Sagat Cosplay

SAGAT COSPLAY

The Costume

Streetfighter II will always be one of my all-time favorite games. Having graduated high school in 1997, I had about 6 years of Streetfighter II experience in the arcades during my teenage years. Growing in San Diego, home to what is probably the largest annual Comic Convention in the US, I received a lot of early exposure to "cosplay". For you non-nerds, cosplay is short for "costume play" & basically involves dressing up as your favorite character in a work of fiction. This does not necessarily mean that you have to draw inspiration from a piece of literature. Cosplay characters are drawn from video games, movies & other media forms as well. My interest in cosplay & Streetfighter naturally drew me toward doing Sagat. While not my best playable character in the game, I would have to say he's one of my favorites. Akuma would be the only one to beat him, so look out for my Akuma cosplay someday! I'm always scrambling around Halloween on what to do & this came to me as a pretty easy costume to put together. A set of kickboxing trunks, a ring robe, two hand wraps and ankle braces (not shown) were fairly cheap from Amazon. I sourced an eye patch from a local party store as well as some scar makeup (also cheap). Just under $60 achieved the "Tiger" look!

Fitness, Confidence & Cosplay

A confident person does not need to bolster their own ego by putting down others. Generally at any Halloween party or convention, everyone is there to have a good time & show off their creativity via costume. Take pride in your work and do not put down the efforts of others. The same sentiment should exist in the gym. Everyone at your chosen workout facility is there to improve themselves. Always try to help foster a positive environment and develop a sense of community. In fitness, with cosplay or whatever hobby you may be into. Cosplay can involve an element of fitness but primarily requires confidence. Even if you are lacking in the "fitness" part, pour your soul into your costume & wear it proudly. Get immersed in your character. People will look past whatever differences you may personally find between yourself & your cosplay. In the case of most superheroes or heroines, they are usually depicted with killer bodies & often times have greatly exaggerated proportions. Most people cannot even come near the actual rendering of these characters. So do not hold others up to those impossibly high standards, especially if you do not hold yourself accountable to the same rules. Positive feedback on your cosplay may boost your self esteem & help lessen the presence of any body issues. It could be the kick in the pants you need to get into better shape for your next piece. The benefits of your newly found fitness will extend into way more areas of your life than just cosplay. So the next time you're on the convention floor & you see that chubby girl rocking a kick butt Harley Quinn, go tell her how bad ass she looks and get her number. She could be the one to come back next year with a rocking body & a swarm of drooling nerds around her. And even if not, she's probably just a cool chick anyway, which is all that matters in the end (plus, who doesn't love Harley?).

Resisted Running 1

Resisted Running 1

Exercises like resisted sprints & sled pulls/pushes help you develop power which can increase your ability to accelerate. Resistance leg work recruits more hip muscles which allows you to be able to put more power to the ground. Dragging resistance while running also tends to promote arm action which is good for your technique. Correct arm action can improve stride & leg movement, all which help you dust your opponent.

We've recently incorporated a Sklz Power Sled, a few parachutes & a harnessed tire to our circuits. The Sled takes standard 2" weighted plates & has an adjustable front handle which can be used to either push or pull the sled. This helps build dynamic power in the lower body. The tire is just an old passenger car tire (free from any tire shop) with a hole drilled into it. A rope is passed through and knotted at the end to hold it into place. The other end of the rope is tied to a generic waist belt. So you just strap up and take off running! We try to perform backwards & lateral runs in addition to standard forward runnning. The parachutes strap to your waist in a similar fashion. They only provide resistance if you are sprinting forward however.

Get fast! If you're not first, you're last...

Inversion 1

Inversion 1

This was one of our first attempts at dabbling in AcroYoga. It's a basic inversion. The base lies on their back. The flyer is standing & approaches the feet of the base. The base places their feet on the upper thigh of the flyer. The flyer bends over while the base grabs the flyers shoulders. The flyer places their hands on the floor near the bases ears as the base hoists the flyer in the air. The flyer is basically trying to achieve an assisted handstand. Once the flyer is vertical, the base slides their feet to the outside of the flyers thighs & removes their hands from the flyers shoulders. This pose is pretty easy for most folks to do & doesn't require much strength or flexibility. Kiss is optional!

