My introduction to Ray's fighting techniques wasn't at all like working with Herman's. Ray used his size to push me around and had no problem pummeling me. He took his teaching skills seriously. Ray was slower than Brack and Herman, but I still had trouble staying off the mats.

"You need to stop him from grabbing you or you'll face-plant every time," Brack said as he lifted me from my face-down position on the mat. I would scream again, but there was no air in my lungs. I ...