| Like a lot of house dogs, I sleep in the basement of my house. It’s not glamorous, and it gets chilly, but it’s where my bones rest. I sleep inside a hyperbaric chamber. It’s a large clear-plastic tent I bought from a company that specializes in equipment for mountain climbers.
A humming machine draws much of the oxygen out of the chamber, so that my lungs think I’m at high altitude. Right now I’m calibrated at about 11,000 ft. It goes up to almost top-of-Everest low oxygen zone. This forces my body to adjust to limited oxygen. There are lots of fighters who have strange habits they believe will give them an advantage. Remember Luke Cummo from The Ultimate Fighter series? I’ve heard he sleeps in a north to south position, so that his body is lined up with Earth magnetic poles. Some people say I’m a “radical” for sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber. My friends say I’m crazy because I ask waiters to tell the chef not to cook anything in butter. I don’t mind the “radical” label, if that’s what it takes to help me win. If everything you do is according to the status quo, you’d better be plenty naturally gifted, or you’re never going to be competitive. |
I SLEEP IN A WEIRD BED
Tuesday, November 25th, 2008WHO WILL WIN THE FIGHT?
Thursday, November 20th, 2008| I’ve been asked, regarding the fights I’ve won, whether I attribute those successes more to MMA skills or to my mental approach.
It is commonly said that 90% of training is physical and 10% is mental. And, the thinking goes, fighting is 90% mental and 10% physical. I personally believe that to win a fight you need equal amounts of fighting skill and mental tenacity. The best fighter does not win. It’s the fighter who fights the best who prevails in the end. |
BAILING FROM THE TITANIC
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008A few people seem to float through their charmed lives, getting lots of breaks. Most of us aren’t so fortunate.
We live in an extremely competitive society with scarce resources. We compete for everything – grades, making a team, spouses, jobs and money.
Some people are strongly dissatisfied with the direction of their life. They are drawn out to sea by a strong current. They’re on their own Titanic, and it’s already left Southampton port. It’s only a matter of time before they collide with their personal iceberg.
There is, however, a way off this collision course - grim determination. When a person regroups and works with a sustained, frenzied purpose – it is a tremendously empowering force.
Grim determination is an adamant refusal to accept what is coming your way.
When I observe someone working furiously to prevent their collision with inevitability, I am impressed. Taking fate by the throat, they vow something powerfully simple: It’s not going to happen.
Whether you’re inside or outside the octagon, life is a fight – often against bad odds. What stands between you and defeat is all your will being brought to bear.
When Matt Hughes fought Frank Trigg the second time, Hughes got hit hard in the groin. The referee did not see this illegal blow. Trigg quickly moved in to finish off Matt with a flurry of brutal punches and elbows. Frank followed up, catching Matt in a vice-grip rear naked choke. But even with his face turning purple Matt was able to escape, carry Trigg to the other side of the octagon, slam his body down, and choke him out.
With grim determination, excuses evaporate and distractions wash away. The usual clutter in life - of time-wasting activities, non-supportive acquaintances, of destructive temptations – are filtered out. When you’ve reframed your life’s mission, you’re less susceptible to those forces that are always working to undercut your efforts. An uncompromising and urgent focus is a force that will not be denied.
I’ve felt my ship going down a number of times inside the octagon. I broke my hand early in the second round of my fight against David Loiseau. I was seeing my iceberg - but I maintained my determination to keep standing and continue the combat for three rounds. When the fight ended with my victory, I knew I had stubbornly confronted inevitability and won.
With grim determination you will rise to meet your difficult circumstances. Later you will look back, with a defiant fist in the air - knowing it was you who changed the outcome.
REAL AMERICAN FIGHTERS - Veterans Day
Monday, November 10th, 2008Rich Franklin and American Fighter have partnered with the Disabled American Veterans to create the “Real American Fighters” Program. Rich is an official National spokesperson and DAV ambassador for Disabled American Veterans.
“Our goal is to raise awareness of the bravery and money for the heroes that have served us to protect our freedom and fought the real fight. Their fighting allows us to be free to watch fighting in the octagon and they deserve our undying support. I ask all of the fans to support the “Real American Fighters” program- Rich Franklin
American Fighter will donate a portion of monies from the “Never accept defeat” shirt to the DAV and “Real American Fighters” program. Purchase your shirt and show that you, along with these heroes, will NEVER ACCEPT DEFEAT.
REFLEXES - AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT
Thursday, November 6th, 2008| Anyone who’s been in a fight knows that the person with the faster reflexes has a huge advantage. Can anything be done to improve our reflexes?
When reflexes are usually talked about, the reference is often to the knee-jerk reaction we have when the doctor hits your knee with that small, rubber hammer. Or the startle reflex - hearing a blast of loud noise - which affects the nervous system the same way. All these responses are beyond our control. In the world of MMA, we care about those reflexes that can be conditioned. This is what we rely on to gain a competitive advantage. It’s always interesting to watch a fight between one man who relies on reflexes going against another who relies on strength. Athletes and wild animals rely on sudden movement, on instant acceleration, for survival. The MMA practitioner needs plenty of tough hours in the gym, getting out of the way of flying fists, elbows, feet, legs and knees. Then he’s ready to be locked in the octagon with his opponent |
ANGER AS JET PROPULSION
Monday, November 3rd, 2008| Anger has enormous power to make things happen. Good things and bad things. Like nuclear energy, it must be carefully controlled or great destruction can result within moments.
A lot of professional fighters have a deep reservoir of anger. Perhaps it’s related to experiences that happened to them while they were growing up. The smart ones channel that powerful energy to push themselves harder, to work out more fiercely, in order to take their mma skills to another level. I am quick to get irritated about small things, but slow to anger. I try to use my anger as a kind of psychological fuel, so that it promotes my life. Unfocused, undisciplined anger often compromises lives - and sometimes ruins them. |
