Tag: Striking

Martial Arts and Training: De-loading Week, Applying Training Fixes in Sparring

(week of 6/6/2021)

Wanted to talk about two things in this blog post this week. De-loading, and Application of Training in Sparring. Namely the difficulty in applying what you are learning in sparring.

Note: I noticed my dates were off on my last training post. Because I thought I was a month ahead. Hah! I fixed it retroactively

De-Loading:

This week was a De-loading week. Experts far smarter than I am have suggested that after you finish a weight lifting program you give your body a week where you let it rest from that particular training. So that is what I have done.

What is deloading? A de -loading week is not taking a week off of any activity, it is simply shifting focus on your training. Or reducing the amount you are. It is a chance to focus on rest, recuperation in the form of sleep and nutrition.

How I chose to de-load. I decided to give my body a week off of weight lifting, because I also train martial arts 4 days a week. I am eating to hit my macros, and I am trying to get enough sleep in.

What I noticed:

  1. I was getting better sleep over all
  2. My body did not hurt.
    • My body was not in the perpetual D.O.M.S. (Delayed onset muscle soreness) cyle. Train –> Sore –> Train different area –> sore etc.
  3. I did not lack energy in my martial arts
    • I noticed I was not getting enough rest between, working, training, and my martial arts
  4. The scale went down a little bit
    • I don’t know if it was water weight, I don’t know if it was a little bit of muscle loss. I don’t think so.
  5. I feel good, still getting some training in

I finished an 8 week weight lifting session. I got great results and wanted to start in on my second 8 week training session. However, I was smart and waited like the experts say to. So when you read this I will have started on my next 8 week training session. I am focused for the next 8 weeks on shredding, instead of bulking.

To be honest, I feel a little silly talking about shredding and bulking because I am not going to be an IFBB (International Federation of Body Building and Fitness) pro, or even compete. But shredding and bulking is what I am doing. I am following programs to help me “Bulk” or put on muscle mass, and to “shred” or lose fat and keep muscle. It is the same or similar process that these pros follow, and even if I don’t plan on competing I love to train and have goals I have set for myself.

Applying My Training Fixes in Sparring:

Can we take a minute to just sit and realize how hard it is in sparring to remember what you just were working on. When the adrenaline drops and you are facing your opponent… well everything goes out of your brain. You forget how to even practice Muay Thai. At least that is the case when you first start.

When you have been sparring for a while though, and practicing Muay Thai for a while though, you start to remember your form when you spar. Let me say though, your bad habits will show in sparring. Part of your brain will be screaming don’t get hit, and the other part will be saying focus on your skills. Or at least so far after 3 years of training and sparring time, my brain still does this.

Now try to throw in any of the things you have been working on. For me lets say it is remembering right now not to telegraph my jab to my opponent. It is near impossible. That goes straight out of the brain, and all I can think of is stay out of range to your opponent, then get in with an entry you know you have trained, what they see that jab coming. Hey how do I get my entry into the pocket when they see me coming? (You know what brain, we just worked on that in pad work, if you just…then I get smacked in the face. Then the brain goes crap crap punched in the face… don’t let that happen again.)

Lets say it is hard. I know I am not the only one that feel that way. Another girl that is brand new to sparring, has had the same problem. We have been told often by our trainers that this is a problem and the goal is to relay on our training and not think so much. Easier said than done. So we continue to practice.

Schedule: This was last weeks schedule while I was doing a de-loading week. No weight lifting

  1. Monday 6/7/2021: No training
  2. Tuesday 6/8/2021: No training
  3. Wednesday 6/9/2021: scheduled rest day
  4. Thursday 6/10/2021: Muay Thai Training 1 hour
  5. Friday 6/11/2021: scheduled rest day
  6. Saturday 6/12/2021: Muay Thai and Kali 2 hours
  7. Sunday 6/13/2021: Muay Thai training 2 hours

This will be my new schedule going forward for the next 8 weeks. I am going to try it out and unless I run up against any major problems I will keep it. I am starting a new weight lifting program for 8 weeks.

  1. Monday 6/14/2021: Mile Run, and Weight Lifting 1 hour
  2. Tuesday 6/15/2021: Weight lifting 1 hour, Muay Thai Training 1 hour
  3. Wednesday 6/16/2021: scheduled rest day
  4. Thursday 6/17/2021: Muay Thai Training 1 hour
  5. Friday 6/18/2021 : scheduled rest day
  6. Saturday 6/19/2021: 2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali training, Weight Lifting 1 hour
  7. Sunday 6/20/2021: 2.5 hours of Muay Thai training, Weight Lifting 1 hour

My Martial Art Focus:

  1. This week we focused:
    • Boxing and elbows
    • We worked on footwork for getting into the pocket and getting out after the close range elbows.
    • In kali we worked on Espada y Daga, and footwork, and gunting.
    • Drills for this week:

Muay Thai:
1) jump rope

2) jab, cross, lead elbow
3) held pads for H

4) cross, hook, rear elbow
5) held pads for H

6) jab, cross, hook, lead elbow
7) held pads for H

8 ) jab, cross, lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee
9) held pads for H

10) jab, cross, hook, spinning back rear elbow
11) held pads for H

12) jab, cross, hook, spinning back rear elbows, spinning back lead elbow, rear elbow, rear knee
13) held pads for H

We then worked in Kali on, gunting 6 ways:
1) The in and out avoiding blows
2) The meet the force
3) The following the force
3.5 ) gunting left hand follow the force
4) gunting, then return shot with left hand or knife hand
5) gunting, then return shot with stick or right hand
6) gunting, then return stick and knife shot

  1. Areas I need to work on:
    • I need to work on my short range hooks. Bringing the hand tight and using body for power.
    • 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.
    • Still need to keep working bringing hands back to my face after a strike.
  2. 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.
    • Repetition of the above short range hooks, no tells, returning hand to face, and entries.

Training focus: Weight Lifting and Running

  1. This week was a de-loading week. So I did not weight lift or run. Because I still had martial arts training.

Nutrition:

Hey this week I have gotten so close to meeting my protein requirements. This is the closest I have gotten 120 grams average is great.

The alarm system has been great for helping me get my meals in. During work my phone will go off and I did my best to take my break soon after. I averaged about 1 hour after the alarm but better than forgetting to eat so that is a positive move in the right direction.

I am going to redo my numbers and tweak my macros again.

