Shadow Boxer Quick Release Mechanism

Firstly, apologies for not blogging for a while but we have really been inundated with orders. So many more people joining the Shadow Boxer Fitness Club! We do have more posts of some great new exercises in the pipeline.

We were recently asked for a video clip on using the quick release buttons on the belt so we've posted this quick video to help anyone having difficultly.




P.S. this request came from a user of the product that was 70+ years of age and he was keenly using shadow boxer to keep fit and trim! Hats off to Bernie...I'm hope I'm still using Shadowboxer when I get to your age. Keep punching.

Hope the video helps

Do you want a Slimmer, Trimmer, Summer?

Word is defintely spreading about the Shadowboxer VRT and the thing is this is not just with combat enthusiasts, people are starting to realise that exercises that fighters use are good for everyone to tone up and get fit. For a start punching exercises are a simple great way of exercising your entire body, of course if you got to do it right (see our DVD with a professional boxer showing you correct technique). But people are also realising that the Shadow Boxer VRT is not just for punching. It's great for abdominal exercises. So here's one that will not only improve your posture but also make you look a lot slimmer as it targets the lower abs, an often neglected part of the body. Targeting this area has a significant slimming effect as it tends to pull the hip to a neutral rotation position, just this has the effect of making you look as though you've lost pounds. It also happens to be good for you as it encourages better core stability and spinal alignment, which basically means you get less back pain from imapct caused from bad posture whilst walking, running etc. So here's the exercise...

Reverse Crunch



Place the Shadow Boxer VRT belt over your shins as shown in the image. Grasp the handles however it feels comfortable and place you hands on the floor. You can start with the feet on the floor if you prefer.

1. Then raise your feet to 90 degrees as shown in the first picture in the sequence. Please make sure you back is firmly pressed into the floor and not arching.
2. Keeping that hand grips pushed into the floor raise your hips off the floor whilst holding the hip to knee to feet position firm. In other words you are only rasing the hips off the ground a few inches in a controlled manner (not throwing the hips off the ground and usng momentum). ote it is the hip that raises off the ground and the feet follow almost incidentally...NOT the other way around. Breath out as you raise your hip.
3. Slowly lower to the starting position breathing in whilst you do.
4. Repeat 3 sets of 10. This sounds easy but as you will soon discover this may be too much so even if you can only manage a few that's fine to begin with. Vary few people exercise the lower ab muscles and so many won't be used to it and will find it hard to begin with.

The great benefit of this is that you get double whammy due to the fact that you are puching your hands to the ground whilst doing the exercise so you get a tricep workout as a 'Brucie' bonus. No more Bingo Wings.

Advanced Tip

Move your arms out to 45 degrees to your body and that takes the exercise to the next stage...still too easy...refer to out previous post of straight legged reverse crunches (do not try this is you are a beginner)

Is the Shadowboxer VRT too expensive?

To all those that think the Shadowboxer VRT is too expensive...We just noticed this review of the training DVD that comes FREE with your purchase. The boxing capital gang reviewed the DVD. Now I must admit we didn't know they did this but it makes for interesting reading. Click here to read the full review. Now remember the guys at Boxing Capital are either ex-boxers or still keep their hand in so they are talking from experience. They know about punching, overall cardio fitness and competitive fighting. So it's an informed opinion. They also provide in my opinion the most thorough reviews we have had and we are planning to use this expert feedback for future product development, which we could tell you about but then we have to kill you ; )

Anyway, they think it's worth £15+ when compared to all the celeb fitness DVD's out there, so bearing in mind the VRT is selling for £64.99 Free P&P we believe as a total package it represents fair value when you compare it to what's currently on the market. Consider this:

• One months gym membership would cost about the same
• Multi-gyms would cost substantially more and you can't really take them with you. They would be a rather large suspicious bulge in your bag and you might need a forklift to help!
  
• NO product currently offers you dynamic & mobile resistance to your punching and fitness exercises quite like the VRT

(ok ok I'll get off my soap box...and step away from the keyboard).

You gotta be in it to win it!

