VIDEO: Randy Couture Karate Kicked At UFC 129 By Lyoto Machida - From Our Editors - SBNation.com

VIDEO: Randy Couture Karate Kicked At UFC 129 By Lyoto Machida - From Our Editors - SBNation.com

Finishing Touches

As the school year draws to a close and the deadline for my presentation becomes a reality, I now see that there are a few things that I have to take care of before the year is up. I started working on my website during creativity week but I haven't gotten too far with it so it is going to be up to me to get down and seriously work on it for these last few days. I know for a fact that for the two weeks that we have away from school I will be filming a lot of videos and actual training sessions at my gym. This will allow for a more accurate view into what it is like to train in a fighting gym and of the environment. I also want to take more pictures for my website and making sure that everything works properly.

I am also planing on making my presentation a virtual one with the general essence of a web chat with my mentors since some of them are currently out of state and are working on other things. I will send an attachment of the rubric to them as well so that they may evaluate my finished product if not the process.

Rubric

I realize that that time has come for me to create a rubric so that my senior project may be grader holistically and at the end of everything, I am drawing a blank. I have a letter from my boxing instructor on my improvements as well as the actual website that I have been working on. I am thinking of my presentation being a video that I send out or something so that I don't have to deal with too many complications.

I will have my rubric done and uploaded by some time tonight, I will even posy it here if possible in case any of you are nice enough to give me feedback.

Coming back from Duke I also want to say that I will be able to continue in martial arts in college. It will inly be as a club sport, but Duke's club sports compete nationally so that is something that I'm looking forward to.

Help for Japan

Hi well it's been a while since I posted something but I wanted to let those of you who might want to attend that my gym will be having a leg lock seminar on April 2nd. The class will be taught by Forrest Flanary who has a black belt in Sambo, Judo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The seminar will be 3 hours long and is meant to help raise money to help the people who need it in Japan. The class plans on collecting money through contributions though $35 is a suggested donation, seminars are usually way more expensive. However, if you just want to watch you could just donate $10.

This would be a great opportunity to learn some nice moves, let me know what you think and Ill get you all the information you need.

Planing an Exhibition

I probably should have done this a long time ago but I am just beginning to figure out what I want my final presentation to be. Come to think of it, I still need a rubric. I was thinking of making my final presentation an actual fight, but that might not fall through, I need to see if there is some upcoming event that I can compete in. I wanted to participate in the Golden Gloves this year just to see how I stack up against other people but that didn't happen.

Now I'm searching for something else. I'll talk to some of my instructors this weekend and see what I can do. If I do somehow get a fight, I am probably going to have to cut some serious weight, plus I was told to start already so we'll see how that goes. If I don't get a fight, then I still have to work on a plan B.
Pretty much, I think I've left this off pretty late and now I'm going to have to play catch up for some time. I think I might just continue working on my web page and uploading videos just in case I don't get a fight.

As for the rubric...if I get a fight...judge my performance, win= 100....loose...idk F?
For the web page I was thinking on grading in accuracy of detail and aesthetics. But nothing is certain.

More Videos

Okay well today I uploaded a nine minute video on elbowing people. I am also working on uploading a video on an arm triangle and possibly an americana. So far I have six videos up on the web, but I hope to make that number at least ten by the end of the day, I'm not sure how possible that is going to be. I will also be having a small practice class today with some of my classmates in Susan's group to see how I might make better plans for tomorrows presentation on my work this week.

I also wanted to say that if you are interested in anatomy or wonder why fighting styles work, you should check out a National Geographic series titled Fight Science. I enjoyed it and spent almost all day watching it yesterday. Maybe that is why I feel a little behind schedule for creativity week, well at least my time didn't go to waste.


PS. for those of you who might want to check out my videos, my page is https://sites.google.com/a/chinquapin.org/elberreyesmma

New Vids

Okay well for creativity week this year, I've been working on my senior project. So far I've been making some instructional videos. Yesterday, Tuesday February 15, I worked on punching. I've uploaded five videos to youtube and my e-portfolio. The videos are about two to three minutes long, but they focus on the bare meat and bones of punching. I also worked on elbow strikes yesterday but I haven't uploaded them. Today I'm going to finish recording knee strikes and thai kicks.
Depending on my time, I might finish off tomorrow with some submissions or I might do it today. The thing is I need someone to demonstrate the submissions on. I am going to ask some of the people in my creativity group and see what they say. I plan on demonstrating an arm bar, arm triangle, americana, and kimura. If I had the mats then I'd even demonstrate a few sweeps and take-downs.

