Tag: Boxing

Terminology is Important, But Not That Important

November 24, 2023 / WWStevens / 0 Comments

One of the easiest arguments to find yourself having in mixed martial arts circles is not about ring control, or the right way to handle the calf kick, it’s about what you call that one move. And it can be a fun argument to have, but sometimes people take it a little too seriously and you’re left wondering if everything is okay at home. You may think, “It’s just a word, the move is the same.” Or you could be thinking, “You need to say it right, you need to understand what you are communicating.” And yeah, two things can be true. So what is up with martial terminology?

Terminology Gives Us Common Language to Recognize Complexities

By having more standardized words, we can differentiate between similar movements, tools, and concepts. At a beginner level, this is not too important, but as one moves into intermediacy it becomes more necessary. Details make the difference between a jab that connects and a jab that really hurts. So if you have a word to differentiate the two, you are ahead of someone who just understands the jab as one or the other. This extends to all aspects of martial arts. Footwork requires finesse, fight strategies need detail, even workouts need differentiation.

Terminology Allows Us to Communicate How We See a Topic

By exploring terminology, we can understand how different arts and teachers treat certain tools. For instance, we have the armbar. In English speaking arts like Catch, we generally call it an armbar, showing that the lock attacks the arm by straightening or “barring” it. It is a simple and effective way to explain the concept. The details will change from technician to technician, so don’t get bogged down when you first learn it. The same is true in BJJ, even in Brazilian it translates to armbar or armlock. In arts like Judo, it is termed juji-gatame, or ude-hishigi-juji-gatame.

We can learn a lot just from this single term. “Juji” is the same kanji for “jujika” or “cross”, which can denote the right angle one takes to the opponent’s body, but also the manner in which the arm is outstretched. The next part is even more interesting, “gatame” is used for pins and certain locks. Most joint locks in Judo use the term “garame”, but certain joint locks have the term “gatame” instead. So why is that? Well the principle is that locks like armbars (juji-gatame) and head and arm choke (kata-gatame) can be used to effectively pin an opponent as well as submit them. On the flip side, “garame” means to entangle or twist. On top of all of this, “ude-hishigi” (arm break) denotes that this movement is a type of arm submission, that it causes pain. Look at how much information and context is contained in essentially four words. This is just one movement and we can see what the priority is in each art.

Terminology Can Cause Separation Due to Interpretation or Similarity

Unfortunately, sometimes we get so focused on terminologies that we forget to actually focus on the techniques. Terminology can cause conflict among groups that at the end of the day, doesn’t even matter. You may call it a double-wristlock, I call it a figure-4, and someone else calls it a kimura. At the end of the day, we’re all ripping some guy’s arm out of its socket. But how much time is spent arguing over these words? What’s more important is discussing details of the movement or technique. You can call it whatever you want, but if you can’t do it, it doesn’t matter. As helpful as terminology is, it is just a tool for communication. It is not the Gospel truth.

Terminology Can be Used to Create In-Groups and Out-Groups

This phenomenon is particularly frustrating. I have seen it most in kung fu circles. To give an example, in Wing Chun we have a drill called chi sau. It’s a sticking hands game used to teach the trapping range. At the beginning stages you are just trying to learn how to feel your opponent and stick to them to trap or strike. As you advance you start including footwork, head movement and Wing Chun’s full range of tools. Advanced chi sau is not sparring or fighting, but it is closer than beginner chi sau. Where I train we just call that advanced chi sau or sheung (double) chi sao, but in Cantonese it is often called “gor sau.” But we’re already inundating the students with all sorts of terms from a language they don’t know. We don’t need to overcomplicate something that can be said in English.

Some other Wing Chun schools don’t like that and have implied that my Wing Chun is bastardized or inauthentic. And it’s not that I don’t know words like “gor sau,” just that I don’t use them in general parlance. But I can actually fight with my Wing Chun, so they can keep gor sau.

