Category Archives: Health & Fitness

Free & Effective

For those interested in purchasing fitness/nutrition software but you are not sure which program to go for, let me suggest the one I use: MyFitnessPal.com

Rather than a program that creates workouts or menus for you, MyFitnessPal is a simple tracker that lets you input what you eat and how you exercise. It calculates total calories, carbs, protiens and fats, as well as displaying how much you have burned during your training.

Not only is it a great program to keep track of things, but it is also FREE. Many tracking programs cost $9.95 and up, but MyFitnessPal is completely free, logging your activity is a breeze, and there is also a mobile app. I especially like the mobile app because you can immediately log what you are doing without having to sign in to your PC. Sign in, log your food or activites, and you are done.

For those looking for software that actually create exercise and/or meal plans for you, MyFitnessPlan.com is not what that is about. It is solely about tracking so that you can see your total caloric, carb, protein and fat intake throughout the day so that you can make smarter choices. Keeping track as you go along is a very big part of just simply being aware of what and how much you eat.

I have looked at a lot of software and even tried a few of their free trials. While I have no doubt that they are good, this is one of those times when “free” actually does fit the bill.

Good For Wing Chun?

Guess we will find out, because last week I started a 6-week kettle bell program via Kettleworx. I have always wanted to go through a kettle bell workout but admittedly I didn’t see the big deal about it. After all, what is the difference between a kettle bell and a dumbbell?

But after just two workouts, I really like it. What I like the most about it so far is that it uses the entire body for most movements rather than a dumbbell’s isolationist actions. Because the entire body’s 400 muscles are being engaged simultaneously as much as possible, it does not feel like “just” a workout; rather, it is movement that is applicable to any sport or endeavor.

As I get further along in the program I will write an in-depth review to see how a kettle bell program enhances or degrades our Wing Chun. Some programs are great for fitness yet not-so-great for our Wing Chun, and with the kettle bell craze still in full swing, I think it is very important to see what it does from someone who is actually doing it.

Stay tuned for next week’s update.

Combining Training

I am an avid fan of many different fitness-related programs. From free weights with Power 90 and P90X to running and Zumba Fitness, I have probably tried most of the programs out there in a quest to find the right combination that assists our Wing Chun. As efficient as our chosen art is for fighting, that efficiency can also be a pitfall for fitness-related training.

Over the years I believe I have found that right combination by first alternating weight resistance days with cardio days. For example, I train 6 days a week, with Monday/Wednesday/Friday being weight resistance and Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday being cardio. Both of these activities vary greatly, though, in what I do and how I do it.

For example, I am a big fan of Beachbody.com products because, quite simply, they work. Yes, there is a lot of hype like a lot of programs, but in the end it still comes down to a solid, well-rounded program. My personal favorites are Power 90, P90X, and the ChaLean Extreme programs (Power 90 for beginning/intermediate training, P90X for advanced/elite training, and ChaLean Extreme for real strength training vs. sculpting).

Each of these programs consist of a 90-day program and I have used all of them to great success. After a while, though, I have to admit that I am one of those that gets bored doing the same thing day-in, day-out. So one week I will do Power 90, the next week P90X, and the next week ChaLean Extreme. I have found that this routine is quite conducive to how my body reacts to strength training. Many do not need to rotate like this but I have found that it works best for me.

When it comes to cardio training, this is where I try to integrate as much Wing Chun as possible. For example, I am an avid runner. I also like to jump rope, box, kickbox, and work a lot of other cardio-oriented programs. I like mixing it up because, again, I tend to get easily bored in a short amount of time. To overcome that, I rotate programs and activities, as well as the movements “in” those activites.

For example, if I amworking a Power 90 cardio program that includes boxing and kickboxing, I will substitute chain-punching and Wing Chun kicks for as many movements as possible. After all, my goal is to increase not just my cardio capacity, but the capacity as it relates to Wing Chun, as well. Substituting fitness movements with Wing Chun movements gives me the best of both worlds.

There are, of course, elements to my training that cannot deviate with Wing Chun, such as Zumba Fitness. Good luck trying to put in a Wing Chun action while you are doing the Salsa. Ok, well, in my case, “trying” to do the Salsa.

But even in that, I dig programs that also have nothing to do with Wing Chun whatsoever in order to break the rhythm and keep things fresh. You want to accomplish your fitness goals but you also have to have fun doing it. Without that, it becomes a laborious chore that over time you do not even look forward to doing.

In the end, find what works for you and see if you can substitute various Wing Chun elements periodically vs. always following the program as specified. It breaks the normal routine and keeps things a lot more fun.

Baby It’s Cold Outside

With winter creeping up on us in the states, now is the time to start getting ready for cold weather training. Not that we are all training outdoors, of course; rather, the time of year just naturally changes a person’s outlook and training habits. Cold and dreary for some, wet and miserable for others.

