Tuesday, April 14, 2015 Stance Training on breaks at work. Didn't quite get in my full stance training routine today. But my times were good on what I did. Bow - 1 minute and 30 seconds :star: Horse - 1 minute and 30 seconds :star: Cat - 45 seconds Slanted horse - 1 minute and 10 seconds Horse - 2nd round - 1 minute Kneeling Horse - 20 seconds Wednesday, April 15, 2015 6:35ish - Warm up and Stretching Not using this as an excuse, but I really wasn't feeling well last night and well into the day today. 7:00 - Mega Group Tournament class - Got to go up three times, but I didn't do so good today. It was an off day. My Small 5 animal was going good until the end, but I got mixed up in some footwork. Worse than that, I showed my frustration with myself while up there performing. My instructor teaches us to never show if you mess up- you don't sigh, you don't shake your head.........you act like that is exactly what you meant to do. I am more disappointed that I expressed that I messed up than actually messing up. You mess up sometimes, that happens. But I know better than to express it. Also, I got off on the wrong foot- literally- in the butterfly knives and just never got in the groove. Forgot stuff and got stuck in places where I did fine last week. Very disappointing, but it happens sometimes. Also, Tai Sifu asked if my legs felt burned out because my stances were high. The thing was - no, they didn't even feel strained. Which means I am not pushing my stances in forms enough. I know my legs are stronger and my stances lower from all the stance training. But - I know this sounds weird - I am forgetting this when doing forms practice. I practice how I used to be- with higher stances from past injuries. And just got in the habit of doing that. So, I have to remember to incorporate pushing my stances lower in my forms and techniques practice. 8:00- talked to my instructor afterwards. Just hung out a bit. 8:20- went and practiced butterfly knives to prove to myself that that performance was a fluke and I DO know it better. Also focused on aforementioned lower stances. Felt better afterwards. Not happy, but also not going to beat myself up. Because when I have beaten myself up in the past it has not been constructive to doing better. in fact, my instructor has pointed out that trying too hard after messing up usually makes me mess up more! So, I am chalking it up to an off night and moving forward. 8:30- chatted with a student. Did slow motion kicks. Ok, I am trying a new thing to try and push past my stagnation. I know instructors in the past, maybe still, had to do 10 slow motion kicks on a can to pass into being an instructor. If they lost balance, they had to start over. As many times as it took. So, I am going to try making myself start over as many times as it takes to do three rounds in a row without putting my foot down. (No, not on a can- someday in the future though.) I had to start over 1 time on each side before doing 3 rounds each side without putting my foot down tonight. Rest day from Stance Training 9:00 - school closes
Thursday, April 16, 2015 6:00 - Tai Chi Chuan Class. During class, Tai Sifu asked if my legs were burning, and they weren't which meant I could go lower. This I did the rest of class. They were burning by the end of class. 7:00- Tai Sifu Class- Only a half hour long because Tai Sifu had to leave early. Sifu's were taking Tai Sigung out to dinner for his birthday. Worked on basic staff techniques. I remembered and pushed my stances lower the whole class. 7:30 Stance training. Ok, I did some earlier, but I will list it all here. Cat - 45 Seconds Bow - 1 minute and 30 seconds :star: Horse - 1 minute and 30 seconds :star: Golden Rooster stands on one leg (in TCC Class)=TCC Crane - 1 minute Slanted Horse - 1 Minute Cross Step - 45 seconds Kneeling Horse - 20 seconds Horse - 2nd round - 45 seconds Cross Step - 2nd round - 40 seconds Horse - 3rd round - 30 seconds 7:45 - Stretching 8:00 - Make up lesson with another instructor - Butterfly knives form. I was the very last lesson for this instructor. This was his last night teaching. He was a very good instructor. I will miss him. 8:30 - Golden Leopard vs Tiger and 9 star two person practice with Mr. W. 9:00 - Slow motion kicks- 3 rounds each side. Did not put foot down on first try on both sides, but pulled in too quickly on a couple of the kicks. 9:03 ish - school closes
