In the darkness of every night lurks a potential danger. You may go your whole life without experiencing the terror of an attacker darting out an alley. Or you might find yourself forced to fight or lose your life when an unstable force comes hurtling your way. How will you respond?
Imi Lichtenfeld invented the technique known as Krav Maga on these violent streets of Eastern Europe. The balance had swung in the favor of Nazis and he had no choice but defend himself or perish. In those days, Lichtenfeld learned how to counter assailants wielding knives, bats, guns, chains and weapons no had even seen before. It was survival of the strongest – survival of a fighter who could bring unparalleled mental toughness to every encounter and overcome physical limitations with sheer cunning and lightning-quick reflexes.
The Vinidication of a Self-Defense Style
Lichtenfeld survived that ugly period from the mid-1930s all the way up to the Nazi takeover of the region. He made it out of Europe on one of the last refugee boats that took to sea. It was a painful experience, but the proof was indisputable: Lichtenfeld was a survivor and his technique had worked. Upon settling in Israel after the war, the IDF quickly made a place for him in special forces training.
Incorporating these survival techniques to suit modern times took less refining than you might think. The same concept applies to modern-day muggings. You are walking down the street and you happen to notice a shadow moving in an alleyway. No one is on the street. As you approach, you see movement. An attacker jumps out…are you ready to engage, or do you feel hopeless?
Living in fear is no way to respond to the challenges of this world. Krav Maga is not a system designed to get you asserting yourself in violent situations. It is a technique meant to reassure you. It is confidence, pure and simple. When your life is on the line, you’ll know you are ready to respond.
Don’t wait for the moment when you are caught unprepared. Act now and get your free private lesson to see for your self the difference between a prepared person and an unprepared person.
The guard is a significant part of the Jiu Jitsu game since it offers both offense and defense on the ground even while situated on your back. The ability to pass the guard gives a Jiu Jitsu player an edge as well. Through being able to consistently pass the guard, the offensive and defensive capabilities of an opposing Jiu Jitsu player become less effective. Becoming talented at guard passing does not refer to learning a ton of different guard passes and merely memorizing them. Good guard passing skill is based on understanding a number of basic principles and being able to effectively execute them.
This is not always safe. At Dragon Within, we understand that without decent control of an opponent and good posture on your part, a weak guard pass leaves you vulnerable for sweeps and submissions. The process of passing the guard the properly begins with establishing good base and posture. Base refers to maintaining both stability and a low center of gravity, two traits critical to prevent from being off balanced or swept. Posture means your positioning protects the neck, arms, and legs from attacks. Once your posture and base are solid, the time comes to control the legs and, if the guard is closed, uncross the ankles.
Opening up the closed guard requires putting some level of pressure on the legs to force the ankles to uncross. Again, without good base and posture, this is not going to be easy at all. Once you have opened up the legs, you must control them along with the hips. With the open guard, you do not have to uncross the ankles. You simply go right into controlling the hips and legs, although this can sometimes be difficult based on the positioning certain open guard present.
Whether you choose to go over or under the legs, you positively must put pressure on your opponent. Controlling the hips is important to prevent an opponent from putting you back in the guard, although focusing solely on the hips while ignoring the importance of pinning him can make a guard pass weaker. The finishing positions of a guard pass is a pin be it side control, the scarf hold, or even the North/South position. To make a pin work effectively, you have to really anchor your weight down. This process has to start during the guard pass because, quite simply, a loose guard pass is not going to help keep anyone in place for a pin.
Among the best ways to become better at guard passing is to drill. Your training partner can put you in a number of different guards. While the partner offers moderate resistance, you work on guard passing and pinning. Correct your flaws and mistakes and try to improve with each training session. Your guard passing skills might increase immensely as a result. And great improvement could come far quicker than you ever imagined.
No one likes to be pinned down in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Pinning and holding is a large part of the game so anyone interested in learning Jiu Jitsu must learn how to deal with pins. The various top positions such as mount, side mount, north/south, scarf hold, and even knee on stomach are all designed to keep someone in place so in order to be submitted. Escape is the goal when you are pinned, but escaping is not always easy to do. You could end up being pinned for several minutes. To help reduce the chances of being submitted, your posture has to solidly defensive while also creating the best leverage for escaping.
Keeping the elbows close to the body would be among the most important of all posture considerations. There are two major problems present when the elbows are too far from the core of the body. The first is the arms are very vulnerable to submissions. An opponent can easily wrap under the elbow and go into a spinning armlock. The reason it is so easy to wrap the arm is the distance from the elbow and the body presents a significant amount of space.