MACRO AVERAGES
 Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7AverageGoalDifference
Protein15914611992108120101120.71428617352.28571429
Carbs188184106146199283250193.7142862017.285714286
Fat63781121459480131100.42857190-10.42857143
           
Calories19552022190822572074233225832161.571432306144.4285714
6/7/2021- 6/13/2021

Have you tried a de-loading week?

Have you had that adrenaline drop in the ring and forgotten how to do anything?

That is it for my past week. It was a welcome time off to recuperate. Now back to working to improve my fitness, and martial arts.

Thank you for reading. If you liked this post please hit the like button. If you want to follow please subscribe, and if you want to see day to day stuff, check out my Instagram @sharpcupcake.

As always, Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It!

Training Martial Arts 5/17/2021: Fixing the Minor Things Will Fix Overall performance

What am I working on right now? What am I tweaking to be just that much better at Muay Thai?

I have gotten used to the boxing gloves, and the Thai pads. Both of which are large, bulky, and fluffy. You may be thinking what boxing gloves are large? Well yes they are, we use 12 oz to 16 oz boxing gloves to train with. If you have ever had boxing gloves on you will know that they look like balloons on your hands. When you put on a pair of MMA gloves, whoo boy your hands profile gets a lot smaller.

What happens when your hands profile gets a lot smaller?

Your guard area is smaller, the bulky gloves protect a lot of your face. Not so with MMA gloves. You have to remember to move, parry, catch, slip, and bob and weave. Boxing gloves you can pillar up and it will save help you out.

Your elbows can flare out with boxing gloves leaving a channel up your body for a great upper cut from your opponent. So when our hands profile gets smaller you elbows can come down and you have a tighter profile.

Your hands are less protected so you can’t be lazy about your hooks. When you get lazy with less protection, you can break your hands, or your wrists and that is no fun.

Your hands are smaller, so they can split the gloves, or your opponents guard much easier.

The major minor fixes that I am working on lately are:

  1. Using smaller gloves, to work making my guard tighter
  2. Using smaller gloves reminds me of my real area/distance for attack and defend
  3. Using smaller gloves, to work on me turning my hand raising my elbow so I hit the hook correctly.
    • when you use MMA gloves you feel it, and you know if you hit right
  4. Punching from guard at my face, instead of dropping my hand, and cocking back to punch.
    • when I drop my hand even a little bit and cock back,
      • I am giving a tell to my opponent I am about to hit – they will then hit me
      • I am losing seconds to hit.
      • I am losing the surprise
  5. Remembering to bring my hand back to my face instead of back to chest level.
    • when I bring it back to chest level I am
      • losing time (seconds really but it maters)
      • I am leaving my guard open till I get my hand back to my face

Those are the minor things I have been working on fixing. What did I work on before. My foot work, or getting off the line. Will I have to tweak those again? Yeah I am sure I will. This art takes a lifetime of learning, I will always have something else I can make better. But right now this is what I am doing, time in training, and drilling will make me better.

At this point in my training, the drills are not new, the moves are things I have done a thousand thousand times.

I am making those minor tweaks. Just like in swimming, to take off seconds in timing. Those tiny tells/things that give away my intentions to strike.

Just like training for nationals in swim team, shaving off seconds in my 500 freestyle time took months of work. Months of tweaking:

  1. when I breath
  2. just how I turned
  3. my jump start
  4. how much water I pulled
  5. breath management

Muay Thai is no different in that regard. Fixing minor things, helped with my overall performance. Well there is one thing that is greatly you get punched and kicked a lot more in Muay Thai then at swim team. lol

Cutting Macros for the Week

Lets see… I did get closer to my protein levels on average. I have made sure to get my protein shakes in, and protein bars when I could not eat lunch at work right away. I can cut carbs and fat, ay

Went over on my carbs and my fats a little this week. But over all felt good. My training was good, and I am getting closer to being on point with my protein intake.

MACRO AVERAGES
 Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7AverageGoalDifference
Protein1231209115489145108118.57142917354.42857143
Carbs290165193276180203257223.428571201-22.42857143
Fat95839212571117174108.14285790-18.14285714
           
Calories25071887196428451715244530262341.285712306-35.28571429

Training Monday 5/17/2021: 45 minute run and weight lifting leg day

Today started out with a walk with my partner.

Then I went for a mile run after digesting breakfast.

Then it was on to first day of this weeks weight lifting workout. Which happens to be leg day again. Weee!

We can do anything we put our minds to. Anyone telling us we can’t are just showing us their limitations not yours!

Leg day with an emphasis on Quads and Glutes:
1) dumbbell squat – reps – 20, 20, 20, 20
2) standing leg extensions- reps – 12, 12, 12

Superset: do all exercises once through before rest
1) barbell hip thrust -reps – 12, 12, 12, 12
2) body weight floor glute bridges -reps – 12, 12, 12, 12

Superset: do all exercises once through before rest
1) resistance band abductor -reps- 15, 15, 15
2) dumbbell sumo squats -reps- 15, 15, 15

Training Tuesday 5/18/2021: 1 hour of Muay Thai

Some days you eat the kick to the ribs because you missed the subtle change in you opponents movement and then since they were nice enough to put their leg up there on your ribs you catch it to off balance them. Making lemonade out of lemons is helpful in my training.

Look I am not… I am still learning and have a lot to learn. But I have been noticing subtle changes in how I perceive my opponent.

I frankly see more now. Reaction time I am working on. 😂 lol

Muay Thai:
1) jump rope warm up
2) jab, catch, jab drill
3) cross, parry, cross drill
4) hook, high elbow cover, hook drill

5) respond to the jab cross hook, return a hook, cross, lead kick
6) fed pads for H

7) respond to jab cross hook, high elbow cover and return a jab/strike, cross, hook, rear kick
8 ) fed pads for H

9) respond to jab cross hook, you bob and weave on the hook, return a hook to torso, cross, lead knee
10) fed pads for H

11) pop the leather where we responded to the jab cross hook
12) same as previous round

Training Thursday 5/20/2021: 1 hour of Muay Thai

Who has two thumbs and had a long day at work? Yup that’s me. But I powered through my training. I did for a little bit contemplate just resting today, but I threw on my Beast Mode shirt and trained.

It was a balmy 97 degrees F in my gym today. Whew! When you are tired the heat can suck more energy out of you.

I am glad I went in. I am glad I trained.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class again!

What did I focus on while I was so tired? Keeping my hands up, bringing them back to my face, getting out of the pocket after I completed the drill! Yay!

Training Saturday 5/22/2021:1 hour- 1 mile run, and weightlifting upper body

We took the morning and spent it with the kiddos. They needed time with mom and dad. Ordered breakfast out, and had a family picnic.

