Tag: Kali

Martial Arts 12/26/2019: "What is the point of kicking twice if you have to kick twice?" Khun Kru Krysta

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, FitnessLeave a comment

Hello and today marks the first day of training for me after the holiday Christmas for us. This week the gym was closed some of the days understandably and so my training week is shortened. However, I find I am enjoying having some time off to let my body recuperate.

Normally my schedule is 5 days a week of martial arts training, and 3 days a week of weight lifting. So its good to rest.

I titled this week with the quote from my instructor Khun Kru Krysta. “What is the point of kicking twice if you have to kick twice?” If you don’t kick hard the first time and have to kick the second time, then you have wasted your first kick. Or if you are going to kick twice make them both hard.

Thursday 12/26/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai and Kali

Boxing day today. When usually means you go through all your old things and find goods and food you can give away to help others.

Today in Muay Thai we focused on boxing. Moving in and moving out, being light on our feet, and striking then returning our hands to our face.

We also had the opportunity to donate to the gym some of our old used equipment so that the brand new students have something to use till they can get their own.

H and I were able to donate two sets of boxing gloves, shin guards, and an old MMA glove set, that was to big for me. This I believe was organized by Khun Kru Krysta and we were happy to be able to help.

Muay Thai:

  1. Jab, catch, jab, opponent throws a jab and you catch it and you jab back and they catch it, then they throw a jab and you catch it.
  2. Jab, parry, jab, opponent throws a jab, you parry jab, and you jab then opponent parry’s jab, then they throw jab and you parry jab.
  3. They jab, then you parry, and throw leg kick
  4. Boxing twenty – jab, cross, hook, cross, bob and weave cross, hook, bob and weave, hook, cross, cover rear body shot, return upper cut, cross, cover front body shot, return uppercut, cross, hook, duck/or dive a big overhand and then body shot to get out, hook, cross

Apparently my boxing is tight and “crispy”. My partner for the night said that it was crispy. I am old enough to have two kids that are 11 and 10 so I am old. =) I think that means it is good and he was surprised about my speed and strikes. Ability to hit my targets keep my shots in the box in front of my body and the power in them. So I will take it.

Kali –

We worked on asymmetrical sparring, knife against stick, or stick against bare hands.

Friday 12/27/2019 – 1 hour… Muay Thai

Tony my coach kicked my booty again. This was conditioning training.

He started us out with kettle bell swings, and burpees. Then we did pad work, clench, and then we finished with core training. 136 swings and 136 burpees total.

Ladder, and Reverse ladder

  1. 1 KB swing (25 lbs for me) and 16 Burpees
  2. 2 KB swings and 15 Burpees
  3. 3 KB swings and 14 Burpees
  4. 4 KB swings and 13 Burpees
  5. 5 KB swings and 12 Burpees
  6. 6 KB swings and 11 Burpees
  7. 7 KB swings and 10 Burpees
  8. 8 KB swings and 9 Burpees
  9. 9 KB swings and 8 Burpees
  10. 10 KB swings and 7 Burpees
  11. 11 KB swings and 6 Burpees
  12. 12 KB swings and 5 Burpees
  13. 13 KB Swings and 4 Burpees
  14. 14 KB Swings and 3 Burpees
  15. 15 KB Swings and 2 Burpees
  16. 16 KB Swings and 1 Burpees
  17. 5 minute round of hitting the bag.
  1. three rounds of pad holding for partner
  2. three rounds of hitting pads, (jab, cross, lead kick, horizontal rear elbow, double lead kick, side in drop elbow
  3. 2 rounds of clench sparring

Finishing exercises – 45 seconds each exercise

  1. side to side kicks, or scissor kicks
  2. crunches
  3. mountain climbers
  4. oblique crunches
  5. bicycles

I got a compliment on my kettle bell swings. Also one of my old coaches said you can do heavier weight Tanya, here swing this. It was 33 lbs or 15 kilos. That is far more than I normally do. I did not think I could do that but she had faith in me. So I guess I need to go buy another kettle bell that is heavier than 25 lbs.

Saturday 12/28/2019 – 3 hours… Muay Thai

Yup just about three hours. We did conditioning rounds, pad rounds and on the bag rounds. I got a total of 35 x 3 minute rounds in. I also got a round in where I got my numbers of kicks and knees in for the Thai test coming up.

Some days you just have to put the mat time in. It is not glamorous, and sometimes grinding out the training can be annoying and boring. I however, have fantastic partners in training. I have an awesome set of coaches/trainers/Kru that help me out.

So while I am exhausted, gonna take a nap here in a bit. I got a great workout in, and I got to do it with people I love.

In class we worked on boxing. I got lots of work in, and had a blast doing it.

