Karate New Providence NJ | Martial Arts New Providence NJ | Martial Arts for Life
A Tabata / Interval training combination workout from one of our adult martial arts classes at Martial Arts for Life in New Providence, NJ. Our martial arts academy is located in The Village Shopping Center in New Providence.
Making our community healthier & safer, one person at a time.
The Village Shopping Center, 1260 Springfield Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Since 2005, we have been proud to offer Kickboxing, Martial Arts, Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Protection Strategies to residents of New Providence NJ, Berkeley Heights NJ, Chatham NJ, Stirling NJ, Gillette NJ, Summit NJ, Kickboxing 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.
Kickboxing Union County NJ | Kickboxing Summit NJ | Kickboxing Berkeley Heights NJ
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 Kickboxing, 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.
Cruel Summer
Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner and it will soon be time for barbecues, day trips and vacations, oh my! Summer tends to be one of the most challenging times of the year to stay disciplined with workouts and diet regimens. After all, we all want to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation and take advantage of the seasonal goodies we look forward to. The goal is to find a balance between enjoying the food and leisure activities while maintaining some semblance of a healthy diet and exercise routine.
Here are 5 tips to help you stay on track:
1.) Decide In Advance. When attending barbecues, parties or any gathering where there will be abundant food and drink use the “decide in advance” strategy. Simply decide in advance how many beers, hamburgers or hot dogs you will indulge in. Once you have decided, discipline yourself to stick to your plan.
2.) Don’t Take The Summer Off. Reducing your level of physical activity and increasing your intake of high calorie, fatty foods is a recipe for rapid weight gain. Be sure to maintain your level of physical activity throughout the summer. Keep in mind it is a hop, skip and a jump from September to the “holiday season” and it can be a real challenge to get back on track after Labor Day rolls around.
3.) Modify Your Workouts. Sometimes it is necessary to modify your workout routine in the summer. It is not advisable to go for an extended run when it is 100 degrees outside. Consider joining an air conditioned gym or exercise facility so you can continue to work out safely. Many facilities now offer short term summer memberships that you can take advantage of. You can also move your outdoor training to later in the day when it is not as hot out.
4.) Don’t Go Overboard. Enjoy yourself this summer, but don’t go completely overboard when indulging in junk food. Have one scoop of ice cream instead of two and order the small size tub of boardwalk fries. Often times you will find that your eyes are larger than your stomach and a smaller size treat will satisfy your craving.
5.) Drink Water. Avoid sugary drinks which contain empty calories and do a poor job of quenching thirst. Opt for water instead, which will keep you properly hydrated. Also, drinking water during and soon after alcohol consumption may reduce the level of dehydrating effects of alcoholic drinks.
Remember, with just a little planning and self-discipline, you can maintain a nice balance between summer fun and healthy living!
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.
Family Health & Fitness: Dealing With Injuries
“Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again…” – Simon & Garfunkel
Sooner or later if you are participating in consistent exercise or athletic training, you are going to sustain an injury. Sometimes it’s something minor like a mild sprain and sometimes it might be a little more serious like a broken bone. And if you’ve been active your whole life (or for any sustained period of time) you know the searing kiss of pain from reinjuring something that healed long ago.
Here are 5 keys to dealing with the inevitable injuries that crop up from an active lifestyle:
1.) Don’t ignore it and don’t try to train through the pain. There is an old mentality (that is especially prevalent in Martial Arts circles) that one should train through pain and eventually the injury will heal itself. After all, if you’re mentally tough, you won’t even notice the pain. This is a great way to make sure your injury never heals properly and pave the way to a chronic health problem. Pain is your body’s none-too-subtle way of letting you know that something is wrong. Listen to your body and deal with injuries right away.
2.) Seek professional help. If you have an injury or a nagging ache or pain that is impeding your ability to train, go see a doctor. Some folks are more comfortable seeing a chiropractor or a sports medicine doctor for injuries and that’s fine – just go see some sort of qualified physician. The internet can be a useful educational tool, but please don’t try to diagnose yourself. There’s no quicker way to get to a proper diagnosis and a treatment plan than seeing a licensed professional.
3.) Don’t get down on yourself or the situation. Sometimes it can seem like a devastating blow when you have to shut it down for a while – especially if you are the type of person who trains several times a week or you are close to accomplishing a major goal. It is easy to start feeling sorry for yourself. Try to remember that “this too shall pass” and there are plenty of people with serious health problems who would gladly trade places with you in a heartbeat. Yes it is frustrating and yes it probably happened at the worst possible time, but focusing on the negatives is not going to serve you.
