Bee's Training Log

Discussion in 'Training Logs' started by Brigid, Apr 17, 2015.

  1. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Suggested to me months ago now, I've been meaning to start a training log for ages. In part to keep a record for myself to track my activity and progress, and also because I'm exactly the sort of person who is motivated by committing to sharing the information with others. I'll do a longer background piece on me and my aims in the next couple of days but will just talk about the last couple of days.

    Yesterday - Thursday 16 - 25 mins running - easy pace to local park then did a bit of speed training on the grass (fartleks) just short distances. Did tricep dips using park bench (just 10).

    Today - Kung Fu/Tai chi class - 1hr 45 mins. We did 20 mins warm up, followed by kung fu forms, followed by tai chi forms and applications. The tai chi applications required quite a bit of concentration on small details of position and movement to be really effective. I've done some of the simpler applications a number of times but find that it's the sort of thing that makes more sense the more times I do it. Feel like I might be getting somewhere with it. Hoping to go to another class on Sunday morning.
     
  2. ned

    ned Valued Member

    Good to see another tai chi logger ! What style / school is it ? Do you know about the Regents park push hands group ? (or is that where you're going already,if not worth checking out :) )
     
  3. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Hi Ned, I'm not entirely sure which school/style it is. Our Sifu trained at Longfei, so what he is teaching us comes from that. The class I go to is part of Tai T'sung which is long fist kung fu, but in our particular class, we have been doing Tai Chi as part of our training for quite a while and there's a stronger emphasis on it more recently. There are some challenges for me in moving from external to internal and back again, but I am finding I am getting quite a lot out of the work we do to examine the applications of Tai Chi.

    I have not been to the Regent's Park group. Is it a weekly session?
     
  4. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    It'll be Yang Style if it's Longfei, probably under Simon Watson, or Barry McGinlay.

    The Regents Park group is run by Barry McGinlay.

    Details here.
     
  5. ned

    ned Valued Member

    Sounds good ! The Regents park sessions are on a sunday as far as I know.
    Not been myself but see plenty of their folks at competitions (including the one in june organised by the Wu school in north London)
    I'm pretty sure it's organised by Longfei /Barry Mcginley so you're group most likely has a connection anyway.
     
  6. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Interested that you mention the competition in June. I'm hoping to go - think it's at Clissold Leisure Centre in Stoke Newington. One of my colleagues at work is competing - again another Longfei person - so I wanted to go along seeing it's so local to me.
     
  7. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Simon - sorry spotted Ned's reply before your own. Thanks for the clarification about the style and for the link. I'd be quite interested in checking it out if I can get myself there in time.
     
  8. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    You should. Barry is a real nice guy and knows his stuff.
     
  9. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Sunday 19 April - Went running again this evening - 30 mins. Been reading about breathing patterns to use during easy and faster paced running. I worked on using 3:2 breathing for an easy paced run. It's supposed to improve the efficiency of your running but apparently takes a bit of getting used to. Not tried it before so will be interested to see if it makes a difference. Did 15 tricep dips.

    Will be aiming to fit in some stretching between cooking dinner and putting kids to bed.
     
  10. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Monday 20 April - 10 mins skipping. Then ran through four different forms - aiming to perform each one fast enough to make it flow but trying to keep an eye on some of the details that I tend to miss if I don't focus. Mostly these are to do with the accuracy of different hand movements - hooking movements in particular. I also looked at some of the movements bearing in mind the Tai Chi we covered at class from Friday.

    20 push ups - one hand on knuckles alternating every 5 push ups. Been doing this for 9 months-ish and seen the difference it makes to my wrists.
     
  11. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    I'd be inetersted to know more about this. Could you explain it in a bit more detail about the breathing paterns please?
     
  12. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    I'll refer to the book I've been reading when I get home tonight and give you a bit more detail.
     
  13. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Tuesday 21 April - another run - 25 mins. The point of the 3/2 breathing pattern is to have an automatic way of gauging the amount of effort I'm expending while running. The pattern is inhale for three paces and exhale for two paces for easy running. (Still trying to get the hang of it.) 2/1 breathing pattern is for anaerobic training. I picked up the idea from Claire Kowalcik's "Complete Book of Running for Women" and thought I would give it a try. When I did a quick google, there were lots of articles on the subject.

    Followed up the run with some stretching and strength training - push ups, triceps, plank for 1 min.

    Trained again on Wednesday and Thursday - but have forgotten the details - but included wall kicks, front and back 20 of each and planks - seems like such a long time ago... oh dear...