Namaste!

Agility Workout 1

Equipment Used: Agility Ladder At least 10 Cones Mini Hurdles (or use more cones) Waist Harness w/ attachable weight (i.e. tire/plate) Parachute Bosu Ball Prowler/Sled Timer (watch/phone/etc)

Tip: Be creative! This workout utilizes a lot of equipment but a determined mind can find several ways to make do w/ household substitutions. Several are suggested in the exercise descriptions.

Agility Workout 1

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Ladder: Push-Ups or In/Out Hand Shuffle Ladder: 2in/2out Steps into High Knee Runthrough Tire: Backwards Run into Lateral Side Steps Cones: L drill Cones: Suicides Centipede Push-Ups (Walkouts) Cones: Crab Walk (w/ Sit Ups) Bosu: Alternating Knee Planks (Side Crunch) Hurdles: Lateral Two Steps Chute: Sprints Sled: Push/Pull

Agility Workout 1

The ability to start, stop and change direction is the definition of agility. This workout was designed to help increase both raw speed and agility via several high & low impact exercises. Traditional weight workouts may grant you power but what use is that strength without coordination or function? If you participate in almost any sporting activity, some form of agility is usually required for you to be able to excel. An additional benefit to this style of workout is that it is a form of cardio. Instead of mindlessly running on a treadmill, you can perform a series of plyometric exercises, achieve a greater caloric burn and have fun at the same time. The primary drawback to this workout is that is does require specialized equipment. This equipment is readily available at any sporting goods store & can be used in other workouts as well. If you can't get ahold of the outlined accessories, get creative and improvise. The Cones & hurdles can be replaced w/ any type of marker (i.e. shoes, med balls, coolers, etc). Instead of an agility ladder, you can use twine, shoelaces or just spray-paint/chalk your chosen surface. If you lack a waist harness, tie a rope to your weight & simply use your hands to anchor it as you exercise. You can place your hands on the ground or any slightly raised surface as opposed to a Bosu ball. A parachute is not necessary. If you do have a harness setup, sprint dragging a tire. As for the sled, that is a hard one to replace. A cart/wagon filled with weight would work as a substitute however. Once you have figured out the equipment setup, lay out each "station" w/ enough room in between to safely exercise. You can use a timer and perform each station for a set time period (i.e. 30-60 seconds). An alternate method would be to run through each station continuously & rest at the end. Wait a couple minutes and then repeat. Video examples are linked below. These are all new exercises so take time to review them and practice your form before hitting the workout. Good luck!

Examples

1A - Ladder Push-Ups Video Example Begin in a push-up position at one end of the agility ladder. Perform a push-up and return to the starting position. Move your leading hand and foot over to the next rung of the ladder, followed by the lagging hand/food. Perform the exercise on your knees if you need to. Repeat push-up exercise. For an advanced version, lower into push-up position and push your entire body up and over to the next rung. Repeat until you reach the end of the ladder. 1B - In/Out Hand Shuffle Video Example Position your body with one hand and one foot on either side of the agility ladder starting in push-up position. Move one hand at a time into the rung of the ladder. Return to starting position by moving one hand at a time back to the outsides of the ladder. Try to move as quickly as possible while performing this exercise.

2A - Ladder In In Out Out Video Example Start at one end of the agility ladder. Moving as quickly as possible, put both feet into the first rung of the ladder, one at a time. Then move them one at a time to the outside of the rung. From the outside of the rung, move your feet one at a time into the next rung of the ladder and repeat. Once at the end of the ladder, without turning around, perform the same pattern moving backwards toward your starting position. 2B - Ladder High Knees Video Example Start at one end of the agility ladder. Bring each knee into your chest (at least to waist height), making sure to step into each rung of the ladder as you move toward the other end. Perform this exercise as quickly as possible.

