Jun 202013
 
Hudson Valley martial arts

Hudson Valley Martial arts

Finding success in the Hudson Valley martial arts world is not always easy.  It is certainly true that people might define “success” differently.  Many dojos are content to hand out black belts as if they were representative of nothing more than the fabric which they are made out of, but there is one marker of success which never lies, and that is competition.  Whether a martial artist chooses to test himself in Amateur or Professional Mixed Martial Arts, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or some other competitive format, in all cases one’s opponent is not going to be interested in placating one’s ego and is going to do his utmost to prevent his adversary from being successful against him.  It is for this reason that Hudson Valley martial arts practitioners at Precision MMA are so proud of our ability to turn novices into successful competitors and fighters.  Many people have come through the doors of Precision with no martial arts’ training whatsoever, only to find themselves having success in the ring in record time.  The results speak for themselves and show that we know what we are doing when it comes to teaching effective Hudson Valley martial arts.

When a dedicated but entirely inexperienced student first enters Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley area of New York, we might liken them to a piece of clay, and our instructors to master sculptors.  As long as the student is willing to learn and do whatever is necessary to be successful our instructors can turn them into a living, breathing work of art. People are transformed by the practice of martial arts every day.  Their physiques are molded from plain or overweight to toned and conditioned.  Their self-image often improves with this.  But most of all, the practice of martial arts can make a formidable opponent with a wide range of combat skills out of just about anyone.  Precision MMA has taken Hudson Valley martial arts students with no prior experience and turned them into successful fighters of different kinds and this is always very exciting to see for the instructors and also for the fellow students who are just starting off themselves and looking to these fighters as an example to follow.  And not only do we at Precision sculpt novices into fighters, but we can also teach them to become effective martial arts’ instructors as well.

Hudson Valley martial arts

Hudson Valley martial arts

One example of a Hudson Valley martial arts success story at Precision MMA where a novice quickly became a veteran is that of John Joy.  Only a few years ago Joy began his training at Precision having never done any sort of martial art in his life.  The arts which Joy chose to focus on were mainly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Boxing, particularly the latter.  Within a short time Joy gained his blue belt in Jiu-Jitsu and became a tough roll for anyone in the studio, but his most pronounced progress was in Boxing.  Within just a couple years, Joy became a serious threat to all competitors on the Hudson Valley circuit and has had numerous victories in local AKBF fights.  He is himself now a boxing instructor at Precision and teaches others how to do exactly what he did.  In this way, the student becomes the teacher and so on until everyone at Precision is learning from each other and thriving.  Iron sharpens iron as they say.

Joe Carbone is another example of someone who recently had no martial arts’ training and became a quite successful Amateur Muay Thai fighter.  When Joe first came to Precision he had never had a competitive fight, yet he took to Muay Thai like a fish to water and has now had several AKBF victories.  Much like Joy, he is now also an instructor at Precision and helps beginners as well as advanced Hudson Valley martial arts students to learn the subtleties of Muay Thai in both our regular Kickboxing and circuit Kickboxing classes.

One of Precision MMA’s biggest success stories is that of Mike Piekarski.  “Pantene”, as we affectionately call him, had never trained in the martial arts before he came to Precision about eight or nine years back, and in fact had stated early on that he had never been very interested in sports in general.  However, over time Mike became extremely skilled in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Mixed Martial Arts.  Eventually Mike earned his Purple Belt in BJJ and went on to win several expert BJJ competitions.  He then began to focus on MMA and Muay Thai and began competing on the Amateur MMA circuits in the Northeastern United States.  Before going Pro in 2011, Mike recorded an impressive 3-2 record in Amateur MMA, with wins by way of guillotine choke, brabo choke and unanimous decision, while none of his opponents were able to finish him within the time limit.  He also won an AKBF Muay Thai bout, proving his skill in striking and showing those in the Hudson Valley that Precision’ martial artists are not to be reckoned with in the Muay Thai ring either.  Eventually Mike had his first Professional Mixed Martial Arts fight in 2011, which he won by decision.  We at Precision MMA were all very proud to see one of our own do so well under so many different competition formats.

