Classes will be closed today, Friday the 20th, please say safe at home and off of the roads!

What is a tournament? What kind of mindset? Pros and Cons of competing

When I first started attending Neutral Ground North and learning Jiu Jistu a couple guys mentioned this tournament to me. I have always been a super competitive guy, even just in the gym, so the thought of a tournament was an amazing opportunity. But, not all people who workout with Jiu Jistu or do Martial Arts are competitive, so why is a tournament beneficial to all?

Cons of Competing in a Tournament.

For starters you are going to run into a lot of people who are ultra competitive. Guys like that who train for moments like this all month. Guys who put in a lot of hours and a lot of their time aside to make this their moment of triumph. I, like a lot of other guys, compete to be the best. If you are only a casual Martial Artist than this could be considered a con.

The second con is weight cutting. I have cut weight a few times in my lifetime. It sucks. It is on the list of things I hate doing the most, next to twelve hour work days and waiting in waiting rooms, but it makes you irritated and agitated. Now, for the casual person this is probably not going to come up. But even for competitive people, weight cutting is a con, just because it makes you irritated and tired.

The third and final con is money. Tournaments have an entry fee. This however is a small con. Obviously the judges have to get paid as does the referees. Not really a con but if you don’t want to spend any extra cash then it could be considered a con.

Pros of Competing in a Tournament.

The first pro about competing is also the first con. Ultra competitive people. When two people that are competitive meet up in a grappling match its like fireworks. Competitive people like competing against new people all the time. Working out at the gym is great but eventually you get to know what certain people do during training and how to prevent it. A new opponent is like a brand new game of chess. Who is going to give up the first piece, who is going to make the first power play, and finally who will checkmate the other.

The second pro is knowledge. You can take in a lot of information and a lot of useful tips just by watching other matches and picking higher belts brains.
Number three, and most importantly, is experience. I have learned more in a tournament that I have ever in such a short period of time. You find out quickly what works and what doesn’t work for you and your Jiu Jistu game. You learn to cope with different styles of Jiu Jistu and different schools philosophies. It may be a subtle difference but it makes all the difference once you hit the mat.

Later this week I will post a follow up to the pros and cons with a little insight on my personal tournament experience, my mindset before, during, and after weight cutting and the tournament itself. This is just an opinion for some that may not know what its like in a tournament setting. Thanks for reading.

Train. Belong. Evolve.
- Andy R

   It's the holiday season. It's pretty much mandatory that we talk about overeating, stress, and the promise of a new year. Again and again we beat ourselves up, falling into the same patterns, only to try to break out in the following months.

   The holidays offer us a time to catch up with family and friends, enjoy some special holiday dishes and revel in holiday cheer...right? It's never that simple, but life never is, isn't it? Part of what makes the holiday season so challenging is that we have been taught that it is a time of reflection, of thankfulness, thoughtfulness and introspection. So for most of us that means get stressed out, overeat and feel guilty about it. Let's talk about how to turn that around, changing it from a depressing, self-criticizing experience to the joyous time of year it's intended to be. Here's 4 tips to help keep you fit and sane during the holiday season:

1. Scope: it's only a few days out of the year - you might overeat on a few days, but making good decision for 360 days of the year far outweighs a few bad ones. Don't beat yourself up and consider the rest of the year a wash just because you had a piece of pie. That being said, still consider tip #2:

2. Moderation: just because Auntie May makes that delicious pot roast only once a year doesn't mean you have to eat the whole thing. Portions make a big difference. You'll feel a lot better about your eating if you moderate, not to mention have a lot more leftovers. If you can begin a process of moderating food portions well in advance of the holiday season, it will be much easier to stick with it once game time comes around.

3. Relax: seriously, relax. Have a good time. Sometimes family is stressful, so limit your time with those people that tax you. It may seem selfish, but do they really want to hang out with you if you're a negative Nelly? Develop strategies to help yourself deal with potentially uncomfortable situations, and enjoy moments with the ones you love. Relaxation is an underestimated part of health and Fitness that is too often ignored.