3A - Tire Backwards Run Video Example With a tire (or other weighted object) tied around you waist using a stability belt, start with legs shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent facing toward the tire. Run backwards from one marker to another (distance can vary) as quickly as possible while keeping your balance. 3B - Tire Lateral Side Steps Video Example With a tire (or other weighted object) tied around you waste using a stability belt, start with legs shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent facing sideways. Shuffle laterally from one marker to another (distance can vary). To increase the difficulty of this exercise, move in a Grapevine motion, crossing one leg in front of the other and alternating as you move along.

4 - Three Cone L Drill Video Example Setup three cones in a "L" formation. Evenly spaced, about 5 yards apart. Start a cone that is not in the "elbow" of the "L". Sprint to the middle cone, touch the ground & then run back to the start cone. Once you reach the start cone, pivot and then run back to your middle cone. This time cut around the cone & head towards the last cone. Be sure to cut toward the inside direction of the last cone. Run around the last cone & head back to the middle cone. Run around the outside of the middle cone & power back to the start cone.

5 - Suicides Video Example Place at least three cones in a straight line equidistant from each other (at least 10 feet apart). Begin by sprinting to the first cone and returning to the starting position. Next, sprint to the second cone and return to the starting position, followed by the third.

6 - Centipede Push-Ups (Walkouts) Video Example Begin in standing position with feet together. Reach down toward your toes (it's ok if you're not able to reach your toes) and place your hands on the ground in front of you. Walking one hand out at a time, extend into push-up position. Perform one push-up, and then begin walking one foot at at time into your body until you have returned to starting position. Stand up straight and repeat.

7 - Crab Walk (w/ Sit Ups) Video Example Place four cones in a square approximately 15 feet apart (distance may vary based on difficulty). Beginning at one corner, sit on the ground with legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart and both arms placed behind your butt. Lift your pelvis off the ground, placing your weight on your hands and heals. Walk backwards on all fours to the second cone in the square, then proceed sideways to the third cone. From the third cone walk forward back to starting position. Perform 10-15 situps (vary based on level of difficulty). Repeat.

8 - Alternating Knee Planks (Side Crunch) Video Example With the flat side of the Bosu ball facing up, place one hand on each side with your legs stretched behind you in plank position. Bring your right knee into the left side of your chest, twisting at the waist, and return to starting position. Repeat the motion with your left knee to the right side of your chest. For a more difficult version, bring your knee in and extend it outward under your body.

9 - Mini Hurdle Lateral Two Steps Video Example Beginning at one end of the mini hurdles, step over the first hurdle one foot at a time placing both feet in between the first two hurdles. Repeat as you travel down the line of hurdles. Run back to the beginning and repeat as quickly as possible.

10 - Parachute Sprints Video Example Perform sprints, or runs of various lengths depending on level of difficulty with speed chute attached at the waist.

11 - Sled Push/Pull Video Example Keeping knees and elbows bent, push the sled to a preset "finish line." Turn the sled around and pull it in reverse position back to the start.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Workout: Deerpark Circuit 3

Equipment Used: A heavy and light pair of dumbbells Soft ground area to lie down (carpet/grass/etc) Highly Recommended: Medicine Ball Optional: Timer (watch/phone/etc)

Tip: Keep the intensity up!

Circuit #3

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Legs: Toe Taps Arms: Tricep Push-Up to Frogger Abs: Full Extensions Legs: Sumo Squat Press Arms: Cleans Abs: Opposite Arm & Leg V-Up Legs: Side Lunge Arms: Push Up to Plank Row (ManMakers) Abs: Rollbacks (weighted) All: Side Crunch to Burpee

