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com

September/October 1999 Vol. 1, No. 8 $7.50 US

Hard-Hitting Interview with

Mark Schultz
Plus tons of other information: Q & A with Karl Gotch Combat Conditioning Boxing: Wrestlings Sister Art Maxwell Wins World Title

Wallid Ismael: Royce Gracie is a chicken.

Alexander Karelin Wins World Title World Title ... . .Again!! . Again!!

Publisher & Editor ~ Matt Furey Graphics & Layout ~ Vincent Lai Photos Courtesy of: Steve Brown ~ Alexander Karelin photos Mark Schultz ~ Mark Schultz photos Joe Jennings ~ Wallid Ismael photos Subscription Rates: Annual subscription: Per Issue: Order from:
Matt Furey 8801 Hunters Lake Drive, Suite 511 Tampa, FL 33647 Matt Furey 1999 All Rights Reserved Any unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited. $60.00 $7.50

Travelogue on Vancouver Seminar .......................... 23 by Lee deNevers When He Kicks - You Go ........................................ 27 by Matt Furey Johannes Josephsson The Legend of Glima: Icelandic Wrestling ............................................. 32 by Pete Kautz Workin the Door .................................................... 35 by Brett Jacques Gotch vs. Hackenschmidt Matches See Life Again . 36 by Matt Furey Product Reviews ..................................................... 37 Combat Conditioning .............................................. 39 by Matt Furey Grapplers Mailbag ................................................. 42 Directory of Resources ............................................ 45

Calling All Grapplers

by Matt Furey During my final week of school at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1986, wrestling fans in the area asked me what my plans were. Im moving to California, I said. California? they snarled. Youre going to hate it there. I guarantee youll be back within a couple years. I returned 12 years later, but not to live. I returned because I was being inducted into the Hall of Fame for my wrestling accomplishments. Nearly three years ago, when my wife and I moved from the beach town of Santa Cruz, California, to the Silicon Valley city of San Jose, friends told us, Youre going to hate San Jose. Its a pit. Youll be back before too long. Three weeks ago my wife, her parents and I loaded a truck, got in our van and drove to our new home in Tampa, Florida. Before we left we heard a similar refrain. I guarantee youll be back within one year. Youre going to hate it in Florida. If my past is an indicator of the future, we wont be going back to San Jose. Were in a new place and although the bugs drive my wife nuts, were adjusting quite well. It hasnt been easy though. Change never is. The first week we lived without furniture. We slept on the carpet with a simple bed sheet and a few pillows. I didnt mind, but my wife did, and within five days I was wondering if we were going to end up killing each other. The change forced us out of our comfort zone. It created some agonizing moments. But human beings are remarkably adaptable. Some people adapt faster than others, but September/October 1999

On the cover: Alexander Karelin, Mark Schultz and Wallid Ismael.

IN THIS ISSUE
Calling All Grapplers ............................................... 1 by Matt Furey Karelin Wins World Title .... Again!!! ....................... 2 by Matt Furey Stephen Neal Wins World Freestyle Title ................. 6 by Matt Furey Ill Fight Any World Heavyweight Boxing Champion The Mark Schultz Interview ..................... 7 by Matt Furey Royce Gracie is a Chicken An Interview with Wallid Ismael ...................................................... 12 by Matt Furey Road To The Gold .................................................... 14 by Steve Maxwell Bridging Heals Stubborn Neck Pain ........................ 16 by Steven Maxwell Excerpts from Lessons in Wrestling & Physical Culture ................................................................ 17 by Farmer Burns Boxing: Wrestlings Sister Art .................................. 18 by Nathan Hatton Gotcha! Q&A with Karl Gotch ............................... 21 Shamrock vs. Ortiz ................................................. 22 by Mike Jones G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

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all people have the ability to adapt, if they desire to do so. The same is true of grappling. Learning how to wrestle is a continuous adaptation process. When you first started to learn, you were uncomfortable and you most certainly got your butt whooped. But with perseverance and discipline, you got through it. Your skills improved and you found yourself able to do things that you may not have ever believed you could do. Conditioning for wrestling is more of the same. When you have never done Hindu squats and pushups, bridging or uphill wind sprints, your entire body rebels. You curse and swear and wonder what the hell youre doing this for. But if you take control of the reins inside your head and direct traffic toward the goals that truly matter to you, you will improve. Rome cannot be built in a day, but it CAN be built. The keys to progress are always the same. Work hard and focus your mind. Do the things that will make you better, even when these things make you feel uncomfortable. Realize that you are going to have trying moments, and know that these moments are merely transitory. Push through them and the world will become your oyster. This issue of G.A.I.N. marks another transition. When I first began publishing G.A.I.N. last January, it was supposed to be nothing more than a 12 to 16-page monthly newsletter, but within two months G.A.I.N. had grown to 24 pages, with pictures, and was called a newsmagazine. In the May issue we added a thick stock cover. That issue was a special on Karl Gotch and was 36 pages. From then on G.A.I.N. has continued to improve .... more pages, more photos, more articles, more diversity and more information on training. Karl Gotch is now a regular contributor, writer Steve Maxwell is now a world champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Dr. Brett Jacques is with us ... and many other people with fabulous writing skills are jumping on board and contributing in big ways. Not bad for what began as a simple newsletter!!! With all of the positive changes, there is one small change I need to tell you about that I sincerely hope proves acceptable to all of you. Instead of receiving a new copy of G.A.I.N. each month, you will now receive it every two months. Each issue, however, will be double the size of the monthly issue. This change will make it possible to include photos taken from around the world by people such as Steve Brown and Joe Jennings of Panther Productions, who contributed the photos of Alexander Karelin and Wallid Ismael, respectively; it will also enable us to give more in-depth coverage on worldwide grappling events. In the future I would like to see G.A.I.N.became a color magazine that is available in martial arts supply stores G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

all over North America. Your continued support, no doubt, can help make this a reality. This issue of G.A.I.N. is a real humdinger. Youll want to read it again and again as it is packed with tons of information; everything from Greco-Roman to freestyle to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to boxing to the UFC to Glima to conditioning exercises to grappling techniques to amazing interviews with Olympian champion wrestler Mark Schultz and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu star Wallid Ismael. I suggest that you hold a pen and have a notepad nearby as you read because a lot of ideas are going to come to you as you read, and youll want to take notes. Dont believe me? Then start reading and find out.

Karelin Wins World Title .... Again!!!

by Matt Furey Siberian born Alexander Karelin, a three-time Olympic champion and the flag bearer for the Russian Olympic team in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, just won his ninth career World gold medal at super heavyweight in the Greco-Roman World Championships held in Athens, Greece. The tournament, which concluded on September 26, marks the 12th-straight year that Karelin has won a world-level gold medal. He is still undefeated in international competition. A couple decades ago, Soviet freestyle wrestling sensation, Alexander Medved, won three Olympic titles and a total of 10 world-level gold medals. Medved retired after the 1972 Olympics, whereupon he kissed the mat and waved good-bye to the crowds. If Karelin wins the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games to be held in Sydney, Australia, he will become the first person to win four gold medals in wrestling in four-straight modern Olympiads. Karelin, aka The Experiment, beat Cubas Hector Milian 3-0 in the finals. Milian, no slouch himself, was the 1992 Olympic champion at 220 pounds. When people see the amazing size and power of Karelin, they often wonder if he is on steroids. Those who know him and have watched him train say he isnt. I am in agreement. When queried about this subject years ago, Karelin said, Nobody can completely believe that I am natural. The most important drug is to train like a madman...really, like a madman. The people who accuse me are those who have never trained once in their lives the way I train every day of my life. How does Karelin train? He runs through thick drifts of Siberian snow while carrying heavy logs. Would you like September/October 1999

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to give that one a try? How about doing it on dry land? Imagine if you had done this for years. If you had youd probably look a lot different than the man who simply runs and wrestles. After 12-straight undefeated seasons, the question is: Can anyone stop this man? It doesnt appear too likely, but everyone is human. At least thats what weve been told. Maybe Karelin will have a bad day sometime, but as of right now it doesnt appear too likely. Retirement is most likely the only chance a Karelin nemesis can count on if he wants to ascend the steps and receive the gold medal next summer . But Karelin doesnt appear overly eager to stop competing. Oh, well.

a 3-1 record. Jason Klohs, who defeated former UFC champion Randy Couture to win a berth on the squad at 213.75 pounds, placed seventh. Klohs won his first three matches in the event, then lost to five-time World Champion Gogui Koguaschvili of Russia in the quarterfinals. Quincey Clark of New Brighton, Minnesota, placed ninth at 187.25 pounds. In the team standings, Russia won the title with 40 points. The U.S. tied with Poland for 16th overall. Listed below are the final results, including team scores and individual weight classes:

U.S. Greco Team Does Poorly in World Champioships

The poor showing by the U.S Greco-Roman team at the most recent world championships, demonstrated once again, that Europe, where Greco began, is still the most dominant continent in the sport. Greco-Roman is typically the first style of wrestling taught to young wrestlers in Europe. Freestyle comes second. In the U.S. you learn collegiate (folkstyle or catch-ascatch-can) wrestling Karelin toppling one of his opponents on his way to the championships. first, then freestyle and maybe, if youre really interested, you can learn Greco. The problem is that even if you are learning Greco in the U.S., you probably arent learning it very well, and you most certainly are not learning it as well as you would if you studied in Europe.

Team Standings
1. Russia, 40 2. Cuba, 38 3. Korea, 32 4. (tie) Kazakhstan and Turkey, 26 5. Belarus, 24 6. Hungary, 22 7. Germany, 19 8. Sweden, 17 9. (tie) Bulgaria and Georgia, 16 10. France, 15 11. (tie) Iran and Ukraine, 14 12. Italy, 12 13. (tie) United States and Poland, 11 14. Uzbekistan, 10 15. (tie) Finland, Greece and Israel, 9

Individual results
The U.S. team only had three wrestlers who placed, but none who claimed a gold, silver or bronze medal. Dremiel Byers of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was the top U.S. placewinner, taking a sixth at 286 pounds. Byers lost only one match in the tournament, a 1-1 overtime referees decision to 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Sergei Mourieko of Bulgaria. He completed the tournament with G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 54 kg/119 lbs. - Gold - Lazaro Rivas (Cuba) dec. TaeYeon Ha (Korea), 7-0; Bronze - Alfred Ter-Mkrtchyan (Germany) dec. Ralymzhan Assembekov (Kazakhstan), 3-0, ot, 7:18; 5th -Boris Amertsomov (Russia); 6th - Gyon Kang Kong (N. Korea); 7th - Peter Suemla (Czech Rep.); 8th - Alexander Tsertsvadse (Georgia); 9th - Tero Katajisto (Finland); 10th - Natig Eyvasov(Azerbaijan) September/October 1999

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58 kg/127.75 lbs. Gold - Kim In-Sub (Korea) won by ref. dec. over Yuri Melnitchenko (Kazakhstan), 2-0, ot, 9:00; 3rd - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria) dec. Igor Piatrenko (Belarus), 6-0; 5th Constantin Borascu (Romania); 6th - Sheng Zetian (China); 7th Ivan Majoros (Hungary); 8th - Dilshod Aripov (Uzbekistan); 9th - Ali AshkaniAgheolach (Iran); 10th E v s t a t h i o s Theodossiadis (Greece)

gia), 5-0; 5th - Tamas Barzicza (Hungary); 6th - Murat Kardanov (Russia); 7th - Ara Abrahamian (Sweden); 8th - Levon Geganyan (Armenia); 9th Filiberto Azcuy (Cuba); 10th - Marko YliHannuksela (Finland)

85 kg/187.25 lbs. Gold - Luis Mendez (Cuba) dec. Thomas Zander (Germany), 51; Bronze - Behrooz Jamshidi (Iran) dec. Raatbek Sanatbayev (Kyrgyzstan), 3-1; 5th Marko Asell (Finland); 6th - Martin Lidberg Karelin strides up to shake his opponents hand after the match. (Sweden); 7th 63 kg/138.75 lbs. Toomas Proovel (EstoGold Medal - Mkkhtar Manoukyan (Kazakhstan) dec. nia); 8th - Valeri Tsvlente (Belarus); 9th - Quincey Clark Seref Eroglu (Turkey), 4-0; Bronze Medal - Michial Beilin (United States); 10th - Aleksan Sardaryan (Ukraine) (Israel) dec. Bachodyr Kurbanov (Uzbekistan), 4-2; 5th Eduard Aplevitch (Belarus); 6th - Ricardo Magni (Italy); 97 kg/213.75 lbs. - Gold - Gogui Koguaschvili (Russia) 7th - Grygoriy Komyshenko (Ukraine); 8th - Park Youngdec. Andrzej Wronski (Poland), 4-0; Bronze - Mikael Sin (Korea); 9th - Wlodzimierz Zadwadzki (Poland); 10th Ljungberg (Sweden) dec. Hakki Basar (Turkey), 4-2; 5th - Peter Ronai (Hungary) - Genadi Chkhaidze (Georgia); 6th - Urs Burgler (Switzerland); 7th - Jason Klohs (USA); 8th - Marek Svec (Czech 69 kg/152 lbs. - Gold - Son Sang-Pil (Korea) dec. Republic); 9th - Reynaldo Pena (Cuba); 10th - Pajo Alexander Tretiakov (Russia), 4-0; Bronze - Vladimir Ivosevic (Yugoslavia) Kapytav (Belarus) won by ref. dec. over Csaba Hirbik (Hungary), 4-4, ot, 9:00; 5th - Ghani Yalouz (France); 6th 130 kg/286 lbs. - Gold - Alexander Karelin (Russia) dec. - Liubal Colas (Cuba); 7th - Parviz Zaidvand (Iran); 8th Hector Milian (Cuba), 3-0; Bronze - Sergei Moureyko (BulRustem Adji (Ukraine); 9th - Adam Juretzko (Germany); garia) dec. Giuseppe Giunta (Italy), 3-0; 5th - Grigoriy 10th - Vagar Aslanov (Azerbaijan) Saldadze (Ukraine); 6th - Dremiel Byers (USA); 7th - Mihaly Deak Bardos (Hungary); 8th - Haikaz Galstyan (Arme76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Gold - Nazmi Avluca (Turkey) won by nia); 9th - Zhao Hailin (China); 10th - Yuri Yavseitchik tech. fall over Yvon Riemer (France), 10-0, 2:41; Bronze (Israel) Dimitrios Avramis (Greece) dec. Tariel Melelashvili (GeorG.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 4 September/October 1999

Alexander Karelin
12-Time World Champion
Karelins confident stride.

Alexander Karelin pummeling for position. The winner . . . Karelin, of course. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 5 September/October 1999

Stephen Neal Wins World Freestyle Title

by Matt Furey Stephen Neal of the U.S. did the unthinkable, and he did it all within one year. After whooping the field en route to his second straight NCAA title at heavyweight (going undefeated) this past March, Neal went on to win the U.S. national freestyle title; then he earned a spot on the U.S. World team by winning the team trials at 286 pounds; after this he won his first Pan American gold medal. The only thing remaining for Neal to accomplish this year was the winning of a world title in freestyle. This years most difficult test of wrestling manhood would take place in Ankara, Turkey, from October 7-10. Winning a world title during the same year that you win an NCAA title is not unprecedented. But it doesnt happen very often. Lee Kemp, who won three NCAA titles for the University of Wisconsin and three world freestyle titles, accomplished the feat in 1978. Kemp was 21 years, 8 months old win he won his first world title; the youngest wrestler to win a world title in U.S. history. Sixtime world champion (two were in the Olympics) John Smith won world freestyle gold after winning the NCAA title as a junior at Oklahoma State. Smith then went on to win his secondstraight NCAA title while putting together a consecutive victory streak of 90 matches. And so, when all is said and done, your jaw should drop in amazement anytime you hear of a collegiate wrestler winning the gold during the same year that he captures a national collegiate title. The feat is not impossible, but it is unbelievably hard. Most collegiate wrestling champions need a few years of experience in the international school of hard knocks before theyre ready to win a world title. Most national champions are never ready. Stephen Neal was definitely ready. Wherever the man goes - he leaves footprints. Neal defeated Recep Ashabeliyev of Azerbaijan, 7-2, in the semi-finals on Sunday morning. In the gold medal match, Neal fell behind three-time World medallist Andrei Shumilin of Russia, 2-0, then stormed back to win the title, 4-3. Neal won five straight matches during the tournament. Shumilin is well-known in the U.S. for one thing. In the G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

opening round of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, he defeated Bruce Baumgartner, preventing the big guy from winning his third Olympic gold. Baumgartner was given a chance to avenge his loss to Shumilin, however, when they met later in the tournament, this time for the bronze medal. Baumgartner won the bout in overtime which made him the first American wrestler to win a medal in four Olympics. In an article that appeared in W.I.N. (Wrestling International Newsmagazine) in July of this year, Neal talked about the possibility of moving on to a career in professional football, but not until after the 2000 Olympics. Im sure if he doesnt opt for football, there are plenty of promoters who would love to steer him into fighting noholds-barred. How about Alexander Karelin versus Stephen Neal? Now thats a fight that would sell tickets.

U.S. Places 2nd Overall

Other than Neals sensational gold medal performance, Team U.S.A. had much to be thankful for as they improved upon last years placing, taking second to Russia in the final team standings. Russia finished with 48 points and the U.S. and Turkey finished with 45 each. The tie-breaking procedure for team scoring went in favor of the U.S. as they had more medallists. Besides the points generated from Neals gold medal, the U.S. was led by Lincoln McIlravy and Les Gutches. McIIravy, who won a silver medal at 152 pounds, captured his second world medal. In the quarterfinals he defeated three-time world champion Araik Gevokyan of Armenia, 3-0. In the semi-finals he beat Yuksel Sanli of Turkey, 3-0. In the finals he was upset by Daniel Igali of Canada, 3-2. In their three previous meetings, McIIravy had beaten Igali. A year ago McIIravy beat him to win the bronze. McIIravy is a three-time NCAA champion for Iowa, and one of the fiercest Gable trained wrestlers to ever lace on a pair of shoes. Gutches, a world champion in 1997, won the bronze medal at 187.25 pounds. He won his quarterfinal bout with 1993 World silver medallist Rasul Katinovosov of Russia, 5-2. In the semis he lost to 1996 Olympic champion Khajimurad Magomedov of Russia, 2-0 in overtime, then he bounced back to beat Ali Ozen of Turkey, 4-2, to win the bronze. Gutches was on the 1996 Olympic team and was a two-time NCAA champion for Oregon State. One of the most technically sound wrestlers I have ever September/October 1999

Winning a world title during the same year that you win an NCAA title is not unprecedented. But it doesnt happen very often.

