There is nothing more I love than new equipment, which is why I was so excited to try these new to me gloves. I chose the 16 oz Star Series due to my weight and punching power.  Finding a cool design on a boxing glove is hard. Most places offer basic colors and you just have to deal with it. The star design is sleek and interesting, so I look forward to putting them on. I also have the matching Star Series short sleeve rash guard, which keeps me dry and feeling good after a full day of training.

The glove itself is not bulky for being a 16 oz. The padding is dense and the glove is more fitted, making them accessible for smaller hands or wrists while also fitting larger hands like my own. The adjustable wrist strap means that it is tight and secure to your wrist unlike many other gloves that remain loose for those who have smaller wrists.

I love the design, I love the fit, I love punching in these gloves. More than that, these gloves come in at under a $30 price point, making them cheaper than some of the leading glove makers. Higher quality with a lower price is a deal that I cannot pass up.

Quality equipment, every time. Elite Sports offers workout gear that helps me perform at my best. If you are looking for quality gear and some new boxing gear, go Elite.

https://www.elitesports.com/
https://www.elitesports.com/collections/boxing-gloves
https://www.elitesports.com/products/elite-sports-star-series-black-white-adult-boxing-gloves?variant=18550987849817

Warm-ups are my favorite workout clothes. They keep my muscles loose and ready for action when I have several classes back to back. Check out some of my favorite warm-ups below.

https://www.borntough.com/
https://www.borntough.com/collections/workout-hoodies-sweatshirts
https://www.borntough.com/products/born-tough-alfresco-parka-metal-gray

By Janet Toliver, Mind Body Defense
Being a small business means that we are not only providing classes, but we are our own marketing team, accounting, and operations team all rolled into one. When we are not in classes, we are working hard to promote our workshops, classes, and school; yet, we always keep the important thing in mind: our students.

Supporting small businesses is easy and ensures that you can continue enjoying our services for years to come. These are the ways we can use your support.

Tell your friends!
If any of your friends are interested, bring them to a class. Many individuals find it easier to commit to doing something new if they have a buddy with them. Workshops are great ways to introduce people to kickboxing or self-defense. If a group of friends have said they feel unsafe or are nervous about neighborhood safety, get them together to create your own workshop. We can also host birthday parties, bachelorette parties, and other gatherings.

Show off your skills!
Take videos and pictures of yourself in class. Post them and tag Mind Body Defense on your favorite social media while checking in. Instagram and Twitter: @MindBodyDefense Facebook: @MindBodyDefense1 Also, use our favorite hashtags: #MindBodyDefenseFun (for those random class moments that make you laugh) #MindBodyDefenseFinal (for final drills)

Leave us reviews!
Your words mean so much to us. We can’t tell you how often new students come in saying they were given courage to try kickboxing due to the reviews that you left. We have profiles on Google, Yelp!, and Facebook. Also, if you send us your story of why you started kickboxing or picked Mind Body Defense, then we can use it for our marketing and social media campaigns.

Request a workshop!
We can create self-defense workshops for just about any setting. We have developed workshops for law offices, schools, apartment and management companies, hotels, and non-profits. If you know of anyone looking to host a self-defense workshop or you want to request one at your apartment building, place of work, or school, we have proposal templates that you can send to your point of contact.

Our students make us who we are. Our success does not come with how much we make or how big we get. Our success comes with empowering each individual who walks in our doors, with seeing each individual realize their strengths and power, with each individual connecting with those around them in class and without.

As we grow, our community thrives. As we grow, we can offer more classes and specialized workshops. As we grow, we can meet more of your needs. Thank you for the past two and a half years. We look forward to being there with you as you grow!

Mind Body Defense’s Safety Tips


The holiday season is a time for joy, family, and relaxation. The glue that holds these things together is safety. It is difficult to enjoy anything when you are not sure of the dangers that can be thrust upon you.

In order know how to protect yourself against violence, it is better to know the types of violence that threatens you. There are 2 main types of violence: social and asocial. Social violence is generally seen as the escalation from intimidating body language to a verbal confrontation that can end in a physical scuffle all done to show dominance. This type of violence usually requires both parties to escalate the situation and witnesses to observe the results.

Asocial or antisocial violence is the opposite because the aggressor can execute the violence without the other side doing anything to aggravate the situation and there is a lack of witnesses to the crime. This type of violence is generally seen in robberies, muggings, batteries, and sexual assaults. Since you can generally walk away from encounters of social violence, then it is the asocial violence that we must learn to predict, recognize, avoid, and fight.

