26 Things every Martial Artist Needs to know- Which One Don’t You Know?

1. “Good Artists Borrow, Great artists steal”

When stealing, steal concrete facts like the angle of a golfers swing, the delivery of a punch in a wing chun system, or the kick from a Tae Kwon Do practitioner and a Muy Thai

-If you see things that you like in other systems, don’t be afraid to try it. Don’t try to mimic everything though, but concrete facts that you could emulate today. For example, the angle of a golfers swing, the wide pivot that a boxer uses, etc. Take away things that are possible to start applying today.

Often times, the people that we’re observing have perfected the motion so well that it works for them. It’s up to us to absorb, filter, and apply so that we can find the moves that best suit us.

All the great artists in the past have stolen (or borrow) from other artists. Why can’t you?

2. Lift heavy

Nothing beats heavy lifting.

As a martial artist you should always be working towards myofibrillar dense muscles. It’s the reason why small Asian men in the Olympics can power clean and jerk 565lbs. You do not want that huge swollen look that bodybuilders aim for.

This comes from a high volume of repetitions in their sets. Bodybuilders seek sarcoplasmic hypotrophy when they’re lifting, which is just a politically correct way of saying that high reps force fluid into the muscles for it to retain and project the image of swoleness.

Stick to sets of 6 and reps of 2 to maximize myofibrillar dense hypertrophy. You will not only be stronger, vascular, and faster, but you will remain the same weight class as well. This is very ideal for those who compete.

3. Do Chaos Training (lift weird shapes and unbalanced weight)

Chaos training is basically the introduction of lifting odd and unorthodoxed things. I use to hate working on house work such as mixing cement, breaking the floor, fixing the sink etc, but after I started implementing chaos training where I’m lifting heavy rocks, clean and pressing heavy bags, running with sandbags, I appreciate the mundane tasks of house work.

House work where you are proactively lifting and working to fix and repair things around the house is a test of your abilities. We workout so that the other things and aspects of our lives become easier. If you can accomplish house duties like repairing your backyard, mixing cement, creating a shed, fixing the floor, etc. with ease, you passed the test.

4. Compound lifts only. Not isolations.

Don’t be that guy that does bicep curls. It has nothing to do with martial arts. Sorry to burst your bubbles.

Endless amounts of isolation work also causes muscle viruses to develop. The muscle viruses will then cause an imbalance in your body, neuromuscular strength, and wrecks havoc on your overall physical composure. Instead, do compound lifts only and of course add in your accessory work to bring up deficient parts.

Deadlift, squat, bench press, military press, clean and jerk, farmers walk, and chaos training are all the workouts you need in weightlifting. Body weight exercises are also a huge plus.

5. Study more literature (will carry over into other aspects of your life including martial arts)

Read and learn more whether it be literature, or audiobooks, lectures, workshops, and seminars. You will be forever grateful. Education does not stop after college. You need to keep growing, in fact it is after college that the most important years of learning are present.

You should always be in a state of learning. It will not only aid but will separate you from everyone else in the world. You need to always learn, read, and digest information. Your vocabulary, diction, and other aspects of your life will greatly improve. I guarantee it.

6. Take BCAAs

This is one supplement that I’ve seen dramatic gains with. It is supported by Martin Beckhan’s intermittent fasting principles and as well as aiding in muscular hypertrophy. It is a supplement that I would highly suggest every martial artist to use if not, start using.

Especially since you’re always training for ‘X’ amount of hours, catabolism is not something you want. You will notice a difference in terms of performance and muscle growth shortly after taking BCAAs.

I take it primarily when I’m working out on an empty stomach and I’ve seen my performance go up and improve compared to when I don’t take BCAAs.

See links below for sources and references:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19882215

http://www.leangains.com/2009/12/fasted-training-boosts-muscle-growth.html http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/287/1/E1.full

7. Eat Steak

Ah Steak. The long touted fat inducing heart clogging food. One word, Bullshit.

Steak is high in saturated fat not trans fat. Big difference fellas. Trans fat has alway been the main culprit in the shadows but saturated fats always got blamed. Steak not only causes and promotes a natural increase in testosterone but causes you to become stronger.

The high saturated fat promotes your body to generate and increase a higher degree of testosterone meanwhile the creatine in the steak helps prolong and promote muscular hypertrophy. All in all, steak should be a staple in your daily meals.