Friday, April 17, 2015 6:30- Weapons class - Mui Fa Dahn Do 7:00- Stretching 7:30- TCC Two person practice with two other students. One came in later. Da Lu, Pattern- pretty much all circular step as one of the fellow students is testing in a couple of weeks. She will be doing circular, so that is our focus. We most always focus on whatever anyone in an upcoming test will be doing when that happens. Ms. W and I also worked on two person sabre- which was really nice! This practice ran longer than usual. I couldn't pass up the chance to do two person sabre. 8:55 - slow motion kicks 3 rounds- only on right side. Feeling a strain on my left leg and decided to go easy on it. Took one restart to accomplish three rounds on that side. 9:00 - school closes
Saturday, April 18, 2015 9:35- (5 minutes late for) two person CLF staff form practice with Mr. M. 10:00- Stretching 10:30- Push hands part of TCC class 11:00 - Sparring Class 12:00 - resting from sparring class and chatting with fellow students 12:30 - Stance training- some of it interspersed throughout the rest of my workout, several stances done here. Will list it all here. Bow- 1 minute and 30 seconds :star: Slanted Horse - 1 minute and 15 seconds Kneeling Horse - 20 seconds Cross Step - 45 seconds Horse - 1 minute Cat - 40 seconds Horse - 2nd round - 45 seconds Crane - 50 seconds Bow - 2nd round - 55 seconds Kneeling Horse - 2nd round - 20 seconds 12:45 - Tournament Weapon Techniques practice 1:00 - TCC weapon forms practice. Also, CLF Bodhidharma Gim form. 2:05 - CLF Hand and Weapon tournament form practice. 2:45 - CLF Practiced White Sash kicks 3:00 - School closes
Sunday. April 19, 2015 7:00 - Stretching and warm up 7:35- 8 Pieces of Brocade, TCC Hand forms practice 8:56 - Cybex Leg Press. 70 Pounds- 3 sets of 10 - 1 with toes turned out at 45% angle. Decided to give it a go again and see if it was a coincidence that my ankle acted up last time I did it. Going very cautiously. Don't need to screw up anything with tournament a couple of weeks away! 9:00 - 24 Hour Fitness Closes
Monday, April 20, 2015 Stance Training on breaks at work and at the school. Bow - 1 Minute and 35 Seconds Cross Step - 55 Seconds Slanted Horse - 1 minute and 15 seconds Cat - 55 Seconds Horse - 1 Minute and 15 Seconds Kneeling Horse - 20 seconds Horse - 2nd round - 1 minute and 5 seconds Cat - 2nd round - 50 seconds Crane - 55 seconds Horse - 3rd round - 45 seconds - I think - maybe 30 but I think 45 Cross Step - 2nd round - 30 seconds Slanted Horse- 2nd round - 45 seconds 6:30 - Stick Fighting Class 7:00 Mega Group (tournament preparation) class. Only got to go up twice again. Did much better this week. Only problem is I had them time me and the closing up of the form didn't go well having to just end it decently at when 1 minute and 30 seconds comes.. But the rest is coming along as best can be hoped for with limited preparation this tournament - compared to past years. (Due to my TCC test.) Actually, it is better than I thought it would be at this point. Still working on incorporating lower stances in my forms and techniques. I forget sometimes when concentrating on other aspects of the form. Then I remember. It is a little spotty right now. My legs feel sore tonight, so that is good. I must have pushed them decently in my workout today. 8:00- school was really crowded after megagroup class, took a few minutes to clear out. I should have looked harder though, I am sure I could have found some space outside. But I just wandered around a little lost. 8:20 - found space outside and worked on Small Five Animal form 8:30 - Slow Motion Kicks 3 rounds each side. Did not put foot down on either side on first try. Front snap kick in particular is just too dang low though. And that kick is not getting higher in slow motion kicks. Still frustrated and still plugging away at them. TCC hand form- tournament practice. 9:00 - School Closes
Tuesday April 21, 2015 and Wednesday, April 22, 2015 - Rest days=evening shift at work Thursday, April 23, 2015 Stance training on breaks at work and at school Cat - 1 Minute Bow - 1 minute and 35 seconds Slanted Horse - 1 minute and 30 seconds Horse - 1 minute and 20 seconds Horse - 2nd round - 1 minute and 10 seconds Kneeling Horse - 25 seconds Cross Step - 40 seconds Crane - 45 seconds (almost didn't count as I seem to have had balance issues with these today. crane was stop and start stances today. Bummer. Kneeling Horse - 2nd round - 15 seconds 6:30 - last half of TCC class 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF class- Started working on Chau Sot form today. Also formal exercise, which we work on most every class of his. I need some work on the new form in the new format formal exercise. Don't have it fully down. It will have to wait until after tournament though. 8:00 - TCC practice- focused on tournament forms 8:30 - Two person practice (Golden Leopard vs Tiger and 9 star) with Mr. W. 9:00 - Slow motion kicks Had to restart once on right side. ok on first time on left side. 3 rounds on each side.
