Issue 135
December 2015
Filming your sparring sessions could revolutionize your training, and allow one of the world’s most sought-after coaches to train you from thousands of miles away
When you’re a world-class coach, your time is in great demand. You’re required to spread your services far and wide, whether it’s to prepare pro athletes for upcoming fights, or you’re on a seminar tour, sharing your wisdom with the fighters of the future. But what about the students in your home gym? How will they continue to improve while you’re spreading the MMA word across the country, or the entire world?
Renowned coach Ricky Lundell has worked with a who’s-who of stars, from Joseph Benavidez at flyweight, all the way up to Frank Mir at heavyweight, as well as fighters at every weight class in between. But despite his Mensa-level MMA IQ, he still can’t be in two places at once. When he’s away working in New Mexico with Carlos Condit for his welterweight championship fight, he needs a way to cater to his pupils back home in Nevada. So what’s the solution?
“We do a cutting-edge approach where we don’t always have to be in exactly the same spot, but I can continue to make sure my fighters get the information they need and the one-on-one attention that’s required to make sure they understand what they’re supposed to be doing,” he explains to FO.
“We use a coaching interface which allows us to get split-second video. I have guys stream me live video and I communicate through the mic back to them. Then I take the video of the sparring session and I overlay my sound onto that video. I put circles and lines on the screen to show what they’re doing right or wrong. That way my fighter can get immediate feedback.”
Many teams study video of their opponents to prepare for a fight, but few study themselves, and that, Lundell says, is essential to becoming the best fighter possible. “They’re going to have homework in their off-time,” he adds. “They have to review the video to see what they’re doing wrong. A lot of guys never really look and analyze what’s going on. Even if they do, they don’t do it with their coach.”
This approach also gives his fighters an opportunity to take stock of their abilities with a clear head – removed from the stresses and intensity of a full training session. “During training, they’re often not ready to take in the information at that second. What we want to do is have that video ready later that night when they’re ready to put 100% attention on it.”
Video coaching made easy
Ricky Lundell offers three easy steps to get a different view on your training and make significant steps towards improvement:
- Have a phone you can film on and get someone to record your sparring.
- Always have a notepad at practice. Have your coach or training partner write notes for you on what they see when they watching the video.
- Review the video yourself, and write things down for them to watch for when you spar. Then they can give you feedback.
Seaweed solution!
Cutman ‘Stitch’ Duran answers your questions
Q. What’s the magic mixture you use on a swab to stop a cut bleeding mid-fight?
A. Education is very important and fighters, trainers and fans should know as much as possible about what we do as cutmen and what medications we use, along with their functions. The primary medication I apply with a cotton swab is adrenaline 1:1,000.
This is a vessel constrictor, which stops blood like you would stop water flowing when you squeeze a hose. I also use a new applicator called Qwick-Aid, which is 100% natural and made out of a seaweed base. Qwick-Aid comes in the form of a gauze pad and dehydrates the blood when it’s applied to a cut for about 45 seconds.
I always finish off by filling any cut with a mixture of Vaseline and adrenaline 1:1,000. In really bad cuts I’ll apply the adrenaline for about 10 seconds and place pressure on the cut with Qwick-Aid for the remainder of the round, finally applying the Vaseline-adrenaline mixture at the end.
Q When you’re wrapping hands backstage before a fight, do you stay quiet and allow the athlete to focus or do you try and lighten the mood?
A. Frank Mir said in an interview, “When I see Stitch walking into the dressing room, my stomach just drops because I know it’s time to fight.” Vitor Belfort said, “Stitch brings a calming effect.” These are some of the baddest dudes in the world, but I understand stress levels are high in the locker rooms.
My job as a cutman and friend is to not only protect their hands from any injuries, but also give them a sense of confidence going into their fight. I have had fighters cry and had hands shaking while I was wrapping them, while some just keep quiet. But many also have a laugh and joke with me.
I have to be more than just a cutman, I also have to be a psychologist. I want to make sure as I’m wrapping their hands I can relax them and give them that confidence knowing that I’ll be there to protect them and give them what they need: one more round.
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