strength & conditioning
Fitness Member of the Month April 2013
21/04/13 12:45 Filed in: Fitness | TRX / Cross Training | Kettle Bell | Strength & Conditioning | Personal Training
Define Defense's April Fitness Member of the Month is Brian C! Brian is a hard working athlete who never gives up and never complains. He has made a ton of progress and is STRONG! Keep up the good work.
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'If you talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk' - Goals & Determination
19/04/12 12:48 Filed in: Other | Personal Training | Fitness | My experiences | Martial Arts | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Strength & Conditioning
When growing up, my parents had a certain saying: It’s better to get a B or C after trying really hard than getting an A without trying at all. That being said, I was a very good student but it showed the values that were important to them. I guess it’s in line with the saying ‘Hard Work Beats Talent’ and I couldn’t agree any more. If things go too easy for you, then you never learn determination, the satisfaction and rewards of hard work.
The point is, you have to work and you have to try hard. If you put a lot of effort and determination in something, good things will come your way. The road may not be always full of sunshine and there will be bumps in the road but nothing ever goes perfectly. This absolutely applies to training as well. If you train hard (and smart but that’s for another article), then you will see progress. If you don’t put 100% in, then don’t expect all your goals to come true.
Now that has absolutely nothing to do with performance. As a trainer, I never expect our clients to perform the same or compare them to each other. For example: I prefer much more that a person is giving a 100% lifting a 20lbs. kettle bell than the person next to him/her lifting a 50lbs. kettle bell without breaking a sweat. Everyone works at their level and gets the equipment suited for them. However, we do expect everyone to do their best and to give a 100% in their workouts, whatever their fitness level allows.
I believe in perseverance or as the saying says: ‘If you talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk’ (last saying I promise). Of course, if you don’t enjoy something it is likely that you will quit at some point which is fine! There is so much out there that enables you to choose what you really love to do. Also, you will fail at some goals in your life and that is normal. Everyone does but as long as you gave it a fair shot and put your energy into it, then there is nothing to feel bad about.
My family was always very motivating in every hobby I had but also very strict. I could not be any more appreciative for that. It taught me discipline and determination. At the same time, that is why I was able to reach my personal goals. If they didn’t bother putting rules in place and taking the time to enforce them, I would not have learned the lessons that I did. So find motivation in your training, no matter what it is, be confident and persistent. As your trainer, I will do my part as well as I can but I need to see the focus and determination in your eyes.
By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
Strength & Conditioning for BJJ
The most important thing in BJJ is time spent drilling and sparring. However, if you are planning on competing there are several other factors that matter. Two of the most important factors are strength and conditioning. Are you strong enough to get out of a heavier opponents mount? Do your arms give out when trying to do guillotines? What about your lungs? All of these issues can be addressed when you enroll in a strength and conditioning program.
In combat sports, you are usually matched with an opponent of equal weight and often, as the case with Brazilian Jiujitsu, equal skill or belt rank. Since this is true, it is a good idea to have every advantage over your opponent possible. If your technical ability and size are the same, then the opponent who did more and trained harder will usually win.
The great thing about our strength and conditioning classes is the variety of equipment. For example, when training with TRX bands you can make it as hard or easy as you want. You do this usually by moving closer or farther away from the anchor point. This saves a lot of time usually spent changing weights. Another great thing is the negative resistance training. Negative resistance concentrates on the lowering phase of the exercise. For example, when bench pressing, you would lower the weight very slowly then have assistance pushing it up. This type of training lends itself to great strength gains. It also focuses on stabilization muscles which greatly help your overall strength.
Your overall jujitsu game is by far the most important piece of the puzzle. The more you drill and train, the better you will be. However, if you are matched with an equally skilled and sized opponent, it is usually the stronger more conditioned athlete that wins. Make sure you are doing more than your opponents in all areas of your training. More drills, more rolling, more strength training and more cardio. This is the only way to ensure victory.
