Good Luck Present – 4 Leaf Clover For You and Your Best Friend
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“Best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have.” - Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex In The City.
Do you want to show your appreciation of your best friend and don’t know how? Every day we greeted and bless each other with good luck, why not give it instead? Luck is the illusive factor in life. We need it for everything in life. The 4 leaf clover is the most well recognized lucky symbol of North American. According to varies sources, there is one in every 10.000. The 4 leaf one is a mutation of the common 3 leaved clover (shamrock). Exactly how rare it is? No one really knows. It all depend on how lucky you are. Historically, good fortune comes to those who finds it. Each leaf represents something: the first is for hope, the second is for faith, the third is for love, and the fourth is for luck. There is no known fact why some clover ended up with four while most of them remain to be three. It could be a mutation, a freak of nature or just “luck”. It is also thought that the 4 leaf will bring you fame, health, wealth and a faithful relationship. Consider yourself very lucky if you ever find one. Just as special as your friendship.
Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure. – Jewish Saying
Do you want to share something special with your best friend? Let them know how important and unique they are. Let them know how you appreciate and treasure this friendship and that they are the “4 leaf clover” in your life. A four leaf clover makes an excellent good luck present. It says so much with so little. It’s a fun, inexpensive and very memorable gift to receive. It also thought that if you find a lucky clover, and give it away. Your luck will double. Now that is best friends!
good luck to you
Dublin Hotels near Tourist Attractions
Irelands history and the bustling city life are delightfully combined in Dublin. There are many things to see in Dublin among them are historical buildings, parks, churches, museums and art galleries. It is highly advisable to stay in hotels that are near these tourist spots so there is no need for additional time, expense and stress. The Dublin hotels that are near the Guinness Storehouse, Trinity College, St. The Guinness Storehouse is Irelands number one attraction, home to the worlds most famous beer. In Trinity College, one can find the Book of Knells, an illuminated manuscript illustrating the four gospels of the New Testament. Dublins oldest existing building in Dublin is the Dublin Castle which was also the center of power for 7 centuries. These luxurious Dublin hotels provide an oasis of relaxation after a stress-filled day of visiting these tourist spots.
Dublin Airport Hotels
For travelers and businessmen who are in a rush, hotels close to the airport are their best options for a convenient accommodation. Some travelers would like to experience a comfortable rest before leaving the next day and others just want to avoid the airport bustle and traffic. Those who are on a short hop want more time for their meetings by simply holding them at an airport hotel and getting on the next flight out. The Crowne Plaza, Clarion Hotel, Roganstown Golf & Country Club Hotel, Carlton Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel, Premier Inn Hotel, Hilton Hotel and Park Plaza Tyrrelstown Hotel are some great 4-star luxury hotel options within the vicinity of the airport. There are also 3-star hotels available to suit ones budget like the Best Western Skylon, Days Inn, Regency Hotel, Express by Holiday Inn, Bewleys Hotel, Travelodge, and Ardmore Hotel. There is always a Dublin hotel near the airport that could provide the essentials you are looking for whatever your reasons may be.
Genuine Castle Hotels in Dublin
A combination of a majestic structure and contemporary amenities provides an unforgettable stay in Dublins castle hotels. You get to relive your favorite fairytale in a castle setting. Take a great stopover from these hotels. There are 2 amazingly luxurious castle hotels to choose from. The Contlarf Castle Hotel was built in 1172 and in 2008, it won the Georgina Campbell Guide’s Business Hotel of the Year award. The hotel has been renovated from its 111 guestrooms to its facilities, restaurants and bars such as the Indigo Bar, 12th Century Knights Bar and the Fahrenheit Grill Bar. Another castle, the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel is the ancestral home of the Fitzpatrick family near the South Dublin coast with a great view of Dublin Bay. They have 113 renovated rooms decorated Castle style with a completely equipped leisure center and restaurants and bar namely the chic PJ Restaurant, Dungeon Bar and Grill and the Library Bar. There are many treasured memories you will never forget if you stay in these authentic Dublin castle hotels.
