Here's a circuit workout I did consisting of 10 exercises. The exercises are arranged in such a way as to promote blood flow back and forth from top to bottom. So that means we're alternating an upper body or core exercise with a lower body exercise. Because we're moving the bllod around, we're training our circulatory system as well as our cardiovascular system, and of course our muscular system. This is based on the original circuit workout known then as PHA (Peripheral Heart Action) as developed by Bob Gajda.    1. Pull Ups 2. Squats 3. Dips 4. Kickouts 5. Body Rows 6. Step Ups 7. Fist Pushups 8.…

Personally I love smoothies. From a very young age, I've always associated smoothies and various shakes with vibrant health. You can mix it up in so many ways, there's just no limit to the possibilities. In fact, it's possible to replace some of your meals with smoothies. A good protein powder mixed in with plenty of fruits and vegetables is tasty, nutritious, and it will prevent you from giving in to hunger and going for junk food. There have been many times when I knew I wouldn't have time to sit down for a meal, so I just drank a…

One of the best ways to improve your punches is by using a wooden staff. Watch the video to learn more and see what it's all about!  

One key technique to learn flow in Boxing and other martial arts is to practice Loading and Reloading. That means you turn the body with one side further away from your opponent. This will give you some distance to build power which is what we call Loading. Then instead of punching with the other hand, you will turn your body again and punch with the same hand. It's very easy to fall into a predictable pattern of Left, Right, Left, Right, etc. However this drill will help you break that predictability and develop flow!  

Wing Chun is a fantastic martial art and one which I've spent many years practicing. One of the best things about it is the fact that it's so simple. Really the concepts and principles of the system and techniques can be taught in less than an hour. Obviously that doesn't mean you'll have a deep understanding or the ability to actually pull it off, but you will know what it's all about. This is unlike some martial arts that will take forever just to learn what the techniques are. The first form which is called Sil Lim Tao (translating to "The Little…

This is a routine which I teach my clients and I do it regularly myself. There are four strengthening exercises followed by eight stretches. None of them are too difficult, it's quick, simple, and effective. Lower back pain has become a part of our lives. Unfortunately the majority of jobs involve long periods of sitting. This can have numerous health consequences and lower back pain is one of the most common ones. By doing this routine, it should help alleviate some of that pain. This is of course not a replacement for a proper medical exam. If you have serious…

This well known phrase was first coined in 1913 and based on an old Pembrokeshire proverb from 1866. They may not have known all these things at that time, but it turns out they were right! Let's take a look at the benefits of an apple a day.   APPLES ARE HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS Here's a quick breakdown of the nutrition in an average sized apples   95 calories 24 grams of carbs 4.5 grams of fiber 9% daily value of Vitamin C 5% daily value of Copper 4% daily value of Potassium  3% daily value of Vitamin K   APPLES SUPPORT HEART HEALTH One study with over 20,000 adults found that eating higher amounts…

One of the key concepts in the Chinese internal martial arts is the Three Harmonies. This refers to the connection of the upper body to the lower body whoch will in turn allow you to use the entire body as one unit. This actually apllies to all martial arts at the advanced levels, but they're specifically taught extensively in the internal arts. The best known internal Chinese martial arts are Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, and Tai Chi Chaun. The three harmonies are as follows   The Hand is connected to the Foot The Elbow is connected to the Knee The Shoulder is connected to the Hip Watch…

One of the most neglected aspects of martial arts training is body conditioning. This refers to the toughening up of the hands, arms, and body of the practitioner and not strength and fitness training. Both are needed and the majority of practitioners understand te need for cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance. But they don't always understand the need for the toughening up of the body. If you're going to do martial arts techniques such as punching, palm strikes, finger jabs, tiger claw strikes, etc. you must condition those parts of the body to actually be able to do these…

These are some of my favourite bodyweight exercises for strength and conditioning for sports. When you're figuring out a workout for sports, you need to first understand that you need to train the entire body. Never mind the Bro Split where you train one or two muscles a day. That's a program designed specifically for bodybuilding and has absolutely no place in a sports program. You use your entire body in any sport. Therefore you must train the entire body and learn to use it as one unit. This means that compound or multi joint exercises are the focus and…

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…

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…

Everything in the martial arts starts with the feet. It's your foundation. Whether it's movement to get you out of the way of a punch or to add power to your own strikes, it's essential. In the Wing Chun system, the Wooden Dummy trains all the key principles, techniques, and concepts of the system. So obviously, proper training of the footwork is essential. That's the whole point of the video today. Let's take a look at it!   

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…

There have been so many different high tech exercise innovations over the past several decades. Some are good and some not so good. But you'd have a pretty hard time finding a better exercise than the pushup. It's a fantastic upper body exercise, core exercise, and has numerous benefits for sports performance. And best of all, it requires no equipment whatsoever and can be done anywhere. There are of course many variations. In this video I have two advanced ones. The first one is a pushups combined with a kickout and the second is a favourite among martial arts practitioners. It's…

One of the most important things about learning a martial art is how valid it is. Does it actually work and is there a history? You certainly wouldn't want to learn from someone who just made it up themselves. In my case, my Ving Tsun family tree can be traced back to famous Grandmaster Ip Man. There have been many movies made about him, but of course the real man didn't do all those things on screen. He was however a great martial arts fighter and a great teacher.    So Ip Man taught Moy Yat. Moy Yat taught Sunny Tang. Sunny…

Working within your limitations is something we all have to do. And one of the things I've helped people with over the years is help people get fit who are in wheelchairs. I spent a number of years helping a man at a fitness center in East Toronto called Variety Village. Doing that not only helped him but it was a great learning experience for me. In this video I'll go over some of the exercises which I taught him. It's a combination of breathing, Qigong, and strength training. Here are the exercises.   1. Breathing 2. Reverse Breathing 3. Serving Teacups 4. Lion Rolling…

One of the most neglected body parts is the neck. Everyone loves training their chest, biceps, and abs. But often when it comes to legs, back, triceps, people just don't put in the work. And when it comes to things like calves, forearms, and necks, it's even worse. But the neck is one of the most important muscles in your body. It's responsible for your posture, alignment, and overall body strength. In the Burmese martial art of Lethwei, they allow headbutts. And because of this they take neck training very seriously. This video will demonstrate the exercises used. Give them a try…