Michelle Nicole

So, question, how are you stretching your calf out ? Reason I'm asking as I am also hypermobile and have had similar sensations. It turned out to be that I wasn't stretching the Achilles part at all. It took a few weeks of stretching and massage and correcting how I stand to get it working without pain. (I have high arches as well and would end up rolling my foot inward when standing and stepping.)

Honestly, it's probably the footwork that was my favorite. Like, it just clicked. And I got the opportunity to use some of it today. Saturday is flow spar day, and I was able to pair with the pro fighter at our gym. She is short like me (which is also rare to have someone to work with that is my height.. everyone else is like 5'8 or taller) (I'm 5'3) and so it actually challenges me more because I'm so used to working with taller people. And she kept getting into my space faster than I could react. It's always been that way. But with the explosive footwork, I was actually able to get a couple shots on her for once. That and the Dutch Rush worked really well, too. Like, I just had the biggest grin on my face when I was finished with the realization that the stuff I learned at the seminar could be used in application. I even texted my husband when I got done and told him how excited I was. He, of course, doesn't understand, but considering how bad this week has been otherwise, it was such a satisfying feeling. I will post a link to the blog post once I get it written up.

Okay, feedback on the seminar... FUCKING AWESOME. I was soooo nervous about it. Up until the point we got started my anxiety was through the roof. But looking back, it was well-organized and well taught. I honestly could not have asked for a better experience. We did start a little late, but it was understandable being that a majority of people probably came from out of town. I thought I was one of the farthest, but turns out there were a couple people just south of me. (I live in North Carolina.) --- But, alas, an overview: Introductions. Warm-up, shadowboxing. Started with the basics, footwork. Brief practice of the movements. Then she talked about explosiveness, which she is known for. Moved into learning how to explode, forward, backward, and side to side. (Each drill was probably 10-15 minutes a piece.) Learned the Dutch Rush. Inside, outside, go. (She may have called it something else, but this is what I heard/what the literal movement is.) Rush on rail, hit one rail off. (Lots of train metaphors. Surprisingly helpful.) Controlling space. This one is a big one for me, as I'm short and have a difficult time with this in sparring. I forget that I can use angles to help control my space. Basic point being there is a "V" of green space (or good space) and it goes from your shoulders out into a V. Don't let opponent/partner get past your shoulder. When trying to get close for elbows, step into the person's space. You can use any movement, but you have to step in. IE, Dutch Rush. When hitting with someone taller, step off line/rail. Catching a switchkick and sweeping. When someone Dutch Rushes you, do J's or step and then cut. Spinning Back Elbows. Question and Answer session. I asked a question. It was a humbling experience. From my Facebook post about it : "I was given the chance to ask Tiffany a question while there. She had already brought up her elbow surgery in another person's question, so I immediately latched onto that because a year post-surgery from my shoulder and I'm still having issues. I asked her how she dealt with the frustrations of coming back from something like that. Answer ? One step at a time. Go after little goals. Don't get overwhelmed by the bigger picture. I'm not sure what miracle answer I was hoping for, but she told me the truth that I've been staring in the face for quite some time. Guess I'm one of those people who just has to hear it so many times before finally getting it. Lesson learned." --- I know there's probably a couple things I missed. This is the first time I've taken notes during a session so remembering to take them down was difficult. Also, we were constantly doing something. I only got one quick video of the end. There was only time to learn and practice on the go. For those who DO decide they want to go to a seminar, I highly recommend going. But, in conjunction with that, I also recommend: DRINK WATER, before, during, and after. I came home the next day, 10-11 hours in the car and hardly drank anything and only drank my normal amount the day of. Tuesday and Wednesday I was so incredibly sick and dehydrated, it was horrible. I'm still reeling a bit from that today. TAKE NOTES, while the person is speaking about the drill. Water breaks weren't really offered much, so note taking had to be done on the fly or from memory. Hence why I missed a few things. But I'm sitting here trying to remember everything and I can't. Notes have saved the day. PICK YOUR PARTNER ASAP. Set the tone of the seminar for yourself. I'm incredibly shy in person, and it took a lot to get out of my comfort zone and approach someone my height to work with. I ended up having an awesome partner who was also patient with me as I still struggle with movements sometimes. SMILE. Why? Because while you're learning, you also need to have some fun. Three hours is a long time to frown. And if you make mistakes, laugh it off. You're learning, it happens. I kept getting frustrated in the beginning because I wasn't immediately getting it. But, it's also a learning process. ALSO, Kudos to Kate for putting this thing together. I know it can't have been easy, and I commend you for it. PS, I am working on my blog post for all of this. It might take me a while as I'm a slow writer.

