Coach’s Corner: 13 Creative Ways To Get Cardio
Hey Team! With winter here it can be tough to fit in the cardio our bodies need because honestly, we don’t want to spend any more time outside than we have to and we don’t want to be cooped up in the gym all the time. Here are 13 ways to get your cardio in:
1. Master the stairs.
If you work in a building that has stairs, always opt for taking the stairs rather than the elevator. You’ll get your heart pumping and the calories burning!
2. Walk and talk.
Instead of meeting your girlfriend at a coffee shop, meet for a walk to talk and catch up. This is a great way to catch up and get some cardio in. Just make sure you’re walking at a decent pace!
3. Do a little dance.
Every time your phone rings do a little dance or do a couple squats after you get off the phone. A few minutes of movement is better than none!
4. Stay hydrated.
Make trips to get water. Staying hydrated is not only important for your health, its great for your skin and will get you out of your seat!
5. No more lazy layovers.
Got a long layover? Take a few laps around the terminal. Taking the rolling walkways doesn’t count.
6. Bike or walk to work.
For those of you who like to be extreme, consider biking or walking to work (depending on how far away you live from your work, of course).
7. Chores galore.
Cleaning may not be your favorite thing to do, but it burns calories. Vacuuming for an hour can burn roughly 75 calories! And who doesn’t want a clean house?
8. Park on the edge.
Instead of looking for that rockstar parking spot at the front of the lot, nearest the door – park at the end of the lot. This may not seem like a fun idea in the winter but your body will thank you for it!
9. Grocery laps.
Before you start grocery shopping, take a few laps around the store with your cart. Have a plan about what you’re going to buy first, make a list (if you don’t already have one) and then start shopping.
10. Take to the dance floor!
Winter is a hard time to want to get out and do things, but make an effort to take a dance class or two. Changing things up in your routine, will help kick boredom in the butt.
11. Shopping is cardio.
With the holidays in full swing you probably don’t have all your shopping done. A 2 hour shopping run can burn up to 350 calories.
12. Active date night.
Instead of opting for a movie on the couch, opt for a more active date night like a dance class, a yoga class, or something totally different! The sky is the limit!
13. Let the games begin!
Got a Wii or Kinect? Pop in a game that gets you moving. It’ll be fun for you and your family!
These are just suggestions, but you get the picture. Spend a little time brainstorming activities that you don’t typically do that might be good ways to move your body and burn some calories. The more active and consistent you stay through the winter months, the easier it will be to get that beach body ready for summer!
The key to staying in shape during the winter is simply to stay consistent and have a plan. Without a game plan to stick to, it’s really easy to fall off the wagon. So if you haven’t made your weekly plan for this week, do it now! You don’t need to plan month’s worth of plans, just plan it a week in advance. Get into the habit of writing your plans every Saturday or Sunday. Remember, if you need any suggestions or help – be sure to talk to your Coach! We’re always happy to help!
Coach’s Corner: The Value of a Good Training Partner
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
NAFC/Driller presents Knockout Kings Muay Thai/K-1
Punches, kicks,elbows, and knees will all be on display Saturday May 25th when Driller promotions joins forces with NAFC out of Milawuakee, WI. To put on a solid line up of fights at High Five sports bar in Burnsville, MN.
NAFC is owned by Kickboxing legend Duke Roufus, who also runs the world famous Roufusport gym. This will be Drillers’ 3rd conquest with Muay thai/K-1 rules. Their first two shows, which showcases many Academy fighters, went very well and exceeded expectations from a crowd standpoint as well as the quality of fights. Driller’s Dana White like leading man Jeremy Bjornberg is looking to make this show the best yet.
Like past shows, the line up is full of up and coming Academy fighters from the mma team and Thai boxing squad. In the nights Main Event Ben Locken (Academy) (2-2 mma 1-0 k-1) will lock horns with Dan Kiser (10-3 mma, 1-1 k-1). Other Academy fighters on the card include Tom Jenkins looking to to 3-0 on drillers’ shows, Chris Keller, and first timer Micheal Jokondo.
In a highly anticpated fight of the night Academy’s Jordan Parsons (6-1 mma) will get in the ring vs the athletic and tough Starr Roberts. Parsons is a rising star in the mma world. The former CFA featherweight champion will also be making his first appearance in a Minnesota cage next month for Driller.
The show will starts at 7pm and tickets will be available at the door,from the fighters, or on Cagetix.com.
Coach’s Corner: Pad Holding by Coach Andrew Kapel
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
Student Spotlight: Coach Jack Wu – From Student to Instructor
Jack Wu & Ajarn Sangtiennoi Sor Rungroj
This month we’d like to welcome Coach Jack Wu as one of The Academy’s newest instructors. Coach Jack has been training as one of our most dedicated students along with his wife, Betty. Over the course of this past year and a half, he has greatly improved his skills in muay thai, completed The Academy instructor course, was an assistant instructor under Coach Dennis Potabenko, and now teaches his own section of Foundations Muay Thai on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings. In the process of achieving all of those milestones, Jack has also lost 35 pounds!
