Muay Thai, Fitness – Page 5 – Thinks with Spinks

Workout/Martial Arts 08/03/2020: A Fight Is A Conversation

When a person throws a strike they are asking a question or making a statement. Then they are watching what you do about it or how you answer. You have to figure out what your response to it is. Strike, counter, strike, block, strike, strike, counter.

When you are sparring, you will have strikes that you are like, “hrm… ok that happened.” Then you will have strikes that will make you go, “nuh uh… not again.” Things will aggravate you. This is natural.

In a lot of the Thai fights I have viewed, I see the first round is each opponent just getting to know each other. They will throw a strike out, and watch how/if it is blocked, counterd, and what is returned. They both go about it, if they get a strike in that gets through all the better. The next round though is, where they amp it up, take the conversation up a notch.

Fighting is… as counter intuitive as you might think this is… Fighting is a very cognitive. You might be wondering why I am talking about this at all. I am learning Muay Thai, and I am learning all of this art. Part of learning is not just the physical, it is the mental, the cognitive parts of this art. It is not just theory but study and understanding of your opponent.

Fight IQ – Fight intelligence, your ability to process information in a fight or glean information, and utilize it to their advantage.

Suphachai Saenpong is considered one of the best Thai fighters of all time, he has real high fight IQ. He does a really good job of processing info during a fight and using to their advantage.

A lot of this is a subconscious process. It is a culmination of training, experience, and natural inclination.

I have yet to get to that level, but one day I hope I can be a fraction of the fighter he is. Of course I would love to be as great a fighter, but let us have smaller stepping stone goals to get to.

Monday 08/03/2020: 1 hour – 1 mile run, 30 minute weightlifting, 10 min shadow boxing, 10 min core

1 mile run it looked like the sky’s were going to open up on me

30 min Weight Lifting:
1) bench press – 3x sets of 8 reps
2) tripod tricep row – 3x sets of 20 reps on each arm
3) kettle bell row – 3x sets of 1 minute swings
4) goblet squats – 3x sets of 20 reps
5) Bulgarian Split Squats – 3x sets of 15 reps each leg

10 min shadow boxing

10 min Core workout Dana Linn Bailey’s 45 sec on 15 seconds rest
1) hollow body
2) hollow body reverse crunch
3) V Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Right Side Plank Dips
6) Left Side Plank Dips
7) High Plank Opposite Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Crunches

Woot I am done and feeling good.

Tuesday 08/04/2020: 1 hour and some change Muay Thai training

Ok another fun class today I focused on just having fun and letting my body move. Woot! Also it’s a lot of fun for me to have awesome workout tights. I have bionic legs!

Been wanting these bad boys for a while and they had sold out. But I finally got a pair. Yay!!! Squee!! This shirt I got a is little big for me but that’s ok. It says I Am Enough!

Also also, D.O.M.S. Set in hard today and my flutes to legs hurt so much going up and down stairs. But after I warmed up they still hurt but I was able to work. We worked on the same things from last Saturday and it was so much fun. I love JKD. H and I then worked on some new combos.

Muay Thai/JKD Striking:Warm up with jump rope, jumping jacks between rounds for active recovery
1) Jab, Cross, Lead Knee, Jab, Cross, Rear Knee
2) Held pads for HJKD

3) Fake High Jab, pendulum leg kick Lead, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
4) Held for H

5) Fake Low Jab, Fake High Jab, pendulum leg kick Lead, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
6) Held for H

7) Fake High Jab, Low Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get outIf opponent blocks Low Jab- ping choy, gua choy- or block pass strikeFake High Jab, Low Jab, (opponent blocks) Ping Choy, Gua Choy, (Low Jab, clear opponents arm, return a back hand to the face) Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
8 ) I Held pads for H

Burn out:
9) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick
10) Held for H

New combos
11) Cross, upper cut, flying elbow
12) double jab, Lead Teep, and a hop switch Teep
13) Cross, rear knees, Teep, Rear Flying Knee

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

Thursday 08/06/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

Oookay so today, has been a crazy busy day. I have gone to work, had meetings, set up more meetings, delivered a cake, fed the family meals, and had Muay Thai training today.

Some days you just have to put the time in to training. It’s not going to be perfect all the time. Some days you don’t see the conversation of the fight. Some days it is just strike after strike and drill after drill. Some days it’s going to be hard but you just gotta get up and do he work.

Focusing on the positive, work was great, I had some amazing compliments come out of the blue from friends. Especially one I have not seen in a long time. She said, “you look strong Tanya, your quads are amazing.” Instructor said my knees in Muay Thai looked great. Another friend said that I am inspiring.

So all in all while busy a surprisingly good day with many positives. Boy but am I tired… anyway on to training…

Muay Thai/JKD Striking: Warm up with jump rope, jumping jacks between rounds for active recovery

1) Jab, Cross, Lead Knee, Jab, Cross, Rear Knee
2) Held pads for H JKD

3) Fake High Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
4) Held for H

5) Fake Low Jab, Fake High Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
6) Held for H

7) Fake High Jab, Low Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out If opponent blocks Low Jab- ping choy, gua choy- or block pass strike Fake High Jab, Low Jab, (opponent blocks) Ping Choy, Gua Choy, (Low Jab, clear opponents arm, return a back hand to the face) Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
8 ) I Held pads for H

Burn out:
9) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick
10) Held for H

11-12) Held pads for H Thanks for a great class Khun Kru Krysta Scharlach

Saturday 08/08/2020: 2 Hours Kali/Staff and Muay thai

What a great day of training! I had a lot of fun. I focused on the conversation of the fight. Not just the words. How the words flow together.

