Turn on…Tune in.

Jake has a swagger.  The kind of swagger that wouldn’t be out of place next to Clint Eastwood in one of his early movies.  Thankfully, he’s not famous for those deafening awkward silences; he’s engaging and articulate.  In fact, if I had my own radio show I would want Jake as a guest – not because he has a good face for radio (he doesn’t) but because I would ask the odd probing question and he would indulge me and my listeners to little stories that would make you want to tune in again next week.

If you were to tune in, it would go something like this…. Today’s guest is MMA fighter and coach, Jake Hecht.  He’s come a long way, born in St Louis Missouri but now resides at the Boxing Clinic Cork.   He has one older brother and a girlfriend, the statuesque Natalie who has followed him to Ireland.

SF.  So Jake, do you have a childhood memory that has shaped you?

JH. My older brother spent a great deal of time picking on me as a child. I totally agree that an older brother is supposed to pick on his younger brother, but my brother took things to a whole new level. Some fond memories of my childhood include when I was 4, Dustin dropped a steal pipe on my head and I got stitches, when he shoved me into bike handlebars and knocked my front tooth through my gums and into my nostril, or when he threw me into a billiards table and broke my collar bone.

In reaction to these injuries I spent my adolescent years lifting weights, learning how to wrestle, and learning how to box. When I was 13 I had a huge growth spurt and grew about 5 inches over the course of a summer. Learning how to box, wrestle, and putting on weight and height helped to reverse our roles. I spent the next few years picking on my older brother. These days we have levelled out and I feel as though we are even. We get along fine now, but without my childhood bullying I may not have pursued combat sports.

SF. Sounds like you were made for the job head MMA coach at the Boxing Clinic in Cork?

JH. A job as a coach is a dream job for me. I have a degree in education and I’m certified to teach secondary school history. Iwanted to give fighting a try and see how far I could go with it. I didn’t want to take a teaching job and wonder how far I could’ve gotten in fighting when I was 40. I am so happy that I made that choice, and I am very happy to be in Ireland and have a chance to see the world.

SF. What were your first impressions of the Clinic?

JH. I was so happy to see that the Clinic had a full size cage. When I left the HIT Squad* they only had one giant cage everyone trained in. So to get the guys in a normal size competition cage was great. I love showing moves off the cage and using it as a tool in the fights. I am very happy at the Clinic and looking forward to making great fighters out of Cork.

SF. What draws you to combat sports?

JH. Growing up I always played contact sports. I started playing ice hockey when I was 11. I played American football in secondary school. I started wrestling at the age of 14, and boxing at 16. When I transferred to a different college in 2003, someone told me about a MMA gym in Columbia, Missouri. I started there and fell in love with the idea that I could combine my wrestling and boxing skills.  Eight years later and I still love everyday of training and coaching.

SF. What does an average week of training look like?

JH. When I train for fights I usually do two sessions a day for 5-6 days a week, focusing on striking, wrestling, BJJ, and conditioning. Sometimes I focus on one aspect more than another depending on who the opponent is. The level of my next fight will determine whether I need to go to the US for preparation. I guess we will have to see what the future has in store.

SF. Describe your coaching style.

JH. When I am training my fighters, the practice is very intense. We focus on a few techniques; try those techniques out in live situations, and then do conditioning. I always tell my fighters that I will walk them through the whole fight. As long as they listen to me while they are out there, we will get the win.

SF. What’s your own fighting record like?

JH. Currently, in MMA, I am 10-2 professionally. Before I turned pro, I had 9 amateur fights and went 9-0. Before I found out about MMA I went 6-4 in amateur boxing, winning a golden gloves title, and getting second the next year. Late in my MMA career, I took a couple pro boxing fights for extra cash in college and cross training for MMA. I lost the two fights, but gained a lot of great stand up experience and a fair amount of cash. I had one exhibition kickboxing fight a couple of years ago that was a blast. I only really care about my MMA record, and everything else has been great experience.

SF. Do you have a favourite fighter?

JH. That would be George Saint Pierre.  I like watching his style of fighting and appreciate how well rounded he is. Becoming a complete fighter is a goal of mine and I feel that he has achieved that.

SF. Do you have a favourite curse word?

JH. Fuck and I fucking use it all the fucking time

SF. Do you have a favourite sound?

JH. Don’t know if I have one favourite sound. But I really like hearing waves crash into rocks, the sound of wind at the top of a very high mountain, the sound of a fighter losing his lunch during a cardio session, and the sound of almost any Rage Against the Machine song. My girlfriend laughing is up there too.

SF. Well my obvious next question would be  – what’s your least favourite sound?

JH. Anyone who’s trained with me will know that it’s “I can’t”…. Bullshit! Find a way.

SF. I’m always in awe of anyone who has the balls to step into the cage or the ring.  What would be your greatest fear?

JH. If I were ever to break my neck or lose the use of my legs or arms would be the worst things to ever happen to me. If I was unable to compete and coach I don’t think I could be happy in life. I am a very physical person and don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t hike mountains, run outside, or most of all fight for a living.

And on that note…we have to bid our listeners farewell…Turn on…tune in same time next week.

Oh if this were radio he’d be making me look really good about now.

Sue Finnegan

August 2011

That’s Rhiannon “The Mini Beast” Coleman.

The club’s focus this weekend belongs to one Clinic member and that is Rhiannon Coleman, our first and currently only female MMA fighter. She heads down to Portsmouth with her coach Paul Hines and a convoy of keen supporters to embark on her first MMA fight – it’s a momentous occasion for Rhiannon and of course the MMA Boxing Clinic.

