Our Lives in motion

How to Tie Your Martial Arts Belt

Thu, 8 Mar 2012 09:17:56 -0500

A video to help you coming soon!

Everything you need to know about Boxing Hand wraps

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:12:22 -0500

Why Do I Need Boxing Hand Wraps:

Hand Wraps help protect the bones and tendons in your hands by stabilizing the hand when boxing. In addition, they will help support your wrist and thumb. Hand injuries are among the more frequently seen problems in boxing. The majority of injuries are soft–tissue injuries such as sprains and strains, but occasionally, though less frequently, fractures of the hand are also seen. One of the most common fractures is sometimes called a Boxer's fracture or Brawlers fracture. The fracture usually occurs at the neck of the bones which form the knuckles of the fifth metacarpal (pinky finger), but the same name may also be used for a fracture at the neck of any of the metacarpals. Hand injuries are painful and take a long time to heal. Hand Wraps are an inexpensive and simple solution to protecting your hands and ensuring your training schedule is not adversely affected.

Brawler’s Fracture

When Should I Wear Hand Wraps:

You should always wear Hand Wraps and gloves when hitting the heavy bag, sparring or any other heavy impact activity.

How Do I Clean My Hand Wraps:
Hand Wraps can be machine washed in a special wash bag and the hung up to dry. The hand wrap wash bag is a mesh bag that looks like a bag you would wash delicates in and is designed to keep all of your wraps together and away from your other clothes. Once your wraps are in the wash bag, you can drop it in any washing machine and dryer. The bag will keep your wraps from tangling with your clothes. Avoid washing your colored hand wraps with any white clothes. It is probably fine to drop your wash bag in with your dark laundry however red has a tendency to run. Many people have turned their white loads pink by accidentally dropping in their red hand wraps. Depending on how much you sweat, I suggest you roll the hand Wraps back up when finished with your workout. If you work out several times a week, buy a couple pairs of hand Wraps. This way when one pair is in the wash you can use the other pair. If you keep them rolled up it should prevent wrinkles. After washing them, there are a million wrinkles, but after wearing them again the wrinkles will come out.

How Do I Put On Boxing Hand Wraps:

Proper tightness of hand Wraps is important. Wraps should be tight enough to stay firmly in place, but not too tight or they will cut off your circulation. If your hand Wraps don't feel right, do them over again. Hand Wraps have a top and bottom. Some hand Wraps are clearly marked "This Side Down" others are not. The reason they mark them is that the Velcro should be face up when finished. However, If you started with the wrong side down just flip(twist) the wraps over on the last step around the wrist. For smaller hands, avoid wrapping too many times around the palm, because the hand Wraps will bunch up and make it difficult to make a proper fist. For very small hands, you might need to include a couple figure 8's and extra times around the wrist. Most sporting goods stores sell hand Wraps, but they are usually the short versions, only good for small hands. A good pair of 180” wraps should provide you with the right level of protection.

Wrapping your hands looks to be very easy... until you try it for the first time. With practice, you will figure it out. There are many different ways to wrap your hands. The vast majority of these methods have been passed on from previous generations of boxers and trainers.

How To Clean Boxing Gloves

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 14:06:54 -0400

Good quality leather boxing gloves, if properly taken care of, can last the average person a lifetime. After each use it is important that you air out your gloves. Don’t put them in your bag and forget about them. In a short period of time your gloves will begin to smell and it won’t be easy to rid yourself of it. Ideally, you should open your gloves up and put them in a place where a breeze can get in and whisk away the moisture after each use. Having them just sit overnight won’t dry them out properly and you will start to experience some nasty smelling gloves over time. If you keep them dry you won’t have any problems. In the winter when there’s no summer breeze you can try pointing a small fan in the direction of the gloves. Bacteria can build up in gloves that are not maintained properly so, I don’t recommend sharing your gloves with others.

Keeping your gloves dry is always the best route to having them last a long time. However, if your gloves begin to smell you can try a few different remedies;

Spraying some Febreze into the gloves seems to work well and it’s a simple and inexpensive solution. You can wipe down the outside of your gloves as well.

Some plain white athletic cotton socks rolled up and pushed into the glove with cedar chips inside will take away the moisture and smell. Push the sock into the glove so that the chips are touching all areas of the glove. This method works well as long as you don’t mind your hands smelling like a BC rain forest after you finish training. If you aren’t into making your own there are a number of products on the market that you can purchase that do the same thing.

Another method that works is pushing a dryer sheet into your gloves and leaving it overnight. Dryer sheets work in the same manner as Febreze.

Lastly, Just as a precaution I would make sure that there’s no risk of an allergic reaction to the chemicals in the dryer sheet or Febreze. Try rubbing a small bit on one hand. If there’s no reaction after 30 minutes you should be ok.

How Much Water Should I Drink?

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:03:56 -0400

Water is the life blood of existence. Without it, or not enough of it, we can’t function properly. We need a certain amount of water each day just to replenish the liquids we loose each day from normal daily activities. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day and we lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements.