I made a video of me working on the bag.

I finished the week off with a bang. I did a total of 6 hours of training in 3 days. Six hours is not bad for a shortened week of training. Give everything you have, pick yourself up when you fall, and keep trying. If I can do it I believe you can do it too. Kick hard both times, and don’t sacrifice power for speed. Keep working to be the best you that you can be.

Martial Arts 12/17/2019: A Horizontal Elbow is Just a Shortened Hook

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, workoutLeave a comment

The holiday season is upon us. The hustle and bustle is pressing, and work is still going on. But the one thing that helps me focus is my martial arts training. I am tired, because, there is so much to do. It was so nice turn everything else off and just focus on my training.

If you throw a hook, and shorten it, it is an elbow. At least the #1 horizontal elbow is a shortened hook. This little tidbit last year really helped me realize how to do the mid range hooks.

Tuesday 12/17/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai and Kali/Silat

Today in Muay Thai, we continued our month of elbows to clenches. I can feel my elbow strikes getting much better in execution. I am executing them well because I am stepping in, I am using my body, and I am throwing them with good form. Yay progress…!

  1. lead elbow #2 upward diagonal elbow, rear elbow #6 side in elbow, lead elbow #9 spinning backward elbow, and lead elbow #1 horizontal elbow when opponent advances.
  2. lead elbow #1 horizontal elbow, rear #8 lady putting flower behind her ear elbow, clench, 3 skip knees #2, off balance spin out, and kick
  3. Clench to 3 skip knee #2, off balance, to spin out, to double rear kick.
  4. We then got a chance to do the man in the middle drill. It was so much fun. This is a clench drill with three people. One man in the middle has to switch up between the other two to clench and get knees in. The third person has to have a hand on middle persons back.

Kali/Silat

We worked on disarms, asymmetrical sparring, blocking, passing, cutting stabbing and C cuts.

Wednesday 12/18/2019 – 1.5 hours… Muay Thai

If you have been practicing martial arts for a while I am sure you have experienced this phenomenon. If you have not, look out for it. It is absolutely amazing. This phenomenon I am talking about is the, your trainer asks you to do one thing just slightly different and it completely throws you off.

We are often taught about advancing when fighting. Today we were doing advancing drills for jab, jab, cross. However, Tony had us doing it were we had to attack while backing up. Let me say that again. Attack while backing up. Now you might think yeah… nah that is easy. But then your brain will mess you up.

So what I had to do was work on the footwork first and then work on adding the punch in. Focus a pendulum step back while throwing a jab. This felt so counter intuitive. However, by the time we finished I was able to get some what comfortable with it. This is a drill I will have to practice on my own. But it is great for when some one is advancing and you need to pop some in punches in there and then return a harder one.

Warm UP:

  1. 3 minute jump rope
  2. 1 minute burpees
  3. 3 minute jump rope

Training:

  1. Jab, jab, cross, advancing x 2 rounds
  2. Jab, jab, cross, while backing up x 2 rounds (focus on pendulum feet)
  3. Jab, jab, rear kick x 2 rounds
  4. Drill 1: x 2 rounds
    1. 1 – Jab, rear kick, lead hook, rear cross, lead hook
    2. 2 – Jab, cross, lead kick, rear cross, lead hook, rear cross
    3. 30 seconds of kicking after every round
  5. Drill 2: x 2 rounds
    1. 1 with elbow – Jab, rear knee, lead elbow
    2. 2 with elbow – Jab, cross, lead knee, rear elbow
    3. 2 with hands – Jab, rear knee, lead hook, rear cross, lead hook
    4. 2 with hands – Jab, cross, lead knee, rear cross, lead hook, rear cross
    5. 30 seconds of knees after every round

Cool Down:

  1. 30 seconds of flutter kicks
  2. 30 seconds of side scissor kicks
  3. 30 seconds of sit ups
  4. 30 seconds of planks

Thursday 12/19/2019 – 3 hours… Muay Thai and Kali

Whew I am exhausted today. My husband asked me if I wanted to practice/pad rounds, the hour before class we were going to be at the gym. My answer was no. I don’t want to, because I have been up since 4:30 am

Conditioning rounds with Tony

Muay Thai:

  1. Jump rope for 3 minutes
  2. Jab, clench, three knees, push out, teep
  3. Jab, cross, three knees, push out, teep
  4. Jab, lead hook, lead elbow, knees, push off, teep
  5. Clench, to step in off balance, to curved knees
  6. Clench sparring

Kali:

Again working on disarms, asymmetrical sparring, knife and stick.