Like everything in life- moderation is king.

8. Eat Eggs

Another food that has been scrutinized by a large part of society. Eggs causes higher cholesterol, eggs clogs up your heart, eggs causes blah blah blah.

Bullshit.

Society does not want your testosterone to be high. High testosterone forces people to get shit done. If your testosterone is low, your inclined to be tired, easy going, and complacent. You feel satisfied. But this is not the way to live. You need testosterone. You need to want more. Eggs and steak will not only force your body to become anabolic, you’ll start to develop a new yearning for life.

Eggs contain good cholesterol, HDL (high density lipids). It’s only when fat Americans eat eggs with trans fat foods like bacon and other trans fat filled foods that causes them to develop heart conditions and diseases. Eggs contain so many vitamins and minerals that your body will thank you for. Think about it. You’re eating an actual life form. It contains all the raw essence necessary to make another form of life.

Start eating eggs if not, you’re just settling to be a 2nd rate amateur.

9. Eat Fruits

Do I need to stress the importance of fruits? Apples, bananas, oranges, watermelon, pears, melons, etc.

Eat any and every type of fruit there is. Your micronutrient profiles will be met. Your immune system will love you. Your overall well being, skin complexion, hair, and mood will improve drastically.

Moral of the story?
Eat more fruits! You’re ignorant if you don’t eat fruits.

10. Eat more Vegetables

Vegetables will get rid of your daily constipation that you and every other American experience on a regular basis. Stomach bloat? Stay an hour in the toilet and only see a few drops of shit?

Eat your god damn vegetables. And not the stupid supplements that supposedly contain ‘green minerals found in vegetables’

That’s a huge pile of bullshit. Eat more vegetables- actual vegetables not supplements. Your fiber intake and minerals will skyrocket and you will become healthier by the second.

Don’t be the typical Americans that eats high fat foods along with trans fat and donuts. Eat your greens with your steak and eggs.

11. Take Glucosamine Chondrotin

Joints. Joints. Joints.

I’ve had days where my joints were so sore and dry that I felt seriously uncomfortable. Although at first I didn’t feel a thing while taking Glucosamine. But I realize that it’s when I don’t take it that I feel a huge difference.

On days after squatting heavy or grappling, my knees are sore as shit. It wasn’t until after I started taking glucosamine that I’ve felt a huge improvement in mobility post-squat and grappling days.

It mostly relieved me of my joint issues so if it helped me in that it should help many others as well.

Lube your joints up and your bones will thank you.

12. Take Fish Oil

If you eat enough fish, forget about this supplement. Supplements are not a necessity if there is a food alternative.

Fish oil has long been known for its ability to protect the brain, lower high triglycerides, and aid in fat loss. It’s also been use inflammatory purposes as well as blood pressure. A staple in any martial artist's diet.

13. Take Flaxseed oil

Used for it’s ability to combat arthritis and high cholesterol , Flaxseed oil is a daily healthy supplement that martial artists and other combat athletes should use. It’s on par with Fish Oil in terms of importance and intake.

I mainly take it for health purposes.

14. Take Vitamin D3 + K2

Aside from combating heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis, and arthritis, Vitamin D3 has significant benefits in terms of performance and overall mood.

Many people during the winter always get complacent, lazy, and overall sad than compared to how they are during the summer. The reason for this? Vitamin D3.

When we get enough sun, our body’s absorb vitamin D through sun rays causing us to feel happier, active, and willing to take on challenges. However, when we don’t get enough of Vitamin D, we get lazy. We slack on our diet. We slack on our work. We slack, period.

You should be taking around 2,000–3,000 IUs a day depending on your bodyweight.

Plus, you have the added benefit of it minorly increasing test levels.

Don’t forget to take Vitamin K2 along with Vitamin D3. Your body can only process so much vitamin D without K2 present in the body. Vitamin K2 helps the body absorb more of the D3.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195

15. Take Creatine

Creatine has long been researched and has been scientifically proven to increase muscle.

Before you call me a ‘bro-scientist’, we can agree that Creatine increases ATP. If Creatine can increase ATP, it will increase the amount of reps you can do whether it be 3 more extra reps or 1 extra rep.

If we can pull out extra reps, we get stronger. Plain and simple. If we get stronger, we’re building muscle.

