OSU!
As with most things, this blog is evolving. Technically speaking, this blog is going bu-bye.
I've recently relaunched the dojo website, wykkonorcross.com. With this relaunch, I've decided to move the blog along with it. Maintaining the two was a bit cumbersome, to be honest. Those of you who are subscribed via Google, or email, I invite you to subscribe to the blog there. All of the content from this blog has been moved over.
...and I've even started trying to make a better effort at logging workouts ;-)
Thanks, and I hope to catch you on the flip side...
-CM
Hangtime Fit. Yoshukai Strong. OSU!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Starting Points
OSU!
Welcome to Yoshukai Strong. I'm very excited about this post, as it's the first vlog in a series I hope will be a regular occurrence. I hope that you all enjoy the videos and can integrate them into your routines, practice, training sessions or what have you. One rule, though -don't feed the trolls.
This post is going to cover a few drills that fighters can use as a "go to" for training. Each drill can both scale and adapt for various reasons such as number of people available and so on.
Basic description as follows:
Set a 1 minute timer
Throw fighting combinations of three moves first, then five moves, then seven moves
Complete as many sets as possible.
For each time the fighter cannot accomplish the specified number of moves in the combination, accumulate 10 burpees.
The drill can be scaled (up) for both time and number of combinations. The drill can be done on a heavy bag or kick shield with a partner; this too can be scaled to a partner exercise without the kick shield.
Use a kick shield (with a partner) or heavy bag, and as hard as you can muster WITH GOOD TECHNIQUE, execute a mawashi geri. Try to kick harder and harder each time. If you execute with bad form, it doesn't count. Didn't land the technique, it didn't count. You want the 10 best techniques possible. Switch sides and repeat. There is no time component, and the goal is to get accustomed to adapting to power output.
Partner or pad holder holds pad, kick the pad with good form aiming to move the pad and its holder.
Pad Holder: you will want to stand in a good fighting stance, and move with the force; don't resist (channeling Yoda I am not).
This drill works great with hiza geri, mae geri, ushiro mawashi geri and ushiro yoko geri.
All of these drills are fairly basic and easy to do. Students at any level of ability can perform these drills.
Hope this helps!
OSU!
Welcome to Yoshukai Strong. I'm very excited about this post, as it's the first vlog in a series I hope will be a regular occurrence. I hope that you all enjoy the videos and can integrate them into your routines, practice, training sessions or what have you. One rule, though -don't feed the trolls.
This post is going to cover a few drills that fighters can use as a "go to" for training. Each drill can both scale and adapt for various reasons such as number of people available and so on.
3-5-7
The first drill, I call "3-5-7". The purpose of "3-5-7" is to get the fighter accustomed to throwing combinations in bunches. A lot of times we see fighters on the mat throwing punch here, kick there (I'm guilty too...). We want to work towards being effective with technique and ensuring each technique gets us somewhere.Basic description as follows:
Set a 1 minute timer
Throw fighting combinations of three moves first, then five moves, then seven moves
Complete as many sets as possible.
For each time the fighter cannot accomplish the specified number of moves in the combination, accumulate 10 burpees.
The drill can be scaled (up) for both time and number of combinations. The drill can be done on a heavy bag or kick shield with a partner; this too can be scaled to a partner exercise without the kick shield.
10 Good Ones
We usually do this drill with the mawashi geri, but most any technique will work just fine, and the name says it all; 10 good techniques.Use a kick shield (with a partner) or heavy bag, and as hard as you can muster WITH GOOD TECHNIQUE, execute a mawashi geri. Try to kick harder and harder each time. If you execute with bad form, it doesn't count. Didn't land the technique, it didn't count. You want the 10 best techniques possible. Switch sides and repeat. There is no time component, and the goal is to get accustomed to adapting to power output.
Move the Holder
With this drill, your goal is to physically move another human, around the same size weight using a technique. With hiza geri, for example:Partner or pad holder holds pad, kick the pad with good form aiming to move the pad and its holder.
Pad Holder: you will want to stand in a good fighting stance, and move with the force; don't resist (channeling Yoda I am not).
This drill works great with hiza geri, mae geri, ushiro mawashi geri and ushiro yoko geri.
All of these drills are fairly basic and easy to do. Students at any level of ability can perform these drills.
Hope this helps!
OSU!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Fitness, Function, Fight.
All sports, no matter the discipline, have somethings in common. Swimmers have to learn how to stroke and kick, baseball players have to learn how to swing and catch, karate-ka have to learn how to kick and punch; every sport has basics.
The basics, no matter the sport, are the foundation of every sport. Solid basics usually means solid everything; and if everything is not solid, get some grease on that squeaky wheel, please!
There is some credence, a lot of credence, to understanding the basics of multiple sports; running well, having good jumping technique (pick a sport...), good general physical preparedness (push ups, sit ups, etc), dribbling a ball, lifting a weight, whatever the action may be (yes, even curling) lends itself to you becoming a better athlete.
Better athletes perform better athletically --makes sense, doesn't it?
I say all of that to simply say this: don't discount any aspect of physical activity that does not directly relate to your sport. If you take a long, hard look at what you do and what someone else is doing, you'll be shocked to find out that there is a lot to be learned outside of your own walls.
I'm just saying...
OSU!
The basics, no matter the sport, are the foundation of every sport. Solid basics usually means solid everything; and if everything is not solid, get some grease on that squeaky wheel, please!
There is some credence, a lot of credence, to understanding the basics of multiple sports; running well, having good jumping technique (pick a sport...), good general physical preparedness (push ups, sit ups, etc), dribbling a ball, lifting a weight, whatever the action may be (yes, even curling) lends itself to you becoming a better athlete.
Better athletes perform better athletically --makes sense, doesn't it?
I say all of that to simply say this: don't discount any aspect of physical activity that does not directly relate to your sport. If you take a long, hard look at what you do and what someone else is doing, you'll be shocked to find out that there is a lot to be learned outside of your own walls.
I'm just saying...
OSU!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Zoned Out
I can't recall sweating more than I did on July 28, 2012. In case you're wondering, that was the last time I fought.
It wasn't fighting that made me the most nervous (but it did contribute), rather, stepping on the scale terrified me. Months leading up to the SuperFights, I struggled with my weight. Generally, I walk around at 185LBS; in training, I drop 3-4 lbs. When the weight limit is 185, 182LBS scares me...leading up to fight time, I was around 190LBS (give or take).
So day of, I step on the scale and I'm 3LBS over. "Shit...", was the first thing that came to mind. My head raised and I saw the slightly nervous look on a few faces, then the shocked look on Hu-Kaicho's face. Luckily for me, I was within 5LBS of my opponent...and he didn't have a problem with that. Fact is, I got lucky...reeeeeeeally lucky.
Something had to change. I'd officially reached the point where everything I did in the kitchen or at the table overrode what I was doing in the gym. I was faced with the fact that I now I had to get serious about diet or going to the gym was a waste of time.
I was kidding myself every time I ate. I had the following discussion with my wife one day a few months ago:
C: "I eat healthy..."
L: "You do not. You really don't eat as healthy as you think you do"
C: "You're on crack...I eat healthy!"
Problem with the above conversation is, I was eating a big pile of bacon at the time...which had been a daily ritual. Along with cheeseburgers and fries. At least there was no "pink goo" in my burgers.
Fast forward to two weeks ago. While checking out the Crossfit mainsite, I found a video with a title just compelling enough to make me want to take a look: "Preppin' for the week" by Chris Martirano. I wasn't sure what I would find in those videos; not sure if it was about stretching/body prep, program design...I seriously didn't know. I was slightly surprised (pleasantly) that it was regarding diet. I watched both part 1 and part 2.
As I watched the video, I was intriguied by what Chris referred to as "blocks" (in my defense, I didn't see not read the article linked above before hand). I took to research (read: I googled it). What I found was the concept of "blocks" relates to the Zone Diet, popularized in the 1990's by Dr. Barry Sears.
From this point forward, I'm going to refer to it as Zone Eating. It's not really dieting, rather, it is being smart about what you eat and how much of it you consume.
What is a block:
A block is essentially a measure of food. 7 grams of protein = 1 protein block; 9 grams of carbohydrates = 1 carb block. 1.5 grams of fat = 1 fat block (HEALTHY fats...).
When designing a meal, you want to combine equal parts of protein, carb and fat blocks. How many blocks one needs is determined by weight, body fat percentage and activity level. For example, @ 190LBS, ~11% body fat and a high activity level, I should eat 21 blocks of food per day. That's a lot more food than I realized!
As of this writing, I've been Zone Eating for almost 2 weeks. Below I'll lay out the good, the bad and the ugly.
The Ugly:
The single biggest change I've noticed is that I was not eating nearly enough. For my body type and activity level, I measure out to 21 blocks a day; I wasn't sniffing 12, or worse, I would get a majority of that in one meal. In order to meet this requirement, I've started eating a snack before working out...yes, I would workout on an empty stomach...I'm not a big breakfast person. Speaking of, this snack is not breakfast.
