioning: A Nice Complex Workout

Martin Rooney published the following simple complex workout:


Guideline 1 - 5 to 10 reps per exercise. 
Guideline 2 - Complete all exercises in 30 to 60 seconds.  5 reps for 30 seconds and 10 reps for 60 seconds. 
Guideline 3 - Complete 3-5 sets with 2-3 minutes of rest in-between sets. 

• Interval Time: 30 seconds or 60 seconds
• Exercise 1 - Deadlifts
• Exercise 2 - Bent over rows
• Exercise 3 - High pulls
• Exercise 4 - Front squats
• Exercise 5 - Overhead presses
• Exercise 6 - Back squats

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Livestrong.com

Sports: Training: Conditioning - Supplemental Training for BJJ

When asked what his thoughts about athletic training/conditioning as a supplement to jiu-jitsu training, Zak Maxwell had this to say, "...there's a balance there.  ...if you're going to do any kind of supplementary training it should just be for general strength and conditioning.  I think training (jiu-jitsu) is the most important thing you can do...specific drills, everything like that....  I'm a big advocate of that.  I'm not trying to be the best at working out."

Additionally, he was asked where should your priorities be in terms of working out and jiu-jitsu.  His response was, "You need to find a middle ground.  You don't want to train so much you get overly developed in certain areas, but then are weak in others.  You don't want to work out so much you are relying on athleticism and none of your technique.  I think the middle ground...is to keep your body healthy and strong so you can practice and train more."

Zak Maxwell
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Inside BJJ

Sports: Recovery - Rest More to Train Better

A top triathlon suggests rest and recovery are as important as training.  To optimize recovery try incorporating the following recovery techniques into your schedule:

• Light training days following heavy training days
• Rest days
• Sleep
• Muscle compression / Leg elevation
• Mental relaxation 

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CNN.com

Psychology: Sleep More Remember More

A new study suggests taking a short nap (10 minutes) / closing your eyes in a dark area will enable you to remember more than others who do not take this break. 

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CNN.com

Sports: Psychology: This is Drive and Sacrifice

"...12-year-old Douglas hatched a drastic plan to ensure that fairy tale became her reality:

She must train with Johnson's coach, even if that meant leaving her family in Virginia.

'She started saying, 'I need that coach. I need Coach Chow,' her mother...Liang Chow soared to international fame as a Chinese gymnast before settling down in the middle of Iowa to teach American gymnasts. It was there where Johnson morphed from a 6-year-old novice to a world-class athlete.  But Chow's gym was 1,200 miles away from Douglas, her siblings and her mother, who didn't think the idea would work.

'I said, well, I can't move the family to Iowa. I'm a single parent; I didn't have the resources to do something like that,' Hawkins said. But Douglas wasn't just headstrong; she was a rare talent who vaulted up the ranks of gymnastics at an early age.  She won a Virginia state championship at age 8, just two years after starting formal training.  'She just never wanted to come out of the gym,' Hawkins said. 'She loved it. She would just practice all the time. So I saw then the hard work.'  But in order to reach her full potential, Douglas insisted she needed an elite coach -- specifically, the one she had admired on TV.  

At age 14, Douglas received her mother's blessing to go train with Chow. The tiny athlete headed west and moved in with a host family with four younger girls, including another one of Chow's students.  Both Hawkins and her daughter would have to learn how to be a family five states apart."

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CNN.com

Pyschology: Quotes: It's a Jungle Out There

"Every day in Africa a gazelle wakes up.  It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.  Every morning a lion wakes up.  It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.  It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a gazelle.  When the sun comes up, you better be running."


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Abe Gubegna

Nutrition: Diet: Chia Seeds

Historically, the seeds come from the Central American region and were cultivated by the Aztecs.  In terms of use by athletes, chia seeds are a good source of fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. 

Chia Fresca Drink

• Cold water
• Lime
• Sweetener 
• Chia seeds

Nutrition: Recovery - Powers of Turmeric and Ginger

Using turmeric and ginger as a anti-inflammatory tool can assist in recovery after workouts.

Sports: Mental: The Champion's Work Ethic

This is an excellent video about the mental commitment necessary to become a champion. 

