Wing Chun: Izzo Tactical Combat Martial Arts: Schaumburg, IL

Background: “Wing Chun Kung Fu is ineffective and a waste of time.” Joe Rogan, 2010. This comment came out as part of an interview he gave and it set the Martial Arts world on fire. Google that quote and you will find a divided community that spewed more vitriol at each other then at almost any time. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Traditional Martial Arts (TMA) have been at each other’s throats since the first Pancrase and UFC tournaments. As an MMA fan since I saw UFC 2 and Joe Rogan when he called his first fight at UFC 12 I have loved the sport. Arguably he influenced me to start doing Martial Arts again. I decided to get involved in Traditional Praying Mantis Kung Fu and later compete in MMA, Sanda, Grappling and Sambo amongst other tournaments.

Dominick and I touching hands practising Chi Sao.

Now I was torn, I loved Joe Rogan as a fight commentator because he was a Martial Artist. He knew what was going down and why it was important. Yet, I practised a Traditional Martial Art and part of the ineffective arts. Having been a competitor it was easy to see were Mr. Rogan was coming from. I have seen my share of “Water Dancers” and “Flower Pressers” who couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag even if they wanted to. But I also saw a group of fighters that were great and applied their Martial Arts to the fullest despite being "traditional."

As I travelled and explored I came to realize that Martial Arts exists in two worlds. The clearest distinction can be seen on within the sword fighting community. You have LARP (Live Action Role Playing) & HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) which dominate the scene. LARPing requires only a foam sword and a sense of fun. Now there are some very serious LARPers that consider themselves “bad asses” because they dress up and their armour can take 3 hits because it is steel or chain mail or whatever. Conversely you have a much smaller HEMA crowd that love to fight with steel and synthetic weapons. These guys & gals would cut the LARPers community to pieces in a heartbeat. I have done both and they are both immense fun. However, one group strives for accuracy and techniques that win and the other is lost in a mythical, albeit enjoyable, fantasy.

Practising the Wing Chun chain punch.

Traditional Martial Arts is no different. As a former competitor I am acutely aware of my own weaknesses and interested in patching my own game. I am a great striker and have a solid clinch game with takedowns to go with it. My biggest stand up weakness is that I don’t have the best technique to bridge in between striking and the clinch. With Wing Chun being the “bridging art” I thought what better place to patch this hole. However, I wanted to make sure I was going to train with someone that understood combat without living in fantasy. Enter Dominick Izzo. I found him in a forum I participate in and immediately saw he is a short, boisterous man, actively preaching the merits of Wing Chun. His Youtube channel had thousands of subscribers and he seemed to know what he was talking about. But I wasn't sold yet because I had a few more boxes to check off.

I wanted someone with fight experience because fighters have an intrinsic desire to peel back the myth and find effective techniques. Dominick is an active duty police officer and has several merits to his name plus a wrestling background. This was someone who had to deal with angry, violent individuals often bridging in with takedowns to subdue people. He couldn't just punch them in the face or claw their eyes out. However, what sold me was one of his blog posts where he described the fear of combat. People that haven’t fought romanticize the experience. They are always brave and are never scared because they know they could take that guy across the bar. People that have fought know the fear that grips you and turns your bowels. The nervousness before a fight and thrill of victory happen because you have a huge endorphin dump at having made it through the challenge. Dominick wrote about this and I knew he had experience with real combat situations. A phone call later and I was on my way over.

Proof Dominick Izzo does in fact use kicks. Every video on Youtube that he doesn't throw one it becomes a question.

What did I learn: I have touched hands with Dominick on several occasions now and it has always been enlightening. One of the things that he brought up to me was to focus on driving in on my opponent’s centerline. Now this sounds impossibly basic for an experienced Martial Artist to forget to apply but it was rarely part of my game. As a big guy I rarely bother with the centerline and focus on my opponent’s limbs. Why? Because I am really good at patterns and timing. I subscribe to the “bunches of punches and punches in bunches” theory. I hammer my opponents with several good combos and get that get my opposition to chase my hands. As soon as they do I have my opening. It has been a hugely successful strategy in the ring for me. However, Dominick was quick to point out that I was applying the same theories in my bridging.

Dominick coaches me through a bridging exercise. 

I was so used to manipulating hands and reactions that I was falling victim of my own success. I wanted to grab onto wrists or I was reaching for a clinch. This left me opened to counter striking and takedowns. When Dominick had me start working on bridging he had me tighten up my defence. Chi Sao is often derided as a waste of time because it isn't fighting. It isn't even close to how a fight will take place in any real circumstances. However, Dominick was entirely honest about this and never claimed that it would be. Instead he uses the Chi Sao to show how you aren't being efficient when you fight. He would call out to me, “why are your arms so wide?” and “do you need to move him out that far?” In an extremely simple exercise he showed me how to be a more efficient and effective fighter.

