Solo Martial Arts and Personal Safety School

Better Mobility

2010-03-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

Dynamic Stretching Exercises

Dynamic exercises are gentle movements of what you'll be doing in your days exercise programme. A lot of people mistake static stretching as part of a warm up routine, big mistake.

You should never stretch until your body has warmed up. Imagine if you had a piece of toffee/play putty. When it's hard and you try to stretch it, it breaks, brittle. know take the same piece of toffee /play putty warm it up by heating or rubbing it between your hands then try stretching it. It starts to go with ease. Your ligaments work the same way.

You can perform stretching during your workout. Once areas of your body have warmed up between sets, stop and stretch that area to increase mobility in the muscle then workout another set.

Static stretches are controlled held movements to be performed at the end of a exercise routine when your ready to say "Hey, I'm finished for the day"

So lets give you some examples of Dynamic stretches you can do.

We can work various areas of the body.

Fingers
Wrist
Elbows
Shoulders
Neck
Trunk and shoulder
Hips
Knees
Ankles
Feet & Toes

Below are some exercises we do during our SMA classes, but you could incorporate these at home before going for a run or doing your home punch bag practise. At least you'll have a better understanding of how and why now.

Neck mobility

Flexion/Extension - Tuck you chin into your chest, and then lift your chin upward as far as possible. 6 to 10 repetitions

Lateral flexion - lower your left ear towards your shoulder and then your right ear to your right shoulder. 6 to 10 repetitions

Rotation - turn your chin laterally towards your left shoulder and then rotate towards your right shoulder. 6 to 10 repetitions

Shoulder circles

Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Raise your right shoulder towards your right ear, take it backwards, down and then up again to the ear in a smooth action. Repeat with other shoulder .

Arm swings

Stand tall. feet slightly wider than shoulder -width apart, knees slightly bent, keep back straight at all times. Overhead / down and back -swing both arms continuously to an overhead position and then forward,down, and backwards. 6 to 10 repetitions

Hips circles and twists

circles - with your hands on your hips and feet spread wider than shoulders, make circles with your hips in a clockwise direction for 10 t o12c repetitions. Then repeat in a counter clockwise direction.

Twists

Extend your arms out to your sides, and twist your torso and hips to the left, shifting your weight on to the left foot. Then twist your torso to the right while shifting your weight to the right foot. 10 t o12 on each side.

Half Squats

Stand tall with good posture holding your hands out in front of you for balance. Now bend at the knees until your thighs are parallel with the floor.

Keep your back long throughout the movement, and look straight ahead.

Make sure that your knees always point in the same direction as your toes.

Once at your lowest point, fully straighten your legs to return to your starting position.

Repeat the exercise sixteen times with a smooth, controlled rhythm.

Breath in as you descend, and out as you rise.

Next time I'll talk about static stretching for better flexibility.

to your Health & Fitness

Mr Darren Hunter.

www.solomartialarts.co.uk

For more information contact info@solomartialarts.co.uk

Solo Martial Arts|Martial Arts training Newcastle

2009-09-01T16:00:00.001-07:00

MMA - Workshop

2009-08-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

Adult members;
MMA Grappling, Submission workshop - Saturday 5th September @ 1pm

Come along and enjoy a Fun day of learning how to do all your favourite MMA Submissions, in Our MMA Workshop.

Who is it For?

· Any body that would like to learn a few new moves, without the fear of been hurt.
· Open to all belt ranks
· Males or females

What Will I learn?

· Basic Submissions techniques, Triangle choke, Arm Bar, Kamora etc.
· Basic Ground Exercises
· Basic Ground positions
· & FITness!!!

cost? only £10.

Looking forward to seeing you there!! Mr Darren Hunter

To Book your space, see me in class or email me at info@solomartialarts.co.uk

Any One wishing to Attend must pre-pay before the event to secure your space We are only offering 10 spaces on the MMA Workshop (Deposits are none refundable)

Summer fun Day 16th August

2009-07-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone...sunday 16th August I'm giving up my day off to spend it we with you on our special 2 hour workshop, 1 hour sparring, 1 hour Kama performance training. Have a interesting & FUN Sunday! with Me!!!