The second problems is the arms lose a great deal of strength since supporting muscle groups cease to be involved. As a result, forcing the arm down to execute a bent shoulder lock is not all that tough. An opponent on top has a lot of leverage. Having weak arm posture further reduces the ability to defend the arms. Pulling the arms and elbows in towards the body makes attacking them dramatically more difficult.
In order to escape from the bottom, your elbows must press into points on the opponent’s body in order to create space. This is very difficult to achieve when the elbows are even slightly out of position. When they are too far from the body, they can offer no effective leverage at all.
Does this mean all hope is lost when your elbows are out of position. No, it just means you must make it a priority to bring them back in. Performing a simple short bridge to bump an opponent up can create enough space for just enough time to return the elbows to their correct position.
*We put together a team of hard working students. They worked after class to prepare for a demo at the 8th annual Culture fest. These martial artists are truly inspirational.*
So at Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts, We could have basically taken all of our students and made a fantastic demo team. We have approximately 100 child students in 3 different age groups. These age groups make up our 3 classes; Little Dragons, Juniors, and finally Young Adults. Our little Dragons are 4-6 years old. Our Juniors are ages 7-10 years old and our Young Adults are ages 11-14. We gathered as a team and hand picked 15 kids from all three classes to perform in the demonstration.
We pair up all our students carefully with each other to avoid any size or strength issues. No child is set up for failure!
We keep them motivated with rewards and special attention and praise all the time. We even offered a snack in between classes because they get hungry after all that exercise.
-Baylie walks down the street and yet again, runs into that mean ol’ bully of her, Autumn. Autumn puts her hands on her one more and time and Baylie has had enough She defends herself with a crazy monkey in 50/50 then a take down. But she doesn’t stop there, no she mounts and pins that mean bully. She takes total control of the situation and then calls for help. This is great way to assert yourself against a bully with our hurting them. Remember our intention is not to hurt anyone, but do defend and evade the situation.
-Sarah and Steph (one of our adult students) demonstrate a little competition mixed with some real life skill. The show walking teep kicks into roundhouse kicks. This shows a more traditional Thai Kickboxing and what its all about.
Each student looks absolutely adorable up on stage, and not one student got stage fright. They were all excited and pumped to perform!
The Dragon’s at Dragon Within have been involved in martial arts training for over 50 years combined. This school has been alive for more than 10 years and is constantly growing. Our philosophy is to teach students self defense within the Art. The staff and students show compassion when training in the Dojo.
We believe that within the structured class our students develop self-confidence, motivation to set and reach goals, respect, discipline, and self control. Our class is taught at a pace, which allows students to advance in their belt over time. The time and work it takes to stay in class and earn a higher rank is what grows character, self-discipline, and patience. We understand that it is a difficult thing to stay motivated towards, which is why it is such a great achievement when they receive that belt. We stay focused on the Art and the way our curriculum is designed helps develop positive characteristics in our students over time.
Our kickboxing class has the same mentality. The curriculum is designed to keep you focused and motivated. You will feel like you have accomplished something new after each class whether it be physically or mentally.
If you have a Facebook and would like to see a recent album or see the flow of the way we operate please find us at facebook.com/dwmma . We also post schedule changes and member notifications there as well so definitely a good idea anyways!
We have experience with students of all backgrounds and maturity levels. Even children with social disorders and anxieties tend to thrive at Dragon Within
Our goal is to help our members to develop, grow, and improve both physically and mentally through their progression in Mixed Martial Arts, Krav Maga, Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Self defense and Fitness Training. We accomplish this by offering the most functional, realistic, innovative, and enjoyable martial arts and fitness training available.
**We would also like to give a special thanks to Miss Jess, kids program coordinator and lead instructor, for putting together such an amazing show. And huge thanks to the A3D for hosting the 8th Annual Culture Fest in downtown Salem and inviting us to be a part of it.**
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is an enormously popular martial art. This is why you see so many BJJ schools are opening all over the world. Of course, the presence of a school is not the main indication of its value. The number of students enrolled in the school is. When you look closer at these students, you will see many training as frequently as possible and others train when their schedule permits. Since BJJ schools often offer unlimited training per month, there is a lot of flexibility available in terms of how often a student can train.
But, how many days a week should a student train? This is an important question that needs to be asked and answered. There are active and athletic students that train virtually every day of the week and there are also those that have to train far less because training too often leads to them becoming sore and somewhat broken down.
Really, you do not want to become sore or too beat up to train. That does no one any good. When you are over-trained, you end up missing days of class. Does that help your ability to progress in BJJ? Absolutely not!
