Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Big Boned?, Weak Boned?, Tromboned?

Dear Students, Friends, & People that want a serious, no sissy's allowed, type of workout:

I'm sort of on a strong bone structure, avoid osteoporosis later kick. Did you follow that last sentence? In other words, your bone density is decreasing everyday you are sedentary.

Do you know how you increase bone density?

You put your bones under stress! Controlled stress of course. You do resistance training. Let's think about this anatomically. When you lift something heavy, with your arms, your biceps contract. While the bicep is contracting, the tendon is pulling on your ulna. In theory, if your bicep was super strong, and your bones were weak, it could essentially rip the tendon right out of the ulna. This doesn't happen because if your biceps were strong, that would mean you have also strengthened your bone structure.

Now, what would happen if you don't exercise and you don't put your muscles or bones under this type of stress to become stronger. You should be alright, right? Whatever clever!

Do you know what would happen if you go years without an exercise program and you experience an accident skiing, working, biking, etc? The stress is way more than the "weak bone, strong bicep" analogy mentioned earlier. What happens is the bone breaks several times easier than a person who exercises regularly in a program designed to build strength.

In plain English, when a muscle contracts and pulls on the bone, the body learns that in order to support the pressure being applied, that it needs to become more dense or it will snap. Does plain weight lifting do this? Well, yes, but I believe a program that includes the resistance training of weights, and multi-directional body resistant movements is ultimate. After all, we don't live our lives linearly, such as with weight lifting. We are constantly twisting, and bending in every direction throughout the day. Ever wonder why you twist a certain way, then ZAP! There went your back for 2 days.

Anyway, with all this in mind, we created our Thai-Fusion Fitness Bootcamp class. A program that combines the cardiovascular element of Thai-Robics with the resistance training of our Sport Fusion class. If you're unfamiliar with both of those programs- Thai-Robics is our longest standing fitness program (since 1995). It's a sweat dumping, cardio pumping aerobic kickboxing class.

Sport Fusion is a circuit training class that uses sport drills as the means to better fitness. You'll train like a soccer player at one station, then like a downhill skier at another, and so on. The exercises stay fun and challenging every single week.

Our June bootcamp at 6 am completely filled up. We're expecting a strong turn out for the rest of the summer. If you're interested, get your spot now.

Here are the knitty gritties:

12 session bootcamp is $79 (July)
24 session bootcamp is $139 (July & August)

Boise location (2475 Apple St.)

Two times- 6 am & 9 am

Want to talk about it, call us at 381-0587.

Register Online Here

Respectfully,

Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com/blog

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Sunday Square Foot Gardening





This blog post is going to be a little different than the others. I am going to take a break from writing on life lessons and experiences that happen in my life and share my Sunday with everyone.

Of course, we can't start out a Sunday without Taekwondo training, right. Aside from training a student from 7 to 9 am, we immediately hauled ourselves to The Home Depot today and loaded up the cart with all the necessities to continue our square foot gardening project we started at the end of last summer.

Rachel got really excited about square foot gardening. It's actually pretty cool, mainly because I got to use my tools to help with the project. The concept is simple. It's a portable container that has several plots for different vegetables, and stuff.

I'll have to ask what the benefit is again, because I always forget. One moment...[asking Rachel across the dinner table]

She said that people do it because it takes a lot less maintenance time, and it's movable. Aside from that, I think it's just cool. Evidently, quite a few people use the square foot gardening method when space and dirt is an issue. We qualify. We decided to put our garage in the back of the house which means we've got lots of concrete, and little yard. It's perfect for basketball, bike jumps, etc., but bad for gardening. On the other hand, we have a 13 acre park behind us that we debated cultivating. Think anyone would've noticed?

There is something about gardening that really brings the "green" out of me. We completely built our container out of old building supplies, for example... a door that came off our house when we remodeled, old cedar fence pickets, and redwood that I just couldn't get rid of years ago.