On a workout day, eating looks something like this:
Pre workout - 3 blocks
Breakfast - 5 blocks
Lunch - 5 blocks
Dinner - 5 blocks
Bedtime snack - 3 blocks
Non workout days are a little tougher:
Breakfast - 5 blocks
Lunch - 5 blocks
Snack - 3 blocks
Dinner - 5 blocks
Bedtime snack - 3 blocks
The Bad:
This isn't really a bad, as much as it is a tedious: everything needs to be measured...at least in the beginning. In reading more recent material on Zone and Dr. Sears, I've read Dr. Sears isn't really big on exact measuring, though, I will say eventually one can develop the eyeball method very close to exact. I do measure, and I measure for a few meals out...this is time consuming.
This is another bad that is moving to a good: Finding foods that are fresh and healthy that can be eaten before going bad. Week one, I bought foods I wouldn't ordinarily eat, which ended up being a waste. Then, I started buying foods that I do eat, but after a few days didn't taste as good. So, as I enter week three, I'm preparing some foods in advance, leaving most to be cooked when I need them or day of; meats are measured and frozen and I will thaw them as I need them.
The Good:
I feel pretty damn good. Through week one, I'd dropped almost 5LBS (a long weekend at work and lack of planning for that caused a slight fall off, but I'm close to reclaiming those loses). There is a noticeable performance increase in my workouts. My stomach is flat again. And best of all, I'm eating healthy! I haven't had a burger in a few weeks, BUT, I can have one if I chose --I just need to be smart about it.
I haven't eliminated much of anything while Zone Eating, I'm just being smart (and meticulous) about what I consume.
Conclusion:
By no means is this a comprehensive, end-all-be-all on the Zone Diet, but I hope my outline of the first two weeks is encouraging enough for you to at least take a second thought about what you eat day to day. One thing I forgot to mention ---Zone Eating (Zoning? Channel your inner Charlie Sheen - ZONING!), can be tweaked. Lower body fat percentages may need to adjust the fat intake; I am actually consuming 2x the recommendation (either olives, peanuts, almond or EVOO).
Into Paleo? Paleo can be done within the Zone Diet - Paleo foods in Zone portions. It can be done. All in all, the amount of work involved is TOTALLY worth it. And honestly, if you look at the recommended portions for most food, it falls within the Zone recommendations.
Hope this helps. Remember --bodies are not built in the gym, they're built in the kitchen.
OSU!
-Hangtime
It wasn't fighting that made me the most nervous (but it did contribute), rather, stepping on the scale terrified me. Months leading up to the SuperFights, I struggled with my weight. Generally, I walk around at 185LBS; in training, I drop 3-4 lbs. When the weight limit is 185, 182LBS scares me...leading up to fight time, I was around 190LBS (give or take).
So day of, I step on the scale and I'm 3LBS over. "Shit...", was the first thing that came to mind. My head raised and I saw the slightly nervous look on a few faces, then the shocked look on Hu-Kaicho's face. Luckily for me, I was within 5LBS of my opponent...and he didn't have a problem with that. Fact is, I got lucky...reeeeeeeally lucky.
Something had to change. I'd officially reached the point where everything I did in the kitchen or at the table overrode what I was doing in the gym. I was faced with the fact that I now I had to get serious about diet or going to the gym was a waste of time.
I was kidding myself every time I ate. I had the following discussion with my wife one day a few months ago:
C: "I eat healthy..."
L: "You do not. You really don't eat as healthy as you think you do"
C: "You're on crack...I eat healthy!"
Problem with the above conversation is, I was eating a big pile of bacon at the time...which had been a daily ritual. Along with cheeseburgers and fries. At least there was no "pink goo" in my burgers.
Fast forward to two weeks ago. While checking out the Crossfit mainsite, I found a video with a title just compelling enough to make me want to take a look: "Preppin' for the week" by Chris Martirano. I wasn't sure what I would find in those videos; not sure if it was about stretching/body prep, program design...I seriously didn't know. I was slightly surprised (pleasantly) that it was regarding diet. I watched both part 1 and part 2.
As I watched the video, I was intriguied by what Chris referred to as "blocks" (in my defense, I didn't see not read the article linked above before hand). I took to research (read: I googled it). What I found was the concept of "blocks" relates to the Zone Diet, popularized in the 1990's by Dr. Barry Sears.
"The Zone Diet is a way of life that helps you lose fat and increases wellness by reducing cellular inflammation."...that's all well, fine and good, BUT, in essence, the Zone Diet is a manner to achieve 40-30-30 protein-carb-fat balance in a meal and regulating insulin. Zone Diet measures success by the ability to feel satisfied for 4-5 hours after eating.
From this point forward, I'm going to refer to it as Zone Eating. It's not really dieting, rather, it is being smart about what you eat and how much of it you consume.
What is a block:
A block is essentially a measure of food. 7 grams of protein = 1 protein block; 9 grams of carbohydrates = 1 carb block. 1.5 grams of fat = 1 fat block (HEALTHY fats...).
When designing a meal, you want to combine equal parts of protein, carb and fat blocks. How many blocks one needs is determined by weight, body fat percentage and activity level. For example, @ 190LBS, ~11% body fat and a high activity level, I should eat 21 blocks of food per day. That's a lot more food than I realized!
As of this writing, I've been Zone Eating for almost 2 weeks. Below I'll lay out the good, the bad and the ugly.
The Ugly:
The single biggest change I've noticed is that I was not eating nearly enough. For my body type and activity level, I measure out to 21 blocks a day; I wasn't sniffing 12, or worse, I would get a majority of that in one meal. In order to meet this requirement, I've started eating a snack before working out...yes, I would workout on an empty stomach...I'm not a big breakfast person. Speaking of, this snack is not breakfast.
On a workout day, eating looks something like this:
Pre workout - 3 blocks
Breakfast - 5 blocks
Lunch - 5 blocks
Dinner - 5 blocks
Bedtime snack - 3 blocks
Non workout days are a little tougher:
Breakfast - 5 blocks
Lunch - 5 blocks
Snack - 3 blocks
Dinner - 5 blocks
Bedtime snack - 3 blocks
The Bad:
This isn't really a bad, as much as it is a tedious: everything needs to be measured...at least in the beginning. In reading more recent material on Zone and Dr. Sears, I've read Dr. Sears isn't really big on exact measuring, though, I will say eventually one can develop the eyeball method very close to exact. I do measure, and I measure for a few meals out...this is time consuming.
This is another bad that is moving to a good: Finding foods that are fresh and healthy that can be eaten before going bad. Week one, I bought foods I wouldn't ordinarily eat, which ended up being a waste. Then, I started buying foods that I do eat, but after a few days didn't taste as good. So, as I enter week three, I'm preparing some foods in advance, leaving most to be cooked when I need them or day of; meats are measured and frozen and I will thaw them as I need them.
The Good:
I feel pretty damn good. Through week one, I'd dropped almost 5LBS (a long weekend at work and lack of planning for that caused a slight fall off, but I'm close to reclaiming those loses). There is a noticeable performance increase in my workouts. My stomach is flat again. And best of all, I'm eating healthy! I haven't had a burger in a few weeks, BUT, I can have one if I chose --I just need to be smart about it.
I haven't eliminated much of anything while Zone Eating, I'm just being smart (and meticulous) about what I consume.
Conclusion:
By no means is this a comprehensive, end-all-be-all on the Zone Diet, but I hope my outline of the first two weeks is encouraging enough for you to at least take a second thought about what you eat day to day. One thing I forgot to mention ---Zone Eating (Zoning? Channel your inner Charlie Sheen - ZONING!), can be tweaked. Lower body fat percentages may need to adjust the fat intake; I am actually consuming 2x the recommendation (either olives, peanuts, almond or EVOO).
Into Paleo? Paleo can be done within the Zone Diet - Paleo foods in Zone portions. It can be done. All in all, the amount of work involved is TOTALLY worth it. And honestly, if you look at the recommended portions for most food, it falls within the Zone recommendations.
Hope this helps. Remember --bodies are not built in the gym, they're built in the kitchen.
OSU!
-Hangtime
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
...and how do YOU know?
Over the months of June and July, the dojo did a lot to prepare for the Superfights tournament in Oxford, AL. Lots of fitness and padwork, footwork and combinations...we even did a few sessions on how to warm up. It was a big picture and finer details stretch of time, to say the least. But there was one aspect of preparation that befuddled me, which brings me to the topic of this post.
I was describing for the class, warm up techniques and preparation leading into the tournament, when I stumbled upon one aspect of preparation that goes largely unattended to, and even when attention is given, it may not be the best attention or advice available. Let's start big picture.
You've got a tournament coming up. You've been training hard inside and outside the dojo. It's nearly time to put all of that hard work to good use. "Go Time" is two weeks away.
Question for you: What's your approach? Do you:
A). Bust your butt for the next two weeks, and show up tournament day ready to rock?
B). Finish out this week, and shut it down to get ready for the big event?
C). Split the difference; 7 or 8 days of solid work and reduce the workload for the next 3-4?
The answer - "I dunno".
Yup, that's right. I don't know. Chances are, neither do you. But here's the beauty of the situation: You can find out. Yes, yes you can. First, let's explore the scenarios above.
