THE 31st EUROPEAN GASSHUKU - PRAGUE 2017 Wednesday 26.7.17: 10:15 - 11:00 - General morning training: Junbi undo led by sensei Ernie Molyneux. Normal Junbi Undo finished with blocks and techniques and sliding. 11:10 - 12:00 - Group training - sensei Luis Nunes (8. dan), Spain: Sensei asked us what we did so far or what we wanted to do. No one responded except for one man who asked for Shisochin. What a great choice! As soon as we started I remembered we had a training about Seiyunchin with sensei Nunes in Okinawa and it was really great. This oe was probably even better, though. We went through the kata step by step and since most of the people at least roughly knew the steps, I think, sensei went on to explaining the sort of hidden principles or the meaning of some small or seemngly unimportant movements in the kata or moves that were a mistery to me thus far and show us in applications. It was one of the best trainings I had this week so far. Sensei even invited us to come find him anytime if we have any questions. We even finished a bit late into our break. I wanted to eat something small, but my biggest worry now was if the break was long enough for me to have enough time to note everything done. Scribbling into my notebook as quickly as possible, I almost, just almost! managed. No time to eat, no time to drink, just write fast! Still later in the afternoon we indeed went to find sensei to ask a few things we forgot or didn't catch very well. He was happy to explain and invited us to contact him in any way or that he can provide feedback if we needed it for something and was very, very nice. Maybe it would be nice to visit Spain sometime 12:10 - 13:00 - Group training - sensei Henrik Larsen (8. dan), Denmark: We started with a lot of footwork - sliding and so, then added techniques. We also practised bunkai - sensei always picked one that corresponded to one basic type of foot movement we just practised. We did six combinations like that with sensei always demonstrating with a guy from Germany he picked. Until we were asked to make groups of three. He pointed at our group of three girls. He had me stand in the middle, though I tried to inconspicuously back up O for it wa obvious what ws coming. The two people attack (same attack all the time), I repeat the six combinations that I managed to forget in the mean time Then I,... not that incinspicuously anymore,... went to stand behind one of my partners to make her stand in the middle, but sensei was satisfied already, so we then just practised on our own. 12:10 - 13:00 - Group training - sensei Jorge Monteiro (8. dan), Portugal: Sensei seemed in a kumite-style mood, practising Ju ippon kumite with us. Blocks and techniques that didn'T look very traditional at first sight to me, but were on the same or very similar principles. Practising quick block and strike together, with, somethimes a bit unusual, though interesting footwork. Having us work in pairs, groups of three, than six practising the attacks and blocks quickly. And a bit of push-ups, getting up and down at the end. Then there was an hour long lunch break before a seminar I signed up to. Our sensei asked me and a friend to go to the instructors' meeting room to bring four chairs and two tables to the smaller gym for the upcoming don grading - specifically the instructors managing the grading. We brought the chairs, returned for the tables. At the door, there was sensei Andrews sitting, whom I wrote about yesterday. He started making faces at me when I was passin by, so I returned some, when he proclaimed, in a tone for me to get prepared: "I will definitely pick you again next time!" And before I realised I was in a room full of the IOGKF senior instructors, again, my tendency to do drama took over me: "Oh noooo!". Well, some senseis were looking with raised brows, or maybe at our whole conversation. Now that I think of it, I really hope I wasn't too loud 15:10 - 16:10 - Physiotherapy seminar - sensei Rendo Sugimoto and his team: Sensei Sugimoto is a friend of sensei Morio Higaonna. He was invited along with a dozen of his students after we saw them work during the Budosai in Okinawa last year. Like then, they are available throughout the seminar to treat people's pain, stifness etc. Sensei Sugimoto is a healer. He showed us various points on the body that work to relieve pain or soften muscles on, well, not always very close parts of the body ike the neck, knee, lower back, etc. We used spots on the arms, head, soles, around the ankle, wrist and so on. Sensei always asked us if we got better. To be honest it was hard to tell for me, as nothing hurt me before. But the muscles may have become more relaxed and easier to work with afterward. I found a significant improvement when we worked on the arms. Sensei told us to do some tsuki and if we have pain on any side, work on that side. It was hard for me to tell which side was worse for me, as I had the muscles sore and tired after all the training, throughout my arms. But I picked the right side and tried to work on the points sensei showed starting with head, ending at the palm. After each point we tried tsuki again. And soon, the soreness and stiffness - basically all the tired feeling except from a spot on the inside of my elbow went away. Completely. And the left arm felt the same. Magic! The seminar was very interesting. There were quite a few of my friends and all of them were glad they participated and we had to promise those who couldn't that we'll show them everything later.
