7 Ways to Improve your Workout and Diet Regimen in 2015

There are so many workout plans in this day and age that one can get "lost in the sauce" of fads and trends. (And that is just trainers and instructors). There is one thing that remains constant in your workouts though, and that is that they are uniquely yours.

Whatever plans you are on, or have been on in the past, just know they are not exactly what you need. In fact, they are just pieces to the puzzle that is our unique workout DNA.  Keeping that in mind, here are some tips for taking your training and fitness to the next level in 2015.

1. Realize Everyone is Unique

There are a million workout plans, and a million diet plans. Sure some of them are far more scientifically sound than others, but for the most part, no single plan will work for you. There will be a combination of diets and workouts that you will literally have to try and slightly change to fit your needs. Sometimes it is just your body's needs, and sometimes you have to factor in how many times and days you are even able to follow your plan strictly.

2. Listen to your Body

Hello... Hello... you are not invincible. I know we think we are, but as age sets in for me too, I realize that I made a lot of very ignorant mistakes when I was younger as I tried to power through several injuries.

That is not smart whatsoever. I am a very goal oriented person, and I will find a way to get a great workout in no matter what, but guess what, if my ankle is hurt, do a core or upper body workout. Don't let friends, especially crazy workout friends goad you into worsening simple injuries into permanent injuries that will plague you for a lifetime.

3. Build in Recovery Time

I really don't have an off season, because I train  year round, and I teach people to do the same. However, Recovery Time and Off Season are completely different. Recovery time should be built into your workout regimen. Recovery time is probably the most important aspect of your workout regimen.

No matter how great of a swimmer you are, you eventually have to come up for a breath. If you can understand that, then you get the point!

4. Invest in Sound Sleep

Sleep; such a magical thing. This is your body's natural recovery time, and studies have completely proven that getting adequate amounts of sleep for your body aids in keeping your body, soul and spirit fine-tuned.

Most experts agree that the ideal or adequate amount of sleep is relative to each person, and that is just something we have to figure out for ourselves. The important aspect of sleep that we should consider though is consistency. Try to be consistent with the range of hours that you do sleep, e.g. 11pm to 6am, etc.  Breaking the cycle is where you will feel yourself void of your normal energy levels.

Lastly, you may need to invest in a good pillow and a better mattress. Bad pillows and mattresses will cause you to toss and turn, and keep your body tense all night long. This breaks up your sleep cycle and your 6 to 8 hours of sleep are effectively reduced to half of that.

5. Analyze and Set Goals around your Strengths and Weaknesses

It amazes me that people just workout to workout, without a plan and without a vision of where they want to be. Set GOALS!

Not only do you need to set goals, but set goals and make workouts based on your strengths and weaknesses. If you have huge arms and bean pole legs, then you might want to incorporate more leg training into your workout. Don't just do the routines you find online... You need a workout specific for you, dictated by your goals.

Determine what your strengths and weaknesses are in the sport, martial arts, or hobby you are in to and start making goals for improvement TODAY! Then, write those goals down and post them everywhere!

6. Apply the Pareto Principle to your Workout and Diet Regimen

80% of your workout and diet plan is only giving you 20% of your gains, and 20% of your workout and diet plan is giving  you 80% of your gains. That is the Paretto Principle, and that tells you that you need to find that 20% of your workout and diet plan that is giving you the most bang for your buck (80% of your gains). Then you need to concentrate 80% of your workout and diet on that 20%.

Once you identify these areas of  your workout and diet,  you will see exponential gains from every workout and diet plan.

7. Never Take a Cheat Day

There is not such thing as a cheat day! Don't be a cheater! A lot of trainers and nutritionist want you to feel better about your workout by taking a cheat day. I don't take cheat days. I do have ADJUSTMENTS to my workout and diet regimen though.

Trying to cheat your way to success is like building a 100 floor skyscraper without choosing the proper internal support structure. You know why architects get paid so much, because they are the ones that decide the most efficient, safe and cost effective method of accomplishing this daunting task.

