Training Martial Arts 12/14/2020: When You Fight On Your Feet Its All About Your Feet

Ever since I started training Muay Thai (wow almost 3 years ago), I would hear this quote “When you fight on your feet its all about your feet”. Getting your feet under you, learning the foot work is crucial. If we are talking about BJJ then foot work is less important, than say good hip movement, posture, grips.

You cannot be a great fighter if your footwork is off, or you don’t focus on your footwork. It seems counter intuitive to you, and it may seem that 50% of the strikes come from hands and elbows in Muay Thai. However every strike starts with your footwork. You must pivot from the feet, hips, or feet and hips to throw these strikes. Yes even the elbows and the fists. Think about a hook. If you are throwing a hook with just the strength of your arm, you are not going to have a very strong hook. But if you use your hips as and entire torso you will have a possibly bone shattering hook.

When you are on your feet you have to focus on:
(these are not in any order of importance just as I thought them out)

  1. perfect your stance
  2. cut step
  3. pivot – for kicks and knees hooks etc.
  4. getting in and out of the pocket –
    • distance management
    • stepping at an angle
  5. getting off the line
  6. quarter turns
  7. shuffling in or closing the distance – getting into the pocket to get your strikes in
  8. balance

Footwork areas here:

Stance 60/40 rear lead

So what do we do with new students. We start with the footwork. We start with stance. If they are standing with their feet on a tight rope, they will be off balance and easily fall over. We ask them to change their stance that of something more like a staggered feet on a railroad track. We ask them to put their weight distribution at 60%/40%, back to front. Most of your weight on your back leg, and only 40% on your front leg. Also you should your heel off of the mat, high enough to slip a dollar bill under. Getting your stance right is critical to transfer of power, in your kicks, punches, elbows, knees, and to keeping your balance.

The cutstep is used to position the feet to throw the lead kick, lead knee, and or lead teep, when the fighter is not advancing or covering the distance to the opponent. If it they are covering distance then there may not be need of the cut step. The cutstep is often described as a v pattern where you bring the lead leg/foot back, to replace the rear leg/foot, making your lead leg/foot now your rear for the lead teep/kick.

Pivot

Pivoting is crucial to help transfer power, but more so to protect your knees. If you don’t pivot properly on the balls of your feet, you can over torque your knees and cause tears. If you pivot correctly you will transfer the torque of your body, torso, and hips into the power of the kick or knee. You will also pivot, in some of your strikes with fists and elbows. Pivoting allows you to spin through in your kicks and can set you up for another strike.

Getting in and out of the pocket, is the way we describe getting out of the box/pocket area where your opponent can hit you. So when you shuffle out, or take quarter turns. If you can get a flanking position to your opponents, their tools/weapons are away from you and you are better able to get a strike in.

Get off the line

Getting off the line is when you are removing yourself right in the middle/front of your opponent. Generally you don’t want to stand right in front of your opponent and let them hit you in the face. Getting off the line when you kick them allows you to get the strike in, while dodging or avoiding their counter attack.

We take quarter turns to get a 90 degree angle toward our opponents. When we can do that we can flank our opponent. The opponent has a harder time blocking your blows, and their weapons are pointed away from you, so they have a harder time to strike you.

Shuffling in or closing the distance, is used to eat up the distance between you and your opponent. When you want to strike, and you are to far away you must be able to get into your range of your opponent.

Balance when shielding

Balance, now balance is a key component. Without balance you may be dropped, spun out, and or when you shield may just be pushed over. You must learn your balance, get your feet under you, and learn how to shield leaning in, and not lose your balance. If you kick and are off balance, you could lose your footing and fall. This I am sure you understand is not an ideal place to be in. You have to balance when kicking, when on the balls of your feet, when you take a blow, when you jump, slide, when you teep, and or are just standing there. Balance is key. I am sure you all know this, but it is important to say.

There you have it, Muay Thai, starts with the feet, cause that is how you are fighting. It may not seem like it on the surface, but your feet are your foundation. They will when properly placed will help you execute powerful kicks, powerful elbows, knees, teeps, and yes even punches. Watch a great boxer, with their footwork.

If you focus on your footwork and get it down it will help you be more agile, quick, and will save you more than anything else. We work forward, backward, side to side, and angles.

There is so much more to write about on this, but I wanted to touch on the footwork here. We fight on our feet so you must start with your footwork. Or all else will be for naught.

Monday 12/14/2020: 1 hour, HIIT workout, Arm Day, Core

Today it’s pouring rain and so very cold. So I did a 12 min HIIT workout I did in lieu of a run outside. I really wanted to run today.

Then I did arm day weight lifting workout.

Finally a 6 minute core workout to finish it off.

Workout:

HIIT: 12 minutes
[6 exercises done in sets of two, 15 seconds for each exercise done in a set, 30 seconds rest after each two]
1) 15 seconds high knees
2) 15 seconds jump lunges
30 seconds rest
3) 15 seconds high knees
4)15 seconds jump lunges
30 seconds rest

5) 15 seconds mountain climbers
6) 15 seconds crab toe touches
30 seconds rest
7) 15 seconds mountain climbers
8 )15 seconds crab toe touches
30 seconds rest

9) 15 seconds push and up side planks
10) 15 plank hip rolls
30 seconds rest
11) 15 seconds push and up side planks
12) 15 plank hip rolls
30 seconds rest

Repeat the whole set above

——————————————–

Weight lifting: 30 seconds rest between sets
1) seated snow angels 5x sets of 10
2) front raise to lateral raise 5x sets of 10
3) clean and jerk 3x sets of 6
4) chest press to shoulder press 5x sets of 10
5) tricep tripod row 3x sets 15 each side
6) tricep extensions 3x sets of 10
7) bicep curl 3x sets of 20

————————————————–
Core: 6 minutes Dana Lynn Bailey’s (she kicked my butt/abs again)
3x sets of 30 seconds
1) Banded Lat Pull with Bent Knee Reverse Curl
2) Weighted toe touch crunch
3) Bicycles
4) Superman with Flutter Kicks

Tuesday 12/15/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai

So I slept for.. really terribly last night.

So what do you do when you sleep terribly, or had a crazy hard day. How do you train?

What do I do when I am running on fumes, and I am on the mat, I focus only on form. I take the power out of my strikes. If I am going to work on form, I make it as perfect as I can.

We worked the same drills as Saturday. So I just focused on getting my cut steps in, landing after a kick in the correct stance and foot placement.

One of the sayings that I learned when I started Muay Thai is, “if you are on your feet it’s about your feet”. I don’t know who came up with it first, but khun Kru Krysta Scharlach, Kru Kristen DeBruycker, and a few other people.

I mentioned this because when fighting on your feet, vs BJJ fighting on the ground, foot work is super important. So while practicing/training in south paw I was focusing on my foot work.

This was a great day of training.

Wednesday 12/16/2020: 40 min HIIT, and leg day

Today it is snowing and freaking cold out. So I did my workout inside. A 15 minute HIIT workout and 25 minute Kettlebell quad/hamstring killer.

Get out there people, well not out (brrr it’s cold), get up and move your body!

You can fit a 15 minute HIIT into your day somewhere.

15 minute hit: 40 seconds on 20 seconds rest
1) explosive squat to calf raise
2) speed skaters
3) high knees
4) alternating toe touches
5) bicycles
45 second test between sets

Repeat this set 3 times

—————————

Kettlebell: 25 minutes

Do exercise x 5
1) 1 minute of goblet squats [do 20 if you can do more, up the weight. Do not put kb down]
1 min rest

Do these exercise sets 3 to 5 times
2) staggered stance squat 8-15 reps
3) squat rockers 8-15 reps
4) figure 8’s 8-15 reps

Thursday 12/17/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

The quotes for today from Khun Kru Krysta.
“Practice makes habit”, or when you do something wrong in practice over and over again, you get “training scars”.

Practicing the drill in bad form will give you a training scar. So when you go to spar or fight you will fall back on the way you trained it.

So that is why when you are working on a new skill, or a skill you are having issues with slowing it down and working the drill with good form is the way to go.

Training is great today! I was tired, I felt like I was lumpy, and unattractive, but I worked the drills and focused on flow and form.

My clench work is getting better. There is a video of me working the clench, knee, to spin out.

Training:
1) Jab, Cross, Rear Teep, Jab, Cross, Lead Teep
2) held pads for H

3) Lead Teep, Hanuman Climbing The mountain Rear Teep (fake with lead, Teep with Rear), Rear Kick
4) held pads for H

5) Lead HCM ( fake rear, hit with lead Teep), hop lead kick, cross, hook, lead elbow, rear knee, rear kick
6) held pads for H

7) Lead Teep, Lead HCM (fake with rear, hit with lead Teep), rear hop kick, lead head hook, lead body hook, cross, double body kicK
8 ) held pads for H

9) Rear Teep, rear HCM (fake with lead, hit with rear Teep), lead kick, overhand, uppercut, # 4 elbow, tie up knees x 6, spin out, double kick
10) held pads for H

There is a short video on #sharpcupcake my instagram.

Saturday 12/19/2020: Training: 1 hour Muay Thai practice

Today was fun. We worked on a new thing I have not taken time to focus on. Following a kick spin through or a missed kick with a Teep kick/Side kick.

The videos I put below are show me working through the techniques slowly and in south paw. I will get faster later, but right now we just work the technique.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a fun great class.

We also scored a new to us thai heavy bag so that we can practice leg kicks at home, yay! Merry Christmas to us!

Training:
1) jab, cross, rear kick, jab, cross, lead kick
2) held pads for h

3) jab, cross, rear kick, spin through, lead side kick
4) held pads for h

5) lead Teep, jab, cross, rear leg kick that misses, to rear side kick
6) held pads for h

7) lead Teep, rear kick, hook, cross, lead kick to body, lead kick to leg
8 ) held pads for h

Think about your footwork. Drill, drill, drill your plus sign, and diagonals. If you are working the heavy bag work your footwork by shuffling back or sliding back when it comes to you, or cut around the bag with a quarter turn. You can work your footwork while watching tv, in the elevator, or even while you are out walking.

I hope you all had a great past week, and a wonderful holiday week coming up. I am changing up my training this week. I will be teaching a Muay Thai class this coming week. I am excited about that.

Thank you for reading, and if you liked this post please hit the like button, and if you want to keep hearing more subscribe. I am happy to hear from you so comment to talk to me. Remember Don’t photo edit, just go get it!