THE 31st EUROPEAN GASSHUKU - PRAGUE 2017 Wednesday 26.7.17: 10:15 - 11:00 - General morning training: Junbi undo led by sensei henrik Larsen. Standard Junbi Undo + some footwork - sliding, and techniques, and blocks. Also San Dan Gi Ichi, solo and in pairs (one row of people turns back to the other), also a bit of Iron body conditioning. I had a taller man black belt. He was nice to work with, didn't go too easy on me, which was good. My only problem was that the Kate Kitae - Iron body conditioning from the outer sides of the forearms, omehow, we ended up hitting bone to bone instead of muscle. Hitting too close to the wrist hurts and isn't good. I always tried to position my arm further so this doesn't happen, but it didn't works. It is a very tender spot now. Otherwise, I enjoyed practising with him very much. In those pairs we did the San Dan Gi, Kote Kitae, and strikes and blocks. On count, then 3 techniques on one count and then always everything continuously for one minute. Which meant we went rather fast and had our gis wet just from the "warm-up". Warmed up thoroughly. I also realised my whole legs are a bit stiff, stretching worked a bit worse then usual. I should work on loosening the muscles, not sure when, though... I am going home basically just to sleep or take things for the evening events... 11:10 - 12:00 - Group training - sensei Pervez Mistry (8. dan), India: I sooo hoped we would do Sanchin with Sensei Mistry, as he is an author of quite a new book on Sanchin, that is well written and into much detail on physiology and anatomy related to Sanchin kata. He worked on Sanchin with some groups, but desided to go through Seiyunchin with us Not that it wasn't good, it was! Really nice! But... he didn't do Sanchin with our group on Okinawa, either, and I'd heard he has interesting methods and so. To be honest, he views all the techniques even in Seiyunchin on a practical note and also gave us another view, so it was great. I'll just hope I can get a Sanchin class with him once About the Seiyunchin we went through the whole kata, working also on the three first steps, that we didn't spend much time with with sensei Nakamura, so it was a nice addition. Sensei also pointed out there are no kicks in Seiyunchin. There, we can practise the strenght of our legs in shiko dachi. Most of the kata is done in shiko dachi (oh my legs hurt even in the first step as they are tired!), so it is important to have a good stance. Sensei obviously didn't think we had, so he had the first line of people stand in shiko dachi. I was in the first line as well and as hard as shiko dachi felt to do today, I wasn't particularly happy about it. Sensei obviously wanted a few people so he can freely show most of the mistakes that could be done in that stance. He started from the further end of the line, where I didn't see too well, but I saw sensei kick and a person fall down. Then another. And started to get a bit nervous.... He said what the mistakes were, so I checked my stance, but felt it could be fine in this way. I worried I might have it too wide, which is something I tend to do, more so when tired. So I put the feet a bit more together. Sensei then pointed some things I didn't know could be wrong, but he of course demonstrated that they can make the stance less stable. When he came to me, he nodded my shiko dachi was good, but it was too wide. Still. I adjusted a bit and he kicked above my ankle from the back, but the leg wouldn't give in even a bit, so I was happy. Then sensei showed us way to train our body for techniques in Seiyunchin - like nukite (spear hand) or grips. On of the exercises he at least tied to make us do were push-ups on ten fingers. Then eight. That was where I dropped out. He then proceeded to lift one finger after another, until he showed us a push up on his thumbs only. Crazy. Then push-ups on wrist (Ha, finally something that I can do quite well! Flexible wrists I guess). And just before the end, sensei showed us a senior exercise where he does push-up on all ten fingers, jumps up with the hands, lands on wrists, then on fists, I think and again on fingers. Crazy. 12:10 - 13:00 - Group training - sensei Ernie Molyneux (8. dan), UK: I thought there were two instructors left, but apparently no and we started a second round. Sensei had us practise Kakie (sticky hands) and techniques from them. Several locks, take-downs, principles and so on. I got some tips what I do wrong, we practised nice locks and transitions, so overall great training, we haven't done many locks until now. 13:10 - 14:00 - Group training - sensei Bakkies Laubscher (9. dan), South Africa: A bit of kihon and practising grips, blocks etc. Also some blocks, quite a bit of partner drills. Again, nice and practical class. Lunch break. 15:10 - 17:15 - Sensei Linda Marchant's seminar for women: Sensei Linda is the highest-graded woman in the IOGKF and she's... well, really strong and cool and so. To our sensei's request, she prepared this seminar only for women as she did somehting similar before and our female sensei and others enjoyed it a lot! They said it was a "hell", but a great one. Probably a bit over 60 women attended, from 10th kyu to 6th dan. Sensei started the seminar with a talk about life, goals, karate etc. Unfortunately I didn't hear everything she said... Then we stretched or did a quick Junbi Undo and went to kihon. Basic three blocks, then open handed ones, practised on count, then three of the same kind on one count, all three blocks at once and so on. Then the same with tsuki. Blocks practised in pairs, some pushing or strenght exercises - only short ones. Knuckle push-ups on count. Hard. then standing on the knuckles on one hand. Which wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have to keep the shoulders square... After we worked on Sanchin kata. Had it explaine, did it together, then practised some shime with our partner. Then shirt-less Sanchin. The time was up, but sensei wanted us to return to the basic techniques. Which was an endurance exercise. The form became less and less important than speed and the mind set. One tsuki, three tsuki, ten tsuki per count. Then shiko dachi and tsuki. Probably close to a hundred, simply never ending. Sensei was probably the only one who kept the low shiko dachi, but no one did the tsuki with any strenght behind it, soon. I tried to keep my stance low. Well, as low as I could, I really did focus on it, but it was close to impossible. I deided to ignore the burning pain, but the legs still trembled and I leaned my body more and more forward, not enough strenght left to put behind the tsuki. But we all did our best, shouting kiai as loud as you rarely hear from a group of women, trying to endure. And we all did. Sensei earned a loud applause, the seminar being a success. The kiai was apparently heard even on the floor below where some men waited for partners or students or whoever. Yep, they apparently were glad they don't have to be there, too When I changed, I realised I am actually quite hungry, as except from breakfast, today I only ate a yoghurt and a tortilla I prepared for lunch. I went to a small restaurant as a part of a game we prepared. No diet today anymore, I desperately needed some dessert. But decided I should get a dinner instead. Ordered some pasta with chicken which is usually hard for me to eat a whole portion off. I am not sure if this one wasn't maybe as big, but I wolfed it down and it felt like a nice appetizer. So ordered a honey cake and already stopped feeling hungry. For now, that is. Washed it down with a litre of lemon water... I wonder how we'll all feel tommorrow. Last four hours of training, with the last being for everyone together .... which is probably going to be... something tough. I don't even want to think about it XD