For the love of juicin jesuits, everytime I happen to glance at your log, they're making you do those abominations. :cry: Waking up in the middle of the night with leg muscle spasms yet? Make sure you get plenty of potassium.
Lol! I am making me do those abominations!:cry:. Most of the time, it is my practice time- not in a class. Those and the stance training. I am determined to master them and build my balance and leg strength! Right now, they are winning the battle, as I am not making much progress. But I WILL win the war! I am not the youngest, nor anywhere near the most talented (not talented at all really), nor fastest of students. But I am one of the more persistant and hard working students. I will get those darn things down or die in the process!
Friday, April 24, 2015 6:25- stretching 9:30 - CLF Weapons Class- Last week of Mui Fa Dahn Do (broadsword form). Next week we start a spear form. One of my favorite forms. And I need the class because I had just learned it when I stopped practicing it to focus on that TCC test. So, I don't remember it, but I feel fairly confident it will come back to me. 7:00- Bit more stretching. Then Tournament practice. All my CLF and TCC tournament forms and techniques. Although not all of the Five animal form. Tournament is next Saturday. I am looking forward to being able to practice other things too after that! 8:35ish- Two person Da Lu and Pattern push hands practice session with Ms. W and Ms. R. It was supposed to be from 7:30 to 8:30. Ms. W has been having to work late lately. Not sure what happened with Ms. R. She was at the school, then at 7:10 she told me she had to get some food. Then her and Ms. W came back to practice at this time. Weird, but she has never done something like that before. 9:00 - School Closes And Belltoller! No Slow motion Kicks today. I just got busy and forgot! I will do them tomorrow though! I do them most every day I practice, but I do skip a day here and there! Also rest day from Stance Training.
Saturday, April 25, 2015 9:33 - Three minutes late for Two person practice (Staff) with Mr. M. Gotta start leaving five minutes earlier to be on time. 10:00 - Getting my act together. Getting stuff from car, etc. 10:15 - Stretching 10:30 - Push hands part of TCC class 11;00 - Sparring Class 12:00 - instead of just wasting time resting after class, I decided to do stance training as I recovered. Times weren't as long, but I don't think that is bad because. I did a whole bunch together, instead of doing them throughout the day. And I did this right after sparring class. My legs feel sore, so I think I am pushing myself enough. Bow - 1 Minute Slanted Horse - 1 minute and 15 seconds Cat - 50 seconds Horse - 55 seconds Cross Step - 45 seconds Bow - 2nd round - 1 minute Horse - 2nd round - 55 seconds Kneeling Horse - 20 seconds Crane - 50 seconds Slanted Horse - 2nd round - 1 minute and 5 seconds (Did the following later during my workout) Horse - 3rd round - 45 seconds Kneeling Horse - 2nd round 20 seconds Cat - 2nd round - 45 seconds 12:45 - TCC Weapon forms Practice and CLF Bodhidharma Gim form. 2:00 - CLF Tournament forms practice. Also Slow Motion Kicks. 3 rounds on each side. No restarts on right side. 3 restarts on left side. Also, practiced push hands with an instructor. It was REALLY informative! Learned some great stuff! Helped out a bit on Ms. R's private lesson by being two person pattern partner. 3:00 - School closes
Sunday, April 26, 2015 10:00 a.m. - Make up lesson with instructor at another location. Not a usual thing. But our schedules make make up lessons almost impossible. And we really wanted to get my make up lessons in before tournament. At another location because some locations are open on Sunday, but mine is not. So, I got to check out another location of my school for the first time. It is a very nice location. I was very impressed. With the school layout, the instructors, and the students. Lesson was tough. Some days it feels like there are so many corrections and I am not doing anything right. That is what my quote is about. To remind me this IS the process of learning martial arts and to not let it get me down. I drove to 24 hour fitness to do my usual routine. 11:55 - Stretching 12:25 - TCC hand forms 1:00- DANG! OUCH! Suddenly started having back spasms out of the blue. Waited a few minutes to see if they would go away. They didn't, so I went home. Very disconcerting. I have had back pain, but never lasting this badly for this long. Completely disabling. :cry: Didn't feel any pops or anything, It is mostly on the left side. Definitely feels like muscle spasms. What the heck? Totally out of the blue. Didn't do anything different at all. And less than a week before tournament. Hoping a day of rest and hot pads will fix it. We will see tomorrow.
