Exercise staging is an area for publishing new exercises as they are observed or created. Staging is an operational term for moving information, material, equipment, personnel or strategic items forward in proximity for preparation for use.

When a new exercise is recognized, noted or invented; Exercise-Reports.com will publish the new information in this column. The information may be in raw or incomplete form.

Ryan Kennelly benching 405 LBS for 20 reps.

Ryan Kennelly is an American powerlifter. As of July 28th, 2007, Kennelly holds the World Powerlifting Organization world record in the bench press with a lift of 470kg (1036 lbs), performed at the World Power Stars tournament in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine.

More information:
Bench-press.net | Ryan Kennelly

Gene Rychlak Jr Benching the world record 1010 LBS at the APF Metal Militia Memorial Powerlifting Contest. Video from Underground Strength Magazine — undergroundstrength.com.

Gene Rychlak, Jr., an American powerlifter, was the first person to perform a bench press of over both 900 lb (407 kg) and 1000 lb (453 kg). His bodyweight is in excess of 345 lb (156 kg). Rychlak previously held the record for the world’s heaviest assisted bench press of 1010 lb (457 kg) December 16, 2006 in Lake George, NY. This record is now held by Ryan Kennelly, who has lifted 1036 lbs in the same lift.
At the 2005 Mr Olympia bodybuilding competition, Rychlak attempted to break his own record by pressing 1015 lb (460 kg). Rychlak was unable to complete the press, and despite having several spotters around him, the weight fell onto his body. Rychlak suffered no serious injuries from the accident. Gene plans to attempt the lift again on September 15, 2007, but with stronger spotters present.

More information:
Rychlakpowersystems.com
Bench-press.net | Gene Rychlak

The bench press is a weightlifting event and weight training exercise that uses arm and chest muscles and  focuses on the development of the pectoralis muscles, anterior deltoids, middle deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis, triceps, trapezius, biceps and forearm muscles. The motion especially challenges the muscles of the chest. The bench press is one of the three lifts in the sport of powerlifting. The lifter lies on his/her back on a bench while pushing up and lowering down a weighted bar directly above the chest.

Scott Mendelson World Record Raw Bench Press: 715 pounds New England Bench Press Classic (May 22, 2005).

The Bench Press Lift Technique
Specific form during action of the bench press helps reduces the chance of injury and provides optimal performance technique. A barbell bench press’ starting position is with the athlete supine lying on a bench. There are two segments to the bench press: (1) the initial liftoff from the support and (2) the raising and lowering of the bar for one or more repetition(s).

Preparation
Lie supine on the bench with your head rested on the bench slightly footward from the support pins. you don’t want to have to overreach to upright the bar over your chest. Feet should be flat on the floor. The bar is gripped with hands equidistant from the center of the bar — about shoulder-width — and the elbows beneath the wrists.

Lift Off
The liftoff is often assisted by a spotter or spotters, especially with heavy weight. Take in a deep breath before you lift. Movement starts by lifting the bar off of the pins, bringing it to perpendicular over the chest and lowering it until it touches the chest. The liftoff muscles used are slightly different than the actual benching muscles used. In the liftoff there is more work from the pectoralis muscles, serratus anterior muscles and the long head of the triceps to get the arms from the non-perpendicular arm position above the head to the perpendicular arm position that is used during the performance of the repetition.

The Descent
The actual bench press repetition uses more force output from the triceps controlling elbow flexion. Of course, the pectoralis muscles are still primary movers. As the bar is lowered, the shoulder blades (scapulae) should be retracted (middle borders brought together … some call it upper back arch) to minimize joint motion at the glenohumeral joint and lengthen the pectoralis muscle fibers to optimize the length-tension configuration of the muscle fibers for maximum force output. The retraction of the shoulder blades or scapulae during lowering, causes motion on the scapulo-thoracic joint (a gliding motion) and minimizes motion, stress and potential strain of the glenohumeral joint and rotator cuff muscles tendons.  Your feet should be firm and grounded (sending reaction force to the floor and earth).

The buttocks should always maintain contact with the bench to prevent arching and strain on the back. Some individuals put their feet on the bench to help keep the back from hyperlordosis (excessive arching). However, this should be avoided with heavy weights because the narrow positioning of the feet disables the feet and legs from helping with stabilization if the bar drifts downward on one side, which could cause lateral tipping and loss of control of the bar. The weight is still gripped with hands equidistant from the center of the bar (about shoulder-width apart) and the elbows beneath the wrists. The weight is then pushed off of the chest, and raised until the elbows are extended and straight (careful with hyperextension or locking out). Push even harder from your feet — grounding reaction forces into the earth. If another repetition is performed, the weight can be lowered again and the cycle is repeated for reps. After the desired number of repetitions, the bar is returned to the supports or pins.

