Feb 212019
 
Victory for Lindsey at Bellator 215

It was an exciting night for the audience and the supporting crew of Precision at Bellator 215. They were immediately treated to an extraordinary performance in the preliminary portion put on by Precision’s student Lindsey ‘Damsel’ Vanzandt, that resulted in a beautiful finish; a second round knock out. Lindsey continues to prove that she is a dominating, unstoppable force at 105 pounds that will continue to climb the ranks until she becomes a champion. The second round knock out improved her professional record to 5-1.

After the big win, Lindsey poses with coaches and the supporting crew of Precision

At the beginning of round one, a fair share of punches and kicks were exchanged between Lindsey and her opponent, but Lindsey’s unmatched perfectly timed take down and carefully placed punches were competitive enough to keep her opponent challenged and hurt. In the second round, Lindsey dominated the striking exchanges, stalking her opponent into the fence. From there, Lindsey rocked and dropped her opponent with a beautiful left hook that ended the round with a KO.

The beginning of the end

Going into the fight, Lindsey lost her original opponent, but was fortunate enough to be matched up with another opponent to fight. Lucky for us, because it was truly an entertaining performance. Lindsey walked away from the cage that night with little to no injuries, a victory and a great attitude.

Lindsey is already back in the gym training, improving and looking forward to competing again in the near future. Lindsey isn’t just a great fighter, she also has a big heart and a great attitude, touching everyone she meets in a positive way. We’re proud to represent such a strong willed, competitive individual in the MMA community, and we’re looking forward to see her excel in her journey to become a champion.

Always big smiles from Lindsey

Live in the Hudson Valley and looking to train MMA? Visit us at PrecisionMixedMartialArts.com or call 845-392-8495 so we can get you started today!

Nov 282018
 

It’s been an exciting couple of weeks here at Precision Boxing and MMA! Last week, Precision fighter Lindsey VanZandt was featured in the Poughkeepsie Journal. The Journal articulated Lindsey’s pain in dealing with her family’s struggle to understand her career path and outlined everything that she’s sacrificed to make it to where she is today. Now 4-1 as a professional, fighting for top organizations such as King of the Cage and Invicta FC, she’s eagerly looking forward to her next fight.

In addition to Lindsey making it into the Poughkeepsie Journal, a couple of our fighters stepped up to compete for the first time. On Saturday, Precision boxer Marcus Grey had his boxing debut; fighting at 205 pounds for the American Kickboxing Federation. Marcus took the first round, cutting angles like a seasoned vet, slipping punches and continually moving forward. marcus

The second round had the audience erupting with cheers over the beautiful beautiful exchanges, both men pushing forward aggressively and trying to impose their game plan. In the third round Marcus was picking precise shots to catch his opponent rushing in, but his adversary was incredibly tough and kept moving forward. Marcus’s opponent kept pushing forth, throwing punches the whole time. Marcus kept himself safe and picked shots from the outside, but unfortunately the judges gave his opponent the decision. It was an incredibly close bout, Marcus came out unscathed and excited to get back in the gym.

There was a plethora of exciting matches, all varying between boxing, kickboxing and MMA. The first MMA bout on the card was Precision fighter Brandon Mohammed’s MMA debut. Both men made the 170 pound weight limit and stepped into the cage. It was a short and sweet night for Brandon. After getting the better of a couple standup exchanges, Brandon took his opponent down and immediately moved to mount. Brandon switched to side control and his opponent turned his back, only to be met by a vicious storm of knees. As his opponent turned back to face Brandon, he slid back into mount to deliver some ground and pound before stopping his opponent by keylock for a first round submission victory.46525921_216225442607456_4594403688503574528_n

The excitement continued on Sunday when we headed over to Sparta, New Jersey for a friendly smoker with Miller Brothers MMA. Our guys took exhibition matches against their students in kickboxing and Combat Jiu Jitsu. All the matchups ended up being back and forth battles. Everyone kept calm in the face of adversity and left it all in the cage. Most guys could barely stand afterwards! It was a phenomenal display of tenacity, technique and aggression by both teams.