With respect to asocial violence there are 2 categories of predators. The first is the resource predator who wants something from you like your money, clothing, bag, or vehicle. If you needed $200 cash and only could rob 5 people to get it, think about your choice of target. Where in the neighborhood would you find them? How would they dress? What vehicle would they drive if any?
You know if someone has a laptop in their backpack or if a house/apartment is suggesting an expensive interior. If you can tell if someone has money, you can recognize if you yourself look like someone who has money. You cannot hide all of these signs, but that does not mean that you are indefensible.

The second is the process predator who wants to do something to you like battery, vandalism, or rape. Like the resource predator the process predator can tell by your physique, movement, and general awareness if you are ready and able to defend yourself against a physical attack the same way you can tell if you could handle someone else. Both of these predators are looking for good targets and good circumstances in order to justify their attack.

Predators generally do not want to risk getting caught, which allows you to build your defense. This begins with truly intentionally being alert to the persons and property in your proximity. To physically touch you, they have to get close to you.

Look at how others are moving or standing around you. Are they cognizant of your presence or are they minding their own business? Are they aggressing toward you or blocking the sidewalk and forcing you into an uncomfortable position? Is someone hanging around someplace that should be vacant like the ATM, gate to your building, or your car? Listen to the sounds around you. Does a conversation suddenly stop or change in tone when you arrive? Are there suddenly footsteps appearing in your blindspot? Did you hear the gate lock behind you?

This awareness sends a signal to the would-be attacker that you know what is happening. They like to go after people who are distracted or ignorant of the flags of danger. Lastly you have to listen to your body.

If you feel uneasy, then there is a reason regardless if you can explain it or if it seems unreasonable.

In all of these situations, you have 3 options. You can fight it by saying something or calling for assistance. You can flee from it by not addressing the situation, changing your plan, or waiting for it to change. The third is to go into the situation as if it is normal although you may be on alert.

There are several ways to address, de-escalate, or avoid a potentially violent situation (which we will be discussing in upcoming articles), but initially displaying a show of awareness will make you less of an ideal target because their best weapon, the element surprise, will not be available. Although it may not seem that awareness is actually doing something remember that the first level of de-escalating violence is presence.

Think of the child looking around before they go for the cookie in the jar and see the parent watching intently. The parent may not know exactly what the child was planning, but they know that something is up. This is no different except for higher stakes. You are letting them know that you know, and it is not going to be that easy. This little step will help prevent many possible threats.

Torriente Toliver

Torriente is the owner and head instructor at Mind Body Defense a kickboxing and self-defense school at 4143 N. Broadway Chicago IL 60613. He teaches class, workshops, and has written a book Everyday Self-Defense all with the purpose of helping people to empower themselves.
MindBodyDefenseChicago.com

All physical confrontations happen within the following ranges. They are characterized by the distance and control between you and your opponent.

Range 1-Outside Striking
Range 2-Inside Striking
Range 3-Stand-Up Grappling
Range 4-Ground Grappling

These ranges were designed by C.U.M.A. Combatives founder Waysun Johnny Tsai. They are a simple way to view a physical confrontation with both armed and unarmed opponents. Although you may have a high level of skill in some of the ranges, the one that you are weak in can negate all of your former training.

Range 1 is where full extension punches and kicks can hit with maximum power. In this stage you have the greatest mobility to evade attacks and possibly run away. You will also have the least amount of control over your opponent.

Range 2 is where shorter strikes like knees and elbows are the most applicable attacks. Defense may be difficult in this stage due to the lack of reaction time because of the proximity to an opponent. The advantage is that more attacks can be thrown in a shorter amount of time from a wide array of angles.

Range 3 is where grabs and holds occur while standing. Holds may be used defensively to prevent strikes from hitting you or offensively to choke an opponent unconscious. Holds can be done to the body as well as clothes, hair, and bags.

Range 4 is where one person is being held on the ground. This can be seen as a sexual assault, being stomped, or a submission being applied. This stage has the least amount of mobility and the weakest strikes from the bottom. Therefore having the ability to move in and out of Range 4 is valuable..  

​A.R.C. (All Range Combat) is the ability to move strategically through the ranges. If you are grabbed, can you strike your way to Range 1 and run or reverse the hold, take them down, and call for help? Self-defense is mastery of these ranges with both combative and de-escalation skills against single or multiple opponents who may be armed. 

