No training on Saturday, but I still completed the highest Polar activity goal by...walking the garden shops On Sunday, my dad and I still went to a shop and I wanted to figure out how to make a nice garden bed for growing strawberries. He didn't like either of my ideas, so we returned empty handed. However, then we spent about 4 hours spading the patch and planting some other plants and raspberries and a dwarf nectarine :3 ....and moving quite a bit of ground. Still, we didn't finish half of what I'd like, so to be continued next weekend. I was curious so I set my Polar to measure it as an activity and I burned something around a 1000 kcal and did nearly 18000 steps during the whole day, which was nice
Monday 25.3.2019 Crossfit: I was still pondering if I should ride my motorbike, but today was fairly windy and the forecast expected more rain (we had hail here today), so I decided to take a car. Which was a rather bad decision as I ended up stuck in a traffic jam right near the gym. Only then did I bother to use navigation which took me some back road, but I still spent way too much time in the jam and arrived at least 10 mins late. So after listening to some biting remarks, I joined probably after stretching. We took the 5 kg discs and did sime side squats for a few meters with the disc in outstretched hands and then duck walk with the disc above our head. We moved riht to front squats. The goal was to find our 5 rep max. Considering my last 1 rep max was 68 kg, I set my goal to 60 kg. And I actually managed 65 kg in the end And I am quite happy with the results (also taking into account I wasn't going to crossfit for a long time after the break, I wasn't going incredibly regularly, as I skipped last week, etc.). Then we were to keep the weight and do additional 4x2. I wasn't particularly happy about that, but I did manage Moreover, I felt like I didn't struggle with the form today. I didn't let my back bend a the end, tried to keep my stomach strong, don't buckle knees and generally felt rather good about it. Only my wrists hurt quite a bit from these. Then we moved straight onto the WoD: 12 min AMRAP of: 12 deadlifts (60 kg for men, 40 for women) 5 handstand push-ups (I did them from a box) 12 toes-to-bars Toes to bars were a bad news for me. I knew this would be a struggle especially with hurting wrists and after deadlifts. But! I found out, as soon as I jumped up, that my bar was weird. Someone put a thick non-slippery tape around it. I have no idea who did it, but I love that person! I was able to hold up twice as long as normal I started with six reps! at once (only knees to elbows, but still, like this, I could probably do some ttbs, too!) And toward the end I was still able to go by a couple reps at a time (I normally start with three reps, which soon become two and finish one rep at a time). This was the second best thing that improved my hanging on the bar right after getting tied to it I finished 5 rounds and 20 reps (up to two ttbs) Started my Polar, but something went wrong - not sure if only the battery running low or something else, too, but the training didn't record.
Tuesday Karate kids: Only three kids today. As they said last time, I gave them a little bit of sparring for a warm up. Then Junbi Undo and as one boy also wished and I thought was a good idea to do kata after a while again. The worst behaving boy was absent today, and the other two weren't very troublesome today, so the class went well. Karate adults: We focused on Saifa kata today. Not as much the kata itself, but more like ome passages from it and practised in pairs, some of the bunkai, too. Sensei also planned Saifa Renzoku kumite, but there wasn't enough time. Also some push-upping as sensei thought we should start doing some conditioning before the next grading. Which is good. Honestly, I feel like the classes have gotten a bit lazier lately O I do not know what's up with my chest strap, but it stopped working with the app. Therefore I couldn't measure today.
Wednesday Karate at Uni: Sprints and other stuff done in teams for a warm up. Partner and group exercises with bodyweight. After short Junbi Undo, sensei handed out gloves. It was pretty obvious there weren't enough, so I and a few others didn't have them. We did a couple of combinations, then some moderated and one round of free sparring. It was a nice active class. I think I must have burned quite a few calories, but I can't figure out what's wiht my chest strap Also around 150 squats and a wall sit at the end.
