Tired of the boring tuna salads. Try this one it is got great flavor, awesome texture, and loads of crunch.
I had to make lunch for myself and my husband. I had tuna, I thought I had pickles but alas my kids ate them all. But good thing they did remove the old empty jar out of the refrigerator. So instead I used Giardiniera. Giardiniera is a pickled vegetable mix. It is hot/spicy and tart. I added onion, tomato, and some mayonnaise. On the one rice cake I put sliced avocado, with some lime juice, and topped it with the tuna salad mixture. On the other rice cake I put sliced of cucumber then topped it with the tuna mixture. I added no other salt. The salt from the Giardiniera and the tuna itself was plenty.
My husband loved the avocado one better, but he liked both of them. I loved both of them.
If you are looking for a lunch version without extra carbohydrates, I like to put my salad a half of an avocado and just eat it that way. You lose the nice crunch of the rice cake but it is still equally tasty.
2.5 oz of Tuna (I used Tuna Creations this one is herb and garlic, you can use a canned tuna as well. I would add some powdered garlic)
10 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
2 tbs or 20 g of onion diced
2 tbs or 20 g of Giardiniera diced
1.5 tbs or 21 g or mayonnaise
4 rice cakes
1/2 avocado
20 sliced of cucumber
Directions:
Cut veggies. Mix together Giardiniera, onion, tuna, tomato, and mayonnaise. Arrange rice cakes, layer veggies on the rice cakes, and then add your tuna mixture to the cakes. Serve and enjoy.
Stats/Calories for 1 serving or 2 rice cakes
Caloires 368, Fat 19.1 g, Fiber 9 g, Carbs 41.2 g, Sodium 475 mg, Protein 13 g.
Stats/Calories for the entire recipe or 4 rice cakes
Tips: you can add pickles instead of the Giardiniera. You can omit the mayonnaise, but I would add something like mustard to give it a binding ingredient. If you are going to omit pickles or pickled veggies, I would add the juice of a lime to give you some acidity.
My scoliosis pain is so bad this month. When one vertebrae goes out sometimes it causes a chain reaction of vertebrae and joints out of place. That is what has happened this month. I am trying to get ahead of it. I am still working out, but it hurts… the old me would not do anything when I hurt. If I stopped doing anything when my back hurt, I would have to stop everything I do and lay here like a lump on a log.
Workout:
15 minute elliptical trainer (instead of run, to minimize impact on my back)
Bulgarian split squats reps – 15 R, 15 L, 13 R, 13 L, 13 R, 13 L
with a resistance band around lower legs/above ankles, feet shoulder width apart, squat and walk forward keeping knees over toes not to go over toes, keep a straight back and staying in a squat for entire exercise. Walk backwards when you get to end of the gym.
3 minute Banded Sideways walk – this exercise burns the gluteus medius
with a resistance band around lower legs/above ankles, feet shoulder width apart, squat and take small steps keeping squat all the time.
3 minute leg lifts/ kick backs – this works the glutes, and vastas lateralis
with the resistance band around lower legs/above angles, 1 minute of right hand lateral leg lifts, 1 minute of left handed lateral leg lifts, 1 minute of rear kick backs
found this image on pinterest
So today I focused only on the legs and glutes. I avoided high impact workout, and worked around my neck.
I went to my chiropractor today and found I had my C1 and C2 were subluxated. Those vertebrae are also known as the atlas and axis respectively. They are at the top of the spine right under skull.
Keep working on what you can work on. Take the time you need, and sometimes pushing through is all you can do. Thank you for reading. My respects to you.
Woo this month in Muay Thai we are focusing on boxing. For the more advanced students Kry Kristen is focusing on the more technical side of boxing. She mentioned when she started Muay Thai she would throw noise punches out there that did not do anything just to get to kicks, however, when she figured out how to pivot and move her feet properly to get power into her punch it changed her game entirely. Anyway this week I completed 6.75 hours of training.
Tuesday 9/03/2019 – 2 hours of training Muay Thai and Kali
So I know people learn in one of 4 ways. When I was a child they tested me and found I learn all 4 ways equally. This is… wait, I just read an article stating that the learning styles are not exactly accurate… however, when I was a little girl… Hrm… that makes me sound really old. But non the less… when I was little, they tested me and I learned all 4 ways equally. What are the 4 ways you ask? (Memorization, Visual, Auditory, and Doing/manual manipulation) Apparently your preferred method of learning changes based on what you are doing. You don’t learn math just verbally, and you can’t learn language very well just by seeing pictures. So what I was going to say goes out the window.
However, that all being said, and my verbose description aside, for me and martial arts visual seeing it done, verbal, and writing it down is really helping me. So I am going to make another chart for boxing ranges and High/Mid/Low lines shots. Here is the chart below.
For today’s class, Kru Kristen was explaining the different areas for strikes in boxing. How if your opponent goes for the high line, you drop your level and hit say a hook to mid section of your opponent and get the mid line etc. If the go low, you guy high, or mid line. She did not want to be to esoteric but thinking of the opponents body in terms of shapes and areas in those shapes to strike are helpful she said. For me this description is very helpful. I love the thought of this. I am an artist and I think and see shapes all the time. I see the way things are made up, so thinking of my opponent in shapes and how they are made up, to see where to hit in response to something just made a light go on. (see doll above, for shapes and strike areas)
Training:
1 x 3 minute round jump rope warm up
1 x 3 minute round plus sign range management drill
1 x 3 minute round plus sign range management drill with 1/4 turns
The goal of this drill is to focus on pivot, and foot placement on the punches, the head movement and the deep step, then the shoulder check to close range. You are going to be in the inner mid line with the hook before you bob and shoulder check.
Jab
Cross
Hook
Cross
Bob
Deep step in to right side of opponent and shoulder check
Either get out, or continue to press the strikes
Cross to Hook burn out drill
The goal of this drill is the same, pivot, foot placement, and range management, also adding change in level of strikes.
Jab
Cross
Hook to body
Hook to head
Bob
Deep step in to the right side, and shoulder check
Either get out, or continue to press the strikes
Body hook, Head Hook, Cross burn out drill
Windshield wiper shoulder bump drill
Windshield wiper = Lead hand covers belly, rear hand covers side of face usually on lead side face. Reverse when bobbing other side, rear hand covers belly, lead hand covers face.