Because of the heavy weight that can be used and the position of the bar that poses a risk to the lifter, one or more spotting partner(s) is necessary for exercise safety. If full-failure accidents happen, they happen fast with very little chance for the spotters to actually catch the weight to prevent impact on the chest. However, the spotters can minimize the full force of impact. Spotters are also helpful and necessary to with partial failure so that they can help return the bar to the supports. Spotters are also used to help with forced reps.

Variations are available for the bench press and are intended to work different subgroups of muscles, or work the same muscles in slightly different ways:

Variations in the Bench Press
Bench Angle – a bench press can be performed on an incline, on a decline. The incline-version shifts some of the stress from the pectorals to the anterior deltoids and gives a greater stimulus to the upper pectorals, whereas the decline allows more weight to be lifted while using nearly the same musculature as the traditional bench press.

Bench Press accident from using the suicide grip or “thumbs-under grip, which caused the bar to slip and fall and impact the lifter’s chest.

Hand position – Varying width grips can be used to shift stress between pectorals and triceps. A wide grip will focus on the pectorals because there is less work done by the triceps via elbow extension. A narrow (shoulder width or less) grip will cause more force output on the triceps. Under-thumb or Suicide Grips should be avoided because the bar can slip and fall and impact the head, neck or chest.

Type of weight – Instead of a bar, the bench press can also be performed with dumbbells which incorporate more use of stabilizer muscles because there is more degrees of freedom motion. Dumbbells may be safer to use without a spotting partner, as they may be dropped to the side with less risk of injury.

Variation in angle and exercise may not promote significant performance increases, but can assist in building stabilizer muscles and serve as a long term foundation to achieving an increase to an individual’s one rep maximum.

Other exercises can be done to superset the bench press, such as dumbbell flys, to hit a different angle and motion for the same muscle groups.

Some people perform the press on a stability ball. Bench press or dumbbell presses or flys with heavy weight should be avoided on a stability ball because inflation failure of the ball could cause injury. If these exercises are done on a stability ball, there should be pre-planning and plenty of clearance so that the dumbbells can be ejected to the sides without hitting any people of equipment. Barbell presses are not recommended on the stability ball because the 45-pound bar would have to be carried down during the collapse.

Bench Press Records have different categories of lifts: Assisted (with a special shirt that allows heavier weight to be lifted) and unassisted (raw, now special accessories).

Possible injuries

Incorrect form may lead to multiple types of injuries including:
torn ligaments/tendons in shoulders.
back injuries due to bridging. Bridging is the arching of the lower back which turns the bench press into the decline press. To prevent bridging, compress
the stomach muscles to force the lower back down, or bring legs up and flat onto the bench.
injuries to the trapezius muscle.
elbow/wrist strains.
cracked or broken ribs, usually the result of bouncing the bar off of the chest to add momentum to the lift or a loss of strength causing the bar to fall onto the chest.

More information …
Bench-press.net | Scott Mendelson

The “Body Part Exercise” section of Exercise-Reports.com is designed to help exercisers with  selecting and understanding exercises that are specific for certain body regions. Exercises in a gym or fitness center are often organized by body part. Exercisers talk about working out a certain area of the body (“What are you working on today?”).  Even workout cards and gym floor layouts organize exercise equipment by body regions to help members get enough exercise for each body region or help them remember not to neglect a certain body region. Workouts often involve one to three body parts or all body parts in a given exercise session. If one to three body parts are worked intensely, another group can be worked the next day while the first group of body parts rest for a time period (usually one to four days rest).

Body part training can be very motivating as each body part exercise focuses on performance, aesthetics and injury prevention by developing strength, size, speed and endurance of target muscles. With training and practice, an excellent mind-muscle connection can be developed with the target muscle. Prior to training, many people have no concept of the connection and control of target muscles. Keep in mind that the body works as a whole in sports, but that certain areas of the body can be lagging in development because of genetic characteristics, poor posture, bad technique, lack of proper use of certain muscles and single or repeated injury to a joint or muscle. Training specific body parts can help develop a specific area so that it can gain the ability to work in optimal performance and safety with a whole performing body. The actual muscle develops (with hypertrophy, for example) and the mind-muscle connection improves the ability to call on the muscle for action. Training specific body regions sometimes simplifies the whole workout and sports performance challenge.