The other thing Dominick works with me on are kicks and penetrating theory. Because of how I fight tend to pull back after my kicks especially in the clinch. The reason I do this is to drop my bodyweight on them and crush them down. Since most people will bend at the waist to relieve the pressure it opens them up for knees or upper body throws. Yet, I need to take into account that I am not always able to crush people down and have met other people strong enough to resist me. By not driving through I am not penetrating enough to engage lower body takedowns like single legs and sweeps. I really enjoyed that some very simple exercises have helped me become a better fighter.

Dominick shows the dangers of pushing a hand to far out.

What was similar: I ask questions whenever I have the opportunity to train with Dominick because Wing Chun is so similar and yet so different from what I have done in the past. The thing I respect about Dominick is that he takes the questions without hesitation or complaint. If you look at his Youtube channel you will see that he regularly has people in from different styles to teach his class and validate the lessons he gives. Any time an instructor will stand up to outside scrutiny is a blessing for their class and the Martial Arts community. He is constantly pushing to make Wing Chun better. Not by altering Wing Chun’s core principals rather by seeking to understand how other people see Wing Chun and attempt to exploit its weaknesses. As someone who travels around the country and trains with Martial Artists from different backgrounds it is great to meet people with a similar philosophy. This builds a sense of community and broadens your horizons.

I work at chaining blocks together. 

The other thing I really like about Dominick’s classes is how he breaks down his drills. Very often he will stop and ask his class if they think this is how a fight would go down. More often than not the answer is “no.” Having had to use Wing Chun on a regular basis Dominick is cognisant of how a fight will happen. It will be sloppy and lack the precision that you see in training. Instead of technical perfection Dominick has his students learning concepts and theories. When you spar you should be applying concepts not trying to remember if your arm is at a perfect ninety degree bend with your fingers flexed in the proper direction.

Conclusion: One of the images that will stay burned into my mind is watching Dominick suit up after class. The police equipment while protective was also somewhat restrictive and heavy. Watching this I could see the value of Wing Chun. Short, sharp movements designed to close distance on an offender that seemed to work well in conjunction with his equipment. Boxing versus Wing Chun is hotly debated and after seeing Dominick work I think the question is a very poor one. As a police officer he can’t simply haul off and smash everyone who resists in in the face. Instead, swarming and controlling them with the option to throw heavier hits if the situation turns ugly is much more functional for law enforcement. With his opened attitude and real world experience the students at Izzo Tactical Combat Martial Arts are better prepared for the world outside the Dojo than those who refuse to see what else is out there. 

Dominick runs a great school and a great program. 

Best regards and keep training,

Martin "Travelling Ronin" Fransham 

If you are interested in training together I would love to get together with you. Drop me a line on facebook and we can connect. I would love to learn from you. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Travelling-Ronin/583588935029877?ref=hlOn Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwXDjTjOSVMm3-98e0gHUXLlQecYRkcvNCheck out Izzo Tactical Combat Martial Arts: http://izzotacticalcombat.com/ 

Systema: Montreal Systema: Montreal, QC

Background: My original impression of Systema was very much like my impression Jeet Kune Do. Just like Jeet Kune Do was the mysterious art of Bruce Lee, Systema was the mysterious art of the Russian Spetnaz. My exposure to Systema as a Martial Art had been incredibly limited and come mostly through the medium of television and Youtube. Shows like “Deadliest Warrior” showcased Systema and I had seen some neat demos on the web but nothing is as concrete as actually experiencing an art. My only “hands on” experience was to see people joke about Systema. Coming from a Russian Sambo background it was natural to make jests at the expense of a close cousin. You will see this dynamic played out in all sectors of Martial Arts. Judo and Ju Jitsu will make fun of the other. Jeet Kune Do and Wing Chun perpetually make jokes at the others expense. Truly, the comparisons are endless.

For my part, I wanted to see past the good natured jokes and really dive into Systema. What was this Martial Art and what would like be like to train with them? Montreal Systema leapt out at me the same way that so many of the places that I visit do, via Google. If there is any lesson that I could impart on Martial Arts instructors it is to make sure you can be found on the web. The importance of finding new and experienced students is paramount. Needless to say, Montreal Systema does this well and jumped off the screen at me.

Even warming up with Systema is pure aggression.

Kevin Secours is the head coach and is one of the most confident instructors I have “never met.” This turn of phrase will likely surprise many of the people that read this article. After all, the focus of this blog is to chronicle the interaction I have with various Martial Artists around the globe and the lessons I learn. It would seem self-defeating to write about someone that I have only exchanged a quick phone call with and a couple of short emails.  What lessons are there to learn from a man that you “never met?”