If you want to make your MMA dreams a reality, come checkout Precision Boxing and MMA; the Hudson Valley’s premier Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Give us a call at (845)392-8495 to set up your free lesson today! Visit us online at http://www.precisionmixedmartialarts.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 112013
 

Hudson Valley Martial Arts Expert Brian McLaughlin has launched a new grappling website so that he can share his martial arts techniques with the greater jiu-jitsu world at http://www.learntograpple.com

The goal of the website is two fold – first to make jiu-jitsu techniques available to people who do not have an academy in their area thereby allowing them to learn and enjoy grappling from the comfort of their own home.

The second reason was to give Precision MMA students the chance to review techniques taught in class.  The site breaks down each technique and covers common mistakes to help the student avoid common pitfalls.

Check out this technique – one of the most effective sweeps in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a favorite amongst the Hudson Valley martial arts practitioners of Precision MMA

 

Like what you see and want to learn more?  If you live in the Hudson Valley and would like to train martial arts visit http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

 

May 092013
 

javiOn Saturday, April 20th, martial arts’ students at Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie, New York were lucky enough to have veteran Professional MMA fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Javier Vasquez in the house for a 2 hour no-gi seminar. Having fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and amassing a number of victories, all by submission, Vazquez was one of the best martial arts that Precision has had teach for us to date. For this seminar, Vazquez focused on attacks from back mount and rear naked chokes in particular. His attention to detail was magnificent, and his tips for maintain the back and getting the choke finish, unique and innovative. In this article I will explain some of the details outlined by Vazquez in his seminar, and why we hope he will someday come back to give another class.

One of the main details that Vazquez focused on was not riding too high on the opponent’s back while in back mount. This is a position that Jiu-Jitsukas and Mixed Martial Artists often lose control of at critical moments in a match or fight. This should not happen, seeing as back mount is perhaps the most dominant position in all of Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. Students in Poughkeepsie were first shown how to keep an opponent who arches up on all fours from shucking them off by gaining a kimura grip on one of the arms. This grip is then used to torque the opponent’s arm, disrupting his balance and causing him to lose his posture so that the attacking martial artist can begin working on a choke.

Following this, martial arts’ students in Poughkeepsie were taught specific methods for maintaining the hooks on an opponent who tries to hip out and also how to get under the chin of an opponent who tries to block a choke with his jaw.

Another technique which wowed the Poughkeepsie Martial Artists in attendance was a grip fighting pattern which allowed the attacker to always be one step ahead of the defender in achieving the rear naked choke. Some commented that the hand pattern looked almost like a Wing-Chun technique, another martial art which has become popular in the Poughkeepsie area, but which generally tends to have less effectiveness than Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which is offered on the Precision syllabus.
Vazquez also taught proper usage of a single leg ride known as “the mulligan” which can be almost as dominant as any double hook back mount, and showed a number of methods for trapping the opponent’s arms, such as the “mission control trap”. This is technique where the martial artist in back mount uses one of his legs to trap one of the opponent’s arm, taking it out of the equation and making the choke much more difficult to defend. The attending students in Poughkeepsie were particularly impressed with this one.

The Mixed Martial Artists at Precision in Poughkeepsie, as well as some visiting students from AMA fight club in New Jersey, were very lucky to have Vazquez stay afterwards to watch them work and share some tips from his long fighting career. For many BJJ students like myself, this was the first time we had ever had an actual former UFC fighter critique our movements.

Vazquez focused in particular on the importance of not being hit, especially while on bottom, even if it leads to a lull in the action. He stated that he felt MMA is a sport where too often fighters take risks resulting in their own injury when simple self defense could lead to a better outcome, with them still winning the fight and taking less damage in the process. In particular, when he watched me work to escape bottom mount by trying to simply elbow escape as quickly as possible, taking a number of blows in the process, he stated that I was trying to escape too quickly without focusing on taking fewer punches. He showed me how to escape more slowly, taking fewer shots in the process, and for this I was very grateful.

He also showed a move for defending strikes while an opponent stands up in one’s guard which he himself had created, which he referred to as “master control”. The move was similar to what we Poughkeepsie martial artists and Jiu-Jitsukas refer to as the “de la Riva” guard, where the outside leg is laced on the inside of the standing opponent’s knee. The other foot is then placed in the hip of the same leg of the standing opponents, and his near wrist is controlled with both hands of the opponent on the bottom. I had never seen this move before and was amazed to see how hard he was able to make it for the opponent on top to hit him, and how he was easily able to strike back, submit and take the back, as well as sweep and get back to the feet whenever he wanted.