Circuit #3 - Hope Solo Workout

This circuit is based on Hope Solo's "15 minute workout". All of the exercises are demonstrated via Nike athletes. The workout is designed to be intense and executed in bursts of activity. If done correctly, you should be dripping with sweat and be able to maintain an increased heart rate. The exercises touch on all muscle groups so you should feel it everywhere once done. If using a timer, try to clear out an area sufficient enough to be able to perform every exercise. Have your equipment (dumbbells/med ball) readily available within arms reach. Set the timer to anywhere between 15-30 seconds and roll through each exercise. Once done, rest and hydrate for a few minutes and then repeat the round. You can decrease the timer time each round if needed. Try to see how many "rounds" you can complete before becoming completely gassed. *** If not using a timer, you can perform a traditional workout by assigning a rep/set amount to each exercise. The exercises used here vary as far as the equipment needs. Dumbbells are used in some, while others only require bodyweight. Examine the example videos and use your best judgement to decide what is needed for your own individual needs. A medicine ball is not required but works better for a few exercises. If possible, having various weights of dumbbells will help you maintain a maximum amount of effort each round. A great portion of these exercises have not been used here before. Video examples are linked below so take time to review them and practice your form before hitting the workout. Good luck!

Examples

Toe Taps: Click For Video Example Tricep Push-Up into Frogger: Click For Video Example Full Extensions: Click For Video Example Sumo Squat Press: Click For Video Example Cleans: Click For Video Example Opposite Arm & Leg V-Up: Click For Video Example Side Lunge: Click For Video Example Push Up to Plank Row (Man-makers): Click For Video Example Rollbacks: Click For Video Example Side Crunch to Burpee: Click For Video Example

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Workout: Deer Park Circuit 2

Equipment Used: Soft ground area (carpet/grass/etc) A raised, solid surface which will support your weight (park bench, steps, sturdy chair) Optional: Timer (watch/phone/etc) for calculating rest periods

Tip: This could also be modified for indoor use however, just get creative!

Circuit #2

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Jumping Jacks (warm-up) Lunges (20 reps, walking) Squats (35 reps) Bulgarian Split Squats (20/leg) Pistol Squats (15/leg) Squat Jumps (25 reps) Box Jumps (30 reps) Calf Raises (20/leg)

Circuit #2 - Leg Nuke

We decided to start our own Manhattan Project with the purpose of bombing your legs! Our project is not atomic but I guarantee your quads will be burning as if they were irradiated after this workout. As opposed to some of our other workouts, this one is rep-based. You still want to be mindful of time but this is to monitor your rest periods. You want to keep them as short as possible to keep your leg pump high. The workout is essentially plyometric so move quickly but don't sacrifice form for speed. Keep rest periods at a maximum of 30 seconds. You want to aim to complete the entire "cycle" as fast as possible. Once the cycle is complete, take a longer rest (1 - 3 minutes) and then hit it again. You should be able to finish 3-4 cycles and feel the burn. Each exercise can be done with just bodyweight but you can use a set of dumbbells or a resistance band to add stress. Your legs are the largest muscle group in your body and can take the extra weight. If you start to tire when using the extra weight, just switch back to bodyweight to finish out. This allows a group of people w/ varying degrees of strength to all workout together. Most exercises have been covered by us before but there are video examples below to refresh your memory. There are a few new exercises that may prove very difficult initially. The videos below for those exercises include a "progression" to help you work up to the actual exercise. Use the modified versions explained in the progression initially.

Examples

Jumping Jacks Click For Video Example Walking Lunges: Click For Video Example Squat Presses: Click For Video Example Split Squats: Click For Video Example Pistol Squats: Click For Video Example Squat Jumps: Click For Video Example Box Jumps: Click For Video Example Calf Raises: Click For Video Example