My instructor was really happy with my flow and performance on the Spinning Back Elbow still. She is a fantastic instructor, and will not hesitate to tell you when you are doing something wrong. So I take her compliment and reaction as it is intended. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

Kali –
1) started with full box warm up
2) full box with a spearing attack instead of #4 strike
3) full box with spearing attack instead of #2 strike
4) full box with any spearing attack that you have to avoid/counter/parry

Muay Thai-
1) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick
2) Held for H

3) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Rear Kick
4) held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Hook, horizontal Elbow #1, Rear Knee
6) I held pads for H

7) Jab, Cross, Hook chain horizontal Elbow, Spinning Back Elbow #9, Spinning Back Elbow #9, Rear knee
8 ) I held for H

9-10) held pads for h while he practiced switch teeps, and jab, jab, leg kick

I am still figuring out my conversation. What conversation am I having with other fighters? What do I want to show them? What do I want to hide? Do I want to be mostly technical like Suphachai, or do I want to be a trickster like Buakaw, feinting, and attacking.

What is your fight conversation?

I am figuring out my conversation starters. I am figuring out my conversation flow. I look forward to seeing where it goes. I will look back on this post in the future and will have a better answer to what my fight conversation is.

Thank you for reading. If you liked this blog, comment and let me know, subscribe and hit the like button.

Workout/Martial Arts 07/27/2020: Pad Holding Will Make You Better In Your Martial Art

I have written about pad holding in a previous journal entry. I described how to do it and how it helps your partner that you are training with, especially if you are good at pad holding. However, I wanted to touch on another point that I thought of while training.

Pad holding will make you better in your martial art. Ok… yes this is opinion but bear with me here and hear me out.

Here is a section from my previous blog about it pad holding in general:

Pad holding Tips I Have Learned:

You have to be able to feed the pads just right so that your partner can hit them.
You have to be at the correct distance so that your partner hits them fully extended and not shortened, but not to far away so that they get hurt from missing the pads.
You have to meet their strikes with the same force so that they have feed back.
You have to be able to take the hits. The pads help you feed and take the hits, but if your partner is putting in the strikes properly you will feel them. The pads only distribute the power of the strikes.
You have to lean in to kicks coming in. If the person is taller/bigger than you, you may have to jump a little bit with the kicks/knees.
You mimic the moves your partner is making. For instance if they are throwing a jab you move your body shoulder, hip, leg, feet placement as if you are jabbing as well, but just holding the pad up for them to punch. Doing it this way helps you to work on your jab, while they are.

Alright back to pad holding will make you a better practitioner of your art. Look at #6, when you mimic your opponents moves it does help you get the body mechanics down. However, there is more to it than that. Here are the reasons why I think pad holding will make you better at your martial art.

Repetitions of Body Movement: Mimic the body moves helps with body mechanics when you throw your strikes. Any practice/repetition with correct form is great for your training.
Recognize and See Incoming Attacks: Holding pads helps you not only recognize but start to see the small movements that indicate the body is about to move/strike. You have to have the pads there to stop the strike or you run the risk of getting hit.
Understanding The Drill: You have to understand the drill to hold the pads well.
Block and Return drills: When you pad hold you have to block/hold pads for the strike and in some cases return a strike right away so that your partner can learn to block. This is fantastic training on hit response training.

So as you can see… pad holding has many benefits, not only helping your partner, making them look like a million bucks when they hit the pads, more repetitions of body movement, but it really does help you and your ability to understand and adapt to the incoming strikes. Pad holding is as I said before a completely different animal from just striking. I believe it will help you be a better rounded martial artists.

My Training: For This Week

Monday 07/27/2020: 1 hour and 40 minutes Running, wight lifting, Calisthenics, and shadow boxing

1 mile run, it was already hot outside

Weight lifting:
1) Standing Should Presses 3 sets of 8 reps
2) Good Mornings 3 sets of 8 reps
3) Bench Press 3 sets of 8 reps

Calisthenics workout of the day words were STRONG GIRL… it had two sets of 15 Burpees back to back ack, but I did it! Woot! Both of words done in a superset. 1 minute rest between each superset.

S) 30 seconds Fast Feet
T) 20 Hip Dips each side
R) 30 Crunches
O) 30 Sit Up
N) 15 Jump Lunges
G) 15 Burpees

G) 15 Burpees
I) 25 standing Knee Crunches
R) 30 Crunches
L) 15 resistance band Mule Kicks

Finally I did 10 minutes of shadow boxing !

Whew, what a great day of training! Go after goals what ever they may be. Fight for what you believe in and love one another. Love from me

Tuesday 07/28/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai practice

Thai 17 count is what we worked on today. We have been working on it in small chunks but today we put them all together.

