Urban Martial Arts Review from Cheryl: Kickboxing Classes

Urban Martial Arts Review Kickboxing

What do members think of our Fitness Kickboxing program? Here’s Cheryl on the awesome results she’s seen from kickboxing at Urban Martial Arts:

“I started taking kickboxing classes here at the end of January 2014. At first I thought what did I get myself into since I’m not big on exercising (and I definitely hate the gym) but after a few weeks I started really getting used to the combinations and the cardio. In just 3 1/2 months I’ve lost 30 lbs! I’ve changed my diet and tried to stay consistent with my kickboxing classes. I’m now going 6 days a week and recently have been taking double classes. Double classes are very difficult but the atmosphere is so fun and friendly that you eventually forget the pain. Kickboxing has definitely grown on me and I love going everyday. So, if you’re looking for a great workout and to change to a healthier lifestyle than Urban Martial Arts is your best bet!”
-Cheryl G.

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[Video] 5 Reasons You Aren’t Seeing Results From Kickboxing

Kickboxing can burn up to 800 calories per class! So if you’re not seeing any weight loss results, you might be making one of these important mistakes.

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Urban Martial Arts Review from Jill: After-School Program

After-School Programs in Brooklyn

What do parents think of our Transported Karate After-School Program? Here’s Jill on how her son has benefited from training at Urban Martial Arts:

“I am so happy and relieved about this great progam that I found for my 9 year old son. I was looking for an afterschool program that fit our needs close to school and where pick up was available. One of the greatest things about the program is that there is a great physical skill being taught. Like all children my son really needs this especially after being at school all day. He has made great friends, he is always happy and content when I pick him up. He also enjoys his counselors. He completes all of his homework most days and plays great games with the other children. I highly recommend this program as it is very affordable and pick up is usually included. Sensei Serge is a great instructor for the martial arts. We hope to enjoy this program for years to come.”
-Jill H.

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Try our karate after-school program!

After School Programs in BrooklynThe Urban Martial Arts Transported Karate After-School Program includes free school pick-up, a free karate uniform, a free T-shirt, karate classes 5 days a week, and plenty of time for homework and snacks.

Just enter your email address below to view prices and details, and to request a free school tour.

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Finding the Best Summer Camp in Brooklyn [Infographic]

Finding the Best Summer Camp in Brooklyn

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Summer Camp Photo Nick Andre JonathanJust enter your email address below to view pricing and details for our summer camp, and to request a free orientation.

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It Is Never Too Late

It Is Never Too Late

Try one fitness kickboxing class absolutely free!

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3 Kickboxing Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

3 Kickboxing Mistakes You Don't Know You're Making

Every sport or physical activity comes with some risk for injury, and kickboxing is not any different. When you participate in any sport, it’s important to put safety first. So here are a few tips to help you avoid injury in your kickboxing class.

1. Don’t kick with your toes

An essential part of kickboxing is mastering the round kick. When you kick, ensure that your instep (the top, flat part of your foot) is what hits the heavy bag, not your toes. Any safety-conscious instructor like the trainers at Urban Martial Arts will tell you this because if you hit the heavy bag with your toes, you might break your toes and cause yourself serious damage. So when kicking, ensure that you point your toes so they won’t be perpendicular to the bag.

2. Pivot your foot during round kicks

As you’ve probably heard, the round kick is one of the most essential and common moves in kickboxing. When you sign up for a good kickboxing class like the one at Urban Martial Arts, the instructors will help you perfect your technique, but you need to remember that when doing a round kick, the foot that is not kicking should always pivot. When you don’t pivot, you leave one half of your body immobile. This is dangerous and can cause you some injuries. It also makes your kick less powerful than it could be.

3. Don’t lift your elbow when you punch

As its name implies, there are two major components to kickboxing: kicking and punching. When you’re punching, place your elbow as close to the body as possible. Do not lift your elbow to the right or left of your body when you are about to punch. If you do that, you’ll be placing too much strain on your shoulder. This can lead to injuries to the tendons and muscles in the shoulder region.

Kickboxing can be a very fun and high intensity workout that can help you burn up to 800 calories per class. Beyond that, kickboxing helps to keep your rate of metabolism up even after you are done with the class. However, it is important that you take some steps to ensure that you remain safe while you are working out. Following the tips in this article will help keep you as safe as you can be.