Saturday and Sunday 30.-31.3. Gardening. Working in the garden with my dad, preparing and completing the two garden beds, transporting about 15 year old japanese maple tree from my parents house (around half a km distance). We wanted to put it on a wheelbarrow, but it didn't work, so I threw it over my shoulder. Honestly, the tree is only about 150 cm tall, but still was rather heavy after the 500 metres. Also I was wheelbarrowing some soi in bags, digging the grass where one of the garden beds was to be put etc. Each day, I measured parts of the work. Around 3 hours of the actual work in the garden helped me burn around 1000 kcal. Not bad
Tuesday 2.4. Kids class: Only three kids today and one friend who joins to exercise when he arrives early in the dojo. He also can't believe how misbehaved the kids can be (and they weren't at their worst today, definitely) and tried to help me by explaining why they should do this and that, but.... that was just all the stuff I already tried, so I could see how that wasn't going to work Still, they were quite cooperative today. We worked on harai uke and did a couple of combinations with it - second bunkai of GKN and a drill where one kicks mea geri and the partner steps aside and blocks. Just before the class sensei called he wasn't going to make it today. I didn't have much time to prepare anything, only some hojo undo - or circuit training (we skipped kongoken and chi ishi, since young girls from my kids class started attending the adults and there was no chance they could handle those), so we did stuff like skipping, Miyagi's garden, belly exercises, Gekisai Dai Ichi kata, makiwara, nigiri game, makiage kigu, handing a gymball from hands to feet and touching it to the floor while lying on the back and back planks + tricep push-ups. And a kihon technique between each of the nine stations. I wanted to go through bunkai at the end, but my original plan was to leave half an hour earlier as I am rather busy lately and still had work to do. Managed to get my Polar to work by restarting and re-installing everything, but in the end a used battery of a different kind helped. Polar results: Time: 2:37 Max HR: 107 Average HR: 168 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 748 Fat burn: ? %
Wednesday Karate at Uni: Game of tag, some push-ups and partner exercises, San Dan Gi Ichi, little bit of pads and wall sit at the end. A bit less tiring than usual, but still a nice class. Polar goes on strike again
Thursday 4.4. Karate: Sensei was absent, so we did some combinations, kihon, kihon ido and bunkai of Gekisai Dai Ichi and Ni. I think. Polar doesn't work, so no results. Tuesday 9.4. Kids: A new boy, a friend of one who is coming for some time. His dad wanted him to do some sport as he isn't very fit. I think he may have enjoyed the class despite me urging him to try some bodyweight exercises like push-ups, squats and sit-ups. He basically couldn't do either, but I wanted him to try to do the easiest version of those I could think of, only a few times. I hope he'll come back. Karate: Sensei came and we focuse the class of yose ashi - a type of movement. Also picked one bunkai that we practised solo for quite some time and then under pressure. Polar doesn't work. I skipped all the other trainings last week. I won't buy crossfit as the 10 classes I buy are time-limited and Eastern holidays as well as some other Czech holidays are coming and I am quite sure I wouldn't be able to attend all the classes. Skipped some karate for time reasons and cause my pollen allergy striked me. I couldn't get hold of my allergologist, at least my mom gave me some tablets she had, too. I just went there in the end without announcing myself to get all the pills, sprays and ihaler I needed.
I am training rather scarcely lately.... Tuesday 16.4.19 Kid class: Some bodyweight exercises, tsuki and a bit of San Dan Gi Ichi at the end. Adult class: Somehow only three brownbelts including me turned up, and sensei. However, sensei appologized that he is probably going to leave as there were no lower belts anywey and advised us on what to practise. Honestly, I would be very happy for a class where we can practise for a potential black belt grading, but there aren't really many, if any. I was a little dissappointed sensei had to leave, but on the other hand, since it was only the three of us, we could practise our stuff and not think of a program for anyone else. So we focused on kata. Everyone took turns to perform all the kata we knew in front of the others, who each gave a piece of critique. It took most of the two hours, but was great. Then we wanted to practise bunkai, but didn't have much time, so I asked we practise Shisochin bunkai, as I didn't get much practise and I am not sure I even remember them all in order. Luckily I wasn't the only one. But we remembered them together and practise and discussed and try to adjust to our collective knowledge at least. It turned out to be a great training. Despite sensei not being there to give advise, it was exactly the type of training I would need. Chest strap is still out of order. I didn't make it to any other trainings last week due to time and due to my pollen allergy, which sucks the energy out of me. Friday to Sunday however, I have walked 12, 8, and 8 km each day respectively on a nice walk. Very slowly up the hill as breathing was a bit harder and I wasn't feeling all that great as a results. I love spring, naterue and flowers, but, unfortunately, my body not so much ....