When I reached out to Mr. Secours he told me that he wasn't going to be in Montreal when I would be available to film. Naturally you can imagine my disappointment at this news. However, without missing a beat he told me that I could go to the class anyway and film with his assistant Instructor Danny. This speaks volumes about a Martial Artist. In a single sentence Mr. Secours expressed confidence in his Martial Art and moreover in his people. He didn't need to be there because he knew his class was rock solid and wouldn't let him down. You know you have done an exceptional job teaching when trust your whole class to represent you, your school and your Martial Art. Truth be told, he was completely right to have placed that level of faith in his crew because they were great.

Instructor Danny goes over some of the sensitivity drills Systema trains with.

What did I learn: Where to begin? Because I am restricted by a self-imposed word limit on these articles I want to focus on two areas . The first is the knife-fighting sensitivity drills that we did. Something I find very interesting is that so many “Reality Based Self-Defence” systems focus on using instincts as a basis for their theories. Systema strives to break down those instincts and build a much more functional set of behaviours. For example, the normal human reaction when you get pushed is to put a foot down and push back. Systema will train against this reflex and instead roll with the force.

Danny and George showing me how to roll and retrain myself.

In the context of Systema’s development this makes perfect sense. It is a self-defence program that is designed to give soldiers a weapon system to deploy against other soldiers. Therefore regardless of your physical training you run a risk of engaging other soldiers who should be in peak physical condition and might be substantially larger. You can’t out muscle someone in a scenario like that and worse they may be armed. Push against a knife all day with your body if you want, however, I grantee you will lose. By retraining your body’s reactions you become infinitely more likely to survive the encounter. Now it is important to note that never at any point did anyone in the class advocate that you would be able to roll away from a knife at the point of contact. Minimizing damage verse completely avoid damage are two very different things.

George throws me to the ground and locks up my arm. 

The other thing I learned was actually a lesson I don’t see applied enough. I use this segment sometimes as a reminder of things we know but fail to apply. During the ground work session we strapped on our gloves and worked on some ground & pound escapes. Classes very often follow a distinct layout. You have striking classes where you work on all things stand up and grappling classes where you work on ground work and never the two shall meet.

Montreal Systema goes above and beyond by linking these two areas together. Once we had the basic drill down we put on our gloves and began throwing punches. This amped up the pressure enormously and really made us work. For a system that I rarely see on the MMA circuit these guys were doing drills that most MMA schools leave out of their training. 

 George straddles me and rains down hits.

What was similar: One of the biggest mysteries of Systema is the striking. I have heard it referred to as “ballistic striking” by Mikhail Ryabko and Val Riazanov on Youtube. When Danny and George demoed the striking to me I realised it was shockingly close to the striking I have done with while practising Piqua and Baji with my Sifu John Hum and Sifu Jason Tsou. Of course upon further reflection this made perfect sense. Baji and Piqua can trace their roots to the Hebei province in Northern China. In case geography isn’t your thing the Hebei province is quite close to (about 1000km) to the Russian Border. For my American readers this is about as far as New York is to Indianapolis. If Google is to be believed this is about 23 days of walking so we can assume a reasonable exchange of culture and ideas over the years.


When Danny hit me the first time he struck down and dragged his fist across my body. Instead of punching in a straight line through me he made contact from just below my collar bone to my lower pectoral. He didn't hit me with any undo force but it hurt like the devil. In Kung Fu we refer to this as “bringing pain to the surface.” For anyone that hasn't experienced striking in this manner the closest thing I can relate it too is the “5 star slap” you will see young men give each other. A “5 Star” is where you slap someone on their bare back and it leaves a stinging imprint of your palm. This is of course a vast over simplification of ballistic striking but it should give you an idea. 

Danny demonstrates Systema's striking on me. 

This striking is powerful and heavy. What I like about "bringing pain to the surface" is that it hurts way more than regular striking. Because of the surface area effected it gives the impression that you are hurt much more than you in fact are. This "illusion of damage: is a wonderful way to convince people that they don't want to continue fighting. Should they desire to keep fighting the ballistic strikes are still heavy, brutal hits that will bring and adversary down. Systema brings effective striking with psychological dominance to the table.  


Conclusion: As I prepared to leave Montreal Systema I saw them sparring. There was a group that had stayed late to grapple and kickbox and they were pushing hard. Montreal Systema is not for the faint of heart. They drill hard and cover a vast array of topics. However, if you decide you are interested in being more than a casual student of Martial Arts they are a great place to train. I opened this article stating I knew Systema through the joking of Sambo, yet, I have concluded that the guys at Montreal Systema are no joke and know their craft. 

A great night with Montreal Systema. 