Making a technique work to keep yourself physically safe and protect your state of mind requires commitment to be effective. You must devote a part of your life to training the skills, developing the survival mindset, and reflecting on your ethics. This task takes consistent purposeful effort in order to make the difference between attempting to defend yourself and actually defending yourself.
You should be devoted to training each move you learn. Training creates muscle memory, so the moves flow naturally. Realistically all moves need time to get to the point of being natural, but with practice more advanced moves will become as easy to perform as basic ones. The key word is practice. Doing something 1,000 times on autopilot does not facilitate growth. You have to really commit to understanding why the move works and how to make the move work for you. Through this, your techniques eventually become a part of you.   
This still is not enough if you do not whole-heartedly perform the move. It takes both good technique and intent to make a move work against an uncooperative opponent. Intent is not just wanting it. Intent is the complete follow through of an action. Imagine a strong Judo throw that takes both people off their feet, the baseball swing that had homerun written all over it, or the kick that kisses you goodnight. The person doing the action is so married to the action that the hit is the only thing on their mind. Yes, plans fail and nobody is perfect, but if you don’t put your all into that moment then you may have to deal with other moments that otherwise would not exist.  
De-escalation tactics may have the inverse of their intended effect if they are not properly executed. This is the difference between saying “no” and meaning “No!” Predators are experienced with reading people and situations and may become more encouraged when recognizing a weak defense. Being assertive and standing your ground are not actions to take without being serious or else it loses its effectiveness. “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is the perfect example of someone’s seriousness being dismissed to dire consequences. The stance you take is a representation of who you are and if it is fake, then you are seen as such.
You should be committed to your convictions. Some very dangerous situations happen when people fight for things that they do not value. Social violence needs both participants to be cooperative. If it really is not a big deal, then show it. Moreover, if you have to make a stand, then make sure your stance is strong and unwavering. When you know that you are fighting for the right reason, you can attack/defend without reservation.  
Be committed to your technique because your intent will be reflected in its effectiveness. Commit to your tactics. Let your “No!,” warnings, and threats mean what you intended. Commit to your values. If you are fighting for a cause, then truly understand the issue so your words and actions carry your passion with a purpose. Commit to the success of your self-defense.

People vary both physically and mentally; therefore, the techniques and tactics used for self-defense must also vary from person to person. The moves and strategies you use should fit your aggression, physique, and skill, so it has the best chance to be quickly assimilated into a natural response. Self-defense starts by adding to your strengths and continues by eliminating your weaknesses.

Some people seek to avoid confrontation while others are more willing to engage in a situation to prevent its escalation. Neither is incorrect, yet acting out of character can potentially escalate a situation. What you do and say to protect yourself must have some confidence or strength behind it. If you are going to make a threat, then your demeanor must show a willingness to carry it out. If you are not comfortable with being extremely close to people, then your tactics should help to maintain distance. If you are not willing to pull a trigger, break an arm, or throw a punch, then carrying a gun, learning jujitsu, or training boxing may not be the best option for your natural level of aggression. Learning verbal judo and some basic aikido would be an alternative way to defend yourself.

Size matters. A 6ft 4in 265lb all muscle opponent is intimidating. Height, weight, reach, fat, and muscle mass are all important factors in technique choice. Your physique may not have a threatening presence, and it may also impede you from quickly learning certain martial arts. The natural choice for a heavy person is to choose powerful violent moves, but if that is against their aggression level, then they may not be willing to use them regardless of the costs. If you have a bad back and hip, don’t grapple (wrestle). If you have to put yourself in a compromising situation to use the move, then it is the wrong move. Some things are just easy for your body to do and some things are naturally inferred from observation of your body.

Your moves should be easy to perform and effective against an uncooperative opponent. Punches are not easy or natural for everyone. The same goes for verbal de-escalation. The ability to think on your feet is a skill and if you don’t have it then use what you do have. Skill is purely your ability to perform the desired technique or tactic under pressure. When adrenaline hits fine motor skills diminish, voices crack, and you may stumble over your words. What can you do well under stress? Use a variation of that for your self-defense. Learn things that are simple, easy, and natural.

Your self-defense should be an extension of your natural aggression, physique, and skill (mental or physical). You must be authentic. Remember you can see when someone else means business, so the inverse is also true. There is a unique strength in you. Hone it to find your self-defense style. 