THE 31st EUROPEAN GASSHUKU - PRAGUE 2017 Friday 28.7.17: 10:15 - 11:00 - General morning training: Junbi undo led by sensei Monteiro. Usual Junbi Undo and stretching plus some partner exercises for legs. Enough to make us drip with sweat. 11:10 - 12:00 - Group training - sensei Tetsuji Nakamura (7. dan), Canada, IOGKF Chief instructor: Sensei apparently teaches mostly kata - no surprise there, so he asked us which we did. The only one left that we know were Gekisai Dai Ni and Saifa, so sensei decided to focus on Saifa. We went through it a few times, with sensei giving us tips. I should probably change one technique a little - just the timing of a step and strike that should be together since about 3rd kyu. We were told in Okinawa, too, but this particular place is going to give me some trouble, I think. Then sensei had us practise one technique separately. He then talked about how we need to close our tanden as in Sanchin, change our spine's shape accordinly and we spent some time doing nice exercises on that. So basically practising for Sanchin a little and we returned to Saifa at the end. Again, a very nice class. Sensei is awesome. Yep, yet again his: "Oh, good, very good! Buuut, you can just try a liiitle bit better. Mo ichi do!" But there was not enough time to do this over and over. Maybe just four or five times. Sensei also had a short speach. Not anything fancy, but a few sentence that were still motivating. As he remember some of our faces, he would like us to keep training hard and earn our black belts soon. He said if in Okinawa, in 2019 we still don't have our black belt, he will have to ask us, why I should work towards it! 12:10 - 13:00 - Group training - sensei Roy Flatt (8. dan) and sensei Paul Nolan (7.dan), UK: I thought sensei Paul would teach separately, but no. At least he came with sensei Roy today. They wanted to practise sparring drills with us. So we did a few combinations focusing on distance, timing and angle. I was repeatedly told to not really step sideways, as I tended to. It was a bit agains my reflexes, but it made sense. We had to be precise to not punch each other in the jaws or the point we were using too hard. Sensei also warned us to aim for solar at one point and if our partner hits our chest, just kick his groin. He won't do it again Four rounds of randori - slow "game" sparring at the end. 13:15 - 14:15 - Final general training: Sensei Nakamurea read and explained the dojo kun to us and led a final exercise - Gekisai Dai Ichi kata a few times and in between techniques from Junbi Undo, push-ups, sit ups with tsuki, basically sumo squats with explosively raising arms (Tai Otoshi from Junbi Undo). The air in the big gym was really disgusting by now. We sweated like crazy and sweat pools started to form under some people. Then there was the final thanking the instructors, organizors, giving gifts to instructors and people who celebrated their birthday this week. Also to sensei Sugimoto and his Physiotherapy team and a short invitation to next year's Gasshuku in London. Looks like sensei Sugimoto and his people will be there as well. They were a big help for many people and seemed busy every single break. There is still going to be Sayonara party in the evening. Also I had a chance to check my weight and now I am 72,2 kg! Nice! At the beginning of the week I had 74, and 75 at the beginning of July. I need to keep it up. Though I won't be able to keep up that much of training, obviously...
So, my desire to get a scooter (as in a motorbike) since Croatia didn't lessen. And I found a nice offer for a scooter I liked, but already used and therefore quite a bit cheaper. So, I went a bit out of Prague on Sunday and returned with my new bike! Nearly died from anger from all the bureaucrasy I had to go through on Monday and Tuesday, but now it is officially mine ^^ And it is so much fun to ride! Because of that, driving from one place to another, calling several times to get the damn insurance and so... I didn't have any time at all to train. But today, I went to CrossFit: Again, after a couple of weeks and a break before that and even the warm up felt harder than usual... uff. - Warm-up: 4 mins of: 3 burpees, 6 Ground to overhead (10 kg disc), 9 air squats, repeat - Stretching - EMOM: 10 minutes of: odd minute: 5-7 snatches. I did 5 with 25 kg, it was getting hevier and heavier Even minutes: 5 Hand-stand push-ups or just practise at least of the handstand and tiny movements. More than enough for me. A lot of blood to my head and a strange exercise I won't like much - Pistol squats practise (or 50 squats on time). I just practised. From a box so I don't have to keep my leg up too much. I went slowly, but did fine. Instructor told it was nice so try on the floor, but the 5 minutes for the practise were just over. - WoD: - Ok, I read the white board in advance. But read it wrong. Seriously, in a quick writing, "BOX JUMPS" can easily look like "30x JUMPS" (over a rope for exemple So, when the work out was: 3-9-15-21-15-9-3 deadlifts and box jumps, it wasn't as easy as I thought Therefore, I thought I can get all the prescrived 50 kg on the bar, because I will still have most trouble gasing out and if it is 40 (scaled down version) won't make much diference anyway. And I am not in a shape to rush things, so since there seems to be no time limit, I will do the strenght exercising and go according to my pace. But I found out the jumps were not skipping, but box jumps, there indeed was a time limit of only 12 minutes and we were starting with me with 50 kg for the deadlift XD. When I heard the time cap, I couldn't help cursing a bit. A nearby standing girl, who just finished her solo training apparently hear me and promised to cheer me up. Not sure if this was good or bad new actually. She did what she said, though and even jumped besides me, not on the box, just high in the air, but still! The instructor - a former weightlifter came by to help me with the deadlift form. I tended to use legs too little apparently. This took a few seconds to listen to and try (wow, officially allowed break! ). When I got just a bit over half, another woman next to me just finished. What?! Ok, the box jumps indeed were hard on my cardio and breath, which made the lifting harder and I thought I'd die today. At the very least I had no chance of finishing it the time limit. Until I saw I had almost a minute and a half for the last 9 jumps, 3 lifts and 3 jumps. And I went at it, finished last at 11:58. I was reluctant to try hard for the last minute as my head started spinning just a tiny bit, but most of all, I started having trouble breathing. Like, I don't have asthma, but due to alergies or some conditions or what, similar kinds of attacks happened to me rarely. It was quite some time ago, though. I had an inhalator with me, but didn't need it in the end, just sad down, leaning completely on the box without any energy left and it all got better in a couple of minutes or so. It wasn't bad to begin with, but it is just not a comfortable feeling. I stretched my legs afterward, and maybe because of the Gasshuku, but I got just the tiniest bit away from a afull split ^^I need to finally do it! On the way home, I was completely wet as it was really hot today, my hair included. My legs turned into a jelly, fingers trembling a bit... I hope I will be fine tommorrow
I spent the weekend at my partner's cottage with his friends. As a fresh bike owner, of course, it wouldn't do if I didn't have the great idea to ride it there. It is about two hours by car, and if I want to avoid frequented and fast roads.... well, it would take longer. I had a bit motorbike accompany me, though it must have been a little bit frustrating adjusting the speed to my small scooter But, we managed to find beautiful small roads with nice landscape all around and only a few cars. The trip there took about 3 hours, on the way back we didn't shorten the time by a few kilometres on the big road, so it took even longer. But it was awesome! Because of that I didn't get any training and since the cottage was all about barbecue, wine, home made pepermint green liquor etc. I felt like I needed to do a little bit of sport, at least. I went out when everyone was busy playing videogames and went on a fast-paced walk. Keeping a speed of 6 km/hour I tended to prolonge the trip more and more, until I went on for 10,3 km, done in 1:42 (I was strict with not doing a km over 10 minutes). I returned just before it got dark. It was a really nice and refreshing walk, through forests, finding path where there were none at times and enjoying the fresh air. It was surprisingly tiring. The next day I wanted to do a smaller walk and since I heard the mushroom season is just beginning, I took a basket and went mushroom hunting to the nearest forest. However, nothing edible to be found, except for only a few. Mushroom hunting isn't about speed, but I criss-crossed the small forest and walked for 4,2 km in 1:24. What a dissapointment! The forest I went through yesterday seemed much more wet and I saw, although not always edible, mushrooms everywhere!
