It’s been a very busy few months and I have spent time in Toronto, England, and Thailand since February. In Toronto I was lucky to be training @ the amazing Siam#1 Gym under Master Suchart (whom I have know since 1994 in the close knit Muay Thai community) and along side champions Matt Embree and Simon Marcus. A week later Cool Hearts was bringing Philadelphia Muay Thai to Bournemouth, England where Justin Greskiewicz won the WBC full rules InterContinental Belt in a tough and bloody bout with 2 time All-England Champion Bernie Mendietta. A week later at the age of 41 I was priveleged to be the main event @ TakeOn Productions in the first Muay Thai event EVER at Madison Square Garden. That bout did not go well for me but it was still an honour to compete and still be enjoying the benefits of the  muayThai lifestyle.

With very little rest I was in Bangkok less than two weeks later where I spent about five amazing weeks. The trip was productive as well as relaxing and enjoyable. I didn’t focus solely on training for once (though I did have great training at Kiatphontip Gym) but was able to spend a lot of time with MY Kru and a lot of other wonderful people, including my mates, Diamond & Ball (brothers who own an amazing tattoo studio by the same name) and Ball was able to find time to give me a sick new tattoo (my own favourite souvenir) and you’ll have to show up to Camp to see it. I also had the fortune of being there for Songkran (Thai New Year) and it was unforgettable.

Well, now I’m back and I can’t wait to share all the experience and stories with everyone. If you haven’t been around Camp either NOW is the perfect time to get back in. Triaining will be revitalized and mid May gives plenty of time to get that ‘beach body’ on for Summer.  Though, I must admit after 100+ temperatures in Thailand I was FREEZING the first couple days of my return.

I’m haven’t been the only busy one with both Christina Peteraf and Kate Allen winning at the last Warrior’s Cup and then Cool Hearts Muay Thai Camp sending an entire team of fighters to the WKA North American Tourney where we showed quite well. Not only did we have a lot of great fights and wins but two of our girls, Christina Peteraf and Jenn Szeker, qualified for the Worlds in Orlando this September!

Cool Hearts will continue to stay busy (not only with a full and comprehensive schedule through Summer) but also as a major force in the competative Muay Thai, MMA, And Jiu Jitsu circuits. Actually, Justin and I will be flying out today for his WBC Title bout with Malaipet @ the Hard Rock in Las Vegas. Check the Upcoming events section of www.wefightsexy.com for details.

J will be doing a seminar in Los Angeles the following week but I will be back @ Camp Monday May 14 and I expect to see you all training. I really plan to kick Summer into full gear and keep myself strong and fit as well as bringing all students up with me. Our Combat Conditoning classes have been a huge hit and I can see the difference in those that participate. As always, I have picked up some great tricks and tips in my training both in TO & of course BKK that I can’t wait to incorporate into classes. I am feeling strong and fit just now and I plan to keep it going.

I could not have done any of this traveling without a lot of help from all of you at Cool Hearts- instructors, fighters, students, EVERYONE. I am not even going to begin to list names because there are so many who pitched in but I genuinely appreciate all that has been done to keep this Camp strong in my absence and I am blessed to have the ability to go away and train so I feel it is my obligation to share that knowledge in return. First we go and get another WBC green strap for J’s waist and the wall of trophies and then it’s serious training time for ALL Y’ALL!

Cheers and I will see you on the mat,

Kru Rigel

We’d like to catch you up on some exciting news. First off, though you may already know, I’d like you to hear directly from me that a team of five Cool Hearts fighters went undefeated last Saturday June 25 @ Inkosi Productions K1 event. This is even more impressive given that all were first time fighters and nerves and fatigue alone can make cowards of men. All of our lads handled themselves with composure beyond their experience (especially considereing they got to see a different side to me that put the fear of god into some of them – Sorry Jack). However, after me COMPLETELY going mental on Jack Hillock between Rds 2 & 3, he then put his opponent away with the most brutal and convincing KO of the evening. Tuff Love kiddes… Tuff Love.

Now direct on the heels of that event we have my own bout July 22 @ Friday Night Fights (televised on SNY)! The undercard features an awesome 70kilo 8 man amateur tournament stacked with talent. The great news here is that our own Bobby Slavin And James Gregory (who fought last Saturday) will also be matched up on the undercard. No rest for the wicked! Tickets are already available @ the Camp and this is the Broad Street Ballroom which always sells out and is ‘Standing Room Only’.