Luxury Stay at the Dublin Dylan Hotel
Right at the edge of the city center is Dublins latest boutique hotel, five star Dylan Hotel. The hotel has received two awards, as the best new hotel in 2006 and as the best boutique hotel in 2008 from the Hospitality Ireland Magazine. The frontage is a little austere but aristocratic Victorian style which hides a modern interior. The rooms are individually designed to show the rich splendor of this Dublin Hotel. The lavish furnishings and amenities of its 44 rooms and 6 suites are state of the art plasma televisions, MP3 players, in-room safes, cordless phones with voicemail, custom made 7th Heaven Beds that make you want to stay in bed forever, the best Frette linen, air conditioning, under floor heated bathrooms, power showers, robes & slippers, Etro toiletries and a mini bar. This Dublin hotel houses The Still, an in-house restaurant with a 1940s interior and lavish food and wine. The Dylan is simply one of the best hotels in Dublin.
About the Author:
Take pleasure in finding delicious and unique treats in Dublin hotels. Check out cheap hotels in your own hotel.
Though the game of MMA is surprisingly favored today, it had to begin somewhere. Many of us wonder where the game did all start from and how it became to be at the height of recognition of today. That’s thanks to the UFC TV show which actually brought Mixed martial-arts to the conventional and got more folks curious about this unique exercise weight training sport.
The 1st UFC fight ever occurred in the year 1993. Although the UFC did catch on immediately as a well-liked contact sport, it wasn’t till about the year 2003 when it actually started to soar in appreciation. Today it’s the full contact sport that’s becoming popular at the quickest rate. This was a full contact sport that folk weren’t used to seeing and they found it fascinating and exciting.
One of the first well recognized names in the game was Royce Gracie who was by miles the largest star in the game from the start. Well studied in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu kind of fighting, Gracie was ready to take down just about each single competitor put in front of him. Today the same isn’t so true and instead wrestlers must be talented in all alternative styles of fighting if they need to stand an opportunity of winning.
Royce Gracie really controlled the world of MMA at the start years. Gracie was the definitely the star of the UFC and the first one to showcase the MMA sport for this unique exercise weight training sport. There were also other members of the Gracie family who were ardent in the MMA type of fighting including his pa and bro.Time went on and about 6 or 7 years on there were new names pinching the attention including Ken Shamrock and Randy Couture. The quantity of sportsmen concerned in the game today is phenomenal.
People get so into the UFC fight nights and even pay many thousands of greenbacks solely to go see a live event in Vegas or some place else. There are always different UFC events taking place as well as other MMA events broadcast on TV. More sportsmen all of the time are deciding they need to start in MMA and many have great success with it. This is how folk truly get their name out there and gain popularity is thru the UFC fights.
The game of MMA is more infamous than ever and its reign of renown as a sport is anticipated to only continue as time goes on.
About the Author:
The exercise health benefits of martial arts are amazing. Especially when you consider that the cost of regular exercise is nominal. What’s more, it’s so easy to cash in on all these health weight training benefits.
You can change the color of your eyes with colored contact lenses. Colored contact lenses are popular with both men and women, and they are quickly becoming a unique and versatile beauty accessory. If you wear prescription eyeglasses, you can purchase prescription, corrective contact lenses, but a prescription is not required to wear colored contact lenses.
Colored contact lenses are great for parties, holidays, and special occasions. They are also suitable for everyday use. You can even mix and match them to different outfits. Freshlook colored contacts are very popular, but other brands are available such as Acuvue 2 Colors, Durasoft 2 Colorblends and many others. Most colored contact providers offer contacts in dark and light shades, so you will not have any problems finding colored contacts in the shades of your choice.
Colored contacts come in all kinds of beautiful shades like green, light blue, brown, hazel, honey, violet, turquoise, aqua, sea green, royal blue, brown, grey, amber, and others. The shade you choose for your colored contacts will depend on your personal taste and the look you want to achieve.