  1. Disarm an assailant with a stick with bear hands on a #2 strike, or on the outside.
  2. Disarm an assailant with a stick with a knife in hand, on a #2 strike, or on the outside.
  3. C cut
  4. Asymmetrical sparring, one person has a stick and one has a knife.

Friday 12/20/2019 – 1 hour 20 minutes… Muay Thai and Kali

My trainer kicked my booty today. I mean it was one of the hardest workouts I have done in a long time. We had to do a ladder of exercises and run around the gym. I was gassed afterward.

I did the maths, and if I am correct, I think we did 210 burpees, 210 push ups, and 210 mountain climbers, with 20 laps of the gym.

Then he had us doing pad work. It was so hard to keep going after that ladder. But I kept working the pads. Tony brought the 110% out of me today. I loved it and I hated it. It was a fantastic workout.

  1. 20 of each burpees, push ups, mountain climbers, run around the gym onces
  2. 19 of each burpees, push ups, mountain climbers, run around the gym once
  3. 18 of each
  4. 17 of each
  5. 16 of each
  6. 15 of each
  7. 14 of each
  8. 13 of each
  9. 12 of each
  10. 11 of each
  11. 10 of each
  12. 9 of each
  13. 8 of each
  14. 7 of each
  15. 6 of each
  16. 5 of each
  17. 4 of each
  18. 3 of each
  19. 2 of each
  20. 1 of each

Then pad work:

  1. lead kick, rear cross, lead body hook, rear elbow, rear knee, lead leg kick
  2. lead double leg kick, rear cross, lead body hook, rear elbow, 2 x lead leg kick
  3. Clenching flow drilling

I am absolutely pooped. When we went to the gym today, I really did not want to do the workout. I did it cause I feel like those days when I really don’t want to go, I should go. I may not necessarily learn more, but I will push through and I will teach my body to do so. I am so happy that I stuck it out and came to class. I had my booty kicked but it was so worth it. I feel accomplished.

Thank you for reading. I learned a lot of things like attacking while backing up. I learned that asymmetric sparring with one double handed sword against 2 sticks is hard. Both those things melted my brain. I am I did it. I am happy I learned it. I have to work on those things for sure, but I learned it. I hope you have a great weekend and Happy Holiday season and a Very Merry Christmas if you celebrate it. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Martial Arts 12/10/2019: If you want to hit the face hit the belly!

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, Weight Lifting, workoutLeave a comment

I am so lucky to have such great teachers/trainers. They often talk about counter attacks, movement, and also how best to get your strikes in. One of the things we hear often and it is very true. If you want to hit the face hit the belly, and vice versa. Changing levels allows you to control the fight. Often times when you hit low people will instinctively cover that area, then the face is open. If you hit the face or even go for the face they will keep their hands up and leave their torso open.

Tuesday 12/10/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai and Kali

Today begins my martial arts training for the week. It was a great day of class.

Lots of elbows in class, and conditioning training for Muay Thai.

  1. lead #1/horizontal elbow, rear #3/downward diagonal elbow, rear #7/inside out elbow
  2. Lead #1/horizontal elbow, rear #2/upward diagonal elbow, rear #7/inside out elbow
  3. Lead #1/horizontal elbow, rear #2/upward diagonal elbow, to lead #9/spinning back elbow

In Kali we worked on several different combos. They were all flowing very well, then of course changing just one thing made my brain melt again like Kali does. We did all 48 combos, and then asymmetrically trained with one person doing two sticks, and one drilling partner doing dos manos hold (two hand hold like a Japanese sword).

I felt so tethered keeping both hands on the blade. It feels like I don’t have as much reach, and you have to move your body in a completely different way to meet your partners blows, and avoid getting hit. You have to execute a lot of abaniko moves when holding a sword to keep from getting hit.

Abaniko – means fan

It was a fun class, but it really did melt my brain. Just when I think I am getting everything. I am learning the moves and flowing well. We change one thing, and my brain melts. That is one of the things I love about Kali.

Thursday 12/12/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai and Kali

Thai
Elbows, clenches and knees oh my!

We worked on elbows to clench, and knee transitions today.

  1. Lead #1/horizontal elbow, rear #6/side in elbow, rear #7/side out elbow, rear roll to clench, full plumb, and run 3 knees, spin out opponent, and kick
  2. Lead #1/horizontal elbow, lead #7/side out elbow, rear #8/tach malak or lady putting flower in her hair elbow, clench to full plumb, spin out opponent, and double kick

Kali
48 strike drill
Dos Manos Brain melting asymmetrical sparring.

Friday 12/13/2019 – 1 hours… Muay Thai and Kali

Today Tony kicked my booty. But that was a great thing. I want to get stronger and stronger.

