I know I don’t represent everyone, but I know I am also not alone. For some people when life gets busy, the first thing that goes is their activity/workouts. When I am stressed, life gets in the way, or just upset the first thing that falls apart for me is nutrition. I can eat later right? Wrong… I run out of time, train my body not to be hungry. Its no good.
It looks a little like this for me: When I get stressed, busy, upset… I forget to eat. I put it off till I have, what I think is time to eat. This leaves me in a pickle. Because then when I surface for air, I realize I am hungry and if I have not planned I can make terrible decisions. I also find myself at the end of the day having not hit my macros.
Let me restate this about macros: I use macros as a tool. They are a tool to help me reach the nutritional numbers my body needs. Macros are a tool, but not to be focused on to much to be a detriment. Also your body works on averages. So if you did not eat enough protein in one day, if you make sure to eat enough the next day it will average out. That is why I focus on the averages.
I tend to default to carbs…they are easy and tasty!
So to combat this I am taking today to work on my eating schedule. Hopefully if I schedule it out it will happen more often.
This last week I was supposed to do just that, schedule out my food and keep to the schedule as best as I could. This last week I got busy… super busy, kids, work, workout/training… you name it. I did not make the schedule.
My schedule when I wake up alternates. So I don’t wake up the same time each day. That is my biggest problem. On days I work I get up at 4:30 am and tend not to eat till 9 or 10 am when I have a break in the day at work. I need to schedule eating my meals and snacks not at certain times, but at regular intervals that change based on when I get up, rise like the dead out of my bed.
So I am going to plan to do this:
wake up (4:30 am or 7:30 am)
Eat first meal: by 1 hour after waking 5:30 am or 8:30 am
Eat a snack: try 3 hours later 8:30 am or 11:30 am
Eat second meal: 3 hours later 11:30 am or 2:30 pm
Eat a snack: try 3 hours later 2:30 pm or 5:30 pm
Eat last meal: 3 hours later 5:30 pm or 8:30 pm
Hopefully this will work for me. I have made up meal plans, but it does me no good if it sits there and I don’t eat it. I have to do this for me. I have to break this cycle and make it a priority. This is the next step in my fitness journey. I have the training. Now is the time to hone in on my nutrition.
Schedule: This is a pretty typical week of training at least for the last 8 weeks (although now I am changing up my weight lifting program going forward because I just finished an 8 week program)
Monday 5/31/2021: Mile Run, and Weight Lifting 1 hour
Tuesday 6/01/2021: Muay Thai Training 1 hour
Wednesday 6/02/2021: scheduled rest day
Thursday 6/03/2021: Muay Thai Training 1 hour
Friday 6/04/2021 : scheduled rest day
Saturday 6/05/2021: 2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali training, Weight Lifting 55 minutes
On foot movement. Not only in our drills, but when I was sparring on Sunday I was getting lazy and crossing my feet when backing up. That is a no no. Will cause me to off balance and or fall.
On Teeping and knees to create distance. Using the right tool for the right time. Trying to teep when you are to close for instance is hard to pull off, but kneeing would might be better.
Drills for this week:
Knee
Muay Thai Training: class focus is on keeping our feet moving, and cover/block, and return strikes 1) jump rope
2) jab, cross, parry
3) jab, cross, hook, catch, parry, cover
4) cross, hook, cross, slip, bob and weave, parry
5) high hook to your left, high elbow cover, uppercut, hook, cross, High hook to your right, high elbow cover, uppercut, cross
6) incoming body hook to left, uppercut, hook, cross Incoming body hook to eight, uppercut, cross
7) feeder choice, hook to head or body
Teep
Muay Thai training: Knees and teeps
1) jump rope
2) jab, cross, Teep 3) held pads for H
4) jab, cross, knee 5) held pads for H
6) Teep, rear kick, hook, cross, rear kick 7) held pads for H
8 ) scoop Teep, kick leg, hook, cross, rear kick 9) held pads for H
10) lead kick, cross, hook, lead kick, lead teep 11) held pads for H
Kali- We worked on meeting the force in the strikes 1 – 12 We worked on going with the force in strikes 1 – 12 We worked witic to umbrella We worked half T We worked Full T
We also had cicadas that were super interested in Kali class too.
Areas I need to work on:
I need to work on my entries in sparring. I am short and will forever be out of range if I don’t work my entries
I need to work on my tells. I have a tell where I cock my shoulder back before I jab.
Problems/solutions:
I am going to work on footwork drills 2 minutes before every run, and 2 minutes after every run. Per my Kru’s suggestion.
Training focus: Weight Lifting and Running
Currently for running I am just using it as my cardio. Gonna add in some footwork for my martial arts before and after.
Weight Lifting, I have been on an 8 week training program. 3 day split. This was the end of week 8. So now:
I have chosen my next 8 week program, a shred weight lifting program
This coming week will be a de-loading week for me.
Nutrition:
This week because of how busy I was I went a little over on carbs. Its easy to pick up a carb full snack when you go to the store. This week I got much closer to my protein needs. Next week is a new week and I will keep trying.
I have notice that my recovery time has decreased since eating more of what my body needs. When D.O.M.S. (delayed onset muscle soreness) sets in I noticed it last for less time, and I recover faster.
MACRO AVERAGES
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Average
Goal
Difference
Protein
124
108
105
202
104
128
116
126.714286
173
46.28571429
Carbs
284
210
213
245
212
220
282
238
201
-37
Fat
77
105
96
155
109
89
74
100.714286
90
-10.71428571
Calories
2325
2217
2136
3183
2245
2193
2258
2365.28571
2306
-59.28571429
06/31/2021 – 07/06/2021
Well that is it for my last week. I finished up my 8 week weight lifting program. I am proud of finishing up. I have gained muscle , toned up, and have improved on my Muay Thai and Kali practices. All around it has been a good week
I have noted where I have a problem with my nutrition intake, and I am actively working to fix it.
What is the first thing that goes when you are stressed out, busy, or just don’t have time?
Thank you for reading. I have had positive feedback from my blog changes. If you liked this please hit the like button. If you want to comment please feel free to drop me a line. If you want to follow along on my adventures and musings, please subscribe.
You can catch my daily shenanigans on instagram @sharpcupcake. More photos, more just day to day stuff.
As always remember, Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It!
Hello lovely people who are reading my blog. So many times we talk in training… I say talk in training, but it is more a helpful hint (yelling in my ear) while training, “keep your hands up when you are tired”. Our instructors say this and have said this while we are drilling, because it is important to get into your muscle memory that you keep your guard up, and your hands up when you are tired.
Why? Why keep your guard up/focus when you are tired?
I have written about this before, but I will touch on it now again. The reason you want to keep your hands up when you are tired is it helps burn into your muscle memory. When you are tired you return to your base level of expertise. What does that mean? You are only as good as your lowest level of understanding. You may be able to throw that kick perfectly when you are not tired, but when you get tired you will get sloppy, your kick will not turn over as well, you kick will not come up as high, because your muscles are tired. This is normal.
What are we trying to do?
We are trying to train ourselves when we are tired that we keep our form up. If we learn to keep our guard up, and keep our form proper, we have a much better chance of avoiding getting hit, and being able to hit our opponent. We make less mistakes. Easier said than done, but never the less we work on keep our hands up when we are tired. We work on keeping our form proper when tired. We often slow down so that we can work form when tired and not worry about power.
The truth is you are going to get tired in the ring. It is what you do when you get tired that is important.
Example of exhausted fighters in MMA. You will see some of these guys get sloppy. Those fighters you see looking cool and calculated through the fight are tired, and hurting but they have trained to keep focus.
A fight is not won in the ring. It is won in the gym, in the training you do. Let me say that a little louder for the back of the room.
A fight is not won in the ring, it is won in the training you do in the gym.
Last Sunday during training I rolled my ankle. I accidentally stepped on my opponents foot, and landed on the side of my foot and ankle. It hurt. I have been training around it and through it.
As I was training I noticed, no I realized something. Training and keeping focus while injured is harder than doing while tired.
Yes I just waxed on above about training and keeping focus and your hands up while tired… but man when your ankle and foot are sore, and you are worried about stepping on it, rotating on it the wrong way. Guess what drops or did for me. My hands. My hands dropped I did not keep my guard up, I reverted to my base level of understanding.
So while training I was repeatedly reminded to keep my hands up. Take it slowly so as not to hurt myself any more, but to keep my hands up and keep my focus.
My injury kept pulling my focus away from what I was doing. When you get into the ring you are going to get hurt. You are going to get hit, you are going to sustain some damage. It is inevitable. Being able to compartmentalize that and keep going is the key.
This last week was a lesson for me in training that way. I had to compartmentalize my pain. I know that it hurt, I know that I needed to be careful spinning on it, and I know I also had to keep my hands up, and my focus up.
These are some of the ah ha moments that happen in training for me now. We are making small tweaks and cleaning up form, flow, power, etc. But I know the basics. So when new ah ha moment comes up, I make sure to focus on it and mark it.
The smaller injuries like a well placed leg kick, or an accidental elbow spike to the knee are often forgot about in adrenaline rush while training. Injuring a part of the body that feels less stable is a much different injury. The next hours/day/week you still feel that instability till it heals. For the bruises you feel it when they are hit again but it does not pull away from your focus till then.
I am always learning and progressing. I look forward to the next lessons that this martial art I love will bring.
Week 2 of Maintenance
Ok this week is looking similar. I mentioned to my partner that my maintenance week is look a lot more like a lighter mini cut. I on average eat the amount of carbs and fat my body needs for the macros. However, I just miss the protein side.
So in order to try to keep making changes for the positive. I have decided to wake up earlier on days I don’t have to work so I can get a meal in before my workout. I have been waiting till after, and that is a good chunk of time that I miss out on eating. So by the time it comes to bed time, I can’t make up the difference. I also added a second rest day in. Wednesday and Friday!
I originally thought I over did carbs, because I had a few days there… but I came under, and I hit my fat macros… it is the protein I will keep trying to get in. In all forms, animal, and plant. But I am happy my I am narrowing in on my macros.
I will try to do another week of maintenance… and will see if this change in my schedule will help me hit my macros this week.
MACRO AVERAGES
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Average
Goal
Difference
Protein
76
164
124
184
134
139
130
135.857143
210
74.14285714
Carbs
182
238
111
281
238
314
213
225.285714
245
19.71428571
Fat
82
127
90
96
102
170
87
107.714286
109
1.285714286
Calories
1770
2751
1750
2724
2406
3342
2155
2414
2801
387
Week 2 of maintenance 4/26/2021 – 5/02/2021
Monday Training 04/26/2021: Workout: 55 minutes – 10 minute battle ropes, upper body weight lifting
I rolled my ankle in Muay Thai yesterday abs it hurts a little so I am just going to baby it. No running for me today.
Instead I did a Tabata battle rope rouitine for cardio.
I also went up 5 lb in my bicep curl and added reps in some of my exercises. Woot!
Tabata Battle Rope: 45 seconds on 10 seconds rest 3 x each exercise Chain them together with only the 10 seconds rest between them
1) single whip x3 2) double whip x3 3) double rope rotation x3 (left, right, last round 1/2 left 1/2 right)
Tuesday Training 04/27/2021: Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai
Today we worked on the same drills as last Thursday.
However, today I worked slower and more deliberately. My foot and ankle are still sore from rolling it Sunday. So instead of pushing it, I worked on form and worked slowly.
Avoiding the things that hurt and kept training around my injury.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class.
Thursday Training 04/29/2021: 1 hour of Muay Thai training
First day since I rolled my ankle I did not baby it so much. It’s sore now but I worked all night and and had fun. Will keep working it. Gonna give my body a second rest day tomorrow. H convinced me too. I have been only taking one day a week.
It was a lot of fun today, thanks for the class Khun Kru Krysta!