I worked on flow and staying in motion. I focused on feeling the body shifting weigh on each foot, and body mechanics.

I held pads and tried to incorporate all of the feed back given to me from H on how to hold better for him. I also tried to focus on mirroring his movements. Matching my weight distribution on each combo to his.

Then we did flying knees because heck they are flying knees. I am so not good at them yet but one day.

Training: jumping jacks for active recovery between rounds

1) Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Jab, Cross, Rear Kick
2) Held for H

3) Lead Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Upward Knee
4) Held for H

5) Rear upward Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear pushing Knee, Rear Kick Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear pushing Knee, Rear Kick)
6) Held for H

7) Hook, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Knee, Rear Kick, Hook, Cross, Elbow to tie up 6 skip knee #2, push off double Rear Kick
**now** add 3+5+7 for full 17 count (Lead Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Upward Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear pushing Knee, Rear Kick, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Knee, Rear Kick, Hook, Cross, Elbow to tie up 6 skip knee #2, push off double Rear Kick)
8 ) I held for H

10) Lead and Rear Kicks, and flying knees

Whew! What a great class! Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

Wednesday 07/29/2020: 50 minutes workout 1 mile run and Calisthenics

Proof I wear bright colors running, my trainer was worried I was not wearing bright enough colors

I woke up at 6:30 am and ent for a run it was beautiful outside.

Workout Word for the day is ANOMALY. Don’t let exercise be an Anomaly in your routine. See what I did there? Bwahaha

Calisthenics: word ANOMALY word is done as a superset, for 3 reps.

A) 30 Star Jumps
N) 15 Jump Lunges
O) 30 Sit Ups
M) 30 Plank Jacks
A) 30 Star Jumps
L) 15 resistance band- Mule Kicks
Y) 50 Flutter Kicks

Whew that was a great workout. Go after your dreams and goals. I will be your cheerleader!!!

Thursday 07/30/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

Ever have a day where you are exhausted? You come home from one job to work on another job/project that is due the next day? Oh and you forgot to eat till dinner? Yeah that was my day.

I sooooo did not want to train today, but H popped out with a quote from Frank Herbert’s Dune. “What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises-no mater the mood! Mood’s a thing for cattle or making love or playing the baliset. It’s not for fighting.”

I heard my trainer/instructor say, “good that’s very pretty, now do the it (the Thai 17 count) like you want to kill someone.” Which I took to meanmt form and flow were pretty now put the power into it. To which I did, or at least tried and heard, “ok do it again, this time harder.”

So I had my last meal after my workout because I was ravenous and I was super thirsty. Yogurt with strawberries and apples, unsweetened coconut and some walnuts.

Training: jumping jacks for active recovery between rounds

1) Jab, Cross, Rear Flying Knee, Jab, Cross, Lead Flying Knee
2) Held for H

3) Lead Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Flying Knee
4) Held for H

5) Rear upward Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear pushing Knee, Rear Kick
**now** add 3+5 (Lead Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Upward Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear pushing Knee, Rear Kick)
6) Held for H

7) Hook, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Knee, Rear Kick, Hook, Cross, Elbow to tie up 6 skip knee #2, push off double Rear Kick
**now** add 3+5+7 for full 17 count (Lead Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Upward Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear pushing Knee, Rear Kick, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Knee, Rear Kick, Hook, Cross, Elbow to tie up 6 skip knee #2, push off double Rear Kick)
8 ) I held for H

Burnout:
9) Jab, Cross,Jab,Cross, Lead Kick, Rear KickJab, Cross,Jab,Cross, Rear Kick, Lead KickJab, Cross,Jab,Cross, Lead Kick, Lead Kick Jab, Cross,Jab,Cross, Rear Kick, Rear Kick
10) Held for H
11) same drill above for me South Paw Lead
12) same drill for H Orthodox Lead

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta. Again a great class and working us through the Thai 17 you are amazing.

Saturday 08/01/2020: 2 hours of Kali/staff and MuayThai/JKD striking training

Today was just a fun day in training. Partly because my awesome teacher/trainer Khun Kru Krysta had a fantastic lads planned out where we practiced some Jeet Kun Do (JKD Bruce Lee’s Martial Art form). It was so nice to block pass and strike again. Have not practiced JKD since COVID19 lockdown. Also much more fun cause I let myself have fun. It sounds stupid but I did not just focus on the form and trying to make everything perfect. When I study something I hyperfocus sometimes to the point of making it not fun but analytical. So I just worked and had a good time.

I am reading a book that talks about the inner game. I will expound on it when I am done. But letting myself just have fun and not be so uptight, quieting the mind and ignoring the bad things I might think about a certain combo I just did was what I worked on.