Bust your butt for the next two weeks, and show up tournament day ready to rock
The worst plan of the three, but that's not to say it couldn't work. How do you feel after several days of hard, strenuous workouts? Personally, I feel like a 6 foot pile of poo, that's not to say that you, Mr. Reader, are not the epitome of fitness. If you're not, you don't want to go with plan A. Keep reading.
Finish out this week, and shut it down to get ready for the big event
I used to be in this category, largely at the behest of my instructor. I have moved away from this approach over the years, which I'll discuss in more detail below. Sensei's reasoning for completely shutting me down was to avoid injury. When I say shut down, I mean SHUT DOWN. I had very strict instructions not to lift, no running, take it easy. Very much "come-to-the-dojo-but-when-you-get-here-don't-do-anything-to-exert-yourself"; it drove me crazy. The advantage, again, is avoiding injury. If you're the type that can take some time off and still perform near peak, this might be where you want to hang your hat...if not, keep reading.
Split the difference; 7 or 8 days of solid work and reduce the workload for the next 3-4
This is the Hangtime way to go; I finish out the week, then gradually reduce the workload ending two (sometimes three) days before an event. The advantage to this method is your event is treated like any other workout. Two days rest between your last decent workout and your event. For me, this is optimum.
So, how do you find out what works? The same way you make anything else work --you train it!
"Wait...you train rest times?" -- You betcha! Here's my approach:
The World Yoshukai Calendar has 2 camps, 4 tournaments and 1 black belt test. Of the four tournaments, two of them include fighting, which is a large motivator in my training --I guess you could say I train my physical fitness for these events. For the sake of discussion, we will also include my shodan, nidan and sandan testings as well (I train the same for tournaments and testings).
So, since 2007, I have had 38 opportunities to experiment with what tapering method works the best for me. Of the 38, 12 were "live" runs, the other 26 were tests. That's a lot of practice...good, solid reps. For each camp & tournament, I marked an 8 week run to the event. So, starting 8 weeks out was prep time. A few times, I've even gone down to six weeks a few times and two weeks once due to injury. Each lead in was different -- weight was different, cardio varied year to year, etc. Each time, I set a few goals and worked toward them in the allotted time.
So for each camp, the goal would be to make weight as if I were fighting. Moreover, the goal was to be in fighting shape. Winter Camp makes for a long day (brutally long, in my opinion), but I didn't want to miss a minute of it. Sand, sun, wind, water, tug o' war, running on the beach, sumo, you name it, I wanted to do it. If I missed my mark on where I wanted to be, I went back to the drawing board for the next event. If that worked, then I took that method and improved on it for the next event. So on and so forth. If you don't have a good memory about these things, you might want to grab your notebook.
So, what does this mean to you? Well, I hope that by this point in the article, you've taken stock of your approach and how you prepare for your event. Unless you're one of those people who can role out of bed and run a half-marathon or fight without any prior training, proper tapering is an important aspect of training...just as important as the work itself. Experiment and find out what methods work best for you.
OSU!
CM
I was describing for the class, warm up techniques and preparation leading into the tournament, when I stumbled upon one aspect of preparation that goes largely unattended to, and even when attention is given, it may not be the best attention or advice available. Let's start big picture.
You've got a tournament coming up. You've been training hard inside and outside the dojo. It's nearly time to put all of that hard work to good use. "Go Time" is two weeks away.
Question for you: What's your approach? Do you:
A). Bust your butt for the next two weeks, and show up tournament day ready to rock?
B). Finish out this week, and shut it down to get ready for the big event?
C). Split the difference; 7 or 8 days of solid work and reduce the workload for the next 3-4?
The answer - "I dunno".
Yup, that's right. I don't know. Chances are, neither do you. But here's the beauty of the situation: You can find out. Yes, yes you can. First, let's explore the scenarios above.
Bust your butt for the next two weeks, and show up tournament day ready to rock
The worst plan of the three, but that's not to say it couldn't work. How do you feel after several days of hard, strenuous workouts? Personally, I feel like a 6 foot pile of poo, that's not to say that you, Mr. Reader, are not the epitome of fitness. If you're not, you don't want to go with plan A. Keep reading.
Finish out this week, and shut it down to get ready for the big event
I used to be in this category, largely at the behest of my instructor. I have moved away from this approach over the years, which I'll discuss in more detail below. Sensei's reasoning for completely shutting me down was to avoid injury. When I say shut down, I mean SHUT DOWN. I had very strict instructions not to lift, no running, take it easy. Very much "come-to-the-dojo-but-when-you-get-here-don't-do-anything-to-exert-yourself"; it drove me crazy. The advantage, again, is avoiding injury. If you're the type that can take some time off and still perform near peak, this might be where you want to hang your hat...if not, keep reading.
Split the difference; 7 or 8 days of solid work and reduce the workload for the next 3-4
This is the Hangtime way to go; I finish out the week, then gradually reduce the workload ending two (sometimes three) days before an event. The advantage to this method is your event is treated like any other workout. Two days rest between your last decent workout and your event. For me, this is optimum.
So, how do you find out what works? The same way you make anything else work --you train it!
"Wait...you train rest times?" -- You betcha! Here's my approach:
The World Yoshukai Calendar has 2 camps, 4 tournaments and 1 black belt test. Of the four tournaments, two of them include fighting, which is a large motivator in my training --I guess you could say I train my physical fitness for these events. For the sake of discussion, we will also include my shodan, nidan and sandan testings as well (I train the same for tournaments and testings).
So, since 2007, I have had 38 opportunities to experiment with what tapering method works the best for me. Of the 38, 12 were "live" runs, the other 26 were tests. That's a lot of practice...good, solid reps. For each camp & tournament, I marked an 8 week run to the event. So, starting 8 weeks out was prep time. A few times, I've even gone down to six weeks a few times and two weeks once due to injury. Each lead in was different -- weight was different, cardio varied year to year, etc. Each time, I set a few goals and worked toward them in the allotted time.
So for each camp, the goal would be to make weight as if I were fighting. Moreover, the goal was to be in fighting shape. Winter Camp makes for a long day (brutally long, in my opinion), but I didn't want to miss a minute of it. Sand, sun, wind, water, tug o' war, running on the beach, sumo, you name it, I wanted to do it. If I missed my mark on where I wanted to be, I went back to the drawing board for the next event. If that worked, then I took that method and improved on it for the next event. So on and so forth. If you don't have a good memory about these things, you might want to grab your notebook.
So, what does this mean to you? Well, I hope that by this point in the article, you've taken stock of your approach and how you prepare for your event. Unless you're one of those people who can role out of bed and run a half-marathon or fight without any prior training, proper tapering is an important aspect of training...just as important as the work itself. Experiment and find out what methods work best for you.
OSU!
CM
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Ups...and Downs.
To quote the beautiful Ms. Katy Perry:
"Cause you're hot then you're cold You're yes then you're no You're in then you're out You're up then you're down. You're wrong when it's right It's black and it's white"
You guys haven't heard from me in awhile (12 weeks, exactly). I know. A lot's been going on. I'll outline that, plus the plan going forward and whatever else comes to mind.
One reason for my internet silence is due to a change in work situation. I no longer have said job (but I do have another, don't worry ;) ), but I needed to focus on that. Feeding my kid comes first. OK, that's kind of a cop out, but I really needed to get my roots in my new gig.
Another reason I haven't posted in awhile, and this sounds a little superficial (and a touch cocky), is because I felt like posting my workouts was giving away the keys to the castle. I really wanted to focus in on a good showing in the WYKKO SuperFights tournament and I much preferred anyone I step on the tatami with assume I was coming off of a Ho-Ho and Twinkie binge...so I went silent. I did win; whether or not my lack of posting was the cause, well...who knows.
Along that note, I started to feel like I was working out for the sake of posting a blog, as opposed to, simply posting my results. The intent of my workout was getting lost. It seemed, more and more, like I was working out to sound impressive on my slice of the internet, instead of striving to improve --which wasn't the goal.
And even if I wanted to post results, there has been a severe lack of workouts to post over the last 10 weeks or so. I've had to battle two infections this summer, both of which took me out of the gym for a significant amount of time.
"OK, so now workout logs...how about an article?"
In theory, sure, I could have, but I also realized a lot of the things that I've had to say were pretty bitchy and complainy...and honestly, I don't see a need for any of that.
So here we are, 9/4...and Yoshukai Strong will be "revived" going forward. I will try to post workout results more often, useful articles and even some of my insight (as useful as I can possibly make it).
I love this blog and I love having a place to tell it like I see it (when I do...). I'm not going away (I hope).
OSU!
-CM
"Cause you're hot then you're cold You're yes then you're no You're in then you're out You're up then you're down. You're wrong when it's right It's black and it's white"
You guys haven't heard from me in awhile (12 weeks, exactly). I know. A lot's been going on. I'll outline that, plus the plan going forward and whatever else comes to mind.
One reason for my internet silence is due to a change in work situation. I no longer have said job (but I do have another, don't worry ;) ), but I needed to focus on that. Feeding my kid comes first. OK, that's kind of a cop out, but I really needed to get my roots in my new gig.
