NEWSLETTER VOLUME 7 NO. 4

We’ve kicked off the new sporting year full of positive energy, and the new venue is already starting to feel like a real home. We’ve also had the pleasure of welcoming lots of new members – children, teenagers, men and women – to both FIT and Krav, and we’re absolutely delighted about that! We’re having a brilliant time, and that’s partly thanks to you all. That’s why we’d like to thank our members wholeheartedly for your dedication and all the positive energy you bring to every class!

We’ve got some great activities and events lined up for the coming quarter – you can read more about them in this newsletter. We’d also like to keep improving together, so if you have any ideas on how to make the gym even more enjoyable, we’d love to hear from you!

END-OF-YEAR DRINKS RECEPTION

On Friday 14 December, you’re invited to our end-of-year drinks party, which we’re organising in our very own TG lounge for the first time this year! For a change, we won’t be working up a sweat together – instead, we’ll be relaxing and catching up. The end-of-year drinks party is exclusively for members and, of course, it’s extra special this year as it’s taking place in our own gym.

Click here to sign up.

We look forward to raising a glass with you all to celebrate the New Year!

• Who: TG members
• What: End-of-year drinks reception
• Where: Taus Gym, Professor Romeinstraat 11a, Tilburg
• When: Friday 14 December from 8.00 pm
• Cost: €10 per person (drinks and snacks)

INTERNATIONAL WIC AT TAUS GYM

From 7 to 11 November, the IKMF’s WIC (Women’s Instructor Course) will be held here, and all our instructors will be taking part! This is an in-depth course specifically focused on self-defence for women. Due to these activities, there will be a revised timetable for the week, so please keep an eye on the calendar.

Due to the Christmas holidays, there will be a revised timetable, so please do remember to keep an eye on the calendar.

TG LOUNGE

Did you know that we have a cosy spot where you can relax after your workout and enjoy a hot or cold drink and a snack to help you recover? It’s a great opportunity to have a chat with your fellow gym-goers. In this lounge, you can also just relax with a book about sport or watch your favourite Netflix series. You’ll also find a collection of DVDs in the lounge that you’re welcome to borrow without asking. So don’t forget to pop into the lounge soon!

KRAV MAGA WINTER OUTDOOR TRAINING

It won’t be long before it’s time again for a winter outdoor training session, where we’ll be training together in the dark under realistic conditions. This is a unique opportunity to experience what it’s like to apply Krav Maga techniques outdoors, on different surfaces, in different surroundings and with new obstacles. What’s more, we’ll be training in normal clothes, which will give you a different perspective on the techniques. This session is a valuable experience for anyone who practises Krav Maga, but it’s also open to guests, so feel free to bring someone along!

Click here to sign up.

• Who: Anyone aged 16 and over
• What: Krav Maga winter outdoor training session
• Where: Taus Gym, Professor Romeinstraat 11a, Tilburg
• When: Wednesday 12 December, 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm

KRAV MAGA EXAMS

It will soon be time for the national and local exams again. If you’d like to sit an exam, please register now. We’d also like to invite you to come and cheer on the exam candidates at the local exam on Wednesday 28 November at 7.30 pm.

• Who: IKMF members
• What: National P2 Krav Maga exam
• When: Saturday 3 November, 10.00
• Where: FBK Sports Centre, Marathonlaan 12, Almere
  Registration is now closed

• Who: IKMF members
• What: National P4 and G-level Krav Maga exam
• When: Sunday 4 November, P4 at 10.00 and G-levels at 14.00
• Where: Stedenwijk Sports Centre. Kampenweg 7, Almere
  Registration is now closed
  

• Who: IKMF members
• What: Local P1, P3 and P5 Krav Maga exams
• When: Wednesday 28 November at 7.30 pm
• Where: Taus Gym, Professor Romeinstraat 11a, Tilburg
• Please register by 1 November

Click here to sign up.

VIKING RUN MARCH 2019

This March, we’ll be taking part in the Strong Viking Run again. With new obstacles and challenges, it promises to be another great event. It’s been a while since we last took part as a team, and we’re really looking forward to doing it again! Will you be joining our team in March? Sign up now!

• Who: TG members
• What: Viking Run Mud Edition 13 km
• Where: Nijmegen
• When: Sunday 31 March 2019

Click here to sign up.

Member interview!

For me, Taus Gym is all about inspiration, a challenge and a great atmosphere!

