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Archive for July, 2012
Right Water
Tuesday, July 31st, 2012
BATON ROUGE—We’ve all heard the rule: drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, right?
It’s still a good measure to follow, but with new types of water and beverages hitting the shelves, such as vitamin waters and sports drinks, can those replace the stuff from the tap? Local Nutritionist and Wellness Consultant for Fitness Forever Training Academy Audrey Horn has got the answers.
“For the average person, plain water is going to be the best option,” Horn said. “If you want to spruce it up, go with lemons, limes, oranges, or even cucumber.”
Horn said lemons help metabolism and aid in flushing toxins out of the system, but you don’t need to use a lemon with every glass of water you drink. Decaffeinated iced tea is also an option. A tip for drinking more water throughout the day is to get a cup with a straw. Horn said the straw makes it easier to drink, over picking up a bottled water.
“Some of the Crystal Light products are good, but some of them do have artificial sweeteners,” Horn said. “It’s better if you can find something natural, just the extract like mint or cucumber, with no chemicals.”
As far as sports drinks go, such as Powerade and Gatorade, Horn said it’s best to just drink half of the 16-ounce bottle, because there’s so much sugar in it.
“Sports drinks are only meant to hydrate,” Horn said. “They don’t restore muscles and some of them have caffeine in them, which you don’t want after a workout.”
Some of the fitness waters or vitamin waters have fat soluble nutrients in them, which means they won’t deliver to your body unless you eat fat with the drink. Be sure to note this, so you don’t waste your money and think you’re getting vitamins when you might not be.
“Constantly drinking water primes your muscles and helps them to contract,” Horn said. “Not drinking enough water affects your workout and your entire body.”
Further reading:
Weight loss decision leads to martial arts stardom for BR woman
Sunday, July 29th, 2012
CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO & FULL STORY
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 5:22 PM CDTUpdated: Jul 27, 2012 5:22 PM CDT
BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) -
The jungle sounds and lion roars spilling from a small workout room at L.A. Boxing on Sherwood Forest Boulevard can mean only one thing, the Little Ninjas are hard at work. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Jessica Guedry puts the mini-martial artists through their paces.
Two years ago, Guedry admits she would not have made it through the first ten minutes. “I was about 260 pounds. I guess I was just looking for something, a way to lose weight and get in shape,” she says.
Guedry had tried diets and exercise on her own with some positive results, but after losing 50 pounds, she reached her weight loss plateau. That’s when a friend suggested boxing classes. Gabe Miller, owner of L.A. Boxing remembers the day Guedry walked into his gym. “She was really shy. It was almost like she wouldn’t look you in the eye.”
At 210 pounds, Guedry was not ready for the intense workout slugging heavy bags. “I tried my first class. It kicked my butt for sure. I was hooked. From then on, I was in here five, six nights a week.”
Five months later, she was down to 160 pounds and the heavy bags were not enough of a workout. “Trainers started noticing how good she was on the bags,” says Miller. That is when trainer Josh Mancuso talked Guedry into climbing into the boxing ring.
“Oh my gosh,” Guedry says as she remembers that day. “Sparring; they punch each other. I didn’t want to get a bloody nose. I didn’t want to lose any teeth.”
From the boxing ring, it was a short hop to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu which Guedry calls her life right now. BJJ is a sport of throws, and chokes, and big guys grabbing all over each other practiced mostly by mixed martial arts fighters.
“Tap, snap, or nap” is the mantra BJJ grapplers live by. Opponents either tap the mat to surrender or risk a broken bone and unconsciousness. At just over five-foot-five and 150 pounds, Guedry got a few stares her first day on the mat. “They didn’t take me seriously at first,” she laughs. “I don’t think they thought I was going to stick with it.”
She took the same determination she had poured into losing weight and focused it on her new sport. Guedry quickly tore through the women’s competition in Louisiana and Texas, but she is slow to boast about her accomplishments. Miller does that for her. “She’s competed in multiple tournaments. Won multiple tournaments in multiple divisions,”
Earlier this summer, only eight months after first stepping onto the mat, Guedry found herself at the World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Long Beach, CA, a rookie in the midst of the best grapplers in the world.
Guedry made it to through the tournament with only one loss and became the first Louisiana Woman to place in a world BJJ championship, ever.
Miller marvels at the transformation. “She came in here to lose weight – to shed a few pounds – to now, one of the top women’s Jiu-Jitsu grapplers in the world.”
Guedry may have surprised the field in Long Beach, but coach and training partner Mancuso had a feeling Guedry possessed the qualities it takes to be a champion. “She’s not blessed with any more than anybody else, but she’s got determination, and the will to work. That’s what’s brought her to the level she’s at.”
Guedry credits her gym family for her success. “My teammates are my family. They’ve just changed my life completely.” But her success on the mat and all the weight she has lost is second to what she has gained. “Confidence, first of all, a better understanding of myself, if I say I’m going to do something, I find a way to do it, now.”
Miller agrees. “It looks like it’s changed the way she looks at herself. It’s changed the way she looks at life.”
Guedry is not resting on her success. She hopes to be back in world competition next year with a real shot at bringing home the gold. This weekend, she takes her game to the next level, competing against men. “It’s just not fair to the other women in the tournament to have to fight her,” says Mancuso.
Win or lose, come Monday, Guedry will be back in the gym, honing her skills and shaping little ninjas into the next generation of BJJ champions. “You never stop learning. That’s the beauty of Jiu-Jitsu.
