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FIGHTER INTERVIEWS:
This
month’s interview is with Scott Sonnon.
Mr. Sonnon traveled throughout the globe researching methods of
Performance Enhancement, devoting his life to the study of Combat
Psychophysiology and Sports Biomechanics. He became an International
Sambo Champion, USA National Sambo Team Coach, and Honorable Master of
Sport in Sambo, in order to win the respect of the Russian Special
Forces and Olympic Trainers. Currently
he conducts training for law enforcement and military sector, opting
out of the civilian. Force-Responsive Subject-Control is the
system that I created to address the specific needs of the
professionally armed community, based upon my training with special
purpose police units in CIS countries.
Staff:
Mr. Shannon. What the heck are ARTHROKINETICST Biomechanical
Joint Manipulation, GRAPPLERS TOOLBOXT Solo Grappling Drills, SHOCK-AbilityT
Biomechanical Impact Training, and IOUFT Biomechanical Takedown
Training and how can they help our members.
Sonnon:
Arthrokinetics is the "science of submission
fighting." AK teaches the individual how to think for
himself, how to understand the body and as a result gain the ability to
create joint holds, rather than memorize them from some
"master" or "guru." AK is not just a video
"anatomy textbook" that people would think. I don't
know many college professors that could walk off the mat victorious
with a university education. AK is a systematic bridge between
anatomy/physiology and practical application of submission fighting
that I created based upon my experience as US Nat'l Sambo Coach and an
international calibre player.
Grapplers
Toolbox is a system of specialized exercises specific to the grappling
game. The principle goes S.A.I.D. - Specific Adaptation to
Imposed Demands. If you're doing Yoga, Gimnastica Natural, Tai
Chi, Feldenkrais, Strength Conditioning, or just generic Bodyweight
Calisthenics, you may have some "trickle over" performance
benefits, but firstly you also have trickle over performance drawbacks.
More importantly, in the former Soviet Union, since Sambo was the
national sport, a specialized system of exercise to enhance performance
in grappling was devised. Grapplers Toolbox is a video
encyclopedia of these exercises, which I created, and which won a place
as the first martial art video to be inducted into the International
Martial Arts Hall of Fame due to its successes. Fierce fighters
who have adopted the GTB exercises include Elvis Sinosic, Igor Zinoviev,
"Obake", the fitness guru Pavel Tsatsouline, former USA Judo
coach Neil Ohlenkamp.
Shock-Ability
is a training program for how to absorb, evade and administer force in
hand to hand fighting. It's NOT eating crosses, slipping jabs,
and throwing hooks. It's THE way of learning how to capitalize on
an opponent's rhythm and aggressiveness. Its received
endorsements from even the USA National Karate Coach, Tokey Hill.
IOUF
is the standing version of AK - it's a systematic approach to
understanding takedowns and throws. Yes, you can go learn
Kodakan's definite throwing techniques. Yes, you can go learn
freestyle wrestling takedown syllabus. OR you can learn IOUF
Biomechanical Takedowns, and be able to create any technique needed on
demand. It's that simple. Unfortunately, the "martial
art industry" is still steeped in what Bruce Lee called the
"classical mess" - even the current MMA/NHB community still
uses obsolete training methods, in particular the concept of "a
technique." IOUF like the rest of my resources teach you how
to throw away the concept of "techniques" and emancipate
yourself to self-mastery. Unfortunately, people would much rather
pay tens of thousands of dollars for some "wizard" to bestow
upon them the wisdom of the ancients (now called the "wisdom of
the street" or the "wisdom of the octagon.")
People need to take authority for themselves and their training.
My resources were created to help unlock those shackles on performance.
Staff:
Scott I have read your website and after your answer I am starting to
understand your systems. Most people, even myself, have put the
fight game into two camps.... physical and mental. Your system
seems to come up with a scientific way of combining. Is that
correct.
Sonnon:
Very correct. My system is a deliberately integrated system of:
the Morale, the Emotional, the Mental, and the Physical.
Staff: Well even after us that discussion. Give my
members some concrete techniques or drills that you believe will help
them with leg locks.
Sonnon:
1.
One of the best leg manipulation drills one can do is to attempt to
activate submission while the opponent remains standing (and the
applying athlete is on the ground.) This removes the benefit of
leverage gained from gravity. Precision application results.
2.
Timed drills - the athlete turns to find his opponent in a surprise
position. He has 5 seconds to find a concession hold from the
whistle blow. This inhibits the conscious mind competing for
physical performance.
3.
Dogpile drills - the entire team is "scrumming" in a "dogpile"
on the mat. When the whistle blows, the last athlete to effect a
submission hold starts on the bottom.
4.
Swimming pool drills - in Russia we do this sometimes with breathing
apparatus, and other times without. Without apparatus, exhale
before sinking to bottom with opponent. Begin in "test of
manhood" position (with each man in Achilles hold). Go!
This works on relaxation, sensitivity, and best of all, removing all
"contributory forces" such as gravity - to enhance precision.
I've
got plenty more, but you only have so much bandwidth, and I don't want
to scare some of your readers with some of the more... challenging
drills. :)
Staff:
It is funny but our website www.leglocks.com has received a tremendous
amount of traffic and most of the people are concerned with leg lock
defense. They just seem to get freaked out about good leg lock
guys attacking them. What are some of your favorite leg lock
defenses?
Sonnon:
As a "leg man" myself, I love
when guys freak out. The tension in the muscles creates a greater
fulcrum for applying pressure. So, first advice is to exhale and
muscularly relax. Submissions happen at the "Yield
Point" in a joint, at the end of the "Elastic Region" -
which means that the tighter your muscles become, the faster they head
towards submission.
Secondly,
as you relax your muscles you can actually feel where the defenses can
happen. With tight muscles, you're blind. Notice the
difference between a talented grappler from any discipline or sport -
he's always relaxed.
Here's
a little specific hint for those of you getting caught in the Achilles,
a high percentage attack. Pull your toes back towards your shin,
between his anterior deltoid and his trap, while simultaneously pushing
your heel through. Usually people try to pull or to push, both of
which do not work, because you need to do both.
Staff: What is something that you think is absolutely
invaluable in training.
Sonnon: When in a
submission hold by an opponent, relax your face as you exhale (heck,
you can even smile a little, but don't tell anyone I said that) -
pretend that it does not scare you. Act like it is nothing.
It increases the nervousness in your opponent, making him think he is
not close to successful hold. It takes practice to remain calm in
pain. In Russia we had submission holds applied to us and we were
not allowed to even wince while the hold was taken just to the edge of
injury, so we could understand the difference between pain, which is
just information, and injury. Without understanding the
difference, you cannot act upon the intelligence you have just
collected from the opponent. You are blind to escapes because the
"pain" overwhelms your mind. You must practice this
before trying to learn escapes, because it is the dog that guides the
blind man.
Remember
Dostoevsky, "Love your suffering."
Fraternal,
Scott
Sonnon
AS
ALWAYS.........TRAIN HARD and NEVER QUIT
A.J. Comparetto
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