Hudson Valley martial arts

Hudson Valley martial arts

One student who we at Precision Mixed Martial Arts are particularly proud of is Karl Nemeth.  At about 6’0 and around 150lbs, Karl might not strike your average person as looking particularly intimidating, and yet he is one of the finest Hudson Valley martial artists that Precision has, and quite possibly our most feared competitor.  When Karl first came to us several years back he had no martial arts’ training and would probably not have considered himself a natural athlete.  However, he took his training extremely seriously from day one, especially in the arts of Muay Thai Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and today is one of only three BJJ brown belts training at Precision.  Karl has won a few Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, however, his most impressive accomplishments have been in the Kickboxing ring.  Karl is himself an undefeated AKBF Muay Thai champion, with seven wins in total, three of them which he has won by spectacular head kick knockouts.  In fact, Karl has acquired quite a name for himself in the Hudson Valley and has begun to have a bit of trouble getting opponents to agree to fight him because of his reputation as a dangerous opponent.  Like Joy and Carbone, he also teaches at Precision and is our head Muay Thai instructor and has coached many of our other students in their fights as well.  He is an excellent example of the kind of competitor that the instructors at Precision MMA are capable of producing.

For our instructors, producing capable martial artists from scratch is much like a science experiment: if positive results can be repeated successfully under different competition formats and different environments then we at Precision in the Hudson Valley know we have an effective formula.    Students with no prior experience have been able to walk into Precision one day and walk out a couple years later with wins in boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Amateur and Professional Mixed Martial Arts, as well as championship belts in Muay Thai Kickboxing.  This has given us the confidence to stand by our product at all times when under scrutiny.

 

We at Precision MMA know we can make you a successful Hudson Valley martial arts competitor as well.  Just leave your ego at the door and come train with us for a free 30-day trial, and tomorrow you could be sharing your success story with your friends and family. To get started call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.bjjfighter.com

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.  Originally a Tampa Gracie member, he is a student of Precision Mixed Martial Arts in LaGrange, NY (in the Dutchess County) and a decorated competitor including a Delaware Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu State Championship and a NAGA World Title.  To train kickboxing with Jamey in Dutchess County NY check out Precision MMA http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

 

 

Jun 182013
 
MMA in LaGrange, NY

Hudson Valley Martial Arts

Many martial arts schools in the Hudson Valley area of New York claim to teach techniques which are effective in high level Mixed Martial Arts promotions.  However, most of these dojos are stretching the truth and are in fact passing off illegitimate moves as authentic.  At Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley we teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submissions which are routinely used in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is the premier MMA event in the world.  In fact, many of the submissions taught at Precision were used this past weekend on Saturday, June 8th in Brazil at UFC 160.  This just goes to show that our Hudson Valley Martial Arts program is top-tier!

UFC 160 this past Saturday had a stacked card full of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experts whose mastery of the gentle art was on display.  Multiple different types of martial arts submission holds were utilized to win bouts, ranging from various different types of chokes, to armlocks to leglocks.  This was exciting to see since it proves that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is alive and well at the highest level of Mixed Martial Arts competition and especially because all of these martial arts’ techniques are currently taught at Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley.  Of the twelve fights on the card, nine of them ended by way of submission, making the event all the more entertaining for us Jiu-Jitsukas at Precision.  In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu there are three main types of submission holds used to get the opponent to surrender by way of “tapping out”.  These three varieties of submissions are choke holds which cut off the blood to the brain and can render an opponent unconscious; arm locks which can hyper extend the elbow or shoulder joints, and leg locks which can disable an opponent’s knees or ankles.  We at Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley teach all of these martial arts techniques, but many schools do not, or else if they do, they do not teach them properly.  Our head instructor Brian McLaughlin is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt whose lineage can be traced to the great Royce Gracie and who is himself a Mixed Martial Artist with a record of 6-2 who has used some of the same techniques on display at this past UFC, so we at Precision know that what we are teaching is legit.

On the undercard at UFC 160 one of the best submissions utilized was a knee bar which Antonio Braga Neto used to disable fellow Mixed Martial Artist Anthony Smith.  Many martial arts’ schools neglect to teach leg locks because they think they are too dangerous, but Precision in the Hudson Valley teaches them frequently and in great detail.  Another great submission used to attain victory was a rear naked choke used by Caio Maghalaes to put Karlos Vemola out of commission.  We also teach this submission at the Hudson Valley’s best martial arts gym – Precision Mixed Martial Arts and it has been used by our instructor Brian McLaughlin to win two of his Mixed Martial Arts fights.  In another exciting match up, mixed martial artist Raphael Assuncao utilized an arm lock to defeat Vaughan Lee, and this is also a martial arts’ technique which has been used by our head instructor to attain victory in MMA and which he teaches to all our students frequently.  Furthermore, Rony Mariano Bezera made use of the famous triangle choke to finish off his opponent Mike Wilkinson in only 1:24 of the first round, and this move has also been used by McLaughlin to win three of his fights and is possibly the most popular submission taught at Precision.  Daniel Sarafian used a different variety of strangle hold, known as an arm triangle choke, to put formidable fighter Eddie Mendez to sleep, and this technique was used once again later on the card by Leonardo Santos to take out his opponent William Macario.  The submission of the night award was won by Erick Silva who caught his adversary Jason High in a reverse triangle arm bar, a very unique technique not often seen in Mixed Martial Arts which is also taught at Precision Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley.  Finally, in the main event between two excellent martial artists Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Fabricio Werdum, Werdum hyper extended Nogueira’s elbow with a belly down arm lock to cap off the night.