    Friday 24 April - mega class. 10 mins skipping, I ran half the warm up and then handed over to the 2nd degree who comes to our class. Lots of sprinting, interspersed with different exercises and then ended up carrying him across the hall a couple of times. A woman my age should know better, but apparently not. We ran through all the forms and I got some really good corrections on one of the junior forms I may have to do for my black sash. Each time I get some feedback on the junior forms it makes a lot of difference. There appears to be no end of detail I missed the first time around. I have been talking myself into going for black sash grading in July. I've been in two minds about it for quite a while because it's a big step up from previous gradings. Finished the evening with 10 mins sparring.

    Sunday 26 April - 3 mile walk round the Walthamstow marshes
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2015
  14. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Monday 27 April - quick update. Went for another run - just 25 mins - still working on getting breathing pattern right. Seems to be falling into place and I felt it was a bit more natural this evening. Just got to keep going now and try out the anaerobic 2/1 pattern when running harder.

    Something completely obvious is what a difference my hydration makes to my training. I'd made a point of drinking about 1.5 litres of water on Friday afternoon before my class and I think it made a huge difference to what was a pretty intense workout. Just making a "note to self" on this.
     
  15. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Tuesday 28 April - skipping 10 mins approx.

    One set of push ups (10), core strength exercises - planks and reverse crunches.

    Worked on basic punches briefly - (jab/cross) aiming for consistency and power.

    I practiced two forms - junior form Ch'en chuan No 2 with the corrections I had been given on Friday helping to make more sense of one of the combinations and my current form.

    Then did stances - 4 x 1 min front stance, 4 x 1 min back stance and 3x1 min riding stance.
     
  16. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Wednesday 29 April - payday!

    And 30 mins running round park with a bit of sprinting thrown in today to see how it works with 2/1 breathing. Actually it worked quite well and felt really natural to coordinate breathing pattern with my pace.

    20 mins stretching when I got home - lots of work on my hamstrings, and other leg stretches including half splits.
     
  17. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    Friday 1 May - summary of class - proper warm up 30 mins - all the usual - thankfully no having to carry anyone anywhere this week. Then we ran through Kung fu forms interspersed with tai chi. I was slow doing my forms last night in comparison with others in the class, but I often am and my focus was to try and make sure I made all the corrections I have been given over the last couple of weeks. I'm still not quite there so need to practice in the week a bit more to make sure I really have a grip on them.

    During tai chi, I was trying to remain aware of how each movement feels for me and whether that helps it to feel more correct, rather than to simply trying to do what I observe others doing. It's similar to what I do with the kung fu forms - does the movement feel like me doing the application? If not, there must be some improvement I can make. I had the odd moment of feeling more in tune with particular aspects of the tai chi form.

    We finished by working on drills which were about evading an incoming punch and attacking the elbow and shoulder joint, head and face. We were also working on short explosive pushes which are achieved by pushing with the legs rather than the arms. I found this quite hard and didn't feel I got there during the session. I will be considering this more during the week.

    My left ankle was sore by the end of the class and I am resting it today.
     
  18. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    Ja, its the "little notes to self" that can really be payoffs for those who are observant. One can look back and see patterns forming out of the tweaks here and there - increasing/decreasing things, adding, subracting

    Thing is its so much work - making notes of all the possible variables that could influence one's performance.
     
  19. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    I agree with both your points! A combination of age plus the hormonal rollercoaster that is the menopause is making me more forgetful. I'm not quite at the "note to self" taped to the inside of the front door, but part of the rationale for my training log is to provide myself with a record of what I've been doing. I'm already seeing my fitness has improved.

    I've got a couple of months to get myself ready for my next grading and I'm feeling under pressure over the amount of work I have to do to put in a credible performance. Note - not contemplating passing at this stage - I just don't want to have people wondering "what was she thinking?" on the day. This is fairly typical of how I have felt in the run up to gradings I have done in the past, but it does not stop me from feeling the pressure this time round.
     
  20. Brigid

    Brigid Kung Fu Mother

    I was ill over the weekend - so had to take it easy from Sunday onwards for a day or so. I went for a walk for a couple of miles with my kids on Monday afternoon. Tuesday evening I did 20 push ups, a couple of planks, a few mins of shadow boxing and some squat thrusts (not in that order) just to get myself moving again.

    Wednesday 6 May - 25 mins running, still at easy pace, breathing using 3/2 patters feels pretty normal now and my pace improved in the final round (I was probably properly warm by then). Did some stance work and stretching when I got home.
     

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