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Generally speaking, the answer is YES. The amount of alcohol classes that you will need to do is dependent if you are a repeat offender or not and whether your BAC results where above or below a .15. If it is your first DUI and your BAC is below .15 you will have to do 24 hours of level two alcohol classes and 48 hours of level two therapy. If it is your first DUI and your above .15 you will have to do a 24 hours of level two alcohol classes and 52 hours of level two therapy. For DUI's when you have priors, you will be required to do significantly more hours of acohol classes. If your BAC is below .15 you will need to complete 24 hours of level two alcohol classes and 68 hours of level two therapy. And if the BAC is above .15 you will need to complete 24 hours of level two alcohol classes and 86 hours of level two therapy.

More information about DUI laws here https://duilawfirmdenver.com/dui-denver/denver-dui-laws/

The Technology AdvantEDGE Series presents “Building a Business Case for Additive” with GE Additive on Thursday, March 29

(Denver, CO) Manufacturer’s Edge is pleased to introduce the 2018 Technology AdvantEDGE Series – a series of workshops introducing new and emerging technologies that manufacturers can implement into their processes and products. The first event in the Technology AdvantEDGE series will be held on Thursday, March 29 at 9am in Denver.

“Building a Business Case for Additive” is presented in cooperation with GE Additive and is aimed at organizations that are interested in exploring in metal additive manufacturing (AM) and need to quantify the economic opportunity.

The workshop will focus on the ROI that metal additive brings and will equip participants with the knowledge to sell the business case for AM to their leadership.

The session will be led by consultants from AddWorks™, GE Additive’s in-house design consulting group, who helped design the fuel nozzle and Advanced Turboprop (ATP). Both parts are FAA certified and were re-engineered using AM and gained significant weight savings, part count reduction, and better performance. The AddWorks™ team will help attendees understand how to develop an AM mindset from the outset.

“Additive manufacturing is fundamentally changing how manufacturing is done, but what often stops organizations from starting their additive journey is a fear of the unknown and understanding what the payback is going to be,” says Heidi Hostetter, Vice President of Faustson Tool.

This one-day workshop will cover the following topics:

• Key factors in identifing the right part for AM with metals
• Design, materials and manufacturing considerations during part design
• Building a ROI-led business case with key cost assumptions
• Identifying the right parts for AM
• Optimizing your additive post-processing
• Design recommendations and considerations
• Building an additive part cost model
• How to sell additive up through your organization

This is a hands-on workshop and attendees are encouraged to bring a part with them that might be a suitable for AM production. The Addworks team will then explore the compatibility and potential benefits of implementing an AM redesign.

What: Building a Business Case for Additive

Dates: March 29, 2018

Time: 9am–5pm; happy hour/networking event 5–7pm

Place: Geotech Environmental Equipment (2650 E 40th Ave, Denver)

Cost: Free; lunch is provided

Sponsored by: Manufacturer’s Edge, H2 Manufacturing Solutions, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, and GE Additive

More information: www.manufacturersedge.com/events

Direct registration link: https://tech-advantedge-series-additive.eventbrite.com

About the Technology AdvantEDGE Series from Manufacturer's Edge:
As the Manufacturing Extension Partner for the state of Colorado, Manufacturer's Edge is committed to keeping Colorado manufacturers informed with the latest cutting-edge info and access to the latest trends. We want to show you what is on the horizon so that you can anticipate the arrival and stay competitive. To that end, we are pleased to introduce the 2018 Technology AdvantEDGE Series -- a series of workshops where we will introduce a variety of new technologies that manufacturers can implement into their manufacturing processes and products. These workshops will cover everything from new materials such as composites, smart fibers, and fabrics to new manufacturing processes, such as 3D printing and robotics. Topics of interest will also include radical new technologies that will change the way we live, such as flexible hybrid electronics, biopharmaceuticals, and biofabrication.

Let us help you stay ahead of the game by anticipating and preparing for the amazing innovations on the horizon. Let us bring the future to you!

About Manufacturer’s Edge:

Manufacturer’s Edge is a statewide manufacturing assistance center partially funded by the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). Manufacturer’s Edge encourages the strength and competitiveness of Colorado manufacturers through onsite technical assistance through coaching, training, and consulting, collaboration-focused industry programs, and leveraging government, university, and economic development partnerships. Learn more at our website, on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

About H2 Manufacturing Solutions

H2 Manufacturing Solutions offers a broad range of services to help manufacturers navigate the daily challenges of the modern manufacturing world. Our one-stop shop addresses any business challenge a manufacturer encounters, from representing best-in-class equipment and service providers to operational improvement consulting to business development strategies to technical expertise. At H2, our mission is to make manufacturers’ day-to-day challenges more manageable and less frustrating. Our promise is to deliver Honest. Hardworking. Results. For more information, contact H2 Manufacturing Solutions at 970-692-3344 or adam@h2manufacturingsolutions.com. Visit H2 Manufacturing Solutions on the web, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

About GE Additive

GE Additive is part of GE – the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solution that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE Additive includes material provider AP&C and additive service provider to the medical industry, DTI. As a notable user of additive technologies GE recognizes the value and potential it brings to modern design and manufacturing. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, resources and intellect.

Come take a magic carpet ride with a darling group of local youth actors, many in their very first performances, as they bring to the stage Disney’s ALADDIN Jr.

Boulder County’s own, The Art Underground,  will open its Fall Season production, Disney’s ALADDIN Jr., Friday evening, November 14th for six performances in Boulder at Platt Middle School.