Foot work, is female triangle, or rear step out to side of opponent.
Bob with lead shoulder toward opponent doing windshield wiper
Bump shoulders
Bring feet back together, and hands up covering face
Step with lead foot to lead foot to side of opponent
Bob with rear shoulder toward opponent doing windshield wiper
Bump shoulders
Windshield wiper shoulder bump drillwith hook, or uppercut
Foot work, is female triangle, or rear step out to side of opponent.
Bob with lead shoulder toward opponent doing windshield wiper
Bump shoulders Bring, throw a hook/upper cut to opponents head (for drill shoulder so you don’t hurt your opponent)
Step with lead foot to lead foot to side of opponent
Bob with rear shoulder toward opponent doing windshield wiper
Bump shoulders throw a hook/upper cut to opponents head (for drill shoulder so you don’t hurt your opponent)
Kali – 6 count drills
In Kali today we covered the basic 6 count drills. It was nice to work on something we have done before and we have the muscle memory for it already. Some days its nice not having to tax you brain. Muay Thai did that for us today already, so tonight was nice. I turned off my brain and just went through the movement. I tried to make my movements more smooth. Tried being the operative word there.
Wednesday 9/04/2019 – 1 hours of training Muay Thai
We worked on the same things we did yesterday, however, today we added one more drill. Also I worked with a girl who is brand new and because of that I went slower, tried to help teach her how to hold pads, and just made sure she was comfortable. While I go slower, I work on my form. Today I worked on my pivot and the escapes.
Escapes we worked on:
Lateral step in and bump with shoulder to mid section, then bump with other shoulder to create space.
Boogie out ( a way to get out of the corner, or cut a corner)
Quarter turned out and side shuffle out
Warm Up:
Monster walks with resistance band forward and backward across the mat
Side lounges across the mat with resistance band down and back across the mat
Contra Lateral Movement, bear crawls, side ways across the mat and forward and backward across the mat
Agility Ladder drill – Ali Shuffle x 3 minute round
Found the Agility Ladder drill on youtube so you can see it:
New combo we worked on today:
Jab
Cross
Lead upper cut
Cross
Quarter turn and side shuffle out
Today was a good day. Kru Kristen complimented me on my form and movement. She said the more I get into boxing stance. The more I move properly. I am using my body for my strikes and moving my head. That is great news, because when I spar I tend to feel very stationary. I need to learn to move and keep my movement dynamic.
Thursday 9/05/2019 – Took today off, scoliosis was hurting me and causing headaches all day.
Friday 9/06/2019 – 1.75 hours of training Muay Thai – Balance is king, and making your Thai pretty
I love working with Tony, he has a different perspective and he has points of view I had not thought of. When you train with a instructor in Muay Thai, and you go out there in the world, you are representing your trainer/instructor. Muay Thai practitioners really believe, that you represent all of your instructors. (I to believe this, and try to show respect in all things, and only do what would make my instructors proud.) I have mentioned it before, but when you learn from a instructor, when they take you under their wing and decide to teach you, they are taking you into their family. They are taking you into their lineage.
I am lucky and honored to have Tony, Kru Kristen, and Khun Kru Krysta instructing me.
Today while we were training he talked with us about making our Thai pretty. We are representing him out there in the world and he loves it when people recognize his families art as pretty. He emphasized taking the power out of the kicks and the knees. He wants us to put them out there, make them pretty, work on our balance and then the power comes later. He really likes us to feel our bodies and how they work. You can see this in the warm ups we do. I really love the differences between my instructors. I get the best of so many worlds.
I started my workout 30 minutes before class started.
Training:
5 minutes of stretching
5 minutes walking knees across the mat
10 minutes bag work for, working on kicks, teeps to kicks, and closing the distance for knees
10 minutes of windshield wiper bump drill first on bag, then with partner
Training in class:
10 minutes of jumping rope
1 round of easy walking kicks to shields, using both orthodox and south paw stance.
(He wanted us to losen up our hips, get our body moving, and feel how our hips move. Because all to often we are tight we are holding our hands up to cover our faces which is good, but then we tighten everything else.)
1 round of rear driving knees
20 push ups
1 round of pad holding for your partners rear driving knees.
(Tony emphasized that the pad holders responsibility is to hold well for your partner. If they are shorter you should lower your stance and hold it lower for them. His contention is that yes a shorter person can kick higher, but that is a different motion and different kick, than say a torso kick at the shorter person level.)
20 push ups
1 round of lead teep, to switch step to lead knee.
(The key here is balance. You want to be able to teep a person to stop them from coming forward, but not eject them. You then want to have your shield up for the second before you switch step into a driving knee.)
20 push ups
1 round of holding pads for your partner
(The key here is that he wants the pad holder to not move back on the teep, and to get enough resistance and push back that the knee-er knee is pushed back down and then can get back into stance again. We need to be good pad holders so that our partner can work the drill correctly too. )
20 push ups
2 rounds of sets of 50 machine gun kicks.
( We worked both sides. after about the 200th kick I was gassing. He wanted the power taken out of it and for us to feel the movement and get the speed in. We ended up doing about 250 kicks per round)
Today was a great day of class. I loved it. I am glad I took the day yesterday. I could have pushed through but the way I was feeling was not conducive to a great training day. Some days I just have to take it off. I am slowly coming to grips with that.
Also today I was working on putting more weight on my back leg, and less on my front leg. I have a habit of leaning forward in my stance and that is not good. I makes me slower and less able to react quickly and reduces my power. Tony wants us to feel our bodies and how they move. I noticed my driving knees were so much more powerful when I just leaned back more on my rear leg. This was a light bulb moment for me. We are told to do just that lean back more, but it is hard to feel/see what they are talking about till you drill it out and figure it out on your own body.
Saturday 9/07/2019 – 2 hours of training Muay Thai and Staff – waking up on the wrong side of the bed
Today was one of those days where when you wake up and all the little things that irritate you or upset you through the day add up, you wish you just had not gotten out of bed. Yeah… today was that day. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed as I heard my elders say when I was a wee little girl.