So, in the framework of my skyscraper analogy, ADJUSTMENTS to your regimen are like changing the size and shape of your support beams. Cheat days are like saying, "Forget this crap, I don't want to figure it out." Let's just not put a beam there. (These beams will keep my building from falling over).

Better yet, have you ever taken a piece of equipment apart and then put it back together, but you had screws left over? Great, everywhere there is a screw missing (which was put there for a reason) is now a weak point. Got it?

Don't CHEAT, ADJUST your workout and diet regimen.  Adjusting means that it is built into your plan, or either you have a plan for to recover from those moments when grandma says you better eat the cake she worked on all day or else.

Thank You for Reading and Sharing!

Benjamin Moriniere "Sensei
www.capoeira-okinawa.com
@CapoeiraOkinawa

Does it Pay More to Have a Bad Attitude in the World of Combat Sports?

Does it pay more to be bad in combat sports; to be a jerk, a heel, to curse like a sailor? What about to rant and rave, have tantrums, or pop hot for enhancement drugs?

You know nowadays you have to realize that no matter if you are watching wrestling entertainment or watching Bellator, UFC or even Tiger Woods golfing, it is ALL about show business. Unvariably the people and athletes in the world that have truly honed and owned their stage presence are the ones that will stand out from their peers. They don't even have to be the greatest at what they do, they just have to sell themselves.

I remember growing up as a kid and watching the old WCW and WWF stars as some played the good guy, the All American, etc. and some played the heel, or the bad guy. The dramatic stories sold so many tickets, even though we all knew it was fake. Sure they are professional athletes and a lot of them were hurt and some even died. For the most part though, we just loved the entertainment.

In today's combat sports it is no different. There are so many "characters" and roles that people play today. What we have to realize though is that some people are doing this because they are just great at dramatic theatrics. Others, not so much. You would be surprised how hiring a marketing firm can really change the dynamics of a career. I mean, after all, that's why people hire marketing firms right?

In the case of Ronda Rousey, well... She is really good. She knows it, we all know it. Right now she is at a place in her career where she really does not have to prove anything else to anyone. Like a younger Anderson Silva unmatched in skill, she is just judo tossing contender after contender.  So, my point is, with nothing else to prove, why not switch your role and become a good girl?

When it comes to legacy and long lasting stardom, being a person who made a positive influence in people's lives is what will make the difference. Having up and coming ladies and kids wanting to be and act just like you, or any other females that fire back in like manner, is absolutely shortening your staying power. Once you are no longer the baddest thing walking around, no one will remember you. From there, just like most stars that want to keep shining bright after their heyday, stars will have to resort to pulling crazy stunts, or publishing crazing announcements, interrupting award shows, or marching for every kind of organization there is... just to stay in the news.

If that is what you we have resorted to, being bad, to seek fame and fortune, I would remind you of something that Henry Ford said, "If you chase after wealth and fame, you won't find it. Wealth and fame comes from providing useful service." I don't know of a bigger or longer lasting useful service than SERVICE to your fellow man. So in essence, your staying power revolves around the useful service, in this case to mankind, that you provide.

Use star power to connect and change the world in a positive manner. When anyone reaches the pinnacle of their careers, when they are at the height of their influence and power, make a difference, don't just make a buck. Making a difference is fulfilling and leads you to want to do it more. Just like buying an expensive Christmas gift that you know a  kid is going to play with for a day and forget, you don't give it to them but for one reason, the few moments when you can share a smile.

As a star, with star power, start working on making everyone around you smile. That is what will last well past your star power days and give you a distinguished place in history.

Sensei's Secret to Losing Weight any Time you Want to.

The secret to losing weight is very, very simple. Find your MOTIVATION!

As a professional martial artist, instructor and fighter living a lifestyle that promotes fitness, I can tell you MOTIVATION is the key.  No matter the diet, no matter the plan, the only way you will see it to the finish is through sincere MOTIVATION.

