Precision MMA Helps Fight For The Forgotten

Nov 272015

A few years ago I first heard about MMA star Justin Wren’s efforts to help the Pygmy people who inhabit The Congo. Justin left the glitz and glamour of professional fighting seeking a greater purpose and he found it in Congo. He found people living in bondage and suffering beyond anything he had previously imagined. Of all the problems facing the Pygmies, the greatest was their lack of clean drinking water. The consequences of this reality lead them to a life of harsh servitude and an uncertain existence. Justin committed himself to helping by engaging in efforts to build wells. His tale is both heartbreaking as well as inspiring and has been chronicled in his book “Fight For The Forgotten”.

Justin quickly realized that he could not hope to remedy the ailments of the Pygmies by himself. After exhaustive research he partnered with an organization dedicated to bringing sustainable solutions to those without access to clean drinking water, a groups called Water 4. Water 4 employs local workers in areas in need to develop training, technology and infrastructure necessary to solve this global epidemic.

Precision MMA has always engaged in annual charities, typically we have worked with organizations inside the Hudson Valley. However, this year we are joining the fight for the forgotten and helping to raise money to support Water 4’s efforts.

Click HERE to be brought to Precision’s fundraiser

To learn more about Justin Wren and Water 4 watch the videos below

The Secret Success Formula

LaGrangeville, martial arts, MMA No Responses »

Mar 092014

In many ways training martial arts is easier today than ever before. The popularity of MMA competition has made arts such as Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai more accessible to the public. The internet has allowed techniques to travel across the world in a matter of seconds. Schools such as Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY now have experts in striking and grappling under the same roof in large world class facilities. When I began training in the 90’s BJJ and muay thai were unknown. There were very few training partners to work with and the gyms were small “hole in the wall” facilities. Instructional videos were few and far between. Gyms would not mix their styles so I would have to travel to one gym for boxing, another for jiu-jitsu, another for muay thai and still another for wrestling.

Precision MMA Lagrange, NY

Martial arts today is almost a completely different world in 2014. However, one thing has remained constant – the essential steps for success. Half my life has been dedicated to training and in that time I have narrowed the path to greatness down to a three step recipe.

#1 Make martial arts a priority in your life

Seems simple enough, but this is the most neglected step in the success formula. If you want to become great at something it has to become a lifestyle. Our priorities are things that hold a strong place in our daily routines. They are the things that must get done. Other things must work around our priorities. This can come up in many ways in our daily life. For example, if you want to add a “movie night” to your weekly routine make sure it’s not during your class time. If you have a test to study for wake up earlier or go to bed later, but do not allow it to replace your mat time. If there is a time draining activity like playing video games or watching reality TV that makes getting to class difficult eliminate it. Treat your training time like a no-excuse, must attend obligation and success will be difficult to avoid. Additionally, make sure your lifestyle supports your martial arts training. This may mean prioritizing rest so that you can properly recover from hard sessions or improving your diet so you have the fuel to make it through long sessions.

Precision MMA LaGrange, NY

#2 Show up

Their is an old saying that 80% of success is simply showing up. If you are absent from class you’ll never pass the test. People will often tell me how important martial arts is in their life, but actions speak louder than words. The ones who mean are those with the most marks on their attendance card. Additionally, the more your are in class the more your instructor can understand your learning style and physical abilities as well as limitations. A teacher and student that work together on a regular and uninterrupted basis have an understanding that brings out the best in both of them. Your ability to get to class is directly proportional to how much of a priority you’ve made martial arts in your life, in that way the first two steps are forever linked.

#3 Training the right way

Sometimes the biggest determinant of success is not simply the hours you put in, but what you put into the hours. When it’s time to train turn your cell phone off, focus your mind and commit yourself wholly to improving. Drill with a purpose, ask questions when confused, follow your coaches advice, step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself. There are some people with 10 years of experience and then others with one year repeated ten times. The difference is the amount of effort that is put forth in expanding one’s abilities. If you struggle with your guard begin rolling from your back, if your head movement is lacking make yourself do rounds of pure defense – don’t avoid your pitfalls, but rather face them head on.

Precision MMA LaGrange, NY

This is the formula used by myself and many others to find success inside the four walls at Precision MMA. The nice part of this recipe is that it doesn’t rely on anything other than hard work and dedication abilities which are naturally within the grasp of all. Choose to be successful!

Precision MMA Lagrange, NY

Looking to train mixed martial arts in LaGrange, NY? Check out Precision MMA Free for 30 Days call 845-392-845 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

Author Brian McLaughlin is the head coach at Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY. He is a Tampa Gracie black belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu as well as a former professional mixed martial artist with over 15 years of training.

