3 Days to Change Your Life with Judd Reid

I have spoken about the Budo-life and the art of martial arts before,( Read) but this coming weekend I think India and specifically Bangalore will finally understand what it means to be amongst a legend. (Before I explain who the legend is- have a look at this Video)

Judd’s Reid was one of those lucky stars who started Karate probably before he started walking. He had the vision & dream to go to Japan and train under the Kyokushin Karate founder Shihan Mas Oyama. At 17 he was selected to be part of the “1000 Days Young Lions Training Program” in Japan. The training, fighting and living conditions were extreme, but Judd was one of the first foreigners to graduate and this sealed a bond with the great Mas Omaya forever! His life was dedicated to spreading the Kyokushin philosophies.

 

Judd Reid with Shihan Mas Oyama

The Budo life never ends, you live, breathe and train constantly and for 20 years this journey continued. He was crowned world champion at the age of 39 and completed the incredible feat of completing a 100 man fight in Japan at age 40. (watch this)

 

The life of legends are always dedicated to teaching and training and today Judd at the age of 45 continues his life-long promise. He runs camps inviting people from all over the world to experience what he did in his time in Japan.

We get a chance to walk amongst the great when Judd Reid visits Bangalore 9th to 12th Sept. He conducts a workshop for us and this is what he had to say:

Live & Unedited Message from Judd:

Firstly I’m very excited about coming to India. This will be my first visit and I’m sure many more to come. I’m looking forward to seeing your beautiful country and beautiful people.This workshop/ camp I hope will leave a lasting memory for many years to come. If you are looking to enrich your soul, learn new things, be out of your comfort zone,strengthen your mind and body well this camp is for you. 

I believe in hard work. Nothing can be achieved through laziness and doing things half-hearted.

Fire in the belly and determination bring that with you and the rest will fall into place.  I haven’t met any of you guys yet but I’m sure by the end of the camp we will all be life long friends forever.

This camp is for everyone, Beginners, Advanced, Women, Men and Teenagers.

We will all work hard as a team pushing each other.The most important thing is to develop good character and relationships . This is what Kyokushin, my training is about, a strong body will follow.

We are all.going to learn a lot and walk away a stronger person for it making any challenges we may face in the future not a problem at all.

See you all next week.

Judd

Details: 10th Sept: Bangalore – 3 sessions 6.30 – 830 am;11-1 pm 3-5 pm (at Namma CrossFit Cunningham Road) 11th – 12th Kabini – depart at 5:30am food and accommodation will be provided at Red Earth Luxury Resort. Contact Vinayak:  kvinayakshetty@yahoo.com or click here

Come for The Young Lions  – synopsis – book launch at 7pm 9th sept @ ATTA GALATTA KORAMANGALA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Training Tips For Your First 21km Run

It is that time of the year again when all the marathoners are on a running high! The hard work and year-round training is about to pay off. Yup Marathon season has kick-started with the Hyderabad marathon last weekend. If you did not make it for the AHM then start your prep for the Bangalore Marathon in Oct, Delhi in Nov and Mumbai in Jan. If this is your first 21km don’t be worried just make sure you train and train some more.

Here are a few tips to make your first half as easy as it can get

1. 

   #runbuddieslikenoother

   Find a run buddy-I say this in every running post and saying it again. It easier to stay motivated and inspired when you have someone to share the burn with!!

2. Get a Plan on speed dial – follow the Nike+ Running App or look for one online, or from your coach at the gym or inbox me. Just get a schedule in place and follow it religiously to make sure your race ready!

3. 

   After my long run for the week

   At least 3 runs a week – non-negotiable! An interval run of 4 to 5km,  1 semi-long runs ( 8km to 10km) and a LOOOONG run. By long run I mean start week 1 at 10km, week 2 at 13km and keep increasing it every week until you get to 21km.

4. Strength Training – I know its a lot with 3 runs a week, but try one day of strength to keep your muscles in place. You don’t want to loose all that mass you worked so hard to build. Strong legs and core muscles will just make your runs a lot easier.
5. Cross-train- This scheduling is starting to sound like a boot camp, but cross-training helps with recovery. An easy swim, yoga or cycling can give you good endurance on your off days.
6. Last, but NOT the least is nutrition. It is critical to eat right during this intense training period. Make sure you have a good split of superfoods, protein and carbs. This is also a good time to take whey protein for muscle recovery considering you are training almost every day. Grab a Zago bottle, which is on-the-go pre-mixed whey protein drink  which can give you that instant recovery post your training sessions.
7. Track your runs-if you love stats and analyzing stuff. Geek out on this. Make a chart and track your progress.

Follow these 7 mantras and you will breeze through your first 21km like a boss. I am training with you so in-box me for help and I hope to finish super strong! Remember there is no finish line, this is only the beginning!