Kali/Staff: we did all these patterns both sides stance

1) equise pattern to low back hand high back hand
2) witik x3 to low back hand high back hand
3) redondo x3 to low back hand high back hand
4) redondo x3 with a spin on 4 and to low back hand high back hand Muay

Thai/JKD Striking: Warm up with jump rope, jumping jacks between rounds for active recovery

1) Jab, Cross, Lead Knee, Jab, Cross, Rear Knee
2) Held pads for H JKD

3) Fake High Jab, pendulum leg kick Lead, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
4) Held for H

5) Fake Low Jab, Fake High Jab, pendulum leg kick Lead, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
6) Held for H

7) Fake High Jab, Low Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out If opponent blocks Low Jab- ping choy, gua choy- or block pass strike Fake High Jab, Low Jab, (opponent blocks) Ping Choy, Gua Choy, (block, clear opponents arm, return a back hand to the face) Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Roundhouse Kick, pendulum get out
8 ) I Held pads for H

Burn out:
9) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick
10) Held for H
11) flying knees on the bag

I missed practicing the Ping Choy, Gua Choy and I did not realize how much I did. Jeet Kun Do is all about the block pass trapping/striking.

What a week. It was a good week of training. There were ups and downs. I am learning to just enjoy what I am doing. I need to not just focus on doing the drills perfectly. I need to work on intent. I need to work on me. I am working on me.

Pad holding will make you better in your martial art. It is hard now for most people during this Covid19 we can’t all get that close. I am lucky to have a built in partner in H. However, this statement above is still true for as much as I know. Pad holding will make you better at range management, better at seeing strikes coming in, better at the drills with body mechanics, make you a better partner, and will help in hit response.

Let me know what you think. Have you experienced any of the things I am saying about pad holding? Thank you for reading. If you like this, hit the like button, and subscribe.

Have a great week, and keep reaching for the goals you made for yourself. Keep working even if you have to work around things in your life. Your dreams are worth it.

Workout/Martial Arts 07/20/2020: Injury is Inevitable in Martial Arts

Some will disagree, however, injury is inevitable in martial arts.

1) You may get hurt accidentally, a new practitioner is less controlled than a person who has suddied a while, so injury is more likely. It is commonly said in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that the most dangerous person on the mat, in the dojo, or in the gym is the white belt/novice.

2) You may get hurt strengthening, often times in Muay Thai you will get hurt when strengthening and growing. Think small bone fractures that are incurred when shielding, kicking, any time a bone hits another bone, or hard surface. It is breaking slightly and remottling, and growing stronger.

3) You may get hurt by making a mistake, because you will make mistakes. You can count on that.

4) Sometimes you get hurt even though you do everthing right, just because some one esle did everything right faster than you.

Either through intention or accident you will get hurt. You can’t venture into the study of martial arts with the intention of never getting hurt. However, you can forget like I did that it is a part of my growth. Tuesday I took a huge hit, I was holding pads for a flying knee and I was thrown across the mat. I have mentioned I have scoliosis and try not to let it stop me from doing the things I love. I was hurt a little, not life threatening, but enough to shake me and my resolve. I felt sorry for myself, and had a lapse of understanding this very principle. I got into my own head. I started over thinking things. If I want to continue to do this art, I have to take the lumps, hits, pains, and keep going.

I woke up on Wednesday sore and stiff, and decided to take the day to heal instead of going on my usual run/workout, I rested, and went to my chiropractor to get popped back into place. I was sore afterward, but felt good. In retrospect I lost that vision… and that is going to happen in my training. I just have to get back up and go do it again.

Getting out of my own head again:

H and I got to have a nice movie night and watched The Forbiden Kingdom with Jackie Chan and Jet Li. One of my favorite quotes and there were many quotes I loved… was…

“Learn the form, but seek the formless. Hear the soundless. Learn it all, then forget it all. Learn The Way, then find your own way. “
The Silent Monk in the movie The Forbiden Kingdom:

I have been working on agility and getting out of my own head, trusting in my form, and what I have learned. This was great. Yes it is a silly movie but who says we cannot take and learn something from silly movies. My last post was about that very same thing. Only this time I was in my own head after the training. I was upset that I had fallen down, and hit the mat hard. But I needed to get over it.

I can be upset about it, and just quit. Sure I won’t be injured in Muay Thai/Weight Lifting/Running any more. However, if I miss a step in the house and land improperly I can damage my back to the point my scoliosis reacts and then I have 3 to 6 months of recover as well. Alternately, I can accept it is a possibility and do what I have been doing, which is deal with the injury and train around it. Sometimes our brains can be so mean and annoying. But I am strong and will bounce back.

Monday 07/20/2020: 1 hour- 1.5 mile run, 20 minute calisthenics, 10 min core workout

I dreamt I had done my work out and woke up disappointed it was not done yet. But then I went out to get it done.

1.5 mile run it was already hot out at 7:45 am

Calisthenics workout: word of the day is BRING IT thank you Harun Sagat-Cdo Raja for the word. Words done in a superset x3

B ) 20 Squat Jumps
R) 30 Crunches
I) 25 standing Knees Crunches
N) 15 Jump Lunges
G) 15 Burpees

I) 25 standing Knee Crunches
T) 20 Hip Dips – 20x each side

Core: Dana Linn Baileys 10 minute core workout – 45 seconds on 15 seconds rest between
1) hollow body
2) hollow body reverse crunch
3) v Sit bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) right side plank dips
6) left side plank dips
7) high plank opposite side knee to elbow
8 ) v Sit leg circles
9) heal touches
10) explosive crunches

Woot done!