Again, different people’s bodies will react in a completely different manner to their training regimen. There is, however, a safe medium that you can follow in order to be sure that you avoid over-training. That medium would be playing it safe and training about three days a week.
These three days should not be consecutive. The reason for this is you want to at least one rest day in between the three workout days because your body will need time to recuperate and heal. When you do not get the proper amount of rest, the body will start to break down. This is where all those aches and pains come from. Those that are older BJJ practitioners will be more than familiar with such pains which is why they might be more willing to take such breaks than younger BJJ’ers. However, just because you are young does not mean you are invulnerable. Over-training can affect anyone at any age.
There are going to be those serious minded BJJ players that want to train each and every single day. They reason they wish to do so is not all that difficult to figure out. They just want to become very good at the art of BJJ. Here is a little news for those that have such desires in mind: frequency does not always equate with quality.
The true value of the class will be in the quality of the instruction combined with a good attitude for learning. In short, you need to enroll in a good class and then make the most out of it when you are in the class. This means you should py very close attention and ask pertinent questions when they arise. (Of course, you should ask them at the appropriate time) Follow these very simple steps and you will find it is a lot easier to get the most out of your three day a week training plan.
A movie about two brothers who haven’t seen each other for years, the younger not speaking to the elder and both estranged from their father, who both wind up competing out of financial necessity in the same world-wide mixed martial arts worldwide championship? How serendipitous! The premise of the movie Warrior seems to be a guarantee of cliché melodrama you would expect from an underdog fighter film; however, for those who have no clue what Mixed Martial Arts(Salem Mass) entails, this movie could suffice for some MMA edification.
They not only act the parts, they enact the physicality of the roles. As Mixed Martial Arts fighters they have to be in top shape and they are. The fight scenes are brief but authentic looking. This movie really entails what martial arts is about. You really have a lot of respect for people who compete as Mixed Martial Artists.
DWMMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Salem Mass– we take the most effective combat techniques from styles such as Karate, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Judo, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Western Boxing. The blending of all these arts is what creates a unique fighting system. Most MMA gyms and programs are geared toward the fighters. Our unique approach makes this high-level training safe and fun for students of all ages and interest levels!
Learn Self-Defense, Gain Confidence and Get in Great Shape. Discover how anyone can Train and Enjoy (MMA) Mixed Martial Arts Salem MA, regardless of your Age, Fitness level or Experience.
Learning a martial art can be an effective way to stay in shape and relieve stress and pent-up aggression, all while learning self-defense. Commonly known styles we have: Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, and Kickboxing. There are a lot of “fighting styles” that are relatively unknown the our Western culture… one being Eskrima.
Eskrima (also known as Arnis and Kali) is a Filipino martial arts style that originated to train large numbers of Filipinos how to defend themselves against conquistadors, using little besides their bodies and sticks. The techniques are usually easy to learn, but the style is complex enough that fighters must take many years to learn every nuance. Although it is weapons based, it also includes striking (kicking and punching), wrestling and grappling, and even ground-fighting, as well as teaching practical defenses against most weapons.
At Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts, Salem MA our Filipino Jiu-Jitsu program incorporates Filipino Martial Arts Concepts into a well-rounded self-defense system. Filipino Jiu-Jitsu is not a new system or style, it is a modern approach towards practical street self-defense. This unique fighting method combines the principles, concepts and techniques of Panantukan (Filipino “dirty” Boxing), Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/BJJ, silat, Muay Thai kickboxing, Combat Jujitsu and Filipino Eskrima/Kali/Arnis (Stick & knife fighting) to make it very modern approach towards practical street self-defense.
Filipino Jiu-Jitsu is well suited for men, and women of all ages, because physical strength and athletic abilities are not essential. Only the core techniques have been taken from these combative arts and organized into an easy to learn curriculum that can benefit the beginner as well as the advanced practitioner. In addition to learning effective self-defense, Filipino Jiu-Jitsu also provides the student with the means to improve their physical fitness, awareness, flexibility and self-confidence. Combining the best of many styles into a blended system gives our students the advantage they need to protect themselves in virtually any situation.
Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts offers the most functional and realistic self-defense and fitness programs in the North Shore area.
Klug made up his mind to compete in the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) event in Hartford, Conn., on July 30. NAGA is one of the largest BJJ Ground Fighting competitions in the Northeast, and with less than four months experience under his belt he placed second in both Gi and No Gi.