Středa 9.8.17: Nothing but a short, 45 minute walk with my parents, slow-paced, around 3,5 km/h. Thursday 10.8.17: We planned a kobudo training after a looong, looong time. We agreed on time, the two of us and sensei, but unfortunately, I had a lot of work and something that needed finishing first, so I arrived late, just when the other student needed to leave. Sensei still stayed and after a class with him had a class with me. How nice of him. It took nearly an hour and a half, but we talked a lot, sensei seemed quite tired, too. But we did go through Bo Hojo Undo Ichi and Ni, Bo kihon kata and the same kata with sensei being a complimentary attacker for me to see what the techniqes were about. This basic stuff we already practised for some time I quite remembered. But the things with sai we learned lately.... maybe it is a good thing sensei didn't yet see that I forgot it all....
Saturday 12.8.17: It is in the middle of a karate children camp our sensei organizes and a friend from the dojo went to as an instructor and me and the other brownbelt decided to pay them a weekend visit. We arrived for lunch and said hi to all the people, including a teenage girl, formerly the highest junior belt from our dojo, who, however, quit about half a year ago. When she saw us, her eyes went round: "What are you doing here?". In the afternoon they had a biking trip planned. We, who came without bikes, were immediately put to some work and told to drive and then wolk to the place of their final destination in a national park and hide some items for the kids to find. We parked as close as we could to make it before the kids arrived, but it still meant a nice, 6,8 km walk, which we finished in 1:35. It was just a bit up the hill on a stony path and just when we started walking up, I, a little similarly to my last crossfit class, started breathing heavyli, having just slight, but still not very nice feeling of being unable to get enough air in my lungs quickly enough, despite soundind like a locomotive Well, I didn't have this kind of breathing trouble for quite a while. Not that again... It was nothing serious, but nothing to be happy about, either. On our way back to the car, we met one of the two groups. Which included the same girl I mentioned earlier. Her eyes went completely wide: "What are you doing HERE?" When we returned to the camp, I got a call from our friend - the instructor immediately giving me instructions to grab the other guy, go find her car keys, get her car, drive in their direction and pick two people - a kid who was all upset and didn't want to ride the final stretch and when we were at it also an oler girl, who, on the other hand wanted to drive, but had some cramps and was told she'd better leave it be. We waited before they arrived at the location, but it seemed there were three people to pick up in the end - one more young and exhausted boy. So we use all three bike places in the car, only the instructor was left, as the remainder of her group went ahead and left her behind. It was just before dinner, so she asked us to keep some for her, she would get it cold, so, since she already went most of the way and isn't the best and fastest cyclist in the world and the last stretch of the road was mostly just a hill up, I offered for her to give me her bike, as I am frest, I could use a bit of sport and I shouldn't have had a dinner ordered anyway. In the end the hill well, left me breathing hard, but the whole trip took me some 15 minutes and maybe 3,5 km? I didn't arrive too late as most of the previous group didn't even tried to actually ride up. And I even got a dinner, though I wasn't much hungry, so I fed the men with most of it... Sunday 13.8. I really, really needed to catch on sleep. Well, it didn't happen. Or at least not as much as I'd like. We got up for a morning karate training. While eating, sensei told us he'd like to use us for training. Which... left me quite nervous, but when we went to ask him what had tehy covered so far and what would be a good idea to practise with them, sensei changed his mind. We did several versions of practising gekisai dai Ichi, then its bunkai - normal bunkai, then all five of them joined into one longer sequence, though different to renzoku kumite. And mild work-out. The training then changed into two-teams games. One was "English against Scotch" or at least that is what sensei calles it. It is a game that can turn quite rough. Seing as the playground wasn't too big, yet there were quite a few kids, we chose not to play. On of the visiting instructors - a young and big MMA guy asked me to guard his cell phone and his motorbike keys. Later, on the same playground, they played a game we call "Hutututu". I have no idea if it is any kind of international game. It involves two teams on two fields. One person from one team at a time breaths in, runs to the enemy field and tries to touch as many people as they can and return to their field before they run out of their breath which is indicated by them stopping to call out "Hu-tu-tu-tu-tu-tu". If they manage that, all the people they touched join their team. However, if the enemy team catches and holds the person on their field until the person runs out of breath, the person has to stay in the enemy team instead. And the teams take turns in sending out people. When one team was obviously winning by having more people on their side, sensei beckoned to the two of us to come help the losing team. Well, I soon had to stay with the enemy, but is was still fun. Then we played a second round, with us participating from the start, but... when a person was cought, instead of joining the enemy team, everyone had to went away. And we play to the last man/team standing. We were doing well, until a quick and unexpected action of one person that took away the last guys on our team. And it was only me and another, smaller girl now, against two guys in the enemy one. There was one teenager, whom I felt quite confident against, the other, unfortunaly, was the bigger, well build and strong karate and MMA guy, who could easily weight 20 kg more than me and whom only a few people there would stand a chance against. Our fate seemed decided and the girl in my team was obviously scared to go against him, so I went first, not waiting for them to lure me too far from our border etc. Waiting for anything and thinking whom to attack first, as some people did while in enemy territory, or returning empty handed wouldn't be any good as it would change nothing/worsen our situation or made me lose more of my breath. So I went straight for the bigger guy, trying, as I once