Another reason I haven't posted in awhile, and this sounds a little superficial (and a touch cocky), is because I felt like posting my workouts was giving away the keys to the castle. I really wanted to focus in on a good showing in the WYKKO SuperFights tournament and I much preferred anyone I step on the tatami with assume I was coming off of a Ho-Ho and Twinkie binge...so I went silent. I did win; whether or not my lack of posting was the cause, well...who knows.
Along that note, I started to feel like I was working out for the sake of posting a blog, as opposed to, simply posting my results. The intent of my workout was getting lost. It seemed, more and more, like I was working out to sound impressive on my slice of the internet, instead of striving to improve --which wasn't the goal.
And even if I wanted to post results, there has been a severe lack of workouts to post over the last 10 weeks or so. I've had to battle two infections this summer, both of which took me out of the gym for a significant amount of time.
"OK, so now workout logs...how about an article?"
In theory, sure, I could have, but I also realized a lot of the things that I've had to say were pretty bitchy and complainy...and honestly, I don't see a need for any of that.
So here we are, 9/4...and Yoshukai Strong will be "revived" going forward. I will try to post workout results more often, useful articles and even some of my insight (as useful as I can possibly make it).
I love this blog and I love having a place to tell it like I see it (when I do...). I'm not going away (I hope).
OSU!
-CM
Monday, June 4, 2012
Mama's Baby was a Mudder!
...and soon to be a two time, TWO TIME Mudder!
That's right, I'm going in again. I will finish that race running, I promise it.
A group of WYKKO people are getting together to tackle the 2013 GA Tough Mudder. Very glad and proud to be a part of the team. I was thinking about this daunting task and I wondered: "So, how on Earth does one train for something like this?"
I mean, sure, I've done it before --I should have some clue, right? But I learned a few things the first time around that I certainly want to keep in the forefront for this time. Let's review those lessons, shall we?
1). Training for the TM is not unlike training for fighting...but at the same time, it's totally different.
Huh? How's that? Well, both rely heavily on endurance, both aerobic and anaerobic (I don't care what anyone says, that's a truth!). During the first TM, there were areas that required some sprinting (more on that later) followed by miles of running. Oh, and the course is not symmetrical; you might run 2 miles between one obstacle and then 1/2 mile to the next.
2). Don't forget: endurance means more than just running.
Yes, there is a lot of running and you will need endurance for that, but, you will also need to maneuver weight throughout the course. I don't recall many easy obstacles...
3). Hills are your friend.
Learn to love them. The 2011 GA Tough Mudder was the hardest course ever put together and it featured miles of hills. Steep hills, short hills, long hills, rocky hills, "I'm out to break your ankles" hills. You name it, it was on this course...everything except paved hills, if I'm not mistaken. Besides, they're good for your cardio and leg strength.
4). Ying and Yang your body(weight); by "ying", I mean "push" and by "yang", I mean pull...add fung shui.
Have trouble doing pushups and pull ups? I'd get started on that, Sunshine. There's a lot of pulling and pushing up really high obstacles. Beyond that, you can't slack on the Mudder pledge --you really do need to help other folks out, which means pushing and pulling someone else's body weight. Have yours well in hand? Awesome --add weight.
5). Tired yet? Run some more.
For real; that's what running this thing is like.
6). Be prepared to do somethings twice.
That was a nice little surprise on the 2011 course. Not that I'm complaining, but I wasn't expecting that. Just be prepared.
and lastly,
7). Be a wuss and carry a Camelback
I thought the number of water stops was a little...light...but I also openly acknowledge that I was probably being a bit of a wuss due to the bum leg(s) and all. Nope. I talked to a few folks at my gym that did the TM as well, and they agreed. That said, the TM crew did lose a water station the night before (supposedly...just sayin'), which may have been the culprit. Be prepared...I was (and will be again!).
OK, I lied there was one other thing (and if by some odd occurrence the person I'm referring to sees this, I love ya and I'm really just giving you a hard time) --no road trips directly after the Mudder; your legs will hate you for it.
All in all, train hard. This thing is far more mental than physical. Get your body in shape and keep your head in the game and you'll be fine (see, I told you it was like fight training :) ).
OSU!
C
That's right, I'm going in again. I will finish that race running, I promise it.
A group of WYKKO people are getting together to tackle the 2013 GA Tough Mudder. Very glad and proud to be a part of the team. I was thinking about this daunting task and I wondered: "So, how on Earth does one train for something like this?"
I mean, sure, I've done it before --I should have some clue, right? But I learned a few things the first time around that I certainly want to keep in the forefront for this time. Let's review those lessons, shall we?
1). Training for the TM is not unlike training for fighting...but at the same time, it's totally different.
Huh? How's that? Well, both rely heavily on endurance, both aerobic and anaerobic (I don't care what anyone says, that's a truth!). During the first TM, there were areas that required some sprinting (more on that later) followed by miles of running. Oh, and the course is not symmetrical; you might run 2 miles between one obstacle and then 1/2 mile to the next.
2). Don't forget: endurance means more than just running.
Yes, there is a lot of running and you will need endurance for that, but, you will also need to maneuver weight throughout the course. I don't recall many easy obstacles...
3). Hills are your friend.
Learn to love them. The 2011 GA Tough Mudder was the hardest course ever put together and it featured miles of hills. Steep hills, short hills, long hills, rocky hills, "I'm out to break your ankles" hills. You name it, it was on this course...everything except paved hills, if I'm not mistaken. Besides, they're good for your cardio and leg strength.
4). Ying and Yang your body(weight); by "ying", I mean "push" and by "yang", I mean pull...add fung shui.
Have trouble doing pushups and pull ups? I'd get started on that, Sunshine. There's a lot of pulling and pushing up really high obstacles. Beyond that, you can't slack on the Mudder pledge --you really do need to help other folks out, which means pushing and pulling someone else's body weight. Have yours well in hand? Awesome --add weight.
5). Tired yet? Run some more.
For real; that's what running this thing is like.
6). Be prepared to do somethings twice.
That was a nice little surprise on the 2011 course. Not that I'm complaining, but I wasn't expecting that. Just be prepared.
and lastly,
7). Be a wuss and carry a Camelback
I thought the number of water stops was a little...light...but I also openly acknowledge that I was probably being a bit of a wuss due to the bum leg(s) and all. Nope. I talked to a few folks at my gym that did the TM as well, and they agreed. That said, the TM crew did lose a water station the night before (supposedly...just sayin'), which may have been the culprit. Be prepared...I was (and will be again!).
OK, I lied there was one other thing (and if by some odd occurrence the person I'm referring to sees this, I love ya and I'm really just giving you a hard time) --no road trips directly after the Mudder; your legs will hate you for it.
All in all, train hard. This thing is far more mental than physical. Get your body in shape and keep your head in the game and you'll be fine (see, I told you it was like fight training :) ).
OSU!
C
Still breathing...
OSU!
I know this space has been a little...bare. And I know it appears as if I haven't been doing anything, but let me assure you, this is not the case! :-)
I managed to finish the 40+ cards worth of workouts (and then some).
I reached my goal of getting back to a 700LB+ leg press
I set a new 1RM bench press is 250LBS
I set a new 1RM weighted pullup of 115LBS (and came within inches of a good 135LB pull!)
If that's not proof that I haven't been sitting on my can, I don't know what is! :-P
All of that said, I will be retooling the card system in order to prep for the upcoming Superfights tournament in July. I won't be doing anything huge, but what I'm thinking right now:
Adding in more bag work cards
Adding in more max strength cards (though, this could be a double edged sword...)
More running
On the subject of running, I'm thinking of using this more as a warm up; 2-3 miles max. That said, I am also contemplating revamping the cards to include an appropriate warm up and either a finisher or abs work. The less I have to think at that time of morning the better.
With all of the above said, Superfights for myself is not my primary focus. I also have a few students that I need to prepare for the day time semi-knockdown portion of the tournament. The class has already been hard at work and I'm proud of the effort up to this point. There will be some delicate balancing going forward --mixing kumite specifics and focus in on testing...what's life without a challenge, right?
I have more interesting news, but that's for another post. Stay tuned!
OSU!
I know this space has been a little...bare. And I know it appears as if I haven't been doing anything, but let me assure you, this is not the case! :-)
I managed to finish the 40+ cards worth of workouts (and then some).
I reached my goal of getting back to a 700LB+ leg press
I set a new 1RM bench press is 250LBS
I set a new 1RM weighted pullup of 115LBS (and came within inches of a good 135LB pull!)
If that's not proof that I haven't been sitting on my can, I don't know what is! :-P
All of that said, I will be retooling the card system in order to prep for the upcoming Superfights tournament in July. I won't be doing anything huge, but what I'm thinking right now:
Adding in more bag work cards
Adding in more max strength cards (though, this could be a double edged sword...)
More running
On the subject of running, I'm thinking of using this more as a warm up; 2-3 miles max. That said, I am also contemplating revamping the cards to include an appropriate warm up and either a finisher or abs work. The less I have to think at that time of morning the better.
With all of the above said, Superfights for myself is not my primary focus. I also have a few students that I need to prepare for the day time semi-knockdown portion of the tournament. The class has already been hard at work and I'm proud of the effort up to this point. There will be some delicate balancing going forward --mixing kumite specifics and focus in on testing...what's life without a challenge, right?
