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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Several Baseball Players are Incorporating Fighting Methods into their Training Routines.

Mixed martial arts may be illegal as a competitive sport in some states, but several baseball players are incorporating its fighting methods into their training routines. 

Adam Dunn of the Chicago White Sox, Brad Penny of the Detroit Tigers and Russell Martin of the Yankees have used the sport’s punches and kicks to improve their throwing and swinging. In addition to improving overall fitness, Martin said, mixed martial arts can make an athlete mentally tougher. 

“You tolerate the pain and get through it,” he said. “Mentally, I know I’m in a good place because I worked hard.” 

Mixed martial arts is a combination of karate, judo, jujitsu, boxing, wrestling and tae kwon do. The sport is also popular in Brazil and Japan. Pay-per-view telecasts in the United States began in 1993, with the Ultimate Fighting Championship staging the most lucrative matches. 

Unlike Martin, Dunn and Penny guard the secrets of their workouts as if they were team signs. 

Penny acknowledged training with Dan Henderson, a star M.M.A. competitor, but he declined through a Tigers spokesman to discuss his training. Dunn declined through the White Sox media-relations office. 

Henderson said that he had had Penny practice the kicks and punches used in M.M.A., but there was no sparring. 

“We use focus mitts,” Henderson said, referring to the oversize padded gloves that he wears while athletes kick and punch them. “Physically, it works different muscles than players tend to use in their own sport. The training gives them something different to push themselves through.” 

Henderson said the workouts could indirectly help Penny’s strategy on the mound. 

“It might give Brad a little more confidence when he’s pitching inside,” Henderson said. “And he’s prepared in case anyone rushes the mound.” 

Jay Glazer, a football analyst for Fox Sports who runs MMAthletics with Randy Couture, a mixed martial arts star, has trained N.F.L. players in the sport. Glazer said his clients included Ryan Grant, Jared Allen, Clay Matthews and the Atlanta Falcons team. 

While the workouts for the football players emphasize wrestling and hand-fighting techniques, Glazer said the routine for baseball players concentrated on emulating the movements of their sport. 

Ryan Rowland-Smith, a left-handed pitcher in the Houston Astros organization who battled arm and back injuries the last couple of years with the Seattle Mariners, worked with Glazer in the winter. “I’m in the best shape of my life, for sure,” said Rowland-Smith, a surfer while growing up in Australia. 

Glazer said: “In the case of Ryan, we look at film and break it down frame by frame and come up with a combination that mirrors his pitching delivery. A knee, a punch, followed by a kick. We have him do a ton of that for his hips. Power comes from his core, his hips and his legs, even though he uses his arm to pitch.”
Mentally, Glazer said, the mantra is the same for baseball players as it is for N.F.L. players. 

“Own your space,” Glazer said several times. “We get the players thinking like a cage fighter. When the door shuts, it’s time to break that man’s will across from you. For Ryan, as a pitcher, it’s that 60 feet 6 inches that you own.” 

Rowland-Smith said the rigors of M.M.A. training made it easier to tolerate physical and mental challenges on the mound. 

“If you have some small injuries or you’re not feeling 100 percent, nothing can compare with what you go through with the training, so you can fight through it,” he said. 

Martin, a catcher, worked with Jonathan Chaimberg, who trains Georges St.-Pierre, the U.F.C.’s welterweight champion. Martin said he was searching for a way to regain his All-Star form after two injury-marred seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

After a few months of six-days-a-week M.M.A.-style training sessions with Chaimberg in Montreal, where he lives, Martin increased his endurance and explosiveness and lost body fat. He said his upper-body routine was called the big rope. 

“It’s a thick rope that you attach to a base of a wall and has a loop,” he said. “You create waves with the rope, and it’s like a 20-second sprint, a 10-second rest. You don’t do it for a long period of time. You do it for five minutes, get a good workout in and work on your conditioning.” 

It seems to be helping. Martin is hitting .300 with three homers and eight runs batted in. 

Bobby Valentine, an ESPN baseball analyst, has managed in the major leagues and in Japan, where one would think mixed martial arts training is popular among players. But that is not the case, he said. 

“It’s more prominent in the States,” said Valentine, who said he believes the training is beneficial. 

He added: “Most mixed martial arts instructors teach balance, quickness and awareness of your surroundings. There are a few cases in Japan, but most players just play baseball over there.” 