By Drew Ash, head Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor at Define Defense in Boulder, Colorado
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
Video: TRX Biceps Curls
27/03/12 06:36 Filed in: Fitness | Personal Training | Strength & Conditioning | TRX / Cross Training
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
(720) 340 6254
Info@DefineDefense.com
Training the energy systems
19/01/12 11:04 Filed in: Fitness | Strength & Conditioning | Personal Training | Other | My experiences | Martial Arts
Part 4 of our Periodization workshop on 1/18/12:
Lactic acid tolerance training
This will improve your tolerance but also your body’s ability to buffer it and increase lactate removal from the muscle.
Intervals of less than 1 minute will require 4-8 repetitions with long recovery periods in between (15-30 minutes)
Longer intervals of 2-3 minutes are desirable but only if you can hold the intensity.
This is a very hard workout so don’t overdo it.
Maximum oxygen consumption training
Intervals of 3-5 minutes, max intensity. Heart rate up to 10 beats under your max.
Improve efficiency of the oxygen transport system.
Anaerobic Threshold Training
Tempo training with speed slightly above comfortable. Intensity should be 60-90% of max and you have to hold it throughout your training. Lactate levels will be above 4 millimol and will build up.
Phosphate system training
Short bursts of maximum intensity up to 10 seconds. Long recovery necessary to prevent lactate production.
Aerobic Threshold Training (Long Slow Distance Training)
More than 1 hour
No lactate production
Comfortable intensity (have to be able to talk)
Will improve endurance and recovery time
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
Lactic acid tolerance training
This will improve your tolerance but also your body’s ability to buffer it and increase lactate removal from the muscle.
Intervals of less than 1 minute will require 4-8 repetitions with long recovery periods in between (15-30 minutes)
Longer intervals of 2-3 minutes are desirable but only if you can hold the intensity.
This is a very hard workout so don’t overdo it.
Maximum oxygen consumption training
Intervals of 3-5 minutes, max intensity. Heart rate up to 10 beats under your max.
Improve efficiency of the oxygen transport system.
Anaerobic Threshold Training
Tempo training with speed slightly above comfortable. Intensity should be 60-90% of max and you have to hold it throughout your training. Lactate levels will be above 4 millimol and will build up.
Phosphate system training
Short bursts of maximum intensity up to 10 seconds. Long recovery necessary to prevent lactate production.
Aerobic Threshold Training (Long Slow Distance Training)
More than 1 hour
No lactate production
Comfortable intensity (have to be able to talk)
Will improve endurance and recovery time
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
Energy Systems
19/01/12 10:59 Filed in: Fitness | Strength & Conditioning | Personal Training | Other | My experiences | Martial Arts
Part 3 of our Periodization workshop on 1/18/12:
Energy required for muscle contraction is released by by the conversion of ATP into ADP+P
Therefore, ATP sources need to constantly replenished by different energy systems:
Phosphagen System
Readily available in the body and can be used instantaneously for efforts up to 8-10 seconds. Very important for weight lifters, sprinters etc. No lactic acid production and no oxygen necessary.
After the effort, in the first 30 seconds, 70% of the creatinephosphate is replenished and in 3 to 5 minutes, a 100% is replenished.
Lactic Acid System
The lactic acid system provides energy for resynthesizing ATP for events up to 40 seconds (first 10 will be Phosphagen system). It breaks down glycogen stored in the muscle cells and liver and produces lactic acid (no oxygen used which creates an oxygen debt).
Restoring glycogen takes 2 hours for 40% and 24 hours for full restoration after a workout with breaks throughout. For a continuous, high intensity workout, it can take 48 hours.
95% of the lactic acid is removed after 1 hour and 15 minutes so the muscle pains you may feel for the next few days are not lactic acid but micro damage in your muscle.
Aerobic System
Fully activated after 60-80 seconds (warmup is important) to produce energy for resynthesizing ATP from AD+P. Energy sources are fats and glycogen (and protein occasionally).
Primary energy system for endurance athletes.