If you are conservative, you should purchase a natural-looking color like hazel, royal blue, or dark green. If you prefer a bold look, you will probably like light blue, aqua, sea green, or honey colored contacts. If you want your eyes to look unique, you can purchase colored contacts in grey, honey, violet, or turquoise. These shades will give you a mysterious look.
You should also think about your personality, skin tone, and hair color before you purchase colored contact lenses. If you wear makeup, you should choose colored contacts that look good with the makeup shades you wear.
If you are not sure what color you like, you can purchase samples online. That way, you can try on colored contacts in different colors and decide what shade is best for you. Alternatively, you can purchase daily disposable colored contact lenses. These kinds of colored contacts are inexpensive, and they only last for one day. These contacts are an excellent option for people who want to try out different colors.
Colored contacts come in a variety of styles. Enhancement tint colored contacts were designed for light-colored eyes. They will not change the color of your eyes, but they will brighten them and make them look better. These kinds of colored contact lenses are ideal for people who want a deeper, more intense eye color.
Opaque contact lenses are deeper-colored tints. They will change the color of your eyes completely. If you have dark eyes, you should purchase opaque contact lenses. Pearlescent is also a popular style of colored contact lenses. Pearlescent contact lenses brighten and add sparkle to the eyes. Wilder colored contact lenses are also available and they are ideal for Halloween and special events.
Costume or theatrical colored contacts come in all kinds of funky colors and styles like pink, red, lime green, black, zebra, shamrock, smiley, alien, white-out, American flag, butterfly, vampire, moon and star, spider, rock star, flowers, flames, zombie, cat eyes, and many others. These kinds of colored contact lenses look fabulous with costumes. Costume contact lenses are opaque color tints and they are ideal for novelty use. The center of costume contacts are clear, so you can still see everything around you when you are wearing them.
Most people love how colored contacts lenses look on them and wearing them is a lot of fun, but make sure you take good care of them. You should clean your colored contact lenses with a contact lens cleaning solution when you take them off. When you are not wearing them, you should keep them in a clean container. If you experience redness, swelling, sore eyes, and other symptoms, you should take them off and consult with your optometrist.
Colored contact lenses must be disinfected and cleaned to protect the eyes, and you should never share them with someone else. If you share them with someone else, you can transmit bacteria, and it can lead to infections and other serious eye conditions. If you plan to wear colored contact lenses, I strongly recommend that you make an appointment with your optometrist. You should definitely have an eye exam done and get a prescription for your colored contacts. Although it is possible to purchase colored contacts online, from beauty salons, video stores, and flea markets, it is also very dangerous and illegal. You must get a prescription for your colored contact lenses.
You can change the color of your eyes subtly or dramatically with colored contact lenses. You can express yourself with different colors and change your appearance when you want to. Colored contact lenses look spectacular on men, women, and young adults. They will transform your look, add a touch of glam to any outfit, boost your confidence, and enhance your beauty at the same time. I highly recommend that you purchase colored contact lenses if you want to look your best every day. You will love them!
About the Author:
Jon Davidson is a freelance writer who writes about health, eye care and specific products such as Acuvue Oasys.
Celtic tattoos were actually transmitted by the Celts. The Celts transmitted their culture orally and never written down history or facts about their culture which accounts for the extreme lack of knowledge about them prior to their contact with the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. Whatever little that has been collected about them reveals that they were generally well educated, particularly on topics such as religion, philosophy, geography and astronomy and also were extremely superstitious. The Celts considered that the loss of King Arthurs who was an important figure in Celtic legend in the war against dark pagan hordes in England their marks the end of their civilization.
