Man Bun & Beard Intervention: We Think You Have a Problem...

It was 3 years ago... I was fresh out of a six year relationship where the girl hated all kinds of facial hair. So I figured it was high time that I grew the Manliest Beard I could Muster.

Let it be known I wasn't growing this Ironically. As a champion MMA fighter I wanted to look like a goddamned badass.... Like I did nothing but wrestle bears in a mountain cave for three months in preparation for the fight. But I still had to get laid right? So what to do with the hair not on my face?

I took to Pinterest and looked up styles. The pompadour seemed to work well, Retro Sheek and managed fairly easy.

Flash forward to Fight Night... I Cant wear hair product in the cage and I can't let it dangle in my face... What's a warrior to do? The girl I was dating offered to tie it up with her hair tie... And Thus, The Man Bun was Born.

I didn't know the "Man Bun" was a thing. As a Martial Arts Dork I thought it looked like a Samurai Top Knot... So I kept it. But that's how addiction starts, very subtle... very innocent. The Ladies loved it, On Instagram All I had to do was "#Beard" and "#Tattoos" and I was at 200 plus likes. I remember now the words from Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in "Neon Cathedral":

"But Yeah, I'm a Fool and I Stay Here,

Hope These Problems Drown Themselves 

While I Die in Wait Here,

One More, Four more, Fuck it a Night Cap,

Service Starts at 5 Tomorrow and I'll be Right Back."

I've never rode the cutting edge of a trend before. This new Female Aphrodisiac known as the Man Bun & Beard consumed my life. I followed people on Insta and Twitter for "BEARDspration"... Retweeting Memes like the following:

Then things started to change... Like when you purchase a car, and all the sudden you see tons of the same make and model on the road; EVERYONE seemed on this train. People popping up left and right Man Bun and Bearding their ways through Bars and Watering Holes... Carrying butterfly knives that open to Beard Combs and talking about Whisky scented Beard Oil as if it wasn't just your wife's Leave in Conditioner.

"It's Okay... I don't have a Problem. 

It's them, Not Me."

I signed the contract for my Utah State Welterweight Championship fight. Got in league with my MMA Conditioning Coach Nikki Carlin and Wrestling Coach Marc Brewer of University of Grappling in Lindon Utah. This was a wrestling camp that works with UFC fighters and oddly enough... Short hair styles everywhere.

"It's okay though, It'll be inconvenient... 

But I could manage."

Coach Nikki Carlin is somewhat of a lifting Phenom... I went to a cross fit event with her and there it was. The Mecca for Beards and Buns... Rock bottom hit when I saw a spectator (Not a competitor) wearing Reebok Nanos, A shirt claiming "Your work out is my warm up", He had Neon high socks with a Man Bun.... All the while combing his beard.

I was physically ill. Is this me? Is this what people see me as? Here I was prepping for the biggest fight in my career so far, dealing with Long Hair in my face and Beard Hair being ripped out at the root in training, and for what? To look like THAT guy?

It was my lowest level. The Man Bun & Beard had robbed me of my physical and mental health and worse... self-respect.

"The First Step in the Recovery Process 

is Admitting you have a Problem."

I went home with a pear of shears in tow and rectified the process. High and tight in the head and exposed chin on the cheeks. Training and life, Became that much easier. Then this happened:

I survived the Man Bun & Beard... I'm here to tell you that you can too. I know you think about it all the time, but you're afraid. What if you're friends stop liking you? What if they regard you as a quitter or a hypocrite? Well like with any addiction, if your old network doesn't support your new life? Then your old friends need to be cut off.

"You are not Defined by your Catagen Hair Follicles... 

But by your actions in the Now"

Rebuilding Social Networks is one of the hardest parts of overcoming addiction... but it IS possible. I am living proof.

Get rid of the Man Bun & Beard... Your Family wants you back... They love you... and you're worth it.

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

When has Quitting Ever been the Answer? Injury and Health Issues are NO excuse to quit exercise.

The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts is Running a Special for New Students! 

$69.95 for 6 weeks and a FREE Uniform!

Link Here:http://www.olaskeyma.com/#!trial-offer/c2q4

The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts primary goal is to help kids mentally a physically progress through a healthy life. One of the main things we deal with when it comes to people leaving our stead, is injury or health issues (Mostly due to activities outside of Martial Arts) as an excuse. What most people don't understand that there have been tons of science indicating how important exercise is for people suffering from health issues.

And we're not talking correlative studies you see on day time programs like Dr. Oz... We're talking Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). RCTs are a type of scientific experiment, where the people being studied are randomly allocated to the different treatments under study. The RCT is often considered the gold standard for a scientific fact in clinical trails.

"Exercise is the most Powerful Thing 

You can do to Improve 

Your Health and Heal your injuries... 

It even Relieves The Mood Swings 

And Depression commonly 

Encountered in the Teenage Years."

In the following slides, Lifted form Healthcare Triage, you can see how much science is behind how important it is for your child to engage in exercise no matter what the reason. Basically, Unless your Doctor has specifically told you that your child cannot exercise, stopping their program for any health issue is only hurting your child... not helping them:

The key here is to make your instructor aware of the injury, or problem so that we can correct course and augment the movements for your child. There is a reason we keep class sizes so low. And this is it! We want to make sure every child is getting the most out of the process. Remember, we consult with your doctors at no charge, and each of us is a Certified Personal Trainer as well as Supplement Specialists & Nutritionists along with our Black Belts. Take full advantage of that!

Remember, We're not just a Martial Arts School, We're a Mentoring Program. Maintaining Health and overcoming obstacles is what we mean to instill in your child. Let us help to make them unstoppable!

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

MMA pre UFC Vol.2, Russian Sambo

At our Burbank Martial Arts Academy (Link >>HERE<<) We focus on educating our students about the history of the Martial Arts... As well as the Martial Arts themselves. As we move into a Generation of people whose only experience in Martial Arts is the ever popular UFC fight league, It becomes more and more important for people to understand where we come from, so we can accurately direct where we are going.

Today... we focus on Russian Sambo, Officially recognized as a Combat Sport in 1938. Far earlier than UFC's 1994 debut.

The word "SAMBO" is an acronym for SAMozashchita Bez Oruzhiya, which literally translates as "self-defense without weapons". Though Sambo as a sport has only been around since 1938, it is said that its inception as a fighting style comes years earlier in the 1920s.

Used as an Empty Hands defense system by the Red Soviet Army in the former USSR, It was 

Anatoly Kharlampiyev whom solidified it as a sport before the Russian All-Union Sport Committee.

Sambo was a Unique as a Sport Martial Art for its time, As Combat Sambo tournaments in particular  took a very western wrestling approach to Sport Fighting. Not only employing grappling techniques like Leg Locks and Arm Bars but striking as well... Both Standing up and on the Ground.

Early in the sport, Sambo also allowed Groin Strikes... Good times.

Sambo was a bit of a pioneer when it came to women in sport fighting. While women in Freestyle Wrestling were unable to compete in the Olympics until 2004, Russian Sambo Tournaments introduced a women's category in 1987. The UFC wouldn't hold a woman in the Octagon until 2013.

Distinctive to the art is Sambo's uniform and ranking system, Resembling Judo in appearance, Sambo's Gi like tops are not indicative of Rank but are a contrast in color for the sole purpose of distinguishing competitors. Vale Tudo style shorts combined with Gi Style tops and shoes reminiscent of Western Wrestling... its Uniform a true testament to its Mixed Martial Arts history. Its ranking system is only achieved through winning competition, Meaning if you have received the Black Belt Equivalent of "Master of Sport"... there was no discrepancy as to whether your metal was tested.

Sambo competitons have experiecned a resurgence of late due in part to popular MMA champions whom are also Sambo Masters of Sport. Of which include former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski whom just defeated heavy weight contender Frank Mir, And the Recently returned "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko.

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

[Gallery] Halloween Epicness: A Burbank Martial Arts School Breaks the Internet with Family Halloween Costume.

Martial Arts as we all know is more than Just Kicking and Punching... Its about Community. That is demonstrated in this pic from 2 years ago when a Family in Burbank , Along with their Martial Arts Instructor... Dressed to impress in Award Winning Halloween costumes.

Mike O'Laskey Owner of The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts in Burbank California
(Website found >>HERE<<) Stated:

"Martial Arts is About Many things, 

One of which is Inspiring Creativity... 

Halloween is perfect for that!"

Follow this Martial Arts Schools FB Page >>HERE<< We will post Last years pics Next week. What will this Martial Arts School come up with this year?!

If this UFC 193 Promo with Ronda Rousey Doesn't Make You Love the Martial Arts Nothing Will

The New UFC Promo for Ronda Rousey's fight is a Paragon of what we want to teach in our children. Courage, Dedication, Inspiration and Hard Work.

 Get your Daughter involved in Martial Arts in Burbank by following this link >>HERE<<

 

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

Science shows Video Games are Worse Than Cigarettes for Your Child's Health.

Video Games are a Billion Dollar a year industry. And kids love them! Often games are vilified in the media for promoting bad behavior or violent tendencies... which is NOT the case. There have been no credible studies to show that violence in games parlay themselves into real life.

However, The Danger of video games does not come in its content... But in its sedentary lifestyle. In a study published in "Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise" (Found >>HERE<< for your reference.) Researchers showed that:

"Levels of sitting were closely associated 

with an higher risk of death. 

Those sitting the most having an 

INCREASED risk of death"

So the long periods of sitting while playing Video Games... Is the most unhealthy thing for your child.

A study published in the British Journal of Medicine (Found >>HERE<< for your reference) did the math. They found that on average people who spend long bouts of time in front of the TV lose about 5-6 years of their lives... or to put it bluntly:

"For every Hour you Spend 

Playing Video Games, 

you are giving up about 

22 minutes of your life"

22 minutes! Let's put this into perspective for you parents, it has been calculated that each CIGARETTE you smoke reduces your life by 11 minutes!

The reason for this is not quite understood yet, but obvious factors are involved like Sedentary Lifestyles leading to Obesity Related Illnesses. Some Scientists think that Sitting for long periods prevents the body from producing enzymes that help clean out certain fats. But either way, the facts remain:

"For Every 10 hours of Gameplay, 

Your Child is Smoking 1 Pack of Cigarettes"

But the good news is that we can fix this! In the American Journal of Clinical Nutritional (Found >>HERE<< for your reference) They found that by interrupting gameplay every 30-40 minutes with with a 1 minute bout of physical activity reduces this risk exponentially.

At The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts, We recommend that when parents allow their kids long gameplay bouts... About every half an hour the game needs to be paused for one minute of Martial Arts practice. Whether it shadow boxing, Pad work, Wrestling or weapons drills.

The study indicates that it doesn't matter what the activity, as long as they are moving! The child gets what they want, Which is long bouts of Video Games... And we get what we want, Which is a long lasting healthy life for your child. This also teaches your Child Accountability and Responsibility while gaming, Concepts they can take on into a healthy adulthood.

If you are worried about your Child's Sedentary life style, The O'Laskey Academy of Martial Arts is running a special Trial Offer to see if the Martial Arts is right for your Child... It even comes with a FREE uniform. Click the Link >>HERE<<

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com