ALADDIN Jr. is a one-act theatre musical adapted from the very popular animated Disney film Aladdin, released in 1992. The film is based on the Arab folktale of Aladdin and the magic lamp from “One Thousand and One Nights”.  Both the story and music in this version closely follow the original film.

So come join our three casts (25 each) of talented young actors ranging from 4th -8th grade and with the talented direction of Betsy Keating. Hear the Academy award-winning score with songs including “Arabian Nights”, “One Jump Ahead”, “Friend Like Me”, “Prince Ali”, and “A Whole New World”, as well as a new song, “Why Me”, which is sung by Jafar and Iago. You’ll also be treated to colorful, dazzling costumes and innovative, creative set design by Art Underground staff.

 http://www.artunder.org

Friday,11/14/14
7pm Blue Cast

Saturday, 11/15/14
11am Red Cast
2:30pm Blue Cast
6:00pm Yellow Cast

Sunday, 11/16/14
1pm Yellow Cast
4:30pm Red Cast

You may be familiar with Via, some of you might even use Via’s services or know someone who does.

Over the years, Via has grown into more than a simple paratransit service. Like many nonprofits, the quest for sustainability and new sources of revenue has led Via to consider social enterprise, generally defined as mission-related businesses that have promise for producing income directly benefiting the nonprofit’s clients or enhancing its ability to fulfill its mission.  

Via has operated as a social enterprise business model for over two decades.  Via’s three large earned-income contracts—the Hop, Access-a-Ride and Call-n-Ride—are transportation programs Via provides under contract to RTD, CU-Boulder and the city of Boulder and generate revenue to support our mission services. 

Expanding on the social enterprise model, Via is now offering the National Safety Council’s Defensive Driving Course to the general public. Through this certified course you can improve basic skills and refresh your driving knowledge.

This eight-hour course is designed to give you the practical knowledge and techniques to avoid collisions and traffic violations. It is a highly interactive course that helps drivers to choose safe, responsible and lawful driving behaviors through a self-assessment risk survey, a series of learning activities and discussions, and videos with real-life driver simulations and hazards recognition scenarios. Most insurance companies recognize this course and your participation could lead to discounts on insurance premiums.

The class is offered on Tuesdays at Via’s facility at 2855 N 63rd Street in Boulder.  For more information, or to register for an upcoming class, please contact Dale Binkley at 303-447-2848.

Via is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting independence and self-sufficiency for people with limited mobility by providing caring, customer-focused transportation options.  For more information on the many services Via provides, visit us online at viacolorado.org, call 303.447.2848 ext. 1014, or email us at mobilityspecialist@viacolorado.org.

Define Defense now offers 4 week self defense courses on Fridays from 5-6pm. In these 4 classes, we go over:

- Self defense on the floor against a standing attacker
- Self defense against sexual assault
- Self defense against grabs, chokes and other forceful attacks
- Effective striking
- How to avoid dangerous situations
- How to maximize your chances of escape
- How to use pepper sprays (and other defense sprays)
- Vital points, body language and other proven methods to get yourself into safety

The next self defense course will take place on these dates:
October 26th
November 2nd
November 9th
November 16th
Every attendee will receive an information packet. If you cannot attend all 4 consecutive classes, you can use your remaining class(es) during the next course dates.

The price for the full program is only $75.
If you want to reserve a spot, please send us a message or register here. Spots are limited!

This program combines all of the most effective and realistic ways to defend yourself against any dangers that may occur. We focus on prevention as well as protecting yourself and others. In this course, you will learn how to deal with a crisis situation, mentally as well as physically. Everything we teach is relevant to real situations and applies more realistic training methods for improved results. 

Define Defense is partnering up with Coach Meg from Spark Behavior Solutions to offer you a workshop about performance, motivation and learn how to master healthy habits for better results! This great workshop will take place at the Define Defense studio on November 15th from 6-7.30pm. 

Before the workshop, we will be offering a free TRX / Cross Training class from 5-6pm for our clients and all workshop attendees. 

$35 for DD members
$45 for non DD members


Please register by emailing Coach Meg at info@sparkbehavior.com

I'm sure you've heard or read about the 20 year old CU student who got ticketed for falsely reporting an attack on University Hill. You can read more about it here.

Her initial story was that she was walking alone when she was grabbed by a 200lbs. knife wielding man. After a struggle, she got away with some minor scratches.

Doesn't add up does it? It may be possible if she was very lucky and the attacker only had the intention to scare her with the knife but did not plan on actually using it. It is definitely possible if she acted and overwhelmed her attacker (you want to take away the attacker's confidence, therefore the Golden Rule of self defense: ACT CRAZY). However, if a 200 lbs. man was wielding with a knife, it would be extremely hard to walk away the way she did. Not just for her but for anyone, including me!

False reports are unfortunate and prevent law enforcement from investigating real crimes. For example:

The armed robbery which turned fatal for Todd Walker (March 2011)

The gunmen who robbed multiple people and sexually assaulted a woman (August, 2011)

A gunman outside the Boulder Community Hospital (April, 2011)

Bank robbery in North Boulder (September, 2011)

CU campus robbery (January, 2012)

Sexual assault attempts (October, 2011)


Does this mean Boulder is an unsafe or bad place to live? Absolutely not! However, as in every big town (and college town), you need to be aware and more importantly, not be naive. Not everyone is trustworthy, you need to be cautious and use common sense. 