Learning from the world’s best – Precision MMA Lagrange, NY

MMA No Responses »

Mar 062014

Precision MMA prides itself on having the top instructors in the Hudson Valley. Our coaching staff includes muay thai champions, division1 wrestlers, BJJ Black belts, golden gloves boxers and MMA fighters who combined represent over 100 years of martial arts knowledge.

However, no coaching staff knows everything. One of the unique things about Precision MMA is that several times a year we bring in elite experts for intensive seminars so that our staff and students alike can learn fresh techniques from some of the world’s most erudite instructors.

To help build our MMA and BJJ programs UFC superstars Jim and Dan Miller came to Precision, focusing on techniques they have made work inside the octagon. The seminar included throws and takedowns as well as a myriad of chokes that Jim and Dan have used to submit the very best fighters in the world.

Poughkeepsie MMA at Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY

For striking Precision MMA head coach Brian McLaughlin brought in his personal muay thai coach, the legendary Kaensak Sor Ploenjit. Kaensak is the only fighter in muay thai histroy to be twice awarded the prestigious title of “fighter of the year”. Kaensak taught his innovative and flashy muay thai style that has allowed him to become one of the most sought after strikers in the entire world

Poughkeepsie MMA at Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY

To check out Kaensak in action watch the video below:

Precision has also played host to seminars from Tampa Gracie black belt Matt Arroyo, BJJ legend Dave Camarillo and numerous other elite coaches.

The next seminar coming to Precision MMA will be Javier Vazquez, famous for his “strike based jiu-jitsu” system, which is fast becoming the number 1 system for self defense based ground fighting. Javier is a decorated BJJ champion, UFC veteran and learns first hand from the Gracie family. Javi will be coming to Precision the first week in May, mark your calendars!

Poughkeepsie MMa at Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY

Looking for Poughkeepsie MMA? Check out Precision’s 30 Day FREE Trial call 845-392-8495845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

Picking a Fight – Precision Mixed Martial Arts in LaGrange, NY

BJJ, jiu-jitsu, MMA No Responses »

Jan 102013

Precision MMA LaGrange, NY

I started martial arts the day after Thanksgiving in 1999. At the time I was barely tall enough to ride Space Mountain and couldn’t fight my way out of a wet paper bag. I had a big mouth, but I was all bark and no bite. I had my martial arts epiphany after my sister’s boyfriend ended up on the wrong end of a disagreement which left him in the hospital with broken ribs and a punctured lung. He was 20 years old, stood about 6 ft 2 and was close to 200 pounds, in my estimation a Goliath. Despite his considerable frame he was helpless to defend himself. I could only imagine what would have happen to me. I decided I would do everything in my power to make sure I wouldn’t share a similar fate. I discovered Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after buying UFC 1 at a local block buster. Watching a skinny Royce Gracie slay giants inside a chain linked fence had a profound effect on me, I had made up my mind – I joined a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school and never looked back.

Fast forward to 2005, I decided I wanted to have a professional fight. The ironic part of all this was I joined martial arts to protect me from a fight and in the end it drove me to sign up for one. I had been training for a little over 4 years and I started to feel confident in my ability to defend myself, but I couldn’t silence doubts in the back of my head. What if someone really wanted to hurt me? Could I use my skills against someone who was trying to knock my head off my shoulders? Can my knowledge stand up to a real world test? I had to know, for certain, for real what I would do in a serious fight. I wasn’t looking to fight in the UFC or have my name up in lights; I was on a quest for personal discovery.

I finally made my leap and was added to the card for Sportfighting 3 in April of 2006 – an event being run by Grappler’s Quest promoter Brian Cimins. My opponent was Khristian Geraci from team Real Combat. I remember feverously searching for information on him. All I was able to gather was that he had won some amateur boxing matches and was facing trial for stealing laptops.

I was obsessed with the fight. I was concerned I wouldn’t be used to grappling with gloves so for about 4 days I did everything (aside from using the bathroom) with MMA gloves on. I got more than a few curious looks at gas stations and deli counters. I did 2 practice weight cuts to make sure I would be on point. I would listen to my entrance music everyday on my way to training. Looking back it’s all pretty comical, but at the time I was serious as a heart attack.

Finally fight night arrived. I remember on my way to the arena my friend and I were looking for somewhere to eat when a disturbed homeless man ran after us screaming that we “stole his job”. I thought to myself as we ran frantically away from him “this will be a good warm up”.