I didn't think to take a picture of the whole family, probably because I was in the mix. But, one of the things that I think is so cool with square foot gardening is that the entire family can be around the container helping. It was an absolutely amazing day because of it.
Happy Sunday!
Duncan Richardson

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Meeting with My First Taekwondo Instructor

As you may know, I made a trip over to Portland, Oregon this weekend to meet my first Taekwondo instructor from 1978. I must say, I was a little nervous. It had been 29 years since he has last seen me. I was only 5 years old at the time we moved away and came to Boise.

I didn’t train while I was there, but I sure wish I could’ve. Timing didn’t allow it. Instead, Rachel and I enjoyed listening to stories from long ago. For instance, in 1980, my old Grand Master, Hong Sik Kim, insisted that Master Bettencourt move to Boise to open a Kim’s Taekwondo school. I had known this, but didn’t know some of the details that went along with it.

First, let me explain something about native Koreans. Their culture is based strongly on hierarchy. The hierarchy exists in practically every industry, be it- politics, airline pilots, schooling, or martial arts. In the United States, we have the same hierarchy, just not taken to the same extreme. For instance, a person lower on the hierarchy tree does not question the person above. In addition to that, there is strict seating order at a table, as well as in the car, and even criteria for who enters a building first. In the United States, we follow many of the same criteria to be polite. In Korea, it’s to establish pecking order.

WhenGrand Master Kim decided that there should be a Taekwondo school in Boise, he chose Master Bettencourt to run it. Grand Master Kim took Master Bettencourt on a trip to Boise to show him where the new school would be. Master Bettencourt thought the trip was to see Boise and to decide if this were a place he would want to live and operate a martial art school in.

Well, upon arriving to Boise, Grand Master Kim was excited to show Master Bettencourt the half page phonebook ad he had already placed… with Master Bettencourt’s picture! I could only imagine the look on Master Bettencourt’s face at that very moment. Master Bettencourt enjoyed Oregon and Washington and was used to the environment, and felt uneasy about making the decision to pack up and start a new life and business in another state.

While contemplating the decision on the way back to Oregon, a loud bang happened under the hood of Grand Master Kim’s car. Immediately, Master Bettencourt knew a push rod must’ve blown in the engine. He asked Grand Master Kim when the last time he checked the oil. Grand Master Kim responded, “Oil?”

Whether it was the chain of events, or his intuition, Master Bettencourt decided, at that moment, he would not move to Boise to open a school. Instead, it was my father that started a Kim’s Taekwondo, but not out of the pressure of Grand Master Kim, but rather because he took a job at Morrison Knudsen, coincidently, just after Master Bettencourt decided to stay in Oregon.

Two years later, my father took a different job in Saudi Arabia. At that point, his students were then turned over to Master David Knife who came over to Boise in 1982, of course, under Grand Master Kim’s gentle recommendation.

“So what now?” some people have asked? Master Bettencourt and I decided that there are many things that we can share with each other to help ourselves and our students grow. We discussed many things relating to both the curriculum as well as the business aspect of our Taekwondo schools.

We also discussed doing seminars for each other. In fact, I am going to be getting him some dates to have him come to Boise to put on a special workshop for all of our students. It would mean the world to me to have all of you attend! I will keep you posted.

Respectfully,

Master Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
www.FreeKarateLesson.com

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Reconnecting With My First Master

I was so excited the entire way to Taekwondo school. I was going to do my first Taekwondo class with my dad in Longview, Washington. It was 1978.

I remember the day vividly. When we got to the Taekwondo school, I received my dobok (uniform) from Mr. Bettencourt, now Master Bettencourt. His first name is Steve. I went into the cramped changing room with a few other students, giants actually (adults).

I was so embarrased to change in front of them, that I put my uniform on completely over my clothes. I came out with about 5 inches of blue jean material sticking out below my dobok.

