HHCF ANNOUNCES: West Coast Kings & Queens Tournament

Sept. 10th 2009, San Francisco, CA- The Hip-Hop Chess Federation is proud to announce the West Coast Kings & Queens Tournament. The Hip-Hop Chess Federation is the world's first organization to fuse music, chess and martial arts to promote unity, strategy and non-violence. There will be a traditional rated chess tournament, people can learn chess basics, watch graffiti art battles, b-boy ciphers, celebrity chess matches, martial arts exhibitions, prize giveaways and more! It all takes place Oct. 10th 2009 at John O'Connell High School from 9AM to 6PM at 2355 Folsom St. @ 19th in San Francisco, Ca. ADMISSION IS FREE FOR ALL AGES.

Celebrity guests inculde Rakaa Iriscience from Dilated Peoples, rap legend Ray Luv, Traxamillion, Casual from Hieroglyphics, Balance and Big Rich, Conscious Daughters, T-KASH, DLabrie and others to be announced. The event will be DJ'ed by KMEL Street Soldiers DJ Malcolm Marshall. There will also be a special All Queens Life Strategies Panel where Concious Daughters, Jean Hoffman of 9 Queens and other prominent business women will discuss how young girls can step forward with positivity and confidence into the future.

"It was time for the HHCF to do something specifically to celebrate the power and impact of the artists from the west coast," said HHCF founder and CEO Adisa Banjoko. "We always provide safe, family friendly environments for people to discover their true potential in life and have fun. All of the artists in attendance have a proven track record not only of being raw, but in giving back to the communities they come from. We're honored and humbled to have them all in attendance."

"We are enthusiastic and grateful to all the celebrities, kids and educators coming together for the Kings & Queens Tournament," said Banjoko. "This organization has been hurt badly by the failing economy. Yet by forging strong strategic alliances we're still pushing ahead. These are tough times for many of America's youth. Nevertheless the HHCF remains unflinching in our goal to share the countless educational and artistic life options for them in this world. We are grateful for all the rappers, chess masters and martial artists who have donated their time to teaching kids healthy alternatives to violence on the streets. Since our explosive beginning there have been many imitations, but there is only one Hip-Hop Chess Federation! See you all there."

All who wish to compete in the Kings & Queens Tournament can sign up today at:http://www.bayareachess.com

Partners for the West Coast Kings & Queens Tournament are Bay Area Chess and WuChess.com. Other sponsors include JW Foundation, 9 Queens, www.thechesspiece.com, www.thechessdrum.net, 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu SF, www.mikerelm.com.com, Heroes Martial Arts and Upper Playground. For more information on how to participate visit www.hiphopchess.blogspot.com

A beautiful illustration of why this is called "the gentle art"

The ever inspirational, Andre Galvao.

Jrobi is still killing it with his vids...I love this dudes work

I know y'all remember this Kung Fu classic!!!

NEW SONG: House of Flying Daggers (PARENTAL DISCRETION IS ADVISED)

Raekwon from Wu-Tang can still bang on the mic.

Oct. 10th Hip-Hop Chess Dominates the West!!!!

Hip-Hop Chess w/ Rakaa, Traxamillion, T-KASH Oct. 10 2009
Uploaded by lyricalswords. - More lifestyle, fashion and how-to videos.

Register to play today:
www.bayareachess.com

Amazing Article on Mental Toughness

http://www.graciemag.com/news/150/ARTICLE/3136/2005-11-21.html

Martin Rooney wrote an amazing piece on mental toughness for GRACIE MAGAZINE. Its for jiu jitsu practitioners, but its so far beyond that. If you love what you do, whatever it is, please read this.