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Day Camps in Brooklyn vs Sleepaway Camps: Which Are Better?

Day Camps in Brooklyn vs Sleepaway Camps: Which Are Better?

When most people think of summer camps, they think of sleepaway camps, which keep children for weeks at a time in the summer. Now, sleepaway camps can be fun, but if you live in Brooklyn, day camps might just be a better option for you. Here are some reasons why you should go for day camps in Brooklyn over sleepaway camps.

1. Day camps ease you and your child into the summer camp lifestyle
Some children have never been to a summer camp and they might be nervous about camp. Day camps are a much better alternative for these children. They get to enjoy all the advantages of camp and then go back home at the end of the day. This helps them build new social, physical and mental skills that will help them gain more confidence and make it easier for them to enjoy any type of camp they want.

2. Day camps offer a greater partnership between camp and parent
At a sleepaway camp, the camp is totally in charge of all the learning and growth that will happen during the summer. Day camps however, allow both parties to participate in the growth and development of the child throughout the summer. The parent still plays an important role in the child’s daily life. At the end of the day, parents can help the child work through obstacles that the child faces, giving guidance and helping to shape solutions.

3. Day camps are more affordable
Day camp is significantly less expensive than sleepaway camps. This is because at a day camp, you only pay for the available resources and the camp itself. You don’t have to pay for boarding and feeding fees. So if budget is a consideration, or if you are stringing together multiple camps over the summer, you might want to go for day camps.

4. Day camps offer greater specialization
Unlike sleepaway camps, where the goal is to build social skills over the summer, day camps often focus more on teaching specific skills. At the Urban Martial Arts karate sports summer camp, for example, we specialize in introducing children to martial arts, and having fun in the process. Day camps teach your child a specific skill, as well as social skills to get through life.

Traditionally, sleepaway camps are what people consider when they think of camps, but day camps come with a lot of advantages. With the ready availability of parents if there is a problem, and all the other advantages listed in this article, day camps in Brooklyn are the better alternative for some families.

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How Summer Camps in Brooklyn Help Parents

How Summer Camps in Brooklyn Help Parents

When we think of summer camp and its benefits, we tend to focus on how camp benefits children.

But did you know that summer camp is a great help to parents also, especially in urban areas?

Here are some of the ways in which summer camps in Brooklyn help parents.

1. You don’t have to plan all the activities yourself.

Even if you are a full-time, stay-at-home parent, figuring out how to keep your child occupied for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for the entire 2 months of summer can be a daunting and scary task! Summer camps take this burden off your shoulders by designing activities to keep your child busy and entertained all summer long.

2. You have peace of mind, knowing your child is in good hands.

As a parent, you often wonder what your child is doing when they’re not with you. And if you’re using a childcare provider that you’re not really certain about, you’ll be doubly worried. But when your child is in a great summer camp like the one at Urban Martial Arts, you know that your child is being cared for by professionals. This gives you peace of mind. You can relax, knowing you don’t have to worry about their safety.

3. You can enjoy some “me” time.

The rarest thing for parents with children to get is some quality personal time. It can get to the point where even enjoying a cup of coffee by yourself without children demanding your attention can begin to seem like a luxury! Summer camp gives you some desperately needed solo time to not only get some things done, but also to simply enjoy your own company for a change.

4. You know your child is having fun and staying active.

As awesome a parent as you are, you don’t have all the resources that summer camps have at their disposal. The programming and activities your child will enjoy at a camp will far outpace what you could accomplish on your own. You can be satisfied with the knowledge that your child isn’t sitting in front of a TV or computer screen all day long, but is having fun and staying active instead.

5. You learn to let go a little.

Sometimes parents can hover over their kids too much. (I’m guilty of this too!) This limits children and puts too much pressure on parents. When you send your child to summer camp, you’re forcing yourself to back off a little and give your child some much-needed space. This not only teaches your child independence, but allows you room to adjust as well.

Summer camp truly is a win-win situation for both children and parents. The kids get to have the time of their lives and parents get to enjoy a wealth of advantages like the ones listed in this article and more!