There should be no reason why you, as a competitive athlete or a regular ethusiast, are not taking creatine.

Side effects may include 2–4lb gains in water weight. Nothing to worry about, you can drop the water weight in several hours before a weigh-in.

And please do not be that guy who thinks Creatine is a steroid. It plain and simple isn’t. If you do think it is a steroid then you are the problem in the industry.

Do your research. Creatine is not a steroid.

16. Do Isokinetic Muscular Contractions (at least 5 minutes a day)

I could write an entire novel on Isokinetic muscular contractions and its benefits.

Although i'll do a quick cliff notes version of it for you here.

Isokinetic muscular contractions is the release and rewiring of the nerves in the nervous system to perform a given task be it a punch, kick, swing, footwork etc. it’s applicable to anything physical that requires motility and mobility. It re-enforces the nerves to produce a stronger connection in which generates a powerful, stronger, and faster reaction.

In applying Isokinetic muscular contractions, an easy way to get started is to start with a basic jab. However, when you execute the motion the extension and retraction of your jan has to remain a fixed rate of speed. Literally moving as slow as a turtle. (No joke).

This will start rewiring your nerves. Try it for about 30 minutes and then execute the jab at a regular rate and you will feel a difference.

I’ll usually do this with clients and they have all seen a huge jump in performance.

17. Learn how to become the aggressor (a good offense is a good defense)

Pressure is important.

In fighting your opponents whether it be in training or competition, be very sure to stay on the offense and aggress when possible. In training you should always be the aggressor just so you can get culminated into the feeling of being dominant.

Being dominant is something that every martial artist should know how to accomplish and utilize whenever necessary. Just be sure to keep it in check in other things outside of sparring and competing.

Not only is being on the offense a good strategy, it makes a great defense. It’s your duty to become a well rounded fighter to be able to handle tall, small, fast, slow, heavy, and powerful opponents. By understanding the different types of opponents you may face, you can dial in on your training to become the aggressor. Find the weak points and weak disadvantages associated with their strengths and bombard it with aggressive attacks.

This not only forces them to be on the defense but causes you to gain the upper hand. Your opponent would be too busy trying to defend himself that you’ll be the one making the shots and positioning him wherever you want him.

18. Develop a good passive defense (head movement, slip in, slip out, bob and weave, lean back)

Just because you’re a seasoned offensive fighter doesn’t mean you shouldn’t brush up on your defensive skills. By defensive skills I mean ONLY the passive- offensive ones. I define passive-offensive skills as in fluid head motility, bob and weave, slip in slip out, etc.

Essentially passive evasive moves that enable you to attack as you evade is the ideal definition. This skill is something that every martial artist should possess.

It will be your get-out-of-jail (or hospital) free card if your offensive game isn’t as good as you thought it was.

Following the first principle on this list, mimic those of professional boxers. Start noticing the fine little mechanics that they apply. Focus on their footwork, their hips, is their energy and torque distribution mainly in their upper body? Where are their hands? What steps do they take first as they start?

Get good on your passive-offensive game and you’ll have a fail safe system to fall back on.

19. When training- always dare to be foolish. Always push your boundaries

if you’re not mentally and physically taxed each time you’re training then you’re doing something wrong. You should always be trying new things. Push your boundaries. Do you find that you can’t slip in on his hook? Practice it till you can.

Oh but Mark Anthony, there’s nothing wrong that i need to fix!

Bullshit. I’ve seen professional fighters working on pushing their boundaries almost all the time. Professional hockey players deemed best in the worlds are busting their asses on the ice. Professional golfers swinging and missing the ball.

The point is, is that if you’re not giving it your all during training, you’re not growing. It doesn’t have to be physically draining, it could be mentally draining. It is only when we consistently mess up while training that we’re actually growing.

If you’re not being daring, risky, or trying new things then you’re not ever going to grow. It is only when we continually mess up in training that we can grow and realize what works when we really need it to.

20. Learn and Revisit your fundamentals every so often. Everything stems from the basic fundamentals (foot work, hand placements)

You should always dedicated some amount of time to relearning and going over your fundamentals. It is unbelievably important.

Remember that the advance materials in any system is almost always a plethora of the basics munched and jumbled together. You will benefit greatly from always refining your basics.

