The Glowing Edge

  • Before You Compete in Boxing…

    Before You Compete in Boxing…

    Because an amateur boxer’s passbook runs from January to December, there’s a lotta “getting ready to fight” going on in boxing during the last few months of the year. You need to be in good condition and getting close to your weight category position.

    And Thor knows you want to get that first looming match over with, out of your system, and finished with (for good or ill) so that you can move the hell on and start to settle into the competition groove.

    Because the truth is that you operate at about half — or less — of your usual power at your first show. Why? Because of the intensity, the anxiety, and all the (normal) insanity of a boxing event. Plus it’s just fucking scary, that’s what.

    So here’s how to dremel the killing edge right off that wicked blade, and make it a weapon that works for you, rather than slicing you to the bone when you go to pick it up. (more…)

  • Signs Your Boxing Team is Coming Together

    Signs Your Boxing Team is Coming Together

    Are you hoping to get in the ring? There’s actually a way to know if the gym where you train will ever have a boxing team that you can learn and grow your game with…

    I train and also volunteer as a coach at a downtown boxing gym that serves primarily inner-city youth. Because the gym is also a gang-related outreach program, the kids have to fulfill certain requirements — maintaining certain grades, staying out of trouble, working hard, showing up regularly, etc. — in order to stay in the program.

    As a result I frequently see kids come in then drop out or be evicted from the program before I even learn their names. So we might go months without ever having anything resembling an actual boxing team come together.

    Just this week we had an amazing sparring night, and I was once again aware that we’d made it to the point of having a good boxing team come together. It feels awesome, and it’s really satisfying to be a part of something like this.

    Here’s how I know when it’s happening at my gym, and it’s pretty much how you can know if it will happen at yours, too. (more…)

  • Interview with Crista Orefice

    Interview with Crista Orefice

    Remember Zoltar, from the Tom Hanks movie “Big”? You gotta watch out for those crazy boardwalk games, they will flat mess with your life.

    Wanna know how Crista Orefice, 37-year-old board-certified music therapist and a singer/songwriter from New Jersey got her start in amateur boxing? Wait. I’ll let her tell it.

    Ummmm, boardwalk games and boxing, Crista? WTF?

    Last summer, my boyfriend and I went to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. At the beach there was the usual boardwalk with an arcade. Well, in this particular arcade stood a video game that changed my life.

    It was a boxing game. You put on these heavy plastic “gloves” and “boxed” with an opponent on the computer screen. As I played this game, throwing a ton of punches, something ignited in me. It was exhilarating! I wanted to play the game again and again.

    It didn’t take me long to make the next step. On the way home, while my boyfriend was driving I was looking up local boxing gyms, and I found one 20 minutes from where I live. Now Dover Boxing Club is more or less my second home.

    Crista's Grandfather
    Crista’s Grandfather

    And the coolest thing of all is that I learned shortly afterwards that my grandfather, who died before I was born, was an amateur boxer and Golden Gloves champion. And he was also a southpaw just like me! He was known as “The Southpaw Wizard.”

    What a great story! My grandfather was a Golden Gloves boxer, too. What other sort of responses did you encounter when you first started boxing?

    Many people were kind of shocked that I took up this sport. People have said things like:

    “Boxing? You? No way!”

    “Oh, please be careful!”

    “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

    “You don’t look like a boxer!”

    I understand where the responses are coming from, and I am small in stature; people don’t want me to get hurt. But I also think many people believe I’m more docile than I really am. In boxing, I am learning to tap into my strength, confidence, and assertiveness.

    Share a little bit about how you train.

    I train 3 to 4 times each week. My normal routine consists of running, jumping rope, shadow boxing, and bag work. One night a week, there is a class that focuses on plyometrics (like box jumps, etc.), duck walks, and calisthenics (jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, bicycle crunches, push-ups, and leg lifts). I also use a 13 lb. resistance ball alone or with a partner and drop it on my abs and/ or have someone throw it onto my obliques with some pressure in order to strengthen those muscles so that I will better be able to handle punches to the body.

    There is also this killer drill we do called the Gauntlet which involves a couple of minutes at various stations (e.g., fast feet, shadowboxing, heavy bag, uppercut bag, etc.) – it is brutal but great for stamina and endurance.