Coach Jack found out about The Academy by searching the internet and checking out a few other gyms in the area. But when he found The Academy, and got to know the staff, instructors, and other students, he knew it was the right fit for him. Before he started training he was diabetic and overweight, but now since he’s lost 35 pounds, gained muscle, and improved his cardiovascular conditioning, he no longer needs medication!
Now that Jack is a coach, we asked him what’s one thing he would tell a new student who’s just starting their martial arts journey, he said, “One of the hardest steps are the first ones. Keep going. No matter what goals one might have, as long as you keep going, those goals get closer every day.” As he continues moving forward, his goals for the future are to, “Continue to learn and be inspired every day, and to help others achieve their goals mentally and physically.”
As a student Jack is hard working, dedicated, and disciplined – 3 attributes of a great student. And as an instructor, Jack is patient and kind towards all of his students, and passionate about their success and progress. We are extremely proud and honored to have him as an instructor and active team member here at Team Academy.
Coaches Corner: Seven Qualities of a Champion
The following 7 qualities we can improve to become Martial Arts champions. These same qualities can be related to our everyday pursuits. We all should keep this concept in mind when we are going about our everyday lives. Once we develop these 7 physical/human qualities we can improve the overall quality of our lives.
1. Quickness
As martial Artists we must be quick in kicking, punching, kneeing and elbowing, and in all of our defensive counters; this is essential for effective self-defense. In our lives we must be quick in thinking and making decisions, which means being alert so nothing passes you by. More over, in action, we need to get things done as soon as possible. It is important that we do not procrastinate by putting off til later what you should do today!
…be quick in thinking and
making decisions…being
alert…get things done…
2. Endurance
We must all be physically patient to continue our practice in the Martial Arts. The more we train the more our endurance and overall conditioning will climb. In life we, must be just as patient in pursuing our goals. We must develop a sense of perseverance and consistency in our pursuit of our martial art excellence and in every aspect of our lives. It is only with such discipline that we will succeed.
3. Timing
Good timing is crucial in executing our techniques and tools; it is necessary for all sports. In life, this translates into being punctual. Consistently being late is a bad habit that gets in the way of our true potential.
4. Power
Physical power and strength is a necessity in excelling as a Martial Artist. Understanding of power and how to apply it is the backbone of good self defense. In life, true power is found in knowledge and information. We have all heard that “Knowledge is power,” and this is for the most part true. However, just like power, understanding is not enough, you must be able to apply what you know. Without knowledge we are lost, with knowledge but no means to apply it we are still in a weak position. Only when we find out how to apply our knowledge do we have real power.
5. Balance
When we perform any movement we must be in good balance. This allows us to properly distribute our weight to ensure proper form and execution. In our everyday lives we must balance the wisdom and knowledge in our minds with the honesty in our hearts and the strength in our bodies. We must also balance our families, work, training, school,and personal lives. Power is found in knowledge and information.
6. Flexibility
We need to be flexible in order to perform more efficiently. We must also have flexibility of character. This means having tolerance for other’s opinions, being compassionate and humble.
7. Form
A technique with good form is a thing of beauty. In life, this is equal to having a good attitude and an upright and good heart. Strong in every area of life.
“A good man who is in the right and a keeps on a coming is a hard man to bring down”
Unknown Texas Ranger
The What Wheres Whens & Whys
Tips Of The Month
Muay Thai
VISUALIZATION
The use of visualization is a critical training tool that will give you a strong competitive edge over your opponents. When you visualize the strikes, evasions, and blocks of an opponent while shadow-boxing, you are conditioning your mind and body to react appropriately to future real life situations. Whether you’re sparring someone in class, or defending yourself outside The Academy – this tool is essential for becoming a strong, disciplined, and talented martial artist.
Jiu Jitsu
RELAXATION
One commonly made mistake in jiu jitsu is forgetting to breathe and relax. While you’re drilling or rolling with a teammate, pay attention to the parts of your body that feel tense and think about relaxing those muscles. Remember, jiu jitsu is not about how strong you are (although it helps), it is about using proper technique and leverage to pit your opponent’s own strength against themselves. Don’t make a habit of trying to muscle your way through or out of a move. Instead, focus on being able to execute smooth but powerful moves, which only come with persistent practice.
MMA
TECHNIQUE
Whether your goal is to lose weight or to become a professional fighter, you cannot achieve either goal without focusing first on your technique. Proper technique is essential for executing moves effectively and correctly. It doesn’t matter how strong you are, without good technique you will find yourself getting beat by smaller, weaker opponents if you have poor technique. Develop your skills by dedicating yourself to your training (coming to class regularly), by setting goals and achieving them (see June’s issue), and asking your coaches for advice (we are here to help you).