Doubts

Well I've been working on Jiu-Jitsu for a while, but it is still something that I don't feel that training in it for a few hours on the weekend is helping me much. Along with Jiu-Jitsu, I've also been boxing with teenagers and on this I do feel as if I'm doing well in this.

For Jiu-Jisu, I need to find a rolling partner who is just as enthusiastic about Jiu-Jitsu as I am. Jiu-Jitsu takes a lot of time and that is something that most people are willing to commit, I also don't want to become a bother to any of my schoolmates. So for the moment, I'm thinking of taking a break from Jiu-Jitsu and move on up to adult boxing.

This is not to say that boxing is easier, there is a reason its called the sweet science. However, I do feel as if I can drill more and do more by myself in regards to boxing than I can with Jiu-Jitsu. I also came to realize that even though I like grappling and Jiu-Jitsu, I would rather stand up and strike. I also want to do Jiu-Jitsu with no gi, and I can't do that until this summer. The issue of no gi vs gi in Jiu-Jitsu has been in existence for some time now in Jiu-Jitsu, I personally would prefer no gi so, for the moment, I'm probably going to give up Jiu-Jitsu until the summer and focus more on my stand up.

Every thing is still up in the air though, but I'm leaning towards the adult boxing where I feel more challenged than with the teens. This is not to say that I'm the best teen out there, but that I feel better training with grown men because it makes me push myself harder. Plus it feels good to get the better of an adult.

New Page

Well, I've been looking around for some more sites where you can look at some BJJ videos if you want, since you might only want to do this it's no gi (you don't need the clothing). Anyways, the site is called BJJTech. You might want to check it out if you're interested in learning a few moves.

Panel

Okay, Eric contacted me about being on my panel and I'm ready to continue moving forward. I think that the next step might be interviewing pro fighters here in Houston and seeing why they chose to fight and what it has done for them. Ricardo Talavera will be in this week form Pittsburgh for a fight this Saturday and he's training at Elite so I might be able to get a hold of him and interview him before the fight. Ray is planning on leaving to California on February 4th to go cross train so I have to get to him before he leaves.

This week I'm going to be swamped but I have to finish the review of literature...which I should probably start soon....

Well I'm going to go ahead and get started on that, this was just to inform of my next moves and to say that I now have an expert in my field.

By the way, I thought you might enjoy watching this video. Some of you have already seen it but Ray is the one in the black and red trunks. This was his fourth pro fight, right before challenging for the title....what do you think?

E Portfolio

Hi guys, well I've been working on my e-portfolio lately and it's coming along pretty well... This is going to serve as the web page for my project. You can check my page out on Google sites .
I'd appreciate it if you took a look and leave some comments. The instructions are pretty vague right now but videos are the next step so it will be easier to understand.

Several students have demonstrated an interest in learning how to fight, last night I was helping Johny on punching. I really need to solidify a proposal which I can present to the faculty though. I will have that done by Tuesday for sure though.

By the way there will be another fight at the Houston Arena Theater on the 29th for those of you who are interested. If you can I encourage you to go and have some fun. Two guys from my gym will be fighting that night.

Update

Well I hope everybody is enjoying the Holidays. I've begun working on some lesson plans but am stuck when it comes to writting a proposal. I have had confirmation from Ajani and Ms. Spires as membes on my pannel but am still waiting on the other two. Well what I have down so far is:

Handwraps
Equipment
Stance
Jabs
Crosses
Hooks
Elbows
Low Kick
Body Kick
Push Kick
Clinching


I need to work on some some submissions and takedowns however. I also need to figure out how to propose starting some sort of class at school. Well I hope everyone's projects are going well...see you all after the break.

Christmas Break

Okay, so this break I'm planning on sitting down and breaking down what I know how to do in regards to fighting bit by bit by bit. I also need to sit down and write a serious proposal if I'm even thinking of having an intro class to martial arts in the spring. Along with that proposal I need to see what I might do and what I will need in order to do it. The school has mats, but we might need more depending in how many people would be interested.