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Workout: Design

Designing Workouts If you are brand new to working out, I suggest finding a knowledgeable friend or enlist a trainer to "show you the ropes". It's important to start slow and take your time to learn various exercises and proper form. Once you are comfortable with your gym and the equipment available, you can progress on to customizing your own workouts. When creating your own workout routines there are several things to consider. Goal You need to have an overall goal that you are shooting for and train accordingly to help achieve that goal. No one style of training is superior to another but there are types of workouts that are better suited towards specific goals. Your goal does not have to be specific however. "To keep in shape" is as good a goal as something like "lose 10 lbs". Goals can also change over time. As your goals change, be sure to step back and examine your current training routine. Make adjustments as needed to suit your new goal. Time Working out takes time! Due to work, family, school or a number of other reasons, you may not have as much free time to workout. Be realistic about how much actual time you will devote to your routine. Do not set yourself up for failure by creating a 6 day routine that you don't have time to complete. Figure out how many days you can actually make it to the gym and design your routine around that schedule. If possible, make your routine flexible enough to handle unexpected life events interrupting your schedule. Treat the gym as an important meeting, make it a priority! Also remember that the more time you put in, the better your results will be. Capability Take into account your age, current health and any existing injuries or limitations when creating a workout. Use this as a guide to setup the appropriate amount of rest days between workouts. Also avoid any exercises that may aggravate nagging injuries. Look for stretches and physical therapy exercises you can do to bolster or strengthen your weak areas. You may have naturally stronger or weaker muscle groups. For weaker groups, be sure to add in some extra sets/reps to get them caught up. Do not completely ignore your strong areas but try to use compound exercises to strengthen the surrounding, supporting muscles to that group simultaneously. As you grow stronger, you can decrease the amount of rest between workouts and also in between sets. Constantly test your ability and "push the envelope" if you want to continue to see growth. Body Type Everyone is different and therefore may respond differently to training. There are three basic bodybuilding types: Ectomorph, Mesomorph & Endomorph. (Read Here) It's important to figure out which one you lean toward and train to suit your frame. This will also affect how much cardio you need and your dietary habits. Inspiration Once you figure out your body type, it may be helpful to find a person who represents your goal. Ensure that this person is of a similar body type so you can maintain a realistic expectation. Study your chosen person and try to emulate their training and dietary methods. If your goal role model is a professional bodybuilder/model/etc, do not attempt to use their exact routine right off the bat. Pros usually have years of experience working out and often have extreme discipline when it comes to supplements and diet. A person off the street may not be able to deal with a strenuous routine. What you can do is take pieces of their routine and apply it to your own workout as needed. I like going to Cut And Jacked and browsing their listing of workouts from pros. I take bits and pieces from there to form my own routines. It is also useful for switching up your workouts from time to time so your body keeps guessing.

Split vs Full Body There are two basic types of workout routines: Full Body and Split. Depending on your goals and the time you have available to workout, one may be better than the other. Again, no one method is "better" than another. It's all about finding out what works best for your body and your schedule. Split Split workouts break the body into individual muscle groups that are trained during different workout sessions. It's up to you how far you want to break down the groups. In the next section we will give some examples of different splits. This style is best for "molding" your body as you can focus on specific areas. It also is the best for building muscle as you can devote an entire session to exhausting a muscle group. This style is not best for burning calories as it's usually doesn't include rapid movements. Skipping a workout also means that a particular muscle group gets ignored during a week. This usually must be made up and shouldn't happen often. If you want to build muscle and have ample time to devote individual areas, use this style of training. Full Body Full body workouts encompass the entire body as one big muscle group. You do several exercises for both upper and lower body during one session. The good thing about this type of workout is that if you happen to skip a day, you are not leaving out a muscle group like you would with Split training. If you are just starting out or only have time to workout intermittently, this is a good way to go. It also is great for folks who are focused on cardio or running events. By keeping the intensity up and decreasing the amount of rest between sets, you can maximize calories burned and burn a lot of fat. This makes it ideal for those trying to lose weight. If you are into building specific muscle groups or bodybuilding in general, you should stick to split training. There are pros who have made tremendous progress doing variable full body workouts but for the average person, there is a big risk of injury and overtraining.