After all, things happen and you don't control everything or everyone. None of the above victims ever thought this would happen to them but unfortunately it did. We should all try to keep ourselves and others safe. There are many ways to do this but the first step is to realize bad things do happen. Being prepared doesn't hurt. The last thing you want to do is putting yourself in a situation in which bad things can happen.

As a self defense instructor, I spend a lot of attention to all aspects of self defense. It is not simply about the techniques and how to get back to safety but it's also about preventing, scanning, communication (verbal and non verbal), knowing vital points and very important: your mental state.

My wife pointed out an article about self defense a few weeks ago and Linda Fairstein (a former sex crimes prosecutor) addresses a few very bad choices that turned for the worst.

- Kenia Monge from Denver was planning on going to college to become a crime scene investigator so she was an intelligent woman. When she left her friends to go to the restroom when partying, she never came back. Travis Forbes was found guilty for the murder of Kenia. She made one mistake but it cost her and her family dearly. It is very important to use a buddy system when leaving the group, no matter how close or easy your destination is.

- Holly Bobo, a 20 year old student was kidnapped outside her Tennessee home. It seems like Holly did not resist enough, at least not in the initial part of her kidnapping. Traces of resistance were found but it was probably too late. If you feel unsafe, draw attention to yourself. It will lower your attacker's confidence and other people may be able to assist or call 911. Do whatever you can to draw attention and target vital points to maximize damage and pain. Please note that every situation is different and everyone's response is different. When there are weapons involved, it is also a very different scenario so this response may not fit all situations!


- Paula Sladewski had a fight with her boyfriend in a club, it came to a point that her boyfriend was thrown out and she stayed. When she left later, cameras show a man was following her. She didn't make it and up to this day, there is no suspect. Paula made the mistake of making a decision based on her emotions at that time. This affected her safety and it turned for the worst. Always be careful and don't take risks, even if you are upset.

The article focussed on these three situations that were caused by a certain decision. Other people doing the same actions may be fine and many other decisions will also turn out to be the wrong one. Should you lock yourself up and don’t take any risks? No but take calculated risks and please use common sense. It’s better to be safe than sorry. In my mind, every person should take a proper self defense course and know the basics (not because we teach these but I believe things can happen and you should be able to help yourself if needed).

We teach self defense classes 4 times a week and offer punch cards to give our clients the freedom to choose their own times. We focus on every aspect of self defense and make sure you leave with a strong basic knowledge and skill set. All levels and ages are welcome. More info about our self defense classes and workshops here.


By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com

I'm sure you've heard or read about the 20 year old CU student who got ticketed for falsely reporting an attack on University Hill. You can read more about it here.

Her initial story was that she was walking alone when she was grabbed by a 200lbs. knife wielding man. After a struggle, she got away with some minor scratches.

Doesn't add up does it? It may be possible if she was very lucky and the attacker only had the intention to scare her with the knife but did not plan on actually using it. It is definitely possible if she acted and overwhelmed her attacker (you want to take away the attacker's confidence, therefore the Golden Rule of self defense: ACT CRAZY). However, if a 200 lbs. man was wielding with a knife, it would be extremely hard to walk away the way she did. Not just for her but for anyone, including me!

False reports are unfortunate and prevent law enforcement from investigating real crimes. For example:

The armed robbery which turned fatal for Todd Walker (March 2011)

The gunmen who robbed multiple people and sexually assaulted a woman (August, 2011)

A gunman outside the Boulder Community Hospital (April, 2011)

Bank robbery in North Boulder (September, 2011)

CU campus robbery (January, 2012)

Sexual assault attempts (October, 2011)


Does this mean Boulder is an unsafe or bad place to live? Absolutely not! However, as in every big town (and college town), you need to be aware and more importantly, not be naive. Not everyone is trustworthy, you need to be cautious and use common sense. 

After all, things happen and you don't control everything or everyone. None of the above victims ever thought this would happen to them but unfortunately it did. We should all try to keep ourselves and others safe. There are many ways to do this but the first step is to realize bad things do happen. Being prepared doesn't hurt. The last thing you want to do is putting yourself in a situation in which bad things can happen.

As a self defense instructor, I spend a lot of attention to all aspects of self defense. It is not simply about the techniques and how to get back to safety but it's also about preventing, scanning, communication (verbal and non verbal), knowing vital points and very important: your mental state.

My wife pointed out an article about self defense a few weeks ago and Linda Fairstein (a former sex crimes prosecutor) addresses a few very bad choices that turned for the worst.

- Kenia Monge from Denver was planning on going to college to become a crime scene investigator so she was an intelligent woman. When she left her friends to go to the restroom when partying, she never came back. Travis Forbes was found guilty for the murder of Kenia. She made one mistake but it cost her and her family dearly. It is very important to use a buddy system when leaving the group, no matter how close or easy your destination is.

- Holly Bobo, a 20 year old student was kidnapped outside her Tennessee home. It seems like Holly did not resist enough, at least not in the initial part of her kidnapping. Traces of resistance were found but it was probably too late. If you feel unsafe, draw attention to yourself. It will lower your attacker's confidence and other people may be able to assist or call 911. Do whatever you can to draw attention and target vital points to maximize damage and pain. Please note that every situation is different and everyone's response is different. When there are weapons involved, it is also a very different scenario so this response may not fit all situations!