But I still had to get my run and weightlifting in. I have a schedule to keep. I waited till the kids had to do their daily chores to get away. So a little later in the day than I like to but it’s done woot!

1 mile run, with new better run time in steady state run. Woot!

Weightlifting: upper body – chest, back, biceps

Superset: do all exercises once through no rest till all are done in one set.
1) push ups- reps- 10, 10, 10
2) dumbbell chest fly – reps- 10, 10, 10

1) standing barbell row – reps- 10, 10, 10, 10

2) lay pull down wide grip- reps- used resistance bands- 15, 15, 15, 15

Superset: do all exercises once through no rest till all are done in one set.
1) resistance band chest flys – reps- 15, 15, 15, 15
2) dumbbell standing double arm bicep curls -reps- 12, 12, 12, 12

1) preachers dumbbell bicep curls – reps each side- 10, 10, 10

Training Sunday 5/23/2021: 2.5 hours- 1.5 hours of Muay Thai, and 1 hour of upper body weight lifting back, shoulders and abs

Today was a great day of training. I got to work with my training pod. We worked on pads and sparring.

I focused on keeping my tools in the box, keeping my arms, elbows, and punches tight.

I worked on making sure I don’t drop my hands from my face/guard then punching. When I do that it takes longer for my punches to come, and I send a huge signal that I am punching. A tell. When I say longer I mean a few seconds but those few seconds allows some one else to get a punch in when my guard is down. Really it’s a game of milliseconds and millimeters. You give one you get punched.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta, Amanda Benson Early, and H for helping me tighten my game.

Then after lunch was eaten it was on to my weightlifting.

Weightlifting: back shoulders and abs day

1)inclined bench double-arm dumbbell rows – reps – 12, 12, 12, 12

2) seated wide grip cable rows (resistance band) – reps – 10, 10, 10, 10

3) bent over barbell high row- reps- 12, 12, 12, 12

4) Superset: do all exercises one after another in a set before rest
1) barbell front raise -reps – 12, 12, 12, 12
2) barbell upright row -reps – 12, 12, 12, 12

5) leaning one armed dumbbell lateral raises- reps each side- 12, 12, 12,

6) Superset: do all exercises one after another in a set before rest
1) laying leg raises – reps – 20
2) crunch to side tap -reps – 20
3) standing crunches – reps – 20

7) Superset: do all exercises one after another in a set before rest
1) laying leg raises – reps – 20
2) crunch to side tap -reps – 20
3) standing crunches – reps – 20
4) laying leg raises – reps – 20
5) crunch to side tap -reps – 20
6) standing crunches – reps – 20

What small things are you trying to tweak in your training?

I hope you are all happy and healthy. Thank you for reading my blog/s. If you liked this one, please hit the like button. If you want to follow my adventures feel free to subscribe. As always if you have a comment please feel free to chat. For day to day stuff you can find me @sharpcupcake on instagram.

As always, Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It!

Training Martial Arts 4/26/2021: Keeping Focus While Injured and Tired

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 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7AverageGoalDifference
Protein76164124184134139130135.85714321074.14285714
Carbs182238111281238314213225.28571424519.71428571
Fat82127909610217087107.7142861091.285714286
           
Calories177027511750272424063342215524142801387
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)

Weight lifting:

1) standing barbell row- reps 8, 8, 6, 6, 6, 6

2) seated cable rows – reps 20, 20, 20, 20

3) seated dumbbell shoulder press- reps 10, 10, 8, 8, 6

4) seated dumbbell lateral raises – reps 10, 10, 10, 10

5) dumbbell incline fly – reps 12, 12, 12, 12

6) dumbbell incline bicep curls – 10, 10, 8, 8

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!

Training:

1) jump rope

2) cross, parry, cross rear kick plus sign drill
3) opponents turn

4) jab, cross, hook, rear kick
5) fed pads for H

6) jab, cross, split the cross
7) fed pads for H

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

Weight lifting: 40 minutes
1) barbell walking lunges – reps – 20, 20, 16, 16, 12, 12

2) barbell sumo squats – reps – 8, 8, 8, 6, 6

3) barbell hip thrust – reps – 8, 8, 8, 6, 6

4) goblet squats – reps – 15, 15, 15

5) hyper reverse frog pumps on bench – reps – 20, 20, 20

Superset: do these three exercises in a set no rest between each exercise only rest between each set.

Do each Set x 3

1) dumbbell Russian twists – reps – 20
2) reverse crunches – reps – 15
3) dumbbell upper crunches – reps – 10

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!

Training Martial Arts 4/19/2021: Bunches of Punches

Good after…morn… what ever time of day you are reading this, I hope it is good and amazing. Anyway, Bunches of Punches is not a mnemonic per se, it is more of an alliterative phrase. My Kru uses it to remind us when sparring to throw many punches, knees, kicks instead of just one or two at a time.

Why would you care how many punches you throw at a time?

There seems to be many different opinions on this matter. Surprised that there is a lot of debate about this…I am not. It seems in the martial arts world, nay in any sport, or physical activity there are people with so many different points of view. So let me just wax on about what I know and what I have learned.

Reasons why you would want to throw more punches/strikes then just 1 or 2:

  1. Throwing one strike is predictable
    • Throwing just a jab for instance, your opponent is going to predict that it what you are going to throw and can counter, and return a strike to you. This is not to say that, that singular jab is not a good way to evaluate your opponents response, and or to feint and then throw something else. But in general just throwing a jab out there will not win you any rounds.
  2. Throwing one and just blocking/waiting for a strike
    • Throwing one strike then turtling up, or pillar blocking up puts you on the defensive, you are then just reacting to your opponents strikes. If your opponent is pressing you don’t get the chance to strike back as easily.
  3. Throwing multiple strikes keeps your opponent guessing
    • You could throw jab, cross, uppercut through the uprights, catching them off guard, then when you square up again, jab, cross, over hand… your opponent may be thinking oh I saw them do a uppercut let me dodge, or parry it away. You are mixing up the strikes to keep them guessing.
  4. Throwing multiple strikes helps you enter striking range
    • I am short. I am 5 foot nothing, and my striking range is short range. Against a taller fighter, and lets get real everyone is taller than me. I have less range. So in order to get into range, I will have to crash in. I can pillar block up and crash in, but I am going to take some blows. I want to hit not get hit. If I don’t throw bunches of punches which usually means my hands are in their face, they will hit me. If I do throw bunches of punches, they will not see my leg kick coming till I sink it into their quad.
  5. Throwing multiple strikes helps you cut the line
    • So cutting the line is important. Especially if you vertically challenged like me. I don’t want to be in the front of my opponent all the time. That is where their tools are. Their fists for punching, the elbows, the knees, and kicks. However, if I can cut the line and get to their side, I can land blows, and be relatively safe. They can all ways spinning back kick, elbow, or duck. But I have a better chance of getting in range if I cut a 45 degree angle and get to their side, to do damage. I can throw a jab, cross, hook, and cut the line. The can set me up for an unprotected round house (unprotected torso of my opponent).
  6. I am not Roy Jones Jr, or Manny Pacquiao, and I can’t bet on a one punch KO in the ring.
    • It is possible, though improbable at this point in my career.