  1. Jumping Rope for 3 minutes
  2. conditioning: 3 x 3 minutes of foot shuffle, and hopping hurdles
  3. mountain climber with a punch on bag and skip knee number 2 x 1 minute 3 minutes alternating between
  4. lead teep, shuffle into lead body hook, rear upper cut, lead head hook, immediately double kick wi
  5. thout taking a step.
  6. rear torso kick, to rear hop double kick
  7. Then I did 200 kicks to the bag, and 200 teeps to the bag.

I am exhausted. But the good kind of exhausted… you know? I am about to go pass out in my bed. I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for reading.

Martial Arts 12/03/2019: Back At Training After Holiday Shenanigans

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Fitness, Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, Weight Lifting, workoutLeave a comment

Yup back in the saddle again. We had a holiday here. It is called Thanksgiving over here in the U.S. of A.

What this meant is decreased classes due to gym being closed, and trainers wanting to spend time with family. Sheesh… *I am kidding, I kid*.

Also my daughter brought home some lovely germs. We all seemed to have caught during the holiday week a small version of the flu.

So due to all of that above, I attended a total of 1 count it one day of martial arts training this last week. I did do a weight lifting workout on Sunday, but its not the same.

Well we are back after the holiday shenanigans and starting a new week of martial arts training. To be perfectly honest, I really needed the break. Not only did I feel like death for a few days, due to the cold/flu. My body needed a break.

Tuesday 12/03/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai and Kali

Tony kicked our butts again today. He had us doing 5 minutes of ladder drills, and 5 minutes of jumping rope. Then 3 minutes of shadow boxing jab and cross.

Today we worked on jab, foot movement, and keeping our hands up for blocking,

We worked on jab, cross, again focusing on extension and foot movement.

Then we worked on a lead side teep to, lead kick, followed by rear kick.

It was a great day of class. I also got to help two new people in class. I hope they come back.

Kali- Lock Flow Drill 1-12

Ok so I have been taking Kali for 2 years. I have known about this drill for just about that long. It has taken me all this time for it to finally sink in. I understand the drill. I know it is not how you were disarm, and or use all of this in a fight, however, I understand the drill.

When I first started out, trying to remember all 12 moves was daunting. I could only get 1 or 2 down. Over the years it seems to have been building up. I got it today. I got it and I remember all 12. Now do I do it perfectly. NOPE! But can I repeat the drill at home… YESSSS! I am so excited. When I finally realize I can do something, I have been working on. It seems to sneak up on me. I don’t go into class going… yup been here done that… I know it. No I go into class, and when we start moving, and drilling I seem to understand the flow.

Here is a video of me doing just that. I start and stop, and I chopped up this video so that you did not have to see such a repetitive process.

I got a really nice compliment from my teacher today. He said my control was great. I was controlling the assailants knife, and his actions and using his force/momentum to turn it back around onto him.

Tuesday 12/04/2019 – 3 hours… Running, Weight lifting, BJJ and Muay Thai

Today was a great day. I was able to get a run in, I did the weight lifting workout that my trainer sent me and that I did before on Sunday.

BJJ:
I got a chance to go to my BJJ class. That is the class that suffers the most to my time crunch, and juggling our life. But today was great we worked on:

  1. Taking the back
  2. What to do if you lose control or your choke, you move to mount
  3. Choking/choke hold from the back, under hooks, and seat belt grip
  4. Arm bar from behind
  5. Taking the back, control with choke, flipping opponent, and forcing their face into the mat/ground, while choking them.

It was a lot of fun. But so hard to do well. BJJ is an art that takes time and patience to do.

Muay Thai:

Today was great… I got to do a bunch of cool things. One of which was the alligator crawls. Whew that was a whole body burner. I am going to do more of those.

This is what an alligator crawl is:

Tony my trainer had us doing:

  1. we did a full body conditioning warm up
  2. jab, cross, leg kicks
  3. jab, cross, body hook, face hook, leg kick, face hook, cross
  4. shield kick then kick round house
  5. shield kick then double round house
  6. we worked on hooks on the bag
  7. we worked on lead shield then double lead kick, then rear kick
  8. Then we did abs

I made a video of me doing some of the bag work.

Tuesday 12/05/2019 – 1 hours… Muay Thai

Today was a great day in Muay Thai training. I learned and grew some.

It started out frustrating so I took a negative and made it a positive.

I really dislike when some of the new guys, I say guys cause I have never run into a girl doing this. I am sure it can happen but from my experience it’s young new guys. They have something to prove. So they hit way to hard in drills, and sometimes don’t take feedback/pointers from me. This one did not know how to hold Thai pads to boot. I was frustrated and annoyed. But I took a second to steel myself and turned it around, I got to know him a bit and tried to make it a teaching platform. I kept reminding him on how to hold the pads and let him know if he did not hold well he could get hurt and I could get hurt. He says he is having a good time and likes Muay Thai class.

