“M2-K.O.”
BOXING: THE ORIGINAL KNOCKOUT WORKOUT

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6th 8:30AM

M2 Fitness Pros
with Jorge Rodriguez

Imagine your hands are wrapped and gloved. You slide in between the ropes and step cautiously into the ring. A voice suddenly booms across the speakers “In this corner…You! In the opposite corner…your own worst enemy – laziness and fatigue!”

Performance* Power* Undeniable confidence* NO-Excuses workout* Cardio conditioning* Self discipline

You’re momentarily stunned. Ding, ding, ding! “Round One!” Your adrenaline starts flowing and your heart starts pumping. Your eyes grow bigger as your opponent approaches you. You start rocking and shuffling, remembering your mantra “always think two steps ahead.” You realize this isn’t all just about throwing a few punches. It’s about the whole package – your mind, body and soul. You believe in your own ability. You’ve trained vigorously. You know it’s also about the strategy and mental gymnastics of boxing. Thinking quickly on your feet, you rock back and forth shifting your weight from side to side… your opponent throws you a jab … you block and pull your left arm back to prepare for an uppercut…the crowd roars!

“It is more about life than sport”

• SIGN UP NOW  (max. 2 classes per week)
•  Classes will allow a maximum of 8 students
•   Small Group Training CLASS SCHEDULE :  

 THURSDAY 6:00AM

 SATURDAY 8:30AM

Please sign up HERE or call the M2 studio directly to confirm your attendance in the class!

(see events schedule for exact dates)

The Knockout Workout
Simply put, boxing is a “knockout workout”. It provides a unique all-body cardiovascular (“cardio”) and strength-training workout. Boxing is a superb all-body approach to developing muscle in the shoulders and forearms, and building muscles in areas such as the legs, hips, abdominals, upper back, triceps, biceps and laterals. Boxing can also be an all-mind workout, enabling you to think more strategically about your moves, breathing and muscles used.

THINK like a champ. TRAIN like a champ.
Boxing is about the “PUNCH” – performance and power training, undeniable confidence, no-excuses workout, cardio conditioning, and healthy habits. With a commitment to the principles of the “PUNCH”, boxing promotes a healthy, safe approach to a whole-body, mind and soul training with unlimited benefits in both the short and long-term.

PERFORMANCE and POWER training
Boxing sessions are focused on developing performance, stamina and power and should stimulate several muscle groups enabling a dual-approach to exercise in both aerobic and anaerobic forms. Boxing training not only improves one’s speed, resistance, and strength, but flexibility and the reflexes of the muscles are also enhanced with a regular program. Additionally, repetitive motion of the arm muscles through sparring and shuffling while punching enables arms and legs to gain strength and power.

Undeniable CONFIDENCE
Boxing undoubtedly boosts one’s confidence. With proper training and guidance, and developing the strength and the proper way to use these new skills, boxing results in an undeniable core of self-confidence. Learning the proper execution of the punch combinations for a more intensive workout enables stronger and more well-defined moves, and helps to build more confidence in one’s abilities.

NO-EXCUSES workout
The commitment made is to “yourself”. By focusing on the goals of training, one is able to build the strength to WIN the match against one’s own worst enemy – laziness and fatigue. There are simply no excuses in boxing training. By maintaining an unwavering commitment to a rigorous boxing training workout, extraordinary results are built. Boxing movements require a development of balance and coordination that enables the body to be stable and maintain good form.

“Fights are won and lost on the scales”

Cardio EXTREME CONDITIONING
Boxing training also vastly improves cardio conditioning. The variations of the sparring jabs and power punches combine all of the aerobic-forms of exercise into a fitness regimen that is guaranteed to encourage a full cardio workout. Boxing workouts can burn up to 350 to 500 calories in an hour. With variations in movements and proper training, one is able to maintain the recommended heart rate at 75 to 85% of the maximum heart rate in order to fully realize results. Cardio-conditioning the whole body through a boxing workout simultaneously builds endurance, agility and coordination.