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seen, Gutches is also incredibly strong and agile. Listed below are the final results, including team scores and individual weight classes: 187.25 lbs./85 kg - Gold - Yoel Romero (Cuba); Silver Khajimurad Magomedov (Russia); Bronze - Les Gutches (USA); 4th - Ali Ozen (Turkey); 5th - Tatsuo Kawaii (Japan); 6th - Rasul Katinovosov (Uzbekistan); 7th Magomed Kurguliev (Kazakhstan); 8th - Yang Hyun-Mo (Korea); 9th - Vincent Aka (Ivory Coast); 10th - Plamen Penev (Bulgaria) 213.75 lbs./97 kg - Gold - Saguid Murtazaliev (Russia); Silver - Ali Reza Heidari (Iran); Bronze - Marek Garmulewicz (Poland); 4th - A. Xanthopoylos (Greece); 5th - Kasif Sakiroglu (Turkey); 6th - Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia); 7th - Wilfredo Morales (Cuba); 8th - Davud Muhmmedof (Azerbaidjan); 9th - B. Gantogtokh (Mongolia); 10th - Heiko Balz (Germany) 286 lbs./130 kg - Gold - Stephen Neal (USA); Silver Andrei Shumilin (Russia); Bronze - Abbas Jadidi (Iran); 4th - Recep Ashabeliyev (Azerbaijan); 5th - Aydin Polatci (Turkey); 6th - Sven Thiele (Germany); 7th - Alexander Kovalevsky (Kyrgyzstan); 8th - Mirab Valiev (Ukraine); 9th - Zsolt Gombos (Hungary); 10th - Symeonidis (Greece)

Top 10 teams:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Russia, 48 United States, 45 Turkey, 45 Iran, 34 Uzbekistan, 30 Korea, 28 Ukraine, 24 Cuba, 20 Bulgaria, 18 Germany, 17

Individual Results
119 lbs./54 kg - Gold - Kim Woo Young (Korea); Silver Adem Achilov (Uzbekistan); Bronze - Oleksander Zakuruk (Ukraine); 4th - Evan Tzonov (Bulgaria); 5th Tumendembegel Zuunbayan (Mongolia); 6th - Leonid Tchuthonov (Russia); 7th - Maulen Mamyrov (Kazakhstan); 8th - Gholam Reza Mohammadi (Iran); 9th - Vassili Zeihev (Germany); 10th - A. Kartonov (Greece) 127.75 lbs./58 kg - Gold - Harun Dogan (Turkey); Silver Ali Reza Dabier (Iran); Bronze - D. Zakhardinov (Uzbekistan); 4th - Martin Berberyan (Armenia); 5th Cuciuc Octavian (Moldova); 6th - Miron Dzadzaev (Russia); 7th - Eric Guerrero (USA); 8th - Andrej Fasanek (Slovakia); 9th - Yeondris Albear (Cuba); 10th - Zsolt Baveti (Hungary) 138.75 lbs./63 kg - Gold - Elbrus Tedeev (Ukraine); Silver - Jae-Sung Jang (Korea); Bronze - Ramil Islamov (Uzbekistan); 4th - Cary Kolat (USA); 5th - Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria); 6th - Mohammad Talaiee (Iran); 7th - Kim Kwang Il (North Korea); 8th - Maksai Bobyrbekov (Kyrgyzstan); 9th - John Melling (Great Britain); 10th Elman Eskerof (Azerbaidjan) 152 lbs./69 kg - Gold - Daniel Igali (Canada); Silver Lincoln McIlravy (USA); Bronze - Yuksel Sanli (Turkey); 4th - Emrur Bedinwishvili (Georgia); 5th - Araik Gevorkyan (Armenia); 6th - N. Loizidis (Greece); 7th - Yosmany Sanchez (Cuba); 8th - Almaz Askarov (Krygyzstan); 9th Ivan Diaconu (Moldova); 10th - Hwang Sang-Ho (Korea) 167.5 lbs./76 kg - Gold - Adam Satiev (Russia); Silver Alexander Leipold (Germany); Bronze - Adem Bereket (Turkey); 4th - Joe Williams (USA); 5th - Elsad Allahverdyev (Azerbaidjan); 6th - Moon Eui-Jae (Korea); 7th - Plamen Paskalev (Bulgaria); 8th - Alik Muzaev (Ukraine); 9th - Victor Peicov (Moldova); 10th - Arpad Ritter (Hungary) G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

Ill Fight Any World Heavyweight Boxing Champion The Mark Schultz Inter view Interview
by Matt Furey When you talk about the greatest wrestlers this country has ever produced, the name Schultz is close at hand. David and Mark Schultz are two wrestlers that made the world their stage in the 70s and 80s. David was the first Schultz brother I met. It was at an Olympic wrestling camp in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the summer of 1980. The camp was supposed to have the entire freestyle Olympic team there, training and teaching right alongside the high school kids who were so desperate to learn. But, as President Carter decided to boycott the 1980 Olympics due to the Soviet Unions invasion of Afghanistan, only a handful of top notch wrestlers were present. I didnt know what to think of Dave when he first began teaching us. I had heard nothing about him and from his looks alone, he wasnt impressive. All he wore while teaching was a reversible blue and red singlet. His flesh was soft and flabby in some places. He had no muscle definition, and most importantly, he was an Okie. Being a fan of the Iowa teams coached by Dan Gable, this was one strike against him. But when he taught us his techniques it was obvious that he was more than a few steps ahead of everyone else. September/October 1999

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Imagine my surprise, several months after the camp, when I turned on the television to watch the dual meet between Iowa and Oklahoma. Wrestling at 158-pounds was the same David Schultz who was at the camp. The announcers began to tell of his great record and even though every cell in my body wanted to reject him because he was on the other team, I couldnt help but like him. He ended up trouncing the Iowa 158-pounder. Then his brother Mark took the mat to face Iowa sensation Mike DeAnna. Mark was built like Hercules and was hard-nosed as could be, but DeAnna had his way with him that day, beating him 14-8.

Ironically, it was Mark who won the majority of collegiate titles, as freestyle was more to Daves liking. Mark won three NCAA titles while Dave only grabbed one. Both Mark and Dave won Olympic gold in 1984 in Los Angeles, and both won world titles as well; Dave won once in 1983 and Mark won twice, in 1985 and 1987. Mark and Daves success is unique as they are the only brothers in U.S. history to win both Olympic and world titles. From time to time in the 80s, both Dave and Mark would be in Iowa City, where they were training for the World championships or some other high-level tournament. One day, during their stay, Gable called me on the phone and s a i d , Furey, D a v e Schultz n e e d s someone to work out with. Can you come over?

As Mark w o u l d p r o v e throughout his career, you might beat him once, but it wont happen again. Several weeks later, in the finals of the NCAA tournament, M a r k whooped DeAnna like a stepc h i l d . Strangely enough, Dave lost in the finals to Sure, I Oklahoma said. What Schultz crotch lifts his opponent. S t a t e s time? R i c k y Stewart, whom he had beaten during the regular season One oclock, Gable replied. every time they met. Ill be there, I said. One year later when I was a member of Dan Gables team at the University of Iowa, I read a book published I was in the wrestling room stretching out when Dave by then assistant coach Chuck Yagla, who was a twocame in with an over-sized bag of gear. Smiling and time NCAA champion and member of the 1980 Olympic happy-go-lucky, he looked over, shook my hand and team that was denied the honor of competing. In the said, Mr. Furey. Thanks for coming in to work out with book Yagla talked about being pinned in the finals of the me today. Great Plains Open by a senior in high school named Dave Schultz. I couldnt believe what I was reading. A I nodded. two-time NCAA champion getting pinned by a high school kid? Naaah, couldnt be. But it was in fact true. And A few minutes later Dave re-emerged and began bouncmore importantly, Dave was not only the elder brother of ing around to warm up. Man, Im really sore today. I Mark, but was in many ways the man who taught Mark worked out hard yesterday. We started to drill and as I how to wrestle. shot in on his right leg he stopped me and said, Take it G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 8 September/October 1999

easy on this leg. My knee isnt so good on this side. A half-hour later, when we were wrestling hard, I grabbed the same leg in desperation, hoping to get at least one takedown on him. As I held the single leg, he reached between my jaw and throat, stuck three fingers on my carotid artery and made me gag. I let go of the leg and almost passed out. Later that day, when I was in the wrestling office recovering, Gable came in and said, Hey, Fure-cat. Schultz said you gave him a good workout. He had a lot of nice things to say about you. Right, I said. The next day Mark and Dave showed up to train together. I lifted weights as they ran around the room listening to some crazy type of jungle beat that I didnt relate to. Mark and Dave were completely different personalities. Mark didnt say hi, talk or shake hands. He didnt show any interest in anything except wrestling. If you stayed out of Marks way that seemed to suit him fine.

effect he had on others. You cannot overlook the enormous impact that Dave had upon Marks life, not to mention the entire world of wrestling. The U.S. doesnt know how lucky they have been to have had these men represent our country in the Olympics. Additionally, fans of mixed martial arts dont know how lucky they were to see Mark clobber Canadian Gary Goodridge in a UFC match back in 1996. Now, Mark is bringing his knowledge to the masses. He recently opened a grappling school at the MIdvale Athletic Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he teaches his unique blend of submission wrestling. He is far more friendlier today than he was 15 years ago and because of this, G.A.I.N. is not only fortunate to have this rare interview with him, but in future issues, he may contribute some of his winning techniques for all to see. With no further fanfare, I present an interview with Mark Schultz: Furey: How old were you when you began wrestling? Schultz: When I was a junior in high school. Furey: What caused you to take up this sport?

I saw Mark and Dave compete and win the world and Olympic trials right there in Iowa City, and after that, my only contact with them was via a remote control, where I watched video footage of their matches.

. . . thinking I was ready to show my brother Dave how superior I had become from my four months of training, I got in a fight with him on the front lawn of our house in Ashland, Oregon. I took a swing, he ducked and shot in for a takedown. He got the mount and pounded my face into bloody submission. I was humiliated and slept in the car that night.

In 1996, two weeks after my first book The Martial Art of Wrestling and a set of three videos were produced, I was at a wrestling tournament in Gilroy, California. During the first day of this two-day tournament, some kids came up to my table and exclaimed, Did you hear the news? Dave Schultz just got shot and killed. I couldnt believe what I was hearing. My mind drifted back to the first time I saw him at the camp and the time I trained with him. It couldnt be true - but it was. Wrestling had lost a five-star general. When you publish an article about Mark Schultz, you cannot do so without mentioning Dave and the positive G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

Schultz: I was a gymnast until I was 16 and won the North California 15-16 age group allaround championship. Even though I was a pretty good acrobat, I lacked confidence so I took up Tang Soo Do (its a Chuck Norris Style) in Medford, Oregon, under Bob Barrow and Chip Wright. Then, thinking I was ready to show my brother Dave how superior I had become from my four months of training, I got in a fight with him on the front lawn of our house in Ashland, Oregon. I took a swing, he ducked and shot in for a takedown. He got the mount and pounded my face into bloody submission. I was humiliated and slept in the car that night. The next day I quit Tang Soo Do and went out for the wrestling team. Furey: Unlike most wrestlers, you found success rather quickly, winning a state title in California. What do you attribute your initial success to? Schultz: My gymnastics background gave me tremendous athletic abilities. I wouldnt have got that playing September/October 1999

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any other sports. I also worked out twice and sometimes three times a day. Every day Id go from my high school practice under Coach Ed Hart to the Stanford practices and sometimes Id run after that. Furey: While at the University of Oklahoma, you won three national titles, all over Dan Gable-trained Iowa wrestlers, namely, Mike DeAnna, Ed Banach and Duane Goldman. Which of these titles meant the most to you? Why?

barely won each match during the tournament, but thank God I won anyway. Furey: In 1984 you won Olympic freestyle gold at 180.5 pounds, afterward you won the world freestyle title two times. Which of these three golds was the hardest? Why?

Schultz: 1984 was the most pressure-packed. I knew a lot of guys were going to take home the gold because of the boycott but some weights were still packed with Schultz: Each one carried various amounts of signifitalent. My weight had the #1 ranked guy in the World cance. DeAnna was my first national title so getting that from Turkey. We met first match and I broke his arm first monkey off my back was huge. Beating Banach was the move of the match with a double-wrist lock. I was later best wrestled match for me in the finals. Four NCAA disqualified from that match for excessive brutality and titles were represented in that weight that year and I an extra judge was assigned to watch Dave and myself was voted for the rest of outstanding the tournawrestler for ment. My stopping Bamatch with nach from beRinke from coming the Canada was first four-time extremely N C A A close and I Champ. Mike was fortunate Chapman to win. 1985 said it was was the best I the second ever wrestled. best match he All the counever saw. tries that boyOwings beatcotted the 84 ing Gable was Olympics first. A side were there note to that and no one rematch: Before ally scored on the NCAAs, me unless I Mark Schultz and 16-time national champion Wayne Baughman. Amateur was just trying Wrestling News always does a pre-tournament interview to kill time. The 1987 title was perhaps my most miracuwith the top wrestlers and publishes it before the tourlous since I had to shut out, pin or caution out the denament. When they interviewed me and asked me how fending world champion and four-time Tblisi champion I thought Id do, I said I didnt know and thought it would just to get to the finals. I shut him out. come down to whoever was ahead at the final buzzer. Then I read what Banach said: Mark Schultz is a good Furey: Whenever you won a major title, such as the athlete but it takes more than being a good athlete to be NCAAs or the world championships, you punctuated the a great wrestler, it takes mental toughness and Im menvictory with a standing back flip. Why did you tradetally tougher than Mark Schultz. Needless to say this mark your victories this way? pissed me off to no end. Beating Goldman was more a feeling of relief than of victory. Everyone expected me to Schultz: I guess it was my way of celebrating and paywin after being the Outstanding Wrestler the year being homage to my gymnastics background. fore. I entered the tournament with several problems. My back was hurt the last two months of the season Furey: Your brother Dave played a major role in the deand I only swam to work out and compete in the duals. velopment of your wrestling skills. As you probably I actually missed one of the duals and man was Coach know, many brothers who wrestle each other, such as Stan Abel pissed. I wasnt getting along with Abel too Tom and Terry Brands, Ed and Lou Banach, and others, well either at that point and my brother Dave graduated dont get along so well. When you and Dave trained tothe year before so I felt pretty isolated the whole year. I gether, what was it like? also entered the tournament with a throat infection and G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 10 September/October 1999

Schultz: They dont get along so well because they know they can get away with it. Brothers know that no matter what they do to each other they will always be brothers. We definitely worked out with each other more than anyone else. Sometimes wed get pretty brutal but we always knew how far to go. He was my best friend and I was his. We understood so we could go pretty far. Just like most brothers, we were enemies in the room but allies against everyone and anyone else. Furey: During the early part of 1996, a crazed lunatic, John E. du Pont, shot and killed Dave, preventing him from making the Olympic team once more. When I heard the news I couldnt believe what I was hearing. What went through your mind when you heard the news? Schultz: First let me define crazed lunatic. It does not mean legally insane. Legal insanity is a condition which deprives an individual from determining the difference between right and wrong. du Pont pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury rejected his claim of insanity but ruled him mentally ill at the time of the murder. He was committed to a mental institution for three months prior to the trial until he was ruled competent to stand trial. He was subsequently convicted of 3rd degree murder but mentally ill. He now resides in the general population in an 8x10 foot cell in Cresson State Penitentiary serving a 13-30 year sentence. In Pennsylvania you are mandated to serve your minimum. There are no words to describe my feelings when I heard the news. Furey: Youve been training in the submission grappling arts for several years now. Your brother Dave was notorious for choking people out with his front headlock and putting the hurt on opponents with a wide variety of moves. He knew how to make people scream and many people think he would have been a great submission wrestler, simply because, in a certain sense, he was already using excruciating holds. Did Dave ever show an interest in the submission holds you were learning? Schultz: Dave and I worked out in submission the last time I saw him and I arm locked him. I told him to make sure he tapped but I dont think he realized he was in trouble. I cranked it a little too hard because I thought I was losing the hold, his elbow popped and we had to get him an x-ray. It sucked. I felt terrible. He got real interested after that though. Unfortunately he wasnt alive much longer. Furey: You have three wonderful children. Do any of them show an interest in wrestling? Schultz: Yeah, Im teaching my son Mark some submission holds to get him ready for school. Hes six now. I started showing him chokes and submissions prior to kindergarten. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

Furey: Why do you like submission training so much? Schultz: I got into wrestling because I thought it was the ultimate martial art but after some submission experience I realized how limiting the rules were compared to real fighting. However, wrestling is a great foundation to learning submission. Wrestlers already know how to learn grappling techniques so learning a choke is just like learning a switch or a stand up. Its just another move. Furey: Do you enjoy submission grappling more than collegiate, freestyle or Greco-Roman? Why or why not? Schultz: Yeah, because its more applicable to the real world. Furey: After the 1999 collegiate wrestling season, BYU, where you were the head coach, decided to drop the program. Instead of looking to coach at another university, youre bringing your skills to the general public via your own school. When does your school open and what will you focus on in your teaching? Schultz: Im planning on the Grand Opening being on Monday Sept. 27 at 7 pm. Im going to combine the takedowns, escapes and reversals of wrestling with the submission holds of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Shootfighting, Sambo, Judo and anything else that works. Ill have classes for Kids (4-11) and Adults (12-over). Ill probably have to change the groups or schedule depending on the skill and number of people in each group. Furey: Youve kept yourself in fantastic shape, even though you have not competed on a regular basis since the latter part of 1980. In fact, in 1996, you accepted a UFC fight with Gary Goodridge (whom you soundly defeated) on a one-day notice. How do you stay in such great shape? Schultz: Actually, I didnt think I was in that great of shape then but Ive always been the kind of coach that believes in learning by doing and the best way for my upper weights to improve was to work out with me so I maintained a certain amount of condition. Furey: In terms of strength, many people consider you to be one of the strongest wrestlers to ever take the mat. How did you develop your strength? Was it weight training or some other method? Schultz: Gymnastics helped a lot. Part of it is genetics. The rest is just wrestling and training for wrestling. Wrestling is weightlifting only using human weight. I did a lot of lifting but I probably did more long distance running than anything else besides wrestling since I felt that aerobic conditioning was one area I needed to be at my best. Whatever I hated to do the most, thats what I did the September/October 1999

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most. Actually, I never considered myself as strong as most people perceived me to be. I wasnt weak but if you look at some of the rock climbers that do seven one-pinky pullups in a row, thats strong. Furey: Would you like to fight in the UFC or another mixed martial arts competition again? Schultz: Maybe. It depends on a lot of things. Im having trouble with my lower back and its limiting my ability to condition and like you said, its your best move. Im 39 now and I dont know if my body will allow me to train the way I once did. Furey: Are you interested in any submission grappling competitions? Schultz: Actually, Id like to start my own grappling competition with rules similar to the Abu Dhabi but a little different. Furey: Who is the toughest submission grappler you have ever worked out with? Schultz: If youre asking me to pick only one, I think Id have to say Walt Bayless because of his size, conditioning and technique. Rickson Gracie was extremely tough also but I worked out with him only once and it was my first submission experience so its hard to compare him to Walt. Furey: If you were to compete again, is there anyone youd like to go head-to-head with? If so, whom? Schultz: Any world heavyweight boxing champion for a tremendous purse. Furey: What lies in store for you in the future? Schultz: If I can make a go of this school Im opening, Id like to do that. Other than that, Ive recently applied for an athletic director position at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. They should be reviewing the applications today and will get back to me soon. If Im offered the job, my decision to take it will probably be based on the health of my back and how successful I think my club can be here in Utah. Plus I can have a grappling club anywhere I go. [Marks school is located inside the Midvale Athletic Club in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mark is also available for seminars as well as private lessons. His website on the Internet is http://www.markschultz.com. Those who wish to contact Mark can email him at schultz@redrock.net.]