Nutrition: Diet: Friends and Eating Behavior

"People who hang out with friends who are heavier than they are, tend to gain weight.  Those who socialize with leaner friends, tend to maintain their weight." ..."social influence is a big factor in weight gain and loss."
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60 Second Mind

Lifestyle: Culture-Movies: Oldie But Goodie--Things to Think About

It is in our nature to be inquisitive.  If we stop asking questions, we stop being human.  Below is an excellent film that may help produce much introspection.  The journey is out there--find it.

 

Sports: Flexibility: Too Much of a Good Thing

"...some issues with Yoga are that you lose force production any time you elongate a muscle or become excessively flexible."
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Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast

Sports: Quotes -- Now That's a Fight

"Two men go out to fight, both want to finish it.  A good fight lasts 20 minutes, the men should be broke up.  Noses and mouths broke in, black eyes, maybe 15 or 16 stitches.  That's a fight.  That is what I call a fight.  That's what I could do.  Break a man up."

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Knuckle

Sports: Strength Training: Endurance Training - Key Points to Remember When Mixing Strength and Endurance

It is advised not to do heavy strength training and heavy endurance training (running) simultaneously.  However, if you do plan to do intense lifting and intense running, plan to do both intense activities on the same day.  This allows you to keep rest days as such.  Keep in mind that delayed onset muscle soreness can have a negative affect on training for days after intense lifting. 

Take away principle is remember what sport you are training for.  Multi-joint lifts more closely mimic endurance activities.  The relevance of single-joint isolation or non-multi-joint exercises may depend on the endurance activity you are engaging in or rehabilitation. 

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Endurance Planet

Nutrition: Gum Isn't Just for Blowing Bubbles

Turns out gum is not just for kids and blowing bubbles.  Below are some reasons to chew gum besides blowing bubbles:

1. Increase brain activity
2. Relieve stress
3. Reduce hunger
4. Effectively delivers caffeine*

*If the gum is caffeinated. 

Nutrition: Supplements-Getting CoQ10 from Natural Food Sources

CoQ10 is a coenzyme that aids the body in transforming food into energy.  Our bodies use these coenzymes to maintain energy levels.  Where does one get CoQ10?  Well, you can get them from natural sources or from supplements.  However, the cost of supplements can be cost prohibitive over the long-term (especially if the supplements are popular).  CoQ10 can be very expensive.  So, other than consuming supplements to get your CoQ10, you can also try to consume CoQ10 from natural food sources.  The following are natural food sources where CoQ10 can be found:

• Primary Sources are from proteins (beef, poultry, and fish)
• Secondary Sources are from vegetables and oils (soybean oil, canola oil, peanuts, sesame seeds, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, and strawberries).
  
  
   

Nutrition: Supplements: Differences in Protein Powder

Whey Protein, Soy Protein, & Hemp Protein

Whey protein comes from milk (cows).  Certain people believe whey is the superior protein to consume because it is absorbed into the body the quickest and it is ideal for muscle building.  

Tip: Whey protein is better than the plant based proteins following workouts because of its quicker absorption. 

Tip: Soy and hemp protein are great to take with a morning meal or between meals. 

Sports: Psychology: Quotes - Lessons Learned

"One of the many lessons I’ve learned from my life and career and the hardships I’ve overcome is that my purpose cannot be defined by the color of a medal around my neck. I realized years after I achieved success that what really matters in life is that I recognize my worth as person...."

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Dominique Moceanu CNN.com

Sports: Pscyhology-Self-Talk

Various types of motivational techniques effect sports performance.  For example, self talk produces differing results depending on the sporting activity being performed.  Sports requiring "fine motor skills" benefit more from self-talk involving instructional self-talk.  Whereas strength and endurance based sports benefit more from simple motivational self-talk.  However, in general, self-talk provides the most benefit for sports (like pool) requiring concentration.

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60 Second Minute - Scientific American

Sports: Nutrition: Maca for Sports

Maca is a root vegetable cultivated in the Andes region of South America.  The powder form of Maca can be added to drinks and smoothies. It is used for several medicinal purposes; however, athletes can also use it as a supplement to increase energy output. 

Sports: Training: More Research That Tends to Back Up Gladwell's Points in Outliers

A recent article on CNN.com about how Cuba cultivates its young athletes tends to support many of the points Malcolm Gladwell presented in his book Outliers. 

