British Open 5th May 2013

I'll be doing Light Contact on the mats, should be a great day.

Just be intense but calm with yourself?

"A Martial Artist trains with an intense focus but a calm mind."

"

Don't be a January Warrior

The world is full of enthusiastic fitness wannabes this time of year after the festive season. This is also a hang on of extremities, for we spoil ourselves and then kid our selves we will get a grip come January. Add to this the bad weather we whether and most of you will have not touched a drink as yet. This is what I see..

It won't last.

Why? Because it's a yearly repeated phase. Many do so well and become fit but they hit it too dedicated and within a few weeks they give back in the their comfort vices. It's natural, but I advise this..

It has to be a gentle lifestyle change, new years resolutions are only a repeated trap for some. Others do well with it, but come Feb people like to socialize again and feel human and not live like a caveman or woman. You owe it to yourself not to be fickle. 

Look at what you eat to much of and minimize it, but still have smaller quantities. Next step is exercise that you enjoy but not working out everyday, maybe 2-4 times a week?

Don't become a victim of the January cycle, break the mold and stand free for you are alive. If you never workout then starting it will work, if you have never cut down on junk food, then doing this will help. So combine the two, not been extreme pushing the training to hard or feeling you have to kill yourself everyday as life requires energy else where also.

Treat January as the first month of your new birth as a new you but progress in a way that keeps you on track and not off it, watching the train of February roll by.

Reasons To Get In Shape And Stay There.

Getting in shape for some may be difficult but once there they may find it more fun to maintain. Others can find it easy to get there but then let it slip after they get into it. We all will have our different reasons and goals to workout. My advice is find something you enjoy and never put too much pressure on yourself. Above all remain consistent. This is the secret, if you lapse then self forgive and get back on your horse. Remember even small changes will add up so think long term with patience. Some like myself may be slim but it does not mean I can become laid back about my health. Don't train too much but do it enough that it gets you results, it should be therapeutic and not always exhausting. A risk most undertake is a burn out because they are parents and have jobs and train hard and diet. This cannot last, for one of these areas will fall into neglect. If you want a beer or some chocolate then have it, but just a bit and don't live on these vices all day every day. Its a life style change and should be exciting see yourself transform. You will have to train your mind to be strong for if you show yourself any weakness then you will give in to YOU! Be fit for your family, but above all for you. The fitter you are the more luxuries you can enjoy as you will be a vessel of heat.

I'm excited about my training this year, I'm aiming to become the best shape I can be. The reason for this is I am fighting in May, so I have a purpose, a goal. Once in that ring if I have not done the work I lose easy - simple. If I enter in good nick then I can handle either outcome. I want to be lean and get my body fat down low, the odds are against me in ways I will not get into here. The second part of the year I can focus on other areas and give the intense fight training a rest, maybe more weapons, forms or other activities.
Good luck to us all together we can do it!
- Duane.

Why Kicking Tones Your Stomach/Merry Christmas

I'll start by wishing everyone a Happy Christmas & New Year 2013, right...kicking!

So how do kicks help get you fit? We are not Donkeys? Well if we look at the common exercises used to work out the abdominal area, we usually perform crunches, leg raises and sit ups. Now, while these methods do work and enable the practitioner to solely focus on the muscles of the waist and ab wall, they are not the only method. In some ways you don't actually need the burden of performing many rep unless the muscle development is not what you desire. In any ab movement the top or bottom part of our body is raised to activate a contraction.

When we look at kicking we automatically lift our knees first to kick anyway in most techniques. Some kicks will be executed with a straight leg which will work the lower abs and hip flexers. The waist is put through rigorous amounts of twisting while the top part may be performing punches. Thai boxing really takes advantage of this with the continuous power and pivoting. Add to this bag or pad work as an added part of resistance and then you have your self an ab workout.

Thank you all for reading my blog and supporting me. I will see you all in 2013.
Duane.

Karate Sensei From Canada Approves My Book

Kickboxing in Paradise & Other Short Stories is making it's way around the world. I am delighted that people are enjoying it as it was my first attempt. Thank you very much to Rick, the founder of Defensive Empowerment Systems in Canada for the great photo above. It means a lot and you are very kind.

Your friend, Duane.

Below is where you can attain a copy...

http://www.lulu.com/shop/dg-emsley/kickboxing-in-a-paradise-and-other-short-stories/paperback/product-20464439.html

Why It's Healthy To Own a Punch Bag

Owning your own punchbag gives you a workout friend who will always be there if your willing to be there too. It is a great stress relief if you have had a pent up day, and a positive outlet that you can unleash some fury on. You don't even have to be a top fighter skill wise in order to use it. For those who train Martial Arts it is a deeper matter, for we can do more than just hit and snarl. The bag can be used to wrestle with if its heavy, provided you have safely wrapped up any chains that could whip you in the mush! I like to put a jacket on it and pull it about "PUNK"

A good workout is to do your kicks and punches and then when your stand up is done, unhook the bag and then wrestle with it on the ground. The bag is dead...lifeless so its up to you to visualise and pretend its an attacker on or below you. Get used to been on the floor so if you end up there it wont scare you as much.

Move around when standing, train all ranges and try it without gloves to prepare you for combat. It will get you fit in no time and the heavier the more strength benefit you will receive. Try hitting nonstop for one minute, try talking to the bag (not the wall) Some lighter bags can be used to squat or curl with, some Kung Fu students with stand in a horse stance resting the bag on their forearms. One big mistake is trying to look good, just hit the dam thing. We all can look fast and powerful on the bag so just remember it is just one tool with many uses, but the quality of the workout will depend on your own ability to think alone.

Duane.