The very next night our own Champion and WBC #1 ranked fighter, Justin ‘The Purple People Eater’ Greskiewicz’ makes his first ‘Stateside appearance (last 2 bouts in Bangkok & Calgary, respectively) since March. He is fighting for the 147lb WBC Int’l Belt against 2 time World Champion and muayThai icon, Liam ‘Hitman’ Harrison in Lincroft, NJ. This is the first FULL RULES muayThai event on the East Coast. With this much talent in the ring this will prove to be an exciting bout and the rest of the card is stacked as well. Don’t miss out on this historic event!

One week later, our own MMA Champion and coach, Sideco Honorio will put it all on the line again July 29 @ XFE in A.C. @ 135lb Sideco is one of the most dangerous fighters you’ll get a chance to see. Come out to support and see how it’s done.

The Camp will be closed Monday (though fighters will STILL be training in the daytime – see me or J for details) in observance of the American Independence Day Celebration – So go drink domestic ale, eat hot dogs, and blow shit up – it’s the American Way! If I weren’t in training I’d surely be doing the same. I MAY still blow up the sky a bit.

The OTHER big news is this. Cool Hearts Muay Thai & MMA Camp proudly welcomes a new instructor to our already talented staff: Tim Sylvester will begin Tuesday July 5 teaching the 7:30 no-gi jiu jitsu class. This class will now be a full 90 minutes of instruction. Some of you already know Tim as he supplements his MMA training by training with us during 3-5 Team Training, but here’s a brief bio to give you an idea of his accomplishments:

Gracie Jiu Jitsu BLack Belt under Regis Lebre (Royler Gracie)

4X Grappler’s Quest Champion

NAGA Champion

Pan American Jiu Jitsu Silver Medalist (2004)

2X Pan American Bronze Medalist (2006, 2007)

Mundial (World) Championships Bronze Medalist (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil 2006)

Philadelphia Grappling Championships Superfight Champion 9/5/2009

Combat in the Cage ‘Submission of the Night’ Honors 1/12/2008

As I said, Tim has been a member of our fight family for some time and has trained with me since before we opened the new Camp in Northern Liberties. So we’re VERY excited to add his expertise to our teaching staff & I highly encourage you to check out his class. We’re always looking to expand and to please the students so this may be just the start.

Ok, kids, I’m on my way to Camp directly and hope to see you all soon.

PS July 31st (after all the amazing fights) The Camp will be demo’ing and participating in 2nd Street/Northern Liberties Street Fair. More on that later but ‘SAVE  THE DATE’

Cheers,
Rigel ‘None of my fat clothes fit me anymore’ Balsamico

We’ve all seen the neat drills they do on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show. We’ve seen the various pre-fight hype shows, and out favorite athletes using various props and pushing their bodies though exhaustion while someone minds the stopwatch or split timer. Most of us have done similar exercises in the various classes available at Cool Hearts. There are so many common drills that work across the board from BJJ to Muay Thai to Krav Maga and of course MMA.

That’s exactly what this class is all about, supplemental training. I’ve had the pleasure to participate in these sessions over the last few weeks, and while I’m strictly a Muay Thai guy, all of the explosive exercises done for time have helped tremendously. I had flashbacks of being at a CrossFit gym for a moment as our group ran a few really fun and challenging circuits over the span 30 minutes. There were some individual exercises in the circuit and a few partner-oriented activities spread across a group of people with various fitness levels. Much like kettlebell training, all of the exercises incorporate various muscle groups working together for a set period of time, and the primary focus is on explosive movements. There was also an intense component that worked on agility and speed in a few segments of the circuit. Plain and simple – it’s a bit more effective for combat conditioning than your isolated bicep curls and bench press.

While nothing beats doing the actual thing you are training for, learning through experience by sparring, supplemental conditioning training certainly cultivates a greater threshold for aerobic and anaerobic endurance. What it also does is allow our fitness level to increase while being less damaging to our bodies overall. So when we do more specific drills in our various disciplines or when we do get to sparring, our bodies can move with greater speed and strength while all of our major muscle groups work together…lessens the chance of gassing out from physical exertions.

Personally, I’m pretty excited for this class, and think it’s an effective way for people of all fitness levels to do some hard work together. It’s pretty damned fun too!

Be well,

–Isaac

WHAT IS IT?
SUN’S OUT, GUNS OUT is an all-inclusive program in which you can come to ANY class, ANY time. All the Muay Thai, BJJ, Krav Maga, and Kettlebell classes as well as breakdancing.

HOW MUCH? HOW LONG?
It’s a 6 week program for $250 total, no commitment and no registration fee. (Tanktop and sun screen sold separately.)

CONTACT US to sign up!

No but seriously, come check it out, even if you aren’t going to audition for “Step Up To the Streets, Again, in 4D”, this is a good way to cross train, build balance, work some muscles you probably haven’t used before, and dancing is basically just awesome!

Hope to see you there! We Break Sexy!

–Jacob aka B-Boy Stance