Royce Gracie is a Chicken An Inter view with W allid Interview Wallid Ismael
by Matt Furey On December 17, 1998, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu match took place between three-time UFC champion Royce Gracie and Wallid Ismail. The rules for this match were straightforward: It was a grappling only sport jiu-jitsu bout with no points and no time limits. Traditional gis were worn and the only way to win was by submission. To the surprise of most fight fans, Wallid emerged victorious, winning by a clock-choke in five minutes. To date, Wallid has defeated three Gracies. Other than his victory over Royce, he defeated Ralph on points in 1991 in a 10-minute Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu match. And in 1995 he defeated Renzo. Once again it was a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu match which he won on points. After his victory over Royce in December, Wallid showed

Ismael applying a rear naked choke. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 12 September/October 1999

respect for him. In a story printed in Volume One - Issue One of G.A.I.N., Wallid said, Now a lot of people speak bullshit. Everybody forgets that Royce beat everybody. Then added, It is stupid to talk that Royce is not a good fighter ... everybody who talks bad about Royce is a coward ... Because he won (three UFC titles), everyone respected him. Now that Royce lost this one match, everyone dont respect him no more ...everyone needs to continue to respect Royce. A rematch was already in the works in early January, but the time, place, and rules had not been determined. Whatever Royce wants, Wallid told no-holds-barred writer, Eddie Goldman. Im totally focused on giving the rematch to Royce, and it may be in the USA or Japan ... I intend to fight in no-holds-barred, but only after this rematch. In Wallids September 10, 1999, telephone interview for G.A.I.N., he is no longer polite in regard to his feelings about Royce Gracie and other members of the Gracie family. Furey: Recently the Antonio Inoki group tried to set up a rematch between you and Royce Gracie, whom you defeated on December 17 of last year. Did you agree to this rematch? Did Royce? Ismael: Yes, Antonio Inoki tried to setup the rematch and he is still trying. I agreed to fight but Royce is running away. I am embarrassed because Royce will not agree to a rematch. Hes acting like a chicken. Furey: Why do you think that Royce doesnt want a rematch with you? Ismael: Because Royce knows how hard I train and he knows I dont like to lose. And because hes a chicken. Hes avoiding me. Hes afraid of me. Hes so afraid that hes preparing to do a fake fight with Takada in Japan. Hed rather do a fake fight with Takada than fight me for real. Its 100% fear. Royce tells his students that he is waiting for a rematch with me, but he is lying to his students. I wonder what he is going to say to his students now when he looks into their eyes. Furey: Why do you want a rematch with Royce if you have already proven you can beat him? Ismael: Because after the first fight, the next day, Rorion called me and asked for a rematch. But now, when we can do it, they are running away. I took care of everything, getting the promotion ready, everything, and now he has a new excuse. Man this guy lies a lot. He is an embarrassment to me. Royce Gracie drops to his guard against Wallid Ismael. Furey: Recently Royce Gracie signed to fight in a 16man tournament in Japan. Why do you think he chose this event over a rematch with you? Ismael: Because the other side of the Gracie family is so afraid of me. I cannot believe that I give him the rematch and hes so chicken that he says hes going to fight in the 16-man tournament. I think he should try to prove that he is the real Royce Gracie and he should fight me again. But hed rather run away. Now I want to show that I can beat him again, but he wont fight. No one will respect him if he doesnt fight me. Everyone who reads this will know that Rorion called and asked for a rematch. I agreed. But now Rorion calls me and says, Royce is not going to fight you. But I want to prove to him that I wasnt lucky. I want to fight him. I have everything ready for this fight, money, television exposure, everything. A lot of people want to see this rematch, but he wont do it. Chicken! Whos going to respect a man who says hes the best but wont do a rematch after he loses. The only person who is the best is God. Furey: So far you have defeated three Gracies: Ralph, Renzo and Royce. Are there any other Gracies you would like to compete against? If so, whom? In what type of match? Ismael: The match I want is Royce. Again, I cant believe he would run away when he says he wants this fight so badly. Now people know the real situation. The match can be no-holds-barred or sport jiu-jitsu. The noholds-barred would be even easier for me and I would prove again that I can beat him. Furey: Do you think Rickson is as good as so many people claim? Ismael: Who is Rickson Gracie? I only have seen him fight a fake fight. How can I have respect for a guy like this? He is embarrassing too.

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Furey: Would you like to fight Rickson in sport jiu-jitsu or in a no-holds-barred contest? Ismael: Why should I fight Rickson Gracie? Before he fights me he should have to fight a real fight with someone. Im tired of seeing his fake fights. I already beat the best of the Gracie family, Royce, and I want to beat him again. But if Rickson has a good proposal, Ill fight him. Furey: What kind of training are you doing right now? Ismael: Im very happy right now because Im doing specific training with Carlson Gracie Sr. here in Los Angeles. Im also training boxing with Walt Stanke, the first coach for Oscar De La Hoya. Im also training with the Pro-Camp at Golds Gym with T.R. and Gilbert. Now Im

Ismael: First of all because hes a coward. Anyone who would hit someone from behind is a coward. Because no one ever beat the Gracies before, theyre jealous of my success. One of the members of the Gracie family even threatened me and said he was going to kill me. I challenge Ryan to a no-holds-barred fight, IVC (International Vale Tudo) rules, and I hope he doesnt make excuses or try to bring other people to protect him. He better come prove hes a real fighter. I hope he doesnt let me down. A fight with Ryan is a personal matter, so I hope he isnt afraid. I hope he doesnt run away or bring others in to protect him. If it wasnt for a personal problem between us, I think Ryan is nothing. In Brazil, he is considered a coward because he hits people form behind and fights people on the street who dont know how to fight. Now I give him a chance. I want to break his face.

Road T o The Gold To

by Steve Maxwell I found myself in Brazil for the second time in less than four weeks. You know youre spending too much time on the road when you begin to recognize airport personnel and customs officials. This time, it was for the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seniors/ Masters Championships. It is winter in Brazil during our summer months, so as we walked with Sergio, our driver, to the van, the weather was beautiful; cool with low humidity. Team Maxercise had spent the summer months training like animals in 100 degree heat on the second floor of a brick oven of a building, in Center City, Philadelphia. Winter in Brazil would be a snap. This time around, I had a whole different team. Our Masters and Seniors team were older and hopefully more mature. Many of the issues and much of the angst of the previous competition team (youngsters) didnt phase the older guys. As coach of the previous team, I found that keeping the younger guys organized and in line was a chore - not so, this time. Everyone was well behaved. The matches took place in an outdoor tennis court, covered by a roof, at the Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club. We fought under the Relson Gracie flag and once again, his name was well respected; he is honored as having reigned undefeated for more than 20 years. There were four mats instead of six and the field was smaller. This was the first World championships for the seniors and masters. After age 30, participation in combat arts drops significantly. Over age 40, its hard to find a match. A few competitors in the older age groups collected their gold without fighting any matches. When I told this to one twenty year old, he snorted derisively, What, no match? Geez! I asked him what he thought hed be September/October 1999

Wallid Ismael celebrates as Royce Gracie lies unconscious. much more flexible, much leaner. Im in the best shape of my life. Furey: What do you look forward to in the future? Ismael: Im going to continue to train really hard, keeping my body in shape. I only believe in my success if Im still training hard. I respect everybody who fights and doesnt run away from fights. Furey: In July, at the most recent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships in Brazil, you were attacked from behind by Ryan Gracie. What do you think of this and why do you think he did this?

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doing in 25 or 30 years. Did he think he would have the time to stay in competitive shape while raising a family, and working on his career while planning for his retirement? I say that if you train, make weight, enter, travel, gi-up and have the guts to step out on the mat, and no one else has the balls or the where-with-all to show, then you have still earned your title as the best. The atmosphere of the tournament, especially during the black belt matches, was intense. There were a number of heavy hitters participating in the masters division, which gave this first-ever age group world championships a lot of credence. Names like Royler Gracie, fresh from his world win, Amaury Bittetti, Fabio Gurgel and Carlinhos Gracie. Many of the competitors are popular teachers and had huge entourages of students giving support. The noise from the crowd was deafening at times. When one competitor lost, the winners supporters would taunt the losing side with chants, inciting three major riots. Luckily, I was in the protected competitors area, surrounded by heavy netting, safe from flying chairs, fists and bottles. Not all of my team was as fortunate. Mike Frangides and Jared Weiner had to stand back to back, fending off rioters when they got caught, inadvertently sitting in the wrong place. The Brazilians take grappling quite seriously! I fought in the senior 3 category (45 - 50 age group) and had three fights. I came to this tournament in great condition and loaded for bear. Most of the older Brazilians do not stay in the greatest shape. I submitted all three opponents. Thanks to Matt Furey and the fact that in addition to studying his tapes, I had worked with him on my set ups , my takedowns worked great. I was able to control each match from the get-go to submission. I took my first opponent down, a 20 year veteran Judo black belt, mounted him and choked him out. My second victim was a leaner. I adapted the classic Furey neck crank to jiu-jitsu, holding my kimono instead of his chin, taking him down with an underhook and inside trip. Unbelievable how well the stuff Matt taught me works. None of my matches went over three minutes. These guys seemed old and slow because they were out of condition. If you want to know the secret of the fountain of youth, its this; Dont stop. Keep your routines and fitness regimens going and never stop. I personally plan to continue grappling until Im 100. It felt great to win the championship and to tell you the truth; I felt that I could have G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

beaten the guys in the next age group down just as handily. There wasnt supposed to have been a womens division this year, but two female blue belts showed up, demanding to fight and were awarded their medals and titles. Although my wife, DC, admired their courage to be recognized, she wished she had shown up, also. I think she would have beaten either one, even though they were two age groups below her. DC is strong, well conditioned and extremely technical, and, as only I should know, she can be one mean broad. Some of the matches were extremely exciting. Competitors were really going for submissions with all of the skill and experience of seasoned fighters. The refereeing was excellent, far above the caliber of that at the recent worlds. The match that made everyones jaws drop was Royler Gracies final. Near the end of the match, Royler had taken his opponents back. As he raised his hands, showboating, his opponent escaped the position and won the match at the last second. This prompted a near riot, the first of three major fights. In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, it truly aint over until its over. As for the Americans, I was impressed with Frank Cucci, from Virginia Beach. A former Navy Seal, he fought as a purple belt. He submitted all of his opponents, demonstrating great technique. His buddy, former Naval Academy wrestler Tim Szymanski, fought in the senior 1 (35 40) division, showing how wrestling can be superior to Judo and Jiu-Jitsu on the feet. One of my own team mates and workout partner, Mike Frangides, fought a great tournament. Having lost a very close match (tie score, judges decision) in his weight class, he came back in the open weight class to win the Bronze in the Blue belt Masters division. The memories of our participation in the first World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seniors/Masters Championships will last a lifetime. I would like to list the American place winners and congratulate our guys for going to the post when it counts. Brown Belt Senior 3 Steve Maxwell Middle Weight, Gold Open Weight, Gold Purple Belt Master Frank Cucci Middle Weight, Gold

. . .his opponent escaped the position and won the match at the last second. This prompted a near riot . . .

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Blue Belt Master Mike Moses Light Weight, Bronze Mike Frangides Open Weight, Bronze Senior 1 Tim Szymanski Light Heavy Gold Open Weight Bronze Senior 2 John Rozzi Light Weight, Silver Senior 3 Gary Rendina Feather Weight, Gold Open Weight, Bronze Brian Davis Lightweight, Bronze Open Weight Bronze Next year, I plan to bring an even bigger team to this tournament. Meanwhile, Im training like a maniac for the upcoming Pan Ams, to be held in Florida. Who knows, maybe next year Ill be competing as a black belt.

miserable and sleepless night. The next day, my mother declared, If I could go to a wrestling match, then I could certainly get up and go to school! Little did either of us realize how close I was to spending the rest of my life as a quadriplegic. That morning, in the middle of first period algebra, the principal came to the room with two ambulance attendants. An orthopedic surgeon, while routinely reviewing the previous nights emergency room x-rays, discovered the technicians mistake and immediately dispatched an ambulance to get me. The doctor told me that one good cough or sneeze could have paralyzed me for life! I was also told that I needed surgery, but my parents opted for the more conservative traction approach. I had a long a painful recovery involving six weeks in traction, several months in a full body cast (these were the days before the halo, like the one Boom Boom Mancini had), and then several more months in a neck brace. The prognosis was that my wrestling career was over and that I should never engage in contact sports again. I was crushed, but totally determined to wrestle again. I launched into a vigorous strengthening and conditioning routine that included a tremendous amount of neck harness work and later the Nautilus 4-way neck machine. One thing I was always leery about was neck bridging of any kind because I had been told that it was a dangerous exercise. I proved the experts wrong and wrestled a successful senior year in high school culminated by winning 12 straight matches, placing 2nd in the district finals. I went on to a rewarding college wrestling career, posting a 17-2-1 record my senior year and twice reaching the finals of the MAC conference. After graduation, I coached high school wrestling and competed on the US Army team becoming the European Armed Services champ. For the last eight and a half years, I have been involved in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Winning the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Training Association National Purple belt title, the AAU Sombo National Sport and Combat division titles, and the Pan American Purple belt Senior titles. All this from a guy who was told that he could never play sports again! My neck has bothered me, off and on, since that high school injury. I have tried many treatments, including nutritional supplements, chiropractic treatments and a body realigning procedure called Rolfing. I also continSeptember/October 1999

Bridging Heals Stubbor n Neck Stubborn Pain

by Steven Maxwell As a young wrestler in the 1960s, I was introduced to neck bridging as part of an overall conditioning program. Other neck exercises included partner resistance isometrics and the neck harness. Even as a youngster, I realized the importance of a strong neck in combat sports such as wrestling. Our coach had us diligently follow this regimen three days weekly. Unfortunately the results of this program did not prevent a near fatal tragedy.

In 1967, in my first varsity wrestling match as a sophomore, during a takedown struggle, my opponent and I fell from the mat onto the hardwood gym floor. I landed in a semi-bridge position with my adversary on top. The weight and impact caused my neck to twist violently resulting in the fracture, dislocation and subluxation of C-3, 4 and 5 vertebrae. I passed out and awoke with coaches and officials standing over me with the smelling salts. My chin was locked down and to the right, the pain was extreme. I could not move my head at all. No one realized the severity of the injury, so I managed to shower, dress, sit through the rest of the meet and endure the bus ride home. Then my coach took me to the emergency room at Carlisle hospital. The technician, after examining the x-rays, pronounced that I had suffered a stoved neck. He told me to go home and wrap a rolled towel around my neck as support. I spent a G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

The prognosis was that my wrestling career was over and that I should never engage in contact sports again. I was crushed, but totally determined to wrestle again.

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ued to exercise my neck with weight and manual resistance training. During one of my experimental phases I started to incorporate Astanga Yoga, commonly known as Power Yoga, into my routine. One of the positions resembled a neck bridge, which actually felt good. One of my hobbies is collecting old books and courses on grappling and weight training. I came across a copy of the Farmer Burns Wrestling Course and after studying the old time grappling secrets, I became curious about the wrestlers bridge. All the old timers put a lot of stock in neck bridging, but the modern trainers and arm chair theorists universally condemned it as being dangerous. Hell, my neck was already in pain, why not experiment and see what the old timers were talking about. I had been doing the bridge for several months, usually holding for time, when I went out to California to meet Matt Furey. Matt instructed me in proper bridging technique, with the nose and forehead to the ground. Of course, this went against everything I had heard and I was more than a little frightened by the idea of that kind of arch. I couldnt do it properly at first, but after practicing three times a week for a few months, I could touch my nose. Now I can hold it for over a minute with three minutes being my goal. The thing that amazed me was how good and pain-free my neck would be afterward. I believe that the bridge, when properly executed, actually realigns the vertebrae (just my theory). My neck has never felt better and the confidence that a good strong neck bridge gives you when grappling cannot be overstated. If a 46-year old guy with a bum neck can do it, so can you. Matt single-handedly did what all the arm chair training experts, exercise police and other nay-sayers could not do; get me out of constant pain. According to one spiritual text on pain as a metaphor, it is stated that neck pain has to do with stubbornness, inflexible thinking and failure to see other points of view. By incorporating bridging, I have finally found the proper physical and metaphysical outlook on neck training and conditioning.

punch causes pain and distress. This is not the case with a man who is in form. My own abdominal muscles are soft enough when relaxed, but when I set them the muscles are as hard and rigid as the muscles of my arms or legs. In fact you might strike me with all your force on the stomach with your clinched fist and not cause the least pain. Many have done this and suffered more pain from the blow than I, for my stomach muscles have been trained and developed just as carefully as all other parts of my body. I want every one of my students to make good, and to develop an all-around fine physique, so be sure to take daily exercises for development of the abdominal muscles. There is nothing better for this than my methods of DEEP BREATHING and HOLDING THE BREATH, and at the same time massaging the muscles with the hands.