The ancient Celtic Art was full of interlacing patterns; elaborate knot work, spirals, animal forms and animal zoomorphic, and color especially displayed in metal: jewelry, weapons, figurines and pots while modern Celtic peoples have evolved symbols for themselves, and they often wear these symbols to show that they are of Celtic descent. For instance, the most common Irish symbol is the three -leaved shamrock, although the harp is often used as well which has been the national instrument for all the Celtic people. With the advent of Christianity to the Celtic lands of Britain and Ireland, two important events took place. Writing came to the Celts for the first time and the adoption of ancient Celtic art forms to the new religion took place. The most famous manuscript by the monks is the beautiful Book of Kells and the Celtic cross and the Tree of Life could be cited as the result of such event.
The symbolism that has come down through the ages is as concealed and indirect as much of the speech and literature of the Celtic people and most symbols are interpreted by archaeologists and other scholars who study the symbols in context. Assuming that many of the ancient designs certainly had some spiritually significance the different symbols were read as: for instance continual looping of the designs suggests themes of eternity and interconnectedness, and knots may have been made at one time to foil evil spirits. The Interwoven figures of people and animals are thought to represent the interdependent nature of life. Two or more knots laced together symbolize lovers, hunters and their prey, God and man, etc whereas the never ending path of the strands may represent the perpetuity and the continuum of life, love and faith.
The Celts themselves left very little records about their culture and due to the strong influence of Christianity and other cultures the original facts ancient Celtic symbols are gradually changing over time.
About the Author:
tattoo – tattoos – tattoo design – tattoo designs
New York State is a beautiful place with lots of things to do. Many people are fans of this gorgeous east coast location that they even created a logo to place on T-shirts to spread the awareness of their affection.
The I Love New York symbol is a rebus, a kind of word puzzle that replaces words with pictures to represent a meaning. In this case the word love is replaced by a red heart symbol.
The logo uses the typeface called American Typewriter to say the I then the heart under which sit the letters N and Y, so that they form a square shape. The symbol and advertising campaign have been used since the mid 1970s to promote tourism in the City and the State alike.
The trademarked logo appears in souvenir shops and brochures throughout the state. However, not all of them are licensed as they should be.
The emblem has become a part of the American pop culture and has since inspired countless knock off t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc. of the I love New York logo. Consequently, the place has tried to uphold its trademark by filing a total of nearly 3,000 trademark objections against imitators.
The symbol has also been used in relation to other places like New Cross, London, where it has been altered to say “I love NX” due to the growing interest in the area. Perhaps it is because of the rise of new music in the popular scene.
Similarly, there are symbols formed for Los Angeles, San Francisco, Jersey City, Mexico City/ Distrito Federal and in Como Italy. Boston has modified the logo a bit, but has taken the idea to read “I shamrock Boston.”
Another example is in North Yorkshire, England, where the NY is said to stand for North Yorkshire rather than the traditional meaning. The symbol has also been used by the band New Young Pony Club in their album sleeve for Fantastic Playroom.
It is of course altered to say “I Love NYPC.” A few other varying logos that have appeared recently as part of this phenomenon include “I Spayed My Pets” using the symbol of a spade from a card deck.
Also, shirts saying “I Club Seals” using a club symbol from a deck of cards have been made. There are still many other variations.
One other variation is “I (have never been to in the shape of a heart) NY.” As you can see, people have taken the original role and have played it to match their personal situations and expressions.
Other variations include “I (shamrock) NY” to represent the city’s notable Irish-American population. Many professional associations have also adapted and adopted this new promotional symbol.
For example, when Apple opened their first Apple Store in NYC in 2001, they produced a pin which said “I (apple) NY.” Also, the American Red Cross in Greater New York added their cross symbol into the middle of the statement for their rendition of the logo.
This was done as a fund raiser when they were in desperate need for more equipment and expansions. Even Madonna has recorded a song for her 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor called “I Love New York.”
She also sang this song at her Confessions Tour with the popular emblem on her clothing and costumes. This has also led many people to substitute the word love with the word heart when they express towards things.
For example, the film I Heart Huckabees has taken this literal reading and translation to the next level. It was also thought to be the inspiration for the title of the hit 1950s television show called I Love Lucy.