SPARRING WORKSHOP
· Enjoy learning new stretching exercises for high kicks
· Learn safe sparring combinations
· Learn new kicking combinations

For those that have our sparring kit, you'll also get to spar!!

IT’S GREAT FUN!!!!! & SAFE!
Only £5
Time :1pm
Day: Sunday 16th August

KAMA PERFORMACE TRAINING workshop

For those that did our last Kama workshop this is your chance to perfect those techniques and become a true performer, if you didn’t make our last one, here your chance to get started.
· Learn how to hold the Kama
· Learn simple Strike
· Learn combinations
· Put it all together .into Our Kama Form.

Time : 2pm
Day Sunday 16th August
Only £5

ENJOY A FULL 2 Hours Of Training or choose what you want to do!!

Bookings: all students wishing to take part in our special August workshop day need to pre-pay and book your space before Friday 14th August , to allow staff to allocate numbers. Any students needing equipment please order before 7th August to ensure we have your equipment for the Day.

See member of Staff or Email solomartialarts@yahoo.co.uk

My website & email are down.

2009-07-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone...while my website & email are down u pcan find update information on this blog along with my email contact detials...please email on solomartialarts@yahoo.co.uk for now...thank you guys!!

Web site & Email down for 4 Days

2009-07-27T02:19:00.000-07:00

My Website & email address is down due to a server problems....could take around 4 days to fix, so please contact me on solomartialarts@yahoo.co.uk or facebook message..thank you.

A Parents Guide:Personal Safety for your child

2009-07-26T12:05:00.000-07:00

Self Defence – 13 Personal Safety Tips

1. NEVER WANDER OFF!
Never wander off alone. Always ask your parents first before going off anywhere or with anyone.
2. Always travel with a friend when going to and from school, it's a lot safer and makes the trip a lot more fun. Use main roads and well light streets in winter months and avoid short cuts and isolated places.

3. STAY AWAY FROM PUBLIC TOILETS:
Always be wary of public toilets. Children should never play near public toilets or go into them alone without a supervising older person.

4. ARRANGE TO HAVE MEETING PLACES:
When out and about always arrange to have a meeting place in case you get lost.

5. If anyone asks you to go with them, no matter what they promise or offer, whether you know them or not, DO NOT GO!! You must say "NO!" Only your parents can give you permission.

6. Have a secret family password that you must hear if an unexpected lift arrives or a message is sent, and then you know for sure it is OK.
7. ADULTS DO NOT ASK FOR HELP FROM CHILDREN!
Adults who need help or directions should not approach children they should ask another adult. Always keep a safe distance so if anyone makes you feel unsafe you can walk or run quickly away. Tell your parents, a teacher, a policeman or go to a safety house or shop and explain. Ask your parents where the nearest safe places are.

8. Stranger Grab YOU:
If someone holds you and won't let you go or tries to force you to go with them then yell, scream and shout "FIRE!" and/or "FIRE Help me!" making as much NOISE as you can to attract help.
Also throw your bag or whatever you can and scatter your belongings everywhere. This may distract the person holding you so you may escape. The reason we yell fire is because if you yell "No!" on looking parents will just think you’re acting out, if we yell fire it attracts attention, once you have another persons attention you should start yelling, "This is not my dad/mum help please"!

9. Your body belongs to nobody but you. If anyone touches you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or in a way that you think is wrong then say "No!" If you are told to keep it a secret, or offered a gift not to tell, say "No!" You must always tell, no matter what.

10. If you ever have a problem or feel unsafe, then keep talking about it, until someone helps you.
12. "SAY NO TO STRANGER"!
What is a stranger? Simply a stranger is someone you don’t know or don’t know well. Even your next door neighbour can be a stranger, if you were invited in for a drink, say politely "No thank you"! Inform your parents.
*For free Workshops on Stranger Awareness for your child email info@solomartialarts.co.uk

13. Stranger Awareness: The Sweet lure.
Were ever you are playing, the park, in school yard, your front garden never accept sweets from a stranger always say "No thank you"! A major important part is not only learning to say no but also maintain a safe distance. If a stranger takes one step forward, you step back. If the Stranger keeps stepping forward then run away and tell someone about this person, DO NOT LET A STRANGE get into grabbing range.