Though these were only a few of the moves showed by Javier at his seminar at Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie, had he shown no more than these few movements it would have been enough to make the price of the class worth it for the martial artists in attendance. His attention to detail and focus on maintaining back mount, fighting the hands for the choke, and avoidance of taking strikes while on the bottom were revolutionary. His teaching style was very patient, his demeanor affable, and his style seemed as though it would work equally well for no-gi, gi and mixed martial arts competitions. All the martial artists at Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie hope that Vazquez will come back soon to share more amazing techniques in the near future.

Dutchess County Boxing

Dutchess County Boxing

Precision MMA is currently offering a 30-Day FREE trial for new members.  If you’re interested in learning self-defense, getting into shape, and training with the best in the area, then stop in at 1097 Route 55, Lagrangeville, NY or call us at 845-392-8495.  Don’t forget to ask about our free trial and intro lesson!

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.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

Apr 092013
 

How Precision MMA Can Prepare A Student for Martial Arts’ Competition

Various authorities on the subject have stated recently that they believe martial arts have evolved more in the past 20 years than in the past 200 years.  This may seem a bold claim, but is quite possibly true with the introduction of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993 and the vast network of information provided by the Internet.  Along with the increased awareness of styles found to be effective in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts has come a vast increase in practitioners of those styles, and with this has come an increase in the number of competitions held.  This not only includes increased competition in both professional and amateur MMA, but also a greater number of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, kickboxing and Muay Thai fights, Judo competitions, andbody hardening also more interest in school wrestling programs and local boxing programs.  While almost every town has a martial arts’ dojo of some kind, most cannot provide the kind of quality instruction necessary to prepare students for these kinds of competitions.  Precision Mixed Martial Arts, located in the Hudson Valley region of New York, boasts instructors who are experts in all these disciplines, and can get students of any style in competition shape.

When a student signs up for Precision Mixed Martial Arts they may not have competition in mind at first and the idea of testing themselves may come to them at a later point in their training.  At some schools this could be a dilemma because the type and pace of the training offered may be very opposite from a tournament or fight atmosphere.  For example, let’s look first at the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as it is practiced at many schools versus how it is taught at Precision in the Hudson Valley.  First of all, anyone acquainted with the martial art of BJJ will know that there are two distinct styles:  Gi Jiu-jitsu, where the competitors wear a full kimono with a top, pants and a belt, and no-gi Jiu-Jitsu, also known as submission grappling, where the competitors wear a pair of shorts and a rash guard.   While the two styles have many similarities, they also have many differences when it comes to grips, pace of the match, takedowns, and overall strategy.  Many martial arts’ schools only offer instruction in one or the other, and this becomes a problem if the student has interest in competing in the style not offered by their dojo.  Many a BJJ student has entered a no-gi division at a local tournament after training a year or two with the gi on, believing the two styles to be nearly identical, only to meet with defeat because they were unprepared for the differences.  The same has also occurred the other way around, with students training exclusively no-gi, then entering a gi competition and finding themselves confused by the different grips and chokes.  Luckily, Hudson Valley’ martial artists training at Precision can train in both styles and be prepared to compete under both formats.  In fact, the two styles can complement each other and work as training tools for competition in the other.  For example, training with the gi on can help a no-gi competitor work on his grip strength.  Or, if the student trains without grabbing his opponent’s gi and asks his opponent not to collar choke him (since neither will apply to no-gi competition), he can otherwise learn a great deal about posturing which can cross over to no-gi. This is because he will have to develop the muscles necessary to resist the increased pounds of pressure created by the downward pull of the kimono that would not be focused on as greatly in no-gi training. Another reason that gi training can help no-gi training is that the increased friction caused by the gi will reduce the sweat factor which allows submission grapplers to more easily slide out of submissions without using as much technique, so no-gi grapplers will have to learn more technical escapes based less on athleticism.  Likewise, no-gi grappling can greatly aid gi grapplers in their style because they will have to develop different types of grips which can cross over equally well to their style, (such as underhooks and overhooks), but which they may not have focused on as much in gi training due to over reliance upon gi grips.  Since Precision Mixed Martial Arts in the Hudson Valley offers both of these styles, a student wishing to compete under either will reap the benefits.