I have more interesting news, but that's for another post. Stay tuned!
OSU!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
4/19/2012 Early AM Session
Before we get into today's madness, I want to wish my big sis a happy birthday (don't worry, I won't give away your age...)!
I spent the last day or so really working on loosening up my legs & trying to relieve my knee pain (which is in both knees). The compress and floss technique is one way I've been working to cease the painhell my leg has been in and the other leg was heading toward. Heavy doses of lacrosse ball were in order for TV time last night, as well as couch stretch...disaster averted on one leg, pain is greatly alleviated on the other. I've got to keep "taking care of business" on the forefront going forward!
Warm up:
Burgener's Warm up
Mobility exercises
45LB BB Snatch...didn't count reps.
By this point, I was confident that despite feeling good after stretching, etc, squatting just wasn't going to happen today. Guess what is a component of nearly every card left in the deck...I had to punt.
Instead of a card, I decided to do some deadlifting. I was thinking (but not hard enough...) of the Crossfit WOD from Tuesday 4/17; seven sets of 1 rep deadlift, but I only made it to five (but it's all good).
10 x 225LBS, 4x275LBS, 1x315LBS, 1x365LBS, 1x405LBS [PB]
See, I told you five sets was all good...
I tried jump roping, but it nearly got disastrous so I left it alone. 50 double unders, 30 sprint turns, I tripped over the next 30 double unders...
More mobilizing and end scene.
OSU!
I spent the last day or so really working on loosening up my legs & trying to relieve my knee pain (which is in both knees). The compress and floss technique is one way I've been working to cease the painhell my leg has been in and the other leg was heading toward. Heavy doses of lacrosse ball were in order for TV time last night, as well as couch stretch...disaster averted on one leg, pain is greatly alleviated on the other. I've got to keep "taking care of business" on the forefront going forward!
Warm up:
Burgener's Warm up
Mobility exercises
45LB BB Snatch...didn't count reps.
By this point, I was confident that despite feeling good after stretching, etc, squatting just wasn't going to happen today. Guess what is a component of nearly every card left in the deck...I had to punt.
Instead of a card, I decided to do some deadlifting. I was thinking (but not hard enough...) of the Crossfit WOD from Tuesday 4/17; seven sets of 1 rep deadlift, but I only made it to five (but it's all good).
10 x 225LBS, 4x275LBS, 1x315LBS, 1x365LBS, 1x405LBS [PB]
See, I told you five sets was all good...
I tried jump roping, but it nearly got disastrous so I left it alone. 50 double unders, 30 sprint turns, I tripped over the next 30 double unders...
More mobilizing and end scene.
OSU!
4/18/2012 Early AM Session
Warm up:
Circuit x 2:
10x 10LB DB Windmill
10x 10LB DB External Rotation
Burgener's Warm Up
12 Burpees
24 Pushups
36 Squats
400 M run
The end of the warm up is actually one set out of the workout I was going to do. I've been very lax with mobilizing and tending my goats and developed some seriously bad pain in my knees. I point to the lack of mobilizing because I'm coming off of nearly 5 days rest and it was an issue during MS1 last week.
Workout:
Fast and Furious: as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
10 Pullups
10 Plyo Pushups
10 DB Swings (45LBS)
10 Tuck Jumps
Tough way to start the week. By the end of three, I was huffin' and puffin'. Also, someone disrupted the flow of things, so I only managed to get four rounds. Truth be told, I highly doubt I would've finished 6 rounds without the distraction, so I'm not bent out of shape...
Abs:
Standing Cable Crunch: 10 x 170LBS, 10 x 190LBS, 10 x 190LBS
Stretching. It hurt. So badly, I couldn't get onto my knee for couch stretch :-/
In fact, I went home and started to pull out all of the stops - my "Stick" like implement for myofascial release, lacrosse balls, compression band and got to work.
OSU!
Circuit x 2:
10x 10LB DB Windmill
10x 10LB DB External Rotation
Burgener's Warm Up
12 Burpees
24 Pushups
36 Squats
400 M run
The end of the warm up is actually one set out of the workout I was going to do. I've been very lax with mobilizing and tending my goats and developed some seriously bad pain in my knees. I point to the lack of mobilizing because I'm coming off of nearly 5 days rest and it was an issue during MS1 last week.
Workout:
Fast and Furious: as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
10 Pullups
10 Plyo Pushups
10 DB Swings (45LBS)
10 Tuck Jumps
Tough way to start the week. By the end of three, I was huffin' and puffin'. Also, someone disrupted the flow of things, so I only managed to get four rounds. Truth be told, I highly doubt I would've finished 6 rounds without the distraction, so I'm not bent out of shape...
Abs:
Standing Cable Crunch: 10 x 170LBS, 10 x 190LBS, 10 x 190LBS
Stretching. It hurt. So badly, I couldn't get onto my knee for couch stretch :-/
In fact, I went home and started to pull out all of the stops - my "Stick" like implement for myofascial release, lacrosse balls, compression band and got to work.
OSU!
4/13/2012 Early AM Session
Warm up:
Circuit x 2
10 x 10LB DB WIndmill
10 x 10LB DB External Rotations
10 x 10LB DB Romanian Deadlift
10 x 25LB DB Halo
Burgener's Warm up
Workout: Max Strength 1 (MS1) -5x5
Db bench Press 75LBS, 85LBS, 75LBS, 75LBS, 75LBS -- Fun with the bum shoulder, still...
W pulls 25LBS, 50LBS, 25LBS, 25LBS, 25LBS
W dips 25LBS all five sets
Squat 185LBS, 205LBS, 225LBS, 275LBS, 275LBS
Cool down and stretch,
OSU!
Circuit x 2
10 x 10LB DB WIndmill
10 x 10LB DB External Rotations
10 x 10LB DB Romanian Deadlift
10 x 25LB DB Halo
Burgener's Warm up
Workout: Max Strength 1 (MS1) -5x5
Db bench Press 75LBS, 85LBS, 75LBS, 75LBS, 75LBS -- Fun with the bum shoulder, still...
W pulls 25LBS, 50LBS, 25LBS, 25LBS, 25LBS
W dips 25LBS all five sets
Squat 185LBS, 205LBS, 225LBS, 275LBS, 275LBS
Cool down and stretch,
OSU!
4/12 Early AM Session
I'm behind a few days, so details may be a bit sketchy...
Warm up:
Circuit x 2
10 x 10LB DB Windmill
10 x 10LB DB External Rotations
Work Capacity 101 -- 75s work, 45s rest (2 min) for 20 min
5 Pullups
10 Medball slams
15 Burpees
20 Jumping Jacks
After the second round, I figured out that I wasn't going to do more than 20 jumping jacks through the entire workout...so I moved the jumping jacks ahead of the burpees...it had a minor effect on the number of burpees I did per round --never dipped below 6, but only hit 10 once...
I'm fairly certain I finished with abs...but I don't recall :-/
Cool down and stretch
OSU!
Warm up:
Circuit x 2
10 x 10LB DB Windmill
10 x 10LB DB External Rotations
Work Capacity 101 -- 75s work, 45s rest (2 min) for 20 min
5 Pullups
10 Medball slams
15 Burpees
20 Jumping Jacks
After the second round, I figured out that I wasn't going to do more than 20 jumping jacks through the entire workout...so I moved the jumping jacks ahead of the burpees...it had a minor effect on the number of burpees I did per round --never dipped below 6, but only hit 10 once...
I'm fairly certain I finished with abs...but I don't recall :-/
Cool down and stretch
OSU!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Food For Thought
"Who you are is who you are; you can't hide who you are. "
"Practice does not make perfect, practice makes permanent."
-Kelley Starrett, Crossfit San Fransisco/Crossfit Mobility Expert.
Who are you? And, how much permanence do you strive for daily?
OSU!
"Practice does not make perfect, practice makes permanent."
-Kelley Starrett, Crossfit San Fransisco/Crossfit Mobility Expert.
Who are you? And, how much permanence do you strive for daily?
OSU!
4/11/2012 Early AM Session
Not the best session, but a good workout nonetheless. Shoulder issues have crept back, which made today's session a little harder to deal with.
Warm Up:
10 x 10LB DB External rotations
Shoulder mobilization exercises
Workout: Bagwork 4: "Ten good ones". The premise is ten of the best reps you can muster; if it's crap, toss it out, it doesn't count. Only the ten best.
As Many Rounds as Possible (I have 10 rounds listed on the card)
Mawashi geri
Jab (W)
Cross (W)
Jab + Mawashi Geri
Jab + Mawashi Geri
The first couple of rounds were a good way to start the warm up (I know better next time --marked with a "W" for warm up). After two circuits, I dropped the single jab and cross; I felt it was a better usage of time to focus on the combinations than the single technique; I will leave them in for warm up next time.
I finished 4 circuits. Doesn't sound like much, but that's four rounds of max power/effort of ten solid reps. Not terrible, in my humble opinion, and it leaves a lot of room for improvement. That said, the shoulder played a big role in limiting the number of rounds.