Remember that the primary function of the musculoskeletal system is to generate forces by muscle contraction to cause motion of body segments (often bone levers) and to absorb forces by contraction with attenuation of forces to prevent injuries and keep body motion fluid, responsive, stable and firm. There is often overlap in muscle use; sometimes it is impossible to isolate certain muscles without using accessory and stabilization muscles. An agonist is the main mover muscle. The antagonists are muscles that work in an opposing way to return the body segment to an original position or to provide an opposing force that offers stabilization, joint integrity and smooth control.

Regarding sports specific activity, an exercise program cannot be limited to “Body Part Training” only. Training must also include integration of multiple body parts including skillsets that promote optimal use of the kinetic chain during various sports actions, development of stabilizing subsystems, flexibility exercises coordinated with co-action and relaxation of agonists and antagonists that finds the optimal conditions for performance and joint-muscle integrity, and conditioning and understanding of the specific energy output systems that are used for a particular sport activity.

Keep in mind that many exercises are used for rehabilitation and post-rehabilitation. There are occasions when body part training is useful to keep other body parts “in condition” while an injured part is fully or semi-immobilized. Training with isolation of agonists and antagonists can often cause immediate relief from pain or tightness in muscles or joints that are bound by muscle tightness and imbalances.

Machine exercises are often criticized by proponents of “functional training” because they isolate muscles and don’t prepare people for the integration action of multiple body parts that are patterned during activities of daily living, work-related activities, and sports-related activities. The best plan is to incorporate both isolating exercises and totally functional integrated exercises. The process of working a part, the whole, the part, the whole; and learning integration of the parts and then practicing the whole is very effective for optimal development. Whole-part-whole training is effective when breaking down a complex sequence to perfect each sequence and then put sequences together to perfect the whole pattern of a realtime action. Whole-part-whole training is also effective in developing the conditioning and architecture of parts and putting together an understanding of the parts as a whole body in full development. The architecture of the body that is revealed is amazing.

The thumb, unlike other fingers, is opposable, in that it is the only digit on the human hand which is able to oppose or turn back against the other four fingers, and thus enables the hand to refine its grip to hold objects which it would be unable to do otherwise. The opposable thumb has helped the human species develop more accurate fine motor skills. It is also thought to have directly led to the development of tools, not just in humans or their evolutionary ancestors, but other primates as well. The thumb, in conjunction with the other fingers make humans and other species with similar hands some of the most dexterous in the world.

There are four types of grips related to the thumb: Pinch, hold and full grasp.

Pinch involves the tips of the thumb and second finger (forefinger/index finger). An example is holding a pill or pinching skin.

Hold involves the thumb, second finger and third finger (middle finger). An example is holding a pencil.

Full Grasp involves the thumb and all fingers. An example is holding barbell or a dumbbell, suitcase, or high bar for chin-ups or pull-ups.

False Grip involves exercise when an athlete takes the thumb out of opposition to the fingers in the grip. The athlete places the thumb under the bar (e.g., in bench press) or over the bar (e.g., in a triceps pressdown). Use of the false grip changes the co-action of muscles that are used to perform an action or exercise. In other words, slightly different muscle action occurs for the purpose of isolating or focusing action on a certain muscle or alleviating stress and strain on certain muscles or joints. Also known as the “suicide grip” because in the bench press, the bar is essentially balanced on the palm of the hands and can roll of suddenly and quickly and fall on the athlete’s head or chest causing injury or death. A spotter or spotters cannot counter this accident.

Thumb movements are controlled by eight muscles (each with “pollicis” in the name):

Name                       Location    Nerve  
extensor pollicis longus   forearm     posterior interosseous n.
abductor pollicis longus   forearm     posterior interosseous n.
flexor pollicis longus     forearm     anterior interosseous n.
extensor pollicis brevis   forearm     posterior interosseous n.
abductor pollicis brevis   hand        median nerve n.
flexor pollicis brevis     hand        median nerve
opponens pollicis          hand        median nerve
adductor pollicis          hand        ulnar nerve (deep branch)

The extensor pollicis longus tendon and extensor pollicis brevis tendon form what is known as the  anatomical snuff box (an indentation on the lateral aspect of the thumb at its base) The radial artery can be palpated anteriorly at the wrist(not in the snuffbox) In the hand, the abductor pollicis brevis, adductor pollicis, flexor pollicis brevis, and opponens pollicis form the thenar eminence,  the body of muscle on the palm of the human hand just beneath the thumb. The skin overlying the thenar eminence is the area stimulated when trying to elicit a palmomental reflex.

