Category Archives: Combat

Move-it Monday: Combat Launch Vlog-Style

Combat, Move-it Monday

I mentioned several times last week that I was busy practicing for BODYCOMBAT launch (our fitness “party” each quarter when we introduce our members to new choreography and music), so naturally, for Move-it Monday, I thought I’d give a glimpse of what this launch looked like.

Except this time, I thought I’d do it in video format. I mean, yes, I’ve done picture tutorials on both our basic punches and kicks and even issued a few challenges for you guys to tackle if you so chose. But nothing quite conveys the energy of the class like a video, so…here you go:

 

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I would like to point out that I realize that my voice gets shriller as the video goes on.  I even thought about doing another video of me just talking to you so you could hear my normal voice (which is rather low, actually), but that would have required makeup application and hair fixing, and…yeah, it didn’t happen.

Suffice it to say that our gym’s sound system is a bit wonky, and the sound levels are very difficult to get right, which often results in our attempting to talk louder and louder or change the tone of our voices to compete with the music until, well, you end up sounding a bit like you reeeeeallly want everybody to participate…or else.

As it so happens, I’m off to teach BODYCOMBAT, so I’ll leave you guys to point and snicker.

Oh, and here’s a few more shots we managed to grab.

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This above is us doing a “circular pushup”—crazy hard!

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I love Mandy’s expression in this one. Yes, we get into it! : )

P.S. Yes, we are wearing matching pink shoes. They were a good deal, but I couldn’t find them in my size, so I bought the 11’s. Now, I’m normally a 9 1/2, so this shouldn’t have worked, but these are surprisingly narrow, so I was able to cinch them up, which kept my feet from sliding around.  It did not, however, keep me from looking a tad Ronald McDonaldish. After Mandy assured me that it wasn’t too noticeable, one of our participants saw me in the locker room before class and said, “Dang, girl! What size do you wear? Those are long!” Hey, what are best friends for but to lie to you about looking less ridiculous than you really do. : )

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Move-it Monday: Combat Kicks

Combat, Fitness, Health, Move-it Monday

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So…this week’s fitness look probably seems a bit uninspired. I mean, black on black. Really, Abbie? Not very original. I thought that this is what you have to wear all the time.  Yes, but two things make this outfit awesome: 1) It’s a Goodwill special, with the top (BCG) and pants (Nike) totaling a whopping $5, and 2) Check out the back of the top. Fun, huh? (At first, my husband balked at taking this picture until I assured him that I was posting a picture of the shirt detail rather than my backside for the all the world to see : )).

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A couple of weeks ago, I showed you the four basic punches that we use constantly in BODYCOMBAT. Well, COMBAT launch is this weekend (and boy, do we have some practice to do!), so to get you up to speed in case you wanna come crash the class (or play along from home), I thought I’d show you the four kicks that accompany our punches to round out our arsenal of hardcore moves.

**Prepare yourself for some rather silly expressions.**

1) Front Kick:

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From Combat stance (one leg forward, legs apart, “guard” up), pull your knee into your chest, lean back slightly, brace your abs…

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…now push your hips and the ball of your foot forward, like you’re shutting a door with your foot. Height does not matter. You can aim for your opponent’s knees, groin (ouch!), abs, chest, or even head.

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Retract your heel to your rear end before returning to Combat stance.

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From the side:

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2) Side Kick

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From Combat stance, set your “back” heel at least 3/4 of the way toward your target (your toe will be facing the opposite direction). Check out of my right foot to see what I mean.

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Pull the knee of your kicking leg in toward your chest to chamber the kick…

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Then, let ‘er loose, driving the “blade” (side) of your foot toward your target and keeping your toe turned down and your heel up. (This will feel incredibly awkward at first, both in your foot and your hip). One arm goes out for balance/aim (I’m actually aiming higher than I’m kicking in this shot, and I’m not even looking, so it’s pretty safe to say that I’d get my rump kicked in a real fight if I tried this), and the other arm squeezes in a fist at your side.

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Just like before, height doesn’t matter. You can aim for the ankle, knee, hip, ribs, or head. What does matter is that you pull your knee back into your body before..

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…coming back to Combat stance

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*Remember, once you’ve got your knee into your chest, it’s 3 moves; out, in, land.

3) Roundhouse Kick

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From Combat stance, set your heel 3/4 of the way toward your target, just like you did with the side kick. The roundhouse is a circular kick, so you’re going to have to get your hip over, bum to your opponent and lean away slightly.

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Put your arm out for balance and aim, opposite arm in a fist beside the body, lean away and bring your knee/hip up until your shin is parallel with the ground.

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Whip out a big kick, aiming your shoelaces for your opponent’s body. Your objective is to knock them forward, not away. Again, you choose how high you kick.

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Make sure you pull your heel back toward your bum before you set your foot down.

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4) Back Kick

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From Combat stance, twist your torso slightly toward the back, pull your knee towards you chest…

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…and drive your foot behind you, heel up, toe down (I’m not thrilled with any of the pics I got of this kick, but we were losing our light, so I just went with what I had).

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Pull your knee back into your body before…

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…you set it down.

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A couple of things to note about this kick.  It’s less of a full-extension kick than that others. Your knee will actually stay bent, even at the point of impact (which doesn’t exist for us since we just kick the air). The move goes: step (front foot), look (behind), kick (out, in, land). It can best be described as a “horse-kick”—powerful and quick.  We always tell our members that if they wouldn’t stand behind a horse, then don’t get in the way of my back-kick! : )Of any of the four kicks, this one will shape your glutes the most/most quickly. 

So…Are you ready for a challenge?

Here it is: practice the individual moves, and then, when you feel comfortable enough to try them together, knock out eight kicks of each type on each side (all the same rules apply regardless of which leg is doing the kicking). You could even try combining it with our punching challenge and end up with a nice little ten minute heart-rate booster. 

Ready to kick it?! Let’s get moving! After all, it’s MONDAY!

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