4. Exercise: it's no surprise we're including this, but it's true. Try to get in at least 10-15 minutes of movement every day during the holiday season, even if it's not at your normal level of intensity. It will help you let go of stress, feel better about yourself and keep you in your larger program of exercise.

Today is a time to kick back, grab a beer and enjoy the fact that you can sit around on a Monday and not work :-D   It's the American Dream!

Well even better than not working, we still have classes at both Gyms tonight!

• Grafton Gym:

  • 6:30PM Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (no 5:30 Fitness)

• Milwaukee Gym:

  • 6:30PM Open Mat

Training is open to anyone who wants to get a great workout in!
See You Tonight!

originally printed in the News Graphic / by: Jim Cranes

Being ripped, big and full of muscles doesn’t necessarily translate to being in good shape.

Luke Summerfield and his partner Perry Wirth own and operate Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness. They have a location in Milwaukee and a second facility in Grafton which has been open for over three and a half years.

Until about eight months ago, he and Wirth had focused primarily on martial arts. Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness has been offering Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Kids and other martial arts for years, but over the past few months the studio has evolved and put a great emphasis on a new and unique program, ‘functional Fitness.’

“All of our workouts replicate movements done in everyday life,” Summerfield explained. “The concept of using a machine at a traditional gyms is old-school thinking. For example, when doing bicep curls, I’m isolating one muscle, in one direction. This isn’t practical for life. Think about it, when you do everyday things, you don’t isolate only my biceps, you use your entire body engaging multiple muscles in multiple plains of directions. ”

Most of us have an image of ‘working out,’ which includes weights, treadmills, Spinning, televisions and StairMasters. While all of that is fine and gives you a sweat, you may not be optimizing your workout. According to Summerfield, the bench press is all about trying to make you look big and he said it’s one of the least productive exercises. “There are no daily movements which you use the bench press motion, it’s all about boosting the ego. The current health industry is based in ego and appearance, not health & Fitness. It’s filled with useless supplements and driven by money. But there is a movement starting for change.”

You can think of functional Fitness as an underground movement to discover Fitness for what it really can be.

Summerfield became aware of a trainer named John Hinds, who is originally from Madison. Hinds has a national reputation with functional Fitness.

“He works with a number of NBA stars and NCAA players,’ Summerfield said. He has a gym in Madison and recently opened another in Chicago.”

To get up to speed, Summerfield and Wirth attended a rigorous functional Fitness certification program in Madison. “We worked ten hours a day, seven days a week,” Summerfield said. “There were students from Australia, Canada and Hawaii. Trainers worldwide are seeing the value of this type of training.”

Functional Fitness is a relatively new approach to health and well-being and extremely new in the Midwest. It’s slowly filtering into this area. “On the east and west coast it’s blowing up in popularity,” Summerfield said. “People are discovering how their body can truly perform at its peak. One of the key reasons for its popularity is gains are seen by the clients.”

One of Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness’s basic principles is to ‘leave your ego at the door.’ “We do a lot of jumping, crawling, climbing, running and yoga” he said. “The exercises are the fundamentals of human movement and almost resemble monkeys at the zoo!”

He said in this day and age, adults are as active as kids and the functional Fitness is all about having fun like kids do. “People are having a blast.” Summerfield said as you move up in skill level, each progression gets harder by increasing the range of motion, resistance or making the exercise less stable.

Summerfield said it’s a progression-based workout where beginners can work alongside professional athletes; side-by-side but at very different progression levels. All classes are group classes, which helps create a positive and supportive social atmosphere.

“The cool thing is we have guys that are 21 and in great shape and they’re working out next to a 65 year old guy who is just starting out.”

He goes on to explain, “Group classes are a good way to become motivated. Everyone is encouraging each other. We want people to train at a level they are supposed to be, not where they think they should be.”

In their functional Fitness regime Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness utilizes Eischens Yoga, which is a unique form of high-energy yoga, and is influenced by other styles like Taoist Yoga. It’s accessible to all body types and Fitness levels because it focuses more on movement.