before managed, to touch him with the tip of my fingers if possible, turn and run back as fast as I possibly could, before he grabs and part of me or the other guy finds an opportunity to cirle in on me. Unfortunately, as soon as I turned back, he grabbed me by my waist (like the worst think possible). Being grabbed like that and even lifted, as the smaller girls were, was the worst lost ever! Luckily I am not a feather and as soon as the other guy approached, I started working on this guy's thumbs, pressing them in an angle to make him release the grip. The other guy blocked my way and was grabbing onto me as well, when I... well, I forgot what I did, but I managed to get the big guy down, both of us falling backward. Unfortunately, the field wasn't completely flat and there was this one small slope down - the only muddy place in the whole camp, probably. We ended up in the middle of it, him head down, on his back, holding onto my leg. Me, on my belly, crowling up on the border of the slope. The other guy, though, came and put his whole bodyweight on me. My breath still lasted - longer than I thought it would and I tried to crowl, push, pull, twist my leg out, but as I was twisting, it didn't give and I could see the MMA guy on his back, cluthing my leg with both his arms and both his legs criss-crossed. Ok, I thing I can't get out of this, not to mention the other person on top of me. I tried to use my free leg to kick/push some limbs off me, but.... my "Hu-tu-tu-tu" couldn't last any longer. After the other girl lost, too, we all went for lunch, while the big guy approached me if I had his phone and keys. I went: "Hmpf, what do you want? I think I'll keep them! See my muddy knee?". But he turned around, his back and shorts completely covered in mud saying how he thinks it hurt him much more than me and he also fell on purpose in a way to prevent me from falling down slamming my head. Well, the fall was fast and I can't really tell how it happened... but... if he really did.... O ...I probably had to return his items I previously wanted to hold hostage...
Monday 14.8.17: It's been a while and I had to push myself a bit to go to: CrossFit: - I took my breathing pill in the morning to prevent any possible trouble, which maybe worked or didn't need to work, but I was fine. Just my head was spinning today before crossfit, but it was fine then. There was an instructor I actually didn't know at all today. Today's routine was: - Warm-up: 4 minutes of 5 down-ups (a burpee without jumping - maybe you know that, but I don't, so I am noting it down anyway ), 10 lunges, 10 sit-ups, repeat. - Stretching - without a stick today - "Technical" work today was focusing on a back squat. We were to load 65 % weight of our max for a back squat. I remember trying to go for a max only once, months back, which was 55 kg, I think, though it may have been my technical max, rather than strenght-wise. Not sure, but not very confident, either. We had some time to find out the weight we wanted to use, though we could also change it during the exercise. I went up to 35 kg before the timer started. I thought we were to do EMOM, but when no-one was getting the bar at the beginning of the second minute, I asked a guy next to me. Ok, the exercise was to do 4x10 back squats, with as much rest in between the sets as we wanted. Though we had around 10 minutes for it. I think I finished the first round first and seemed quite a bit more relaxed then most people there. I was ready to start on the second soon, but then decided it is simply because my weight isn't enough. I took 40 for the third round and still started first. Only after my last squat did I realise the instructor was standing behind me the whole time, checking on me, but didn't have any comments to my technique (yay!). Only: "Isn't that a bit too light?" I tried my usual: "Noooo?", but... ok, I still finished earlier than everyone else, so I took the tiny discs at least and lifted 43 kg for the last round. - EMOM - 6 minutes: Alternating hollow body hold for 20 s and 7 strict pull ups (ehm, black band, ehm). I tried to do the body hold well, but heard the instructor to say to lift even the lower back up - basically only hold on your bottom. I tried that, but was losing balance. I work toward that goal in the last, 3rd round, but had to put my arms a liiitle bit closer - not completely towards the cailing, but it didn't work if I tried to hold them outstretched. I am actually not sure now if the lower back can be planted on the floor or not - I saw people around me who seemed to hardly lift their upper body at all. Giving me the feeling I might have been doing something wrong. Strict pull-ups are out of question for me, of course, but I took the black rubber band, which helped me (I was considering taking the thickest, purple one, but I tried the black in the end and it worked just enough that I had trouble finishing the last few). WoD: I really, really hoped I didn't see it on the board clearly enough without my glasses, for if I had, it seemed way too brutal. Unfortunately, I saw just right... 15 minutes time cap for: - "buy in" (or what it was): 100 double unders or 300 single-unders - 21 thrusters (40 kg for men, 25 kg for women for all the barbell exercises) - 21 burpees (oh God!) - 15 front squats (right, not enough squatting today) - 15 pull-ups (hahaha ) - 9x clean & jerk - 9 muscle ups/chest-to-bars/strict pull-ups (suuuure, why not? ) - "buy out" (or what it was): 100 double unders or 300 single-unders I immediately hated whoever thought of such work-out. On the other hand - at least we didn't have to repeat any exercise. .... except for the skipping. ... and pull-ups basically, which I hate and can't do, so the last 9 were really tough, rubber band or not. I took a jumping rope and as usual, though I generally feel like I can steadily jump fast enough, the rope always caught onto my shoes or it was maybe too long or what, but no matter which one I take, I am always unable to avoid hitting myself with the rope and starting again after a few jumps. Therefore I finished the first exercise last. Unfortunately. I was moderately enthusiastic about trying to catch up as I couldn't do without frequent breaks, but so did others. I didn't finish the last, but among the last. And to my pleasure, not many, if some people finished the whole thing in the time limit. I just started on the last skipping, but only did 26 single-unders before the time was out... I was tired, a lot, but not so completely exhausted and feeling more bad than good like last time... Which is good. I should come once or twice more this week.
