Some of the back escapes we covered as part of our specialty training in Kickboxing Black Belt Club class. Demonstrated here by Jiu Jitsu legend Saulo Ribeiro as part of his Jiu Jitsu Revolution DVD.
Martial Arts in Union County, NJ
Making our community healthier & safer, one person at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs.
After The Holidays…
As featured on the New Providence Patch: Read our Blog on The New Providence Patch
The six week period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is perhaps the most challenging part of the year to stay consistent with a workout plan and maintain a healthy diet. Many folks simply stop trying during this time of year and pledge they will get back to exercising and eating right “after the holidays.”
If you choose to take a break, do not underestimate the physical and mental output required to make a 180 degree turn when the season ends. It is incredibly difficult to switch from practicing minimal self-discipline to working out regularly and eating a proper diet. Every January many people’s resolution to exercise and eat right end up failing because of the tremendous effort required.
Slacking off on your workout routine is especially dangerous if you are new to the fitness game. It is very easy to slip out of your routine and lose the results you have worked hard for. In addition, when you decide to get back on track, you will lack the stamina and fitness level needed to exercise with the same intensity. In fact, it is estimated that after four to five weeks without exercise your fitness level may decreases by as much as fifty-percent!
However, the fact remains that the holiday season is a tough time. There are more temptations than usual with office parties, holiday dinners, and family gatherings. Holiday shopping and visits make scheduling workouts difficult. Your goal should be to take a balanced approach that allows you to keep the gains you have worked hard for and also indulge in some holiday cheer.
Here are 5 ways to find balance this Holiday Season:
1.) Decide In Advance. Decide in advance to exercise moderation when it comes to food and drink. Before attending holiday celebrations, make a decision to limit yourself to one slice of pumpkin pie instead of two – or two cocktails instead of three. Many holiday dishes and treats are high in calories. For example, one cup of egg nog contains nearly 350 calories and a slice of pumpkin pie has about 320 calories and 17 grams of fat!
2.) Avoid An All Or Nothing Approach. Even if you cannot maintain your regular workout schedule, you should still stay physically active. Remember the concept “to maintain is to gain.” If you are able to maintain your current fitness level (or a portion of it), that is an achievement in and of itself. Even small things like walking more or taking the stairs is helpful.
3.) Eat Before You Go. Consider eating a lean, high-protein meal and/or drinking plenty of water before attending a holiday event. This strategy will help curb your hunger and prevent you from completely overindulging.
4.) Observe the 70/30 Rule. During the holiday season, eat healthfully and avoid excess sugar, alcohol and fatty foods seventy percent of the time. The other thirty percent of the time allow yourself to enjoy your holiday favorites (without going completely overboard).
5.) Get Enough Rest. Many times feeling tired or stressed is mistaken for hunger. Proper rest also helps you to deal with the stressors that often accompany a hectic holiday season.
If all else fails, be sure to get back on track as soon as possible. Try to follow a simple rule: If you eat more, exercise more.
Martial Arts for Life New Providence, NJ
Making our community healthier & safer, one person at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs.
The “63 – 60” Arm Workout
Martial Arts for Life New Providence, NJ
Making our community healthier & safer, one person at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs.
Getting Back On Track
As featured on the New Providence Patch: Read our Blog on The New Providence Patch
As summer rapidly draws to a close, it’s a perfect time to re-evaluate your day to day eating and workout habits. Summer often becomes a time when we tend to overindulge in food and beverages due to vacations, barbecues and the desire to enjoy ourselves. Almost everybody associates a sense of pleasure with consuming certain things. In addition, we are conditioned from the time we are children to recognize summer as a time to relax the rules a bit and enjoy ourselves – which is good for our mental and physical well-being.
Unfortunately, this “summer mindset” tends to lead to undisciplined eating and workout habits that should not be carried over into the next season. One of the biggest threats to your fitness is allowing those relaxed summer habits to slide all the way into the holiday season (which is rapidly approaching). Once you get off track, it becomes a slippery slope due to the forces of momentum. We’ve all had the experience of getting into a good groove with our diet and fitness regimen, which gives us the momentum to stay on track and avoid unhealthy meals and skipped workouts. You’ve probably also had the experience of skipping a work out, which turns into a couple missed workouts and leads you to make some less than healthy dietary decisions until you get back on track.
With the unofficial end of summer, it is a great time to develop some new momentum – starting with your nutrition habits.