A number of years ago, a sports psychologist I worked with asked me to define mental toughness for him. Strangely enough, the concept of mental toughness seems easy to think, but very difficult to define. I came up with a number of different thoughts on mental toughness for him, but none were a solid description. Over the last few months, I have been meeting with different high level athletes and trainers, trying to better understand the problem, but no one had one clear answer. During my time here as a trainer, I have seen many of us experiment with the concept of mental toughness on the athletes. Over this time, I have tried to develop tests and certain sessions around the concept of mental toughness to not only help the athlete to understand it, but for me to get a better picture as well. Through this, meeting with athletes and trainers on the subject as well as reading a number of books on the subject, I have come to some general conclusions about this type of training. Mental toughness is a personal, persevering decision. You can view this in an athlete’s desire to continue exercise, even when passing through higher and higher levels of fatigue. When I began to experiment with athletes and myself with fatigue, I came to see some interesting results. I used to believe that everything about fatigue could be defined physiologically. I used to watch the kids on the track and almost invision the physiological mechanisms that were running out to stop the athlete from performing.

There are 4 physiological mechanisms of fatigue that I am concerned with. Depletion of the energy systems, inadequacy of the circulatory and respiratory systems, body temperature elevation,and dehydration can all lead to fatigue. As I read more about these mechanisms I saw that all of them had their shortcomings. How do I then explain the marathon runner that can run 4 minute mile pace with a heart rate of 200? How do I explain the man who, at risk of death, was able to tread water for 40 hours until he was rescued? How do you watch a fighter continue for over an hour and never give in? Surely their systems would of run out. Further still, how do I explain the fact that other racers in that marathon had the same potential physiologically, but couldn’t keep up? Or what about the other two treaders that could not stay above water and were lost at sea? Why does the fighter who is still fresher than his opponent just give up? There is one explanation. Mental toughness stems from the interaction of the mind and the body.

Mental toughness can be seen as desire or willpower. I have watched athletes persevere through levels of pain that others are not willing to endure. These athletes all have a level of excellence set much higher than that of other athletes. I noticed from my conversations with elite athletes that they all had the wisdom of delayed gratification. They were all ready to pay the price hard now, for the prize that might even rest years from now. The interesting part was that the prize was very different for all the athletes. I think it is very important for the athlete to know themselves and to know what it is they are really after.

I asked a top level track and field athlete how he could be ranked top 10 in the world for the last 6 years, but could never crack the top five. His answer was interesting. He believed he had the talent and the skill to be number one in the world, but at that moment whenever it was time, mentally, there was something missing. He felt that during his upbringing in this country that his mom would console him too much. For instance, she would bake a cake when things didn’t go well and show him everything would be alright. The top athlete in his event for the last 8 years, he contended, was from a brutally tough country in which you fought for everything you ever had. This was the mental edge he had all his life that made the difference.

I spoke with a nationally recognized speaker at length about the topic of mental training and he also had an interesting story to add. When he was a child he was being chased by a big dog in the neighborhood. When he got to his house, there were 8 steps that he had to clear to get inside safe. He said without even thinking he hit the bottom step perfectly, and made the jump. He thought about this even up to the present day 40 years later and didn’t think he could have ever made that leap again. He believed that it is a sense of necessity that drives the athlete to superperformance. Something inside the athlete, whether it is his need to win, his life is at stake, money, or the applause of the crowd, the necessity is there. This is what the athlete must decide for himself and believe in it. Without some need, the athlete eventually will not succeed at the highest level. Interesting studies have been performed on sedentary and professional athletes and their ability to withstand exertion. Sedentary people always gave up early, with no signs of really approaching any true fatigue. The professional athletes, on the other hand, were able to withstand huge amounts of work and continue to go on.

This tells me that mental toughness is learned and it can be trained just like any other skill. To get to a higher level you must continually push the envelope of your own limits. The best athletes have a great ability to do this. Jerry Rice, one of the best receivers in the NFL is a great example of this. In his training, Jerry runs up a mountain every morning before he starts his training for the day. Other athletes from the NFL would come and try to train with Jerry because he was the best in the league. Upon trying to run the mountain, none of the athletes could make it and they would invariably go home because they could not compete. What was a regular day for Jerry, other athletes were not prepared for. His level of toughness was so much higher, it can be said this was probably a big factor in his success as a pro athlete.