8 ) jab, cross, hook ( high elbow cover + hit or dump) 9) held pads for H
10)jab, cross, hook, rear kick (catch kick, dump, spike quad, elbow, and or dump) 11) held pads for H
Saturday Training 05/01/2021: 4.5 hours- Mile run, Leg Day weight lifting, Muay Thai, and Kali
What a day! But I got it done!
I realized something…We often talk about how important it is to keep your hands up. Your guard up when you are tired and still training. It is natural for your hands to drop lower in guard cause your arms, shoulders, body is tired. That’s hard to do but we train that way and drill it into our heads.
You know what else is supper hard to do? Keep your hands up, watch your form (make sure it is right) when you are injured. You may be modifying what you are doing, maybe babying or favoring that part of the body that is sore or hurts, and you have to remember to keep your hand up so you don’t get hit.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta!
Training: 1 mile run
Weight lifting leg day: glutes hamstrings 1) dumbbell Bulgarian split squats- each side reps- 8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4 (up 5 lbs each hand)
2) barbell stiff leg dead lift – reps – 8, 8, 8, 8
3) single leg dead lift- each side reps – 10, 10, 10, 10
4) dumbbell b stance hip thrusters- each side reps – 8, 8, 8, 8
5) dumbbell frog pumps- reps- 10, 10, 10, 10
Super set do x3 all exercises as one set no rest till you you through a set
1) knee crunches into leg extensions- reps 14 2) straight leg Russian twists -reps- 14 3) dumbbell v ups – reps- 14
Muay Thai training: 1) jump rope 2) jab catch jab, cross parry cross, hook bob and weave hook drill 3) held pads for H
4) scoop Teep, rear kick, lead kick, cross hook, rear kick 5) held pads for H
6) cut kick away from rear kick, rear leg kick, lead round house, cross, hook, rear kick 7) held pads for H
8 ) part and split an incoming cross, lead hook, rear elbow, rear knee, rear kick 9) held pads for H
10) jab, cross, lead kick, slip cross, hook, rear kick 11) held pads for H
Kali: We worked on 1) cob cob, high standard and low 2) heaven six, standard six and earth six
Earth six was hard, earth six with earth grip was harder. Gotta work on this.
Sunday Training 05/02/2021: 2 hours 40 minutes Muay Thai training, and Weight lifting Leg Day
Training: 2 hours of Muay Thai training
Thank you Amanda, Khun Kru Krysta, and H for a great training session.
Love that spinning back elbow to spinning back fist combo.
Now on to Leg day weight lifting. Yay! I think I got enough cardio in today.
Workout #2: 40 minutes weight lifting Lower Body Quads and glutes focus
Got my weight lifting workout done after Muay Thai training today.
I got elbow spiked in the knee today and forgot all about it till I went to squat. 😂 lol. But it’s all good. It surely does not hurt as much as it did when I first started. De sensitized to the typical injuries of Muay Thai.
I went up 30 lbs in my barbell hip thrusts. Woot! It was hard for the last two 6 reps, but doable
When you train do you try to keep focus/your hands up when you are tired?
Have you tried to push through a rough workout, and compartmentalize an injury?
If you are looking to train to fight in the ring, remember the fight is not won in the ring. The fight will be won in the gym before you ever set foot into the ring.
Thank you for reading, and I hope you are all having a great week. If you are not subscribed and want to keep up with my adventures, recipes, and cool products I get to try out please subscribe. If you liked this post please hit the like button so I know. As always if you have a question or comment please feel free to do ask/comment.
Als always remember, Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It!
Hello happy people. As you know I practice martial arts. I am also cross training, weight lifting, and running being the main forms of cross training.
What is cross training?
Generally Cross Training just means training with a few different types of exercise, movement, or modalities
Cross training is done by athletes because not only does it help with cardio, muscle strength, and movement. It also prevents injuries because you are avoiding over development of one set of muscles and helping to create more of a balance to the muscle mass you are trying to develop.
I digress… I have started a new weight lifting program it is 8 weeks long, and I am officially on my second week second day of the program. It is a 3 – 3 split, meaning 3 days a week I will weight lift, and it is split into lower body, upper body, lower body for the first 4 weeks then switches around to upper body, lower body, upper body for the following 4 weeks.
Why would I be mentioning this you are probably thinking to yourself. Well… Ouch! I hurt. D.O.M.S. (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) has set in. Ok so weight lifting has been something I have done for a while now. However, I wanted to challenge myself and I actually have found a person that I jive with and like. So I am following their program and she makes me do things I don’t like doing. I can only think that is a good thing. Because, when I make my own routine up like I so often do. I can avoid some exercises that are not the most fun, and tell myself its ok cause I am doing another exercise in the same vein or I am doing full body. I know this, and I accept this. Hence the new program.
What does this mean for me? Well I have been sore, very sore, because we are hitting muscles that I have bee training before but in different ways, with different volumes, and more consistently.
Boy does that make for interesting training days/nights in Muay Thai and Kali. My glutes were sore the first week, and what do you use when you do a round house kick? Aside from your core, torso, and legs, but your glutes. Along with my glutes my hamstrings were screaming at me on Tuesday. So what I did was power through my training, even though it hurt, and made sure to stay hydrated, stretch and used the hypervolt muscle massager. I often have H help me with the hypervolt cause he can get to all the areas that need attention.
What to do when extremely sore or have D.O.M.S:
Train in your sport that you participating in. (I find that when I work out after being sore, it helps to flush the muscle, helps keep it warm and functioning. I feel like I heal faster as well. When I sit and wait for it to heal I hurt for longer.)
Drink lots of water, fluids to help with the repair of your muscles
Stretch
Massage (helps to again in my experience heal the muscle faster. )
Ice the affected muscles
Here is hoping as my body gets used to this level of cross training it gets a little easier. As it is I train Muay Thai 3 to 4 days a week, and run + weight lifting 3 days a week. I had to stack Sunday weight lifting with Sunday Advanced Muay Thai training. That ended up being a good 3 hours of training. We will see if I can keep that up or have to move my schedule around.
So as I am typing this out, thinking about this last week of training. My triceps are very sore from Sundays training, and I had upper body (back, chest, triceps) workout today.
Last week of 3 week Mini Cut
It is not till I look back at my week that I see I am actually almost hitting my macros. I often think that I am not hitting them as well as I could be. The easier thing would be to eat the same thing every day with no variety to make sure I hit my macros, but that seems boring. I don’t want to eat chicken, broccoli, and rice every day.
This week it looks like I almost hit my averages on macros. I am just still under on protein. I will keep dialing it in. I just have to fill my day with small protein snacks. Roasted nuts, protein bars, and protein shakes have all been helping.
I have gone down on the scale, which is great, it is going slowly. So I have had a scale victory, but I have noticed other small non scale victories. Like my run time is better, my profile in pictures is different slightly, and my clothing is fitting different. So Yay! Onward and upward.
Next two weeks are maintenance eating, then I will be back on a mini cut.
Great workout and I am pooped. I don’t have all the equipment and had to come up with ways around. So instead of a cable machine I used resistance bands. Instead of 25 lb dumbbells, I used my 25 lb plates. Don’t give up on a work out you can find work arounds.
Tuesday 4/13/2021: Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai training
We had a great time today. My glutes, quads and hamstrings are still sore from Sunday’s workout. But I went in and put time in on the mat.
Even so working the drills was fantastic.
Thank you khun kru Krysta for a great class.
Also wearing my new Yokkao clothes. Love love love the shorts. So pretty!
Muay Thai: 1) jump rope
2) jab, catch, jab, parry cross, throw cross, parry cross, bob and weave from incoming hook, return cross, bob and weave incoming cross 3) fed H the drill
4) jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee, rear kick 5) fed H pads
6) jab, hook, lead elbow, lead knee, lead kick 7) feed H pads
10) jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, lead elbow, rear knee, double kick 11) held pads for H
Thursday 4/15/2021: Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai training
As I as working tonight. I had a thought. We as martial artists, or athletes in general are the culmination of all of our instructors, their instructors, our will, and our dedication to the art/sport.
I know it seems like a Duh Tanya thought but, that is incredible to just think about. The legacy that has gon into making me and my martial artists family.
Anyway great day of training. I tried to leave the rest of the world off the mat and was ok for the most part doing so.
Thanks for the great class Khun Kru Krysta!
Muay Thai: 1) jump rope
2) jab, catch, jab, parry cross, throw cross, parry cross, bob and weave from incoming hook, return cross, bob and weave incoming cross 3) fed H the drill
4) jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee, rear kick 5) fed H pads
6) jab, hook, lead elbow, lead knee, lead kick ( goal is to chain hook to lead elbow so you can get in fast) 7) feed H pads
10) jab, cross, lead spinning back elbow, rear spinning back elbow, lead spinning back elbow, rear elbow, rear knee, rear kick
(goal is to assess the range after the spinning back elbows, of opponent is close reset and shuffle back to throw last elbow. If opponent moves back spin through and shuffle in for last elbow) 11) held pads for H
Friday 4/16/2021: Workout: 1 hour 15 minutes mile run and weight lifting glutes and hamstrings
I am doing a 3 day split lower, upper, lower body. Today was day 3.
Today has been a great day. I had a scale victory. While I try not to put to much value on the scale it is still a tool you can use to see changes, like a measuring tape.
Had some weird dude watching me run. But that’s ok. Having a good day anyway. This is what I wore to run in and I feel like it is not something risqué. Tank top and tights.
1 mile run, my average was lower again to day by just a few seconds.
Weight lifting:
1) dumbbell Bulgarian split squats each leg- reps x 8, 8, 6, 6, 4, 4 ( I normally do this with body weight only 15 each side so I felt these more today)
2) barbell stiff leg dead lift- reps x 8, 8, 8, 8
3) dumbbell single leg dead lift each side- reps x 10, 10, 10, 10
4) dumbbell b stance hip thrusters each leg – reps, 8, 8, 8, 8
5) dumbbell frog thrusts – reps 10, 10, 10, 10
Super set: do each set of three exercises back to back without a rest – only rest between a super set
x3 sets
1) knee crunches + leg extensions back to knee crunch – reps 14 2) straight legged Russian twists – reps 14 3) dumbbell V ups – reps 14
1) knee crunches + leg extensions back to knee crunch – reps 14 2) straight legged Russian twists – reps 14 3) dumbbell V ups – reps 14
1) knee crunches + leg extensions back to knee crunch – reps 14 2) straight legged Russian twists – reps 14 3) dumbbell V ups – reps 14
Saturday 4/17/2021: Training: 2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali
Had a great day of training today. I felt like I was getting great rotation on my kicks. Woot!
Here is whe we worked on.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great set of classes!
Muay Thai:
1) Jump rope
2) plus sign footwork drill, with rear leg kick 3) H’s turn to lead
4) 4 count – right to left- rear kick, hook, cross, lead kick 5) fed pads for H
6) 4 count – left to right- lead kick, cross, hook, rear kick 7) held pads for H
8 )4 count – rear to rear – rear kick, hook, cross, rear kick 9) held pads for H
10) 4 count – lead to lead – lead kick, cross, hook, lead kick 11) held pads for H
Kali:
We worked strikes 15, 1, 4, with a Kali stick, and with staves.
We alternated counters, bocks, and strikes for the 4 to 5 with staff.
Sunday 4/18/2021: Workout 1- 1 hour 1 mile run and Weight lifting lower body, Training 2 – 1 hour 45 min Muay Thai training
Workout 1: 1 hour – 1 mile run and weight lifting
Leg day- quads and glutes focus
Whew that’s done. I got my run in, my weight lifting done, and now I go to my Muay Thai training 2 hours slated for today.
Today we made it into the gym to do some higher level pad hitting.