"He believes Cuba's advantage comes from the government's ability to identify and cultivate emerging talent at a young age.'We can say with total certainty that in the farthest corner of Cuba if there's a talented boxer we know about him and are following his progress,' he said. 'So that maybe one day he might join our national team.."

"While the facilities are threadbare, the instruction they receive is world class. Vinent said most of the children at the Trejo are boxing as an after-school activity. They will pick up the basics of boxing and confidence while never achieving greatness in the ring. Vinent is looking for young fighters with drive and something to prove. Because there among the gangly youths bobbing and weaving in his classes, Vinent said, could very well be Cuba's next champion of the ring."

The article supports the idea that (although some attributes may be innate) much of what we consider to be innate talent is actually skills that have been cultivated and nurtured over long periods of time.  

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CNN.com

Sports: Psychology: Quotes-Preparing for the Mundials

What does it take to train for the Mundials

"...[C]onditioning six times a week and he’s constantly on the mats, drilling, sparring, studying techniques, watching videos, and recording his own training and studying it. 'I give it everything I have,' he says. 'When I’m at a competition, I don’t have to question if I’m ready or if I gave enough. I always give my all. It’s do or die. It’s the best day of my life or the worst every time. It’s all about learning and improving. You can’t win all the time, especially with as much as I put myself out there. I compete at every tournament. This is going to be my 13th Worlds. I’ve only missed one since I was 15.'"

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Rafael Lovato Jr., Gracie Magazine 

Sports: Quotes: Gui Mendes on the Moment

..."always when you fight, you need to enjoy the moment.  Doesn't matter if you win or if you lose; you need to enjoy.  If you win and you celebrate...leave the podium you need to forget everything.  If you lose, if you win, you need to keep your mind...on the next tournament.  ...I always forget the last tournament...."

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Gui Mendes

Sports: Mobility:Myofascial Release-Increase Your Range of Motion with a Foam Roller

If you want to increase your range of motion for a particular area of the body, try using a foam roller.  Use the foam roller in the desired area prior to engaging in the activity. 

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Ben Greenfield Podcast

Sports: Conditioning - Can't Quit Running

If you can't quit running, perhaps this is why.  Endurance athletes freely admit being addicted to working out.  Scientific research has suggested, "that rhythmic continuous aerobic exercise can produce narcotic like chemicals in the body."  Additionally, recent research suggests that those same chemicals may have encouraged humans to evolve into long distance runners.  So, not only do our minds crave the runner's high, but our bodies may also encourage it. 

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NPR Topics: Your Health

Psychology: Habits - Change Your Ways

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LifeHackers

Sports: Nutrition: High Intensity Workouts and Beet Juice

Intake of beet juice may enable you to  push harder during intense workouts. 

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Endurance Planet Podcast

Nutrition: How to Decrease the Negative Impacts of Stress on the Body

Stress can lead to increased levels of cortisol production.


Negative Effects:

Too much cortisol in your system gain lead to weight gain, compromise your immune system, fluctuate blood sugar levels, and lead to depression. 

Ways to Regulate Cortisol Production:

1. Consume vitamin C
2. Get plenty of rest
3. Avoid caffeine
4. Meditate
5. Workout
6. Consume melatonin*

*Other supplements to consider are the following:
-- B vitamins
-- Calcium and magnesium
-- Chromium and zinc
-- alpha lipoic acid
-- Grape seed extract
-- Astragalus
-- Eleuthero
-- Schizandra
-- Rhodiola
-- Ashwagandha 

Sports: Grappling: Training Philosopny - Position Training

Here is a strategy for training the back position from Lucas Leite:

“To get good at attacking from the back you should do lots of round-robin back-training sessions. It’s like specific training; you start body clinching your opponent on all fours, and you only switch positions once you’ve gotten your hooks in.”