Best regards and keep training,

Martin "Travelling Ronin" Fransham 

If you are interested in training together I would love to get together with you. Drop me a line on facebook and we can connect. I would love to learn from you. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Travelling-Ronin/583588935029877?ref=hl
On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwXDjTjOSVMm3-98e0gHUXLlQecYRkcvN

Go see Montreal System: www.Montrealsystema.com

Also, check out my training partner George's site. He is the head coach of The Fitness Arena: https://www.facebook.com/TheFitnessArena

Jeet Kune Do: Focus JKD Nashville: Nashville, TN

Background: When you ask most people what Jeet Kune Do is they will tell you, “It’s Bruce Lee’s Martial Art.” Now ask someone to elaborate what “Bruce Lee’s Martial Art” is and you will receive a series of non-committal answers. I was the same way. JKD had always been a mystery to me until earlier this year. It is rare to see JKD fighters on the tournament circuit and so my exposure to them was reasonably shallow.

In late 2013 I meet a gentleman by the name of Nik Farooqui who runs the Xtreme Training Academy out of Chicago, Illinois. His conceptualization of JKD is a program that he calls Ballistic Fighting Methods. He opened my eyes to what JKD is and how it could be applied in a real world environment. With this taste I decided that I really wanted to learn more about it. Via the powers of Youtube I got turned onto Focus JKD. After watching an interview by Dominick Izzo with Mike VanBeek I liked what I saw and hammered “Focus Jeet Kune Do” into Google and actually came up with the Nashville branch.

Kevin slips my jab and comes over the top with a cross.

As a frequent traveller to the Nashville area I saw this as a great opportunity and reached out to them. I was immediately welcomed by Kevin Collier and Langston Glass to come get a deeper feeling of what Focus JKD was. If you look at Focus JKD’s winter training facility you will find a compact little building that is utilitarian and spartan. There is no real décor and everything has a place and purpose as it should in a small area.

I get asked why I will bounce between types of facilities. Some people equate size with the quality of a Martial Art and as such a bigger facility must be better. In my experience this is not the case. Great Martial Artists can be found in all areas and their skill is not reflective of their facility. Focus JKD is not a commercial operation and as such they have dedicated a huge amount of personal resources to their school. They train indoors and outside, on mats and in mud, and if you have never tried your techniques outside your dojo you should. Does what you do work outside when it is wet? Can you fight in a tight space with multiple partners bearing in on you? The guys at Focus JKD know.

Langston thrusts at me with a stick while working on weapon defence.

What did I learn: You never know where you will pick techniques up and there is always something to learn at another school, even during the warm up. I was introduced to the pivot bag which is essentially a speed bag inverted on top of a metal pole. The bottom of the pole is attached to a swivel with springs to pull it back up. The pivot bag is wonderful for building striking mechanics because of the movement it simulates. If your punches have any loop to them then the bag begins to sway back and forth making it very hard to hit. This swaying represents an opponent bobbing and weaving in a fight working your timing and coordination. Finally if you want to maintain a high volume of hits you need to be right on top of the bag and actively engaging it rather than waiting for it to return to its original position. It is a great tool to develop good technique, proper timing and aggression.

 Kevin shows me how to use the pivot bag while making sure to keep up aggression. 

Another great lesson was how to use “destructions” in combat. A destruction is very simply aligning a hard point on your body with an incoming strike in order to inflict pain on the attacker. The most current example is Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva in which Silva snapped his leg against Weidman’s knee. Focus JKD taught me the basics of how to setup a proper destruction. First you learn to block. A destruction does you no good if you are knocked out by the first punch. The second step is to learn how to avoid a punch by slipping. You just move out of the way allowing the punch to slide past you. This trains your reflexes and timing. Finally, as the attack comes in you slide out of the way and replace your opponent’s target with something hard.

I throw up an elbow to intercept Kevin's hook with a destruction.

As you put together these steps you began to have a great idea how all the pieces fit. You weren't trying to block punches with your elbow. This is how I had always interpreted destructions in the past and I was sceptical of their effectiveness. After all, if you are minimizing your blocking area in favour of a harder surface you run a much higher risk of being knocked out. The way that Focus JKD teaches you makes much more sense. Because they either block or slip out of the way the destruction changes from being a necessary technique to survive into a functional technique that doesn't endanger you. In short, if you miss a punch with your elbow it doesn't matter. The punch will sail past or glance off a block and you are free to continue engaging your opponent. I really enjoyed the focus on assuring your personal safety before concentrating on an offence.