I won’t list all the things that made it bad, or annoying, or sad, just that it was, and so it colored my day. It also made me doubt myself and have to cut out of staff class just to go check that I had unplugged a waffle iron. I wanted to make sure I did not burn the house down. So I missed a good half of staff class.
I had the pleasure of working with my trainer/instructor Khun Kru Krysta and I got to see all of my Thai family and my Kali family. That was nice. I shown up, and I tried to put the work in. As my friend said to me today, “even if you only put in 25% while you are here, you are here and you tried. You did not give up when you had a bad day!” So yeah I did that.
Training today was all things we have done and have been studying. This is good. This is great, because I did not have to over think what I was doing. I could just let for the most part muscle memory take over. Even though I felt like the kicks I was putting in were terrible. I was putting them in, and correcting as I was going.
Staff – We worked on various redondos and backhands.
Striking/Muay Thai Class – we worked on catch, parry, and returning 4 counts to opponent, teeping them and then getting out.
This is a video of me working on some of the drills we did in class. As you can see I am working on my technique. I am just not 100% today.
Well I hate ending on a down note. Wait a second it is not a down note. I went to class I worked things out. I did not let the little things stop me. I might have had a moment here and there that got me down, but I worked through it.
Thank you all for reading. If you have any questions feel free to ask. My respect to you and I hope you follow your dreams to become the best you that you can be.
6.5 hours of training this week. Its been another great week of training. I had some hiccups in my week. Work, and life got in the way, so I missed my weight lifting workout, and got some needed chiropractic adjustments. This is a holiday week for us in the U.S. so there is no class on Saturday.
Tuesday 8/27/2019 – 2.5 hours of training Muay Thai and Kali
Muay Thai – Pra Jiad test prep
In Muay Thai today we practiced the fundamentals. We worked only on the Full 4 counts. The Thai 4 counts that he added to and developed by Guro Dan Innosanto. He took original Thai 4 counts and added 4 more. Starting with the Jab, and Cross.
Thai 4 counts are:
Left to Right –
left kick
right cross
left hook
right kick
Right to Left –
right kick
left hook
right cross
left kick
Left to Left-
Left kick
Right cross
Left hook
Left kick
Right to Right
Right kick
Left hook
Right cross
Right kick
The added combinations are:
Jab, cross, left to right
Jab
Cross
Left kick (walking kick)
Right kick (walking kick)
Jab, cross, right to left
Jab
Cross
Right kick (walking kick)
Left kick (walking kick)
Jab, cross, left to left
Jab
Cross
Double left kick (speed kick)
Jab, cross, right to right
Jab
Cross
Double right kick (speed kick)
We then worked on pop the leather where our partner got to do a 4 count then we got to do a 4 count.
A lot of power in Muay Thai comes from the hips. So when you throw a punch you are throwing your body and hip as well. Sometimes pivoting sometimes not but surely using your hips. Its all in the hips.
Kali – Saint Uriel
Woo in Kali we worked on a new running saint, Saint Uriel. But I am getting ahead of myself.
We worked on:
umbrella 6
Umbrella 8
Umbrella 7 (which always takes a minute to get used to)
Umbrella 18 (two sets of umbrella 7, with a transition)
Saint Uriel
I had a blast. My brain kinda bent, but was not melted today. After a Thai class I love having Kali. Its a great way to wind down the physical and get your mind going then I pass out when I get home and showered.
Wednesday 8/28/2019 – 1 hour of training Muay Thai
Today we trained for 1 hour. We worked on basics. Knees to kicks, working on range management (whether to do a leg kick, torso kick, hop kick, or stutter kick). When we go back to basics we get to work on our form and foot work. Which is supper important.
Warm up:
1 x 3 minute round of jump rope
1 x 3 minute round of shadow boxing
Training: (manage your range, and choose leg kick if you are two close, torso kick if you moved them a little with your knee, and if you moved them a lot do a hop kick)
Rear knee to Lead kick
Lead knee to Rear kick
Lead knee to Lead kick (focus on stutter step, to decrease time between strikes)
Rear knee to Rear kick (focus on stutter step, to decrease time between strikes)
30 sit ups
50 Russian twists
Stretching
That is all for today. I got a good sweat in, but it was not super taxing. I had fun, and I worked on form.
Thursday 8/29/2019 – 1.5 hours of training Muay Thai – Pra Jiad Test!
I was awarded my blue pra jiad! Woot!
Today was the pra jiad test. I was so excited. We get to see just how much we have learned, and how many skills we have picked up. Also today my left elbow is giving me hell. It hurts and I was annoyed it hurt. But this is part of Thai Boxing. Injuries will happen, its how you treat them, deal with them and train around them that matters. So I just did not throw the punches in with my left hand full force, and I made sure that my form was perfect as can be on my holding pads. One last thing I did was make sure my partner knew my elbow was being a bum and that I was going to not hit hard with that arm.
Kru Kristen had us separate in three rows of people. She had us start with a technique demo. To give you an partial example we did the following:
Boxing stance
Kicking stance
Elbows #1, #2, #3, #4, #9
Knees
Some kicks
Then she had us break into pairs and drill the following: (not in this order)
Trigg 10
Boxing 20
Full 4 counts
Four boxing hits and out
2 x 3 minute conditioning rounds (three kicks hard one side, three kicks hard other side, then clench and 5 knees)
Pop the leather
It was fantastic. It was hard, and the last two conditioning rounds had me gassed at the end. I love working that hard. I loved testing to see where I was. I made mistakes and I could see them, but I kept going.
So yeah I got my blue pra jiad. I could not be happier and or more proud. Woot!
Friday 8/30/2019 – 1.5 hours of Muay Thai Training, with Tony – Body Hooks
Today we got to work with Tony. He is an amazing instructor and has ring experience. He wanted us to focus on body shots today, and getting in for the jab cross and laying in the power with the body shots.
I look forward to Tony’s classes cause I know he is going to work us hard. His classes tend to be more conditioning, with an equal amount of skills training.