Moreover, martial artists at Precision in the Hudson Valley will learn to wrestle in their submission grappling classes and they will also learn Judo takedowns in their gi Jiu-Jitsu classes.  This is something that most Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools do not offer, and for this reason many competitors in both styles of grappling have been unsuccessful in competition because they did not know how to defend against, or initiate the takedown.  In fact, there is such a heavy emphasis upon both wrestling and Judo in Precision’s Jiu-Jitsu classes that many students have been able to have success in local Hudson Valley wrestling tournaments.  Since schools in the New York’s Hudson Valley region are rife with quality wrestling teams, these young wrestlers often come over to Precision to complement their wrestling with Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, as well as extra wrestling classes, and find increased success on the wrestling mat.  Likewise, the local wrestlers help our Jiu-Jitsu students with their takedowns and our jiu-jitsukas find more success in grappling tournaments.

In terms of overall strategy, Precision in the Hudson Valley’s instructors have a wealth of experience in all grappling styles so they will know how to coach their students in competition.  We have black and brown belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who have extensive competition experience in both gi and no-gi divisions who can help students learn the point systems found in local Hudson Valley tournaments and also teach them how to pace themselves in their matches.  We also have multiple Division One wrestlers who have competed at schools in the Hudson Valley region who can teach our wrestlers and jiu-jitsukas how to apply their mat skills and a renowned Judo black belt who is experienced in training Judokas for competition.

In addition to the many grappling styles taught at Precision Mixed Martial Arts, we also offer the striking styles of Muay Thai Kickboxing and conventional western boxing and our coaches are perfectly equipped to prepare our students for the ring.  Our head Muay Thai coach, Karl Nemeth, is himself an AKBF kickboxing champion in the Hudson Valley area with multiple victories and several knockouts to his credit who is quite adept at teaching both beginning and advanced students the skills necessary for sport competition.  Likewise, our head boxing coach, Derrick Ohlhoff, is a three-time Golden Gloves’ boxing champion who has coached many of our students to wins in the boxing ring.  The knowledge our coaches have to impart is multi dimensional.   Not only will our striking instructors teach the aspiring competitor the necessary technique but they will also make sure that the student has a practical application for it by having the student engage in serious sparring sessions before any fight so that they will know what to expect.  While it might seem strange to some, many martial arts’ academies do not even allow sparring, either deeming it unnecessary or fearing that students will be injured.  Yet some of these schools will actually allow their students to enter competitions without ever experiencing real contact in sparring and it is this that will actually increase their risks for injury once they truly step foot in the ring.  Also, many martial arts’ schools in the Hudson Valley and elsewhere do not have an actual boxing ring so they are unprepared for the environment under which they will be competing.  This is not a problem at Precision with our new sixteen by sixteen foot ring.  Strikers at Precision will also have rounds set with timers that will sound at the end of each to prepare them for the short bursts necessary during a competition bout.  Nothing is left to chance and we make sure our fighters are ready for everything they will experience come fight night.

Finally, if Mixed Martial Arts is a goal of the Precision trainee, a better coach cannot be found than in our head instructor Brian McLaughlin.  McLaughlin is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and two-time MMA champion who boasts an impressive 6-2 record and has even competed on the UFC’s reality show T.U.F, season eight.  McLaughlin teaches his MMA students everything they will need to find success in the cage.  Often neglected by other martial arts’ schools, McLaughlin teaches his students proper nutrition and weight cutting skills so that they can make the right competition weight and feel strong and healthy when stepping out there.  The MMA classes themselves focus on all aspects of mixed martial arts, including ground and pound, fusing takedowns with strikes, getting back to one’s feet and defending from the bottom against an opponent on top, as well as many other elements.  Brian also makes sure that all his aspiring competitors have the necessary cardio to deal with the pace of an MMA fight, and even has many tips to dealing with the mental stresses of fighting which he has learned through his actual ring experience.

In summary, no matter what style of martial art a student wishes to compete in, Precision MMA in the Hudson Valley will be able to adequately prepare them.  Don’t waste your time training with coaches who claim to know what it takes to fight without ever having put the gloves on themselves.  Try us out for 30 free days and see all we have to offer the aspiring competitor.

12076823-precision-frontGet Started at Precision Mixed Martial Arts Today!  Make sure to ask about our 30-day FREE trial!