 

Back to Basics This Monsoon

Monsoons in Bangalore (my hometown) is the best season here. Every day for two months the sky is a little gloomy, a refreshing breeze and the lovely unpredictable rain! The weather is so special it makes you want to go out and stay home at the same time.

While you cozy up and cover up from the rain. It is a tough time if you love outdoor workouts and outdoor runs. This can mess-up a good training schedule and could leave you lazy and demotivated.

I always see this as a great time to get back to basics. While the rest of the year we spend maxing out our training schedules this is the time to take a pause and work on all those little skills we tend to ignore.

So here are a few tips on how to make this weather work best for you

Go back to a gym or indoor training center and re-visit your FORM for core movements. Is there a way to make your squat better, your push – up stronger and your deadlift heavier. Good work on these strength movements will influence your running/ cycling/ yoga etc.

From my post on Pilates ( Read here) you know that CORE is KING. You can get in some heavy-duty core strengthening work. If you need a good workout you can check out the Nike Training App which has great 4-6week programs on core and strength.
Flexibility, Agility , Plyometrics and Mobility– yup they all exist and now you can spend a good amount of time figuring out what they are. Throw these words at your trainers and demand a diverse training plan to attack these weak spots.

Lastly don’t completely ignore your running and other cardio training. Use the treadmill to do interval speed training and the elliptical to increase stamina. You could also give Spinning a try, which is great for stronger limbs.

For me the monsoons has been really busy, but it is time to visit the old and rework the new, half the year is almost done!

 

 

Women On Top

As a believe in gender equality I feel there are many physical activities women shy away from doing due to stereotypes and social conditioning. Let this Women’s Day be about setting yourself free from countless gender biases!

Women should lift as heavy a weight as she wants too!

Weight training is a must for both genders as it helps build muscles, gives you great stamina, reduces body fat and gives you more energy. Read more on it in my previous post so break this fear and walk boldly to the male dominated weights section and pick up a hefty 15kg dumbell and do some bicep curls! Men be less intimidating and happily share your corner near the heavy weights section.

Outdoor Running

This is a tough one in India where women are leched at constantly and for a lady to run on the road makes me cringe too! But giving up in not an option because treadmill running will mess up your knees. Running outdoors reduces stress levels, increases lung capacity and speed due to adaptations on any terrain are few of the wonderful benefits. So brave up, sync in some good music and just run! Make sure you run in a well-lit and populated area and avoid running after 6pm. ( eg: cubbon park, joggers park) ( sorry to say this but safety first)

Martial Arts

Self-defense is only one of the numerous reasons women should learn martial arts. The “Budo” life is for everyone. Martial art teaches you discipline, improves flexibility and coordination and about harnessing internal energy systems. Plus you feel so badass! So join a boxing class, karate or mixed martial arts and let the inner dragon free. ( read more )

Football, Basketball, Cricket, Golf and pretty much every sport!

Life lessons are learnt on the sports-field which no book can teach you. The health benefits are incredible apart from improving muscle memory, making you more agile, better plyo-metrics and overall you’re metabolic rate is higher than non-athletes. Don’t think twice choose a sport you have aspired to play and just start.

Forget about crazy crash diets and looking “Skinny” focus on becoming healthy, fit and live a disease-free happy life. When you are sixty you rather be healthy then a sickly size zero!

HAPPY WOMEN’S DAY! 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Nutrition = Good Run

My first run for the year is this weekend called the Pinkathon. I am excited because it is a ladies only run for breast cancer awareness! I could not have asked for a better way to start off the running year.

What best can be done two days before race day? At this point all your training is done and you should be resting up for the big show.

This is when nutrition is key. Eating the right type of food 2-3 days before is critical.

First Pinkathon in 2014

Two days before is when you start loading up on carbs ( AKA”Carb Loading”) Carb loading simply means ensuring you get a good amount of healthy carbs into your diet to give you immense amount of energy on race day. So healthy pastas, brown rice, oats, boiled potato – is good to eat for the last 5 meals before you run. There’s also a healthy liquid snack in the market called – Zago Mighty Meal. This is a oat-powered snack which helps in keeping you full longer, while providing essential vitamins and minerals.

 

My plate for the past few days!

On race day make sure you don’t eat a heavy breakfast or any breakfast. Instead you can fuel up with a protein drinks, some almonds, a banana and oats if you’re really hungry. Make sure you eat half an hour prior to the start.

During your run hydrate and hydrate. If you are a first time runner than stop at the water stations 4km, 7km and 9km. Here you can grab a quick drink of water or Zago Body Buddy, if they provide it. This 20gm protein drink gives you a burst of energy that keeps you going till the end.

Carry one of these for post run hydration

Finally when your done running and clicking proud finisher selfies. Go to the refreshment stall and make sure you hydrate again. It’s important to remember to stock up on carbs as well as proteins after the marathon. If you aren’t sure what proteins to take, I recommend a combination of Whey and Casein (more in my next post) which helps avoid cramps and soreness later, and replenishes all the lost nutrients from your muscles. For me the quickest and most effective solution is Zago.