The muscles of the area of the thenar eminence are usually innervated by the recurrent branch of the median nerve, except for the adductor pollicis, which is supplied by the deep branch of the ulnar nerve. They all control movement of the thumb.

Adductor pollicis draws the 1st metacarpal laterally to oppose thumb toward center of palm and rotate it medially.

Abductor pollicis brevis abducts the thumb. This means that if the hand was laid flat so the palm faced upwards, this muscle would point the thumb upwards. This muscle is the most proximal of the thenar group.

Flexor pollicis brevis, which lies next to the abductor, will flex the thumb, curling it up in the palm.
Opponens pollicis lies deep to abductor pollicis brevis. As its name suggests it opposes the thumb, bringing it against the fingers. This is a very important movement, as most of our dexterity comes from this action.

The innervation of these muscles by the median nerve is unusual, as most of the intrinsic muscles on the palm of the hand are supplied by the ulnar nerve. The lateral two lumbrical muscles are the other exception.

Another muscle that controls movement of the thumb is adductor pollicis. It lies deeper and more distal to flexor pollicis brevis. Despite its name, its main action is mainly rotation and opposition. It is not in the thenar group of muscles, so is supplied by the ulnar nerve.

Palmomental reflex
When the thenar eminence is stroked briskly with a thin stick, from proximal (edge of wrist) to distal (base of thumb) using moderate pressure. A positive response is considered if there is a single visible twitch of the ipsilateral mentalis muscle (chin muscle on the same side as the hand tested). The palmomental reflex (PMR) is an example of a primitive reflex — present in infancy, but disappears during maturation of the brain during childhood. The PMR may reappear due to processes that disrupt the normal cortical inhibitory pathways.

Marinesco and Radivici in their seminal paper hypothesize that both the afferent (receptive) and efferent (motor) arms of the reflex are on the same side (ipsilateral) to the hand stimulated; however this hypothesis remains unsubstantiated.

The PMR has been found to be present more frequently in various neurological conditions both localized and diffuse. These include congenital conditions such as Down’s syndrome where it is unclear whether the reflex persists throughout life or disappears and then re-appears in association with the onset of Alzheimer’s disease pathology. The reflex is common in the elderly population and should not be taken as indicative of a dementing process


Expressions and idioms regarding the thumbs

all thumbs
Lacking physical coordination, skill, or grace; clumsy … as if the person doesn’t know how to use all fingers to perform a complex hand action or grasp.

rule of thumb
A general guide for determining behavior, a quick calculation or a custom. May have originated from the use of the thumb to measure something in the absences of a ruler. Often used in re
ference to emergencies when there isn’t enough time to diligently and carefully calculate a response.

thumb (one’s) nose
To express scorn or ridicule by or as if by placing the thumb on the nose and wiggling the fingers.
thumbs down or sometimes to just stick one’s nose in the air in disgust or condescension to another person.

thumbs down
An expression of rejection, refusal, or disapproval. A negative vote. A signal of bad performance.

thumbs up
“Way to go” — An expression of approval, success, or hope.

under (one’s) thumb
Under the control of someone; subordinate to and often refers to excessive domination or manipulation; abuse of power.

In Pat Roberston’s “Bring It On” segment with the reading of viewer mail on the 700 Club network, there is a question that asks Pat Robertson about the Christian view of Yoga and whether it’s true that Yoga origins are rooted in evil. Roberstson says that Yoga is a form of meditation in the Hindu religion and that some of the mantras actually involve saying prayers to Vishnu and Krishna. Yoga promotes higher conciousness and the merging of your spirit into the ever-present god … and god is everywhere … that gets into pantheism, and that’s spooky. He basically says, watch out for the mantra and by all means, go out and stretch.

Sequence of Joel Osteen bench press video stills from 60 Minutes broadcast of Joel Osteen interview by Byron Pitts on October 14, 2007.

Joel Osteen is shown in a segment of his 60 Minutes interview on the Smith Machine performing a bench press for at least three or four repetitions at what appears to be 215 or 225 LBS (45-LB Olympic bar, 45 LBS X2, 25 LBS X2, 10 LBS X2, and 5 LBS X2 … or another two 10-LB plates). The successful minister reportedly keeps his life simple — spending time with family and friends, and getting exercise, which includes weight training and basketball.

