Dog Brothers Open Gathering Sept 19, 2010

[Crafty_Dog]

Woof All:

Just opening this thread.

"HCTHC" (c)
Crafty Dog
Guiding Force

[Dog Howie]

Can my chatter start yet GC?

[Crafty_Dog]

It is up to you 

[Monkey Man]

Woof

Is there any restrictions on bringing others? I have two people who I would like to bring with me, also is there any cost for observing?

Thanks

Monkey
 

[Crafty_Dog]

Yes we look for a donation at the door.  If your friends would like to fight, well then, they must pre-register just like everyone else.

[Growling Dog]

woof
looks like Toronto crew has grown to 5
with a potential Calgary participant

[Crafty_Dog]

Dog Mauricio of Mexico City looks to be in. 

Many others too; it's still early for people getting formally registered.

[Jonobos]

I am hoping to make it out again this year. Its a little out of my price range to make the trip alone, so it sort of depends on the rest of the crew.

[Crafty_Dog]

"Tomorrow is promised to no one."

[Padraig]

Howdy,
 I registered formally for the Open Gathering a couple weeks ago and I am cautiously psyched for it. By the Gathering I will be bout 1.5 years into my Dekiti training and I have upped my Kali Training to 6 hours a week supplemented with 6 hours of MMA type stuff. What sort of independant work should I be doing, road work, tire work, weights, probably all of the above? Thanks for any advice.

[bjung]

Well...it's some time away, and the answer is YES. good conditioning is important, one thing that separates new comers from people who have fought before is the experience of being in the adrenal state. Put some time into hard sparring (either in stick or MMA), get the feeling of being under pressure. i feel it's hard to hard to get to (for me) unless it's in a stick fight, try using light rattan for sparring and work your way up with some trusted partners.

good luck

[Growling Dog]

Woof Padraig

if i may give you my 5 cents
cardio is very important a 2 min stick fight can feel like 10 min
hit tires, as hard as you(using foot work) can this will get you used to holding on to your stick, and help your recovery after you strike i strongly suggest you wear your mask during this drill.
which brings me to my next point try to train with the equipment that you will use at the gathering. and find a group of people and stick fight often, light sticks and padded sticks are good but you need to bring out what you are going to fight with to get a true feeling of what you are getting your self into
and lastly congrats for signing up i look forward to seeing you in september

C-GD                             

[Jonobos]

Padraig

Yes, cardio! Although I could be totally wrong and my perceptions wildly off, it felt like my double stick fight vs Kaju dog at last years open gathering ran for an eternity. At the time I would have estimated it to be around 5 minutes. Looking back it may only have been 3? I don't really know. I am quite sure it was exhausting though

Prepare yourself for the size of the sticks and the power people will be swinging with. Drill will your training partners putting some serious force into thier swings. Maybe it is just me (it was my first gathering after all) but I found this to be quite a shock. Dog Mauricio slammed the stick clear out of my hand with only stick on stick contact. Not ideal!

[Padraig]

Thanks for the advice, I am on it. I also signed of for Guro Crafty's Kali Tudo Seminar in NYC in a couple weeks to sharpen my game up.

[Guide Dog]

Padraig,

I think you have some sound advice already. I would add a few things:

- In a magazine article, Guro Lonely Dog suggested stopping your hard sparring several weeks before the Gathering. Naturally, this helps you to avoid injury, but I have always appreciated that advice to avoid going into the Gathering feeling psyched out. What if you're sparring the night before, and you just "don't have it" that day and you perform badly? By focusing on yourself those last weeks, you don't bring any performance-related baggage with you into the Gathering space that could come with sparring days before the event.

- Focus on a few things, and put those FMA concepts into a circuit training routine. Go beyond the norm. If you lift weights, halfway through the weight routine, do some carranza, or hit a tire. Go for a run, and cool down with power shots. By working on a few FMA things while your body is recovering from other (varied) activities, you will OWN the FMA material on which you are working.

- Check your equipment the night before, so you don't have to bother with it the morning of. You want to just be able to get into your car and go.

- Most of the fighters I have met over the years, whether I only met them once, or I see them at every Gathering are really good, funny, friendly people. Get to Powerhouse early if you can, and introduce yourself to some folks. It will lighten your mood, and make the waiting easier.

- For me, once my first fight of the day is over, I'm in it, and the nerves settle down exponentially. The night before, and the morning of are the hardest.

- Set a number in your head of fights for the day, and try to achieve it. If you don't think you have another one in you, take one more.

- If you think there is a fighter completely out of your league, try to fight him. In my humble opinion, you will either fare well and surprise yourself, or you will survive a beating, and come back stronger.

- Remember, not too many people in the world want to do RCSF, so enjoy the moment and the day itself!