I will be realising allot more information packs and ebooks on such topics: Confidence building, anti bullying, practical self defence, fitness.
Just join this blog to be kept informed......thanks for reading Darren.

Karate Party.

2009-07-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Despite the Best efforts of the weather trying to damper things with it's persistent rain, we enjoy another successful karate birthday party at Solo studio.
The party was to celebrate young Mathew turning 6 years old. Everyone was very well behaved and enjoyed various games, plenty of birthday food and my favorite..Jedi Sparring against ME!.
A Good 2 hours of FUN!!!
A big thank you to all attendees, parents and Miss Alex, Dee Hunter for their help.

If you would like to have a unique Birthday experience for your child, please don't hesitate to contact to reserve your date, contact Mr Darren Hunter on: info@solomartialarts.co.uk
http://www.solomartialarts.co.uk/

finish Strong

2009-07-16T15:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.finishstrongmovie.com/
Check this out!!!!

Solo Karate Birthday party

2009-07-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

July 12 was a special day at our Solo Studio, we hosted a birthday party for our young member Soul, whom celebrated turning five years old. A great day was had by all, with 30 young children in attendance.
The Day started off with meeting and greeting all the young quest and setting out the days rules.
Rule number 1 been: lets make Soul birthday Day the Best ever!!!.
all the young participants learned some basic karate moves and how to act and show respect to each other, followed by various team building games. My favorite part of the Day has to of been the Jedi foam sword sparring. Every quest got the opportunity to go one on one with myself. I got very tired, but worth the smiles on their face. Lets not forget to mention the food, Great pizza and a great Birthday Cake.

The Birthday cake was SITE TO SEE. a special little firework display. with all quest singing the birthday song it was time to blow out the candles, followed by more food and some extra times for karate games.
end of the Day we all thanked everyone for turning up and making soul's day a day to remember.....thank you everyone!!!

Mr Darren Hunter
www.solomartialarts.co.uk

Would you like us to hold a party for your child, drop us a email to learn more info@solomartialarts.co.uk

School Awards 2K9

2009-07-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

Solo Martial Arts

winner of "outstanding contribution to the Community"
From Miss Dee & Mr Darren Hunter Big Thank YOU to Everyone!!

KFM Newcastle - Blogspot

2009-03-03T15:38:00.001-08:00

http://kfmkeysifightingmethod-newcastle.blogspot.com/

We now have a New KFM Newcastle blogspot - to keep all KFM memebers informed of developments and fans of KFM in Newcastle Area. join up to be kept in the loop.

SoloMA - Featured in Evening Chronicle

2009-02-26T15:31:00.000-08:00

Solo Martial Arts featured in todays Evening chronicle page 8

12 GOOD Reasons to Choose Ladies Only Kickboxing

2009-02-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

12 GOOD reasons to choose Ladies only Kickboxing at 'Solo Martial Arts'

1. To be the healthiest in the family
2. To make your partner think 'wow'
3. To make new friendships
4. To keep up with your kids
5. To be the envy of your friends
6. To look in the mirror and like what you see
7. To take some 'YOU' time
8. To help you achieve your dreams
9. To learn to laugh off stress and enjoy life!
10. to Increase your confidence and learn some valuable self protection skills
11. To have a good excuse to go clothes shopping!
12 We have the 'Best' and Friendliest 'members' always making 'You' feel welcome

Do you Walk the Talk?

2009-02-12T04:56:00.000-08:00

Please click the link below to watch a inspirational short film.
http://www.doyouwalkthetalk.com/

This made me laugh!