Before we started class I was working on the boxing 20, trying to make my flow better and keep my strikes coming in time, and keep moving. I also noticed after looking at the video among other things I need to bring my elbow up for my hooks. Sigh… but I am learning and hopefully getting better.
The combo is:
Jab
Cross
Hook
Cross
Bob and weave
Cross
Hook
Bob and weave
Hook
Cross
Cover incoming right body hook
Left Upper Cut
Cross
Cover incoming left body hook
Right Upper Cut
Hook
Cross
Slip the incoming Supper Man Overhand punch
Either should into opponents mid section, or deliver a right body hook
Left hook
Overhand Cross
Here is the video.
Training:
1/4 mile run
1 x 3 minute round of jumping low hurdles with both feet sprinting to the end and jogging back
Jab, cross, body hook
Jab, cross, body hook, head hook, cross
Left horizontal elbow, clear pad or hand, to throw right horizontal elbow.
1 x 3 minute round of conditioning kicking. 5 rapid/machine gun kicks, on the left and right hand side.
1 x 3 minute round of jumping rope
It was a fantastic class. I had a great time, and I definitely got my conditioning in. I get to work with a great group of people.
Thanks for reading. I hope you all had a great week. I sure did. I passed my pra jiad test or “powered up” as my daughter described it. I had a blast and got to work with my team mates my extended family. My respects to you all. Keep working to be the best you that you can be.
This picture was sent to me courtesy of Niki. She is an awesome lady and she was a great friend made at Thai Camp.
Friday Day 3 at camp 7/26/2019
These are the stats that my Fitbit recorded during this day: 35,136 steps 5500 calories 300 active minutes
I don’t know that I have to say much more than that above. Just the shear amount of steps, calories burned, and active minutes should give you a good indication of how that day went, and what it was like.
However, I want to catalog this adventure and save it so I can look back at it. As I mentioned in the last Thai Camp post, day 2, I was told day 2 was the worst. I think however, day 3 was the worst day. My body was exhausted, my feet hurt, my muscles were so tired I felt I had to jump start them with a Dopio (double shot of espresso).
I was excited, and tired, and worried I would not make it through the day. I was happy to see the people I had met and made friends with.
I am sure almost everyone has heard this saying. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Or something similar. There may be something accurate about that saying.
What doesn’t kill us may make us stronger as a group, according to findings from new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The research suggests that, despite its unpleasantness, pain may actually have positive social consequences, acting as a sort of “social glue” that fosters cohesion and solidarity within groups: “Our findings show that pain is a particularly powerful ingredient in producing bonding and cooperation between those who share painful experiences,” says psychological scientist and lead researcher Brock Bastian of the University of New South Wales in Australia. “The findings shed light on why camaraderie may develop between soldiers or others who share difficult and painful experiences.”
I am not saying my camp mates and I went through the hell of war. But we all did push our bodies to the limit. We worked hard, and we tried hard. We all were hurting by this point, and we pushed through. We helped each other. We propped each other up and tried to keep each other going.
To say I feel a kinship with these people is so true. They are my extended and chosen family. They truly have mine and our friends health and well-being at the forefront of their thoughts. I have never felt so loved and accepted from the first step into an event. No one was “to good” to answer questions, and even my introverted tenancies at times, I loved just talking and getting to know these people. I cannot say enough how awesome all of the people in Thai Camp were. When my instructor/teacher says we are all family. I know partly where she is getting it from. Ajarn Chai himself says we are his kids, his family, we all belong to his family. It was amazing and beautiful. This is also true cause Thai Boxing/Muay Thai, is and has been passed down through family, and each style is indicative of what family you learned it from.
Training for the day: (notes: credit Khun Kru Krysta S, and Kru Caro, I have also added to it from my notes.)
Jab
Rear kick to body
Partner presses forward
Side step and Quarter turn then curved left knee
Partner feeds cross
Scoop cross
Return right elbow #8
Partner throws hook
Inside cover hook
Spinning right backward downward elbow
Spinning left back upward elbow
Return elbow #6
Grab and full plumb
Partner feeds cross
Step 45 to outside
Lead hand on forehand
Rear hand just above elbow Left #8 or Tach Mala elbow
Partner feeds lead hook
You High cover and grab neck
Right #4 elbow
Partner fees rear kick
Check / shin up block
Rear hand goes on top of head
Lead hand checks partner’s right arm
Pull into rear curved knee
Partner feeds lead upper cut
Fade back (same as if for kick) or step back and lean to avoid upper cut.
Rear curved knee with high guard (may not be able to reach head this time)
Long foot jab/teep to move partner away
Or if too close for foot jab/teep, follow with left #8 elbow then right #6 elbow, and then grab for clinch
From Left to Right: Ajarn Chai, Ajarn Trigg, Khun Kru Krysta, Ajarn/Coach Greg Nelson, then me in the front.
I am going to break out of the drills we did for a second, to talk about a person I never thought I would meet. His name is Ajarn Trigg. He is an amazing boxer, and in our school we do several of his drills. Namely the Trigg 10 as we called it.
This man is amazing. He is the one that is the tallest individual in the picture here. So I don’t normally respond in a fan girl sort of way. I have met other celebrities, and that is great. But the inner little girl in me was squeeing the entire time. When I met all these people that my instructors/Kru love and talked about all the time. These people who are the best of the best in this martial art were there to teach us. I could sometimes only barely hold it together.
Ajarn Trigg held pads for me, and worked with me on my stance. It was all I could do to keep myself together, focus and work hard to make him, and my kru happy. When we were done with the drill though I shook his hand, and wai’d at him and thanked him. Then I ran off hopping and skipping and saying I got to meet Ajarn Trigg and I got to work with him. Squee!!! I am still amazed and it has been weeks.
We started with what my gym and Kru called the Trigg 10. We all lined up, we counted off, and were separated into lines. Ajarn Trigg would call out a number say #3 and we would triple jab. Each number or corresponds with a strike. I was next to a girl I met that was from Luisiana. I love her she is amazing and so sweet. She was looking a little lost, and when he would call out a number like #7 I would say, “jab, cross.” I would call out the strikes you had to do. She looked over at me and said, “bless you, and thank you.” She was so grateful that I was calling out the shots so she could do it with us. We talked later and she asked me if my instructors had us doing it. She said she had never heard this drill before. I was happy to help her.
