MMA Training Studies - SBartlett's Blog

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MMA Training Studies Stuck

Posted on October 14, 2010 at 10:08 PM.

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Last night I traveled to Somerville, MA to visit the world renowned Sityodtong Muay Thai training facilities. I was invited to watch my boy, and my trainer, Jay Reinold (who I call J-Hova) in his preparation for an upcoming local professional bout.

Stepping through puddles built up in potholes in the city's old pavement, I entered into the basement of a brick building on a dark street corner in Union Square with bars protecting the outside windows. The smell of sweat and grit in a blue collar town on a cold evening hit me as I ducked into the facilities and down the stairs.

Upon entering, I was welcomed to a small gym packed local with professional fighters engaged in their training at full speed now. Three instructors were coaching approximately six parings of fighters through various sets of drills.

At times, the atmosphere was intense - born out of the energy and vocals of the coaches demanding their fighters to focus on the techniques being taught.

It was a bit intimidating at first. Some of these fighters have defeated UFC fighters, and on any given night, some of the best fighters in the world could be by to train in the discipline of Muay Thai with the best of them.

This was an art of expending strategic ounces of energy with precision, placing combos on openings. Fighters gnawed down on mouth guards, jaws clenched as they grappled in the ground game. Drenched shirts sculpted to the bodies of fighters from perspiration. Thuds of leg strikes baring pads to a fighter's side pounded the narrow airwaves in the gym with ceilings just above six feet.

This was pure strength against strength in a clinch; heavy bags being struck with an intense concentration to endure the pain, each strike masking the fatigue with a satisfaction of a glove punishing the faded logos on each bag.

Fighter's bodies collided with the blue matted floors. They deeply inhaled and exhaled with eyes never wavering off their targets. Discipline outweighed any other emotion in the room during this time period of training. This was an exercise to push, punish and strengthen the human body.

I'm thinking to myself: Man, how am I ever going to handle this type of intensity in a workout with no experience?

I soon came back to reality and became cognizant of the fact that it takes time and patience to build up my strength and stamina, and to learn the fundamentals.

I had already spent a few hours earlier playing through the retail copy of EA Sports MMA. I had one goal in mind - discovering just how close this game comes to capturing the sport.

I immediately zoned in on the pairing in front of me - visualizing myself in the cage combating strike after strike, working on my footwork, staying light on my feet, searching for an opening.

Pupils dilated and senses heightened, I watched intently as if I was working on my own strategy. I listened carefully to the coaches instruct their prized fighter through his progressions in the cage.

The first drill I bared witness to was an interesting standing-guard position. A coach was teaching the fighter on his back how to use his feet to distance his opponent from gaining dominant ground position; and how to rise up and strike when the opponent reached in close to strike his downed opponent.

I was impressed by the speed and quickness in which the coach demonstrated his lessons - he came up off his back and threw quick-striking jabs with some sting.

Being inches away from some professional fighters brought a whole new perspective to me for the sport. I was able to witness and feel the fighters managing their focus and temperament.

In MMA, different strengths of each fighter shines through, and each time the fighters switched partners after three minutes, the strategy and dynamics changed instantly.

From height and reach, to strength and quickness, to fast hands on the inside pitted against a stand up game with great kicking range. The match-ups truly were fascinating.

I'm already learning the subtleties of the sport. I cannot wait to get into my own training.

There was hunger in the air as the timer signaled 30 seconds left in the final drill. For a moment, the voices faded faintly into the background as I experienced MMA up close for the first time.

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The Review will be posted when I feel I am fully prepare for taking on the game from a perspective of somebody who has been in the ring and has done some of the drills from different positions.

Follow me on Twitter: @Hurricane414