Dutchess County Boxing

Apr 232013

Dutchess County Boxing

Team Precision Boxing has been steadily making a name for itself across the New York area. This Dutchess County based boxing gym just produced its first upstate Golden Gloves champion when heavyweight boxer Pat Daka earned the crown after several tournament victories up in Buffalo, NY.

On the local Dutchess County scene fighter John Joy is a familiar face at many of John Carlo’s AKBF fight shows. Always a crowd favorite, John’s straight ahead style made him the organizations 160 pound champion after several hard fought victories. Making him one of the most recognized faces in Dutchess County Boxing.

The man behind the curtain for Team Precision Boxing is Derrick Ohlhoff. Derrick first met Precision owner Brian McLaughlin as their paths crossed at several boxing gyms. The two became sparring partners as Derrick, a 3-time Golden Gloves Champion himself, was training for the nationals. Derrick appreciated McLaughlin’s work ethic and agreed to help train his fighters at his Dutchess County gym in LaGrange, NY. Derrick brings a true wealth of knowledge and experience to Precision, a veteran fighter with more than 30 bouts under his belt Derrick knows the ins and outs of the fight game. Derrick has also worked with high level Dutchess County professional boxers such as Brian Barbosa and Zuri Lawrence.

Poughkeepsie Boxing

Originally, Precision was focused solely on MMA competition. However, as the program grew a dedicated boxing team arose. Now Team Precision boxing is a known force to be reckoned with on the Dutchess County Boxing circuit.

The Team Precision Boxing style emphasizes strong defense – head movement, slipping, bobbing and weaving, blocking and counter punching make up the core of the curriculum. Precision boxers don’t always get their hands raised, but they rarely absorb damage. Hitting without getting hit is the mantra for Precision Boxers.

Precision boxing welcomes boxers from all walks of life. You don’t have to be the next Mike Tyson to walk through the doors of Precision. While we’re very proud of our competitors’ achievements, most of our boxers just come in to get in shape and learn self defense in a fun and safe atmosphere. At Precision we pride ourselves on being the most approachable boxing gym in Dutchess County. There are no “tough guys” here and we encourage all our students and keep the egos in check. Whether you want to become the next world champion or just want to sweat off a few pounds, Precision Boxing can get you to your goals.

Right now Precision Boxing is offering an incredible 30 Day FREE Trial for boxers across Dutchess County. To find out more and to schedule your introductory lesson call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsieboxing.com

Join the best boxing team in Dutchess County!

Hudson Valley Boxing – Boxing at Precision MMA is Effective for All Types of Combat

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Apr 222013

Hudson Valley Boxing

In the martial arts’ world, it is generally accepted that different styles can work in a number of different environments and under various different rule sets. Kickboxers have always known that their style is effective in pure kickboxing events like K-1 for example, as well as for street self-defense, but only within the past couple decades have they realized that it is also effective for MMA competition. Many styles like Kung Fu or Karate may have some effectiveness on the street, but have not found success in the MMA arena. Wrestlers, on the other hand, generally thought up until the early UFCs, that their style was ineffective for actual combat and only worked on the wrestling mat, only to later discover that it is one of the most effective styles for mixed combat. Much like sport wrestling, boxing has not always been viewed as an actual multi-dimensional martial art by its fans. Some of this is due to its western origins and the misconception amongst non-martial artists that “martial arts” are generally Asian in origin. The rest probably stems from the fact that most typical boxing fans are not fans of other combat sports. At Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie, New York, we are fully aware of the multiple usages that boxing has, and our team of trainers is fully equipped to teach students how it applies to multiple different settings.

With the recent growth of Mixed Martial Arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, an unfortunate divide has formed between boxing fans and MMA fans. Many boxing fans ridicule MMA and call it either “unsportsmanlike” or make fun of the grappling aspect because it looks foreign to them. Others criticize the boxing skills of MMA fighters and point out how easily they would be out struck by the current boxing champions. However, what many of them fail to realize is not only that boxing is an essential part of MMA, but that the other arts used in MMA, such as Muay Thai Kickboxing, Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, make one’s boxing more effective in actual combat if used to proper effect. For example, at Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie, New York, those interested in using their boxing skills for mixed martial arts competition art taught by our wrestling coaches how to keep the fight standing and avoid the takedown so that they can land their combinations. This would not be possible in an MMA fight, or a street fight for that matter, if they are taken to the ground. Our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors can teach the boxing-oriented mixed martial artist how to utilize their ground skills to get back to their feet again and use their boxing, and our Muay Thai instructors can teach them how to defend against kicks and knees so that they can find openings for their hands. As such, those elements that look foreign to the typical boxing fan actually make their sport more effective for mixed martial arts, street self-defense, and all around combat.