    I also do mitt work with my coach as well as defensive drills with a partner. And we have one night of the week designated specifically for sparring.

    What do you love or hate most about boxing? What’s your biggest fear about it?

    At times, I do hate being small – it can get frustrating, since most people have a longer jab than I do. I am learning to work more on the inside which involves getting right in there and not being able to sort of “hide” behind a long jab.

    My biggest fear is something severe happening to my nose, which would impede my ability to sing!

    I know I am taking a risk, but I am working on not letting my fear stop me from trying. Boxing allows you the opportunity to face your fears head on (pun intended); it lets you learn to take punches or learn that you may be able to handle more than you realized. I love the empowerment and the self-confidence boxing builds.

    Building up the skill and technique of boxing is deeply satisfying. This is not brawling. It is a sweet science. It requires thinking and strategy as much as it does conditioning and strength. It’s been stimulating to learn something new and outside of my comfort zone.

    Do you feel accepted and welcomed into the boxing life? Have you encountered prejudices as a woman or an outsider?

    When I first came to the boxing club a little over a year ago, I was mostly the only woman there, but I never felt like I was not accepted by any of the guys there. My coach is so welcoming to both men and women in his gym. He’s had female amateur champions under his wing, so I was not the first woman to set foot in there.

    Recently my coach paired me up to to spar against this young man who had 30 plus pounds on me. He said to him, “Now, just because she is a girl does not mean she can’t fight – she can fight! So don’t hold back with her.” And while he didn’t have us go on like that for too long, he gave me an opportunity to hold my own, and he has commended me for handling strong punches.

    For a while, I was sparring only guys. But now we have about five other women who come and train regularly, so it has been great for me to have other females to spar with, and to whom I can relate on a different level. The guys watch our sparring sessions and offer encouragement.

    Crista2You’re training for your first match! How is that changing things for you?

    I am very excited and a little nervous, too! I intend to give it my best. I have been training for over a year pretty consistently. I know it is for real now, so the level of pressure to succeed has increased.

    At each training session, I am trying to absorb everything that my coach teaches and spar as much as I can. In my humble opinion, sparring is the only way to truly up your game and really learn about your strengths and your weaknesses both within offense and defense.

    I am working on mentally preparing myself for this as well – trying to keep a clear head and just rely on all that I am learning. It will be a comfort to know that my coach will be in my corner the night of the fight. He knows his stuff and I trust him.

    What phrases are starting to come up on your “Boxing Manifesto”?

    • “Protect yourself at all times!”
    • “Stay in your rhythm!”
    • “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward.” (from Rocky Balboa, of course)

    Have you seen particular ways that boxing relates to life, in your experience?

    Boxing, like life, is about resilience. You stay “on your toes” and learn to “roll with the punches.” You adapt to whatever comes your way. You learn to dig deeper and offer more, even when you’re tired. The courage you discover within yourself allows you to go after what you want and won’t let you be stopped by taking some hits or some falls. Even if you lose the round, you can still win the fight.

    Got any advice for someone thinking about taking up boxing?

    I say try it! Members at my boxing club range in age from 8 to 78. You will eventually know if it is your thing or not. Boxing doesn’t mean that you have to become a professional fighter or even an amateur fighter; it has so much to offer even if you only do it as a workout routine. It conditions your entire body. But whether you do it for the workout or to build your skills in boxing, I suggest finding a gym that really teaches the technique, because bad habits won’t help you (and may hurt you) if you do decide to step into the ring. Good luck and keep punching!

    Photos of Crista by Bob Larson

  • Putting Snap in Your Punch

    Putting Snap in Your Punch

    Power is an open secret in boxing, and most fighters hear their coaches talking about “punching through” and “putting your body behind” a solid, powerful shot.

    But there is another, sneakier and equally effective method to score punches, intimidate an opponent, and win your game, and that’s in developing a stinging snap in your punch; particularly your jab.