Tuesday Karate Kids: Around 6 or 7 kids today. I did start with a fun game they suggested last time and I promised it for today. We included some footwork in it and made it into a competition in the end. I gave some soem burpees when they were acting up. In the end, we did some together - I mean everyone, and I managed to hype them into a competition so they would be a bit enthusiastic about it. We didn't do many techniques, but worked on some kihon ido - Mae geri and kizami tsuki. It the end, the lesson laster around 1 hour and 20 minutes. Meaning there were 20 mins extra as the wall clock don't work... Karate adults I had a missed call from sensei, which kind of looked like ther would be a problem with him coming today again. Indeed, he had some work and couldn't make it. But suggested we sork on Seiyunchin bunkai. Sett led the class in the end, as I had some work to do instead of the warm up and then left earlier for the same reason, too. Polar still doesn't work.
Thursday 25.4. I arrived a bit later, missed the warm-up, did 20 push-ups instead. Luckily, sensei was there, which was great. Honestly, I didn't have many classes with him lately. We again, worked on Seiyunhcin bunkai, from the first up to eight. Did some under pressure, too. The two hours passes quickly and sensei wanted to finish the bunkai (there are 12), so he asked if we have time to stay longer, but unfortunately some people didn't, so the class was ended there. One kata of choice at the end - Shisochin for me. Managed to repair my chest strap! I had no idea it could be reset by pressuring whatever which doesn't look like anything to press and it works! Polar results: Time: 1:49 Max HR: 172 Average HR: 122 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 712 Fat burn: 39 %
Uff, I have a lot of stuf to do lately and was harder or me to come back here and log in! Luckily, my Polar remembers I haven't been to much karate and I am not going to crossfit at the moment, so I have only a few home bodyweight and kettlebell (and rubberbands) trainings and Tuesday karate. I've also done severa hour or longer walks since then, but I won't be logging those. Sunday 28.4.: Home kettlebell and bodyweight training: Time: 0:32 Max HR: 178 Average HR: 153 Training benefit: Tempo & Steady State training Kcal: 316 Fat burn: 20 %
3.5. Home kettlebell, bodyweight, ab wheel and rubber bands training: Time: 1:00 Max HR: 176 Average HR: 143 Training benefit: Steady State & Tempo training Kcal: 521 Fat burn: 26 %
6.5. Home kettlebell, bodyweight and ab wheel training (a bit slower-paced) Time: 0:36 Max HR: 169 Average HR: 142 Training benefit: Steady State training Kcal: 303 Fat burn: 27 %
7.5. Karate kids: Only two kids today, practising somersaults (as one couldn't do them) and the other was way too good Was hard to teach them at the same time. The dad of the new boy asked me to teach him somersaults so I tried, but I didn't have the courage to just grab him and throw him over for fear he will put his hands where he shouldn't, I wouldn't put enough strenght in it and he'd end up falling on his head. So then I asked the dad to come inside and try with him, since he really wanted to teach him. He was a bit stricter then me and after working with the other boy, when I turned, his son was being thrown around into nice somersaults He seemed happy to be able to accomplish that, even if with dad's help Karate adults: Sensei just returned from a black belt seminar in Germany taught by sensei Nakamura full of motivation. So we did several exercises to relax the body, use the gravitation to strike etc. I could totally see sensei Nakamura performing what sensei tried to explain to us. Sensei Nakamura can be really relaxed and o this kind of stuff very well. I wish I was able to learn that. He reminds mo of a cat or a fish sometimes Howevr, when we tried, we all looked pretty stupid, hahaha Then we did some other things, we went through all our kata with sensei pointing out some things we should improve or that he learned and we did quite a bit of kakie and locks, ude garami, and excaping from the locks before their locked and locking our partner instead. It was a very nice training. It also lasted nearly an hour longer than usual, in the end. Time: 2:24 (I started it late) Max HR: 159 Average HR: 117 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 845 Fat burn: 43 %