Intuitive feeding
Cleaning up some of our movements/strikes (little tiny changes like stepping through, and foot placement shorten time between strikes by seconds, but may give you that opportunity to land a strike)
Working on some spinning elbows
This was after my weightlifting workout so I was already a bit tired. But I got through it. So total today time working out/training was about 3 hours. I am pooped. 😆 But this was a great day of training.
Thank you H and ladies for the training.
Are you cross training? If not finding something to cross train is a good Idea. It will help you in your primary martial art, and your sports. I used to cross train when I was on water polo and swim team in school. I ran to cross train.
What do you do to cross train?
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Hello all you wonderful people. I decided with the help of my partner to start doing interviews of martial artists around me. I may open it up to fitness personalities etc. as I go along down the road. However, H and I were talking, and it has been amazing how many masters, teachers, and just amazing martial artists I have worked with.
I truly believe just like the great master Bruce Lee, that we can learn so much from each other, and every person we meet. I think there is a lot of hubris in thinking you have learned everything you can from one person and that they cannot teach you more.
I have not invented a “new style,” composite, modified or otherwise that is set within distinct form as apart from “this” method or “that” method. On the contrary, I hope to free my followers from clinging to styles, patterns, or molds. Remember that Jeet Kune Do is merely a name used, a mirror in which to see “ourselves”. . . Jeet Kune Do is not an organized institution that one can be a member of. Either you understand or you don’t, and that is that. There is no mystery about my style. My movements are simple, direct and non-classical. The extraordinary part of it lies in its simplicity. Every movement in Jeet Kune Do is being so of itself. There is nothing artificial about it. I always believe that the easy way is the right way. Jeet Kune Do is simply the direct expression of one’s feelings with the minimum of movements and energy. The closer to the true way of Kung Fu, the less wastage of expression there is. Finally, a Jeet Kune Do man who says Jeet Kune Do is exclusively Jeet Kune Do is simply not with it. He is still hung up on his self-closing resistance, in this case anchored down to reactionary pattern, and naturally is still bound by another modified pattern and can move within its limits. He has not digested the simple fact that truth exists outside all molds; pattern and awareness is never exclusive. Again let me remind you Jeet Kune Do is just a name used, a boat to get one across, and once across it is to be discarded and not to be carried on one’s back. — Bruce Lee
This above, is a philosophy we follow in our school. We try to embrace learning everything we can. This new series is going to be a way for me to showcase and highlight people that I have had the pleasure of working with and continue to learn from.
Col. Jay Man
About LTC. Jay Man: A Colonel in the Army, loving husband to his beautiful wife. He is the sweetest man you will ever meet. He is a tall man, I believe he may be 6 ft 1in, but to me a 5 ft woman he is a giant. When you talk to him, he has a smile that will light up the room, he is warm and inviting. If you have any questions he will stop what he is doing and devote all his attention to you. If you ask about martial arts he will gladly sit and talk with you for as long as you want. His passion for the martial arts he practices just emanates from him. I have trained and gone to seminars in Muay Thai with this man. He teaches and studies BJJ. He studies Kali, and has trained in all these martial arts for decades. (these are all facts and I will brook no argument)
What got you started in Martial arts?
Jay, “It was something for me. I was a Boy Scout and it was kinda something my mom kinda encouraged. But martial arts was kinda my thing.”
Jay, “Things that I enjoyed? Uhh, I always enjoyed Bruce Lee movies growing up.”
Me, “I think a lot of people started martial arts because of Bruce Lee, right?”
Jay, “Yeah, laughs”
Me, “He is a big influence.”
Jay, “I started boxing when I was 19, right before I joined the navy at the time. After I graduated High School I went into the military. So I always just thought that being a warrior and martial arts is something you should just do. So that is why I started (martial arts), and then it turned into something way more than that.
Me, “its your life now!”
Jay, “It turned into a lifestyle.”
What do you love about martial arts?
Jay, “I love the personal growth aspect. That’s the biggest part of it. I don’t really care about, (clears throat), it goes back to that whole warrior lifestyle thing, I don’t really care to much about metals or even winning. It doesn’t really matter that much.”
Me, “Yeah so you are competing against yourself.”
Jay, “Yes, um I read something recently which I really liked, it talked about how your mastering your calm, you know being able to… the most impressive thing I think I have ever heard even in combat, was the guy who was able to remain calm even when he could hear bullets hitting around him, and he was able to maintain his calm and maintain his focus. To be able to execute what was required to be get his people out of and survive that situation. He succeeded at his mission and continued on in service. “
Jay, “That to me is what martial arts is really about. Is being able to remain calm to do what is necessary, to do the right thing, in the most stressful situations you can find…you know the ultimate obviously being combat, but even without combat, if you are able to maintain calm when someone is trying to stress you out in work. If you can do it in combat you can do it with some idiot at work.”
Me, “Yeah exactly, exactly, a bad day is not going to cause you go and kill a bunch of people.” (Note: of context, this was right after the shooting at the massage parlor and the mans excuse was he was having a bad day.)
Jay, “That particular situation frustrated me because, where is the personal responsibility.”
Which martial arts do you prefer to practice?
Me, “Its not a good or bad thing, but do you love Jiu Jitsu more, or do you like the striking martial arts more?”
Jay, “I love them all so lets just get that out there.”
Me, “I figured it would be a hard question.”
Jay, “Yeah it is a hard question, I think that um, to me its all one thing, in that combat is not limited to one particular position. I mean let me ask you this, I mean, which style would be best to defend yourself against an IED that is placed under your vehicle. That is the first time that style means jack and shit.”
Me, “Right it is about what ever works at the time.”
Jay, “Exactly, so if I am being attacked in my house, by someone who has a knife, Jiu Jitsu is great, but a gun is better. I mean it really just depends on the situation.”
Jay, “Now what do I like to practice for personal growth its going to be Jiu Jitsu, and that is because the again going back to the original point of being able to learn how to defend yourself in a real situation, but also how to remain calm in a stressful environment, because Jiu Jitsu puts you into these weird physical positions that really stress you out. There is a visceral reaction in a human being when their being held against their will and they can’t move and they can’t do anything. You definitely feel it when some one is choking you and you can’t get out of it. Very stressful. I personally think that is why women should learn it, because that particular situation, that art, teaches you how to deal with that kind of panic, so that you learn how to deal with the panic, so you can work effectively to get out of a situation.”
Me, “It all goes back to that whole being calm in a crazy stressful situation, because a lot of times for women at least in my experience, for women, the perpetrator whether its a man or woman or whatever, uses their weight and their size against you, so being able to make space and get the hell out, is really really important in my opinion.”
Jay, “I couldn’t agree more. And striking is one of those things that, the person that is the bigger stronger person, has the advantage, because striking requires a lot of force, and force is generated by mass times acceleration, and guys generally have more mass. That does not mean a woman is inherently fated to lose, a woman just has to fight smarter. Which shouldn’t be to hard cause women are smarter anyway.”
Me, “That is the whole thing about fighting anyway, you wanna win, you have to fight smarter.”
Jay, “There is a quote in War and Peace that I really liked, attributed to Napoleon, I highly recommend the book, anyway it says,”The key to victory is being stronger than your opponent at any given point.” , Its not about being stronger than your opponent always, it is being stronger when your opponent is weak. And that is where I think Jiu Jitsu is effective and helpful, because first of all you can use your body weight and positions to negate strikes, or to make strikes less effective. Now we are not talking about weapons, that is a different story. You do Kali, so you know, a weapon is a tool so if you can get a weapon you should use the weapon. But if you are not talking a rape situation and there is no weapon involved, then Jiu Jitsu is a good tool to utilize against a stronger opponent, because you are learning to use your strengths against their weakness.”
Me, “Yeah, and even physics goes into it, points of areas of if you push the body is going to turn, so you just got to… knowing that is highly highly helpful in those situations.”
Jay, “A simple example that I can put up, in Muay Thai you already learned that, you push the head their whole body they can’t strike as well.”
Me, “Yeah where the head goes…”
Jay, “Where the head goes the body follows, its a simple understanding of simple stuff like that, that I think is so useful for Jiu Jitsu, and it translates very well to Muay Thai, because Muay Thai like Jiu Jitsu is based on reality and body physics.”
Me, “I 100% agree!”
What would you tell an aspiring martial artist?
Me, “Young or old, just anyone wanting to start”
Jay, “Be persistent… persistence is the most important thing. Consistency and persistence, in what ever you are learning. Don’t get all freaked out about rank. That is completely irrelevant. I like to say this all the time. Martial arts and self defense skills are a perishable skill, I don’t care if you have won 17 different national titles. You know, if you don’t train for two years your not going to be able to use it in an actual self defense situation, which should always be your focus. If you are focused on getting rank, so you can look good, or look like a bad ass, you have missed the entire point. Being able to be successful in combat, requires constant and consistent training.”
Me, “It goes back to being your own…you are competing against yourself…you are constantly trying to improve yourself. Not go against this guy, or against this guy or whatever. I often fall into that, feeling I am not good enough.”
Bonus Point Mental block:
Jay, “So there is a converse to that, you may have that mental block were you are thinking you are not good enough. There are other people who think, hey I have it down. That is another mental block.”
Me, “Oh that is so true.”
Jay, “Both of those are equally dangerous, because they interfere with your ability to actually do reality.”
Me, “Yeah that is true, I never thought about the other side, yeah, because I always think ok I can get better, look at these other people over here, I never thought about if you over think it and you think you are better than everyone else and you come out swinging, and you are just not… you are going to get your butt handed to you.”
Jay, “Right, right… and that over confidence is just as…I have seen that become equally as dangerous and especially when you are in charge of soldiers, or you are leaders of men, and you have that over confidence you get a lot of people killed, I have seen that before.”
Me, “oh yeah that makes sense, you are not thinking about your men, you thinking you can do it…”
Jay, “Those guys are thinking, I am immortal, my guys are immortal, my guys have this skill level that they can do anything, so I have a lack of planning, I don’t need this particular communication system, or I don’t need to follow this rule because hey my guys are awesome they were able to do all this stuff, they went through this kind of training, they should be able to handle it, and those guys get killed.”
Me, “That is scary and terrible all at the same time.”
Jay, “I am specifically thinking of Operation Red Wings for any of your listeners that want to look that up. Its a lone survivor mission.”
Back to:What would you tell an aspiring martial artist?
Consistency in training
Don’t worry about rank
Constantly looking to better themselves
Jay, “The mantra of the highest level of soldiers and warriors that this country produces, Tier 1 Units that does not mean a lot to most people, they are constantly evaluating where they are, they never rest on their laurels, always training to get better, always taking a very very critical look at themselves, always always trying to find out what they screwed up so they can improve. Even if they did something to perfection, they are going to find the things that are a problem, and try to fix them.”
Me, “There is always things you can learn, always,”
Jay, “Right, and they are always trying to improve. That is the mentality that I think you need to take into martial arts. If you want to continue and be successful. That does not end… there is no end goal.”
Me, “Right, I say it all the time, its a lifelong learning process.”
Jay, “A lifelong learning process, I don’t care… I mean Guru Dan (Dan Inosanto), is the best example of that, he is one of my biggest inspirations, Guro Dan put on a white belt in Jiu Jitsu in his 60’s because he wanted to improve in martial arts. He did that with Systema, in his late 70’s.”
Me, “Yeah anyone who is willing to start at the beginning, and just go.”
Jay, “He does not care, he just wants to learn, he wants to constantly improve himself through his entire life. That is who he is, he got that from Bruce Lee, that is the quintessential example of what you should be as a martial artists. And that is how you will get to the best possible capability. I am not even talking about elite athletes, elite athletes are a short term process, those guys will be successful for a specific time that they are physically able to do it. But if you want to have a life time success in martial arts, its all about continuously improving yourself regardless of where you are and what stage you are in your life, and constantly pushing to get better. Always trying to learn, does not matter if you get to black belt in your life.
