What makes competition and sparring so scary?  Let me tell you, it’s the unknown.  Anxiety stems from the lack of control and anticipation over the situation and the outcome. So what should you do?!  Control what you can, and embrace what you cannot.  Pre-fight rituals (or pre-spar rituals) is one tactic that I use to help me calm my nerves before going into competition.

A pre-fight ritual is a set series of tasks/activities that you do each time before entering the stage to perform.  

WHY PRE-FIGHT RITUALS WORK

Rituals work because amidst all the unknown associated with competition, rituals have the ability to ground you with the power of familiarity and therefore put the element of control in your own hands.  Familiarity is built by the consistent reenactment of these rituals over time so take the time to practice and get acquainted with them.

MY PERSONAL EXAMPLE

Before every BJJ competition I go through a very specific set of rituals.  I usually arrive 1.5 hours before my bracket.  45 min before my 1st match, I like to leave the competition area and find a quiet spot somewhere away from the action.  I put on my headset, play some calming instrumental music and close my eyes for 25 minutes.  I focus on deep breaths and empty my mind.  At times, I even doze off.  I wake up to the sound of the alarm with 25 minutes to go; I start putting on  finger tape.  The process of wrapping my fingers is extremely important for my psyche.  I do not rush the process.  I stay in the moment with each wrap and soak in all my feelings.  Once all my fingers are taped, I get up and start my warm-up routine, which consist of a few sets of mouth clenches, jumping jacks, and burpees.   I head toward the mats 10 minutes before go time.

What happens in a fight is unpredictable and chaotic, so I try not to make too many predictions nor do I try to control the outcome. I try only to control what I can, and that’s the pre-fight rituals which I do my very best to replicate the same each time.  This puts me back in the driver’s seat.     

CREATE YOUR OWN

The set of rituals you chose should be specific to you.  Get creative and create your own routine.  Rituals can be done 30 minutes, 2 hours, or even a day before performance.  Just remember that you should try to keep the process as similar as possible each time you do it.

Ideas for Rituals:

• Listening to music (should be the same every time)
• Meditating
• Calling a friend, or loved one
• Taking a nap
• Taking a series of deep breaths
• Going for a walk
• Eating a muffin
• Watching the same TV show or movie 

Now go take what’s yours.

-Coach Bao
#teamLEGACY
#whatsyourlegacy

Sometimes you are going along a pathway, and you keep going even if it seems like that way is no longer right for you. Sometimes you feel that you have traveled too far to turn back so you settle on the journey you are on currently. A powerful tool is the ability to assess your current position. Assessment has a high pay-off if you commit to do it and do it well; that’s because it requires a self-awareness and honesty that part of the journey towards anything is stopping to ask yourself if you are going in the right direction.  Sometimes that requires the courage to reassess and admit that the direction you are going in isn’t really what you want. 

Some questions to ask yourself about where you are going: 

• Do you still want it? 
• What is the result you are searching for?
• How do you want to feel? 

While these questions seem relatively simple, they require you to look hard at how things are going. It will be surprisingly more difficult than you expect because most of us are unaware of our blind spots. If you think you don’t have one, ask a trusted friend. They are far more likely to notice negative patterns in your behaviour than you are because sometimes it is the very decisions we are making to keep us “safe” that are holding us back from reaching our dreams, or at the very least our current goals. 

Paying attention to the things you do not want to pay attention to requires a willingness to shine a light on the things in your life that trigger you the most. Lasting transformation means being an objective witness on the parts of yourself that you hide from the most. While generally the most painful, they are usually the biggest catalysts for change. 

Once you have gone through the difficult process of assessing where you are. Remember the most important thing: do not beat yourself up! We have all heard the cliched quote, “the truth will set you free.” Well, that’s an incomplete quote. The real quote is, “the truth will set you free, but it will shatter your illusions first.” Being honest with yourself is an incredibly hard and brave thing to do.  

A link to a free workbook on how to deal with triggers when they come up.

Part of making lasting change is to make small promises to yourself and keep them. Small promises are the things you know without a doubt you can do. As you keep these small promises, you build confidence and trust in yourself. It is easy to rush into things and throw ourselves into big lofty goals. Instead of making goals like I want to go to the gym, eat better, or you know throw a perfect swing kick every time (I’m so guilty! ), start small. Make one small promise to yourself daily and keep it. You will be surprised at how likely you are to commit to your bigger goals once you show yourself how you can commit to the smaller ones. 