Pads would also be a good idea, and though the good ones are kind of expensive I saw a starters kit at the mall this weekend that cost about 25 dollars and includes mitts, gloves, and a jump rope. The quality might not be that great but it is economical and it would allow for each pair of people to share equipment and not have to pay much.

Tomorrow is our final for Senior Seminar and I still haven't solidifies a panel. As of the moment, I am going to write to Eric Williams, the head Jiu-Jitsu coach at Elite and to Vince ( A trainer at Elite) to see if they would be willing to be on my panel. I had mentioned it to them a while back, but I haven't had much contact with them since. As far as the faculty member goes, I am thinking of asking Ajani Thorton, who did Muay Thai some year back, I feel as if he would be able to help me on campus. My mentor, Mary Ann Spires, who was looking for a martial art in which to enroll one of her sons in might be on my panel I also think that this would make our connection stronger since we haven't really talked much since the Ice cream social.

This break is something that I've really needed just to get my head straight and I'm looking forward to working on my project.

My Sentence

My sentence would be as follows:

I have allowed students at Chinquapin to see for themselves if they would really enjoy martial arts and convinced them to train on their own by organizing an introductory class to martial arts and improved my own skill level in the process.

Jiu-Jitsu

Hey well, it's been a while since I posted something but I wanted to inform you all of a great website that I recently found: submissions 101. This site offers a lot instructional videos on not only submissions but escapes, take-downs, and counters as well. Take a look at it, it has a lot of valuable information that can come in handy. Hope you enjoy.

I will be working a lot during the Christmas break. I have done some research but I think that I need to sit down during the break and set a concrete plan for what I want. I have to set a clear goal in mind in order to reach it because right now I have an idea but I don't know how to make it come reality. I feel that if I can refine my idea during the break then I'll be able to hit the ground running come January. I also want to see if perhaps I can shoot a few videos during the break as well.

Bring Home the Championship

Friday night's fights proved to be awesome. All of the fights were great though there was one that I though was stopped too early and caused a great uproar towards the referee who called a TKO when the fighter was still standing and fighting back. I encourage peopel to go see a fight when they can, the experience is like nothing you've probably felt before, the lights, the music, the action. For those of you who enjoy going to clubs, an arena has a greater feel and the after party at the club is better than any regular night at any club. Especially if your teamate won. To see more results go to the Cage Door.

So let me tell you that Elite is now home to the Legacy Fighting Lightweight Champion, Ray Blodgett, one of my instructors, who continues to be undefeated in his profesional career. His fight was great, it lasted all five rounds and Ray won by unanimous decision for dominating most of the fight, with a broken nose! If that's not tough then I don't know what is. After suffering a broken nose, Ray kept on fighting and won the title, thoguh I haven't been able to talk to him since, maybe this weekend.

My tournament on the other hand didn't go so hot, I did fine against other teenagers, getting eliminated in the quarter finals, but was whipped by the adults. My compliments to Richard Tran though who ended up winning against all the white belts, teens and adults.

Back In the Cage

There will be a friendly tournament at my gym on Saturday, and I'm thinking of participating. It isn't anything too serious and it's being done in order to help put an after school program that keeps troubled kids off the streets and provides tutoring and educational aid to needy kids in the Houston area. This is just one of many ways in which Elite helps improve the lives of the surrounding community.

Fight this Friday

There is going to be a fight this Friday at the Houston Arena Theater. It's being promoted by legacy fights and one of my instructors will be fighting that night for the 155 lbs. title. He's currently undefeated so I'm looking forward to see him fight. I just wanted to let you guys know of the upcoming event to see if you would like to attend. The event starts at 8pm and tickets start at forty dollars. Just click on the link.

Current Standings

Ok, well I spoke to Eric yesterday and am thinking of having a documentation on what it feels to practice jui-jitsu and have like a cardio kickboxing class at school if at all possible.

As far as research goes, well I'm making some progress and will start putting information on the E-Portfolio site soon.

Research

There are many websites that already do what I plan on doing. The most helpful one that I've found is Fight Authority, a website that post videos by professional fighters that give their advice and techniques for defensive as well as offensive moves. Though my main focus is on the training that I receive on the weekend.
Asides from the actual fighting, the research that I plan on doing involves more of the history of Muay Thai and Jui Jitsu.