Healthy habits SELF DISCIPLINE
Boxing also promotes healthy habits. A sense of positive satisfaction arises through the release of endorphins during a productive boxing workout. Staying committed to a regular program also requires committing to a healthy diet and avoiding unnecessary fats and sugars, the types of foods that slow down one’s metabolism and are detrimental to promoting energy.

Through healthy habits in both a regimented boxing program and eating balanced nutritious meals, one will experience relaxation, stress relief and a sense of self-motivation. Boxing training also helps in redirecting negative energy into a more positive format.

Boxing is the original “knockout workout” – promoting an all-body, mind and soul conditioning and promising positive results. Using the principles of the “PUNCH” method and always following safety rules and regulations will enable one to develop not only the physical aspects of being fit, but also train one’s mind to think strategically. Remember to think like a champ…train like a champ…look like a champ!

About Jorge A. Rodriguez

With over 20 years of experience in the boxing world, Jorge A. Rodriguez is a Golden Gloves champion and a Diamond Belt Tournament Champion. As an amateur boxer and veteran of over a dozen professional fights, he boasts an 11 to 1 record. Jorge believes firmly in his mantra of “think like a champ, train like a champ, look like a champ” and using the PUNCH method to enable the development of a commitment to boxing as a sport or exercise.

His philosophy on boxing is to strive for a balance in building strength as well as remaining healthy in nutritional choices and keeping a positive mental attitude. Originally from Mexico, Jorge grew up immersed and surrounded by boxing as a safe and positive form of exercise and fitness. He sees boxing as a way to keep fit and redirect energy towards something that trains not only one’s body but also mental acuity.

Currently retired from competition, with his passion for and love of boxing, Jorge currently trains and teaches individuals of all ages as well as semi-professional preparation.

Warrior Athlete | Heart to courageously live life with purpose

Do you fall under the definition of a warrior athlete?

war•ri•or 
1. One who is engaged in or experienced in warfare
2. One who is engaged aggressively or energetically in an activity, cause or conflict.

ath•lete
n. A person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility, and endurance that are necessary for physical exercise or sports, especially those performed in competitive contexts.

The Warrior Athlete is forged from flesh and bone, has the spirit of a Warrior. While through the heat of intense unconventional workouts and daily life challenges, the warrior athlete is hardened by a disciplined approach to physical recovery and is targeted like a laser in an unflinching pursuit of self mastery.

The Warrior Athlete views their training not as simply a separate time of day where they work and sweat, but as a necessary component of your entire life that merges body, mind, and spirit.

 

Training for the Warrior Athlete 

A good training program should be designed with results in mind. While several claim this, the majority of programs are built on specializing in a single area. Obvious flaws with this philosophy exist as most…

    * Bodybuilder, Fitness and Figure athletes don’t use a program built for a runner.
    * Runners don’t use a program of a swimmer.
    * Swimmer’s don’t use a program of yoga Master.
    * Yoga Masters don’t use a program of a wrestler.
 
Which describes you?
You must be all of them, and more.
 
You are a “Warrior Athlete” when you can physically and mentally handle any situation.  

    * Strength to move a heavy object or subdue an attacker.
    * Speed to make the final push at the end of the race.
    * Power and grace like a cheetah.
    * Stamina and endurance to ascend to the top of the mountain.
    * Heart to courageously live life with purpose.

“The only easy day was yesterday.” This statement is confirmed daily at M2 Fitness Pros as people from all walks of life come in to the pride with the thought that they are ready to commit to excellence, which is highly unique by most standards these days- the fitness of the classic warrior athlete has become a model for many clients who have no training experience or little appetite for it.

In a sense, M2 Fitness Pros and The Warrior Athlete™ address this fragility to be sure. We are all vulnerable to disease and disability, whether through daily challenge, sickness, or old age. We need coaching to prepare for this- indeed, hard training and instruction, if we are not to be totally undone by life’s challenges.

How might the Warrior Athlete program help an M2 athlete or team member face the day to day requirements of an aggressive training schedule and full life?

There is a striking paradox about which there has been a stunning silence: a warrior athletes’ body is in many ways a very personal investment specific to our own interests and goals, and yet the sacrifices he or she makes are utilized on a very public stage.

Can Warrior Athlete training help those facing challenges beyond the physical arena?

