Self Defense with an Attitude...Fitness With an Edge!
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We are working to make the online experience of ETKM full of information for both our students and new prospects.  We just launched this side of the our website and are looking forward to pushing its limits.  You have access now to student curriculum and our Student handbook.  As well as a feed to our blog and Youtube channel.

If using a Desktop, laptop, or tablet go to: http://dudamobile.easttxkravmaga.com/

If using a smartphone go to: http://www.easttxkravmaga.com/

If you us an iPhone this site is able to download to your homepage as a web app and you will have an ETKM icon on your home screen.

At this time we decided to create a mobile website to ensure all platforms get the same content will our updates.  This will ensure that the real energy is placed in the proper area, on mat instruction.  See you training soon!

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Christina Kepler uses the heel of her palm to strike a training dummy during a self-defense demonstration March 9 in Marion, Ohio. Kepler is an elementary school reading teacher and has signed up for a free self-defense training class for teachers.
(Photo: James Miller, The Marion (Ohio) Star)

Emma Beck, USA TODAY6:10a.m. EDT March 24, 2013
As school professionals nationwide re-evaluate plans for keeping schoolchildren safe, more teachers, staff and parents turn to self-defense training, defense instructors across the country say.

Pelting rain blurred Celenea Mitchell’s windshield as she drove through Battle Ground, Wash. A few weeks had passed since the Newtown, Conn., school shooting, and Mitchell, a mother of two and a PTA volunteer, was determined to help get Battle Ground teachers trained in self-defense.

Noticing a billboard for the Mountain View Martial Arts school, she pulled into a parking lot and dialed the number. David Mason, the center’s head instructor, answered. While on the phone, Mitchell, 38, glimpsed a man nearby, seemingly talking in tune to the voice on the phone.

The man, it turned out, was Mason. “It was completely coincidental.” Mitchell laughed.

Mason, a seventh-degree, black belt instructor, agreed to train Battle Ground school professionals in self-defense, free of charge.

As school professionals nationwide re-evaluate plans for keeping schoolchildren safe in light of recent school shootings, more teachers, administrators and some parents are turning to self-defense training, self-defense instructors and educators nationwide say. Some people say it is the wrong approach to improving school safety.

Teachers are the first line of defense for schoolchildren, Mason said. Using tae kwon do techniques, Mason trains school professionals in a two-hour lesson offered the third Saturday of each month. “We need to make sure that our teachers feel safe and face the realities,” he said.

The classes have drawn 10 to 15 participants. Mason says he hope to bring the training from the center and into the classroom.

Marc Egan, the associate director of government relations for the National Education Association, said self-defense training is too narrow of a focus. “We need to look at the bigger picture.”

Egan said he is not aware of a significant national move toward self-defense training, noting instead a push for preventive measures such as increased access to mental health services.

Decatur, Ala., school professionals are among those who have sought out self-defense training. Premier Martial Arts of Decatur’s owners and instructors, Michelle and Jerry Chenault, combine Krav Maga techniques, a defense developed and used by the Israeli army, to train school staff in a free, hour-long class.

“Teachers should be more prepared than just hiding under the desk,” Jerry Chenault said. “Self-defense isn’t the answer, but it is an answer.”

In Springfield, Mass., the school district began requiring self-defense training for district administrators in February, providing the option for teachers and staff to join. The training, led by the Springfield police department, taught attendees how to break away from being choked or grabbed by the wrist, said Michelle Heim, the assistant principal of Springfield’s High School of Commerce.

“This is a seed for (school staff) to build upon,” she said. “You have to try to make habits in order for them to be instinctive.”

The first session drew 30 participants. Heim anticipates a turnout of roughly 80 to 90 for the next class.

Christine Kepler, an elementary school teacher at Elgin West Elementary School in La Rue, Ohio, questions how districts can mandate the training. “I’m not sure you can require people to be trained in something that might put their lives at risk,” she said.

Kepler registered for a free self-defense class March 30, specifically offered for educators but open to the public, at the Meeker Sportsman’s Club in Marion, Ohio. “I think it will give me more options if I ever found myself in a dangerous situation,” she said.

South Dakota passed a bill this month permitting teachers who undergo the same training as law enforcement to carry weapons on school campuses. The law will go into effect July 1 and is largely geared toward the state’s rural schools that are often at a distance from law enforcement centers, said Tony Venhuizen, spokesperson for the governor’s office. “Self-defense training also makes sense,” but each school district should decide for themselves, he said.

“We just hope school systems recognize the need for such training so that teachers and students are better protected,” defense instructor Jerry Chenault said. “It’s really easy to ignore it and say it will never happen here.”