Terminology is a Tool

When we focus on the terminology, we can learn a lot about the art or curriculum we are studying. As a self-professed word nerd, I really recommend that people dig into the terminology of their arts. You can learn a lot about the art, the history of the art (which most people forget), and it can even improve your form. But I also have to caution against getting focused on what each person calls it. Unless you are the developer of a school’s curriculum, it’s not your job. Don’t argue whether it’s a “head and arm choke” or “arm triangle”. It’s both. It’s neither. No one cares, go train.

Why We Need Specialists

February 22, 2022 / WWStevens / 0 Comments

First let’s define a specialist. A specialist is someone who focuses on one area of study or one art. So someone who only boxes is a specialist, just like someone who only grapples. But being a specialist can also mean someone who is focused on self defense, someone into ancient weapons, or someone who only focuses on sport fighting. A nak muay and a point fighter are both kickboxing specialists, but on different ends of the scale. So why do we need these guys?

Some People Don’t Want to Mix Their Martial Arts

We’ll start with an easy one. Some people just want to learn one aspect of fighting. It may be a preference for sport, such as boxing. Or they might have a concern for defense, but wish to handle it more gently, like Jiu-Jitsu. It could also be from a cultural connection, like folk wrestling styles. Sumo is not only a badass sport, it’s a point of national pride and cultural heritage for many Japanese people. While I for one love to learn all the nooks and crannies of fighting, I know many people who just want to box, wrestle, or do kung fu. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s great. Because this gives them something that I don’t have, which leads me to my next point.

Specialists Have a Greater Understanding of their Field than a Jack-of-all-Trades

A kickboxer will outclass a mixed martial artist on striking. A wrestler will do the same on the ground. They have more reps in that area and they have studied it more intensely, understanding concept and theory on a deeper level. This is why MMA fighters have striking, grappling, and conditioning coaches. They depend on people who focus on portions of the game to give them an edge and ensure they are performing to the best of their abilities. These understandings can go even deeper as well.

A grappler with decades of practicing Greco will have a better understanding of clinch grappling than a BJJ or Freestyle practitioner. So these specialists can look at a fighter and help them develop tools that fit their style. Now the flip side of specialists is also true. Generalists show the weaknesses and strengths of particular strategies. They help specialists understand the nature of their techniques more deeply, even if the generalist may not realize it.

Specialists Maintain Knowledge for Future Generations

This goes back to my point of specialists having a greater understanding of their field. Specialists can keep their arts or fields of study a priority. They don’t forget techniques and concepts just because they’ve gone out of vogue. We’ve all seen it happen, where someone shows off a move that they developed only for others to say, “Yeah we’ve been doing that for like a hundred years.” Human knowledge is not a constant pile that we all access equally. It is a flowing amorphous collection of understandings. Languages can be lost; so can artistic methods and even combative techniques.

This is probably my favorite aspect about specialists. As someone who spent much of their childhood in libraries, I love specialists. They’re like human textbooks. Consider a teacher like Roy Wood. He’s one of the foremost authorities on Catch as Catch Can wrestling in the world and he just wants to share this style and preserve what’s been given to him. Do his students have to only study Catch? No. Is he going to show them everything Catch has to offer? Absolutely. To be a specialist is to preserve knowledge that even you may not realize will be so helpful or revolutionary to someone.

What Does This Mean for You?

It means you get to decide what you want to learn. If you just want to study one art or area of combat, you can do that. If you want to study everything you can, then you can do that. But we have to recognize that there are tradeoffs to each method. For example, as a generalist I will never be as good at boxing or grappling as my specialist contemporaries, but in an MMA or street context, I have the option to take them where they aren’t comfortable. Would I win? I don’t know. But I’d certainly be harder to beat. In their disciplines, I’ll almost assuredly lose and my understanding of technique may never become as refined as theirs. But that’s okay.

We still learn from each other and we each have our roles in our martial communities. What we shouldn’t do is give in to tribalism and naysaying. What’s good will prove itself and what isn’t will fall by the wayside. Don’t worry, just have fun and train hard. And if you find a detail or intricacy that boosts your fight game, be sure to thank a specialist.

