Cleanliness in BJJ

This is one of the most serious topics when it comes to keeping people on the mat and training. As Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners we want to spend as much time as possible on the mat training as much as possible. When it comes to losing time on the mat, there is one thing that sidelines us more than injuries; that’s infection.

Staph Infection, the two words that any grappler fears the most. Staph is scary and can be very serious and sometimes even life threatening.  Since Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is our life, it is our responsibility to know the signs of Staph, how to prevent it, and when to go see the doctor. In the following paragraphs I’m going to leave you with some knowledge to help prevent and recognize infection, thus keeping you on the mat longer.

Cleanliness In BJJ

Cleanliness In BJJ

The biggest factor in causing an infection is an open wound. We naturally carry a ton of bacteria on our hands, in our noes, and on our feet; and open wound is playing with fire and just asking for an infection. The biggest thing to prevent open wounds is to keep your toenails and finger nails trimmed. Also if you have a scratch or a wound that is healing; don’t be afraid to put a Band-Aid and some tape on it!

A huge step in preventing Staph is being able to realize when you have it. Staph and other infections such as MRSA come in various forms so if you have any of these symptoms you may want to go to the doctor.

1. Boils: The most common form of Staph is the boil. Boils are basically pockets of pus that form in an infected are (usually a fair follicle) and turns red and irritated. Boils are often messy and are quite disgusting when they burst! Please don’t grapple with me if you have a boil!
2. Impetigo: This is usually found in younger children, so pay special attention if you offer a kids program! Impetigo is a contagious and usually causes a painful rash; the kind associated with Staph usually cause blisters or sores around the nose or mouth.
3. Cellulitis: This is an infection of the deeper layers of the skin it can sometimes cause redness on the top layer of the skin visible to the world. Cellulitis is usually found in older people and is often on the legs or feet.

Remember that it is always better to be safe than sorry! For the good of your teammates, your instructors, and anyone who has any contact with the mats at your academy, examine yourself for any of these signs often!

A final step for preventing the spread of infections and Staph is to use anti-bacterial soap daily. Personally I use Body Defense Soap as it is all natural, and I have yet to become infected while using it. We need to remember to shower and clean ourselves properly immediately after training, if not we are at higher risk of infection.

I have witnessed this first hand. I train with very cleanly people, but one night after training one of my teammates forgot to shower as soon as he got home. Unfortunately for him he suffered a minor laceration on his forearm and did not notice. As a result of his temporary lack of hygiene, the cut became infected and caused an infection in his hair follicles. He missed two weeks of training and had to be put on antibiotics by his doctor.

Much like we as practitioners have a responsibility to each other, there is also a mutual responsibility between the instructor and the practitioners. Though the instructor does not have to necessarily clean the mats himself, he or she needs to provide the proper cleaning/mopping equipment to keep the mats clean and free of bad bacteria.

One final step can be taken to help prevent infection. It is of the upmost importance to always wear clean Gis, rash guards, fight shorts, and any other equipment you may use. No matter how clean your academy and instructor keeps the mats, it is all nullified if you and your teammates show up to train in an unsanitary condition.

If you don’t want to follow these tips to extend your training span and your overall health, do it for your teammates. You owe it to them to step on the mat clean and to not put them at risk for infection, because at the end of the day all we really want to do is train right?

If you found these tips helpful feel free to LIKE this article and SHARE it with all of your friends and teammates.

Written by Josh Leduc

Original Story link - http://bjjtoday.net/cleanliness-in-bjj/

Combatlifestyle: Theo Rossi of SOA on his charity, Staten Strong (Chris Weidman, Demarco Murray)

Staten Strong is a charity founded by Theo Rossi of Sons of Anarchy and friends from his neighborhood in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Their charity events raise money to fund the rebuild of homes destroyed in the disaster. Bad Boy Clothing partnered with Staten Strong on this event. 

Last Sunday, we accompanied Theo, Chris Weidman & Demarco Murray to Rosanne Finn's house where they announced that she is the recipient of the next home rebuild. 

Photos from the event at Rosanne Finn's House can be found here:

http://combatlifestyle.com/pics/view_album.php?id=3284

Photos from the charity event at Gold Bar in NYC can be found here:

http://combatlifestyle.com/pics/view_album.php?id=3281

Combatlifestyle: Theo Rossi of SOA on his charity, Staten Strong (Chris Weidman, Demarco Murray):

Mike Tyson Explains His Love of MMA MMA News | Mixed Martial Arts | UFC News | BJPenn | MMA Fight | UFC Fights

It seems that from the first moment he saw mixed martial arts ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson was hooked.

Tyson, the 46-year-old former heavyweight boxing champion, has long been a fan of the sport. Tyson’s been seen at many a UFC event, spotted in Dana White’s popular video blogs, and even showed up in an episode of this season’s ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’

While out promoting his well-reviewed one-man show, ‘Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth,’ Tyson talked with ESPN.com Jake Rossen about the past, present and future of mixed martial arts. Below are some selected highlights.