Tuesday 07/21/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai Training

Today I was working on my flow and, not overthinking my striking combos. I focused on keeping the motion going. It doesn’t matter if the shots are slow just keep the motion going. Going slow is fine so long as you are smoothing out your strikes. Your goal in smoothing out is…other than to look like a freaking love child of Jackie Chan and Tony Jaa, is to hide your next strike.

Keeping the flow going lets you maintain your rhythm, and body mechanics. I need to incorporate more shadow boxing of jab/cross/hook/cross and jab/cross/uppercut/uppercut. Those moves have you shift weight a lot so that you move and flow. I know I know… I hear the voices of all my Muay Thai trainers, you must shadow box more. I know! So I am going to make a concerted effort to do so.

What makes shadow boxing so hard for me? Can you guess? Yup over thinking. I keep thinking of the combos I should do, and oh I should not do that combo over and over again. Being a Type A personality is rough sometimes.

I did turn off my brain in one of the combos today and successfully flowed through the drill. I had less pauses, save for the ones that are necessary like when you do a switch kick and or switch knee. Really anything with your lead leg. Ok enough waxing on.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta 🙏🙏🙏 for a great class.

Training: we always start with jumping rope, today we alternated between skip knees, Jumping Jacks, and Squat Jumps for active rest.

1) Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Jab, Cross, Lead Knee
2) I held pads for H

3) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Elbow, Lead Knee, lean out
4) I held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee, w/ either (lean, Rear Kick, or Clench with 6 knees and a double kick- you choose based on distance you make for yourself after last Rear Knee)
6) Held for H Burn out drill

7) Jab, Cross, Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Kick Jab, Cross, Jab, Cross, Rear Kick, Rear Kick Jab, Cross, Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Lead Kick Jab, Cross, Jab, Cross, Rear Kick, Lead Kick
8 ) I held pads for H

Then H wanted to practice flying knees. And I held pads for him. He sent me flying across the room. Physics in motion kids!!! 😂😂😁

Thursday 07/23/2020: 1 hour and 10 minutes Muay Thai training.

Back up on the horse again. Getting knocked down across the mat Tuesday I listened to my body and gave it a rest on Wednesday. I went to chiropractor got put back into place and am back at the training tonight.

So getting back into getting my flow going. I tried to take the thinking out of my training tonight. We would learn the new combo I would take about three repetitions to get the body mechanics down. Then I just focused on keeping my body moving and flowing.

Four things happened when I let go:

1) I stopped thinking about every strike. So my strikes flowed together better.
2) My training partner said I got double the amount of repetitions in than I normally do.
3) I felt weird… let me try to explain. I focus so much on technique that I am very controlled in my movements. Always focusing in getting into position best for that strike. But that takes time and when working flow you will not always end up in the perfect position. So while I was flowing in my drills I felt sort of out of control, because the control I am used to is getting into position to strike the best angle and with the most power. So it felt weird, sort of out of control.
4) My form broke down. My form from what my partner said was not terrible, just not great all the time. The hope is as I get used to working flow more I will learn to reset/flow into a better position to keep my form at its best.

So yes it felt weird/off but you have to push your training to grow and I know that that off feeling is me changing how I am executing my training.
Who knew that martial arts was so cerebral? 😆 I am sure all the people knew. I am just working through it.

I love the quote from Silent Monk in The Forbidden Kingdom -“Learn the form, but seek the formless. Hear the soundless. Learn it all, then forget it all. Learn the way, then find your own way.”

I see parallels in my training in this quote. The forms I do know well I need to flow to make them my own. I will keep learning new forms and incorporating them.

Enough of that mental gymnastics here is the training. Super fun training day thank you Khun Kru Krysta Scharlach. 🙏🙏🙏 we did Overhand strikes and shovel hooks.

Training: it was an elbow centered class
1) Jab, Cross, #3 Rear Elbow, Jab, Cross, #3 Lead Elbow
2) Held for H

3) Jab, Cross, Elbow #1, Spinning Back Elbow #9, Spinning Back Elbow #9, Rear Knee
4) Held for H

5) Jab, Overhand, Shovel Hook, Overhand, Switch Kick
6) Held for H

7) Thai Lean, scoop opponents lead hand, #6 elbow, #2 elbow, Fence, Lead Knee, push off and shield kick
8 ) Held for H

Burn out
9) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lean Kick
10) Held for H
11) South Paw stance – Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lean Kick
12) Held for H
13-14) we added a kick drill for two more rounds

Saturday 07/25/2020: 2 hours of Muay ThaI and Kali training

Whew it was a scorcher of a day today. I am exhausted. Working on my flow and movement again today. It must be true that I get far more reps in when I don’t take time to analyze my strikes and set them up. I am exhausted. great training day today. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

Kali –

1) high box
2) Full box
3) 3 redondo to ordebise, low backhand, high backhand

Muay Thai-

1) Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Jab Cross Rear Kick
2) Held pads for H

3) Lead Teep, switch kick/hop kick, hook, cross, rear kick
4) Held for H

5) Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Elbow, Elbow, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
6) Held for H

7) Rear Kick, Jab, Cross, Thadmala, tie up, six skip knees, push off and double kick
8 ) Held pads for H

Burn out:
9) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick, Cross, Hook, Lead Kick
10) Held for H
11) Held kicks for H
12) I did walking alternating kicks

Whew. I am pooped. But in a good way.

