Totowa MMA: A look inside NJ United Mixed Martial Arts Academy

Skeptical of “complex” martial arts? Keep it simple!

During my days of managing an MMA academy, I’ve spoken with plenty of first-time students about their apprehensions to starting their training. Of course, these concerns sometimes have to do with how friendly the other students are, how much a membership package will cost, etc. But I find that once a student has decided in his or her own mind that they’re definitely going to give martial arts a serious try, they’ll eventually ask how complicated fighting can get, and they’ll wonder if they’re suited for that complexity. These folks have often watched fight highlights involving cool spinning submissions, awesome fake-outs and Hollywood-worthy kicks, and takedowns that the pros seemingly pull out from nowhere. However, I want to highlight the refreshing truth that your martial arts endeavors don’t need to be complex. In fact they shouldn’t need to be complex at all to be effective, and that’s what we can learn from Magomed Ankalaev’s recent front kick knockout win against Dalcha Lungiambula at UFC Fight Night 163 last Saturday.

Ankalaev doesn’t owe his victory to fancy, complex movements. Instead, simplicity and great timing won the day!

Check out out this one-minute highlight of the fight here. In it, you’ll see that Ankalaev’s striking doesn’t have any fancy showmanship to it. It’s certainly not a knock-down, drag-out war that’ll go down in history like Don Frye vs Yoshihiro Takayama, and it doesn’t feature a Matrix-quality ninja wall-jump head-kick like Anthony Pettis vs Benson Henderson! In fact, most of the moves performed by both fighters are quite basic. A student could even perform most of these moves during their first week of training!

Part of being a technical fighter is NOT knowing more stuff than the other fighter, but rather knowing how and when to implement your own unique skills and attributes. Last Saturday, Ankalaev made good use of his long reach before the shorter, more compact Lungiambula could close the distance on him.

So in that case, what distinguishes a first-timer from a professional, or a beginner student from an advanced student? The answer has much to do with timing and discernment. With some basic Muay Thai training, you could be throwing an Ankalaev front kick sooner than you think. However, the art of using this technique during bag-work, light sparring, or in a fight, will be a lifelong journey of constant improvement.

Bruce Lee said “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” High-level fighters like Ankalaev, Anderson Silva, and Lyoto Machida have held to this philosophy to garner amazing wins. If you’re new to martial arts, you can use this philosophy to develop clean technique, get an incomparable workout, and grow confidence in your self-defense skills!

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

Maia and Askren – The Principles of The Best!

The recent UFC fight between Ben Askren and Demian Maia had that special selling-appeal of unstoppable force vs. immovable object. Askren has been on a tear with a record of 19-1, mauling his opposition with superior wrestling and positional control. Maia’s record of 27-9 doesn’t sound as impressive at first. However, when you consider who he’s beaten and how much he’s grown, one will gain a better sense of why Askren dubbed Maia as the best grappler “possibly in MMA ever”.  But Askren himself was no pushover for Maia, and what makes both of these men iconic in MMA is their formal training away from the MMA scene.

Maia vs. Askren was all about two masters going head to head!

Askren was no wrestling phenom from the start. Although he eventually became a high school state champion, his first year in college began with losing ten matches in the span of six weeks. It was only after much trial and error – far outside the limelight of the MMA scene – that he developed a disciplined, individual style that helped him earn the NCAA Division 1 Championship in 2006 and in 2007.

Askren was a disciplined and consistent wrestler before he became an MMA success . . .

Demian Maia started his BJJ career at age 19. Amazingly, he earned his black belt after 4 years and 7 months of training (often several times per day). However, it took time for Maia to translate his BJJ success into MMA success. When he did transition into MMA, he was already well-established in terms of BJJ basics. His solid MMA record of 28-9 doesn’t sound as cool as 19-1, but losses have never derailed him from consistent training and improvement.

. . . just as Maia was a BJJ artist before he put on the MMA gloves!

My point here is that the greatness and fame of such men are not first made in the octagon. They’re made in the long, unpopular, grueling hours of formal training in wrestling, BJJ, and boxing, and Muay Thai. So even if you don’t have the time to train several sessions per day like Maia or Askren, you can still follow in their footsteps through steady training habits. At our academy, we’ll be happy to set you on this path!