50 Double Unders
Abs:
10 x 10 LB Leg Raises (bench)
10 x 30LB Knee raises (cable)
10 x 20 LB Leg Raises (bench)
10 x 30LB Knee raises (cable)
Finisher: 100 Double Unders. Stalled around 50; the next ten left a lot to be desired, but I got it back on track around #63. The last 10 were not fun either.
Stretched and called it a day.
OSU!
Warm Up:
10 x 10LB DB External rotations
Shoulder mobilization exercises
Workout: Bagwork 4: "Ten good ones". The premise is ten of the best reps you can muster; if it's crap, toss it out, it doesn't count. Only the ten best.
As Many Rounds as Possible (I have 10 rounds listed on the card)
Mawashi geri
Jab (W)
Cross (W)
Jab + Mawashi Geri
Jab + Mawashi Geri
The first couple of rounds were a good way to start the warm up (I know better next time --marked with a "W" for warm up). After two circuits, I dropped the single jab and cross; I felt it was a better usage of time to focus on the combinations than the single technique; I will leave them in for warm up next time.
I finished 4 circuits. Doesn't sound like much, but that's four rounds of max power/effort of ten solid reps. Not terrible, in my humble opinion, and it leaves a lot of room for improvement. That said, the shoulder played a big role in limiting the number of rounds.
50 Double Unders
Abs:
10 x 10 LB Leg Raises (bench)
10 x 30LB Knee raises (cable)
10 x 20 LB Leg Raises (bench)
10 x 30LB Knee raises (cable)
Finisher: 100 Double Unders. Stalled around 50; the next ten left a lot to be desired, but I got it back on track around #63. The last 10 were not fun either.
Stretched and called it a day.
OSU!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
4/10/2012 Early AM Session
My alarm went off this morning...and I shut it off. Felt like I took a five minute buffer, it was actually 45 minutes. Good thing I get up early 
Warm up:
5 x 25LB DB Halos
10x 10LB External Rotations
Burgener Warm up
5 x 25LB DB Halos
Workout:
Ross E's ICT #5
5 rounds:
10 Burpees
10 Chinnies
10 Squats
10 Pushups
I did not set the world on fire doing these, lol. Good circuit, got the lungs going pretty good. Despite not going at blazing fast speed, I finished fairly quickly, so I moved onto the next card as a finisher...
Ross E's EIT#4:
As many as possibly in 15 min:
Sprint 50M
Bear Crawl 25M
Crab walk 25M
I didn't have the space, so I adapted to the basketball court in the gym, so instead of 50M, simply point A to point B. I managed 6 reps before my wrists started giving me fits. I did learn, however, that the bear crawls and crab walks made a great time buffer. After 7 minutes, I stopped torturing my wrists and did sprints.
In 15 minutes - 16 total trips down and back; 6 included crawls/walks, the other 9 were straight up sprint up and back. Or simply: 15 minutes of sucktitude.
Quick stretch and called it a day.
OSU!
Warm up:
5 x 25LB DB Halos
10x 10LB External Rotations
Burgener Warm up
5 x 25LB DB Halos
Workout:
Ross E's ICT #5
5 rounds:
10 Burpees
10 Chinnies
10 Squats
10 Pushups
I did not set the world on fire doing these, lol. Good circuit, got the lungs going pretty good. Despite not going at blazing fast speed, I finished fairly quickly, so I moved onto the next card as a finisher...
Ross E's EIT#4:
As many as possibly in 15 min:
Sprint 50M
Bear Crawl 25M
Crab walk 25M
I didn't have the space, so I adapted to the basketball court in the gym, so instead of 50M, simply point A to point B. I managed 6 reps before my wrists started giving me fits. I did learn, however, that the bear crawls and crab walks made a great time buffer. After 7 minutes, I stopped torturing my wrists and did sprints.
In 15 minutes - 16 total trips down and back; 6 included crawls/walks, the other 9 were straight up sprint up and back. Or simply: 15 minutes of sucktitude.
Quick stretch and called it a day.
OSU!
Friday, April 6, 2012
2012 First Quarter Review
Previously, on Yoshukai Strong...
That said, here are my goals for 2012:First quarter 2012 is in the books. I want to take a look at the goals I set for the year and reevaluate. Looking at some of them...I wonder what I was smoking when I came up with these.
- Keep training focused by dividing the session into strict, time-based segments, by the end of January.
- Increase leg press working rate to 800LBS (2 rep minimum) by February 1, 2012
- Work toward 3 times bodyweight deadlift 1RM (1 rep max), based on average weight (180LBS) by Feb 4, 2012
- Complete sandan test on Feb 10, 2012...preferably in one piece.
- 100 consecutive double unders by May, 1 2012
- Perform 100LB DB Bench Press by Feb 1, 2012
- Perform 225LB Bench Press 1RM by April 1, 2012
- Perform 400LB Squat by June 1, 2012
- Maintain ability to perform all achieved goals through end of 2012
Goal 1: Keep training focused by dividing the session into strict, time-based segments, by the end of January.
The card system I'm using now goes a long way in helping keep sessions going. Having a plan is a good thing. There are some of the planned workouts that simply run long. In fact, I have two coming up: "52 pickup" and "Crossfit Angie" :-/
Goal 2: Increase leg press working rate to 800LBS (2 rep minimum) by February 1, 2012
I haven't met this goal yet, but, I could. I need to prioritize it and do leg presses before I'm too beat to complete them. I have flirted with the low 700's since the beginning of the year...I have no doubts I can do this, I just need to do it (even if only for the sake of saying I did).
Goal 3: Work toward 3 times bodyweight deadlift 1RM (1 rep max), based on average weight (180LBS) by Feb 4, 2012
Lofty goals aren't a bad thing, but unrealistic goals are. My current PB is 350LBS, which is less than half of my current bodyweight (188LBS) - 2.5 times BW sounds a lot more reasonable....by end of the year.
Goal 4: Complete sandan test on Feb 10, 2012...preferably in one piece.
Nearly lost an eye, but I made it :)
Goal 5: Perform 100LB DB Bench Press by Feb 1, 2012
Done, and... (1/19)
Goal 6: Perform 225LB Bench Press 1RM by April 1, 2012
Done! (230 on 3/8)
No time to rest, however. Still plenty of mileage left to burn up and more goals left to accomplish.
How are you doing with your goals for the year? Do you work on them daily?? If not, it's not too late, get back on the wagon!
OSU!
4/6/2012 Early AM Session
This morning's session inspired the question: "What on earth was I thinking when I made THIS ONE up?".
I also realized that I may have failed in my efforts to not repeat a single session. The session this morning looked to have a duplicate card as well...I will have to check to be sure, but it would be a bummer if I screwed that up! That said, it was a replacement for the next card on deck...which also means I'm in trouble with the remaining workouts, because I am sure they've all been swapped out at some point and I'm getting to the point of not having any latitude to do that going forward. D'oh.
Warm up:
Circuit x 2
10 x 10 DB WIndmills
10 x 10 DB External Rotations
Burgener's Warm Up
7x25LB DB Halos.
My shoulders were a smidge on the stiff side from yesterday's session and sparring at the dojo...should be interesting.
Todays session was a Ring session...fun stuff.
As written:
Circuit x 5
Pullups x 8
Dips x 8
L-sit, to inverted position, pullup, pike to L-sit x 5
Thrusters x 8
Sounds good in theory, but I had to scale it back some. I did manage to get through two circuits before deciding this wasn't going to happen as planned.
As performed:
Circuit x 5
Pullups x 6
Dips x 6
L-sit, lever to inverted position, pullup, pike to L-sit x 3
Thrusters x 5 @ 75LBS
Abs (on a bench):
Leg Raises - 10 x 15LBS, 10 x 15LBS,10 x 15LBS
Knee ups - 10 x 30LBS, 10 x 30LBS,10 x 30LBS
Finisher: Untimed bag round. ~3 minutes or so. I'm starting to get back into form, where punches and combinations are flowing nicely. Now the plan is to not let this progress slide!
OSU!
I also realized that I may have failed in my efforts to not repeat a single session. The session this morning looked to have a duplicate card as well...I will have to check to be sure, but it would be a bummer if I screwed that up! That said, it was a replacement for the next card on deck...which also means I'm in trouble with the remaining workouts, because I am sure they've all been swapped out at some point and I'm getting to the point of not having any latitude to do that going forward. D'oh.
Warm up:
Circuit x 2
10 x 10 DB WIndmills
10 x 10 DB External Rotations
Burgener's Warm Up
7x25LB DB Halos.
My shoulders were a smidge on the stiff side from yesterday's session and sparring at the dojo...should be interesting.
Todays session was a Ring session...fun stuff.
As written:
Circuit x 5
Pullups x 8
Dips x 8
L-sit, to inverted position, pullup, pike to L-sit x 5
Thrusters x 8
Sounds good in theory, but I had to scale it back some. I did manage to get through two circuits before deciding this wasn't going to happen as planned.
