Using the hips is probably the most important part of making your martial arts techniques effective. Many people will punch and kick and only think of the hands or feet. This is essentially the same thing as focusing on the arrow while having a poor bow at the same time. No matter how nice and sharp your arrows may be, without a good bow to launch it, it will be useless. That's why we always emphasize the hips and feet for proper movement as well as power and health benefits.  

Many people talk about HIIT training nowadays and for good reason. Not only is it super effective for both Cardio and Strength Training, but your body remains in fat burning mode for an extended period of time due to what's commonly referred to as the Afterburn Effect. Here's a HIIT workout for you combining weights with bodyweight only exercises.   The only equipment needed for this workout is dumbbells. I used a kettlebell for one of the exercises but that can be done with dumbbells as well. Do each exercise with as little rest between as possible and a total of two…

Bagua (or Baguazhang) is one of the key internal martial arts. The other two well known ones are Tai Chi Chuan and Xingyiquan. Internal martial arts are generally referred to as such because they don't use hard blocks or force against force. Instead they tend to use angles, positioning, and deflections. Rather than doing a hard block, we yield to the force and then counter attack from a different position. It also refers to cultivation of Chi or internal energy. This is done through Qigong breathing methods combined with movements. However, when you understand this, then many martial arts can…

One common problem people have when training with weights or even bodyweight exercises, is they tend to bounce the weight or somehow use momentum in the exercise. It may feel good for the ego to lift more weight, but you're not doing much to stimulate quality muscle growth. And on top of that, you're risking injury. One of the most important things I learned from Powerlifting was that you need to control the weight properly at all times. Judging is very strict at Powerlifting meets and any kind of bouncing or lack of control is grounds for a red light.…

I've been asked recently by several people what my personal strength and conditioning workout routine is, so that's what we're going to cover today. Although I post a lot of videos and it may seem like I workout every day, I don't. I often film several videos in one day and then post them over different days. Having recovery time is important as well as maintaining balance in your life. Working out is a part of your life, but you can't let it control your life. You are the one in charge. If you don't feel like it on a…

This is an exercise method where we superset two exercises. This means that we alternate between the two rather than doing all the sets for one exercise before moving onto the next. Then we start at 10 reps for one of the exercises and 1 rep of the other exercise. With each set, one exercise decreases in reps while the other one increases. So by the end, the first exercise is down to 1 rep and the second exercise is up to 10 reps. It may sound a bit confusing hearing the explanation, but when you see the video it will…

One of the best pieces of equipment you can use for core and balance training is the BOSU. Because it decreases your stability, you have no choice but to engage your core to hold yourself in position. And two of my favourite exercises are in the video. They are   1. Cross Body Mountain Climbers 2. Suicide Planks Anyway here's the video. Check it out and give it a try!

Sometimes I get asked my opinion on Cardio Boxing so I figured I'd just write about it. Short answer is NO. I don't think it's useless. I'll admit that there was a time when I thought it was, but that was at a time when I was more immature and I failed to ask one of the most important questions in fitness? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? I mean not everyone is willing to get punched and kicked for real? It hurts and isn't the most pleasant experience. Believe me, I've been punched and kicked countless times. That being said, it…