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

A lesson in “high-percentage” martial arts – Niko Price vs. James Vick @ UFC Fight Night 161!

If you have a minute and forty-four seconds to spare, check out this fight from UFC Fight Night 161 last Saturday. Not only is it a quick and entertaining fight, but it’s a great lesson for those among you who are interested in taking up martial arts. It’s important for you to train what I’d call high-percentage martial arts – that is, moves and strategies that have a high chance of working, and that put your opponent at a high risk of danger.

After framing Vick away, Price used the open guard to make distance and set up the devastating axe-kick that won him the fight!

Sure, that sounds like one of those principles that should go without saying. However, martial arts culture is just as susceptible to trends and fads as any other culture. Moves that look flashy (especially if done for fun by professionals) look incredibly entertaining. However, they’re often low-percentage when you’re talking about self-defense against an equally skilled or strong opponent. Case in point here.

“Big mistake!” says one of the announcers, as Price’s takedown attempt goes wrong and puts him on the bottom! However, Price’s experience and composure helped him weather and defend against Vick’s storm of punches.

Price’s striking looked solid and high-percentage from the get-go. It was clear that he had done his Muay Thai homework when he set up an early, crisp leg kick that disrupted Vick’s balance. Soon after, Vick went down after being forced to evade a well-timed overhand right hand from Price. Price wasn’t in full control afterward, however, as Vick made enough space to stand back up. From here, the tables turned as Vick reversed a Price takedown attempt and got on top. And as you’ll see, here’s where Vick himself put a high-percentage strategy to work, using his long reach to rain down punches that may have put away a lesser fighter. But legs are longer than arms, and Vick’s demise was sealed when he didn’t prepare for a well-timed axe-kick from Price’s open guard!

Fight-fans often take up martial arts after watching highlights involving spinning hook kicks, question-mark kicks, breakdance-esque berimbolos in jiu-jitsu, or other fancy stuff (all of which is very low-percentage without years of training and refinement). Unfortunately, the very reason they take up martial arts is also the reason they quit soon afterward! Fancy stuff will really hurt your game if you aren’t developing high-percentage principles. Whether you strike, grapple, or do both, NJ United MMA will help you develop solid, rounded, “high-percentage” martial arts that are applicable to the ring, the cage, the mat, or the street.

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

Woman uses Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to defend against a knife-wielding attacker!

Check out this recent security cam footage of a woman using Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu self-defense basics against an attacker with a knife! This incident occurred last month in Brazil, and it demonstrates the unpredictability and unglamorous nature of how self-defense scenarios occur.

The video is interspersed with footage of a detailed breakdown of the situation by Rener Gracie and Eve Torres Gracie. Their clear, step-by-step explanation will help experienced and non-experienced viewers understand the hows and whys of this woman’s strategy and survival.

Rener Gracie and Eve Torres Gracie break down how the woman in this video used her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills to neutralize her assailant’s attacks, counterattack effectively, and eventually escape.

 

As you can guess, self-defense situations rarely go according to plan, and attackers are not always subdued by the defender’s initial counterattack. Although this woman did not incapacitate her attacker, her grappling knowledge enabled her to survive long enough to flee and escape danger.

The assailant has been locked up, and although the woman’s identity has not been revealed, she is an amazing example of how well-practiced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu self-defense skills are pay off!

At NJ United MMA, you’ll learn time-tested BJJ self-defense skills with instructors and students who will help you become your best physically and mentally!

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike

“Getting good” at jiu-jitsu: The unglamorous truth!

I started my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training in 2003, the same year that Quentin Tarantino’s movie Kill Bill came out. I was a lot younger then. Martial arts action movies and fighting video games held way more motivational influence over me than they do now. I saw them mainly as entertainment, but now and then, I’d learn something deeper from them. And one important takeaway I got from Kill Bill 2 was this simple, basic, irreplaceable truth:

If you want to “get good” at BJJ, you’ve GOT to do the warm-up drills when class begins!

You are reading this blog to learn the mysteries of jiu-jitsu, not linguistics! Fortunately, there’s no mystical secret to learning them. Anyone can do it. Show up on time to class, an repeat the essential movements and drills your instructor teaches. Then do that again, and again and again.