4.) Don’t give up. Some folks use an injury as a reason to give up training altogether. Even when they get better, the fear of getting re-injured or the discomfort of proper rehabilitation can shelve people for life. While it is true, you may need to train a little smarter or temper your workout plan, it is also true you could get injured stepping off the curb or driving a car. Don’t give up on a fitness-based lifestyle just because of a bite from the injury bug.
5.) Get creative. In most cases, an injury won’t prevent you from doing some form of physical activity. If you have an upper-body injury, concentrate on lower-body workouts for a while (and vice versa). If you refuse to be denied you will find some form of exercise to participate in despite your injury. It may not be your first choice, but remember this concept: “a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.”
One of my favorite quotes is by author and motivational speaker Wille Jolley who says, “A setback is a setup for a comeback!” Remember that you have “comeback power” and while injuries are frustrating you can choose to use them to set up your comeback. Consider NFL quarterback Drew Brees. In the final game of the 2005 season, Brees seriously injured his shoulder by tearing his labrum and rotator cuff. In 2008, he led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl victory and was named the Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of The Year. Stay positive, do the rehab and set yourself up for a comeback!
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.
The REAL Rocky Story
He rushed home and in a 3-day burst of creative output produced the first draft of the screenplay entitled Rocky.
Down to his last $106, Stallone submitted his screenplay to his agent. A studio offered $20,000 with either Ryan O’Neal or Burt Reynolds playing the lead character. Stallone was excited by the offer but wanted to play the lead himself. He offered to act for free. He was told, “That’s not the way it works in Hollywood.” Stallone turned down the offer though he desperately needed the money.
Then they offered him $80,000 on the condition that he wouldn’t play the lead. He turned them down again.
They told him that Robert Redford was interested, in which case they’d pay him $200,000. He turned them down once more. They upped their offer to $300,000 for his script. He told them he didn’t want to go through his whole life wondering “what if?”
They offered him $330,000. He told them that he’d rather not see the movie made if he couldn’t play the lead.
They finally agreed to let him play the lead. He was paid $20,000 for the script plus $340 per week minimum actor’s scale. After expenses, agent fees, and taxes, he netted about $6,000 instead of $330,000.
In 1976 Stallone was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor. The movie Rocky won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing. The Rocky series (6 movies) has since grossed over $1.2 billion, making Sylvester Stallone an international movie star.
Follow your gut. Stick to your guns.
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.
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.
Martial Arts New Providence NJ | Kickboxing New Providence NJ | Martial Arts For Life
Martial Arts For Life Chief Instructor Rich Brugger with Marcelo Garcia at the MMA Expo in NYC.
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.
You Just Made The List!
This week I’m going to share a concept with you called “the list strategy.” This method is most valuable when you are trying to make changes to your diet for the purpose of eating healthier. However, it can also be a useful part of a weight loss plan as the two often go hand in hand.
We all consume things as part of our diet out of habit, or sometimes simply because they are made available. An example might be having a soda with lunch each day or mindlessly snacking on a bowl of chips at a party. It is estimated that up to ninety-five percent of our behavior is habitual – meaning that we are on auto-pilot for a lot of our daily tasks including eating and drinking.
The goal of this strategy is to raise your level of awareness when it comes to what you are eating and drinking. Then you can make better decisions about what you want to continue to have as part of your diet and what you can cut back on or eliminate completely.
Here are four action steps to implement this strategy:
Step #1: Goal Setting
The first step is to decide what your goals are. Are you looking to reduce sources of saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet? Do you want to avoid processed foods? Is your goal to consume less empty calories each day? Having a specific goal is important for success. A goal such as “eating healthier” is a bit too vague and can make it challenging to complete this exercise.
Step #2: Tracking
The next step in this process is to keep track of what you are eating for at least a week. Two weeks would be better, but most people get sick of tracking by the end of week one. It’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything you eat in your head, so get a pad and pen and write down everything you consume for a week. If it passes your lips it goes on the list.
Step #3: Analyzing
After you track what you’ve been eating for a week (or two) it’s time to take a look at your diet objectively. The goal is to examine what you are eating on a regular basis and make a list of the things you must eat less often or eliminate in order to accomplish your goals from Step #1. Remember, items to be eliminated could also be condiments like sour cream, mayonnaise, etc.
Step #4: Experimenting
The goal in Step #4 is to start with just one item from your list and do without it for two weeks. If you find that you really didn’t miss it, perhaps you can eliminate that food or brverage completely. If you find that it is something you really enjoy having in your diet, choose to consume it less frequently (for example, no more than once per week). Repeat this practice until you complete it with all the items on your list.