I digress though. Let me get back to the training we did with Ajarn Trigg.
Training with Trigg for the day: (notes: credit Khun Kru Krysta S, and Kru Caro, I have also added to it from my notes.)
Partner jabs
You jab
You Jab
Partner Jab, Cross
Partner Jab
You Jab Cross
Hook
Return Cross, Jab, Cross
Back up jab 3x
Forward jab 3x
Circle L jab 3x
Circle R jab 3x
Quarter turn right cross
Wipe right
Shovel hook
Overhand hook
Cross
Wipe left
Shovel hook
Overhand cross
Wipe outsid
Jab rib
Wipe inside
Cross
Body hook
Wipe outside
Overhand right
10 count straight punch drill1 or as we call it Trig 10
Jab
Double jab
Triple jab
Straight right
Double straight right
Triple straight right
Jab Cross or JR
Cross Jab or RJ
Double jab, straight right
Double straight right, jab
I have to say this day was amazing. I was so excited and proud of myself for finishing and completing day 3. There were times where I was so tired, I did not think I could make it. I pulled through and did it though. I got to meet some of the greatest martial artists and I got to work with them. I got to make deeper connections with people and grow my chosen family. I love the people we shared a house with, and I can’t wait to see them all again.
Thank you for reading. I have one more post for Thai Camp complete with dropping my trousers story, and Thai Kru tests. My respect for you all.
8.5 hours of Martial Arts training for this week. Yay!
08/20/2019 Tuesday 2 hours of training – Muay Thai and Kali
Today was a great day! I had a blast in class and felt really good. We worked on parrying the cross to enter with a knee. Then we added in elbows and kicks. It feels good when things flow together, and when your body just does what you have been training it to do.
parry the cross
post on the shoulder or head
throw rear knee
Burn out 25 skip knees #2
parry the cross
post on the shoulder or head
throw rear knee
Rear Tach malach or #8
Lead horizontal elbow or #1
Lead Knee
Burn out 25 skip knee #2
First 6 of the Thai 15
Parry the cross
High elbow cover for incoming hook
Lead #1 elbow
Rear #3 elbow
Rear knee
Lead kick or lead round house
Blitz drill
for 3 minute round, rear knee, to rear kick, you move your partner across the mat, continuing to do rear knee to rear kick for entire round of 3 minutes.
Kali – Punyo Sumbrada
In Kali we worked on the Punyo Sumbrada drills. The Punyo is the but end of the weapon. So for a sword it is the pommel, for a stick it is the shorter end that you hand is near, for a knife it is the but end. This is a Inosanto flow drill that uses the punyo of the stick, or weapon to strike at your opponent.
feeder feeds a #3 strike
you low wing block, and control the feeders striking hand
you punyo strike up to the face
feeder catches your blow with a C clamp/monkey paw
you strike with a witik toward the face
feeder blocks with the stick
You reach inside the box and rotate the hand of the feeder so you can hit them with your weapon
They wipe off your hand
feeder feeds a #1 strike
you high wing block, and control the feeders striking hand
You yank/pull the feeder to you, and punyo strike up to the face
feeder catches your blow with a C clamp/monkey paw
you strike with a witik toward the face
feeder blocks with the stick
You reach inside the box and rotate the hand of the feeder so you can hit them with your weapon
They wipe off your hand
feeder feeds a #5 strike
you low wing block, and control the feeders striking hand
You yank/pull the feeder to you, and punyo strike up to the face
feeder catches your blow with a C clamp/monkey paw
you strike with a witik toward the face
feeder blocks with the stick
You reach inside the box and rotate the hand of the feeder so you can hit them with your weapon
They wipe off your hand
From there we we worked on 4 disarms. We worked them into the above drills.
snake
vine
plus sign
equal sign
08/21/2019 Wednesday 1 hour of training – Muay Thai
Today we worked on the skills and combos we need to learn and know for our pra jiad arm band test. I originally wanted to get in early and get another hour in. But I had lost my bank card at a Starbucks, I went through the drive through and never got it back. I did not notice I did not get it back and the lady at the window did not give it to me. So I had a scare right before class and had to go get it. That put a dampener on my day. However, I went in and trained hard, and feel better now.
Pra Jiad – is a type of armband worn by Thai Boxing/Muay Thai athletes. Originally it was given to a fighter for good luck and confidence, from the family members. If I remember correctly, legend has it a mother tore her skirt and tied it around the arm of her son going into battle. She said, “bring it back to me, this is just a loan.”
The Pra Jiad is also used to show ranks in Muay Thai in some gyms, and by the WTBA (World Thai Boxing Association). Below is a chart of the ranks we have. These ranks are similar to belt systems in other martial arts. My gym and Kru are WTBA certified instructors and our gym is an WTBA gym.
I am currently a green pra jiad rank. I will be testing for the blue band. My instructor looked me in the eye and said you are training, so I guess that is that. =)
So on to today’s training:
Warm up –
1 round of jump rope
Banded monster walks forward and back across the mats
Banded side walks down and back across the mats
Bear crawl forward and backward
Sideways bear crawl forward and backward
Training –
Trigg 10
Boxing 4 count
Jab Cross Series
Thai 4 counts
Full 4 counts
Then we did one x 2 minute round of 25 right kicks, 25 left kicks, and 50 knees, then we hit the bag hard for the remaining time left on the 2 minute round. My goal is to do 10 in a row like one of our fighters does.
Some action shots I took from today. I am pivoting, and up on the ball of my foot. Woot!
08/22/2019 Thursday 2 hours of training – Muay Thai – 90% of Amateur boxing is straight punches, and Kali – brain melting after a challenging Muay Thai class.
So today is one of the days I have to go into the bakery early in the morning. I get there at 5 am and have to work on all the orders that are due for that day, and start on orders that are due for the weekend. Some require more time to do.
So I am tired by the time training comes around. I am really tired. But hey that is life and so I go. Just have to get my go’er going.
Muay Thai – “90% of Amateur boxing fights are strait punches then getting out of the pocket.” per Kru Kristen. What she is saying is the jab, and cross are your bread and butter. Get in, throw those jab, crosses, and maybe a kick if you can and get out. Don’t let the other person hit you.