Yup! I got an injury on Tuesday, listened to my body and got the care I needed rested, and was back in the wagon. We just avoided clench work on my neck. When the elbows I was throwing was jarring my neck, I backed off the power. I let my partner know that I need to back off the power because of pain.

Your partner should respect you enough to work with you and understand when you have to avoid a certain drill or modify it for you. I try not to use that phrase (you should, they should) a lot. But this is a common courtesy. I prescribe to the working around your injury. As I mentioned before injury is unavoidable for many reasons (mistakes/acciedentally, unexperienced partners, intentional micro fractures for strengthening, you may do everything right just someone is faster than you). If you were to stop everything for every injury you may be taking have a year off of training.

Now I am not saying if you have a broken foot, run on it. When a doctor says you have to stay off of this foot, do as the doctor says. However, a broken foot does not mean you can’t bench press, you cant sit and shadow box punches, or you can do sit ups and other core exercises that don’t require your feet. This is what I mean by working around your injury. Let your injury heal, listen to your doctor, but train around it. Find something you can focus on that does not harm or hinder your healing.

I hope you have a great week ahead. Thank you for reading. Please feel free to comment, I would love to hear from you. If you liked my blog, subscribe and like. Have a great week ahead, and I will keep working on my goals and dreams. I hope you do too. =)

Workout/Martial Arts 07/13/2020: How do you stop overthinking, and just start doing?

I am… I am often told I am proficient Muay Thai skills. I have clocked about 2 1/2 years of training with an instructor or at seminars. To give you perspective. April of this year would have been my 2 year mark since officially starting Muay Thai. What this means is that an average person will clock 2 classes a week, each class is about an hour, so 2 hours a week. I was clocking 5 classes or 5 hours a week. I often say mat time is key, even if it feels like you are not learning anything, or you are messing everything up. I can teach people the basics of Muay Thai no problem.

I say all this above because my biggest problem right now is getting into my head, or overthinking things. I need to just trust that I know the strikes and let my body do its thang.

I am going to work on getting back into my flow. Sabai Sabai as coaches in Thailand say to their Muay Thai students. I am going to work on making the training fun, and less about just making sure I execute the strikes 100%

I write more about Sabai Sabai in my Thursday training entry, if you are interested.

Monday 07/13/2020: 47 minutes – 1 mile run, and 34 minute Calisthenics workout

I woke up late for me, 8:30 am. I could not get myself to get out of bed. So I dragged myself out of bed, went on my run, and did my Calisthenics workout.

Workout of the day: MUSCLE MAKER thanks for the words thank you Patricia Church-Reeves. Both words done as a superset, 1 min rest between sets. Each superset done x3.

M) 30 Plank Jacks
U) 30 Bicycle Crunches
S) 30 seconds Fast Feet
C) 20 High Knees
L) 15 Mule Kicks (with resistance band, 15 each leg)
E) 15 Push Ups

M) 30 Plank Jacks
A) 30 Star Jumps
K) 20 Russian Twists (with 25lb Kettle Bell)
E) 15 Push Ups
R) 30 Explosive Sit Ups (changed from Crunches cause I wanted more difficulty)

I was drenched and it was a great workout. I did it fasted and ended up having brunch at 11 instead of breakfast. Lol

Tuesday 07/14/2020: 1 hour and 15 minutes Muay Thai Training

We worked on on the same combos we did on Saturday however, instead of doing it as partner drills we worked on pads. We were focusing on power and strike response. So we added shields after every combo. And boy do my shins feel it today.

We worked on some kick response drills after class. Which is opponent strikes, and you immediately kick back. This is done to speed up your response and get you conditioned to strike back when you are hit. My shins were throbbing at the end of the night.

Kun Kru Krysta changed up the active rest today and we had to do skip knees between rounds. It was so hard and great. Thank you so much Khun Kru Krysta.

Training: 25 skip knees between rounds

1) Jab, Cross, Lead Teep, Jab, Cross, Rear Teep…repeat
2) I held pads for H

3) Jab, Cross, Rear Kick miss, Rear Side Kick Jab, Cross, Rear Kick shielded, Lead Teep Jab, Cross, Rear Kick shielded, Lead Side Kick
4) I held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Hook, Chain Elbow Strike, Spinning Rear Elbow, Teep
6) I held pads for H

7) Jab, Cross, Long Hook, Spinning Back Fist (focus on range management you need to throw a Long Hook, and not step to deeply for back fist)
8 ) I held pads for H Burnout Drill

9) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Head Hook, Cross, Uppercut, Uppercut, Cross, Hook, Switch Kick, Lead Shield
10) I held for H

Kick Response

1) Rear Kick, opponent shields returns kick
2) Lead Kick, opponent shields returns kick

So something I don’t write about often is the rolling out process. Cause I hate it. Muay Thai will F up your shins if you don’t roll out the knots. Those adhesions will also hinder your mobility. Muay Thai is not the only sport to cause adhesions. Most sports you get them only in the muscle. But in Muay Thai you get the swelling, bumps, adhesions on your bony parts like your shins.