Link to Article

It happens to the best of us: you’ve eaten right and exercised hard for weeks, and then one slice of cake at a party sends you into a downward spiral of eating too much and exercising too little.

It’s common to experience temporary relapses back to unhealthy ways of eating and lack of exercise, especially while a healthy, active lifestyle is still new.

But what triggers these relapses? Finding out the answer to this question will equip you to avoid future relapses altogether.

Anatomy of a Trigger Food

Trigger foods come in all flavors and sizes, but nearly all contain one (or all) of the Big Three. 1) Salt, 2) Sugar, or 3) Fat.

Processed foods are the most powerful triggers. These foods are literally made with your brain chemistry in mind, factoring in the addictive qualities of salt, sugar and fat. When the desire for sweets feels unbearable your body is literally craving more.

That’s why one slice of cake can lead to an entire weekend binge.

To avoid a relapse, steer clear of packaged foods that are high in salt, sugar and fat. See the Wholesome Cravings tip below for snacks to eat when cravings strike.

When you do fall victim to a trigger food, use the following 3 steps to get right back on your feet, and back to eating and exercising right.
Draw a line in the sand. Decide here and now that your relapse is over. Stop the self-destructive behavior and enlist the support from the important people in your life.
Remove the triggers from your home. Clean out the pantry, the freezer and the stash under your bed. Get these unhealthy foods out of your home and out of your way. See these items for what they really are—obstacles that prevent you from getting what you really want out of life.
Refocus your goals. Why were you eating healthy and exercising in the first place? Because you have goals. You have a vision of the healthy, fit body that you’re working to achieve. Focus your mind on your most desired goals and unleash your inner work ethic and determination.
I believe that it’s time for you to reap all the benefits of a fit and active lifestyle.

Call or email today and I will schedule a time to meet with you one-on-one to get you back on track with the quickest and most effective routine for your fitness goals.

How quickly does a week fly by? Pretty fast, right? 
When you decide to eat only real food and train hard for 7 days you will be amazed at the positive improvement that you feel and see in your body.

Do this challenge for yourself.

In one short week you could be in the same, worse, or you could be leaner and excited.

The choice is yours.

What are you going to do differently in 2013?

Are you going to reduce your stress level?

Are you going to improve your diet?

Are you going to take exercise more seriously?

Or will you allow the next 365 days to pass by without changing a thing?

If you haven’t put any thought into it, then do so now.

The fact is that you will age and change in 2013, and next year on 12-31-13 you will be slightly (or dramatically) different than you are today.

The cool thing about a New Year is that it gives us the opportunity to reflect over our life, to acknowledge where we are and where we want to be headed.

If you would like to be headed in the direction of improved health, lowered weight and increased strength, then here are 17 suggested changes for you to apply in 2013:

1) Exercise 2 more hours each week than you did in 2012.
2) Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
3) Drink less alcohol.
4) Sign up for one of my time-tested fitness programs.
5) Stop drinking and eating artificial sweeteners.
6) Use heavier dumbbells.
7) Eat less bread, or even eliminate gluten from your diet.
8) Train for a 5K, 10K or a marathon.
9) Eliminate corn syrup from your diet.
10) Exercise at least 4 times each week.
11) Eat healthy, simple dinners at home.
12) Do not eat fast food.
13) Drink less caffeine.
14) Eat more protein and fiber.
15) Drink water throughout your whole day.
16) Do not eat packaged snack foods.
17) Contact me for motivation and support.

Now come up with a few of your own. I know there are some ideas that popped into your mind while you were reading my list.

Take a minute to jot those down.

Step back and re-examine the list. Which of these changes are you going to make your own?

I certainly don’t expect you to make all of these changes – though the more you do, the greater your transformation will be.

Remember, like I mentioned above in #4 and #17, I’m here to offer you the instruction, support and motivation you need to make 2013 the year of your dramatic transformation.

Wishing you great health and happiness this year.

The Real Food Challenge
Processed foods, additives and chemicals are inferior to real food and are potentially harmful to your health.

So why do you still eat it?

Why do you still eat that packaged granola bar and snack on those whole grain crackers? You may think that heart healthy label means something, but it doesn’t hold a candle to real food.

What is Read Food?

Here’s an easy way to tell if your food is real or not: If your food can go bad, it’s good for you. If your food can’t go bad, it’s bad for you.

Real food is fresh and unprocessed.

The Real Food Challenge

This real food challenge has the potential to change your body forever. Take the next 7 days to ONLY eat real food. One week is a very short time in the grand scheme of things, and I know you can do this.

