Training of Michael Costa

[Sinister]

So similar to Arni (eerily so), a guy returned to Tocco's who was here for like 3 weeks who is a 170lb MMA fighter, intending to drop to 155. At first he trained with another trainer, but didn't like him. So now when he came back he elected to train with Merqui and myself. He's this guy:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Michael-Costa-9706

He was signed with Bellator, but had to back out of two fights due to injury. So he was released. Now he's trying to work his way back into it and wants to improve his Boxing. Here's an old and kinda cheesy HL of him:



So of course, we've been working to get his weight more between his feet as opposed to his front foot. To get his movement better-balanced, to get him to NOT lead in with his head, but instead with his lead foot and hip. Here's some of that work:





He's only been at it a couple of weeks. But the first thing I did was re-structure how he punches. And many thanks to our own Lucas Coradini for translating the fist tutorial:



Michael speaks some Spanish (like Vini, better than his English), but it was still a bit difficult to explain the fine details for him. So this version of the video helped a lot. Michael also has a nagging knee injury from jiu jitsu, but much to my surprise he was doing most of his physical therapy exercises after training. If any of you have this in your lives, that's backwards. Trying to do theraputic exercises on already fatigued stabilizer or flexor muscles, or tendons and such is moot. Do them before you train. So now I have him doing that regimen before he boxes, and they serve to warm-up the joints.

In the middle of the shadowboxing video I tell him to remember that punches come from the torso, not the shoulders. As you can all see he's VERY top-heavy, and disconnects his elbows quite a bit. But he's a fantastic student, he's already put A LOT of effort into keeping his head either between his feet, or closer to the back foot when he's not throwing a forward-moving punch. But he's learning a specific style because of his disposition, so he'll be moving forward a lot anyway.

He's got a fight next month in Japan, we're hoping to make enough of a difference that it goes very well for him.

[Discipulus]

Awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing his progress. Thanks for the thread, man.

[Emites]

Do you think you could get some video of his heavy bag work?

I feel like it's easier to learn from videos where guys are in the process of learning

[Lucas Coradini]

I'm glad the subtitles were helpful!

About Michael... Dude seems to be a work horse, and you labeling of him as a fantastic student seems like a very promising combination ;]

I've spotted something that I've seen you speak in another occasion, another context: In the mittwork, he started to do better after he burn some fuel, as when he started the endurance drill he was all arms and no turning of the hips/torso whatsoever, but after a time or two that he reached for his knees and shaked his arms he started to put more of his body on his punches. Very interesting... It seems that sometimes you just need to spent some energy for your brain to take over control of your body lol

Michael was a Chuteboxe guy, and now trains at Wand's Gym, right? Well, my teacher came from a similar school, and is very influenced by Chuteboxe's fighting style and way of thought, but it don't prevented myself of seeking better methods... Very cool to know about Michael goin to Tocco's for the same reasons, it really makes me happy. Hope that he can improve his technique to the next level



ps.: "és un profesional de muaythai en brasil" jaja! It's still kinda awkward when I think about it (myself being a pro, receiving advice and corresponding with people from all over the world, etc... HAIL TO THE INTERNET)

Also, just to remember you that there's the lead uppercut tutorial, subtitled, waiting for Michael to see it

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by Emites

Do you think you could get some video of his heavy bag work?

I feel like it's easier to learn from videos where guys are in the process of learning

At some point, most-likely. But what I'm more interested in at the moment is having him spar a couple of boxers who know what they're doing.

Originally Posted by Lucas Coradini

I'm glad the subtitles were helpful!

About Michael... Dude seems to be a work horse, and you labeling of him as a fantastic student seems like a very promising combination ;]

I've spotted something that I've seen you speak in another occasion, another context: In the mittwork, he started to do better after he burn some fuel, as when he started the endurance drill he was all arms and no turning of the hips/torso whatsoever, but after a time or two that he reached for his knees and shaked his arms he started to put more of his body on his punches. Very interesting... It seems that sometimes you just need to spent some energy for your brain to take over control of your body lol

Michael was a Chuteboxe guy, and now trains at Wand's Gym, right? Well, my teacher came from a similar school, and is very influenced by Chuteboxe's fighting style and way of thought, but it don't prevented myself of seeking better methods... Very cool to know about Michael goin to Tocco's for the same reasons, it really makes me happy. Hope that he can improve his technique to the next level

ps.: "és un profesional de muaythai en brasil" jaja! It's still kinda awkward when I think about it (myself being a pro, receiving advice and corresponding with people from all over the world, etc... HAIL TO THE INTERNET)

Also, just to remember you that there's the lead uppercut tutorial, subtitled, waiting for Michael to see it

Yes, that's Merqui's philosophy when he can't get a guy to make effort to do something. He'll first wear you down to loosen you up and empty your brain. I make note in other videos you've seen about how students do better once they're a little tired.

And yes, he trains under Wanderlei primarily, but he did tell me that often times he's left un-cornered if someone bigger than he is has an event (in his fight in 2010, I think, Wanderlei himself was fighting, so Michael had to hire a corner on the spot). I told him if he ever needed at least a cutman/stand-up Coach for his corner, I'd go with him. I don't know if that'll be necessary for Japan, but we'll see.

And yeah, that was the tail-end of him telling me that he REALLY liked your translation and then he asked who did it. So I was telling him about you, he LOVES Muay Thai, so that made him happy to think the principals are linked, like what he's learning is reinforced and that ideas won't just collide and leave him to sift through the rubble.

[Paradigm]

nice...this is my first time watching the fist tutorial video actually. actually knew some of what you were saying before but never knew how to put everything together...gonna have to work on this.

also, why are the thumbs in boxing gloves placed like that nowadays? doesnt seem to make sense.

[Sinister]

To prevent people from thumbing people in the eyes.

I should also note that the injury Michael suffered that put him out of Bellator was a severe hand break. The scar is huge...pinkie and ring finger knuckles on a guy's head in sparring.

[Strykerx]

I remember Michael he was doing mitt work with Merqui in your light sparring video with Bleu.

[Sinister]

"I used to think punching was about the shoulders. Yesterday in Muay Thai I threw my right hand from my right foot, and my trainer said I hit twice as hard as before." - Michael Costa

[sourdiesel209]

Originally Posted by Sinister

"I used to think punching was about the shoulders. Yesterday in Muay Thai I threw my right hand from my right foot, and my trainer said I hit twice as hard as before." - Michael Costa

so its all about the right foot?? For the right hand