INSIDE PITCH
The Yankees’ scheduled game Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium was postponed because of rain and was not immediately rescheduled. Manager Joe Girardi said that A. J. Burnett (2-0), Tuesday’s scheduled starter, would pitch Wednesday, and Phil Hughes (0-1) would start Thursday. Girardi said he planned to start Freddy Garcia for the first time later this week; Girardi added that the date had yet to be determined. ... Reliever Pedro Feliciano, who has been sidelined with tightness in his left triceps, played catch, but Girardi said the session “did not go well.” Feliciano will have another test Wednesday. “It’s a concern,” Girardi said of Feliciano, who had to cut short a similar throwing session March 27. “We were hoping after these two weeks that he’d be able to take the next step.” DAVE CALDWELL

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Latest Picks from the USA TODAY Network

Bellator and Strikeforce champions, regional shows, female fighters and a Yamma recollection — they're all in the latest selections from USA TODAY's blog network:

On same level? (MMA Diehards): Bellator bantamweight beltholder Zach Makovsky says his promotion's champion can compete with the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. Makovsky also touches on his humble background, Bellator's tournament format and the challenges of weight cutting.

Out of Obscurity (MMA Diehards): A look ahead to what's on tap this week at smaller regional and international events, with a focus on UFC and Pride Fighting Championships veterans and fighters that are consensus ranked.

Memory lane (The Fight Nerd): Comprehensive, interactive look back on the three-year anniversary of Yamma Pit Fighting, possibly one of the worst mixed martial arts events ever.

Ready for more (MMA Torch): Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz belong in the UFC after clearing out their divisions in Strikeforce.

Staff rankings (MMA Torch): Panel picks top 10 in all seven weight classes.

Grizzled vets (MMAValor): Facing possible pink slips, Vladimir Matyushenko and Jason Brilz look to make a statement at UFC 129.

'The Jewel' (MMA Rising): Strikeforce's Julia Budd to face Anna Barone in first professional women's MMA bout in Ontario at MMA Live 1 on May 19.

Case to move down (Pro MMA Now): Why Strikeforce light heavyweight Gegard Mousasi should permanently return to the middleweight division.

Things to take away (Pro MMA Now): What we learned from Saturday night's Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley event.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

10 Best American Martial Arts Movies

Creating a list of the 10 best American martial arts movies is a tall order to say the least. Even when overseas productions are ruled out, there are too many incredible options to create a list that everyone will agree with. So, in order to include more of these terrific movies on the list, we will only include one movie per series. "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights" are both great movies, for example, but only "Shanghai Noon" will be listed.
  1. "Enter the Dragon" The quintessential Bruce Lee movie, "Enter the Dragon" shows off Lee's incredible and un-enhanced abilities better than any of his other movies. Lee plays an elite martial artist recruited to investigate a mysterious island tournament run by the shadow Mr. Han.
  2. "The Karate Kid" The iconic crane kick from "The Karate Kid" is still an instantly recognizable symbol of the mystique and power we associate with martial arts—or at least did when we were kids. Macchio plays a boy constantly harassed by bullies when he movies to a new school until a mysterious old janitor offers to teach him karate.
  3. "Bloodsport" No movie is more iconically Van Damme than this wonderfully over-the-top tale of Frank Dux competing in the mysterious Kumite tournament. The movie's "based on true events" claim might be debatable, but do we really even care?
  4. "Unleashed" Although some will debate whether this is technically an American film, no one will argue that this is one of Jet Li's most incredible films, featuring jaw-dropping fight scenes and moving character development. Li's character is raised to be a mindless enforcer for a small-time thug until his life is changed by the kindness shown him by a blind piano tuner (played by Morgan Freeman) and his daughter.
  5. "Shanghai Noon" This movie is trademark Jackie Chan with his beloved mix of lightning-fast acrobatics and lovable, quirky humor. Owen Wilson plays the perfect foil to Chan's super-serious Imperial Guard on a mission to rescue a lost Chinese princess in the American Old West.
  6. "The Matrix" Maybe Keanu Reeves is no Bruce Lee, but "The Matrix" deserves a spot on this list if for no other reason than that it gave us the immortal line: "I know Kung Fu." And even if Reeves can't hold a candle physically to most of the stars on this list, you almost won't notice it thanks to the jawdropping fight choreography by Yuen Woo Ping in this futuristic sci-fi thriller about a world where humans are hunted almost to extinction by machines.
  7. "Rush Hour" Chan and co-star Chris Tucker might not have had quite the same level of chemistry that Chan and Owen Wilson did in "Shanghai Noon," but that's a tough act to beat. Plus, some of the acrobatics Jackie pulls off in this movie are hard to believe, even now. He plays another fish-out-of-water role in "Rush Hour," this time as a Chinese cop looking for a kidnapped little girl in Los Angeles.
  8. "Kiss of the Dragon" A dark, gritty drama about the seedy underworld of Paris with Li as a Chinese cop trying to take down a drug kingpin. You'll see stunts in some of the fight scenes that still haven't been equaled.
  9. "Blade" Karate and vampires? What's not to like? Plus, Wesley Snipes carries some pretty impressive lightning quick fight scenes. The plot delivers little beyond the titular superhuman vampire hunter hunting vampires, but at the end of the day, that was really all it needed.
  10. "Kill Bill" "Kill Bill" is Quentin Tarantino's love letter to the entire genre of martial arts films. It's gory and over-the-top with some surprisingly deep and touching moments as well. Fans of old-school Kung Fu movies and similar influences will appreciate the recurring tributes and references Tarantino included in his tale of an elite female assassin who wakes up from a coma and swears revenge on those who betrayed her.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Watch the 10 Best 80’s Karate Movies