This is all great, and easier said than done. However, I hear my teacher/Kru Krysta saying, “bunches of punches Tanya, bunches of punches.” While I am sparring. It is her way of reminding me to do more than just 1 or 2 punches. To fall back on our training. Even when I am tired and just want to throw one or two… throw multiple and get into the fight. Press the attack, surprise my opponent and win the round.

For reference when we are sparring we are not focused on winning we are playing. But that is a whole other topic to write about. We wanna win in the ring at a fight match. We want to play and learn from our mistakes in a sparring round.

Maintenance Week #1

This last week was maintenance week #1.

Looking at these numbers I did not hit my protein goals. I over did it on carbs, but I was feeling the need for carbs… so I had home made pop corn a couple of nights that threw those numbers over. My fats I stayed close to goal.

So this week I am going to have to work harder to get the protein in, and slow down on the carbs.

Man Carbs are so good though.

Good news, I am seeing some body recomposition. I am toning, and building muscle and my pictures are showing progress. Gonna keep plugging along and dialing in my macros.

MACRO AVERAGES
 Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7AverageGoalDifference
Protein102176101102989691109.428571210100.5714286
Carbs234309162293219362288266.714286245-21.71428571
Fat678698147879011097.857142910911.14285714
           
Calories19472714193429032051264225062385.285712801415.7142857
Maintenance week 1 – 4/19/2021 to 4/25/2021

Monday 4/19/2021: Workout: 1 hour – mile run, and weightlifting upper body, chest, back, triceps

Guess who’s triceps were sore from Sunday Muay Thai training? Yup mine, but it was upper body day today.

So after a rainy mile run I went to do my upper body workout.

I am still waiting for some dumbbells I ordered to get in so I subbed in barbell inclined bench press over dumbbell bench press.

Also don’t have a cable system so subbed in resistance bands.

Diamond push ups are hard. So I did them standard 3 x each set and then switched to doing them on my knees.

It is always ok to find work arounds if you don’t have the equipment, and or if you need to modify an exercise till you can do it. At least that is what I tell myself. 😊

Workout:

1) dumbbell one armed bench row- reps x 8, 8, 8, 8, 6, 6,

2) barbell dead lift – reps x 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

3) resistance band narrow grip pull down- reps x 10, 10, 10, 10

4) barbell inclined bench press – reps x 8, 8, 8, 8

5) dumbbell inclined chest flys – reps x 10, 10, 10

6) diamond push ups – reps x 12, 12, 12, 12

Tuesday 4/20/2021: Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai

We are working on the basics again. It’s been great I love going back to the 4 counts. I like returning to the 4 counts especially after training other higher level drills. I think of it as re-honing my basic skills.

It also feels good just doing something I know without thinking about how to do.

And lastly you can always improve on the basics. I will always have something I can improve on.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a great class!

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

Thursday 4/22/2021: Training: 1 hour of Muay Thai

I would not say I completely successfully left my shitty day/mood off the mat this time. But did just sink into the workout.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta that it was basics again 4 counts and it was nice to just work it and try to forget life for a bit.

Was leaving my foot in the bucket for South Paw stance doing drills, but I was getting rotation and landing my kicks well. Yay!

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

Friday 4/23/2021: Workout: 1 hour weight lifting and run

Today was lower body legs and abs.

I went on my mile run, did my weight lifting. Then we have celebrations for my eldest son’s birthday.

Yay! Celebration day! And mmmm cake!

Weight Lifting:

1) deficit snatch grip dead lift with feet elevated – reps 8, 8, 8, 8

2) dumbbell glutes bridge- reps 12, 12, 12, 12

3) pause hip thrusters with barbell- reps 10, 10, 10, 10

4) barbell split squat – reps 8, 8, 8, 8

5) dumbbell goblet squat – reps 15, 15, 15, 15

Super set- do all three exercises as a set no rest till one set is done. X3

1) side plank 30 seconds
2) plank stand 30 seconds
3) side plank 30 seconds

Saturday 4/24/2021: Training: 1 hour Muay Thai

Today we worked on Muay Thai, entries on the:

1) cross (parry and return strike)
2) the hook (high block return strikes, and or dumps)
3) the kick (catch kick and return strikes or dump)

We dot to do Silat take down called the Basset Dal, rear facing inside leg sweep. We worked on a figure 4 Leg take down that Jay taught us.

It was a lot of fun today, thanks for the class Khun Kru Krysta!

Training:

1) jump rope

2) cross, parry, cross rear kick plus sign drill
3) opponents turn

4) jab, cross, hook, rear kick
5) fed pads for H

6) jab, cross, split the cross
7) fed pads for H

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

Sunday 4/25/2021: 2 hours of Muay Thai, and 55 minutes of Weight lifting

Training: 2 hours of training Muay Thai

We have our little training pod, where we work together to work on higher level Muay Thai techniques, and sparring on Sunday!

I practice my free feeding and feed back.

I was working on flow, and chaining attacks better.

I was also working on keeping my hand and elbow in.

I was working on landing shuffling out, and the switching stance if need be.

Then sparring with Bunches of Punches that lead into kicks.

We got to do a new drill that was so much fun. Jab, cross, lead kick, slip the cross, hook, rear kick. That was really fun, and you can feel the weight distribution as you drill it out.

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta , Amanda, and H for training with me and helping me learn to clean up my fighting.

Now on to leg day weight lifting. Gonna skip the run today as I think I hit my cardio needs. Lol

Workout # 2: 55 mins- Leg Day quads and glutes

After 2 hours of Muay Thai today leg day was a slog to get through but I did it. I just let my body rest more between exercises. Normally I try to stick to 30 seconds rest but ohh man today I needed extra time.

I also rolled my ankle at Muay Thai and now I am icing it.

Great news is… for the barbell lunges I went up 10 lbs, and for barbell sumo squats I went up 10 lbs. Woot!