It will take a while for him to get our gyms culture. He has been with us for a few months already. He says he came from a Krav back round.

I am going to continue to try to come at working with this individual this way. Here’s hoping he gets it.

Friday 12/06/2019 – 1 hour… Muay Thai

We did conditioning training again today. We worked the ladder, and hurdles. Tony my trainer wants us to focus on fast feet. I know I need to work on my footwork and getting it faster. The faster my footwork the faster I will get in and out of the pocket. The faster I will be able to dodge incoming strikes. Etc.

It was super fun. I had a great time, and I am pooped.

This week was a great week of training, and I am so glad to be back after a holiday break. I do really miss training when I don’t get a chance to do it. Or when I am restricted from doing it cause work gets in the way.

I got 7 hours in, and other extra curricular training. =)

Have a great night. Thank you for reading, and let me know if you have any questions.

Martial Arts 11/19/2019: Any Gym Time is Good Time

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, Weight Lifting, workoutLeave a comment
This particular picture popped up in my FB feed today. I felt it was appropriate. This is a core belief of mine. Even on the days I don’t feel like getting in there. I do it because it is good for me.

This week we have a shorter training time. Our gym is running a seminar weekend and so we don’t have class on Friday and Saturday.

The extra rest may be a blessing. We will see. I may just train on my own just to keep working on things.

Tuesday 11/19/2019 – 2.5 hours… Muay Thai and Kali

It was so much fun tonight. I got to work with a brand new student who is 6 feet tall and named Steve. In Muay Thai we worked on distance management. And in Kali we worked on sword and shield, high box, full box, and Saint Chameel. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for the great class.

After class snack/meal. Yup I am weird but it tastes so good. I egg and 3 egg whites, radishes, and a baby cucumber!

Tuesday 11/19/2019 – 1 hour and 45 minutes… Kettle Bell and Muay Thai

I did it again. I made a kettle bell workout for myself, friend, and husband again. You can read about it here.

Kettle bell workout

Conditioning: 45 seconds to do the exercise 15 seconds rest between them

Coach Tony gave us a fantastic conditioning class. Thank you! Lots of explosive movements and functional movements. Whew I am exhausted. Did I say that yet? I will probably say it a few more times.

  1. bear crawls x 45 seconds
  2. half burpees
  3. side to side bear crawl
  4. step ups
  5. crab walk
  6. ninja jumps
  7. sit through
  8. side to side burpees

After my workout, and then three rounds of this.

We worked on double kick to knees and then elbows.

Tony then had us working on our core muscles. Whew… At this point in the night while I am writing this. I am exhausted. I may not remember all the exercises he had us do but you get the picture. My husband does not remember and is about to pass out. So that is of no help to me. =) I guess I am on my own, and with my own recollection.

  1. crunch up to touch ankles
  2. pike crunches
  3. bicycles
  4. ???
  5. knee to elbow in plank position
  6. plank elbow to hand raises
  7. ???
  8. 30 second planks with a weight on our back. I ended up doing 4 30 second planks, while everyone else did 2. Cause coach told me to, so I did.

But you get the gist of what happened to us. I am exhausted. I am in need of a shower, and I have to get up really early… I commonly say “at the ass crack of dawn”, but I digress. 4 am is coming soon, so that is it for this day.

We intended on going to the gym and training on Thursday, but life got in the way. Husband had a work emergency and had to take the car to deal with it. So this week I only did 4 hours 15 minutes of training. That is a huge deviation from our usual 8 to 10 hour training weeks. But When I first started my fitness journey I would have been so happy with that amount. It is amazing to think about how things have changed.

I can say my body has needed the break. And while I would have liked to train more. It is nice to have a break. As I said any time in the gym is good time. Try to stay positive and do what you can. Life will rear it ugly head sometimes, so just roll with it.

Thanks for reading. Have a great day. Keep working to be the best you that you can be. Like, comment, and share if you feel inspired to.

Martial Arts 11/12/2019: Strong Arms gives Strong Clench, Strong Claves Helps You Move More

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, vacation, Weight Lifting, workoutLeave a comment

When your friends ask you to put together a workout. That is what you do.

Since we are training conditioning to get ready for our level 1 test. I was asked to help make some weight lifting classes we could do this week I did a kettle bell session.

At the same time one of my trainers has upped our conditioning. At one point in the week I… lets say it hurt to do my daily activities. I hope to get stronger, get toned, lose more weight, and just get better over all in my martial arts.

