Greg Nelson MMA Coach Lays Down The Laws of Goal Setting for Training In MMA.
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Coach’s Corner: Fall Check In and Goal Setting Revisited
September 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Hello Team! Summer has officially come and gone. We hope that you got to achieve some of the goals that you set and we hope that you’re on your way to drafting new goals for the fall.
With this new season upon us we want to check in with you to see how things are going. Did you reach a milestone this summer? If so, we want to hear about it and feature you in next month’s newsletter! Did you run your first half marathon or full marathon? Did you have your first fight? Did you lose 50 pounds? Whatever the accomplishment was, we want to hear about it! Please send your story to info@theacademymn.com
If you dropped the ball this summer on achieving some of those goals you wrote down, it’s not too late! But the TIME IS NOW.
Here at The Academy we are firm believers in taking fast action. It may seem self explanatory, but in 20 years of business, we’ve learned that people have a hard time getting off their butts and doing what they want because they’re afraid.
We’re here to tell you to put your fears aside and to come up with an action plan for what you want to achieve. Having well thought out and realistic goals is a critical component to living a healthy and fulfilling life. Why? Because without goals, how can we see our progress?
Goals allow us to measure who far we’ve come and to see what we’re capable of. Fitness goals are unique because they improve our minds and our bodies. Some people have goals like, “I want to be a CEO of a company someday.” Or, “I want to make a million dollars.” Or, “I want to buy ___________.” These are not bad goals to have, but when we focus too much time on having material goals of focus too much on our career, we forget about other important things, like our health.
Living a healthy lifestyle is a choice. It’s a choice that you have to commit to every day. It’s a lifestyle that should be sustainable for the rest of your life. If you neglect to take care of your body by not eating well, not getting enough sleep, not exercising, and over working yourself, how are you going to tackle all of the other goals in your life. Plain and simple, you’re not going to be able to if you’re health goes down the drain.
So, with all that said – don’t get hung up on what you did or didn’t get done this summer – you need to focus on the now and what you’re going to do now to live better.
Fall is a great time to get back on the horse because the weather is perfect for being outside (no sweltering hot days to keep you indoors) and for refocusing after all the distractions of summer are gone.
Need some help getting started? No problem, talk to your coach and set up a check in meeting. Your coach’s want to be a resource for you to help you achieve your goals in whatever way they can. Don’t be afraid of approaching them to talk about coming up with an action plan! We want you to be successful and we can stress enough how much we want to help you get to where you want to be.
If you’re a self starter then start with committing to run at least 3 times a week for 30 to 45 minutes. You can increase your accountability to stick to that by sharing that commitment with your spouse or your best friend or your co workers. The more the people you love and care about know what you’re goals are the better they can support and encourage you.
Not interested in running? Then commit to using the fitness center at least 3 times a week for 30-45 minutes outside of class. Not sure what to do? In this day in age there are thousands of workout plans on the internet, pull one off that looks interesting and go for it! Do something active is always better than nothing. Need some extra motivation? Reach out to your classmates and see if they want to meet up and workout in the fitness center with you. Working out with someone is always more encouraging then doing it alone.
It’s never too late to be the person that you want to be. Don’t give up on what you want. We’re a family, we’re a team here at The Academy and we want you to know that we want to support you anyway we can.
Keep on keepin’ strong! -Your Academy Coaches
Coach’s Corner: The Black Belt Way of Life
August 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Last month we had the pleasure of hosting Professor Pedro Sauer here at The Academy for an all day seminar. Jiu jitsu students from all over the state came to learn from Professor Sauer.
Among those students were students from The Academy that had the opportunity to test for their next belt rank. These are students who care deeply about being a martial artist and becoming a black belt. The dedication and focus that these students have shown throughout the years has inspired this topic of “the black belt way of life.” What does that mean and why is it important?
The black belt way of life is not just about dedication and discipline, it’s about your character off the mat too. Black belts shouldn’t just be masters of their art, but they should be humble, kind, willing to help others who aren’t as skilled or as experienced, they put the needs of others in front of their own. They are leaders who take on challenge with pleasure, and seek to make jiu-jitsu fun and accessible to all people.
Sometimes we forget that martial arts is not just for the strong, but for the weak. It’s because of martial arts that those who seem weak, frail, insecure, or uncoordinated become strong, determined, and confident. Becoming a black belt is about encouraging those who need it the most. We all have stories of feeling insecure or nervous when we first started training, but there was probably someone who was a higher rank that took time to be patient with you, to teach you what they know, to help you work through certain moves and techniques. Right?
As you continue on your journey of becoming a black belt (it doesn’t matter whether you do Muay Thai or BJJ) think about what kind of black belt you want to be… Think about why becoming a black belt is important on and off the mat.