Even for those like myself who live in Phoenix and do not have to deal with snow and road salt, the weather change still finds a way to change how we train. So regardless of where you are, changes happen when the seasons change, and that is what we are going to look at with this post.

Winter is when you want to get the bulk of your heavy training in, and during the hotter summer months, we maintain the level. So even though it is colder for most of us, this is actually the time when you want to really get involved and push yourself to improving your skills, as well as learning new ones.

First, determine where your current skills are and where they should be. Life has a way of sometimes slowing us down a bit, and it is easy to get off track from time to time. So take a look at what you did or did not accomplish this year as a motivator.

Second, now that you have an idea of where you are and what you did or did not get to accomplish this year, you can use that to map out what you will accomplish during the winter.

For example, if you wanted to improve your forms, then you will also want to focus on breathing, strength in your foundation, flexibility, and even in focusing on the correct lines of movement. You can spend an inordinate amount of time always improving these areas, and winter is a great time to slow down and focus on all of these elements.

Another example would be if you were looking to improve your physical conditioning for sparring. For most of us, the summer months are so dreadful that it is tough staying motivated to push through the heat and humidity. But now that it is winter, that is no longer a factor. Therefore, you can really delve into these areas without worrying about it.

Winter time is when I ramp up my own fitness training, as well as working on precision-oriented areas such as targeting with the wall bag, foundational training on the dummy, and improving my weapons skill sets. I take advantage of the slower, more dreary time of the year to increase all levels of fitness-oriented type of training, and then work to maintain this through the summer.

Next, to map out your goals. You need to take a good look at where you are and where you want to be, and set goals for accomplishing them. Literally write down your goals and use a realistic time frame to achieve them, but keep in mind that it has to be realistic. Otherwise, you will not accomplish them and it becomes another year of no improvement.

As an example, one of my goals this year was to improve my overall structure. I wanted to drive into my opponents with power yet remain defensive and protected. I worked a great deal of footwork on the dummy this year, as well as advanced stepping concepts from the knives. And even with my hectic schedule, I still accomplished a great deal.

I set out with a plan and I achieved the goal, which in itself becomes a motivator for achieving even more goals as they are set.

The final stage is getting down to business and working through our plan. We know what we did or did not get accomplish this year, so we know what needs to be done in the coming months to make a difference in our training. We have to be very blunt with things and tell ourselves straight out that there are no more excuses. Regardless of our work or family schedules, we can always do something to improve our skill sets, and it is up to us to make it happen.

I learned a long time ago that it is not the end result that makes it worthwhile; rather, it is the journey. The journey is where we really learn, so enjoy that journey. Plan your goals, make them realistic with the time frames you have available, and just have fun working through it.

Have Fun Outside

Outside of your Wing Chun training, many of you also have a regular fitness training program in place. And for those that prefer to train outdoors vs inside a gym, there are some excellent routines that can directly enhance your Wing Chun.

For those that do not like training outside or at home, and prefer a gym, there are actually a lot of benefits in it, such as:

• Little to no equipment is needed in order to have a good workout.
• No obnoxious people to contend with.
• No waiting in line for equipment.
• No need to drive back and forth to the gym.
• Being outside, you can enjoy fresh air vs. stale gym air (depending on where you live, of course).
• You get a lot of sunshine, which an excellent source of Vitamin D.
• You can workout anytime you choose vs. adhering to a gym’s schedule.

There are seven excellent exercises to help enhance your Wing Chun training. If trained properly and consistently, get ready for some work.

1. Lunges. Lunges should be done slowly and with perfect form in order to get the most out of them. Keep your back straight. As you lunge forward, ensure that your knee remains over the ankle. Pause and move forward, going to the next leg.
2. Push ups. Yes, the basic push up is one of the best upper body exercises available, and unfortunately a lot of people have gotten away from it because they prefer bench presses. The basic push up includes standard, wide, and close grips, which works shoulders, chest, and triceps. If you want an easier workout, elevate your hands; if you want a harder workout, elevate your feet.
3. Squats. Slow, smooth squats with your knees never going beyond your ankle will seriously increase leg strength, and going as far down as possible without weight will also increase flexibility in the knee. If you want a killer workout? Raise one leg and do one-leg squats.
4. Step ups. If you do this properly, you are giving your legs one serious workout. You can use a bench step, a normal staircase, or anything that is stable that you can step up on and down from. Keep your head level and back straight to get the most from it (and it is also an excellent cardio workout, too).
5. Chin ups. Also called pull ups, you will need a chin up bar (or if you are outside, a tree branch or playground equipment). Very good for the arms and shoulders, as well as the back for stability training.
6. Uphill sprints. This one is an outside-only exercise, but you can simulate it somewhat on a treadmill. Not much, but a little. The thing here, though, is that you should only do this if you can do a 100 meter dash at full speed because it is a lot of work on the heart. So use caution with this. Once you are done, walk down and do it again.
7. Duck walks. A lot of lower body work goes on here, which is excellent for kicking and long pole training.