Naturally, any kind of change, even when it is an improvement, can be uncomfortable. This causes many people to revert back to their old behaviors and fall short of their goals. Choosing what to focus on and using the concept of substitution are two methods that can help “soften the blow” when making improvements to your diet.
Consider choosing what to eat based on how you feel afterwards, rather than how you feel during the meal. For example, you might really enjoy eating a double cheeseburger, fries and a large soda for lunch, but how do you feel afterwards? Are you energized and ready to for the second half of your day or do you feel tired and sluggish with indigestion? Concentrating on how you feel after a meal or a snack is a great way to view healthy eating in a proper perspective – focusing on what you are gaining (health & vitality) rather than what you may be losing (enjoyment from eating certain foods).
Another useful tool is the concept of substitution. For example, if your goal is to cut back on dairy products such as milk, perhaps you can try soy milk or almond milk as an alternative. You might find that you enjoy one of those products just as much as regular milk. It is much easier to replace a habit, rather than totally eliminate it.
Remember, the main objective of this strategy is to raise your level of awareness when it comes to what you are consuming on a regular basis and identify opportunities to improve your nutritional habits. The objective is not to completely eliminate all unhealthy foods and beverages that you enjoy, but rather to find a healthy balance between eating for pleasure and the benefits of a proper diet.
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.
How Lack of Sleep Can Harm Your Health
As featured in the September/October 2012 issue of Meridian Health Views.
You might see sleep as a break from your daily activities. Bust as you drift through the stages of slumber, your body and brain carry out tasks essential for physical and mental health. Unconsciously, you’re storing memories, re-balancing hormones, rearming your immune system against infection, and repairing your heart and blood vessels.
Most adults need between seven and nine hours of rest for good health. But more than one-fourth of those in the U.S. don’t get it – and the consequences are severe. More Americans than ever snooze less than six hours per night, causing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to label lack of sleep a public health epidemic. Below, our experts explain how it’s affecting your health and what you can do about it.
It’s Hard on Your Heart
As sleepless nights add up, so does harm to your heart. “Chronic sleep deprivation contributes to inflammation throughout your body, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure – all risk factors for heart disease,” explains Jeffrey Miksoff, D.O. of Jersey Shore Medical Center.
The effects may start as early as your teen years. By adulthood, the dangers is significant, according to a 10-year study in the journal Sleep. People who regularly sleep less than six hours per night have a 23 percent increased risk for heart disease than people who sleep more. And if their sleep is also poor quality, their risk is 80 percent greater.
“Improve both the quality and quantity of sleep by upgrading your bedroom,” advises Dr. Miksoff. “Get rid of TV and computer screens and keep things quiet, cool, and dark. And head there at the same time every night, even on the weekends. A regular sleep schedule helps ensure you get enough rest.”
It’s Packing on Pounds
Shortened sleep may be partially to blame for America’s obesity epidemic. “People who log less than five hours are significantly more likely to be heavy than those who get seven,” explains Frederick Dewill, M.D., of Southern Ocean Medical Center. “They’re also more prone to weight gain over time.”
Why? Tired brains actually respond to food differently. They light up when study participants look at food-related photos, even if they’re not hungry. One study found sleepy shift workers noshed on more sweet snacks. In fact, the sleep-deprived may eat up to 500 extra calories and 9 extra grams of saturated fat a day. In turn, extra pounds make sleeping more difficult.
Obese people are much more likely to have sleep apnea, a dangerous condition that disrupts breathing during the night. “Break the cycle by avoiding big meals and drinks – especially alcohol – late at night,” says Dr. Dewill. See your doctor if you snore loudly, choke, or gasp during the night.”
It’s Sending Your Blood Sugar Surging
Shortchanging your snoozing increases your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. “If you already have the disease, lack of sleep makes it harder to control,” says Francisco Cruze, M.D., of Ocean Medical Center. A study in the journal Diabetes Care found people with type 2 diabetes and insomnia had 23 percent higher fasting glucose levels & 48 percent higher fasting insulin levels.
These differences were large enough to increase the risk for diabetes complications, including nerve damage complications, including nerve damage, vision problems, and kidney disease. Another recent study helps explain the link. After five weeks with five-and-a half hours of sleep per night, participants’ blood glucose spiked more sharply after meals. Fortunately, nine days of normal rest reversed the effect.
Having trouble drifting off? Try exercise. Regular workouts – in this case, walking with poles – improved sleep in one group of study participants with type 2 diabetes. “Be sure to wrap up your workout at least three hours before bedtime to give your body time to unwind.” Dr. Cruze advises.
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.
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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