A boxer who is unfamiliar with other martial arts will find upon walking into Poughkeepsie’s Precision boxing gym that their sport will most easily translate to Muay Thai Kickboxing. Though Muay Thai does include many elements foreign to boxing, like kicks, knees, elbows, clinching and trips, it also includes all of the punches that are legal in the sweet science. As such, a boxer crossing over to Muay Thai will immediately have a big advantage when it comes to their punching skills, footwork and head movement. With the help of our Muay Thai instructors, they can learn to both execute and defend against kicks, knees, elbows and other attacks, and in so doing they will learn to how to create more opportunities to use their fists for better effect. Because our boxing coaches frequently spar with and trade techniques with our Muay Thai coaches, students in both classes will learn how the two arts can cross over to help each other and any boxing enthusiast who takes our Muay Thai classes should be able to be very effective in the kickboxing ring if that is their goal.

This same cross over between boxing and kickboxing makes boxing techniques more effective not only in the kickboxing arena, but also in Mixed Martial Arts and street self-defense. In an MMA fight, a boxer who has cross trained in Muay Thai at Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie, New York will be able to check the leg kicks which are so often the downfall of boxers looking to transition to cage fighting. Because of the difference in stance between boxing and Muay Thai, the boxing stance leaves one very open to leg kicks which can present serious problems. Many a kickboxer has actually out boxed a superior boxer in an MMA fight by slowing them down with leg kicks, then going high with punches once the boxer has begun to drop his hands. By combining the two arts, the boxer who cross trains in Muay Thai for MMA will see those kicks coming and block them ahead of time, and maybe even fire back a few of his own before setting up his boxing combinations. Likewise, he will be able to defend against knees and elbows common to Muay Thai and see the openings to use his jab, cross, hook and uppercut.

For street self-defense, boxing blended with Muay Thai creates the perfect striking style. When surprised during a violent encounter, a martial artist cannot be one-dimensional and expect that he will need only punches to survive. The Precision trained boxer will know how to chain his punches together with kicks, knees, elbows and clinch tactics in such a way that will entirely throw off any would be attacker.

On the other hand, the cross over between boxing and wrestling may not be so obvious to someone walking into Precision in Poughkeepsie for the first time. When it comes to Mixed Martial Arts, wrestling has proven to be quite possibly the best base to have because it enables one to control where the fight takes place. The better wrestler will be able to get the takedown, and so if he wants the fight to take place on the ground, he can have his way. Likewise, if the better wrestler wants to keep the fight standing and use his boxing skills to win, his opponent will not be able to take him down to prevent this from happening. So while wrestling might seem aesthetically unpleasing to many boxing fans, it is quite possibly the number one style they would need to make their boxing work for them in either MMA or for street self-defense. Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie, New York has excellent wrestling coaches in Ian Lindars and Rich McHale who can show a former boxer how to keep the fight standing where he can put his boxing skills to use in either an MMA fight or a violent attack. This tactic of defending the takedown and using punches on the feet has often been referred to as “sprawl and brawl” in MMA, and it is every bit as effective on the street if a mugger attempts to tackle one as it is in the ring against a conventional double leg takedown. Indeed, boxers should be thanking wrestlers, because without the latter style the former rarely works outside of a pure boxing match.