    A regular jab can be used for a variety of purposes in the boxing ring. It can measure the distance between you and your opponent or it can open the way for a power shot, among other things. But it can be a devastating shot all on its own if you can make it into a snapping whip of a shot, the kind of punch that comes out of nowhere, hits like an electric shock, and disappears before your opponent can even register its presence.

    What gives a punch snap

    A snapping punch is created out of speed and minimal contact. It’s a punch that goes out fast and returns fast. You have to turn it over (right at the end of the shot), touch with sting, and bring it back to guard position in rapid-fire succession.

    A well-landed shot of any kind has a distinctive sound on the heavy bag or mitts. There’s a particular thwack or pop that gives you the feedback you need to know you’ve scored with precision and pain. But a snapping punch has a higher sound, almost like a dry stick being cracked in two.

    The advantages of snap jabs

    1. They save your power.

    When you’re punching for power alone, you will burn a lot of energy quickly, and you run the risk of gassing out. You can’t launch bomb shots rapidly, either. Nor can you spend the entire fight throwing one knockout punch after another; there’s a dance, a balance to be maintained. Boxing is a conscious mental play of the game pieces, and rather than blindly launching everything you have at once, you have to choose your shots.

    2. They’re fast! They buy you valuable time.

    A snapping punch has the great advantage of being incredibly fast. When you get one off, you startle your opponent and buy yourself even more time to launch and score again before they recover. It also allows you to throw more shots than you could if you were loading up power hits one after the other.

    3. They preserve your guard.

    Because your return to guard so much faster, you’re more protected than if you’re leaving yourself open during a push-through or penetrating power hit.

    How to throw a snapping punch

    You have to have your distance exactly right. Throw some measuring jabs out there, and once you know the range for a snap-touch, fire a couple off. If you’re advancing on the jab, you have to put that into your calculations. Try from your stable stance before tossing in an advance, because advance-jabs tend to be more “punch through” than snapping jabs.

    But the biggest secret to throwing a snapping punch is relaxing. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s absolutely necessary. Think about a coiled whip. The stiffer the braided leather is, the less bite the tip will have when it makes contact. But if it’s supple and loose, Indiana Jones is going to make you cry.

    Got snap?

    Leave me a comment and tell me your technique!

    Photo credit: Marco Crupi Visual Artist via photopin cc

  • Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway

    Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway

    The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles of gorgeous mountain driving and hiking that stretches from the Cherokee Indian Reservation in western North Carolina all the way up to the Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive in Virginia.

    Five years ago my husband and I started hiking the spectacular, sometimes challenging and always beautiful trails that line the BRP in North Carolina, and we fell in love with it so much that we’ve actually decided to move there in the next few years.

    How we do it…

    We haven’t tried primitive camping yet. We usually tent camp in a campground somewhere along the Parkway, then drive out to wherever we’re section hiking each day. We typically hit the road by 10 am every morning, and return around 5 or 6 pm. We’re not obsessive about stitching together every section (usually), although we sometimes want to do a particular stretch and we’ll work pretty hard to link the parts. I’ll get more into how we do that down below.

    Our campsite this year at Mount Pisgah
    Our campsite this year at Mount Pisgah

    We’ve learned a few lessons in our five newbie BRP hiking/camping years, and if you’re new to it too, maybe some of the things below will inspire you to go ahead and get yourself out there. A whole lotta incredible (and more than one unexpected adventure) is waiting.

    If you’re interested in the actual hikes we did this year, scroll on down.

    Meanwhile, here’s more additional info than you could possibly ever need… (more…)

  • Market Like a Mofo: How to Sell More Copies of Your Badass Book

    Market Like a Mofo: How to Sell More Copies of Your Badass Book

    Market Like a Mofo: How to Sell More Copies of Your Badass Book is here, and in honor of the debut of the fourth book in our Badass Writing series, Sonja and I have our sexy new Indiana Jones whips out and are shredding everything in sight. (You might wanna step back a few…)

    /insert whip sounds/

    Whassinnit?

    As soon as you get your copy, you’ll dive in and take the opening quiz, which is based on how much time and money you want to spend, and whether or not you are self-publishing or working with a traditional publisher.

    Then you’ll plummet straight into one of our four non-techie, done-for-you, can’t-possibly-miss marketing plans.