Hudson Valley Muay Thai

Hudson Valley Martial Arts

Many people who don’t train in Hudson Valley martial arts do not realize that not all dojos or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools teach such a wide variety of submission holds, or that they work in high level MMA events like the UFC.  If you are interested in learning these effective holds, come train at Precision MMA in the Hudson Valley for 30 free days and you will soon find yourself performing these moves instead of simply watching them on TV.

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 (in the Dutchess County) and a decorated competitor including a Delaware Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu State Championship and a NAGA World Title.  To train kickboxing with Jamey in Dutchess County NY check out Precision MMA http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

Jun 062013
 
dutchess county bjj

Dutchess County Jiu Jitsu Classes

Though there are a number of Jiu-Jitsu programs in the Dutchess County area, many of them are one-dimensional in nature.  Many people who are not privy to the inside world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu do not realize that it is an art which has multiple different elements and each Dutchess County Jiu-Jitsu school tends to have its own particular focus.  One reason for this is that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has two basic styles: Gi and No-Gi.  Gi classes involve the use of a gi or kimono which can be grabbed and used for various techniques such as chokes.  On the other hand, participants of no-gi classes wear rash guards and different techniques which do not involve the grabbing of clothing are emphasized, as well as a somewhat faster pace often being evident.  Some schools teach one of these almost exclusively, much to the detriment of the students who could benefit from both approaches, but this is not the case at Precision MMA in Dutchess County which has a varied approach to the art of Jiu-Jitsu.

Traditionally, Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil, and also to some extent Japan, tends to be almost exclusively Gi-oriented.  Whatever the reason for this, the practitioners of this style become dependent upon the kimono grips and often feel confused when placed in a no-gi setting.  They may have difficulty dealing with the sweat factor which makes holding onto the opponent more difficult, the faster pace of the match or the lack of attacks like Gi-chokes which cannot be done without a collar to grab.  Precision MMA has a strong No-gi Dutchess County Jiu Jitsu program so none of these are factors.  At Precision we have beginner, intermediate and advanced no-gi classes where students can learn techniques which do not require a gi to be effective.  This is especially important for if the student ever enters a tournament with a no-gi format because gi training will not prepare them for the pace of this type of division.  Many times wrestlers will enter the no-gi divisions at tournaments and they tend to utilize a pace which is much more overwhelming than the more methodical pace of gi Dutchess County Jiu-Jitsu.  Jiu-Jitsukas who have not trained in the no-gi style will not be prepared for this pace and may lose as a result.  However, Precision has many wrestlers involved in its no-gi program and even teaches wrestling as a part of its syllabus so when it comes time for no-gi competition our students will be accustomed to the fast pace of the match and be more likely to be successful.  We also focus on many techniques which work with or without a gi, such as rubber guard tactics where a firm grip of the opponent can be achieved regardless of the sweat factor or format.

Precision MMA’s Jiu Jitsu program in Dutchess County, NY also includes Gi classes so our students are just as effective in gi competition.  All of the traditional collar chokes and techniques which utilize sleeve, elbow seam, pants and belt grips are focused on at Dutchess County’s Precision, as well as defenses to them.  This also prepares our Jiu-Jitsu students for if they face Judo practitioners in competition, since Judo is also a part of our syllabus and we understand their strategies and training methodologies.

Anyone interested in learning the art of Jiu-Jitsu should want to learn the art in its entirety and this means focusing equally on the Gi and No-gi styles as is done at Precision MMA in Dutchess County.  Don’t be one dimensional in your training.  Try out our Jiu-Jitsu program for 30 free days and learn from the best.

dutchess county bjjPrecision MMA is the premiere Jiu Jitsu gym in the Hudson valley.  We have members from all over Dutchess county, in addition to other locations in New York.  To join our incredible Dutchess County Jiu Jitsu program, run by head coach Brian McLaughlin, give us a call at 845-392-8495.  You can also stop in at 1097 Route 55, Lagrangeville, NY 12540.  We are currently offering a 30-day FREE trial, so make sure to ask about how you can receive that!