Torriente Toliver

​Torriente is the owner and head instructor at Mind Body Defense which is a kickboxing and self-defense school in Chicago IL. He has over 20 years of martial arts experience and believes that self-defense is about empowerment through mental and physical training. For more information please visit his website MindBodyDefenseChicago.com

Pragmatically the goal of self-defense is to avoid or deescalate the situation quickly and safely. Boundary setting accomplishes this by monitoring threats based on your ethical code. Once you know what is and is not acceptable, you will have no problem taking precautions to protect not only your body, but also your state of mind. When faced with a self–defense situation, every person has to work through two facets: knowing your moral/ethical limits and threat assessment.
​

Each person has a set of beliefs which are things that are “real” to the person. Those realities turn into values which are the things someone finds important. The hierarchy of values develop that person’s morals or ideology of what is right and wrong. Each progression leads to your ethics or rules to which you adhere. This connects to boundary setting because you will always be at a disadvantage when a threat has violated your beliefs/morals/values/ethics without your attempt to maintain them. For instance, if you believe in personal space and you find it important to have that elbow room, you will view an unwelcome advance into your personal space as wrong. It is at this point when a lack of boundary setting has let someone infringe on your ethical code. If you value space, then you must enforce your claim to your space. I am only speaking ethically not legally. One should not wait until they are in a fight to decide when they are willing to fight. Knowing ahead of time what your limits and boundaries are allows you to make better decisions in a timely fashion.


The next step is recognizing a threat. You will never be able to recognize a threat if you do not understand the boundaries they are attempting to penetrate. This process is commonly referred to as awareness, but this is an oversimplification. The truth is that many people have tons of experience but they don’t take the time to analyze it. Can you recognize a con man in a movie? Then you can in real life. Some things are that simple. You know what is normal to you. When things aren’t, your body sends you signals like an elevated heartrate, compulsion to listen carefully, or tunnel vision. The problem with self-defense is that the perpetrator is not going to attack when you are ready. They look for the lost, weak, or distracted. Therefore, your experience may not be enough. If you have never been mugged then you may not know the signs. You should seek out training that will give you the information to recognize problems before they can escalate. Awareness is the process of information collection and interpretation. The key is to understand how the information relates to your situation.


Together boundary setting is knowing who you are and what the situation is. From this base, all other techniques and tactics arise. Otherwise, you might over- or underreact to a situation.


Torriente Toliver


Torriente is the owner and head instructor at Mind Body Defense which is a kickboxing and self-defense school in Chicago IL. He has over 20 years of martial arts experience and believes that self-defense is about empowerment through mental and physical training. For more information please visit his website MindBodyDefenseChicago.com

Name: Torriente Toliver
Years practicing: 22
​
What led you to opening your own kickboxing/self-defense studio?
I wanted to create the martial arts school where I always wanted to train. I wanted to help people get all the benefits I gained through martial arts. This school would let me make the difference I believe the world needs.

What is your favorite part of teaching?
I love watching the light in my student’s eyes glow when they really understand something and grow.

What is your favorite technique?
520 degree jump spinning kick because it's as close to flying as I can get.

What do you want your students to know about you?
I still am learning and training to get better just like they are. Even though I am the instructor, I feel that each class is a collaboration for us to both grow and learn.

What is the best part of owning your own studio?
I can change things if the students’ needs change. It feels great to be able to control the learning environment and shape it for each student, each class.  

What was the hardest technique you learned?
Side kick. I learned it in 15 minutes. It took 15 years for me to do it correctly.

What makes a good student?
Speaking up for yourself (asking questions), taking breaks when needed, and never giving up. These are also the 3 class rules.

What makes a good teacher?
Supporting each student individually, structured progression (so students are always challenged), purposeful action (no work that is not directly related to the goal)

Who is kickboxing for?
Those who want to get fit (improve strength, flexibility, and cardio) through fun purposeful actions like punching and kicking. Kickboxing is exercising without knowing because you are so focused on the activity. This class works well for people who: 1. Want to get in shape, but do not like the traditional exercises 2. Those who love exercising, but want to mix it up 3. Those who want to work out in a small group with lots of personal attention.

Who is self-defense for?
Those who want to be able to protect themselves and others both mentally and physically. Self-defense is the ultimate challenge because regardless of your fitness you are pushed to your physical limits. People who would like self-defense include: 1. Martial artists who want to practice their skills practically 2. Non-athletes who want to learn how to combat a bigger/stronger adversary 3. Women and men who want to feel safer in this ever changing world.