    Of course, we also tell you exactly how WE did it, and we have additional chapters for all you smartypantsers and those of you who want to roll your own plan.

    Sound like a giant hell-yeah taco with face-melting fabulous sauce? Well, it comes with a side of smokin’ hot FREE, between August 1 and August 5, so you better click through and grab you some digital “Yeah, Baby!” before they’re all gone forever.

    Here’s what it DOESN’T have…

    We didn’t write our book to tell you how to make a million, overnight, while you sleep. Market like a Mofo may be the ONLY marketing book you’ll ever read that does not promise you riches, or regurgitate rules about setting goals, monitoring, measuring, and refining your marketing tactics…

    In fact, we started out writing it that way, but then we held our fingers on the backspace key until that entire chapter was relegated to cyber-purgatory. Sonja and I didn’t pen the Badass Writing series to make a giant pile of doubloons (although we love doubloons, and wish we had some doubloons, and saying doubloooooons is fun). We wrote it because a) we were drinking at the time, b) it was a blast, and c) it feels great to stop taking everything so damned seriously. All that hyper-serious shit impedes forward motion, especially when you’re first getting going on this adventure. The point is to write, dammit, ship it, then let people know about it.

    If you go on to become one of those Kindle Millionaires, drinks are on you, Big Daddy.

    How to be a real hero

    And hey, if you read it and get something good out of it, would you please give us a review on Amazon? It’s not nearly as fun as a wine slushy, but it puts virtual jet fuel in our writing biplane and pays for new whips. Every badass writer needs a whip. And they wear out so quickly. Snif. So please write us a review, and if you’re feeling extra givey-helpy, go through and “thumbs up” the other great reviews you see and like.

    How to wrangle an invitation to our “Whip Party”

    The most reviews we’ve ever gotten for a book was for our first one, Bagels, Dirty Limericks, and Martinis: The Badass Guide to Writing Your First Book. As of this post, we have 25 for that one, most of them 5 star. If we get 25 reviews for Marketing Mofo, we will hold a “Whip Party” online.

    Here’s how a Badass Whip Party works…

    Once we get 25 reviews on Marketing Mofo, we will send out an email inviting you to tell us your toughest book writing, publishing, or marketing hurdle that you just don’t seem to be able to clear.

    We’ll also add you to our Private Badass Writing Whip Party Facebook Group.

    Then, on a specific date (we’ll announce it via our email list, so go sign up at BadassWriting.com), we will post the problems and our answers/ideas for how you can whip that problem into shape. And of course, all of you can introduce yourselves and help each other out with cheering and more advice on how to navigate past the poison dart walls to nab the golden writing-publishing-marketing statue.

    If you can’t be there on that specific date, you can always take a look at the thread later and keep interacting with the others from the Badass Writing community.

    Big. Solid gold. Win.

    So. Your Mission…

    1. Go get your free copy of Market Like a Mofo.
    2. Write us an awesome review on Amazon. (Thumbs-up other great reviews, as desired.)
    3. Email us your toughest writing, publishing, and marketing problems.
    4. (Once we pass 25 reviews) JOIN OUR WHIP PARTY on Facebook!

    Whip it, badass. Whip it good. Then sit back and enjoy your dirty martini. You’ve earned it.

    Cheers,

    Lisa & Sonja
    The Dynamic Duo of Book Badassery

    PS: How would you write a whip crack sound? Wuh-PSHHH, maybe? Kuh-TCHH! Wah-TCHA? Hm. Please leave me a comment and tell me the answer.

  • The Most Critical Boxing Rule Every Fighter Should Follow

    The Most Critical Boxing Rule Every Fighter Should Follow

    If you ask any ten boxers what the most important rule in boxing is you’ll hear things like “wear the right protective gear,”  “find a coach you can trust,” or “learn the straight punches.” And all of those are important in learning to box.

