Martial Arts and Mental Health in Hudson Valley

BJJ, jiu-jitsu, precision boxing and mma, self defense No Responses »

Nov 062018

There’s an array of reasons as to why people choose to incorporate martial arts into their lives. Many people start training as an avenue towards weight loss, others may be seeking to improve upon their physical strength and their ability to defend themselves. However, the benefits of training martial arts go far beyond physical improvement. Anybody who’s gone for a light run can attest that exercise can improve your mental state. However, for people who suffer from severe depression, anxiety or other mental struggles, it makes a drastic difference in quality of life.

Precision students having fun and boxing in Poughkeepsie

Just like any other physical activity, training martial arts releases endorphins that help combat stress levels. However, unlike most other forms of exercise, learning a discipline like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, or boxing is just as much of an exercise for your brain as it is for your body. Learning a technique is very similar to studying in school; going through steps over and over again until you can mold something into muscle memory. Applying techniques in a real time situation such as sparring or competition forces your brain to constantly re-calibrate, assess the situation and apply necessary changes. It’s a constantly evolving puzzle that can only be solved by training your body and mind to work in unison.

Boxing will relieve stress. Coach Crazy Jon boxes in the Hudson Valley with precision students.

Through navigating the challenges presented in martial arts and constantly sharpening your mental and physical skill set, training can instill a strong sense of confidence. Confidence can manifest itself in numerous ways throughout your training. The first, and perhaps most obvious way that training builds confidence is through building a good physique. Consistently training martial arts will not only visibly change your body, but will also result in augmented strength and flexibility. The combination of having pride in your physique and waking up feeling strong and healthy every day feels fantastic. This can also lead to higher energy levels during the day, resulting in more productivity. Additionally, pushing your body and brain during training will lead to deeper and more consistent sleep at night.

Although improving your movement and health through martial arts is a great way to boost confidence, the mental benefits seem to outweigh the physical for most people. Learning a new skill set can be challenging, but engaging and effectively applying that skill set is incredibly rewarding. Becoming competent at something that you’ve put time and hard work into helps to establish a strong sense of self pride and establishes goal-oriented behavior for every aspect of your life. Making training a regular part of your routine requires dedication; not only by showing up to the gym, but through diet, mentality and creating healthier habits. It requires being able to get through small setbacks such as injuries, scheduling and exhaustion. Training equips you with the tools to be able to handle mental battles as well. You’ll learn to keep your ego in check, not to get too deterred after a tough sparring session, and how to get yourself up and into the gym even when you don’t feel like training. All of these mental tools are applicable to the other aspects of your life as well and can help you perform to the best of your ability at work, in social situations and personal relationships.

Most of us think of a martial arts academy as a place to learn hand-to-hand combat, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a community of like-minded people, gathered for the same reason; to improve their lives through martial arts. The community aspect is one of the most understated benefits of training. It’s a strange concept; a group of people voluntarily coming together to practice punching and strangling one another, but the bonds developed on the mats are some of the strongest friendships that I’ve experienced in my life.

If you’re a resident of the Hudson Valley and want to make your MMA dreams a reality in a safe and fun environment, come check out Precision Boxing and MMA; the Hudson Valley’s premier mixed martial arts academy. Give us a call at (845)392-8495 or visit us online at http://www.precisionmixedmartialarts.com to schedule your free lesson today!

Training Martial Arts will expand your social groups

Precision Boxers take home victories to the Hudson Valley

Boxing No Responses »

Mar 272017

Precision Boxing took center stage at the Portuguese cultural center in Danbury, CT. Boxers Dennis and Andrew laced up the gloves and took on tough competitors from John Carlo’s Boxing Center. Both Precision boxers walked away with great victories utilizing solid footwork, fast head movement, and quick combinations

Do you live in Poughkeepsie and want to learn the sweet science of boxing? Precision Boxing and MMA is the Hudson Valley’s fastest growing boxing program and is offering a 30 day free trial call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsieboxing.com to get started!