Question: do you all get lazy and not take out the smaller weight befor stacking a larger weight? Picture below… when I was switching exercises up to squats instead of reloading largest first to smallest I just slapped the largest weight on the end. 😂

Weight lifting:

1) barbell walking lunges – reps 20, 20, 18, 18, 12, 12

2) barbell sumo squats – reps 8, 8, 8, 6, 6

3) barbell hip thrusts – reps 8, 8, 8, 6, 6

4) dumbbell goblet squats- reps 15, 15, 15

5) hyper reverse frog pumps – reps 20, 20, 20

Super set- do each exercise one after another without rest, rest only after each set of 3 exercises

3x this superset
1) dumbbell Russian twists- reps 20
2) reverse crunches – reps 15
3) dumbbell upper crunches – reps 20

How do you train? Do you train drills with three or more punches?

What do you think? Would you rather just punch once or twice and get out of the pocket?

Thank you all for reading. For those of you who are knew welcome. I am amazed you all read my little journal/blog. If you want to ask me any questions please don’t hesitate to comment or email me. If you want to follow my adventures and know when I put a knew post up right away subscribe. If you liked this post please let me know and hit the like button.

As always, Don’t Photo Edit, Just Go Get It!

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

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

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

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

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

Footwork areas here:

Stance 60/40 rear lead

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

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

Pivot

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

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

Get off the line

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

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

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

Balance when shielding

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then I did arm day weight lifting workout.

Finally a 6 minute core workout to finish it off.

Workout:

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

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

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

Repeat the whole set above

——————————————–

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

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

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

So I slept for.. really terribly last night.

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

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

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

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

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

This was a great day of training.

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

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

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

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

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

Repeat this set 3 times

—————————

Kettlebell: 25 minutes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There is a short video on #sharpcupcake my instagram.

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

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

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

Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for a fun great class.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Workout/Martial Arts 08/17/2020: The Basics Aren’t Basic They Are Foundational

Often times in our training you will see us training the basics. I Jab, with full extension and shoulder to face, and a cross with full extension and shoulder to face. Pivoting on the feet, and don’t leave your foot in the bucket. All the basics are things we work on. All things we work on all the time. No matter how long your training, there is still something you can learn about the basics. The basics are not basic they are foundational. If we did not learn how to created the letters first we would not be able to write or read. They are foundational, but they are also basic.

Some of the basic things in Muay Thai that is always said:

  1. If you are fighting standing up your foot work is most important first.
  2. Fully extend your punches, don’t short change them.
  3. Don’t leave your foot in the bucket (bring your rear foot up with you when you shift in, or when you close the distance)
  4. Rotate your hips, on hooks, upper cuts, kicks, knees, most of your power comes from there.
  5. Distance management/Knowing your distance, your range is so so important.
  6. Don’t just hit once, try to do at least three strikes, because you are not going to land all of them and if you do that is great.
  7. GET OFF THE LINE that is a big one and is going to be bolded because of how important it is. Harder to hit you, if you are not right in front of your opponent and all his tools.

This week has been interesting. It has been exciting and fun, and well not what I expected. I got to teach the Muay Thai classes this week. My instructor/trainer was out unexpectedly and she had us take over the class. It was fun, it was nerve wrecking because I did not want to show the drills wrong, it was great. I love teaching people and I love helping people learn.

Not only did I help teach I was informed by my instructor that while she was sad not to get to see me teach for the first time. It would not be the last time. As she said, “That cat is out of that bag, now, I am going to be teaching you how to teach martial arts.”

Monday 08/17/2020: 1 hour training – 1 mile run, 30 minutes weight lifting, 10 minutes shadow Boxing, 10 minutes core workout


I got a Hypervolt massage gun for my birthday because I am bad about rolling out my muscles. It came in 4 days ago and I have been using it every night on my IT band and leg muscles. I have crazy knots because read above ⬆️.

So I noticed the tightness in my legs/thighs were noticeably less. I even reduced my run time by 45 seconds and I was not trying to.

1 mile run

Weightlifting: focusing on the eccentric movement. Fast muscle contraction and slow 3 count muscle release.


1) Goblet squats 3x sets of 20
2) Bicep curls with curl bar 3x sets of 15 (eccentric muscle release focus)
3) Standing Shoulder press’s 3x sets of 15(Eccentric muscle release focus)
4) Kettle Bell Swings 3x 1 minute
5) Kettle Bell Figure 8 3x 1 minute, switch directions 30 seconds

10 minutes of Shadow Boxing

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

Tuesday 08/18/2020: 1 hour Muay Thai Training


Training was interesting today. I got to be in the roll of “teacher” more like helper. But our instructor was out of class for today, and she asked H and I to help the class. She asked for us to answer questions and help the other students with the drills we did on Saturday.

I guess the biggest thing is I don’t feel like I know all that much. However, I know I have increased in rank steadily through training, and learning. So today was a big eye opener.

Today was less about me working on me, an my skills. I did work a little, but I was using my time much more bouncing from station to station, and trying to help people with things I saw that could be polished.

I had a blast doing it. I know from teaching others Cake Decorating that when you teach you can see your flaws better, you also have to internalize the lesson and regurgitate in a way your student understands. By doing that kind of regurgitation you end up learning that skill better. Makes you more cognizant of the minutia.

When I got chances to train tonight, I noticed my body mechanics was much better after observing others. I was flowing in my weight on foot transitions and doing so made my strikes smoother. That is one of the areas of my Muay Thai I am actively working on. I did not force it. I was loose. I was playing around. I was letting my body move the way I taught/trained it without thinking.

Muay Thai: jumping rope to warm up, pushups, squats, burpees for active recovery between rounds.

1) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 6 Side in
2) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 8 spearing Elbow

3) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 8 spearing Elbow, tie up 6x skip knee, rear double kick
4) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 6 Side in, # 9 Spinning Back Elbow, Rear Kick

6) Jab, Overhand, Elbow # 3 downward diagonal, # 9 Spinning Back Elbow, Rear Knee
8 ) Matkatune, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick Mix punches up by changing levels (High, Low, High), (High, High, High), (High, High, Low).

Thursday 08/20/2020: 1 Muay Thai Training

I got to teach in tandem with H and two of my other Muay Thai team mates. Do you say tandem with it’s more than two people? No it’s synergy, synergistic that’s the word I am looking for, we worked in synergy. Ali, Jay, H, and myself lead the class today.

I bowed everyone in. Started them off, and we got the class rolling. I was nervous but had a great time teaching. I put the fact that I am not perfect aside and tried to show the forms and drills to the best of my abilities.