I have the discipline to get into the gym and work myself up to 100%, however, I noticed I need the coaches to push me up and over my 100%. To get me to get past my top level to 110%. To pull one more set out, one more rep out. It is great to know your limitations and what you need to success.

Tuesday 11/12/2019 – 1.5 hours… Muay Thai

Guess who has two thumbs and 2 months about to get ready for her next test. Yep that is me.

Tony said, “strong arms gives strong clench, strong claves helps you move more.” What he means is this conditioning we do when we make our muscles stronger we can hold on better, and the better we work our calf muscles the better we will be at being light on our feet. Being light on our feet is necessary to be able to move around and get out and away from a strike.

Below is the training we did today.

  1. 2 x 3 minute knees 188, 221
  2. Plank for 30 seconds between each round
  3. 2 x 3 minute jump rope
  4. Squat and hold for 30 seconds between each round
  5. 2 x 3  minute rounds of 10 kicks on each side continuously
  6. Jumping Jacks between each round 30 seconds
  7. 2 x 3 minute rounds of Knees
  8. 2 x 3 minute rounds of 4 knees then 4 kicks
  9. Stretching.

Wednesday 11/13/2019 – 1.5 hours… Muay Thai, and Kettlebells

Whew what a workout today. I am going to be feeling it tomorrow. I put up the kettlebell workout I had myself and the guys do today before class.

Kettlebell Workout

My friend, husband, and I want to get more weight lifting in, and I am the one they turned to. So I made the above workout for us. Then Tony my instructor kicked out butts with this conditioning workout below. I am a dead girl as I type this. Here is hoping my recovery drink will help me shake off most of the D.O.M.S. tomorrow.

10 exercies for 45 seconds with 10 seconds rest between them

  1. Star burpees
  2. pushup and arm raises
  3. rotating squats
  4. lunge back and kick
  5. single leg hip raises
  6. squat on ball of feet
  7. star push ups
  8. sit up grab knees
  9. Ali – foot shuffle
  10. Bear crawls

Pushing knees across the mat 4 minutes

3 minute kick bag 5 times, switch with partner, then kick other leg 5 times and switch with partner.

Then he had us do abductors/core workout: Whew!

  1. crunches
  2. flutter kicks
  3. crunches
  4. single leg pike
  5. horizontal sissor kick
  6. single leg pike
  7. flutter kicks

Thursday 11/14/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai

Today was one of those days where I am exhausted. I am hurting because of delayed onset muscle soreness, and I am just done with the day. We did technique training today

In Muay Thai we worked on elbows, entries to elbows, countering elbows and combos with elbows.

We worked on a kick called the bicycle kick. It was very Capoeira-esc. I kicked the pad two times, but all the other times I looked silly.

Kali –

In Kali we worked on sword and shield. It was cool cause we got to do the shield and responses. This is different than the high box, and full box we have been doing. We did that as well, but it was nice to do a shield a hit and respond.

I am exhausted, I am kinda cranky, and my muscles hurt. Today was a great active rest day for me. I was running out of juice quickly toward the end of Kali, and just did not want to be there any more. But I made it in, and I put the mat time in.

When I am having this kind of day I know it is normal to have once in a while. I just don’t like it. Its important to just rep the skills out even if you are not having the best time.

Friday 11/15/2019 – 1+? hours… Muay Thai

Today was a better day. I thought about not going cause I was hurting a great deal from D.O.M.S. But I kicked my own butt in gear and went in.

1 hour or more of workout! It may be more cause our trainer Tony kicked our buts again. He kicked our butts so hard that we lost rack of time. It was a fantastic class. I went in hurting you know the good kind. Like it hurts to sneeze, it hurts to walk up your three story town home stairs, and it hurts to lower your butt to the toilet cause your muscles are dead. I don’t hurt now cause I stretched and my body is warm but it will hurt tomorrow.

Thank you so much Tony that was awesome class of conditioning, fast feet and core workout!

Conditioning

  1. 100 kettle bell swings
  2. 100 push ups
  3. 50 mountain climbers
  4. 100 rear lunges
  5. body weight squats
  6. 50 clean and press kettle bell
  7. Burpees – 20 seconds as many as you can. 10 seconds rest, 8 sets of 20 seconds.

    Agility/Fast feet
  8. Agility ladder x 5 rounds, at end of ladder either kick, knee, or kick and knee as instructor decided.
  9. run around the gym then back to the agility ladder

    Core Stations
  10. Ball pike
  11. stir the pot
  12. medicine ball sit up and press up
  13. Russian twists
  14. ab roll wheel
  15. stir the pot
  16. bosu ball plank kicks
  17. ball pike

Even though I was tired and my muscles hurt. I am glad I went in. I worked hard and over came my pain for now. Now I am exhausted and need sleep.