Here, NJU students repeat shrimping motions during warm-ups. Shrimping is vital for your core strength, hip-movement, and your ability to regain your guard if someone passes it.

I’ll never forget the drilling montage in Kill Bill 2, when untested protagonist Beatrix travels to an ancient-looking temple to train with Pai Mei, a calloused and old-school martial arts master. Through a long but entertaining training montage, Pai Mei subjects Beatrix to a grueling session after session of technique-repetition. In true Hollywood speed-montage fashion, Beatrix’s Kung Fu gradually improves. Later in the movie, she’s placed in a precarious situation where her only hope for escape is her oft-repeated training and muscle-memory.

In the long term scope of training, I learned three things from this:

#1. There is no replacement for regular, repeated, basic technique. In other words, you CANNOT get good at BJJ if you skip warm-ups and muscle-memory building sessions. When I teach a jiu-jitsu class, the students who come in late are always the most puzzled. That’s because the warm-ups prepare your body and mind for the movements that will be used again and again in learning technique. And without that, you will be puzzled regardless of what color your belt is!

#2. The BJJ grind is definitely NOT as easy as a Hollywood training / drilling montage! There is no video editing technique that you can use to make the warm-ups go faster. There’s no cinematic quick-fix that will enable you to accomplish a month’s worth of repetitions and improvements in 20 seconds-worth of time. This is a “secret” that is open to everyone, yet surprisingly (maybe willingly?) overlooked by many.

#3. BJJ is a labor of love. Technique is sometimes hard to learn, but you do not need to be extra strong, flexible, or talented to excel. You do not need a special gi, DVD series, or podcast. You simply need to trust your instructor and repeat movements and techniques (via warm-ups and drills) to condition your mind to react quickly and automatically.

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike

The Importance of Struggling, Winning, Losing, and Learning in Martial Arts

At NJ United MMA, our programs for kids have the same values as our adult programs – to provide safe challenge that grow skills, character, and relationships!

Recently, a Facebook friend of mine jokingly shared this National Post article entitled “Dodgeball isn’t just problematic, it’s an unethical tool of ‘oppression’” by Joseph Brean. The basic gist of Brean’s article is that competition is “unhelpful to the development of kind and gentle children,” and that the struggles of victory and defeat are not developmentally healthy. In my college years, I would have poked more fun at this article than the readers in the comments section! But when I read the article yesterday, I honestly felt sorry for Brean and people who hold his sentiments. True, there can be bullies and bad influences in any challenging physical activity where you test your skills against others. But true martial arts and physical challenges are meant to be developmental testing grounds that teach men, women, and children the basic skills that will enable them to thrive in an often evil, unfair world.

Our competition students have a lot of tough battles together during training, but the friendship that keeps us together is toughened by that! Here, NJU blue belts Jon and Meidine face each other in the finals of last week’s Grappling Industries tournament, eventually closing-out their division together!

Brean argues that “games become more like cruel initiation ceremonies into a brutal world.” I seriously wonder if Brean had endured some kind of gladiatorial dodgeball-world of doom in his grade school days, and if he did, then I can understand where he’s coming from. But that is not how good martial values are learned, and it’s certainly not how you respect your training partner (of course, if your training partners aren’t healthy, you can’t train!). Interestingly enough, even animals in the wild understand this concept. I’m fortunate enough to live right next to a wooded area where a family of wild foxes have made their den. I’ve seen the fox parents play-wrestling with their young, and I’ve seen them hunting together as well.

I’m sure there are other people out there who, like Brean, may have had terrible experiences in competitive and martial arts-related settings. Maybe you have as well. That’s why I invite you to learn more about NJ United MMA by taking a free Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Muay Thai class with us. In our academy, we foster a challenging but safe environment that’s designed to bring out your best and grow skills you never thought you could master. After all, if the foxes near my back yard understand the importance of challenge, training, victory and failure, then I believe that we can too, and emerge the better for it.

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike

NJU Wins Team Title at Grappling Industries!

What a great training family and support network we’ve got here at NJU! Thanks to everyone who put in the medal-winning hard work on the mats, and thanks to the friends and family of our competitors who help make this all possible!