Me, “Yeah 100%, I could be white belt in Jiu Jitsu for the rest of my life, and that is fine, so long as I learn. And I learn what I can do, what my body can do, not what some one else can do.”
Jay, “Guru Dan is a great example, he would be effective in combat today, because he would evaluate the situation and solve the problem.”
Bonus Point Confidence is not ego:
(we digressed and talked a little about ego and Jay wanted to add another point)
Jay, “I will leave you with this perspective…I have been thinking about this a lot, because you are right, ego can get in your way. But there is another part to ego that is important, and that is self confidence. Confidence, how do we define confidence, is not thinking you can do something, but doing it so much that you just know you can do it. Like right now do you have an doubt that you can do a right round house kick to my leg?
Me, “No, not at all”
Jay, “Why?”
Me, “Because I have done it so many times.”
Jay, “Because you have done it thousand of times. So it is not over confident, that you can round house kick me in the leg. To most people it sounds like boasting. Its not boasting, and it looks like ego and boasting.”
Me, “I have said that on my blog, It sounds like boasting, and I have told people, and I am really not, but I have put hours and years into this, this is what my third year into Muay Thai, and thousands and thousands of hours. I am confident I can pull off a kick or a combo or whatever.”
Jay, “When I say that example, most people don’t spend thousands of hours on a round kick, but they spend a lot of time walking, are you confident right not that you can walk across a floor. Its not boasting. Of course you can and that is the kind of confidence you need to build in martial arts, and it is not ego.”
Me, “I am sorry if I took up a lot of your class time. Thank you for talking with me and answering my questions”
Jay, “No no this is great conversation, I love it, this is great, ask any time.”
This was a fantastic interview, I could talk to Jay about martial arts all day. For those people who do the TLDR (to long didn’t read) the questions and answers are below. However, I really recommend reading he has some really great points and explanations. I never knew about Operation Red Wings, that was an interesting read. I have linked it above click on the words in the interview.
What got you started in martial arts?
He had many outlets given to him when he was a kid, but martial arts ended up being his own personal thing. Bruce Lee was a huge influence when he was little. He started with boxing, went into the navy, and always thought it becoming a warrior was the right thing to do.
What do you love about martial arts?
Personal growth aspect, you are competing against yourself, bettering yourself.
Learning to remain calm in a stressful situation.
Which martial arts do you prefer to practice?
He loves them all
But in terms of personal growth Jiu Jitsu is his favorite.
What would you tell an aspiring martial artist?
Consistency in training
Don’t worry about rank
Constantly looking to better themselves
Bonus points:
Confidence is not ego
Mental blocks can be over thinking you are not good enough, and also over thinking you are the best
His inspirations Bruce Lee, and Guru Dan Inosanto
I have trained with Jay for years and I felt I got to know him so much better after this interview. It is nice to sit down and pick the brain of some one who is so experienced in martial arts. When I asked him he did not hesitate to say yes. I was amazed.
That is it for my first interview and featured martial artist. Thank you for reading. I will be interviewing more people as I go along. I really wish I thought of this sooner. But no time like the present to start. There is so much I can learn from each person who has been in, near, trained with me, or adjacent to my martial arts training.
What would you like to hear about?
What kind of questions should I ask?
What did I miss?
If you liked this kind of post, please hit the like button. If you would like to keep up with my adventures, subscribe, and please feel free to comment. You can find day to day shenanigans on my instagram @sharpcupcake
As always, Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get it!
6/9/2019 Right to Left – Khun Kru Krysta, Ajarn Chai, Me, JD, Jay – We were at a seminar with Ajarn Chai
I am well aware that people are all different what may be hard for me is a no brainer for them. What may be easy for me is super difficult for others. Then there are those people that seem like they are perfect. Nary a problem had for those people. I am not one of them. I sometimes struggle hitting every obstacle in my way, instead of clearing them with a single jump, sometimes I just climb over them.
I write this blog so that I can record, ruminate, and hopefully pass on what I am learning. I often look back and see some of the progress I have made. Whether the progress is mental, physical, or spiritual I can see it. Sometimes I can only see the progress because of the posts I have made.
What am I waxing on about? Leaving everything off the mat. Letting things go, and ignoring the problems you faced during the day. I am not one to normally let it go. I worry that (thing of contention, problem, or issue) like a dog with their favorite bone. Sometimes its those areas that are friction for me that I use to drive my energy on the mat, however, I have noticed when I just let it all go. I ignore everything else that happened that day, for the 1 or 2 hours I am on the mat, I am more fluid, my body responds to my commands, and I look like I know what I am doing.
Why is that? Why when I leave it all at the door, or the edge of the mat, do I work better? That is a good question, and while I have been thinking about it, the only thing I can come up with is. When I am upset, annoyed, pissed off, worried, etc., I will work the drills. I will follow the lead of my trainer/Kru/coach. I will do what is asked of me, but I am torn between training and issues of the day. It feels like I forcing the drills.
Why is forcing the drills bad?
Well for instance in Muay Thai especially, I can only speak for Muay Thai, because my previous experience with martial arts is with those Mc Dojos as a kid. For Muay Thai, you will notice that the mechanics of the drills, moves, strikes follows and flows with the physics of the body. If I force say a drill of kicking, I tighten up, my leg/hip/glutes, all tighten up and in doing so shorten my muscles up, and while I may try to muscle it or force more power, it will convey less power. In Muay Thai power is conveyed in turning over of the hips, aiming through your opponent, and letting your body follow physics.
The best way it has been described to me from one of my Kru Kristen was imagine your leg is a bat on the end of a chain. You could try to muscle the bat and hit a person with the bat. You will do damage and it will hurt, however, if you swing the bat on the chain, your body torque, your limbs working in unison, you will create far more force.
Funny enough I looked it up in order to understand it better. They have a name for it. Often used for batters in Baseball. However, it can be used for jumping, kicking a soccer ball, kicking in Muay Thai, etc. Far smarter people than I have named it… Kenetic Chain Sequence.
The Kinetic Chain Sequence is the way to explain the biomechanical:
“term for body parts working together and moving in a specific order to create a movement.” “The main contributors to swing power, in order, are the following: Ultimately, the power produced by the hips, torso, lead arm and hand is delivered to the bat, which then smashes a baseball deep into the bleachers (hopefully!)”
There are whole sites/blog pages/etc dedicated to understanding Kenetic Chain Sequence. If you are interested there is so much more information out there.
I digress, when I am trying to muscle or force a drill, I mess up my kinetic chain sequence in my body. Step, pivot on ball of foot, torso and hip turn over, leg kick to side of the opponent. I tighten up and still make the connection but I don’t do so with the most power I could. This also mess up flow. If you are already tight it is hard to switch feet, shift out, flow. You have to unclench your muscles so that you can move and contract them again. It takes seconds off of your flow, it does not seem like a big deal, but it does effect your energy output.
If your flow and biomechanics is slowed, it feels to me like trying to kick through some viscous fluid. I can do it but it tires me out faster. Forcing your moves simply makes you more tired. And people who are new to Muay Thai do it all the time. So we are telling them to relax and let whip your body hip over. Easier said than done when you are new though.
When I am focusing on things that are making me mad/upset/angry/stressed, I notice I am just barreling through my workout/training.
What helps and makes me feel like I am having a fantastic training day? When I leave everything from the world at the edge of the mat. I can pick it up later when I am done training. I had a day where that happened this week. I am still learning how to do that. But everything flowed. I felt good. My partner said my strikes (boxing, elbows, knees, kicks) were 30% more powerful that day. I flowed well. I was faster, my drills looked good. I was not exhausted all the time. I felt great. I am chasing that feeling on the mats. I want to have that be my every training day. I know that it won’t always be, but I want it to be more common than not.
Goals are to be more relaxed in training. Easier said than done for me, but I will work on it.
Mini Cut Week 2
Ok mini cut week 2, I am still trying to dial in my protein intake. This last week I went a little over on carbs. I hit my fat macros dead on. So I just need to dial in my carbs and push the protein. Currently for this week the scale is not really moving.
I am also actively weight lifting during this. So I know it is all body recomposition (building muscle, burning fat).
I am not perfect and dialing in my food intake is taking time. However, I am invested in me and will keep going.
Again the calories for the day vary, on average I burn 3000 to 3500 a day. On the high side I burn 4000 depending on my activity that day. On my off day I burn between 2000 and 2500. I work out 6 days a week, and have a job where I am on my feet.
I am working toward a goal, and trying to ignore the bumps, lumps and yuckiness I see. I know putting in the time will eventually lead to results. Just have to grind and keep going.
For me it helps having clothing I love and feel good in. It’s a reward I give to myself for sticking to my routine even when I don’t want to.
1 mile run
Weight lifting: 3x sets of each
1) back squats- x 10 reps 2) kettlebell swings- 1 minute 3) goblet squats- x 10 reps 4) tripod tricep row- x 10 reps each side 5) clean and press- x 10 reps each side 6) hip thrusters- x20 reps 7) Bulgarian split squats- x 10 each side
That is it for today. I have to take kiddo to eye exam, and run some other errands. Oh and get food in.
Tuesday 4/06/2021 Training: 1 hour Muay Thai
Training a was great even though I am exhausted. I had work, errands, chores, feeding family, and I have been running around getting paperwork together for the gov’ment. For a super secret maybe adventure.
We worked on a goofy foot/shin compression drop again today.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a fun.
I did windshield wiper drills before class.
I Need to keep the working on the windshield wipers drills. I also need to remember to throw the leg down instead of around so that it’s easier to kick the leg.
Training: 1) Jab, catch, jab 2) fed H
3) catch jab, parry cross, inner mouse the tricep or, catch jab, parry the cross, outer mouse the tricep with back hand 4) feed H
5) catch jab, parry cross, return mouse back hand, high block incoming hook, post and push off, brace foot on leg for knee to leg destruction, push opponent, and return lead kick. 6) held pads for H
7) catch jab, parry cross, mouse arm, post high cover hook, destroy the wrist, goofy foot/shin compression and dump. 8 ) held pads for H
And workout is done. I am still sore from Monday’s leg and upper body day. Today was upper body and core day.
It’s beautiful outside today! The workout was great even if I dis not starting out wanting to do it today.
1 mile run
9 minute battle rope Tebatta: 45 seconds on 10 seconds off, x 3 each set 1) single whip/alternating arm waves 2) double whip/double arm waves 3) figure 8
Weight lifting: x 3 each set 1) standing tricep overhead extension- 12 reps 2) standing tricep kick backs – 20 reps 3) front raise to lateral raise – 20 reps 4) standing side crunches with KB – 20 reps each side 5) reverse crunches – 20 reps 6) sit ups- 20 reps 7) push ups – 20 reps
Thursday 4/08/2021 Training: 1 hour Muay Thai
Good day of training, not getting the shin compression right is a little frustrating but I will keep working on it.
Main takeaway from this class was taught to Khun Kru Krysta by Greg Nelson. It is the contact points on opponents body so you can better control their body, the head press into opponents body, turning of their body to make them/their spine/center of gravity compromised, shin contact with foot hooked behind and applying contact and pressure together to drop opponents.
Need to work more on it. But I was able to get some good dumps on my partner. Yay!
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta!
Training: Jump rope
1) Jab, catch, jab 2) fed H
3) catch jab, parry cross, inner mouse the tricep or, catch jab, parry the cross, outer mouse the tricep with back hand 4) feed H
5) catch jab, parry cross, return mouse back hand, high block incoming hook, post and push off, catch the incoming kick, elbow spike destruction to the leg of opponent, leg kick, and return lead kick. 6) held pads for H
7) catch jab, parry cross, return mouse back hand, high block incoming hook, post, lead knee, lead kick 8 ) held pads for H
9) catch jab, parry cross, mouse arm, post high cover hook, destroy the wrist, goofy foot/shin compression and dump. 10) held pads for H
Saturday 4/10/2021 Training: 2 hours training of Muay Thai and Kali
Today was a great day of training. One of the best I have had in ages.