    But as I work each week with the new fighters at my gym, I see one major factor dividing the up-and-coming boxers from the ones who will never make it far in boxing…

    These things are important

    In no way am I trying to diminish the critical nature of the boxing advice you hear online, from other coaches, or even here on The Glowing Edge. Boxing is an enormous, complex sport, and there’s just no way to accomplish much in it without years of solid training and practice. Here’s a list of some great boxing tips, and you’ll get plenty of oil to grease your boxing engine if you follow them:

    But THIS is the dividing line…

    So day after day I’m in the boxing gym, training, coaching, and watching other boxers. And there is one factor that tells me whether or not someone is willing to do the real work of boxing. One single thing.

    And that’s training to the bell.

    I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen guys belly up to the heavy bag, fire off a handful of full-power combos, and then sit back in sheer self-appreciation and deep personal satisfaction.

    Of course it feels great to blast the bag a few times. And there are plenty of days when you want to use every ounce of strength you have, play it all out to see what it feels like.

    But being able to throw 15 hard punches means absolutely zero, zip, nada in boxing.

    Strutting around the gym dabbling here and there is worse than useless — you’re actually in the way of serious boxers and you’re a distraction and bad example to other beginners. It would be better for everyone if you’d just go home and nurse your boxing fantasy in front of your mirror while the rest of us get the real work of boxing done.

    (I so wanted to find a picture of a guy posing in front of his mirror at home, enjoying his boxing superstar fantasy. Go find one and post the link in the comments so we can have a good chortle.)

    If you want to box, train to the bell

    If you can’t go a single full round (2 or 3 minutes) of doing something — punching, footwork, jump rope, shadowboxing, padwork, running, agility dots, slipping, rope work, ring slides, planks, or some other fight-related action — you have not even begun to work at boxing.

    There should be a round timer going in your gym most of the time. If there isn’t, get yourself a timer, or learn to set your watch/phone/music player to time your rounds. Do every single training exercise in rounds of 2 or 3 minutes, with 30 second recoveries. If your round timer has a 30-second bell (which rings to indicate there are 30 seconds left in the round before it ends), use that time to double your efforts and power your way toward the bell.

    If you take a round off, be back at the bags, on the mat, or in the ring and ready to roll when the bell rings. That bell going off should not be your reminder to put down your water bottle and saunter over to the speed bag to resume your work; you should already be there ready and waiting to get the first shot in.

    If you’re running or jumping rope and planning to go multiple rounds, keep going during the 30-second recovery period, but slow down to an easy coast. Then rev back up when the timer sounds the new round.

    If you can’t do a single serious round out of the ring, you have no business getting in the ring.

    If I have any single rule at the very top of the pile, it’s this one. Drill in rounds, practice in rounds, sprint in rounds. Do all your training in rounds, and your transition into the ring will be much faster and better.

    Yes? No? Maybe? Fire away.

    Your turn. What’s your top rule for boxing training? Leave me a comment below!

    Photo Credit: kizette via Compfight cc

  • 4 Ways to Improve Your Boxing Starting Today

    4 Ways to Improve Your Boxing Starting Today

    Sometimes you get in a rut at the gym. You work your way through the same tired-ass routine and come out feeling like you’re not making any major moves forward in your game. Sometimes it just takes a simple suggestion or a new idea to get you moving again. Check out the four tactics below for a refreshing change from the same ol’, same ol’. (Skip straight to number four if you love pain.)

    1. Four Punch Combos

    My sparring partner (and pro fighter) Yvonne gets credit for this one. Most new boxers throw one punch at a time. Even experienced boxers can easily default to single- and double-punch patterns. It’s so common, it’s a cliché: Give it the old “one-two.” The jab-and-a-right (if you’re an orthodox fighter) is as common and predictible as shave-and-a-haircut (two bits).

    To be sure, you can win a fight with ones and twos. But what if you trained yourself to throw three or four punches at a time, rather than one or two? Not only would you significantly increase your potential score, you also throw your opponent off her game, and interrupt the two-punch tradeoff rhythm. Now you’re in control, racking up the score, and forcing your opponent to move and defend.

    Train in four-punch combos. Do it for an entire round. Hell, do it for FOUR rounds. (Can you tell I’m getting off on this whole “four” thing?)

    Don’t make all your shots right-left-right-left; that can be the fastest way to get your shots off, but it can also get predictable in the ring. Mix it up, badass. Toss in a slip, or throw two in a row from the same side now and then.