Lucille Ball was born in Jamestown, New York, so the scene for the popular show was set in NYC. Since CBS aired the show when it did, there were a few items to go along with the logo.
The show used its own version of the sign in the show to represent the New York style. Certainly, many people have recreated the symbol for their own expressions.
One thing remains the same; New York continues to live up to its reputation. Visit the area and see if you and your family agree with the timeless logo.
About the Author:
Terry Daniels has been writing about things to do in cities across America. He recommends things to do in New York for finding great activities in New York.
Contact Info:
Terry Daniels
TerryDaniels09@gmail.com
www.thingstodo.com
Wedding is the most special day in ones life and all of us seek to make it as memorable as possible. And if you are one of those couples who have decided to tie the knot, you must be looking for wedding rings that truly symbolize your love and commitment to your partner. In such a case, it is advisable for you to go for the traditional Irish Wedding rings, which is seeped in the rich Irish culture and eloquently symbolizes your deep love for your beloved.
The most popular type of Irish wedding ring is the Claddagh ring, which shows a heart cocooned between two clasping hands, with a crown surmounted on top. The heart symbolizes love, the hands symbolize friendship and the crown symbolizes the loyalty between the couple. When the couple exchanges the Claddagh rings, they are echoing the sentiments behind its origin-With these hands, I give you my heart and crown it with my love.
Celtic Wedding rings, with their inter woven knots, having no beginning and no end represents the eternal and everlasting love and commitment between the couple. The Trinity Wedding Ring has a knot work pattern of three strings, symbolizing the Holy Trinity, and is usually worn by the newly wedded couple to seek the blessings of the holy Trinity- the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Other types Of Irish wedding rings have various Celtic Designs like the spirals, the shamrock, the Celtic tree of life etc. etched on them. The couple may choose to have a simple ring made of metals like gold, silver or platinum; or they may choose to have exquisite gems like emeralds, sapphires or rubies incorporated in their rings. Depending on the complication of the design, the Irish wedding ring may have intricately strands of metals weaved in, or may have the patterns etched or engraved on the rings.
The wedding ring may cost anything from $100 to $2000 depending on many factors like the width of the ring, the design, the kind of gemstones used etc. Irish wedding rings can be purchased from the neighborhood jeweler in Ireland, or can be ordered online from the many online stores available. So show your love for each other by exchanging the mystical and mesmerizing Irish wedding rings and make your marriage a truly memorable experience.
About the Author:
aamy jem
Content Specialist
Email:celticjewelr@gmail.com
For more details Please visit website:
http://www.mycelticjeweler.com/
Numerous countries around the world have adopted a specific flower that they feel is the best representation of the country. Some countries have endorsed these national symbols officially either through decree of governing bodies or informal public polls while others have done so unofficially. Many countries chose their national flower based on religious roots or cultural provenance. These flowers often symbolize the geographical area in which the country is located. A country’s national flower, referred to in Australia as the floral emblem, serves as the country’s national identity and is often a symbol of patriotism. Floral emblems may be country wide or subdivisions within a country may have their own distinct emblem. For example, each territory within Australia has its own unique floral emblem that represents the specific territory. Your local Florist Brisbane will have some idea of local floral emblems.
National Flowers Around the World:
Since the early 1900′s, many in Australia have considered the Acacia pycnantha or the Golden Wattle to be the country’s floral emblem. In 1988, the governor of Australia signed a proclamation stating the official acceptance of the Golden Wattle as Australia’s floral emblem. The Golden Wattle is a small tree or shrub that develops sweetly scented golden-yellow flowers in the spring. It is a very popular garden plan and easily propagated from seed.
Other countries around the world have either officially or unofficially adopted various flowers as their floral emblems, national flowers, or state flowers. Each of the four countries that comprise the United Kingdom has its own national flower. The national flower of England is the Tudor Rose, Wales claims the daffodil and the leek, Northern Ireland is represented by the shamrock, and Scotland chose the thistle. Canada is represented by the maple leaf, while the United States’ national flower is the rose. Neither China nor Japan has an official floral emblem, but unofficially their national flowers are the plum blossom and chrysanthemum or cherry blossom respectively.