Name: Lars Jansma

Age: 36

Member since: 11 January 2018

Which classes are you taking: Krav Maga & FIT Heavy Bag Workout

• What do you do in your day-to-day life?
  • I’m married to Wendy and I’m the dad of Inge (4) and Eva (2). I work as a Logistics Specialist at Origio BV in Hilvarenbeek. My hobbies include: doing fun things with my family, playing sport (at TG) and watching football at Willem II with my friends.

• Where does your interest in sport come from?
  • Actually, I’ve always been interested in sport. Not just as a spectator (including Willem II and the Tilburg Trappers), but definitely as a participant too! I think this is because my parents have always played sport themselves. They thought it was important for me to take part in sport too, both for the social connections you make and to keep active. I’ve also had lots of friends who play sport since I was a child. That in itself encourages and motivates you to take up sport yourself.

• What sort of sports have you played?
  • As well as the usual swimming lessons, I started playing football at a young age and carried on until last football season (after 30 years of football, I’d had enough). Now I do cycling, Krav Maga and FIT punching bag training.

• What do you look for in a sport?
  • When it comes to sport, I look for the challenge of pushing my fitness and stamina to new limits and improving at what I do. But I also just enjoy that feeling of having had a “good” workout.

• What does sport mean to you, both physically and mentally?
  • For me, the physical and mental aspects go hand in hand: by training yourself, you not only feel fitter physically, but also a lot stronger mentally. If, for example, you get hit during a Krav Maga session, it’s obviously unpleasant, but mentally speaking, you realise that you’re not made of glass, and that you can cope with more than you think.

• What was your first experience of Krav Maga and/or FIT?
  • I’d got fed up with football, and I’d wanted to take up self-defence for ages. It was still quite a big step to sign up for a course, though, because I couldn’t quite see myself doing Krav Maga, for example. On Facebook, I saw that Nicky Verdonk (whom I still know from playing football) also teaches Krav Maga at TG, amongst other things. I asked him for some information about TG and Krav Maga, and that’s when things really started to take off with a taster session on 10 January. I actually enjoyed it so much that on 11 January I signed up to do one Krav Maga class a week. At the new venue, I did a taster session of FIT punching bag training in the first week, and because I find both of them really addictive, I upgraded my membership to unlimited Krav Maga and unlimited FIT.

• Why did you choose TG?
  • There are actually two reasons for this: the guidance and the atmosphere amongst the group. Right from the first taster session, I’ve really enjoyed the personal approach and guidance. If you take part in, say, an all-level Krav Maga class, Riaz, Joost and Louise manage to make the training interesting and challenging for both beginners and advanced students. If you have a question or need help, they’re always there for you straight away and take the time to assist you. I also find the camaraderie amongst the members very important. I really enjoy this at TG. Partly because there’s a lot of mutual respect during training, but certainly outside of training too! What’s more, there’s simply a relaxed atmosphere at TG, which makes it a pleasure to train there.

• What are your fitness goals at TG?
  • Actually, I don’t really have any measurable goals: losing weight and keeping it off, improving my fitness and feeling good about myself through exercise. ….. Although perhaps I have recently set myself one “real” goal: passing the P1 exam in Krav Maga.

• What goals have you already achieved at TG?
  • The goal I’ve already achieved (and which I’m really happy about!) is that, in the six months I’ve been training at TG Sport, I’ve lost 18 kg and now weigh under 80 kg!

• What was the most memorable experience you’ve had at TG? 
  • In the last six months, I’ve already had lots of enjoyable and special experiences at TG;
  • Taking part in a groundfight workshop for the first time (which meant my feet were exposed, and I had to wear my flip-flops to work all week...)
  • Take part in the “Protect your family” workshop led by Tamir Gilad during the opening of the new venue.
  • Let’s help Ton Rittimon with his preparation for the P1 exam: grab a curriculum sheet, and after half an hour of practising, realise you’ve picked up the P2 curriculum instead….

• How do you balance exercise with your work and social life?
  • I exercise almost every day. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I train for an hour on my road bike in the evening once my daughters are in bed. I’ve got a roller trainer that I can mount my road bike on, so I don’t have to leave the house! On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, I come to TG for Krav Maga and punching bag training.
    I’d like to keep as much of the weekend free as possible so I can do something fun.
    That’s why I don’t do any sport on Saturdays. On Sundays, it varies a bit: sometimes I do Krav Maga, other times I set off on my road bike with some friends at 7.30 am for a nice cycle ride. Luckily, we’re always back in time so the rest of the Sunday is free for fun things!

• Do you have any fitness and/or health tips that have worked for you and that you’d like to share with the other members?
  • Always go! Make time for exercise and just go, even if you don’t feel like it or you’re having a rubbish day. After your workout, you’ll go home feeling better than you did when you left the house!