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Gracie Magazine 

Sports: Psychology: Mental Training - Train Your Brain

Mental training tips from an elite triathlon:

• Have a mantra and/or a special song to repeat 
• Keep a bank of positive mental images
• Practice visualization beforehand
• Break the race up into smaller, more manageable segments
• Remember that training is about learning to hurt
• Get people to support you
• Mentally recall inspirational people 
• Consider racing for a cause that is bigger than yourself      

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CNN - Chrissie Wellington 

Psychology: Changing Your Outlook on Things - The Happiness Advantage

"Your brain operates significantly better at positive than it does at negative, neutral, or stressed...your brain is 31% more productive at positive than it is at negative, neutral, or stressed."  To become more positive, try  "...reverse the formula" for happiness, and "...become positive in the present." 

Try this exercise to become more positive. "Write down 3 new things (your are grateful for) a day for 21 days in row."  Also, include "random acts of kindness..." and positive praise to others via "e-mails" or other forms of communication.  

"In a 2 minute span of time for 21 days in a row" your brain may rewire itself "to operate more optimistically..." and "scan the world for the positive and not the negative."

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TEDTALKS - Shawn Achor 

Sports: Injury: Prevention and Recovery

To aid in recovery use topical pain relievers such as topical magnesium and heat creams.  Topical magnesium can be used before and after workouts.  Whereas, the creams can be applied to an injured area in the mornings and evenings.

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Get-Fit-Guy Podcast

Sports: Jiu-Jitsu-MMA: Quotes

8 lessons from the best Jiu-Jitsu fighter at UFC 141

1: DON’T AVOID TRAINING WITH THE TOUGHEST GUYS AT THE GYM
From white belt on, learn that systematically dribbling the tough sparring partners means putting a hold on progress. Take on the guy who makes you work the most. “For this fight I trained by alternating between Frankie Edgar and Tom DeBlass, really tough guys. I train with fully rested guys every five minutes,and they’re not just average guys, not to mention they’re much heavier than me. When I do face a featherweight it feels like I’m even breaking the law,” remarked Jimy in an interview followingUFC 141.
2. TEST YOUR JIU-JITSU THE WHOLE TIME
When you find yourself in a new situation, be thankful: it enhances your self-awareness, shoots your Jiu-Jitsu knowledge through the roof. That’s what The Kid ascertained in his first decision win. “I’d never even fought a third round. It was good as a test, since I got a taste of that awful cardiorespiratory feeling of fighting after the second round,” said the Ricardo Cachorrão student in jest.
3. HEED NOT YOUR JIU-JITSU BELT COLOR
Himself a purple belt, Jimy lay a beating on a black belt last Friday. Asked whether he feels he deserves a darker belt, he wisely replied: “I love Jiu-Jitsu first of all because it saves me from getting beat up, so it doesn’t matter what color my belt is today, I’m just grateful,” to later add, “I’m just having fun.”
4. THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO TRUST YOU IS YOU
Jimy—half joking half serious—told of how a Nevada Athletic Commission official nearly barred him from fighting, thinking he wasn’t yet 18 years of age. “When I’m behind the scenes at the UFC, the other fighters still look at me with surprise, as though someone had left their son behind there,” he said. The looks of surprise and puzzlement don’t intimidate someone with the heart of a fighter.
5. THE FIGHTER-COACH RELATIONSHIP IS KEY
“In my first UFC fight, [coach and friend] Kris McCray was yelling, ‘Let’s go! You look like a girl under there!’ Later we had a talk about it, and I asked him if he could say something positive… He was a lot more optimistic this second fight, but what matters is that he knows how to motivate me when I’m fighting,” said Jimy. What about you, are you good at listening to your trainer? Does what he says motivate you?
6. LEARN TO GET A SENSE OF WHERE THE FIGHT IS GOING
Jimy hadn’t found out what a judge is for ever since amateur MMA, a total of 13 fights. Until encountering Nam Phan. “In the first round I gave my all to put him away. But I looked in Nam Phan’s eyes and saw there was no quit in him. So I realized it was time to conserve energy for rounds 2 and 3. Now I just have to thank my coach for making me cry every day in training.”
7. HAVE FAITH IN YOUR GAME
The combination of Jiu-Jitsu and judo has worked for decades, at all the world’s grappling tournaments, for a reason. Have faith in your style of fighting when the going gets rough.
8. KEEP AN ACE UP YOUR SLEEVE
If none of the aforementioned pointers work, pull this acrobatic finish out of your hat. It even works in tennis! Compliments of Jimy Hettes.

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Gracie Magazine