US Sports Martial Arts: Learning the Fundamentals of Mixed Martial Arts and ONE Friday Fights 120 All Fight Highlights

 

• Author Ross Natonason

The popularity of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and shoot wrestling has led to the creation of American and Japanese mixed martial arts. This kind of full contact combat sports was originally held as a competition aiming to discover the most effective martial arts which will be very helpful in real unarmed combat situation. In 1995, the sport got its coined name by the President and CEO of Battlecade, Rick Blume, and now famously known as the "mixed martial arts". At first, the players are to follow minimal rules. As fighters executed multiple martial arts, organizers and promoters started to employ additional rules to intensify safety and secure mainstream acceptance as a sport.

With the warm acceptance from the audience and avid fans, mixed martial arts practice has spread around the globe. Adults, kids and teens have enrolled to various martial art schools that offered courses for different types of martial arts. With the purpose of learning the art of fighting, most of the students aim to become experts in this field and become professional competitors of this sport. Although this was primarily practiced almost exclusively by competitive fighters, it has become available to wide range of practitioners of any age and with varying levels of competitiveness. Martial arts courses include judo, muay Thai, taekwondo, karate, wrestling and others.

Usually, fighters train with different styles under multiple coaches or an organized fight team. Before going to complex styles and fighting techniques, players must learn the common disciplines in mixed martial arts which are gained from traditional martial arts. The following enumerates three common disciplines of mixed martial arts:

a. Stand-up fighting tactic

This discipline consists of effective stand-up striking while the fighter avoids ground fighting. This style is usually applied using sprawls to defend against takedowns. Footwork, kicking, elbowing and punching are enhanced in this style. Muay Thai kickboxing and Karate principles are usually applied in this discipline.

b. Clinch

Applied by wrestlers and Judokas, clinch fighting as well as dirty boxing are tactics used to prevent opponent from moving away into more distant striking range. This tactic is applied in attempting takedowns and striking competitor using knees, elbows, punches and stomp.

c. Ground

Another strategy to takedown or throw opponent to the ground is the ground-and-pound. An effective ground technique will let opponent obtain a top or dominant position then strike opponent with fists and elbow. This fighting tactic is aimed to attempt submission holds.

Although males dominate mixed martial arts, the sport also has female players commonly coming from Japan. Personalities such as Megumi Fujii, Gina Carano and Miesha Tate have represented women power and known as faces of women's MMA.

MMA equipment and clothing gear

To preclude the use of fighting kimono, MMA promotions have required male and female fighters to wear appropriate fighting attire. Male fighters play bare-chested and wear shorts as well as groin protectors underneath their trunks. Female fighters wear shorts and sports bras or other similarly fitting tops. Both fighters are required to wear mouth guards and rash guards. Choosing the best MMA equipment and gear must be based on functionality, style, and quality craftsmanship. Examples of quality clothing gear include Sprawl Fusion shorts, UFC fight and sparring gloves, brain pad mouth guards and grappling shin guard.

Ross is author of this article on Learning the Fundamentals of Mixed Martial Arts. Find more information about Mixed Martial Arts here.

The Rock Almighty on US Sports Radio

 

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US Sports Volleyball: The Rules of Volleyball Explained: Basics & Common Misconceptions and Poland 🇵🇱 vs. Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 - Women's U21 World Championships Highlights

 

• Author Lucy Grenda

Developed in 1895 by American educator William G. Morgan, volleyball was created as an alternative to basketball. Designed to be played by businessmen, the sport was originally called ‘mintonette,’ which was later renamed to suit its ‘volley’ play style.

Now more popular than ever, volleyball has become more global since its conception in the late 19th century, with a steady increase in participation. Second only to track and field, the number of female athletes in volleyball totaled over 470,000 in the US between 2022 and 2023, making it one of the nation’s fastest-growing female sports.

Amidst growing popularity, avid enthusiasts must understand the basic rules of play to become successful at the sport. This article will answer fundamental questions about what the rules of volleyball are, and debunk common misconceptions.

What are the Rules in Volleyball?

Volleyball has several core conventions, varying depending on the level of play; let’s start with team composition and volleyball court dimensions.

The Court

A standard volleyball court is 18m long and 9m wide. The court is split in two by a net, each side having a front and backcourt – distinguished by an “attack line” or 3-meter line.

Players and Positions

Each side has six players – three positioned on the front of the court and three behind the 3-meter line. Upon determining which side is serving (usually decided by a coin toss), a server looks to initiate a rally by hitting the ball over the net from the baseline to the opposing team’s side of the court.