Poughkeepsie Boxing Classes-Hudson Valley Boxing

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Jun 232014

Poughkeepsie Boxing Classes-Hudson Valley Boxing

Boxing is a great sport for a variety of reasons. A participant in boxing can derive many benefits from training. While many people may want to fight in a ring or try their hand at amateur or professional boxing, most people just want to train for the sake of training. Two of the main benefits of taking boxing classes are an increased ability to defend yourself and getting yourself into terrific shape. Boxing classes can offer many other benefits, but these two are the most prevalent and easy to achieve.

Poughkeepsie Boxing Classes

Boxing classes is an underrated martial art for self-defense. Many people think of boxing as just a contest of who can throw either the harder punches or more punches. Offense is only half of what you learn in a boxing class and the other half is far more nuanced and in depth. Any first lesson in a boxing class should include footwork. A boxers ability to move is a huge predictor of success in a fight. A boxer who can move in and out is one that will be able to not only land more punches, but also not get hit. Controlling the distance at which a fight is fought is how you stop yourself from being hit in a street fight. Before any new student can spare, they have to learn how to not get hit. Head movement and other evasive tactics can be used in both organized fights and street fights. A boxer who uses head movement in the ring is a sight to behold, constantly confusing his opponents and leaving them out of position. A person who can use boxing head movement to avoid getting hit in a self-defense scenario is in very little danger from the average guy on the street picking a fight. Combine head movement and footwork and a person becomes a nearly untouchable.

Boxing classes can have you in the best shape of your life. A typical boxing class has many different workouts on any given day. The start is typically a footwork drill or jumping rope. It moves on to mitt work and and pad holding. The major part of class is learning techniques and then repeating them while the instructor monitors and makes sure form is perfect. The average boxing class consists of a whole body workout. Punches, when they are properly learned, are a full body workout that utilizes leg, arm and core muscles. Throwing punches in combination enhances this work out. At the end of a boxing class your feet or lower legs are sore from the footwork and jump ropes. Your arms are sore from punching and parrying punches. The whole experience is one of the most fun and rewarding workouts I have ever experienced.

Poughkeepsie Boxing Classes

If you are interested in Boxing Classes come in to Precision MMA today. We offer a FREE 30 day trial and private introductory lesson. Give us a call at 845-392-8495, stop in or go to our website at www.poughkeepsieboxing.com.

Team Precision Boxer Paul Maley Wins!

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Dec 012013

Team Precision’s Paul Maley made the trip up north for USA Boxing’s card just outside of Albany. Showing his straight ahead no non-sense style Paul earned a TKO victory!

Hudson Valley Boxing

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

Boxing No Responses »

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

Hudson Valley Boxing’s Pat Daka Wins Big at Golden Gloves

Boxing No Responses »

Feb 182013

hudson valley boxing

What was a Hudson Valley boxer doing in Buffalo over the weekend? Well, Pat Daka was competing in the second round of the Upstate New York Golden Gloves. What you may not know is that Pat Daka is still just a teenager. Prom, graduation, and other high school rites of passage are still fresh in his mind. But this young pugilist enters the ring, just the same, ready to face down fully grown men who want to take his head off.

Hudson Valley boxing’s Pat has shown that he does not scare easily. In the first round of the Golden Gloves, he faced an enormous 300-pound superheavyweight. Many counted out Precision boxing’s entrant, but Pat had other plans. Showing ring generalship generally only seen in hardened veterans, Pat worked with quick flurries and strong power shots in route to a dominant victory. Those who doubted him before knew he was business. He did not drive all the way from the Hudson Valley to box and leave empty handed.