No lactic acid production or buildup.
However, in most cases, the aerobic system and lactic acid system work at the same time! The ratio depends on the intensity of your efforts.
The best indicator of which energy system you are actually using when exercising is measuring the level of lactic acid in the blood. The threshold (point where both energy systems are working but no build up of lactic acid) is 4 millimoles. Over that and you will get a buildup because your body is producing more than it can take away.
You can raise the threshold by training. An athlete with a good aerobic base (endurance) can work with higher intensity before crossing the threshold.
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
Energy required for muscle contraction is released by by the conversion of ATP into ADP+P
Therefore, ATP sources need to constantly replenished by different energy systems:
Phosphagen System
Readily available in the body and can be used instantaneously for efforts up to 8-10 seconds. Very important for weight lifters, sprinters etc. No lactic acid production and no oxygen necessary.
After the effort, in the first 30 seconds, 70% of the creatinephosphate is replenished and in 3 to 5 minutes, a 100% is replenished.
Lactic Acid System
The lactic acid system provides energy for resynthesizing ATP for events up to 40 seconds (first 10 will be Phosphagen system). It breaks down glycogen stored in the muscle cells and liver and produces lactic acid (no oxygen used which creates an oxygen debt).
Restoring glycogen takes 2 hours for 40% and 24 hours for full restoration after a workout with breaks throughout. For a continuous, high intensity workout, it can take 48 hours.
95% of the lactic acid is removed after 1 hour and 15 minutes so the muscle pains you may feel for the next few days are not lactic acid but micro damage in your muscle.
Aerobic System
Fully activated after 60-80 seconds (warmup is important) to produce energy for resynthesizing ATP from AD+P. Energy sources are fats and glycogen (and protein occasionally).
Primary energy system for endurance athletes.
No lactic acid production or buildup.
However, in most cases, the aerobic system and lactic acid system work at the same time! The ratio depends on the intensity of your efforts.
The best indicator of which energy system you are actually using when exercising is measuring the level of lactic acid in the blood. The threshold (point where both energy systems are working but no build up of lactic acid) is 4 millimoles. Over that and you will get a buildup because your body is producing more than it can take away.
You can raise the threshold by training. An athlete with a good aerobic base (endurance) can work with higher intensity before crossing the threshold.
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
Supercompensation
19/01/12 10:57 Filed in: Fitness | Strength & Conditioning | Personal Training | Other | My experiences
Part 2 of our Periodization workshop on 1/18/12:
Everything we do in our training and our training planning is affected by supercompensation. It refers to the biological state your body is after working out and rest. When you work out, your body is fatigued in many different ways and this reduces the functional capacities of your body. After resting, your body will recover and replenish and if the training stimuli were big enough, you will achieve a higher homeostatic level. This means your body will be stronger, you will have more endurance, more glycogen stored etc.
If you do not allow your body to rest before working out again, you will land in a negative spiral and exhaust your body more. This will lead to decreased performance and overtraining.
If you rest too much, you will lose the supercompensation results and you will be right back at where you started. The right (smart) training and the right amount of rest is key!
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
Everything we do in our training and our training planning is affected by supercompensation. It refers to the biological state your body is after working out and rest. When you work out, your body is fatigued in many different ways and this reduces the functional capacities of your body. After resting, your body will recover and replenish and if the training stimuli were big enough, you will achieve a higher homeostatic level. This means your body will be stronger, you will have more endurance, more glycogen stored etc.
If you do not allow your body to rest before working out again, you will land in a negative spiral and exhaust your body more. This will lead to decreased performance and overtraining.
If you rest too much, you will lose the supercompensation results and you will be right back at where you started. The right (smart) training and the right amount of rest is key!
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes
1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302
New Year Resolution Specials until January 31st!
25/01/12 14:40 Filed in: Other
New Year Resolution Specials until January 31st, 2012!
Our best referral rewards to date!