14.5. Karate kids: 6 kids today, 2 or 3 of whom were doing whatever except for what I asked them for. Plenty of burpees today. I can't really handle them when they start like this. The youngest admitted he didn't want to come today, so he was acting up because of that. I wonder if it really was just on purpose. We did some partner exercises for workout and fun, game of tag, Junbi Undo, San Dan Gi quickly, kata and mae geri practise. And a bit of theory. Karate adults: Sensei, unfortunately, didn't arrive today yet again. He didn't let us know in advance. I had to take care of something, so I joined the class later, led by the other 1st kyu student. I joined for some kicking practise and then for Seiyunchin bunkai in pairs, then under a bit of pressure. Time: 3:18 Max HR: 155 Average HR: 105 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 905 Fat burn: 48 %
Friday 17.5.-19.5. 2019 11th Spring Gasshuku in Jindřichův Hradec with sensei Jorge Monteiro (8th dan, Portugal) and sensei Sydney Leijenhorst (6th dan, Netherlands) After a while our teachers invited senior IOGKF instructors to the Czech Republic for a weekend seminar. On Thursday already I went with sensei and a couple of other students from our dojo for a dinner with sensei Monteiro, who just arrived and his two students who were accompanying him (and who both looked seriously 20 years younger than they were as per everyone's guesses XD) Friday training (18:00 - 21:00) Friday afternoon we left Prague to drive for about a couple hours to Jindřichův Hradec. We wanted to be on time for the training, so we had half an hour time reserve. And additional 10 minuted that we set for a friend, who always arrives late to the meeting place. Well, we set additional 10 minutes for her, we both arrived 10 minutes earlier still to buy a snack and make sure we're on time, but.... we then waited for the late coming friend for another hour! So basically we arrived half an hour into the training... Again, like last time on a seminar in Bratislava, we faced the awkward situation of coming into the gym and now, what to do? We were about to sit down until one of the senseis notice us and allowes us to join, but sensei Monteiro saw us before we even sat down. So we joined the Junbi Undo led by sensei Sydney. After the Junbi Undo we split into two groups - kids and adults. Sensei Monteiro taught San Dan Gi finished with some takedowns, which was fun. Sensei's student was close and sometimes pointed out some mistakes to me or his partner, but nothing too profound, since he didn't speak English very well and... well, Czech and Portugese really aren't similar languages. After an hour and a half, the training for kids was over, so the new groups we split into were black belts and everyone else. This time we had a block with sensei Sydney. He taught some very interesting principles of energy, settling down or getting agitated for action, generating power etc. We did several exercises to show and try how to generate power and then applied it to Gekisai Dai Ichi kata. Also we tried to apply the body mechanics to a basically one inch strike we practised with a partner. Toward the end, sensei asked who knows Shisochin kata. It was me, Sett, and another brown belt from Slovakia. We were to show it to everyone alse and sensei explained some things on that. For some reason, as it happens to me lately, I had a headache for most of the afternoon. I wasn't feeling very comfortable especially when working in pairs and getting any impact. Towards the end I started feeling not very well and for a moment was considering if I should appologize and go sit as I was getting a little nauseaous/dizzy. I didn't, but had to crouch for a bit as I was afraid I'd just fall over if this goes on. The worst, however, went over quickly, and the end of the training was nigh. As a side point, since the end of April, I was, again, consideting doing meditation as a regular exercise. I don't have any kind of teacher, so I was googling as much info as I could. And just as I arrived today, sensei Sydney was talking about ki and stuff that sounded familiar and seemed nicely compatible with some of the principles I read about. It was really interesting to listen and try to