Warm up:
1 round of jumping rope
1 round of shadowboxing
Training:
2 x 3 minute round of Trigg 10
30 seconds skip knee #1
2 x 3 minute round of boxing 20
30 seconds skip knee #2
2 x 3 minute round of Full 4 counts
30 seconds jab cross blitz
1 x 2 minute round of 25 kicks left, 24 kicks right, 50 knees
30 sit ups
And flutter kicks for 1 minute
Kali – Brain melting after a challenging Muay Thai class.
Kali today was challenging. But I felt good, and felt like I got into a flow. I video’d some of the drills we did today. It is good to look back and see the progress I have made, even if it is very slight.
Today we worked on:
Heaven six
Umbrella six
Cob Cob
Inward, backhand, backhand
We worked on all of those in a drill. After your body is tired and you ask your body and more importantly your mind to focus and move your body with sticks and avoid getting hurt by doing the drill right. Whew, does it melt the brain. My brain was giving me this, “ok… you get one or the other. We can work hard to make sure you don’t get hit, but you can’t move to much or you can move a lot and we will give you more energy.” I had to tell my body and brain, nope need both and just slogged through it.
Over all we did well. Had my hand hit a couple times with the stick. That hurts, but over it is ok.
08/23/2019 Friday 1.5 hours of training – Muay Thai – that hit/strike you take and you just know its going to bruise.
Today was an interesting day. I ended up going to the dealership 3 times, because during a routine maintenance appointment for my 1 year old car they could not get right the resetting of the tire pressure sensor after rotating my tires. Why? Because it is a new car, 2018 and the techs just have not learned how to do it yet. Mind you this is a dealership of the same maker of the car. Also of note, the dealership was very apologetic. They were nice, and they got me in right away both times I had to return with my vehicle so they could reset the tire pressure sensor.
I digress. I got a lot done today, but by the time I had to pick up H from the metro I was done for the day. However, I put on my big girl panties and we all went into the gym.
Despite the crazy morning I had, I had a great training day.
Warm up:
1 x 5 minute round of jumping rope
2 x 3 minute rounds of Knees across the mat, shadowboxing knees
Training:
Today was clench work and knees
We worked on clenching up and putting long leaning knees in.
We worked on clenching up and putting rear knees in. He taught us to bring them up and pivot on our feet to get more distance to push your opponent away. This is done to break their posture and you can then run your other knees. Like curved knees
We worked on a jab, hook, inward knee combo
We worked on a jab, hook, inward knee, with double left kick combo
We worked on a three elbow combo.
You Thai lean and control your opponents hands. Pushing their left hand out of the way, you throw a #1 elbow/ horizontal elbow to face. You throw a #2 or upward diagonal elbowMove the pad/head out of the way Throw a modified side in elbow with rear hand, it is modified by putting your hand on your head as if you are elbow covering, not high covering. Then you rotate and drop the elbow side in and diagonal.
We then did sparring.
We then ended with partner double kicks on the bag. Where your partner kicks twice on the back and then you kick twice on the bag
We finished with suicide runs, across the mat x 2
So during our sparring we wear shin guards. Even so we have a chance of getting hit and getting bruises. These guards only protect the top of the foot and the shins. But if some one knees say my knee then we have a boo boo. I got kneed in the side of my knee well right above my knee in the muscle/fascia . Our knees hit each other. And that is the moment when I realized yup that is going to bruise. It hurts and you can just tell that one is going to be painful. So right now I have a deep tissue bruise, you can barely see the purple under the skin, but I imagine it will blossom.
One last thing for today. I had a really nice compliment from one of the instructors at the gym. J said I was really looking good in Muay Thai. He said you can see all the time I had put into it. That my form was looking great, and I was moving around great. He said, “you can’t fake mat time.” He said you put the time in on the mat and you will see results. Yay!
08/24/2019 Saturday 2 hours of training – Staff training, Striking class
Today marks the last day of my training for the week. I did my weight lifting and run on Monday, then I had martial arts training for Tuesday – Saturday. For a total of 8.5 hours for this week. As you can imagine I am tired, but its a good tired. This is a tired of, I worked my body and now I need a rest.
Staff – Bo Staff Drill
In staff class today, it was a beautiful morning, and we worked Saint Rafael and then we worked on another drill. I don’t know what it is called or would be called but it contains a equis, witiks, redondo, abecedario 3.
I took a video of it and we are still working on getting down and smooth.
Striking class – feint entries
In striking class we worked on feint entries. We feint with our jab, cross, and or left kick.
Jump rope warm up
Feint Jab
Lead kick
Cross
Hook
Rear kick
Teep
Feint Low jab
Feint High jab
Lead kick
Cross
Hook
Rear kick
Teep
Feint Jab
Cross to mid section
Lead uppercut
Rear kick
Teep
Then we did a few rounds of pop the leather.
I had to leave early today to get to my friends wedding. But I had a great time in training, and I had a great time at the wedding. It has been a great week, and I am done. I need the rest day of tomorrow.
I have a few videos and lots of pictures in this post. Thank you for reading. I hope you have a great day. My respect to you all.
Not feeling stellar about myself today. So in order to avoid going back to bad habits of not eating or avoiding eating, I made myself this lunch. It is so tasty.
So enough talking here is the recipe.
Lime Tilapia Herb Salad, with Rice
Ingredients:
1 cup of cooked rice -cook rice to directions on package
70 g or about 2 cups of herb salad mix
2 radishes or 25 g sliced
1 tbs or 10 g rosemary olive oil
100 g or 2 filet of fish pan seared
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1/2 lime
Directions:
Cook rice according to instructions
Place a tsp of oil or spray pan with pan spray. Let pan get screaming hot, add tilapia and sprinkle with salt, cracked black pepper, and cayenne. Cook about 3 minutes turning only once. Squeeze lime over fish toward end of cooking.
Place 2 cups or 70 g of herb salad mix in a bowl. Slice up the radishes and add to the bowl. Add 1 tbs of oil to the salad bowl. Add salt and and squeeze of lime and toss. Add hot fish flaked in the pan to the bowl.