Fist Conditioning: the Good, the Bad, and the Arthritic

February 8, 2021 / WWStevens / 0 Comments

In the wide world of martial arts, strikers often have differing views on how to toughen the hands and build their body to handle the impact of striking with a closed fist. Some of these methods are tried and true, while others will leave you with hands that can’t hold a spoon. After years of training in many arts and working to keep my hands safe, I have decided to make this list of methods to try and methods to stay far away from. Understand that I am not a doctor or a physical therapist. I am not a master of Iron Fist. I am someone who has practiced striking arts for many years. This are my personal views on the subject of hand conditioning. Talk to a medical professional before taking up any hand conditioning.

Works Best

Hitting the Heavy Bag

The body conditions best for an activity by performing that activity. So if you want to be good at swimming, swim. If you want to be good at striking, strike. There are of course secondary and tertiary exercises you can do to improve this. Yet the best thing to get your hand conditioned to striking is to hit with them. The heavy bag is perfect for this. It’s a soft surface that still has weight. This means you don’t risk cracking bone, but if your form is off on a punch, you will feel it in your wrist. You get live feedback and returning pressure. Hitting the bag (even gloved) causes microfractures to occur in the knuckles, mostly the ends of the metacarpals. Any striker worth their salt hits the heavy bag.

To hit the heavy bag for conditioning, start with gloves on. Get used to hitting the heavy bag at varying levels of power. Practice your speed, cadence, and footwork. Once you are thoroughly used to hitting the bag with gloves, just wear some hand wraps. Do the same exercises you have been practicing. After a while, try without your wraps, completely bare knuckle.

Do not hit as hard as you have been, especially not as hard as you can. Instead, work on form and speed. Seek to find what works well for you. When learning to hit the heavy bag bareknuckle, do so under professional supervision. One should also understand that even after learning how to hit the heavy bag bareknuckle, much of the bag time should be spent gloved. Heavy bag conditioning is a slow, methodical process. Be careful and practice good form.

I have found I can hit the bag with force and my wrists are fine. I’m typing this caption just a minute after taking this picture. No pain and suffering here.

Knuckle Pushups

Knuckle pushups are beautiful things. They don’t really condition by impact, they condition the supportive structures of the hands and arms. Pushups work the triceps, pecs, delts, serrati anterior, and your abs. Knuckle pushups do the same, but also work the muscles and tendons of the forearms to keep your wrists straight. This helps prepare you for hitting with a closed fist and is an essential tool in any striker’s workout plans.

Pullups

I know it seems counterintuitive, but pullups can help your punches. While pullups mostly work the antagonizing muscles of a punch, they also improve your forearms and overall grip strength. When punching with a closed fist, you want the punch to be loose at first and lock into a strong grip on impact. I would also like to say, if you’re not doing pullups, go do some. Pullups are so useful as an everyday exercise. I would dare say they are essential. If you don’t have the space for a pullup bar, you can always do table rows. These will help with grip strength and work your upper back. If you like outdoor sports, try rock climbing as well.

Works Well

Weight Lifting

Weight lifting conditions your hands the same way it conditions the rest of your body. You put strain on your muscles and tendons and because of this, they heal stronger. Proper weight lifting will greatly improve your grip strength. Plus, lifting can be a very useful part of any growth or fitness plan. The reason I put this in “works well” instead of “works best” is because of the equipment needed and the knowledge needed. I would recommend going through a strength training program with a certified trainer if you are new to weight lifting. You can often find such programs at your local gyms and YMCAs.

