jluchau
03-20-2007, 08:52 PM
It’s nice to be part of a team — especially one like this
Sentinel Sports Reporter Jeremy Luchau is training to be a mixed martial artist, a project which will end with a bout in the Palace Fighting Championship at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in October. His column appears every second Tuesday.
It’s tough being a lone wolf.
For some time now, I’ve been doing a lot of training on my own. And honestly, I’ve come to learn it’s not a very effective method of training.
On a few occasions, some of the members of Team Ochoa have offered to help me with my stand-up fighting and grapple with me some.
The whole team, at times, have really taken an interest in me.
I thought that it would be a good idea to attempt to join the team.
“We’re a tight-knit group and we’re people that you can always count on,” said Jacob Jeff, who acts as the team’s manager. “Any other sport, you usually have teammates to back you. We feel like that is also important in mixed martial arts. You need some kind of support and that’s where a team comes in.”
But Team Ochoa isn’t your normal team.
The team was founded by Sam Ochoa, who passed away in April of 2006. The team has since relocated to train out of Valley Fight Club in Hanford, and unlike many teams its focus is on staying small and tight knit.
“Sam really knew how to teach and coach,” Jeff said. “He knew so many different fighting styles and how to put things together. We’re not out here to become a big ol’ fight school or have a big name. We’re a group of guys that train together and have become family.”
The nine-member fight team doesn’t often take on new members, either.
“We’re built on family and a few friends,” Jeff said. “We don’t take in very many outsiders. We really like to just take care of each other. When you approached us about being on the team we really thought hard about it.
“It was a tough decision for all of us to make. It really came down to our trainer, Medo Mor-ales. You’ve never had a fight before, but we really like the fact that you like to train and you train hard. Medo loves that. I brought that to his attention and after that he had no hesitation.”
And I became an official member of Team Ochoa, which includes some of the toughest fighters in the Central Valley — Poppies “Tachi Kid” Martinez (10-2) and his brother Mickey Martinez (3-0). Also, Mike Martinez, Elvis Franco, Gene Parks, Rudy Berrera and Tony Alaniz.
Poppies Martinez will fight for the Palace Fighting Championship lightweight title on Thursday at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino against San Bernardino’s Shad Smith (8-6).
Also fighting on the 15-bout card is Mike Martinez, who is making his light heavyweight debut against Taft’s Tommy Contreras (2-0).
“We work a lot of hands on this team,” Morales said. “That’s what we are really known for. I really want to get you ready and prepared for that first fight in October. We have to start mixing it up and you need to go full MMA. You need to work your hands and kicks. Your jiu-jitsu is pretty decent.”
On Monday night, I got my first real taste of training with Team Ochoa.
“You have power in your punches,” Morales said. “You really need to work on form, but other than that everything looks good. You show a lot of potential. Train hard and fight easy.”
I will still be training at Valley Fight Club with jiu-jitsu instructor Luis Gonzalez and boxing coach Juan Herrera. I will also take Krav Maga classes with D. Womack to work on my cardio.
I’ve also been working hard still with Steve Novencido of IronNovi Sports Performance at VQ Fitness and my nutrition is handled by Inez Rodriguez at Supplement Direct in Hanford.
“The last two weeks have been a change for you, but did not affect you negatively. This mesocycle has only changed through its instruction of some of the exercises. You already know how to perform most of the techniques and have learned how to complete the new ones,” Novencido said. “I threw a hitch in the training by having you train in not only a different location, but out on the field in a different environment. Training does not necessarily have to maintain its continuity in the traditional sense... inside a gym. Working sprints and dynamic flexibility can really improve the neuromuscular system and thus improve the contraction that takes place within fast twitch muscle fib-ers, which are needed in your strikes and punches. Overall, you have done superb.”
I’ve never felt this strong in my life. And another key component to training with Novencido, is that my recovery is a lot quicker and I’m able to limit injury.
“These next microcycles I will test you in a variety of ways in order to avoid staleness in your workouts. This is the real sense of “periodization.” Although these microcycles still make up the main mesocycle (basic strength), you have been introduced to some power exercises. Lateral box slides or shuffles are a great way for your body to adapt to the lower intensity plyometrics and in turn, will prepare you for the more intense plyos,” Novencido said. “We have also introduced weight in our core training. As long as you pay close attention to the technique, you will be able to perform them every time. Furthermore, I have started you on proprioceptive exercises using some balance tools that stress core stability and stabilizing muscles, which is primarily used during the precarious positions or situations you are in during mixed martial arts. In other words, this training mimics the specific movements within your sport. You have to be able to crawl before you can walk and walk before you run.”