Breathing for Internal Exercise

Stand erect and inhale the breath until the lungs are fully expanded, and the abdomen drawn in. With the lungs still full of air, CLOSE THE MOUTH AND THROAT TIGHTLY, and try to force the breath out, but RESIST SO THAT NONE ESCAPES. Force hard, and the muscles of the abdomen will be contracted until they are tight and rigid. FORCE THE AIR DOWNWARD WITH ALL THE POWER YOU POSSESS. Clinch the fists-and exert much strength. The process consists of trying to exhale the breath, but you voluntarily hold it in, and by this resistance most thoroughly exercise the muscles of the abdomen, stomach, and other internal organs. Hold the breath in this way for two or five seconds, and then gently allow the breath to escape. Exhale as much as possible so that you will take in a new full quantity of fresh air. This movement also exercises the chest, throat, and many body muscles, and if practiced energetically for some time will bring the sweat and make you tired. Keep it up for several minutes, and increase the time gradually from day to day. When performing the breathing exercise, you should also frequently massage the abdomen with your fingers, while the muscles are hard and rigid. Rub, squeeze and work the muscles in all directions with the hands, but cease when you exhale the breath, and wait until you have forced the air downward again, then continue the massage.

Exerpts from Lessons in Wrestling & Physical Culture

by Farmer Burns

Internal Massage
By INTERNAL MASSAGE, or INTERNAL EXERCISE, I mean the exercise of the muscles that control the internal organs. For example, the abdomen of the athlete must be hard, firm and muscular. The abdomen of the average person is soft and flabby, and the least blow or

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Another movement of great value consists in raising and lowering the diaphragm and stomach by rapidly contracting and relaxing the muscles of the abdomen WHILE YOU ARE HOLDING THE LUNGS FULL OF AIR. Force the air downward and you can feel the stomach raise and lower, as the muscles of the abdomen become first rigid and then soft. Remember that all this internal exercise is taken while holding the breath but at the same time trying to force it out. A little practice will quickly show you what I mean. Some instructors will advise against holding the breath, as they claim the blood will not be properly purified while passing through the lungs, but in my opinion this objection is not worth considering, while on the other hand, the exercises outlined above are of great value and importance to everyone: men, women and children. I wish to say further, that I consider this DEEP DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING the only method of properly exercising the muscles of the liver, intestines, kidneys and stomach. It causes the blood to flow freely, it cleans the organs, and certainly is a wonderful preventative of indigestion and constipation and many other diseases of the organs of the abdominal cavity. If you are constipated TRY THIS EXERCISE REGULARLY and let me know if it does not help you more than medicine and physics. It is common sense to believe that if the sluggishness of the stomach, liver and bowels is removed, and active circulation and muscular action is brought about, that these organs will perform their functions better, and the likelihood of disease will be greatly decreased.

of fresh vegetables, and a reasonable quantity of lean meats, fish or chicken. Fresh ripe fruits are fine food and should be used liberally. Eggs are especially recommended, boiled or poached, and nothing is better than one or two raw eggs a day. These suggestions are for the student, or for that matter for any man in health, but when it comes to actual training for a real match or contest, a TRAINING DIET is imperative. This subject will be taken up later in the course.

Boxing for Wrestlers

Boxing is a good exercise, in fact, it is next to wrestling for teaching one to be quick and active. It develops SPEED and TIME. Boxing is also one of the best exercises for creating wind and endurance and I think that it should have a place in the training of any young man who wishes to become a generally good athlete. Boxing has its value for the wrestler, as it more highly develops many of the important functions that are required in the successful mat artist. You, of course, need a companion who is about your equal and you probably have such a companion by this time. If so I would advise that you get a set of boxing gloves and plan to meet regularly, say once or twice a week, and spend 20 or 30 minutes in exercises of this kind. One danger to avoid in boxing is the liability of overwork, and then there is some danger of striking too hard, and this is apt to create bad feeling unless you have good self-control. Therefore, be very careful and handle your boxing exercises as a matter of exercise rather than a physical contest.

Dieting
The question of what to eat is not so important as what NOT to eat. To overeat and clog the system with too much food or with food that is harmful, is weakening and prevents development of strength and health. In fact overeating invites disease, for the overloaded stomach and intestines are sluggish, give off poisonous matter to surrounding tissues, and often results in severe complications, cause fatty degeneration, and open up a rich field for disorder and disease. My system is not based on DIET, yet a sensible diet is absolutely necessary in order to secure the desired results. I therefore advise the students to eat plenty of good plain food, yet not too much, and to keep the bowels regular by exercise and internal massage. Among the things to avoid are: All liquors, very little tea or coffee or better not any, tobacco. highly-seasoned foods, and all kinds of fried fats and sweets. Stale bread or toast is better than fresh bread. Eat plenty G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

Punching the Bag

Many wrestling trainers never think of having their students punch the bag, as there does not appear to be much relation between wrestling and bag punching. It is generally supposed to be a method of training for pugilists, but I know from long experience that bag punching is a great exercise for physical culture and for training for the wrestler. Not only this, but it is fine for the young man who wishes to develop a strong and active physical body, and learn how to walk and handle himself gracefully under all conditions. Boxing and bag-punching increases your arm speed and thus enables you to snap your wrestling holds in with force and quickness. You can secure a punching bag at a small cost, or you can invest considerable money for an outfit. For my stuSeptember/October 1999

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dents, I would recommend getting an outfit which can be put up in the basement, attic or even in the barn. Those who board or room away from home may probably have to forego this portion of the training, as there is sometimes serious objection to the noise created when punching the bag. If you have never practiced with the bag, you must start slowly with light, quick strokes and gradually increase your speed day by day. After you become quite proficient, you can almost play a tune with your hands, alternately hitting the bag and the rebounding board. After getting the hang of the thing, you should not stand still while working, but step around, dance the two-step, waltz and perform many various exercises with the legs and body, all while rapidly punching the bag. It teaches you to be graceful, quick and ON TIME. It will also increase your speed, and speed is very material in not only wrestling, but all athletic games. [ Martin Farmer Burns was a champion wrestler and the trainer of many great wrestlers, most notably, Frank Gotch, who won the professional world heavyweight title in 1908 over George Hackenschmidt. He also helped train boxers such as Jim Jeffries in his proven conditioning methods. The excerpts published above are from his 1914 mail-order course, Lessons In Wrestling and Physical Culture. A new and improved reprint of the entire course is available through my office for $50 plus $5 S&H. Call (813) 994-8267 and order today.]

members of the nobility. While boxing was certainly a corner stone of the schools curriculum, use of the cudgel, small backsword and quarterstaff were also emphasized. Figg went on to promote boxing matches out of an open air amphitheater on Londons Oxford Road. Never one to rest on his laurels, Figg continued to go to the post to defend his championship status until 1734. Boxing during Figgs time would be virtually unrecognizable to todays audience. According to boxing historian John Sugden, When Figg was proclaimed champion in 1719, there were few rules associated with pugilism. In addition to punching, kicking was tolerated and wrestling holds and throws were permitted, as was the practice [of]... inserting fingers and thumbs into the opponents eyesockets. Clearly then, to be proclaimed British Champion in this sport, Figg would have had to have been as adept in the clinch as he was in the more

Boxing: W restlings Sister Ar t Wr Art

by Nathan Hatton Today, western society looks at the combative sports of boxing and wrestling as mirror opposites in terms of the skills that each art develops. Boxing is, and has been for most of this century, the quintessential Euro-American striking-art in which closed-hand blows are used to the exclusion of all other techniques. The only grappling modern pugilists engage in is during brief clinches. Invariably, these tie-ups last only a few seconds before a referee tells the combatants to fight out or physically separates the two, allowing the match to continue. Such was not the case in the early days of the sport both in England and in North America. Grappling was just as common place during this time as a well placed right cross to the jaw. The first recognized champion of boxing in Britain was James Figg, who first acquired the title in 1719. An illiterate, Figg traveled around the country taking on all comers at country fairs and other large rural gatherings. Using his earnings, he opened the worlds first school of boxing and self-defense on Tottenham Court Road in London. There, he taught the art of self-defense to young G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

James Figg traditional boxing range. This is particularly true given the fact that he often did not know who he would be facing on any given day. Were he as ignorant of grappling as todays pugilists, he would have easily fallen prey to a young Cumberland or Lancashire wrestler looking for a quick payoff. While the Broughton Rules began to bring some semblance of order to boxing in 1743, the art continued to maintain a strong grappling tradition. Even over a century later, this was still the case. One of the great middleweight champions of the mid-19th century was a man named Nat Langham, who held the title between 1843 and 1857. The only loss of his illustrious career came at the hands of a man who proved to be a better wrestler September/October 1999

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pling. He HAD to know both if he was to survive. Gem Mace later went on to defeat contender Tom King with a throw to the ground in a January 1862 title defense, indicating that he was versed in this aspect of the game as well. The last great fight under the London Prize Ring Rules was the John L. Sullivan-Jake Kilrain bout of 1889. Fought in New Orleans in the dead of summer, the match stands today as one of the most historic of all time. When the fight was signed, Sullivan (who was known as much for his extravagant lifestyle as skills in the ring), was a flabby, out of shape 240 lbs. His backers, concerned that their champion would not be able to reach fighting trim in time, enlisted the help of the greatest physical culturalist of that time- Greco Roman Wrestling champion William Muldoon. Muldoon took Sullivan to his Belfast, New York, ranch and placed him under a strict regimen of farm work and exercise. Central to Sullivans training routine was instruction in the finer points of wrestling. Sullivan preferred to fight under the Queensbury Rules which forbade any significant grappling, but since this fight was to be conducted under the London Prize Ring Rules, Muldoon knew his protege would need to be well prepared for the realities that this entailed. Kilrain in the classic boxing pose. Harry Orme. Orme and Langham fought a marathon battle in which Orme was bloodied and battered by Langhams powerful blows. In the 11th, Orme managed to execute a hip toss which left the champion stunned from the impact. Langham rallied and the fight continued. The end came when, in the 117th ROUND, Orme was once again able to seize Langham and send him flying through the air. This time, the champion was not able to get up, and Orme was declared the winner. The Langham-Orme match by no means represents an isolated incident in which grappling was used under the old London Prize Ring Rules. Neither does it indicate that it was always the better grappler who prevailed in these encounters. We need only look at the fight between Jem Mace and Sam Hurst which occurred 10 years after the Langham-Orme contest to see that superior grapplers were not assured of victory every time. When Hurst challenged for the English Championship in 1861, he came to the bout outweighing Jem Mace by 100 pounds. In addition to this advantage, Hurst had a reputation as a dangerous wrestler. The larger man came out aggressively from the start, hoping to end the fight by clinching and then executing a throw on his opponent. Gypsy Jem, wise to his opponents strategy, cleverly avoided the wrestlers onrushes and knocked him out in the eighth round. Of course, Mace was not a one-dimensional striker. Six years of fighting under the London Prize Ring Rules had given him the ability to deal with nearly any forms of assault, striking or grapG.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 The Greco-Roman champions training methodology

A picture of Mace in the classic boxing pose. September/October 1999

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proved correct, as the Sullivan-Kilrain match of 1889 was as much a wrestling contest as a boxing match. Fifteen seconds into the fight, Kilrain executed a headlock throw on John L. to end the first round. Sullivan returned the favor in the second. Back and forth it went, both men clinching, striking and throwing the other as the hot New Orleans sun beat down on their blistered backs. Eventually, Sullivan began to press Kilrain, taunting him with insults and peppering his face with blows that left his features grotesque and swollen. In the 76th round, Kilrains cornermen threw in the sponge, knowing that their man would not survive if he continued to fight. The Sullivan-Kilrain match marked the end of the bareknuckle era and the beginning of modern boxing as we know it. It also marked the end of wrestling as an inte-

References
John Sugden, Boxing and Society, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1996. Brailsford, D., Bareknuckles, (Cambridge: Lutterworth Press, 1988). Chapman, Mike, Frank Gotch: Worlds Greatest Wrestler, (William S. Hein & Co, Inc., 1990) Gorn, Elliott J., The Manly Art: Bare-Knuckle Prize Fighting in America, (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1986). Isenberg, Michael T., John L. Sullivan and His America, (Chicago; University of Illinois Press, 1988). Roberts, James B. and Skutt, Alexander G., The Boxing Register, 2nd Edition, (Ithaca, NY: McBooks Press, 1999).

Gotcha! Q&A with Karl Gotch

The Sulkil boxing match gral part of prizefighting. After 1889, the Marquis of Queensbury rules came into prominence, eliminating grappling from the boxers curriculum. While many great champions of both boxing and wrestling continued to train in both striking and grappling, among them Jack Dempsey the Non-Pariel, Joe Walcott, Frank Gotch and Farmer Burns. In fact, in 1910, Farmer Burns was hired as one of the trainers who would help prepare Jim Jeffries for his bout with Jack Johnson. An argument arose between former middleweight champion Billy Papke and Farmer Burns over which way Jeffries should be trained. It was decided that the argument should be settled by an all-out streetfight. Papke, many years younger than Burns, took a few swings at Burns. Farmer Burns then threw Papke to the ground and submitted him, making him cry uncle. The two arts, boxing and wrestling eventually diverged to the point where there was virtually no overlap whatsoever. Today, boxings grappling legacy is all but lost, and even the striking legacy of the old-timers is dying out as well. All we have left are the pictures, the stories, and in rare cases, the written lessons set down by the long-gone masters of the prize ring, to remind us of an era when boxing and wrestling werent all that far apart.

Q: Why do you think that weight lifting is not as good for wrestling as the calisthenics and gymnastic exercises you teach? A: Thats simple. Take a look at animals in the wild. They are in the best of shape, yet you dont see them lifting weights. They have built their strength by using their own body weight. This is the same thing gymnasts have done. With the exception of lifts like the split snatch and clean-and-jerk, pushing weights is the easy way out. People are always looking for the easiest way to get the job done. They cant do handstand pushups, so they lie on a bench and push weights in what is called the bench press. Now, when you lie down, that isnt how you fight, so what use is that? And you can adjust the weight anyway you want. If 200 pounds is too heavy you use 150. If 150 is too heavy you use 100. But when September/October 1999

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you do a handstand pushup, what are you going to do? Chop off your legs if you cant do them? No, you work with what you have and you choose exercises that give you conditioned strength as well as flexibility. When you use weights you only move in one direction. But when youre using your bodyweight, you use it from every direction and every angle. In combat sports, your movements are like a ball. Theyre not in a straight line. You move from every angle: front, back, up, down, left, right. Q: In your beginning level of conditioning, why the emphasis on Hindu squats and pushups? A: If youre going to build a house, where do you start? You build the foundation first, right? The same is true of the body of a wrestler. You build the foundation of strength and then you branch out. And the foundation of a wrestler is the legs and chest. Doing the Hindu squats builds strength in the legs, hips as well as the entire body. The Hindu pushups build the chest and upper body. Now, you might wonder why I say that the squats build the entire body. How is this so if youre only working your legs? Well, youre not just working your legs. Because of the deep breathing that takes place while you do the Hindu squats, strength is built throughout the entire body. By doing the squats you also work the small of the back which is the center of strength in the human body. Q: Speaking of deep breathing, Farmer Burns advocated deep breathing exercises in his 1914 mail-order course, Lessons in Wrestling and Physical Culture. Do you believe in doing deep breathing exercises as well? A: Yes. There are many ways to practice deep breathing, but the method I have used works like this. You inhale for six seconds. Then you hold your breath for six seconds. Then you exhale for six. Then you pause for six seconds. After that you can inhale and repeat the entire process. Eventually you can work up to 24 seconds with this breathing exercise. I like to practice this method when I walk. Normally people only use about two-thirds of their lungs, even when they breathe deeply. But with this method you gradually get so that youre cleaning out your entire lungs. And it will also increase the size of your chest because your rib cage has expanded. Q: Ive been using the Hindu squats and pushups routine with a deck of cards, which your students called The Karl Gotch Bible. I was wondering if this is the only routine you followed with the cards. A: I always say, Adapt and improvise. Think! Use your brain. A man who doesnt think is of no use. Now, let me make sure we clarify something. Your legs should be twice as strong as your arms, so when you do this rouG.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

tine with the cards, make sure that you always follow a 2-to-1 ratio. If you draw a ten, that means 10 pushups. But for squats, you should do 20. When you can do this routine without too much difficulty, you add another deck. When two decks gets easy, you adapt and improvise again. When you draw black clubs, you do regular Hindu squats. When you draw spades, you do jumping squats. For the red cards, when you draw diamonds you do regular Hindu pushups, but when you draw hearts you do alternating pushups while lifting the leg. Now you have four exercises instead of two. When you finish the routine with four exercises, you should be able to see someone walking across the water.

