Unfortunately, I’ve been looking for months, and if you’re not into a bunch of screaming or rap a good pre-fight playlist is hard to find.  So for a while now I have been sampling various lists, and built one that I think really works so I wanted to share it.  I hope you like it!

Burn it to the ground by Nickelback

Click Click Boom by Saliva

Coming Undone by Korn

Cult of Personality by Living Colour

Demon Speeding by Rob Zombie

Down with the Sickness by Disturbed

Feel so Numb by Rob Zombie

Freight Train by Brand New Sin (optional)

Hair of the Dog by Nazareth

I Don’t Wanna Stop by Ozzy

I Wanna Rock by Twisted Sister

Indestructible by Disturbed

Invincible by Adelitas Way

Let it Die by Ozzy

Let it Rock by Kevin Rudolph (a bit lighter, but I love the message)

Meaning of Life by Disturbed

Move by Thousand Foot Krutch

Porn Star Dancing by My Darkest Day

Rockstar by Nickelback (another optional one… good rock, but less in tune with the message)

Scum of the Earth by Rob Zombie

Sound of Madness by Shinedown

Stand up and Shout by Dio

Stronger by Kanye West

Ten thousand Fists by Disturbed

We Rock by Dio

Whiskey Hangover by Godsmack (optional)

Note: Okay, so maybe Porn Star Dancing doesn’t fit the Genre and should be considered optional.  But I just love that song

Let me know if you have more, and I’ll add them here!!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

In the Spirit of the 1967 World  Judo Championships held in Salt Lake City Utah 45 years ago. Utah Judo Inc., Is proud to announce our annual 2012 Utah State Judo Championship to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah. This Shiai is open to all USJI, USJF and USJA member Judokas.

This Shiai is designated as a qualifier (State Championships) for the 2012 Senior National Championships and the 2012 Jr. Olympics.

Eligibility

• 5 years of age or older on the date of the tournament
• Current registration and insurance with either USJI, USJF, USJA
• All competitors must show proof of registration and insurance (NO EXCEPTIONS)
• USJI membership will be available at the tournament site.
• $20.00 for one weight category in one skill division
• $10.00 for one weight category in additional skill division (senior categories).
• Competitors may only enter one weight category per skill division.
• Junior:  8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
• Senior:  9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Entry Fees

•  $20.00 for one weight category in one skill division
•  $10.00 for one weight category in additional skill division (senior categories)
•  Competitors may only enter one weight category per skill division.

Registration/Weigh In

• Junior: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
• Senior: 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Competition

• Juniors: 10:30 a.m.
• Senior: 1:00 p.m.

Method of Elimination

• Modified Double Elimination: Five or more competitors (1^st place is winner of finals, 2^nd place is loser of finals, and 3rd place is winner of consolation bracket).
• Round Robin: 4 or less competitors, points awarded as below.
• Tie-Breakers: 1^st tie-breaker: Win/Loss record, 2^nd tie-breaker will be decided by head to head competition, 3^rd tie-breaker will be points as follows: according to waza ippon = 10, wazari = 7, yuko = 3, hantei = 1, 4^th  tie-breaker will be replay by Golden Score.
• Junior:  2 minutes
• Senior Novice: 3 minutes
• Senior sankyu/yudansha: 5 minutes
• Masters 3 minutes

Match Times

• Junior: 2 Minutes
• Senior: 3 Minutes
• Senior sankyu/yudansha: 5 Minutes
• Masters: 3 Minutes

Rules of Competition

• All current IJF rules will apply with the following exceptions:
• Drop knee seoinage/seoiotoshi allowed for competitors including players under 13 years of age.
• No kansetsu waza for competitors under 17 years of age and/or under sankyu
• Competitors who enter a higher skill division compete under the rules of the higher skill division.  Includes Juniors in Senior Divisions.
• IJF bowing procedures will be enforced.Refusal to comply will result in disqualification from the match and ejection from the weight/skill division in which the infraction occurred.
• Current IJF medical rules apply for all senior divisions 17 years and older. All junior divisions 16 years and under will use pre-2004 IJF medical rules.
• Footwear is required at all times when not on the tatami.
• Match Times are modified (see Match Times section)
• Referee uniform – black slacks, black socks and white polo shirt.

