independent taskt #2

Literal: What have I completed this semester?

a) “I, Julio Urbina, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”

b) Hello, I'm affirming that I completed my 30+ for my second semester. For the second semester I did much more than last semester: I ran 5 kilometers every Saturday, sometimes people would join me, I train in the garage hitting my punching bag, I started watching fighting, I kept going to my Muay Thai class, and I trained four people, Rene Urbina, Gaby Murphy, and a junior.

Interpretive: What I got out of my independent task and prove of how my work is 30+hours.

 

Running: This semester my running time for the 5 kilometers when up from 25minutes to 30minutes because I'm running up hill. This is a lot of time as a runner, but I decided to run up hill because it will create more endurance for my Muay Thai fights (fight for longer times) and also giving me a greater challenge (is harder to run up hill than on a flat surface). It usually takes 20minutes to get to the hill walking. When people join me at running I do a better time (24minutes) because I have motivation to do better and not look like a poser (someone who pretends to be something he is not).

Punching bag: When I train with my punching bag I have to use hand wraps to not cut my knuckles. I train for 2 hours when I use my punching bag because I want to increase and force of my hits. If I want to increase the speed of my punches I have to do repetitions of 100 punches 3 times under the time limit, which is less than 15minutes. I have to try to incorporate all the punches and elbows I can do, like the followings;

 

·  Jab

·  Straight Punch

·  Swing

·  Uppercut

·  Hook

·  Striking Elbow

·  Perpendicular Elbow

·  Levering Elbow

·  Diagonal Elbow

·  Chopping Elbow

·  Smash Downward Elbow

·  Double Elbows

·  Reverse Elbow

  To increase the speed of kicks I try to improve my technique by shadow boxing (shadow boxing is when you pretend your opponent is in front of you and you try to hit them and block hits) or due a lot of repetition on the punching bag. Some kicks are:

 

·  Straight knee

·  Jumping knee

·  Small knee

·  Rabbit knee

·  Farewell knee

·  Lower knee

·  Flying knee

 

·  Side Kick or Round Kick

·  Diagonal Kick

·  Hook kick or Down round kick

·  Kick to the outside of the knee joint

·  Kick to the inside of the knee joint

These are some of the many hits a Muay Thai fighter has to practice and each hit could take between a months to a year to master.

 

Watching fights: I decided to start watching fights because if I did spend my time wisely, I should be able to identify mistakes and the poor quality of technique which a fighter could have. I go watch fights at different gyms and one of the professionals asked me to be one of the judges for kids tournaments because I was writing on a paper mistakes that the fighters were making and rating their technique with specific statements, an example could be: Steven didn't keep his hands up, leaving an open spot for any possible cross or upper-cut to enter. This means my eyes have gotten better due to the amount of time I dedicated to watch fights, because I can catch fighters’ mistakes and be able to correct them, something an instructor would do or if I would be a fighter, a weak length that I could attack.

 

Muay Thai class: I decided to continue going to the class because I have professionals who correct my mistakes, I enjoy going three times a week to class for one hour each day, and my mentor is also there. 

 

Diploma & Belt

This diploma and belts lets me teach other people up to that level. The yellow belt usually takes six months to get. Each belt takes three months to acquire.

Training people: I got the best experience out of teaching people what I know and have a passion for.

Rene Urbina: Rene Urbina is my dad and he went through the same experience as Ryan but he didn't lose any, because he gains it on muscle weight.

       Rene's Training

     The left picture shows the placement of the hands in Muay Thai and the right picture shows one of the ways to block a low kick.

Gaby Murphy: She has been training with me for three weeks now. What I'm teaching her is how to fight since she has no knowledge how to, she is a fast learner, and is not scare of getting hurt. Thank to this training she feels confident about her.

                                                   Gaby's training

Junior student: He is the most advance from all my "students" since he started training last semester. He has learned various moves and is able to do some combos.

Applied: How did it help answering my EQ? 

     The activities I did help me find, expand, and experience my three answers.
1) Running and practicing my techniques on a punching bag help me experience and find a good way to increase endurance which is one of my answers for my EQ
2) Watching fights helps me to learn to catch fighters mistakes and correct them. Such mistakes may cause a fighter the fight and he will not become the best fight as possible. This proves that my second answer, having a good instructor is necessary because they do not only teach you knew strikes but they are responsible to correct the fighters’ mistakes. This has also helped me train my "students." Students have a different type of training since they do not want to become fighters, so I have to ask them what they want me to help them with.
3) My Muay Thai class helps me with my personal training. Since without training I cannot learn how to defend and attack with Muay Thai, it became my most important answer. During training you learn everything; discipline, new moves, how to block, respect, to be humble, how it may benefit you as the student or fighter in your everyday life, etc. But to really know all this the best way to find an answer is to go to class and experience it.