Training Martial Arts 12/07/2020: Training In Your Off Stance/Off Hand

Whether you are an Orthodox/right hand or South Paw/Left hand fighter, you have a dominant hand you prefer to orient yourself from. There are some instances that the hand you write with is not the side you will train in.

I have decided one of my micro goals is to train in my off stance/ off hand. Why you might ask?

Speed and Flow
When sparring or fighting it is not uncommon to land in your off stance. If you do and you feel awkward, or unable to throw strikes it can slow down your speed, and response time to have to change back to your prefered stance. Being a switch fighter means you can fight in either stance. At the longest we are talking seconds to switch back. But in that time your opponent can take advantage and land a strike. If you land in what is your off stance you can increase your speed and flow by being able to take advantage of the situation.

Take advantage of openings and keep opponent guessing.
If you can fight in your off stance, then you can take advantage of other openings. When you face off orthodox to orthodox fighter certain openings are available to take advantage off. Typically an orthodox fighters right hand side is the strongest. That is their dominant hand. A south paw fighters left hand side is typically the stronger side for them. So if you can position yourself to strike at their weaker side than all the better. Being able to switch is very valuable, and can keep your opponent guessing.

What does it feel like to train in your off side/off stance?

Try writing with you off hand. If you are right handed try writing with your left hand. Try eating with your off hand. How much do you spill on yourself? You have been training one side. Your brain knows the drills. Your brain knows how to tell your body to do a round house kick. You have developed a brain body connection for that side of your body. Now trying to do it on your off hand/stance, you feel unbalanced, it takes a perceptible amount of time for your brain to tell your leg to do a cut step to round house. Your brain body connection for that side is not there yet. That is what it feels like.

Your brain knows how to hold a spoon in the right hand. Knows how to make your muscles balance the spoon so you don’t spill that soup all over you. Now switching to the left hand to eat that soup. Your brain did not forget how to eat with a spoon, just has not set up the connections between the feedback on that side of your body.

I feel awkward and frustrated that I made a simple mistake when training on the left hand side for me. I can do the drill and that strike no problem on the right hand side. But on the left hand side I am a little clumsier. But it is getting better, my balance is getting better, my flow is getting better, and I am able to do the drills much better than before. I can see the progress each training session.

Why would you do it?

  1. Training your off stance will make your dominant stance better. It makes you more cognisant of your body flow.
  2. Speed up your fighting sparring game. You will be able to fight in any stance, and not have to take the second, fraction of the second to change your stance.
  3. Take advantage of your opponents openings, and you can keep your opponent guessing.
  4. Brain body connection increases.
  5. Prevent injury by training both sides and increasing strength on weaker side.
  6. There are are many articles that say it may help avoid or help stave off brain maladies like Alzheimer’s. However, there is not enough evidence out yet to confirm.

Does it help?

Yes so far it is helping me. I am able to land in off stance during sparring and it does not feel so awkward any more. I sometimes don’t notice. My partner is an switch fighter as well and he changes as needed. It can be frustrating trying to find an opening, when he keeps changing stances.

So yes I find it does help, but I will revisit a few months from now. I will see how well I am getting along. I am already noticing that my flow is better and I am less off balanced now. Just in this short time of training.

Monday 12/07/2020: 1 hour – 1 mile run, weight lifting, and core

Another great day! I got up got dressed found out it was only 30 degrees outside and got dressed mor. Went out to do my run and finished up my workout.

Now there was a little familial hiccup between my weight lifting and my core workout today but I got it done.

Sometimes life throws you curve balls and you can stop and just give up, or get through the wrinkle in your day and get the workout done when you can.

Today’s workout was focused on a modified German Volume Training. 5 rounds of as many reps as you can do. I intend to work up to 10 sets of 10.

Towards the last set my muscles were dying in a good way.

Training:

1 mile run

Arm, shoulder warm up

Weight lifting:
15 seconds rest between each set, 1 minute rest between exercise

1) Front Raise to Lateral Raise – 5x sets of 15 reps
2) Shoulder Press to Chest Press- 5x sets of 15 reps
3) Seated Snow Angels – 5x sets of 10 reps
4) Resistance band Bicep Curls- 5x sets of 20
5) Tricep bench Dips- 3x sets of 10
6) Overhead Tricep extensions – 3x sets of 20

Core– 6 minutes Dana Lynn Bailey’s (she kicked my butt/abs again)
3x sets of 30 seconds
1) Banded Lat Pull with Bent Knee Reverse Curl
2) Weighted toe touch crunch
3) Bicycles
4) Superman with Flutter Kicks

Tuesday 12/08/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai

Progress feels like this… when you are less off balance in your off stance. For me this is my South Paw stance. Today I felt like I was more balanced. Progress is also when you feel you are getting better extensions on your cross.

I am going to celebrate the small things. South paw for me is like trying to eat your cereal with the off hand. Trying my best to not make a mess, and learning a heck of a lot.

Also getting better at clench game.

Also I was walking out of the gym, and caught a glimpse of my reflection today. Instead of disgust I thought hey I have some powerful freaking looking thighs now. Yesss!!!

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class.

Training:
Muay Thai- 25 skip knee 1, and 2’s, and jab cross flurries for active recovery between rounds

Jump rope for warm up
1) Jab, Cross, Lead Knee, Jab, Cross, Rear Knee
2) held pads for H

3) Jab, Cross, Rear Long Knee, Rear Kick
4) held pads for H

5) Fake The Jab, Cross, Rear Upward Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee
6) held pads for H

7) Fake Jab, Fake Cross, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, tie up, 6 skip knees, push off or spin opponent out, double kick
8 ) held pads for H

9 Jab, Cross, Rear Elbow, tie up (full plumb, half, single wing) 6 skip knees, sin off double kick
10) I held pads for H

Wednesday 12/09/2020:  43 mins- HIIT, kettlebell leg day, core

It is super cold outside. 28 degrees F and chance of snow. So I decided to do all of my workout inside. I chose not to run today. But….I kicked my own butt today.

My workout was fantastic. I am going to be sore tomorrow. It was a leg day and all of my weight lifting workout equipment is outside in the garage that is not heated. I did not even think about not doing my workout I just altered my plans. Because brrr cold.

So I decided a HIIT workout for cardio, a kettlebell leg day to destroy my legs, and core to get my core training in.

Towards the end of kettlebell Leg Day I could not keep up the 15 reps, went down to 13, then 10. I did all 5 sets though! Yay!

I added a picture of all my bumps and sweat, look… I am never going to look like those ladies that look great after giving birth, doing a workout, or anything like that. But I am strong. I have bumps, fat, sweat, wild hairs, all the above. My body is strong and I am lucky to be able to do what I can. Yay!
—————————
HIIT: 12 minutes
[6 exercises done in sets of two, 15 seconds for each exercise done in a set, 30 seconds rest after each two]
1) 15 seconds high knees
2) 15 seconds jump lunges
30 seconds rest
3) 15 seconds high knees
4)15 seconds jump lunges
30 seconds rest

5) 15 seconds mountain climbers
6) 15 seconds crab toe touches
30 seconds rest
7) 15 seconds mountain climbers
8 )15 seconds crab toe touches
30 seconds rest

9) 15 seconds push and up side planks
10) 15 plank hip rolls
30 seconds rest
11) 15 seconds push and up side planks
12) 15 plank hip rolls
30 seconds rest

Repeat the whole set above
——————————
Kettlebell: 25 minutes

Do exercise x 5
1) 1 minute of goblet squats [do 20 if you can do more, up the weight. Do not put kb down]
1 min rest

Do these exercise sets 3 to 5 times
2) staggered stance squat 8-15 reps
3) squat rockers 8-15 reps
4) figure 8’s 8-15 reps

——————————
Core: 6 minutes Dana Lynn Bailey’s (she kicked my butt/abs again)
3x sets of 30 seconds
1) Banded Lat Pull with Bent Knee Reverse Curl
2) Weighted toe touch crunch
3) Bicycles
4) Superman with Flutter Kicks

Thursday 12/10/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai

Training was great today. I was working south paw again, and working the fence clench. I am getting better at clench and working on keeping everything tight and controlling H’s head in in any of the clenches. I also need to work on selling my fein/fake jab.

With the fence clench I was working in having my elbow in the collar bone, or my elbow in it opponents jaw. Jay my friend and fellow training team mate suggested I put my elbow into his jaw when in the fence clench.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta, for a great class.

D.O.M.S. Set in today, and my quads and hip flexors are so sore from yesterday. It was hard to work today due to muscle pain but I pushed through. Leg day though, man that workout tore my legs up.

So after training, snack, and shower, I have hypervolted my legs (read H did it for me), now I am ready to pass out.

Training:
jab cross blitzes, elbow blitzes, and skip knees in between rounds for active recovery

Jump rope to warm up

1) shadow box – jab, cross, lead kick
2) shadow box – jab, cross, rear kick

3) Jab, Cross, Lead Long Knee, Lead Kick
4) held pads for H

5) fein Jab, Cross, lead Upward Knee, Rear Elbow, Lead Elbow, Lead Long Knee, Lead Kick
6) held pads for H

7) fein low, fein high, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook chain elbow, tie up, 6x skip knee, spin off double kick
8 )held pads for H

9) Jab, Cross, rear elbow # 6, tie up, 6x skip knees, spin off, double kick
10) Held pads for H

Saturday 12/12/2020: 2 hours and 30 minutes Kali/Staff, and Muay Thai

Ok this is a red faced pic of me right after 7x 3 minute rounds of sparring.

I did the first round of sparring/pop the leather on left hand side or South Paw. They say when you enter the ring adrenaline hits and you forget your training so you have to rely on muscle memory. Guess what I don’t normally do?
Spare in south paw. Lol, my body felt stupid, like my brain was telling it to move, butt it was not listening.

The rest of the rounds I went back to Orthodox fighting. Felt better, but I did not notice when I landed in South Paw. I did not feel out of place. So I see progresssss!!!!! Yess!

I also was able to mimic what my Khun Kru Krysta was able to do and land a good hit. I scooped a jab, and returned a jab right away. Yay! She was genuinely happy I landed the hit.

Kali/Staff:

1) equise drill with low backhand and high back hand
High, high, high, backhand low, high
High, low, high, backhand low, high
Low, low, low, backhand low, high
High, high, low, backhand low, high
Low, low, high, backhand low, high
High, low, low, backhand low, high
Low, high, high, backhand low, high

2) Then we did the above with redondo

Muay Thai: jumping jacks and kicks for active recovery

Jump rope to warm up.

