My second visit to the Down Syndrome class room in Puerto Vallarta. PART 2

Down Syndrome classroom in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. México. PART 1

Julie's Boot Camp Video

Boot Camp

 Last year in May 2012, I started my boot camp training in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. My best friend Noe was my boot camp trainer. He was talking to me about all kinds of exercises that he would show me for the whole month of May.  First we started off with warm-up’s every time. Then we were walking in the ocean water and he also got me to run on the beach with him. He would say to me, “Come on Julie, you are falling behind!” So I would say to myself  “O.K, Julie you love running so go full speed ahead! You can do it, you know you can.”  While I was running on the beach I visualized myself as a bird because I was feeling free and happy. I was running all three different ways; running forward, backwards and side-ways too, I was getting my legs strengthened by running and jumping the waves in the ocean.
We also did soccer skills on the beach. I started running along with Noe and we were laughing and having a great time with each while passing and kicking the soccer ball on the sandy beach. The ball kept on rolling into the ocean so I had to run into the water to get the ball out so I could pass it to Noé. One of the exercises was that I would kick the soccer ball on top of a curved snake line that Noé drew on the sand. This helped my concentration and helped me train my body balance. I enjoyed this very much as well!.

I also did swimming in the pool. My trainer timed me so I could improve my own record. I swam freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly styles.

Finally I practiced my karate forms almost every day. This was a lot of fun and hard work!.
I’d like to share with you that I even won first place in forms, and second place in sparring at a national karate tournament in Philadelphia, PA.

I always love exercising my body to get in shape not just for my karate but also for fitness. This makes me healthier and happier.

Hola

Her wonderful sense of humor!

Hi, This is Noé and Gigi, we decided to really play-up Julie's sense of humor and need to overdramatize, so we created this Sports Illustrated cover to amuse her. This photo was taken during her boot camp last May in Puerto Vallarta.

PART 1 Julie's Ceramic Art

Cera sldshare part 1 from juliebelanger2011

Part 2 Julie's Ceramic Art

Ceramic slideshow part 2 from juliebelanger2011

Tennis Lessons

       My Tennis Experience

 In February 2011 I signed up for tennis lessons at Westin Regina Hotel in Marina Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where I have my winter vacation condo. The next day I went to my very first lesson from 8:00am to 9:00am. I finally met the tennis pro, whose name was Fernando Ramos. When I first saw him, I thought he was really handsome! He was so friendly and he smiled when he welcomed me to his tennis class. He is such a funny person he makes me laugh and I like it, which is how he motivates me. The first key is to learn focusing. This means concentrating on where the ball is going so I either get away from it to prepare my stroke or get closer to it to hit it with control. So watching the ball at all times is very important and this takes concentration. He taught me balance and how to turn my wrist to make a nice swing with good timing for powerful stroke. Another thing he taught me was muscle memory. This means I had to repeat many times the same stroke. He also showed me how to hold the racquet with the proper grip for my forehand stroke and backhand stroke. At that time I was using a two handed grip on my racquet. He threw tennis balls to me so I could return and practice my swing. It was fun and interesting first lesson. We were working on my forehand for a while to develop the skills that I needed for a consistent stroke. Then after, I learned the skills and technique for the backhand. It was hard for me at first, but I said to myself; “Julie, you can do this!” This is the “I can do it” attitude that I always have when I do sports. I was feeling tired during my lesson but at the end, it was a very good cardio sport to play. Fernando made me run all over the court to hit the ball back and to get familiar with the size and distances of court layout and to get used to the height of the net. I remember that my both arms and legs were very sore the next day, but I felt happy. I put ice on my arms and legs and my knees too. Even though I was sore it was worth it. I did not know how much fun tennis was until I had this lesson, I loved it!

Julie's Tae Kwon Do - Video

Tae Kwon Do Tournament

I go to my Karate class on Wednesday nights at 6:00pm before the actual class time starts at 7:15pm until 8:15pm. I go there before it starts is because I really am committed to karate for my lifetime. Karate is my passion and I love doing karate. It is fun and very good exercise for me and for everyone too.

While I was in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, I was practicing and training every day. I went to fitness gym to build up my strength. I also took tennis lessons to improve my balance and coordination. Then my coach helped and showed me how to use visualization for mental toughness.      

When I came back to Michigan, I went to karate camp, which was held in the cabins in the woods. I was so excited to be at karate camp because my whole karate team plus all the Karate Instructors were there. We trained for 3 straight days over the weekend. We worked on forms, sparring, and board breaking. My Instructors and some black belt students did break bricks too. We were preparing and training for the National Tournament, so we were so tired and very sore everywhere on our bodies. My master instructor had a campfire for us one night just to talk to each other. My teammates and instructors talked and had fun together. We discussed what we are going to do at the National Tournament while we roasted hot dogs and “some-mores”. Some of us went to our cabins to go to sleep. However, I stayed up for little while to practice my forms and the board-breaking technique. I did this two nights.  

When I heard that the Nationals were being held in Branson, Missouri, I wanted to go and compete there. I talked to my karate instructor about going to compete in the Nationals. I was so excited to be able to go. I signed up for these 3 events: (1) forms (2) point sparring (3) power board breaking. For example: forms are basic requirement moves you need to learn in exact order and routine.   When you start the forms it is so important to bow in front of the instructors to show appropriate and respect. The instructors teach you self-defense and show you how to defend yourself when someone comes behind you and suddenly attacks you; you need to have quick judgment and quick reaction. This is the reason you have to learn all your forms perfectly.

Sparring is fighting against your opponent by using your hands and feet only. When you do sparring you need to wear special head gear, chest protector, punching gloves and foot gear. You also need mouth guard to wear to guard your mouth and your teeth. When you punch your opponent’s head, stomach and sides just above their waist only, you get points when you hit, punch and kick to that person. Then once you finish your 3 rounds, you and your opponents stand in front of the judges. You stand very still and wait until they total up your score. Then they tally up your grand total of your score and have you stand in order according to how you placed; the winner and then 2^{nd and} 3^rd place. They do the same process for each event you compete in. 

For board breaking you learn how to break plastic or wooden boards with your hands and your feet. Also you can do kicks and spinning along with your forms too. It is important to learn these moves for this particular form because you also could do kicks with the boards. 

At the tournament in the gymnasium, they had 9 big blue and red gymnast mats and they had 9 events going on at once. I was really surprised I said to myself "WOW!" I was walking around to each event watching other competitors compete in their events cheering, clapping, rooting them on, being good sport after their event was over, telling them "good job, you did great". 

The competitors each had their own sections to compete and their own judges and referees for each event like forms, sparring, and board breaking. Some students even did weapon competitions. They were very excited when they earned their awards for each of their events.

I competed in forms and sparring. I earned a 3^rd place medal in both events. Then I also competed in board breaking and earned a 2^nd place medal.  To me, all of my medals feel like 1^st place because I did my best in all my events. I’m very glad and happy and very proud of myself that I did this.