Now, you might be saying, “Where is he going with this stuff?�? Hopefully, you have a much better idea of the mental aspects of training as well as learn to better understand something about yourself. Now you must see that beside the training you have been doing so far in your sessions, there has to be a portion that focuses on the mental development as an athlete. There is something to be said about a “brutally hard�? session, but an athlete must be shown the value of what they are learning from it. An athlete working so hard he is puking is not good. An athlete being shown the value of learning how to go to the next level in the training, and that he may eventually become a better athlete from it may respond more positively.

Different bits of advice can be given to the kids in different ways. Test yourself in drills and examine the value of what you have accomplished. Do not become a self fulfilling prophecy with words like “I can’t�? during the last few minutes of the session. You can even begin the session with the message to yourself that you are going to be here for one hour. That hour is a gift. You can do the most with it, or squander it and the hour will still eventually be over. What happens during that hour is the accomplishment, or the let down. Get yourself to believe that a little on top of a little eventually becomes a lot.

Finally, I will leave you with a quote from a poster I hung in my room when I was in college. The poster is one of the great Russian Greco-Roman wrestler Alexander Karelin. He is throwing a huge 300 pound man in the air, and the quote below him reads,“ I train harder everyday of my life than you will ever train one day in your life�?.

This is the epitome of mental toughness training.

Traxamillion confirmed for Hip-Hop Chess Oct. 10th 2009 in SF!!

Rakaa Iriscience confirmed for HHCF Oct. 10th 2009 in SF

Rap Legend Ray Luv, confirmed for HHCF Oct. 10th 2009 in SF!!

UFC Champ GSP Plays Chess

Super female martial artist and journalist Phoenix Carnevale wrote an amazing piece on UFC champ George St. Pierre....He gave a glimpse into his super strategic mind. Among other things, he talks about chess. Enjoy!!

-Adisa

***
George St. Pierre and Thiago Alves aren't talking any trash about each other. They don't have too! Thisfight hype is based on skill! This fight hype is based on the CHESS match that great fights are made of.

If you were to Google the word Competition, wikipedia will tell you that the etymology of the word is "to seek together or to strive together". The better your opponent the better you have to become.

Competition gives high incentive for self-improvement. Without question George St. Pierre has dealt with some hefty competition so he hands. Thiago Alves a huge complement when he says Alves is his toughest fight yet.

George begins to tell me during a Phone interview last week. "He brings to the table a lot of stuff that I haven't seen before. He's a great striker. Very good on the ground He's very well rounded. I haven't fought someone as dangerous and as strong as big as him, But then again he's never fought a guy like me before either. We're both gonna fight a guy like we've never fought before'

Thiago has shown excellent take down defense in his recent fights with Josh Koscheck and Matt Hughes. If the game of fighting has taught anyone anything its that an opponent should never be taken lightly.

"He's the number 1 contender so there's not to many holes in his game. But I can see there's some things he's not as strong at'". When George trains he losses the ego. The strategy is somewhat like get your butt handed to you in training so you don't get it kicked on fight night.

" I train with jui jutsu with better guy than I. Muay Thai with better Thai fighters than I. I box with better guys boxers than I"

In his search for the best of the best he found one of the best Muay Thai coaches in the business Kru Phil Nurse, owner and head trainer of The WAT gym in NYC. George heard about Phil through word of mouth while he was training at the Gracie Academy in NYC. Phil says he's adjusted his Muay Thai for MMA and that's made the Art fresh, new and exciting for him. This is the reason top UFC fighter like Rasheed Evans and Roger Huerta have sought Phil out to train them.