Boxers who come by Poughkeepsie’s Precision will also learn how to use the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to make their boxing more effective in both MMA and street self-defense settings. Many boxers have commented that they find Jiu-Jitsu “boring”, but what they fail to realize is that if a skilled Jiu-Jitsu practitioner takes them down in an MMA fight, and they have stubbornly refused to cross train in the art, then their boxing will be useless. All the boxing combinations in the world will not help the boxer when he is on his back mounted by a Jiu-Jitsu black belt, nor will they save him when he is being choked or arm locked. However, by cross training in BJJ a boxer can learn to escape from inferior Jiu-Jitsu positions, defend against submission holds and work his way back to his feet in an MMA fight so that he can use his hands to gain the victory. Likewise, though a mugger on the street is unlikely to be a skilled Jiu-Jitsu expert, it is still very possible for someone only skilled in boxing to be taken to the ground in a real-world violent encounter and even if the mugger has never trained in BJJ, he can still hurt the boxer if he is lying prone on his back. In this scenario, the boxer who has learned Jiu-Jitsu at Precision in Poughkeepsie can use his ground skills to either end the fight there, or regain his footing and use his boxing to end the encounter.

Finally, if a former boxer enters the doors of Poughkeepsie’s Precision with an open mind and decides to take all our classes in BJJ, Wrestling, Judo, MMA and Muay Thai, the world will be his oyster should he decide to partake in an MMA contest, or if a violent predator is unfortunate enough to choose him as an unlikely victim. The Muay Thai he will learn from coach Karl Nemeth will enable him to defend against leg kicks, knees and elbows, while utilizing his own. The wrestling he will learn from coaches Ian Lindars and Rich McHale, as well as the Judo taught by Jerry Fokas, will enable him to stuff takedown attempts, keep the fight standing, and knock the opponent out. Finally, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu he will learn from coach Brian McLaughlin will enable him to either submit his opponent on the ground, or work back to his feet and unleash a winning combination, and our MMA classes will teach him how to seamlessly combine boxing with these other styles for best effect. We also are lucky enough to have a boxing coach who has cross-trained in several styles such as Jeet Kune Do and Tae Kwon Do in Jon Russo. Training with Jon will prepare the former boxer for either MMA or a street self-defense scenario and will get him thinking outside of the box. And finally, if the student is interested in working more on his boxing skills he can take classes with three-time Golden Gloves’ champion Derrick Ohlhoff. The end result for the boxer who cross-trains at Poughkeepsie’s Precision MMA is that he will truly see for the first time how effective boxing can be in multiple different environments. When combined harmoniously with the other styles we offer, the sweet science becomes more than a one-dimensional combat sport, it becomes a lethal mixed martial art.

Poughkeepsie Martial Arts

Want to start boxing at Precision Mixed Martial Arts? Give us a call at 845-392-8495 or stop in at 1097 Route 55, Lagrangeville, NY 12540. Precision MMA is currently offering a 30-day FREE trial to new members!

Jamey Bazes is a lifelong martial artist holding a brown belt in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kenpo Karate. He also holds a master’s degree from SUNY New Paltz. He is a student of Precision Mixed Martial Arts in LaGrange, NY (near Poughkeepsie) and a decorated competitor including a Delaware Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu State Championship and a NAGA World Title. To train with Jamey in Poughkeepsie NY check out Precision MMA http://www.poughkeepsieboxing.com

Quality Boxing in Poughkeepsie, NY is now a reality!

Boxing, martial arts, Uncategorized No Responses »

Apr 222013

Poughkeepsie Boxing

The sport of boxing has been helping people from all different walks of life better themselves for centuries. However, quality Poughkeepsie boxing has been hard to come by. Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY (just outside Poughkeepsie) is changing that. There are many different motivations that drive people to put on a pair of gloves and step into a boxing gym. A quality boxing gym will work with all boxers, not simply fighters or potential superstars.

Precision MMA offers a safe, clean and supportive environment for boxers across Dutchess County to learn the sweet science. The first thing that sets Precision MMA apart from many traditional boxing gyms are the group classes. Many boxing gyms offer only one on one training working with only a single boxer and a single trainer. However, being able to learn in a group builds in a support system of boxers working together to achieve similar goals. Boxers build camaraderie and friendships making trips to the boxing gym about more than just punches.

Precision’s Poughkeepsie boxing program also offers many different types of classes all of which cater to different boxers. New boxers are brought into fundamental classes. At these training sessions boxers work on the essentials of footwork, punching technique, head movement, stance and combinations. Partner drills, pad work and coordination exercises make up the core of the program. New Poughkeepsie boxers are not made to spar and no one leaves these classes with black eyes or a bloody nose.