“The thing that makes Eischens unique is partner feedback,” Summerfield said. “We have one or two other partners pushing certain parts of the body to intensify the yoga pose, building good technique.” Summerfield said Eischens yoga helps recover the body, build stability and can help correct some of the body’s imbalances.

Functional Fitness has proven to be beneficial for kids in football and other sports. “The Cedarburg wrestling team trained at the facility during the off-season,” Summerfield said. “Half the time was spent for wrestling practice, the second half was training functional Fitness at our facility.”

You might think someone involved in and co-owns a Fitness center was a jock, or at least physically inclined from way back. Not so. Perry Wirth and Summerfield are both 24 years old and went to high school together and knew each other long before theat. “I was one of the least active students in high school,” Summerfield said. “I was on the debate team and wasn’t involved in any sports.”

In college he started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as a hobby. He was exposed to functional Fitness a couple of years ago and it had an immediate impact on his philosophy. “I thought this is good stuff. I want to share this with other people.”

Wirth and Summerfield chose the Grafton location because they found the perfect building with ceilings that are thirteen feet high and 2,000 square feet of studio space.

If you’re on the fence and thinking about getting more active, the gym offers a seven-day free pass. “The hardest part is getting in the door to see what it’s about. You have to try it once,” Summerfield said. “That’s the reason we offer a free week.”

On September 17^th they’re offering a free three hour functional Fitness seminar and on September 25^th they offer the thirty day EvolveFit Fitness Challenge, which will jump start your health and Fitness with a possibility of winning a free six month membership. “I’m planning on limiting the challenge to only 20-25 people and spots will fill up quick,” Summerfield said.

For more information on classes, upcoming events or to get your free seven-day pass, you can visit Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness at http://WisconsinBJJ.com

Quickly becoming one of the most popular group workout classes in America, Boot Camp group training classes have proven extremely successful in building strength, loosing weight and building strong individuals.

What Is Boot Camp Style Training?

Boot camp classes typically are very high energy, fast tempo, cardio-based workouts. Many of the exercises performed in boot camp are very light or no weight and use your body weight as resistance. Many classes are broken up into stations that are cycled through a number of times through out the workout.

Here’s an Example of a Boot Camp Style Workout:

• Dynamic Warm-up
• Boot Camp Workout:
  5 minute round x5 time though with 1 minute rest between sets
  
  • 1st Minute = Battle Ropes
  • 2nd Minute = Box Squats
  • 3rd Minute = Jiu Jitsu Sit Outs
  • 4th Minute = Jump Rope
  • 5th Minute = Power Wheel walking or incline plain hold
• Cool down

Why is Boot Camp Style Training Good?

Just like any style of training, you must find a good balance that will help you achieve your goals. Boot camp classes offer a number of great benefits for people of all ages, sizes and abilities.

Loose weight, build cardio endurance, increase anaerobic/aerobic threshold, tone muscles, loose fat and have fun are just a few of the reasons you could take a boot camp class.

Where Can You Take Boot Camp Class?

You can take boot camp classes in Grafton Wisconsin at Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness. They offer an on going membership that include multiple days of boot camp classes. Additionally, 2-3 times per year they run a special 4-6 week camp with pre- & post- evaluations.

You can get a free 7-day pass to come try a boot camp class by filling out this quick information form. Get yours now.

 

   In last week's blog post, we discussed how to begin forming goals and developing ideas to take our Fitness goals beyond just body composition. This week we'll talk about how to begin implementing those goals, and taking them from idea to reality. Now this is the part where normally we would start talking about micro and macro cycles, setting short and long term goals, percentages, cross-training and a whole bunch of other technical stuff, but I'm going to skip that. You can find it anywhere on the internet. What we're going to look at is the why, the mindset behind achieving.