After he earned his victory, Pat immediately got back into training with Hudson Valley boxing coach Derrick Ohlhoff. Even though he won in dominant fashion, Pat was still focused on improving as a boxer and working on his weaknesses. In addition, he even took the initiative to step outside of his comfort zone and spar the top dogs at other Hudson Valley boxing gyms. Pat even stepped into the ring with Zuri Lawrence, a veteran of over 40 professional fights. While there were small hiccups and moments of doubt, Pat stayed on course and focused on his goal: to become a Golden Gloves champion.

When February 16^th finally arrived, Team Precision Boxer Pat Daka was ready to show what he was made of. While other fights were filled with self-doubt and anxiety, Pat was overflowing with confidence and eager anticipation. Coach Derrick gave his last minute instructions and they made their way to the ring to take on another mountain of a man. It wasn’t the man’s size that bothered Pat, though. He was facing a south paw.

South paws are rare and pose a unique challenge for orthodox or right handed Hudson Valley boxers. When facing a south paw, everything is backwards. Boxers have to circle to their left and lead with their right despite countless rounds of doing the exact opposite. They often step on each other’s feet in an awkward attempt to gauge distance, where the opponent feels simultaneously too close and too far at the same time. While southpaws face similar challenges, they have one thing on their side – experience. They know what it feels like because most boxers are right-handed – 9 out of 10, to be exact. Meaning southpaws hone their strategy for righties while orthodox fighters might even have a lefty in their gym to work with.

Pat knew that there was no turning back after the bell sounded for the start of the context, so the Hudson Valley boxer sat back and bided his time, trying to win the battle. Then Pat saw that his lead foot was outside his opponent’s, and he knew he was in line for a straight right hand. Pat fired right down the pipe and snapped the man’s head back like a Pez dispenser. His opponent retreated for a moment to collect himself, but Pat never gave him a chance to. He adjusted to his southpaw jitters and maintained constant pressure.

Showing the mindset of a champion, Pat informed his coach that since he took very little damage, he would be ready to fight again on Saturday at another local boxing show near Poughkeepsie. With three victories under his belt, the future looks bright for Pat Daka and the rest of Team Precision Boxing. Keep your eye out for this young heavyweight with the thunderous right hand.

Precision MMA is now offering a 30 Day Free Trial for Poughkeepsie boxers of all levels to find out more call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsieboxing.com

Precision Mixed Martial Arts
1097 Route 55, Lagrangeville, NY 12540
845-392-8495

Poughkeepsie Boxing Program For Boxers of All Levels – 30 Days Free

Boxing No Responses »

Feb 152013

www.poughkeepsieboxing.com to get started

Poughkeepsie Boxing

Most Poughkeepsie boxers are aware that the sweet science is not a new pass time. With it’s 18th century arrival in Europe and it’s various incarnations under Broughton Rules, London Prize Ring Rules, and finally the current Marquess of Queensberry Rules, boxing has been practiced for sport, fitness and self defense.What is fairly new, however, is it’s rapid growth in the Hudson Valley area of Poughkeepsie New York and it’s incorporation into the syllabus of Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie. Precision’s boxing program boasts instructors and training partners with extensive resumes in the sport.

Our head boxing instructor, Derrick Ohlhoff, is a 3 times Golden Gloves boxing champion with an extensive winning record in amateur boxing competition who also has many years experience in coaching. He is arguably the most knowledgeable Poughkeepsie boxing trainer in the entire Hudson Valley. As such, his attention to detail is excellent, and anyone who takes his classes, from beginners to advanced students, will have much to learn from him. Likewise, our instructor Jon Russo has had several wins inside the boxing ring and has over twenty years of experience in the sport. Having trained in a wide variety of Martial Arts in addition to his boxing training, Jon’s approach to boxing is slightly different and is excellent not only for the ring, but also for street self defense. Jon is also a creative Poughkeepsie boxing instructor who is good at providing an atmosphere that is fun for students of all ages and he is excellent at coming up with entertaining new training exercises. John Joy is another Precision MMA boxing coach who has an impressive amateur record and has held the local AKBF Boxing title at 160lbs. Joy is also adept at teaching Poughkeepsie boxing students of all experience levels, but has a particular knack for explaining the fundamentals to beginners. There is no point in one’s boxing training where emphasis upon proper footwork, head movement and body mechanics is more important than during the beginning stages, and John instills this in everyone from day one.