    I like the guy in the video below, although some of his “crosses” look like straight rights to me… Still, he’s got some shit, right? I would be motivated to stay outta his way.

    2. Four Punch Combo Slip Drills

    It’s easy to work four punch combos into a drill. Ditch your gloves so that you both remember to work for speed rather than strength. Now shadow box with a partner and trade off four-shot combos. She throws four (and moves her feet), then you throw four. Don’t work for touches, work to ingrain the habit of throwing four in a row. Then practice it in sparring later.

    3. Video Yourself

    I hate this one; there’s nothing worse than seeing yourself suck on the replay. But, it also helps you improve. If you’re neurotic like me, try not to pick everything apart. Just get your four shots while moving down.

    Btw, Coach’s Eye is a great app for capturing boxing video, because it lets you slow down the motion and markup the replay.

    4. Four Punch Tabita-Style Sprints

    Wanna kick your own motherfuckin’ ass? Dude, dial summa this up. When my coach is feeling pissy, he has us do these for an entire round. You know, like at the end of a workout. Uh-huh.

    Photo Credit: kate.gardiner via Compfight cc

  • Warrior Woman of the North: Ti Conkle

    Warrior Woman of the North: Ti Conkle

    There are women in the world who absolutely inspire me to rise to the daily challenge of my martial arts training. Ti Conkle is one of them, and there aren’t gems like her just everywhere. In fact, you’ll have a bit of an adventure simply seeking out her company. Ti (short for Titanium, for realz) lives, fights, and perfects her arts in the Land of the Midnight Sun… 

    Tell us all where you live, and how on earth you got (and stayed) there…

    If you looked at a map of the world, located Alaska, wrapped your pointer finger in gauze and took a stab at the middle of the state- you’d probably hit my house (which is why you’d want your finger wrapped). To be precise, that’s Fairbanks, Alaska (64°50′N 147°43′W).

    Like Reykjavik, Iceland and Trondheim, Norway and Yakutsk, Russia- Fairbanks is nestled in the heart of the Land of the Midnight Sun. During the summer, the sun doesn’t really ever set; during the winter months, it barely crests the horizon and civil twilight reigns for about 3.5 hours before The Dark takes over again.

    I was born in Palmer, Alaska and have lived in different portions of the state for my entire life. How I stay here is entirely a different matter: it takes relentless determination to maintain motivation and inspiration through winter months with temperatures hovering around -40. The dark and the cold are the driving force behind my training.

    Ice Fall

    What do you absolutely adore about your environment? Are there things you wish to didn’t have to contend with?

    I crave solitude. Mountains, river valleys, exposed ridgelines and alpine tundra stretch out for miles in every direction within short driving distance of my house and provide the antidote for living in the second largest city in the State of Alaska.

    Contending with the brutal cold, the extended winter that runs from mid-September until April (or May, this year- the coldest spring in the recorded history of Alaska) takes a toll on most folks who live here; I wouldn’t mind a more temperate climate, but the polar bears keep freaking out when the ice sheets melt.

    (Also, here’s a shocking and well-told quick story Ti wrote about an unusual encounter with a moose and her calf…)

    What are the sports that regularly make an appearance in your life? Which was your first love? How did you get started in it, and how did it evolve?

    Mt. Rainier

    In no particular order: mountaineering, ice climbing, rock climbing (wait, yeah, it’s inorder of importance)… cycling (bike commuting to and from work, April – October), fat biking, Krav Maga, running, Crossfit training, Taekwon-do, Brazilian Jujitsu, soccer, white water kayaking… there are probably more, but I’ve worn out the comma key on the keyboard.

    My first love was and still is: iron. Lifting weights. Heavy weights. Good old fashioned deadlift, squat, bench press… these were the foundation of my foray into strength training and conditioning and my eyes still light up when I hear the unmistakable thump of bumper plates jostling collars as a heavy bar gets dropped.

    I grew up on a large farm: tending livestock, growing and harvesting crops and operating farm equipment. There’s a particular work ethic that drives a farmer: things simply have to get done. Every day. No matter the weather, no matter how you feel, no matter what. I simply took the same muscles that I used for throwing 90-pound hay bales over my head onto a wagon and funneled the movement into driving iron. Even today, when too many days have gone by without a heavy workout, I feel it.