As performed:
Circuit x 5
Pullups x 6
Dips x 6
L-sit, lever to inverted position, pullup, pike to L-sit x 3
Thrusters x 5 @ 75LBS
Abs (on a bench):
Leg Raises - 10 x 15LBS, 10 x 15LBS,10 x 15LBS
Knee ups - 10 x 30LBS, 10 x 30LBS,10 x 30LBS
Finisher: Untimed bag round. ~3 minutes or so. I'm starting to get back into form, where punches and combinations are flowing nicely. Now the plan is to not let this progress slide!
OSU!
4/5/2012 Early AM Session
Warm up:
Mobilization stretches
Bergener Warm up
Today's torture was 5x5 Max Strength.
Push Press (155) [PB Match]
Romanian Deadlift (275) [PB]
Double Arm Row (185)
Leg Press (630)
Now here's the downside; I lost all of the numbers for this session (*sigh* Technology, gotta love it), but I do recall some of the max weights
That said, I didn't reach 5 sets on the leg press, I was pooped. It looks like I wasn't tracking the two arm row, so the 185 makes a PB by default as a baseline. Not bad for a session where the point was just to make it through...
Finisher:
2 min 7/5 burst on the heavy bag
30 Double unders
1 min 7/5 burst on the heavy bag
30 Double unders
1 min 7/5 burst on the heavy bag
30 Double unders
Abs:
20 x 45LB Seated Russian Twists
20 x 45LB Seated Russian Twists
45LB Seated Russian Twists to failure (26)
Stretch then end scene.
OSU!
Mobilization stretches
Bergener Warm up
Today's torture was 5x5 Max Strength.
Push Press (155) [PB Match]
Romanian Deadlift (275) [PB]
Double Arm Row (185)
Leg Press (630)
Now here's the downside; I lost all of the numbers for this session (*sigh* Technology, gotta love it), but I do recall some of the max weights
That said, I didn't reach 5 sets on the leg press, I was pooped. It looks like I wasn't tracking the two arm row, so the 185 makes a PB by default as a baseline. Not bad for a session where the point was just to make it through...
Finisher:
2 min 7/5 burst on the heavy bag
30 Double unders
1 min 7/5 burst on the heavy bag
30 Double unders
1 min 7/5 burst on the heavy bag
30 Double unders
Abs:
20 x 45LB Seated Russian Twists
20 x 45LB Seated Russian Twists
45LB Seated Russian Twists to failure (26)
Stretch then end scene.
OSU!
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
4/4/2012 Early AM Session
Warm up:
Circuit x 3
10 x 10LB DB Windmills
10 x 10LB DB External rotations
10 x 10LB DB Romanian Deadlifts
Dynamic stretches
Today's workout was Crossfit Helen:
400m Run
21 KB Swings @ 1.5 pood
12 pullups
I used a 55LB DB instead of KB; I tried to do as many kipping pullups as possible; progress is being made, but my KP is still pretty pathetic. I tried to push the pace on the runs, but they still were not blazing fast.
I had a little time, so I "played" with the clean and jerk. Once this cycle with the cards is complete, I may add some workouts that highlight the Olympic lifts or add more Crossfit workouts that contain Olympic lifts. Nothing to particularly write home about with these sets, I didn't lift over 75LBS and didn't do more than 3-4 per set.
Abs:
10 x 110LBS Side Standing Cable Crunches
Circuit x 3:
10 x 150LBS Standing Cable Crunches
10 x 45LB Side Bends
Quick stretch and called it a day.
OSU!
Circuit x 3
10 x 10LB DB Windmills
10 x 10LB DB External rotations
10 x 10LB DB Romanian Deadlifts
Dynamic stretches
Today's workout was Crossfit Helen:
400m Run
21 KB Swings @ 1.5 pood
12 pullups
I used a 55LB DB instead of KB; I tried to do as many kipping pullups as possible; progress is being made, but my KP is still pretty pathetic. I tried to push the pace on the runs, but they still were not blazing fast.
I had a little time, so I "played" with the clean and jerk. Once this cycle with the cards is complete, I may add some workouts that highlight the Olympic lifts or add more Crossfit workouts that contain Olympic lifts. Nothing to particularly write home about with these sets, I didn't lift over 75LBS and didn't do more than 3-4 per set.
Abs:
10 x 110LBS Side Standing Cable Crunches
Circuit x 3:
10 x 150LBS Standing Cable Crunches
10 x 45LB Side Bends
Quick stretch and called it a day.
OSU!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Managing Expectation, Part I
I'm going to have to tread lightly...very lightly...with this topic, but it's one that I feel needs to be addressed. Before I get started, let me state, I love karate. After all, it's both an individual and a team sport; a karate-ka can learn a plethora about themselves in this sport. Physical boundaries can be expanded, the impossible can be made possible. Over the years, I've seen children and adults experience tons of progress and growth.
Specifically, I love Yoshukai Karate; if I didn't, I wouldn't dedicate the time I do to this style. Nothing is perfect, but I feel like there is a ton of good in Yoshukai Karate.
But let's be honest: in the grander scheme of things, on the surface anyway, that all accounts for a hill of beans.
"Are you serious, Hangtime...you don't possibly believe that...do you?" Yes, yes I do. And besides, you read it on the internet, so it must be true. ;-)
Let me explain: You've been doing this karate stuff for several years, you're a brown belt and it looks good on you...black would look even better. But let me ask you a question: how do you feel about sparring?
...not a big fan, that's OK, your kata is phenomenal. That must make you amongst the the top...five, ten baddest people on the planet...right? Nope, not even close.
OK - let's try another scenario: You fight like a beast in the dojo. It's lonely at the top...in fact, it's just you and Sensei...and the clock is ticking for him. You'll catch him before the next rank test...you're well on your way to dojo domination. To boot, your kata is impeccable. If Chuck Norris existed in iambic pentameter, he would be you...pure poetry in motion. You are king of the jungle, a young lion in his prime...rawwwrrr!
Amazing...I'm with ya. You're nothing to balk at. But...what happens if an argument or confrontation happens 3 feet away from you? Do you soil your pants? Step back into a fighting stance with your hands waaaaaaaaay too low to actually stop anything? I know, you immediately step back into zenkutsudachi and kiyah, right?!
Any of the above and boy, are you in trouble.
I say all of that (and I jipped you about 5 more scenarios, I figure by now you get the point) to say this; the expectations you have with your karate needs to be served with a heaping helping of reality and perspective. Without it, you're toast.
Let me explain: In Yoshukai karate, like many others, we have kata, kumite (Japanese style and point sparring), weapons & self defense. It's hard to focus on any one thing, with such a broad range, but if you're mastering one, you're neglecting a lot of material. Overall, that point is neither here nor there for the purposes of this post, but it's true. And I'll be you a dollar that you had never thought of that.
Sometimes, it seems as though there is a false sense of bravado obtained by your everyday, casual karate-ka. Being a "casual everyday karate-ka" is not a problem, the false sense of bravado is. Doing good kata does not make you the baddest person on the planet. And here's something that may shock you: being a good fighter does not make you the baddest person on the planet either (and let's go ahead and include how you swing a nunchuka and/or bo).
Kata Konnections
Pay very close attention to this next statement: kata != fighting. Yep, I said it, and you cannot convince me otherwise. I'll take another step over that sacred line and say: "The only effectiveness kata has in fighting is the cardio...and that's only if you do them one after another after another as hard as you can". Yep...I said it.
Some, SOME, karate-ka take the time to bunkai kata; there's problem number one; SOME. Not very many, at that.Even those of us that could pull something out of their tokus for the moves of some kata, surely don't believe that most of it would work in a self defense situation...or at least I hope. Let's draw some analogies: I call the "base" bunkai the potatoes. I am a french fry guy, so my potatoes will be fries, but I digress. They're good; they make a great side dish or even a great snack, but not a good main course. Sometimes, I'll take the snack, but it's just that --a snack. Dive deeper young Padawan, there's meat behind those potatoes. How can the lesson behind that bunkai be applied. Think about it...try it out; how does it work out for you? Not well? What did you learn, though? How does that work for you? Better? Enjoy your steak.
I'm not suggesting that kata doesn't have it's merits, I am merely imploring you, the reader, to put it in its proper place. It is a way to develop coordination, drill concepts applicable to both fighting and self defense, develop strength and stamina (if done right...)...it could even be used to get you onto ESPN screaming like a banshee! OK, let's leave that last one out, shall we? :-D
Why Are You Really Here?
Many people take karate for the self defense benefit...but...are no where to be found on sparring night.
...really?!? REALLY!!?!
So, help me understand; you come to the dojo in hopes that you will be prepared in the unlikely event that someone attacks you on the street...but you don't want to condition yourself for what might happen to you...because...it...hurts...
Errr. Riddle me this, Batman, on the street is your expectation that you will end any conflict swiftly, with one blow, without breaking a sweat. Hmm. Upon what experience are you basing this expectation? Your bench press must be awe inspiring...and you must spend a fortune in heavy bags. Seriously, you need to be in the dojo, learning how to hit and be hit, feeling the pressure of not being the second coming of Bruce Lee, learning how to manage the adrenaline rush you WILL FEEL if you find yourself remotely close to a self defense situation.
The notion that sparring hurts is valid; it does. It certainly isn't ticklish. But that pain doesn't change; your reaction and coping mechanisms do. Skip out on sparring night at your own risk...I'll be you TEN dollars your Plan A reduces greatly if you aren't equipped mentally for being hit.