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.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

Read even more about Hudson Valley MMA

Feb 092013
 

Precision MMA’s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Program – The Finest in Poughkeepsie, NY

by Jamey Bazes

BJJ Brown Belt and Senior Student at Precision MMA near Poughkeepsie, NY

 

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

A lot has changed in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since it was first used by Royce Gracie to win the first Ultimate Fighting Championship back in 1993.  Back in the mid to late 90s, legitimate Poughkeepsie BJJ schools were very hard to come across, and if you were lucky enough to find one, chances are the instructor would not be a black belt or even close to expert level. Much of this was because the majority of black belts still resided in Brazil.

Fast forward to 2013 and not only is it not a novelty for a small town like Poughkeepsie, NY to have a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school with a black belt instructor, but it is not uncommon for even very rural and sparsely populated areas to have more than one school, not to mention the competition in larger urban areas.  Competition between BJJ schools is fierce these days and so each must try to offer the highest quality product and provide something that the others don’t so as to stand out and stay in business.

Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie New York is well aware of this competition, and because we truly care about our students we are constantly striving to provide the best instruction possible.  Precision stands out from the competitors in many ways.  One way we stand out is that we offer both Gi and No-Gi classes and equal emphasis on both.  While this is becoming more common, there are still many schools which are mainly one or the other, but Precision caters to both styles equally.

 

 

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

One of the more important ways in which our Poughkeepsie BJJ program stands out from others is that we place emphasis on takedowns.  There are still far too many schools that grapple exclusively from the knees and the students do not even realize how much this hurts their games.  All Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, MMA fights and street fights start from the feet, so whatever your motivation for training, if you are not learning takedowns your needs are not being met.  In fact, when someone takes BJJ classes at Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie New York, they are not learning one style of grappling, they are learning seven separate styles.  Our advanced no-gi classes are taught by two instructors who share the stage: a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and Professional MMA fighter is there to teach the ground game, and then the takedown instruction is provided by one of any number of our division one wrestlers.  As such, you will be learning not only BJJ, but Freestyle, Folk style and Greco-Roman Wrestling in our Jiu-Jitsu classes.  We also have elements of Russian Sambo and Catch As Catch Can Wrestling that are mixed in for added effect.

Likewise, our advanced Gi Jiu-Jitsu classes are taught by both a BJJ black belt and a world class Judo Black Belt.  Throws and trips from Kodokan Judo are emphasized on the feet and this is something that very few schools offer these days.  What we produce are students who are well rounded, who know how to perform and defend against takedowns both with and without the Gi, and who know all facets of the ground game, including leg locks, which are another area which many schools neglect because they are afraid of the risk of training with them.  However our school stresses safety in performing all techniques, another area that many Poughkeepsie area schools neglect.

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

All too often, BJJ schools are loosely run.   We have all seen those schools where every training session is fought like a tournament match, and this behavior causes injuries.  At Precision MMA, if an opponent refuses to tap to a submission, then catch and release is practiced, meaning that the hold will be relinquished.  We do not have an ego at Precision.  We also recognize that upper level belts can be tapped by lower level belts.  In fact, we hope that this happens because it shows improvement in the lower ranks.  We do not gossip at the end of the day about who tapped whom or make a big deal of it if a lower belt submits a higher one because we realize this is a natural result of regular training.  We feel it is important to stress good sportsmanship and the results speak for themselves.  Inevitably, if you train with an ego there will be a price to pay, whether it is an injury to yourself or a training partner, or simply a bullying mentality that is fostered.  A good Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu studio should never encourage this.

 

In addition, we provide an atmosphere that is neither too loose nor too formal.  While respect for one’s instructors is paramount, the rigidly traditional routines of some schools can be off putting to some students who are new to the Martial Arts.  Precision MMA Jiu-Jitsu classes are run so that they are fun as well as character building and we like to think of our coaches as friends, not merely superiors.

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Poughkeepsie Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Precision MMA also emphasizes hygiene and cleanliness in our BJJ facility, which is of the utmost importance these days.  With serious staph infections like MRSA and lesser skin afflictions around, keeping the mats sanitized is nothing to take lightly.  At Precision our mats are sprayed and mopped after every single class and our equipment sprayed down.  Students are also told not to train if they think they may have some sort of skin infection and the instructors keep a keen eye out for them so that nothing spreads. We pride ourselves on being the cleanest gym in all of Poughkeepsie.