- Paula Sladewski had a fight with her boyfriend in a club, it came to a point that her boyfriend was thrown out and she stayed. When she left later, cameras show a man was following her. She didn't make it and up to this day, there is no suspect. Paula made the mistake of making a decision based on her emotions at that time. This affected her safety and it turned for the worst. Always be careful and don't take risks, even if you are upset.

The article focussed on these three situations that were caused by a certain decision. Other people doing the same actions may be fine and many other decisions will also turn out to be the wrong one. Should you lock yourself up and don’t take any risks? No but take calculated risks and please use common sense. It’s better to be safe than sorry. In my mind, every person should take a proper self defense course and know the basics (not because we teach these but I believe things can happen and you should be able to help yourself if needed).

We teach self defense classes 4 times a week and offer punch cards to give our clients the freedom to choose their own times. We focus on every aspect of self defense and make sure you leave with a strong basic knowledge and skill set. All levels and ages are welcome. More info about our self defense classes and workshops here.


By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos onYouTube.com/DefineDefense ! Define Defense offers training in: - Modern Martial Arts - BJJ & MMA - Self Defense - Strength & Conditioning - Personal Training

For training and working out, goals are extremely important. You need to set short and long term goals and make them challenging but possible. If they are not possible, you will not reach them and eventually become disappointed or frustrated. On the other hand, if they are too easy, you may not push yourself enough and not make enough progress, if any at all.

Another aspect of training, one that I feel has played a huge role for myself is having the right mindset. I'm not necessarily talking about what your motivation is for your workouts because there are thousands of reasons why you can, should or want to do it. What I'm thinking about is the attitude, the mindset, the personality you step into the gym with. When you have that mindset, nothing can stop you. You can just keep going and whatever is in front of you, you do not stop. When I go into a workout like that, I feel stronger, faster and better than any other moment. People call me nuts when they see me training (and I probably am) but it gives me great satisfaction and motivation. This is when I get my best workouts and earn some of the nicknames I have been given over the years (Beast, the Hammer,... All for different reasons).

Getting that mindset is not easy and I feel cannot always be planned ahead. It's a feeling of the moment. It may be influenced by your goals, motivation, your previous success and progress or simply how well you slept the night before. It depends on the individual and circumstances but also on the people around you. A good group of training buddies or trainer can get you in that moment, in which you feel invincible and full of energy (sometimes I have to step in to prevent injuries as a trainer when a client gets 'in the moment').

There is nothing like this feeling and sometimes you just start working out and you know you'll be killing it that day. Other times, you need more guidance from a trainer to get in the right mindset. Either way, it should be your goal to find that motivation. It is the perfect intrinsic motivation (because you want to for yourself, not for others or a reward) and when you work out like this, you will feel great after and again be looking forward more to the next workout. It's a vicious circle. If you feel bad for yourself when working out, it will probably not be any better next time. So give it your all. I guarantee that, if you work out hard but responsibly, you will experience that mindset more and more while enjoying every minute of it.

For the beginners out there: no matter what sport you practice, go for it, get over that beginner's hump and you'll find more enjoyment and great progress lying right ahead of you! Leave it all out there and you will experience more results than what you were hoping for!

For cross training and TRX classes or private personal training, check out www.DefineDefense.com

By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.

I'm sure you've heard or read about the 20 year old CU student who got ticketed for falsely reporting an attack on University Hill. You can read more about it here.

Her initial story was that she was walking alone when she was grabbed by a 200lbs. knife wielding man. After a struggle, she got away with some minor scratches.

Doesn't add up does it? It may be possible if she was very lucky and the attacker only had the intention to scare her with the knife but did not plan on actually using it. It is definitely possible if she acted and overwhelmed her attacker (you want to take away the attacker's confidence, therefore the Golden Rule of self defense: ACT CRAZY). However, if a 200 lbs. man was wielding with a knife, it would be extremely hard to walk away the way she did. Not just for her but for anyone, including me!

False reports are unfortunate and prevent law enforcement from investigating real crimes. For example:

The armed robbery which turned fatal for Todd Walker (March 2011)

The gunmen who robbed multiple people and sexually assaulted a woman (August, 2011)

A gunman outside the Boulder Community Hospital (April, 2011)

Bank robbery in North Boulder (September, 2011)

CU campus robbery (January, 2012)

Sexual assault attempts (October, 2011)


Does this mean Boulder is an unsafe or bad place to live? Absolutely not! However, as in every big town (and college town), you need to be aware and more importantly, not be naive. Not everyone is trustworthy, you need to be cautious and use common sense. 

After all, things happen and you don't control everything or everyone. None of the above victims ever thought this would happen to them but unfortunately it did. We should all try to keep ourselves and others safe. There are many ways to do this but the first step is to realize bad things do happen. Being prepared doesn't hurt. The last thing you want to do is putting yourself in a situation in which bad things can happen.

As a self defense instructor, I spend a lot of attention to all aspects of self defense. It is not simply about the techniques and how to get back to safety but it's also about preventing, scanning, communication (verbal and non verbal), knowing vital points and very important: your mental state.

My wife pointed out an article about self defense a few weeks ago and Linda Fairstein (a former sex crimes prosecutor) addresses a few very bad choices that turned for the worst.

- Kenia Monge from Denver was planning on going to college to become a crime scene investigator so she was an intelligent woman. When she left her friends to go to the restroom when partying, she never came back. Travis Forbes was found guilty for the murder of Kenia. She made one mistake but it cost her and her family dearly. It is very important to use a buddy system when leaving the group, no matter how close or easy your destination is.