I did not overthink what I was doing. I trusted in my training and my body knowing what to do. I did not force it. It was fantastic. I am going to work on that. It’s harder than you might believe for me.
The reason it was fantastic? I have had a few emotional days. I have had some rough days this week.
I put it aside, I did not even think about it. I just came to train. I just worked, allowed my body to do what I have taught it. And the result? I flowed, my strikes were 30% harder without trying, I did not force it I just worked. H told me my strikes were harder, and I was flowing fantastically.
Hardest thing for me to do is to put away the things I deal with. To leave them off the mat. Today I did. I just worked. I turned off my brain!
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for great classes.
Training:
Muay Thai: 1) jump rope
2) jab, catch, jab, parry cross, throw cross, parry cross, bob and weave from incoming hook, return cross, bob and weave incoming cross 3) fed H the drill
4) jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee 5) fed H pads
6) jab, hook, lead elbow, lead knee 7) feed H pads
10) jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, lead elbow, rear knee, double kick 11) held pads for H
Kali: 1) heaven six 2) standard six 3) heaven umbrella six 4) standard umbrella six 5) all together- heaven six, standard six, heaven umbrella six, standard umbrella six
Sunday 4/11/2021 Workout: 1 hour – 1 mile run and weight lifting
Leg day- I am trying out an app that puts together workouts for me. Because while I can do some things I also can focus on exercises I like better. So this helps break up my routine. That’s what coaches are good for. 😊
Leaving everything off the mat. That is going to be a hard ask for me. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. But I am going to try to just let it go at least while I am on the mat.
What part of training do you have a hard time with?
What are your goals, tangible or intangible?
Do you notice a difference in your training when you don’t carry your worries with you?
Thank you all for reading. I hope you all have a great week. This was a record of my last week of training and nutrition. To my new subscribers welcome, and I am humbled that you want to read my ramblings. Please feel free to drop me a line if you have questions or want to comment. If you liked my post let me know by hitting the like button. If you want to see more of my adventures subscribe.
So my instructor is fantastic about teaching not only the in the ring legal strikes, but she also teaches as she calls it the behind the 7-Eleven fighting. Behind the 7-Eleven fighting is that fighting when you are fighting for your life. Understanding the use of force and what level of force you need to use when you are training is important. I have noticed that new students often don’t understand what force to use right away. They seem to lay on either side of the line. A new student will use to little force because they are worried about hurting some one. On the other hand a new student will use all their force and not have the control necessary to pull the punches.
Ring/training
In the ring, you want to score points. You want the judges to see you make contact so that you can win the fight. In the ring you cannot reap your opponent. Once your opponent goes down you have to break off.
In training, we aim for the meaty parts of our training partners. We are not trying to destroy each other. We want our training partners to keep training with us. If I were to destroy my partners knee when I train with him, he won’t be happy and won’t be able to train with me. But if I am trying to
Behind the Convenience Store
In the back of a convenience store, you are fighting for your life. You are aiming at joints. You are trying to disable the assailant. You are trying to make it difficult for the assailant continue on, to follow you, to keep fighting.
At this point you want to make sure you live and they stop. Whether you incapacitate the assailant, or at the worst case you stop them completely you are not playing in the same field.
Why distinguishing force it important?
This differentiation is important because you have to know what your situation is and know what sort of force to use at the time.
I would not want to permanently physically maim my opponent in the ring.
However, if I were fearing for my life, I would have to use enough force to at the least disable the assailant. Also in an instance where you are in fear of your life using enough force to make the assailant hesitant to continue their attack is ideal.
Now this is my understanding, but here seems to lay the difference between Muay Boran and Muay Thai. Muay Boran is the original martial unarmed martial art of Thailand. Additionally Kabri Kabroong was the martial art with weapons developed in Thailand. Both these martial arts were taught to soldiers and the best of the best in Muay Boran was recruited into the royal guard.
Muay Thai is the more modern of the two. Muay Thai is a martial art used in the ring.
With this in mind, Muay Boran was used to fight their enemies, and they were not worried about maiming or killing their opponents. That is the way of war. Understanding the art of the Muay Thai, and its progenitor Muay Boran, and what the original targets were is I feel important to understanding the art itself. I find that understanding the history helps me understand the strikes.
Understanding what force to use, situational awareness, and the history of the art is paramount in my opinion to understanding, practicing, and passing on the art.
Mini Cut Week 1
Ok so this is the start of Mini Cut, week 1.
I honestly thought I did not do so well this week. However, after looking at these numbers and my averages… I almost met the fat macros. I was way closer to my protein macro only missed it by 28 grams on average. Yay! I was way over on my carbs, well 30 over.
But hey on average I hit my calorie requirements. I am still trying to dial in my macros. It seems I did not do as bad as I thought I did.
What has helped I have been trying to make sure I get protein in with little snacks in between meals. I have those little bags of nuts, protein shakes, and protein bars.
7) goblet squats x 12 8 ) standing lateral ab crunches x 12
9) hip thrusters x10 10) reverse crunches x 15
Tuesday 03/30/2021 Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai
We do drills for the sake of drills, so we can work on form in our strikes.
However drills are different from actual fighting. Drills are for muscle memory, and learning the strike but in a fight or out in the real world you most likely won’t be able to string together to gunting and mousing the arm, or windshield wiper block and mouse the inner arm.
But we more likely will parry a shot, bob and weave and then parry and mouse the arm.
So drills are great for training, but sparring is where the drills get put to use.
A) Destructions B ) Siko 4 ways C) Wind shield wiper defense, mousing the arm D) Parry and mousing the arm
I am still bad at the wind shield wiper bock, parry, return strike, but I am getting a little better.
Thank you Kun Kru Krysta!
Muay Thai Training:
1) jump rope
2) jab, cross, opponent parries both ( stand your ground no backing up) 3) parrying your opponents jab and cross (stand your ground)
4) parry incoming cross, mouse the inside bicep/tricep 5) feed H so he can practice
6) windshield wiper, parry, return inside mouse strike to bicep/tricep 7) feed H so he can practice
8 ) parry cross, mouse arm, cover incoming hook, fence, and either (run knees, dump, elbow, what ever works) 9) feed H so he can practice
10) Siko 4 destructions- parry jab into your elbow, parry cross, into your elbow, shuffle in to spear elbow the pectoral muscle 11) fed for H so he can practice
12) parry the jab, Siko the cross/destruction, high elbow cover the hook, catch the lead leg round house, either ( destroy the leg with elbow spike, or spinning back elbow) 13) fed for H so he can practice
It is a great morning to get out and move. I ran a mile, and did a short workout of battle ropes and weight lifting superset.
I have to work later in the day so I had to cut it short to get the rest of my day going. All the other errands done.
Workout: do this as a superset, no rest between battle ropes and weigh lifting set. x3 each set
1) single whip 45 seconds 2) back squats x8
3) double whip 45 seconds 4) dead lifts x6
5) single whip 45 seconds 6) Bulgarian split squats x12 each side
Thursday 04/01/2021 Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai
We got to train the same drills that we did on Tuesday. I am still working on my windshield wiper defense and counter attack.
Khun kru gave us a cool drill I can practice on the heavy bag at home for working on my windshield wiper defense.
Drill: Lead Shoulder bump in windshield stance, uppercut, hook, Rear shoulder bump in windshield stance, hook, ( lather rinse and repeat)
Thank you Kun Kru Krysta for a great class again!
Muay Thai Training:
10 minutes of bag work before class
1) jump rope
2) jab, cross, opponent parries both ( stand your ground no backing up) 3) parrying your opponents jab and cross (stand your ground)
4) parry incoming cross, mouse the inside bicep/tricep 5) feed H so he can practice
6) windshield wiper, parry, return inside mouse strike to bicep/tricep 7) feed H so he can practice
8 ) parry cross, mouse arm, cover incoming hook, fence, and either (run knees, dump, elbow, what ever works) 9) feed H so he can practice
10) Siko 4 destructions- parry jab into your elbow, parry cross, into your elbow, shuffle in to spear elbow the pectoral muscle 11) fed for H so he can practice
12) parry the jab, Siko the cross/destruction, high elbow cover the hook, catch the lead leg round house, either ( destroy the leg with elbow spike, or spinning back elbow) 13) fed for H so he can practice
Saturday 04/03/2021 Workout: Training: 2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali
Today was a great day of training. I had a lot of fun and we worked on different kick block with a posted knee, it is more of a destruction to the kick. I forgot the name of the block.
Then we worked on a goofy foot/shin compression drop.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for great fun classes.
Training: 1) Jab, catch, jab 2) fed H
3) catch jab, parry cross, inner mouse the tricep or, catch jab, parry the cross, outer mouse the tricep with back hand 4) feed H
5) catch jab, parry cross, return mouse back hand, high block incoming hook, post and push off, brace foot on leg for knee to leg destruction, push opponent, and return lead kick. 6) held pads for H
7) catch jab, parry cross, mouse arm, post high cover hook, destroy the wrist, goofy foot/shin compression and dump. 8 ) held pads for H
Kali:
1) 15 strike, 1 strike, 4 strike, with various blocks for the 4 2) playing with sword and shield and doing the 15, 1, 4 with sword and shield
Ohh and new Yokkao wraps came in!!! Woot!
Sunday 04/04/2021 Workout: 1 mile run, Tabata Battle Rope routine, Heavy Bag training
I ran a mile, took the kids with me while they rode their bikes. It was a little nerv wrecking so that run was different.
Tabata Ropes: 45 seconds on 10 seconds rest 3x each set. No rest between sets.
1) Started with- foot work, switching lead leg, switching hand placement
2) Worked on the bag- shoulder bump, foot work, switching lead leg, switching hand placement
3) Finally worked – shoulder bump, uppercut, hook, switch lead leg, shoulder bump, uppercut, hook
Great day outside, and kids attempted the battle ropes. Hahaha
Whether you are training for the ring, or you are training for self defense, understanding the use of force and what your intent is, is paramount to training properly.
Are you fighting in the ring or behind the 7-Eleven? Are you afraid for you life, or are you just trying to score some points and win that shiny new belt?
How do you train? I train for the ring and also for self defense.
Thanks for reading. If you liked this blog post please hit the like button. If you want to follow my adventures subscribe. If you have something you want to say please feel free to comment. I hope you all have a fantastic week.
For day to day stuff you can find me @sharpcupcake on instagram.
I really love in my training when things just flow right. What I mean by that is I can feel it work. It feels almost effortless in some ways. Not always for me, but some days I get a glimpse of the effortlessness. I wonder is that what it is like for these martial arts masters. Those people who make it look effortless.
What I mean is if you have trained in any striking martial art you may have noticed that the drills are made often times so that you strike with one side say your left, and then you strike with you right side. You do this because we are left/right sided animals. If we are in orthodox stance and hit with a cross our weight shifts to the right side as our arm extends. Then we will return with say a cross from the lead hand or left side. When you do that your weight shifts from left to right, and it flows.
It is nice when working drills and the flow just makes sense. You strike, kick, elbow, knee, kick…your weight shifts back and forth. When it is working right, it feels effortless. This week working on one of the drills it felt that way. It was great. I could literally feel my body shifting, moving, flowing form one strike to the next.
I was being watched by my instructor and she came over to let me know it looked great,fantastic even. I was totally expecting her to say “but” do this instead, or this is needs work. There was no but. It was great. I was turning my lead leg a little bit to much for the hook but it was all good, easy fix.
YAY!!!
