| Razak's Blog: What Makes A Good Fighter? |
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| Written by Razak Al-Hassan | |||||
| Monday, 01 February 2010 16:22 | |||||
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Razak, who trains full time at Roufusport, will write a biweekly blog that will document everything from his experiences in the fight game, to his experiences in everyday life. The UFC veteran owns a career record of 7-2, and will be making his Wisconsin debut at the United States Fighting Championships in March. Enjoy.
What Makes a Good Fighter?
By Razak Al-Hassan In my inaugural blog, I share what I feel are the necessary components in making a successful fighter. I’m not here to discuss who is or is not a good fighter, since that is subjective, but what I feel are the traits that every good fighter possesses.
In no particular order of importance I’ll begin with athleticism or natural ability. Some individuals are genetically faster, stronger, and more explosive than others. Natural ability can be enhanced or diminished by training or lack thereof. Physically gifted individuals still need to train but not to the degree that their unathletic counterparts need to. Athleticism can be the winning factor when fighters are evenly matched up in other areas. Athletic individuals can do things that are physically awe inspiring with minimal effort. All hope is not loss to individuals that are not athletically favored; they can compensate for their lack of natural talents with a strong work ethic.
This leads me into work ethic. A gifted athlete, with a weak work ethic, will fail to improve as a competitor and hinder their own success. Years ago, I was told so eloquently that if you “train like a b**ch, then you’ll fight like one”. The numbers of days you train and the intensity at which you train are crucial to success. Some of the best fighters are not the most athletically gifted in the cage but the hardest workers at the gym.
An overlooked trait of a good fighter is intelligence. Intelligence is not just points on an IQ test. Intelligence is knowing when to work through an injury and when medical counsel is needed. It’s knowing the difference between insufficient training and overtraining; correct dieting and effective training methods. Intelligence extends beyond the gym in knowing who to conduct business with and taking the right fights at the best time for career advancement.
Technical skills are the reason fighters drill the same punch, kick, throw, and submission a thousand times over. Witnessing a technically proficient fighter at work is like enjoying a vintage bottle of merlot while feasting on filet mignon overlooking a sunset at Santorini. A technical fighter can deliver the most damage while avoiding it and can win bouts almost effortlessly at times.
Lastly is heart. Heart, like athleticism, is something that’s innate, something possessed that isn’t enhanced by training. Heart can only be measured in the heat of battle. It’s the tenacity, will, or the indomitable spirit to win despite the odds against someone. Heart can sometimes carry a lesser fighter to victory over a more skilled and athletic combatant. Any fighters that are perceived as being good or great are strong in all these areas.
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Comments (2)
Ricky Dubiak
said:
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In the past, notable local fighters such as Ron Faircloth, Jameel Massouh, and Nick Klein partnered with Wisconsin Combat Sports to create recurring personal blogs for all to read. Today, WCS would like to welcome Razak Al-Hassan as the newest addition to this selective stable.
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... In the words of Taggert from Blazing Saddles: You use your mouth prettier than a 10 dollar whore. I know he techincally wrote it instead of speaking it but if he spoke it that would indeed be my response. |
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