The Setter

Normally, each time will have a designated “setter” who is most skilled at setting the ball to players for an ideal spike or hit over the net to the opposing team.

The Libero

Likewise, teams will often designate a libero, who is the player most skilled at receiving the opposing team’s spikes or hits over the net. They are often the first player to touch the ball after receiving it from the opposing team.

Rallies

Once received, players will attempt a bump (pass) using their forearm to direct the ball to a teammate – strategic timing is key here, with only three passes available per side before the ball must be returned to the opposite team – starting a rally of defense and attack.

Points and Scoring

When a team scores, they get to serve. Points are awarded if an opposing team cannot return the ball after a legal shot or if they fault, for example, with an out-of-bounds play or if they touch the net.

Every time a service is won, players must rotate clockwise around the court, with each player only being able to score from their respective side of the 3-meter line and executing a single nonsuccessive hit to pass.

Faults

During a serve, the serving player must hit the ball behind the service line and cannot step over it

Players cannot catch the ball

There is a legal “set” move which looks as though a players hold the ball momentarily before pushing the ball forward with their hands

Players cannot throw the ball

When a player hits a ball out of bounds, the opposing team is awarded a point and the service

However, stepping out of bounds to hit the ball is allowed

Players cannot touch the net with any part of their body

The ball, however, may touch the net

Referees may also fault a player for unsportsmanlike conduct such as swearing during a match, taunting the other team, etc.

To learn more about volleyball, explore our video courses on the ISNation app, by volleyball coach Lucy Grenda.

How Many Sets are in Olympic Volleyball?

At the Olympics, matches consist of the best of five sets, each with a 25-point total. If both teams are tied at two sets each, a fifth and final set is played, with teams contesting for 15 points. In this conclusive set, teams must have a two-point lead over their opponents to win the match.

Due to there being no maximum score a team can achieve in the fifth set, games can be lengthy, taking up to a couple of hours of play. The longest-recorded volleyball game in history stands at 85 hours, with 338 sets and 14,635 points played by the SVU Volleyball team members in the Netherlands.

Can You Touch the Net in Volleyball?

Touching the net is an automatic fault and a rule violation when a rally has started, leading to an opposing point being awarded.

However, there are exceptions: a player’s hair brushes the net, the net is touched outside the antenna, and a point is won before the net is touched – for instance, a powerful hit causes a player to land into the net just after a score.

It is also legal to touch the net when not in play, such as when changing positions on the court.

Can You Use Your Feet in Volleyball?

Commonly misinterpreted as a foul, players can return the ball utilizing their entire body, including their feet, as long as the ball does not rest upon impact.

Feet can be used to pass to a teammate or return fast shots that require quick reaction times.

While using a foot in volleyball can be opportunistic, these shots are not for the faint-hearted, requiring players to have skill, precision, and control. A poorly controlled footshot could lead to a point for the opposing team if handled incorrectly.

Learning More About Volleyball Rules and Tips

The rules of volleyball can often be confusing, especially for beginners wanting to get into the sport. For novices and experienced players, this article has provided a useful guide to the fundamentals of volleyball, shedding light on its origins, crucial rules to follow and disproving some common conceptions about the rules of play.

If you want to learn more about volleyball, check out our courses on the ISNation App.

You can learn about:

How to Balance Life and Volleyball with Assistant Varsity Coach for Westfield High School, Lucy Grenda

The Power of Words by Shedrick Elliott III, Head Coach at Rowan University.

Developing strength and conditioning with the owner of Resistance Fitness and three-time US Lacrosse gold medalist Kelly Berger.

That’s not all; the app also provides free mental wellness content for athletes, coaches, and parents to help you be the best you can be, in and out of your sport.

ISNation Volleyball

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US Sports Softball: Welcome to the Big Leagues and Indiana vs. Pennsylvania Little League Softball WS Championship Highlights

• Author Janine Tucker

Why is it that when you are faced with losing someone – the significance and impact they have made on your life becomes absolutely crystal clear? And all you want is just a little more time to say all the things…or get one last hug.

My dad passed away in October of 2021. What I would give to hear just one more life lesson from him.

Growing up, sports was a constant in my life thanks to my dad – who was also known as “Coach.” He coached my brothers and sister and me for as long as I can remember. Softball, basketball, baseball, soccer – he encouraged us to try all the sports.

I played softball when I was younger, yet dad made me practice with my brother’s baseball team – said it would build character.

Dad would come home from a long day at work and call for my brother and me and we would head out to the back yard to have a catch. Dad would talk to us about what it meant to be a good teammate. About the importance of discipline, taking care of your body and working hard to make your teammates look good.