Joel Scott Hayley Osteen (born March 5, 1963 in Houston, Texas) is the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, North America’s largest and 2006’s fastest growing church, averaging more than 47,000 attendees at weekly services. He is married to Victoria Osteen, who serves as co-pastor. The Lakewood was formerly the arena of the Houston Rockets and the nearby Interstate has ramps designed especially to bring people to this facility. Osteen credits that design to the act-of-God.

Joel Osteen was featured as one of Barbara Walters’ “10 Most Fascinating People of 2006″ and was named “Most Influential Christian in America” in 2006 by churchreport.com He is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, Your Best Life Now. It reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold more than four million copies since its release in October 2004. The book is available in 19 languages. His television ministry is the most watched inspirational program in the United States.

Joel Osteen’s second book, Become a Better You, (products on Amazon) was released in October 2007 with a first printing of three million copies.

Joel Osteen has been interviewed on 60 Minutes, FOX NEWS Fox & Friends, CBS Early Show and more.

Part II of 60 Minutes video segment with Bench Press exercise by Joel Osteen.

More information …
CBS NEWS 60 MINUTES
Joel Osteen Answers His Critics
Tells Byron Pitts “We’re Not Perfect

joelosteen.com

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a combat sport in which a wide variety of fighting techniques are used, including striking and grappling.

Modern mixed martial arts tournaments as a popular phenomenon emerged in 1993 with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, based on the concept of pitting different fighting styles against each other in competition with minimal rules in place, in an attempt to determine which system would be more effective in a real, unregulated combat situation. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, mixed martial arts events implemented additional rules for the safety of the athletes and to promote acceptance of the sport, while maintaining as much of the original no-holds-barred concept as possible. Since these changes, the sport has grown rapidly, to the point of setting pay-per-view records.

More below …

The history of the modern MMA event can be traced to the Gracie family’s vale tudo martial arts tournaments in Brazil starting in the 1920s, and early mixed martial arts matches hosted by Antonio Inoki in Japan in the 1970s. The fighting concept of combining various combat disciplines gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the emergence of Bruce Lee and his theories of mixing various martial art styles. The sport gained international exposure and widespread publicity in the United States in 1993, when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Royce Gracie dominated the Ultimate Fighting Championship, sparking a revolution in the martial arts, while in Japan the continued interest in the sport resulted in the creation of the PRIDE Fighting Championships in 1997.

Though rules have been adopted, there is no general sanctioning body for the sport, and the sets of rules vary according to the laws of individual organizations and localities. It was thought that Olympic recognition would be forthcoming for the 2004 Summer Olympics, held in Athens, under the banner of pankration. However, the International Olympic Committee was unconvinced that Greece could handle the total number of sports proposed. To placate the IOC, the organizers removed all new medal sports and pankration missed out.

The techniques utilized in mixed martial arts competition generally fall into two categories: striking techniques (such as kicks, knees and punches) and grappling techniques (such as clinch holds, pinning holds, submission holds, sweeps, takedowns and throws). Some unarmed hand to hand combat techniques are considered illegal in most or all modern competition, such as biting, eye-gouging, fish-hooking and small joint manipulation. Over the last ten years, strikes to the groin have become illegal in all sanctioned organizations. The legality of other techniques such as elbows, headbutts and spinal locks vary according to competition or organization.
A victory in a bout is normally gained by the judges’ decision after an allotted amount of time has elapsed, a stoppage by the referee or the fight doctor (in the event that the competitor is injured or can no longer defend himself intelligently),a submission, by a competitor’s cornerman throwing in the towel, or by knockout.

While competition in the sport is occasionally depicted as brutal by the media, there has never been a death or crippling injury in a sanctioned event in North America. The only verified fatality in competition is the 1998 death of Douglas Dedge in an unsanctioned fight in Ukraine. There are unconfirmed reports that Dedge had a pre-existing medical condition.