Circuit training classes challenge Poughkeepsie boxers with different sports specific exercises focusing mainly on cardio and strength building. Boxers become familiar with the heavy bags, jump ropes, double end and maze bags which are part of Precision MMA’s amazing 5,000 square foot facility. Shadow boxing and calisthenics are also staples of these classes. Boxers of all experience levels from novice to professional build their fight fitness in these incredible classes. Others use these classes to lose weight and relieve stress. Precision boxing is full of success stories from boxers across Poughkeepsie who have lost weight and kept it off.

For those interested in learning boxing for self defense sparring classes exist that simulate street fight scenarios. Here boxers learn how to stop attackers using combinations and defensive tactics. Everyday people come to these classes to learn the skills that will keep them safe walking home late at night.

Finally, for boxers who dream of stepping into the ring Precision has competition classes with the goal of creating champions. Boxers work one on one with coaches doing intense pad sessions and hard sparring with boxers from all levels – amateur to professional. The Precision boxing team has produced some of Dutchess County’s most accomplished boxers, home of multiple golden gloves champions. Precision emphasizes skill over power and makes sure that its boxers are smart and slick rather than glorified brawlers.

If you’re a Poughkeepsie resident who loves the sport of boxing or if you’re just looking to get in shape and have fun doing it check out Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY. Right now Precision is offering an incredible 30 Day Free trial where interested students can check out their facility to find out more call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsieboxing.com

Poughkeepsie Boxing – Precision MMA Offers the Best Boxing Instruction in the Hudson Valley

Boxing No Responses »

Apr 152013

Precision MMA

In the growing world of combat sports and mixed martial arts, not all boxing gyms are created equal. To a large extent, there are two main audiences for a modern day boxing gym, and schools often tend to fall too far to one of the opposite extremes. On the one hand, you have the growing trend of boxercise and cardio boxing gyms, which focus on getting people in shape through traditional boxing workouts. These mainly cater to men, women and children who are not overly serious about competitive boxing or self -defense, but who simply want a friendly environment in which to train. While they do tend to be more inviting than your more serious inner city gyms, what they lack is the hard sparring and practical focus, which create tough minded and able-bodied competitive boxers. On the other hand, there are the more traditional boxing gyms which, though at their best are capable of producing skilled competitive boxers, often drive the more casual trainees away with their overly strict “urban discipline” and “tough love” mentality. Precision Mixed Martial Arts, located in Lagrange, New York, near the town of Poughkeepsie in the Hudson Valley area, offers the perfect harmony of both aspects, providing both a friendly environment as well as a disciplined and practical approach to sport fighting and street self-defense.

Boxing is a more than two centuries’ old art, and so in some senses the sport itself, including it’s trainers, trainees and gyms, has become quite set in it’s ways. Anyone who has watched the movie Rocky with Sylvester Stallone has seen the image of the traditional inner city boxing gym. While in many cases film does not reflect reality, in this case the environment portrayed is often not far from the truth. Boxing is a tough sport, and so many gyms are located in equally rough neighborhoods and frequented by fighters and trainees who are not interested in providing an inviting environment. In fact, many of these gyms often “haze” the newcomers, throwing them in the ring with more experienced boxers to see if they have the toughness to take the hits and come back for a second training session. While in some cases this might bring in a couple disciplined new boxers, more often than not it tends to drive away the casuals, or even those who are not so casual in their training but simply don’t want to deal with a “thug” mentality while training. If the prospective student does stick around, he may still be pushed to the side and ignored by the head trainers in favor of the boxers who have been there longer and may be considered to be a “second rate” trainee, and he will have a harder time improving because of less focus given to him by the coaches. The fact that many of these gyms are located in poor or violent neighborhoods further isolates many prospective students who feel threatened even going into the area itself to try out a boxing class. Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley offers serious training for those interested in competing or acquiring skills for street self-defense, yet it is located in an upscale area and has a welcoming environment, and so it does not isolate those serious aspiring boxers who are turned off by the traditional “boxing-gym atmosphere”. When a new student takes his or her first class at our gym, they will not immediately be made to feel as if they must “prove their toughness” against experienced boxers. Nor will they be made to feel as if the trainers have less time to devote to them than the more senior students. One-on- one coaching is always provided to students of all levels and our coaches are always friendly and supportive. Students will also not be pressured to fight competitively, something which is often done at traditional gyms, though if this is their focus we certainly provide the training necessary to accommodate that goal. Our head boxing instructor, Derrick Ohlhoff, is himself a three-times Golden Gloves’ boxing champion with an impressive amateur record who is patient with all students and has a very good-natured attitude. Our other coaches, Jon Russo and Jon Joy, both have many years of experience in the local Hudson Valley boxing circuits and have tested their skills many times in the ring, and are equally affable and approachable. Precision Mixed Martial Arts welcomes those students who might be made to feel “second-rate” at a traditional gym. In fact, the loss of the “conventional” gyms becomes our gain as we often end up producing great competitors out of those who started off as casual students simply attracted by the open-minded and sportive environment of our school.