The NJU crew sure has been working very smart, hard, and consistently lately, and they proved it last Saturday at the Grappling Industries tournament in Paterson, NJ! In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu culture, It’s been said in many ways that participating in a tournament is the equivalent of four months of regular training. But then again, you won’t get that valuable competition experience if you don’t have solid training and training partners! On Saturday, our team proved that they understood the best of both of those worlds, and we took home the 1st Place Team Trophy to prove it.

All in all, our competitors took home 10 gold, 8 silver, and 2 bronze medals. Even the students who didn’t take gold had several victories regardless, giving NJU a grand total of 70 matches won. And when you take into account how stacked some white belt and blue belt divisions can be, some of our students had uphill climbs in front of them (especially our first-time competitors). In any case, we are proud of and thankful for all of our students who step it up to test their skills in competition. Remember that whether you win or lose on the mat, you’ve gained the knowledge to improve yourself, and so you’re better off than you’d be if you hadn’t been tested!

Lastly, here are the official results below. Again, we’d like to give a big thanks to everyone who put in the hard work to compete, AND for all of the NJU students and members of the NJU family who attended the event to support us!

Results: Jon Cruz: 2 GOLDS (9 wins, 7 by submission) Tom Coda: 1 GOLD, 1 Silver (9 wins, 1 submission) Mike Russo: 1 GOLD (5 wins, 3 submissions) Steve Vega: 1 GOLD 9 (5 wins, 3 submissions) Darryl Guinto: 1 GOLD, 1 Silver (6 wins, 1 submission) Andres Villanueva: 1 GOLD, 1 Silver (5 wins, 1 submission) John Schaub: 1 GOLD (4 Wins, 3 submissions) Xavier Lozinguez: 1 GOLD (3 Wins, 2 submissions) Kris Musni: 1 GOLD (2 Wins, 2 submissions) Meidine Figueroa: 1 Silver (5 Wins, 4 submissions) Abilio Vargas: 1 Silver (3 Wins, 3 submissions) Justin Klepper: 1 Silver (2 Wins, 2 submissions)

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (and you) vs. Depression!

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training isn’t just about getting a great workout and learning self-defense. It’s also about developing an awesome support-network of friends and training partners who can help you through rough times and states of mind!

While it’s natural to be discouraged sometimes, some of us have it a lot worse. That’s because clinical, chronic depression is more than just being “discouraged” sometimes. Its causes can be numerous, but it can also be as hard to get rid of as it is nebulous – in other words, people with depression aren’t always sure why they feel bad. And contrary to some of the martial arts pump-up articles you may have read, jiu-jitsu is not necessarily a cure for depression. True, some people have had their depression lessened or perhaps cured by jiu jitsu. But hey I’ll be a realist – sometimes depression isn’t necessarily alleviated by a tough training session where someone is trying to choke or armlock you! But even though jiu-jitsu may not be the magic wand you’re looking for, it is a way of staying connected to the network of your training family, and a way of reinforcing the fact that you are not defined by or are a slave to your feelings.

While I haven’t struggled with the problems of clinical depression, I’ll admit that I’ve gone through some pretty depressing times when I was simply trying to do too much in too small a timeframe. As others can definitely admit, being a full-time student with a full-time job was more than intense. This lifestyle led me to a lot of desk work, which in turn led to back cramps and injuries (some say that “sitting is the new smoking”, and I agree!). This imbalance in my habits led to imbalance in my body, and thus imbalance in my mind. Those certainly aren’t problems that can be solved by an armlock or a choke. However, consistent jiu-jitsu training would have provided the mental, physical, and social balance that would have stopped health problems before they started.

Life is bigger than depression issues, but it’s tough to realize that when you’re up to your eyebrows in depression. Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is an experience that gives you challenges, puzzles, and relationships to take you out of that mentality, AND gives you the health you need to battle depression off the mat!

So in closing, I will admit that jiu-jitsu alone may not always solve your individual mental or spiritual problems. But what it will do is provide you with a a healthy body and a healthy, strategically thinking mind that will definitely help you solve your life problems and slay the inner demons that depression can bring. To delve further into this, check out this short article in which one user sums things up accurately and realistically:

“Thank you for posting this, I have struggled with BJJ for about a year and depression much longer. I can attest to every word you say and it is my great shame that I have taken couple months off to ‘get right’. The longer it goes on the harder it becomes…despite knowing (and most importantly) FEELING the benefits after a roll.”