You have to think about the drills and why you do them. You may know why yourself, but you have to remember that the students probably don’t, so take that into account and when teaching explain the whys not just the hows. But you also have to remember not to overload them with information because that will make it 10 x harder for them to internalize.

At some point they have to just rep it out. Mat time/repetition is the best and answer when learning a new skill. I have a lot to learn about teaching a Martial Art still but I love teaching! The basics are the foundation and you never stop learning the basics.

Training– Warm up:
1) Jump rope 1x 3 min round
2) Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Kick

Drill: these are the Thai 15 broken into digestible chunks. Jay had us doing push-ups in various forms lunges and burpees for active recovery between rounds
1) parry cross, high cover hook, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow
2) Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee, Lead Kick
3) Cross, Hook, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
4) Teep, Slip, Hook, Cross, Rear Kick
5) Full Thai 15 – parry cross, high cover hook, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Knee, Rear Kick,Teep, Slip, Hook, Cross, Rear Kick

We demonstrated the drills with a partner and then on the bags/dummies so that the students could practice safely and distantly. It was fun and I learned a lot again.

Bonus dinner pic cause yogurt, fruit and nuts nom nom nom

Saturday 08/22/2020: 2 hours of training, Kali/staff, Muay Thai, and a little bit of Silat

A fantastic day of training. Our instructor is back and I was so happy to see her. She said the cat is out of the bag now for us to help teaching and we will be teaching more, she will be teaching us how to teach. Yay! Thank you Khun Kru Krysta!

Good reports seemed to have come in for the classes we taught.

Kali – we learned some cool things. Along with the basic full box drills we do, we learned a cool hand transition above the head that I have to really work on to make smooth. And oh my shoulders are tried and sore today. We also worked on a couple of stave disarms. Our instructor says, “don’t count on getting a disarm it most likely won’t happen, but if it does that’s great.”

Muay Thai– jump rope to warm up, jumping jacks for active recovery between rounds.

1) Jab, Cross, Elbow #6 Side in, Elbow #6 Side in
2) Held pads for H

3) Lead Teep, Lead Kick, Cross,Overhand Hook, chain #3 downward diagonal elbow, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
4) Held pads for H

5) Lead Teep, Rear hop kick, Hook, Cross, #8 spearing Elbow, Tie up/clench, skip knees, spin out to double kick
6) Held pads for H

7) Thai 15 count, parry the Cross, High Elbow cover the hook, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee, Lead Kick, Cross, Hook, Rear Knee, Rear Kick, Lead Teep the incoming Cross, slip the incoming cross, Hook, Cross, Rear Kick
8 ) Held pads for H

Silat – We worked on a catch the kick, spike the knee, grab the ankle, rake the eye, go under opponents leg, rake the testicals, either single leg them or dump them on the ground.

Whew I am dead tired now. My shoulders are sore and after a shower and food I am ready for a nap.

I learned so much from teaching others. I learned I have so much to learn still about teaching people Martial Arts. I learned I know more than I thought I did.

I am excited about the new chapters in my training. I am excited about expanding on the basics. I am excited about learning more about the basics. I know that the basics are the foundational pieces and I will be helping others learn that. In turn I will learn how to better internalize those foundational pieces, and hopefully become a better teacher.

On the other hand I had a great time just being a student again on Saturday. There is far less stress, and I can just work on me. lol

Teaching is about your students. You have to give your students your full attention. Training is about me, I am working on my training. It will be interesting to learn how to juggle that dichotomy now in my training.

If you liked this blog or my musings hit the like button, subscribe to see more, and comment if you feel like it. Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great week. Keep reaching and working for your goals.

Workout/Martial Arts 08/10/2020:A Knee Or An Elbow Is A Conversation Ender

We started the conversation in the fight. We were talking back and forth, jabbing, responding, dodging, hooking, looking for openings. Now how do you stop that conversation. Hopefully with the least amount of damage and pain to yourself. Extra points if you end it with a surprise. Like say a surprise elbow, or knee to the face after you landed a punch to the gut.

I am still working on why my conversation looks/sounds like. However, it is good to have an ending. To know how to end the conversation. How to end the fight. So no mater what your conversation is or how your conversation goes… you can end it. Look no matter how you fight, with technical precision, with fun and feints, with aggression, or as a responder to incoming attacks. You have to be able to end it.

Elbows and knees are the sharpest tools you have on your body that will do damage. Just a glancing elbow strike will cause a cut on you face, opening up a gash that will bleed into your opponents eye. I properly placed knee will break ribs, damage internal organs, or if get them in the head fracture an orbital socket. Those are terrible injuries to take. However, these strikes can also mean lights out or even death. So when I say elbows and knees are a conversation ender that is what I mean. It is hard to continue to go on after any of those injuries. These strikes are a punctuation at the end of a sentence. Arguably by far the worst injury you could take is death. This is why so many amature fights do not allow elbows and knees. An elbow strike to the chest just at the right time can stop an opponent’s heart.

Here are some links to rules if you are interested in fighting:
(Note: this is by far not a complete list, know your fight, your level, and the rules surrounding your fight.)

IKF (International Kickboxing Federation) https://www.ikfkickboxing.com/RulesMT.htm

Muay Thai Canada https://muaythaicanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/MTC-National-Competition-Rules.pdf

UFC Rules https://www.ufc.com/unified-rules-mixed-martial-arts

This post is late, I try to get it out Sunday or Monday, but hey life gets in the way.

Training

Monday 08/10/2020: 1 hour and 20 minutes of run, bag work, shadow boxing, weigh lifting, and core workouts


Who looks like a goof ball? Me but I did my workout.


Run: 1 mile, It was hot and muggy outside at 7 am.


10 min Bag work: simple combos, Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Head Hook (working on changing levels, and getting full extension)


10 min Shadow Boxing: worked on flow, and swing through with kicks


30 min Weight lifting:
1) bench press 3 x sets of 10 reps
2) dead lifts 3 x sets of 6 reps
3) Goblet squats 3 x sets of 20 reps
4) Bulgarian Split Squats 35 reps each leg

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

Tuesday 08/11/2020: 1 hour of Muay Thai training

  • goofing around
  • I am a goof ball apparently
  • stretch

I could not think of another way to spend my birthday evening than training with my Muay Thai family.

Thank you for a great class Khun Kru Krysta!