Rossen: You were one of the first boxers to acknowledge mixed martial arts as a legitimate combat sport. Do you remember when you first watched the UFC?

Tyson: My friends were all at my house one day, and we see these guys promoting these cage fights, right? When everybody was over, people were normally inebriated, so we said, “We’re putting this on. We’re gonna watch this!” Next thing you know, we’re watching Ken Shamrock and someone fight. Bang! I’m saying, “This is real, man. This is on!”

We started watching it every time we got the chance. We’ve been following the guys since [Royce] Gracie, Shamrock, [Dan] Severn. It just kept evolving and evolving.

Rossen: At those early shows, sometimes people in the crowd would hold up signs saying, “Tyson vs. Gracie.” What would you think when you saw that?

Tyson: Yeah! That was so awesome. I love all kinds of fighting. To say I only love two guys putting on gloves and only punching, I would be a moron to say that.

Rossen: Did you ever seriously consider an offer to fight MMA when you were active as an athlete?

Tyson: Not really, because by the time it took off, I was already doing boxing. This is something you have to start when you’re 12 or 13. It has to be a passion. That’s the problem with boxing: There’s no passion. People want to be record producers, rappers. In MMA, you see that passion. Georges St-Pierre, this is all he wants to do. That’s why he’s so successful.

Rossen: But back in those days, it wasn’t so refined. I know it’s a hypothetical, but what do you think would’ve happened if someone had put up enough money for you to fight Royce Gracie? He was a much smaller man.

Tyson: It doesn’t matter. If I hit him with a good punch, OK, but if he gets hold of me and in a position I’m not familiar with, I’m not going to win the fight. I would have to be equipped with grappling skills as well. Gracie changed the whole game around. To be involved in this kind of fight, you have to know that style right off the bat.

Everyone learned his style of fighting. Everything we have now is because of the Gracies taking it to the next level. Their name isn’t on it, but that’s what it is. It’s Gracie Fighting.

Rossen: Are you more of a boxing or MMA fan now? 

Tyson: I love MMA and love boxing, but I’m always watching the MMA stuff. With boxing, you don’t know if the guy’s going to get a [good] decision, you know? In UFC, there’s the Ultimate Fighter house — you cultivate the fighters spiritually, work with them, it’s a team effort. In boxing, it’s like, “The hell with you.” The fighters dislike everybody. The MMA fighters are killing each other and they’re friends!

Rossen: You’ve spoken before about being a huge fan of Fedor Emelianenko. Is there one fighter in the UFC you love to watch compete?

Tyson: It has to be Jon Jones. But I like Anderson Silva, too. And Cain Velasquez! He showed what a champion is. He took a humiliating defeat, came back focused and beat Junior dos Santos [in the rematch].

I look at MMA totally differently from how the fans look at it. I look at people overcoming adversities. Most guys being knocked out the way Cain was would’ve lost all of their spirit. He could’ve come back for a payday and gotten knocked out in one round. Instead, he examined his loss and changed the outcome.

Original Story from BJPENN.COM link below

Mike Tyson Explains His Love of MMA MMA News | Mixed Martial Arts | UFC News | BJPenn | MMA Fight | UFC Fights:

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Frankie Edgar: 'Pressure Brings out the Very Best in Me' | Bleacher Report

In a sport as rigorous as mixed martial arts, where a fighter's physical and mental mettle is tested in constant fashion, the ability to bounce back from adversity can either define or break an athlete's career.

It just so happens resilience is a something Frankie Edgar carries in large supply. 

The former UFC lightweight champion's battles are well-noted, and his countless displays of heart and grit are stamped into the history of the sport itself, but despite the accomplishments of his impressive resume, these days "The Answer" finds himself in a situation far different than he's ever known in his professional career.

After an impressive run atop the highly competitive 155-pound division, the 31-year-old has experienced a tough run of setbacks inside the Octagon, coming out on the losing end of his past three showings on the sport's biggest stage—each time with championship gold on the line.

His two losses to Benson Henderson were close—one downright controversial—but nevertheless, Edgar carried on. Back-to-back losses could have prompted him to look for an easier path to travel, but when the opportunity to compete for pound-for-pound great Jose Aldo's featherweight title arose, the "fighting pride of Toms River" once again put himself in a position to show and prove.

Unfortunately for Edgar, five rounds weren't enough for him to tip the scales on the fight, as Aldo walked out of their main-event tilt at UFC 156 with his title intact.

In the aftermath of the fight, Edgar was undoubtedly gutted by the loss. The former title holder was now staring down the barrel of a reality where in one year's time, he had gone from champion to the owner of a three-fight losing streak, with his place in the sport lingering in doubt and uncertainty.