When you watch those martial artists on TV or the masters you notice they move form position to position with ease and like well a master. That is the goal. I am starting to notice once in a while I feel those flows. It is going to take a lifetime to get to a point where I feel it all the time. But it is nice to feel it some times.
Martial arts goals!
Maintenance Week
This last week I came off my three week mini cut. I am on a maintenance week. What that means is I need to try to keep to my macros, and eat the same amount of calories that I burn. Lets me just say ahead of time. I have had a hard time meeting those goals this week. I end up being under. But the reason we do this, is to basically reset your body, so that it knows it is not starving.
This stops your body from trying to reach homeostasis and adjust to the mini cut. Keep them confused I say.
By them I mean keep your body confused, and let it think everything is all right. Because if your body thinks you are not getting the food you need, it will go into saving everything you eat mode.
Deficit:
My biggest deficit is in protein. I tend not to eat enough protein. I have one more week of maintenance so I will work on that.
Scale:
The scale has stayed the same.
MACRO AVERAGES
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Average
Goal
Difference
Protein
123
125
102
156
106
79
116
115.285714
210
94.71428571
Carbs
349
242
205
141
258
286
196
239.571429
245
5.428571429
Fat
62
122
101
156
127
105
181
122
109
-13
Calories
2446
2566
2137
2592
2599
2405
2877
2517.42857
2801
283.5714286
maintenance 3/15/2021 to 3/21/2021
Monday 3/15/2021: Workout – 1.5 hours
Warning emotion assault triggers may be present.
Woke up and processed the last dream I had prior to waking. I have always had nightmares about attacks that have happened to me. This morning was no different in that regard. However, I noticed they have shifted or changed tone.
When the person attacked me I defended myself. Yelling “ No, GTF off me” then I dropped him like a rock with an elbow and a reap. “I said stay down and stay the F away.”
Instead of scared and trembling I was pissed. I was pissed he attacked me, I was pissed he immediately started to scream about me assaulting him.
So this morning I guess I was still feeling that way when I chose my leggings – the don’t cross Grrrl leggings. And I choose my Dangerous Woman crop hoodie from No Prince Charming.
Then I realized we girls sometimes or at least I do wear the bright colors, the sayings about our dangerous nature. It’s like the bright colorings to deter predators.
So especially girls wear your gear that makes you feel powerful and let those predators know that you are not to be trifled with!
Workout: A) 1 mile run B ) 20 min Plyometric HIIT: 55 second hard push intervals, 45 seconds rest
1) x4 lunge + shoot a basket ball, x4 lunge + jack, 4x uppercuts, burpee, 4x uppercuts, burpee, 4x uppercuts, burpee, 4x uppercuts, burpee, 4x lunge side + lunge side + tap floor+ tap floor 2) same as above
3) quick feet, 2x 180 jumps + 2x jacks, 2x 180 jumps + 2x jacks, 3x squat + high jump, 3x jack, 3x squat + high jump, 3x jack, 4x jacks + 4x sumo squat and touch, 4x jacks + 4x sumo squat and touch 4) do the same as above
5) 2x jacks + run in place, 2x jacks + run in place, 4x side to side lunge with floor tap + 4x lunges reaching high, 4x side to side lunge with floor tap + 4x lunges reaching high, 4x jump lunges, 2x high knee lunges + run in place, 2x high knee lunges + run in place 4) do the same as above 5) do the same as above
C) Sliders: Do this set x3 1) slider sit through x10 reps each side 2) posterior plank to L sits x7 ( these were hard for me) 3) flye push-ups x5 double hand, x5 each side 4) plank wipers x20
Tuesday 3/16/2021: Training -1 hour of Muay Thai training
We are working on dumping again. It was so much fun, and I have so much to work on.
Again we were not trying to rip people’s heads off.
1) Catch jab, slip the cross, return gut shot, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee, frame and push opponent off balance, then Puta Kapala.
2) Catch jab, slip the cross, return gut shot, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee, frame and push opponent off balance, if he postures up, push face away, and step behind push him over to dump.
I am to tired to write up the rest. We did a lot of punchy, kicky, elbowy, kneeing things. Yay!
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class.
Wednesday 3/17/2021: Workout- run and calisthenics
I was thrown onto the mats a lot in class last night. I worke up tired and kinda stiff. So I went for a run and did a simple calisthenics workout. The reverse crunches kick my abs… haha see what I did there?
Guess who forgot to take a picture of the white board. Yup me!
What did we do, oh yeah a lot of dumping, punchy, elbowy, knees, and kicking. I joke, but we worked on distance management. With an opening drill To get us moving in our feet and keeping them under us.
4) catch jab, leg kick, hook, cross, lead kick 5) fed pads for H
6) catch jab, split cross, return the gut shot, lead elbow, shoot your forearm into you opponents throat, rear knee, step through, then puts kapala 7) fed for H
8 ) catch jab, slit the cross, return gut shot, lead elbow, rear elbow, lead knee pushing, lead kick 9) fed for H
10) catch jab, split cross, return gut shot, lead elbow, shoot your forearm into your opponent’s neck, rear knee, step through, your opponent postures up, turn the face away and step behind the opponent to dump. 11) fed H
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class.
Saturday 3/20/2021: Training – 1 hour of Muay Thai
I hour of training Muay Thai. It was finer learned and worked on a drill series that we had seen once before but it’s been 18 months since we did it. So lots like learning it new again. I really enjoyed the the back and forth flow of the drill.
The drill was the Inosanto 18 count.
Training: 1)jab, cross, jab 2) feed for H
3) scoop the Teep, rear kick, lead kick, cross, hook, rear kick 4) held pads for H
5) incoming rear kick, cut kick inner lead leg, rear kick outer lead leg, lead kick torso, hook, rear kick ( this is my favorite, I liked the feeling/flow of the back and forth) 6) held pads for H
7) parry the incoming cross, return cross, hook, rear elbow, rear knee, rear kick 8 ) held pads for H
9) full Inosanto 18 count- scoop the Teep, rear kick, lead kick, cross, hook, rear kick, incoming rear kick, cut kick inner lead leg, rear kick outer lead leg, lead kick torso, hook, rear kick, parry the incoming cross, return cross, hook, rear elbow, rear knee, rear 10) held pads for H
This drill is all about countering, teeps, countering kicks, and countering punches, and immediacy returning a 4 count strike or more.
I missed most of Kali, because I had the honor of interviewing one of my favorite training people. He has to move soon and wanted to get him before he left. He has done martial arts for decades. Yay! Gonna start a new series on my blog where I interview awesome martial artists.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for such awesome classes.
Sunday 3/21/2021: Training – 2 hours of Muay Thai training
We did pad work and sparring. I worked on free feeding again. It was great to just work.
I woke and was congested from the freaking pollen in the air. Spring is attacking my face parts. So I was really not feeling working out/training today. But when I started I got going and had a blast.
Thank you H, Khun Kru Krysta, and Amanda for the great training.
I think I got out of training today without a new bruise. Lol
Have you ever gotten that everything is flowing properly feeling? Have you ever felt that moment when your movements flow like water?
Thank you all for coming and reading. If you liked this post please let me know and hit the like button. If you want to see more please subscribe, and if you are feeling chatty please feel free to comment. Let me know what you think, what I might have missed.
Stay tuned for more adventures. I will also be adding interview with martial artists blog posts. I have had the opportunities to work with some amazing martial artists. I have worked with some legends and some who have just been working tirelessly at their martial art just for their love of the martial art.
I was curious as to what would pop up if I googled , Free feeding, Free Feeding Pads, or Free Feeding Striking Pads. A lot of links came up for free feeding dogs, or animals. Then a great deal popped up with sites that sell striking pads, Muay Thai pads, MMA pads, Taekwondo pads, etc.
Nothing, not one thing came up about free feeding. I don’t think it is just a Muay Thai thing. I could be wrong, However, it looks like in some older western boxing training videos that they do something similar. Just without all of our kicking, elbowing and kneeing. Maybe it is called something else and I just don’t know what to look for but it occurs to me that maybe I should write about it.
Why write about it? Well because it is something I am currently working on in Muay Thai.
What is free feeding pads?
This is a good place to start. What the heck is it? If you take any striking classes, or train in any striking classes. You know there are drills that are designed for you to learn how to strike, what the form is supposed to look like, how to transfer power or produce power in to your strikes, and it drills body mechanics. Because no mater how you fight it the laws of physics are all around us and really does affect us. Often time it is easier to work with them, say like gravity, then fight them. See… dumping your opponent because you changed his center of gravity and just moved his/her body in a way to make them tip/fall over.
When you hold pads for your training partner to hit during a drills. You are holding them in a known set of drills. This is a skill in of itself. Learning how to hold the pads while a person is hitting them requires some knowledge of what the drill is, and the strikes themselves. You have to meet the strikes with usually reciprocal force and you have to move your body with the pads. But I digress…
Free feeding pads is feeding the pads like above, however it is also the following:
Feeding the pad for a strike, with no particular drill, but understanding strike flow (e.g. after a cross is thrown you want to feed a strike on the lead side of your training partners, like a lead elbow, or lead knee, maybe a lead knee if you give them room)
You are returning strikes, kicks, punches, knees.
You are training your training partner on distance management.
You are pushing your training partner. This means you are watching them strike, and in those seconds evaluating their form, power, strikes, and giving feedback verbally and adjusting the feeding.
Free feeding is a training tool for the feeder: it is training me to, see openings for atack, work on my feed, see and anticipate my training partners strikes, and evaluate and react in a split second
Training progression for us looks a little like this: (Note: this is how we start, but we are constantly working on and improving each of these skills not matter how long we have studied Muay Thai.)
Tier 1
Learn form, how to stand, footwork, how to guard your face, how to throw a kick, how to throw a punch, elbow, knee… etc.
Learn drills (strings of kicks, punches, elbows, knees)
Learn combinations of strikes. (e.g. Jab, hook = 1, 3 – Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross = 1, 2, 3, 2 these are standard combos that are used all the time.)
Learn blocking, shielding. (e.g. you want to try to keep from being hit)
Learn basic pad holding for your partner
Tier 2
Learn about distance management. (e.g. a kick or teep is a long range strike, punch is mid range, elbows and knees are short range. How to get into the pocket, and out of the pocket. Or in and out of range of your opponent.)
Learn blocking then counter strikes ( you want to be able to hit back after you blocked an incoming strike)
Tier 3
Learn to spar (getting into the ring blocking, counter striking, striking, movement against a live opponent, and using what you learned even when the adrenaline drops)
Learn free feeding pads ( This is different from regular pad holding as it can be unstructured, and just flow. This is far more difficult than drill pad holding.)
Learn to see openings in your opponents, and see their strikes coming.
Free feeding pads well leaves me feeling a little stressed, and a little stupid. I am stressed and worried because I don’t want to mess up my training partners training. But I have great training partners and Kru (instructor) that will work with me through my learning. I feel stupid because I hate to make mistakes. I know, I know it is part of learning, but… I want to learn it all now.
Week 3 of 3 week mini cut update: (skip to my training below if you are uninterested in my minicut info)
So it looks like I was hit my Fat macro dead on. I was under on protein again (which is a thing for me, I always have a hard time getting protein in.) And I was just slightly over on my Carb macro. I do love me some carbs. I have added pre packaged nuts to my diet, to help me get that protein in. You can see my results below in the table.
Day 1– 1710 calories in, 2,294 calories burnt Day 2– 2312 calories in, 2158 calories burnt Day 3– 3016 calories in, 3500 calories burnt Day 4– 1901 calories in, 3175 calories burnt Day 5– 2443 calories in, 3490 calories burnt Day 6– 1785 calories in, 2126 calories burnt Day 7– 2061 calories in, 3423 calories burnt
MACRO AVERAGES
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Average
Goal
Difference
Protein
107
123
186
117
157
91
94
125
173
48
Carbs
161
257
298
158
285
182
176
216.714286
201
-15.71428571
Fat
72
88
120
89
75
77
109
90
90
0
Calories
1720
2312
3016
1901
2443
1785
2061
2176.85714
2306
129.1428571
Week 3 of 3 week cut.