When Phil trains with GSP he tries to come at George with strong strategies. I was lucky to also get Phil on the phone that week to talk to him about what its like training with our current welterweight champion. "I try to do things to him that his opponent might try, to make him react and defend". Phil says. "We're always pushing the boundaries. "

Muay Thai is known to be stand-up art of choice for mixed martial artists. Knowing that George also has a Kyokushin background I ask him what is the main difference between Kyokushin Karate and Muay Thai. "The focus on Karate is a lot of footwork. Thai Box has some amazingly lethal kicks and elbows. They are both great arts but different. It's important to know that only one martial arts is not enough. You need more than one."


Phil Nurse talked openly about George's as he student of the fighting arts. "The thing about George is he's always evolving. He's a true athlete that's always learning new things. I could show him something today a few times and the next day he will come in and pull it off on some of my best guys. That quick adaptability is very hard for people to do"

George knows that he has to constantly expand and adjust. George's method and strategy for training changes for every opponent."Every fight I learn new stuff. I always fight my opponent where he's the weakest. I study tapes. But I know he's gonna be a better version of who he was in his last fight. It's a big problem but I believe I can solve it."George says with confidence." I'm not gonna fight Alves the same way I would fight Hughes and BJ Penn'

Another strategy contributing to GSPs well roundedness is his breaking his training up into segments and then ties it all together. "I do a lot of different disciplines but the closer that I get to the fight I train MMA."

Phil Nurse talked to me about GSPs diversity of Martial arts knowledge.
"All of his other styles are not gone. He has all of that older stuff in his arsenal. He just keeps adding on."

I read somewhere that there are no superior martial arts. Only superior martial artists. George is known for mixing it up. I was curious to know why it was so important for him break up his training.

"I do believe that you cannot train MMA. To be in an MMA fighter you have to specialize in something. If you don't specifically work on certain skills you will try to do everything but it wont be sharp."

Everyone is always talking about what a physical specimen GSP is. He's graced the cover of many Men's Health and Fitness Magazines. But what does he do to keep in good mental shape as the stakes get higher and higher?

" I do a lot of imagery. I started doing a lot more recently. I see myself winning I see myself getting out a bad position and coming out on top.
It's all mental. Every day I do imagery. And its something I think in training is very under rated."

All this talk about the mind and strategy made me think about CHESS, I ask George, Do you play? "I do play chess. But I don't have anyone good to play with right now. I'm a pretty humble guy but I've beaten everyone in my entourage"

I laugh and say "kinda like how you've beaten everyone in your welterweight division. If you get through Thiago are you considering testing the waters at middleweight? A Super fight Anderson Silva would certainly be the biggest fight in MMA history!"

"Well right now my primary focus is Alves. So it's the only thing I am focusing on."

George is such a tease!! Well a girl can dream can't she! Speaking of girls, I ask GSP what he thinks of women in the sport?" I love to see women training! And a women who's in shape is a women who looks good and I like that" George says playfully.

"Right now there are more men then women but I think its gonna be like boxing and they're will be more and more girls! And that's awesome!"

George has watched the UFC since the beginning days of Royce Gracie and here he is and here we are ready to watch his next and biggest battle at UFC 100!

"It's a great honor for me because there's always a significant meaning to the number 100"

The significance of the number 100 is the number associated with perfection. And to a lot of People George is that perfect athlete. Needless to say but I think GSP and Thiago Alves will be giving 100 percent of themselves on July 11th for the milestone event UFC 100 .

Phoenix Carnevale is a NYC based Fitness Expert, Martial Artist, Writer and On-Air Personality. She has been featured on CW11, Spike tv, Lifetime TV,Fox 5 and American Latino TV.

Phoenix currenlty teaches group fitness for New York Health and Racquet Club and Equinox Fitness Clubs. She regularly conrtibutes to Latina Magazine, fightingarts.com, wfighter.com and Latina.com. As on camera host and producer she is regulary featured on INSIDE MARTIAL ARTS (www.insidemartialarts.tv)