    What’s your experience with boxing or other martial arts?  

    KickinMy introduction to boxing was courtesy of none other than Bill “Superfoot” Wallace, in early 2011. He punched me in the head and I was completely hooked. For the most part, the boxing I do is simply a function of Krav Maga: it’s one of many tools in the toolbox for sparring and for conditioning.

    As to other martial arts… I’ve trained consistently in Taekwon-do for several years and will be testing for my black belt (1st Dan) on May 31, 2013.

    I also have the opportunity to train in Brazilian Jujitsu and Judo, as several of the other Krav instructors train, compete and instruct in those disciplines.

    What sport of yours is most engaging or dominant for you right now, and why?

    Right this moment, Krav Maga and Taekwon-do are in a battle to the death, fighting for every available moment of my time and brain space. Krav is winning. I’ve waited for more than twelve years to have the opportunity to train in Krav Maga and am now a Krav instructor, as well as a continuing student.

    How do you train? What does your weekly routine look like?

    Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’m cradling a cup of imported Italian espresso by 4:10 AM. By 4:45 AM, I’m on my bike and riding to Elite Urban Fitness for the first workout of the day (Crossfit style). From there, I bike to work (I work as an investigator/auditor for State and Federal government)

    By the time the day is half over, I’m outdoors again for a walk or run- depending on weather; then back to work. I bike commute home, regroup and rally gear and head to either Krav or Taekwondo (depending on the night).

    Two nights a week, I train back-to-back Krav sessions and wrap up at 9:00 PM. Two nights a week, I train in Taekwon-do. In between, I instruct classes.

    Weekends frequently find me either rock climbing or racing (running or cycling), in the summer.

    Is yours a solitary journey? Who are your trainers and traveling companions? Does one in particular stand out? How has that person made an impact on you?

    Spar

    My husband, Jeff, daughter, Dez and I all bike commute to work and school (respectively) and we train together at Elite Urban Fitness. Dez is thirteen and wrestles varsity for her middle school, plays soccer, trains with me in Taekwon-do and competes in running races with us. My journey is an adventure in the dynamics of family, training, work and play- and rarely is there enough solitude to fully satisfy me.

    At different points in our lives, all three of us have been significantly overweight and unhealthy. Individually, we have each taken on the challenge of eating to fuel our endeavors, training to meet our goals. Together, we inspire, motivate and rally each other.

    How does being a wife and mother change your sport?

    I’m not only a mom and wife, but also a medic. The combo pack makes me one very fierce, determined, risk-assessing, analytical, compassionate human being.

    I am deeply fortunate to have my best friend as a life partner: he is a construction management engineer and a highly talented chef. I know, right? He does all the cooking at home, which literally fuels my every adventure. Whether I’m finishing an ultra-marathon on a sprained ankle or traveling to San Francisco for work, he’s right there. Cheering me on, believing in me, holding up my half of the sky when I’m gone for weeks on end, climbing… without Jeff, I couldn’t do a fraction of what I do.

    As for Dez… I write about her. A lot. She’s an incredible woman with her own sense of humor, sarcastic wit and athletic prowess. She’s tough, determined and… she’s a wrestler. This spring, when 423 competitors took to the mat at the state championships, she was one of only 15 girls to earn a spot as varsity wrestlers. She wrestled the 160 lb. / 72.5 kg bracket and placed ninth. It was her first year of wrestling and she was one of the youngest competitors on the mat.

    Being a mom to a girl like this has definitely changed my sport: I bring my best game, no matter how I feel, every time I train.

    *   *   *

    Ti is not only a martial arts enthusiast and coach, she’s also an amazing photographer. You can follow her at her blog, Element 22.

    *Please remind me about Ti the next time I whine about working sprints after the temps drop below 40 degrees…

  • How to Publish Your Badass Book

    How to Publish Your Badass Book

    If your inner demons have ever said to you, “Hey loser, you’re never gonna get your book written, much less published,” my partner-in-writing-badassery Sonja Foust and I are gonna give you some nice sharp rocks to throw in those bastards’ faces.