One of the biggest misconceptions about eating healthy is that it requires a Spartan diet and you cannot have a bowl of ice cream or a cheeseburger ever again. The reality of the situation is most people want to be healthy and fit, but not at the price of completely eliminating the foods and drinks that they really enjoy. The key concept here is balance.
In prior columns, I have talked about the 70/30 rule, which simply means you eat for health and nourishment 70 percent of the time and you eat for pleasure 30 percent of the time. For most people, this means eating healthfully during the week and splurging a bit on the weekends. Remember, it is about balance, so the 30 percent cannot involve binge eating (or drinking for that matter) or completely over indulging in high calorie, fatty foods. As always, the percentages here can be adjusted upward to 80/20 or even 90/10. However, the minimum is healthy eating 70 percent of the time.
Naturally, a healthy eating plan should go hand in hand with a consistent workout plan. A minimum of 30 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular exercise three times per week combined with some form of resistance training at least twice per week are necessary for optimal health and fitness. Naturally, the less disciplined you are with your diet, the more exercise you will need to maintain your weight and overall health. However, I firmly believe that you cannot out train bad nutrition and a proper diet is the first building block in developing a healthy body.
So, with the change of seasons looming and the holidays around the bend, I encourage you to exercise the self-discipline to get back on track with proper diet and exercise – and avoid the temptation to continue the fast and loose rules of summertime!
Martial Arts for Life New Providence, NJ
Making our community healthier & safer, one person at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs.
Family Safety Training: Awareness & Distance
As featured on the New Providence Patch: Read our Blog on The New Providence Patch
Special thanks to S.A. Arrango for his research.
According to recent data provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation:
Every 22.2 seconds – a violent crime occurs
Every 30.9 minutes – a murder occurs
Every 1.2 minutes – a robbery occurs
Every 36.6 seconds – an aggravated assault occurs
Every 3.2 seconds – a property crime occurs
Every 14.4 seconds – a burglary occurs
Every 4.8 seconds – a larceny-theft occurs
Every 26.4 seconds – a motor vehicle theft occurs
In any crime situation, the victim will fall into one of two categories: he or she will either have some idea of what to do to in order to survive and escape or no idea whatsoever – which category would you rather be in?
Awareness and distance are our two most important safety skills. People young and old can learn to be more aware and how to create distance from potential danger.
-Walk purposefully, communicate calm and confidence. Protect your personal safe zone and trust your instincts. Re-alert yourself as you pass through doorways and entrances/exits. Practice using peripheral vision.
-Develop a habit of raising your awareness and being sure you have full use of your hands and feet when moving in or out of a secure area. Have your faculties about you and focus your attention briefly on being in a safe and aware state of mind.
-Evaluate entry areas to your home and garage. Consider locations that could hide an intruder from your view while entering or leaving your home. Consider removing shrubbery or lighting any location than could conceal an attacker. Use motion sensor lighting near doors or driveway access points.
-Keep garage doors closed and locked. Remove remote door openers from vehicles regularly parked in your driveway.
-Teach children the importance of Safe People and Safe Places. Show your children common safe places and how to recognize them – a policeman, a store clerk at the checkout counter, a Mom with children. Teach children how to recognize a safe place if they feel threatened – the checkout at a store, a group of well dressed adults.
-Try not to carry a purse, if you must, carry it securely under your arm. Never wrap the strap around your arm or enter a tug-of-war if a thief grabs your purse. You could be seriously injured.
-Adults and children alike should avoid walking alone and stay away from dark walkways, stairwells and alleys. Learn to avoid short-cuts that take you from the public view. Teach children how to say “No” to adults asking them for help. Adults should ask other adults, not children, for directions, help with packages or for other assistance.
-Consider your return approach when you park your car. Pass up parking spaces in corners and without a clear view from several angles. Stalkers generally attack on your return to the car when you are distracted, your arms are full and they have evaluated you as a target.
-Learn and teach loved ones the importance of maintaining a safe distance in any situation. Experts teach three primary safe zones – about 20 feet, about 10 feet and reaching distance. At each of these distances we can develop effective safety responses to danger or aggression.
-Have a “safety drill” rehearsed with your children to escape danger or safely lock them in the car if you are threatened. Practice this drill just as you would practice a fire drill in a school or business. Teach loved ones there is always a safer place to be if danger presents itself.