So, you may say, I really don't have any motivation to do it. However, I would tell you there is ample motivation every day. My MOTIVATION for staying fit changes from time to time. When I am preparing for a fight or competition, it is very easy to lose weight and stay disciplined when you think about hopping in the ring. Being out of shape will turn your fight into the longest few minutes of your life.

However, in normal circumstances, for just people who need MOTIVATION. Let's think about a few things:

DO IT FOR YOUR HEALTH

The only thing worse than spending your retirement years broke, living from fixed income due to irresponsible spending and saving, would be living your years of retirement in perpetual hospital visits due to self-induced, poor health.

Why endure so many years of stress trying to get ahead on the job, trying to properly rear up kids and taking care of everyone around you, and then lose the battle for your own health and welfare? 

Enjoy the fruits of your labor in retirement. Live a healthy lifestyle so that when you get to retirement years, you can enjoy it in good health. You earned your retirement health every single day.

DO IT FOR PRODUCTIVITY

Did you know the energy levels in your body critically depend on your diet. If you feel drowsy, down, or lacking energy you can probably look at your diet as the first thing to whip into shape.

With proper exercise and nutrition your energy and metabolism will sky rocket. You will have energy in reserves. Wouldn't that be awesome!

DO IT FOR YOUR SPOUSE

We all know that no matter how much we love our spouses, and we accept them as they are, we have all heard from them... "your butt is getting bigger." or "Why don't you take some fitness classes." 

We love our spouses and at the same time we want them to be as healthy as possible. We want a happy, healthy marital team. There is nothing wrong with that, and actually it is quite UNselfish in a sense. As a married couple, you have become one, and so their health is your health, and you WILL go through health issues together.

Find MOTIVATION through wanting to please your spouse; to be a healthier and sexier you, for your spouse.

AND yes I did say sexier! The better you feel about your body, and the better you both feel about your bodies, the better and more enjoyable time you will have with each other!

DO IT FOR YOUR KIDS

One thing we know about kids is that they love to get out there and play, run around, jump around, and express themselves in dynamic and diverse ways.  As parents we all want to get out there and have a great time with our kids. We need to be fit and energetic through working out and proper dieting to keep up though!

Lastly, your kids, the next generation, will tend to inherit our positive and negative habits. Over 70% of learning is done by observing, and some believe 50% of everything we will ever learn is by the age of 5.  Well, starting kids out as youngsters on a healthy path is something that they will hopefully be more inclined to stick with as adults.  Kids need proper nutrition just like we do. They are just little us' right?

LOSING weight and staying in shape is so easy to do when you find the right MOTIVATION. Whatever your MOTIVATION is, keep a hold of it, cherish it, and let it keep you focused as your reach towards your goals!


Benjamin Moriniere "Sensei"
www.capoeira-okinawa.com
www.facebook.com/CapoeiraAcademyOkinawa
www.twitter.com/CapoeiraOkinawa
www.instagram.com/CapoeiraOkinawa

7 Quotes That Will Make You A Better Capoeirista!

1.  He who is taught only by himself has a fool for a master. ~ Ben Jonson

 

2.  Capoeirista is an athlete, an artist, a player and a poet "O Capoeira é um atleta, um artista, um jogador e um poeta. ~ Jorge Amado, Brazilian writer

 

3.  Play in a way that makes even new students look good. ~ Mestre Sucuri

 

4.  Play closer, you will learn more. ~ Mestre Bimba

 

5.  When you play the berimbau, everyone should have goosebumps. ~ Professor Linquica

 

6.   The impossibility of one person completely capturing capoeira, yet its potential to be touched by anyone are part of the balance of power and beauty of this magical art. ~ Mestre Accordeon

 

7 . Eu sou mestre que aprende, [I am a master that learns,] Disciplo que da licão. [And a student who teaches.]  ~ Old capoeira song

I hope that at least one of these quotes inspire you to take you Capoeira training to the next level.