Example Workouts Female, 4 Day Split This is a routine that my girlfriend is currently doing. It is a split style routine that has two basic groups: upper & lower body. During the upper sessions, muscle groups are broken down even further. Chest and back (push & pull) are the focus of the first upper body session. Biceps, triceps & shoulders are worked with the second upper body session. The first lower body session is primarily muscle building while the second session is plyometric/isometric. It is a great routine for women looking to build overall strength and shape their legs. Cardio is thrown in whenever you have free time. Your days off are variable but ideally you probably want to throw in a day off between Day 2 & 3. Day 1: Chest/Back Lat Pulldowns Cable Rows Bent Over Rows Pull Ups Delt Flys Back Extensions Chest Press (two angles) Chest Fly Push Ups Abs (two exercises) Day 2: Heavy Leg Hack Squats Leg Curls Leg Press Leg Extensions Deadlifts Calf Press Glute Kicks Static Lunge Squats Abs (two exercises) Day 3: Arms/Shoulders Cable Curls Dumbbell Curls Crucifix Curls Shoulder Raise Shoulder Press Dips Tricep Cable Pulldown Skullcrushers Abs (two exercises) Day 4: Plyo Leg Hip Adduction Hip Abduction Calf Press Walking Lunges High Knees Box/Squat Jumps Wall Sit Stairmaster Abs (two exercises) Full Body Here is an example full body workout. Two variations are described below that cover the same muscle groups but provide different methods of working these groups. You can alternate between the two or optionally add more variations. Full body workouts are intense so I would recommend at least a one days rest in between sessions. Keep the intensity up & the amount of rest in between exercises/sets low. Routine A Back: Seated Cable Rows Chest: Dumbbell Press Shoulder: Upright Rows Legs: Leg Press Biceps: Preacher Curls Triceps: Dips Calves: Standing Calf Raises Abs: Hanging Leg Raises Routine B Back: Pull-ups Chest: Barbell Press Shoulder: Shoulder Press Legs: Squats Biceps: Dumbbell Curls Triceps: Dumbbell Extensions Calves: Seated Calf Raises Abs: Cable Crunches Male, 5 Day Split This is my current routine. It is a 5 day split but the Shoulder/Traps day is optional for me. If I have to drop a day or need extra rest, I skip Day 5 and throw a few of those exercises onto other days. My shoulders and traps get a lot of work on back day so it's not as if they are being neglected. This style routine is good for folks who have at least four days a week to devote for bodybuilding and want to build muscle. Day 1: Back Deadlifts Standing Front Pulldowns Lat Pulldowns (wide & close) Shoulder Press Cable Rows (nuetral & over) Pull Ups Abs (two exercises) Day 2: Chest Incline Press Standing Cable Fly Flat Bench Press Seated Machine Fly Decline Press Push Ups Rear Delt Fly Abs (two exercises) Day 3: Arms Overhead Triceps Extension Standing Hammer Curls Standing Rope Pulldowns Seated Dumbbell Curls Cable Tricep Extensions Dips Forearm Curls Abs (two exercises) Day 4: Legs Squats Static Lunges Standing Calf Raises Leg Curls Hack Squats Seated Calf Raises Leg Press Abs (two exercises) Day 5: Shoulder/Traps Lateral Raises Shoulder Press Dumbbell Front Raises Shrugs Upright Rows Rear Delts Abs (two exercises)   Male, 3 Day Split This was an old routine I used to use when I was in college. I was working full-time and had a full load of classes so my time was limited. I was busy all week and just wanted to try and maintain a reasonable shape. It still manages to touch every muscle group & you just throw in extra cardio whenever you have the time. I would do this Mon/Wed/Fri. If you wanted to, you could add in cardio on Tues/Thurs to turn this into a 5 day split. Day 1: Chest/Triceps Machine Chest Fly Tricep Pushdowns Incline Bench Press Overhead Dumbbell Extension Lying Dumbbell Chest Press Reverse Cable Pulldowns Abs (two exercises) Day 2: Legs Squats Standing Calf Raises Leg Curls Hack Squat Machine Hip Adduction/Abduction Leg Press Abs (two exercises) Day 3: Back/Biceps/Shoulders Deadlifts Cable Rope Curls Lat Pulldowns Front/Lateral Raises Seated Preacher Curls T-Bar Bent Over Rows Concentration Curls Shoulder Press Pull Ups / Chin Ups Abs (two exercises)

Lift Safe & Lift Heavy!!!