-Glance into your backseat and floorboards before entering your car. Always lock your doors whether you are in or out of your vehicle, or home. Keep windows at least partially rolled up to avoid someone reaching in to unlock and open your door.
-Keep your purse, wallet or briefcase on the floor or under the seat at all times. Do not leave any packages, packs or bags in your parked and locked car even if they don’t contain valuables.
-If you are bumped from behind by another vehicle, do not immediately exit your car. ASSESS THE SITUATION. If you feel uneasy, remain in your vehicle until police arrive. If the other party leaves the scene note vehicle description and tag – do not follow.
-If someone threatens you with a weapon, give your vehicle up immediately after you collect your children. DO NOT FIGHT OR ARGUE. Your life is more important than your car.
-If your car breaks down, raise the hood to signal for help. If possible remain in your car. If someone stops to assist you, have them call for help. Do not allow strangers inside your vehicle and do not accept a ride from them.
Remember, awareness and distance remain the two most important safety skills for people of all ages!
Martial Arts for Life New Providence, NJ
Making our community healthier & safer, one person at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs.
Arm Workout with Resistance Bands
Martial Arts for Life New Providence, NJ
Making our community healthier & safer, one person at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs.
The 6 Minute Workout (30 – 30 – 30)
This is an example of one of the training methods we use in our classes. We call it a “30 – 30 – 30.” As explained in the clip, you choose three exercises and do each of them for 30 seconds (consecutively), with a 30 second rest in between each superset. If you go through the cycle 3 times, it takes 6 minutes of your day. Enjoy!
Martial Arts for Life
Making our community healthier & safer, one family at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs
What is your body type?
One of the things to consider when formulating an effective diet and workout plan is body type. When formulating a workout and nutrition plan for our students we always consider their body type. Read on and see if you can find your body type…
Endomorph: Typically endomorphs have a slow metabolism and gain both muscle and fat fairly easily. Their body is characterized by a “round appearance.” Endomorphs typically have a short and stocky build with strong muscles. Due to their propensity to gain fat, endomorphs must get regular cardiovascular exercise in addition to resistance training in order to maintain a healthy body weight and stay fit. This body type must avoid eating too many carbohydrates. Crash diets are also off limits.
Mesomorph: The mesomorph body type is characterized by a naturally athletic physique including a large bone structure and large muscles. Naturally strong, mesomorphs often find it easy to both gain and lose weight when desired. Mesomorphs respond well to any type of resistance training. A balanced regimen of strength and cardiovascular training is recommended for mesomorphs.
Ectomorph: Characterized by a small frame and bone structure, ectomorphs are thin, have a fast metabolism and find it difficult to gain weight and muscle mass. Ectomorphs looking to gain muscle require a huge amount of calories. Short, intense workouts focusing on compound movements are necessary to gain strength and mass. Despite their fast metabolism, ectomorphs should still avoid empty (unhealthy) calories. Bruce Lee is a great example of an ectomorph.
It is important to note that many folks have a combination of two body types. For example mesomorph / endomorph or ectomorph/mesomorph. Remember that regardless of your body type it is possible to build a healthy, sculpted physique with the proper diet, exercise plan and coaching.
This article was written by Rich Brugger. He holds a Strength Conditioning and Weight Training Certification from ISMA and is Black Belt Master Instructor. He co-owns and operates Martial Arts for Life in New Providence, NJ with his wife Michelle (a certified personal fitness trainer, a certified nutritional consultant and Black Belt Instructor).
Martial Arts for Life
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs
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The Martial Arts Shoerack Theory
“THE SHOERACK THEORY”
It has long been a custom in the Martial Arts, that upon entering the training area, you remove your shoes and place them in the shoerack. Part of this custom is for hygiene and cleanliness. A clean and well kept Academy is certainly better than a dirty and dingy one.
An even better philosophy is the Shoerack Theory.
Simply meaning that students remove their shoes and place them in the shoerack, at the same time, they are also placing all of their challenges and stressful thoughts or negative issues in their shoes before entering the mat.
The belief being that this allows you to give yourself fully to your training and after a great class, you will be able to better deal with the challenges you placed in your shoes.
Sometimes, you may find that they have disappeared all together. Meaning that after a great workout and practice session, you have relieved yourself of all the stress you had before your class.
Martial Arts training is proven to be an outstanding way to relieve stress and cleanse your mind, body and spirit of any and all negativity.