So gear up and get ready to take on your run this weekend! Anything done for a good cause is bound to be epic!

 

 

 

 

Count Your Blessings

Here is my last post for 2015 before the dawn of a new year, a new start and exciting months and days ahead! But before I start my year-end revelry I think it is important to pause and be thankful for all 2015 has done for me.

2015 was a year of many “firsts” and trust me that doesn’t happen often when you are my age.

First EVER post

This year I started writing. I was never a writer, and the  grammar police will definitely give my blogs a once over with a disapproving look. But I threw caution to the wind and just went ahead and did it. And sometimes a momentary decision can open your life to a new hobby, to new ideas, a new career, a new capability and even a new passion.

June: Be Supreme, Most Fav Post

I never thought blogging would have a ripple effect that enriched my whole life. Lunchboxlicense was started on the premise of helping people who struggle with body image and fitness issues. While I hope it touched the lives of many and brought changes even in a few of them. It changed my life the most.

 

Handstand @the Great Wall of China, most fun thing i did this year

I don’t want to bore you with the details of how and why. But my last message for the year is this: Count Your Blessings, small or big. Document them somewhere so you don’t forget you did well this year. It is always good to refer back at any point that 2015 wasn’t a total random year in your book of life.

FirstHalf-Marathon

Follow a dream, a hobby, a passion or even just a fleeting interest and you will be shocked at how it can catapult into something you never imagined. Take one tiny little step and in the words of Paulo Coelho, the universe will transpire to make it happen for you. You never really know where it can take you. If it goes nowhere, at least, you had fun trying.

Sept: Girls who lift, most inspirational post

And lastly, anyone can do anything. My story of couch potato & party animal to half marathon runner, fitness enthusiast, CrossFit junkie….. so don’t be afraid to explore and experiment at any age or stage. Reinvention and evolution are part of our nature as human beings.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays!! See you all in 2016… who knows what lies ahead!!! Salut

 

 

Confession of a First Time Half Marathon Runner

My first confession  is that my 21km running dream started in 2014. I signed up for the very same “Bengaluru Marathon” in 2014, but I did a no show. Yup a month before the run I lost motivation and quit on my training. I felt so terrible that I stopped running for nearly 6 months.

Training for a 21km is a different ball game, you need around 8-10 weeks to make sure that you are in a good place by the time the run happens. Read here 21km training schedules.

My second confession is that I did not follow my training program. I was 50% regular. I traveled for a holiday close to the race day ( 2 weeks before) at this point I should have been at the peak of my training but instead I was trailing behind.

my gear which got me that medal

The Third Confession is that I had never run beyond 13km. I was worried but since I exercise daily I felt confident in my fitness levels and decided to take the plunge and do the run with whatever I had.

You are only as good as your training! My last confession. The run started off good and strong. I cruised the first 1okm, but I knew the real challenges would come later . I experienced my first cramp at 16km. I slowed down by 50% and started drinking more water. Timing was already off by now and I just wanted to make sure I finished the run. 19-21km there was almost no running at all and I limped the finish line. I felt miserable, the clock was ticking and I was so disheartened I would have to finish like this. Post the run was hell, I collapsed in a total mess with severe cramping in both legs and required medical attention. My “high” of completing my first Half Marathon was gone due to all the drama that followed suit.

Life is about the journey not the destinations. So here

1. 21km makes you see yourself differently. Add it to your bucketlist
2. Anyone can do a 21km the human body does allow it!

   

   My running crew: Jeevak, Vinayak & Shisham

3. Train, train and train some more – only to avoid very PAINFUL aftermath
4. Be committed to your run. Focus on a healthy lifestyle at least a month prior
5. Work on strengthening key muscles involved in running.
6. Get a running buddy! It really helps to share your pain. And to take a selfie at the start and finish line!
7. Running music works! My music carried me to the end.
8. Pre-run prep is critical. Try all your gear before hand! Get good shoes, socks, the right clothes will all help to make the run comfy
9. Interval training is super!

   

   Selfie with my family @the finish line

10. Eat right and Don’t starve. Carb load as much as possible
11. Bananas & water can change the game while running!
12. Keep a check on your electrolyte levels ( carry Electral if required)
13. Get someone you love to meet you at the finish line! Best feeling

While I delve deep on how to overcome muscle cramps I know that this is not my last 21km.  I will meet you at the finish line running strong and happy in the next one!

Thanks to my sister Smitha for the awesome walkaman ( runaman). Thanks to Jeevak who did not give up on me and dragged my butt to train every week! To Vinayak who signed me up for the run. To my family who met me at the finish line and got me the medical attention I needed! I am so grateful!

(watch out for my post on how to beat runner cramps)