Get $30 or $50 credit to use towards gear or merchandise when you refer a new client to us!*
Discounts on programs:
10% off on our new Strength & Conditioning Program memberships!
10% off on our Youth Martial Arts Program!
10% off personal training sessions until January 31st!
* $30 credit when the new client signs up for a 6 month membership, $50 for a 12 month membership.
Cross Training for Better Performance
28/12/11 13:27 Filed in: Fitness | Strength & Conditioning | MMA | My experiences | Personal Training
What defines being in shape? Is it something universal we all test ourselves up against or is it subjective? Will the same person be considered in shape if he/she goes to Portugal vs. China, Colorado vs. Connecticut? I don’t think so. The opinions are very subjective and in different places, you will be assessed differently.
It will also depend what sport or workouts you specialize in. Are you a lifter or an avid runner and who do you compare yourself against?
If you look up ‘shape’ in the dictionary, it will tell you (one of the meanings): the contour of a person’s body, the figure. Obviously this is not what we have in mind when we discuss the physical athletic condition of an individual. For example, some people who may seem heavier may have incredible cardio and ripped weight lifters may barely be able to run 100 yards.
On the other hand, you have athletes who excel in their sport and are in great shape. Let’s say a person who goes running 5 times/week wants to go kayaking. Will the runner who is in great sport specific shape be able to go any faster than the average person? The answer will be no. Neither will the runner be any less prone to upper body injuries.
For myself, there is a great difference between being in sport specific shape and being in overall great shape. I have experienced first hand the difficulties of long distance running while I raced with the road bike. Even though you use the same muscles, they do not function properly and are not used to the new movements. This does not take anything away from the fact that cyclists are incredible athletes; it simply shows that their performance is very specific to the sport they compete in.
These were just a few examples to make you think. In my opinion, cross training has become extremely important and will continue to become more important in health, athleticism and performance. Cross training classes (sometimes called circuit training, strength & conditioning etc.) will challenge and condition different muscle groups, increase your cardio levels and help the muscles support each other. If you build strong quads, you will need to have strong hamstrings and a strong lower back to support them. If you develop these with cross training, your risk of injury will decrease drastically.
At Define Defense, we encourage everyone to do a good amount of cross training. We start off with a cross training warmup and include our strength & conditioning classes in our membership (without extra cost). We thoroughly believe that our cross training sessions help build better martial artists. Our clients become leaner, stronger, get better muscle endurance and balance out their body. These classes are also a lot of fun because they offer something different every time to keep it interesting. We mix traditional training methods and equipment with the latest tools in the fitness world. You get a full body workout with top notch equipment and will see the results quickly!
We now offer monthly membership for our strength & conditioning (cross training) classes. You can attend unlimited classes and we are pleased to offer these for a lower rate than other cross training workout studios. Our clients are trained by a certified personal trainer at our facility.
Our Strength & Conditioning classes:
Monday 6.15-7.15pm
Wednesday 11-12pm
Wednesday 5.15-6.15pm
Thursday 5.15-6.15pm
Friday 11-12pm
Saturday 1-2pm
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
It will also depend what sport or workouts you specialize in. Are you a lifter or an avid runner and who do you compare yourself against?
If you look up ‘shape’ in the dictionary, it will tell you (one of the meanings): the contour of a person’s body, the figure. Obviously this is not what we have in mind when we discuss the physical athletic condition of an individual. For example, some people who may seem heavier may have incredible cardio and ripped weight lifters may barely be able to run 100 yards.
On the other hand, you have athletes who excel in their sport and are in great shape. Let’s say a person who goes running 5 times/week wants to go kayaking. Will the runner who is in great sport specific shape be able to go any faster than the average person? The answer will be no. Neither will the runner be any less prone to upper body injuries.
For myself, there is a great difference between being in sport specific shape and being in overall great shape. I have experienced first hand the difficulties of long distance running while I raced with the road bike. Even though you use the same muscles, they do not function properly and are not used to the new movements. This does not take anything away from the fact that cyclists are incredible athletes; it simply shows that their performance is very specific to the sport they compete in.