   I've attended countless lectures, seminars and workshops on a wide variety of topics. I've trained with and observed athletes of all levels. I've mentored and been mentored. I've studied, trained, and studied some more. And you know what I've discovered? You've got to work hard to achieve something. Crazy idea, isn't it? The common thread I've seen time and time again in the successful, no matter the arena, is dedication. It may seem over-simplified and maybe even cliche, but they say it again and again: if you want to be good at something, do it all the time. If you fail, try again and again.

   You see, most of us only have a passing interest in most things - we see something, admire it, and say, "I want to do that." We try it, and usually, we're good at it or we aren't. Most then pursue that at which they naturally excel, and dismiss that at which they initially fail. Some will persist, but once they hit one, two or perhaps even three obstacles (if they're very driven), they abandon the pursuit in question. There is nothing shameful about this process. It is the way we find out what we're good at. But if you find a thing that you love, something that you want to do so badly you can't keep away, you must give yourself to it. This is not always a healthy path: it requires working through injuries, neglect of job, family, friends and more. To master something, to be an expert or even elite, requires much sacrifice.

   Not all of us want this, though. Most will be satisfied with competence in a field. We can take lessons from the obsessed, learn how to apply the concepts of mastery to those things in which we may only take a passing interest. If you want to be good at something, find a qualified teacher, learn the foundations thoroughly, and work on it every day. It's as simple as that. Maybe not easy, but uncomplicated. If you want to be good at something, do at least a little work on it every day. If you want to be a hand-balancer, work on spending time on your hands every chance you get. If you want to be an Olympic lifter, work on your foundation lifts every day. If you want to be a master of a martial art, drill your forms and techniques at every opportunity.

   Do not expect to be succeed at something without working hard for it. Strength, Fitness and even health: these are skills, abilities. Marketing in the Fitness industry has lead us to believe that Fitness and the fit aesthetic are things that can be easily achieved with a pill, a program or a gadget. It couldn't be further from the truth. No matter your goal, you must work to achieve it. Accept this and success will come - perhaps not immediately, but it will, and you will be all the richer for it.

About The Author:
Tyler Welch is a strength and conditioning coach at Bodytribe Fitness. He is an NASM CPT, Monkey Bar Gym CNT, CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting coach, Yogafit Level 1 and more. You can find his fellow MBG CNTs at Grafton Functional Fitness and BJJ just outside Cedarburg, WI, and in Milwaukee at Neutral Ground BJJ.

For many of us our number one New Year’s Resolution is to get into shape and rid ourselves of the belly that has been building throughout the winter months. New Year falls in the middle of winter and it stands to reason that we all naturally carry a little extra weight; it is a primitive condition that originated millions of years ago when we needed to store a little more fat to get us through the harsh winters.

However once we pass the winter solstice and the day light start to grow longer, we can start to think about losing this fat in preparation for summer. Since we aren’t running away from sabre toothed tiger anymore, we can use the next best thing to help us lose weight – boot camp classes.

For those who have never heard of boot camp classes and courses before, they are basically an untraditional exercise classes that normally take place outside and closely resemble the physical training that military personnel go through.

The focus of a boot camp class is on pushing yourself through a number of different exercise routines such as press ups, burpees, squats, crunches and other body weight exercises designed to tone your whole body.

A boot camp class isn’t just about losing weight or stripping fat; due to a focus on body weight exercises as well as cardiovascular routines, a workout will help you tone existing muscles and develop new ones as well.

Where many exercise classes focus on just doing enough, boot camp classes really push you to the edge of what you are capable of and as such have become seen as one of the best ways to lose weight with hundreds of celebrities and Fitness enthusiasts using them to achieve their weight loss goals.

The New Year isn’t just a good time to make the resolution to get into shape; it is also a good time to sign up for a new gym membership or renew your existing one and set your sights on getting the beach body that you want for the summer.

Many gyms offer membership special deals as a way to help you achieve your weight loss goals that you may have set for yourself after one too many New Year’s Eve drinks. Remember to check back for New Years Resolution membership specials & deals that are available exclusively on the Neutral Ground Fitness website.

• Learn more about Neutral Ground's amazing Funtional Fitness class proven to lose weight and get you into great shape!