But if Edgar has proven anything throughout his nearly decade-long career, it is that his resolve is unbreakable—a quality that has come from being a perpetual underdog. Where some fighters have lingered on merit and accomplishment, Edgar has had to consistently prove he belongs at the highest level of the sport. And while he has come out on the losing end of those battles in this most recent run, Edgar is determined to get back to where he believes he belongs.

He's defined by heart, but not just the heart he shows in the tense moments of a closely fought battle. The real measure of his heart is Edgar's ability to step forward and weather the criticism that comes in the midst of a three-fight losing streak where many are writing off the former champion.

There is no doubt the pressure is on, but it is nothing new to Edgar. He's spent a lifetime in the fires of competition and truly believes this adversity will only serve to make him stronger.

"You put my back against the wall, and that is when I'm going to come out with something great," Edgar told Bleacher Report. "When everything is stacked against you, I think that is when greatness truly comes out. When things are going your way and in your corner, it is a different situation. But I'm the type of guy—when the pressure is on and my back is against the wall—it is going to bring the very best out of me."

The opportunity for Edgar to break his recent skid and begin his climb back to the top of the division will come against Charles Oliveira at UFC 162 in July. It will be his first non-title bout in three years, and while the circumstances surrounding the fight will have a different feel, Edgar sees the matchup with "Do Bronx" as the ideal situation to get back to the win column.

That being said, the former lightweight champion turned featherweight contender is taking nothing away from the talented young Brazilian. The 23-year-old presents some interesting stylistic challenges, and Edgar is looking forward to mixing it up in LasVegas.

"I think [Oliveira] is very dangerous," Edgar said. "He's a really long fighter. He's almost six foot tall, and for a short guy like myself, that presents some challenges. He's willing to throw diverse strikes with kicks, knees and punches, then he has a "go for broke" style of jiu-jitsu. He's going to throw submission, and it doesn't matter where he is—he's going for them. I don't know how high his level of jiu-jitsu is going to be, but those guys who go for broke and are willing to go all-in for a submission attempt are dangerous."

"I just need to get back to my winning ways. I need to get back into a rhythm I guess you could say. It's tough because I have three losses. Yeah, they were three pretty tight losses, and some people say I won some of those fights, but it doesn't matter. At the end of the day I lost. At the same, time those losses came against some of the best fighters in the world.

"It sucks having three losses in a row, but I have to play it for what it is," Edgar added. "I don't think I had any bad performances in that run. There are some things I need to work on technically and strategically, but I feel like I'm still on my way up. This is just a bump in the road, and I'm going to get back on track. This fight is my opportunity to get that done and get back into the win column."

Edgar's championship run in the lightweight division made him one of the most recognizable names in the sport, and dropping down into a weight class that has become increasingly competitive over the past year, the high-profile name he carries is an appealing bounty to the rising stars in the featherweight division.

Nevertheless, having a target on his back is nothing new to Edgar. He knows he will face some tough challenges in order to get back to where he wants to be. In order to accomplish this task, the scenery may look a bit different with no main-event billing or an opponent who doesn't carry the same amount of name recognition, but those are minor details at this point. 

Winning is what matters, and Edgar will do whatever it takes to get his career back on track.

"For sure there are fighters in this division who see me as someone they can try to make their name on, but if I want to be a top fighter in this weight class, I have to be able to beat anyone I get in there with," Edgar said. "It doesn't matter who I fight. If I want to be number one—and that is always my goal—I should be able to beat whoever I face. That is how I approach it, and that is how I'm looking at my next fight."

Original Story link below
Frankie Edgar: 'Pressure Brings out the Very Best in Me' | Bleacher Report:

'via Blog this'

Frankie Edgar: 'Pressure Brings out the Very Best in Me' | Bleacher Report

In a sport as rigorous as mixed martial arts, where a fighter's physical and mental mettle is tested in constant fashion, the ability to bounce back from adversity can either define or break an athlete's career.

It just so happens resilience is a something Frankie Edgar carries in large supply. 

The former UFC lightweight champion's battles are well-noted, and his countless displays of heart and grit are stamped into the history of the sport itself, but despite the accomplishments of his impressive resume, these days "The Answer" finds himself in a situation far different than he's ever known in his professional career.

After an impressive run atop the highly competitive 155-pound division, the 31-year-old has experienced a tough run of setbacks inside the Octagon, coming out on the losing end of his past three showings on the sport's biggest stage—each time with championship gold on the line.

His two losses to Benson Henderson were close—one downright controversial—but nevertheless, Edgar carried on. Back-to-back losses could have prompted him to look for an easier path to travel, but when the opportunity to compete for pound-for-pound great Jose Aldo's featherweight title arose, the "fighting pride of Toms River" once again put himself in a position to show and prove.