That makes sense Sylvie. Now that you say that, I can relate to that general awareness becoming better. Before I had zero body awareness, but slowly I'm becoming more aware of where I'm at, though nothing in particular has gotten better over anything else. Maybe that's why Coach has been giving me compliments where I felt he was full of it. I still feel super weak though.

For me, I'm scared of re-injury, so I don't go as hard. Especially when drilling. That's what got me into this mess in the first place. The one thing I am grateful for is that my lower body is substantially stronger. But I'm still struggling with distance judgement and stepping out enough. Or even stepping forward. Like when we're doing light sparring, I'm afraid to use my left side at all, so I keep switching to southpaw to feel and then orthodox to go after someone. It's really bizarre.

I know that since I started back training it's gotten a little better, but it still feels like I'm missing something when I'm working on it.

No. You're not the only one. My arms and punches used to be pretty even in strength and power. Since I tore my labrum, I'm a year since surgery almost and I still can't do very many push up and range of motion isn't much either.

okay, so my gym had a surprise last minute short seminar thing last weekend and I decided to use it as my practice for when I write my experience down later this month. I had one friend read it and say that there wasn't enough detail. any other feedback is welcome. http://crazyallyrose.blogspot.com/2016/01/muay-thai-seminar-1215-united-thai.html

Lobo, I watched some of her fights after I saw your post. She just breaks people down. It was pretty wicked to watch. Sylvie, I'm actually trying to talk my mom into going with me. I'm hoping she does, because then I'll have someone I can immediately babble to about it. She won't understand it, but I know she'll listen. I have a friend who has also asked me to write about my experience when I go. I will definitely be sure to write it down and share. And Kate, thank you for your response! I got your email as well. I didn't realize it would be an interactive thing, which is so awesome. I am so excited I can literally not concentrate on anything because I can't stop thinking about it. My only question, which is probably slightly silly, is do I need to bring gloves and handwraps ? I am mentally jumping up and down with excitement, like a little kid in a candy shop. Is it time to go yet?

Plantar is excruciating and an even bigger pain to deal with, so I am glad you don't have it.

I'm in agreement with Micc and Sylvie. Another possible thing is plantar fasciitis. Also idk what your day job is like or what types of shoes you wear, but I pronate super hard on my left foot because one leg is shorter than the other. And I've found that when I go to kick or move in general I start to pronate and supinate (i think that's what it is called, where you walk on the outer edges of your feet) to compensate for putting stress on one side too much. I would definitely look into an overall evaluation though, because it could be something as simple as a misalignment. Ie, when my hips move because my hip flexors tighten on one side over the other, I'll have back, knee, calf, and foot problems. Also, one last possibility I can think of is a situation similar to turf toe. A few months back I stepped into a hole and bent my toes too far back, and the pain from it was killer. I couldn't walk on it for a few days. But when going up on your toes, maybe you're bending them too far back possibly? Or it could be from kicking the bag. I've had that fuck up my toes a lot. My second toes knuckles are really big now from repeat injury, and still hurt to walk on occasionally.

Goals.. -lose weight from being sick -stop being sick -first fight -conquer that fear of failing and fear of being hit in the face -find a job closer to home so I can train more often

So I signed up for a seminar in January. It's a muay thai seminar with Tiffany van Soest (sp?), and though I don't follow her or know much about her, it seemed like a pretty cool opportunity that wasn't a huge cost and wouldn't be difficult to get to. But, I've never been to one of these things and have no idea what to expect. Has anyone ever been to one ? What happens, what's it like, are they helpful, etc ? Any advice or words of wisdom would be awesome.

This exact question is why I had a shoulder injury to begin with. I torqued my arm so hard to swing my hips and legs around I tore my labrum. Since then I have consulted a couple different people about the arm thing. My coach at the gym says I have to, and a martial artist of 20 plus years says I don't, and that it's better that I don't, as it's almost an unnecessary movement. Idk whose advice to follow per se, but I am absolutely paranoid that I'm going to do it again and every time I go to make that movement on either side I think I subconsciously just stop myself from completing the movement.