Competitive fighters, students, and friends have all mentioned to me many times how the basics always saved their ass. Little things such as your foot work, your hand placements, and your head movements will save your ass in a tight situation.

21. You can never have enough Stamina- Learn how to control your breathing

It is ridiculous how many fighters i’ve seen lose fights that I know they can win, only because their breathing gave way. Be sure to always be in control of your breathing.

It is truly a terrible feeling to know that you can beat someone but couldn’t because you gassed out and got tired.

It is a fundamental. Get a oxygen mask if you have to (edit: plenty of research say it actually doesn’t work- do your own research). The better you breathe, the easier the match and clear minded you are. Why do you think Olympic athletes go high up in the mountains to train? Because it forces them to breathe harder and increase their lung capacity which in the end results in higher levels of white blood cells.

Keep your breathe and you keep your game plan.

22. Take Cold showers

Cold showers also help expand your lungs by the way. On top of having a complete natural dose of wakefulness that coffee can’t beat, cold showers are great for overall mood, skin, and hormones.

Take cold showers morning and night during the summer time. Winter times, you can start off with luke warm water and transition your way into cold water. But make sure that you’re in the habit of taking cold showers daily.

You’ll start noticing that your skin complexion will be much better after several days. Users have also reported side effects such as: feeling really good afterwards, less acne, active, awake and alert, and increases of testosterone.

23. Develop a stronger neck

You don’t need to have Mike Tyson’s neck but a strong neck will help you in competitions. A strong neck helps reduce whiplash after a blow to the face so you’re less likely to wake up in the middle of a match with the referee raising your opponent's hand.

Your internal and external jugular would be enlarged causing better stabilization for your head and overall balance. Just be sure not to overdo your neck muscles because the chance of messing up and tweaking your neck will last a lifetime since the C1 Atlas and C2 Axis are very sensitive.

24. Bioenergetics

Bioenergetics is usually what people turn to if they couldn’t master meditation. Since bioenergetics has much to do with getting in tune with your body, every martial artist should study this.

Start researching Alexander Lowen. He has great books on the concept of bioenergetic analysis. He goes on to discuss the importance of grounding and releasing muscle tensions across your body.

To summarize briefly, Lowen states that whatever happens to the mind happens to the body and whatever happens to the body happens to the mind. He also states that our physical tensions and patterns are a direct correlation to repressed events. He goes on to say that muscle armoring and tensions could be a direct cause of earlier events where we had no choice but to force ourselves in developing it (i.e. tension of the shoulders and posture when we feel threaten, always being on guard in certain neighborhoods, repress emotions from family members, etc.)

Read Lowen’s books as part of your development in furthering your education and you’ll take away parts of his books away for life.

It is a must read to get in tune with your body.

25. Understand how to utilize your body in unorthodox ways. Learn some form of dancing

This is one thing that I will have to create an even deeper segment or blog post on. It is beyond doubt, one of the most underrated principles of all time. People want to learn martial arts all the time for the sole purpose of fighting others, what many don’t realize is that martial arts is ultimately in the end just another way of self-expression in the form of physical movements.

Some express themselves through movement patterns. Some express themselves through mimicking animal motions. Whatever it may be, just move your body.

Even Eddie Bravo has stated that most breakdancers accelerate in BJJ much faster than others.

Learning other physical variants of self-expression will carry over greatly into your skills as a martial artist. Fluidity, ease of motion, motility, mobility, and complete understanding of your body is a must for every martial artist.

26. Know the difference between sparring, competing, and actual street fighting

Just remember sparring, and competing you abide by a certain set of rules. But outside of training and into the streets, there are no rules.

This is the main problem that many people always have. Fighters end up trying to armbar someone meanwhile the person’s getting ready to grab his balls with all his might. Or they’re about to jab cross and the guy in front of them cracks a beer bottle and uses it as a weapon.

In the end, there are no rules in the streets. Remember that. You do whatever the hell you have to do to stay alive.

If you can find a move that applies in all situations in competition, real-life self defense, etc. then perfect. Drill that down. But understand what moves you can do in a situation and what you can’t. Each situation will always be unique.

You’d rather be in jail perfectly fine than in the hospital clinging onto your life with an unrecognizable face. Like the old saying goes, i’d rather be tried by 12 than to be carried by 6.