If you love Karate, then you must watch the 10 best 80’s Karate movies. Although these movies may seem offbeat and outdated, everyone will fall in love with their storylines instantly. Let’s look into these 10 best 80’s Karate movies.
  1. “The Karate Kid” A young man named Daniel has no choice but to relocate due to his mother’s new job in LA. Daniel likes Ali the cheerleader, and it upsets her ex-boyfriend, Johnny. Johnny and his friends bully Daniel on occasions using Karate. Afterwards, Daniel’s apartment maintenance guy named Mr. Miyagi teaches him Karate. Johnny and Sensei Kreese are eventually defeated by Daniel in the tournament.
  2. “The Karate Kid, Part II” Per his mother’s arrangement, Daniel will stay with Mr. Miyagi. Daniel travels with Miyagi to see his dying father in Okinawa. While Mr. Miyagi reunites with Yukie, his true love, Daniel is attracted to her niece, Kumiko. Daniel utilizes advanced Karate to end all the chaos that Mr. Miyagi’s love enemy, Sato, and his nephew, Chozen, have brought to Yukie’s village.
  3. “The Karate Kid, Part III” Back in LA, Daniel assists Mr. Miyagi to open his bonsai store. Daniel meets his new love, Jessica, at a pottery store. To regain fame for his school, Sensei Kreese sends two of his guys, Terry and Mike, to ruin Mr. Miyagi’s store as a threat for Daniel’s participation for the latest tournament. Daniel brings Mike down with Mr. Miyagi’s kata.
  4. “Sakura Ninjas” Two ninjas sneak into a highly secured chemical plant in order to steal a top secret video tape. Since they are very slick, the guard is unable to catch them. Once “The Colonel” gets this news, he then assigns his two assistants, Dennis and Sonny, to go undercover for retrieving the tape.  
  5. “American Ninja” An American ninja named Private Joe Armstrong saves the Colonel’s daughter from some villains on the base. The officers want him out because he fails to take their orders. The head of the ninja army seeks revenge from the private for ruining his plan. The private wins all the battles.
  6. “Bloodsport” Sensei Tanaka’s son, Shingo, is killed in the kumite. Frank Dux, an American martial artist who has been their long time friend, wants revenge for Shingo. After Dux’s serious demands, Sensei finally trains him as part of his clan. To honor the wish of his deceased Sensei, Dux enters the kumite in Hong Kong. Dux beats down all the contestants, including Chong Li, the fiercest fighter.
  7. “Best of the Best” Alexander, Walter, Tommy, Travis, Virgil, and Sonny are the six American martial arts experts to participate in the international tournament against the Korean team. Coach Couzo realizes that each guy has his own struggles to deal with throughout the training. For revenge, Tommy focuses on beating down Dae Han, the Korean team captain who is his brother’s killer.
  8. “The Last Dragon” Leroy, aka Bruce Leroy, a teenage martial arts student who wants to be the next Bruce Lee. To make this dream come true, he must reach “The Final Level” for “The Glow”, a supernatural power that a real martial artist would have. Leroy must have to fight for it through a tough journey. 
  9. “No Retreat, No Surrender” Jason learns Karate from his father at his dojo in LA. Out of the blue, some gangsters attack them, and the father gets a broken leg from the boss named Ivan. After relocating to Seattle, Jason’s life gets even worse with the street thugs. Jason’s training with Bruce Lee’s ghost enables him to beat Ivan.  
  10. “No Retreat, No Surrender 2” A Karate student named Scott is heading to Thailand to save his fiancĂ© who is kidnapped by the Russian troops. The rescue goes south, and he runs into his old buddy named Mac at a strip club. When the police are about to arrest Scott at Mac’s place, a female pilot named Terry saves both of them with her helicopter.