- Holly Bobo, a 20 year old student was kidnapped outside her Tennessee home. It seems like Holly did not resist enough, at least not in the initial part of her kidnapping. Traces of resistance were found but it was probably too late. If you feel unsafe, draw attention to yourself. It will lower your attacker's confidence and other people may be able to assist or call 911. Do whatever you can to draw attention and target vital points to maximize damage and pain. Please note that every situation is different and everyone's response is different. When there are weapons involved, it is also a very different scenario so this response may not fit all situations!

- Paula Sladewski had a fight with her boyfriend in a club, it came to a point that her boyfriend was thrown out and she stayed. When she left later, cameras show a man was following her. She didn't make it and up to this day, there is no suspect. Paula made the mistake of making a decision based on her emotions at that time. This affected her safety and it turned for the worst. Always be careful and don't take risks, even if you are upset.

The article focussed on these three situations that were caused by a certain decision. Other people doing the same actions may be fine and many other decisions will also turn out to be the wrong one. Should you lock yourself up and don’t take any risks? No but take calculated risks and please use common sense. It’s better to be safe than sorry. In my mind, every person should take a proper self defense course and know the basics (not because we teach these but I believe things can happen and you should be able to help yourself if needed).

We teach self defense classes 4 times a week and offer punch cards to give our clients the freedom to choose their own times. We focus on every aspect of self defense and make sure you leave with a strong basic knowledge and skill set. All levels and ages are welcome. More info about our self defense classes and workshops here.


By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com

When growing up, my parents had a certain saying: It’s better to get a B or C after trying really hard than getting an A without trying at all. That being said, I was a very good student but it showed the values that were important to them. I guess it’s in line with the saying ‘Hard Work Beats Talent’ and I couldn’t agree any more. If things go too easy for you, then you never learn determination, the satisfaction and rewards of hard work.

The point is, you have to work and you have to try hard. If you put a lot of effort and determination in something, good things will come your way. The road may not be always full of sunshine and there will be bumps in the road but nothing ever goes perfectly. This absolutely applies to training as well. If you train hard (and smart but that’s for another article), then you will see progress. If you don’t put 100% in, then don’t expect all your goals to come true. 

Now that has absolutely nothing to do with performance. As a trainer, I never expect our clients to perform the same or compare them to each other. For example: I prefer much more that a person is giving a 100% lifting a 20lbs. kettle bell than the person next to him/her lifting a 50lbs. kettle bell without breaking a sweat. Everyone works at their level and gets the equipment suited for them. However, we do expect everyone to do their best and to give a 100% in their workouts, whatever their fitness level allows.

My family is not one of the most athletic families (sorry guys but you gotta admit). I do have one uncle who ran marathons and is now still biking many miles with the road bike. Besides him, nobody really practices any kind of sport so I was a pretty odd duck. For some reason, I did get into sports. When I started karate at the age of 7, my parents told me that if I signed up, I had to do it for a full year. Quitting was not an option. When I first started, my obvious goal was a black belt. In 2004, I reached that goal. When I started road biking, I wanted to do well and I did, especially since I only started when I was 18 years old. I wanted to gain muscle and over the last 4 years, I gained 30lbs. of lean muscle. I wanted to heal my injured back and today, I barely have any issues anymore. Today, I’ve made martial arts my hobby, job and a big part of my life. I am still biking on a regular basis and challenging myself with races and new goals. I always put the work in to reach my goals, no matter how easy or hard it might be. Even when I fail, which happens, I know I did what I could.

I believe in perseverance or as the saying says: ‘If you talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk’ (last saying I promise). Of course, if you don’t enjoy something it is likely that you will quit at some point which is fine! There is so much out there that enables you to choose what you really love to do. Also, you will fail at some goals in your life and that is normal. Everyone does but as long as you gave it a fair shot and put your energy into it, then there is nothing to feel bad about.

I’m sure you see where I’m going with this blog. You simply have to put the effort in. Don’t quit and be persistent. Reaching a significant goal will never be a walk in the park. But one thing is for sure: if you persist you will see progress, you will reach your goals and you will feel GREAT!

My family was always very motivating in every hobby I had but also very strict. I could not be any more appreciative for that. It taught me discipline and determination. At the same time, that is why I was able to reach my personal goals. If they didn’t bother putting rules in place and taking the time to enforce them, I would not have learned the lessons that I did. So find motivation in your training, no matter what it is, be confident and persistent. As your trainer, I will do my part as well as I can but I need to see the focus and determination in your eyes.


By Sander Vanacker, owner, head instructor and personal trainer of Define Defense Martial Arts & Personal Training.

Define Defense in Boulder, CO
- Modern Martial Arts
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & MMA
- Self Defense Classes & Workshops
- Personal Training
- Cross Training / TRX Classes

1805 11th Street Suite B
Boulder, CO 80302

(720) 340 6254

www.DefineDefense.com

Info@DefineDefense.com

Part 1of our Periodization workshop on 1/18/12:

Multilateral Physical Development

Different people have different objectives of training. Some may train for a healthier body, others may want to break their own records and become stronger and some want to compete to test themselves with others.

No matter what your objective is, every athlete should work on their multilateral physical development. This serves as a training base and means you increase your endurance, strength, speed, flexibility, coordination etc. Even if it does not directly affect your goal or performance, it is important to work on these things because indirectly they will greatly help you in reaching your goal (and preventing injuries).