The philosophy about the warrior athlete program is extreme, intense and insane. Yes, people with ordinary skills and weak temperament will be challenged… some will move forward a bit further, others will break down and a select few “the Elite” will continue to climb on up the mountain.

Where will you be?

One of my favorite things in the world is ice cream. Well one of my favorite things in the world is chocolate also. Did I mention how much I love cake? Okay, you might be starting to see a pattern here.

The great thing about junk food today is that there are so many low-fat options. 

If you notice, Just about every box or container that you see down a junk food aisle has at least one fat-free or low-fat option. “This is great for me since I am such a fan of junk food but don’t want to indulge in the extra fat that it puts into my body”.

I LOVE JUNK FOOD …

If this line of thinking sounds like you, HAVE we got news for you.

The fact is, fat can be our friend. Now there is something you won’t see on the outside of most packages of tasty treats. You see, it’s not always the fat that is a problem for us when trying to lose weight. It is more often the combination of fat and sugar that becomes explosive.

A Twinkie, for instance, is almost a perfect combination of fat and sugar. The same can be said for ice cream. We like sugar ok, and are not too fond of fat by itself, but combine the two and watch out!

So, the low fat options are obviously better, right? Not necessarily.

When your body eats sugar, your pancreas will produce insulin into your bloodstream to help break down the sugar. Too much blood sugar can lead to a host of health problems including diabetes if left unchecked for long period of time. When this process occurs, the body shuts down the fat burning system while the insulin does its work.

Therefore, combining sugar with fat allows the sugar to get processed but not the fat and this is one of the main reasons why eating these junk foods contribute to a healthier (fatter) belly than a healthier body.

In addition, the body is extremely efficient at converting excess sugars into fat so if you eat too high a concentration of these junk foods, you’re getting hit with the fat that can’t be processed because of the insulin production we spoke about, and the excess sugar that can be broken down and stored as fat as well.

Many folks think that when they purchase a low-fat sweet treat that they’re doing themselves a favor, but research shows that people will eat more of these low-fat treats that still contained the same or sometimes more sugar than the products that contain fat. This leads to the sugar being stored as fat as we mentioned before and doesn’t offer a truly viable alternative.

So what type of snacks can you eat if you’re looking to burn fat?

First of all, limit sugars of any kind. The increase in blood sugar that they can cause coupled with the fact that excess sugars can be easily converted into fat make eating them generally an unhealthy food choice. In addition it is possible to eat a high-fat high-protein diet, if you follow a specific plan that will allow your body to begin using the fat you take in as energy, and in turn burn the stores of fat that you already have. This type of diet is generally known as a ketogenic diet and can be very successful for you if followed correctly.

In addition, learn to choose foods that are satisfying without having to contain the combination of processed sugars and fats to achieve their taste. It can be tough, but so can this…

and beleive me, these “extra” pounds of fat on the body are even tougher.

Moving away from these junk foods and training your body to begin burning fat instead of storing it can be your solution to the ongoing fat loss and a healthier you.

Just about everyone you know probably wants to lose some body fat, right? Maybe they are not out to drop 50 pounds or turn into a muscle head, but they probably have a few unwanted inches here or there they could stand to lose. 

We all begin to accumulate fat as we get older and the older we are the harder it gets to lose this stored fat. Sure, you may exercise here and there and some even go as far as buying the latest products, but usually the results are typically the same. Either the fat won’t go away or you may lose a few pounds, but only to gain it back even MORE. 

What if there were a secret to burning fat? What if there was one secret method that, if followed consistently, would turn our bodies into fat burning machines? We could lose fat and inches everyday with almost no effort. How great would that be?

Well…actually, there IS such a secret. No, I’m serious, and I know what it is. Come here. Lean in a little closer, I have to whisper it because if this gets out, I could get in serious trouble. Ok, here it is…EAT MORE FOOD. I am serious! Not JUST more food, but more of the RIGHT kinds of food. Before you throw the computer across the room because you think I just BS you, let me elaborate.