Another distinguishing factor about Precision’s Brazilian Jiu-jitsu program is our structure: when it comes time to spar we do not choose our own partners without the instructors consent or sit out whenever we feel the desire.  Instead, our instructors are careful to place various students together for specific reasons.  Perhaps the teacher feels that a newer student needs the help of a senior one, so he will match them up.  Or maybe one student will be training for a competition and need to be matched with more skilled students to test them.   One student may be injured and need to train with someone more accustomed to going light.  Our instructors take all of these factors into account and none of our training is done randomly.

Finally, Precision MMA’s BJJ program caters to the specific needs of our students.  We know that different people train for different reasons so we cover all of our bases.  Some students train for self defense, and so which moves would be better or worse for a street fight scenario are discussed in class so that everyone is aware that not all moves should be used in all situations.  Since some students train for competition, we cover this as well, and make students aware of how many tournaments utilize their point systems.  Or if someone is simply at Precision to get in better shape, they can easily achieve this aim since our classes all have serious warm ups and conditioning exercises designed equally to aid with strength, flexibility, cardio and avoiding injuries.  We even have instructors who are knowledgeable about diet and who are willing to provide tips on nutrition for those interested in losing weight.

Overall, whatever your motivation for training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Precision MMA’s program will meet your needs.  We are confident you will not find all of these aspects covered at just any Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu school.  The proof is in the product, try us out for 30 days of free training and see for yourself.

 

To start your 30 Day FREE Trial of Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiebrazilianjiu-jitsu.com

Feb 082013
 

Dutchess County MMA Fighter Brian McLaughlin, owner and head instructor at Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY gives advice on using martial arts as a tool for growth inside the ring and out.

 

Precision MMA is currently offering a FREE 30 Day trial to Dutchess County residents call 845-392-8495 or visit www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com to get started

Dutchess County MMA

Dutchess County MMA

Comfortably Uncomfortable

In MMA the saying “Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger” is a very popular idiom.  The idea is that the path to personal growth and development is often achieved through a series of unfavorable crucibles. In 2007 I traveled far from Dutchess County to Atlantic City where I entered the Ring of Combat Beasts of the Northeast MMA Tournament.  After winning the initial bouts I found myself in the tournament finals. At one point I came across a fellow fighter, Charlie Brenneman, who was a finalist in the weight class above me. We were both waiting for the elevator and Charlie decided to engage me in friendly conversation. “Don’t you just love this?” he asked me.  “No! I hate fighting, I can’t wait until this is over” I replied. Charlie gave me a confused sideways look and decided against engaging me in further conversation.  While not making many friends, I was being brutally honest.

Part of me hates fighting.  Whenever I have an MMA match on the horizon everyday is filled with a combination of doubt, fear, anxiety and nervousness.  Prior to my first fight my coach had trouble wrapping my hands because they wouldn’t stop shaking.  Many people are perplexed when they discover my feelings towards fighting.  Everyone simply assumes that I enjoy fighting and I’m right at home under the bright lights of competition. When I’m standing in front of a sold out MMA crowd in Atlantic City I really wish I was at home in Dutchess County.  Upon discovering the truth I’m always asked why I continue to fight if it makes me so uncomfortable.  The reason is that once I went through a professional fight everything else in my life was easy by comparison.

I started MMA training at 15 years old.  Before I began training  MMA, nervousness and anxiety took over nearly every aspect of my life.  When I met people for the first time I couldn’t look them in the eye.  I used to walk with my head down. I was probably the least confident teenager in all of Dutchess County.  If I had to speak in front of a group my voice would quiver and I would start sweating profusely.  For my first couple of months sparring terrified me, but it allowed me to face my fears in a controlled and supportive environment.  Eventually getting choked, thrown and pinned by someone twice my size wasn’t so frightening. By putting myself regularly in uncomfortable situations I began to relax and my anxiety began to disappear and be replaced with a quiet confidence.  The self-assurance and composure I developed through regular training was incredible, but I knew it was the result of facing a real fear and conquering it.

