Krav Maga Training Center Offers Free Day of Fun
Friends & Family Day Is Chance to Try Fitness, Self-Defense Program

In the spirit of giving and to help kick-off the holiday season, the owners of the Krav Maga Official Training Center San Francisco invite you to an afternoon of fun, fitness and self-defense at the studio's first annual Friends and FamilyDay on Saturday, November 20 at 2 p.m.

"This event is a great way for our students to bring in their friends and family to give Krav Maga a try in a festive and encouraging environment," said Barny Foland, owner and director of the first and only studio Krav Maga training center in the city, and certified instructor who teaches classes daily. "Once they try it, we are confident they'll be hooked."

Friends and family of students are encouraged to come to the free event at the studio at 1455 Bush Street, which will feature instruction, food and beverages, and lots of really interesting people. Students who bring a guest will be entered in a drawing for the chance to win prizes during the afternoon program.

"Anyone close to a Krav Maga student has certainly noticed how fit, strong and confident the program has made them," explained Eric Powell, co-owner of the studio and director of the Law Enforcement Training Division. "Why not give it a shot for themselves, and this day is the perfect opportunity."

Do A Good Thing Today

Now it is so easy to commit an act of kindness thanks to the convenient donation drop-off location at our studio. We recently partnered with Compass Community Services, a local non-profit organization that helps needy and homeless families regain their independence through support and skill-development services. During the fall, we will be collecting items to give to the Compass Family Center that make a direct impact on these families lives.

All you have to do is bring any of the following things with you the next time you come in for a work-out. Leave it up front when you sign-in.

Baby wipes
Disposable diapers and training pants for all ages and sizes
Canned goods, crackers, dried fruit and other foods with a long shelf life
Towels, sheets, blankets, comforters and curtains

The linens can be used, but must be laundered and in good condition. So do something nice and help a family who will really appreciate your effort. It doesn’t get any simpler than this.

Core Training

The three most important areas of the body to strengthen from a functional fighting perspective are your abdomen, back, and legs. Abdomen muscles provide a power base for explosive movement and a connection between the striking limbs and the ground. With a stronger abdomen you will kick harder, punch harder, be able to absorb impact more easily and have more endurance. Abdomen training must be approached differently than most muscle groups both because of its ability to recover quickly and its intended use. The abdomen delivers two important types of strength: 1: a static contraction to provide a taut sheath or container that supports the spine, ribs and pelvic structures and 2: short powerful contractile movements that help accelerate the limbs.

Here's good news for people who hate doing abdomen training, the workouts should be like the life of a jungle animal; nasty, brutish, and short. Exercises should be constrained to a range of motion that doesn't overly implicate the lower back. They should be worked quickly and steadily with a minimum of rest between sets, starting with the hardest exercises and proceeding to easier ones as you get tired. Do as many repetitions as it takes to cause discomfort in the area without degrading your form to the point that other areas get involved such as your back or legs. A range of 10 to as many as 50 repetitions is good, and when you can do 50 it is time to choose more difficult exercises.

Do exercises that emphasize lower abdomen first and end with exercises that emphasize upper abdomen. The upper abdomen supports the lower in most movements but not the other way around. Think of it this way, the upper abs support the lower abs much in the same way your arms support your back while doing pullups. If you were to exhaust your arms first, you would not get much out of doing pullups for your back. If you exhaust your upper abs, they will limit your ability to work the lower abs. Lower abs will always operate with the support of upper abs and often the muscles around your hips and back as well.

Try starting with a series of 2 or 3 movements, go to failure on each one and proceed quickly to the next. Between each sequence, rest a minute or two at most and do another sequence. As you are able to complete sets of up to 50 repetitions, start looking for more challenging exercises and add them to the beginning of the sequence. At some point you should end up with 4 or 5 exercises to do in a row. None of these workouts should take more 10 or 15 minutes. If you really push yourself, it should be difficult to perform the same number of repetitions in your 2nd series as you did in your first.

If you have any lower back pain or other physical limitations that could be aggravated by abdomen exercises it may be advisable to check with your doctor, a chiropractor, or a trainer before starting a new regimen. Do some research, experiment, and stick with it. It can take up to a month of these brief yet intense sessions done at least two or three times a week before you notice a difference. Before you know it you will be feeling the strength and stability that comes from having a strong core.