Copyright 2012 WAFB. All rights reserved.
LA Boxing To Open New Location In Baton Rouge
Thursday, July 26th, 2012
Baton Rouge, LA (July 5, 2012) – LA Boxing Baton Rouge, acknowledged as the area’s leading authority on health, fitness, and martial arts announced today that a deal has been signed to open the newest LA Boxing location in Baton Rouge, LA situated at 3731 Perkins Road, on the corner of Perkins and Acadian.
The new facility, scheduled to open its doors in late September, will provide all the same amenities and classes offered at the original, newly expanded gym on Sherwood Forest & Coursey including; Group Boxing & Kickboxing Classes, Weights & Cardio Equipment, Personal Training, and Mixed Martial Arts.
“I can’t express how excited I am about this new location,” said Gabe Miller, owner of LA Boxing Baton Rouge. “We’ve worked hard to make this happen and the project is finally moving forward. This simply proves the community has a true interest in getting fit, learning real self-defense and martial arts and are willing to invest in a healthier lifestyle.”
LA Boxing focuses on effective, efficient, and exciting boxing & kickboxing workouts that give members the ability to burn up to 1,000 calories in the hour-long classes. These group sessions, taught by instructors with professional/amateur fighting experience, are filled with individuals of all fitness and skill levels and, although intense in nature, members are encouraged to workout at their own pace.
Beyond its calorie-killing classes, popularly known as The LA Boxing Workout, franchise owners claim the benefits afford more than just a change in physical appearance. “When you leave our gym you have a change in attitude. There’s something about the type of training we do that just lets you release and overcome all the stress and problems on your mind,” explained Miller.
For those interested in more than just the cardio and conditioning aspect, LA Boxing also provides comprehensive Mixed Martial Arts training with focus in jiu-jitsu, muy thai, and boxing for beginners and even advanced practitioners.
LA Boxing is also promoting Presale Specials on memberships at their new location. Click the link below to find out more.
Member Profile: Dean Bartels
Tuesday, July 24th, 2012
BATON ROUGE— Meet Dean Bartels! Dean, 46, works as a full-time banker, and juggles his schedule around the busy lives of his wife and children. Dean joined LA Boxing in May 2011 with a goal to get fit.
Fitness goals: I joined LA Boxing to get in better cardiovascular shape. My father died of a heart attack at 64 years old, and I want to be there for my kids. I also love to eat, so I’m making an effort to eat clean. I also joined to lose weight and to lower my stress level.
Motivational tips: I make a schedule where I come to the gym at least 3-4 times a week, and I stick to it. I coordinate my schedule with my wife’s, and my two kids who are in gymnastics, soccer, basketball, and track. I make time so I can be here for that full hour of class. I pack my gym back and keep it in my car on the days I’ve scheduled to be at the gym.
Favorite part about LA Boxing Baton Rouge: The personal trainers that push and motivate you to do better for your workout.
Boxing, MMA Part of Holistic Lifestyle
Tuesday, July 17th, 2012
Living holistically is about treating all aspects of life —social, physical, mental, spiritual—as one, and making sure each is in equal balance. To maintain the balance, holistic practices include a natural diet, exercise, relaxation, meditation, and herbal remedies.
Exercises that fit into the holistic lifestyle include yoga, tai-chi, and even boxing and kickboxing.
Boxing and kickboxing workouts not only improve your physical health, but also create a mind-body balance by relieving stress and tension. Boxing and kickboxing are also known to boost confidence, as you’re learning self-defense moves. These workouts improve mental clarity, adding to the mind-body balance.
Next time you hit the gym, consider a workout that’s going to better your body and your mind.
For more information on the holistic lifestyle visit http://holisticlifestylesguide.com/
Women’s Boxing to Make its Debut in Summer Olympics
Friday, July 13th, 2012
Women’s Boxing to Make its Debut in Summer Olympics
Finally, female boxers are getting the chance to fight for a medal in the Olympic games. The Summer Olympics, with the opening ceremony July 27, will feature women in boxing for the first time, with three ladies on the U.S. team.
Representing the U.S. will be Claressa Shields, Marlen Esparza, and Quanitta “Queen” Underwood. As the first female boxers to compete in the Olympics, they’ve already made history. The ladies will join 33 (a small number compared to the 250 men competing) other fighters, in three separate weight classes (the men’s competition has 10), all competing for the coveted medals.
While boxing joined the Olympics in 1904, it was the only Summer sport without females until now. The entire US boxing team has 12 members, making it the largest at the London games. The women’s tournament begins on the second Sunday of the games (August 5 and 6), and will last five days, with semifinals on August 8 and the gold-medal matches on August 9.
Meet the U.S. Women’s Team:
- Claressa Shields: Flint, Michigan, 17, competing as a middleweight (165lbs)
- Marlen Esparza: Houston, Texas, 22, competing as a featherweight (112 lbs)
- Quanitta “Queen” Underwwod: Seattle, Washington, 28, competing as a lightweight (132lbs)
Related articles:
The Detroit News: Flint boxer Claressa Shields helping to make Olympic history
Yahoo Sports: Women boxers get long-awaited Olympic chance
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/women-boxers-long-awaited-olympic-140512595–oly.html
The New York Times: U.S. Has Its First Female Olympic Boxer
Yahoo Sports: Women’s USA Olympic Boxing Team
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/womens-usa-olympic-boxing-team-fan-overview-222300187–oly.html