For me personally, when I started to feel "off" it turned out to be a health issue in the long run. What helped restore me a little bit though in between everything else was actually taking a bit of a break from "heavy" training and cross training with yoga. Something to stretch me out and relax me and de stress a bit. So, maybe not over training as in too much, but maybe need to switch up the type of training you're doing and incorporate a restorative element ?

I've posted about my chronic and invisible illnesses in the women's section before. In short, I am a bipolar woman with autoimmune thyroid disease and fibromyalgia. So if anything goes one way or the other, I'm a hot mess. Finding muay thai was probably one of the best circumstances to fall upon me in the past few years, as it gave me something to focus all of my pent up rage and energy on. I used to be a very angry person, who didn't get along with anyone, not even my own husband and family. Now with muay thai I've become much more calm, much more patient. Learned to turn all the negative into positive, and to sometimes just let things be. Pick and choose my battles. If you all knew me personally, and seen me and the way I used to be, the difference is considerably significant. Muay thai therapy has done more for me in the last two years than sit down therapy has done for me in the past twelve.

So I went to go and edit my blogs a bit today and do some updating, and in the process (and feeling slightly forgetful as to the last things I wrote.. haven't been on my blog in a while) I came across this piece that I wrote back in February, a few days after my shoulder surgery. I found that, especially after the last few months of medical drama in my life and not being able to train and go after my goals like I wanted, that it was helpful to me to read again. I hope that someone else might find it useful. http://crazyallyrose.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-big-picture.html

Hey Gavin, been off the forum for a bit so just catching up on your progress. Glad to see things are still progressing nicely! Great job in your video. Noticed that your ability to bend your knees is much better than mine. For some reason I struggle with that no matter what I'm doing. Also, hope the date went well ! :)

Well, I hope so, too lol. I'm more or less going for muay thai than ballet, though I suspect they'll go hand in hand if I fare well.

Has anyone crosstrained between disciplines ? Specifically ballet and muay thai ? If not those, any other cross training ? Have you seen any improvement as a result of cross training or decline in abilities as a result of doing so ? I am starting ballet lessons Friday to help improve my balance and flexibility, especially in my hips and legs. I've heard of people doing so, but not much past that.

Freaking boobs make everything difficult. Arghhhh. Men will never understand.

I had previously posted about this topic, which I believe Tyler saw, and I think I mentioned trying to switch my diet to more of a meat and rice thing. I've been doing it now for three weeks, exchanging chicken, salmon, and turkey, eating rice and mixed vegetables with it. It's surprisingly helped a lot with my stomach discomfort. So that I'm not as sick as often and can go to the gym without feeling like death. I can't give a breakdown like Tyler though. I'm unfamiliar with how all of that works. I can tell you that i eat 5 times a day at least. Times vary a bit because of work.

Ahhh, I wish we could have a conference thing of sorts for muay thai. Virginia is just a few hours drive from me.

I know one thread was started about vegan diet, but wanted to get input on other diets and supplementation. My diet was all over the place, but the older I get the more regular it has to become. I eat a lot of chicken. In fact red meat and pork usually leaves me with an upset stomach, and I detest the taste of fish and seafood (barring fried crabcakes and sushi filled with good stuff). I eat spinach and broccoli and zucchini and squash, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, mixed berries (strawberry, blueberry, blackberry), bananas, honey greek yogurt, granola (I eat a ton of granola), and protein bars and protein shakes. That's if I'm being good. If I'm not being good, then I probably ate some ramen or Bojangles. On the plus side, my soda intake is basically nil now. Lots of water and some juice in the morning. Supplement wise, I used to take a multivitamin and something called catalyst before a workout. But I'm terrible at remembering it. And then I take nighttime recovery for those days when I've pushed myself farther than normal. What do y'all eat and/or take ? Especially those who fight ?

I struggle with holding pads, too. It's just really awkward, yeah ? For me anyways. Also, everyone is taller than me, so that doesn't help. Is there a diet thread started ? Diet is something I'm sure most people have some kind of struggle with. Do you think it would be helpful ?