Saturday 11/16/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai

2 hours of training. Kali and Muay Thai training was awesome. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta it was awesome.

We worked on the running Saints, Saint Chameel and the Saint Villabrille in Kali. Then we worked on countering the jabs in and controlling the opponents arm/body in Muay Thai.

It was a great day. I got to work with my team mates and friends. I got to work on my skill, and technique.

Our training has just metamorphosed this way, or maybe it is a product of our increased level and training needs (getting ready for our level 1 test). However, our Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday classes tend to be technique and our Wednesday, Friday classes are our conditioning days. It is probably both.

My husband and I were talking about how our classes, just our technique classes would kick our butts. However, it is not the case any more. We have to do conditioning-centric classes to get our conditioning in.

It has been a great week of training. I may not have wanted to go every day, but I went in and got my training time in. I was insanely sore after Wednesday, then kept going. Training conditioning on Friday seemed to help with the soreness. I am sore now, tight and just need to rest.

Thanks for reading. I hope you are having a great weekend. Feel free to ask questions.

Martial Arts 11/5/2019: Muay Thai Seminar, Level 1 test seemed so far away, Relax and you will hit faster

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, workoutLeave a comment

This week starts with a really cool experience. I got to work with a girl whose first time in Muay Thai class was this day. I hope she comes back. She is shorter than I am which is amazing, because I am 5 foot nothing, and easily the shortest in the class. She had the same look on her face as I am sure I had on mine when I first started. The look of amazement, fear, and determination. I really hope she comes back.

I have mentioned it before, but working with brand new people, or just people that are not as far along as you can really highlight just how much you know compared to the average bear… Sorry that is an American colloquialism. The phrase is, “smarter than the average bear” A cartoon character called Yogi Bear claimed he was, smarter than your average bear. He would say this when he did something smart. I digress because I know I have some international readers, and some of my turns of phrase may not be universally understood. =)

Back to the topic at hand… yes working with new people is not only good for the community/Muay Thai family, but it is great to help you see maybe just how far you have come. Little did I know that Thursday was going to hold a surprise for me.

Tuesday 11/05/2019 – 2.5 hours… Muay Thai, and Kali

H and I worked on sword and shield all by ourselves for 30 minutes. We wanted to work it more cause we just learned it. And practice makes us a little better than we were before. =)

I am tired so I just wrote down what we did. Here it is.

Muay Thai-

Elbows 1 -3

lead horizontal, rear downward diagonal, rear knee, lead teep

lead upward diagonal, rear downward diagonal, rear knee, rear kick

lead horizontal, rear horizontal, spinning left elbow, knee, kick, teep

plus sign foot work, horizontal elbow, horizontal elbow, your opponent keeps up pillar block

Kali –

Sword and shield, high box
Strikes 15, 1, 2

Sword and shield, full box
Strikes 15, 1, 4, 3, 2

Thursday 11/07/2019 – 2 hours… Muay Thai, and Kali – Surprise Test

Today started out like most other Thursdays. I am extremely exhausted cause I had to get up at the crack of dawn, hell before the crack of dawn to get H to the metro and my butt into the bakery to work. I was up at 4:20 am and have been up ever since.

Needless to say by the time Muay Thai and Kali class rolled around at 7 pm. I am tired. I could take a nap that would turn in to a sleep all night. That is about 14 hours non stop.

I come to find out that we are doing a surprise testing in Muay Thai. What? I would normally know its coming and make sure I know my stuff. I would also be slightly worried I would not be ready, so I would go over terms, and moves, and anything I could. Because that is how a Tanya like me do.

Nope I did not have that time to prepare/worry. It was a testing day today and I had to not think but do.

So we tested:

  1. technique demo – where we all line up in lines and show our instructors what a #1 elbow is (by the way that is a horizontal elbow), what a number two skip knee is (that is a one foot on the ground only skip knee), etc.
  2. Boxing 20
  3. 4 counts, and advanced 4 counts
  4. Muay Thai 15 count

I did it all. I passed my test. I was promoted three ranks, because we had our last test months ago.

I went from blue to purple white! That is being promoted past two whole ranks!!! It’s been a while since we had a test. Squee!!! I can’t believe it yet. When I started Muay Thai the level 1 test was so far away. I just wanted to try to remember how to kick right. Now the level 1 test is right around the corner.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for the test and class. Respects 🙏

I added our rank progression so you can see where blue is and where purple white is. Red we call Rank 1 but on the chart it is Rank 2. I believe after Rank one you can fight in the ring.

Kali – we did sword and shield again.