Urban Krav Maga & Shadowboxer

We recently visited the Central London School of Krav Maga, in Oxford Street under their Senior Instructor Stewart McGill. Stewart has impressive credentials, having been trained by Yamaguchi Hanshi, Goju Ryu and been an instructor with the International Krav Maga Federation. He has also trained with the Israel Krav Maga Association and trains in boxing and MMA so it should come as no surprise that Stewart has a no nosense, no frills and very direct attitude to training. What better place to test the Shadowboxer VRT out but with his students.

So Nigel (Bald guy, professional PT, 20 years of Jujitsu) and I took them through their paces with a 15-20 minute work out. See the video clips for a taste of the session.
After a nice gentle loosener we got them doing some military press sets...just to warm those shoulders up and great for developing punching power and stamina...

As you can see it's hard work and it really works those shoulders. I won't go through the entire workout. But we also did some punching (milling) sets with pads. You don't really need to do this with pads but it is a martial arts class so we thought it would be rude not to.

We finished off with some reverse crunch situps (see 1st picture) and paired resisted sits ups. All in all the Krav Maga students seemed to like the workout and realised how versatile the VRT truly is. As we always say "the proof of the pudding is in the eating". The Krav Maga guys have voted with their pockets and bought quite a few units.
Thanks to Stewart McGill for graciously inviting us to his class and allowing us to teach and thanks to his students, whom gave it everything they had for the workout, they didn't hold back and were truly knackered after the workout. If you would like to know more about Krav Maga Stewart McGill, despite being pretty lethal, is a friendly, approachable guy and would, I'm sure would welcome enquiries.

Work Those Legs...Drive with the HIPS!

Sorry we haven't had a chance to blog recently, but is seems that everyone's is rushing to buy the VRT's for Christmas, so we've been rushed off our feet!

Here's a little exercise that we borrowed from a boxing gym, courtesy of Tony Cesay. We have shared this with many fighters and here's a picture of Dean Amasinger, MMA Team Rough House, trying it out.

Wear the Shadowboxer VRT as shown in the picture and make sure your coach or training partner has a firm grip of the handles.

1. Get within range with a heavy bag and then make sure your trainer/partner pulls back so the cords are under tension.
2. DON'T LEAN FORWARD from the upper body. which is the temptation but instead use your legs to drive forward from the hips keeping the body position upright. Get your trainer/partner to periodically correct you.
3. Do your usual punching sets or sequences on the heavy bag

Advanced tip:
----------------
If you're feeling energetic your partner should move rapidly from side to side destabilising your stance. This means you really have to grip the ground with your legs and drive forward from the hips to hit the heavy bag.

Boxers and martial artists use this to develop strong footwork and using the Shadowoxer VRT in this way makes you very aware of your footwork so you can work it.

Have fun.

Independent Review from Boxingcapital.com

We are interested in feedback from everyone that uses our product but it's always nice to hear views and reviews from boxers, fighters and fitness professionals alike as you know that these people are likely to be more discerning than the average person (you and I).

Boxing Capital is a new website that uniquely combines Boxing News, Comprehensive Equipment Reviews, Technique Tips, Betting and Travel advice. It is run by boxers and enthusiasts for boxers and enthusiasts so we supplied them with a Versatile Resistance Trainer gave them a quick demo in a London Pub which got some strange looks, then we sat back and eagerly awaited the review to see what they thought. In total three guys with fight experience literally fought over trying the product out! A good start.

In summary they said "We believe this products really is an essential training accessory and an item every Professional Boxer and Amateur Boxing Club should give serious consideration to. It is so easy to use absolutely anywhere and can be used in a wide variety of exercises. Add in the potential benefits from regular use and the price of GBP 64.99 represents excellent value."

For the full, detailed, unedited review click here.

Dean 'The Renagade' using Shadowboxer VRT on a Heavy Bag

We've been really busy at Shadow Boxer UK and so apologies for not posting for a while. Here's a great little clip of Dean 'The Renegade' Amasinger using the Shadowboxer VRT on the heavy bag. The VRT is designed so that you don't have to hit things and risk damaging your hands but if you want the best of both worlds...

Look out for us in the upcoming issue of Fighters Only Magazine. Keep training.

Warning: Do not attempt this unless you are used to hitting a heavy bag, BARE KNUCKLE.