It sucks to roll out, it hurts to roll out, but it is necessary. The pic with lacross ball, Tiger Tail, and Thai Oil are my main tools. That and a foam roller. It will hurt but, sometimes you have to do the hurt work to grow.

Wednesday 07/15/2020: 1 hour workout. 1.5 mile run, 28 min Calisthenics, 10 min Core workout

A little bit of work and sweat equity will pay off in the end. That is what I told myself today when I woke up not wanting to do a workout this morning. It was hard to get up and get my butt out the door but I did it. Bonus I feel accomplished for going on my run and doing a tough workout.

Not everyday is going to be sunshine and roses. So celebrate the accomplishments you get through that day. I got up at 7 am and got my butt out the door first thing.

Workout: Calisthenics workout of the day is SHAKE and BAKE, thank you Carver Hudson for the word. Words done as a superset each superset x 3 – this was heavy in agility and leg work so I added a core workout after it.

S) 30 seconds Fast Feet
A) 30 Star Jumps
K) 20 Russian Twists (w/ 25 lb Kettle Bell)
E) 15 Push Ups

B ) 20 Squat Jumps
A) A) 30 Star Jumps
K) 20 Russian Twists (w/ 25 lb Kettle Bell)

Workout: I did the Dana Linn Bailey 10 min core workout

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&channel=iphone_bm&ei=TR0PX4LAEI7DytMPtPGX4AU&q=dana+linn+bailey+10+min+ab+workout&oq=dana+linn+bailey+10+min+ab&gs_lcp=ChNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwEAEYATIFCCEQoAEyBQghEKABOgoILhCxAxBDEJMCOgIIADoGCAAQBxAeOgQIABBDOgcIABBGEPsBOgUIIRCrAjoICCEQFhAdEB5Q0SdYx0JgllFoAHAAeACAAa8BiAHIB5IBAzguM5gBAKABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#kpvalbx=_WR0PX-WTIdmJytMP356dsAU44

Get out there, get active, and fight for what you believe in.

Thursday 07/16/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

Ok today… let’s just say I was really having a hard time finding my flow, finding my rhythm. My instructor told me “Sabai, sabai.” [pron. suh-BYE suh-BYE]. From my understanding there is no literal translation in English. Like most words in Asian languages it has more than one meaning. (I experienced the same thing in Japanese when talking to my grandma and mother.) However, it is the Thai way to say: relaxation, happiness, peace, go with the flow.

I tried to let go. Slow down my pace, stop trying to force the moves, and took a beat to center myself and feel the flow/change as my body moved through the drills. It took a few rounds for me to get back into the flow.

I write this because I told myself I would record all aspects of my training and here is one part. The lack of flow and ability to get into my training right away. Everything is not going to be perfect every day.

On top of it all my shins are killing me wee! So today’s training was great but took me a sec to get into.

Also we did a new burn out between drills about 4 times I loved. It was : Squat and lead kick, Squat and rear kick. I loved it.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta Scharlach for a great class.

Training: {squats/jump squats, and squat kicks between rounds}

1) Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick
2) I held pads for H

3) south paw stance- Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick
4) Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick

5) I held pads for H
6) south paw stance- Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick

7) Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Kick (a favorite combo of mine)
8 ) I held pads for H

9) south paw stance- Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Kick (a favorite combo of mine)
10) Hop Kick, Cross, Rear Knee, Rear Kick

11) I held pads for H
12) south paw stance- Hop Kick, Cross, Rear Knee, Rear Kick Burnout

13) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Head Hook, Cross, Uppercut, Uppercut, Hook, Cross, Rear Kick
14) I held for H

So in the end it was a good day of training. I put the time in on the mat and will continue to try to grow.

Saturday 07/18/2020: 2 hours of Staff/Kali and Muay Thai trainingand core workout

It was an awesome set of classes thank you for taking your time to teach Khun Kru Krysta 🙏🙏.

In boxing the power comes not only from your arms, it arguably comes more from your hips. Just like in Muay Thai the power comes from the snap of you Hip/torso, and the turn.

Today because my body was tired and my leg/knee/shin/ankle were letting me know I focused less on power and more on flow, mechanics, and weight shifting.

Kali:
Full Box – Opponent throws a 15, you roof shield, return a 1 angle strike, they meet your strike, return A 4 strike, you stop it with a downward strike, you return a 3 strike, they block, and return a 2 you shield that strike, you throw an angle 15 strike and you continue on. It’s hard to write out our training some times. So the short hand is easier to write.

Main combo for Kali was – Full Box – angles 15,1,4,3,2 repeat
Switch it up by changing hand positions so that you use back hand on 4, block 3, return backhand 2, roof shield the 15, switch hand positions to forehand.