Unfortunately for Edgar, five rounds weren't enough for him to tip the scales on the fight, as Aldo walked out of their main-event tilt at UFC 156 with his title intact.

In the aftermath of the fight, Edgar was undoubtedly gutted by the loss. The former title holder was now staring down the barrel of a reality where in one year's time, he had gone from champion to the owner of a three-fight losing streak, with his place in the sport lingering in doubt and uncertainty.

But if Edgar has proven anything throughout his nearly decade-long career, it is that his resolve is unbreakable—a quality that has come from being a perpetual underdog. Where some fighters have lingered on merit and accomplishment, Edgar has had to consistently prove he belongs at the highest level of the sport. And while he has come out on the losing end of those battles in this most recent run, Edgar is determined to get back to where he believes he belongs.

He's defined by heart, but not just the heart he shows in the tense moments of a closely fought battle. The real measure of his heart is Edgar's ability to step forward and weather the criticism that comes in the midst of a three-fight losing streak where many are writing off the former champion.

There is no doubt the pressure is on, but it is nothing new to Edgar. He's spent a lifetime in the fires of competition and truly believes this adversity will only serve to make him stronger.

"You put my back against the wall, and that is when I'm going to come out with something great," Edgar told Bleacher Report. "When everything is stacked against you, I think that is when greatness truly comes out. When things are going your way and in your corner, it is a different situation. But I'm the type of guy—when the pressure is on and my back is against the wall—it is going to bring the very best out of me."

The opportunity for Edgar to break his recent skid and begin his climb back to the top of the division will come against Charles Oliveira at UFC 162 in July. It will be his first non-title bout in three years, and while the circumstances surrounding the fight will have a different feel, Edgar sees the matchup with "Do Bronx" as the ideal situation to get back to the win column.

That being said, the former lightweight champion turned featherweight contender is taking nothing away from the talented young Brazilian. The 23-year-old presents some interesting stylistic challenges, and Edgar is looking forward to mixing it up in LasVegas.

"I think [Oliveira] is very dangerous," Edgar said. "He's a really long fighter. He's almost six foot tall, and for a short guy like myself, that presents some challenges. He's willing to throw diverse strikes with kicks, knees and punches, then he has a "go for broke" style of jiu-jitsu. He's going to throw submission, and it doesn't matter where he is—he's going for them. I don't know how high his level of jiu-jitsu is going to be, but those guys who go for broke and are willing to go all-in for a submission attempt are dangerous."

"I just need to get back to my winning ways. I need to get back into a rhythm I guess you could say. It's tough because I have three losses. Yeah, they were three pretty tight losses, and some people say I won some of those fights, but it doesn't matter. At the end of the day I lost. At the same, time those losses came against some of the best fighters in the world.

"It sucks having three losses in a row, but I have to play it for what it is," Edgar added. "I don't think I had any bad performances in that run. There are some things I need to work on technically and strategically, but I feel like I'm still on my way up. This is just a bump in the road, and I'm going to get back on track. This fight is my opportunity to get that done and get back into the win column."

Edgar's championship run in the lightweight division made him one of the most recognizable names in the sport, and dropping down into a weight class that has become increasingly competitive over the past year, the high-profile name he carries is an appealing bounty to the rising stars in the featherweight division.

Nevertheless, having a target on his back is nothing new to Edgar. He knows he will face some tough challenges in order to get back to where he wants to be. In order to accomplish this task, the scenery may look a bit different with no main-event billing or an opponent who doesn't carry the same amount of name recognition, but those are minor details at this point. 

Winning is what matters, and Edgar will do whatever it takes to get his career back on track.

"For sure there are fighters in this division who see me as someone they can try to make their name on, but if I want to be a top fighter in this weight class, I have to be able to beat anyone I get in there with," Edgar said. "It doesn't matter who I fight. If I want to be number one—and that is always my goal—I should be able to beat whoever I face. That is how I approach it, and that is how I'm looking at my next fight."

Original Story link below
Frankie Edgar: 'Pressure Brings out the Very Best in Me' | Bleacher Report:

'via Blog this'

Video: Save Olympic Wrestling

Save Olympic Wrestling from Tim Jackson Films Library on Vimeo.

May is a critical month for the sport of wrestling.

The International Olympic Committee Executive Board will meet May 29-31 in St. Petersburg, Russia. On Wednesday, May 29, wrestling, with its top representatives from across the world, will be one of eight sports, making a case to be included in the Olympic Programme in 2020.

In February, the IOC suggested wrestling be dropped as a core sport of the Olympic Games.

This video produced by Wrestling With Iowa, a project directed by Tim Jackson, of Ohio, is a persuasive look at why wrestling is important and should remain in the Olympics.

Watch “Save Olympic Wrestling” video narrated by Jay Mohr above.

Original story from The Gazette