At the arena my heart was about to explode from my chest as I watched other fighters get submitted or knocked out. When it was time to get wrapped I could barely keep my hands from trembling. I went to the bathroom and stared myself in the mirror and wondered why the Hell I signed up for this.

At one point my coach Rob saw that I was nervous and looked at me said “Hey Kid stop that shit, you’re going to kill this chump and in fact I’ve got a lot of reality TV to watch tonight so if you wouldn’t mind let’s make this quick”.

Finally it was my turn to fight. Walking towards the ring I kept thinking, “I’m sure I can figure a way out of this, I’m not in the ring yet”. Once I realized there was no going back I simply convinced myself this was nothing more than a jiu-jitsu tournament with gloves on. Somehow that thought was comforting, bringing familiarity to the chaos of the moment. Once the bell rang it was Gracie Jiu-Jitsu 101. Clinch, trip, guard pass, take the back, choke – it took all of 23 seconds. Walking back to my corner my coach looked at me and said “That’s what you were worried about?”

As it turns out my training was there for me when I needed it. What I learned in the last 6 years was worthwhile after all. I was no longer a scared 15 year old – for that day I felt 10 feet tall.

Want to fulfill your dream of fighting mixed martial arts? Try Precision MMA in LaGrange, NY

Precision MMA offers a 30 Day Free Trial call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com to get started

I think the kid with the pony tail just killed that bald dude… (Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)

BJJ No Responses »

Jan 092013

Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Looks can be deceiving, when one sees someone just shy of 6 feet weighing 140 pounds soaking wet they typically aren’t intimidated; especially when he has a pony tail and bears a striking resemblance to the lead singer of Alice in Chains.

Karl is an exception to the rule. In the competitive martial arts world of chest thumping machismo he maintains a quiet demeanor and unassuming presence. Opponents and spectators alike take one look at him and think; this kid is going to get killed. What they don’t realize is that underestimation is the ace up his sleeve.

In the bustling metropolis that is Wilmington Delaware Karl’s skills would once again be on display. He was grappling for the right to be best in the Diamond State – it may not impress women at the watering hole, but in the BJJ world it earns you some legit street cred.

After dismantling his first few foes Karl was facing a tall task against a very skilled John Malkovitch lookalike with a lethal open guard. The two traded sweeps and takedowns with Karl’s opponent eventually progressing from side control to mount. For a moment it looked as if we would have to settle for the silver medal, however Karl quickly recovered his guard and began rattling off submission attempts like machine gun set to full auto. A dizzing scramble of omoplatas, sweeps and back takes ended with a locked in mata leao (the more popular nomenclature is “rear naked choke” but this is a family blog).

Under normal circumstances, when someone locks in a choke and shuts off the blood supply to the brain people admit defeat, tap out and hope their girlfriend didn’t just see that. However, when plastic trophies are on the line people do some crazy things. Karl’s opponent is up on points and he’s NOT going to tap. From the sidelines my coaching has been reduced to yelling “SQUEEZE!” at ear piercing disciples about 30 or so times. As instructed Karl gives an extra dose of elbow grease and chokes him opponent unconscious. While obviously, not the smartest strategy, part of me admired his opponent’s stubbornness. After his coach administered a mildly awkward back massage he awoke and looked up at the referee and asked, “Did I win?”

Reflecting on the events that just transpired our erudite camera man summed up the events beautifully. In his best Steve Carell voice “Karl…puts people to sleep”

Has it always been your dream to choke people out on camera? Check out Precision MMA’s Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program FREE for 30 Days call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com to get started! You won’t find a better Poughkeepsie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program anywhere in the Hudson Valley – Guaranteed.

Hudson Valley MMA – 46 Year Old Father of 2 Defeats Marine Half His Age in Illegal Underground Biker Fights

MMA No Responses »

Jan 072013

Untold Stories of Hudson Valley MMA Fighters

Big John – Hudson Valley MMA

I’m sorry Sir, but these seats are reserved for The Hell’s Angels…

To be fair they weren’t seats, but pick nick tables. Ordinarily I believe fighters should have preferred seating, but in this instance I was willing to look elsewhere.

I was unfamiliar with the social mores of biker rallies, I was going to have to learn as I went. We weren’t here for the Harleys, we came for a fight. This was a unique situation as pugilism goes. A bit different than the Hudson Valley MMA scene. We were far from the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas or Atlantic City. We were at the black thorn biker ralley in the far reaches of upstate New York. The Empire state hadn’t sanctioned MMA yet, so the legality of these bouts was far from certain.