These were just a few examples to make you think. In my opinion, cross training has become extremely important and will continue to become more important in health, athleticism and performance. Cross training classes (sometimes called circuit training, strength & conditioning etc.) will challenge and condition different muscle groups, increase your cardio levels and help the muscles support each other. If you build strong quads, you will need to have strong hamstrings and a strong lower back to support them. If you develop these with cross training, your risk of injury will decrease drastically.
At Define Defense, we encourage everyone to do a good amount of cross training. We start off with a cross training warmup and include our strength & conditioning classes in our membership (without extra cost). We thoroughly believe that our cross training sessions help build better martial artists. Our clients become leaner, stronger, get better muscle endurance and balance out their body. These classes are also a lot of fun because they offer something different every time to keep it interesting. We mix traditional training methods and equipment with the latest tools in the fitness world. You get a full body workout with top notch equipment and will see the results quickly!
We now offer monthly membership for our strength & conditioning (cross training) classes. You can attend unlimited classes and we are pleased to offer these for a lower rate than other cross training workout studios. Our clients are trained by a certified personal trainer at our facility.
Our Strength & Conditioning classes:
Monday 6.15-7.15pm
Wednesday 11-12pm
Wednesday 5.15-6.15pm
Thursday 5.15-6.15pm
Friday 11-12pm
Saturday 1-2pm
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
It's not too late to get a great deal!
22/12/11 10:28 Filed in: Other | Personal Training
You can still get a great deal for yourself or to gift to someone else! Define Defense also offers gift cards on our online store or in studio!
- If you sign up for one of our martial arts programs, you get the remainder of December for free! You membership will only start January 1st but throughout December, you get free classes.
- You can purchase a gift card to use towards Personal Training for yourself or someone else.
- If you get a 10 class punch card for Martial Arts, Yoga, Women's Self Defense or Strength & Conditioning classes, you will get an additional 3 classes for free.
- All retail products in stock (protective gear, merchandise) are 20% off.
Offers expire December 31st! Please remember that, starting January 1st, we will be offering a separate monthly membership for unlimited Strength & Conditioning classes! This program will still be complimentary for our Modern Martial Arts, MMA and BJJ clients in the form of punch cards.
- If you sign up for one of our martial arts programs, you get the remainder of December for free! You membership will only start January 1st but throughout December, you get free classes.
- You can purchase a gift card to use towards Personal Training for yourself or someone else.
- If you get a 10 class punch card for Martial Arts, Yoga, Women's Self Defense or Strength & Conditioning classes, you will get an additional 3 classes for free.
- All retail products in stock (protective gear, merchandise) are 20% off.
Offers expire December 31st! Please remember that, starting January 1st, we will be offering a separate monthly membership for unlimited Strength & Conditioning classes! This program will still be complimentary for our Modern Martial Arts, MMA and BJJ clients in the form of punch cards.
New Year Resolutions - 2012
02/12/11 09:15 Filed in: Other | My experiences | Martial Arts | Brazilian Jiu Jitsu | Personal Training
Most of us consider the holiday season to be the end or new beginning of a time in which we want to accomplish our goals. That is why so many people make their New Year’s resolutions and vow to fulfill these before another year passes by.
Many of our clients have come to us to fulfill some of their New Year resolutions, such as:
Self Defense
A surprising amount of people want to learn self defense but for some reason, never actually do it. This is the time of the year that you should get some self defense classes in! The weather is cold, the sund goes down sooner and Define Defense offers a unique program in Boulder, CO. Self defense is not the same as martial arts so it requires a different approach; something you can experience with us. After all, it’s better to be prepared just in case! We offer both classes (with a punch card) or private self defense workshops for groups!
Get In Shape
The holiday season is a period of joy but not necessarily for your body. All that great food might stick around. If you would like to get stronger, feel better about yourself and have a healthier body. Then you can join our new strength & conditioning program (6 cross training classes/week with punch card or unlimited memberships) or practice martial arts with us. Ask any client of ours: you will get a great workout and see the results quickly!