If you practice this philosophy everytime you enter our Academy, you will find yourself in a better mood and you will also enjoy greater benefit from each class.
This is a philosophy that can even be applied to walking into your own home. Mentally, leaving all stress and challenges in your shoes so you can enjoy quality time with your family and loved ones.
One way you can maximize the benefits of your Martial Arts training is to practice the philosophies you learn in your everyday life outside the Academy.
Martial Arts for Life
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Proud to offer Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Springfield NJ, Madison NJ, Warren NJ, Union County NJ, Morris County NJ and all surrounding areas.
P.S. Visit our website at http://www.BeginKarate.com to learn about our Academy and our programs
What Thai Kickboxing Won’t Do For You…
Admittedly, our “Thai Kickboxing” program won’t do everything for you…
- It is NOT the right program if you are interested in heavy-duty, combat self-defense – or want to compete in tournaments.
- It is NOT the right program if you want to wear spandex and throw thousands of random punches and kicks with no rhyme or reason.
- It is NOT the right program if you are looking for extremely traditional Martial Arts training centered upon Easter religion or philosophy.
So — what WILL our “Thai Kickboxing Program” do for you?
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Martial Arts for Life’s proven system will dramatically improve your cardiovascular endurance, increase muscle tone, and not just give you the kind of body that you can show off at the beach – but the kind of body you can use.
- We will show you proper technique in a classroom with a fully-padded floor taught by certified instructors to eliminate the risk of injury. In fact, our entire program is designed to protect your knees, ankles, & lower back.
- You will learn real self-defense techniques. Our team will show you the proper way to execute punches, kicks, knees, and footwork – should you ever need to use these techniques to defend yourself.
- Perhaps best of all, this is taught in a “team-oriented” class environment that is built upon the principles of respect and courtesy — so there’s never any of the nonsense that you’ve encountered in “fitness kickboxing” classes as the gym or rec.
…one more thing…we provide classes taught by EXPERT instructors – each with well over a decade of experience. You’ll never find an aerobics instructor that took a weekend certification on “cardio kickboxing” teaching your class at our Academy. We also provide you with a certified nutritional consultant to make sure you reach your fitness / weight loss goals.
I know what you’re thinking: It all sounds “Too good to be true,” right? Well don’t take MY word for it…
“Tonight was my fifth class at Martial Arts for Life in New Providence. After each class I am reminded of how out of shape I let myself get! I feel great after each class and I find myself wanting more. I spent 3 months in Marine Corps Bootcamp and I feel that the workout I’m getting is equal to that of Paris Island (minus the yelling). The respect and encouragement from Mr. and Mrs. B does not go unnoticed. Also, the respect and excitement from all the classmates is very motivating. I find myself pushing my body more & more and enjoy every class…
P.S. What a way to let off steam” – Mr. Mike L., New Providence NJ
….here’s one more rave review of our Thai Kickboxing classes…
“About a year ago I started to burn out from my day to day gym exercising. I would go to the gym and run or lift weights or do a spin class…but something was missing. I hit a wall and I was not sure what to to, until I began researching martial arts. I found your program and I have never looked back. I ended up quitting the gym and started training 3 days a week and not only do I feel better mentally, but my body has started to change. I feel like I look more toned and in shape then I ever have before, even when I was running 4 days a week. I love this program…” – Ms. Melanie H., Chatham NJ
Actually…there is just ONE catch…
If after you visit Martial Arts for Life you know that everything I talked about in this blog is true, and you wish to join us – we still may not let you. Even though we are allowing a few people to try us out for FREE – our Academy has qualifications that each new student must meet.
As you may have already heard – we operate like a private training facility (unlike your average gym or health club) and don’t just “Surrender to anyone with a check book or Visa card.” You really need to be the kind of results-oriented person that is serious about improving yourself.
If this sounds like you and you’re ready to reserve your spot – call us right now at 908.464.2836 or register online here.
Martial Arts for Life
About Martial Arts for Life
Martial Arts for Life is a family oriented martial arts school that offers classes for men, women, and children. We are committed to patiently helping everyone who enters the program develop leadership skills, honesty, integrity, focus and self-discipline in every aspect of their lives.
We are located at 1260 Springfield Avenue, New Providence, NJ. We are proud to serve New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Murray Hill, Summit, Chatham and all surrounding areas.
You can reach us at 908.464.2836
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Martial Arts for Life 