What was similar: “We don’t need to be the best, we just need to be good enough to cheat.” This was a comment that Langston told me as we were training and it rings true. When I gave an interview with Dominick Izzo on his Youtube Channel I talked about how the biggest difference between sport fighting and the street was the ability of the sport fighter to prepare ruthlessly in advance of the fight. However, things are a little different for the “street fighter.” One of the gentleman* I trained with told me once that on the street “you don’t have to win you just have to avoid losing.”

I throw up a hand to intercept a knife thrust. 

Not technically what you are supposed to do, however, I was backed into a corner and panicked. 

This was exactly the mentality of Focus JKD. They aren't training to be the next Floyd Mayweather Jr. or to fight George St. Pierre. They don’t need to win a knife fighting tournament or weapons competition. Instead they are the great generalists of Martial Arts. When I call Focus JKD generalists it pertains to the way they conduct their training. They won’t out box a kickboxer, rather, they now enough to bring the kickboxer into an area where he is not comfortable like ground or weapons fighting. This “Jack of all trades” approach to training is perfect for the street where there are no fixed scenarios and adaptability is more valuable than specialization.

A great night training with Focus JKD Nashville. I learned a lot and made some great friends.

Conclusion: Focus JKD is a great place to go if you are looking for combat training that you can apply in your everyday life. If you want to experiment and test yourself in a wide range of scenarios than this is the place for you.

Best regards and keep training,

Martin "Travelling Ronin" Fransham 

*I can't remember the gentleman that left me the quote “you don’t have to win you just have to avoid losing.” 

If you are interested in training together I would love to get together with you. Drop me a line on facebook and we can connect. I would love to learn from you. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Travelling-Ronin/583588935029877?ref=hl
On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwXDjTjOSVMm3-98e0gHUXLlQecYRkcvN

Focus JKD Nashville: https://www.facebook.com/pages/FOCUS-JKD-Nashville-Counter-Violence-Specialists/118179801668862

Mixed Martial Arts: Pound for Pound MMA: Nashville, TN

Background: I heard of Pound for Pound via a colleague at work while visiting Nashville. When I told him that I did Martial Arts he mentioned that I could go down the street and check out this “new” place he had seen. With no knowledge of who this school was I drove over expecting to find a new, sparsely populated school desperate for students. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Instead I arrived at a school that was packed with students. I came in at the transition between the kid’s class and the adult class and it was wild. 6000 square feet of floor space was alive with bodies. From the gym in the back to the ring and octagon people were training everywhere. Immediately Coach Brandon Bolton walked over and we struck up a conversation. After having to deny that I fathered any of the children in his class we talked about the project and Coach Bolton said he’d be happy to participate. He also took the time to introduce me to their head striking coach, Bernard “Swiftkick” Robinson.

Pound for Pound MMA sports a gorgeous facility complete with an Octogon.

The facility is so large I couldn't fit it in a single frame. 

I will admit that I was nervous when I returned to film the “Fighter’s Eyes” video. Both Coach Bolton and Coach Bernard were accomplished Martial Artists with a lot of experience on the competition floor. Coach Bolton has competed in numerous MMA and grappling competitions and Coach Robinson holds a 62 – 8 record with 32 finishes by knockout.  This was the largest fight camp I had ever been to and there were butterflies in my stomach. Both these guys were amazing fighters and camps tend to reflect their coaches. I didn't what I was going to be doing but I was actually worried of being busted up by their top guys.

However, like most of our fears in life mine turned out to be entirely baseless. Coach Bolton and Coach Robinson welcomed me into their classes and paired me up with great people to work with. On their website they say “No egos, no BS, just like minded individuals getting together to better an art and the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.” That was exactly what I experienced when I walked through the door. They worked with me at my level and showed patience and a good laugh.

I fade back from a punch during the boxing training. 

My partner had enormous patience as I memorized the patterns. 

What did I learn: Coach Bolton’s No-Gi Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was an incredible learning experience for me. I should preface this by saying that I am a capable grappler. I know enough of what I am doing to be dangerous but I lack polish. I win most of my grappling matches because of my Sanda experience. I control the takedown and establish a dominant position and against most low to mid-level grapplers I can secure the victory. Yet my game has some major holes in it. Most critically what happens when someone gets me in Side Mount. As a big guy with much of his height in his legs I can shrimp and get a leg in but I have trouble sliding the rest of my leg through to bring them to guard. Most of time to exit Side Mount I will bait the Full Mount and roll with them because I can bridge high. Although, this works against low level fighters it falls flat against more experienced fighters which can leave me in a dangerous place.

Coach Bolton demonstrates how to roll an opponent using the X-Guard.

Whether by chance or by fate it turned out that Coach Bolton was working on escapes from side control. I had never practised the “X-Guard” before in any length and it proved to be an extremely enlightening class. Suddenly I didn't have to get my leg all the way through to get guard. Rather, I just had to shrimp out and then get my knee on my partner’s belly. The other leg hooks the foot in and forms an “X” with your first leg.