Sorry to hear that - ouch! What sort of stretching did you do beforehand? You've been on a pretty heavy schedule for a while and it also looks like you're not sleeping again ( sorry to mention it but...) Something had to give sooner or later. When I pulled a back muscle to the point of having spasms, it took some time to get over it...Ned recently had the same thing and IIRC he was laid up for a good bit. If you're lucky enough not to wake up in the morning in panic whether to call someone because your muscles have completely locked up and you literally can't move an inch - you really might want to consider giving those doggies some serious looking after cause once they begin the flinch-pain-spasm-lock cycle, you won't be doing anything for a long time. Might want to check your electrolytes. Hope its just a little twinge - but in any case they're sending you a message that something needs immediate attention. good luck
Monday, April 27, 2015/ Tuesday, April 28, 2015/ Wednesday, April 29, 2015/ Thursday, April 30, 2015/ Friday May 1, 2015 - Back really hurt! No workouts and missed work. Saw Dr's several times. On 4 different types of medications. Codeine with Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Muscle relaxant, and some pain medicine shot. Saturday, May 2, 2015 - Still in a lot of pain, but a little better. Against smart judgement and being what my first instructor called "martial stupid" I went to my tournament. I talk about that in another thread. Sunday, May 3, 2015- Going back to being martial smart and recuperating from injury Monday, May 4, 2015 - 6:30 - Stick Fighting Class 7:00 - Private Lessons. Due to my injury, we worked on TCC both lessons. Just went over corrections from last TCC test. Didn't have to move much that way- some - but not much. 8:00 - some stretching. Was still very medicated, so I can't remember exactly when - but I went home before the school closed after doing said stretching. 8:20ish? Tuesday, May 5, 2015/ Wednesday, May 6, 2015/ Thursday, May 7, 2015/ Friday May 8, 2015/ Saturday, May 9, 2015/ Sunday, May 10, 2015 - No workouts. My PA, who comes from a physical therapy background, and usually tells me with other health issues to NOT stop working out and keep moving tells me to rest and recover. So, except for tournament and the day of my private lessons, I am not being martial stupid and trying to heal up. It is a little better day by day. Waiting for insurance to clear seeing a physical therapist for exercises to build up my back
Monday, May 11, 2015 - Still suffering from my back problem- recovery is slow, but a little better bit by bit. Easing back into my workouts. As lifting my legs into crane stances is very hard right now- particularly slowly - no slow motion kicks for awhile. 6:30 - Stick Fighting Class 7:00 - Private lessons. TCC Lesson - Just reviewed and wrote down corrections from last TCC test. Finally finished that this lesson. CLF Lesson. Going back to the beginning of hand forms and reviewing first two beginning forms. Focus on keeping shoulders down and aligned properly as hunching shoulders is a big problem for me. Also, on Jing (?) energy during strikes. 8:00- Some stretching. Some light forms work. I took it easy and I was still medicated, although slowly weaning off them, so I can't remember exactly. Tuesday, May 12, 5015 & Wednesday, May 13, 2015 - No workout- work evening shift. Rest Days
Thursday, May 14, 2015 - 6:00 - had the day off work, so went to full TCC class. 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF class. Working on Chau Sot Staff form. Formal Exercise. Some kicks. They were mostly jumping twisty kicks, so when I started to feel my back twinge, I just stopped. Like I said before, easing back into things, so trying to be smart. 8:00 - some stretching, focused on CLF 2 beginning forms-per what my instructor said to do during my private lesson on Monday. Back started to really hurt - even though I was going at a very slow easy pace! Was worried I was back too soon. Very discouraged and worried. 9:00 - school closes. Friday, May 15, 2015 - 6:30 - Weapons class. We had started a spear form (Throat Locking Spear form) at the beginning of the month, but I had missed the first few classes due to my injury. Playing catch up this class. I have learned this form before, but just learned it and stopped practicing it due to my TCC test. So, I sort of know it, but not very thoroughly. I love this form though, it is one of my favorites! The spear is a VERY cool weapon! 