1) Jab, Cross, Teep, Jab, Cross, Hop/slide Teep
2) held pads for H

3) Hanuman Climbing the Mountain Lead Teep (fake rear Teep, lead Teep), hop rear kick
4) held pads for H

5) Hanuman Climbing the Mountain Rear Teep (fake lead Teep, rear Teep), Hop Lead Kick, Rear Cross, Lead Hook, Rear Kick
6) held pads for H

7) Lead Teep, Hanuman Climbing the Mountain Lead Teep (fake rear Teep, lead Teep), hop rear kick, low body hook, head hook, cross, lead kick
8 ) held pads for H

9) Rear Teep, Hanuman Climbing the Mountain Rear Teep (fake lead Teep, rear Teep), overhand, uppercut, rear knee, rear kick
10) held pans for H

Extra curricular
Sparring for 7 x 3 minute rounds. Yay!

So that was it for my week of training. I had a great time. I am still feeling good after that rest I took. I am pretty happy. I was frustrated during training on the left hand side for me. But that is normal, as it is my off hand. I will keep training this way, so one day it will hopefully feel normal for me.

Let me know what you think. Have you trained on your off side? Do you like it?

Thank you for reading. If you liked this post let me know and hit the like button, if you want to see more subscribe and please feel free to comment. I post day to day on my #sharpcupcake instagram account. And post videos there as well.

Remember, you gotta keep trying and Don’t photo edit, just go get it!

Training Martial Arts 11/30/2020: Week off? What Did I Do? Detraining?

I took a week off so what did I do? How do I feel coming back, and why did I take it off. I spoke in my last post about why I took it off, but here is a short sweet answer.

I was feeling overtrained. I tend to train 5 to 6 days a week sometime twice a day. My body was breaking down and I was feeling tired, sluggish, hurting, and not at all excited about my workouts. Which is different than what I normally feel.

Did I detrain?
Yes in effect I did nothing for a week.

Did it compromise my performance?
No, not at all. Not training for a week helped my performance.

Was it hard?
Yes, everything fiber of my being and everybody says stay on course. This is all well and good till you need to veer off of course. I agree with the experts, those that are new to training must adhere and stay vigilant about their training. They are building habits and those take time to set in. But I a veteran to training and working out have been doing this for 5 years and had only taken breaks when injured or forced to. This last stint I went for about a year with no breaks.

So I had that guilt of oh man you are not working out. You are going to lose everything you worked for. But I also know I needed the break because while the tug of those guilty thoughts were there they were not nearly as strong as they normally are. They tugged at the back of my brain but then dissipated rather quickly. I also have set up my life so it is easy for me to jump into some clothing and got train. It was hard to stick to my plan of not working out but I did it. I also know you have to do absolutely nothing for several weeks for you to lose more than 50% of your training.

I worried about letting my Muay Thai/Kali instructor down. Because brains can come up with any reason to not do the things you need to do I have learned.

What did I do during this time?
1. Inform Your Support People: As soon as I made the decision to stop training, and give my body a break, I informed my trainer, and my H. I let my support system know that this was a premeditated and deliberate choice. This did two things, helped those that know my schedule not worry about me, and keep me on track. You know for when the nagging guilt in the back of my head says oh you should at least go for a run.

2. Stop Training Supplements: I did not take any of my training supplements at this time. I used this time to let my body reset all the way. I usually take a pre-workout that has BCAA’s and some Caffeine in it. Then after a workout I take creatine twice a week, and L-carnitine after just about every workout/training session I do.

3. Keep taking your daily vitamins: I mention above, training supplements, but don’t stop taking your daily vitamins your body still needs those.

4. Rest: You are… well I was doing this to give my body a rest. So I did just that. I tried to sleep as much as my body wanted. I did not exercise at all. I let my muscles, joints, and tendons recover.

5. Still Drink About 1 Gallon of Water a Day: Even though you are not working out, you should still try to get your 3 liters to 3.7 liters in. 3.7 liters = 1 gallon of water. Your body is made up of water and so you should be hydrating. Things/parts of your body cannot heal properly if you are not hydrated enough.

6. Eat: Eat healthy meals, and don’t restrict your diet. Ok so this is a hard one for me. My brain goes, well if you are not working out you should be eating less. And while there is a small amount of truth to that, you still have your muscles you have built to think about. So yes, you should not overeat. You should try to eat balanced meals like you normally do, but listen to your body. I try to eat healthy balanced meals and then have an after workout snack. So not having a workout I did not have those snacks. I did have some pie, and a few cookies, and everything was ok. Your body will need those building blocks to repair while you rest.

7. Read/Plan/Set New Goals: Ok this maybe just a me thing, but I read up on some new training techniques. I planned some new workouts, and I set new goals. I am at a point in training for Martial Arts that you don’t see the progress that often, so now I am making micro goals, and working towards those.

How do I feel coming back?
Oh my goodness I feel I don’t have words to tell how good it feels coming back. I got rest. I got to do things I wanted to do. I got off a schedule. But more than that I feel great in my workouts now. I don’t feel sluggish. I don’t go into it hating the idea and wondering if I should even be there. I have already seen a PR in my clean and press.

First day back I could feel my muscles firing and getting good contact/work. My D.O.M.S. (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) set in but only took a day to a day and a half to recover from.

I have re-found my passion for my workouts. I have enjoyed my time in my sessions, an in my training days. I have new goals for my Martial Arts training.

I would say I have drunk the kool-aid, and I am convinced my body needed this. I can feel and see the benefits. I don’t have to wait for an injury to take time off. As a matter of fact, from my understanding you should take a break every 12 weeks. Switch it up. I used to read that and think, yah, yah, yah, blah blah. That is for you not for me, or that is a good idea, but I am different.

Now for the weeks worth of training…

Monday 11/30/2020: 1 hour- 10 minutes jump rope, 30 min bag work, legs and core

I took the holiday week off to rest, I was starting to feel overtraining setting in. H was really good about making me stick to my plan. I had doubts and worries so wanted to train, Saturday and Sunday. Then this morning he asked me to go slow and take it easy, or ease into my working out again. So this is what I did this morning.

Symptoms:
1) Fatigue dispute adequate rest
2) Mood changes not finding joy in the activities/workouts
3) feeling like slogging through the workouts/sluggish
4) muscles/joints feeling strained and possible injuries eminent

10 minutes jump rope

30 minutes working the heavy bag

10 minutes weights
1) Bulgarian Split Squats 3x sets of 15 (L/R)
2) kettlebell goblet squats 3x sets of 15

Core: Dana Lynn Bailey’s 10 minute core workout.
45 seconds on with 15 seconds rest between each
1) Hollow body
2) Hollow body reverse crunches
3) Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Side Right planks dips
6) Side Left planks dips
7) High Plank opposite Side Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Sit Ups

Tuesday 12/01/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

Woot today was a great day. I felt really good. I decided I am working on developing my south paw over the next few months. I am currently an orthodox fighter.

As I said yesterday I took a week off to rest. I had not taken an week break from working out for about a year. I was feeling the overtraining setting in.

So in order to keep the positive outlook now that I rested I am setting small specific goals for me to follow and work towards.

I spent all class working southpaw. I could feel my foot staying in the bucket for some of the drills. Also working south paw feels so awkward. My weight distribution is just opposite and different. Need to work on my stance and distance management in southpaw when flowing between, knees, elbows, punches, and kicks.

But if I keep this up I can be a switch fighter.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta could not do this without you!

Training:
jab cross flurries, elbow flurries, 25 skip knees #2, and double kick x 10 between rounds for active recovery

Jump rope for warm up

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

3) Rear Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Lead Knee
4) Held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Rear Elbow # 6, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
6) I trained both rounds

7) Lead Knee, Rear elbow # 8 tach malach, Lead elbow, Lead Knee, Lead Kick
8 ) I trained both of these rounds

9) Jab, Cross, Shovel Hook, chain Lead Elbow # 2, Rear Spinning Back elbow #9, Lead Spinning Back Elbow #9, get out, long guard and Teep
10) I trained both of these rounds

Wednesday 12/02/2020: 1 hour- 1 mile run, weight lifting, core workout

Today was a freaking frigid 39 degrees F outside. The run was very chilly.

But the weight lifting workout went great. It felt great. I did not feel sluggish even in the extreme cold. My garage is not heated.

I went up 10 lbs in my clean and jerk. Yay!

I finished off with a 10 minute core workout.

H has been saying I need to come up with a catch phrase. I don’t know why but here is one I came up with.

Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It!

I have not photo edited any of my pictures other than cropping. But you see all of my lumps, bumps and imperfections. I am what I am.

1 mile run

Warm up

Weight Lifting:
1) Seated Snow Angels – 3x sets of 10 reps
2) Clean And Press Barbell – 3x sets of 6 reps
3) Kettlebell Swings- 3x sets of 1 minute 10 seconds rest
4) Kettle Bell High Pull- 3x sets of 1 minute w/ 10 seconds rest
5) Kettle Bell Halo- 3x sets of 1 minute w/ seconds rest
6) Kettle Bell Tricep Extension- 3x sets of 15, 10, 10
7) Bicep Curls 50 lb resistance band- 3 sets of 30, 20, 20

Core:
Warm up
1) bicycle crunches
2) butterfly crunches
3) v sit crunch hold
Cool down

Thursday 12/03/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

As my Khun Kru Krysta Scharlach said it’s Punchy Punchy Kicky Kicky time. Yay! I had a great time again in class even if I was frustrated.

Working south paw, is the complete opposite of what I know how to work in Muay Thai. In theory my brain knows how and what to do it’s just getting that brain body connection to work.

Try eating food with a fork with your off hand. How awkward does that feel? Well try moving your whole body to do a chain of strikes and do it gracefully. So yeah that is what it means to work south paw for me. I am right handed so an orthodox fighter.

We worked similar drills as Tuesday. I stumbled as usual in my off stance but I feel like I am making some improvements.

It was a great day of training! Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

Saturday 12/04/2020: 2 hours- Kali/staff and Muay Thai

Great and cold day of training! Great week of training.

We worked Kali outside it was brisk and 45 degrees out.

I have worked all southpaw all week. And while I feel like I am still trying to write with left hand. I feel clumsy and unskilled but I can see some progress. The still picture is me doing a upward rear striking knee from my south paw stance. I have elevation in the ball of my foot, rotation, and the knee is hitting the sternum on my opponent. Great hight, good form and it made good contact I was happy wit it. I am glad I could get a pic of it.

Working on my clench game, and controlling your opponent in the clench.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for taking your time to train and coach us.