An advanced student invites me into the world of BJJ. 

Once I had the basics of the X-Guard down I began to learn a plethora of ways to tackle the problem of getting out of Side Mount. First I worked a couple of ways to roll my partner over me. This established a dominant position and allowed me to work submissions. Following the rolls we moved into using the X-Guard to pop your partner’s hips back and secure a choke. Finally, we moved back to a basic escape about how to escape an opponent that is smothering you. Coach Bolton showed how to use basic human nature to outsmart an opponent. It was hands down a fantastic series of lessons I will always carry with me.

Coach Bolton will continue the roll into a submission. 

What was similar: Pound for Pound is an MMA school and as the name suggests it is about mixing Martial Arts. The first class of the evening was a boxing class with Coach Robinson. When I spoke to Coach Robinson he had mentioned that he had fought alongside a fighter from Ottawa, Ontario where I used to live. To know that he had fought on the same cards as Jean Yves “The Iceman” Theriault reminded me what a small world Martial Arts is.

Coach Robinson walks us through the striking drill. 

Coach Robinson had us doing pad work and striking drills to improve our hand speed. I have done a lot of pad work as it is a staple of just about every striking Martial Art. However, I have never done pad work like this before. Normally when we doing pad work it consists of shorter combos and the partner holding the pads gets to “rest.” What struck me about the way Coach Robinson taught his class was that the drills got increasingly complex as the class moved on. However, it wasn't just the fact that the drills got more complex for the striker but also that the partner holding the pads had to be involved as well.

The pad holder is required to be almost as active as the striker throwing a variety of straights and hooks. This forces the striker to keep sharp and slip the shots. I loved that it forced the partners to work together instead of just “holding the pads.” Because both fighters were invested in the training it kept both fighters active and engaged. When you see the hand speed this develops it causes you to wonder about some of the drills I have seen demoed. Youtube is full of “How to beat a boxer” videos that show a fighter blocking a boxer’s punch and delivering 3 or 4 punches before blocking the next punch. It is clear they have never seen the hand speed of Coach Robinson’s team because there is no chance of that working at Pound for Pound MMA. This was a great lesson to have learned and a wonderful addition to the pad work I will do in the future.

My partner slips a punch. I had to work and stay active even while holding the pads. 

Conclusion: I have said in previous articles fight camps take on the attitude of their coaches. Pound for Pound MMA is no different. Here you have top coaches that want to push their fighters. In return you get great fighters that want to be pushed and will work hard. Pound for Pound MMA has the coaches and the facilities to develop top fighters. Look for them to be contenders on the regional MMA scene as solid place to train or get your start as a pro fighter. 

Myself and the BJJ Class at the end of the night. Pound for Pound MMA is an amazing training camp.

Best regards and keep training,

Martin "Travelling Ronin" Fransham 

If you are interested in training together I would love to get together with you. Drop me a line on facebook and we can connect. I would love to learn from you. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Travelling-Ronin/583588935029877?ref=hl
On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwXDjTjOSVMm3-98e0gHUXLlQecYRkcvN

Check out Pound for Pound MMA here: http://www.poundforpoundtraining.com/

Capoeira: Grupo Agua de Beber: Montreal, QC

Background:  Capoeira. Brazilian Dance Fighting. A Martial Art without teeth. This was what I thought of Capoeira all those years ago when I was first exposed to it. I had just started training and with the typical arrogance of someone just beginning their Martial Art journey I knew my style was the best. While I was training to throw down they were singing songs, playing on instruments  and dancing “against” each other in a circle. It was silly and a waste of time.

One of the players shoots past me with a cartwheel.

My Sifu, John Hum, was thankfully much wiser than me and encouraged me to look beyond my own limited vision. He pointed out that they were in fantastic shape and the coordination it took to do Capoeira. Not quite understanding the depth of his opinion I pointed out that this "Brazilian" Martial Art really wasn’t designed for combat. With a smile and a raised eyebrow he laughed at me. “They used to cut Capoeira fighters hamstrings. They don’t do that to fighters that aren't effective.”

Over the years I learned that my original observations were largely mistaken. I looked into this Martial Art that convinced the authorities of the time to maim its practitioners. My name of “Brazilian Dance Fighting” was given in ignorance. I hadn’t realized that Capoeira had a history and culture that traced itself across the Caribbean back to Africa. This “dance” disguised the players and kept them safe on the streets.

I practice a scissor technique as Derek hopes over me. 