Martial Arts
There’s a part in many of us that LOVES martial arts and wants to be great at it. It’s fantastic for so many things: self defense, competing (with yourself or others), getting in great shape, looking and feeling better, being more confident, empowering yourself etc.
Now is a great time to finally act on that wish and learn martial arts. Since we have different program for different goals, you will have a great time doing it. A big plus is that you won’t be learning outdated techniques and instead you will be learning all the best elements from different martial arts that actually work! We teach all ages, genders and levels.
Personal Training
Did you know Define Defense also does personal training? If you didn’t, it’s probably because our personal training sessions are fully private so there is nobody else in the facility! We make sure you get our undivided attention, access to all cutting edge equipment and there is nobody staring at you! No matter what your goal is, we can help you achieve it. Our training is backed by science and we keep logs, which we share with you every 2 months so you can see your own progress!
When 2012 starts, get some of these of your bucket list and come to see us. We will help you achieve that goal and make sure you have a great time doing it.
If you have someone else in mind, you can always gift them a gift card which they can use towards any of our programs.
Have a great holiday season and a happy 2012! We will see you soon.
By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !
Cross Training: Our New Strength & Conditioning Program
30/11/11 15:33 Filed in: Other | Fitness | My experiences | Strength & Conditioning | Personal Training
Cross training is one of the best ways to get in shape while working pretty much all of your muscle groups. If done right, you can accomplish different goals by training in different ways. You will get stronger, faster and your cardio will improve. By fine tuning your cross training workout, you can also lose weight or gain muscle (or both).
The way we do cross training at Define Defense in our strength and conditioning classes is by working all muscle groups with short rests between different stations. By working all muscle groups, we end up burning many calories and we challenge all muscles, which makes them adapt and improve. We have different formulas we use in different classes but we always make sure our training methods have clear reasoning behind them and these are backed by our knowledge in physiology, anatomy etc. In our strength and conditioning classes, we also make sure everyone is working at their own level and they are training to reach the goal they want. That is why we like to call it personal training in a small group. After all, the same exercises and training will NEVER work the same for different people.
Our classes are a full hour training session, 6 times/week starting in January 2012 (depending on a membership or punch card, you choose whenever and how many times you want to attend!) As for now, we have 3 classes/week.
Cross training can be done in several ways as mentioned, however there are many brands that do it in a very irresponsible and dangerous manner. Safety always comes first but unfortunately some brands do not make this a priority.
A few experiences I have had (outside of Define Defense):
- 15 minute workouts that make you breathe hard, sweat and make you feel like passing out. These workouts may feel hard (and they are), but they will NOT do anything for you, except to deteriorate your body. You do not get any rest, you do too many exercises in a small time frame, something that occasionally can be beneficial for a trained athlete but not for the average person wanting to improve or live healthier. Since there is no rest, your muscles will not grow, ever... For cardio purposes it is not long enough either and pushing yourself that hard every workout is unhealthy, period. If a 15 minute workout would do what they claim it does, everybody would be a professional athlete. But it doesn't! Any trainer can push you that hard for 15 minutes but it's not a good thing.
- Making the clients do compound exercises without warmup and for too many reps. Compound exercises are fantastic for anabolic growth, burning calories and general strength and health. However, if you become fatigued, your form and technique will deteriorate, especially with technically challenging exercises. These need perfect form as they can be hazardous for your body. I have seen studios that made their clients do tens of these compound exercises at a time (with horrible form).
- Dirty, dirty and dirty to a point my lungs burned and my hands were black. OK this one is place determined but it's a big no-no!
- Having to sign a waiver that states they are not liable if you get hospitalized with Rhabdo. Really??? Sounds shady to me and with responsible training (even pushing limits), you should never experience this!
- Unqualified trainers: some brands are franchised which means that if you do a one day workshop, you are allowed to open a branch. Great isn't it? Not really... It takes years to master training others and being certified after one day is simply dangerous.