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 (in the Dutchess County) and a decorated competitor including a Delaware Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu State Championship and a NAGA World Title.  To train Jiu JItsu with Jamey in Dutchess County NY check out Precision MMA http://www.poughkeepsiebrazilianjiu-jitsu.com

Feb 082013
 

Looking for Hudson Valley Jiu-Jitsu?  Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY offers Hudson Valley Jiu-jitsu classes 7 days a week

For 30 Days FREE of Hudson Valley Jiu-Jitsu call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiebrazilianjiu-jitsu.com

Hudson Valley jiu-Jitsu

Hudson Valley jiu-Jitsu

The Law of Attraction

 

There’s a theory that like feelings and outcomes are attracted to one another.  That is to say that positive thought supersedes positive outcomes and inversely negative thoughts precipitate negative outcomes.  While this may not be applicable to all situations, it certainly plays a factor in martial arts success.

I can remember being a blue belt in the Hudson Valley and doing jiu-jitsu with higher belts and getting demolished. I felt like there was nothing I could do to stop their attacks or start my own.  When I would look down at the color across their waist I felt like tapping rapidly was the only thing I would be accomplishing.  However, one day I was visiting a different academy on a no-gi night.  This particular night things were going well for me and I felt like I was going to tap anyone who got on the mat with me.  I had a great roll with a guy I’d never seen before.  He was technical, but I was able to catch him in a few triangles setups I had been working on.  At the end of the class I had to leave, but my partner decided to stick around for the next class. I was shocked when I saw him pull out a tattered purple belt and strap it around his waist.  I couldn’t believe that I actually pulled off submissions against a higher belt. I was the most shocked jiu-jitsu student in the Hudson Valley.  I later saw that this purple belt was actually getting the better of many guys who I thought to be unstoppable.  I realized then that the difference was largely mental.  With the other high ranks I saw their belt color and assumed defeat before I even began.  However, when I grappled confidently and without concern for my partners rank I was able to be successful.  Although this realization helped me in practice, I still had mental hurdles that hindered my performance in competition.

As a brown belt I entered the Abu Dhabi North American Qualifier one of the toughest no-gi jiu-jitsu tournaments in the nation.  Abu Dhabi is the most prestigious grappling tournament in the world and only a handful of people get the honor of competing there. No one from the Hudson Valley had ever made the grade.  In order to earn my spot I had to win this qualifier.  When I looked at my bracket there were about 30 people entered, but I was only concerned with one name – Enrico Cocco.  Enrico was something of a grappling phenom who had beaten some really big names and earned a rock solid reputation – he had also earned a victory over me a few years back at a local tournament in Florida.  I was relieved when I saw that he was on the opposite end of the bracket, we would only potentially meet in the semi-finals.  I had a great day of grappling, easily winning my first three matches without getting a single point scored on me.  I was one step away from the finals when I saw that I would indeed be facing Enrico.  At that moment I felt completely defeated.  I had convinced myself that there was no way I could top him.  He looked so dominating in his prior matches that I just assumed I’d be another notch on his belt.  I stepped on the mat and shot into a guillotine choke, tapping out in less than 1 minute.  Enrico then went on to win the tournament and earn a spot at Abu Dhabi.

On my way back to the Hudson Valley, I was so upset that I gave the jiu-jitsu match away mentally before even getting on the mat. A few weeks after Enrico beat me we found ourselves competing against each other once again. This time though, I convinced myself I would win. I pictured myself getting my hand raised and grappled confident that I not only “could” win, but that I WOULD win. Sure enough, after a back and forth match, I had my hand raised. There was no technical improvements from the last match, no greater physical preparation. Indeed the only difference was my mentality. I believed in my success and I reaped the benefits. Having faith in your personal potential for success, is often times the biggest determinant between the possible and the impossible.

For centuries it was thought that no person could run a mile in under 4 minutes. However, once Roger Bannister achieved it for the first time everyone re-worked their understanding of possible. The result? Runners began hitting sub 4 minute miles everywhere, today even high schoolers can do it. The “Bannister Effect” was simply the Law of Attraction applied. Belief in success caused a new level of achievement. Even against seemingly impossible opposition, a focused belief can overcome.

A common pitfall people fall for Hudson Valley Jiu-jitsu students is when confronted with a challenge they tell themselves they cannot overcome it. They go forth assuming defeat and arrive at their failure as if it was complete inevitability. Muhammad Ali once said, “It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself”. Think about your goals in martial arts and in your everyday life. If these goals are worthwhile to you then chase after them with a steadfast conviction that you will be successful and watch your limitations be redefined.

Overcome your limitations at Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY train Hudson Valley Jiu-Jitsu for 30 Days FREE call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiebrazilianjiu-jitsu.com and get started today!