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has become the proving ground for Martial Arts. Whether you are a fan of the sport or not it is impossible to deny that a Martial Arts’ success is judged by its champions, at least to the layman. Having been a fan of MMA from the early days of the UFC I have watched many Martial Arts be declared as “useless” or” ineffective” only to see that position reversed once they began to claim wins. Capoeira is no different and suddenly exploded onto the MMA scene with a series of brutal knockouts in the last few years. I had to choke on my previous words about their fighters and reverse my position. Thankfully, experience allowed me to realize how foolish my original position had been and abandoning this viewpoint was no hardship.

What did I learn: Training with Grupo Agua de Beber taught me a lot of lessons on body mechanics. Fights can often come down to which fighter has more “heart.” This is a generic term often used to describe a fighter who shows great determination to keep battling through the punishment that he has received often claiming victory from a superior opponent while coming from behind. Although that explanation is the storyteller’s definition of “heart” the truth is that it comes down to cardiovascular and muscular fitness. The fighter that can throw effective strikes for a longer period usually wins.

 I play in the Roda working on my cartwheels. 

Jeroo Jamaji’s class is a wonderful way to test your fitness level. I like to think that I have really good cardio because I can spar and drill for hours. However, my performance in Capoeira was laughable when I started (Author’s note: It was still laughable when I left, just slightly less.) and I have never been so sore. Because Capoeira is fought low it is comparable to doing squats for an hour and a half. Couple that with all the cartwheels and prone positions where you are supporting yourself with your arms and you quickly come to the realization that your endurance isn't quite what you though it was.

Despite the techniques being so physical Jeroo makes sure you are drilling proper form. All my kicks have gotten crisper and I am burning much less energy. Due to the demands that Capoeira places on you as a fighter every small inefficiency begins to add up. It was the hardest physical workout I have ever had and it tests you so much as a Martial Artist to keep throwing techniques even when you are on the verge of exhaustion.

Siamak ducks down below my crescent kick. 

What was similar: “Think guys! In Capoeira you have to be tricky!” This is the call that Jeroo repeats to us all. I loved it. Many Martial Arts hold themselves to the principle of honourable combat. You are to best your adversary in an honourable and straight forward manner. Capoeira is not held down by this view. Not to say that the Capoeira players are rude or disrespectful to each other. Rather they are extremely polite but once in the Roda they are encourage to trick the other player and catch them in elaborate traps.

Capoeira is tricky and played at every conceivable angle. 

This is my kind of fighting. At 6’6 I have never been a graceful fighter. I lack the polish and poise of many of my peers. Many of my Kung Fu forms look just downright ugly. However, what makes me a good Martial Artist is pattern recognition and the ability to trick people. I use body language and theatrics when I fight because it unnerves people. Therefore getting to play with fellow tricksters is a treat. Jeroo and the players from Grupo Agua de Beber taught me an awful lot about how to be even more tricky and cunning.

Conclusion: Capoeira is an amazingly fun Martial Art and one of the most muscularly demanding arts out there. The music and theatrics that accompany it are simply a trick to the casual observer. Look at Anthony Pettis of the UFC and you will see a champion who has training videos of Capoeira. Grupo Agua de Beber embodies this. You would still wondering about their playful jokes and goofy grins as they set you up to be hit. A good group and a fun school that I hope I will have the opportunity to visit again. 

A great evening of training with the crew from Grupo Agua de Beber.

Best regards and keep training,

Martin "Travelling Ronin" Fransham 

If you are interested in training together I would love to get together with you. Drop me a line on facebook and we can connect. I would love to learn from you. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Travelling-Ronin/583588935029877?ref=hl
On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwXDjTjOSVMm3-98e0gHUXLlQecYRkcvN

Sanda / SanShou: Institut de Wushu de Montréal: Montreal, QC

Renald Meunier Daure* will always have a special place in the history of the “Travelling Ronin” project. Up till now I had relied on friends in order to provide me a spot to film and write about. Sure I had contacted people out of the blue before and gone to train with them but Renald was the first gentleman who agreed to be featured on this blog and on YouTube with no prior relationship. I don’t like the expression that he “put himself on the line” by allowing me to come out. However, that was exactly what he did and I will always be grateful.

A Sanda competition was arguably where I learned my biggest lesson in my development as a fighter. I was at a tournament in Toronto and was matched against a smaller opponent for my fight. There where only two of us in the big lads division and he told me that he had almost no experience. I was coming off my first MMA victory and strutting around like a peacock. After all he was fresh meat and I was an “experienced killer.” Looking back my own arrogance was unbelievable. My Sifu, John Hum, tried to warn me but I would have none of it. I never considered that perhaps my opponent might not be telling the truth and instead had a habit of knocking guys out.

Your's truly learning a lesson about the pitfalls of hubris.