The systems in our body depend on water to function properly. Water helps us digest our food, flush toxins out of vital organs, control our body temperature, cushion our spinal chord and joints, as well as carry nutrients to your cells and provide a moist environment for our ear, nose and throat tissues.

A simple calculation of how much water you need to drink each day is to divide your body weight in half. This will give you your Basic Daily Water Intake in ounces. A regular glass of water normally contains about 8 oz. So if you take your Basic Daily Water Intake in ounces and divide by 8 you will get how many glasses of water you should drink each day. If you are on the metric system, take your Basic Daily Water Intake in ounces and divide by 34. This will tell you how many liters of water to drink.

Example:

I weigh 185 lb. 185/2 = 92.5. or weigh 185 lb. 185/2 = 92.5.
92.5/8 = 11.5 glasses/day. 92.5/34 = 2.7 liters/day.

When we exercise we increase the amount of fluid loss in the body. This requires us to drink even more water to make up for this increased loss. As a rule of thumb, we need to consume a 8 oz of water for every 15 minutes of intense exercise. But, If you consider that 20% of our daily intake of water comes from food, and that most people are not drinking enough water already, the average person who works out 45 minutes to an hour 3x week and is taking in their Basic Daily Intake of Water should not have to increase their water intake significantly in order to maintain proper hydration. On the other hand, If you were performing any type of long endurance exercise such as a 10k or a marathon you would need to increase your water intake leading up to, during and after the race.

Water intake should be spaced out over the course of the day. A glass in the morning when you wake up, one glass with each meal and snack, and one before, during and after you workout.

A few more tips on liquids:

If you prefer your liquids to have a bit of taste, keep a glass pitcher of water in the fridge with some orange, lemon or lime slices for flavour.

Milk and juice are a good source of water, calcium and other essential nutrients, but limit juice intake to to one glass a day and make sure it’s 100% juice.

Don’t drink soda’s. The water in the can does not make up for the carbonation, caffeine, and sugar. They are just empty calories.

Avoid sport drinks unless you are doing at least 60 to 90 minutes of vigorous exercise. They are full of sugar and sodium and don’t provide any valuable nutrients.

Coffee and Tea are generally accepted as counting towards your daily water intake, but should be consumed in moderation.

How to choose a martial arts school for your child

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 21:54:58 -0400

I meet new people almost everyday who are looking for a martial arts program for their children. For many people it can be a confusing process. Unlike many other sports such as soccer and hockey which have well organized governing bodies and rules, martial arts schools offer very diverse programs and are either not governed at all, or are governed by a number of different loose associations related to the type of martial arts they teach. For any parent who has not been personally involved in martial arts in the past it can be a very difficult decision as to which school or program to enroll their child in.

There are many styles of martial arts being taught all over the world and most likely in your neighborhood as well. Whether its Kickboxing, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jiu-Jitsu or some other martial art style, they all offer students value in regards to self defense and fitness. Therefore, I don’t think the style should be the number one concern when choosing a school for your child. I believe you should first consider the factors below before the style being taught at that particular school is factored into your decision. I believe if you get the appropriate answer’s to the following 15 questions you probably made the right decision:

1. Determine your ultimate objective(s) and after asking lots of questions decide if the program being offered satisfies your goal(s)?

1. Is the school close to your home and is free and convenient parking offered?

3. Does the school offer classes that are age specific or does it group all ages together? Make sure that the curriculum has been designed for kids at a specific age group. This will make it easier for your child to make friends and learn their program in a class which is tailored to their mental and physical abilities.

4. How big are the classes compared to the training area? Is there a maximum number of students per class? Does the school control the number of students that can attend a class?

5. What is the ratio of students to instructors and assistants? A 1:20 instructor/student ratio or less is generally appropriate not including the assistance of additional higher belt students.

6. Does the school have a formal curriculum and teaching plan? Once you become a student are you able to obtain the requirements that your child will need to master in order to advance through each belt level?

7. Is the facility clean, well lit, and maintained properly?

8. Are the staff friendly and do they interact with the children in a positive manner? Do they have children themselves and do their children train there as well?

1. Do the instructors share the same values that are important to you in the raising of your child? Is their vision, mission and core values listed anywhere? How do they demonstrate their commitment to these values on a daily basis? If you aren’t sure ask.

10. Are the instructors qualified in their martial art? Ask questions about their background and who taught them.

11. Are safety mats used in the training area? Puzzle mats are made of EVA foam and provide sure-footed support for stepping and kicking drills, yet will absorb the shock when students are jumping or they fall. The non-slip surface will also increase the safety of you child.

12. Will the school allow your child to try some classes before signing up? Are you able to watch the class? If possible ask some of the other parents about their experience at the school while watching the class.

13. Do you have a budget in mind and is it realistic? Martial arts schools generally charge the same as what you would expect for music or dance lessons.

14. How often are you prepared to bring your child to train each week? Is the school flexible in the amount of classes they can attend and does their pricing reflect this?

15. Do you have to put down a large upfront payment, or can you pay monthly as you go? Other than paying for the training clothes (Gi) at the start of the program, you should be able to pay for the program on a monthly basis.