After this three week mini cut, I have lost a total of 4 lbs. So that is great. I am now going into a maintenance phase. That is supposed to go for 1 to 2 weeks. I have not decided how long I want to do this phase for.
Monday 3/08/2021: 1 hour – 1.2 mile run, 20 minute HIIT row, 15 minute plyometric HIIT, and some calisthenics
Yay got it done. I started off my week with a great workout.
I will say the HIIT on the rowing machine is just not as taxing for me. I work a small sweat up, but it is more just a consistent working of the full body.
So I added the 15 minutes of plyometric HIIT to get the heart rate up and get a harder HIIT in.
Then I did calisthenics core, and some upper body weights. Reverse sit ups are hard! Ouch!
Workout: 1.2 mile run
20 min Rowing HIIT info: intervals from stroke rate to stroke rate (SR), 4x 1 minute all out sprints.
Interval 1 2 min @ SR 16 1 min @ SR 24 2 min @ SR 16
Interval 2 2 min @ SR 18 1 min @ SR 26 2 min @ SR 18
Interval 3 2 min @ SR 20 1 min @ SR 28 2 min @ SR 20
Interval 4 2 min @ SR 22 1 min @ SR 30 2 min @ SR 22
15 minute Plyometric HIIT: 35 seconds on 110% then 30 second rest 3 minute warm up
1) squat to high jump, skiers, 4 x 180 turn jumps, skiers, 4 x 180 turn jumps, 4 x jacks, 4 x star jumps, 4 x jacks, 4 x star jumps 2) repeat above 3) repeat above
4 ) run in place, 2 x jacks, side lunge tap the floor, 2 x jacks, side lunge tap the floor, 2 x side lunge tap floor, 2 x standing lunge crunch, 2 x side tap the floor, 2 x standing lunge crunch, 8 x jump lunges 5) repeat above set 6) repeat above set
7) run in place, 2 x jack, 2 x high jump, 7 x wide jack, high knee jack, 4 x jack to high jump 8 )repeat above set 9) repeat above set
2 min cool down
Calisthenics and weights: 1) 50 push-ups 2) 30 weighted sit-ups + press at top 3) 30 reverse sit-ups 4) 30 tricep extensions
Tuesday 3/09/2021: Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai practice
We worked on distance training. Accordion-ing in and out of range to set yourself up for your strikes.
We worked the Thai 15 and I am happy to say I did not forget it. Yay! 😂 it was nice to work the 15 count again. The teep transition is much easier this tome around.
Went for a mile run. Then because it was not freezing cold out I cleaned the garage from extra Amazon boxes that piled up there over the coldest months. To acces my weight lifting gym. Yay!
I am new to battle ropes. The battle ropes are kicking my behind. Whew! What a great upper body workout today. I did a Tabata style workout with them.
I did my weight training with my Olympic barbell and dumbbell outside/in the open garage. It was glorious.
Training: 1 mile run
Tabata Battle Ropes– 20 seconds on 10 seconds off 4x through
1) double whip 2) single whip 3) side to side
Weight Lifting– 3x through 1) tripod tricep row – 3x sets of 13 2) goblet squats – 3x sets of 10 3) RDL (Romanian Dead Lifts) – 3x sets of 6 4) Bulgarian split squats- 3x sets of 15 each side
When I was finished I felt muscle tired and like I got a great workout in. Yay!
Thursday 3/11/2021: Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai
I had a great day of training. We worked on the same drills from Tuesday. We were working on our distance management, and foot work.
I had fun training, and then took a picture of my butt. Lol
10) Parry cross, cover hook, lead horizontal elbow, rear downward diagonal elbow, rear long knee, lead kick, jab, cross, rear knee, rear kick 11) feed the pads
12) Teep to counter the incoming cross, slip the incoming cross, hook, cross, rear kick 13) held pads for H
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class!
Saturday 3/13/2021: Training: 2 hours and 20 minutes, Muay Thai, Kali, and a Run at the end
Today was a great day of training. Even when the brain was being mean.
Muay Thai: In Muay Thai we worked on, distance management, fencing, to puta kapala, with knee on belly, to a bar or punchy the face of opponent that you just threw down.
Then we did a combo punch, knee, elbow, fence, to a trip your opponent not reap because that is illegal in Muay Thai fight.
Kali: we worked staff and single stick. I focused on making my whitics more like our Millay thai side in elbow emotion. Thanks to Sifu Cory for the tip. I got to work with a brand new fresh out of the package Kali student today. So interesting to see, and I love helping the new students.
Run: Then I went for a run. Not quite a mile because some dude ( It was H) picked me up on the side of the road. Something about him being super hungry let’s go. Lol
Thank you for awesome classes Khun Kru Krysta!
Sunday 3/14/2021: Training/sparring: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Today we trained with just our training pod. It’s just 4 of us that social distance to the extreme. Where we try to take no chances. This is the only contact we have. Much like your immediate family in your house.
We are all level 1 or above our school, level two or above in the WTBA (World Thai Boxing Association). So we work the pads for about an hour, then spar for an hour.
I focused on making my free feeding better. It is a skill just like drill feeding, striking, and blocking is. I find it hard right now because you feed the pads and the fighter responds to your feed. You are often trying to push the fighter. You are striking them, making them manage distance, and counter striking and having them respond right away. All the while feeding the pads so that they can strike.
It’s a higher level of pad holding and I am still learning.
But I love it. ❤️
I am showered, fed, and dead tired. Freaking daylight savings time.
Have you heard of free feeding? Do you call it something else?
If you free feed pads for your fellow training partners how do you do it?
Thank all of you for reading my blog. If you liked this post please let me know and hit the like button. If you want to see more please subscribe, and if you are feeling chatty please feel free to comment. There are some interesting opportunities for me coming down the line, and I am amazed that you are all reading my blog. Stay tuned for more adventures, and please tell me what you think.
If you want to see day to day stuff, and sometimes my food, I put that on my instagram account @sharpcupcake . Don’t forget: Don’t photo edit, just go get it.
Hello out there. I am here and I am alive. The second COVID-19 vaccine shot had me down for two days. I was very exhausted. You know that feeling right before you are coming down with say the flu? Yeah it was like that. The injection site was extremely sore, and I had a slight headache. Other than that I bounced back on Wednesday and carried on with my training.
Yep I was able to keep to my mini cut during the slight down time. It was actually hard to meet my caloric needs when I was not feeling well and just wanted to sleep. But after 48 hours I was right as rain. My arm was still a little sore, but I was no worse for the wear.
My martial arts gym home moved to a new location. We are settling in, and it is going to take time to get everything sorted and where it is all working 100%. We persevere and we roll with the punches. However, that means some of our class times have changed, and that takes some getting used to. We have to go early in the morning, and that is fine and all but that means not sleeping in.
Mini CutUpdate
(note: You must find the right macros, and caloric intake for you. I am only giving you my information for reference.)
Daily macros I am trying to meet: Moderate Carb intake Protein = 173 grams Fat = 90 grams Carbs = 201 grams
My averages for the last two weeks:
MACRO AVERAGES 2/22/2021 to 2/28/2021
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Average
Goal
Difference
Protein
144
132
126
101
111
76
99
112.714286
173
60.28571429
Carbs
162
204
204
118
153
124
198
166.142857
201
34.85714286
Fat
49
62
82
97
104
55
89
76.8571429
90
13.14285714
Calories
1665
1902
2058
1749
1992
1295
1989
1807.14286
2306
498.8571429
This is the first week of mini cut data.
MACRO AVERAGES 3/1/2021 to 3/7/2021
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Average
Goal
Difference
Protein
72
63
110
103
104
103
107
94.5714286
173
78.42857143
Carbs
159
136
182
259
228
189
161
187.714286
201
13.28571429
Fat
46
61
68
116
40
87
72
70
90
20
Calories
1338
1345
1780
2492
1688
1951
1720
1759.14286
2306
546.8571429
Second week of min cut data.
So this is eye opening. This level of detail and view is helping me course correct to hit my goals. According to my fitness watch tracker, I am burning about 4,000 calories on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I burn about 3,000. The exception being Monday 3/1, and Tuesday 3/2 after I had the COVID-19 shot.
Scale numbers are going down. I have seen ~ three lbs of weight loss.
I am having to make sure I eat on time, and I am trying to make sure to eat the correct amounts. I have to up my intake it looks like.
I am having a hard time meeting my macros. I am going to have to snack more I guess.
I am lactose intolerant, but found whey protein isolate so far does not upset my stomach.
Again I am only sharing to share my experience and to reference what I am doing. You will want to calculate your own numbers, and your own macros.
Is this detailed view of data helpful?
On to my training for the week:
Wednesday 3/3/2021 Training: 1 hour and 15 minutes- 1.2 mile run, HIIT ramp rowing, slider workout and weights
It was a beautiful morning and I have been sitting on my behind for two days. After COVID-19 second, shot arm is a little sore still but not as bad as the last two days. Also not dead tired anymore. Yay!
Ran 1.2 miles
20 minutes Ramp HIIT row: 20 min ramp HIIT, 4 intervals total
3 intervals of: 1 min @ SR 18 1 min @ SR 22 1 min @ SR 26 1 min @ SR 30 1 min recovery
Last interval: 1 min @ SR 18 1 min @ SR 22 1 min @ SR 26 1 min @ SR as fast as you can (35 for me today) 1 min recovery
Slider workout: do this set 3x through 1) slider sit through – 10 x reps each side 2) slider skaters – 20 x reps 3) flye Push-ups- 5 x double arm, 5 x each arm 4) plank wipers – 10 x reps each side
Weight lifting: do this set 3x through 1) goblet squat- 10 x reps, 35 lb dumbbell 2) sit ups with press at the top- 30 x reps, with 20 lb kettlebell 3) fly to front raise- 10 x reps, 10 lb dumbbell 4) tripod tricep rows- 8 x reps each side, with a 35 lb dumbbell
I got it done then made brunch and got on with my day.
Thursday 3/4/2021 Training: 1.5 hours of training.
Today was a day I needed to get into the gym. It was good to get in and work the drills. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class.
I did an extra workout before the class. 3x through this set
1) fast feet 30 seconds 2) star jumps 30 seconds 3) sit through 10x reps
Muay Thai Training:
1) jump rope 2) Jab , catch , jab drill
3) Jab, cross, hook, cross, lead kick 4) held pads for H
5) Jab, cross, upper cut, upper cut, hook cross, lead kick 6) held pads for H
7) Jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee, rear kick 8 ) held pads for H
9) Lead Teep, rear kick, hook, cross, lead kick, defense Teep 10) held pads for H
11) Shadow box footwork- circle jab, circle shield, step back Teep….Step and slide jab catch jab, step and slide cross hook cross, step and slide jab high elbow cover jab
Friday 3/5/2021 Training: 1 mile run and calisthenics
Good Friday Morning!
Woke up and my body is feeling tired. So instead of a heavy workout. I went for a mile run. It’s 27 F degrees out and windy. Brrrr! And did some calisthenics.
Calisthenics:
1) 100 push ups 2) 100 sit ups with press 3) 100 reverse sit ups
Saturday 3/6/2021 Training: 3 hours of Muay Thai and Kali
Today I had a great day of training today. It was kinda early but nice to be done early.
Muay Thai we worked on distance management, getting in and getting out. I was also working on keeping my hands up to keep my face covered even when I am exhausted. My hands migrate lower the more tired I get, but I was trying. I also worked on getting out of the pocket after I completed my combo.