We got in the ring and I waded forward into the storm confident I was going to knock him into next week. At the moment he hit me and then didn't stop. I have fought all kinds of fighters from amateur to pro but I have never been hit like that before or since. One moment I was staring him in the eyes the next I was looking at the mats barely supported by my shaking arms. I don’t mind admitting that suddenly this “experienced killer” was terrified. Let me tell you, being scared and hurt in a fight sucks. Although I rallied in the second and third rounds winning the fight I never forgot the lessons that I learned that day.

Claiming victory but the real prize was learning that 

confidence doesn't equal invincibility.

What did I learn: Having done Sanda in the past I found Renald’s class enlightening in several ways. First was the specialization of training. Because you wear chest protectors in Sanda we threw the kicks in ways designed to achieve maximum penetration. Strikes that lack penetrating power get soaked up by the pads and leave your opponent unhindered to strike you.

I practice my front kicks hoping to get maximum force transfer.

We also worked on variations of the single leg takedown and a hip toss. I have done these techniques before and knew the basic concepts. However, Renald took these and really focused them for Sanda fights. For example, I almost execute my single leg takedowns standing higher and using more muscular strength. I do this because I fear getting trapped in a guillotine choke. Renald showed me a way to hit lower using less strength which will yield a lot of points in a match. These specialized drills are the mark of a good instructor. Renald knows his game and how to exploit it for the maximum effect. It is exactly what you want to see in a fight camp.

The second thing that stood out was the structure of the class and the “guided creativity.” After the warm up we moved into striking drills. These were structured to give the fighters focus and a toolkit to bring into the ring. Afterwards we hit the heavy bags and had free time to do whatever we though fit. Following the drills on the heavy bags we returned to combat drills, once more working structured drills. Finally we sparred against each other and played with whatever we thought fit.

A dodge away from a scorpion kick that passes in front

of my face and surprised me. 

It was a great approach to teaching. Renald grounds his fighters with basics then allows them the freedom to explore and develop on their own path. Instead of letting fighters get sloppy as can happen with too much free time he reconnects them to their roots before sending them out once more. It was a very good way of educating fighters.

What was similar: It felt good to be back in a serious camp. The warm up was cardio drills, running and skipping. If you don’t have the energy to throw techniques or block your opponent’s strikes your skill level become irrelevant. Rather, you need to be able to keep moving. Many fights have been won by “lesser” fighters who simply had the will to hang on and the energy to keep fighting once their more technical opponent faltered.

The “Rule of Three” is another way concept I was familiar with. It is said that you need to show a behaviour three times in order to teach it to someone. Therefore, if you find yourself being repetitive it won’t be long before your opponent figures you out. However, you can use this rule of thumb to train your opponent. Once you see that he is catching your pattern you switch it up and catch them anticipating the prior technique.

I use the rule of three to land an inside crescent kick.

A camp or school will largely get their attitude from their trainer. If your trainer is overly aggressive you tend to have over aggressive camps that lead to injury. Without enough aggression the situation lacks realism and fails to prepare fighters for the ring. Renald finds a comfortable middle ground to train his team. We exchanged solid combos with flurries of punches and kicks but no one got out of control. I landed a beautiful crescent kick against the face of one of his fighters. I didn’t carry any power through it and he acknowledged the hit with a smile. Next exchange he caught me with a left hook but didn’t try to remove my head from my shoulders. I complimented the strike and we moved on, neither fighter hurt both able to keep training, both having fun.

This attitude is a directly attributed to Renald’s leadership. He caught of my front kicks and could have dumped me hard on the floor. Very easily he could have “made a point” or “showed me up” by slamming me down on the hardwood. Instead, he held me for a second. I said, “thank you” in my appreciation of not being hurt, Renald winked and we carried on. Great, safe, technical fun when we didn't have mats to fall on. Travelling Ronin Note: Remember, if you have been an asshole to the teacher all class they will have the opportunity to dump you on your ass, hard. Rule #1: Don’t be a dick.

Renald snags my foot and could have sent me to the ground hard.

Conclusion: If you are looking to compete in competitive Sanda “Montreal  Wushu” is a great academy with a great teacher in Renald. His experience in the ring is obvious and there was a reason that he was a champion. His fighters have great attitudes which makes for a fun but competitive environment. 

Myself and Renald at the end of a great evening of training.

Did I mention the gorgeous facility?

Best regards and keep training,

Martin "Travelling Ronin" Fransham 

* Normally I will put titles like "Shihan, Sensei, Sifu, etc..." however, Renald doesn't use them at his school hence the break in formality. 

If you are interested in training together I would love to get together with you. Drop me a line on facebook and we can connect. I would love to learn from you. On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Travelling-Ronin/583588935029877?ref=hl
On Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwXDjTjOSVMm3-98e0gHUXLlQecYRkcvN

Check out Montreal Wushu: http://www.montrealwushu.com/