Our bodies are built for survival. Almost everything about the functions of our bodies are designed to keep us alive. We feel pain when something is hot so we can move away from that thing. We shiver when we are cold so we will cover up and get warm to protect our bodies, and, we feel hunger so we will eat and provide nourishment and energy so our bodies will keep working.

is this need for a constant source of energy that causes weight gain. Some bodies are more efficient than others at using and storing energy. Someone whose body is really efficient will actually store more calories, which in turn will often turn to fat.

Someone whose body is less efficient will burn every calorie as soon as it is introduced into the body. These are the skinny people that most envy. The key to this secret is to get your body to burn the calories being introduced rather than store them all.

How? You have to eat more. I am not necessarily talking about more calories, but eating more frequently. If you only ate once a day, you may think you’re doing yourself a favor. You are eating fewer calories so you will lose weight, right? Not so fast.

You see, your body senses that you are only putting a few calories in at a time. This makes the body go into survival mode. Since it’s getting fewer calories than it needs it wants to become even more efficient, working to store any calories it can because it doesn’t know when the next ones will be coming into the body. Because you are eating less, you are in effect starving yourself.

Once you break down and really eat, your body is so happy to see the influx of calories that it works to store them all. This explains why so many people experience yo-yo weight loss and weight gain when on a calorie restricting diet.  A good rule of thumb is to eat 5-6 small meals a day, starting with a power breakfast first thing in the morning. The sooner you eat in the morning, the sooner you get your metabolism kicked into gear and burning fat.

As you introduce these small, regular portions of food into your body, your body is not in fear that it won’t have energy to operate, so instead of storing everything as fat for later use, it will simply burn the calories as food as they are introduced.

So, there you have it. Eating 5-6 small meals per day is a sure and proven way to turn your body into a fat burning machine.

Keep in mind these meals must be healthy and of a variety of food. Fruits and vegetables, as you may have guessed are best, but I promise to go into more details about nutrition in a later article. For now focus on getting your metabolism kicked started and burning fat!

Yes! you too can indulge on these oatmeal pancakes… but HOW?

“They overcome through sheer exertion of will, shattering the fallacy of the immovable object by becoming the unstoppable force”.

Feb 28

Amongst the early birds to check-in this morning was none other than M2’s female warrior athlete, Chelsea, who clocked in at 12%!!

 

 I look back at all of the hardships and tired days, feelings of exhaustion/soreness/fatigue, and I say to myself, “WOW, what a hard journey!” but my gosh was it worth it! ~Chelsea

 

Go ladies!! We’re on your team…
 “M2fitness Pros & Tight Curves 12 Week Body Transformation Challenge”
December 10th, 2008 to February 28, 2009
 
Chelsea Cho
Rebecca Lara
 Carol Cristobal

M2’s next generation of female warrior athletes is primed and ready for the challenges ahead. They are about to embark on a 12 week long journey that will change their lives forever. Under the coaching of M2’s very own, Bea Fox, these brave warrior athletes are going to relearn how to breathe, eat and train as they join hundreds of other motivated participants across the nation.

When their journey is complete and all there obstacles bested, you will bear witness to the remarkable transformation these determined women have undergone.

It was not until I was at my lowest (physically and emotionally) that I decided I needed to go back, I needed something to work towards a goal. ~ Carol

RECAP

To give our motivated M2 team members a firm foundation to build upon, and for some added enlightenment we teamed up with “Bodywell Nutrition” during an intense twelve week national body transformation campaign.

By instilling in them the ideals of living and thinking healthier, they will have the tools to help them reach the next level.

Would I be able to do it? … was a question that repeatedly went through my head. ~Rebecca

With just a number of weeks to modify and reverse years of self destructive patterns, the team set off on a real life journey to reach their physical peaks. They would know that there would be sacrifices to make and demands to live up to, doubting their own abilities but fueled with the burning flame of team spirit, these courageous batch of M2 female warrior athletes stepped up to battle for the ultimate challenge. 

“I still remember the first day I walked in and how reluctant I felt in terms of believing in myself and really believing that I would succeed and achieve my goals”. ~Chelsea

We didn’t try. We combined each other’s strengths; dove in whole hearted and set the plan into action.