    Our newest book, “Vampires and Tantric Sex: How to Publish Your Book Like a Bona Fide Badass” has just come out on Amazon and it’s FREE starting May 30, and for a few days after.

    Here’s a little (strip) teaser…

    Listen, you already know that publishing — even if you go the self-published online route, which is definitely the fastest — isn’t a get rich quick scheme, no matter what that dude on the infomercial or pop-up-infested sales page promised you.

    It’s hard work, and it takes time.

    In fact, publishing is like tantric sex, in which we are (of course) both experts. Actually, it’s like über-tantric sex, if you’ll allow us to mix the Germans with the Hindus, because rather than a six-hour naked marathon session, it’s more like a six-month to two-year naked (soul) marathon.

    Tell your inner demons to put that in their pipes and smoke it. They’ll probably quite like it, and switch sides immediately. That, at least, is worth the effort of downloading, wouldn’t you agree?

    This publishing-as-über-tantric-soul-sex marathon is mostly fun and you do get several little orgasms plus a big, juicy one at the end. Which is really just the beginning, because after tantric publishing comes tantric marketing (<– our next book), which is actually more like an orgy (in which we are also both experts), because you want lots of excited people involved to help you “get it off.” Hah.

    And you thought this book was gonna be dull.

    If you haven’t immediately deleted us from your hard drive, unfriended us both on Facebook, and written your congressman an angry letter in which you foam at the mouth and denounce us as frauds (we are not experts at that), we got more good stuff…coming.

    And we always practice safe publishing, y’all. And you’re gonna like it. Especially if you’re into a little BDSM.

    No dirty limericks or whiskey, buuuuut…

    Not only are you gonna discover what you need to know BEFORE you publish, you’ll also get the full story on traditional and online publishing (with timelines and worksheets for all), AND you’ll get to see exactly how the two of us did it, too.

    You’ll find out:

    • The advantages and disadvantages to traditional (with the “Big Six” or a small press) and online (on your own or for a client) publishing
    • What each part will cost you, and how long it will take
    • Which parts of the process are easiest to outsource
    • How to navigate the secret hell of formatting for online publishing platforms

    No dirty limericks are included this time (no whiskey, either), but if we could give you all a present it would definitely be a “Be nice or I’ll mock you in my novel” tee-shirt. And if you want MORE really-it’s-chocolate-flavored unicorn pellets, see the next bit…

    Collect ’em all!

    Just in case you missed it earlier, the first book in the Badass Writing Series, Bagels, Dirty Limericks, and Martinis: The Badass Guide to Writing Your First Book, will help you get your ideas out of your head and down on paper, tell you the ironclad rules of writing (and why most of them are crap), take you step by step through writing your first outline in 5 minutes (or less), and reveal the secrets to plotting, editing, and FINISHING your book.

    The second book, Whiskey-Pissing Unicorns: How to Lose or Quit Your Job and Become a Badass Writer  includes three critical questions (and one sneaky-ass trick) you should consider when deciding whether you really wanna be an ink-slave, explains precisely where badass writers find paying jobs (not counting Wal-Mart, hah), and tells you what does and doesn’t keep the baby in Huggies.

    Vampires and Tantric Sex: How to Publish Your Book Like a Bona Fide Badass is the third book in the series…

    And our fourth book has a working title of Marketing Mofo: How to Sell Moar Copies of Your Badass Book. (We may or may not spell the title in lolcat.) And if we get a good electrical storm in the next few weeks, we’ll be able to hook that one up in the laboratory and jolt it to life by July. See below for how to find out when the monster is free and rampaging through the digital streets…

    Write Dammit Cover (s)

    Get “Write, Dammit” for Free, too!

    If you want to get our free book, 25 Reasons to Write, Dammit, go sign up over at Badass Writing. You might want to get it purely for the handy-dandy list of penis-inspired names for the characters in your books. Of course you might want to avoid it entirely for that reason, too. Maybe wear gloves for that download.

    Any rate, you won’t get any kind of regular newsletter-y thing (too much work) when you sign up, but we’ll def let you know whenever one of our new books is coming out for freesies.