• Get a Free 7-Day Pass to Neutral Ground!

Over the last 20-30 years there have been hundreds, if not thousands, of quick fat loss scams. The truth of the matter, losing fat is not easy but can be reached through hard work, dedication and will power.

If your goal is to lose fat or lose weight you may have a number of different options in your area. This article reviews a few of the options in the Grafton Wisconsin area to help explain which method is best.

Traditional Gyms Make Working Out & Losing Weight Hard:
Gyms, health clubs, Fitness centers… Whatever you want to call it, they have been essentially the same for the last two decades. They are one big open room with a couple dozen machines, some free weights and treadmills.

I would venture to day say 90% of traditional gyms are letting people down by providing no guidance, little motivation and not maximizing each workout. Essentially you buy a $40-50 per month membership simply to gain access to their facility, however many end up stumbling around the gym with no clear direction or understanding of what types of workouts will help them achieve their goals of weight loss, building strength, lose fat, etc.

So as you may have experienced, many people end up not showing up to the gym after 5-6 months and to be honest, traditional health clubs are perfectly happy with this because it opens up more room for someone else to come workout.

How Neutral Ground Can Help You Lose Weight:
Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness located in the heart of Grafton is a different type of gym that has a very unique and new-age program specifically designed to lose weight, build strength & performance and restore you to amazing health & Fitness.

All of the workouts at Neutral Ground are done in small groups, typically 4 – 15 people. The instructor will pay close attention to all the Fitness class members as they are running though the workout and help critique and maximize their workout. Additionally, each class will set goals and records that each student can strive to achieve.

The functional Fitness classes at Neutral Ground themselves are unique because they replicate movements from either everyday life or from a particular sport or activity. These workouts are either strength building or boot camp classes and help burn fat.

Rooted in the foundations of human movement (crawling, climbing, jumping, running), your body will lose weight, tone up and you will feel great. Additionally, a unique form of Yoga (Eischens Yoga) is used to help recover your body and build stability.

How You Eat at Neutral Ground:
Along with the specialized, small group training, many of the programs run at Neutral Ground Gym in Grafton they follow the Paleo diet which has been proven at effectively and easily lose fat and make you feel great.

The diet consists of eating only items that were found back in the “caveman days”. This means meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and berries. There are no carbs, no sugary drinks, no processed foods and no fast foods. Again, this diet is proven to have you lose weight fast and fairly painlessly and is followed at Neutral Ground Health Club in Grafton.

Need An Extra Push? Try Personal Training:
Many people enjoy the small group classes, however because each person is built differently, has different goals and progresses at a different level, many people are finding huge Fitness success with pairing group training with personal training.

Personal training at Neutral Ground in Grafton allows you to truly maximize the time you spend working out each week and holds you accountable for what you eat outside of training.

All of the personal trainers at Neutral Ground in Grafton are Certified Natural Trainers for Functional Fitness and have years of experience in the health industry.

What To Do Next:

If you are interested in learning more about how you can lose weight in Grafton Wisconsin or would like to start losing fat today, please get your FREE 7-DAY PASS to stop in and try classes at Neutral Ground.

You could be losing weight tomorrow and start fitting into old cloths in no time.
We are confident you’ll love classes and see results, this is why we are giving you a FREE 7-DAY TRIAL – START NOW!

There are many different reasons to start working out with a personal training. Working with a personal training can be the determining factor if you reach your health and Fitness goals. Here we examine some of the pro’s and con’s of working out with a personal trainer.

Personal Training Cons:

• Cost: Working with a personal trainer on a regular basis can be very costly. Personal training sessions typically range from $40-$60 per hour depending on if you buy a single session or package rate. One way to off set the cost of personal training is to train with a friend and split the rate or buy a bulk package deal.

• Time: To achieve any goal it takes time and working out with a personal training is no different. Adding 1-2 hours of personal training each week, on top of the normal 2-3 classes per week, can prove to be very time consuming in this fast-paced society we live in.