7:00 - Gads, only two days ago, but still on some pain meds, so I can't recall exactly. Fairly sure I did some stretching. CLF forms work. Focus on two beginning forms, then added other two forms from formal exercise. (Again, formal exercise is a thing in my school where we do the first 4 forms we learn all together as one.) Formal exercise changed a bit with the new curriculum. One form was moved to a solo form and another new form was added, This is the Gung Ji form. This is the first traditional form you learn now. And it is a VERY COOL form! Shorter than the previous first traditional form in the previous curriculum, but chock full of CLF goodness. I have learned this form so far solely in Tai Sifu class. and am still getting it down. Again, was mostly only doing it in that class as I was focusing on my TCC test, then tournament. I will get my first actual lesson with my instructor on it this coming Monday. Working on remembering techniques. My instructor said to work backwards on remembering them and adding them back into my practice, so I am beginning with the most advanced ones first. So, right now that is the double dagger techniques. Also, remembering and practicing the wall bag form. This one is coming back VERY quickly. Butterfly knives, but this one was tweaking my back, so not too much of it. Back feeling better than yesterday. I am much relieved! 9:00 - school closes
Saturday, May 16, 2015 - 9:33 - Two person staff practice with Mr. M. I keep lagging and showing up a couple of minutes late. Very unhappy with myself about this. Most of my instructors students have two person practice at this time. Our instructor had us all having to pay $5.00 to our partner if we failed to show up or notify our fellow student. (This is a voluntary agreement. And it is because people can be flaky and leave their partners without notice sometimes. She is trying to discourage that. Keep in mind I am the only adult student of my instructor. The rest are teens, so $5.00 is a big deal to them! LOL!) So, I told my partner that I am paying $2.00 to him for any future times I am not promptly there at 9:30. It is disrespectful to him to not be there on time. I need to fix this. 10:00 - Stretching. 10:30 - Push hands part of TCC class 11:00 - Sparring class. Tai Sifu said I was getting good at blocking/ redirecting kicks. My partners also said something in agreement. This is good news! I have been working on this and it is good to hear feedback that the work is paying off. The thing is, I am slow, so I have to compensate. I don't get out of the way enough, so I am developing a block/ redirect counter-striking style. Now, I need to add the counter-striking part more - focus on moving in more quickly to strike after redirecting their attack. 12:00 - Recovering from sparring and chatting with fellow students 12:20 - Working out, and feeling better back-wise. But going at a much slower pace than usual. Taking lots of breaks, Not always practicing forms with full strength, stretching back in between doing things a lot. TCC weapon forms. CLF hand forms - Focusing on first three forms of formal exercise. Still focusing on things my instructor said to focus on for first two forms especially. Double Dagger techniques Wall bag form re-memorization. It is a short form, only about 50 moves, I am about 30 moves into remembering it. Helped out with Ms. R's private lesson as moving step partner. Just pressing on her chest and letting her do a move she just learned. Stance Training - EASING back into it. Letting go of ego and dropping back a lot compared to what I was doing before. Horse - 1 minute Bow - 45 seconds Slanted Horse 45 seconds (I think) Cat - 30 seconds (again I think- not sure) Still no slow motion kicks until my back is more recovered. 3:00 - school closes Whew! There, all caught up! I was too bummed about my back to keep logging it at the time. I should add that I got my approval through my insurance for physical therapy. So I will be setting that up next week. Going to learn to strengthen my back, so I hopefully never have to go through this again! Also, got a wooden board for my bed. Will start saving for a new bed. These are recommendations from my Dr and PA. Sunday, May 17, 2015 - Making myself take the day off. I swore I would ease back into my workouts and I am going to stick to it!