Modern Mixed Martial Arts
Modern mixed martial arts tournaments are rooted in two interconnected movements. First were the vale tudo events in Brazil, followed by the Japanese shoot wrestling shows. Vale tudo began in the 1920s with the “Gracie challenge” issued by Carlos Gracie and Hélio Gracie and upheld later on by descendants of the Gracie family. In Japan in the 1970s, a series of mixed martial arts matches were hosted by Antonio Inoki, inspiring the shoot-style movement in Japanese professional wrestling, which eventually led to the formation of the first mixed martial arts organizations, such as Shooto, which was formed in 1985. The concept of combining the elements of multiple martial arts was pioneered and popularized by Bruce Lee in the late 1960’s to early 1970’s. Lee believed that “the best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style.” His innovative concepts have been recognized by UFC President Dana White, who called him the “father of mixed martial arts.”

Mixed martial arts gained significant international exposure and widespread publicity in the United States in 1993, when Royce Gracie won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship, sparking a revolution in the martial arts.[3] In Japan in 1997, the continued interest in the sport eventually resulted in the creation of the PRIDE Fighting Championships.

The United States Army began to sanction Mixed Martial arts when the US Army Combatives School held the first annual All Army Combatives Championships in Nov 2005.

The sport reached a new peak of popularity in the December 2006 rematch between then light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and former champion Tito Ortiz, rivaling the PPV sales of some of the biggest boxing events of all time, and helping the UFC’s 2006 PPV gross surpass that of any promotion in PPV history. In 2007, Zuffa LLC, the owners of UFC, bought PRIDE, creating strong ties between the sport’s two largest promoters,[17] and drawing comparisons to the consolidation that occurred in other sports, such as the AFL-NFL Merger in American football.

Evolution of fighters
As a result of sporting events, martial arts training, information sharing, and modern kinesiology, the understanding of the combat-effectiveness of various strategies has been argued to have evolved more in the ten years following 1993 than in the preceding 700 years.

The early years of the sport saw a wide variety of traditional styles—everything from sumo to kickboxing— and the continual evolution of the sport has gradually eliminated less effective techniques and “pure” styles, usually because specialized fighters were lacking in skills to deal with broader techniques.

In the early 1990s, three styles stood out for their effectiveness in competition: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, amateur wrestling and shoot wrestling. This may be attributable in part to the grappling emphasis of the aforementioned styles, which, perhaps due to the scarcity of mixed martial arts competitions prior to the early 90s, had been neglected by most practitioners of striking-based arts.
Fighters who combined amateur wrestling with striking techniques dominated the standing portion of a fight, whilst Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stylists had a distinct advantage on the ground: those unfamiliar with submission grappling proved to be unprepared to deal with its submission techniques. Shoot wrestling practitioners offered a balance of amateur wrestling ability and catch wrestling based submissions, resulting in a generally well-rounded set of skills. The shoot wrestlers were especially successful in Japan, where this style initially dominated others.

As competitions became more and more common, those with a base in striking became more competitive as they acquainted themselves with takedowns and submission holds, leading to notable upsets against the then dominant grapplers. Subsequently, those from the varying grappling styles learned from each other’s strengths and shortcomings, and added striking techniques to their arsenal. This overall development of increased cross-traini
ng resulted in the fighters becoming increasingly multi-dimensional and well-rounded in their skills. One of the first fighters to be considered the prototype for mixed martial arts was UFC middleweight champion, Frank Shamrock. “During his reign atop the sport in the late 1990s he was the prototype — he could strike with the best strikers; he could grapple with the best grapplers; his endurance was second to none.”

Training
Today, mixed martial artists train in a variety of styles that have been proven effective in the ring, so that they can be effective in all the phases of combat. Although fighters will try to play to their particular specialties, they will inevitably encounter all kinds of situations; a stand-up fighting specialist will probably get taken down at some point and a submission artist might need to fight standing-up for a while before he can execute a takedown. A mixed martial artist might train in a particular style to enhance his or her skills in the phase of combat that that style targets. Typical styles, known for their effectiveness, that have been trained prior to the mixed martial arts career, and that are trained individually to enhance a particular phase of combat, are:

Many styles have to be adapted slightly for use in the sport. For example, several boxing stances are ineffective because they leave fighters vulnerable to leg kicks or takedowns. Similarly, Judo techniques have to be adapted to an opponent not wearing a judogi. Usually, modern fighters do not train in any particular style, but either train in multiple styles with multiple coaches, or train in teams with other athletes focusing specifically on competition. Energy system training, speed drills, strength training and flexibility are also important aspects of an MMA fighter’s training. Mixed martial arts competition is very demanding physically, and the athletes need to be in top condition to be successful.