Tuesday 15.8.: Yesterday I again checked my weight, which was 73,4 kg. Going slihtly up again... So, it the name of losing weight and sport and since it was a beautiful day today, I went for an evening bike trip. I realised I haven't gone to our favourite biking trail this year, which is such a shame! Unfortunately, it seemed like half of Prague had pretty much the same idea and the even inproved trail was so full of joggers, skaters, scooter-riders and cyclists, of course. Ugh. But, I enjoyed myself nonetheless. I covered 42 km in 2:04. On my way back I stopped by ma parents, checked my weight again and it was 71,9 kg! I am happy, but I still feel like an oscillation of 1,5 kg in a single day is a bit too much, isn't it? Or... maybe my trip was just so effective that I burned a whole kilogram of fat! If that was the case, no one would get me off the bike
Wednesday 17.8.17: Karate training: A few people went to train and I was invited, too. It took me long before I departed (on my motorbike, though it was just after rain, but one day I need to learn to ride on wet surface, so why not today?), therefore I arrived like in the middle of their training and joined them for about a 45 minutes. They were obviously doing kata - slowly, full power and its bunkai. I joined just when it came to Saifa, therefore I probably "only" missed Gekisai Dai Ichi and Ni. One of the four people didn't know Seiyunchin, so we stopped there and quickly went through all the bunkai in a row. Then came a time for some work-out. Everyone says an exercise and number of reps. We did two rounds like this. I suddenly felt quite energetic and tried to talk them into a third round, but.... no one wanted The present blackbelt wants to practise more iron-body condtioning, so she used my enthusiasm there So we hit each other for a while, only forearms though, and really just briefly. Time to sit down for a dinner! After midnight, just before heading home, I tried for the first time how it is to have a passenger on my scooter, because I needed to drive someone somewhere. First time passenger, wet streets (it rained again) and suddenly, out of nowhere, a fog! What an adrenaline surge for me Luckily the streets were rather empty this late.
Friday 18.8.17: CrossFit: I went at an unusual hour today, there were not many people, but among them one girl, who was very happy to see someone come into the changing room as she said she was the only trainee last time. I didn't know her, but chatted with her for the rest of the class. I saw the people finishing their training looking terrible and I thought it was going to be awful today, again. Though I wasn't really surprised. I hoped there would not be much squatting, as my thighs were sore until yesterday (since Monday and also because the added biking trip on Tuesday). - Warm-up: 3 rounds of: 5 medicine ball cleans, 10 lunges, 5 burpees As a side note, only last class was I told that burpees are really done without the squat in between. I used to think people were making it easier for themselves by not squatting down before goint into a push-up and not returning to the squatting position right after - basically making a squat in between. The instructor, though, told me I needn't do that as a burpee is done without bending the legs too much. What?! Like.... ok... I am trying to do it their way. And it is easier Well, that figures, so why didn't I do it before? I maybe just persuaded myself it is cheating, before squatting down felt natural to me. But when keeping the legs more straight, not only is the whole exercise a bit easier, but also that landing on the heels is easier, too! And nearly impossible with the squat XD Oh man, I always learn something new - Short stretching - EMOM: 12 minutes alternating: 7 strict pull-ups and 5 thrusters with 35 kg for women and 50 for men. It was supposed to be on the heavy scale. For exercises like this, with also time to catch breath, I like to try to go heavy, but I tried going up with the weights, didn't have time to try the 35 kg, but decided to stay with 30 kg. Because I can't do pull-ups and the combination of those and thrusters is a deadly one, as the instructor herself admitted, and second: Thrusters are terrible. I mean, for technique. I don't think I can't do them well. The instructor kept reminding me to keep the weight on the heels, but it was not easy to do that and I admitted I can't do thrusters well. She tried to calm me down that they are hard for most people, her included, which calmed me down, indeed. For the pull-ups, I, of course, used the black rubber band, which was enough at the beginning, but in the second half I always needed a break after 4 reps and the 7th, then even 6th rep was... terrible. Chin over the bar? No way After finishing, luckily, we had a few minutes to rest. I had sweat drops covering my whole body and didn't feel like I could survive another work-out. I wasn't the only one who felt that way, but what can we do... - WoD: I noticed immediately, that there was no time cap this time! What on Earth? That means I will have to finish everything with no way out XD Not that I was planning that, of course.... Right? I would never... XD Anyway, we had to finish, as fast as possible: - 750 m on a rowing machine (only 550 for girls, woo-hoo!) - 25 power cleans (women weight: 25 kg) - 20 burpees with lateral jump over bar(bell) - 25 box jump-overs - 20 front lunges with 25 kg - die peacefully I know, at first sight it doesn't look that bad, but... afte the rowing, it is hard to lift the bar, the burpees are terrible as usual, and followed by the jumps... when I finished, I thought the lunges were quite an ok exercise, but my legs didn't listen to me at all, then were wobbly, like a jelly and I had to take a break after 6 already, when, after the sixth, my leg just sort of gave in instead of going up and I tumbled slighly O Yeah, that is something I should not do. Everyone else just about finished, but I had to take a break nonetheless. I am not too bothered by everyone being faster than me I took another break after the next ten, when the instructor came to me with a smile: "Finished"? No? Come one, you can do it! Just do it! Go, go, go! So, I probably shot her a not-too-nice look, but went ahead. I finished at 12:11. Just about the general times I saw written on the board. Just my group seemed that fast. I lay down. Not even able to stand anymore, just as usual. But I found that lying on my back doesn't help my breathing, either, so I had to at least sit up. But... only after a while. The girl I talked to before (and who finished at about 9 and said she wasn't taking it too seriously today...) asked if I still live and even helped me tidy my place - put the weight on their place and so on. - the last part of the training was a cool-down this time: - Stationary bike/rowing machine/running easy for 5 mins. The two guys were clever and went right away to occupy the bikes. Us girls had no choice, but the rowing machines. Who in his right mind would run, right? - Stretchingg
Saturday 19.8.17: Nothing, but an evening walk with my parents (I had a hard time persuading them we need to do a long and a fast-paced walk so I can burn enough calories (they are claiming they are on a diet, too, though!). My mum gave up earlier, but I walked 9,1 km in 1:34 with my dad.