Plate rice, and salad and enjoy
Recipe stats: Calories 429, Fat 17.3 g, Fiber 3.8 g, Carbs 40 g, Sodium 70.2 mg, Protein 38.6 g
I hope you get a chance to try it. Let me know what you think. When ever I have days like this, I try to do the opposite of what my bad habit is. I try to do the healthy positive option that is the opposite. In this case for me it is eating healthy and enjoying good food, instead of avoiding it. Thanks for reading. My respect to you and your family.
55 minute workout… This is the weight lifting workout that I am doing for this week. Today I had to work in the morning. I ate breakfast but did not get out of work till 1 pm. I went directly to the gym, and missed eating lunch. I could feel it. My body was tired and pulling at reserves. I don’t like feeling that way in my workout. It feels like I am running out of steam, my muscles are fighting to do what I ask. So I will endeavor not to do that again, after I got done at the gym, I went and got a snack for lunch (a small 1/2 cup salad from my grocery store), then had to go get my husband from the metro.
So here I am. We just ate dinner, and I am feeling better. I got my workout in and everything is good.
This week and last week have been a bit of a challenge. My birthday was last week, my baby girl had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. This has made training a little crazy. But I got it in, and she is doing well. Healing every day and feeling much better. I am happy about all of this.
Here is my workout:
Run:
I started with an 20 min run. I ended up getting a 12.20 minute mile today. Not my best but not the worst either.
Weightlifting: 35 minutes This workout was done in as a superset. (A superset is when you do two exercises together without a break in between them. There is typically a short 10 to 20 second break between the sets of two exercises before you start a second, or third set.)
Reverse lunge and press – 20 lbs dumbbells each hand, reps – 10,10,10
Push ups reps – 3 sets of 20 each
Pike crunch reps- 25, 25, 25
Flutter kicks reps- 3 sets of 30 seconds as many as you can
Bent over rows 30 lbs each hand reps- 10, 10, 10
Good mornings 45 lbs Olympic bar reps- 10, 10, 10
Dead Lifts 135 lbs reps- 10, 8, 6
Thank you for reading. Have a great day! Keep working to be the best you that you can be. Respect to you.
6 hours of training in 4 days – This week has been a bit different. My baby girl had an adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy surgery. So this has as you can imagine changed our schedule, and it has disrupted our training a tiny bit. She is doing well so far. It is painful but she is doing ok.
Tuesday8/13/2019 1 hour of Muay Thai training.
This month we are working on knees in Muay Thai. Today we worked on entries with knees and following it up with elbows and off balances to kicks.
Let me start with I am exhausted, because I did not sleep. My daughter was up and down all night and so was I. I love being a mother, but it is hard some days with the lack of sleep.
So while we were training. I was pulling at my reserves… to get through. I toughed the training out, but I sure felt it.
Here are the combos we did:
Jump rope warm up
Shadowbox warm up
Pad work:
Jab
Cross
Tie up/full plumb
lead knee/left knee (orthodox fighter)
rear elbow/right elbow
square up duck stance
spin off
right round house kick
Burn out 25 skip knee #1
Jab
Cross
Tie up/full plumb
rear knee/right knee (orthodox fighter)
lead elbow/left elbow (orthodox fighter)
square up duck stance
spin off
right or left round house kick
Burn out 25 skip knee #2
Clench work:
Partner throws a right kick
you shield kick with left leg, and step into right knee partner
Tie up and then run 10 knees
Spin off partner
Jumping Jacks burn out
Partner throws a right kick
you step back to avoid kick
you left knee partner
Tie up and run 10 knees
Spin off partner
Jumping jacks burn out
We then did 30 sit ups, and 10 x X Planks each side.
8/15/2019 1 hour Thursday Muay Thai Trianing – Thai Boxing is an inside the pocket fight.
Today was fantastic. We took baby girl with us to the gym… so we only stayed for the Thai boxing training we went home during Kali. It felt good today to train. My back has been giving a hard time lately… but I have been stretching and doing what I need to do. Today it felt good to train.
Warm up:
3 minute round of: walking teeps, alternating feet, you teep and put your foot down. Keeping your balance, and throwing your hand out for long guard.
45 seconds of rapid teeps burn out
Training: (Tony wanted us to focus on these skills and get them down.)
3 minute round of straight rear kicks working on pivot but not stepping out.
10 x machine gun kicks burn out
3 minute round of straight lead leg kicks working on switch kick and pivot not a cut step kick.
10 x machine gun kicks burn out
3 minute round of, high cover of an incoming lead hook, you post at the same time, then lead switch kick
20 x machine gun kicks burn out
3 minute round of, Thai long hook. This is a wide long hook, that is meant to get in behind a persons pillar block.
45 seconds of double Thai long hooks burn out
3 minute round of 1) lead kick, Thai long hook, rear kick, lead knee and push off, lead double kick, high cover and post an incoming hook, to a teep
20 x machine gun lead kick burn out
4 x rounds of partner back machine gun kicks. Where you hold the bag for your partner and they will machine gun kick for 30 seconds. Taking turns each time, for 4 rounds each. 2 on each side.
Jump rope for 4 x 1 minute rounds
50 push ups
Tony’s training is so different from Kru Kristen’s and Khun Kru Krysta’s classes. I value all of my trainers. I love seeing the different takes on these skills, and it helps me learn this art that a love.
8/16/2019 1.5 hours Friday Muay Thai Training – Stance is so important, most people don’t focus on the importance of stance
I have mentioned Tony has his own style of Thai Boxing. If you did not know, Thai boxing is passed down through family. So if you go to one Thai gym in Thailand they will have their own style, where another gym will be different. That is what they have passed down through generations, and if you end up training there, you end up being like family. You end up learning from their traditions, and it is reflected in the Wai Kru.
I mention this because Tony’s style is what his dad taught him. When he teaches us, he is taking time out of his schedule to pass his art down. I feel so honored to have been able to learn from him, and continue to learn from him.