While mixed martial arts was initially practiced almost exclusively by competitive fighters, this is no longer the case. As the sport has become more mainstream and more widely taught, it has become accessible to wider range of practitioners of all ages. Proponents of this sort of training argue that it is safe for anyone, of any age, with varying levels of competitiveness.

Strategies
The following are various nicknames applied to different fighting styles. Apart form the fact that fighters are usually much more versed in one particular fighting style such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, Muay Thai, wrestling, or other martial art, the following terms are used to describe how a particular fighter is attempting to accomplish a particular victory. For instance, BJ Penn and Fedor Emelianenko score victories by striking, “ground and pounding,” and submitting, depending on the strengths of their opponents. Note that some of these are not complete styles; rather, they are merely phases in a fighter’s game.

Sprawl-and-brawl
Sprawl-and-brawl is a stand-up fighting tactic that consists of effective stand-up striking, while avoiding ground fighting, typically by using sprawls to defend against takedowns.

A sprawl-and-brawler is usually a boxer, kickboxer, Thai boxer and/or full contact karate fighter who has trained in wrestling to avoid takedowns and tries to keep the fight standing. Usually these fighters will study enough submission wrestling so that in the unfortunate event that they are taken down to the ground, they can tie their opponents up and survive long enough to either get back to standing or until the referee restarts the fight. This style is deceptively different from regular kickboxing styles, since sprawl-and-brawlers must adapt their techniques to incorporate takedown and ground fighting defense.

Clinch fighting
Clinch fighting and “Dirty boxing” are tactics consisting of using a clinch hold to prevent the opponent from moving away into more distant striking range, while at the same time attempting takedowns and striking the opponent using knees, stomps, elbows, and punches.

The clinch is usually utilized by wrestlers that have added in components of the striking game (typically boxing), and Muay Thai fighters. Often, wrestlers that have added the striking game are partial to strikes from within the clinch, particularly wrestlers who have already developed a strong clinch game. In the case that an exchange on the feet does not go in their favor, they can bring the fight to the ground quickly as their true expertise lies in wrestling, so they are ultimately less timid about trading blows. Through the use of Greco-Roman clinching techniques and Muay Thai strikes, neck clinching and body locks clinch fighting could be used to devastate ill-prepared opponents.
Wrestling components include pummeling and underhooking arms along with “bodylocking” the waist. Pummelling is commonly learned as a drill and is similar to the “snaking hands” drill used for practicing the neck or “plumb” clinch. With pummeling, the back of the head – not the neck – is used for greater leverage.

Muay Thai typically employs the plumb clinch where the back of the head is held. From here one can knee, wrestle, stomp the feet and calf, or perform Greco-Roman style trips using the feet and knees as leverage, much like trips and slams in Greco-Roman wrestling. Thai boxers will also clinch or bodylock the waist and either perform throws or force the opponent to the floor using their chin into the opponents chest as the force and the bodylock as the fulcrum, with the legs providing thrust.

Ground-and-pound
Ground-and-pound is a ground fighting tactic consisting of taking an opponent to the ground using a takedown or throw, obtaining a top position, and then striking the opponent. Ground-and-pound is also used as a precursor to attempting submission holds.

This style is used by wrestlers or other fighters well-versed in defending submission holds and skilled at takedowns. They take the fight to the ground, maintain a grappling position, and strike until their opponent submits, is knocked out or is cut so badly that the fight can not continue. Although not traditionally considered a conventional method of striking, the effectiveness and reliability (as well as recently-developing science) of this style is proven. Originally, most fighters who relied on striking on the ground were wrestlers, but considering how many fights end up on the ground and how increasingly competitive today’s MMA is, strikes on the ground are becoming more essential to a fighter’s training.

Apart from being a general martial arts term, submission grappling is also a reference to the ground fighting tactic consisting of taking an opponent to the ground using a takedown or throw, obtaining a dominant position, and then applying a submission hold to defeat the opponent. Some submission grapplers are also content to work from the bottom position because they are confident that they can find a way to secure a submission. They will sometimes fall back into the guard position, dragging the opponent with them. This is known as “pulling guard.”

Submissions are an essential part of many disciplines, most notably Catch wres
tling, Judo, Sambo, Pankration, Army Combatives and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Fighters with a strong background in these sports often use submission grappling as a tactic to win their fights.

An example of a submission grappling tournament is ADCC and FILA Grappling World Wrestling Games.