In my case, I decided to fight MMA specifically because it terrified me.  At the time no one else in Dutchess County had ever fought MMA, I was in many ways entering uncharted territory. Once I had overcome the fear of confronting a professional fighter who was being paid to hurt me I knew I could handle anything.  College exams, public speaking, even opening a business were nothing compared to being locked in a cage with someone being paid to hurt you. Anytime I feel anxiety creeping in from a situation I ask myself “is this worse that any fight you’ve been in?”. Now very few things cause me to doubt myself or truly frighten me. By placing myself in stressful situations and confronting my fears and doubts I gained a confidence and self reliance I never thought I’d posses. I truly think a martial artist should at times embrace truly stressful situations or even intentionally create them.  I even preach this in my kid classes. When one of my young students hurts themselves they don’t start crying and looking for sympathy, they work through it (Pit bulls not Poodles is our saying). MMA fighting is an extreme example and I’m not trying to get everyone in Dutchess County to climb into a cage. However, I believe everyone should think of ways to challenge them self in training and at times be genuinely uncomfortable. Whether it’s pushing a little harder when you’re completely exhausted or rolling with someone much bigger and stronger than you – when you survive the anxiety you’ll walk away a stronger, prouder person.

If you live in Dutchess County and would like to begin MMA training check out Precision MMA’s 30 Day FREE Trial call 845-392-8495 or click here 

Dutchess County MMA

Dutchess County MMA

Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY – the best Dutchess County MMA

Feb 082013
 

Precision MMA is currently the largest martial arts school in the entire Poughkeepsie area.  Owner and head instructor Brian McLaughlin talks about his martial arts journey as a Poughkeepsie kid in the Hudson Valley.

Poughkeepsie martial arts

Poughkeepsie martial arts

I’ve lived in the Poughkeepsie area my entire life. I went to Arlington high school and studied at SUNY New Paltz in college.  Growing up Poughkeepsie was known for a lot of things, but elite martial arts training was not one of them.  Since the age of 15 I’ve been completely obsessed with martial arts – instead of going to prom I worked on my triangle chokes, for my 21st birthday I prepared for a tournament the next day, I picked my college classes around my martial arts training schedule.

Unfortunately, seeking out the best martial arts training meant traveling…a lot.  Poughkeepsie wasn’t home to spectacular jiu-jitsu fighters or knockout artists. I would go to Danbury, CT to learn muay thai, Westchester to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kingston to learn boxing.  I always dreamed of one day bringing my martial arts knowledge back home to Poughkeepsie, so that others in my home town could have access to the type of training I had to travel far and wide for.

I first began teaching martial arts in 2004 in the back of a Kung Fu school just outside Poughkeepsie with about 500 sq feet of mats.  When I first began my only students were my roommate, brother and girlfriend. Eventually I expanded to include a handful of my college buddies.

We later moved to the back of a fitness gym called “Crush” before jumping over to the attic of a physical therapy center.  Things were rough back then.  The roof would leak, the therapy clients would complain about the noise and once or twice a bat even flew into my office. We pushed on though and slowly but surely our reputation grew and our membership increased.

Today Precision has packed classes with numerous expert coaches running classes around the clock. I fell very fortunate to be able to share my martial arts journey with so many incredible people!  Although our instructors have always been world class and our students are making great strides, our facility for many years remained modest.  However, after negotiating with numerous landlords in an attempt to expand a deal was finally reached and Precision moved into its brand new facility.

Finally Poughkeepsie would have a world class martial arts facility.  Space is no longer an issue – our facility is 5,000 square feet, we have a full size boxing ring, heavy bags, thai pads, crash mats, shower facilities, leather couches and more training space than any Poughkeepsie martial arts school – my dream has become a reality.

Now Poughkeepsie martial artists have access to MMA, Muay Thai, Boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champions with classes 7 days a week in a beautiful facility.  Precision MMA stands as proof that if you work hard and surround yourself with positive people good things will come.

Precision MMA is in such high demand that many of our students travel from Wappingers Falls, Pleasant Valley, LaGrangeville, Hopewell Junction, New Paltz, Pawling and Millbrook for our incredible martial arts classes and outstanding reputation.  We are so confident that you will love Precision MMA that we even offer a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee.  No other Poughkeepsie martial arts school has the confidence to do that!

Now Precision wants to share all it has to offer with YOU.  We are giving away a 30 Day FREE Trial to find out more call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com and get started with the best martial arts school in Poughkeepsie, NY!