The Great Self Defense Debate
OK, green belt. You've made it to the big time...first line! Good stuff. This next test should be easy...right? I mean, you only have one new weapon/kata and a few self defense techniques to demonstrate. That's cake!
Punch, side step, chudan tsuki, stomp the foot and end with an ax kick...cake, I say!
Hold on, one second. Think back to the last time you punched full force someone the size of your partner, I mean, really swung for the fences. How'd that work out for you? Did they continue to stand there, waiting for your next technique or did the double over in pain? If you said the former, you might want to go back to the drawing board.
I often tell students self defense needs to be quick, violent and explosive --if your self defense for testing is slow, tentative and gentle...you might want to go back to the drawing board. By no means am I suggesting you hurt your partner, absolutely not, but you should be convinced (and be honest!), "Man, that's going to really hurt". The litmus test: Does your partner cringe when you execute? If they don't, they're either really trusting or not the least bit afraid you're going to hurt them if you make contact; my money is on the latter.
Oh, and one more thing: are you actually going to remember that? What are you going to do if you do not? ...yep, thought so, you hadn't thought of that.
So Why Waste Time?
Here's where I bring all of this back home. I'm not saying karate is bad; in fact, if I've done my job correctly, you're brain is running 100MPH...as it should be ALWAYS after you leave the dojo or while you're training.
If you're mailing it in, you're not doing yourself any favors...in fact, if you're mailing it in, you're at even more of a disadvantage than someone who is disillusioned. You've got some serious homework to do. I mean, you don't really even have a clue what you're doing and how bad a situation may get for you.
How does this change...where do I start? Ask questions. Find the meat and enjoy both the meat and the potatoes! Talk about what you're doing with your instructor, think about what you're doing (and ask how it applies, how is it useful) and most importantly, be realistic about what you're doing!! Never assume what you're doing is enough, chances are it's not. Stamina, strength training, technique...especially technique...can always improve, but these are the tools, you are the house! Put the pieces of your training, your karate toolkit, in order --each tool has a specific use and purpose. If you think kata, kumite and self defense (for testing) is all you need, you're sorely mistaken! Remember, meat and potatoes.
More on managing expectations later...stay tuned for Part 2.
OSU!
Specifically, I love Yoshukai Karate; if I didn't, I wouldn't dedicate the time I do to this style. Nothing is perfect, but I feel like there is a ton of good in Yoshukai Karate.
But let's be honest: in the grander scheme of things, on the surface anyway, that all accounts for a hill of beans.
"Are you serious, Hangtime...you don't possibly believe that...do you?" Yes, yes I do. And besides, you read it on the internet, so it must be true. ;-)
Let me explain: You've been doing this karate stuff for several years, you're a brown belt and it looks good on you...black would look even better. But let me ask you a question: how do you feel about sparring?
...not a big fan, that's OK, your kata is phenomenal. That must make you amongst the the top...five, ten baddest people on the planet...right? Nope, not even close.
OK - let's try another scenario: You fight like a beast in the dojo. It's lonely at the top...in fact, it's just you and Sensei...and the clock is ticking for him. You'll catch him before the next rank test...you're well on your way to dojo domination. To boot, your kata is impeccable. If Chuck Norris existed in iambic pentameter, he would be you...pure poetry in motion. You are king of the jungle, a young lion in his prime...rawwwrrr!
Amazing...I'm with ya. You're nothing to balk at. But...what happens if an argument or confrontation happens 3 feet away from you? Do you soil your pants? Step back into a fighting stance with your hands waaaaaaaaay too low to actually stop anything? I know, you immediately step back into zenkutsudachi and kiyah, right?!
Any of the above and boy, are you in trouble.
I say all of that (and I jipped you about 5 more scenarios, I figure by now you get the point) to say this; the expectations you have with your karate needs to be served with a heaping helping of reality and perspective. Without it, you're toast.
Let me explain: In Yoshukai karate, like many others, we have kata, kumite (Japanese style and point sparring), weapons & self defense. It's hard to focus on any one thing, with such a broad range, but if you're mastering one, you're neglecting a lot of material. Overall, that point is neither here nor there for the purposes of this post, but it's true. And I'll be you a dollar that you had never thought of that.
Sometimes, it seems as though there is a false sense of bravado obtained by your everyday, casual karate-ka. Being a "casual everyday karate-ka" is not a problem, the false sense of bravado is. Doing good kata does not make you the baddest person on the planet. And here's something that may shock you: being a good fighter does not make you the baddest person on the planet either (and let's go ahead and include how you swing a nunchuka and/or bo).
Kata Konnections
Pay very close attention to this next statement: kata != fighting. Yep, I said it, and you cannot convince me otherwise. I'll take another step over that sacred line and say: "The only effectiveness kata has in fighting is the cardio...and that's only if you do them one after another after another as hard as you can". Yep...I said it.
Some, SOME, karate-ka take the time to bunkai kata; there's problem number one; SOME. Not very many, at that.Even those of us that could pull something out of their tokus for the moves of some kata, surely don't believe that most of it would work in a self defense situation...or at least I hope. Let's draw some analogies: I call the "base" bunkai the potatoes. I am a french fry guy, so my potatoes will be fries, but I digress. They're good; they make a great side dish or even a great snack, but not a good main course. Sometimes, I'll take the snack, but it's just that --a snack. Dive deeper young Padawan, there's meat behind those potatoes. How can the lesson behind that bunkai be applied. Think about it...try it out; how does it work out for you? Not well? What did you learn, though? How does that work for you? Better? Enjoy your steak.
I'm not suggesting that kata doesn't have it's merits, I am merely imploring you, the reader, to put it in its proper place. It is a way to develop coordination, drill concepts applicable to both fighting and self defense, develop strength and stamina (if done right...)...it could even be used to get you onto ESPN screaming like a banshee! OK, let's leave that last one out, shall we? :-D
Why Are You Really Here?
Many people take karate for the self defense benefit...but...are no where to be found on sparring night.
...really?!? REALLY!!?!
So, help me understand; you come to the dojo in hopes that you will be prepared in the unlikely event that someone attacks you on the street...but you don't want to condition yourself for what might happen to you...because...it...hurts...
Errr. Riddle me this, Batman, on the street is your expectation that you will end any conflict swiftly, with one blow, without breaking a sweat. Hmm. Upon what experience are you basing this expectation? Your bench press must be awe inspiring...and you must spend a fortune in heavy bags. Seriously, you need to be in the dojo, learning how to hit and be hit, feeling the pressure of not being the second coming of Bruce Lee, learning how to manage the adrenaline rush you WILL FEEL if you find yourself remotely close to a self defense situation.
The notion that sparring hurts is valid; it does. It certainly isn't ticklish. But that pain doesn't change; your reaction and coping mechanisms do. Skip out on sparring night at your own risk...I'll be you TEN dollars your Plan A reduces greatly if you aren't equipped mentally for being hit.
The Great Self Defense Debate
OK, green belt. You've made it to the big time...first line! Good stuff. This next test should be easy...right? I mean, you only have one new weapon/kata and a few self defense techniques to demonstrate. That's cake!
Punch, side step, chudan tsuki, stomp the foot and end with an ax kick...cake, I say!
Hold on, one second. Think back to the last time you punched full force someone the size of your partner, I mean, really swung for the fences. How'd that work out for you? Did they continue to stand there, waiting for your next technique or did the double over in pain? If you said the former, you might want to go back to the drawing board.
I often tell students self defense needs to be quick, violent and explosive --if your self defense for testing is slow, tentative and gentle...you might want to go back to the drawing board. By no means am I suggesting you hurt your partner, absolutely not, but you should be convinced (and be honest!), "Man, that's going to really hurt". The litmus test: Does your partner cringe when you execute? If they don't, they're either really trusting or not the least bit afraid you're going to hurt them if you make contact; my money is on the latter.
Oh, and one more thing: are you actually going to remember that? What are you going to do if you do not? ...yep, thought so, you hadn't thought of that.
So Why Waste Time?
Here's where I bring all of this back home. I'm not saying karate is bad; in fact, if I've done my job correctly, you're brain is running 100MPH...as it should be ALWAYS after you leave the dojo or while you're training.
If you're mailing it in, you're not doing yourself any favors...in fact, if you're mailing it in, you're at even more of a disadvantage than someone who is disillusioned. You've got some serious homework to do. I mean, you don't really even have a clue what you're doing and how bad a situation may get for you.
How does this change...where do I start? Ask questions. Find the meat and enjoy both the meat and the potatoes! Talk about what you're doing with your instructor, think about what you're doing (and ask how it applies, how is it useful) and most importantly, be realistic about what you're doing!! Never assume what you're doing is enough, chances are it's not. Stamina, strength training, technique...especially technique...can always improve, but these are the tools, you are the house! Put the pieces of your training, your karate toolkit, in order --each tool has a specific use and purpose. If you think kata, kumite and self defense (for testing) is all you need, you're sorely mistaken! Remember, meat and potatoes.
More on managing expectations later...stay tuned for Part 2.
OSU!
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