Shamr ock vs. Or tiz Shamrock Ortiz

by Mike Jones [Editors Note: In this article, Mike Jones presents some controversial thoughts about UFC XX and the ShamrockOrtiz fight. I am not necessarily in agreement with his final analysis, but his points deserve consideration. One thing is for certain, Mike Jones is no ones shill.] Over here in the United Kingdom, where much of modern day pugilism and wrestling has deep roots, we have a different way of viewing what Americans call fighting. Without question the UFC may be interesting at times, but much of this latest UFC is a charade. First you have the steroid and human growth hormone boys, and a bloody lot of them to be certain. Veins popping out of frontal deltoids is not too common amongst non-drug using athletes, even those who run like hounds and lift weights from dawn to dusk. Ive seen a lot of champion athletes in my fifty-three short years, from boxers to wrestlers to acrobats - but I dont recall seeing the deltoid veins on those boys, and they were in brilliant shape. How can a parade of vicious looking drug babies ever win over the American cable system? Maybe thats why you have to have the card girls in between rounds. Soften the audience with breasts and buttocks and maybe theyll forget to watch what is really happening. Second you have the lap dog announcers who, show after show pander to Frank Shamrock. This latest UFC though, took the cake right out of the oven and smeared it all over the set. The announcers dont simply probe Franks backside with their noses, they go a step further and make certain that his new Mrs. is involved in most everything. Youd think the lady in red must be wearing pheromone-laced perfume, and a lot of it, as she worked her magic upon Jeff Blatnick, Bill Goldberg and the rest of the crew. The cameras swoon. Heres Frank in his locker room September/October 1999

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warming up. Look closer. Theres Angelina in the mirror with her red dress, putting on makeup. Where I come from, a mens dressing room is not a place for a lady, but refined manners and etiquette arent part of the UFC. Then you have the talk from announcers about Franks recent marriage and how it has made him meaner. Then the no disrespect meant to Angelina, comment. Then you have Frank getting ready to enter the octagon, and the lady in red leads the way. Then, thankfully, you have the fight but throughout most of it, Frank does nothing while Tito Ortiz hammers him. Tito takes him down, whacks him and after they get back to the feet, Tito gets behind and misses a splendid chance for a back suplex. Tito doesnt even appear to know how to do the move. Had he known how, Frank may have spent the evening in the hospital. Instead, Tito does a front lift and whacks Frank in the head a few times. Frank has a cut. Frank spends the rest of the period lying on his back wrapped around Titos waist. Yet none of this can detract from Frank in the eyes of announcer Jeff Blatnick. This round was just too close to call, he says. Rounds two and three are more of the same. Frank lies on his back using fly swatter punches to the back of Titos head. No damage but it looks good enough for Blatnick. Frank is bewildered and keeps looking to his corner for advice. What great fighter looks to his corner for advice whilst he fights? Yet Blatnick and company see this as something valiant and heroic. Frank can do no wrong even when he is doing absolutely nothing right. As the fighters prepare for round four a shot of Tito shows no sign of fatigue, but when fighting commences Tito hangs back and lets Frank hack away. After a while Tito decides enough already and takes Shamrock down again. The sleeping hound, Shamrock, is now game for a brawl. He decides to move a little on the ground. Toward the end of the round there is a scramble and Frank tries for a lousy chokehold. Yet Tito has had enough. Frank elbows once and uses the fly swatter again, this time while standing and retreating. Whilst this happens Tito concedes. Then you have a defeated Tito donning a Frank Shamrock t-shirt. Strange, me thinks.The air is mucked up. Could this be a fix? I shun the notion. Cant be. Now it is Blatnicks turn again. He questions Frank about the fight. Any honest announcer would have said, Frank you escaped this one. You were losing the fight on all judges cards - then you pulled it out. What was your strategy going into this fight? How do you rate Tito? Were you ever worried that you wouldnt be able to win it? Would you give this man a rematch? Bas Rutten now wants a piece of you, do you want to fight him? He beat you twice in Pancrase, dont you feel that beating him G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

would answer the critics? Instead, the questions begin with: Frank, do you feel youre the greatest fighter to ever step into the octagon? By far, says Shamrock, who then boasts that he has no challengers, no one who can test him, no one he cant beat. The lady in red is at his side, her fingernails massaging his neck and shoulders. She cant stay out of the picture. And the announcers curtsy to her and to Frank while Frank states that his competition is nothing. Meanwhile, Frank wipes blood from his open facial gash. It took Frank 19:50 to beat him. Now he pays homage to himself, saying hes the greatest, the best by far? How can that be? Will Frank give Bas a chance to prove otherwise? No way. Its time to retire from UFC. Cheers to Frank as he and the lady in red disappear into the night. After a spell, strange rumblings circulate. Tito is now going to be trained by Frank. So odd. Makes the t-shirt and baby slap victory look dubious. I never heard of a fighter beating another for nearly 20 minutes and when he loses, donning the oppositions gear and joining hands. What kind of fighter is this? What about a rematch? This is a move Don King couldnt have dreamt.

Travelogue on V ancouver Vancouver Seminar

by Lee deNevers Nervously waiting in the Vancouver airport for Matts plane to arrive from San Jose, I talked with Jason Crawford about how many things had changed over the past months since Id attended my first and only seminar with Matt Furey in October, 1998. I had spent the past six months working hard to improve my skills, as had the rest of the guys I train with at the Burnaby Combat Wrestling Club, and was looking forward to learning from Matt again. I couldnt help but wonder how much Karl Gotchs influence would show in his techniques. Looking at the clock on the wall every five minutes or so, I noticed that Jason was becoming increasingly nervous, pacing up and down the terminal waiting area. It was then I spotted the unmistakable figure coming out of Canadian customs, walking towards us, casting a kind of take-no-shit silhouette against the dispersing crowd. As Matt picked us out of the crowd, big goofy kid at Christmas smiles came across our faces and I knew right then it was going to be a weekend to remember for a long time. September/October 1999

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The first seminar I had attended with Matt was in October of 1998 in Dublin, California. My buddy Gus and I drove the distance from Vancouver (20 hours), and didnt really know what to expect. All we knew was that some guy who used to be called The Sarge was running the show. Sure, we had visited Matts website a fair bit, tuned into the now extinct (or permanently hibernating) bulletin board to listen to a bunch of guys discussing the merits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu vs. catch wrestling - and the occasional tirade by some wacko (can anyone say Clugston?). What really piqued my curiosity, however, was the amount and variety of information contained on, and linked to, Matts website. Dinosaur training, the mysterious Shuai-chiao kung fu, the even more mysterious world of catch wrestling, and a host of other grappling styles were all woven together to form a comprehensive physical fitness and martial art based wrestling system. This concept intrigued me, and led to the 1000 mile journey south for the one-day seminar.

There were literally 100 different techniques taught at the San Jose seminar, with extensive drills in takedowns, throws, head and face locks, neck cranks, and leg submissions, altogether too many to take in one month of solid training, let alone one afternoon at a seminar. Matt seamlessly integrated standard wrestling moves and painful, old school submissions to form an art the likes of which Id never seen before. The quality of the instruction and the patience Matt exhibited with scrows like myself made me a believer. Luckily, I also purchased the seminar videos, which provided two hours plus of in depth instruction. My friends and I studied the tapes for months afterward, hoping that one day we might get the chance to attend another seminar.

At the seminar, I was fortunate enough to have met Jason Crawford, Matts top student from his school in San Jose. Jason was a fellow Canadian and a Japanese jiu-jitsu brown belt who was working for a biotech firm in the area. He was also going to be returning to Vancouver in the new year to beThat seminar, to state gin a new job. We exit modestly, was eyechanged e-mail adopening. I had been dresses and kept in involved with judo for touch the next few about a year at that months after Id repoint, and was conturned home. It was vinced that this, along during this time that with Jiu-Jitsu or BraJason passed his zilian Jiu-Jitsu, were Level One Combat the ultimate fighting Wrestling exam, the styles. What I saw first person ever to do and learned at the so. This also meant he seminar dispelled that was certified to teach Matt Furey and Jason Crawford with some of the boys at the Vancouver myth, and I returned to the Level One curricuseminar. Canada and my judo lum to students. I was school with a host of very excited about the new techniques, many of which the other judo students possibility of being able to study combat wrestling in and the sensei hadnt seen before. The fact that these Vancouver, as was Jason about the possibility of teachholds could be applied without the assistance of a jacket ing. We obtained Matt Fureys permission to open a or gi only served to heighten my resolve that wrestling school, and proceeded to enlist others, secure a trainwas completely underrated in the martial arts commuing facility, and purchase wrestling mats. nity. Most people have the perception that wrestling is what you see in high school, college, the Olympics. It Over the next six months, we added new members and is, but this is only a portion of the legacy, since the asked Matt if he would be interested in coming up for a holds and techniques of amateur wrestling are, in many weekend seminar. He enthusiastically agreed. cases, toned down versions of those found in professional catch-as-catch can, and in other cases the moves The seminar was held in the fitting locale of the Pinnacle are completely different. The amateur rules of wrestling, Mat warehouse in a suburb of Vancouver, Canada. There like those now present in judo and jiu-jitsu, are for the were literally thousands of square feet of wrestling mat, athletes protection more than anything else. in various states of repair, laying about the expanses of the facility. Once the bay and rear exit doors were opened, G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 24 September/October 1999

enough air flow went through the place to make for perfect wrestling conditions. The owner, Norm Spence, had graciously allowed the two day seminar to occupy his building for a nominal fee, and was himself excited about having us there. The seminar began at 10 a.m. and was supposed to run till around 4 p.m., an hour for lunch, five hours total. The newly updated Level One curriculum was to be covered in its entirety, complete with new conditioning drills Matt had learned from his recent visits with Karl Gotch. Much of the curriculum centered around a number of rarely seen techniques, including devastating ankle and leg locks, arm bars, chicken wings, toe holds and face locks. Seeing how my buddy Gus was used as a demonstration dummy the previous seminar in San Jose, I felt it my duty and obligation to do the same this time around. Gus neck was out anyway, so even though Matt would have loved to have gotten a hold of him, he got stuck with me instead. Reflecting back on it, I dont know what the hell I was thinking by volunteering my services. Temporary insanity. Pain fetish. Punishment complex. I mean, what could be better than spending a Saturday getting your limbs, neck and face cranked for hours on end? Needless to say, my enthusiasm began to wane after the face lock complete with an eye socket mash made me feel like I got smoked with a straight right. I used to like the idea of these ripping techniques, especially after reading Karl Gotch tell of the old time wrestlers who liked using these techniques on opponents, and who wouldnt complain if you did it to (them) too. Well, I complained.

were all feeling it, believe me. Next, a full course of throws. Greco throws highlighted the importance of a strong back and good bridging skills; hip tosses and standing headlock throws to name a few. Devastating Chinese and Mongolian throwing techniques, including a reverse shoulder throw that literally had me soiling my shorts. Matt was good enough to stop halfway through, as I would have surely broken something upon landing. Matt mentioned that these techniques were used for centuries in war to maim and kill. We all nodded. Takedowns followed, single and double-legs, ankle picks, spin doubles, and a myriad of variations on these. Tie ups, underhooks, overhooks, duckunders, armdrags, bearhugs. These basics we drilled a bunch of times, until Matt was reasonably satisfied. Wed been doing them in class for six months, but there was still a lot of room for improvement. Next, takedowns as setups for fight-ending hooks, followed by counters to all the takedowns wed just practiced. My head was spinning trying to keep up. The other guys were in the same boat. Finally, break time. At this point, wed been at it for about three hours, an hour each of conditioning, throws and takedowns. Next up, head and neck submissions. This is were I should have checked out of the demo game, but foolishly chose to stay in. Matt was kind while demonstrating the basic guillotine and head chancery, but became downright mean (hehe) when the facelocks and neck stocks came around. Id been exposed to some of these techniques at Matts previous seminar, but now he had added an entire arsenal to his repertoire. There seemed to be no end to these moves. An hour of this and my body was screaming bloody murder. Lunch came none too soon. After lunch and back at the warehouse (or dungeon depending on who you talked to), we moved into the ground game. Submissions from the guard and side mount followed. Reverse wrist lock, double-wrist lock, jaw locks and arm bars, body scissors, face locks, toe holds, chicken wings, and hammerlocks all carried out with lethal precision, one move to the next. At this point I raised the white flag and called for fresh troops. Matt wouldnt let me up, so I did the only thing I could think of and told an off coloured joke. He chuckled at first, then finally began laughing hard enough to get off me and take a break. Thank god for clutch thinking. I asked Matt how much more of the Level One course was left. He indicated another page and a half. I thanked him and said, September/October 1999

The fact that these holds could be applied without the assistance of a jacket or gi only served to heighten my resolve that wrestling was completely underrated in the martial arts comm unity . unity. community

Day One
It started with a vigorous warm-up, including Hindu squats, Hindu pushups, extensive back and neck bridging, and a host of other body-weight exercises. These drills, Matt informed us, were the building blocks for success on the mat. If you didnt have a proper anaerobic conditioning base, he reasoned, learning wrestling techniques was pretty much worthless, kind of like trying to read a book without first understanding the alphabet. I dont know how many guys Ive seen with loads of talent but no stamina, who eventually go down to the guy with the better conditioning, Matt said. The conditioning warm-up lasted about a hour. The guys G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

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No thank you. He jokingly called me a sissy, I nodded. Young Jeff then became Matts favorite Raggedy Anne doll. The change of guard seemed to revitalize Matt, who continued the demonstration with renewed zeal. Poor young Jeff. At one point, in the midst of a cross face, when Jeffs nose was pushed upwards and completely flattened, he resembled something akin to a small hog. I couldnt help but laugh. The rest of the class chimed in. It was one of those golden moments when you see a friend in a world of hurt and you think its the funniest thing you ever saw. It was 5 oclock at this point, and we still had at least another hour to go. Brutal leglocks, heel hooks and knee bars followed. I was sure glad Jeff was in there absorbing all this knowledge. Hushed tones and nervous laughter were exchanged as each move was unveiled. Chokes rounded out the curriculum. Personally, I was so SORE I didnt want to leave the shower after I finally got home. We all met for dinner at a local restaurant, followed by drinks and some live entertainment at the NBI, affectionately known as the office. To say Matt loved it there would be an understatement. T.C., the masseur worked on his neck and shoulders while we sat drinking away.As the beer was going down and T.C. kneading his back, I believe Matt thought he had found a small corner of heaven way up here in the Pacific Northwest, and perhaps he had.

Matt proceeded to demonstrate the standing full nelson, but was careful to explain that it is usually for show, unless someone doesnt know the first thing about wrestling. The hold almost tore my head off, and a whole host of submissions and controls from the ground followed. Quarter, half, three-quarters and further Nelsons were used to great effect, forcing me into every type of compromising situation imaginable. These were realworld holds, effective and useful in many combat and sport situations no matter what art you study. After the Nelson series, we all took a break while Matt donned his Shuai-chiao uniform. He said he would be filming a video featuring the devastating throws and takedowns of Chinese and Mongolian wrestling. Johnson, one of the seminar attendees, agreed to be the one getting thrown. He put on a judo gi. He is a member of both the Burnaby Combat Wrestling and Judo Clubs, so was able to both be thrown and to fall correctly, making an ideal demonstration partner. Matt launched into a myriad of shoulder, hip, and arm throws which electrified the crowd. Then a multitude of takedowns and setups. Matts movements were fluid and graceful, yet powerful in their balance and focus. My judo sensei, Bob, who has been involved in judo for over 30 years, was one of the seminar attendees. He made special mention of the way Matt moved about, off-balancing his opponent and setting him up for attacks in a very smooth, seemingly effortless manner. He took special note of Matts footwork, how he glided around, directing the opponent into one trap after another. The footwork may have been soft and flowing, but there was nothing soft about the way Johnson was repeatedly taken to the mat. Of particular note was a takedown Matt had developed prior to the Shuai-chiao World Championships, a move which combined elements of freestyle wrestling and Chinese grappling. This maneuver sent the opponent spinning helplessly to the mat with a minimum of effort, the likes of which even Bob had never seen before. After two hours of what seemed like a hundred throws and takedowns, filming was complete. If Id been in Johnsons shoes, I would have been leaving the seminar on wheels. He seemed to take it all in stride though, the rough and tumble guy he is. It was now 3 p.m. and wed just gone through another five straight hours of instruction. Meanwhile, we thought Matt must be tired so we took our chances. One by one we came to the center of the mat to tangle with him and one by one he disposed of us like nothing, but did so in a gentlemanly way, never hurting us or making us feel like dog shit. It was obvious that he carried a couple of the guys just so that he would get a longer workout. Then, when the last of us came in to try Matt, he took a couple deep breaths and went at it with a laser-like focus. It was over pretty quickly. We gave Matt a long September/October 1999

Day Two
We had a complete review of the Level One material, which turned out to be an excellent idea. With the plethora of knowledge conveyed the first day, many of the guys were having difficulty not only remembering the techniques, but also performing those they did remember. This review session provided everyone the opportunity to recall what we had learned the previous day in a refreshed state, and improve on those techniques they did remember but had performed poorly or incorrectly. During this session, Matt kindly introduced a thorough exhibition of submissions and body controls using Nelson holds. On the trip into the warehouse that morning, Jason had mentioned to Matt that I was very fond of Nelsons, and could he perhaps show some of these techniques. Up till that point on Day two, I was a spectator and young Jeff the demo guy. The mention of Nelson holds prompted me to my feet with right hand raised and waving, enthusiastically volunteering my services. Matt smiled and rubbed his hands. I gulped and got on the mat, stupid smile and all. Gus, the camera man, asked me what was up with the smiling. Nelson holds, was all I said.

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round of applause and he couldnt thank us enough for having him up. After the seminar we took Matt over to Gus house to prepare him for a barbecue the likes of which he has never seen. Sasq, the barbecue master himself, was there, complete with his beloved Weber kettle and Royal Oak real lump charcoal. I brought my portable Weber gas grill to play supporting role, so we were set. Real barbecue is serious business up here in Canada, especially when prestigious out of town guests are around, so the troops were rallied. A fully bevy of thick-cut steaks, dry-rub chicken thighs, Bavarian smokies, Okanogan honey smoked chops, summer slaw, Gus potatoes, and Lees garlic bread were all cued up by Sasq over a four-hour period. We somehow ended up eating all the food, with Matt calling special attention to the honey smoked chops. Hed dumped a bunch of barbecue sauce on the chops, took one bite, and proceeded to scrape it all back off again. The flavor was too good to cover up I guess. As the sun was going down and the last of the food was polished off, we smoked fine Cuban cigars, and talked of the weekend. The seminar was a great success. Everyone felt privileged to have had this high quality of hands-on instruction . It was a weekend none of us will ever forget and we look forward to doing it again and again.

sell many tickets if they didnt have high kicks. Now, if the average person were to witness a wrestler timing a karate mans kick so well that he can easily step inside and take him down with a double or singleleg dive, he might be prone to think that the wrestler was all brawn and no brains. He might be prone to believe that the wrestler is not as skillful, that he is simply bigger and stronger. Well, in some cases this may be true. But in actuality, the double or single-leg dive is an effective combat skill. When it is executed properly, especially in a mixed martial arts setting, you may be taking away your opponents best weapon. I am not saying that the double or single-leg dive is the best way or the ideal way for a grappler to neutralize a strikers high kicks. It is merely one method that many wrestlers have successfully used in mixed martial arts competition. Typically, a wrestler is uncomfortable trading kicks, so hell wait for the kick. And when it comes he goes. Once a person understands the artistry of these takedown skills, hell appreciate them; especially when he SEES and FEELS how effective they are. As the saying goes, there is no greater teacher than experience.