Give the Gift of Floral Emblems:
Flowers Brisbane can have a number of significant meanings for both the patron and the recipient. Flowers can be used as a symbol of an individuals patriotism or devotion to their birth country or more commonly as an expression of love, friendship or sorrow such as funeral flowers. A florist can be of assistance those wishing to purchase either their floral emblem or a simple bouquet of flowers. For those special occasions celebrating one’s home country, purchasing the country’s floral emblem may be an excellent idea. Blending national flowers can be a great way to symbolize unity and peace. During a wedding, the use of the national flowers of both the bride and the groom’s countries can clearly demonstrate the merging of two nationalities together in unity. Flowers are the perfect gift for almost any occasion.
Copyright (c) 2010 Nadine Davis
About the Author:
For unique Flowers Brisbane, such as Australia’s floral emblem, or special occasions like weddings or parties, a Florist Brisbane like at Flowers on Oxford can help.
The Passionate and Proud Irish.
Gaelic and Celtic traditions are rooted in the bedrock of Ireland, a country that a very passionate and proud people call home. Probably no other nationality has a stronger sense of their national and cultural heritage than the Irish. And as a result of their deeply ingrained feelings about Ireland and its heritage, the Irish are quite naturally very fond of Irish collectibles.
The Irish and Irish Collectibles Are Everywhere.
Millions of people trace their ancestry to Ireland but live in other parts of the world. Although they live elsewhere, they consider themselves to be Irish. For example, the United States experienced a great wave of Irish immigration during the 19th century, and today, more than 10% of America’s population calls itself “Irish” even though they are native-born Americans. Most Irish-Americans are quite demonstrative about being Irish, and because they are so proud of their heritage, they are fascinated by Irish collectibles.
Almost everyone in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and other parts of the English-speaking world knows several people (if not many more) who lay claim to Irish ancestry. Because they are so passionate about maintaining their traditions, Irish people who live in other countries have retained their cultural identity and have exerted a huge influence on the culture of just about every area where they live.
This strong sense of national pride, of Irish tradition, of Irish culture, makes Irish collectibles extremely appealing to Irish men and women everywhere – those who actually live in Ireland as well as those of Irish descent who live in other countries. Because so many people feel their Irish roots so strongly and maintain very close ties to their national heritage, there is no sign that the popularity of Irish collectibles will abate at any time in the foreseeable future.
Almost everyone wants to own things that are interesting or appealing. And the urge to possess items that in some way relate to Ireland or Irish traditions and culture is at the heart of the popularity of Irish collectibles.
So Many Different Types of Irish Collectibles.
Many different types of Irish collectibles exist, just waiting for collectors to discover them. They include Irish jewelry such as Claddagh rings and other rings that bear crests or coats-of-arms of Irish families. Irish jewelry also includes pendants, cuff links, lapel pins, Celtic crosses and tie pins/tacs that bear a shamrock, a harp or some other symbol of Ireland. Other types of Irish collectibles include various items that were handmade
by Irish cottage crafters, Waterford or Galway Irish crystal, Irish clocks and wall
plaques, leprechaun figurines, and Irish breweriana such as Irish pub signs, pub pitchers,
beer mats and items relating to Guinness Beer.
Irish Collectibles as Tangible Symbols.
The desire to honor and preserve Irish culture and the traditional ways runs deep in the Irish and is characteristic of nearly every Irish person, whether living in Ireland or elsewhere. Owning Irish collectibles is a very visible way for any Irish man or woman to honor those traditions, and a very tangible symbol of pride in being Irish.
About the Author:
Diane Hamments is a freelance author who writes on various subjects including Irish Collectibles , and Memorabilia.
Visit www.societygifts.com for more information.