Training:

Kali– don’t know how much longer we can do outside training it’s getting cold

1) 12 count strikes with staff
2) Then Krysta created a type of running saint we were working with a staff as well.

Muay Thai– 25 skip knee 1, and 2’s, and jab cross flurries for active recovery between rounds

Jump rope for warm up
1) Jab, Cross, Lead Knee, Jab, Cross, Rear Knee
2) held pads for H

3) Jab, Cross, Rear Long Knee, Rear Kick
4) held pads for H

5) Fake The Jab, Cross, Rear Upward Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee
6) I worked both of these rounds

7) Fake Jab, Fake Cross, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, tie up, 6 skip knees, push off or spin opponent out, double kick
8 ) I worked both of these rounds

9 Jab, Cross, Rear Elbow, tie up (full plumb, half, single wing) 6 skip knees, sin off double kick
10) I held pads for H

Added videos to #sharpcupcake to show- martial arts training is a lot of screwing up, repetition, and practice.

So now we are here at Monday of the next week. I got my workout done, and I was happy to do it. It felt good and I could feel the muscle activation. I wanted to give it a week and give an honest review of how it felt to take the time off and how it felt to get back.

In a nutshell it was great. I am converted. I will do it again. I hated that feeling of bleh, meh, just not happy about what I was doing. I hated feeling like no mater how much I rested I did not sleep, or get enough rest between workouts. I hated feeling like every workout was a rendition of that scene with Artax and Atreyu in the swamp of sorrows, in the movie The Neverending Story. Ok maybe that is a little dramatic, but that feeling of slogging through the swamp… not happy, and just everything was hard.

It was interesting to go through a self inflicted stay of action as it were. It is even more interesting to see the results. Higher knees in southpaw, better lifts in weight lifting, and just better feeling over all. I will take it. And all I had to do was let my body rest.

Thank you for reading, I hope you liked this blog post. If you did please hit the like button and subscribe. Welcome to all those who have this last two months. If you are feeling froggy and want to talk… please feel free to comment.

Ladies, Gentlemen and all those in between. Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It

Fuel Yourself During COVID- 19: Veggie and Cream Cheese Wrap

Here is a short quick post of a lunch I made that is so tasty. I took a page from an old well known sandwich. The cucumber and cream cheese tea sandwiches. But I wanted more veggies and substance to my sandwich.

This is a, healthy, low fat, low sodium, vegetarian meal, and can be made gluten free with gluten free wraps.

I added Salami to H’s wraps and so it can be made non vegetarian if you choose as well.

Yield 2 sandwiches

Ingredients:

  1. 1 wrap of your choosing ( I used Sun Dried Tomato Basil wraps)
  2. 1 carrot shaved (using a peeler)
  3. 1/2 cucumber sliced
  4. 1/2 bell pepper sliced into strips
  5. 2 tbs of cream cheese
  6. pickled onions to taste
  7. 3 Small leaves romaine lettuce

Directions:

  1. lay out the wrap, spread the cream cheese in a line on the wrap.
  2. shingle the cucumbers on the cream cheese
  3. add the rest of the veggies
  4. spread a small amount of cream cheese on the end of the wrap where it will overlap and touch the outer part of the wrap, and will stay shut.
  5. cut in half and enjoy

Stats: this is for one wrap without any cold cuts

Calories 341, Fat 11.6 g, Fiber 4 g, Carbs 49.5 g, Sodium 1016.5 mg, Protein 7.8 g

Today’s lunch was great. It was deeply satisfying and refreshing. I hope you get a chance to try this out. I enjoyed it, H enjoyed it, and my kids who ate some of mine enjoyed the sandwich.

As always thanks for reading. If you liked it, hit the like button, please subscribe, and if you get a chance to try it please let me know in a comment. Or just comment if you like.

Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It. Reach for your goals!

Training Martial Arts 11/23/2020: A Holiday Week Off and Back At It

True to my word I took a week off. I only worked out on Monday last week. Even though I thought strongly about training Tuesday and I fought the urges to workout Saturday and Sunday of this last week.

H my partner was very great about keeping me on track. Telling me I needed the rest. I did enjoy the time off. But I am glad to be back at it again this week. I did enjoy the rest.

The brain starts to worry that all this inactivity will be a detriment, however, logically I know that one week will not affect my aerobic conditioning or my muscle development. The biggest danger is the mental aspect. For those that are just starting to train/workout they are building an developing those habits. On the other hand those of us who have been training consistently will worry that we are losing progress.

I do feel like the rest helped. When you detrain, or take a rest, you allow your body to replenish the glycogen energy stores in your muscles and liver, your muscles, tendons, and joints repair themselves.

If you are working out 5 to 6 days a week, taking a week break every 12 weeks is helpful and necessary.

When I trained today I felt great. My muscles were firing, I did not find myself sluggish, and I had plenty of energy. I was happy to do my workout and excited to get my training in this week.

Training 11/23/2020: 50 minutes- 1 mile run, weight lifting, core

Today was a great day of training. H came with me on the run, I finished up my weight lifting workout. It was super chilly out.

Training felt great, glad to start this holiday week off like this.

1) Glute activation and stretch
2) 1 mile run
3) glute activation
A) walking lunge with kick back 45 seconds
B ) banded kick back, side kick 45 seconds
C) banded plus sign squat walk 45 seconds
D) Banded hip thrusters 45 seconds

4) weight lifting– super set 30 seconds rest between sets- working on time and attention
A) Barbell Back Squats 3x sets of 8 reps
B ) Jump Squats 3x sets of 15 reps

C) goblet squats 3x sets of 18 reps
D) bench glute kick backs 3x sets for 30 seconds

E) banded leg abductor 3x sets for 1 minute each leg (L/R)
F) single leg dead lift 3x sets alternating leg for 1 min each

5) Core: Dana Lynn Bailey’s 10 minute core workout.
45 seconds on with 15 seconds rest between each
1) Hollow body
2) Hollow body reverse crunches
3) Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Side Right planks dips
6) Side Left planks dips
7) High Plank opposite Side Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Sit Ups

Rolled legs out afterward.

So that is the one day of workout I did last week. I took the time to rest and recuperate. It was nice to rest or detrain during the holidays. I spent time with family, played games with my kiddos, and enjoyed the time together.

It is a short post, but I am already back at the training as of today. Like I said the training felt great. It was a huge difference. I had gone way to long without a break. It has been about a year without a full week break. I started training harder when Covid-19 hit. Because that was a thing I can control.

Don’t be stupid like past me, and take care of yourself. Future me is looking out and trying to be smarter.

Thank you for reading, and please let me know if you liked this post with a like. If you feel like commenting feel free to do so, I would love to hear from you. If you want to hear more about my adventures and journey subscribe.

To those that have already subscribed I am amazed and honored. Just this month alone I have had 20 new subscribers just this month. That is amazing! Thank you all.

Training Martial Arts 11/16/2020: Training Fatigue or Overtraining the Who/What/How?

I am feeling overtraining setting in. To head it off I am going to try to take advantage of the holidays and change things up a bit.

So the question you may ask about overtraining:

  1. What is overtraining?
  2. What are the signs symptoms?
  3. Who can it affect?
  4. How do you deal with it?

You are chugging along, you have been working out. You have been sticking to your training. You have made progress but you wake up and feel strange. You feel tired, restless, no amount of sleep is helping, you maybe don’t love what you are doing any more, you have hit a plateau and you are not making any progress. You are sore and its taking longer for you to heal up.

You might be experiencing overtraining or training fatigue.

What is overtraining?

Here is a definition of overtraining or training fatigue from a children’s hospital sports medicine group. You may think what does a children’s hospital know about adults? Pediatricians will see athlete’s up to 18, some even will see people up to 21… so a person can be considered a child in the medical sense and the information can still be applicable to our needs as adults.

Burnout, or overtraining syndrome, is a condition in which an athlete experiences fatigue and declining performance in sport despite continuing or increased training. Overtraining can result in mood changes, decreased motivation, frequent injuries and even infections.  Burnout is thought to be a result of the physical and emotional stress of training.



http://www.rchsd.org
https://www.rchsd.org/programs-services/sports-medicine/conditions-treated/overtraining-syndromeburnout/#:~:text=Burnout%2C%20or%20overtraining%20syndrome%2C%20is,frequent%20injuries%20and%20even%20infections.

Just as described above, a overtraining is a condition that can cause a cascading effect and if left unchecked and unaddressed it can cause more issues.

What are the signs/symptoms you might be experiencing overtraining?

  1. an athletes performance declines, and or they experience fatigue – not your normal fatigue after a hard workout, your workouts you feel sluggish
  2. lack of motivation – where once you did, you do not looking forward to the exercise
  3. decrease in the enthusiasm of the sport/training – temporary loss of your love for a sport or training.
  4. recovery is taking longer – after an adequate amount of rest you
  5. emotional volatility – disproportionate emotional response, not one particular emotion. Like snapping at people, crying more often
  6. trouble sleeping – insomnia, interrupted sleep, and less restful sleep
  7. more prone to illness and injury– your immune system is taking a beating because your body is can’t recover.
  8. Lethargy and reduced sex drive – if you are exhausted, and lethargic it is reasonable to that your sex drive will be reduced.
  9. Low heart rate variability – when your resting heart rate is less quickly variable at rest can mean your nervous system is fatigued. You can learn more about HRV here. https://trainright.com/heart-rate-variability-hrv-endurance-athetes/

Who can it affect?

You might think that only a olympic athlete, an athlete that trains 20 hours a week, or a professional athlete will get this. But you might be surprised to find that anyone can find themselves with the overtraining or training fatigue symptoms. This can happen to an athlete of any training level.

  1. People new to training or working out can experience this, because their threshold is lower than an athlete that has been training for a while. If they are less fit, their bodies cannot compensate as well as the well trained athlete and therefore can experience training fatigue.
  2. People who have to quickly upped their amount of training recently, and have not taken adequate rest can experience this condition.
  3. People who are experienced athletes can find themselves facing this problem when they don’t take adequate rest.
  4. I also believe that external stressors, like this Covid-19 pandemic, can also factor into the causes of possible training fatigue or overtraining. I generally take adequate days off, usually 2 to 1 day a week, however I have not been sleeping well since the pandemic hit, and due to political stimulus over the past weeks. I think my body is just tired, and needs a rest.

How do you deal with it?

Not to be flippant but, rest is the first and foremost thing you should do. The pushing through and unwillingness to acknowledge that you need rest is the reason you may be here.