He emphasized having grit and never giving up. I can hear him now – “Janine…I want you to realize that people are watching you. Your talents, no matter what they might be…will get recognized. Your work ethic and your mannerisms will get noticed….The energy you give off, the way you treat people is important.”

“Your actions…do speak louder than your words.”

His words prepared us for the times we would make mistakes, poor decisions or face obstacles in our lives. He would always emphasize it is what we do NEXT that counts.

He would say, “Janine, each roadblock you face is a steppingstone, a learning experience. Life’s battles don’t always go to the smartest, strongest or fastest, but to those who have the courage to fight on. Little did I know how those moments with him would shape my professional life and the person I am today.

My dad loved baseball. He had a short stint as a professional baseball player before he hurt his elbow. That experience gave him a story that he told again and again with such fervor and passion…it left an incredible impression on me.

This was his “Welcome to the Big Leagues” story and it went like this…

In 1955 my dad was in the army, stationed in Korea.

The most important personal items he brought with him were his baseball glove and a ball. He would throw every day with his best friend. They would run some sprints and throw some more.

His army captain at the time was Captain John Smith, brother of Mayo Smith – the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. Captain Smith saw my dad pitching and made a phone call.

One day dad is pitching next to a rice field in Korea – the next thing he knows he is trying out for a professional baseball team.

When dad showed up that first day of spring training, he was shocked to see hundreds of ball players. He said to one of the coaches, “That looks like a lot of men trying out for one team.” The coach laughed and said, “Son, they’re just the pitchers.”

Doing his best to stay calm – dad took the mound for the first time – and faced a rookie outfielder, Felipe Alou. Dad was confident he could strike him out and fired a fast ball, right under Alou’s chin, just to loosen him up. His next pitch was a beautiful curve…Alou sort of lunged and fell as he was swinging at it.

Dad heard the “crack!” of the bat hitting that ball….

Now, they had this sign out in center field about 430 feet away and dad’s jaw dropped as the ball sailed over it.

In the third inning, Alou came up again. This time, dad threw him a fantastic knuckle ball – a pitch where the ball seems to be floating, but as it gets to the plate it dips and sinks drastically.

It’s just an impossible pitch and Alou looked silly when he swung at it.

Now about 400 feet down the left field line, the ballpark had these high-tension wires about 100 feet up…and that baseball started to rise as it got to those wires. Homerun #2 for Alou.

At the end of the game, my dad sat next to the pitching coach – a man who had been in the big leagues for some 20 years and asked, “Coach, how the heck would you pitch to Alou?” “You want the secret?” said the old coach. “I’ll tell you….get the men out who bat before him. Keep them off the bases. Then when he hits his triple or home run, he won’t hurt you too much.”

“You see – he’s a big-league hitter son. And you don’t stop a big leaguer.”

Those words stuck with my dad. Throughout his life, my dad showed me that the words “big leaguer” don’t just apply to baseball players.

There are big league truck drivers, waitresses, doctors, and teachers. Big league entrepreneurs, students, spouses and big-league human beings. My dad even wrote speeches about it – winning national contests across the country – inspiring thousands of people to shoot for the big leagues in sports, business and in life.

He encouraged people to “step up to the plate” – and strive to be a big leaguer in whatever path they chose to pursue. My dad taught me that Big Leaguers think about their destiny. They live with a purpose. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

They push themselves, have a tireless work ethic, are competitors, are motivated. They aren’t satisfied with being good – they want to be great.

“Big leaguers are driven and inspired by those who have come before them.” – he would say. “They strive to realize not only their goals, but their potential. They want to make a difference.”

He would say, “Janine, there’s no place in the big leagues for short cuts, laziness, disorganization, or uninspired performance.”

As I look back on the countless times I heard his big-league story – and ALL the lessons that came with it – I realized he was preparing me for life as a coach.

I spent over 32 years coaching women’s lacrosse at the collegiate level.

My dad was so proud.

He knew the valuable lessons sports would teach about life and how those life lessons shape our character. My dad worked tirelessly to pass those lessons on to me and my siblings.

He taught us that when the playing of a game is over, it’s life lessons of decency, respect, sportsmanship, competition and fair play are never over.

I did my best to pass those lessons on to my players in honor of my dad and all the great coaches I had in my life. I just hope – when it is my time to leave this earth – My dad greets me at the Pearly Gates, gives me a big hug and says – “Janine, welcome to the Big Leagues.”

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Might be more willing to work downtown in about a year

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