• NOTICE: IJF Coaching standards with modifications will be implemented at this tournament. Only ONE coach per competitor in the designated coach’s chair. All others must be in the spectators’ area.

Minimum Dress Code: Collared shirt and long pants, or team sweats . Closed shoes. No shorts or cutoff jeans, t-shirts or sandals.

I’m not huge, but I am a large man (6 feet tall, 265 lbs.)  But I’m guessing that there are a fair number of you out there that live the same pains that I do.  I am tired of not being able to buy a shirt at Kohls, the Buckle, or Target because my shoulders are too broad.  I’m tired of Walmart thinking that 3XL means a shirt as wide as a tent that’s made for a person 5’9″.

I am also tired of Gi’s that don’t fit.  It seems like every Gi review I read has a section on “fit”, and the answer seems to always be “just fine.”  Well, I’m not built like a GI Joe action figure, and I am tired of buying gi’s that don’t close good in the front, or that hang down too long in the arms in order to get one big enough in the torso.  For me, most Gi’s don’t score well at all in “fit”.

Additionally, Gis stink.  Due to this, I don’t follow washing instructions.  My Gi’s get washed in warm, and yes, they occasionally end up in a dryer.

Okay, so on to the Gis.  For me, there is a much bigger challenge in finding a Kimono that fits that it is to find pants that fit, so I’ll cover the two separately:

Pants

Before I go through several different pant descriptions and insights, let me just let you know that my favorite pants are:

Atama Mundial #9

I like these pants the best of my pants for a few key reasons:

- They are ripstop.  I have come to LOVE ripstop pants.  They are much cooler, feel better at the end of a workout (and stay tight and tied well). (Note: planning to pick up some Padilla and Sons ripstop pants this spring… well let you know how it goes.)

- They fit well (but honestly, finding pants that fit well isn’t nearly as hard as a Kimono that does).

- They look sharp.

As a note however, I did have some problems with some of the stitching on the Atama pants coming undone (on row of three, so the gi didn’t fall apart, but still kinda pissed me off.)

Other pants worth mentioning:

Gorilla Gear –

The pants on the Gorilla Gear Husky Silver Back are probably the best made pants I own as far as attention to detail (you can read my full review of that gi here.) They fit great, are very comfortable, but they are very heavy as well.  On a negative note: When Gorilla designed this gi they made the openings on the pant and arm cuffs HUGE…

Toraki –

I like the pants on my Toraki a lot (again, you can read a full review here).  They are a lot lighter weight then the Gorilla Gear pants, tend to be a lot shorter, and tighter to the leg.  They use a cloth strip draw-string rather than rope (I prefer rope personally), but it doesn’t creep up above the material as I wear it like some gi’s due to the fact that the loops are actually set down a bit from the top of the pants.  Nice pants for in the “traditional” category.

The rest –

As far as pants, you can read all of the reviews you want, but it reality most pants are okay.  I train regularly in my Gameness Platinum pants, which are nice because they use a draw string rather than a fabric cord, as well as several other types.  The biggest advice I would give you on pants is that rather its my Vulkans, Gameness, Toraki, or most of the others they all work fine.

One to avoid –

Honestly, I have only had one pant that I would suggest to avoid for a big guy: The Gameness Air Ripstop Pants.  When I got these I was so excited that they were ripstop, and were thinner than any other ripstop I had owned.  But I immediately ran into a problem: The distance from the tie to the crotch is way too short.  It was pulling my junk up so bad I felt like I was weaying a jock strap on the outside of my pants.  My wife giggled as soon as she saw them.

Kimonos

Okay, so first off, let me just state that my favorite Kimono by far is the Toraki.

- It’s light weight, but still super tough

- It looks sharp (I like the embroidery instead of patches… holds up a lot better)

- It’s not as easy to grip as some other gi’s (but not as hard as a Swain or some of the real finger-sanders)

- The fit is perfect.  I cannot say that for ANY other gi.