By incorporating any or all of these actions into your current fitness program, you get additional fitness training that positively impacts your Wing Chun training. What could be better than that, right?

Keep On Punchin’

For many, 1,000 punches a day might seem a little extreme. For the Wing Chun practitioner, however, it is both essential and practical.

Because the art requires a relaxed explosiveness in its actions, every action we take means that we must be devoid of all muscled-type of movements. But without relying on brute strength, how do our attacks actually generate hitting power? From relaxing and then quickly contracting just enough to use speed as the catalyst behind the power vs powering through with brute force.

This is the type of power that can be applied well into old age, too. Since it does not rely on muscle size or strength, age will actually help us because we get more relaxed as we get older. Sure, many attributes of aging will see a decline in our abilities, but that is par for the course of all physical activities. At least with this type of punching, we can effectively use our skills for defense throughout the duration of our lifetime.

So where do 1,000 punches fit in with all of this?

For starters, it keeps us relaxed. With so many punches, we cannot rely on physical strength because we simply wear out. But as long as we focus on correct mechanics and being relaxed in order to push through the exhaustion barrier, every punch takes us closer to performing the full 1,000 punches at full-speed and with full power.

1,000 punches also improves our conditioning. Anyone who does just a few hundred punches knows how tiring it can be, so imagine what 1,000 punches will do. The chest, back, arms, abs, etc., are all being conditioned with each and every punch, and the more we do it, the more in line with Wing Chun and fitness we become.

For those new to working so many punches every day, I recommend starting with a couple hundred a day for a week or two in order to get used to it. Start with slow punches so that you do not hyper-extend the elbow. Once that happens, your punching days are severely limited until you heal the injury.

After a couple of weeks, increase your punches by 50-100. Now with approximately 400 punches a day, maintain this for another couple of weeks or so, and every 2 weeks, increase the amount by 100.

During this time frame, you are getting in better shape by burning calories, conditioning the upper body, and also gaining a valuable fighting skill in Wing Chun. Your body is overcoming the stress it experiences with repeated exhaustion, too, which assists in your overall training.

Within a very short amount of time, your 1,000 punches a day will tremendous gains in your fighting ability, not to mention an improved fitness level.

And all with just punching. Go figure.

An Introduction to Proper Nutrition

Note: I am not a certified physician nor a registered dietician. Always consult the proper medical professional before beginning any fitness or nutritional program.

All of us know that there is a direct link between proper nutrition and disease prevention, but the hard part is what to eat, as well as how much.

Nutritional organizations generally agree that the following ranges are what you should adhere to in order to get a sufficient intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. The recommendations are:

• 45% – 65% of calories should come from carbohydrates.
• 25% – 35% of calories should come from fat.
• 10% – 35% of calories should come from protein.

Personally, I have found that a middle of the road approach works well. Therefore I try to keep about 50% calories from carbohydrates, 30% from fat, and 20% from protein.

But another important question is “how many calories should I take in to start with?” Good question, and one that only you can decide, to be honest. It depends on your activity level, as well as a variety of other factors that you should discuss with your personal physician.

However, you should never go below 1200 calories, nor over 2400 calories (unless you are extremely active). If you go below 1200 calories, your body will start to go into what is called starvation mode. In effect, your metabolism will slow down exponentially in order to conserve every little bit of food coming in.

On the flip side, too many calories will be more prone to be stored as fat unless you are very active and always burning them off.

So, let’s go for a middle-of-the-road approach again and use 1800 calories as an example of what you should be consuming per day. At 45% carbs, that would be 203g. At 20% fat, that would be 40g, and for men and women, your protein intake would be 75g and 60g, respectively.

A lot of hype still exists about protein powder, muscle fuel, muscle foods, etc. I recommend not getting sucked into all of the hype. If you are a professional athlete, you more than likely need additional nutritional support in order to meet the demands you place on yourself. But for the average Joe, you do not. Basic healthy foods with the proper exercise are all that the average person needs.

Are there good products out there that can contribute to our gains? Yes, there are, and they have been shown to be quite effective depending on how you use it. At the very least, you will see increased energy, which contributes to you being more prone to stay active and eat better.

But is there a magic pill? A product that will melt the fat away and make you look like you are on the cover of GQ? Of course not. You should not be spending your hard-earned money on all that foolishness, either. I did, and for years. I cannot tell you how many thousands of dollars I am sure I spent over the decades on that stuff.

But in the end, I realized that quality food in the right amounts and with a sensible, consistent exercise program has seen more positive results than all of that other stuff combined.

Take the time to learn about nutrition and effective exercise programs. It is the best thing you can ever do for yourself. I enjoy a variety of the Beachbody programs, particularly Power90 and P90X. Maybe one of them will be the right program for you, too.