Newsflash: I love sports!
To me, sports are in many ways a reflection or microcosm of life. I believe that part of the reason that MMA is taking our country by storm is that we are tired of being forced to be politically correct. It's the homogenization of life. Everything and everyone is supposed to live up to some mythical, artificial uniform standard.
If your child who you love, feed, clothe, educate and in all manner care for rides his or her bike in your driveway without a helmet on -- God forbid, you're a horrible parent. And you also allow your child to train in MMA?! Whoa, I hope that you don't live in my neighborhood! Will someone please give me the number for child protective services?
MMA is a sport for serious athletes and not a street fight (though, to be perfectly honest, I will hang around to see a good street fight). MMA gives otherwise solid citizens an opportunity to once again feel our heart beat. Two combatants use their intelligence, agility, technique, power, speed and grace to inflict their will upon the other. What in life is more honest?
When you attend a live event, people always speak of the "electricity" in the air. You are not in the presence of 220V but rather something far more powerful: the sense of being alive.
There is absolutely nothing PC about MMA and maybe, just maybe, that is a small part of why we love it so.
I realize that you may not agree with me, but if my ramblings caused you to pause for a moment and reconsider your beliefs, I accomplished my task.
Thank you for your patience.
Now, let's head to this week's questions.
Q. I have a serious question that I would like to ask you, and I hope that you find the time to respond. First off, I love your column and enjoy reading it. I only wish you posted more than you do. My question is: How do you feel about foot stomps? In my opinion, I think this is really a brutal technique that could cause severe mobility injuries, especially to lightweights who are, of course, smaller framed and highly rely on their mobility as part of their offensive and defensive game plans. It amazes me that I haven't personally heard of any severe injuries coming from this, but I can't help but feel when I see it being implemented against the cage that intense pain is right around the corner for one of the two combatants. (from reader "Purplejitz08")
A. "I think this is a brutal technique." I think you're being far too kind to refer to a foot stomp as a "technique." I refer to it as a desperate measure employed by a desperate fighter. If your go-to move is to stomp on an athlete's foot while in a clinch, I have some advice for you: practice more. Dirty boxing, Muay Thai, judo throws and sweeps are "techniques." Stomping on a foot is a muffled cry for help. Please, please someone recognize my deficiencies and teach me honorable legitimate techniques.
A foot and ankle surgeon once told me that people never think about their feet until they don't work correctly. Let someone stomp your foot and break it, and watch how miserable your next few months (if not more) become. Every step hurts. The foot is an architectural masterpiece. Destroy its integrity and get ready for a potential lifetime of pain.
Ask people with simple foot disorders such as flat feet or plantar fasciits (not to mention a tarsal or metatarsal bone fracture) how happy they are. Ask them how many miles can they run for their cardio or how training is going. And if you were the troll who stomped their foot and caused an injury, I pray that he or she (politically correct) pokes you in the eye and knees you in the groin.
I consider a foot stomp nothing more than a nuisance foul -- like fish hooking, but with potentially far greater consequences. Foot stomps have no place in MMA.
Q. Directly after the Dan Henderson vs. Rousimar Palhares fight at UFC 88, Henderson told Palhares that he had a good chin. What physiological factors enable some fighters to brush off the same punishment that leaves others concussed? In other words, what determines whether a fighter has a "glass jaw" or a "good chin?" Further, can either of these "conditions" atrophy or improve? For example, what can James Thompson do to improve his chin? (from reader "Wrathofreason")
A. Some people seem to be genetically predisposed to concussions or the infamous "glass chin." As for genetic traits, you are either blessed with good ones or cursed by bad ones (not much you can do to change your DNA). But fortunately, that's where technique comes into play:
Tuck your chin, which simply means to keep your chin close to you chest. It provides a less-inviting target and lessens the torque (twisting force) if and when you do get clipped.
Strengthen your neck muscles so that you can better withstand the blow.
Adhere to proper hydration. (Dehydration predisposes one to concussion.)
Use your jab to keep a lethal striker at a safe distance.
As you tire/gas, keep your hands up.
When you exit a clinch or roll out to either side, never back straight out (pull back).
And by all means, as my good friend and two-time world champion and boxing trainer of the year Buddy McGirt often says in the gym, "Move your damn head!"
Remember, each concussion makes you more susceptible to another. It seems to require less and less force to cause the next concussion. If I'm not mistaken, James Thompson has suffered several known concussions and probably a few more during training that we and possibly he did not recognize.
That's it for this week. However, I want to remind you to keep the questions coming! I want to write on subject matter that is important to the faithfull MMA universe. Much respect Spartans! (For me a bit more accurate reference than "Gladiators.")
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Dr. Johnny Benjamin is MMAjunkie.com's medical columnist and consultant and a noted combat-sports specialist. He was also recently appointed to the ABC's medical advisory team and will help review and refine the unified rules of MMA. To submit a question for a future column, email him at askthedoc [AT] mmajunkie.com or share your questions and thoughts in the comments section below. You can find Dr. Benjamin online at
www.drjohnnybenjamin.com.