In our own way, we all train hard; especially our fighters but I can’t imagine many put in more hours than Rhi.   She told me that her average week of training looks something like this;  “So…Monday MMA Beginners and Advanced, Tuesday morning – MMA, evening – MMA Conditioning and Sub Wrestling, Wednesday morning – Boxing, evening – MMA Beginners and Advanced, Thursday morning Covent Garden Boxing,  evening – MMA Conditioning and Sub Wrestling (although sometimes I take Thursday off), Friday morning – Strength and Conditioning with Tony then Boxing and in the evening sparring when i can make it from work, Saturday Paul PT and sparring.  Sunday rest day!”  To save you counting that’s 15+ hours a week.

The middle sibling of an older sister and younger brother, Rhi always appears quite timid in company – she’s certainly not as vocal as her cohorts!  However, get her one-on-one and you can barely shut her up.  I’m hoping that in the Portsmouth cage this Saturday, going head-to-head will have a similar effect.

Rhiannon has come a long way since starting boxing with us in Covent Garden – just goes to show that first impressions do count. “ I started at the Covent Garden Boxing Clinic and was so impressed with the intensity of the classes and the coaches…it was a massive level above anything else I had ever done.  Then with Angel opening and offering more classes and more excellent trainers the obsession manifested!”

She didn’t always want to fight but she credits Head MMA Coach Paul Hines with harnessing her talentandturning her into a fighter, “Paul made me want to fight.  His encouragement to train hard up to a fight and his motivation to push to that next level has helped me get in the ring and now the cage.”

Our coaches caught on pretty quickly that sometimes they need to be Rhi’s off button.  When I ask her if she ever lies her answer is telling, “When Paul asks if I’ve eaten breakfast and when Ben V asks if I’m tired!”  Yes  – they’ve got her back.

The gym is clearly Rhi’s place of worship and in an environment where curse words are as common place as an Amen in church, it’s surprising (or maybe not if you know her) that Rhi does not swear – if she wants to throw an insult she’ll just call you ‘a knob’.”

Forgetting that Rhi has been on a fighter’s diet for the last eight weeks, I get her thinking about food by asking her what her last meal on earth would be, “Right now, I want to eat everything! I like puddings best so probably Cheesecake…”

And, when I ask her what makes her happy – you’ll realise that one-on-one she really doesn’t shut up, “Rolling around with Boys and being hit in the face apparently!!  Loads of stuff…going home to my family and dogs, hanging out with my favourite people, training in an amazing gym, being surrounded by amazing fighters, trainers and fellow trainees, having a fun job, doing triathlons…erm, a lot of things make me happy.  I’m definitely not complaining right now!”

Rhi, if you read this, I know one thing that will make us all happy this weekend and that is for you to have the time of your life in that cage.  I’ve seen you train and there’s no question – you deserve to win.  Good luck from us all at the MMA Boxing Clinic.

Sue Finnegan

July 2011

Every single shot is countered with feedback – that’s a training session with John Tandy. There’s a real buzz at the prospect of being coached by him and so I thought I would turn up to see the man in action – not quite brave enough to book a 1-2-1, I just sat on the edge of the ring with the rest of the hopefuls to watch the magic happen.

I arrived, as Charlie was 6 rounds into his session with Tandy. The first thing I heard Tandy say was. “Look at you – you’re not even out of breath”. Charlie’s reply was emphatic, “I’m fucked!” He then said to Charlie, “You can stop when you throw up!” Personally, I would have headed straight for the bucket. It’s hard to believe that anyone can push Charlie about – but Tandy can. His style of training is the sort even the most committed might want to avoid.

Charlie’s session was boxing for MMA. The first part was perfecting shots but while under the pressure of hard cardio – the second part was less training more punishment…or at least that’s what it looked like to me. There were 4-5 rounds of Charlie starting on his back…on his front, jumping up, driving Tandy to the corner of the r

ing and then punching as you would for the last 20-30 seconds of a round – all out going for the win. No rest just back to the centre of the ring down, up, shoulder to Tandy and Tandy to the corner of the ring – all out for 30 seconds. Back to the centre, down, up…you get my drift. As I said this was more like

punishment and there were 4-5 rounds of this with only a 30 second break in between. Looking on the bright side – I wonder

if any fight could ever be this demanding.

Once the lie down, stand up is over it’s time for abs – even the abs are executed using power and resistance. Charlie stays focused while Tandy whispers little words of encouragement. Session over, job done – Tandy sends him on his way with few words….”God job Charlie”.

It’s now big Adam’s turn. He’s our most passionate boxer and probably our most experienced, and his classesalways reflect this. This is their first session together and the crowd at the ring is starting to swell now. Tandy’s attention to detail is immense. He offers advice on economies of movement, head movement and power. Adam is the model student – he listens intently, clearly keen to learn. The clock is not on and 20 minutes in, Adam has not stopped. He hasn’t looked for the clock; his eyes are firmly fixed on Tandy oblivious to crowd at the ring.

As I take it all in, Rich Mitchell pops his head over my shoulder to take a peek at what I’m writing. I’m keen to keep it under wraps but I do comment to him that it’s cool the way the likes of our coaches, Charlie and Adam, take to being students so respectfully. They listen, adapt and work hard…no backchat – heads down and get on with it. Rich just looked at me with his big puppy dog eyes and wonky mouth and said, “Sue…. every day’s a school day”!

With those words of wisdom I looked at my own clock and realised it was time to get back to my real job.

By Sue Finnegan
July 2011