2009-02-11T15:30:00.000-08:00

To the Guy Who Mugged Me Downtown (Downtown, Savannah)I was the white guy with the black Burberry jacket that you demanded I hand over shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I hope you somehow come across this message. I'd like to apologize.I didn't expect you to crap your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. Truth is, I was wearing the jacket for a reason that evening, and it wasn't that cold outside. You see, my girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber 1911. 45 ACP pistol for Christmas, and we had just picked up a shoulder holster for it that evening. Beautiful pistol, eh? It's a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head, isn't it?I know it probably wasn't a great deal of fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge flopping about in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse since you also ended up leaving your shoes, cellphone, and wallet with me. I couldn't have you calling up any of your buddies to come help you try to mug us again. I took the liberty of calling your mother, or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, and explaining to her your situation. I also bought myself some gas on your card. I gave your shoes to one of the homeless guys over by Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all of the cash in your wallet, then I threw the wallet itself in a dumpster.I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell. They'll be on your bill in case you'd like to know which ones. Alltel recently shut down the line, and I've only had the phone for a little over a day now, so I don't know what's going on with that. I hope they haven't permanently cut off your service. I was about to make some threatening phone calls to the DA's office with it. Oh well.So, about your pants. I know that I was a little rough on you when you did this whole attempted mugging thing, so I'd like to make it up to you. I'm sure you've already washed your pants, so I'd like to help you out. I'd like to reimburse you for the detergent you used on the pants. What brand did you use, and was it liquid or powder? I'd also like to apologize for not killing you and instead making you walk back home humiliated. I'm hoping that you'll reconsider your choice of path in life. Next time you might not be so lucky. If you read this message, email me and we'll do lunch and laundry.
Peace!
Alex

First Posted on www.tacticaledge.co.uk

Setting and Achieving Goals

2009-01-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to You all!

Many of use believe that there is always room for improvement, that is why millions of people establish resolutions each NEW YEAR.

Experts agree that setting goals for yourself is an important step in achieving what you want. however, if you take a moment to reflect upon last year's resolutions, you will probably discover that somehow most of those resolutions have slipped away unfulfilled. What went wrong?

Setting resolutions has become as common an activity each December 31st. Unfortunately, the yearly routine of establishing resolutions is not always followed by a plan to attain them. having a plan is like having a travel directions: with them, you not only know where you want to go but also how to get there. A plan is absolutely vital to enable you to keep your resolutions. If your resolutions are realistic and you follow a good plan, there is no reason that you can't make a resolution come true. But before getting started, it is important to note the difference between goals and resolutions. A goal is a result that you strive towards while a resolution involves personal changes you will need to make in order to achieve a goal.

Consider these examples:

1. Your goal is to achieve your black belt while your resolution is to attend class more consistently. One person's resolution can be another person's goal, as in this example.

2. your goal is to attend class more consistently and your resolution is to make More time in your personal life to enable you to attend class more regularly.

Here's a plan that you can use for all your goals and resolutions, not just the ones you set on December 31:

Step 1 - Put in writing : Write your goal on paper or type it in a text document on your computer: Seeing is believing for example: I want to become a great Black Belt.

Step 2 - List Your Strategies: Write down everything that you think you will need to do to achieve your goal. These are your resolutions. for example, resolve to attend class 8 to 10 times per month, resolve to eat healthy food , resolve to practise at home at least twice per week, resolve to ask for help when you don't understand a technique.

Step 3 - Take Action: This is a tricky step because you need to be motivated in order to act. Motivation is sometimes lacking because at times a resolution you make may be difficult or even undesirable to act upon. This is where your Martial Arts training really helps you by building the self - confidence to take that "leap-of-faith" first step.

Step 4 - perform Frequent Check-ups: you are responsible for your goals. Therefore, you must make it a priority to evaluate your progress and to determine if your action is taking you towards success. Expect set-backs! Any challenging goal or resolution is bound to face obstacles. routine check-ups allow you to identify obstacles that you need to overcome, and also to monitor the progress you are making which will increase your motivation.

Step 5 - Adjust and Cycle: Now that you have achieved some results and you have identified some obstacles you may need to make adjustments and cycle back to step 1. Knowing what you know now, has your goal changed? Maybe it was too easy or too hard. What can be added to your "To do" list (step 2)? What isn't working that should be deleted? Continue to "Take Action", perform "Frequent Check-ups", and "Adjust and Cycle" until you reach the desired result. If you are serious about making a major or minor change in yourself for the NEW Year, make a commitment to follow this five-step plan to success.

Keep your chin-up, keep training and all will come to you.

Mr Darren Hunter

http://www.solomartialarts.com/