With sword and shield it is learning how to use the shield to deflect the blows, using the stick/sword to return blows, and the shield is completely different than a stick or other weapon. I have to move my body in a way that will make it possible for me to move the shield up in time. This movement is different than the other weapons we use.

In all it is super awesome to practice sword and shield. I have only done it 3 times so far and it is one of my favorite Kali forms. Also Kabri Kabrong the precursor to Muay Thai used sword and shield.

Friday 11/08/2019 – 1.5 hours… Muay Thai

Tony is a fantastic teacher, and he knows that some of us are going to go to a Ajarn Chai seminar tomorrow. That is a 5 hours of training. So he wanted to do a lighter training day. Well let me tell you it was not as light as he might think. But it was fantastic. He had us work on hit then respond right away.

  1. 3 x 2 minute rounds of Jump rope
  2. 1 x 3 minute round knees on bag
  3. 1 x 3 minute round of lead kick on bag
  4. 1 x 3 minute round of rear kick on bag
  5. 3 x 3 minute round shadowboxing with jumping jacks in the middle
  6. 4 x 3 minute rounds Hit for hit drill … (you hit one, opponent hits one/you hit 2 opponent hits 2/ you hit 3 opponent hits 3/ up to 5) The object was to respond right away, hit back after being hit. Because in Muay Thai the person that get the last hit in get the point.
  7. 2 x 3 minute round Thai slide in side teep, with a hop knee
  8. 5 minute round where ever 30 seconds we switched form rapid jab cross, to skip knees

It was fantastic. I am tired though now.

Saturday 11/09/2019 – 5 hours… Muay Thai Seminar

  • OSMA Muay Thai group with Ajarn Chai
  • Kevin and I photo credit Kevin
  • First time in a ring.
  • photo credit Khun Kru Krysta

Today was an exciting day. I got the wonderful opportunity to go to a Muay Thai seminar with the legend Ajarn Chai himself. I am home now. Husband has fed me and I am exhausted. I am over the moon I got to see him again. He remembered me from Thai Camp and gave me hugs. I am shocked and honored that he remembered me. Not because he could not remember me, but because I don’t think I am all that memorable, or there is anything to remember about me. =)

We worked on the basics. Khun Kru Caro said, “if you don’t have a solid base/stance you don’t have anything, and you will lose your balance.”

We went through the elbows 1 -8. We worked on left and right kicks. It was fantastic.

Combo #1:

  1. right cross
  2. left hook
  3. right overhand

Combo #2:

  1. Opponent does a Thai lean, you scoop the lean out
  2. #3 elbow/Downward Diagonal
  3. Opponent throws a overhand punch
  4. You block the bicep and tie up with other hand
  5. You cock the shoulder and deliver a #6 elbow/ side in
  6. Tie up, #3 knee/side in knee
  7. Then skip knee #2

We worked on a counter to an elbow. A way to stop an elbow coming in hard, and basically shut that elbow down.

Combo #3:

  1. Opponent throws a cross you scoop it inside out
  2. You throw elbow #4
  3. Tie up
  4. Run skip knee #2
  5. Thai lean to teep

Today was an awesome day! I am so lucky to have been able to make it to this seminar. I got to see familiar faces, people I love and love to train with. People from the Thai Camp I got to see again.

I got to see Ajarn Chai’s famous paper trick. His whole point for this paper trick, is relax and you will hit better, and don’t think about getting hit or stabbed because that will make you tighten up. If you are relaxed you are faster. Your muscles are not taut and your reflexes are far faster than you think they are. If you employ this thinking in your fighting you will loosen up, and you will hit faster.

I was able to get it on video. Part 1 and Part 2. Ajarn Chai wanted my phone to be in the middle so that you could see what he was doing for part 2. This was a great video, and an honor to see this demonstration. I have heard about it from my instructors, but never gotten a chance to see it.

Part 1:

This is the first part of the Paper demonstration with Ajarn Chai.

Part 2:

This is Ajarn Chai doing the paper demonstration, with 6 guys with training knives. His object is to take the paper before they can touch his hand with a knife. These are training knives. Do not try this at home with real knives.

I may have missed a combo in there. If I did and I get it from my friends. I will edit and post it to this blog post.

It was a fantastic day. I am happily coming down off the excitement. I am tired, and going to go pass out soon. I learned so much. I worked on my form, an when form is great, your power an speed will come as Ajarn Chai says. I was complimented on my form and I was honored.

Thank you for reading my blog. I had an amazing week for martial arts training. I completed 10 hours of training. Getting to see the great legend Ajarn Chai, and having the honor to train with him. I had a surprise test and was awarded the purple white Pra Jiad/armband.

I am amazed you all read my blog. Let me know if you have any questions. As always keep working to be the best you that you can be. My respects to you and yours.