Thanksgiving and Martial Arts

I am counting my blessings today on Thanksgiving. Discovering martial arts at an early age is one of the many things that I am very thankful for. I took my first Karate class at the age of ten. My instructor at the time was Ulysses "Pop" Winn. He is a Grandmaster in Nisei Goju-ryu. One of my fondest memories as a kid was watching Sensei Pop play spar with Muhammad Ali when Ali visited our recreation center. I am no longer a karateka, but Ulysses "Pop" Winn will always be my Sensei.

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Grandmaster Ulysses "Pop" Winn Jr

My first martial arts instructor Grandmaster Ulysses "Pop" Winn passed away on May 9, 2024. He was a 10th degree black belt in Nisei Goju Ryu. Thank you Sensei for being a mentor and positive role model to me when I was growing up. Until we meet again in heaven.

Fit to Fight

I am a big believer in physical fitness. This is especially important for those engaged in Combat Sports, such as Boxing, Kickboxing, and MMA. It does not matter how skillful you are if you cannot go the distance. That is why I became a Certified MMA Conditioning Coach. I wanted to have the knowledge to train athletes to be in top physical condition to compete successfully. To show just how serious I am about fitness, I recently entered a fitness competition. I am competing to be crowned Mr. Health & Fitness for 2023. You can view my profile and cast your vote here: https://featured.muscleandfitness.com/2023/roderick-p

The Physics of Power for Combat Sports Participants

Introduction A basic understanding of physics can lead to an improvement in athletic performance. One concept from physics that is especially relevant to boxers and other combat sports participants is "power." The colloquial term for power in the context of sports is "explosiveness." Power is defined as the rate at which work is done. For example, if you watch Mike Tyson's boxing matches from early in his career you will see explosiveness or power in action. The ability to quickly apply enough force to knock someone out before they knew what hit them is "power." In physics, power is expressed in watts. For example, the power used for walking is about 280 watts. The power used for playing basketball is about 800 watts. The power used for sprinting is about 2,415 watts. The power used for boxing or MMA would probably rank somewhere between 800 and 2,415 watts. The Work Component of Power In physics, work is define...

Powell Combat Arts

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