You would be surprised how much these kinds of situations happen or how many cross training studios build their businesses on these irresponsible strategies.
At Define Defense, we strive towards quality and responsible training for optimal results and the safety of our clients. That is why we are expanding our strength & conditioning program to 6 classes/week starting January, 2012!
All our martial arts clients have free access. Non members can also enjoy these great cross training classes by purchasing a punch card or getting a strength & conditioning membership. Our classes are 60 minute workouts with a lot of personal attention and cutting edge gym equipment (see our facility). We utilize back to basic exercises as well as the latest proven methods in the fitness world. We will push you and make you better, that's a promise. Besides your training, we also educate you about the reasons behind the training.
Our pricing structure:
- A 10 class punch card for $200
- A 12 month membership for $85/month (unlimited classes)
- A 6 month membership for $95/month (unlimited classes)
- A 3 month membership for $110/month (unlimited classes)
Stay tuned for our new schedule (starting January 2nd, 2012) and take advantage of the strength & conditioning classes!
By Sander Vanacker, owner of Define Defense Martial Arts & Training in Boulder, Colorado
MMA & BJJ Instructor Conor "Hurricane" Heun
09/02/13 07:19
Define Defense is proud to announce that Conor “Hurricane” Heun is our new Mixed Martial Arts & Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor. Conor is teaching the following Friday nights and will be teaching 2-4 times every week starting the end of February. The other MMA classes will be taught by instructor Sander Vanacker. NOTE: All MMA & BJJ classes will be 1.5 hour long!
Conor is a highly skilled and experienced professional MMA fighter who fought under the Strikeforce banner and who also has a brown belt in 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu under Eddie Bravo. He is known for his will power and mental strength as well as his work ethic and technique.
Our 1.5 hour classes will be a blend of MMA and MMA specific Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As for now, Conor is teaching MMA skills step by step, therefore since a fight starts standing, we cover the standing skills first. In March, we will go over grappling from the bottom, followed by dominant top position etc.
Come train at Define Defense with our instructors Conor Heun and Sander Vanacker now! This month, we give FREE strength & conditioning classes along with our MMA memberships (12mo: $125, 6mo: $140, 3mo: $160), which gives you unlimited access to our 15 classes/week in TRX, Kettle Bell and Warrior Training.
Here is more info on Conor Heun:
PROFESSIONAL RECORD
9 - 5 - 0 (Win - Loss - Draw)
WINS
1 (T)KOs ( 12.5 %)
5 Submissions ( 62.5 %)
2 Decisions ( 25 %)
Follow on:
www.ConorHeun.com
www.Facebook.com/Conor.Heun
Twitter.com/ConorHeun
Unsatisfied and unwilling to give up on his goal of becoming champion, Conor enrolled at Div. III wrestling powerhouse, Ithaca College. Following a redshirt year on the sidelines, Heun notched 20 wins and qualified for the NCAA tournament. He failed to place. Faced with injuries and rising academic pressure, Heun would never again see the NCAA tournament.
After graduating with a BA in English Literature, Conor moved back to Boulder where he opened a silk screening business and became an assistant wrestling coach. Feeling like he was destined for bigger things, Conor moved to southern California where he took a job selling dental equipment. Looking for a way to stay fit, Conor began training at Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Academy. Encouraged by training partners Jason Chambers and Amir Rahnavardi, Conor stepped into the cage for the first time on May 12, 2006 winning his pro debut by rear naked choke.
Conor soon began training full time under the tutelage of Chris Reilly and Eddie Bravo at Legends MMA. His exciting and aggressive style soon caught the eye of Bas Rutten who recruited Conor to fight for the Los Angeles Anacondas in the International Fight League. After fighting in the IFL for one season, he moved on to fight for Elite XC and now is under contract with Strikeforce. Always one to bring the fight to his opponents, his never boring style continues to make him a star to watch as he battles for the belt.