This week’s column is going to be a rant of sorts…
In the current issue of Muscle & Fitness (a magazine dedicated to professional bodybuilding), there is a story covering Sean Sherk. It discusses how he came to train in MMA, a little about his athletic history, his time in the UFC, and of course, his training regimen.
Now, most of the time, I take anything I read in a professional bodybuilding magazine with grain of salt, due to all the ghost-writing that usually takes place. However, I’ve see Sean discuss his S&C training a little over at the Underground Forum, and comparing what I saw there, with what was printed in the article, I tend to believe that it’s legit.
Sean’s training is pretty much completely bodybuilding-oriented. It’s a split system in that each day is for certain bodyparts, his sets/reps scheme is mostly 4 sets x 10 reps, he uses quite a few machines, and he heavily uses supersets.
Now, this style of training is completely contradictory to what you might see other professional athletes especially MMAists doing. There are no full body workouts, no olympic lifts, no complexes, no sport specific exercises, etc. Just plain old bodybuilding.
This has certain people in internet S&C circles all in a tizzy. I know, it’s hard to believe people on the internet up in arms about something…
The consensus among many (not all, but quite a few) is that it’s almost beyond belief that he’s using a bodybuilding program. Just how good could Sean be if he used Program X, Program Y, or Program Whatever…
Let me tell you something that might have slipped past a few people…
Sean Sherk is the UFC Lightweight Champion of the world. He’s lost only twice in his career. He has 31 wins to his credit, with over 20 of them not going the distance. Although he lost, he was the first fighter ever to take Matt Hughes a full five rounds.
Not, I’m not the sharpest tool of in the shed, but I just gotta believe that he’s doing something right…
Now, many of the internet quasi-gurus will say, Well, this is a perfect case of somebody succeeding in spite of his training not because of it.
*rolls eyes*
Listen, I’ve heard the whole in spite of quote, and many times, I highly agree. However, to determine that, first you have to take a look at what the trainee is doing, and analyze why it is (or isn’t) working for him/her. Then, take a look at other training methods, and determine then whether or not other training methods could improve on how the athlete is currently performing.
EVERYBODY can improve, so don’t go down that route with me. But, if something is working and working well should a fighter want to be so quick to change it?
It is in vogue to not like bodybuilding. As MMAists, we care about how we can perform on the mat and in the cage or ring, so the idea of training just to look good is ludicrous. But you know what, I’d bet that most bodybuilders think that rolling around on a mat between another guy’s legs is a little…well, you know.
MMA and bodybuilding aren’t alone. Most cliques in the S&C world powerlifters, Olympic lifters, strongman competitors, kettlebell’ers, crossfitt’ers, S&C coaches, etc. all have somebody (and some training method) that they don’t like and/or don’t agree with. And most of the time, it’s everybody besides their own little clique.
And that sucks.
I’m not a fan of the sport of professional bodybuilding. I’m not going to get into why, because this is not the time or place. However, this doesn’t mean that bodybuilding training is not useful.
When I say bodybuilding training, know that I mean training programs/methods that can be employed by natural trainees for the sake of looking better. The programs that the pros use are pretty much useless to the regular joe because one would have to be on insane amounts of drugs for them to work effectively.
Do I think bodybuilding training is optimum for MMA? No. I think there are plenty of ways to train that are better. But that doesn’t mean it can’t work. Sean Sherk is a perfect example. So is Matt Hughes, Andrei Arlovski, Mikael McDonald (from K1), most of the MFS camp, Frank Shamrock (until recently), and a whole slew of others.
In the end, know this and this is what I want you to take away from this little bitch-session:
Before you start dogging somebody because of their training program, take a look at not only what they do, but why they do it. Are they successful? Why? And if not, why not? Only then can you begin to ponder ways to improve training methods.
Try to learn something before you start telling somebody they’re automatically wrong…
About the Author:
Click here for MMA workouts to help improve your MMA training. Check out Working Class Fitness for the best MMA workout info.