Muay Thai Training:
1) jump rope 2) Jab , catch , jab drill
3) Jab, cross, hook, cross, lead kick 4) held pads for H
5) Jab, cross, upper cut, upper cut, hook cross, lead kick 6) held pads for H
7) Jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee, rear kick 8 ) held pads for H
9) Lead Teep, rear kick, hook, cross, lead kick, defense Teep 10) held pads for H
11) with a partner throw jab, catch, jab, cross, Perry, cross, hook, bob and weave a cross, hook 12) let your partner throw first
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for teaching and working with us.
Have you tried a mini cut? Would you rather a less detailed view of my mini cut information?
I hope you all have a great week. I am going to keep training, like I do, and I am going to work on getting the macros in I need to. I consider this a work in progress. I am learning. I am adjusting, and I will keep trying. I may make a mistake, but I will keep trying.
Thank you for reading my blog. If you liked this post please let me know and hit the like button. If you want to see more please subscribe, and if you are feeling chatty please feel free to comment. I just wanted to say thank you to all the viewers. There are some interesting opportunities for me coming down the line, and I am amazed that you are all reading my blog. So thank you all, and please tell me what you think.
If you want to see day to day stuff, and sometimes my food, I put that on my instagram account @sharpcupcake . Don’t forget: Don’t photo edit, just go get it.
This is going to be a short post. At least I think it will be short post. I have been training the entire time during the pandemic. The fist three months (March – May) we stayed at home, and trained at homed. Since H and I live together we were able to do drills together with pads. We worked the heavy bag and did what we could at home. The world was still reeling from this pandemic and we did not know what was safe other than staying home and keeping our kids safe.
We follow safety precautions and when told to shelter in place and avoid contact we did. It was not till our couch/Kru/Instructor made sure that our entire team wore masks, made sure the gym was sprayed down and cleaned before our class, that people stayed 10 feet apart, the gym doors were opened and stayed open, each other person in our class stayed at a station and if they moved they cleaned it with cleaner before another person got to it, and H and I only partnered up since we live together. When we get home we avoid sitting on the couch, or touching much of anything. We shower and throw our dirty clothes from the gym into the washer. We hand sanitize after every equipment change we make even when we are just working with each other. We have kept this up since we got back to gym in June.
So now my training schedule is as such: 1) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I train at home. (Running when weather permits, rowing on the machine, HIIT, and weight lifting) 2) Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday I train at the gym. (Muay Thai, and Kali)
It is really hard to sometimes navigate this world and our training due to the extra problems that the pandemic has caused but we feel that it is worth the precautions for the health and safety of our family. It will be a year in March since we here in the U.S.A. have had to deal with this pandemic and the havoc it has wreaked on us all. I am glad we have found some workarounds that we can use during this time. I think if I did not have my outlets and or my training opportunities it would be much harder to navigate this new world.
Just this last Friday I got my first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. I got the information and the link from my place of employment. My eligibility is due to I normally work with infants to kindergarteners (that job has been on a holding pattern since the pandemic started). This vaccine has a booster that I have to get in 3 weeks. I will say it took about 2.5 days for the pain at the injection site, and the dull ache to go away. 2020’s flu shot hurt at the injection site this year, and that was different that the previous years. This COVID-19 shot felt like someone hit my arm with a lead pipe. It was extremely sore and stiff. I iced it, took Ibuprofin for pain, and felt just kind of run down. I decided to go train on Saturday. Because like the flu shot, while it was painful, it was nothing I could not handle. My shoulder and arm was sore and stiff, so I just avoided going full out while training in Muay Thai. My fellow team mate did the same and warned me that when he trained the day after the first shot, he crashed that night. I will say I did feel exhausted and more run down for training. So I would recommend that if you do train after you get the shot, then you should account for the fact that you might be out of commision for the rest of the night.
We will see what the second shot does to me, when I get it. Hopefully I don’t have to many symptoms, or none at all would be great.
Here is my training for the week.
Monday 02/08/2021 : 1 mile run, 15 minute plyometric HIIT, weight lifting leg/glute day, #Shefit30 Booty Band day 6 challenge
Hey it’s Monday and I started off my week great. How are you starting off your week?
—————— Went for 1 mile run , it was 25 degrees F out, and only icy in the shade. But it was nice to get out and feel the pavement underfoot. —————— 15 minute Plyometric HIIT: 35 seconds on 110% then 30 second rest 3 minute warm up
1) squat to high jump, skiers, 4 x 180 turn jumps, skiers, 4 x 180 turn jumps, 4 x jacks, 4 x star jumps, 4 x jacks, 4 x star jumps 2) repeat above 3) repeat above
4 ) run in place, 2 x jacks, side lunge tap the floor, 2 x jacks, side lunge tap the floor, 2 x side lunge tap floor, 2 x standing lunge crunch, 2 x side tap the floor, 2 x standing lunge crunch, 8 x jump lunges 5) repeat above set 6) repeat above set
7) run in place, 2 x jack, 2 x high jump, 7 x wide jack, high knee jack, 4 x jack to high jump 8 )repeat above set 9) repeat above set
2 min cool down —————— Weight lifting: 1) goblet squats and press – 3 sets of 15 2) Bulgarian split squats- 3 sets of 15 each side 2) standing banded kick back – 3 sets of 15 each side —————— Shefit30 booty band challenge: 3 x
1) 90- degree glute contractions x15 each leg 2) clam shells x15 per side 3) squat and hold + 3 knee pulses x15 4) standing abductors x 15 each side
Tuesday 02/09/2021 :1 hour of Muay Thai training
(TLDR : I was tired today, but flowed through training like you are supposed to do, and my strikes were effortless and powerful. Muay Thai not-secret secret.)
I was tired today! Let’s start with that. I was so tired I did not even get my challenge workout before my training in.
Does it help to vent? Yup sometimes. But not today.
I got to the gym, was getting ready, stretching and warming up. Going through the motions.
We start the drills and my training partner says, “ohhff your kicks are landing with a gut busting thud!”
I am not putting power into it. I am just trusting my body to do the thing I have taught it. I am to tired to force myself through the drills. I know this is “the way” to Muay Thai, but it’s so easy to forget.
When a drill is introduced and all you want to do is progress you (or at least I sometimes barrel through it, focusing so hard on my technique, I don’t relax enough) force your way through the drill. I don’t realize how hard I am trying to get the punches it kicks in til my coach mentions it and tells me to relax, don’t try so hard.
Not tonight though. I am to tired mentally to over think each technique. I just work the drill and work the flow. According to my partner he says my punches and kicks are really landing with a great thud. I was not trying to.
Training:
1) jump rope 2) jab, jab, right lateral pivot, cross 3) side step pivot, jab, side step pivot, lead shield, shuffle back Lead Teep
4) lead kick, lead kick cut step to lead Teep, jab, jab, lateral pivot, cross, rear kick 5) held pads for H
6) jab, jab, sidestep, cross, hook, rear kick 7) held pads for H
8 ) lead kick, fake lead kick, switch stance, rear hook, cross, hook, cross, switch kick 9) held pads for H
10) jab, rear lateral, lead cross, pivot, cross, lead kick 11) held pads for H
12) bonus footwork- box advance jab, advance Teep, advance shield, step side jab, side step teep, side step shield, back up jab etc till you make a box.
Wednesday 02/10/2021 : 30 minutes rowing, #shefit30 Booty Band challenge Day 8, and Day 9
Today it is cold outside and I really did not want to go out in the cold. So I tried out our new rower. H wanted something he could do at home, that was not running, and I needed an indoor cardio machine. This seemed to fit the bill.
Don’t quite know how this compares yet but today did 480 rows.
I followed a beginners how two video, and a beginners workout. So far I like it, and I can see how learning to row in the correct way will be a great addition to my training and cross training.
Then I did the Shefit30 Booty Band Challenge days 8, and 9. I missed doing yesterday’s challenge so I did both today.
Tuesday/day 8 3x word set
P – 20 Reverse Lunges + bicep curls O – 30 Sit-Ups + press at top W – 15 Supermans E – 15 Push-Ups + glute activation R – 60 Crunches- 30 frog, 30 pike F. 1 Minute Wall Sit U. 60 Bicycle Crunches L. 15 Mule Kicks
Wednesday/day 9 3x set
1) in and out squat jacks 3x sets of 20 2) monster walks 3x 30 steps 3) bridges with knee abductions 3x 15 3) single leg plus ups 3x 15 each side
Thursday 02/11/2021 :1 hour of Muay Thai training
I got some action shots of practicing Hanuman Climbing The Mountain Teep, or flying Teep. I am still working on my ups.
H thinks it’s about 18 inches, but my best jump yet. I have been working on my footwork and agility for about 6 months. To work on this I have been jumping rope, drills on the agility ladder, fast feet, jumps, star jumps, and burpees. Yay! Best ups yet.
We had a brand new person in class. I stopped what I was doing to help him out with his stance. I told him we are on our feet so our stance is the most important thing to learn first.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class.
Training:
1) jump rope 2) jab, jab, right lateral pivot, cross 3) side step pivot, jab, side step pivot, lead shield, shuffle back Lead Teep
4) lead kick, lead kick cut step to lead Teep, jab, jab, lateral pivot, cross, rear kick 5) held pads for H
6) lead kick, fake lead kick to Teep, jab, jab, sidestep, cross, hook, rear kick 7) held pads for H
8 ) lead kick, fake lead kick, switch stance, rear hook, cross, hook, cross, switch kick 9) held pads for H
10) jab, rear lateral step, lead cross, pivot, cross, lead kick 11) held pads for H
This was a fantastic day of training.
Saturday 02/13/2021: Training: 3 hours of training #shefit30 challenge, Jeet Kun Do, and Muay Thai
I got my first COVID-19 shot yesterday. So I slept in till almost 9 am. My arm is super sore, stiff, and feels like I got hit there with a lead pipe. It’s sore to the touch and hurts to move it in certain ways. My coach/instructor told me to take it easy and not over do my training.
So I focused on form and flow. Removing power on the left side entirely.
My team did pad work for the first hour. I did a round as well. I did the Shefit30 challenge day 12.
Day 12 of the Challenge– Let’s get LEGENDARY!
LEGENDARY
L – 15 Mule Kicks E – 15 Push-Ups G – 15 Burpees E – 15 Push-Ups (changed to 30 sit ups with press cause arm hurts) N – 15 Jump Lunges D – 60 Second Plank A – 30 Star Jumps R – 60 Crunches – 30 frog, 30 pike Y – 100 Flutter kicks
Then we worked on Jeet Kun Do. I have missed the form and flow of JKD trapping. (Forgive me if the spelling is wrong, I am trying to spell it phonetically.)
1) pock sau, da, pock sau, da (pock sau = slap hand, da = hit)
2) if opponent pocks your hand to 45 degrees, pock sau, da, lop sau, gua choy (slap hand, hit, lop sau = pulling hand, choy = backhand)
3) ping choy, lop sau, gua choy (ping = low punch/block, backhand, pulling hand backhand)
4) ping choy, lop sau, gua choy, pock sau da ( low punch, backhand, pulling hand, backhand, slap hand hit)
Muay Thai – we worked on drills similar to Tuesday and Thursday’s training.
We just added naotec kick to one of the drills.
1) pendulum kick to the leg, fake the pendulum kick, switch stance, overhand, cross, hook, cross, pendulum out and go back to original stance.
Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for the great class.
What do you do to train during this time?
Do you want to get the vaccine, and will you?
What was your experience if you got the vaccine already?
Thank you for reading my blog. To all the new readers please drop me a line and say hi if you want. To all the people still reading my blog hello there. If you liked this please hit the like button so I know. If you want to see more please subscribe, and if you are feeling chatty please feel free to comment.
If you want to see day to day stuff, and sometimes my food, I put that on my instagram account @sharpcupcake . And don’t forget: Don’t photo edit, just go get it.
Thinks with Spinks 