RYANS BLOG
11th August, 2011
Another great training today. Off to Queens High School for a sesh at 9am. Really enjoyed teaching the girls some of the things I used to do to get fit before I used to fight.
Then back to the Gym for a 10am boxing session with Otago Girls.
Back off to Queens for a second session, this time with Jacqui's Class. I always enjoy working with Jacqui and the girls; we have a lot of fun in the classes.
Then back to the Gym to take Simon to the stairs, to get him ready for the Ultimate Stair Challenge which is COMING SOON! Then back to the Academy to smash a mean weight session.
Then 5pm Boxing Class, 6pm Open Mats, some hard rolling with Peter Clinch and the boys. Just looking over at 7pm kickboxing, bit of sweat coming off everyone, that's the great thing about fight training, you learn a skill and get fit at the same time.
10th August, 2011
Good news everyone, Gracie Jiu Jitsu Intro Classes are really taking off.
Part of what we cover in Gracie Jiu Jitsu are the true Self Defence Fundamentals which Helio Gracie created. I am really honoured to be under Royler Gracie who has directly formulated all my Jiu Jitsu Classes I teach at the Academy. Before Brazilian Jiu Jitsu became a sport, it was a self defence art as Helio explains below.
“The Jiu-Jitsu that I created was designed to give the weak ones a chance to face the heavy and strong. It was so successful that they decided to create a sportive version of it. I would like to make it clear that of course I am in favor of the sportive practice and technical refinement of all athletes, whatever their specialty may be, as well as good nutrition, sexual control, avoidance of addictions and unhealthy habits. The problem lies in the creation of a sport-oriented Jiu-Jitsu, based on rules and time limits, which benefits the heavier, stronger, and more athletic individuals. The primary objective of Jiu-Jitsu is to empower the weak who, for not having the physical attributes, are often intimidated. My Jiu-Jitsu is an art of self-defense in which rules and time limits are unacceptable.” - Grand Master Helio Gracie (October 1, 1913 – January 29, 2009)
More good news everyone, at the start of every year they have the South Island Novice Boxing Championship. It is a great tournament if you are interested in competing in Amateur Boxing. They have a Debut Section and an Improvers Section 1 - 5 Fights. I have already started training a team for next year, so it was good to have 2 official boxing judges and referees visit the Gym last night to judge and referee the sparring. Great experience and advice for the new guys.
5th August, 2011 Otago Girls Clubs
A very busy week at the Gym, lots of people training for their up and coming tournaments in Boxing, MMA and Jiu Jitsu.
We had Otago Girls High School Clubs in yesterday morning for a Boxing Session and then Fairfield Primary school teachers for a Boxing Seminar. Boxing used to be a part of some schools curriculums back in the day, great to see it is returning again.
It has been a busy week in the Gym with overseas visitors on the mats and on the boxing floor. It’s always good to train with others from different parts of the world. We also had a visit from BT’s Boxing Team from Invercargill. They stopped in on their way up to the Ashburton Boxing Tournament. Nice to catch-up.
Fairfeild Teachers
Sometimes the Camera happens to be out when Peter the Beer Clinch submits Thomas (Little Beer) with a knee bar.
Sometimes you forget to pick up your son from school when your blogging, so I will end it here.
Peters Knee Bar
3rd August, 2011
Good news everyone! They have selected the Otago Boxing Team.
Eldon & Ryan With Trainers Awards
Eldon has the Head Coaches Position and I am the Assistant Coach for the Team. I am really pleased that I am going to work along side my Coach for the first time at this level. We have both been the Otago Head Coaches before, but never together. The hard work has finally paid off, this year we won the Otago Trainers Of The Year Award and the South Islands Most Succesful Trainers Award. Also I would like to congratulate Cherine Henry who is the only female to be selected to represent Otago to fight for a NZ Title.
Once a year they have a National Boxing Tournament to find out who are the best Boxers in the Country in their weight divisions. Amateur Boxing is an Olympic Sport which means most Country's around the world host these types of events to find out who are the best.
It all starts by winning Provincial Titles, then North and South Island Titles (like the Golden Gloves), then the Nationals, Oceania Games, Commonwealth Games and then ultimately the Olmpics.
Each Country has a Governing Body. Ours is The NZ Boxing Association. Each province has an Association e.g. The OBA (Otago Boxing Association.) Each Boxing Gym has licensed boxing coaches sanctioned under NZ Boxing and all Amateur Boxing Gyms must be registered under NZ Boxing.
We are fortunate enough to be the only Gym in Dunedin's CBD with Licensed Boxing Coaches. Two of them are Level 2 Coaches and we have the only Licensed Female Boxing Coach in Otago, which is really starting to pay off. The Gym won more Golden Gloves Titles this year then any other Otago Gym has in the history of the South Island Golden Gloves.
1st August, 2011
What a busy weekend, only just having time to blog now. For you guys who don't know only 90% of my time is dedicated to training and training others. The other 10% is dedicated to Rugby.
Saturday morning was standing on a cold side line supporting my son Awatea and his team, Harbour Hawkes under 10's. What a muddy game, but that's Rugby! Awatea played a hard game and got player of the day.