GD

[Crafty_Dog]

A Dog Brothers Parable:

A couple have been enjoying videoing their livemaking and are rather impressed with themselves.  They go to a porn producer to see about performing in front of his cameras.  The producer checks out their videos and is duly impressed and agrees, but cautions the man about the unique experience of getting it up front of a whole and rather jaundiced film crew.

"No problem!" exclaimed the man.

Nonetheless, come the day of the shoot it is as the producer warned; the man can't get it up.  When the producer starts with an I-told-you-so the man cuts him off and says

"I can't understand it!  We practiced three times last night, and twice this morning!"

[Padraig]

Good advice. I have started running with an axe handle across my shoulders and stopping every quarter mile to do strikes. Joggers are terrified. Any body know of any motel near the gym, like within running distance? I'm coming out from Jersey.

Padraig,

I think you have some sound advice already. I would add a few things:

- In a magazine article, Guro Lonely Dog suggested stopping your hard sparring several weeks before the Gathering. Naturally, this helps you to avoid injury, but I have always appreciated that advice to avoid going into the Gathering feeling psyched out. What if you're sparring the night before, and you just "don't have it" that day and you perform badly? By focusing on yourself those last weeks, you don't bring any performance-related baggage with you into the Gathering space that could come with sparring days before the event.

- Focus on a few things, and put those FMA concepts into a circuit training routine. Go beyond the norm. If you lift weights, halfway through the weight routine, do some carranza, or hit a tire. Go for a run, and cool down with power shots. By working on a few FMA things while your body is recovering from other (varied) activities, you will OWN the FMA material on which you are working.

- Check your equipment the night before, so you don't have to bother with it the morning of. You want to just be able to get into your car and go.

- Most of the fighters I have met over the years, whether I only met them once, or I see them at every Gathering are really good, funny, friendly people. Get to Powerhouse early if you can, and introduce yourself to some folks. It will lighten your mood, and make the waiting easier.

- For me, once my first fight of the day is over, I'm in it, and the nerves settle down exponentially. The night before, and the morning of are the hardest.

- Set a number in your head of fights for the day, and try to achieve it. If you don't think you have another one in you, take one more.

- If you think there is a fighter completely out of your league, try to fight him. In my humble opinion, you will either fare well and surprise yourself, or you will survive a beating, and come back stronger.

- Remember, not too many people in the world want to do RCSF, so enjoy the moment and the day itself!

GD

[Monkey Man]

Woof All:

Just opening this thread.

"HCTHC" (c)
Crafty Dog
Guiding Force

About when is the location going to be finalized, or has the location been finalized?

[Crafty_Dog]

There is an alternate location into which we are looking.  It is in the same general vicinity.

[Dog Howie]

Thanks for the advice, I am on it. I also signed of for Guro Crafty's Kali Tudo Seminar in NYC in a couple weeks to sharpen my game up.

As a new fighter with little Martial Arts experience I'll throw some things that I leaarned from fighting at my first Gathering last year.  First is to fight guys that have some accountability and relationship with DBMA... this means guys that have fought at a number of gatherings, probably have a lot more experience than you and it may, but not always mean they are named dogs or "C" dogs. Open gatherings are just that.... open... and this removes "wild cards" and potential "crazies" from your list of opponents. By ideology the dogs will not be easy on you... in fact they will fight you hard BUT they will not go insane on you either. Experienced Dog Bros goals are to raise up fighters not destroy them. They know and believe this. Let the dogs respond to the "wild cards" and "crazies"... not you.

For me I just had a few attacks and blocks that I had been training in and, frankly, unless you have years of experience then it's better to get a few inside of your thinking than a lot that are just outside. You won't have time to think anyway and if you are like me then what comes out will be what you train the most.


The biiggest surprize I had was the intensity of the adrenaline dump and the strength/violence of the aggression. Dog Bros learn to strike hard... real hard..... prepare to hold your stick and not present your hands or sticks for disarm attempts. The intensity of the attacks took be back... I wasn't exposed to that level of attack before... it was GREAT feeling and experienceing it. The adrenaline dump threw me cause I didin't understand it. Be prepared to get intense fast aand respond fast.


Canada's Growling Dog once told me that stepping onto the mat at a gathering will change your life. It changed mine for the better and I continue to be extremely thankful for the opportunities provided. See you in September.

[Dr Dog]

Howie, we will all be glad to see you in September.

Rick

[Growling Dog]

C-Growling Dog Howie, am looking at dropping the c part

[Padraig]

Good advice Howie. I never thought about that, but it makes good sense.Just as an aside, I'm shooting for 3 fights that day. Is that a fair number? Punkishly low? Optimistically high?

