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    Unlocking the Cage: Exploring the Motivations of MMA Fighters
    Unavailable
    Unlocking the Cage: Exploring the Motivations of MMA Fighters
    Unavailable
    Unlocking the Cage: Exploring the Motivations of MMA Fighters
    Ebook454 pages7 hours

    Unlocking the Cage: Exploring the Motivations of MMA Fighters

    By Mark Tullius

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    A Sociological Study

    The cage door clangs shut. The lock slides into place. The voice in my head drowns out everything else. What the hell is wrong with me?

    Follow the journey of Mark Tullius, former cage fighter and boxer turned author and stay-at-home dad as he puts his love of fighting and his sociology degree to use. What began as a personal exploration to unlock his reasons for continuing to train and pursue a fight career evolved into an in-depth sociological study of why competing in mixed martial arts (MMA) appeals to fighters. Why do these men and women subject themselves to the endless hours of grueling training required for the full-contact sport? In MMA a fighter's goal is to punch, kick, and choke an opponent into submission, and if there is blood and injury along the way, so be it. What compels these individuals to develop the necessary strength, endurance, discipline, and skill despite the risks involved?

    What’s different about Mark’s book?

    Instead of interviewing a handful of elite fighters, Mark traveled to every corner of the country, looking to train at different gyms and find fighters interested in showing the world who they are and why they fight. He finished the project after visiting 100 gyms and interviewing 340 fighters.

    Although it wasn't necessary, Tullius trained with the fighters and soon came to realize how valuable that time was, cultivating mental strength by surrounding himself with positive and inspiring individuals. It encouraged him to continue his project when he still had doubts about seeing it to its completion. Finally, Tullius believed that his willingness to get on the mat and demonstrate his trust in the fighters encouraged them to trust him and open up to a stranger about their fears and mistakes, dreams and accomplishments.

    Unlocking the Cage takes readers into the gyms and into the minds of the fighters. It celebrates the unique qualities of each individual while highlighting themes that appear and reappear. It looks past the stigma of violence and embraces the resilience and strength that are the foundation of the fighting culture.

    Editorial Reviews
    "Still, it's a work that should be on the reading list of any MMA fan. A sometimes-engaging but scattershot book that's part memoir, part journalism,and part inspirational self-help." -- Kirkus Review

    "UNLOCKING THE CAGE offers a fast-paced, enjoyable ride through the surprisingly poignant and peaceful word of mixed martial arts and boxing gyms." – IndieReader

    The result is a surprisingly revealing read recommended not just for enthusiasts of boxing, fighting, and MMA in particular, but especially for outsiders who abhor the idea of such a sport without really understanding its players. This audience will find their eyes opened about many things, including evolving values and maturity processes in life, and will discover Unlocking the Cage also unlocks preconceived notions about a little-understood sport. -- Diane Donavan, Editor Donovan’s Bookshelf

    Have you ever considered what it would be like to punch or be punched, to choke or be choked? Or wondered why anyone would enter the cage at all? Get your copy of Unlocking the Cage and prepare to be intrigued by what you find.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMark Tullius
    Release dateNov 28, 2018
    ISBN9781938475368
    Author

    Mark Tullius

    "If you want to get to know me and my writing, come check out my podcast Vicious Whispers. I’m an open book and have no issues being vulnerable, looking at my mental health and other struggles. As a reward for making it through my babbling, I share my short horror stories, chapters from science fiction and suspense novels, as well as excerpts from nonfiction at the end of each episode. My writing covers a wide range, with fiction being my favorite to create, a dozen or so titles under my belt. There are 4 titles in my YA interactive Try Not to Die series and 16 more in the works. I also have two nonfiction titles, both inspired by a reckless lifestyle, playing Ivy League football, and battering the hell out of my brain as an unsuccessful MMA fighter and boxer. Unlocking the Cage is the largest sociological study of MMA fighters to date and TBI or CTE aims to spread awareness and hope to others that suffer with traumatic brain injury symptoms. I live in sunny California with my wife, two kids, three cats, and one demon. Derek, he pops in whenever he’s tired of hell and wants to smoke weed. He makes special appearance on my podcast, social media, and special Facebook reader group Dark and Disturbing Fear-Filled Fiction. You can also get your first set of free stories by signing up to my newsletter. This letter is only for the brave, or at least those brave enough to deal with bad dad jokes, a crude sense of humor, and loads and loads of death. Derek and I would love to have you join us! For the newsletter, YouTube page, podcast and more go to https://youcanfollow.me/MarkTullius"

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    Reviews for Unlocking the Cage

    4.5/5

    4 ratings2 reviews

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    • 5/5
      If you enjoy reading about MMA or martial arts, you will probably love this book. If you don't, then you'll be bored. Given the task that Tullius placed in front of himself, this book turned out great. Tullius provides a sobering perspective as author, having not lived up to his potential in the sport. The reader learns of hard luck stories and passion, as well as friendships and a continuous onslaught of training and suffering.
    • 4/5
      Why do people compete in MMA? That is the premise of the book. In the book blurb it says “Unlocking the Cage takes readers into the gyms and into the minds of the fighters” and it was that line that drew me to this book.I have been a UFC fan for years, before it became mainstream, and now with UFC stars like GSP, Anderson Silva, Ronda Rousey and of course Conor McGregor, MMA has got the world talking and tuning in to watch these fights.If you have only just started watching or trying MMA this would be a great book for you.And I think this book would be great for sociology students as well as it certainly gives you a great in-depth look into why people want to makeas MMA fighters, how they came to the sport and the stigma of the violence in the sport.It is full of interviews that are interesting, some more than others but it does leave you with a slightly higher knowledge of a fighters lives and the sacrifices they make in-order to excel in this sport.MMA fans will definitely want to read this and anyone that is curious about the sport, this would be a good place to start. And if you are the few that still think this isn’t a real sport, just pure violence then this book will go a long way to dispelling that myth.I really enjoyed it, and reading as a fan of the sport it was nice to see behind the scenes.With the UFC being in the news quite recently for equal parts great for the sport and some that could cast a dark cloud over it, this is the perfect time to pick up this book!A big thank you to the author Mark Tullius, publishers The Independent Book Publishers Association and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest, independent review.Follow them on Twitter@MarkTullius @ibpa @DebTat2