“Lay-and-pray”
“Lay-and-Pray” is a derogatory term for a strategy sometimes used by fighters who can take an opponent down but are not adept at finishing moves such as the strikes of Ground-and-Pound or Submissions to continue offense from the gained position. They seek to maintain control of positioning and smother any offense by the opponent, yet mount little or no offense themselves, hoping for a decision win. In some MMA organizations, fines can be imposed for lay-and-pray techniques when the referee determines that the fighter is stalling. Less commonly, the term has been applied to a defensive strategy in which a striking-based fighter who has been taken down and seeks to cause a stalemate in the action by tying up the opponent and “praying” for the round to end or a stand up by the referee so that they can continue with a striking offense.

Search — Spartan 300 workout — on Amazon …

Search — Ultimate Fighting DVD’s — on Amazon …

In most countries, candidates for the police force must have completed some formal education. Increasing numbers of people are joining the police force who possess tertiary education and in response to this many police forces have developed a “fast-track” scheme whereby those with university degrees spend 2-3 years as a police constable before receiving promotion to higher ranks, such as sergeants, inspectors etc. (Officers who work within investigative divisions or plainclothes are not necessarily a higher rank but merely do a slightly different job.) Police officers are also recruited from those with experience in the military or security services. Most law enforcement agencies now have measurable physical fitness requirements for officers. In the United States state laws may codify state-wide qualification standards regarding age, education, criminal record, and training but in other places requirements are set by local police agencies.

Police agencies are usually semi-military in organization, so that with specified experience or training qualifications officers become eligible for promotion to a higher supervisory rank, such as sergeant. Promotion is not automatic and usually requires the candidate to pass some kind of examination, interview board or other selection procedure. Although promotion normally includes an increase in salary, it also brings with it an increase in responsibility and for most, an increase in administrative paperwork. Unlike military service, it is not unusual for police officers to remain or choose to remain at lower levels, never getting promoted. There is no stigma attached to this – experienced line patrol officers are highly regarded.

After completing a certain period of service, officers may also apply for specialist positions, such as detective, police dog handler, mounted police officer, motorcycle officer, water police officer, or firearms officer (in forces which are not routinely armed).

Dangers and rewards of being a police officer
Due to the unpredictable nature of law enforcement, police officers have the potential to encounter many dangerous situations in the course of their career. Dangers faced by officers include death, increased risk of infectious diseases, increased risk of physical injury, and the potential for emotional disorder due to both the high stress and inherently adversarial nature of police work. These dangers are encountered in many different situations e.g. the investigation, pursuit, and apprehension of criminals, motor vehicle stops, crimes, response to terrorism, intervention in domestic disputes, investigating traffic accidents, and directing traffic. The constant risk, uncertainty and tension inherent in law enforcement and the exposure to vast amounts of human suffering and violence can lead susceptible individuals to anxiety, depression, and alcoholism.

Individuals are drawn to police work for many reasons. Among these often include a desire to protect the public and social order from criminals and danger; a desire to hold a position of respect and authority; a disdain for or antipathy towards criminals and rule breakers; the professional challenges of the work; the employment benefits that are provided with civil service jobs in many countries; the sense of camaraderie that often holds among police; or a family tradition of police work or civil service. An important task of the recruitment activity of police agencies in many countries is screening potential candidates to determine the fitness of their character and personality for the work, often through background investigations and consultation with a psychologist. Even though police work is very dangerous, police officers are still needed by everyone to “protect and serve”. As a result, police officers are generally held in high regard by the population they serve. This can vary from country to country however, depending on past experiences with the police or general national perception.

Line of duty deaths
Line of duty deaths occur while an officer is on a duty shift or special detail at work. Despite the increased risk of being a victim of a homicide, automobile accidents are the most common cause of officer deaths. Officers are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents because of their large amount of time spent conducting vehicle patrols, as well as their work outside their vehicles alongside or on the roadway, or in dangerous pursuits. Officers killed by suspects make up a smaller proportion of deaths. In the U.S. in 2005, 159 line of duty deaths were recorded of which 44% were from assaults on officers, 35% vehicle related (only 3% during vehicular pursuits) and the rest from other causes: heart attacks during arrests/foot pursuits, diseases contracted from suspects, accidental gun discharges, falls, and drownings.

Deaths in recent years:
2007 | 2006 (147) | 2005 (159) | 2004 (162) | 2003 (147)

Personal Equipment
A typical police officer, dependent on duties may carry various equipment on their duty belt, to assist them in performing their duties. The equipment carried typically includes some or all of the following:

CLICK HERE to VIEW/REFRESH list below …