If you’re reading this and you’re thinking that becoming a black belt isn’t one of your goals, ask yourself how come? Are you afraid of the commitment and the discipline it takes? aRe you nervous about the testing? What’s holding you back?
Achieving a black belt should be a goal of yours if it’s not already because the skills and tools that you learn, the experiences you gain are priceless and unique to this form of martial arts. As coaches, the time, money, blood, sweat, and memories that we’ve gained have made us better people in more way than we could have ever imagined. We believe that no other sport can make a more well rounded human being that the martial arts. Physically and mentally – martial artists learn to master and control their bodies and mind in ways that most people never learn how to do in their lifetime.
Sometimes life gets busy and maybe it takes us away from training and testing regularly. We want to remind you that training and testing regularly is critical to your progress as a martial artist and we strongly urge you to make testing a priority. Training prepares you for testing and testing is a way for you and us (as your coaches) to measure your progress towards becoming a black belt.
So whether becoming a black belt is a definite goal of your or you’re still on the fence about it, we want to challenge you to think about your own definition of a black belt and what it means to you. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by continuing your training here so keep up the great work!
Until next time,
Your Academy Coaches
Coach’s Corner: Training during these humid Minnesota summers!
July 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Hey Team! We are in the thick of summer now and temperatures and the humidity are rising. This month’s Coach’s Corner goes over how to train properly and safely during these hotter months.
Summer time is backyard BBQ and afternoons on the boat time, right? Of course! But you don’t want to let the vacation mentality get you off track in your training here at The Academy.
Vacation activities aside, one of the main things that keep people from training in the summer is the heat and humidity.
There are definitely benefits of training in the heat. One in particular is increased cardiovascular and muscular stamina. Training in the heat/humidity is a conditioning technique that fighters from warm climates benefit from because they’ve become acclimated to the heavy heat. They typically last longer in a fight than their opponents who haven’t trained in similar conditions, for obvious reasons.
With that all said, however, with more sweating comes increased dehydration. Dehydration can lead to heat strokes, headaches, and nausea. If you’re dehydrated, you’ll fatigue much faster.
As a rule of thumb you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water to stay hydrated. In the summer time, when you’re sweating a lot from being active you may want to drink closer to your body weight in ounces of water a day instead.
You may be thinking about you’ll be spending extra time in the bathroom, don’t worry about it. Staying hydrated helps the body flush out toxins and waste.
In addition to drinking water and staying hydrated, you want to also make sure that you’re putting electrolytes back into your body after a hard training session. Electrolytes are salts that your body needs to recover after strenuous activity. Salt and Potassium are two major electrolytes that your body needs. A great and tasty source of natural electrolytes can be found in coconut water. Try to stay away from “sports drinks” like Gatorade and Powerade if you can, these sports drinks usually contain artificial sweeteners.
Why? Because these types of drinks are loaded with artificial sweeteners and coloring that you don’t want to put into your body on a regular basis. It’s easy to sympathize with the fact that they’re convenient, but sometimes we have to sacrifice convenience for a better, healthier lifestyle.
Along with staying hydrated, make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet of lean protein, lots of water dense veggies, and fruit. Salads are great in the summer because not only are they refreshing and healthy, they’re hydrating! Leafy greens, asparagus, broccoli, kale, and chard are all great sources of vitamins and minerals.
This is also the season of farmer’s markets, so be sure to check out your local market. To find out where the nearest market is to you visit:
Paired with hydrating and eating well, you should also make an effort to cross train outside a few more times a week. The more time you can spend getting your body used to the heat the better off you’ll be. Pretty soon you won’t even notice the humidity!
Start by going for a 3 mile bike ride or run in the evening after work. Make sure you wear sunscreen and bugs spray.
If you absolutely hate the heat, then try training in the early morning or the late evening when temperatures are cooler. This won’t help you build a tolerance for the heat and humidity, but it will be better than not training at all.
Summer time is definitely a time to have fun and relax, but as we said in the beginning – don’t let it deter you and set you back from all the progress that you’ve made. Stay focused!
If you have any questions about training, nutrition, or anything else please talk to your coach.
Until next time!
– Your Academy Coaches
Coach’s Corner: Training with Injuries – Missed Opportunities
June 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
One of the most difficult aspects of any contact sport are the injuries. I’m not talking about bruises and sore muscles. I’m talking about broken bones, surgery, the flu, the stuff that really puts us out of commission. We miss time in the gym, loose our conditioning and our timing. The progress we were making toward our next rank or fight is delayed. While these conditions will impact your progress, we are never really out of commission. Injuries need not bring you to a grinding halt.
On the contrary they might be the right opportunity to improve your game in ways you had never considered.