Link to habit tracker.

Set a reminder on your phone.

Write it somewhere where you can see it.

Don’t forget to celebrate yourself when you do it.

So, what is one small promise you will be making to yourself today?

Now that we have discussed how important water is, let’s talk about another essential nutrient. 

Protein is one of the major building blocks of the body and is essential for the growth and repair of virtually every cell. It is a macronutrient meaning that our body requires protein in large amounts and because we do not store most of it, we need to eat it on a regular basis. This is especially important for fighters as it helps to feed and repair muscles.

Although the quantity of protein differs for each individual, the standard amount is about 15-18% of your total calories. It is important to note that this number will vary depending on age, gender, lifestyle, and what feels right for your body. 

To calculate your daily protein requirements accurately, multiply your weight in kg times the amount of protein in grams. For most non-athletes, 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram is suggested. Athletes require more protein, between 1.2 and 2.0 grams. 

Here is an example of how to calculate your protein requirements:

A 200 pound male fighter who trains regularly,

• 200/2.2 = 90kg
• 90kg x 1.2 = 108 grams of protein per day
• 90kg x 2.0 = 180 grams of protein per day

This means that the athlete requires between 108-180 grams of protein per day depending on the amount of training he is doing.

So what do you eat? Lean animal protein such as chicken, turkey, lean ground beef, tuna, salmon, eggs, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt are great options. If your diet is more plant-based, then be sure to include quinoa, black and kidney beans, lentils, tofu, hummus, edamame, hemp and chia seeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, rolled oats, and nuts.

One of the easiest and quickest ways to get protein after training is a good quality protein powder. It can be consumed quickly and has the perfect balance of macros to be used by the muscles immediately. I have mine ready in my gym bag and drink it on the way home from training.

Body Systems Barrie in support of Legacy is giving members 20% in store and a free protein shake for members who visit for the first time! Be sure to swing by and mention you are from Legacy so that the staff there, who are super helpful and are all educated in the health profession, can help you choose the right protein powder for you. 

Your next nutrition challenge… Calculate your protein requirements to ensure you are eating enough. Add a few of these easy, high protein meals to your day:

• 1 scoop plant-based protein powder + 1 cup soy milk = 30 grams
• 1 cup Greek yogurt + ⅓ cup blueberries = 20 grams
• 1 slice rye, pumpernickel, wheat bread + ¼ cup tuna = 16 grams
• ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese + 1 cup raw celery or carrots = 12 grams of protein
• banana roll-up: 1 small whole wheat tortilla + 1 banana + 2 tbsp almond butter = 11 grams
• overnight oats: ½ cup milk + ½ cup rolled oats + 2 tbsp hemp seeds = 11 grams
• chia pudding: ½ cup plant milk + 2 tbsp chia seeds + fresh berries = 6 grams
• 3 oz of baked salmon in a large green salad + ½ cup edamame = 30 grams
• lentil curry = 23 grams
• tofu and quinoa bowl = 18 grams

Are you busting your ass everyday training, giving it 100% but not seeing the changes you want? This may be because your body isn’t getting the right fuel it needs for optimal performance and recovery. Before I became a Nutritionist, I didn’t connect the dots between what I was eating and drinking and how they affected workouts. But, once I began incorporating some important nutrients into my diet, I really saw my body begin to change. If you want to up your game and improve your training, follow my next few blogs to see how you can incorporate five easy but essential nutrients into your diet. I feel like I need to begin right away with the most important element. 

What is colourless, tasteless, and has no caloric value, but it is the most important element of your diet because it is involved in every function in the body? Yep, you got it… it’s water. I dedicated a full blog to the importance of water back in July (check it out here), but I feel like I need to reiterate that it is THE most important thing to give your body and more than half of us are not getting enough. The average recommendation for water per day to maintain a good level of hydration is 2 litres for women and 3 litres for men. But when you are training hard sparring, rolling, and doing the 100 sit-ups everyone has come to love, you need even more water to replace the lost fluids and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that keep your muscles relaxed and help store carbohydrates that fuel the muscles.  Drinking more will improve your performance, energy levels, muscle fatigue, and help you to lose weight. 