Just try it for one week to see and feel the difference in your body.

The Rules

During the next 7 days you will avoid eating all of the following food items:

Bread
Grains
Rice
Crackers & Chips
Packaged snacks
Sugar & Corn Syrup
Soda Pop
Packaged Bars
Baked Goods
Candy
Here’s a list of the real foods that you will eat instead:

Seasonal, organic Vegetables
Seasonal, organic Fruits
Lean, organic meat, fish & eggs
Nuts and Seeds
Those four categories of food can be combined into endless, flavorful combinations. Check out the following meal ideas:

Breakfast:Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What you decide to eat when you first wake up will set the tone for the rest of your meals that day.

Scrambled organic eggs, sliced tomato and a handful of seasonal berries.
Half of a dressed avocado and a few slices of nitrate-free bacon.
Pancakes made with coconut flour and topped with chopped nuts.
Lunch: 

Plan your lunch ahead of time in order to avoid turning to a fast food joint or vending machine. Pack your lunch the night before and carry it with you.

Dark baby greens topped with chopped chicken breast and diced tomatoes.
Albacore tuna (packed in water), mixed with finely chopped cucumber over cauliflower rice. (See recipe below)
Turkey and Spinach Salad
Dinner: 

Dinner is the meal where most people splurge and eat far more calories than they should. Eating at home is the first step in reducing your dinnertime calories.

Grilled white fish, sautéed spinach and almond bread.
Baked chicken breast with steamed broccoli and quinoa.
A big bowl of arugula topped with sautéed asparagus and sliced hardboiled eggs.
While healthy eating is a huge factor in achieving your ideal weight, exercise is the other (very important) half of the equation.


Your exercise routine should be challenging and should be done on a regular basis.

Call or email me today and we will get you started on the exercise program that will reshape your body in 2013.

Want to get more out of your workouts?
There’s a little secret in the fitness world called interval training.What is interval training? Rather than doing the same cardio exercise your entire workout, interval training alternates short, high-intensity bursts of exercise with slower, low-intensity periods of recovery.

Research has shown that such intervals of high and low-intensity activity burn more calories and build fitness quicker in a shorter amount of time.

Once designed for elite athletes, interval training is now something the average fit person can try. You don’t need fancy equipment or special training to rev up your routine with interval training.

Read on to learn more about this fast, slow, fast, slow method of training and weight loss.

Theory Behind Interval Training
By alternating high-intensity movements with low-intensity movements, you’re working both your aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen) systems. High-intensity exercise causes your muscles to produce lactic acid (waste products), which lead to muscle soreness. Too much lactic acid build up causes exercise to become exhausting and painful.

Alternating hard and easy exercise will reduce the amount of lactic acid that accumulates, thereby making exercise more comfortable, improving your endurance and increasing your speed.

Interval Length
So how long should intervals be?

The answer is, it doesn’t matter.

There are no real hard-and-fast rules about interval length. Varying lengths bring varying benefits. So how fast and how often you pick up the pace depends on you.

Beginners should aim for no longer than 30 seconds of high-intensity bursts. If you’re feeling strong and are in good shape, go ahead and push yourself a bit longer.

Know the Risks
While a no-rules approach may sound appealing, interval training isn’t for the beginner. If you’re new in the land of fitness, take your time as you increase the intensity of your workouts.

Rushing into high-intensity exercise may lead to injury. Start out slowly. Add one or two high-intensity intervals each workout. Slow down if you feel you’re overdoing it. As your stamina increases, feel free to challenge yourself.

Sample Workouts
Remember, there’s no set rule about how to do interval training. It can be tailored to your fitness level and type of exercise.

An interval-training workout involves four variables that can be changed to meet your goals: intensity of intervals, duration of intervals, duration of recovery intervals, and the number of interval repetitions.

Interval training can be casual, spur of the moment bursts of activity depending on how you’re feeling that day or if you’re working towards a more specific sports or fitness goal you can take a more sophisticated, scientific approach.

Interval training workouts have been designed for plyometrics, sprints, stair running, jump rope, speed drills, and agility drills.

A simple example of interval training for walking would be to add short bursts of jogging or alternate slower walking with brisk walking. If you walk outdoors, you could jog or walk faster between certain landmarks such as mailboxes or street signs, then slow down for a short distance.

A second example that really gets your heart pumping and improves fitness in a short amount of time includes running, rowing, or cycling. Warm up for about 15 minutes, then run, row, or cycle as hard as you can (at 90 percent of your maximum heart rate) for three minutes. Then go easy for three minutes, allowing your body to recover. Repeat these three-minute intervals of high- and low-intensity exercise three or four times. Then cool down for 10 minutes.