I recently underwent shoulder surgery; I sat on the couch and gained 10 pounds. I rationalized that it was necessary for me to take time off for my shoulder to heal, that I was unable to train. I had labeled myself as being “out of commission” which drove me to miss opportunities to grow as a Martial artist.
Every day that I didn’t train in some way counted against me and created a steeper hill to climb once my shoulder was shoulder was healed. The following are a number of great strategies that can make you a better martial artist even while you are recovering from an injury. The opportunities are limited only by your imagination and one simple rule: Be creative, be safe.
1. The Perfectionist
The Perfectionist figures out the one thing they can do with an injury and works it until its perfect. Right hand broken? Sounds like a great time to work your left jab. Work the jab for speed, work it with different foot work, work it from different angles, double it, triple it, and hone it. When your right hand heals and you get back to sparring you’ll have the best left jab of your life. Both hands broken? Focus on your foot work, head movement, or core conditioning.
2. The Specialist
This might be the time to work specific attributes like balance, flexibility or strength. Are you a BJJ student? Time to work the grip. Grip strength? Sure…speed too. Manual dexterity? Definitely. Just opening and closing your hands as fast as you can in a sprint like format can increase not only grip strength but also your grab speed to secure a throw or trap.
3. The Sponge
You could plant yourself on the couch to watch Family Guy until you recover, or you could stream videos of new moves, review old moves, go to the gym to watch classes and take notes. You’ll be surprised how much insight you can gain just by watching attentively. There has never been a time when information about the martial arts was more accessible. YouTube alone has countless hours of high quality videos from which you can learn.
4. The Mentalist
Visualization is a tool used by every healthy fighter when he or she is shadowboxing and warming up. In a study conducted by Doctor Blaslotto at the University of Chicago, basketball players who imagined shooting free throws for an hour a day increased their free throw percentage by 23%. Achieving nearly the same result as the players who actually shot free-throws every day at 24%.
5. The Socialite
You could drop off the radar, put on pajama pants and grow a beard while sitting in your basement. Or you could host a UFC party. Call up some buddies to watch old pride fights. Or help another fighter watch tapes on his/her opponent and pick it apart, giving him/her the edge in the fight next week. Build relationships so when you do head back to the gym you have new friends who want to hold pads and roll with you. Maybe one of these new friends tells you about this new killer combo he/she is landing in sparring and it ends up working great for you. Half of my good ideas belonged to someone else first.
6. The Planner
Two days sitting at home with a head cold? Why not spend a few hours reviewing your training regime? Could your strength training use an over-haul? Could you be getting in the gym more often? This might be just the time you need to set new goals and become more productive when you are at the gym. Create a plan, set goals and stick to them once you’re feeling better. Proper planning and goal setting can help you maximize your training time.
7. The Analyst
Closely related to The Planner, The Analyst takes the time to look back at what he or she has been doing and determine what has been successful and needs improvement. Just as important is the act of fine tuning the partially successful drills and training methods. One of the best ways to do this is to make a simple matrix on a piece of paper with headers that read Start Doing, Stop Doing, Do More, Do Less. From those observations you can chart a new course for training and reach higher levels of skill.
As you put these tools to use, listen to your body. Remember R.I.C.E and consult a physician, if you have any concerns about the safety of your training regimen.
It’s important to your development in the martial arts not lose your momentum. Whether your recovery lasts one week or six months, you can’t afford to spend it sitting on the couch doing nothing. Spend it doing something: writing, watching, analyzing and discussing. Or focus on what you can do until it is perfect.
– Coach Erik Little
Coach’s Corner: The Value of a Good Training Partner
May 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Hey Team! This month’s coach’s corner comes to you from Coach Lance King, who is a blakc belt in muay thai, an instructor here at The Academy, and a rockstar (literally)!
I’ve trained Muay Thai now for over 14 years. The one thing that is probably the single most important aspect of my growth while training was “who I was training with”. The person on the other side of the pads is hugely important to your success and growth; how they hold, how they move, how fluid they are, how relaxed, how rigid or strong they are, all these aspects can create a variation in feel and how the training session goes. Every aspect of what they do will effect your performance and what you’ll learn or what you’ll physically get out of the training session.
There is no doubt some days you’ll come in and you’ll have to go with someone that you’ll be training more than they will be training you. Step into this position positively when it happens, as you are now their mentor for that session. In the beginning when you start training a certain style, you’ll be learning more than teaching, the better you get, the more that will likely change. But regardless of that, when you are in the position of holder, you should consider yourself a trainer, and realize you are responsible for the other persons growth. Of course coaches will step in and point out the things both the hitter and holder need to focus on improving, but the holders eyes are always on their partner, and that makes you very important to your partner’s success.