The other type of boxing gym which has become very popular these days is the “boxercise” gym, or “cardio boxing” gym where boxing-oriented workouts are provided with the intention of getting students into shape by utilizing boxing style workouts. While these programs do often get trainees into great shape physically, they do not teach students how to fight competitively or to defend themselves. This is the case both because sparring is not heavily stressed, or even offered at all, and because proper boxing technique is often not emphasized because it is not nearly so important. When preparing for an encounter in the ring, or a self-defense scenario, proper technique is paramount because without it one cannot achieve the maximum amount of power in their punches. However, having flawless technique is not necessary when one is only hitting a heavy bag or some mitts with no intention of getting in the ring or needing those skills for self-defense, because they will still be burning calories regardless. The sorts of cardio boxing gyms that are often offered at one’s local gym or exercise facility take advantage of the fact that their students do not realize they are being offered an inferior product. They realize that most students looking to get in shape will not realize the difference between a properly executed punch and a sloppy one, and so they often employ instructors who lack any real credentials to teach boxing. While Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley does offer boxing circuit training classes, as well as beginner and advanced boxing classes which can get students in excellent shape, we do not sacrifice proper technical instruction. While students are burning fat and gaining muscle and cardio vascular endurance they will also be learning how to get full power behind their punches and how to utilize proper footwork and head movement.

Furthermore, the fashionable boxercise gyms which have been popping up left and right do not usually provide sparring classes, and without sparring a student can never learn to box competitively or defend themselves against an attack. Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley has several sparring classes a week, open to the more advanced students, so that they can learn to put their skills to the test if need be. Our sixteen by sixteen foot ring is perfect for training our students for upcoming fights in the Hudson Valley region, and we have a very successful competition record amongst our students. In fact, despite the fact that we do not have the “traditional boxing gym atmosphere”, one of our students is none other than Professional HW boxer Zuri Lawrence, who was at one point ranked as high as #12 world wide, and was a former sparring partner for Evander Holyfield. Clearly, the attitude displayed by many urban gyms has not been necessary for Precision to attract big names, and we continue to rack up the local victories as our name spreads throughout the Hudson Valley.

Moreover, because Precision MMA is a true Mixed Martial Arts gym and not only a boxing gym, we have been able to break out of the mold that many traditional gyms have become slave to. Not only have students used our boxing program to acquire skills for boxing competition, they have also used these skills to successfully win Amateur Kickboxing and Muay Thai fights, as well both Amateur and Pro Mixed Martial Arts fights. Our boxing program is also more self-defense oriented than your average gym and one of our instructors Jon Russo is also quite skilled at Jeet Kune Do and is adept at explaining how boxing can also be used for self-defense as well as competition. All these aspects of boxing are overlooked by the traditional inner city gyms which rigidly stick to their formula and drive away anyone interested in learning to box for any reason other than to compete in a pure boxing match.

To conclude, anyone interested in learning to box for any reason, be it self- defense, sport competition in boxing, kickboxing or MMA, or even simply for fitness, can benefit from the boxing programs offered by Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley. Because we are located in a nice area and provide approachable instructors we are highly sought after by those who want to learn to box without having to deal with the intimidation factor which so many gyms unfortunately foster. At the same time we avoid following the common path of the “aerobic boxing gyms” which only churn out physically fit students who have no idea how to use their skills in a practical situation. Come check out Precision MMA’s boxing program for 30 free days and see if it is right for you.

Poughkeepsie Martial Arts

Precision MMA is the choice of UFC fighters, golden gloves champions and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu medalists – a true mixed martial arts gym that combines diversity with specialization. Check them out for 30 days FREE call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com