Thank you for reading, leaving your comments and sharing!

Benjamin "Foguete" Moriniere
Capoeira Academy Okinawa
www.capoeira-okinawa.com
www.facebook.com/capoeiraacademyokinawa
www.twitter.com/CapoeiraOkinawa

10 Quotes that Will Make You a Better Martial Artist!

Here are 10 quotes that will make you a better martial artist. Please share this post and at the bottom of the post add your thoughts if you like on what each one of these means to you.

1.     He who is taught only by himself has a fool for a master. ~ Ben Jonson

2.     The weakest of all weak things is a virtue that has not been tested in the fire. ~ Mark Twain

3.     Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit. ~ Joe Lewis

4.     I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. ~ Bruce Lee

5.     We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle

6.     Don’t hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit softly.
~ Theodore Roosevelt

7.     Turn the other cheek, but after the second cheek I am going to knock you out. ~ Anonymous

8.     There are two rules for being successful in martial arts. Rule 1: Never tell others everything you know. ~ Author unspecified

9.     When your strength is strong, defend; when your strength is great, attack. ~ Sun Tzu, The Art of War

10. Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts. ~ Winston Churchill

Benjamin Moriniere "Sensei" @CapoeiraOkinawa

Please share this post and your thoughts below. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

WE ROLLED HARD at King of the Island BJJ Tournament, April 13 - 14, 2013

We had a great tournament this weekend here on Okinawa, Japan. King of the Island saw our kids go to war on Saturday with the adults diving in on Sunday. We came away with quite a few medals for the kids and two medals by two guys in the adult divisions.

We ended up as a team in 3rd place.

I rolled with Ivan for a grueling 10 minute round. It was a great experience though, especially since it was the first time we ever rolled together.

Then Nick Lipton and Jared Bland would both take 2nd in their tough divisions.

For the youth we had Dylan take first, ousting Troy, who got second place. Dylan fought some tough matches, especially against Troy, who has not lost for 3 years. Then we had Colin take 2nd place in his division as well for the kids. 

Coley took 2nd place in his division with a tough fought match. Then Julian took gold in his divison with Jace taking 3rd in the same division. Great job!

Super Kai would take 3rd in his division and Lady Jade and Kevin would tie for 3rd in their division.

The Rooster, little Isaiah, took Gold in his division.

Way to go to all of the competitors. Looking forward to the next tournament. Let's do it!

What Makes Capoeira Academy Okinawa Different?

Maculele at Mihama (American Village)

We all know that every teacher and every martial arts school (or business) likes to think of themselves as unique. Though being unique is hard to put into words, here are the reasons why Capoeira Academy Okinawa, Yudansha MMA and Girl World - Ladies Only Kickboxing are different.

We are a Professional School, not Hobbyist

The first aspect of Capoeira Academy Okinawa is that we are not a school of hobbyist teaching other people to be hobbyist. In other words we are professional instructors, and by professional we mean that we are not going to make excuses for ourselves, nor on the behalf of students or parents. We teach the best we can, and leave it all out on the mat. One of the saddest commentaries of a martial artist is being unable to use what they have been learning for years. What we are learning must not only be fun and promote a healthier lifestyle, but also provide practical self defense and a means for a student's mind to begin to think outside of the box as the years pass. 

We Honor the Teacher - Student Agreement

      Capoeira Academy Okinawa also places great focus on the Teacher - Student agreement. There must not only be chemistry for a lasting Teacher - Student agreement, but as teachers we must understand that when a student pays their hard earned money, it is an agreement that each instructor will do their best to see that student get better much faster than they did. As teachers, we look forward to each generation of students evolving for the better. No one gives a teacher money so they can stay the same. Conversely, a student must understand that they will not like everything a teacher asks them to do in order to reach the next level, but that's what teachers do; they help you to reach your goals.