Elbows are so much fun to throw and so scary to hold pads for. It really makes you want to concentrate as hard as you can, so you don’t get hit. Elbows and knees are conversation enders. I talked about fighting being a conversation in my last blog post. Well elbows and knees tend end the back and forth conversation if they land on your target. They can be brutal and terrifying, but fun. 😊

Muay Thai:

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

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

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

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

Thursday 08/13/2020: 1 hour and 20 minutes Muay Thai training

Elbows are so much fun. However feeding them can gets scary if the elbows slide off the pads cause the elbows and partner are sweaty.
So when you are looking for an opening and land an elbow the reason it is scary receiving or holding pads it’s, one wrong move and it’s lights out. Time to take a nap on the mat. End of your fight conversation.

Anyway lots of fun today in class thank you Khun Kru Krysta!

Training: jumping jacks in between rounds, and H and I did 30 knees when everyone is wiping down their stations


1) Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick
2) Held pads for H 30 knees, I held 30 for H

3) Cross, Body Hook, Head Hook, Cross, Lead Kick
4) Held pads for H 30 knees, I held 30 for H

5) Cross, Uppercut, Cross, #3 elbow (downward diagonal- you have to cock your shoulder back to throw this), Lead Knee
6) Held pads for H 30 knees, I held 30 for H

7) Cross, Uppercut, Overhand, #3 elbow, #9 elbow (spinning back elbow), c out, #3 elbow, Rear Knee
8 ) Held pads for H 30 knees 5 Kicks each side, I held 30 and 5 each side for H

Burn out:
9) Jab, Cross, Lead Kick, Rear Kick, Lead Elbow, Rear Elbow, Lead Knee, Rear Knee
10) I held for H

11) Held for H- Scissor Teeps, and Flying Teeps, 10 kicks each side full power
Showered and rolled out Hypervolt massaged I am pooped.

Saturday 08/15/2020: 2 hours, Kali/staff, and Muay Thai training

  • Photo credit Khun Kru Krysta

Whew it’s been a fun day of training, but I hit a wall hard. I felt exhausted and a lot parched. I have been up since 4 am, went into work did the work stuff/bakery fun. Got groceries for the house, came home and ate breakfast. Then it’s training time. I think I was dehydrated but I remedied that and pressed on with the training. Listen to your body people.

Kali/Staff:

1) 3 x equise, low backhand high backhand
2) 3 x witik, low backhand high backhand
3) 3 x redondo, low backhand high backhand
4) Now left handed for the above three
5) block # 15 strike, with a roof black and shield

Muay Thai: jumping rope to warm up, jumping jacks between rounds
1) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 6 Side in
2) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 8 spearing Elbow

3) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 8 spearing Elbow, tie up 6x skip knee, rear double kick 4) Held for H

5) Jab, Cross, Elbow # 6 Side in, # 9 Spinning Back Elbow, Rear Kick
6) I held for H

7) Jab, Overhand, Elbow # 3 downward diagonal, # 9 Spinning Back Elbow, Rear Knee
8 )I held for H

9) Matkatune, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick Mix punches up by changing levels (High, Low, High), (High, High, High), (High, High, Low).
10) Held for H I am exhausted. The video is of the 5) round, Jab, Cross, Elbow # 6, Elbow #9, and Rear Kick.

I need to work on it more, but it’s super fun. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta! 🙏

Well that is it for the last week. It was my birthday week. I am a year older, and hopefully for all of us a year wiser. I am continuing to reach for my goals, working toward making myself better every day. I am working on my conversation in my fight. What do I want to say? How do I want to say it? I am also working on how to end my conversation, or the conversation I have.

You may never be in the ring. I may never be in the ring, but you may get into a fight/conversation one day, and you will want to end it on your terms not theirs. Elbows and knees are some of the fastest ways to end that conversation. Know your fight and know your exit strategies, and abilities.

I had a fantastic birthday surrounded by people I love and that love me. I got to be with my Muay Thai family. I got to practice the martial art I love. I hope you all have birthdays in the future that are fantastic as well.

Thanks for reading. Please comment if you feel like it. Hit the like button, and follow if you want to hear more of my adventures. Have a great week.

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

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

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

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

Pad holding Tips I Have Learned:

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

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

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

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

My Training: For This Week

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

1 mile run, it was already hot outside

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

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

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

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

Finally I did 10 minutes of shadow boxing 🥊!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Training: jumping jacks for active recovery between rounds

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

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

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

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

10) Lead and Rear Kicks, and flying knees

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Training: jumping jacks for active recovery between rounds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Getting out of my own head again:

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

“Learn the form, but seek the formless. Hear the soundless. Learn it all, then forget it all. Learn The Way, then find your own way. “

The Silent Monk in the movie The Forbiden Kingdom:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Woot done!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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


Four things happened when I let go:


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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kali –

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

Muay Thai-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Workout/Martial Arts 06/22/2020: Agility and Striking Flow

At the beginning of the pandemic or Covid19 I decided to focus on agility. Well let me back that up. After about two weeks of my jaw dropping, wide eyed, constant reading of the news I decided to focus on agility. I was still working out at home, but I had to modify my workouts because I was not going to my Martial Arts gym. I did not know what this pandemic meant for our training and how our lives were going to change.

I decided that I wanted to focus on agility. I could do that at home. I could work my agility and I needed it for Muay Thai and Kali. I need it for every sport, but more so for my martial arts.

I have been studying these martial arts for a little over 2 years. I am at the point where I know all of the strikes, I know all of the kicks, knees, elbows. We are learning the minutia, the small tweaks, combos, strategies, counter attacks, and blocking that leads to counter attacks.

All of these things above needs agility. So I have been working on agility. This week I have attacked flow and smooth combos with H in a different way. As H says I know how to throw the strikes. Its like I know the letters to a word, I know the sounds of the letters to the words. I just need to string them together into a word. I need to string my strikes/blows/letters into a word, working on flow. I focus so much on getting the strike as perfect as I can I tend to be a little staccato in my movements. Less graceful, more stuttered if you will.

As it has been said…Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. I need to loosen up and just trust my body. I have been making progress on this. This week has been great I have been working my flow. I am focusing more on having fun, letting my body move the way I have trained it. I think that is the next step in my martial arts journey. Just letting my body do what it knows to do.