Monday, May 18, 2015 - Still recovering with some back pain. Still slowly edging towards getting better, but still in some pain. Still making myself go easier than usual as I recover. 6:30 - Stick Fighting Class - which wasn't really stick fighting today. We did an awesome thing today. We practiced drills using the stick as if it was a Gim sword! WAY WAY COOL! The instructor said he is going to mix in some Weapon sparring into the class - expanding beyond stick fighting. But there have to be enough students in the class who know the basics of stick fighting for him to take a particular class in this direction. 7:00 - Private lessons. TCC - we mostly talked, then reviewed some basic 24 form. The talking was about the direction of my future lessons. I finished my last test, tournament is over. AND they are changing the curriculum for TCC. It is coming out in a week or two. Which sort of (but not too much) changes up our plans for my training. CLF - Reviewing hand forms and a bit of a review on my double dagger techniques. Focusing on Jing (sp?) energy and fine detailing out beginning forms with "advanced" details. Sigh* and some beginning things I still struggle with- me and my dang hunched shoulders. :bang: Need to loosen up my waist. Also time the tightening up of my strike at full extension, not too soon. 8:00 - Rested, stretched a bit - chatted with fellow students. Particularly one former student that had moved and was in town for the day. 8:30 - Stretching and Stance Training Horse - 1 minute & 30 seconds Bow - - 1 minute and 10 seconds Cat - 1 minute Slanted Horse - 1 minute (? - maybe a few seconds more- memory hazy) Horse - 2nd round - 1 minute Cross Step - 30 seconds Pushing my crane stances higher is difficult with my ailing back, so not doing them yet - which is frustrating. Also, back issues making me not do slow motion kicks yet. Left about 9:10 Tuesday, May 19, 2015 - Rest day/ evening shift at work
Wednesday, May 20, 2015 - Evening Shift at work/ Rest day Thursday, May 21, 2015 - 6:30 - last half of TCC class. 7:00 Tai sifu CLF class. Finishing up detailing Staff form. Formal exercise. Stick form. 8:00- Practice- Two person practice partner is sick, so no two person practice @ 8;30. Practice is still hampered by back issue, which is taking forever to completely heal. Very Frustrating. Knee is acting up too. Darn it! Double dagger techniques First hand technique at Brown sash 2nd degree level. Butterfly knives. Formal exercise. Also going over and relearning Wall Bag form. Formal exercise with focus on first two forms in it. Basically, I am going over my CLF curriculum materials and refreshing myself on stuff I haven't done in 9 months or longer. 9:00 - school closes Friday, May 22, 2015 - 6:30 - Weapons Class- this month and next it is a Spear form. Yay! I love this weapon and this form! 7:00 - I can't remember if I mentioned this already. But I ended my two person TCC pattern and Da Lu practice sessions with two fellow students. I need to focus more on my CLf right now - just as I focused on TCC more for awhile. Although I am not at a point yet where I am dropping TCC private lessons for more CLF private lesson time. So- CLF practice. Mixed in with stretching and a lower back exercise or two. Formal Exercise. Small Five Animal. Spear form practice- going over what we learned in class. Wall bag. I think I have this one almost re-memorized. Bit of hand technique. Double daggers techniques. Think I have those just about fully re-memorized too. If my health issues with back and knee are better next week, I hope to be adding some bag workout time and kicking practice. 9:00 - school closes