Monday, April 4, 2011

The Best Action Movies of the 80's

The 80's is best known for bringing Lycra, glam rock, and awful action movies into the popular consciousness. Thankfully the Lycra miniskirts are now sitting in a Salvation Army store somewhere in Ohio, Boy George is probably back in jail, and Surf Nazis Must Die has been largely forgotten.

While the 80s was a decade of extravagance and ridiculousness, it also saw the release of some surprisingly awesome action movies. It was difficult to whittle the list down to only 10 and there are definitely some movies that could, and maybe should, be on the list that didn’t quite make the cut.

10. The Terminator (1984) – Much like many of its 80's comrades this is one of those movies that when you watch it now the special effects seem painfully bad; however, when the movie was released the special effects were state of the art. Terminator was also Arnold Schwarzenegger’s second big role after Conan and the one he is most often remembered for.

9. Die Hard (1988) – Each film in this series became progressively more ridiculous, especially the fourth in which Bruce Willis, now 53, crashed a car into a helicopter which exploded. The original Die Hard, however, is a classic. It had a well-known action star in the prime of his career, an over the top foreign bad guy, lots of explosions, and a corny catchphrase.

8. Red Dawn (1984) – This movie had one of the worst plots ever; Soviet troops invade the US and a bunch of students from the local high school move into the woods and fight them off. The cast included Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, and Lea Thompson as part of the “Wolverines.” It’s surprisingly violent, extremely unrealistic, and quintessentially 80's.

7. Mad Max 2 (1981) – Mel Gibson had his first big starring role in the original Mad Max film, but for my money the sequel is the best of the series. It’s a classic Western in a post-apocalyptic setting with Gibson played the part of the hero/cowboy. The movie is action packed and the characters are fleshed out a surprising amount.

6. Lethal Weapon 1 & 2 (1987 & 1989) – Mel Gibson and Danny Glover gained a monopoly on the buddy cop genre with the Lethal Weapon series, especially the first two. Gibson was the hothead, the wildcard, while Glover was the calm veteran. The movies are both funny and full of action and after 20 years they’ve aged pretty well.

5. The Karate Kid (1984) – Everyone knows The Karate Kid, everyone loves The Karate Kid. The first time I saw the movie I probably did the crane kick 100 times in my living room. The story isn’t exactly original, but it’s told well and is a great coming-of-age story. The movie spawned several sequels, but none of them compared to the original.

4. Highlander (1986) – After Highlander was released the director and the studio should have taken some advice from their own film: “There can be only one.” Unfortunately they didn’t, and four god-awful sequels were created along with a passable TV show. The original worked because it had a unique concept and lots no-holds-barred action scenes. Even with a Frenchman playing a Scot and a Scot playing a Spaniard who was really an Egyptian it was still extremely enjoyable; however, the less said about its offshoots the better.

3. Top Gun (1986) – Goose dies. Sorry, I had to get that out of the way. If that’s a spoiler for anyone it’s not my fault; you had 25 years to watch the movie. Tom Cruise before he became a couch-hopping Scientologist was entertaining as F14 pilot Maverick is just pure entertainment. Even the eyebrow-raising volleyball scene adds to what is probably one of Cruise’s best films.

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – The first Indiana Jones movie was undoubtedly the best, but apart from the fourth they were all good. The movies had a great mix of action and adventure, a charming cast, and some great writing. My favorite character is the bluff John Rhys-Davies as Indy’s friend Sallah. Raiders of the Lost Ark is Harrison Ford at his very best and is definitely worth a watch.

1. Bloodsport (1988) – Few people will agree with this selection, but for my money there was no better action star in the 80's (and beyond) than the “Muscles from Brussels,” Jean-Claude Van Damme. The movie has action, romance, friendship, and a maniacal villain. Based on the possibly true story of martial artist Frank Dux, Bloodsport is thoroughly entertaining and a classic of the 80s.

There were a lot of other movies that could have been in the top 10, but this is a diverse list that contains a sampling of the best action cinema the 80's had to offer.