Personal Training Pros:

• Personalized Training: In the area of health and Fitness there are many variables that need to be addressed. Each person has a different goal in their minds they would like to achieve and each person’s body reacts differently to different training. A personal training can create a custom workout, diet and goal program specifically for you.

• Reach Your Fitness Goal: Everyone has some type of personal health, Fitness and performance goal. Whether that is to lose weight, increase strength, boost performance for a sport or activity or lose fat. Working with a personal trainer can help you reach your goals and transform both your mind and body.

• Boost Moral & Have Fun: Many people simply enjoy working with a personal training to give them an extra “kick in the butt” when it comes to working out and Fitness. A personal trainer can motivate you to push harder and congratulate you on a job well done. Additionally, a personal training can hold you accountable for reaching your Fitness and diet goals.

These are just a few pros and cons for working with a personal trainer. The best thing to do is to first find a good personal training in your area that you feel very comfortable with and enjoy their personality. Then try them out for 3-5 sessions and see how you like it. I would really recommend doing at least 3 sessions with the same personal trainer because it can be hard to feel them out in your first or second training session.

Looking for Personal Trainers in Grafton Wisconsin Area?

If you are looking to start personal training in the Grafton, WI area (this includes cities like Cedarburg, Mequon, Port Washington, Jackson, Theinsville and Saukeville), come try personal training at Neutral Ground. We will give you a free 7-Day Pass to come try our unique functional Fitness & Boot Camp classes out and will extend a discount on your first personal training session.

Announced this past week, Grafton Wisconsin is going to have a big facelift when it comes to how people get into shape and lose weight! The old ways of sitting on machines for hours on ends to see little or no results is a thing of the past. Starting November 1^st, this new and revolutionary Functional Fitness Boot Camp starts at Neutral Ground in downtown Grafton and we want you to be a part of it!

What’s included in the Boot Camp?

We have put together an amazing boot camp package for you. All members of the 30-day  boot camp will receive:

• Unlimited access to all of our Fitness classes. This includes both the Boot Camp (cardio based) style classes and the Body Force (strength based) classes.
• 30-minute Personal Training Session with one of our Certified Natural Trainers!
• Workout Dryfit T-Shirt

We have an amazing deal for anyone looking to totally jumpstart your health and try something fun and exciting. You can pre-register now (before Oct. 23^rd) for only $59!

• If you need to make a change in your life…
• If you are looking for something fun, new & unique…
• If you want to lose weight, gain strength & lose fat…

Then you need to save your spot now for the November 1^st Boot Camp in Grafton! There are only 20 spots total and they are already filling up, so don’t wait.

Save your spot now!

Learn More About the Boot Camp

 

 

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Functional Fitness Boot Camp – Common Questions

What is Functional Fitness you ask?

Functional Fitness is a revolutionary style of Fitness which uses exercises and unique equipment to replicate movements you do on a daily basis to improve strength, cardio, stamina and performance in everything that you do.

We do a lot with the foundations of human movement: Jumping, crawling, climbing and running and supplement it with stability exercises and yoga for recovery.

What kind of Body Is Produced?

We don’t build bodybuilder bodies or super skinny anorexic bodies. What we do create is very long and lean, functionally strong bodies. It is typical to lose weight, increase lean & dense muscle mass and build muscle definition. The biggest benefit many people tell us is they feel so much better on a daily basis.

What’s the difference between Boot Camp classes & Body Force classes?

Great question! Boot Camp classes are focused on endurance, cardio and increasing your aerobic/anaerobic threshold. These classes will help you lose fat and drop weight. Will you gain muscle mass in this class… Yes, you will, but in general it’s structured for body and muscle endurance and conditioning.

Body Force classes are geared toward building strength, lean muscle mass, power and explosiveness. Will you lose weight taking this class… Yes, however, we look to build muscle and functional strength with these workouts.

The best is to do both classes because they are great complements for each other. As you’re losing weight in our boot camp classes, you can replace it with functional muscle in our body force class.

 

 

Taekwondo vs Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?