The Tactics of the Combat Wrestler

A Combat Wrestler is not necessarily someone who has competed in collegiate wrestling. Nor is he someone who exclusively practices freestyle or Greco-Roman wrestling. No. A Combat Wrestler is a martial artist who prefers to use throws, takedowns and submissions to win a fight. He may use strikes as well, but oftentimes the strikes are simply the set-up for a submission hold.

When He Kicks - Y ou Go You

by Matt Furey Even though I consider myself to be a grappler, Ill be the first to admit that martial arts kicks are amazing to watch. Anyone who can sweep his foot from the ground to somewhere on your face, within a flash, has great skill.

The same can be said of punches, whether they be jabs, uppercuts or hooks. The ability to square off with someone and smack him in the head, even when hes trying to avoid you - is awe-inspiring. But lets face it. If it werent for the ability to kick high, hard and fast, martial arts wouldnt have the appeal they have in the United States today. Without flashy kicks, martial arts movie producers would be out of business. Can you imagine a karate tournament without kicks? How about a Muay Thai bout? I dont think these events would G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

A Combat Wrestler is a martial artist who prefers to use throws, takedowns and submissions to win a fight.
Different Strategies

There are a few crucial differences between the fighting strategy of a striker and that of a combat wrestler, and they are best exemplified through the grizzly bear versus caribou fight I watched on television a couple years back. Heres how it went:

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The grizzly bear spots a lone caribou standing in the middle of the river. The caribou has a huge rack of antlers, and stands about as tall as an elk. Typically the caribou would be out running with the herd, where no grizzly could run it down, but this one was slightly wounded and couldnt keep up. This gives the bear and caribou a rare opportunity to fight - pitting two completely different styles of combat against one another. Now, we know that a bear can decapitate a human being with one smack - but he cant use that strategy against a caribou. The caribous large rack protects it from getting hit, and when the bear approaches, the caribou can stab him with his horns. Bears are intelligent fighters though. They know how to avoid a strike. The key is simple: Stay out of your opponents range. So, after the bear knows the caribous range, he starts to probe for weaknesses. First he tests by circling to the caribous side, looking for a clear opening to charge. The caribou is too smart to fall for this tactic, so the bear approaches from the front again - but this time he gets down so low that the caribou will be off balance when he tries to strike. The bears earlier tests showed that moving forward will make the caribou punch at him with his horns. At first the intended strikes scared the bear, but now he is prepared to counter. This time, when the caribou comes at him, the bear moves forward. As the caribou attacks, the bear raises his arms and hooks them inside the caribous rack. From there the bear pulls the caribou toward the stream, then turns his waist and hip tosses him into the water. The caribou struggles to maintain his footing, and the bear climbs aboard, wherein he controls him with a sleeper hold before submerging him into the stream where death is certain. As I watched this fight I couldnt help but think: Now thats a bear who knows how to use wrestling to get what he wants. The strategy the bear used is the same one many wrestlers use to counter a kick. It can be summarized as follows: 1. Stay out of striking range. This makes the striker uncomfortable and forces mistakes. 2. Lower your level and charge when there is an opening. 3. Go into a clinch, preventing the striker from hitting you. 4. Take the striker to the ground. 5. End the fight as quickly as possible with a submission hold. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

A Kick is a Whip
Lifting your leg and turning the shin outward is often taught as a counter to a roundhouse kick. A combat wrestler could use this strategy, but unless it helps him enter to a clinch, it is of little use. The easiest way to explain the strategy a combat wrestler will use to defend a kick, can be summarized by understanding the following metaphor: A kick is a whip. Unlike a punch, which can score a knockout from a few inches away, a kick will lose all of its snap if you choose one of three options: a. Back up so that it misses b. Circle away so that it either misses or barely connects c. Move into the kicker and take him to the ground. Lets look at each of the above. In the first instance, backing away from a kick does not prevent a striker from throwing another one. In the second instance, you can circle away from a kick to force a miss. Yet, this method doesnt result in a clinch or takedown either. That is why the combat wrestler prefers method number three. When timed perfectly, attacking the kicker with a single or double-leg dive, looks a little like a car crashing into a motorcycle doing a wheelie. The combat wrestler counters the kick by moving inside of it, where he then grabs one or both of the strikers legs. From there the combat wrestler takes the fight to the ground, where he can end the melee. In the following pictures I will demonstrate some basic leg dives, an inside trip and a tree topper that any grappler may use to counter.

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Counter #1 - Double Leg Dive

b. Now I pull his leg up a bit higher and start to run toward his other foot. c. Then I step across his body, positioning my right foot next to his left. This puts me in perfect position to grab his other leg with my free hand. I make sure my hold is at or below the knee cap so that I am not fighting the power of his upper thighs and hips.

a. My opponent prpares to kick me in the thigh.

As his leg moves forward I step in between his legs with my left foot, making it easy for me to catch his leg with my left arm. d. I drive him to the ground and drop my knee into his groin. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 29 September/October 1999

Counter #2 - Single-Leg Dive

c. Then put your left shoulder into the side of your opponents knee and drive sideways, knocking him to the ground. a. This picture shows a variation to Counter #1. It can be used whether the opponent is kicking to the thigh or to the head. As soon as your opponents foot leaves the ground, you lower your level and dive at the far leg.

Counter #3 - Inside Trip

b. As you grab hold of the leg, do so firmly with the inside hand controlling behind the knee and the outside hand down around the heel. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

a. In this situation you catch your opponents kicking leg with your left leg. As he attempts a roundhouse kick, you turn sideways and curl your left leg upward as high as you can. This neutralizes the power of the kick and allows you to catch it. September/October 1999

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b. Once you have caught the leg with your own leg, you can change positions and resecure his leg with your left arm. Be sure to lace your arm as deeply as possible.

d. Knock your opponent to the ground and drop your shin bone in his groin.

Counter #4 - Tree Topper

c. Then step in with your right leg and hook your opponents leg at the back of his knee. Put your right forearm in his throat and begin driving forward with your arm and your leg.

a. In this situation your opponent attempts an axe kick to your face. As the foot comes up, you get under it with both hands and catch it.

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on Glima, as well as being featured in a number of magazines. He has done both theatrical work showcasing his art and fought real challenge matches, often after publicly wagering on the outcome. Surprised that you havent heard of this martial arts sensation? Read on, theres more. What if I told you that he did all this and more long before you were even born? Not possible, you say? Well, in 1907 and 1908, Josephsson was the national Glima champion of Iceland and holder of the Grettir Belt for those years. He also wrote the first and only English Language book on Glima, simply titled Glima - The Icelandic Wrestling, which is a fantastic book, even by todays standards. It details the basic grip and quite a number of throws and counters in large, clear photographs - quite the rarity for a book in 1908; books in that era usually contained only text and crude illustrations or tracings of photographs to refer to. In 1908 he was also in the Olympic Games in England as a Middleweight Greco-Roman wrestler. This was a doubly impressive feat, as Josephsson was the first Icelander to ever represent his country in the games. Though he was sadly forced to withdraw due to an injury, six other Glima players accompanied him to the Games, and for several nights they performed two wrestling shows each evening. They fought with each other, and would take on audience members for money, wagering that they could throw any man within five minutes. According to one account of the tour in a 1908 Icelandic yearbook, they encountered a 220-pound English wrestler in the audience and decided to let him win the first night they encountered him, and only allowed their man to throw him at the last minute the next night, and in fact throwing him several times in that last minute. This was an early glimpse of Josephssons sense of showmanship that would serve him over the years. From London, the troupe went to Denmark for a similar tour. This was the start of a great journey for Josephsson and his boys. They would tour the world, not seeing their homeland for many years. The same Icelandic yearbook has an article from 1919 about Josephsson, heralding his return after nine and a half years away. It tells how he had toured North America and all of Europe except for the Balkans (on account of the war, even back then) and was preparing to return to the United States. During this time, the British magazine Health & Strength featured him on its cover in January of 1911. It showed Josephsson in top form, doing a reverse hip throw variation against an armed assassin in a photograph taken from the article on Glima vs. Revolvers. To give perspective on where all this falls in the grapplers timeline, the other story on the cover of the magazine is When Hack Meets Gotch. (Note: I wrote this article before September/October 1999

b. Push upward and drive forward, knocking your opponent onto his back with great force. These situations give you an idea of some methods a wrestler may use to counter the leg kicks of a striker. Once again, these methods may not be pretty. They may not even be the best methods a grappler may use to nullify a strikers kicks. But they are commonly used in mixed martial arts competitions and they do work. Regardless of what the casual observer may think of these tactics in terms of beauty, elegance and gracefulness - theyre worthy of your attention. Any technique that works so often against top-notch strikers is worth studying.

Johannes Josephsson The Legend of Glima: Icelandic Wrestling

by Pete Kautz Perhaps you have never heard of the master grappler, Johannes Josephsson, so let me give you a quick rundown. He hails from Iceland, the remote Northern land of Viking fame. He is a lifelong student of Glima, which is a native folk wrestling style consisting mainly of standup throws. He wrestled in the Olympic games and has since fought in a number of mixed-martial-arts competitions, routinely beating Japanese jiu-jitsu experts. He has toured Europe and America demonstrating his art and has written one of the few English-language books G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

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the June/July issue of G.A.I.N. came out - imagine my surprise at reading the actual When Hack Meets Gotch piece!) When Josephsson toured America, he didnt visit martial art schools or attend Karate tournaments as a guest of honor. In that era, there were no martial art schools, save the boxing gym or wrestling club, and the idea of a tournament where the competitors paid for the privilege of competing was unheard of (unless it was for a purse to split). Josephsson and his troupe played vaudeville houses doing demonstrations of his art against boxers, knife fighters, and multiple assailants - all as sports entertainment, mind you. One publicity photo even shows Josephsson wearing a set of traditional Icelandic clothes and a crown! Though I could not find written documentation, it would seem likely that Josephsson would have continued in the tradition of having an open challenge to the audience to wrestle for cash, as they did in England. One piece the troupe performed was called The Pioneer, and was billed as a story Based on the Early Days of California and A Dramatic Novelty Act with a Thrill. In it, Josephsson used his Glima against savage Indians who tie him to a stake before he escapes, beats them, and saves the girl. Though politically incorrect by todays standards, it was perhaps accurate to the Wild West image of America, one that many Europeans had when Josephsson was growing up. This, too, was also a time when vaudeville acts such as Noisy Boy Evans - Black Face Comedy and Music were still relatively common. Josephsson cared more for how someone fought, however, and the Black boxer Samuel Smith worked with the group of Icelanders, and is seen in several of the staged publicity pictures. The Glima show must have been quite the curiosity to its audience. These vaudeville houses played shows several times a day, boasting of 5 Star Features on a 10 Act Bill and admission ranging from 15 to 75 cents, and usually a quarter matinee. It played on bills with such fare as Eva Buck & Sam Wight: Wildcat Comedy Favorites in Opera vs. Jazz, The Geralds A Nifty Musical Offering, Edwin George: A Comedian - Almost a Juggler, and The Girl in the Moon - a Singing Act thats Different. It even played alongside animal acts like Herzogs Russian Stallions and Raynos Comedy Bulldogs. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

With acts like these, you can see why Glima was always at the top of the bill! The headlines were great: A Novelty from the Frozen North The Icelandic Manly Art of Self Defense Johannes Icelandic Stranglers Josephsson also toured with the Barnum & Baileys circus and while they were in New York City, there arose a disagreement between his troupe and the troupe of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu men who also worked with the circus - as is witnessed in this newspaper article. Babys Cry Stops Wrestling Bout Between Far East and Icy North In an exciting wrestling bout on the roof of Madison Square Garden, Johannes Josephsson, of a troupe of Icelanders with Barnum & Baileys circus, yesterday afternoon scored over Otagawa, a Japanese. Josephsson hurled Otagawa to the mat several times, but did not gain a complete fall. He permitted Otagawa to wear a jacket during the bout, which was the outcome of jealousy between the respective troupes with the circus. Mrs. Josephsson, with her baby girl, Hekla, who is named after the largest volcano in Iceland, was in the ring of spectators. Mrs. Josephsson did not wish her husband to abandon straps which he usually wears when wrestling, but he told her he would have to concede something to Otagawa, who did not like the looks of his belt. When Josephsson faced the little brown man, one of the champions of jiu-jitsu in his own country, everybody was keyed up to a high pitch of excitement, for there was fire in the eyes of the man from the North and a smile on the face of the one from the Far East. As Josephsson, with arms extended, approached, Otagawa threw a coat at him. For an instant the spectators thought there was going to be a fistfight, but the man from the North calmly walked off the mat. Several other Japanese then tried to dissuade their countryman from taking part in the bout. Josephsson explained he had not been in the habit of wrestling a man with a jacket tied around him with a cloth belt, but finally he was persuaded to take on Otagwa in that way. Norman Selby, Kid McCoy, was selected as referee, and Thomas Rankine announced that the men were ready for the bout.

Josephsson explained he had not been in the habit of wrestling a man with a jacket tied around him with a cloth belt, but finally he was persuaded to take on Otagwa in that w ay . ay.

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The big fair-haired man had the spectators with him. Get him, Joe! and Mind his leg! they shouted. Certainly it was no childs play when the two men came together. Bang! Josephsson looked in a precarious way, but he righted himself, and swept Otagawa off his feet, landing the exponent of jiu-jitsu on one shoulder. Then they struggled for nearly a minute, and finally Otagawa managed to get to his feet. When the first round was declared over by McCoy, Josephsson asked Otagawa to wrestle with the upper part of his body naked, but the little brown man would not hear of it. Josephsson then tied the coat around him and strode to the mat. Otagawa struggled to get a hold on the coat near his antagonists throat. Josephsson struggled free and hurled Otagawa to the mat. Then a struggle took place near the chairs. Josephsson picked up Otagawa and pitched him over his shoulder. They clinched and swayed back and forth, but Josephsson could not pin Otagawas shoulders to the mat. Just then a babys cry was heard. It was from Hekla, two years and four months old, who could no longer bear to see her father struggling. He ceased to wrestle and went to the baby. There was applause when he, too, held the child in his arms and cajoled her to be quiet. I have given them their way, he said afterward. Let Otagawa wrestle me without the coat. I will show him something then. But Otagawa had much faith in the coat. Thereupon the bout ended with McCoy declaring Josephsson the winner. Josephsson, in his act with the circus, shows how a man knowing how to use his legs as well as his arms can get the best of three highwaymen. On the opening night of the circus his act elicited so much applause that the Japanese jiu-jitsu wrestlers became jealous. Judging by the noise when a man falls after having attacked Josephsson, he is as quick in his way as the Japanese are in theirs. One of the Japanese, A. Tamerki, following the bout, suspended animation. He was choked out by one of his countrymen until Dr. H.G. Grable and Dr. William E Young, who listened with a stethoscope and told the spectators his heart had ceased beating for one minute. This was not the only time Josephsson would pit his Glima against Jiu-Jitsu. Again, in England, he fought a G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

Japanese master named Diabutsu. The fight was set up by a newspaper, with the angle that if Josephsson could not throw Diabutsu within five minutes, he would have to pay 50 pounds sterling. Though we do not have a detailed account of the fight, it is known that Josephsson won it, throwing Diabutsu four times. Evening Times Matches Josephsson and Diabutsu The Icelander will Forfeit ($)50 if Diabutsu is not Thrown Within 5 Minutes. The wrestling match between Johannes Josephsson, the champion Icelandic Glima exponent, and Diabutsu, who is recognized as the best at the Japanese style, was definitely fixed up at the Evening Times office yesterday. The contest will take place on stage at the Alhambra on Monday evening, and the considerable interest aroused should mean an exceptionally large audience. The parties met at midday, Josephsson was represented by his manager, Mr. Henderson, whilst Mr. Neill conducted negotiations for Diabutsu, who speaks little English. As usual, some time elapsed before the details were settled, the greatest stumbling block being the deposit of the money. Guarantees were required by each side, but after a lot of discussion these were finally arranged to the satisfaction of all concerned. The two will wrestle in the Icelandic style. Diabutsu will be compelled to grip his opponent as if he were about to engage in a waltz with him. Whether this will be a total handicap or not remains to be seen. In 1927, Josephsson finally returned to Iceland to stay with over $120,000 U.S. in his pocket. Having traveled for nearly 19 years, perhaps he was looking for some stability in his life when he invested over 1 million Krona of this in a gigantic hotel in the capital city of Reykjavik. He called his place Hotel Borg (fortress) and it opened in 1930, coinciding with the 1000th anniversary of the Icelandic Parliament, which brought throngs of visitors to Reykjavik. A visitor at the opening said, Staying here is as good as being on a cruise, and with a grand dining hall seating 150, and 70 rooms it must have been quite opulent. In addition to being a great master of his art, Josephsson was also a master showman of his art. No doubt today, with his Viking looks and fighting skill, he would be workSeptember/October 1999

In addition to being a great master of his art, Josephsson was also a master showman of his art.

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ing in TV and movies (probably in a buddy flick with Van Damme) or still be working on the pro-wrestling circuit. Like many wrestlers at that time who made their living by touring, particularly in circus setting where every event should seem like the one you just cant miss, there is that fine mix of show and shoot that was essential. Certainly, his leaving the ring to hold his crying daughter Hekla, thus stopping a match, is a great way to finish in any era - and one that speaks to the character of the Strong, Quiet Man from the North. [Pete Kautz is from Ithaca, NY, and is heavily involved in researching and training in the Western martial arts. He is currently working on the holds and throws shown in German wrestling manuals from the15th and 16th century.]