If you have injuries you must address those, and tend to those as well.

The length of rest is variable per person, but generally it is agreed upon but sports doctors, and therapists that when your symptoms have gone away or are retreating you are going in the right direction. When the lethargy no mater how much rest you get is gone, when your motivated to reach your goals, when you sex drive, and your love for your sport returns are all great signs.

In the future:

Schedule in breaks.
I am bad about this. I have been training for years, without scheduling a week or two off here and there. I tend to wait till I am injured and it forces me to take the time off.

Look for signs of overtraining and Listen to your body.

Try to reduce the stressors externally in your life.
I know easier said than done, especially if a pandemic is foisted on you, and or the political landscape of the country you are in has you questioning the sanity of the politicians, and the future of your country. But I digress…

Tune in your diet. If you are not fueling your body with enough food and good enough food your body cannot recover, and rest properly.

If you don’t do these things, it will be far easier to fall back into an overtraining, training fatigue cascade of symptoms that you will have to address or run the risk of greater injury.

Monday 11/16/2020:1 hour – 1 mile run, leg and glute day, core workout

I was feeling a little sassy today, don’t know if I feel like I can pull off a crop top yet but wore it anyway.

Woke up late for me 8 am and slept great. It’s been a while since I slept like that. So I got to my workout and start of my day and week.

Leg day but had to be careful with my tweaky knee still so I focused on making sure to keep it steady, aware of placement, and movement.

1 mile run

Weight Lifting Leg and Glute day: all exercises done in a super set, 15 seconds rest between sets

1) Back Squats 3x sets of 8 reps
2) Jump Squats 3x sets of 10 reps

3) Dead Lift 3x sets of 10 reps
4) Bulgarian Split Squats 3x sets of 15 reps ( L/R)

5) resistance band Leg Adductor 3x sets 1 minute (L/R)
6) Goblet Squat 3x sets of 15 reps

7) Single Leg Dead Lift 3x sets of 1 min

Core: Dana Lynn Bailey’s 10 minute core workout.
45 seconds on with 15 seconds rest between each
1) Hollow body
2) Hollow body reverse crunches
3) Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Side Right planks dips
6) Side Left planks dips
7) High Plank opposite Side Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Sit Ups

Monday 11/16/2020: workout #2 – Ran another mile with H and helped him through part of my leg day.

Tuesday 11/17/2020:1 hour of Muay Thai training

A great day of training. I am as exhausted but really looked forward to training today. Consistency is the key to getting better and reaching your goals.

We worked on Teeps, knees, and 4 counts. I even dented the heavy bag with my knee.

Thanks Khun kru Krysta for the great class.

Training: jumping jacks, kicks and ladder kicks in between rounds for active recovery.

1) lead Teep, rear Teep
2) Held pads for H

3) Lead Teep, Rear Kick, Hook, Cross, lead Kick
4) Held Pads for H

5) Rear Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick
6) held Pads for H

7) Lead Teep, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
8 ) held Pads for H

9) Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Rear Body kick, Pead leg kick
Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Rear Body Kick, Rear Leg Kick
10) Held Pads for H

Friday 11/20/2020: 47 minutes run, agility ladder, and full body weight lifting workout

We ran a mile, I decided to add some footwork agility to my workout with the ladder, then I worked in a full body weight lifting workout.

Workout:
1) barbell clean and press – 3x sets of 6 reps
2) dumbbell seated snow angels – 3x sets of 10 reps
3) kettlebell swings – 3x sets of 50 seconds, 10 seconds rest
4) kettlebell high pull – 3x sets of 50 seconds, 10 seconds rest
5) kettlebell tricep overhead extension – 3x sets of 50 seconds, 10 seconds rest

It was a short quick one but I am glad I got it in. Missed Wednesday and Thursday workouts so needed to do something today. Yay!

Saturday 11/21/2020: 2 hours of training. Kali/staff and Muay Thai

Training was fun and challenging today. We were outside in uneven ground that made it challenging, but it was fun. It reminded me of Thai Camp! I miss Thai Camp this year.

When you are outside on uneven ground, you want to focus on proper form, target acquisition, and working the technique. You do this so you don’t break yourself. 😆

In a leg kick you want to sink your weight, but for the body kicks you focus on the lifting the body and getting/pivoting on the balls of your feet.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta!

Kali: We worked on-
1) high box with the staff
2) high box with the jab/Speer with staff
3) hubud with double stick

Muay Thai: knees up a hill for active recovery
1) shadow boxing
2) shadow boxing
3) plus sign drill w/ Jab, Cross, Rear Leg Kick
4) Jab, Cross, Rear Body Kick
5) H turn to kick me
6) Jab, Cross, Switch kick to the Body or lead body kick
7) H’s turn to kick me
8 ) Jab, Cross, Leg kick, partner kick response you shield.
9) H’s turn to kick me
10) pushing knees up the hill

Extra curricular 3 x 3 minute rounds of Sparring

Overtraining is a real thing. It is something to look out for. Keep in mind it is not just fatigue after a great workout. It is the inability to recover fully after your training. You then train again while tired, and feel lethargic, sluggish, and unable to attain the goals you are going for much less the levels of training you once had experienced.

Everything feels harder, and that is no fun.

I am starting to feel these symptoms. I know my body enough that I am aware that I am feeling like I am slogging up slope, in the mud. So I am going to take advantage of the coming holidays, and take some extra time off. I am going to change up my workouts.

Depending on the severity of the symptoms you may have to stop all together. But if you catch it early then you can just schedule in more rest time and let your body catch up.

Thank you for reading. If you liked it please click the like button. If you wanted to comment please feel free to do so I would love to hear from you. If you want to keep up with my adventures and all the things I learn as I go through my training and reach for my goals please subscribe. Have a great week, if you are in the states Happy Thanksgiving to you.

I post some videos of my training on my instagram #sharpcupcake .

Training Martial Arts 11/09/2020: Nothing Witty Just Get Out There and Do It

Really no witty repatee today just a general you gotta get out there and do your workouts. You have to get out there and train. It does not look like this pandemic is going to end any time soon, so waiting for it to end is not a solution.

What ever you can do at home do. Run if you can, order some resistance bands they are pretty cheap, get some kettle bells, and youtube has a wealthy of information you can use. Youtube has workouts to try, yoga you can do from home.

You may not have your team sports you like to do any more, but I am sure there are drills out there that you can do. If you like soccer there are ball drills you can do at home. An agility ladder, also pretty inexpensive is great for soccer, football, tennis, Muay Thai, any sport really that has you on your feet.

Don’t be afraid to change up your workouts. If you have been doing workouts at home great. Change it up, learn a new skill. Focus on one skill you want to make better. Like say agility, or hand eye coordination.

This is my week of martial arts training, and workouts. Nothing special just me working at my training. Sometimes you just need to grind away. Results come when you consistent and intentional about your training. I put up some video on my instagram account #sharpcupcake if you are interested.

Monday 11/09/2020: 1 hour and 10 minutes – 1 mile run, weight lifting leg and butt day, core

I am smiling cause I got that workout done even though it was hard to start and I really was not looking forward to doing it this morning.

Also look at this cool shirt I made. It was inspired by a quote from my Muay Thai coach Krysta. Yay! The back side of the shirt says, “I can’t… I have Muay Thai” I made it for my training team/class mates.

So while I was not feeling like doing the workout I did it and happy I did, I wore clothes that made me feel good, and kicked this workouts butt, also my own butt.

1 mile run

Leg and Glute warm up/activation
(45 seconds on 15 seconds off)
1) lunge stand kick back
2) mini band squat walk
3) mini band kick back to side kick
4) banded hip thrusters

Weight lifting leg glute – done in a superset
1) back squats 3x sets of 8 reps
2) jump squats 3x sets of 10 reps

3) reverse extensions 3x sets of 12 reps
4) dumbbell lunges 3x sets of 12 reps

5) dead lifts 3x sets of 10 reps
6) Bulgarian split squats 3x sets of 15 reps (L/R)

7) leg abductor 1 minute each leg (L/R)
8 ) goblet squats 3x sets of 10 reps

9) 4 way mini band walks 1 minute 3x sets
10) single leg dead lift 3x sets of 20 reps

Core: Dana Lynn Bailey’s 10 minute core workout.
45 seconds on with 15 seconds rest between each
1) Hollow body
2) Hollow body reverse crunches
3) Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Side Right planks dips
6) Side Left planks dips
7) High Plank opposite Side Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Sit Ups

Tuesday 11/10/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

So it’s been a day! Had some good things like a great compliment and happy letter to my company from a customer about my customer service.

Then I had some things that made me doubt myself that those internal voices got to me. I hate it when my brain does this.

On top of all that D.O.M.S. set in. But after I got warmed up and moving even thought I still felt sore things felt better. I just focused on fixing one thing today in training. So I could have a singular area to sick my brain on, it let me drown everything else out. I did it and had a great class. Thanks for a great class Khun Kru Krysta!

Training: jab cross flurries, and double kicks for active recovery

1) Jab, Cross, Body kick, Jab, Cross, leg kick
2) held pads for H

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

5) Jab, Cross, Overhand, Cross, Rear leg Kick
6) held pads for H

7) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Cross, Rear Body Kick
8 ) held pads for H

9) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Head Hook, Rear Body Kick, Rear Leg Kick
10) held pads for H

Wednesday 11/11/2020: 1 hour- 1 mile run, upper body/arm day, and core

What a great day of training. Still wrestling with feelings of self worth, but it was a great training day. And H my partner did the entire thing with me. He said he wanted to get as strong as I am. Yay!

We ran a mile in the rain, but it was a pleasant warm rain.

Shoulder arm warm up

Weight lifting workout: 15 seconds rest between sets. Focus on time and attention.
1) Seated Snow Angels 5x sets of 10 reps
2) Dumbbell Shoulder Press to Chest Press 5x sets of 10
3) Front Raise to Lateral Raise 5x sets of 10 reps
4) Bicep Curl 5x sets of 15 reps
5) Tricep Dips 5x sets of 10 reps
6) Halos 3x sets of 10 (L/R)
7) Tricep Kick Back 5x sets of 15 reps
8 ) Shoulder stabilization band exercise 3x sets of 10 (L/R)

Core: Dana Lynn Bailey’s 10 minute core workout.45 seconds on with 15 seconds rest between each
1) Hollow body
2) Hollow body reverse crunches
3) Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Side Right planks dips
6) Side Left planks dips
7) High Plank opposite Side Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Sit Ups

Thursday 11/12/2020: 1 hour and 10 minutes – Muay Thai training

Great day of training today. We worked the lead kicks today Tuesday we worked the rear kicks. Then I did extra curricular knees on the bag. 150 knees to be exact.