The sports reporter can be reached at jluchau@HanfordSentinel.com or 582-0471, ext. 3055
Sentinel Sports Reporter Jeremy Luchau is training to be a mixed martial artist, a project which will end with a bout in the Palace Fighting Championship at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in October. His column appears every second Tuesday.
It’s tough being a lone wolf.
For some time now, I’ve been doing a lot of training on my own. And honestly, I’ve come to learn it’s not a very effective method of training.
On a few occasions, some of the members of Team Ochoa have offered to help me with my stand-up fighting and grapple with me some.
The whole team, at times, have really taken an interest in me.
I thought that it would be a good idea to attempt to join the team.
“We’re a tight-knit group and we’re people that you can always count on,” said Jacob Jeff, who acts as the team’s manager. “Any other sport, you usually have teammates to back you. We feel like that is also important in mixed martial arts. You need some kind of support and that’s where a team comes in.”
But Team Ochoa isn’t your normal team.
The team was founded by Sam Ochoa, who passed away in April of 2006. The team has since relocated to train out of Valley Fight Club in Hanford, and unlike many teams its focus is on staying small and tight knit.
“Sam really knew how to teach and coach,” Jeff said. “He knew so many different fighting styles and how to put things together. We’re not out here to become a big ol’ fight school or have a big name. We’re a group of guys that train together and have become family.”
The nine-member fight team doesn’t often take on new members, either.
“We’re built on family and a few friends,” Jeff said. “We don’t take in very many outsiders. We really like to just take care of each other. When you approached us about being on the team we really thought hard about it.
“It was a tough decision for all of us to make. It really came down to our trainer, Medo Mor-ales. You’ve never had a fight before, but we really like the fact that you like to train and you train hard. Medo loves that. I brought that to his attention and after that he had no hesitation.”
And I became an official member of Team Ochoa, which includes some of the toughest fighters in the Central Valley — Poppies “Tachi Kid” Martinez (10-2) and his brother Mickey Martinez (3-0). Also, Mike Martinez, Elvis Franco, Gene Parks, Rudy Berrera and Tony Alaniz.
Poppies Martinez will fight for the Palace Fighting Championship lightweight title on Thursday at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino against San Bernardino’s Shad Smith (8-6).
Also fighting on the 15-bout card is Mike Martinez, who is making his light heavyweight debut against Taft’s Tommy Contreras (2-0).
“We work a lot of hands on this team,” Morales said. “That’s what we are really known for. I really want to get you ready and prepared for that first fight in October. We have to start mixing it up and you need to go full MMA. You need to work your hands and kicks. Your jiu-jitsu is pretty decent.”
On Monday night, I got my first real taste of training with Team Ochoa.
“You have power in your punches,” Morales said. “You really need to work on form, but other than that everything looks good. You show a lot of potential. Train hard and fight easy.”
I will still be training at Valley Fight Club with jiu-jitsu instructor Luis Gonzalez and boxing coach Juan Herrera. I will also take Krav Maga classes with D. Womack to work on my cardio.
I’ve also been working hard still with Steve Novencido of IronNovi Sports Performance at VQ Fitness and my nutrition is handled by Inez Rodriguez at Supplement Direct in Hanford.
“The last two weeks have been a change for you, but did not affect you negatively. This mesocycle has only changed through its instruction of some of the exercises. You already know how to perform most of the techniques and have learned how to complete the new ones,” Novencido said. “I threw a hitch in the training by having you train in not only a different location, but out on the field in a different environment. Training does not necessarily have to maintain its continuity in the traditional sense... inside a gym. Working sprints and dynamic flexibility can really improve the neuromuscular system and thus improve the contraction that takes place within fast twitch muscle fib-ers, which are needed in your strikes and punches. Overall, you have done superb.”
I’ve never felt this strong in my life. And another key component to training with Novencido, is that my recovery is a lot quicker and I’m able to limit injury.
“These next microcycles I will test you in a variety of ways in order to avoid staleness in your workouts. This is the real sense of “periodization.” Although these microcycles still make up the main mesocycle (basic strength), you have been introduced to some power exercises. Lateral box slides or shuffles are a great way for your body to adapt to the lower intensity plyometrics and in turn, will prepare you for the more intense plyos,” Novencido said. “We have also introduced weight in our core training. As long as you pay close attention to the technique, you will be able to perform them every time. Furthermore, I have started you on proprioceptive exercises using some balance tools that stress core stability and stabilizing muscles, which is primarily used during the precarious positions or situations you are in during mixed martial arts. In other words, this training mimics the specific movements within your sport. You have to be able to crawl before you can walk and walk before you run.”
The sports reporter can be reached at jluchau@HanfordSentinel.com or 582-0471, ext. 3055