Workin the Door

by Brett Jacques So and so was a bouncer in the toughest biker bars in town, is a common advertising phrase for martial arts videos and books. Does that really mean that the adver-

mostly because theyre usually vamped on crank or some other drug. The fat guys in these bars dont wait for you to go outside. They use the sucker punch right where youre standing. They also like to do a quick scan for an improvised weapon, so make sure you never take your eyes off the dudes palms. If the encounter lasts more than 20 seconds, the guy is yours, especially when hes liquored up. One good thing about biker bars is that the pecking order is pretty established. But woe unto you if youre caught in a turf war or property rights dispute (a woman). What gets bad in an upscale bar gets really bad in a biker bar, so be sure to get out of the way and let the cops clean up. Never forget that in a bar fight, especially a biker bar, youre never really dealing with just one guy. Always be prepared for others. As the Irish saying goes, Is this a private fight or can anybody join. In a biker bar, the skill level of a foe varies from poor to fair, but the experience level is usually high. You will encounter real players at biker bars but these guys are rarely the problem. The adversaries in biker bars are hard strikers and masters of improvised weapons. Jock bars contain a higher level of unpredictability, which makes them more fun and ... more dangerous. Each type

. . . when you apply a pain compliance or submission hold on a jock, most of the time he accepts the fact that you won the first round. Bikers, on the other hand, are indignant.
tised bouncer had an opportunity to test his skills? Against worthy opponents? Well, forget biker bars for now. Workin the door in a jock bar can also provide you with opportunities to test your skills. As I have lived in major cities on both coasts, and been in U.S. military installations, I believe Ive spent enough time in bars and at motor cycle rallies (except Sturgis), to make a fair comparison. I have never worked the door at a biker bar - but a good share of bikers frequented the up-scale university establishments I worked in. So I believe Im qualified to make a few comments about each joint. Money. Yes, the money is definitely better at the upscale joints but if you really consider the negatives, the money is never good enough. Women are a toss up. The biker bars in the deep South and in California have a lot of good looking women, but I give the edge in looks to the upscale bars. However, when it comes to performance.., well, draw your own conclusions. The trouble Ive seen in biker bars breaks down like this. Skinny troublemakers will talk shit and try to blindside once you step outside; their fitness level is okay G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 of bar has patrons with ego problems, but jock bars have the biggest ones; saving face is usually a large part of the issue. Pecking orders can change on a weekly basis. Drug use is as prevalent in these bars as it is in biker bars. And yes, many athletes are hopped up on dope as well. Just think: How much fun would it be to deal with a 250pound linebacker on steroids and/or tweaked on crystal meth? Been there, done that and it is friggin scary. As a general rule the skill level of the jocks is much less than the bikers. What they lack in skill is amplified ten-fold by their fitness and strength. Weve all seen the big basketball player throw a punch. Granted, its a girlie punch, but its coming from 18-inch guns and I guarantee that someone like this will last longer than 20 seconds. His punches will still hurt. Jocks, football players and wrestlers also have a much higher pain tolerance than bikers, assuming, of course, that the bikers are drug free. The good news about jock bars is that it is rare to encounter improvised weapons and most of the time the rift will be a one-on-one affair. This gives you two very good reasons why you can bounce in a jock bar and polish your techniques without usually suffering dire conSeptember/October 1999

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sequences. So, based upon my experiences, a jock bar is a better place to practice your submission techniques. I know for a fact that when you apply a pain compliance or submission hold on a jock, most of the time he accepts the fact that you won the first round. Bikers, on the other hand, are indignant. They make a scene and as soon as youve escorted them out the door, they lunge right back at you. In these situations, you have to really sting them. You have to put the guy in enough pain that a signal breaks through the beer and dope, entering that part of the brain that doles out common sense. The fighting experience level of jocks is usually fair. They are usually poor strikers but the rough and tumble grappling style epitomized by the wrestlers and the gridiron lads can pose a threat to anyone. Take your eyes off a 138 pound small college All-American, and you may find yourself suplexed through the air so quickly that you cant figure out how you landed on the concrete. I dont care if you weigh 220 pounds and are solid muscle. Ive seen it happen more than once. Ive also seen the little wrestlers shoot in on a much larger opponent, then lift him and slam him. The fight was over before it started. Real players, on the other hand, rarely frequent jock bars, so theyre not an issue. The bottom line is this: There are advantages and disadvantages to working the door in each type of watering hole. Yet bouncing can provide some of the best real world training, next to being a cop. Bouncing will teach you more than pure physical skills. It will provide an opportunity to enhance awareness and verbal de-escalation skills. The latter are critical to real world survival, and will become increasingly more important to you as your hormone levels drop. In a future article, Ill relate some experiences in testosteronia that will entertain you and increase your awareness.

he began to claim that Gotch used foul tactics, soaked in oil for weeks, put kerosene in his hair, and so on. And as Gotch died at the age of 39 and Hackenschmidt lived to be 90, over the past half-decade, you rarely read a favorable word about Gotch. Although Real Mayhem is an excellent piece, it does have a few errors. Four of them are quoted below with my comments to follow: 1. At the dawn of the century, professional wrestling was real. This sentence is misleading, as professional wrestling at the turn of the century had both worked and shoot matches. It would be more accurate to say, At the turn of the century, professional wrestling had both real and pre-determined matches. 2. Ed Strangler Lewis, had won hundreds of matches and was considered unbeatable. But he wasnt particularly charismatic, and the country was getting bored with him .... Contrary to the author of this article, Ed Strangler Lewis was perhaps the most charismatic professional wrestler of his era. Old-time fans of pro wrestling who are still alive today refer to Lewis in glowing terms. Never once do you hear that he was non-charismatic. Pro wrestling made Lewis a wealthy man. This didnt come about because audiences were bored with him. 3. Farmer Burns taught Gotch the step-over toehold, a complicated maneuver with several variations that could either force an opponent onto his back for the pin or inflict so much pain he would be forced to concede. The step-over toehold is a submission hold that IS NOT used to pin someone. When it is placed on correctly the opponent either taps out or takes the pain. 4. After Strangler Lewis, professional wrestling became increasingly staged, though several legitimate, or shoot, matches proved that champs such as Lou Thesz and Chicago favorite Verne Gagne were capable of wrestling for real - and viciously - when necessary. This is the first time I have heard someone claim that Verne Gagne had shoot matches. Although he was a two-time NCAA champion, he is not known as a submission wrestler. Furthermore, over the last two years, when Thesz was asked about his shoots from students at my bootcamp, he replied by saying that a couple of times .... when he was in a foreign country ... his opponent would try to double-cross him in the ring.

Gotch vs. Hackenschmidt Matches See Life Again

by Matt Furey The famous Frank Gotch vs. George Hackenschmidt professional wrestling matches, which took place in 1908 and 1911, were brought to life once more in the September 1999 issue of Chicago. The article, Real Mayhem, written by Chicago Sun-Times reporter, Bob Kurson, runs from pages 83-92. The article is well-written and favorable toward Gotch, who won both of the matches. Hackenschmidt, after saying that Gotch was the best he had ever wrestled, changed his tune after setting sail for England, wherein G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

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Now, I dont know about you, but I dont think a doublecross is, technically speaking, a shoot. As Karl Gatch says, There were no more shoots after the mid to late 1920s. In the olden days of pro wrestling, a shoot took place when each wrestlers party put up a sum of money, bets were laid down and the winner of the bout won the lot. Other than the inaccuracies listed above, the article is fantastic and I encourage you to get a copy.

A single video on Gable cant really do the man justice, although this one comes pretty close. Although the 1997 season, the final year of Gables collegiate coaching career is the common theme throughout the video, I wished it contained more about all the great champions Gable has coached. To focus on one season is too limiting, but again, you would need an entire series to cover these details. There were a few parts of the video that I found either interesting or annoying. As an insider, let me spell them out: 1. Chris Taylor. The question about whether or not Gable could truly beat everyone on the team at Iowa State, from lightweight to heavyweight is never really answered. Yes, I have seen Gable beat the best of the best in the Iowa room, but those who expect to find out if Gable actually beat the 450-pound Taylor in practice, will be disappointed. Taylor won a bronze medal in the 1972 Olympics. He was not only big, but pretty agile as well. As disappointing as this may be to some, the truth is that Gable could not beat Taylor. The big guy was toooo big and toooo strong. Even immortals like Gable have limitations. 2. J Robinson. J was an assistant coach at Iowa while I was there, but after a dispute involving his intensive wrestling camps, decided to quit the staff and move to greener pasture. As an old line of questioning goes, In addition to that reason, are there any other reasons why youre leaving? Well, yes. Namely, the fact that Gable set J up as the interim head coach for the 1984 team while he concentrated on training the Olympic team. Everything was fine and dandy until Oklahoma State whooped the Hawkeyes 24-6 in Stillwater that year. After the loss, Gable took the reins away from J and completed the season as the head coach; a move that must have been unforgiveable in Js eyes. Interestingly enough, J, who has been the coach at Minnesota for over a decade, appears throughout the video, making comments about Gable and his time at Iowa. One comment was classic Robinson, I was never told what I could do and I was never told what I could not do. 3. Mark Johnson - Mark was an assistant coach at Iowa when I was there, then later on took the head coaching position at Illinois. He talked about having to share a double-bed with Gable for one week in Bulgaria. I wont go into details here, but these comments should not have made it through the first edit. 4. Brad Penrith - Brad was an NCAA champion for Iowa. In one interview segment he talked about the time he attacked Gable when he was stretching and how Gable immediately reversed him and beat on him for a long, September/October 1999

Product Reviews

GABLE reviewed by Matt Furey GABLE. Thats the name of the new video documentary that follows the legendary coach for the University of Iowa through the 1997 season. Dan Gable, who was a three-time state champion in high school, a two-time NCAA champion and a world and Olympic champion, is shown as never before in this video. While taking you through the up-and-down championship season, you see flashbacks from Gables childhood, wrestling career and early days as a coach. Gables relationship with family and the effect the murder of his sister had on his competitive life is explored in greater detail than usual. Even today, decades after the tragedy, you can feel the pain in Gables voice as he explained how he figured out who the murderer was while he and his parents rushed home from their fishing trip. When young Dan tells his father that he might know who it is, his father stops the car, pulls him outside, whacks him, then asks Dan to tell him everything he knows. After the family arrives back in Waterloo, Iowa, the parents no longer want to reside in the same home - so young Dan takes it upon himself to keep them there. He decides to help keep the family together through his dedication to wrestling, and through the winning of titles. In Gables final collegiate match in 1970, his record is an amazing 181-0. But Larry Owings of Washington is determined to beat Gable in the finals of the NCAA tourney. Everyone scoffs at Owings, but he does the unthinkable and knocks Gable off his thrown. In 1971 Gable comes back with a vengeance, winning the world freestyle championships. Then after winning the famous Tblisi tournament in the former Soviet Union, the Russians vow to find a man to beat Gable in the Olympics. In the Munich Games, however, Gable goes unscored upon in six matches, winning the gold over the Russian, 3-0. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

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long time. This was classic material that I had never heard before. When Penrith said he had had enough, Gable responded by saying that he was the coach and would decide when hed had enough. 5. John Smith - John, a two-time Olympic champion and four-time world champion is pretty frank about his competitive relationship with Gable, going so far as to admit, Were not the best of friends. Now thats an understatement. It is commonly known in Iowas inner circle that Smith, in the heat of a dual meet, has looked Gable right in the eyes during a disputed call and said, Fuck you, Gable. That didnt appear on the tape, of course, but knowing this will add some insight into the comments Smith makes. 6. Ben Peterson - Ben won Olympic gold in 1972 along with Gable. His recounting of the Owings-Gable match is simply amazing. He told how he was sitting in the stands literally laughing through the entire match that Gable lost, simply because he was so sure that Gable would eventually win. After the match he realized how strange this must have been to others. Peterson also talks about the first time he wrestled Gable in practice. Figuring he would mop Gable because he outweighed him by 50 pounds, Ben later figured that the final score was 50-3, but hes not quite certain that he was able to score even that much on the legend. 7. Bobby Douglas - Bobby is now the coach at Iowa State and is regarded as one of the top technicians ever seen in the U.S. Although he did defeat Gable in a match once, no mention is made of this in the tape. I thought Bobbys comments were first-class all the way. This video has plenty of workout and match footage of the Iowa teams Gable trained, as well as a lot of footage of Gable when he competed in college and the Olympics. Most of the famous Owings-Gable match is shown and I was on my feet the entire time. When the controversial segment in which Gable was on his back, but supposedly not for enough time for Owings to be awarded back points, I waived my hand back and forth like a referee and made the call myself. As much as I wanted Gable to win the bout, I believe the referee made the right call. At any rate, the Gable match footage alone is worth double the price of the tape. This video gets a double-thumbs up from me. Order today from the International Wrestling Institute and Museum by calling 515-791-1517.

Mark Twain once said, When the human race has once acquired a superstition, nothing short of death is ever likely to remove it. In the study of martial arts, students are inundated with superstition. They believe they are studying self-defense when theyre merely getting a different form of exercise. They learn that ground grappling is the ideal way to end a fight. They learn that flashy punches and lofty kicks will fell any opponent, large or small, young or old. In Personal Defense Readiness, Tony Blauer separates myth from reality, and does so in a way that any combat athlete, martial artist or average Joe can understand. This 60-page manual contains nothing but wisdom on how to train for the actual street attack. The training, mind you, is as much mental conditioning as it is physical conditioning. Knowing what to do is of no use if you panic, freeze and stop yourself from doing what you supposedly know how to do. Blauers 10 Commandments of Street Survival are right on the money. First and foremost is, Thou Shalt Not Not Train. How perfect. The notion purported by nonsensical martial artists that all you need to do is watch my video and youll know what to do is quickly refuted in this commandment alone. Commandment number two, Thou Shalt Not Defeat Thyself is important for anyone to know, regardless of whether he is a martial artist or not. One of the most important things Blauer teaches is the place that ground grappling plays in a street fight. Striking and throwing are great for self-defense, but rolling around on the ground in not where you want to be if you can help it. This is not to say that you should not study ground grappling. I believe, as Tony does, that you should. But in a street fight, if at all possible, do everything you can to keep from going to the ground. Police officers and those in related fields need to know ground control tactics, but the average person who practices a grappling art that begins and ends on the knees is crazy if he thinks that his practice is martial. It isnt. No street fight or combat sport begins on the knees. If youre practicing from your knees most or all of the time, get back on your feet and do as Blauer suggests in his manual. Sure, you may end up on the ground in a street fight, but for your sake lets hope that the fight is oneon-one and without knives, guns or improvised weapons. Real fights happen inside the space of a phone booth, says Blauer, and hes right. What are you going to do when someone gets that close to you? What are your strategies? If you dont have any, Blauer has plenty of ammunition for you there, too. And along with it, some conditioning drills and routines that will prepare you for the worst. September/October 1999

Personal Defense Readiness by Tony Blauer reviewed by Matt Furey G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

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Although this is a good manual, due to the high number of typos and lack of illustrations, I give Personal Defense Readiness three out of five stars. To obtain a copy of this manual ($25), call 877-773-2748 (North American orders) or 514-482-1643 (overseas orders). Visa & MasterCard accepted. Or send a check or money order (US funds add $5 shipping)to: Blauer Tactical, PO Box 278, Victoria Stn., Westmount, Quebec, Canada H3Z 2V5.

Combat Conditioning
by Matt Furey Four exercises that will help you become a better grappler are the penetration step drill, the reverse pushup, the legs-over-head lift and the making-a-table pushup. Implement these into your workouts and youll find your body becoming stronger and more pliable.

Drill #1 - The Penetration Step

The penetration step drill helps condition your legs and hips for leg dives. It also helps you develop your timing and speed. Now, step forward with your lead leg. While stepping forward lower your elevation.

Let the knee of your lead leg touch the mat first, while your rear leg lags behind a bit. Do not, however, drag your rear leg or foot along the mat. Doing so would act as a break and slow you down.

To do this exercise, begin in a staggered stance. Remember: The leg that leads is the first one to step forward. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 39 September/October 1999

Note: A more advanced method of doing this drill is to NOT allow the knee of your lead foot to hit the mat. In the beginning stages this is harder to learn correctly, but for those who are more advanced in the art of the leg dive, implement this advanced method. Doing so not only helps save your knees from the impact, but the technique is more street applicable. No one in his right mind wants to dive for a leg and bang his knee on concrete.

Drill # 2- Reverse Pushups

Now bring the rear leg all the way through until you are back on your feet and ready to repeat the drill. When doing this exercise begin on your back with the palms of your hands on the floor. Push your upper back and neck off the floor. Drive your chest forward and let your head hang.

Straighten your arms and hold for a count.

Do this exercise at least 25 times per side in the beginning. Your legs and buttocks may be sore for a few days if youre not used to this, but dont worry, this exercise is well worth it. G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8 www.combatwrestling.com 40 September/October 1999

Now lower yourself to the original position and repeat until exhaustion. Inhale at the top of the movement, exhale at the bottom.

Drill # 3- Legs-Over-Head-Lifts
This exercise is great for strengthening the hips, lower back and abdominals. It also is good for loosening the spine as well as the muscles of the upper back and neck.

Bring your chin to your chest, then raise your legs and lift them as high as you can, concentrating on using your lower abdominals. Raise the legs and push them over your head until your toes touch the floor behind your head. If you cannot go that far in the beginning, dont worry. Coax your body and it will eventually become easier for you. Do this exercise until exhaustion. Inhale up, exhale down.

Drill # 4- Making-A-Table
This exercise is great for increasing strength in the upper body, back and hips. It also helps make your spine more flexible.

Begin by lying on your back with your hands at your sides and your legs straight.

Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs straight and your hands palm down at your sides.

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Hey Matt, What a great web site. Thanks for your insight and wisdom. Much of what you have written has kept me working on my wrestling. Im sure you get email giving you praise often and I dont want to bore you with the same old stuff, so again thanks. I have a question about a book that I found. The title is The Science of Wrestling and The Art of Jiu Jitsu by Earle Liederman; the last copyright date is 1927. My question is have you ever heard of him or this book? If so I would value your opinion. Sincerely, Richard Wood Push your body forward until the soles of your feet are flat on the ground. At the same time arch your hips and back and let your head fall backward. Try to make your body into a table. Hold the position for a count or so at the top position, then return to the original position. Do as many repetitions of this exercise as you can. Inhale up, exhale down.