Training: Kicks and Elbows
Warm up:
3 x 3 minute rounds of warm up shadowboxing knees, to fist
1 minute high knees after each round
Training:
2 back to back x 3 minute rounds of 5 machine gun kicks groupings, on left and right side
20 push ups in between
2 x 3 minute rounds of rear horizontal elbow #1, to rear knee
20 push ups after each round, and then switch pads to hold for your partner
2 x 3 minute rounds of rear horizontal elbow #1, to lead horizontal elbow #2, to lead knee
20 push ups after each round, and then switch pads to hold for your partner
We broke off, and did 4 rounds of just playing tag. This is where we kicked with shin guards on. This was conditioning to make us used to getting hit.
We added catching the kick passing it and kicking leg
We added catching kick and dumping person by stepping in and hooking opponents other foot.
Then we played around light sparring
Partner bag kicks x 3 rounds, Where your partner throws a kick, you throw a kick at the same area on the back and you both machine gun them, and don’t kick each other. =) This focuses on form, speed, and timing.
Then we did sit ups in between
This was a fantastic class and I loved it.
8/17/2019 2.5 hours Saturday Bo staff Saint Rafael, and Striking.
Today is the end of the week workout wise for me. I am tired from yesterdays workout with Tony. My body is just tired. I am looking forward to having tomorrow off of workouts.
However, I have had a great day. We started with Bo Staff class. In class today instead of using double stick to so practice the Saint Rafael drill, we did it with staves. This poses a bit of a problem. Because the staff is a fixed stick and not two separate sticks you have to move your body in a different way to be able to complete the strikes. So while this is a drill we have done before many times. I bent my brain and made me think in a different way when the fulcrum of my stick is just center mass.
Like in any martial art, knowing your center, and the leverage you have and need to pull off a move is important. For staves I am more cognizant of the swings, range, and hand placement, because the single long stick limits mobility. As you can see in the video both my partner and I are still figuring out where and how to position the staff to get the strikes in.
Striking class
In striking class we worked on hooks, and body hooks. I got the chance to work with a brand new woman. She had never done Muay Thai before, and you could see she was nervous. I loved working with her. I saw the same fear and excitement that I had when I started. I really hope she comes back.
I love working with new students, it takes a lot of patience, but is so rewarding when they have a good time. Because they don’t know the move the drills, and then they don’t know how to feed pads, it takes a bit longer and we go a great deal slower. Due to that, today was not physically draining for me. =)
Training:
Feeder feeds a right hook to your head
You high cover
You return a cross
You return a hook
Jumping jacks burn out
Feeder feeds a right hook to your head
You high cover
You return a hook
You return a cross
Jumping jacks burn out
Feeder feeds a right body hook
You cover with elbow and sideways crunch
You return an rear/right upper cut
You return hook
You return a cross
Jumping jacks burn out
Feeder feeds a left body hook
You cover with elbow and sideways crunch
You return a lead/left upper cut
You return a cross
Jumping jacks burn out
After these drills we worked on drill sparring. Where we just practice the drills we worked on. Taking the power out of the sparring, but trying to land a hit. This allows us to work on timing and target acquisition, and allows your partner to work on blocking, parrying and returning strikes.
This has been an awesome week for training. Even though my baby girl had surgery and is still feeling under the weather… she is healing and I was able to get my training in.
This post consists of a week worth of martial arts training. I needed to cut back on the posts due to lack of time to get it done. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading, and keep working to be the best you that you can be.
4 hours of Training today. Yesterday I had the honor of being able to train in Bo staff class, in striking, and in a seminar for woman’s defense.
Bo Staff
We worked on the High Box with staves. We also changed the #1 strike to the #7 piercing strike.
High Box:
opponent feeds you a #15
you roof block
you return a #1 strike or #7 piercing strike
opponent inside deflects
opponent returns #4
you drop stick defend
you return a #3
opponent turn the tip down, drop tip, or low wing?
opponent returns a #2
you roof shield
then you feed the #15 and the whole flow drill starts again
Bo staff was fun today. I enjoyed scrambling my brain to get it around the new strike.
Striking Class:
We worked on combos with counter attacks. We worked our teeps, and knees.
We emphasized evading a kick or a upper cut. Then added 4 counts return attacks.
Woman’s Self Defense:
I had the opportunity to go to a woman’s self defense class. This is my first official Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. I have been a little worried about taking BJJ because I have scoliosis and don’t want to have my back wrenched. However, I believe it is good to up my game to grappling, and ground level. Kru Kristen was teaching this class, and she always says.
“100% of fights start standing, 90% end up on the ground.”
Kru Kristen
We learned how to break fall, how to get back up quickly and safely. We learned how to stop an assailant in open guard, how to keep them away. We learned how to deal with an assailant when they are in mount. We learned how to knee shield from guard, and shrimp away, then kick their head to get away. We learned how to deal with someone trying to pick us up in bear hug, and how to knee bar them.
The main focus was teaching us how to get away from the situation. Kru Kristen also reiterated you want to be all the way in or all the way out. Always try to get away from the assailant. But if you have to deal with them, get in and don’t let them hit you. Stop them from hitting you until you can get out.
This was a fun class and we were able to work on dealing with a choke as well.
Changing the format for posting:
So I have been thinking. I am now doing 5 days of martial arts. More importantly 5 days of Muay Thai. That coupled with my weight lifting workouts, means that weekly I would have been doing 6 posts a week. That is a lot, and its a lot of content to keep up on. Also it seems like a lot to bombard you all with. So I am going to be changing my posting status.
I used to post every time I went to train, so that I could keep track of what I was learning and how I was feeling/getting it. This is also so I could look back and see my progress in the future. I did this as well to catalog what I was doing, so I could go back and drill the same drills. This is a lot of posting, a lot of content, and it is hard for me to keep up with.
So I am going to try to do 1 martial arts post a week. This will be notes I took about each training session. I will break it out by day, and I will still have the drills/training we did every day represented in one post. Any videos I take for that will be in that post as well. This means there will be a weight lifting post, a martial arts post, and a food post when I have one to upload. That is 3 instead of 6 to 7 a week. I am going to shoot to have that weeks martial arts posted on Saturday after my training sessions that day.
Anyway thank you for reading. Keep working to be the best you that you can be. My respect to you and your family.
Thinks with Spinks 