The fight promoter was a minister; bouts were contested in a pro wrestling ring outside in the pouring rain. In addition to the rules of the bout, fighters were given specific procedures and instructions to follow in the event of a biker riot.

On paper some would say we were an underdog. Our fighter was not your typical Hudson Valley MMA prospect – a 46 years old chiropractor father of two. He divided his time at the gym with little league games and parent teacher nights. The opponent was a 21 year old war tested Marine. However, fights are not contested on paper and despite being only a few years shy of AARP benefits “Big John” was 245 pounds of granite and steel. He was a salt of the Earth type who liked big game hunting and rodeo competitions. He had lethal submissions, but in reality he could make most men tap with a firm handshake.

After wading through a small river of mud we made our way to the ring where I heard a familiar shrill of support instructing Big John to “break his femur” customary pre-fight advice from my student Cliff. Our opponent was riding high with confidence off the cheers of support from the soldiers in the crowd, but once he locked eyes with John I could tell part of him wished he was somewhere else.

The fight started off with a big right hand, quick double leg and lightning fast Kimura – in just over 90 seconds we earned a submission. The ref halted the bout, but much like Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 didn’t realize that a tap ended the bout. Infuriated Big John stares down his opponent and says, “No Bullsh*t, you know you tapped” – his opponent, realizing that a rematch wasn’t going to end much better for him, reluctantly nodded his head and accepted defeat. We had our victory and I logged one more story for the grand kids.

So where did Big John learn his incredible MMA skills? At the best Hudson Valley MMA school – Precision MMA in LAGrange, NY

Try Precision’s Hudson Valley MMA program FREE for 30 Days call 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.bjjfighter.com

Precision MMA Lagrange, New York

MMA No Responses »

Dec 102012

Precision MMA Lagrange, New York

Precision MMA Lagrange, New Yorkis the areas premier Mixed martial arts gym. If you are looking for a place to launch a MMA career Precision MMA is the place to go. If you want to focus in one area or discipline Precision MMA offers many different classes all taught by qualified instructors. Precision MMA has a top of the line facility that includes a full sized boxing ring and tons of mat space. With this combination of top notch instructors and high quality will have you achieving your martial arts goals in short order.

Precision MMA Lagrange, New York

The instructors at Precision MMA, Lagrange New York are all knowledgeable and care deeply about your success as a student and person. All of our instructors are trained in their arts and have been competing in and teaching their arts for years. In addition to this they all have been through the rigors of being a student. The instructors understand the needs of a students and many of them are still students and seek out further instruction from some of the best in the world. Precision MMA offers classes in MMA, Muay Thai, Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and wrestling. Precision MMA also offers a women’s only boot camp class. At Precision MMA we also have classes for children. Classes are held seven days a week and can fit into almost any schedule.

Precision MMA Lagrange, New York has a great facility that has all the necessary tools to help you succeed. Precision MMA has lots of mat space. I have seen twenty or so pairs of people grapple or hit pads together and n0t have any problems. Precision MMA also has a boxing ring which is useful because most amateur and lower level professional bouts are in a ring and you will already be at home in one if you ever decide to compete. At Precision we also place a high degree of importance on hygiene the mats are always clean and we never slack on providing a safe and clean learning environment.

Come in to Precision MMA Lagrange, New York and get a FREE 30 day trial and private lesson. Give us a call at 845-392-8495, email us at precisionmma@gmail.com or go to poughkeepsiemixedmartialarts.com

Kids MMA Classes at Precision Mixed Martial Arts in LaGrange, NY – Poughkeepsie region

kids martial arts No Responses »

Dec 042012

At Precision MMA kids training is never stale or boring. Our kids learn the most cutting edge techniques in the sport of mixed martial arts on a regular basis. In this video, Precision MMA student 10 year old Richard works with Poughkeepsie’s AKBF Muay Thai champion Karl Nemeth.

Richard is working on muay thai front and round kicks as well as a fake kick into a flying, or “Superman” punch. This is the same technique utilized by George St. Pierre in his UFC title fights. Precision MMA is the only Poughkeepsie kids martial arts school that teaches these sophisticated techniques.

Poughkeepsie Kids martial arts classes at Precision MMA

At Precision MMA we think its important to give kids realistic techniques that have been tested and proven at the highest levels. You will know that your child can defend himself against in any situation and that he is developing the athleticism and training of a professional level athlete. Above all though – we keep the training fun!

To give your child all the benefits of mixed martial arts training call Precision MMA in Poughkeepsie today 845-392-8495 or visit http://www.lagrangemartialarts.com