Grapplers Mailbag
Matt,

MF: Richard, I have the book in my library. Just so you know, Earle Liederman was not a wrestler. He was a bodybuilder and an excellent marketeer/businessman. The man demonstrating most of the holds, Martin Ludecke, was a wrestler, but the holds he shows leave a lot to be desired. I wouldnt rank it highly, although I am glad I have it. If you dont know how to wrestle, you arent going to learn it from a book, especially this one. The most important thing is to have a coach who teaches you properly. Without that, youre lost.

Dear Mr. Furey I was really pleased to see the article on sumo included in the last issue. I feel most people have no idea what great athletes the rikishi really are, with exceptional explosive power, agility, balance, and flexibility. To me it is more akin to what happens in the first second of a street fight than many other things out there. I think it is absolutely one of the greatest spectator sports, and in addition I use some related exercises in my own training. Thanks for including this article and I vote a very enthusiastic yes for more of the same. Mike Rinaldi New York Just got a copy of the August issue of G.A.I.N. It was one of my favorites. Keep up the great work. Hope you had a safe trip moving from California to Florida. As I told you a friend of mine ordered the Tony Cecchine tapes. He and I were not impressed. The moves dont really work and a lot of his stuff seems to come from the showholds of Pro Wrestling. Have you seen these tapes, and if so, what do you think of them? Philip Ameris Pennsylvania

MF: Mike, Im happy you liked the article, too. When sumo is on television, I am glued to the set. These men truly are great athletes and a careful study of their exercise methods and throwing tactics can greatly benefit any grappler.

MF: Philip, yes I have seen the tapes. I took them over to Karl Gotchs house so that we could watch them together. As you know, at one time I thought Tony was teaching real catch wrestling and real hooking. Not long after meeting Tony, I had great doubts about him and what he teaches, but there was no one I could turn to who could give me a straight answer as no one I knew claimed to have knowledge about catch wrestling. As Ive told others, When you have an open playing field the size of Texas (i.e. ignorance of legitimate hooking techniques from catch wrestling) it makes room for anyone to come along and stake his claim. And who are you September/October 1999

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to refute him? Then I met Karl last April and thank God for him. He is the only remaining source of knowledge on legitimate hooking techniques from catch wrestling. I have seen the others, and when their techniques are put on the table beside Karls, there is no comparison. But, if you havent had the opportunity to see and compare for yourself, as I have, it is easy to be bamboozled and buffaloed. Just because a hold hurts when it is placed on a novice who willingly lies there and gives his body to you, does not make the hold a legitimate hook. Many show holds hurt when put on a willing opponent. The question is: Can the hold be countered with ease and can the hold be entered into in a realistic manner against a worthy opponent? Therein lies much of the fault of Cecchines tapes, but it doesnt stop there. All doubts and suspicions about Tony were confirmed when I first met Karl. Karl told me that Tony is not a legitimate or credible source on catch wrestling or hooking. How can he be? He has never competed or gone to the post against top competition in any style of wrestling. How can you be an authority on something you havent competed in? Tony can barely demonstrate even the most rudimentary takedown skills. When I watched him demonstrating the penetration step drill once at a seminar, he let his trail leg drag against the mat, which slows you down. When I told him about this his response was, Hey, my high school wrestling coach taught it to me that way. I was coached by Gable and he was arguing about what his high school coach had taught him. This is a basic skills. Takedowns and throws are a major part of catch wrestling, yet there is not one on the ten tapes he put out. That ought to tell you something. In Frank Gotch vs. George Hackenschmidt I, for example, both men were on their feet for almost two hours. That was catch wrestling in its prime. So how can it be nothing but ground fighting now? When Karl and I watched the first tape we couldnt take it. Tony is teaching you how to control the man from the cross body position. He says that you need to control the bottom mans center of gravity, then points to the guys solar plexus and says This is his center of gravity. Now that is a first! Any martial artist or wrestler knows that a mans center of gravity is in his navel region and below. When I mentioned this Karl laughed and said, But youre forgetting one very important point: Since when do you talk about gravity when someone is already on the ground? Tape one alone gave Karl a headache and so he said we had to take a break and walk his dog. After walking the dog we returned and tried a second tape, where Tony claimed you cannot straighten your arm when he does his top wrist lock. Karl shook his head in disgust. He then laid on the ground and quickly showed me how he could still straighten his arm. We fast forwarded through most of the tapes because it seemed like it was 90% talk and little demonstration. Early on Karl remarked, This guy isnt a wrestler - hes a politician. All he does is talk, talk, talk. Now I know why. Whenever he shows anything its the shits. But he makes up for it by talking with G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

a deep voice, puffing up his chest, using fancy words and terms that dont mean anything. This guys a hooker alright, but hes the kind in high heels and silk stockings. When we got to the next tape on leg locks, Karl shook his head again and said, This guy is a fool. He doesnt have anything. We got on the floor and I placed the hold that Tony calls the stopper toe-hold on Karl. Once I thought I had the hold secured, Karl kicked me eight feet across the living room floor where I almost crashed into his rocking chair. Not bad for a crippled up old man, huh? he said. At this point Karl said, Turn it off. This crap is making me sick to my stomach. This guys best hold is the con. His scam is what he does best. How can you teach what you dont know? The value of a hold is not measured by how much force you apply. Cecchine uses a lot of strength and force on each of his holds because his leverage is wrong. When Karl puts a hold on you, he barely applies more than a few ounces of pressure, and youre screaming in pain. Thats science. Look at how Cecchine does his standing neck cranks and chokes; he twists and contorts his body to supposedly increase the pressure. Yet, he is doing a lot of work for nothing. This proves that his fulcrum is not right. If a neck crank or choke is applied properly, the leverage is so perfect, that there is never a need to throw your hips into it. Also, and most importantly, Karl teaches you a realistic and practical method of entering into each hold and when it is applied, there is no escape route; all limbs are controlled. With Cecchines holds, you always have a free arm or leg to counter your opponent with. I hope these comments help confirm what you were already figuring out on your own.

Dear Matt; Ive had your Street Grappling tapes for a couple of weeks now and have watched them repeatedly. The ultimate message that comes through loud and clear is REALITY. Many of the techniques Ive been exposed to previously yet you still present them with twists and turns that make them more street useful. Your constant accentuating of the unpredictability of the street encounter is a clarion call for all those who feel the need to go there; the possibility of the struggle being your last is a very real thing. This is something that needed saying. I realize that the tapes arent marketed as ground fighting tapes per se, yet they are still quite forceful in that area. I appreciate your willingness to refer to Vladimir Vasilievs tapes and recommend some of his simple, useful methods. Your partner was a very willing and able uke. Choosing someone of his size and showing that these techniques can be used to fell the proverbial oak (as long as youre in decent shape, practice, and utilize the technique propSeptember/October 1999

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erly) go a long way to prove their authenticity. All in all Id say this was another fine effort on your behalf; one that everyone even the least bit interested in self-defense should have. Keep cranking em out, buddy. We need your expertise. Phil Buechner California

simply got lots of info about sambo tournaments. Let me know what you think. Trevor Maze England

MF: Thanks Phil. Im glad you liked the tapes and found them to be valuable.

Hi Matt, I hope your move went well and that your new venture will be successful. The drills videos arrived this morning along with the latest issue of G.A.I.N.. which Ive already skimmed through. As usual, its up to standard. I dont really have the knowledge, skills or experience to evaluate all the claims and counter-claims that people make, though Im getting an idea through your own productions. Of course I have no real basis for judging those either, but lets just say that you seem honest enough and pretty fair in your judgements. Plus I enjoy the caustic bits as well - quite unlike a lot of the petty, putting-down that Ive seen elsewhere. I have a couple of queries which dont need immediate (or necessarily any) answers. 1 - Have you ever had any interaction with Erle Montaigue (ex-pro wrestler who now teaches taiji)? Ultimate DimMak: How To Fight a Grappler & Win Paladin. 2 - Have you come across the various forms of Sambo/ CombatSambo/Russian Native System of Self-Defense (ROSS)/Russian Martial Art/Spetznaz that seem to be doing the rounds at present? Do you have any knowledge of whether any of them have any substance? This might seem a silly question for someone who hasnt even got the basics - I think I told you previously that I had decided to concentrate on strength training with Olympic lifting due to work/time constraints. But I think there is some light at the end of the tunnel now and I want to start looking for somewhere with decent coaching. I wont have time for more than one discipline, but Id like it to be a relatively effective and efficient one in the event that I need it outside of the gym. As for the website http://www.russianmartialart.com/ - I spoke to a guy who teaches this in England and he denied that what he taught is sambo, despite lots of reference to sambo on the website. He said that while he knew nothing about the amerross system, his style was totally different. He alleged that a friend who signed up to the other group, G.A.I.N., Vol. 1, No. 8

MF: Trevor, as for Erle Montaigue I have never had any interaction with him so I cannot judge his materials. As for the the Russian Martial Art website, www.russianmartialart.com, I have had contact with the man behind the art, Vladimir Vasiliev. In a future issue of G.A.I.N.. I will be doing a major feature on him as I believe he is teaching some good things. I took Vladimirs ground fighting tapes to Karl Gotchs house one day and asked him to take a look and render an opinion. Karl liked what he saw and said Vladimir is good. As you know, if Karl says someone is good, you can take that to the bank. If he says someone is no good, his advice will save you time, money and aggravation, and in most cases a lot of each. As for your suspicions about sambo being part of the Russian Martial Art, I will say that what Vladimir is teaching is NOT sambo. Certainly, there may be some elements that overlap, but you can say that about anything. I wholeheartedly recommend the tapes and books put out by Vladimir. To order any of his products call 1-905-886-0483.

Referrals -

If you know someone whom you think would like to subscribe to G.A.I.N., please help us spread the word. Send his name and address to us and well mail him subscription information.

Questions and Comments - If you have any

questions or comments you would like to see featured in future issues of G.A.I.N., please send them to me via email at mattfurey@aol.com or by snail mail to Matt Furey, 8801 Hunters Lake Drive, Suite 511, Tampa, Florida 33647.

Articles

- If you would like to write an article and have it published in G.A.I.N.please send a query letter. Allow two weeks for an answer.

MATT FUREY 8801 Hunters Lake Drive, Suite 511 Tampa, FL 33647 EMAIL: MattFurey@aol.com WEBSITE: WWW.COMBATWRESTLING.COM
September/October 1999 44

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 Direc tor y of R esources Director tory Resources

1. World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion Steve Maxwell is a great all-around guy who writes for G.A.I.N.. each month and teaches the best of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and conditioning out of Maxercise in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For more information visit his website at www.maxercise.com or call (215) 928-1374. Also, send an email to dcmaxercis@aol.com. 2. Olympic and World Freestyle Wrestling Champion Mark Schultz has a grappling school at the Midvale Athletic Club in Salt Lake City, Utah. You can reach him at http://www.markschultz.com. or by email, schultz@redrock.net. 3. Jason Crawford is a senior scientist with AnorMed, Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has a brown belt in jiu-jitsu and is a level one catch wrestling instructor. His club meets twice per week and they are a great bunch of guys, on and off the mat. If you are in the area and would like to train with Jason, he can be contacted by phone at (604) 530-1057, or by email at JCrawford@AnorMED.com. 4. Dr. Brett Jacques is an expert in the art of sambo and has produced a three-volume set of videotapes entitled Street Sambo. The complete set is available for $69.95 plus $5 S&H, and can be ordered by sending a check or money order to Dr. Brett Jacques, 2433 SW Idaho St., Portland, OR, 97201 or by calling (503) 246-5059. Visa and MC accepted. Also, if you are interested in training with Brett at his school in Portland, give him a call and let him know. 5. The following books are available through my office: Frank Gotch: Worlds Greatest Wrestler, by Mike Chapman ($20 plus $5 S&H); Farmer Burns 1914 Mail order Course, Lessons In Wrestling and Physical Culture ($50 plus $5 S&H); and The Way To Live by George Hackenschmidt ($20 plus $5 S&H). If ordering more than one book, simply add $1 S&H for each additional book. 6. To subscribe to W.I.N. (Wrestling Institute Newsmagazine) call (515) 792-4436. I have a montly column in this magazine, as does the founder, Mike Chapman. 7. The website for the International Wrestling Institute and Museum, also founded by wrestling author Mike Chapman, is www.wrestlingmuseum.org. 8. For the best mixed martial arts news on the Internet, log onto www.adcombat.com each day. The site covers everything from UFC to Pride to submission grappling events around the world. 9. For the highest quality wrestling mats in the country, contact Bernie Stroh at Quality Mat Company in Waterloo, Iowa, by calling 319-233-0833. 10. Those who are interested in strength training the old-fashioned way, with barbells, dumbbells, barrels, sandbags and the like should log onto Brooks Kubiks website, www.dinosaurtraining.com. His books, videos and newsletter are first-rate. 11. For more information on the oldest style of kung fu, shuai-chiao, a grappling art used on the battlefields as well as in competition, go to www.shuai-chiao.org. 12. Have you seen the movie Conspiracy Theory with Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson? Well, guess where the Hollywood big whigs got the idea. Go to Jim Martins website, www.flatlandbooks.com and find out more. 13. Philip Ameris is one of those open-minded instructors that we dont have enough of in the martial arts world. A sixth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a student of grappling for the past nine years, Philip runs a great school in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. Visit Philips website, www.taekwondo-ameris.com. 14. The best eye glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses you can find are available from Dr. Katz. Go to his website, www.drkatzeyewear.com and get what youre looking for.

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September/October 1999

Matt Furey
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Martial Art of Wrestling Videos (great for all styles of wrestling and martial arts): ______ Investment A - Best Investment: Order The Martial Art of Wrestling book and all 5 videotapes ..... $197 (savings of $83) ______ Investment B - The Martial Art of Wrestling book and tapes 1,2,3 ....................................................................$127 ______ Investment C - The Martial Art of Wrestling book and tapes 4, 5 ...................................................................... $97

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September/October 1999

Or order each tape individually as follows: ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Tape One: Take Control of Every Tie-up by Matt Furey ................................................................................. $49.00 Tape Two: Score Easy Take-downs With Secret Setups by Matt Furey ........................................................... $49.00 Tape Three: Crank Your Opponent Over and Pin Him! by Matt Furey ............................................................ $49.00 Tape Four: How Wrestlers Take A Fight To The Ground by Matt Furey ........................................................... $49.00 Tape Five: How Wrestlers Control A Fight On The Ground by Matt Furey .....................................................$49.00

Strength and Physical Conditioning Videos by Matt Furey: ______ Combat Training - The Road to China ............................................................................................................ $49.00 ______ Combat Training II 25 Ultimate Exercises for Grapplers .............................................................................$59.00 ______ Dinosaur Strength Training for Combat Athletes Seminar .............................................................................. $39.00 Chinese and Mongolian Grappling Videos: ______ Mongolian Grappling Secrets Revealed by Matt Furey - Two Videos ............................................................ $99.00 ______ Shuai-chiao Take-down Tactics for Grapplers by Matt Furey ......................................................................... $49.00 Other Products Recommended by Matt Furey: ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Farmer Burns 1914 Mail Order Course Lessons In Wrestling and Physical Culture .................................. $50.00 Muscle Control by Maxick ............................................................................................................................ $18.00 The Way To Live by George Hackenschmidt ................................................................................................ $20.00 Frank Gotch, Worlds Greatest Wrestler, by Mike Chapman ......................................................................... $20.00 The Development of Physical Power by Arthur Saxon ................................................................................... $15.00 The Textbook of Weight-Lifting by Arthur Saxon ........................................................................................... $20.00 Molding A Mighty Grip by George F. Jowett ................................................................................................ $10.00 How To Develop A Powerful Grip by Edward Aston ..................................................................................... $10.00 Developing The Grip and Forearm by Thomas Inch ...................................................................................... $10.00 Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength & Development .......................................................................... $19.95 The Dinosaur Files Monthly newsletter on strength training ...... $50.00 (and get the Dinosaur Training book free) One Year of Back Issues to The Dinosaur Files .............................................................................................. $50.00 Video: Dinosaur Training Volume One The Lost Art of Dumbbell Trainining ............................................$39.95 Video: Dinosaur Training Volume Two Bags, Barrels and Beyond ............................................................$49.95

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T-shirts and Apparel: ______ Combat Wrestling T-shirts ............................................................................................................................. $20.00 **Note: For first product enclose $5 S&H and $1 for each additional item. Canada and International orders, please send $7 S&H for first item and $1 for each additional item. Pacific Rim orders have a $30 minimum for S&H. Other countries, please call or send an email for S&H quote. Subtotal Shipping & Handling Charges Orders from Florida, add FL sales tax Total Payment _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

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September/October 1999

F inally , The Best Grappling Information A vailable, Finally inally, Av oY our Door , Month after Month! Deliv er ed Right T ered To Your Door, Deliver
Dear Friend, Month after month the martial arts magazines give us bits and pieces of grappling information; small glimpses into the world of grappling combat. But that isnt good enough for most of us. Many of us want a BIG LOOK into the grappling world and we want it each month. Well, Im prepared to give it to you. And that is exactly why I have started a newsmagazine called G.A.I.N. (Grappling Arts International Newsmagazine). Month after month, it will be the best source of grappling information you can find. With no further fanfare, this is what you can expect in this newsmagazine: 24 pages of hard-hitting information per month Historical articles on the 54 different styles of grappling around the world. Historical articles about the greatest grapplers in the world, from the past and the present. How to articles in regard to nutrition, strength training, conditioning, injury rehabilitation and mental focus. How to articles on the art of throwing, takedowns and submissions.

Interviews and articles about top grapplers in mixed martial arts competitions, including but not limited to UFC, Pride, Pancrase and the USWF. Results from different grappling tournaments around the world, including but not limited to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Sambo, Submission Wrestling, Shuai-chiao, Sumo, Freestyle, Collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestling. Questions and answers related to grappling or to training problems that you are having. Annual Subscription (6 issues) $ US & CANADA -OR- $ INTERNATIONAL

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Make Check/Money Order Payable to: Matt Furey, 8801 Hunters Lake Drive, Suite 511; Tampa, FL 33647 48 www.combatwrestling.com