I took an ok picture (I generally hate pictures of me) and one where I show my arms. I hate my arms but one of my online friends suggested we show all our bits because beautiful is not just what we were taught is beautiful.

Beautiful is strong, smart, kind, has cellulite, anxiety, has an oval/round/square/diamond/rectangular face, has scars, is working better themselves every day, even on the days where it’s hard. Beautiful is not what the magazines tell us, it’s what we see in our friends and loved ones. I keep comparing myself to everyone else and keep coming up short. I trying to learn to love me. I am trying to see the beautiful in me. I can find it in everyone else.

Training: jab cross flurries, kicks for active recovery between rounds
1) shadow boxing Jab, Cross, Rear Kick Spin Through with Shield opposite leg
2) shadow boxing Jab, Cross, Lead Kick Spin Through with Shield opposite leg

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

5) Jab, Cross, Overhand Cross, Lead Leg kick
6) held pads for H

7) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Cross, Lead Body Kick
8 ) held pads for H

9) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Head Hook, Cross, Lead Body Kick, Lead Leg Kick
10) held pads for H

Extra curricular:150 skip knees to the bag
Video of part of the skip knees is on my instagram #sharpcupcake

Saturday 11/14/2020: 2 hours 15 minutes – Kali/Staff class, and Muay Thai training, with 4 rounds of sparring afterward

Even though my face looks a little meh, I had a great day of training. It was very cold outside when the wind was blowing and my face was showing it. Lol

Kali/Staff training– We worked equise with low backhand high backhand, switch, and jab/stab

Then we worked western pole arm training Kevin was kind enough help us learn more about western pole arm fighting.

Muay Thai- we worked on the same drills from this week.My knee was feeling a little strained today so I worked around it. I focused on making each strike correct, taking the power out of the strikes. It is inevitable that you will get minor injuries or strains and you have to work around them.

Then I sparred with our small dedicated sparring pod to avoid COVID-19. Was thinking about not sparring due to my knee, but decided with a little nudge from my trainer Khun Kru Krysta to work on timing and go light but still participate in the sparring. It was fun and I am glad I did. I really need to work on my tells.

I will keep training and focusing on not transmitting my tells. So my opponent does not see me coming.

It is Monday, so that means I started my week of training again. We can’t control what this pandemic is doing to our world and the people around us. But we can control what we do while we are living through it.

Get out there, work on your goals and I hope you all have had a great week. I hope this new week is amazing for you all, and if you are already training, keep it up.

Thanks for reading, if you liked this blog let me know with a like, if you want to hear more adventures in my training please subscribe, and comment if you get a wild hair to do so.

Training Martial Arts 11/02/2020: Some people need the push some people you can’t force to train.

When working out with other people/friends/family etc., you have to understand what kind of person they are.

For me I like having a coach that tells me to work harder, gives me tips, and giving me encouragement is what helps me. I can work on my own, and I do, but having a coach, well coach me in that way is sometimes what I need to get over a plateau.

I work out with H, I train with H in Muay Thai and Kali. We are lucky that we can train together. I also know how he works, and me saying, “you can do it”, when he is struggling in a workout is not his jam. He needs to be able to work through it alone. Also me nagging him about doing a workout will not ever work. He has to want to do it. Where as my mind naggs me… telling me that I must get it done. I don’t rest well till I get it done.

So here are some things to think about when coaching, or helping your family/friends along in your training/workouts:

  1. Everyone is different we all react differently. Get to know the persons personality. This is what I have learned. I am sure there is a lot more to learn and study about how to help motivate your friends, but this will get you started.
    • Type A – are typically tense, hurried, maybe aggressive, and task/detail oriented.
      1. They are usually self motivated, like to have plans, self manage, and are competitive with themselves and others.
      2. Motivate – a comprehensive plan is ideal for the type A, Statistics and information are great motivators for this type of person. Keeping a journal of workouts/progress is a great motivator. Articles about workouts and reasons to do them help motivate as well.
    • Type B – are typically, friendly, talkative, have a lot of energy, and easily distracted
      1. They love being social butterflies, so things that require teamwork, and plenty of interaction. They love team sports and thrive in that kind of environment.
      2. Motivate – Group hikes, team sports like soccer, group runs, volley ball, and other group activities are a great motivator. Talk before and after workouts and try to limit talk during workouts so as not to distract.
    • Type C – are typically somber, serious, rely on data/stats and are analytical
      1. Cold hard facts are what they are looking for.
      2. Motivate – Details about why a workout is great is perfect. Articles about said workouts are great motivators. Keeping a journal of workouts/progress is a great motivator for these people.
  2. Make it collaborative, ask what each other would like to get out of it. Do this before the workout. Even if they ask you to put the workout together, make sure you have several levels of the workout that can be done, easy and harder.
  3. Limit the small talk during a workout. You are both there to work out and get stronger/faster/better. Talk before or after.
  4. Help them get over fears of the gym, or lack of knowledge.
  5. Explain what you are doing why you are doing it. This helps with number 4 as well.
  6. Lead by example, exercise regularly, eat nutritious foods, share your progress
  7. Do not judge. No one likes to think they are being judged or laughed at. You are both doing this to get better.
  8. Set goals, not just numbers on the scale, but strength, movement, etc.

Monday 11/02/2020: 1 hour and 10 minutes I mile run, leg day, and core

I think I am seeing muscles in my legs! Yay!

So today was 46 degrees F/ 7.78 degrees C out when I went to run. On top of that we have crazy winds whipping up. So needless to say the run was cold.

1 mile run

Weight lifting: 50 minutes all exercises done in a superset. 30 seconds rest between a set of two workouts
1) barbell back squats 8 reps x 3 sets
jump squats 8 reps x 3 sets

2) reverse hyper on the bench 12 reps x3 sets
dumbbell lunges 12 reps x3 sets

3) Dead Lift 8 reps x 3 sets
Bulgarian split squats 15 reps x3 sets

4) banded courtesy lunge 15 reps (L/R) x 3 sets
alternating single leg dead lifts 30 reps x3 sets

5) 4 way glute band/mini band walks 1 minute x 3 sets
resistance band leg adductor 30 sec (L/R) x 3 sets

Core: Dana Lynn Bailey’s 10 minute core workout.
45 seconds on with 15 seconds rest between each
1) Hollow body
2) Hollow body reverse crunches
3) Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Side Right planks dips
6) Side Left planks dips
7) High Plank opposite Side Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Sit Ups

Wednesday 11/04/2020: 1 hour, 1 mile run, upper body workout, and core

I needed to burn off some anxiety and needed to take my focus off the election. Doing my workout helped. Because making sure I don’t drop the weights on my own head will get you to concentrate.

It’s was a great workout! My arms and shoulders are toast. Yay!

1 mile run

Upper Body Weightlifting
1) seated snow angels – 5 x sets of 10 reps
2) dumbbell shoulder press to chest press – 5x sets of 10 reps
3) dumbbell front raise to lateral raise – 5x sets of 10 reps
4) tricep dips – 5 x sets of 10 reps
5) shoulder stabilization resistance band – 60 each side
6) tricep kick backs- 5 x sets of 10
7) bicep curls – 5 x sets of 15
8) halos- 3 x sets of 10 (L/R)

Core: Dana Lynn Bailey’s 10 minute core workout. 45 seconds on with 15 seconds rest between each
1) Hollow body
2) Hollow body reverse crunches
3) Sit Bicycles
4) Star Crunches
5) Side Right planks dips
6) Side Left planks dips
7) High Plank opposite Side Knee to Elbow
8 ) V Sit Leg Circles
9) Heel Touches
10) Explosive Sit Ups

Thursday 11/05/2020: hour of Muay Thai

Quote of the day: “Flying Elbows = Always Great” Khun Kru Krysta

Great day of training. After a crazy day that was both frustrating and tiring it was great to just focus on the training.

Still working on squaring up my hips more. Instead of blading them so much. I have so much more power in my knees and kicks when I do that. Also it is almost effortless.

Also working on flow and timing. To make things smooth like butter.

Training: jab cross flurries, elbow elbow flurries, ladder kicks, skip knees done inbetween rounds for active recovery
1) Jab, Cross, elbow # 9
2) held for H

3) Rear Knee, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Lead Knee, Lead Kick
4) held for H

5) Jab, Cross, Rear # 8 elbow, lead elbow # 1, rear Knee, Rear Kick
6) held pads for H

7) Matkatune, Cross, Body Hook, lead # 3 elbow, tie up skip knee x 6, spin off, double kick
8 ) held pads for H

9) Jab, Cross, Hook, Lead Elbow # 1, Rear Elbow # 9, Lead Elbow # 9, Rear Elbow # 3, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
10 ) held pads for H

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class!

Saturday 11/07/2020: 2 hours of Kali/staff and Muay Thai

Today it is beautiful outside, and training was fun. It was made all the better when we heard news that Pennsylvania was called. The day started off as meh and we are just waiting for election results going through the motions and getting our training in. However, then the great news that Biden had the majority of of the electoral votes made my day. I felt lighter and less like I was holding my breath in anticipation.

So I got to train in my favorite martial arts while talking, joking, and discussing current events with my like minded friends. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

Training:
Kali – full box in a variety of combos which requires different movements, blocks, and range management
1) full box -single stick
2) full box – double stick

3) full box – double stick against single stick
4) full box – double stick against staff

video up on my instagram #sharpcupcake

Muay Thai – we worked on the Thai 15 count
I worked it in both Orthodox stance and South Paw
1) parry incoming cross, high cover the hook, Lead elbow # 1, Rear elbow # 3, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
2) held pads for H

3) Rear Knee, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
4) held pads for H

5) Rear kick, Lead Teep incoming cross, Slip the incoming cross, Hook, Cross, Rear Kick
6) held pads for H

7) 15 count in full (I did both orthodox and south paw)
8 ) held pads for H Kali videos, Muay Thai video of Thai 15 count

One thing I know with H is that I cannot force them to do the workout. They have to be ready and willing to do so.

Sometimes for some people you can use these for motivation:

  1. comedy/laughter for motivation, “you are afraid of how swole you are going to get arn’t you?”
  2. stats and information, “you had these goals, and to reach them you need to keep up the training.”
  3. asking what is bothering them and what is stopping them
  4. just gentle reminders

Sometimes all you can do is lead by example, send gentle reminders, and be supportive.