I’m here to help you meet your fitness and weight loss goals.

You cannot control your weight.

Disagree with that statement?

Go stand on a scale and decide to lose 5 pounds.

Well, how’d that work for you? Did your weight drop on command, or did it not budge?

It didn’t budge.

And yet you spend your precious time obsessing about your weight as if you had control over it.

The good news is that you do have control over a couple of important things that influence your weight.

I’m talking about your choices regarding what you eat and if you exercise.

Your current weight is the sum result of your history with eating and exercise.

Close your eyes and think back over the last three years of your life. What kinds of foods did you eat most often? How intensely did you exercise, and how often?

Now open your eyes and look at yourself in a full-length mirror. You are looking at the result of your past choices.

If you like what you see then keep on eating and exercising the same. It’s working for you!

If you don’t like what you see, then it’s time to start making different choices about food and exercise. Here are some suggestions:

Choices about food…
I choose to eat wholesome foods that nourish my body.
I choose to only eat when I’m hungry and to stop eating when I’m full.
I choose to not eat junk food, sugary drinks or sweets.
I choose to eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
Choices about exercise…
I choose to get up early in the morning, when I could be sleeping, to invest an hour of my time in exercise.
I choose to be consistent with my workout schedule, giving exercise the same importance as a doctor’s appointment.
I choose to change my workout routine often, to always keep my muscles guessing.
I choose to push myself to new levels of intensity, in order to strengthen and tone my muscles.
There’s no reason to spend another minute obsessing about the number on your scale. You’re smarter than that.

Instead focus your energy on the choices you make regarding what you eat and how you exercise.

Remember, I’m here to help you meet your fitness and weight loss goals.

Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly bring you to your goal.

An excellent exercise choice to make is to start one of my fitness programs!

ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE OFFICE POSTS SELF-DEFENSE INSTRUCTION VIDEO — STARRING A FEMALE INSTRUCTOR KICKING BUTT!

Known more famously for posting nosecone videos of airstrikes on terrorist hideouts and hidden weapons caches, the spokesman’s office of the Israeli Defense Forces is branching out into other genres. Its latest video, “Learn How to Defend Yourself: IDF Style,” stars one of its, shall we say, camera-friendly female combat instructors demonstrating martial arts techniques for avoiding abduction.

Twenty-year-old Krav Maga instructor Sgt. Rachel Shir demonstrates on-camera what she teaches IDF soldiers to avoid being kidnapped.

The IDF explains:

Krav Maga is a self-defense system that was invented by the Israel Defense Forces in order to ensure that both combat and non-combat soldiers know how to stay safe in every situation. All IDF soldiers are taught how to defend themselves from abductions, stabbing attempts and much more.

In New YouTube Video, Israeli Self Defense Instructor Sgt. Rachel Shir Shows How to Avoid Abduction IDF Style

Rachel’s would-be attackers approach her in a dark place, calling out “Hey, honey!”

As two actors approach her on a dark, isolated street, Rachel explains:

When walking alone at night, be aware of your surroundings, stay focused and be ready for any attack to occur.

If attacked when you’re out at night by yourself, use everything in your hand to defend yourself.

When your attacker is stunned, strike him in the groin to neutralize him as quickly as possible.

In New YouTube Video, Israeli Self Defense Instructor Sgt. Rachel Shir Shows How to Avoid Abduction IDF Style

Attacker grabs Rachel from behind

In New YouTube Video, Israeli Self Defense Instructor Sgt. Rachel Shir Shows How to Avoid Abduction IDF Style

She elbows…

In New YouTube Video, Israeli Self Defense Instructor Sgt. Rachel Shir Shows How to Avoid Abduction IDF Style

She kicks…

In New YouTube Video, Israeli Self Defense Instructor Sgt. Rachel Shir Shows How to Avoid Abduction IDF Style

She punches

There is a universal draft in Israel for both men and women. The latter serve a mandatory two years in the IDF. Like in the U.S., the recruitment of women to combat positions followed debate among military leaders due to concern over the potential abductions of female soldiers. Abductions are a very real threat to Israeli soldiers, the most recent case being Gilad Shalit who was snatched from Israel and held in Gaza for more than five years.

The issue of women in combat was highlighted last week when a female sniper serving in the IDF named only as “Corporal S.” was commended after she shot dead a terrorist carrying explosives who engaged her battalion along Israel’s border with Egypt. In the gunfight, her male colleague Cpl. Netanel Yahalomi was killed. “One of the terrorists exploded right in front of us,” she told the Israeli news site Ynet.