“Then I did the unthinkable… I started doing two hours of Cardio a day and had to get up at 4:45 am to do my first hour of Cardio… by then I knew I had it in me. I was a different person…  I said it… I believed it… and then I just did it.” ~Rebecca

Conditioning the mind is the first step towards completion of a real life goal. We prepared to battle and triumph by any means necessary.

What did it take?

Organization to mentally shift gears and diligently map out a three month strategy with the discipline to stick to a schedule- commitment to follow through, accountability to show up and perform the task each day, and even going as far as changing their immediate surroundings to suit their new lifestyle. 

 

Changing my life style, my priorities, my friends and my mind has at times made me want to break down. ~Rebecca

 “Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle and a victory.”

On top of that, we organized a proven menu plan along with a series of training methods and systems specific to those of a figure athlete in pre contest mode.

I accomplished the biggest feat of my life and I’ve overcome the one thing in my life that has negatively affected me the most. ~Chelsea

During that 12 week stretch, we forged an alliance. Each team member acted as each other’s conscious holding each accountable for their commitment and performance. We provided a week by week 5-6 day work schedule, starting off with an early- to-rise sixty minute cardio session. The training included a combination of aggressive weight circuits with a mixture of HIIT calisthenics and agility type drills focusing on their individual strengths and weaknesses, followed by another sub to near max PM Cardio session.

On Sundays, we took their routine to the great outdoors for an invigorating and rigorous Super Cardio HIIT obstacle course.  Utilizing a mind-over-matter approach for a support system, the ladies managed to keep each other sharp and focused even during their moments of breakdown.

To achieve any significant success we need to learn from others in order to learn more about ourselves.

If it were not for my fellow competitors and coach, I probably would have quit. ~ Carol

 

Staying in the moment and not getting too far ahead of themselves proved to be vital in understanding their own strengths and limitations.

We have instilled a variety of healthy values by creating a state of mind that has allowed the team to fulfill their physical transformation and gain new found knowledge, wisdom, understanding, self-awareness, and inner strength to continue to conquer and pursue their successes.

I’m stronger, more confident and I have to admit… I LOOK DAM GOOD! And no one can take that away from me because I earned it! ~Rebecca

 

Will this be their final destination? 

Q&A’s & Results coming up next…

Twelve weeks ago you had an ultimatum… “ALL or nothing”!  I salute you for never giving up the fight…  You are warriors of life.

Although Jon’s training techniques may slightly vary from ours, our language is indistinguishable.

 
BELIEF by Jon Gilson

As a child, you can do anything.  The future is an unwritten story, unencumbered by the fetters of harsh reality.  Belief is easy to come by, as simple as hearing or seeing.  Potential is infinite, and always given its due.

As we get older, living is no longer an exercise in blind faith.  Doubt creeps in, and skepticism finds its way into our minds. The world gives us our knocks, and with each blow, the bounds of reality narrow.  The vernacular of the impossible impregnates our speech and infects our actions, until we stay with the safe, the pleasant, and the known, afraid to push back against the unfamiliar and the difficult.

This unfortunate evolution leaves us unsure of our abilities, scared to display incompetence and unwilling to attempt the unknown.  Terrified of another hard knock, we display only those traits with known rewards and certain payoffs.  We become small and weak as the chains of doubt weave themselves into our lives.
We cannot conquer frustration by quitting, nor defeat the unknown with doubt.

Every time you grab a barbell or strap on a weight vest, you have the opportunity to reverse this disastrous course.  Instead of succumbing to the gravity of your misgivings, you can take heart in your potential.   You can push back against the pain, secure in the knowledge that every failure can be remedied, every misstep righted.  With a piece of cold rolled steel, you can crush the virus of inadequacy beneath your heel.

We don’t trade in exercise.  We trade in the idea that your potential is exactly what you believe it to be.  Squats, pull-ups and levers are merely tools, a chance to show the world that it is wrong, its lessons flawed.  We cannot conquer frustration by quitting, nor defeat the unknown with doubt.  Meekness can never be rewarded, and with every clash, we scream this message.