Monday 06/22/2020: 1 hour- 1 mile run, weight lifting, Calisthenics, and core work

Weight lifting: right after run

1) clean and press 65 lbs Olympic barbell x3 sets of 8
2) Dead Lifts 135 lbs Olympic barbell x3 sets of 6
3) 1 minute – about 60 Kettle Bell swings x 3 sets (I did these in between the DLs instead of resting)

Workout calisthenics word of the day was GREAT I added more core stuff to it. I did this workout as a superset. Three sets or x3

G) 15 Burpees
R) 30 Crunches
E) 15 Push Ups
A) 30 Star Jumps
T) 20 Hip Dips

Core
1) V – Ups x30
2) Sit Ups x30
3) Bicycle Crunches x30
4) 30 second Plank with Shoulder Touches

I am pooped and I realized I did not do my weakly post on Sunday so… will have to do that with my meal planning woot! Brain is borked. Might be lack of oxygen lol. I hate Burpees.

Tuesday 06/23/2020: 1 hour- 1 hour of Muay Thai training

Thank you for an awesome class Khun Kru Krysta!

My tailbone and lower back were hurting from my scoliosis so I modified the jumping jacks later in the workout to squats. I try not to let my physical/body limitations stop me from training. I train through it and work around it.

Training:

1) Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross, Switch Kick (we switched up between South Paw and Orthodox through round)
{jumping jacks for active recovery}
2) I fed Thai pads for H for second round
{jumping jacks for active recovery}

3) Jab, Cross, drop level Body Hook, Cross, Switch Kick (we switched up between South Paw and Orthodox through round)
{jumping jacks for active recovery}
4) I fed Thai pads for H for second round
{jumping jacks for active recovery}

5) Jab, Cross, Rear Elbow, Switch Knee (we switched up between South Paw and Orthodox through round)
{squats for active recovery}
6) I fed Thai pads for H for second round
{squats for active recovery}

7) Jab, Cross, Hook, Lead Elbow, Rear Knee, Lead Kick ( do what ever Kick shows itself, but I like Lead Kick in both south paw and orthodox for this drill) (we switched up between South Paw and Orthodox through round)
{squats for active recovery}
8 ) I fed Thai pads for H for second round
{squats for active recovery}

9) Jab, Cross, Thadmalach, tie up/clench 6 knees push off, double Kick
10) I fed Thai pads for H for second round

Woot! Another day training and getting better every day even if it’s by 1% those 1%’s add up.

Also my friend Kevin was in class Woot!

Wednesday 06/24/2020: 52 minutes- 1 mile run and 34 minute Muay Thai/boxing training

My running route was a little circuitous because the neighborhood I run through had the audacity of repaving their roads and driveways. 😝

I have a habit of overthinking my strikes, and then getting into my head. What that means is my strikes don’t flow. Sometimes I am struggling to get them in. They are not smooth and as we know smooth is fast.

H says I know the strikes forward and back. So it’s like I know the letters in a word, can spell the word, but not say the word. We worked on me saying the word.

So today’s training was working on my strikes. I was working on them to be smooth. I just focused on the my bodies shift through the strikes. It helped me smooth it out.

Training:
1) Jab, Cross
2) Jab, Cross, Hook
3) Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross
4) Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Cross
5) Jab, Cross, Hook, Rear Kick

Thursday 06/25/2020: 1.5 hours of Muay Thai and part of Kali training.

Today was a great day of training. We unfortunately had to leave early in the Kali class. We had to get home. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta for two great classes.

Muay Thai

1) Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross, Lead Kick (switching between Orthodox and South Paw stance)
2) I held pads for same combo for H

3) Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Rear Kick
4) I did this round twice because I was trying to correct my drop in level. I kept wanting to do a bob and weave motion and I just need to drop my level and use leverage to get the hook in.

5) Jab, Cross, Rear Elbow, Rear Knee, tie up, 10 knees, spin out opponent and double kick. (switching between Orthodox and South Paw stance)
6) I held pads for same combo for H

7) Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Lead #2 Elbow, Right Knee (switching between Orthodox and South Paw stance)
8 ) I held pads for same combo for H

9) Jab, Cross, Thadmala, Rear Knee, tie up/clench x6 skip knees, push off double kick
10) I held for H

That was a butt kicker. When you need to work on a combo or strike slow it down and work the technique. It will do you far more good to rep it out slowly till you get the correct feel.

Kali-

1) Cob Cob Heaven x6, Cob Cob Standard x6, Cob Cob Earth x6
2) Inward, Backhand, Inward, heaven, standard, earth
3) witik heaven, redondo heaven, witik standard, redondo standard, witik earth, redondo earth

It was great to get back into double stick training. ❤️

Saturday 06/27/2020: 2 hours of Kali/staff class and Muay Thai training

An amazing brain melting set of classes. Thank you Khun Kru Krysta.

In Kali we were doing asymmetrical staff drills, on both the left and right side. It makes your brain feel broken. I say that often but don’t explain it often. There have been some studies that show benefits for brain repair and growth. See Cognative Kali Ted talk TEDxUCLA. See also a UCLA Magazine article Movement And The Mind.

In Muay Thai: we worked on the Overhand punch. I was so happy to hear Khun Kru discuss this and mention that this punch is so often done wrong. You see it don’t wrong in MMA fights where it starts looking like a windmill. Then your beautiful face is unprotected and you will get punched in that pretty target. So just don’t windmill. I am paraphrasing of course, but you get the gist.

Training: {jumping jacks active recovery between rounds}

1) Jab, Overhand ( both in Orthodox and South Paw)
2) I held pads for H

3) Jab, Cross, Overhand ( w/ a side step either with lead leg if Orthodox against South Paw, or side step with rear leg if Ortho against ortho)
4) I held pads for H

5) Jab, Cross, Overhand, Rear Knee
6) I held pads for H

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

9) Jab, Overhand, Rear Knee, Rear Kick
10) I held pads for H

11) (focus form on getting back into stance) Jab, Cross, Switch Kick, switch stance,
Jab, Cross, Switch Kick repeat
12) (focus on more realistic applications change stepping down/forward)

Today was a great day of training. I had a lot of fun.

So yes this week has been great. Yes my scoliosis was acting up this week, but I work around it. I have been working on flow this week. Still working on agility every day. I am trying to trust that I know what I am doing.

I am working to make each strike/letter into a word, and hopefully eventually a song. I can’t take credit for that analogy. That analogy is H’s brain child. He came up with each strike in a combo being a letter, and making it flow into a word or smooth transition is what we are looking to do. In the end it makes sense to me so that is what is what I need.

I write it down and post it here because I hope it will help some one else. So if this helps you, make your strikes smoother, and help you string them together then Yay! I am so glad that it does. Let me know if they do.

Thank you for reading, if you enjoy this kind of blog, and like the combos/workouts I post. Please feel free to follow, and comment I would love to hear from you. Stay safe, stay active, and have a great week