I'll admit, I didn't think anyone would notice, but everyone did. It was okay, because nothing was going to hinder this day. I remember my attention being quickly drawn to a group of students huddled in the corner. After I made my way over there, and peering through the legs of the other students, I saw a young gentleman, probably 19 or 20, being rooted on as he cranked out endless fingertip pushups. When he finished, the students applauded him. I asked my dad why he was doing all those pushups and he told me that he was preparing for his Black Belt test. I was hooked!

It was my first exposure, that I can remember, to perseverance. The will and the discipline this gentleman had to get all these pushups done touched me. It was my first Black Belt lesson as a white belt.

Two days ago, I spoke to Master Bettencourt on the phone and we chuckled about that first day in class over 31 years ago. Although it's been 29 years since I've seen Master Bettencourt, he still remembers me, my mom and dad, and two sisters.

I must say, I am really looking forward to this trip!

Respectfully,

Master Richardson
www.FreeKarateLesson.com

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

1,000 Pushups in a Day

Today, I pledged that I would do 1,000 pushups. A few people have asked why? Of course, I responded with, "why not?"

I'll have to admit, I became inspired to do this by a little girl in Isaac's kindergarten class. Yesterday, I was volunteering in his class and I noticed this girl would quietly get out of her chair and do 10 pushups. She did this about every 2 minutes at every single station. She didn't do it for attention nor did she disrupt anyone at the same time.

I asked her why she was doing them, of course shy as all get out, she just shrugged her shoulders. I thought to myself after that, "what an opportunity to challenge my self discipline." Besides, if a kindergartener can do it, I can too!

So here my little self discipline project...

1,000 pushups in 12 hours. I remembered an old statement, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer- "One bite at a time." So, my plan is to do 50 pushups every 30 minutes. Now that I'm halfway through the day, I can see that I set my sights a little too low. It's funny how daunting tasks suddenly become small once you decide to take them on!

Stay tuned for when I do 2,000 in a day!

Respectfully,

Duncan Richardson

B.E.A.T. Down Defense

B.E.A.T. Down Defense

It's early in the morning...

You stop at the grocery store to pick up treats for a Birthday party later that day.

Suddenly, the painful groan of a man laying beside his car calls your attention. He appears handicap as he lay helplessly trying to reach his cane which is under the car.

You look around, and see there is nobody to help. You make the decision to help the man as he painfully reaches for his cane. You help.***

Ted Bundy was convicted of murdering over 30 women, and later confessed to over 100 moments before he was executed. Playing the role of a handicap man was one of Ted Bundy's many roles to lure women.

There are many stories like this in history that bring frustration to me. It frustrates me that these people
exist in our society. It frustrates me when a woman is attacked by a man like this, and they don't always
have the skills to give them a B.E.A.T. Down Defense.

B- Beware. The first rule of self defense is to always be aware of your surroundings. Never take anything for granted, and approach unusual situations with caution.

E- Empowered. It's time to become empowered and know that you are strong and that you can possess the knowledge to take somebody down twice your size. The moment you realize this, is the moment an assailant chooses not to mess with you.

A- Attack. If the moment comes that you must fight for your life, then you will not just defend yourself, but you will attack with a storm of thunderous punches, kicks, and elbow strikes. Getting attacked by a swarm of killer bees would be more favored by your assailant.

T- Take off! When your first opportunity arises to get away, you will take it! Whether you are winning or losing the battle, your goal is to break free and get to safety in order to win the war.

The Academy of World Taekwondo will be providing a 2 hour B.E.A.T Down Defense workshop to teach women the physical & mental skills of self defense described above.
Here are some FAQ's

Q. What will be covered in the program?

A. Participants will spend a portion of the class learning about:
1. The criminal mind and how they choose their victims
2. How to remove yourself as a potential target for these criminals
3. Simple tips to stay safe while you and your family sleeps
4. How to implement B.E.A.T. (Beware, Empower, Attack, Take Off)
The other portion of the program will teach students:
1. Verbal defense and non-violent techniques for low risk situations
2. Techniques for: Striking, joint submission or breaking, and leveraging someone much larger than you
3. Scenario defense- Pinned Against a Wall, Pinned on the Ground, Attacked in Your Car, Grabbed Unexpectedly

Q. Is this appropriate for all ages?

A. No. This program is specifically designed for adult women and teenagers. Keep in mind, the attacks and motives for criminals vary for men and children targets.