Then away to the Academy for some good hard boxing sparring, that soon warmed me up. Then Gracie Jiu Jitsu Class, after that, closed the Gym and back to the Harbour Rugby Club to watch Habour Seniors beat Zingari in the finals. This is the second year in a row seniors have won the division.
But even bigger news, our Prems the Harbour Hawks have beaten the undefeated Southern Rugby Club to make the finals next weekend at Carisbrook. If we win this it will be great for Port Chalmers and our Rugby Club, go the mighty Hawks!
29th July, 2011
Talked to Royler today about the history of Gracie Jiu Jitsu and about his up coming fight. He is training every day at the moment and doing some boxing.
OK, lets talk about the stairs.
There is one set of stairs in Dunedin that I have always used. Eldon Clifton introduced me to the stairs when I was competing in boxing. Close friend and mentor Peter Wiliamson was the first person to introduce cage fighting to New Zealand in 1997 and was the first NZ Cage Fighting Champ. It was a 4 man round off and the final was 42 minutes bare knuckles and open head butts. His fitness was the best I ever seen. He holds the record for the most times running up and down them to this day.
They really test you mentally as well. I have been doing these stairs since 1999 and in the last 12 years got to know them really well. I can work out a persons fitness straight away by the speed and the time it takes them to do each lap of stairs. No fancy fitness monitoring equipment needed, I tell you that. All my boxers have done the stairs and today it was Simons and Sams turn.
Mike Pascoes
turn coming up!
28th July, 2011
Well it's been a busy couple of days, I really don't know where to start. So I thought I would just put some pictures in of last night. First Class was Boxing, second class Jiu Jitsu, third class Kickboxing Sparring and Pete's Grappling Class.
Box Intro
Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Kickboxing Sparring
with
Nick Taylor
NZ ISKA Kickboxing Champ
Gracie Jiu Jitsu No Gi Class
with Peter Clinch
- NZ Fila Gi Champ
- Undefeated MMA Fighter
27th July, 2011
Got stuck in Port Chalmers on Monday. Live on a pretty steep hill with a cliff on the other side, so driving was out of the question. Ended up having a snow day at home. 
For you guys who don't know, boxing is only seasonal and we have a couple of Big Tournaments coming up.
Just been training Sam Beck today. There is a guy who wants to fight him who is undefeated, so I think we will take that fight, should be a good one!
Good Sparring Class last night, had 2 rings going flat out. It's really good when the MMA and Kickboxers come in to spar the Competitive Boxers and the up and coming boxers. Adds some real depth with 20 odd guys and girls all sparring. Next class we might have to have 3 or 4 rings going, spc.
Kems Cousin Sparring MMA Coach Dan
Well guys, better go. Tonight we have 3 exciting classes - Boxing, Gracie Jiu Jitsu and Peter Clinches Gracie Jiu Jitsu (No Gi) Class.
23rd July, 2011
The Academy was closed yesterday guys. I had a wedding to go to that I just couldn't miss. Eldon Clifton my Coach, his son Kane, who I have sparred and known for years, was getting married. A lot of you may not know that me and Kane were the only 2 boxers in Otago around 2001.
What a great Maori wedding. Kane wore the Traditional Maori Dress and a couple of great Hakka's, powerful. Sat with Peter Williamson during the wedding, a life long friend and Coach. Also, good to catch up with Riverside Boxing Club from Christchurch. Matt, Deccan Henry and Reece Papuni were there. Reece is in the NZ Team and the number 1 Light Heavy in the country. Great International Fighter, Common Wealth Games, spc and aiming for the Olympics!
Reece, Kane, Ryan, Deccan and Matt with their lovely partners.
23rd July, 2011 - Saturday At The Gym
More great boxing sparring sessions today with the Australians, also was great to have Riverside Boxing Gym pop in. Great to have the New Zealands number ones in the Academy.
The boys are having hard rolling sessions before lunch time Gracie Jiu Jitsu class. Really good to have Ashley Clinch helping the boys before class and showing some great techniques in class.
A photo of all the boys rolling hard before class. We are Gracie Humaita and we Love to Fight!
21st July, 2011
Man, what a great day and night at the Academy! Ended up speaking to Royler 3 or 4 different times today on Skype and messages. He was telling me that he's the main event for a BIG MMA show coming up. He started his training camp two weeks ago, I can go over and be apart of it, what an honour that would be, something to think about I guess?
Had another great sparring session with Jezze Glynn and a couple more to go before he goes back to his fight in Queensland. Two hard rolling sessions as well. 1 day session and a night session, getting Peter Clinch, Ashley Clinch, Mike Pascoe and Hammish Te Whata ready for their next MMA Fights.
P.S. Check out Roylers tribute to Peter for winning the ISKA MMA Title and their is also a shout out to Shade and Sam for winning the Southland Champs Boxing Titles.
20th July, 2011
Great training tonight at the Academy. Good to have Jezze Glynn over from the Gold Coast for some good sparring sessions. Jezze has already won a couple of Queensland Titles and one of his sparring partners is Anthony Mundine as well as Gavin Topp and some other Top Aussie Fighters.
Jezze Glynn and Ryan Henry Sparring