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike

 

Warriors & Nurturers – Moms who Train Jiu-Jitsu!

Are you a parent looking to use your ‘me-time’ in a fun, constructive way that’ll give back to you and your whole family? Come train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the NJ United mats for a rewarding and pleasantly challenging experience!

I am not a parent. I don’t know what fatherhood is like firsthand, but I regularly teach kids and teens Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu here at NJU. When talking with the parents of our young students, I’ve joked that I do know what parenting is like . . . for the 45-minute class period, of course! So yes, managing classes can be tough, but I acknowledge that parenting is a totally different dimension. New mothers sometimes discover that all of their time has been monopolized by motherhood, which is arguably just as hard to learn as a martial art! That’s why mothers and fathers involved in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu should check out this short jiujitsutimes.com article which highlights the balance and overall fulfillment achieved by moms who train The Gentle Art.

This article expresses something unfortunate that I’ve seen in some mothers who train jiu-jitsu: “mom-guilt”. Basically, mom-guilt is the guilt that moms can feel when they carve-out time for themselves. But for the sake of mental health and balance, having some ‘me-time’ is crucial for parents. Unfortunately, some moms will fill that me-time with watching TV, eating, or doing things that don’t grow them as the individuals they are. After all, life certainly does not end at parenthood, and training jiu-jitsu is the healthy mental and physical outlet that many busy parents have chosen to nurture their own lives. Moreover, many of these parents have children who train a martial art (and some of these parents currently train jiu-jitsu due to the fascinating of watching their own children training and learning technique!). In karate circles, there’s a corny-but-true witticism: ‘The family that kicks together, sticks together!’ I’m hesitant to come up with the BJJ-equivalent of this, but I will admit that it’s absolutely true.

It takes a lot to be a mother, and a lot more to be a mother who takes the time to bring her children to jiu-jitsu class! Why not reward yourself by trying out the martial art that has given joy and confidence to kids?

Motherhood is serious business – so serious that it can dominate every waking moment of your life. But encouragingly enough, the writer notes that “moms who take that time for themselves end up much less stressed and ultimately interact with their kids in a much more productive manner. The added stress relief that specifically comes from physically challenging ourselves in a martial art is just a bonus that most non-training moms don’t realize yet.”

So if you’re a ‘martial arts mom’ or a ‘martial arts dad’ who has yet to train what your son or daughter trains, consider getting on the mat and giving it a go! Here at NJU, our instructors and students have the utmost respect for the time you give to your children and their training. We’ll be happy to show you around the world of jiu-jitsu so that it can give back to you in the best of ways!

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike

Demi Lovato shows the spirit of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!

Actress and singer Demi Lovato shortly after earning her blue belt. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lifestyle is incredibly rewarding on many levels, as Demi has been discovering firsthand!

Nowadays, you can find celebrity endorsements for just about anything. But the vast majority of the time, celebs are simply being paid to advertise a product. So now that Grammy-nominated singer and actress Demi Lovato is loving every minute of being a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt, she’s also been bringing a lot of attention to The Gentle Art. And it’s the good kind of attention too – Demi’s honesty, humility, and excitement for the art is genuine, as she’s shown through social media.

BJJ is notorious for its steep learning curve and the slow progression through its belt ranking system that one must undergo to attain mastery. But this has been no deterrent to Demi, whose love for the art is straight-up infectious in this training clip. She hopes that “everyone finds something they become as passionate about as I feel about jiu jitsu,” and her example is bringing the jiu-jitsu experience closer to people and fan-bases who may have never considered it.

So yeah, it’s great to see celebrity endorsements without a catch! I guess that’s because Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pays its own practitioners back with the best fitness-levels of their lives, improved mental health and problem-solving skills, and even a strong and dynamic network of people on their own similar martial arts journeys. What’s not to love?

Props to Demi for using her celebrity platform to let the masses know how fantastic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training is!

Come train at NJ United Mixed Martial Arts and take advantage of our 7-day free trial offer! Whether you’re an aspiring competitor or casual student, you will benefit from training in our friendly, professional, and ego-free environment. Call us at 973-638-1570 to schedule your first class, and visit us on the web at http://www.njunitedmma.com/ for more info.

JJ Mike