 

 

                It’s a constant question I run into when telling friends and family members about my choice in martial arts. Everyone knows that Taekwondo is a martial art that is very popular among younger kids. Parents want a martial art that can teach discipline, self- defense, and respect for others. When I told my family and friends about my choice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu they just scoffed and told me that I’m just fighting. BJJ isn’t a martial art I was told by a lot of my friends. Why not? It teaches the same values as Taekwondo. I disagree that Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu isn’t a martial art and I can give you a few reasons why BJJ is actually a lot more practical for real world situations.

                I have a friend of mine who has been a Black Belt in Taekwondo for almost seven years. He is teaching classes and he always mentions how his classes are always small, around four to six kids, and he wishes there would be more of a turnout. In a year and a half of training at Neutral Ground North, I have never been disappointed with class size, nor does a class size matter in a Jiu Jitsu class. Taekwondo is based around line drills. Everyone stands in a line and mimics the movements of the instructor, to learn the new move, or perfect the old moves. When I was seven I tried my hand at Taekwondo and found it to be quite boring, there was a lot of standing still, not a lot of action, and it seemed like the instructor talked more than he taught. There is very little live sparring or situations that you can use the move you learned in a combat situation which is the completely opposite in BJJ. Class starts with a warm-up to get the blood flowing, a show of technique in which the instructor plays close attention to the minor details and helps perfect, practical combat drills and finally live sparring.

                Not only are the classes more practical but the martial arts themselves differ in usefulness. Taekwondo is the art of parrying (or blocking) your opponents strikes, moving away from your opponent, and on the way out striking them with a kick or punch. Brazillain Jiu-Jitsu is the art of grappling, ground fighting, joint locks and submissions. A startling fact is that real life fights, a staggering 80%, inevitably end up on the ground. Taekwondo may be great for teaching discipline and respect for elders or teachers, but lacks a true self defense application.

                So, after all this, why is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu better than Taekwondo? Practicality, usefulness, and while biased, self enjoyment. For anyone wanting to learn a practical martial art, that will help increase self confidence, lose some of that unwanted weight, make some new friends, or just get into the gym and get active, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the right call to make. Get in to Neutral Ground today and check it out. Take advantage of the seven day pass and you’ll instantly be hooked, I guarantee it. When a fight of yours hits the ground, and inevitably it will, wouldn’t you rather be prepared? Come into Neutral Ground today. See you around the gym.

Train, Belong, and Evolve.

- Andy R.

The area’s number one Boot Camp is located only minutes away from Cedarburg and Mequon in the heart of downtown Grafton at Neutral Ground Martial Arts & Fitness. Anyone looking for Fitness boot camps in Cedarburg or Mequon definitely needs to take a look at this boot camp in Grafton because it will be worth the drive!

You might be wondering what exactly is a boot camp style workout. At Neutral Ground, our boot camp classes focus on high repetition and faster speed in order to increase heart rate and burn calories. Our goal is to help you burn fat and build cardio though fun and unique workouts.

Our workouts at Neutral Ground are like nothing you have ever experienced before. They are focused in the fundamentals of human movement; Run, Jump, Crawl and Climbing. We also incorporate Eischen’s yoga and unique stability exercises to focus on stability and recovery before and after each workout.

Neutral Ground’s Boot Camp, which serves people from the Cedarburg, Grafton, Mequon and Port Washington communities, is designed for people of all ages, abilities and skill levels. From people who have never worked out before in their lives to professional athletes, everyone has benefited from the classes at Neutral Ground.

Want to get started with a Boot Camp in Cedarburg or Mequon area?

Now is your time to see what it’s all about. Neutral Ground is hosting a 30-day boot camp in Grafton starting on November 1^st, but pre-register before October 23^rd and get a 40% Discount!

You can learn more now about this Cedarburg area boot camp by visiting our boot camp page.

 

Are you looking to start working out, losing weight and getting into shape? While looking for a gym in the Grafton, Cedarburg, Mequon or Port Washington you need to consider a number of different things…

Consider This – Where will you get individual attention?