I’ve seen athletes perform the impossible, heaving against every fiber of their being, a living war cry in the face of adversity.  They overcome through sheer exertion of will, shattering the fallacy of the immovable object by becoming the unstoppable force.  These athletes come from a thousand different places, unique only in their refusal to accept the world’s false constraints.  They choose to believe in their own capacity for greatness, and they are rewarded.

Belief is a place where the irrational exuberance of childhood finds new life, where the burden of the past is shed in favor of the promise of the future.  Belief is a chance to give all the hard knocks back, to free ourselves to become anything.  Stop wondering if you can, and know that achievement is as simple as trying, over and over again.

INCH BY INCH… STEP BY STEP

I had this queasy feeling in my stomach this morning. One week off from my cardio or training routine can feel like an eternity in my world.

However after all the tremendous physiological and psychological efforts that go into months of a competitive season as a figure athlete, we’re often times left with a mess of adrenal stressors to sort through such as the exhausted feelings that can often leave one feeling lifeless. This in turn can be a detriment to one’s ability to train as hard or follow the required dietary strategies.

I’m often asked “what drives me to do what I do?”  Or better yet, “why do I continue to pursue something that seems so out of reach?” oh, wait! It gets better… at my “age”–ARE YOU KIDDING!? or are you challenging me? Let’s get this straight… first off, I don’t ever see anything as out of my reach and age has nothing to do with desire, commitment, will power and or success. Personally, I find this very easy to answer, but when I pose the question in return it appears to be a difficult one for most to even acknowledge.

This brings me to ask the question, “what compels you to pursue your highest value or interests?”

Extreme is the very nature of the sport- although some may argue it’s not a sport, fitness is a way of life for us and the torment we face when we make the decision to push ourselves  to a higher level-competitive.

Nevertheless, I know that there are only a select few that have the discipline to endure and carry out such an extreme sacrifice- to tough it out and restructure any of our creature comforts requires a tremendous amount of will power.  Enough to scare the masses.

What kind of person would put themselves through such extremes? Well, all walks of life really– building a competitive physique requires similar disciplines from both male and female. How you decide to live your lifestyle is an individual choice. Whether you’re a male or a female, you have to ask yourself, “am I satisfied with how I look and feel, do I settle? or do I want to push beyond my limits?

I’ll take push anyday, but I’ve also chosen this type of lifestyle for many reasons. A person of my character lives for extremes-the edge. I’m also known for having an addictive personality, which requires a disciplined structure. What does that mean? Perhaps a healthier outlet– ultimately, I believe all the women on a competitive circuit participate for various reasons alike.  Improve all aspects of life– health, mental and physical strength.

It is empowering. Nothing- and I mean nothing compares to the mental focus that competition prep requires.

This forces us to stay humble. If you’ve ever lost everything you know what I mean. It reminds one to never forget how from one day you can taste victory and the next defeat. It reminds one to never get lazy– no shortcuts. There is no easy way out. It reminds me that I am determined to succeed by whatever means necessary. Therefore, for me it represents staying committed to my promises. Being a woman of my word. Fighting till the end– whatever it takes.

Looking back at the huge responsibilities of maintaining a stable business, supporting a family and catering to each of our client’s independent needs, I’ve have to say “yes” being a professional is about knowing when to adjust.

One of the toughest decisions for any athlete to do is to sit the game out. Which is why I no longer take anything for granted. I walk away with a new found gratitude each season- becoming more humble, more mindful and more patient than I had been before.

I work hard and train hard, but my job, now, is to stay healthy and in order ensure positive gains sometimes we’re forced to let go and take a few steps back. This applies to anything in life and it’s ok. At this point, my goal now is not focused solely on my competitive career per se, but my willingness to care for others remains a high priority in my life, especially during these uncertain times when I find myself fortunate enough to have these next month’s to continue providing my full support and commitment to our M2 Fitness Pros family and team of ambitious athletes and clients.

When it comes to dedication, our efforts are first and foremost to you.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for your continued loyalty. None of my competitive endeavors would have been possible without you.

 

Over the course of the next few months, I’ll be conducting interviews with the sports most inspirational and fierce competitive female figure athletes, who are willing to share their life stories, pearls of wisdom and business endeavors.