Hitting Sandbags

Sandbags serve the same purpose as a heavy bag. Some can hang on walls, some are single bags used for iron fist training. Most bags nowadays come empty so you can fill with what you’d like. The old progression often looks like sand, dry beans, pebbles, steel shot. All you really need is the sand or dry beans. Sandbags condition your hand the same ways a heavy bag does, through impact. If you have wall bags, you can practice punches, chops, palm strikes and even finger jabs (carefully). Unhung bags are more often used to practice the full range of open hand striking. Since wallbags and lone sandbags are backed up by something hard like a wall or table, you don’t strike as hard as you would on a heavy bag. Slow, methodical strikes are how should start training with sand bags. If you aren’t used to these, I would recommend finding a coach or sifu who can give you advice on use.

Sandbags allow one to practice a large range of striking.

Makiwara

Makiwara are striking posts used in karate, kenpo, and other such arts. The most common type is a single post of wood with a rectangular target at the top for striking. It can be made of rice straw, leather, rope, or sometimes duct tape and newspaper. Occasionally, you will also see makiwara with stone parts, but this is rare. Makiwara are an excellent resource for hand conditioning and striking training in general. I hesitate to put them in the “works best” category because they hold certain risks.

The problem with makiwara is that one has a higher chance of damaging the knuckles or wrist. The point of makiwara is teaching the anatomy of a strike in karate. So you need to know how the makiwara will respond. This is why if you want to try makiwara, you should do so first under the supervision of a professional instructor. And I don’t mean some McDojo where you can blow through the belts. I mean someone who understands traditional fighting and conditioning methods.

Sand Striking and Rice Digging

This one has a bit of a bad rep, but it does work. Sand digging and rice digging are great ways to build up your forearms and hands. These are great ways to help rehab wrists as well. It’s not the most bang for your buck in terms of strength, but helps with flexibility and tendon support. Striking into a bucket of sand or rice is also effective and allows you to help condition for strikes like eye jabs and panther fists. It can be a bit messy, so be sure to have a deep bucket and only fill it about halfway up.

Dangerous

Striking Steel and Stone

While there are traditional martial arts that engage in this, the risk is very high. Just because you see someone tapping their arms or shins on stone or steel, doesn’t mean you should strike it with your hand. I would also note that these practitioners only do so after years of conditioning on (relatively) softer materials. Even then most of the stone conditioning tools are show pieces and rarely see use. Don’t go around trying to punch rocks or smash your arms against concrete pillars. You will damage yourself. You will damage yourself more than is needed to build microfractures. You will regret it.

Iron Hand Training

Iron hand training is a large term that encompasses a variety of techniques. Essentially, the goal of such training methods is to toughen the skin and bones to withstand great forces and become better tools for destroying your opponent. The big issue with iron hand training is how varied the methods are. Some are simple and effective like striking sandbags and carrying weighted jars. That’s just impact training and weightlifting. More archaic methods of iron hand involve striking hot sand, punching large rocks and cooking one’s hands in an herbal soup. These latter methods will damage your hands and are just plain stupid.

One of the useful things that comes from iron hand training is dit da jow, but there are so many recipes and only a few really do the job. Plus, if you don’t have the time and money to make your own, it’s definitely not worth it. Most pre-made jows on the market are little more than slightly herbal rubbing alcohol. If you want to help your hands after conditioning, you’re better off icing them for a little bit. You can also throw on some menthol ointment or tiger balm, if you don’t have any cuts. Mentholated ointment (like VapoRub and Namman Muay) is menthol and eucalyptus based. Tiger balm is made from the same major herbs found in good jow.

Striking Wood Full Force

I’m not talking about breaking boards here. Board breaking can be a useful way to learn follow through with a punch. I’m talking about striking wooden poles, trees, and floors. It’s not helpful and if you’re new to striking, you have a large risk of spraining your wrist or even fracturing a carpal. Just don’t.

I hope this helps clear up some misconceptions for you. If y’all have any questions about any of the training methods here, let me know. I will be happy to go into greater detail on them.

Here’s one more tip: look at the old fighters. See who practices what kind of conditioning and see which ones can still write their name or pick up a cup. The ones who can move well, talk to them about conditioning.

Train smart, train hard, and never stop fighting.