Gorilla Gear Husky Silverback – (Size: A5X)

(Full Gorilla Gear review here)

Pros:

- Amazing attention to detail.

- Great fit

- Sharp looking

Cons:

- The arm holes are just too big.  I feel like I have wings.

- Very heavy.  Feels like I’m prepared to resist an attack dog.

Atama Mundial #9 – (Size A5)

Pros:

- Fits great in shoulders, around the waist, and torso length.

- A bit lighter weight…  Cooler to train in.

- Really nice looking embroidery.

Cons:

- Had to go A5 to fit, but the arm length on the A5 is way too long for me.

- Ripstop fabric on collar can irritate the skin on your neck more than other collars when you get choked.

Gameness Platinum – (Size A5)

Pros:

- Fits great in shoulders, around the waist, and torso length (almost EXACTLY the same fit as the Atama).

Cons:

- Had to go A5 to fit, but the arm length on the A5 is way too long for me.

- Fabric patches don’t hold up as well as embroidery.

Others of note:

I have also tried on (but did not go with) another couple worth noting: Gameness Air (A5) and Vulkan Ultralight (A4).  both of these state that they should fit someone my size just fine (and the Gameness was even the same size as my Gameness Platinum).  but they were too tight in the shoulders and too short and tight in the body (as well as too short in the arms.)

I do own several other Gi’s which I purchased when I first began practicing Judo and Jiu Jitsu, notably a Century and am HSU gi.  They are both okay (I like the Century better than the HSU), but do not fit me anywhere near we well around the gut as those I have recommended.

I hope this help someone out there make the right Gi purchase, and please, please let me know if you are built similar to me, have faced similar challenges, and what Gi’s you have tried, so I can update others here as well.

The Dojo’s of Utah Judo are having a joint Judo workout this December:

HOSTED BY: ZENBEI MARTIAL ARTS – JUDO CLUB

WHERE: HIDDEN VALLEY MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
9854 SOUTH 700 EAST
SANDY, UTAH

WHEN: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

COST: $5

INSTRUCTORS: SENSEI FRED LOUIS, YODAN (4TH. DEG.)
AND GUEST INSTRUCTORS T.B.A.

CLINIC INFO: THIS JOINT WORKOUT WILL FOCUS ON
GROUNDFIGHT SKILLS. THE MINIMUM AGE TO ATTEND
IS 9 YEARS OF AGE.

PLEASE PRESENT YOUR ASSOCIATION CARD AT THE
DOOR, USJA, USJF OR USA JUDO.

CONTACT JOINT WORKOUT HOST SENSEI FRED
LOUIS AT 801-243-5313, zenbeijudoslc@gmail.com PLEASE
CONTACT ME SO THAT I CAN GET A COUNT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE JOINT
WORKOUT!!!

You know, we hear all of the time about a review for this product, or that product.  But seldom do the folks that make the experience of purchasing (and when necessary returning) the product really get their fair share of credit.

That is why I wanted to write this review today about MMAOutlet.com.

Well, for starters I have to tell you, that I am hard to fit.  Candidly, I’m fat.  Additionally, my broad chest and shoulders just make it even tougher to find products that fit.  Sure, I can browse websites, and I can read reviews (most of which say that every product is just great.)  But who can I really interact with, and ask for advice?

That is where the experience with MMAOutlet.com became immediately different.

As I looked over their website, trying to decide what to order, and terrified that whatever I ordered wouldn’t fit right, I was all of a sudden presented with a pop-up that asked me if I would like to chat with someone who could help me.  What?  A real person?  Well hell yes.

The person I spoke I chatted with was extremely helpful, and answered all of my questions.  Additionally, I was assured that if I had any problems at all with the fit of the product, I could simply call them up, get an RMA number, ship it back, and they would be more than happy to send me something else.  I didn’t need to stress about fit… They would work with me to find the right product.

So I ordered a gi.  It arrived right away.  It didn’t fit right.  But although I wasn’t surprised, for once I also wasn’t heart-broken.  I jumped on the phone, spoke to yet another REAL PERSON, in real-time rather than email with days delay in between, and got my RMA number.

