[Rocketfan]

It seems that everywhere, people are catching on to the benefits of learning mixed martial arts. Everyone includes basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal, who is spending his off-season training at Jonathan Burke's Gracie Gym in Orlando.

O'Neal, who is listed at 7'2" and 325 lbs., goes by his old nickname at the gym, Diesel. He's been training with Burke for 10 years, where he does the full gamut of MMA, boxing, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling. Cagewriter spoke with Burke who said that O'Neal is in great shape, and loves the nature of the training.

"We can work drills 20 times through, and he works his tail off on everything," Burke said. "He has way more talent with this stuff than people would imagine."


http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewr ... mma,161678

[matshark]

interesting. hopefully, there's now at least ONE NBA player that knows how to properly throw a punch. (unlike Kevin Garnett)

[Hold My Own]

I would say Shaq is the closest thing to T.O. the NBA has...and yes, I'm putting him over Artest

[Rocketfan]

interesting. hopefully, there's now at least ONE NBA player that knows how to properly throw a punch. (unlike Kevin Garnett)

I would hope in 10 years he at least learned that much. Honestly, if shaq landed a punch your not talking a broken nose, more like a ventilator.

[nataliya]

Why do boxers and MMA trainers wrap hands different? I know that you don't wrap the thumb in MMA because you need it. But even for Muay Thai you wrap in between each finger, but in boxing its just around the hand and wrist, not between fingers. Why?
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[Sly Fox]

Welcome to the board, nataliya.

Paging Matshark