For example: a long distance runner still needs to strengthen their core, do speed drills etc. because it will improve their performance. Or a martial artist who runs 10 miles won’t punch harder but will have better cardio and recover faster.

Once you have a base, you need to work on your sport-specific development, which means training to improve in the specific area of your sport.

Part 2 of our Periodization workshop on 1/18/12:

Supercompensation

Everything we do in our training and our training planning is affected by supercompensation. It refers to the biological state your body is after working out and rest. When you work out, your body is fatigued in many different ways and this reduces the functional capacities of your body. After resting, your body will recover and replenish and if the training stimuli were big enough, you will achieve a higher homeostatic level. This means your body will be stronger, you will have more endurance, more glycogen stored etc.

If you do not allow your body to rest before working out again, you will land in a negative spiral and exhaust your body more. This will lead to decreased performance and overtraining.

If you rest too much, you will lose the supercompensation results and you will be right back at where you started. The right (smart) training and the right amount of rest is key!

Part 3 of our Periodization workshop on 1/18/12:

Energy Systems

Energy required for muscle contraction is released by by the conversion of ATP into ADP+P

Therefore, ATP sources need to constantly replenished by different energy systems:

Phosphagen System

Readily available in the body and can be used instantaneously for efforts up to 8-10 seconds. Very important for weight lifters, sprinters etc. No lactic acid production and no oxygen necessary.

After the effort, in the first 30 seconds, 70% of the creatinephosphate is replenished and in 3 to 5 minutes, a 100% is replenished.

Lactic Acid System

The lactic acid system provides energy for resynthesizing ATP for events up to 40 seconds (first 10 will be Phosphagen system). It breaks down glycogen stored in the muscle cells and liver and produces lactic acid (no oxygen used which creates an oxygen debt).

Restoring glycogen takes 2 hours for 40% and 24 hours for full restoration after a workout with breaks throughout. For a continuous, high intensity workout, it can take 48 hours.

95% of the lactic acid is removed after 1 hour and 15 minutes so the muscle pains you may feel for the next few days are not lactic acid but micro damage in your muscle.

Aerobic System

Fully activated after 60-80 seconds (warmup is important) to produce energy for resynthesizing ATP from AD+P. Energy sources are fats and glycogen (and protein occasionally).

Primary energy system for endurance athletes.

No lactic acid production or buildup.
However, in most cases, the aerobic system and lactic acid system work at the same time! The ratio depends on the intensity of your efforts.

The best indicator of which energy system you are actually using when exercising is measuring the level of lactic acid in the blood. The threshold (point where both energy systems are working but no build up of lactic acid) is 4 millimoles. Over that and you will get a buildup because your body is producing more than it can take away.

You can raise the threshold by training. An athlete with a good aerobic base (endurance) can work with higher intensity before crossing the threshold.

Part 4 of our Periodization workshop on 1/18/12:

Training the energy systems

Lactic acid tolerance training

This will improve your tolerance but also your body’s ability to buffer it and increase lactate removal from the muscle.

Intervals of less than 1 minute will require 4-8 repetitions with long recovery periods in between (15-30 minutes)

Longer intervals of 2-3 minutes are desirable but only if you can hold the intensity.

This is a very hard workout so don’t overdo it.

Maximum oxygen consumption training

Intervals of 3-5 minutes, max intensity. Heart rate up to 10 beats under your max.

Improve efficiency of the oxygen transport system.

Anaerobic Threshold Training

Tempo training with speed slightly above comfortable. Intensity should be 60-90% of max and you have to hold it throughout your training. Lactate levels will be above 4 millimol and will build up.

Phosphate system training

Short bursts of maximum intensity up to 10 seconds. Long recovery necessary to prevent lactate production.

Aerobic Threshold Training (Long Slow Distance Training)

More than 1 hour

No lactate production

Comfortable intensity (have to be able to talk)

Will improve endurance and recovery time

By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor, based in Boulder, Colorado. Take a look at www.DefineDefense.com, www.TrainerVanacker.com or check out our videos onYouTube.com/DefineDefense !

What To Wear:

Come wearing comfortable, easy to move in exercise or dance clothing. Ballet slippers are most appropriate for the majority of classes, but if you do not have these, socks will work. 

Classes BNC Offers Adults:

-Active Aging Ballet (Specially designed for 50+) -Barre Bootcamp -Hoola-hoop -Yoga -Pilates -Ballet Fundamentals -Beginning & Intermediate Ballet -Dance With Me (For toddlers & their caregivers) -Jazz

To learn more go to www.bncdance.com/school or email us at info@bncdance.com or call 303.466.5685.

3001 Industrial Lane, #12

Broomfield, Colorado 80020

What defines being in shape? Is it something universal we all test ourselves up against or is it subjective? Will the same person be considered in shape if he/she goes to Portugal vs. China, Colorado vs. Connecticut? I don’t think so. The opinions are very subjective and in different places, you will be assessed differently. 

It will also depend what sport or workouts you specialize in. Are you a lifter or an avid runner and who do you compare yourself against?

If you look up ‘shape’ in the dictionary, it will tell you (one of the meanings): the contour of a person’s body, the figure. Obviously this is not what we have in mind when we discuss the physical athletic condition of an individual. For example, some people who may seem heavier may have incredible cardio and ripped weight lifters may barely be able to run 100 yards.

On the other hand, you have athletes who excel in their sport and are in great shape. Let’s say a person who goes running 5 times/week wants to go kayaking. Will the runner who is in great sport specific shape be able to go any faster than the average person? The answer will be no. Neither will the runner be any less prone to upper body injuries.

