The past 10 days of my life have been super exciting and like a roller coaster ride.
On the 30th of November I flew out to California to work with 2X Olympic Medalist Israel Hernandez. Israel is the Judo and Strength and Conditioning Coach for Sokodjou.
We discuss various parts of the MMA game, Mixed Martial Arts Preparation and what is actually necessary in order to be able to fully capitalize on ones judo knowledge inside of the ring and inside of the cage. The two things are totally different.
I will show these differences to those who are inside of my eCoaching program. If you are not in you can get in through this portal
http://www.SitupsFromAtoZ.com and get a quality DVD for nothing out of the whole deal.
We also discussed some of Sokodjou’s game and his tendencies and agreed that judo is one of the best foundations for Mixed Martial Arts, IF YOU have a quality Judo instructor.
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Working Out With
Team Quest
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I also had the chance to workout with Dan Henderson and was asked to show some technique to the guys at Team Quest. It was an honor to teach with Dan Henderson on the floor. While I thought I was teaching Dan, he was actually teaching me. In the most humble way, he was showing and exposing some of the holes which were in the technique that I was showing. ALL TECHNIQUES have holes in them or things which can be capitalized on. When you are teaching you have to know these things as well. There was some holes that I was unaware of that Dan brought to my attention. His MMA game is super-solid and has been honed through years of experience.
I also got to roll with Dan on the mat. He pretty darn good!! To say the least.
Overall it was a great trip. Thanks to Heath Sims, Dan Henderson, Israel Hernandez and Sokodjou for being excellent hosts.
I left California on the 2nd of December and arrived at my home at 12:30am on the 3rd.
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From Cali to The
Bahamas
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5 hours later I was back at the airport to fly out to the Bahamas.
While in the Bahamas I had to do a training session / presentation at the Police College for the Royal Bahamian Police Force. Those who were in attendance were the Bahamian Prison Staff, the Police Training Staff, the Bahamian Airport Security Authorities and some top brass in Bahamian National Defense.
It was a GREAT seminar that was titled “The Bahamian Defense Tactics Strategy Paradox: How Committing To Success Leads To Failure”
My talk was greatly influenced by the book “The Strategy Paradox” by Michael Raynor and by Lt. Col. Grossman and his works “On Combat” and “On Killing”. I also covered a lot of things from the sports psychology world and how to make simulation training as real as possible by understanding the “ideal” and “real” and trying to make the “real” as close as possible to the “ideal”.
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The “Real” and The “Ideal”
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For example, the ideal situation for a MMA competitor would be to pack an auditorium with 22,500 people and to have them screaming. To have music for you to walk down the aisle to. To have a ring, and announcer, etc.,. All the accouterments that go along with a MMA fight. That would be ideal. However, the real situation is that you don’t have all that so you have to try to get everything that you have at your fingertips and make your training as close to the ideal as possible. This is sports specific training on another level. Specific training that occurs outside of the psychomotor domain. People just think that sports specific training is confined to sport specific movements. Sports specific occurs on higher levels…different levels. I’d love to get into it more, but…..
So after the seminar at the Police college I had a Mixed Martial Arts Seminar the next day.
An 8 hour seminar!
It was a seminar where we covered the ins and outs of grappling. I really got into the nitty-gritty and people left the seminar with a boat-load worth of information. It was absolutely phenomenal and EXHAUSTING! But it was good, very good. One person even said the seminar was the best seminar that they ever attended.
After the seminar, I had one day to take pictures in the Bahamas and then I was on a plane headed back to Florida.
As soon as I reached home, I spent some time at the house and then I was on the road for 3 hours driving down to Boca. Fortunately, I was donned with the opportunity to be one of the Assistant Coaches for the USA at the World Grappling Championships.
So in 2009, that’s 4 Coaching Assignments:
- Head Coach for Cadet World Judo Championships for the Bahamas
- Head Coach for Senior World Judo Championships for the Bahamas
- Asst. Coach for Senior World Grappling Championships for the United States
- Asst. Wrestling Coach for Titusville High School
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Now I’m In Boca Raton
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Now I’m in Boca Raton and attending the training camp at American Top Team.
Watching Master Ricardo Liborio coach and teach is a thing of beauty. Everytime I listen to him provide some information I feel like I’m a white belt all over again. He’s an absolute genius.
It’s how I used to feel when I was learning the gripping game from Eddie Liddie. I felt like I was learning chess and that the combinations and iterations were innumerable. Master Liborio is like this. He’s a genius on the mat and amazing.
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Tonight At ATT
Dustin Denes
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After the training camp tonight, I have another training session with Dustin Denes. Dustin Denes is absolutely amazing and is teaching me a Brand New System that folks have never heard of. Never!
When we finish putting this system in place its going to be dynamite. Absolutely dynamite.
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Coming Soon!
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In January 2010, 4-Time Olympian and 2-Time Olympic Bronze Medalist, Jimmy Pedro, will begin his Newaza Coaching Program. It’s going to be phenomenal. I’m looking forward to getting this started with Jimmy. I truly believe that he is committing to creating an enormous amount of positive change and growth in the Judo community. So am I. I’m looking forward to getting this project off the ground. It has been a long time in the making.
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Closing
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Please, please, please.
Please!
Look, after completing my doctorate degree I’m on a mission to educate, train and coach all those persons who want to learn and grow. I don’t have time to fool around. That’s why I’ve made this remarkable offer, provided so much stuff for no charge and my coaching advice. I want to help you make the leaps and jumps that you are looking forward to making and I want to answer the questions which you need answered so that you can make great gains in your personal and recreational career.
Take care,
Rhadi Ferguson, Ph.D., CSCS
World Class Strength Coach
2004 Olympian
4-Time National Judo Champion
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
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