[Dog Howie]

Good advice Howie. I never thought about that, but it makes good sense.Just as an aside, I'm shooting for 3 fights that day. Is that a fair number? Punkishly low? Optimistically high?

here's the advice I got and I believe it to be good. If you aren't sure if u should take another fight then you SHOULD take it. U don't have to plan them all in advance so u can take more when u r there. U can always cancel and you will not be disrespected if u do. I'll just pass that on. Any opposing view gentlemen? 

[sting]

For a few years in the 2000s, I organized my friends to help Marc and Fran, then, Ron with photography and videography.  So, I　had tallies of fight counts for a number of events.  The average was three, despite manly recollections of greater deeds : one knife and two stick.  1-2 guys would do one or five fights.  Some would do 1-2 knife fights, only (more prevalent at more recent, larger events).  Personally, I would judge those as exhibition matches as a knife fight in itself s not a full Gathering experience.  Three is a good number for a first-timer.  As Marc recommends, the knife fights help release the butterflies from fighting in front of a crowd.  You decide beforehand because it is so easy to sit out from lack of motivation.  Legitimate injuries take out only a few.  Iｆ you are worried about stamina, take it easy during the knife fight. 

[Growling Dog]

the biggest mistake i feel i did at the  last open gathering was skipping the knife fights
i agree with Sting the knife fight gets you lose and warmed up, i felt  stiff during my first fight
and never got to a second thanks to the broken arm

[drammel]

Crafty, can we start to formally register? I'm excited for my second trip to the Gathering and want to make sure I get registered.

[Crafty_Dog]

Absolutelzy-- go for it.

[drammel]

Done. I'm really looking forward to it.

[Padraig]

I'll definitely make sure to knife fight. C_Growling, how did you break your arm, was it a stick strike or while grappling?

[Growling Dog]

i am not entirely sure how it happened, Poi  and I had a few good exchanges( its the fight on you tube "open gathering09" 7min 58 sec and on, wearing Gamma shirt(Sled Dogs School))
after wards my arm felt a bit tight i was about to fight again, but decided to have Kaju take a look at it, he rotated my arm and that's when i felt the click.  i sometimes wonder if it was already injured the from the fights at the Toronto camp which was only a few prior to the gathering
Thanks again Kaju if it wasnt for you and the jack daniels i dont think i would have survived the 16 hours of travel time

[Padraig]

This is gonna sound like a stupid question, but, do you wear mouth guards in addition to the fencing helmet.

[Jonobos]

This is gonna sound like a stupid question, but, do you wear mouth guards in addition to the fencing helmet.

I do. I saw many others doing the same.

[Growling Dog]

protect your grill, they are way to expensive to replace

[Crafty_Dog]

I confess I never did, but it is probably a good idea.

[drammel]

protect your grill, they are way to expensive to replace

^^^what he said

[Padraig]

Yeah, I already have 4 fake fronts due to my tendency to lead with my chin. I'll opt for the mouthguard.

[Poidog]

i sometimes wonder if it was already injured the from the fights at the Toronto camp which was only a few prior to the gathering

Then you better stop blaming me, damn Spaniard!!  BTW, congrats on the whole World Cup thing.   

[Dr Dog]

Guro Crafty, any word on location yet?

Registration sent, tickets purchased. Waiting on location for hotel.

Chatter, anyone?  Or am I the only one getting the adrenaline at 2 in the AM thinking about it and then lurking the forum because I can't get back to sleep? 

Rick

[Crafty_Dog]

It will either be at the same location as last year or at Gokor's gym which is in the same general vicinity.

[Kaju Dog]

Hows the Registered Fighters list comming...  No rush, I can only imagine how much you have on the table right now.

Just curious.

2am Chatter...  Yeh, got that 

[Growling Dog]

Woof Kaju

haven't registered yet but will sometime this week
you and i will go first this time bro

[Kaju Dog]

Woof Kaju

haven't registered yet but will sometime this week
you and i will go first this time bro

IM HONORED SIR

[Howling Dog]

Woof, I have one of these and am thinking about bringing it to the Sept. Gathering.
Whats the thought. Woul you fight with it, or against it?
Theres pro's and con's on both sides.
C-HD
http://www.coldsteel.com/sjambok.html

If your intrested lets talk.   

[Dr Dog]

Will staffs be provided/available at the gathering? (for those coming in via airlines - staff will really complicate packing...)

If so, what is the typical length? 4,5,6 foot?

[Crafty_Dog]

The standard length that DBMA sells is 54" so I'm sure I can find a couple for those so inclined.

[Dr Dog]

I hope to make use of them. 54" is the length I'm used to - perfect.  Thanks Guro 

[Dr Dog]

One month from today!!!!!

[Crafty_Dog]

I need to get the invitation out! 

I am just back from the Euro Gathering.  It will take me a day or three to do so.

[Howling Dog]

One month from today!!!!!

  Woof!  ........Lets do this!!!
             C-HD