Deborah's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & Arnis-Eskrima Training

The triumph of training this week has been joy. Big bucketfuls, of rich, screaming, from the gut, joy.  If you are starting down a path of physical movement, find the joy. The joy is the door. Walk through it and don't hang out in the frame. The joy keeps you going back for more, it keeps you moving,  it starts to compile upon itself.  SATURDAY JULY 13 Ballet:      Plie' in 2nd position      Tendu-Ball-toe      Plie' in 1st position      Tendu      Straight leg releve'      Plie'-releve      Tendu'-Tempe lie'-Plie'-Coupe' The Lift:      Squat with barbell-           1-65 pounds, 10 reps           2-75 pounds, 10 reps           3-85 pounds, 8 reps           4-90 pounds, 8 reps           5-75 pounds, 8 reps      Goblet Squat with Kettlebell-           5 sets, 10 reps each      Clubbell swing "To order" with a deep squat           5 sets, 6 reps each SUNDAY JULY 14          Arnis               Cacoy Doce Pares, Espada-Daga         TUESDAY JULY

PART ONE My husband David and I practice Arnis de Mano, Filipino Martial Arts, together.  On Sunday we worked on three drills: Babao angles 1-6 with a takedown, Cacoy Doce Pares, Espada Y Daga drill, and Cacoy Doce Pares sparring. PART TWO   -  Tabata - 10 Tabatas, 6 rounds each, 30 second work, 12 second rest. Jumprope  with light speed rope. Sledgehammer  on tire, 10 pound sledgehammer. Ballet-   Plie' in second position Tendu' to ball-toe Plie' in first position Tendu' Straight leg releve' Plie' releve' Tempe lie' coupe' drill  Coupe' relevé' drill Regarding ballet, I am practicing a very detailed and strict form called "Placement" with Patricia DeAnna. She is on Facebook and Instagram, but her current content is on her You Tube Channel. I practiced ballet when I was younger, and I've always considered myself a dancer, even in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and FMA. Placement method gets me back to my roots via a strict road. Bonus, for

 I've been inspired lately by women over 50 who rocking fitness to the next level with weightlifting and rigorous physical activity. I want all people to take no holds barred, proactive, ownership of their physical and mental health, so I've decided to start posting my workouts. I figure, I'm doing workouts that are aggressive and maybe one of these days I'll be the person who inspires another to venture outside their comfort zone and start walking the road to a health and well-being. Saturday, July 6, 2024 PART ONE , Tabata - 10 Tabatas, 6 rounds each, 30 second work, 12 second rest. Jumprope with 1 pound rope. Sledgehammer on tire, 8 pound sledgehammer. Ballet-   Plie' in second position Tendu' to ball-toe Plie' in first position Tendu' Straight leg releve' Plie' releve' Port de Bras and tendu drill, front Port de Bras and tendu drill, back PART TWO , Tabata - 1 Tabata, 20 rounds, 2 minute work, 10 second rest. This is the weightlifting po

Many moons ago I started down this path of practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which led to an adjacent road of practicing Arnis de Mano, which led to superhighways of competition, belt promotions, seminars, and then I stayed put for a spell.  I remember my first promotion, that tiny piece of tape on the black end of a very very white belt. I had started with low expectations for myself and after my first few classes, reaffirmed those low expectations but decided I was going to keep training anyway. That tape gave me hope. I can do this, I realized, and maybe it was time to readjust my personal expectations.  Perhaps, I am improving. I was. Improvement in jiu jitsu is a slithery creature. You won't see it, but it's there, lurking in the tall trees.   "Are you ever going to teach?"  hmmmm....I wasn't sure....it was trail I was not sure if I wanted to follow. Years ago, my tattoo artist suggested a trade, jiu jitsu lessons for work. How could I say no? Gemma Pariente w

Recently I read a clip on Threads (I think it was on Threads) challenging the notion that "jiu jitsu is for everyone," which is thing many of us offer to our non-practicing friends and family (whether they asked about BJJ or not),  as a salve for everything from life dramas to frustrations in fitness goals. I'm guilty of this and if my husband is within earshot, he will warn the poor involuntary listener; "run! save yourself!" Back to my point, the author of the clip stated jiu jitsu requires $150-$200 of disposable income per month, several hours of free time each week, and the ability to handle injuries, physically and financially. The author was not wrong. That $150-$200 does not include the cost of purchasing a gi, sign up fees at an academy, or extra gear like spats, rash guards, grapplers tape, and extra laundry detergent. If you are training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu,  are considering it, or can only devote one day per week to a class, there are ways to expa

 Let's talk meal prep.  I think many people start down the path of meal prep with excellent intentions of eating wildly healthy and saving bucketfuls of money. Unfortunately, the path of health is often laden with our good intentions that turn into our own worst enemy. To be blunt, if you go out of your way to shop, prepare a healthy meal, and take it to work, only to have it pushed aside because the steamed broccoli and skinless chicken you prepared is not appetizing so you run out and buy a hamburger, you are losing the battle and the war. I've successfully been doing meal prep for a few years now. Here are the secrets of my success in this venture: 1. Know what you like, prepare what you like, make it healthy.  Prepare food that you enjoy, that you know you will want to eat, even if it's "not healthy." A home-cooked meal with always be healthier than eating out, and anything can be made to have some nutritional qualities. Casseroles are a great meal prep item.