I shipped back my product, and had another to replace it in a matter of days.

I can’t tell you how nice it was to have people to talk to, or to chat with.  People who were willing to work with me to ensure that they would help me try what I needed until I found what would work for me.

Most of my reviews end with a key question about the product: Would I buy another one.  In this case, the question is: Would I shop with MMA outlet.com again?  The answer to that is easy.  Yes.  I am actually planning my next purchase right now.  I am shocked to find that the product that I am looking at is roughly 30% cheaper on MMAoutlet.com than it is on Amazon.com!  I have been searching, and I can’t see it cheaper anywhere else.  Combine that with the level of service, availability of someone to talk to, and free advice, and it really is a no brainer.

Thank you to the team over at MMAOutlet.com.  I really couldn’t be happier.

Ever hear of Daredevil?

Well, here’s the long and short of it: He loses his sight, and his other senses are enhanced (there’s more to it than that, but you get the jist.)  By not thinking about what he sees he is more able to focus on his other senses.

Well, there’s some truth to this.  Lately I have been focusing less on really technical details, and more on just some basic building block of my training.  A couple of them are improving how I sleep, to keep from damaging my body, and taking in things that make me feel good and give me healthy energy, like my Bony Acai.   But you’ll see posts about those next week.

For now I want to focus on the other basic building block of a good grappling game, be it wrestling, Judo, or Jiu Jitsu: and that is Kuzushi, or balance.

Especially when teaching new students, but also in my own training, it is amazing what a detractor sight can be.  We focus so much on what we see, and looking at where our hand goes, or rather we appear to be turning in the same way as we were just shown, that we lose “sight” of what we feel.

Often times I will grab a new student who is feeling overwhelmed by trying to learn everything, and ask them to close their eyes and move around with me while we are holding on to each other.  I tell them that if I feel off balance that they should knock me down.  Once they do throw me down, and open their eyes to look at me, I ask them what the name of the throw they used is.  Generally the answer is, “I don’t know.”  I will then tell the student that it is called “Steve falls on the ground.”  Which is good enough.  they should not be so overwhelmed with what they see and try to remember that they lose sight of what they feel.

As I said, I have also been practicing this myself.  Last night we were working with Seoi Otoshi.  I just didn’t feel like I was hitting it right.  I looked okay, but the kuzushi just wasn’t there.  So I imagined the movements, and the feel, and the flow of balance and momentum… Then I closed my eyes and went through the move.  I found that it really helped a lot.  I did this several times.  Once I had the feel right I was able to open my eyes and fine tune the move further.

Similarly, I find that I often fight on the ground with my eyes closed.  It lets me focus more on the balance of myself and my opponent.

Anyone else have luck with this tactic?

Not long ago I wrote about my Confessions of an early tapper.  Basically, I recognized that as a large, fairly skilled person, I tended to find myself in top position a lot.  Perhaps too much.

When I did go against someone bigger, strong, better than me, and found myself on the bottom and in trouble, I found myself panicking and tapping earlier than I should.  I have been endeavoring to fix this.  At first I would focus on just starting from a bottom side-control position.  This was helpful, but I still found myself doing a pretty good job of fighting my way out and into a reversal.

I needed to get into real trouble if I was going to make any progress.

Last night in Judo/Jiu Jitsu class I worked with a couple of the guys for quite a while after class.  I started again from my bottom side-control position, but I agreed that I would not try to reverse position.  I would basically give them an opportunity to work on their submissions, and I would be working on my calmness under pressure and submission defense.

It worked great.  I spent about 45 minutes on my back, defending constantly.  I found myself becoming more and more calm, even at times where I normally might have picked ia bit.  Plus, it’s a good change for others to really work on their submissions from the top position.

I think that to really improve your game you have to not only be willing to get into positions that you hate, but you have to learn to live there.  You have to beg your training partners to take you there.  Only through embracing our weaknesses, rather than hiding from them can weak things be made strong.

Thanks to all of you who work with me to improve my game every week.  You are my family!