One of the main things I like about Kali with staves is the fact that when you do the above drill with single stick, double stick, or staff the way you move your body changes. That alone makes this Kali so mind bending. I Love training this art❤️.

raining Muay Thai: I did pushups between rounds for active rest

1) Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Jab, Cross, Lead Knee
2) South Paw: Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Jab, Cross, Lead Knee

3) Jab, Cross, Hook, Chain Elbow, Lead Knee, Rear Kick
4) I held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Rear Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee- then either lean, tie up and skip knee #2, Rear Kick
6) I held pads for H

7) to baby my leg I did burn out: Jab, Cross, uppercut, uppercut
Class did: Jab, Cross, Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear kickJab, Cross, Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Lead KickJab, Cross, Jab, Cross, Rear Kick, Rear Kick

I had a good time today. Got to see two of my old trainers I have not seen in ages and got to practice martial arts I love.

So there it is. This week was a great week of training. I am working on just going with the flow. Letting my training flow, not concentrating so hard on making it the best all the time. Sabai Sabai… let mey body move through the motions. Let the mechanics of my body work like it is supposed to and trained to do. Giving myself patience, and just working the matrtial arts I love.

I hear that my form is fantastic from my trainers. I am learning though that if I force the strikes, and not trust my body, I am not smooth. Slow is smooth, Smooth is Fast!

I will keep working on it. I hope you can keep working on what you are passionate about as well.

Thank you for reading, and if you like it my blog, please feel free to subscribe and like it. Comment below, if you have any questions.

Workout/Martial Arts 07/06/2020: Partner Drills, Thinking about your next step you are already behind.

This week H and I started Partner Drills. I am happy we did.

If you are unaware of what partner drills were, its where you practice a combo on a partner, they counter the attacks/shield/or block the attacks. They then practice the same combo on you.

This helps us in learning to see the attacks coming. This helps to learn to shield attacks, coutner them and return an atack. It helps you work the blocks and lets you feel what it feels like when you do block. You don’t get this training when you work on your own. You don’t get this training when you work on the heavy bag, and you don’t get this kind of training when you shadow box.

This kind of training you have to have a partner for. I am lucky that H and I are life partners and partners who practice Muay Thai. We can carve out a little space on the mat and work the combos/drills. My fellow students in class cannot train the way we are becuase they don’t have anyone they can train with, in this 2020 Covid19 Pandemic crap of a year.

I like partner drills. I love Muay Thai. I just get very nervous still after all this training time when a flurry of blows comes at me. I can counter/shield/return atacks to a certain point. Then my brain goes … ack!!!… things are coming at your face and body. My brain shuts down, and I start overthinking things.

In a fight or sparring match, thinking about your next step you are already behind.

What does this sentence above mean? When you are blocking, countering attacks, if you see an incoming strike, and stop to think about what to do, you will never be fast enough to come up with a solution and then excecute your counter. You have to drill and train what to do when an atack comes in, so your body is in motion already by the time the strike comes in.

Can you guess what I am working on this next week?

Monday 07/06/2020: 25 minutes – mile run and core workout

Woke up at 7:30 went for a run and did just a core workout. Still really sore from Muay Thai training on Saturday. So I am giving my body a rest.

It wa already hot and humid at 7:30 blargh. But I got it done. I need to roll out my muscles today.

My shirt says Fight Like A GRRRL and it’s one of my favorites

Tuesday 07/07/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

Today was a great day of training. I was tired coming in but had a blast in class. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta Scharlach.

I really like the chain strikes, when we hit a hook, then a horizontal elbow. I got complimented on my form with the hook, horizontal elbow, spinning rear elbow, to spinning rear elbow. Yay!

Training: {jumping jacks active rest between rounds}

1) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick (trained in both south paw and orthodox)
2) I held pads for H

3) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Knee (trained in both south paw and orthodox)
4) I held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Hook, Lead Elbow, Rear Knee, Rear Kick (trained in both south paw and orthodox)
6) I held pads for H

7) Jab, Cross, Lead Elbow #1/horizontal, rear spinning elbow/#9, lead spinning elbow#9, Thai lean, Rear Knee, Rear Kick (trained in both south paw and orthodox)
8 ) I held pads for H

Burnout:
9) Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Lead Teep – switch stance Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Lead Tee ( focus on returning to stance before switching to new stance)
10) Jab, Cross, Lead kick, step down into new stance- Jab, Cross, Lead kick, step down into new stance

Whew I am pooped now, but my muscles don’t hurt so much today yay!

Wednesday 07/08/2020: 35 minutes Mile run, 10 mins bag work, 10 mins core

Listen to your body, and change up your routine if you need too. I decided to forgo calisthenics today. My body is tired and feeling a little run down. I decided to train but in other areas. I still train and practice Muay Thai 3 days a week. This is my off day training.

Always show respect to your partner, the art, and yourself. 🙏 wai

Ran a mile, 10 minutes of bag work hand combos, and 10 minutes core workout.

Thursday 07/09/2020: 1 hour and 10 minutes Muay Thai training

Great training today. H and I changed it up by doing partner drills. Instead of doing the combos on the bag, or on the pads, we did them against each other.

What this kind of training helps with is counter attacks. You know what combos are coming in, so you can work on things like, catching jabs, scooping strikes, shielding kicks, and dealing with knees to name a few. While we were doing this I was focusing on distance management, and what counters/blocks/shields and counter attacks were open that I could see.

Training: doing partner drills
{jumping jacks active recovery between rounds}
—————
1) Orthodox- Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick