Podcast Summary
Ben Askren on Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley Fight: Askren discusses the specific challenges of boxing for a combat athlete like Woodley and suggests that whether or not Woodley can turn up the pace and pressure will be key in a potential rematch against Paul.
In this podcast, Lex Fridman interviews wrestler and MMA fighter Ben Askren, who shares his thoughts on the Jake Paul versus Tyron Woodley fight. Askren admits his bias towards Woodley, but acknowledges that Jake Paul's impressive showing proves he's not bad at boxing. He also explains why a combat athlete like Woodley may have struggled in his first-ever boxing match, citing the specific ruleset of the sport. While he can't provide an exact answer on how many times Jake Paul would win in a rematch, Askren suggests that it would depend on whether Woodley can turn up the pace and pressure, something he didn't do in their first fight.
Why Ben Askren Would Fight Jake Paul Again: Proper training and preparation are crucial in any sport, and it's important to focus on technical training rather than just intense live sessions. Even if you don't win, the experience can be fulfilling and potentially lucrative.
In a recent interview with Ben Askren, he reflected on his fight against Jake Paul and the decision to take the fight in the first place. Despite losing, Askren would do it again as he enjoyed the training and the potential for financial gain. He also discussed his training experience with Jordan Burrows and the insight he gained from training with a great champion. The focus was on technical discussion rather than intense live training. Ultimately, the key takeaway is that training and preparation are essential in any sport, regardless of the outcome of the competition.
Jordan Burroughs' Persistence and Adaptability in Wrestling: To be successful in wrestling, it is important to continually evolve and add new techniques to your game. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses, and focusing on your areas of expertise can also help in achieving long-term success.
Jordan Burroughs is a successful wrestler who continuously reinvents himself to stay at a world-class level. His persistence in shooting and his ability to develop new techniques has helped him maintain his success. Wrestlers who fail to continually evolve and add to their game may struggle to succeed later in their career. In terms of folkstyle wrestling, Burroughs had some competitive matches in college, with his weakness being writing ability. However, he excels in freestyle wrestling and acknowledges that he is better in this style. While his explosiveness and speed may present a challenge, he does not excel on the mat and gains little value from the top position.
The Challenges and Triumphs of Freestyle Wrestling Competition: Wrestling requires precision and adaptability to excel, with small advantages or disadvantages often making the difference between winning and losing. Despite these obstacles, athletes continue to strive for success at the highest level.
Freestyle wrestling is an area where the athlete discussed in the section excels, rarely getting turned and garnering points with his glazed transition. However, he struggles in other areas where he wasn't gaining value. The section then goes on to discuss the intense level of competition in wrestling and how winning or losing can come down to slight advantages or disadvantages, such as having to compete on a Saturday before facing a top opponent on Sunday. Despite these challenges, wrestlers continue to push themselves and compete at the highest level.
Ben Askren's wrestling match for charity and his focus on standup skills in MMA.: Ben Askren used his platform to bring attention to wrestling and raise money for the program through a charity event. He also prioritized defense in his standup skills for his recent boxing match.
In short, Ben Askren wrestled Jordan Burroughs in a fundraising event called Beat the Streets, despite being out of wrestling shape due to his focus on fighting. Although he knew he was unlikely to win, Askren wanted to draw attention to wrestling and help raise money for the program. He also prepared for his recent boxing match against Jake Paul by putting together a boxing camp with various trainers. However, his standup skills in mixed martial arts were focused on getting past a few punches rather than dealing damage on the feet.
The Importance of Resilience and Determination in Athletic Success: To reach your full potential as an athlete, you must have a balance of resilience and determination to overcome losses and a hunger for competition and challenges. Accept losing as part of the process and seek out the best competition.
In this conversation, former MMA fighter Ben Askren and wrestler Jordan Burroughs discuss the importance of both hating to lose and seeking out challenges in order to reach your full potential as an athlete. Burroughs talks about how he constantly sought out competition with the best wrestlers even when he wasn't very good, and he learned to accept losing as part of the process. He also reflects on his MMA career, where he didn't lose for nine years, but still doesn't like losing. Overall, the key takeaway is that to be a champion, you must have a balance of resilience and determination to overcome losses, as well as a hunger for competition and challenges.
Ben Askren Reflects on His First MMA Loss and Road to Redemption: Despite facing setback, Askren found success in another championship and left an open door for a potential return to fighting. He also acknowledged the importance of continued improvement and training even after a loss.
Ben Askren talks about his first loss in MMA, which was a dramatic one with a lot of pressure. He lost to Mosquito and was ranked sixth in the world at that time. Dana White, UFC's President, refused to offer him a contract, which was surprising and frustrating for Ben. He eventually signed with One Championship and won the belt in his second fight. He retired at 18-0 and left the door open to return to fighting and prove he's the best in the world. Now, he feels that his loss to Mosquito didn't change him, but he would have spent more time getting better at the entry point to tackle if he had a longer MMA career post that loss.
Ben Askren's Inspiring Fight for a Cause: Aging doesn't have to mean a decrease in skill, and it's never too early for a hip replacement to improve quality of life. Follow your passion, despite doubts, and support your community.
Despite his hip injury, Ben Askren fought in a match against a professional boxer because he wanted to support wrestling and raise money. Although he knew he was not a great boxer, he still took the opportunity to fight and make some money. Askren believes that instead of your physicality going down as you age, your skill level can still rise due to wisdom, strategy, and the acquisition of new tools. He also recommends getting a hip replacement surgery sooner than later as it can make a significant impact on one's lifestyle. While some believe Askren has the potential to be one of the greatest fighters of all time, he acknowledges that he did not prove himself in the ring.
Former UFC Fighter Ben Askren Considers Exhibition Wrestling Matches: Pursuing your passions and finding joy in challenging yourself is important, even after a successful career. Non-competitive wrestling events can showcase the beauty and techniques of the sport, while challenges like the "Aspen challenge" can keep the sport exciting.
Former UFC fighter Ben Askren reflects on his career and discusses the possibility of exhibition wrestling matches. While he loves the sport and would enjoy wrestling for fun, he acknowledges that his reputation and the hype surrounding his matches may detract from the experience. Instead, he suggests a non-competitive wrestling event where he could showcase the beauty and techniques of the sport. He also proposes an "Aspen challenge" where he would offer a cash reward for anyone who can pin him in a 30-minute match. Askren's insights highlight the value of pursuing one's passions and finding joy in challenging oneself.
The Ben Askren Challenge and Its Incentives: The challenge offers a chance to make money by showcasing skills while avoiding skilled challengers. It also exposes flaws in jiu-jitsu's point system and highlights the importance of skill over endurance.
The key takeaway from this section is that the incentive for the person being challenged in the Ben Askren Challenge is to make money by putting the content of the challenge somewhere and having people watch it. However, the challenge is only worthwhile if the person being challenged believes that only a few people have the skill level to pin them, allowing them to avoid these individuals or wait until they have a large audience to make a lot of money. The conversation also reveals the flaws in jiu-jitsu's point scoring system and the most valuable aspects of the sport. The challenge is limited to 30 minutes because going on until whenever would eventually become a matter of endurance rather than skill.
The Importance of Strategic Pacing and Emotional Maturity in Wrestling: The goal in wrestling is to be strategic and make your opponent more tired than you, while also having emotional maturity and a desire for improvement. Coaches should inspire self-belief and positive thinking.
The key takeaway from this section is that in wrestling, it's not about lasting for a certain amount of time, but rather pacing yourself and being more strategic than your opponent. The goal is not to never get tired, but to make the other person more tired than you. The conversation also touches on the importance of emotional maturity and a desire to improve in order to be successful in wrestling or any other discipline. As a coach, the speaker's goal is to inspire and get kids to believe in themselves and their potential, even in the face of negativity from others.
Ben Askren on the Importance of Consistent and Enjoyable Training Partners: Finding consistent and enjoyable training partners is crucial for progress in sports. Frustrations may arise, but dedication and a positive attitude can help improve skills and yield success.
Ben Askren, a former Olympic wrestler, discusses the importance of finding consistent training partners and making the experience enjoyable for them. He shares how he started having wrestling partners come over to his basement and how he made it fun for them despite the skill level mismatch. He also talks about the challenges of finding training partners who are willing to put in the work and how he gets frustrated with his current students when they complain about not having the perfect partner. Ben highlights the importance of consistency and dedication in training and how it helped him improve from quitting wrestling in fifth grade to ultimately becoming an Olympic wrestler.
Ben Askren's Journey to Creative Success through Wrestling: Ben Askren's dedication to analyzing his failures and seeking new ways to improve was key to his success. His creative approach to wrestling, born out of necessity due to his lack of strength and speed, allowed him to develop new positions and moves.
Ben Askren, former wrestling champion, shares his journey to success and the importance of competition in improving his skills. He reflects on his creative approach to wrestling and how it was born out of necessity due to his lack of strength and speed compared to other athletes. He credits his success to constantly analyzing his failures and seeking new ways to improve. Askren's obsession with wrestling led him to develop new positions and moves, some of which failed but ultimately led to his creative expansion. He even visualized wrestling figures in his head to better understand movements and eventually become a champion.
Developing Wrestling Robots: A Challenge in Optimization: Developing wrestling robots is a complex challenge as they would need to learn and adjust to the different forces and angles used in wrestling moves which are subconsciously calculated by humans.
In this conversation, Ben Askren talks about how robots in Boston Dynamics are limited to hard-coded movements and strategies and are not capable of sophisticated high-level movements. When discussing the possibility of developing wrestling robots, he notes that such robots would need to learn and adjust to the different forces and angles used in wrestling moves which are subconsciously calculated by humans. He emphasizes the complexity of wrestling moves, particularly in terms of grip, leverage, weight allocation, and twists, and how wrestlers subconsciously react and adjust to their opponents. Developing wrestling robots would thus be a fascinating challenge in optimization, accounting for the continuous variables of force and speed.
Can Wrestling Robots Outperform Humans?: Wrestling is a highly nuanced sport where small adjustments can make a big difference. While training with robots is an option, ethical and financial concerns may make it less feasible. Wrestling continues to evolve with new techniques emerging, like the "go behind" move.
Wrestling is an extremely complex and dynamic sport where even small adjustments in timing and positioning can make all the difference. While it is theoretically possible to train with robots, the high cost and ethical concerns may make it unfeasible for most. Furthermore, robots may be able to discover and exploit strategies that humans have not considered, changing the game entirely. Despite this, the sport continues to evolve with new techniques and moves emerging all the time, such as the "go behind" technique that has become popular in recent years.
Alpha Zero and Robot Wrestling Strategies: AI and robots are able to make strategic sacrifices and put themselves in unexpected positions to trap their opponents. However, the technology is still difficult and expensive to create in sports and other areas.
Alpha Zero, an AI designed to play chess, sacrifices pieces much more strategically than humans. It will wait several moves before making you pay for the sacrificed piece, which is better for the long term. Humans rarely sacrifice without getting something back within two or three moves. Similarly, in wrestling, robots could put themselves in bad positions to trap their opponents because humans are not used to that kind of strategy. However, building such robots is difficult and expensive. Ben Askren, a wrestling coach, and athlete, used to have people wrestling in his head, but forcing himself to think about the movements is not as easy now.
The Frustration of Limited Access to Wrestling Footage: Wrestling fans and athletes are facing major issues with limited access to Olympics and NCAA championships footage. Despite the lack of accessibility, athletes like Ben Askren still strive for Olympic glory in the face of amateurism and restrictive institutions.
Access to wrestling footage, especially the Olympics and NCAA championships, is extremely limited and frustrating for fans and athletes alike. Even famous matches like comeback games and steel matches are reduced to crappy highlights. NBC and ESPN do not have dedicated departments for selling the rights to wrestling footage. Ben Askren and guest speaker agree that the Olympics should be more accessible to everyone, especially given the charter's mandate to do so. This lack of accessibility is also reflected in the term "amateurism" and the institutions that profit from athletes while restricting their ability to make money. Despite these obstacles, athletes like Ben Askren still believe in their ability to win gold at the Olympics.
Wrestler's Experience in International Competition and Inspiration from Dagestani Wrestlers: Dagestani wrestlers' love for the sport, competitive nature, and struggle for success against hardships have resulted in their worldwide recognition. Good coaching and community support also contribute to their achievements.
In this section, wrestler 3 talks about his experience in international competition and how he wasn't good enough to make it to the top. He also mentions a few great wrestlers, including Dagestani wrestler Buvaisar Saitiev, who has won six world titles, three Olympics, and nine total titles. When asked about what makes wrestlers from Dagestan great, he mentions love for the sport and the fact that it is a way out of a tough life. He also highlights the hardship and compensation for athletes in the region. These factors, along with good coaching and a supportive community, contribute to the success of wrestlers from Dagestan.
The Importance of Sparring in Wrestling: A Conversation between Brothers: Sparring with controlled resistance is crucial in wrestling for technique development. A well-rounded training plan including teaching, learning, drilling, and sparring is required to improve skills. The amount of time in each category varies with age and experience level.
In this conversation between brothers Ben and 3, they discuss their experiences in wrestling and training methods. They emphasize the importance of sparring, which is different in wrestling compared to MMA, as it involves controlled resistance and is beneficial for drilling techniques. They also discuss the four categories of training: teaching, learning, drilling, and sparring/live. The amount of time spent in each category varies depending on skill level and age. Younger kids spend more time in the teaching/learning phase, while older, more experienced wrestlers spend more time drilling and sparring. Overall, controlled sparring and a well-rounded training plan are key to improving in wrestling.
The Importance of Drilling in Jujitsu: Practicing specific techniques through repetition and correction is key to mastering jujitsu. Focusing on weaknesses during live contests and having a set of techniques in mind can help achieve proficiency.
To become proficient in jujitsu, drilling is crucial. Repetition is key, with focus on a specific technique until it becomes mastered. It's not about spending hours on teaching techniques, but rather letting the students hit 50 reps and correcting them as they drill. Drilling also helps to notice the fine details and resistance level of an opponent, while also developing a meditative aspect of the sport. During live contests, it's important to work on weaknesses instead of doing what one does best, and having a specific set of techniques in mind to work on during training helps to achieve proficiency.
The Importance of Drilling in Combat Sports: Drilling can make someone exceptionally good quickly, but it must be done intentionally and adapted to individual preferences and abilities. Choose dynamic techniques and resist the urge to rebel against drilling.
The conversation between Ben Askren and 3 highlights the importance of drilling in combat sports. Askren believes that drilling can make someone exceptionally good very quickly, but stresses the importance of choosing techniques that have dynamic elements and resisting the urge to rebel against drilling. 3 argues that after achieving basic proficiency in a technique, the benefits of drilling diminish. However, Askren argues that drilling can lead to further learning over time and that resistance should be minimal. The key takeaway is that drilling is an important part of improving in combat sports, but must be approached with intention and adapted to individual preferences and abilities.
Mastering Techniques and Focusing on Key Areas in Wrestling and Grappling: To improve in wrestling or grappling, focus on specific areas where you can make the most gains. Practice on a dummy 80% of the time and only roll with those worse than you 20%. Don't stop halfway through techniques and have a big-picture strategy.
When it comes to learning complex techniques like in wrestling or grappling, it's important to focus on areas where you can make the most gains rather than just trying to improve a little bit in every aspect. Ben Askren suggests becoming a master of a particular thing and making your whole game revolve around that system. To achieve this, he recommends drilling on a dummy 80% of the time and only live rolling with people worse than you 20% of the time. Additionally, it's crucial to go all the way through a technique in order to gain confidence and proficiency, rather than stopping halfway every time. A big picture strategy with a variety of weapons is also necessary for overall success in wrestling.
Ben Askren's Thoughts on Potential MMA Fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov: Evidence of a wrestler's skill is crucial to determine their greatness, as acknowledged by Ben Askren in discussing his chances of beating Khabib in a grappling match.
In a recent interview, Ben Askren discussed his thoughts on potentially fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov in an MMA match. Askren believes that he could beat Khabib in a grappling match due to his own wrestling background, but acknowledges Khabib's skill set and would be interested in training with him. Askren also revealed insider information on Khabib's wrestling capabilities, having grilled someone who trained with him, and while he believes Khabib's wrestling is solid, he has yet to see him compete against a high level wrestler. Ultimately, Askren's key takeaway is that evidence of a wrestler's skill is necessary to determine their greatness.
USA Hopes for Victory in Wrestling World Championships Amidst Russian Doping Scandals: The United States is optimistic about their chances of winning the 2021 Wrestling World Championships in Norway due to Russia not sending all of their top wrestlers. However, concerns remain over Russian doping scandals and the need for fair competition.
The wrestling world is gearing up for the 2021 World Championships in Norway, and the United States hopes to continue its upward trend in the sport. With Russia not sending all its top wrestlers, America has a good chance of winning. However, former Russian wrestler Alexander Medved remains an enigma as there is little footage of him available. Meanwhile, the conversation turns to Russian doping scandals and the documentary Icarus. While cheating in any form is troubling, it is hoped that the Olympics and world championships will be a fair and honest competition for wrestlers from all countries.
Insights from Undefeated MMA Champion Ben Askren: Consistent training, unique fighting style, and an open mind are key to success in MMA. Disciplined wrestling backgrounds provide a strong foundation for aspiring fighters.
Ben Askren, a former MMA fighter, provides insight into his undefeated streak and dominance in the sport. One key factor was consistency in his training and living, regardless of his success or obligations. Additionally, his style of fighting was difficult for others to counter, and he constantly improved as a mixed martial artist. Askren attributes much of his success and that of other wrestlers in the sport to the discipline and work ethic acquired through high school and college programs. He also emphasizes the importance of being open-minded and adaptable in learning new techniques from other fighting styles, unlike the reluctance seen in some jujitsu practitioners to learn wrestling.
The Importance of Learning from Other Martial Arts Disciplines: Open-mindedness and studying techniques from various martial arts can enhance one's abilities and provide an advantage in competition. Avoid limiting growth by being willing to learn and adapt.
In martial arts, it is important to be open-minded and willing to learn from other disciplines. Stealing moves and techniques from different arts can help improve your own abilities. For example, Ben Askren learned a move called the one arm guillotine from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and applied it in wrestling, making it more efficient and effective. Wrestlers could benefit from studying other disciplines like Judo and Jiu-Jitsu to improve their techniques. A closed-minded approach limits growth and progress in martial arts. Being willing to learn and adapt can provide a greater advantage in competition.
The Benefits of Cryptocurrency Explained by Ben Askren and Guest: Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin offer a decentralized system that can solve inflation and remittance payment issues. These benefits are particularly useful for unbanked populations in countries where these problems are prevalent. It's important to hold onto the principles of cryptocurrency despite initial losses.
In a podcast interview, Ben Askren discussed the benefits of cryptocurrency with guest 3. They both agreed that cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, provide a decentralized system that is not controlled by politicians but rather by engineers. They pointed out that Bitcoin can solve problems of inflation and remittance payments, especially in countries that have unbanked populations. Although Americans might not see these issues as prominent, it is something that much of the world struggles with. 3 also mentioned his personal experience in Bitcoin, where he initially lost money but held on to the principles that the cryptocurrency provides.
The Importance of Taking Profits from Investments: It's important to learn important life lessons early on and apply them to investing and personal goals. Taking profits from investments can be life-changing, as seen in the example of Bitcoin.
In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of taking profits from investments, especially for those who are not extremely wealthy. He uses the example of buying a Bitcoin at $5,000 and selling half of it for $100,000 to pay off a house, which could be life-changing for someone. He also shares insights from a Bitcoin expert about the behavior of the market and the difference between long-term holders and short-term investors who panic sell during downturns. Overall, the takeaway is to learn important life lessons, such as perseverance and work ethic, early on in life and apply them to everything else, including investments and personal goals.
Success, Anxiety, and the Art of Focus: Managing responsibilities and focusing on a few important things is crucial to success. Anxiety can affect performance, so it's important to understand and manage it as well. Learn from admired competitors like George St-Pierre.
Ben Askren and his guest discuss how success can bring more responsibilities and make it harder to say no to things. They also touch on the importance of choosing to focus on only a few things rather than being involved in everything. The conversation shifts to their experiences with anxiety and how it can affect performance in everyday life versus in competition. They also briefly mention George St-Pierre and how they admire him as a competitor, with Askren expressing interest in exploring GSP's fear and anxiety in his competitive career. Overall, the key takeaway is the importance of maintaining focus and managing responsibilities, while also acknowledging the potential impact of anxiety on performance.
Managing Anxiety for High Performers: Finding a balance between using anxiety as motivation and not letting it hinder performance can be achieved by consciously finding ways to get rid of anxiety, such as talking to a friend or coach before performing.
Anxiety can be a challenge for high performers, whether it's giving a lecture or wrestling in front of an audience. Some people experience anxiety while performing, which can negatively affect their performance. One solution is to find a way to get rid of anxiety before performing, such as talking about unrelated topics with a friend or coach. However, not everyone has a conscious mechanism for getting rid of anxiety, and some high performers may even push themselves to do better under pressure. Ultimately, the key to success may be finding a balance between using anxiety as a motivator while not letting it hinder performance.