Sunday 20.8.17: Today, we went to our cottage. We planned to go for the whole weekend, but yesterday should have been storms (there weren't any) and today was supposed to be rather cold (it wasn't), so we only went for today. I rode my scooter there, which was really enjoyable We made some sausages over the fire, but also went for a walk, so I hope I burned them A slower pace today (looking for mushrooms in the forest, though without much success, unfortunately), but we covered 8,3 km in 2 hours. The other app said we covered around 9 km, so... I may be using that one next time The bigger number wins, right?
Monday 21.8.17: CrossFit: - Warm-up: 4 minutes of 5 down-ups (only in the middle did I found out that I don't have to go down as in the push-up...), 10 air squats and 15 jumping jacks. - Stretching - Back squat: - Recently I just thought it would be nice to work on the back squats - to go for the max weiht and my wish had come true! We were given full 20 minutes to find our 1 rep max, which was nice, not rushed and I really enjoyed that. And today's class in general, as it also seemed a bit more slow-paced. I started with an empty 15 kg bar and went up by 10 kg up to my previous max - 55 kg. I did that max at the beginning and the instructor thought I could definitely do more, but I was a bit scared of the barbell, so I didn't try. The instructor saw it today and commented it was like nothing and that she thought I could maybe go een up to 100. Which, of course, I can't, but I was able to add weights up to 80, then 83. In these heavier weights, my friend next to me already finished so I asked her to help me in case I can't go back up. But when I tried, the instructor was always there, too, which helped me a lot, mostly mentally. She quickly came even when I was going for 85, but she did help me with that. Though I thought she helped me a bit early. There was just that tiny bit of strenght I needed to push past the critical point. When I stood up she criticised me, because apparently I didn't stabilise my posture and I didn't breath in properly, but she wasn't fast enough to correct me before I started. She was right, but I was a bit unsatisfied still, because it felt like with just a tiny bit of effort and a second more of time I could lift that. So I asked the instructor if she could come and watch over me one last time. She instructed me on the posture and breath and let me try this time and I did it So 85 kg being my personal record, that I really can safely call my max now. The instructor has encouraged us to push ourselves, that in the previous classes almost if not everyone did a new personal record. And I am quite happy now ^^ There weren't many women in the previous groups, but I saw their heaviest squat was 75, so I felt some accomplishment. They can all beat me in the speed of the work-outs, but at least I can do something The only surprising think is that my record for a deadlift was 70, I think. I would think it should be more that the squat... but... well, I suppose the squat is easier, at least for me, though... - Plank: 3x 1 minute with 30 secs rest in between - WoD: AMRAP (as many rounds? as possible) - 12 minutes of: - 15 toes-to-bars (knees-to elbows in my case) - 10 clean and jerk with RX weight for women being 25 kg I find this a bit unfair. The guys had an RX of 40 kg. Which means 10 kg discs on the bar. Which means they can drop tha barbell after every rep. While we have to put it down gently, which I find half as exhausting as the exercise itself... - 8 burpees with a lateral jump over barbell - I was 5 burpees short of completing the 4th round, but I just couldn't let go of my breaks. I didn't feel like taking it too hard today, but I still was at my limit, soon. I therefore did 3 rounds + 28 reps. The others were similar, I think, and I thought the previous classes int he morning mostly did over 4 rounds. I just remembered wrong. 3 rounds and something were most prevalent. Though I could see a 5+5 next to a female name. There are some crazy people! The back squat block and the planks mane today's class seem a bit slower-paced, which suited me nice, though. And surprisingly I didn't sweat as much
Tuesday 22.8. Yesterday, my boyfriend had an accident on his motorbike. Considering it was a motorbike accident, he ended up quite ok, but he will be staying in a hospital probably till weekend. I also appologized myself from the planned kobudo training with a guest and went to the hospital to visit. He was in another city, though and my car has some problem and needs service and I just didn't particularly feel like riding my small motorbike so I took a train. On the way back to the train, there were no buses coming today, so I did a quick walk of almost 3 km, under half an hour, since I didn't want to miss the train. What bad news, really. I hope he gets well, soon
Wednesday 23.8.17: CrossFit: Today's training was a bit unusual in it's structure - the main work-out not being the last, but the starting thing, before the practise. Well, it was also a practise by itself, I suppose, but still... - Warm-up: 4 minutes of: 5 down-ups, 7 push-ups, 9 medicine ball cleans - Stretching - Main exercise today: - 20-minute EMOM - for each minute do 3 cleans followed by 3 front squats and 3 jerks (in one go) - which makes a total of 60 cleans, 60 front squats and 60 jerks. Which... now that I think of it... is pretty nasty! The RX for men was 50, for women 30 kg. The work-out was called "Macho Man". The instructor said the original version was with 70 kg for women and I am not sure... 90 for men? Anyway, he encouraged us to try, but he himself obviously didn't believe any of us could do that. The goal was to finish all 20 minutes. As he said, most people finished, but if we couldn't we stop and then the number of rounds and reps would be our score. We could even take a smaller weight, but I started with 30, asking if I can take some discs down later, if I can't go on anymore. The answer was essencially yes, but obviously the instructor wasn't a fan of that Anyway, there was no need in the end, I finihsed the work-out with the full weight, but... it WAS tough. Not everyone finished and of those who did... all seemed pretty tired. One of the worst things was the pain on my wrists. Not sure if I had a bad technique, but it's probably that these things are hard on wrist strenght. I generally finished each set at around half a minute and towards the end, I chose to sit down for the other half. I managed to sit, but there was an increasing number of people who laid down. Followed by the instructors: "Come on, don't lie down! Get up! Ten seconds to the next minute! Prepare by your barbells etc." Just yesterday I saw a video of this instructor fron the weekend's competition. After intense work-outs I saw him sprint his 400 m at a crazy and inhuman pace, so I have an increased respect for him. It was absolutely stunning. But here and now, I still thought to myself: "Oh, shut up!" He watched for our technique even before the start of the EMOM and again, had a lot to say to me. I tried according to his instructions. He is a former weightlifter, after all, so it is good to listen to him. - Next we had a few minutes to practise pull-ups. Kipping pull-ups and for those who could do them, they had time to practise butterfly pull-ups (which is sort of an upgrade). Problem was, I just torn my, what seemed like nicely started forming calluses. Yes, again. My wrists hurt and were generally weak, so... my grip didn't last. I just bought the gloves for horizontal bar. They are nice, preventing the calluses, but even further weakening my grip. I tried them on and off, but nothing worked. My hands slid down in the first half of the first try of the kipping motion, leaving me hanging my the tips of my fingers... obviously not for long. So... I didn't really practise at all Instructor told me to bring the rubber band, but the kipping motion is even harder with that and I still didn't manage even a single one - Final exercise was a Tabata. 8 rounds (20 secs on, 10 secs off) of push-ups for men, air squats for women. Hahaha, poor guys! XD The goal was to do as many as possible. The squats are nice, you just clench your teeth and go. I had a goal to always finish 15. Once I did 16, twice 17. So a total of 125 squats, increasing the pace when I figured the rhytm more. It felt good, but when I wanted to walk away, I realised I had trouble bending my legs. That feeling luckily went away quite fast. Feeling good after today
Thursday 24.8.17 After about two years I finally took out my scooter/footbike for a ride! It was very unusual at first and I only got a good rhytm and for both legs when I tuned back home. On my way back, I was really hungry and I made a short stop by my parents' house. I totally forgot that for hunger purposes I took wiht me some home-made healty-like cookies :/ But at least I got a break, I wasn't out on my footbike for a long time and it was tiring. More than I'd like. I rode 21 km in 1:30. Most of the way I kept an average speed of 14,9 km, but the last around 4 km from my parents house I rode when it was already dark, therefore I probably unwittingly slowed down...