Q. What do I wear?

A. Comfortable clothes (exercise attire). We are going to move around and sweat! B.E.A.T. Down Defense is more than just self defense techniques, it's also about building strength and endurance to dominate any situation from a sleazy, no good- attacker!

You can get more information here: BEAT Down Defense

When: Monday, Apr 27th
Where: AWT-EAGLE
Time: 5:45 to 7:45 pm
Cost: $25
Who: Students & Friends of AWT (13 yrs +)
Enrollment Limited to 30

When: Wednesday, Apr 29th
Where: AWT-BOISE
Time: 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Cost: $25
Who: Students & Friends of AWT (13 yrs +)
Enrollment Limited to 20

Friday, March 27, 2009

1 Fat Burning Tip I Bet You've Never Heard Of

Dear Friend,

I have a fat loss tip that I bet you've never heard of, but first, let me explain a couple things. We've all heard that having a Lean and Strong body comes from exercise and good nutrition. Let me remind everyone, there are many items to the equation. It's not JUST exercise and good nutrition. If you've followed me, or have done our Ultimate Body Challenge (UBC), then you also know that I am a proponent for revving up your system... getting your metabolism working for you and not against you.

Having a metabolism that is rippin' and roarin' is like owning cash flowing rental property- your money works for you. A faster metabolism will be working for you to ensure food doesn't have a chance to get stored as fat, but rather gets burned up.

There is still another piece to the puzzle though. Let's say we get our metabolism just smoking, does that mean no matter how much we eat, we'll burn it off? The answer is a resounding no. Have you heard of "Calories IN, versus Calories OUT?"

In our Taekwondo class, I was explaining this concept to two of our teenage students before class. Yes, I preach good nutrition in all of our programs;). I explained it like this- How often do your parents fill up their car with gas? (Answer- Once a week.) So, 4 times a month? (Right.) So, that's probably 15 gallons of gas a week, or 60 gallons a month, right? (Right.) Why not just stuff the car with gas and fill it up with 60 gallons once a month? (Uhhh, because the gas will not fit in the tank all at once)

Aren't our bodies very similar to a car? What happens when we put too much gas (food) in our tank (stomach)? If we overflow our tank, guess what happens? The food gets stored as fat. A car is designed for only so much gas, just like our body is designed for so much food.

A car also has a built in mechanism to let the driver know when it's full and empty. Well, a body has one too. The problem with our body's mechanism is that it has a difficult time sensing when you slightly over-eat. Do you have unwanted body fat? Did you get this unwanted body fat overnight? Or, was it a slow accumulation over the course of 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years? Slightly over-eating mulitplied by the number of meals you have in a day, times several years equals that slow accumulation of unwanted body fat.

The answer is Cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is your body's overflow mechanism. CCK is a hormone that is released in the presence of proteins and fats. This is why people can devour an entire pizza or large bowl of pasta when they are starving. It's pratically all carbs (undesirable carbs, too). The CCK hormone was never released, or it took too long.

The key is to include a healthy source of fats with every meal. In the UBC program, we advise students to eat some nuts or other source of "good" fats with every meal. Again, this ensures that we don't overflow our tanks when eating, and also gives us that satisfied feeling.

I hope you benefited from one of our UBC's strategic eating principles.

The last Ultimate Body Challenge Before Summer begins this Monday. To learn more about this program, visit-
The Last Ultimate Body Challenge Before Summer

Respectfully,

Duncan Richardson
Chief Master Instructor
The Academy of World Taekwondo
Ph: 208.381.0587
http://www.FreeKarateLesson.com/weight-loss.html

P.S. If you want to ask some questions right now about the UBC, call Kendal at 559-1424.