Never ever, make fun of them, or try to guilt them. That tends to backfire and then will make your friends/family not want to workout.

I will do my workout, extend an invitation, and then if they want to they will come. I hope this helps you with your friends and family and the training that you do.

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Training Martial Arts 10/26/2020: Train Through The Holidays

It was a big holiday for us in the U.S.A. Halloween is a fun holiday normally in an non covid atmosphere for us. With dressing up, parties, and festivities.

Often times I think people who are starting out or even have been on a workout journey think they have to take off for the holidays. You don’t. I have heard my friends and fellow classmates say they can’t come train cause their friends would make fun of them for training on a holiday.

Ok so here is the thing. If you want to take off for the holiday or holidays that is all you. Do it if it makes you happy. But if you are only taking a day/week/weeks off because you are visiting family and there is no gym, or they won’t understand, or your friends are causing static, I say nay do what you want or what makes you happy.

  1. If you are just starting out, I would say don’t take the time off. Try to stick to your schedule even if you are traveling. It takes 21 days to form a habit and if you stop before then you might derail your entire process.
  2. If you are traveling and don’t have access to a gym, or your equipment at home.
    • Do research
    • Make a plan to do calisthenics wherever you are
    • Write it down, so you can access it even if you don’t have internet access
    • Explore the gym facilities where you are, in your hotel, it may surprise you.
    • Pack and bring your gym shoes/clothes/and portable tools like resistance bands.
  3. If your friends are haranguing you. Tell them that this is important to you and get them to understand that you want to do this. If they still don’t maybe reevaluate that friendship. I would want friends that are happy for me and supportive. I would want friends that are supportive and want you to be happy.
  4. Invite your family/friends to go with you, or workout with you.
  5. Wear cute/funny things for the season while you workout. It will help you still feel like you are being festive but are staying on track. What you may be asking could I wear? Santa hats, jingling bells, for us a turkey during Thanksgiving, etc. Whatever your holiday is make it fun, and stay on track.
  6. Make it a game: Finding ways to get a workout in is fun. Take walks/runs around the new neighborhood. Look at the scheduled activities if there are any, and swee where you can fit it in. If your family is going to the beach, plan to spend 15 minutes running through the tide. You can find some time anywhere. If you are traveling in a caravan/RV do a squat challenge during your travels.

You might be wondering why I am mentioning any of this. We trained Muay Thai on Halloween, in costume and it was great fun.

Monday 10/26/2020:1 hour, 1 mile run, glute activation, lower body, core workout

Woot done!

So this glute activation I have been doing lately is to address some tightness, sometimes soreness of my IT band and pain in the outer knee. Research says that when you stretch, activate abs develop your gluteus muscles all three. Everyone knows the Gluteus Maximus, but it’s the Gluteus Medius, and Gluteus Minimus that are typically underdeveloped or undertrained.

This can cause knee pain, IT band pain, affect your run, lower back, and your feet. On the other hand if you focus on working all of the these it will help the above problems. Also another perk is it makes your butt look pretty! Lol

It is probably to early to tell a difference, but I will say today I knocked 15 seconds off my run time. I was not pushing it. I was doing my steady state run just for cardio and warm up.

Workout after 1 mile run below:

8 min Glute activation– only do these exercises till you feel your glutes activate but not to failure. You want to make the mind body connection between the muscle groups.
1) Mini band glute bridge 25 reps
2) Mini band clam shell 25L 25R reps
3) Donkey Kick 15L 15R reps
4) Fire Hydrant 20L 20R reps
5) Reverse hyper – on the bench. (little hard on my back but will get better) 10 reps

20 minute lower body workout – Each set is 10 minutes long – x 2 sets… 45 seconds on 15 seconds
1) Jump Squats
2) Alternating Stepping Lunge
3) Single Leg Hip Thrusts Left (Note: if you don’t feel your glute activating during this exercise use 80/20 hip thrust instead. I did this to get a better activation.)
4) Single Leg Hip Thrust Right
5) Alternating Stiff/single Leg Deadlift
6) Standing Calf Raise
7) Speed Air Squats
8 )Alternating Side Lunges
9) Hamstring Heel Curl
10 ) Static Squat Hold

Burn Out Glute Activation 8 min
1) Straight Leg Fire Hydrant – 40 reps each side L and R – point toe down to activate gluteus medius
2) Bird Dog Slider 25 reps each side L and R – I used a sour cream lid because I don’t have a slider disk
3) Side Balance leg circles 30 seconds each side L and R
4) Side Balance leg curls 30 seconds each side L and R

Core workout 7 minute – 60 seconds each
1) Seated Ab Circles clockwise circles
2) Seated Ab Circles counter clockwise circles
3) Plank Mountain climbers 30 seconds rest
4) Marching Planks
5) Scissor Kicks
6) Starfish Crunches 30 seconds rest
7) Russian V tuck twist (these were hard for me)

Workout #2: 1 mile run, and coaching H in my morning workout

I can’t believe it! Normally my second run I am slower than my first one of the day. Today just this morning I took 15 seconds of my normal running time. Just a steady state run, I was not pushing at all.

This run with H I ran steady state again, took another 20 seconds off!!! 20 seconds off, I was not trying to run harder. I just ran. This was another steady state run.

Anyway we focused on time and attention to the eccentric motions. Glute activation, with the mind body connection. We will get H there. Also it’s great for me, we are working on making those muscles stronger. Woot! 🍑🍑🍑

Tuesday 10/27/2020: 1 hour and 15 minutes of Muay Thai training

We worked elbows today! Yay!

Also tweaking my stance just the tiniest bit changed the magnitude in power for my Teep a and kicks. I had gotten into the habit of blading my body to much. So now just working on squaring my hips toward my target.

You can see me working on my hip squaring in the video. On my instagram #sharpcupcake You can see H have to readjust the belly pad because my kicks were transferring more power through his body. That equals ouch. 😁

I had a great day at training and loved working the elbows. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

Training: Jump squats, jab cross blitz, elbow blitz, and kick ladders for active recovery between rounds.

1) Jab, Cross, Lead Elbow # 1, Jab, Cross, Rear Elbow # 1, Jab, Cross, Lead Elbow # 2, Jab, Cross, Rear Elbow # 2. continue through elbows 1 – 9
2) held pads for H

3) Jab, Cross, Lead Elbow # 1, Rear Elbow # 3, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
4) Held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Shovel Hook, Chain Lead Elbow # 2, Rear Elbow # 6, Rear Elbow # 7, get out of the pocket
6) Held pads for H

7) Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Lead Elbow # 4, Lead Elbow # 5, get out of the pocket
8) Held Pads for H

9) Jab, Cross, Hook, Lead Elbow # 1, Rear Elbow # 9, Lead Elbow # 9, Rear Elbow #3, Rear Knee, Rear Kick, block blows/get out of the pocket.
10 ) Held pads for H

Extra curricular: Worked on kicks and my stance. Squaring up my stance instead of blading my body so much.

Wednesday 10/28/2020: 1 hour – 1 mile run, 45 minute upper body weight lifting workout 🏋️‍♀️

Whew I kicked my own butt! What a great workout.

We all have things about our bodies we don’t like. I can I can name more than I have fingers for in these pictures. Hips, thighs, arms,… etc. But I am trying to rewire the way I think, the way I see things. I can see the good in everyone else. I should be able to see the good in me.

So here is a start. I love how strong I am. I love that I can ask my body to perform and it does. I am working to be the best me I can, that means mentally as well.

I also understand I will have bad days, down days, but not every day is going to be positive and upbeat. I just have to keep picking myself back up. Then I try to keep moving forward.

Training: focus on time and attention on eccentric motion. I focused on doing compound movements then doing a focused movement.

1 mile run

Weightlifting:

1) Front Raise to Lateral Raise 5x sets of 10 to 15 reps
2) Overhead Tricep Extension 5x sets of 10 reps
3) Chest Press to Shoulder Press 5x sets of 10 reps
4) Bicep Curl 40 lb w/ resistance band 5x sets of 15 reps
5) Lat Pull Down 30 lb resistance band 50 reps
6) Elbow Plank to Pushups 5x sets 6 reps
7) Halos w/ 25lb Kettlebell 3x sets of 10L 10R reps

Core: 1 minute each exercise
1) Clockwise seated ab circles
2) Counterclockwise seated ab circles
3) Drunken Mountain Climbers
30 seconds rest
4) Marching Planks
5) Scissors
6) Starfish Crunches
30 seconds rest
7) Russian V Tucks

Workout #2: 1 mile run and coaching

H through my workout this morning. Get out there and if you can find a buddy to workout with you.

We are doing upper body today. So Bi’s, Tri’s, shoulders, lats, and chest. Focus on the eccentric motion. (The elongating of muscle in tension after contraction.) We are working our muscles to failure. Doing 5 sets of a moderate weight.

Thursday 10/29/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

Today was a great day. I was working on squaring up my hips and working through the drills. I am going to have to be more conscious about it till I retrain my body. I did not realize how much I was blading my body. I am glad I am working on fixing it now.

We had a skills demo, and test today. Congratulations to Kevin, Ashley, and Guy on earning new Pra Jiad (ranking armband).

Then we worked similar drills to Tuesday’s class.

I was sore from our upper body workout, but it felt good to get warmed up and working. I find I heal faster when I do.Thank you for class Khun Kru Krysta!

Saturday 10/31/2020: Happy Halloween Muay Thai training. 2 hours and 15 mins.

I made a His and Hers costume for us. His says Fairtex the brand of thai pads, and mine says Fairer Sex! Hahah. Pic included to show actual size of pads vs gigantic ones I made.

Training was great fun. 1 hour of staff class, 1 hour of Muay Thai training 15 minutes of sparring after class.

Woot! We had so much fun, and Khun Kru Krysta got video of our ridiculous costumes when we did jumping jacks.

Yay, we worked the 17 count, and some drills. It was great. Now I am pooped.

We having been training during the holidays for years. I can tell you that as an athlete in competitive sports we trained all the time rain or shine. We only took off days like Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, etc. Major holidays and just the day of.

If we had to travel coaches would say, “make sure to get your calisthenics in. Don’t forget to train, and if you can get some laps in.”

I find it a challenge and make it like a game to find ways to train while I travel. I have found challenges like squat challenges that I ended up doing at some famous sites, and have pictures of. Squatting in front of a national memorial might get you looks from others, but you will have amazing memories, and have gotten a workout in. Win win!