We are also extremely privileged to have training with us the premier professional Heavyweight boxer in the Hudson Valley in Zuri Lawrence. Zuri was at one point ranked as high as #12 in the world at Heavyweight and was so known for his skills that he was personally sought after and used as a training partner by none other than former World Heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield. Soft spoken and affable, Zuri is excellent at explaining boxing’s finer points to beginners, intermediate, and advanced students.

“Precision MMA is a great place with great teachers. If you want to box come to Precision, it’s a nice spot in a good area with good coaches” – Zuri Lawrence

Zuri Lawrence Professional Poughkeepsie Boxer

With such a wealth of experience in our instructors, our training environment reflects. We have a unique atmosphere at Precision which attracts all sorts of people since we are not a traditional boxing gym, we are a Mixed Martial Arts studio which offers a wealth of boxing classes and we reap the benefits of this setting. Those who come to our other classes without much interest in boxing may acquire a taste for it at a later point, especially when they see our brand new eighteen by eighteen foot ring. It might seem odd to those in the Poughkeepsie boxing world, but there are quite a few Mixed Martial Arts studios which offer boxing classes as an aside, but do not have an actual boxing ring in their facility. This works to their detriment if students are interested in stepping in the ring. However, at Precision those interested in competitive boxing can train in the proper environment. Students at Precision in MMA in Poughkeepsie New York often have different motivations for training. Some are simply there to enjoy themselves, which is easy to do since our instructors are easy going and open-minded. Generally, if one were to walk into the average Poughkeepsie boxing gym for no reason other than to find a new pass time a serious boxing coach might not give them as much attention as those preparing for in the ring combat. However, at Precision our instructors will take just as much time to teach boxing’s nuances to those there to have a good time as to the serious competitors. Some students are there for fitness, and with our program’s extensive focus on cardio and strength training this need is sure to be met. And finally, if one is interested in stepping into the ring then Precision’s program will prepare them better than any other in the Poughkeepsie or Hudson Valley region. We have had countless students use the boxing they learned at Precision to win amateur and Golden Gloves matches and we have also had students adapt those skills to win kickboxing, muay thai, amateur and professional Mixed Martial Arts fights.

Above all else, safety is stressed in Precision’s boxing program and this is why it is so effective for students of all experience levels. Precision has the best safety record of any Poughkeepsie boxing gym in the Hudson Valley. Sparring is only allowed once a student has been attending classes and focusing on the basics for a significant period of time and before they take part our instructors make sure that they are capable of controlling their punching power so they do not present a risk to others. Once a student is permitted to spar, they must wear the proper safety gear at all times, including hand wraps, gloves, headgear, cup and mouthpiece. During sparring sessions the instructor’s watchful eye is on the students at all times to make sure that the proper rules are being obeyed and the proper precautions taken. The instructors place great emphasis on matching together partners of equal skill level. Beginners will not be placed with advanced students in heavy sparring scenarios. Nor will two beginners be paired off if it appears to the staff that their sessions may escalate into brawling. Great thought and care is put into matching up appropriate sparring partners to ensure the best possible results and to reduce any risks for injury.

To conclude, Precision MMA’s Poughkeepsie boxing program leaves no student behind. The privilege of learning to box in a true Mixed Martial Arts school rather than a one dimensional boxing club gives our school a different angle from most, and we have seen the success for ourselves in the enjoyment of our students, as well as in the titles and trophies they have won through their hard work. Whether you are just starting out or have been boxing for years, whether your goal is fitness, self-defense or competition, Precision’s boxing program will adapt to meet your needs as an individual.

Now you can try Boxing in Poughkeepsie, NY FREE for 30 Days call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsieboxing.com to get started