“Gi is a loosely fitted two piece garment held together with a cloth belt,” said Klug, who plays wide receiver and cornerback on the Lynnfield High football team. “No Gi is very different because you compete in athletic shorts and a tee-shirt. There is a huge difference because in Gi you and your opponent can grab onto the lapel of the Gi and the pants, giving more leverage. In No Gi there is nothing to hold onto so it is much harder.”
Klug proved to be a master of both styles at the NAGA event.
“Ever since I was very young the sport has interested me, and I’ve fallen in love with grappling. I’ve always played basketball, but I’m thinking of switching to wrestling this year,” he said. “I think I picked up the skills you need in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) quickly because (Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts) has the best instructors around.”
Klug is getting ready for his next competition, another NAGA event in Lincoln, Rhode Island on October 15. His goal is to take first place in both Gi and No Gi this time. He sets the bar very high, but has the results to back it up.
Patricia Cregier, wife of Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts owner Dennis Cregier, said Klug is one of several talented teenagers they are working with. She has seen their confidence built through martial arts.
“John is an excellent example of how a teenager should be,” said DWMMA owner and head instructor Dennis Cregier. “He shows dedication to being part of Dragon Within, and has extraordinary natural talents in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
BJJ is a complex martial art, and the fact that at 16 with only a few months training he came in second in both Gi and No Gi shows what kind of talent he has. He’s also a good kid, and I am glad to be able to help him learn martial arts, especially since he shows so much potential.”
Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts offers the most functional and realistic self-defense and fitness programs in the North Shore area.
Through my observations: it seems that most grappling classes are male dominant. It’s not that there are a lot of women coming in and getting turned off by something that surrounds our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes; it seems that women just aren’t aware of the benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training and not coming in to see exactly what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu(BJJ) really is about. So that leads me to ask why aren’t there more women taking interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu(BJJ)?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu(BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. It can be a dangerous world for a woman and almost ALL RAPES happen being pinned to the ground by a bigger, stronger opponent. Wouldn’t you want to feel confident that if someone were to gain dominance over you on the ground, you would have the knowledge to possibly prevent the rape and save your life?
Women should take more interest in Martial Arts in general…not only for the self-defense aspects of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu(BJJ), Thai Kickboxing, Filipino Jiu-Jitsu, or Mixed Martial Arts(MMA), but for the empowerment of being a woman. It is definitely a confidence builder and who doesn’t want more confidence? It’s fun and active. It’s a great way to stay in shape and increase flexibility. Taking martial arts or a group sport, in general, helps you meet new people with similar interest; however, the power of community among members at Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts, Salem MA, is incredible.
Confidence: the certainty in your ability to successfully achieve your goals and the resiliency to withstand the challenges along the way.
Everybody wants to feel confident some way or another. I find that confidence is one of the most sought after benefits of those seeking self-defense training. Whether it is for self-assurance that you could defend yourself, or just to be able to say you are confident in yourself; self-defense is a great way to boost your confidence level.
The fact that you have even thought about taking martial arts shows that you want to gain confidence in your life in some way or another and walking in is taking the first step to proving to yourself, and others, that you have confidence. However, finding the path to confidence lies with more than just martial arts training. It takes a positive attitude and an open mind. Martial arts training will help you, help yourself, gain more confidence. Whether it’s Thai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu(BJJ), Filipino Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) or if you want your child to gain more confidence through our Children’s Programs; Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts is teaching the most realistic and practical self-defense classes in the North Shore and surrounding areas.
UFC 133 is coming up on August 6th on Pay Per View and it gives us a good reason to watch here at Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts, Salem MA. They have Evans Vs Ortiz as the main event, but we are more excited about who is on the main fight card: JORGE RIVERA vs CONSTANTINOS PHILIPPOU.
Jorge, aka El Conquistador, came to Dragon Within Mixed Martial Arts, Salem MA, along with BJJ Black Belt: Tim Burrill, to our Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) workshop. He helped us all with our submissions and everybody liked learning techniques from a fighter who has actually had success in the cage from the same sweeps and submissions that he demonstrated for us. It was one of our most successful and fun workshops and we were delighted that he came to our school to teach us.
Also on the Main Fight Card:
Vitor Belfort vs Yoshihoro Akiyama
Dennis Hallman vs Brian Ebersole
Rory MacDonald vs Mike Pyle
Mat Hamill vs Alexander Gustafsson
Chad Mendes vs Rani Yahya
Ivan Manjivar vs Nick Pace
Hojny Hendricks vs Mike Pierce
Mike Brown vs Nam Phan
Rafael Natal vs Paul Bradley
Forged Bjj Krav Maga Self Defense Salem MA 
