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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2013)
4 P R IN T : Sports Wednesday, March 6,2013 Tipping the scales in the N it “Always give one-hundred per cent, and you'll never have to second guess yourself." j - Tommy John The evolution o f sport has often meant bigger, faster, and stronger. While this is great when watching athletic freaks like LeBron James, Calvin Johnson or Usain Bolt dominate their opponents, it becomes an issue when con cussion and injury problems rise to the forefront. Currently, more than 1,500 players are teaming up to sue the NFL for allegedly hiding the dangers o f concussions from them. But the brain dam age caused by repeated blows to the head is going to be a minor problem compared to the sleeping giant that lies beneath the sheets in the NFL. The real problem that is ready to explode onto the scene is the exponential rise in 300 plus pound athletes play ing ih the NFL over the past 30 years and the health issues that arise for those carrying that extra weight. The statistics are startling and downright scary. According to information provided by Stats LLC, there was one 300-pound player in the league in 1970, three in 1980, 94 in 1990, 301 in 2000 and 394 at the start o f the 2010 season. When the Green Bay Packers won the first Super ..ftis htayiafili ■ player on their roster was 265 Student Josh Manfredi watches as instructor KC Thompson demonstrates a triangle choke at Impact BJJ in Gladstone. Wrapping his left leg around Zack Force’s neck, he brings the right leg over left ankle and squeezes the head and arm to finish the choke. David Beasley Associate Sports Editor Among the plethora of popu lar martial arts available to prac titioners in various locations around the Portland Metro area is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The art is defined by leverage and tech nique; it is the chess of grap pling combat. Closer than any other prominent Jiu Jitsu school in Clackamas County is Impact BJJ of Gladstone. Regularly roaming the mats at Gladstone is purple belt KC Thompson. He knew BJJ was —.the, s p o r t- fo r . hinq q ft.er.w in n in g his first competitive match by pound Hall o f Fame guard . Kimura arm lock submission. Jerry Kramer. The famed Steel “I’ve been training almost Curtain defense that; led the five and a half years now,” said Pittsburgh Steelers Ho four - Thompson. Super Bowl titles in six sea He has recent first place finish sons in the ‘70s! was led by “Mean Joe” Greene at a rela es in BJJ competitions at the 2012 tively slim 275 pounds. U.S. Open, 2012 Las Vegas Open The list o f tnedicafcondi- g and 2012 Pan-Ams. Thompson is tions related to carrying an also a self proclaimed adrenaline extra 50-100 pounds o f weight is long and deadly. High blood | ’ junkie. “I was skydiving before I start pressure, obesity, sleep apnea, ed [Jiu Jitsu] and I still skydive arthritic joints, diabetes and elevated blood pressure and I now,” said Thompson. cholesterollevelsha^MBTbe^'.-.' Originally called Straight Blast linked to past and current NFL. Gym in 1998, Impact BJJ offers players. Over the next 516-20 I ' classes in numerous locations, years, a lot of these 306 plus including Portland Community pound players wtfrbl y a chmg'" College. The Gladstone school the end of their ro a d iS is conveniently located at 17763 When M i n n e s o g B a H H Southeast 82nd Dr. This new Korey Stringer, a ’335 poia addition to the local combat com offensive lineman, died from munity brings high quality Jiu complications of heat stroke s at training camp in 2001, the I Jitsu instruction closer than ever NFL revised its workflt|Qstf|B before. cies and began to test q Impact took over 10th Planet effectively for heart issues^ «' Jiu Jitsu which was located Although, the NFL has ft, just down the road on Jennifer had another heat related death Street. Shortly after that, Impact since, early BJJ moved to 82nd Drive. Josh mon for former Manfredi is a student who has In 2002, lbrmBr,. made the transition as well. Orleans Saints linemen Frank “I trained at this place before it Warren died at age.43 a heart attack.. In 2004, Halfrl; of Fame defensive linemen ' Reggie White also passed ? away at 43 due to a cardiac arrhythmia that w a i| related : to sleep apnea. T h^follow - ing year, San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Thomas •' Herrion collapsed and died after a pre-season game due to heart disease from a blocked coronary arteiy. All three play ers were well over 300 pounds in their playing d a y s .S All o f these guys were big, * strong men in what should have been the prime o f their life. All were very good at pushing other, smaller men around and they paid the ulti mate price for being too big, too strong and too good at what they did. ! ■agg I Was it all really worth it? B JJ blue belt Zack Force practices a basic arm lock with Josh Manfredi; grabbing the collar and controlling thè arm, he will kick o ff o f Manfredi’s left hip with his right fo o t and swing-his left leg over the right shoulder to lock the arm. ./ Z was Impact. It started out as 10th provide quality training at their Planet Jiu Jitsu,” said Manfredi. | numerous schools. One of the tal “It’s not really a martial arts class. ented staff members at Gladstone It’s like a community which is | is Thompson. As a purple belt, really cool.” Thompson brings his experience The school-has a strong lineage of competing in BJJ tournaments linking them to the most famous • to his coachmg Style. He also has BJJ family, the Grades. Impact I an uplifting sense of humor and BJJ owner Michael Chapman I lightens the mood With tension received his black belt in 2004 breaking jokes or funny explana from Chris Haueter, one of the tions of techniques. first Americans ever to earn a BJJ Steven Chang, a student at black belt. Haueter studied under | Impact, has been training in BJJ Rigan Machado, a Brazilian who for about, 15 months. He likes in turn received his black belt the community feeling offered at under Carlos Grade. Brothers Impact. Carlos and Helio Grade ate the “We’ve got a pretty tight group founders of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. ' of people framing every day,” said ‘ Chapman has assembled a * Chang. “Training with people you competent team of instructors to „ don’t trust, or don’t know what to Grabbing Zack Force’s right sleeve, KC Thompson begins to demonstrate a sweep t Force’s right pant leg and swings Force over with leverage rather than pure strength. do, you can get injured.” Impact BJJ of Gladstone ii the perfect meeting place for sea soned grapplers and novices alike It is a great environment to refini basic techniques and learn new strategies. Offering different levels; o] membership land a punch earc type payment system, students cap plan their workouts arounc busy schedules. Chapman him self leads some- of the sessions at Gladstone, along with othei high ranked instructors. Classes are offered in the afternoon and evening Monday through Friday. Full Schedule and more details are available at www.impactjj. com. .
