Unbridled Martial Arts

Do you ever shop on Amazon.com and discover you spent more than you intended just to save on shipping?

Ever go shopping and find out you missed a sale? Or to get a good deal you need to put your purchase on hold and wait for the upcoming sale? Or worst of all, you don’t have that measly slip of paper (coupon) that entitles you to a discount?

Follow that up with a feeling like you’re getting screwed because you aren’t a student so you don’t receive the best rate possible? Are other people getting a discounted group rate just because a relative or a spouse is included? Personally, I hate that shit.

Well, you needn’t be in the military, a college student, or married with offspring to qualify for the best deal possible.

I will always give the benefits of martial arts training equally across the board no matter who you are or what your status is. I find it unfair and a tedious trick to have gimmicky sales and limited time offers or special rates that make you spend more just to save a little, or favors one group over another.

The physiological and psychological healing aspects of massage therapy can be profound, and there needn’t be anything mystical about it.

Historically speaking, massage is one of the earliest forms of physical therapy. It’s been used by a variety of different cultures for well over 3000 years.

Nowadays, for athletes, the demand for massage is steadily increasing, and it is becoming more and more recognized as aiding recovery and enhancing performance.

Massage is the most effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the muscular & skeletal system. Received regularly this can help athletes prevent injuries, which might otherwise be caused by overuse. A constant build-up of tension in the muscles from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles themselves.

In the Western world, Swedish massage has been more popular. It entails a stroking and kneading of the muscles, and oil is applied to minimize friction. By enhancing circulation to stressed muscles Swedish massage speeds the process of restoring the body to its peak performance.

Research on the effects of massage therapy has been ongoing for more than 120 years. A surge in research over the past 20 years has resulted in more than 2,500 published studies.

At the University of Miami School of Medicine’s Touch Research Institute, 70 studies on touch — the majority on massage therapy — have been published or are under way. Recent and ongoing research at some of the nation’s hospitals, such as Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, is expanding knowledge of the benefits of massage for a variety of injuries and ailments.

Among research findings:
• Massage increases activity level of the body’s natural “killer cells”, boosting the immune system.
• Office workers massaged regularly were more alert, performed better and were less stressed than those who weren’t massaged.
• Massage therapy decreased the effects of anxiety, tension, depression, pain, and itching in burn patients.
• Abdominal surgery patients recovered more quickly after massage.

“Massage therapy is beneficial for almost all diseases. Eighty percent of disease is stress-related, and massage reduces stress.” — Sandra McLanahan, Medical Director of John Hopkins Medical Center.

With the advent of more and more No-Holds-Barred competitions on television I get more and more inquiries from people saying they want to be an MMA fighter, yet they do not know of any local competition sites, they do not train anywhere, or they do not have a consistent training regimen. Below I have listed a few venues to explore for those interested.

CANADA
In Burnaby, British Columbia, there is the “Western Canada Challenge.” It hosts a variety of martial arts competitions from stand-up fighting to ground-fighting: SKIL Forms and Point Fighting, WKC (Face and No-Face Contact) and SKIL Continuous Fighting, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Freestyle Grappling, Modified Pankration and Filipino Stick Fighting.
Further information can be obtained at www.wcmac.ca.

SKAGIT COUNTY
Kalahi Martial Arts Academy hosts Friday night fights in Mt. Vernon with 150 max capacity. The school promotes a good sensibility of competition along with a positive representation of mixed martial arts. All competitors get custom “Fighter” T-shirts and a small honorarium for their participation
Web: kalahiacademy.com / www.myspace.com/skagitmma
(491 Cascade Mall Drive Burlington, WA 98233). Instructor: Lou Faralan

SNOHOMISH COUNTY
Charlie’s Combat Club -1202 Hewitt Ave, Everett Wa 98201. The owner hosts N.H.B. fight events at Edmonds Community College. More info can be found here: www.axfighting.com. The competitions consist of MMA, Kickboxing, and Muay Thai. MMA is 3 x 3 min rounds, Kickboxing is 3 x 1.5 min rounds, and Muay Thai is 3 x 2 min rounds. Title fights are 5 rounds and all fights are in a ring.

Those interested in fighting should contact Chaz@Lockflow.com and there is no cost to competitors. Charlie’s Combat also has a website
called: www.lockflow.com. In the past they have hosted Submission Wresting Tournaments in Bellingham.

KING COUNTY
Local Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission tournaments organized by Liberty Events and Promotions, LLC based in Seattle. (further info: click here)

EASTERN WASHINGTON
Fightforce.tv matches amateur fighters for shows as nearby as Spokane, WA, and as far as Butte, Montana. Occasionally they are in need of first-time fighters. Per their promoter, all their fighters receive gloves, fight shorts, products from their sponsors, and medical coverage.
For more info contact Bryan Deats 1-406-570-0758. (gladiatorcombat@hotmail.com)

OREGON
Full Contact Fighting Federation started in 2001 in Bend, Oregon. It has featured hundreds of amateur bouts and crowned champions in five different weight classes.

OTHER LOCAL VENUES
Local casinos put on shows periodically. Check in with the following:
Silver Reef Casino
Nooksack Casino
Swinomish Casino
Muckleshoot Casino
Emerald Queen Casino
Tulalip Casino

OTHER RESOURCES
A good place to find upcoming fight events to compete at in the Pacific Northwest is the NW FightScene Magazine‘s website.
For strictly Judo Tournaments: Judo North West.

Our school:
Students at Unbridled Martial Arts receive training designed for sport fighting and street self-defense; the curriculum shows how to modify techniques to succeed in both. Prospective students ask me, “Do you have sparring?” & “Will your training environment prepare me for competition?” Yes & yes. Sparring is done at the intensity level partners agree upon. Since we are currently at a 4x a week schedule, an MMA athlete would need to train independently when class is not in session.

Advice:
Know the rules inside & out. Not all events that bill themselves as MMA fights will have the same regulations. Some will allow certain techniques while others may prohibit or modify them. The following food for thought might not matter to those who are simply out to experience fighting and competition and test themselves. Regardless, here is a bit of advice to fighters. Know where your hard work and/or financial dollars are going.

If you are paying a competitor’s fee, you might like to find out whether the money goes toward future events & fellow competitors or is merely lining the pockets of a promoter who has had no involvement in your training.

If you are competing, do you understand that you may end up signing away licensing for your image? Meaning, weeks, months, or years from now broadcasts or DVDs of the event may be produced and sold and you will not have any creative input or receive any form of residual payment.