SW Portland Martial Arts Blog

Day 21: Frogstand, Side Rolls, and Structure!

April 3rd, 2020

In today’s CrossFit workout, we try out a different work to rest ratio. Why? Why not just do the same workout over and over? Because variety helps you understand your physical capacity and understanding what you are capable of is (at the very least) fun. Do work. Keep it varied.

For kid’s class today, we worked the side roll. Man, that roll is HARD! But the good news is we showed 3 different versions and the first version everyone should be able to get… the third one, though? It’s tough. But we like challenge and hope you do too!

Friday is internal martial arts with Jaydra day! Join her for her favorite Qigong “wake up” routine.

Today for your take home martial arts work, I’ve mixed striking and grappling together. I know. It’s like chocolate and peanut butter… amazingly delicious. Anyway, try working jabs, level changes, and your penetration step together as one smooth, delicious treat.

Take home martial arts - level changes

Last, and not least, if you’re working on your forms, try putting your phone to use for something other than scrolling through Facebook! Take a video of yourself doing the form, then watch the video and see if you notice anything you could improve. Finally, do the form again! Manifest that correction. Be your own teacher.

At Home Kata: Video Feedback

Posted in CrossFit, grappling, Kids, Martial Arts | Comments Off on Day 21: Frogstand, Side Rolls, and Structure!

Day 20: Airplanes, Backfists, and the Limbo!

April 2nd, 2020

Were you looking for some balance work in your CrossFit today? Good news: Airplane balances are back! For this workout, you will need a backpack, a bunch of books, something to step on, and a couple of chairs. Whew. Hope you have all that stuff in your house. And if you aren’t a reader, you can sub soup cans for books.

Were you looking for 30 minutes of striking excitement with Dug? Look no further! Get your punch on… and on… and on!

All kids love to limbo, but you know… it’s so obvious, right? Not if you make it… ANIMAL STYLE limbo! Also, we kick, punch, and do martial arts stuff. But most importantly, animal limbo!

Perhaps you are missing our baby sign class? No need to miss it! We are on the YouTube!

Baby sign class - food signs

The at home kata work is simple: do your form tired. Do some burpees and then your form. Don’t like burpees? Do a couple minutes of jump rope. Whatever. Sweat. Breathe hard. Then do your form. Notice what it does to your movement and your focus.

At home kata: make yourself tired

And last but not least, if you are looking for the at home grappling work, here it is! Practice those pendulum sweeps on that vicious imaginary partner of yours.

At home grappling: pendulum sweep

Posted in CrossFit, Forms, grappling, Kids, Martial Arts | Comments Off on Day 20: Airplanes, Backfists, and the Limbo!

Day 19: Grappling class, switch kicks, and burpees!

April 1st, 2020

Have you been losing your mind because you can’t grapple? Well grab the remnants of your sanity and build them back into a semblance of normality by taking Dave’s solo grappling class. How do you grapple during a Pandemic? You practice your techniques!

Want to watch me flop around in a handstand? Yeah, well, also you get to do an amazing CrossFit workout and practice your handstands. And if handstands are way out of your skill range? Don’t sweat it, all the scalings are included in the video. Oh and there are burpees in the workout, but don’t worry, they aren’t regular burpees…

Are your children wandering around aimlessly, looking for somewhere to put their immense quantities of physical energy? Make them do our kid’s class! We’ve got rolls, punches, and absurdly awesome games.

And finally, if you’re looking for some work to do on your striking skills, why not play with the switch kick today. What? You don’t know what that is? Well good news! I made a video about it.

At home striking: switch kick

Posted in All school programs, CrossFit, grappling, Kids, Martial Arts | Comments Off on Day 19: Grappling class, switch kicks, and burpees!

Day 18 – Spinning Backfist, Grasshoppers, and Roundhouses

March 31st, 2020

Today in striking class, Dug throws the spinning backfist at you. Why? Because you deserve to learn an amazing strike and the spin backfist is that amazing strike for today.

For the kids? All the houses are round today – the punches, the kicks, and the creative obstacle course. Why wouldn’t all the houses be round?

The CrossFit workout today was a slow burner of a 12 min AMRAP. What’s an AMRAP? As Many Rounds As Possible. It’s definitely not as intense as yesterday, but it still hits harder than a cup of coffee (says the guy who drinks coffee once a week).

For the at home kata work… SHOW ME your creative form. Here’s mine. And if you’re not doing that, I hope you are getting your training in somehow.

At home kata: creative form progress?

Last, but not least, the at home grappling work is a hip heist? How the heck do you do a sweep without a partner? Watch and learn, friends. Also, visualize.

At home grappling work: hip heist solo

Posted in All school programs, CrossFit, Forms, grappling, Kids, Martial Arts | Comments Off on Day 18 – Spinning Backfist, Grasshoppers, and Roundhouses

Day 17 – Headstands, Forward Rolls, and Ninja Swords

March 30th, 2020

Yes. Buried within today’s kid’s class is a secret ninja move. I mean, if you count me being stabbed by a foam ninja sword then that statement is true. But truly, the video is awesome.

I’m getting more good feedback! I need to post an “equipment list” before each workout. What will you need? Excellent. For this one, you’ll need a broomstick and quads of steel.

What’s the hardest thing you can do with kata? I don’t know but this drill is pretty hard. Do the form and then do the mirror image of the form. It hurts the brain, like playing the melody with your left and the chords with your right on the piano.

At home kata: mirror image

Sure, we all know the shrimp is fundamental to grappling but… wait… there’s a reverse shrimp? Yes. Learn it. Drill it.

At home grappling: reverse shrimp

Footwork is the key! In today’s striking video, I ask you to connect your combos to your feet because that’s the first step (pun intentional) towards getting your feet moving.

At home striking: connect your footwork

Posted in All school programs, CrossFit, Forms, grappling, Kids, Martial Arts | Comments Off on Day 17 – Headstands, Forward Rolls, and Ninja Swords

<- Older Entries
Newer Entries ->