Friday - Sunday - lazy weekend. My partner wasn't released from the hospital as he should have. I wanted to cheer him up ans stay with him during the weekend, but since that was made impossible, I changed plans to the original ones and promptly organized my way to our sensei's wedding It was going to take place at a place a bit far out of Prague and in the same direction as the hospital, where my boygriend was, so me and a friend, who was driving went to visit him, though shortly. A couple of days ago, sensei stopped there, too, bringing with him two senseis form the UK, who came for the wedding and their partners, too. The weekend was therefore left without any kind of training for me, except for abit of dancing, and when we stopped by the hospital on our way back on Sunday, we took my boyfriend out on a walk in a wheelchair, as he was already much better and finally in a condition allowing that. And it was actually quite fun and a nice way to take him for a walk. "Too bad" he won't have a wheelchair at home And I figured it would be a nice training, too
Monday 28.8.17: CrossFit: - Warm-up: 4 minutes of 10 kettlebell swings (we took 12 kg - meaning girls, after a tactical debate), 5 burpees, 10 push-ups. Quite tired afterwards - Stretching - Before the instructor came, there was someone else instead, who thought of giving us one more exercise. I just heard it in the played songs and there was where the idea might have come from: Bring Sally up! I was hoping it was a joke. Luckily we weren't to do push-ups, but squats I didn't see the point, since when I went all the way down, I didn't need to use any muscles to stay low. So after a while and looking around I figured people weren't going all the way up, so I also always stayed at a level where the muscles needed to hold me and that was making it much harder indeed - Practise: Goal: Do 5x3 front squats with 85% of your max weight. Easier said than done since I have no idea what my max weight is (never tried)... So I was adding some weights, slowly going up. When I was at 50 kg and thought it would be it, my fried across from me was very sure it was tooo easy for me as I was going up way too quickly for her liking. So I added up to 55 and asked the instructor what to do if I don't know my max weight. Since my back squat was 85, she thought I could do at least 70 for a front squat and the 55 kg I had just now seemed fine to her. I didn't rest overly long between rounds, because Before I even started, my the girls around already finished their 2nd or 3rd round, so I needed to catch up a bit. - EMOM - 6 minutes, alternating between 5-8 strict pull-ups and 20s hollow hold. I always did 4 pull-ups, but with a green + red band (the two black were already taken). I finally learned the hollow hold should have me push my lower back into the floor (I used to do it trying to hold the lower back up, balancing on my butt, which is close to impossible if I want to hold my arms up). - WoD: 21 - 15 - 9: Thrusters, pull-ups, overhead squats, hand-release push-ups. Time cap: 15 mins. - Meaning we do each exercise 21x, second round 15x, third round 9x. Instructor said not to overdo it, it is quite hard. She was wandering if I was going to use the 25 kg barbell as was the RX weight, since I had it already prepared as I was told that was the right weight by my friends even before I knew what the WoD was about. I generally would take that weight, but after the instructor's questions I changed my mind as well as my weight for 20 kg ^^. It did feel too light. I did the first 21 thrusters in one go and finished maybe even first. The pull-ups then were terrible, however. I still used the same bands and we could do kipping, but I haven't learned it properly normally and it is actually much harder with the band. Overhead squats weren't too difficult with this weight, at least for my legs. Then push-ups. In the second round I took break in between thrusters. Doing pull-ups proved to be useless. The last 5 were just a sorry try that I couldn't call a push-up to the poing I heard laughter from the side when the friend saw my desperate attempt... But no breaks helped me in repeated and correcting the try, so I just did what I could and went to the squats. Again, not too hard on the legs, but all these exercises were hard on the wrists and had me hold my arms up, having them lose blood. So I was quickly losing strenght there. I made up my mind to finish in one go, as it would take too much energy to put the barbell down and up. I managed to finish the second round and do 8 thrusters from the last (I didn't realise there were only 9 required and I took just tiny breaks without releasing the barbell in expectation of more thrusters to come). But what I was really doing was counting the time till the end, that was approaching. The last, 15th minute was really hard. Hardly anyone finished the third round when I checked the board...
Tuesday 29.8.17: Just a fast-paced walk today to my parents' house and back (so a break in about the middle and a stop at a pharmacy). 6,6 km in 1:06 - average pace: 6 km/h.