Your first nutrition challenge… Increase your fluid intake by including at least one of the following:

• Start your morning by having a large glass of water before leaving the house
• Drink a glass of water before each meal
• Drink an additional litre of water during/after a workout to replace lost fluids
• Keep your water bottle in sight. Take a few sips each time you leave your workspace
• Drink a cup of herbal tea (hot or cold)
• Try sparkling water sweetened with fruit juice
• Drink an additional litre of water during your workout to replenish what you have lost
• Add flavour to your water with a workout powder such as BCAA’s (Branched-chain amino acids) to build muscle and reduce soreness and fatigue
• Add a glass of water between each alcoholic beverage you have

Have you ever been lost with what combos to throw on the bags or pads?  The coaches here at Legacy have put together some of their favorite muay thai combos.  They are very basic, yet they work at the highest levels of competition. Don't just glance over them, study them, and know them well.

Don't forget to read our related blogpost called "CREATING MUAY THAI COMBOS."

Lets dive into it.

Major Single Strike Attacks

1. Jab
2. Cross
3. Rear up elbow
4. Lead up elbow
5. Rear side elbow
6. Lead side elbow
7. Rear swing kick
8. Lead swing kick (switch kick)
9. Rear low kick
10. Rear pushkick
11. Lead pushkick
12. Rear knee
13. Lead knee (switch knee)

Defenses

• Parrying punches
• Blocking against punches
• Shin blocks against kicks
• Arm-shield Blocks against kicks
• Dracula guard
• Catching kicks

Counter Strikes

• Parry any punch to swing kick counter
• Parry any punch to straight knee counter
• Shin block to swing kick counter
• Counter the cross with a rear swing kick or rear low kick
• Counter the jab with a switch kick

Basic Punching Combos

*all hooks are lead hooks

*all jabs or crosses can be substituted for uppercuts

• Jab, cross
• Jab, cross, jab, cross
• Jab, cross, hook
• Jab, cross, hook, cross
• Jab, jab, cross
• Jab, cross, lead body hook
• Fake jab, cross, lead hook

Elbow Focused Combos

• Lead up elbow, rear side elbow
• Lead side elbow, rear up elbow
• Jab, lead up elbow, rear side elbow
• Pull down opponent guard and side elbow
• Jab, cross, lead side elbow,rear up elbow (important to close distance)
• Jab, cross, lead side elbow, rear up elbow (important to close distance)

Kick Focused Combos

• Jab, cross, hook, rear swing kick
• Jab, rear swing kick
• Jab, cross, switch lead kick
• Cross, switch lead kick
• Cross, hook, rear swing kick
• Hook, cross, lead swing kick
• Jab, jab, cross, swing kick
• Jab, lead uppercut, cross, switch kick
• Inside lead kick, cross
• Jab, body cross, lead hook, low kick
• Lead teep, rear swing kick *2
• Rear swing kick, lead teep
• Cross, switch kick*2

Low Kick Focused Combos

• Jab, rear low kick
• Jab, cross, hook, low kick
• Cross, hook, low kick
• Jab-hook, low kick
• Rear upper, hook, low kick

Teep focused Combos 

• Jab, lead teep, jab fake lead teep -> any rear weapon after that works based on range.
• Jab, rear swing kick, lead teep
• Teep, fake teep, rear swing kick (or low)
• Jab, lead teep, rear face teep
• Swing kick, fake swing kick to rear teep

*Side note - timing teeps (lead especially) vs swing kicks is very important.

Establishing an effective teep leads to many opportunities to step a a variety of combinations for all range of weapons

Knee Focused Combo 

• Cross, rear knee
• Jab, switch knee
• Jab, cross, switch knee
• Left hook rear knee
• Cross, hook, rear knee
• Lead teep, fake lead teep, rear knee

*knees are great counters after blocking kicks or parrying punches, example:

• Parry jab to rear knee
• Parry cross to switch knee
• Either side shin block against kicks to either side knee

Combos Starting with a Kick

• Rear swing kick, cross
• Switch kick, cross
• Switch kick, cross, hook, low kick
• Lead push kick, rear swing kick
• Rear push kick, lead swing kick

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