For myself, there is a great difference between being in sport specific shape and being in overall great shape. I have experienced first hand the difficulties of long distance running while I raced with the road bike. Even though you use the same muscles, they do not function properly and are not used to the new movements. This does not take anything away from the fact that cyclists are incredible athletes; it simply shows that their performance is very specific to the sport they compete in. 

These were just a few examples to make you think. In my opinion, cross training has become extremely important and will continue to become more important in health, athleticism and performance. Cross training classes (sometimes called circuit training, strength & conditioning etc.) will challenge and condition different muscle groups, increase your cardio levels and help the muscles support each other. If you build strong quads, you will need to have strong hamstrings and a strong lower back to support them. If you develop these with cross training, your risk of injury will decrease drastically.

At Define Defense, we encourage everyone to do a good amount of cross training. We start off with a cross training warmup and include our strength & conditioning classes in our membership (without extra cost). We thoroughly believe that our cross training sessions help build better martial artists. Our clients become leaner, stronger, get better muscle endurance and balance out their body. These classes are also a lot of fun because they offer something different every time to keep it interesting. We mix traditional training methods and equipment with the latest tools in the fitness world. You get a full body workout with top notch equipment and will see the results quickly!

We now offer monthly membership for our strength & conditioning (cross training) classes. You can attend unlimited classes and we are pleased to offer these for a lower rate than other cross training workout studios. Our clients are trained by a certified personal trainer at our facility.

Our Strength & Conditioning classes:
Monday 6.15-7.15pm
Wednesday 11-12pm
Wednesday 5.15-6.15pm
Thursday 5.15-6.15pm
Friday 11-12pm
Saturday 1-2pm




By Sander Vanacker, Define Defense’s certified personal trainer and head martial arts instructor. Take a look atwww.DefineDefense.com or check out our videos on YouTube.com/DefineDefense !

Action Theater creator Ruth Zaporah to teach at Boulder International Fringe Festival

The Boulder International Fringe Festival is right around the corner, and along with hundreds of performances in theatre, music, dance, film, and poetry, the Fringe is bringing innovative arts education to the Front Range. Headlining this year’s workshop lineup is Ruth Zaporah, who is best known as the creator of Action Theater, an improvisational physical theater training and performance method.  She is also a performer, teacher, author, and Cultural Envoy for the U.S.State Department.

Zaporah’s workshop for the Boulder Fringe Festival, “A Splendid Moment,” teaches the fundamentals of Action Theater, which Zaporah describes as a “disciplined exploration of embodied exercises that lead to increased skills of strong, clear, spontaneous, and artful communication.”  Although Action Theater is often employed by professional theater artists, Zaporah emphasizes that the practice is equally valuable for anyone who wishes to experience greater self-awareness and sense of playfulness.

In addition to Zaporah’s workshop, this year’s Learning Fringe offers workshops in physical comedy, self-scripting, and music, including “Embodying Rhythm,” a body percussion workshop with Jim Santi Owen, the director of the San Francisco World Music Festival.  Local teachers are represented as well, including Boulder favorite square product theatre, with a workshop on crafting personal stories.  Several of the workshops are appropriate for teens and kids, including “Using All Our Voices”, a multi-generational workshop that invites kids and grandparents alike to come and play, offering improvisation and theatre games, movement and music.

While most workshops take place on Naropa University’s campus in downtown Boulder, the Learning Fringe also extends to the University of Colorado, in a collaboration with CU’s theatre and dance department.

According to Cynthia Ward, the Fringe Festival’s workshops coordinator, “the Fringe Festival is great, because it’s an opportunity to see a wide variety of theatre, music, and dance professionals from around the U.S. and the world, right here in Boulder.  But, the Learning Fringe is special because it’s a chance for folks who are usually in the audience to participate and be creative themselves.  We strive to create a line-up of workshops that are appropriate for all levels of experience, from the curious beginner to professional artists.”

All Fringe Workshops:

Aug 18-21 A Splendid Moment – Action Theater with Ruth Zaporah

Aug 20 Embodying Rhythm – Body Percussion with Jim Santi Owen

Aug 22 The Art of Clowning Around – Physical Comedy with Jenn Zuko Boughn

Aug 27 Using All Our Voices – Multi-generational Creativity with The Catamounts Performance Group

Aug 27 Your Own, Glorious Life – Personal storytelling with square product theatre

Registration and Information: For full descriptions of the workshops and other Festival events, visit www.boulderfringe.com, and to register for the workshops contact workshops@boulderfringe.com or call 303-803-5643.

Registration fees for the workshops vary, with sliding scale, suggested donation, or scholarship options available for most workshops.

Often, martial arts is stigmatized with negative actions or behaviors.  This is caused by media, the film industry, certain professional or amateur fighters etc.  However, in this blog article, I would like to prove that this should not be generalized and it does not have to be this way.

Originally, martial arts was developed to increase the chance of survival.  Later on, it started to be used as a sport, in competition, as an art form and more.  Mostly, the code of honor and respect was central and utterly important for the practitioners.  Of course, there are always bad apples and all human advancements are always used for good and bad causes (think about samurais who valued honor vs. ninjas who were spies and mercenaries).

Some of these traditional martial arts styles are still widely practiced but unfortunately are also very outdated.  This will be a ongoing discussion but someone practicing Tai Chi, Karate, traditional Judo etc. will learn many techniques that are simply not functional in a real life situation.  This does not mean however, they are less worthy as an art form or for personal development.  For self defense, these and many more styles are very overrated and sometimes even useless.