Right now the standard at most gyms in the Cedarburg, Grafton & Mequon area is to simply get you in the door and dump you on the workout floor all alone. You are on your own to figure out how everything works and how to attain your goals. But let’s be honest, you’re not a personal trainer so it can be very difficult to get motivated and to get on the right track to reach your goals.

When selecting a Fitness gym in the Mequon, Cedarburg or Grafton area it’s very important to select a gym that will give you personal attention and put you on the right track towards your goals. Whether that be losing weight, building strength, having fun or anything in between. Find a gym that will work directly with you to coach and drive you to succeed. If you don’t find this, chances are you will burn out after a few months and drop out.

Consider This – Shop on Value, not Price.

Another consideration to keep in mind when looking for a Fitness gym is what you are getting for your monthly dues. The health industry is becoming more and more competitive as more and more Snap, 24 Hour, Anytime Fitness gyms pop up around the Cedarburg, Mequon and Grafton area. Yes, they have low $30/month rates, however what are you really getting for that price. Typically you don’t get much more than being able to come in and use their equipment. To them, you are simply a number. There are no coaches, no friends and you are on your own.

You wouldn’t go to the cheapest lasik surgeon would you? This is your health and Fitness we are talking about, it’s not a time to get the cheapest option out there. You only get one body and it’s important to do your best to keep it strong and health.

Shop based on value, coaching and ultimately on which gym you feel will get you to your goals and push you to succeed. You might save a few bucks going in to the Grafton Snap Fitness, but if you don’t see results or lose motivation, than it was a waste of money to begin with. You should have just spent a little more each month to attend a Fitness gym that will help you succeed.

Consider This – Is it Worth the Drive?

Many people start looking for Fitness gyms close to home and this makes sense. If I live in Cedarburg, I’m going to look for a gym in Cedarburg. If I live in Mequon, I’m going to look for a gym in Mequon. However, if you simply look at gyms close to your house you may be losing out on some great opportunity.

Many of the cities of Ozaukee county are so close that you can drive from the northern most point (Port Washington) to the southern most point (Mequon) in 15 minutes or less. So there is no excuse for not looking at gyms in neighboring cities.

Think about it this way…

You live in Cedarburg and so you joined the closest Fitness gym in Cedarburg that you could find. After a few months, your workouts became “stale” and you lost interest so you stopped going.  If I told you there was a gym only 8 minutes away in Grafton that would help you lose weight, build strength & power and accelerate your health & Fitness, wouldn’t you take the extra drive to succeed? Again, it comes down to finding a gym that will get you to your goals and if that means an extra 8-minute drive, then so be it. Joining a gym close to you only to end up dropping out is a waste of time to begin with.

Fitness Gyms in Cedarburg - Conclusion:

There are many choices for workout gyms in the Cedarburg, Mequon or Grafton area, but there are also many things to take into consideration. In the end, you should do what is best for you and will get you to your goals. Workout somewhere that you feel comfortable and accepted into their gym’s “family”

Next Steps:
Stop into a gym, check it out and start your free trial. 
Neutral Ground Fitness gym, located in downtown Grafton, offers a free 7-day trial to try out their revolutionary Fitness classes.

Get your FREE 7-DAY Pass Now.

 

The Kids Martial Arts class at Neutral Ground in downtown Grafton, just minutes from Cedarburg and Mequon, received a new color make over last night with a huge promotion. Three new Judo orange belts and many yellow belts were given out because the kids did amazing at this past weekend's Judo tournament.

Our kids work extremely hard at getting better at martial arts and are making amazing progress! We are extremely proud of all of them!

If you're interested in Kids Martial Arts in the Cedarburg, Mequon, Grafton or Port Washington area, you need to bring your kids into the Martial Arts Studio to try classes! We offer a FREE 7-DAY TRIAL to come try classes for free.

We teach discipline, respect and self-defense while giving the kids a great workout and a great time. Get your FREE 7-DAY PASS Now (click here) and Stop in tonight!