In New YouTube Video, Israeli Self Defense Instructor Sgt. Rachel Shir Shows How to Avoid Abduction IDF Style

Female combat sniper identified only as “Corporal S.” by Israeli news site Ynet

After the battle, the IDF criticized the Israeli media for focusing on another woman in the co-ed battalion who allegedly took cover behind bushes fearing she would become a kidnapping target for the terrorists. The IDF stated that she was never ordered to storm the terrorists.

This is the second video the IDF has released on self-defense. In the first, Rachel explains what to do if faced with various scenarios including getting your hair pulled, if grabbed from behind, and when attacked from the front.

Watch the latest IDF video here:

 

Vacations are a time to get away from the grind of everyday life – to indulge mind and body in relaxation and enjoyment.
Unfortunately all that indulgence typically leads to a pound gained for each day that you’re away.To help you combat these unwanted pounds, I’ve identified the 5 main reasons that people gain weight on vacation, as well as your strategic plan of avoidance.

Reason #1: Not Having A Plan
Let’s face it, the vacation mindset is a set-up for gaining pounds. Your priority is to relax, and for most that means eating, resting and forgetting the gym.

Your best line of defense is to keep your fitness goals at the forefront of your mind.

Your Plan: Before you leave for your trip sit down and set a goal.

A realistic goal is to maintain your current weight or to lose a pound or two.

The simple act of bringing your fitness goal to mind before leaving on your trip will greatly reduce your chances of coming home heavier.

Reason #2: Indulgent Snacking
There’s nothing like a vacation to cause you to throw all caution to the wind with indulgent snacking.

Ice cream in the middle of the day, frozen coffee drinks topped with whipped cream, salty bags of chips and even a visit through a fast food drive thru.

While these snacks may be fun, the damage will quickly catch up to you.

Your Plan: Approach your trip with the strategy of indulging with control.

If you really must have a sweet treat, then make it small and follow it up with a balanced, protein-filled meal.

Another way to reduce indulgent snacking is to bring along your own healthy options.

Dried or fresh fruit, unsalted nuts, health bars, cut veggies and low fat jerky are a good start.

By filling up on these healthy snacks you will end up eating less when presented with a sweet or salty treat.

Reason #3: Forgetting Portion Control
You have no choice but to dine out while on vacation and whether you’re visiting 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you’re going to face the same problem: large portions.

While the easiest thing to do with a big plate of food is to simply eat it all—you are on vacation after all…right?—that isn’t the best for your waist.

Your Plan: Decide here and now that you will not indulge in large portions.

When you order your meal ask the waiter or waitress to bring you a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it safely into the box before you even begin to eat.

This gives you no choice but to eat a healthy portion.

If you would rather not carry around a to-go box then ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime ask for the lunch-sized entrée.

Reason #4: Eating Too Late
Who really wants to go to bed early while on vacation? The days stretch long and undoubtedly end with a nice big dinner.

All these calories, eaten right before bed, will quickly land around your waist.

Your Plan: Simply stop eating 3 hours before you go to bed.

This easy trick is especially effective while on vacation.

So skip that late night indulgence and wake up looking and feeling great.

Reason #5: Not Exercising Enough (Or At All)
Oh, groan, do I really have to exercise while on vacation?

Yes, you do! That is if you want to look and feel younger and more alive.

Too often exercise is looked at as work, but vacations are the perfect time to really enjoy a good workout.

You won’t be rushing home, trying to squeeze in a few minutes at the gym, but rather the vacation workout can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Your Plan: Look at vacation workouts as a treat, and make it a priority.

Here are some ideas:

  • Virtually every hotel these days has some type of workout room equipped with cardio machines, dumbbells and a universal machine, so make good use out of it.
  • Vacations are also a great time to take your workout outdoors; take a run on the beach or do sprints, pushups and crunches on a grassy field. If you want more ideas of workouts you can do using just your body weight then give me a call or send me an email.
  • Make a conscious effort to be active everyday. Go on a brisk walk after your day’s activities. This is a great way to see a new city, and also a great way to burn off extra calories. Take the stairs instead of elevator in your hotel and any other buildings you visit.
  • Go on a short jog in the mornings or evenings of your stay. If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each morning or evening.

Enjoy your vacation! And when you get back into town call or email me for a fitness and fat loss consultation and I’ll show you a step-by-step plan for getting you the body that you deserve – it’s easier than you think.

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