On the other side, martial arts has also evolved over the last decades. Think about Mixed Martial Arts.  This is the ultimate competition martial arts form and has proven itself over and over again.  For self defense reasons, it may also not be 100% effective though (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu will not work with multiple attackers, an MMA fighter will not know how to defend against a knife or gun attack…)
The issue with this progress is that the self defense aspect is often overlooked and the honor and respect are mostly forgotten.  The ratings have gotten so important that most fighters talk badly about each other and have very little respect left.  There are exceptions, think about Georges St. Pierre, who has very strong values and is also one of the best martial artists and fighters in the world.

Martial arts and fighting overlap each other, no doubt about it.  For me, it is your personal attitude that shows which one you are.  You do not have to be mean or disrespectful to be a good martial artist AND fighter.  Talking badly and insulting others only shows a bad attitude (and fear?)  Honor and respect are extremely important in our facility.  We respect our friends, instructors and teammates.  We push each other and ourselves and test each other during training to become the best we can be.  But there are no egos, disrespect, insults or anything else.

Our clients have different goals.  Some want to become a martial artist to defend themselves, other want to get in shape and others want to compete.  But we only train martial artists… that are really proficient in what they do, whether it is being prepared for protecting themselves/other or testing themselves in competition.  Many martial artists can become fighters but not every fighter can become a martial artist.  You will gain a huge amount of knowledge and skills to reach your goal and at the same time, you will gain friends and have fun.

Define Defense focusses on being the best studio in Boulder and offers a modern approach to martial arts, which consist of the most effective and realistic ways in martial arts.  But we have also not forgotten about honor and respect.  These are values that should never be forgotten.  We don't practice traditional martial arts by any means but these values are timeless.  We train individuals to better themselves and learn martial arts so they can feel safer, better about themselves or compete.  We respect everyone's goals and do everything we can for you to meet those.

Sander Vanacker is the owner and head instructor of Define Defense Martial Arts in Downtown Boulder.  www.DefineDefense.com

As you know, there are a lot of different styles of martial arts which you can practice.  Some studios offer a very traditional practice, which is great for the art and philosophy but is not necessarily effective anymore.  Then other gyms offer cardio kickboxing, which is a fantastic workout but martial arts wise you will learn as much as playing Kung Fu video games.  Then there are MMA gyms, a style that has been proven to be highly effective in competition (although that does not mean it is effective in a real self defense situation).  Most martial arts studios will teach you the style that they are proficient in but that may not give you a complete training experience or the best bang for your buck!  

I have met many individuals that practice martial arts and hire a personal trainer or strength & conditioning coach on the side.  Or they practice yoga outside of martial arts classes to improve their flexibility, feel in sync with their body etc.  At Define Defense, we approach martial arts training through a modern way and want to redefine martial arts and self defense (Define Defense, get it?).  

What we do is offer different programs for different purposes:

- Modern Martial Arts for people wanting to learn and practice all the best of different martial arts in a modern and realistic way while getting a great workout (everything from standup, takedowns, throws etc.)
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for all levels and offering a highly effective mix of BJJ and other forms of submission wrestling for a superior ground game
- Mixed Martial Arts: combining Modern Martial Arts and BJJ for individuals who want to learn MMA or compete
- Women's Self Defense without the intimidation of having men around, all the best and most effective ways to defend yourself as a woman

These programs offer different things for different people and are specific to the goal that wants to be reached.  Now, as a client you will learn a lot of techniques, tactics, submissions, strikes and much more but what if you want to get stronger, in better shape, more flexible etc?  That is why all our clients get complimentary Circuit Training and Yoga classes.  These are included in your membership and are taught by certified instructors.  There is no more need for separate memberships, gyms, trainers and costs.  You get a full training package as a member in our studio.  This way, you get a better and more complete training experience without any additional cost.  You will actually save money because you don't have to go elsewhere anymore.   Our membership fees are highly competitive (the best in the Boulder area) and there are no setup fees or cancellation fees.  Our philosophy is to treat others as you want to be treated and we love the community we have at Define Defense.

Sander Vanacker is the owner and head instructor of Define Defense Martial Arts in Downtown Boulder.  www.DefineDefense.com

Learn why WordPress is becoming the go-to solution for small businesses across the world during a series of hands-on workshops given by the Web Design Academy in Louisville.

“The magic of WordPress is that small businesses can actually take over the management of their sites, while continuing to maintain a visually distinctive and interactive site,” said Jason Ackerman, president of the Academy.

“There are very few designs the platform cannot accommodate and enhance, and of course WordPress and most of the themes are completely free.”

The Academy now offers half-day courses on the platform on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 917 Front Street in downtown Louisville. The courses range from the introductory to courses suitable for web developers on customizing WordPress themes.

WordPress is now powering 14.7 percent of the top 1 million websites in the world, including those of large global businesses, and that number is growing every day, the company reported in its San Francisco conference in August. WordPress now accounts for 22 out of every 100 new active domain names in the U.S.

“Anyone who can manage a basic Windows program can learn to update WordPress sites,” Ackerman said. “It’s simply the most prudent move a small business can make in getting a solid return on investment on its web presence.”

For a complete course schedule and online registration, please visit www.webacademydenver.com, or contact the Academy at learn@webacademydenver.com or 888-977-9960.