As the holder, you will be monitoring your partner’s ability and conditioning level and pushing them to their absolute best level they can deliver that day. Some days you’re going to be bursting with energy and some days you may be drained, each is an opportunity to learn and grow if you push yourself and your partner to their max ability. I find that if I’m really drained on a particular day, that is a day I will focus more on “form” and “flow” as opposed to going really hard. It’s good to share what you want to focus on with your partner/holder and how you’re feeling that say do you can be in synch.
In general, holding Thai pads should be done in a focused and aggressive way with a strong stance. This still can be fun and enjoyable, but there is no doubt you will get a lot more out of your workout if your holder pushes you to your best. Quite simply, this action will lock out over thinking things and forces your body to react. A side benefit is you’ll think less about being tired. You’ll be amazed at how much more your body will automatically put into your pad training session.
IF you’re training to be a fighter, then it’s more serious business. But even fighter need to control their aggression as to not hurt their training partners. It’s one thing to be competitive and quite another to loose your temper because of ego and try to inflict damage to your partners while training. There is a fine line between not enough and too much aggression.
Most great fighters are naturally aggressive and they need to train in a more aggressive way because they’re conditioning themselves to go hard and to hit hard “all the time”. However, they also need to continue to train consistently. Injuries happen, but it’s not something that helps consistent training. An injury can take you out of training for weeks or even months, so it’s good to try and avoid them until you’re in the rind or in the street where it’s time to seriously throw down. It’s always important to wear as much protection as you can. Cups, mouth guard, hand/wrist wraps, 16-18 oz gloves, and if you’re going hard, headgear is always a good idea! Remember, you want to have the best training partner possible, so it’s important to be one in return!
-Coach Lance King
The Academy welcomes new purple and blue belts to the team.
April 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
In March, four new purple belts and ten new blue belts were welcomed to Team Academy. We are extremely proud to have students who are so dedicated to their training. These students have been training tirelessly for many months, some even years. The road to becoming a black belt is not an easy one. However, the lessons learned, the skills gained, and the memories made, are worth more than the setbacks and obstacles. Black belts are not just masters at technique, but they are masters of their mind and body. Due to years and years of training, competing, failing, and winning – black belts have developed great mental fortitude and strong physical awareness of their bodies. As the saying goes, “Black belts are simply white belts that never quit”. So whether you are a new student to jiu jitsu, or you train in another form of martial arts, don’t give up. Don’t stop training when you feel discouraged, don’t let injuries scare you away from coming back to class once you’ve healed. Stay true to your path as a martial artist. In the end you will have more than just the honor of being a black belt, you will have all the memories and all the experience and insights that come from so many years of dedication. Once again, congratulations to those who tested in March and are continuing their journey towards becoming a black belt!
Purple Belts:
Coach Nat McIntyre
Coach Adam Ahern
Subash Seshadri
Shawn Woodhull
Blue Belts:
Brady Sheehan
Alex Wolter
Randal Rasmussen
Kirsten Magnuson
Megan Bugge
Joe Lahoud
Ron Winslow
Nick Pielert
Blake Vierling
Barry Nelson
Coach’s Corner: Pad Holding by Coach Andrew Kapel
April 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Coach Andrew on the right delivering a sweet head kick!
Hey Team! It’s officially spring and we have nothing to look forward to but warmer, sunnier weather from here on out! This month’s Coach’s Corner come to you from Coach Andrew Kapel, who is not only a muay thai coach at The Academy, but a fighter on our competition team.
A commonly undervalued skill in the combat arts and an aspect not frequently emphasized, is holding pads.
To be a good pad holder for muay thai, a basic idea is to create a solid impact surface to fully utilize the technique with power and accuracy.
Remember: repetition is the mother of skill! Once singular strikes land sharp and cleanly, the next step is blending them into fluid combinations and incorporate defense. Be patient and be willing to keep it simple.
Personally, I will often spend an entire round focusing on one strike and the details of the move until no detail is unaccounted for. This mentality is what sets the standard for consistency. It is the foundation of Muay Thai.
Holding pads well will give you an unrivaled understanding for what a strike should look and feel like, as well as raise your ability to be proficient on the opposite side when its your turn to hit. Furthermore, being a good padman (or woman) makes you a valued asset to others who are preparing to fight even if you are not training for or interested in fighting yourself. It raises the overall level at our gym.
If you feel like something isn’t connecting correctly, feels disjointed or off, don’t hesitate to ask! A small adjustment could make the difference between having a satisfying and quality session, versus an awkward and frustrating one.
Like everything else, with many hours of practice, you’ll develop your own style and approach to pad holding that is unique to you. And just like sparring, hitting pads or hitting the bag, observing people more skilled than yourself on youtube or in person is an invaluable resource for improvement. – Coach Andrew Kapel