Thanks for reading. If you liked it please let me know, click the like button. If you want to hear more of my adventures subscribe and of course if you want to comment I would love to hear from you.

Have a great week.

Training Martial Arts 10/19/2020: When Your Want Is Greater Than Obstacles In Life

Part of making a change in your life, in your routine, in your health and training is wanting it more than any obstacles that are thrown in your way. When your want is greater than the obstacles in front of you, you can do anything.

Some of the obstacles you can avoid and set yourself up for success.

  1. Knowing your schedule: Lunch at 12 pm, Meeting at 2 pm. You have an hour to two hours to get a workout in. So you plan your day and your workout ahead of time.
  2. Setting up a workout routine: setting up a workout routine helps keep you on track. Trying to come up with a workout while you are trying to do it is difficult. Sometimes you will not challenge yourself as much as you could. Sometimes you will not remember how heavy, and what intensity you did the same workout before.
  3. Make it a priority: Making your workout, your training a priority will help when you have to prioritize your activities in the day.
  4. Inform your support group: Let your loved ones and friends know your goals, what you plan to do, when you plan to do it. This helps them when they are planning their events. This also helps you stay on track. They can be a voice of reason, support, or even encouragement.

Sometimes obstacles are unavoidable and will come at you fast. You can throw your hands in the air and give up on your goals. Or you can adapt and wedge your workouts in where you can.

  1. Stop and regroup: Sometimes a meeting comes up and messes up your routine. Instead of giving up on your training for the day. Look at your schedule and see where you have time. Wedge it in even if it is right before bed.
  2. Change up your workout: If you have something come up and you cannot use the time you had allotted. Work in what you can. If you only have 20 minutes get a run in around the block.
  3. Keep your training/workout a priority: If you keep a priority you are more likely to find a way to get it in.
  4. Make it a game/challenge with yourself: its going to be hard in some cases to get the workout in, so make it a game/challenge. See where you can wedge it in. This way you won’t just say F’ it, the day is shot. I at least find it more fun this way to try to wedge it in.
  5. Be kind to yourself you can control how you respond: It is not easy to switch gears all the time. Sometimes it is out of your hands. You may be waiting to workout with a partner but they are detained, you may be wanting to do an outdoor workout but it is raining. These things are not in your control but you can control what you do and how you react.

This week was that kind of week for me. Obstacles came in many directions. My want is greater than those obstacles. I came into this week with a rib still dislocated. My partners work was going to mess up our Muay Thai training for Saturday. The person I was waiting for to train with on Saturday decided they needed a rest day, so I had to regroup and do the training on my own.

Monday 10/19/2020: 58 minute – 8 minute glute activation warm up, 1 mile run, 20 minute lower body workout, 8 minute glute burn out, 7 min ab/core workout

Been resting since Thursday. I went to chiropractor on Friday to find out I had two ribs out, I had suspected 1 rib, so I rested my back for last three days.

But back on the wagon today. I still have a rib out I can feel it, but does not hurt nearly as bad as it did.

So since I had time to change up my workouts and plan to try something new I stated a new way to do my workout.

Training: Lower body workout day, I started with a glute activation

8 min Glute activation– only do these exercises till you feel your glutes activate but not to failure. You want to make the mind body connection between the muscle groups you will be using.

1) Mini band glute bridge
2) Mini band clam shell
3) Donkey Kick
4) Fire Hydrant
5) Reverse hyper – on the bench. (little hard on my back but will get better)

20 minute lower body workout – Each set is 10 minutes long – x 2 sets… 45 seconds on 15 seconds rest
1) Jump Squats
2) Alternating Stepping Lunge
3) Single Leg Hip Thrusts Left (Note: if you don’t feel your glute activating during this exercise use 80/20 hip thrust instead. I did this to get a better activation.)
4) Single Leg Hip Thrust Right
5) Alternating Stiff/single Leg Deadlift
6) Standing Calf Raise
7) Speed Air Squats
8) Alternating Side Lunges
9) Hamstring Heel Curl
10 ) Static Squat Hold Burn Out

Glute Activation 8 min
1) Straight Leg Fire Hydrant – 40 reps each side L and R – point toe down to activate gluteus medius
2) Bird Dog Slider 25 reps each side L and R – I used a sour cream lid because I don’t have a slider disk
3) Side Balance leg circles 30 seconds each side L and R
4) Side Balance leg curls 30 seconds each side L and R

Core workout 7 minute – 60 seconds each exercise , 3 exercises then 30 seconds rest.
1) Seated Ab Circles clockwise circles
2) Seated Ab Circles counter clockwise circles
3) Plank Mountain climbers
———–30 seconds rest
4) Marching Planks
5) Scissor Kicks
6) Starfish Crunches
————30 seconds rest
7) Russian V tuck twist (these were hard for me)

Workout #2: 1 mile run and partial of what I did in the morning for Lower body workout.

H said he wanted to get more workouts in than just the Muay Thai training days. So to help I told him I would do a second workout on Mondays and Wednesday with him to help him out. He has a hard time getting the energy to do it after work so I just grab him right when he gets home so he can’t think about it and say no. First day he has done it after work, and hoping we can make it a habit for him and us together.

Tuesday 10/20/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

It was so nice to get back into the gym again. We worked the Thai 4 counts. I love coming back to these, and getting back to basics.

I still have one rib dislocated but I feel much much better. I just avoided clenching tonight.

It was an amazingly fun class. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta! It was a great workout and great training.

Training: jab cross burn out, kick burn out, Minnesota Shuffle burn out between rounds
1) jab, cross, left kick, right kick

2) rear kick, hook, cross, rear kick
3) held pads for H

4) lead kick, cross, hook, lead kick
5) held pads for H

6) rear kick, hook, cross, lead kick
7) held for H

8 ) lead kick, cross, hook, rear kick
9) held for H

Remember to clean your equipment! Especially during Covid-19.

Wednesday 10/21/2020: 1 hour 10 mins – 1 mile run and Biceps, Triceps, shoulders day, core workout 10 min warm up before run

1 mile run

Weight lifting: 50 minutes Biceps, Triceps, Shoulders
1) front raise to lateral raise- 2 x 10 lbs , 5x sets of 8 reps
2) overhead triceps extension – 20 lb kettlebell, 5x sets of 10 reps – ( set 4 I got 9 reps, set 5 I only got 8 reps)
3) chest press to shoulder press – 2 x 10 lbs , 5x sets of 8 reps
4) push up to elbow plank – 3 x sets of 5
5) Bicep curl 30 lb resistance – 5 x sets of 15 reps
6) Lat pull downs 30 lb resistance- 50 reps
7) halos – 25 lb kettlebell, 3 x sets of 10 counter clockwise and 10 clockwise

Core workout 7 minute – 60 seconds each exercise , 3 exercises then 30 seconds rest.
1) Seated Ab Circles clockwise circles
2) Seated Ab Circles counter clockwise circles
3) Plank Mountain climbers
———-30 seconds rest
4) Marching Planks
5) Scissor Kicks
6) Starfish Crunches
———-30 seconds rest
7) Russian V tuck twist (these were hard for me)

I finally got a full set of resistance bands that will got up to a 150 lb pull when you use all together. I need to invest in some actual dumbbells, I used plates from my barbell set for this. But you use what you have and you make it work.

Workout #2: 1 mile run with H, and coached him through my workout I did today.

Also my outfit is on point and I look cute! We worked on compound movements, like front raise to lateral raise, and then moved onto more isolated muscle focus. Like bicep curls and lats pull downs. With the isolated muscle focus, we worked on time and attention on the eccentric movements. Did core work, and glute activation again. Yay!

Thursday 10/22/2020: 1 hour and 10 minutes Muay Thai

Whew it was an amazing day of training. My ribs are feeling better. And while I am sore from yesterday’s upper body workout day, I had a great class. I kept my energy up and did not get into my head about my mistakes. It’s a constant battle of mine.

Funny quote of the day. “None of you are Sanchai, so don’t do it.” Khun Kru Krysta.

Also got two rounds of extra curricular pop the leather in with H after class. I am pooped. Happy to have a rest day tomorrow to let my tired muscles rest. 😁

Training: ladder kicks 1-5, double kicks, and Minnesota shuffle for active recovery between rounds
1) Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Kick
2) held pads for H

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

5) Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick
6) held pads for H

7) Jab, Lead Kick, Cross, Rear Kick (I did this in a flow trying to go non stop)
8 ) held pads for H

9) Cross, Lead Kick, step back after kick to switch stance, Cross, Lead Kick
10) held pads for H

Extra Curricular
11) Two rounds of pop the leather

Woot what a great day!

Saturday 10/24/2020: 45 minutes – 1 mile run and Full body weight lifting workout

Some days things just don’t go to plans. Sometimes what you expect to happen, plan to happen, just does not follow suit.

So you get your workout in when and where you can.

And then sometimes fresh fruit is waiting for you after your workout, so it makes things all the better.

1 mile run

Weight lifting:
1) cross over – using resistance bands 3x sets of 20 reps
2) Back squat – Olympic barbell – 3x sets of 8
3) shoulder press – using resistance band 3x sets of 8
4) Front Raise to Lateral Raise – using plates 3x sets of 10
5) Good Morning – Olympic barbell- 3x sets of 10
6) Bulgarian Split Squat – 3x sets of 15 each leg
7) Frog hip thrusters- 3x sets of 15
8 ) Bicep Curls – resistance band, 3x sets of 20

So while not what I expected I still got one in. Yay!
Also wore one of my favorite shirts.

I had so many obstacles this week. Some were known, some were out of the blue. Some were avoidable, some were unavoidable.

  1. Rib out (unavoidable, unplanned)
  2. Work schedule being messed up (planned, unavoidable)
  3. Partner not wanting to workout after I planned for said partner and waited (unplanned, unavoidable)
  4. Weather not working with us (unplanned, avoidable)

But I did my workouts, I went to my training, I did not let those things derail me as they can so easily do.

Now you won’t be able to plan around, avoid, and wedge a workout in all the time. You will have days where there is no time to do that. No extra time, no down time. You will have days where your body says no…Those are understandable.

However, if you have days where things come up, your plans are scattered, and you still have time and or with a little creative juggling you can wedge a workout/training in. Don’t let those obstacles derail you while you throw your hands in the air. You are the one that is in control of how you react to a situation. I have to still tell myself that on those days when s*$t is just not going to plan.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a fantastic day, and week to come. If you liked this post, please click the like button so I know. If you want to follow my adventures, subscribe, and if you want drop me a line, or comment please feel free to do so.