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Sore from Kickboxing? 3 Surprising Ways to Soothe Sore Muscles

Sore from Kickboxing? 3 Surprising Ways to Soothe Sore Muscles

Kickboxing is a physical activity that is fun and high intensity. In fact, you can burn up to 800 calories in each class!

But kickboxing can also leave your muscles sore.

So if you’re feeling achy after kickboxing class, here are 3 surprising ways that could relieve some of that soreness.

1. Drink more coffee.

A recent study has shown that caffeine can interfere with the body’s ability to feel pain. So if you drink coffee an hour before class, you may not feel as sore as you normally would. The trick is to drink the right proportion for your body size. For maximum pain-blocking effect, the researchers recommend 2 mg of caffeine for each pound of body weight.

2. Take a dip in an ice bath.

Professional athletes have long used ice baths to loosen up sore muscles. A recent study reveals that there is a lot of truth behind this idea. For maximum relief, the water should be between 54 to 59 degrees. So if your tap water isn’t cold enough, throw in a couple of ice trays. When you’re just getting started, trying taking a dip for 30 seconds at a time. Then increase each week until you’re able to stay for 5 minutes at a time. It’s a great way to relieve sore muscles.

3. Exercise some more.

When it comes to relieving sore muscles, there’s something to be said for the old “hair of the dog” idea: that the best cure for what ails you is to have some more of it.

After your kickboxing class and cool down at Urban Martial Arts, your muscles will feel sore. So when you get a chance, do some more exercise to relax them.

It doesn’t have to be something as high intensity as kickboxing, but some jumping jacks or a quick jog can help a lot.

When you take up kickboxing, you’re signing up for a class that will help you lose weight, stay fit and healthy.

It will also give you sore muscles, which is not a bad thing, as it shows that you’re doing your body good. Still, if the soreness bothers you, try some of the tips in this article for relief.

Try one fitness kickboxing class absolutely free!

Just enter your email address below to view our class schedule and details, and to request a free class.

Be sure to confirm your request by clicking the link on the confirmation email you’ll receive from us.

Why Summer Camps in Brooklyn Are So Important for Kids

Why Summer Camps in Brooklyn Are Important for Kids

Every time summer rolls by, children across the country get ready to have the time of their lives at summer camp. It’s fun for kids and gives parents time off, a win-win situation. If you’re still not convinced of the importance of summer camps, here are a couple more reasons why summer camps are so important for kids in Brooklyn especially, but everywhere else also.

1. They are physically active all day long
These days, most kids live a very sedentary lifestyle. They spend their free time playing on the computer or with video games or watching the TV. Even in school, they don’t get the opportunity to be physically active all the time, especially with elementary and middle schools now cutting back on gym classes and recess. For a child’s body and mind to develop well, a child needs to engage in physical activity. Summer camps give kids the opportunity to do just that. The kids get to run, jump, play, and engage in sports-based activities and stay active.

2. The change of environment boosts self-confidence
It is very refreshing for anyone to change environments for a while, and children need to feel this too, especially at the end of the school year. Without the usual academic, athletic and social competition that have come to characterize schooling, they are free to experience more success. This leads to kids building self-confidence.

3. They become more resilient
Because many summer camps focus on praising efforts and encouraging kids to push beyond their perceived boundaries, kids will try new things at a summer camp. While this means that they will experience difficulties and even setbacks, they will also build a degree of resiliency. This is something that every child needs to experience.

4. They improve their social skills
Summer camp is filled with not just children, but a new set of adults for the children to get to know. By sharing this time with their peers, they get to make new friends and cement the bonds to friendships that are already present. Equally important is that the children get to learn how to negotiate their needs with adults. This skill will be very useful to the kids later on in life.

5. They feel like they belong
Good camps foster a close sense of community. For example, at Urban Martial Arts, every karate class begins with a recitation of our student creed, which spells out the values we stand for: perseverance, excellence, and using martial arts for self-defense, never for offense. This grounds the kids, makes them part of something bigger than themselves. When children feel rooted, it helps them develop a sense of security.

Summer camp can be a very rewarding experience for your kids. It will help them develop useful skills as well as create memories and friendships that will last through your child’s lifetime.

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