We Foster a Culture of Improvement

      At Capoeira Academy Okinawa, our instructors strive to improve every aspect of our training. This means we constantly evaluate how we train as teachers, how much better students are getting over a period of time, and the fun/wow factor from week to week.  Constant improvement and change is a necessity and each instructor is trained to be a technician at breaking down movements, body mechanics, heart rate, nutrition, etc. to help students reach their goals.

    We Have a Heart for People

     Though listed last, Having a Heart for People, is the most important part of what we do, and what our instructors maintain. As instructors, we have a heart of gratitude in full understanding that it is a privilege, not a right for someone to call you "Sensei." As such, each instructor radiates with a genuine, big smile and a big heart. People are discouraged all day, bored, stressed out at work, etc., so when they come into Capoeira Academy Okinawa we want to provide a place to work off stress,  find some quiet time (to punch something), make new friends and just generally enjoy life through training.

      Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, please feel free to comment or leave us a message.

      v/r

   

      Capoeira Academy Okinawa / Yudansha MMA / Ladies Only Kickboxing

      www.capoeira-okinawa.com +Capoeira Academy Okinawa 

      www.facebook.com/CapoeiraAcademyOkinawa

3 Ways Capoeira Training Can Improve Your Health

Capoeira, The original Afro-Brazilian martial art created sometime in the late 1400's or early 1500's by African slaves brought to Brazil, is one of the most unique and dynamic martial arts around today. Its mesmerizing movements, feints and attacks are not just beautiful to watch though. You will find those who practice with determination can increase their overall health.

Training in Capoeira has many health benefits. I think these benefits, which far outweigh how tough the training can look to a beginner, will help motivate you to give Capoeira a try.

1. Extreme Cardio, Strength and Conditioning

After a couple minutes of partner drills where you are moving in and out, ducking, dodging, spinning and jumping you will find that you may be a bit winded and that there are some muscles you have not used in a while. Capoeira is very much a language between two people, and the more you and your partner get into training, the more you both get out of it. After a few months of practice you will know your body like never before, and it will be stronger, lighter, quicker than it has ever been. You will find that when you do other activities like jogging or playing basketball you will have a lot more energy for the long haul.

2. Build Efficient, Effective Bodies

Most of the problems that people have, health wise, come from bad habits. When it comes to our bodies, the number one bad habit we have is NOT USING IT. For some people, their jobs require them to stay fit, but for everyone else sitting behind a desk or around the house all day, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, lungs, etc. are all being underused.  How does this translate into health... easy, you bend down to pick up a pen you dropped and boom...  your back is out for a week. Your body gives out because it is not used to doing anything strenuous, or at least something that will cause it to learn to work more efficiently.  Enter Capoeira....

Capoeira training causes one's body to cope with the rigors of the ridiculous movements. The movements inherently build slow and quick twitch muscle fibers, enhance breathing and blood flow, build flexibility, build hand and eye coordination, balance and much more. All of these thing contribute to making our bodies more efficient and effective machines. We will move better, feel better, heal faster, because we are fine tuning our bodies.

3. Fun - Forever Fun

Once a person starts Capoeira, and gets a chance to see many of the groups who do it, they instantly notice that everyone is smiling and having a great time. They also notice that most of the grand masters, are quite old. They are 50 to 70 years old and unless they have developed some sort of sickness or have had a major injury, they are still as cat like as they were as teenagers.

Capoeira truly has a unique way of pulling you in and showing you how great it can be to train hard, to smile while doing it, to be as gentle or aggressive as you would like, but also respecting each other. Mix that with music, dance and the grace to hopefully keep doing it for years and years and you really have something magical on your hands.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my take on 3 ways Capoeira Training can Improve your Health. If you have any questions or comments please reply. Thank you.

~ Benjamin Moriniere is a martial arts instructor, consultant and entrepreneur currently living in Okinawa, Japan   +Capoeira Academy Okinawa