implement some of the things he was teaching. After the training, around 20 of us went to a restaurant for a dinner. We arrived a bit late as we were picking another friend from a train station and somehow, the last free spots were just next to senseis. So I sat right next to sensei Sydney. Sensei Sydney had a great English, so we were talking a little. I couldn't help but ask if he does meditation. Wow, I learned he practises tibetan buddhism for over 40 years and actually teaches it as well as karate and Qi Gong (another art I was wanting to learn for a while, but there is only so much time...). The way sensei connects those things is really interesting! I hoped to learn more. Polar results: Time: 2:32 Max HR: 129 Average HR: 171 Training benefit: Basic & Steady State training, long Kcal: 1107 Fat burn: 34 %
Friday 17.5.-19.5. 2019 11th Spring Gasshuku in Jindřichův Hradec with sensei Jorge Monteiro (8th dan, Portugal) and sensei Sydney Leijenhorst (6th dan, Netherlands) Saturday training (10:00-15:00) For today's training, there were more people compared to yesterday as not everyone could make it on Friday evening. The day started with Junbi Undo led by sensei Jorge. We did some footwork as a part of it, too. After that we were divided into two groups again. This time, however brown belts were grouped with black belts, as we practised kata Shisochin and later Sanseru with sensei Jorge. Becasue the group was mostly of black belts, I stood in the last line and first there - so I was in a complete corner, and unable to see sensei perfectly at all times. Therefore, what I definitely did not expect, was him checking my kata when we were all doing Shisochin! Sensei remembered I said at the dinner that we were going to try to go for our black belt in Okinawa, so he paid attention. He pointed to me and pointed a mistake. After that, he asked if I was going for a black belt, but when he asked like that, I would scratch my neck and was feeling like giving it up already Sensei brought me forward, asking if I didn't mind he'd show stuff (mistakes) on me. I didn't, but well.... I always wanted to be the "don't do it like her" example XD Sensei pointed out the position on my feet in one tricky step, which were a bit too close - closer than my shoulder width. He explained how to do it right and asked me to show the part again. I did. And then sensei told me to do the next (same) step and... my mind was busy with something that for a moment I forgot to keep sensei's correction in mind and just as I laid my foot down, I knew I did it wrong and cursed a little. My dojo's sensei was standing right in front of me and started laughing after hearing me curse and knowing exactly why I had... I went to say my thanks to sensei Jorge later, though. It doesn't happen very often that a gust sensei on a seminar like that would look my way all the way to the back and give specific corrections. It was very helpful. We then worked on the kata with sensei Jorge pointing out several details and mechanics, which was great and very useful. I wrote everything down later and will try to adjust my kata accordingly. The next block we had in the same groups was with sensei Sydney. We worked on kakie. There was an odd number of people, so me, Sett and another brown belt friend made a group of three and took turns. We also did quite a lot of various locks, and escapes ending in locks on our part. Many things that looked not very easy when sensei showed them, but once I got the knack for them were rather fun! Sensei was also again talking about the relationship of form and energy and how to use tanden and many other things. What had us staring with wide eyes was when he took sensei Jorge's student, a bulky man who teaches fitness classes back at home and my friends said how strong he was after pairing up with him. Sensei Sydney, who looked rather small compared to him, showed kakie and explained how to use power, mechanics, etc. We couldn't believe our eyes, when sensei was explaining and puhing the bulky guy back. The student (who, however has a lot of experience and a 4th dan) was struggling hard, to push sensei's hand back and soon he had no choice but to use both his arms to push sensei's hand back. We just couldn't believe our eyes. That was just amazing! For the last exercise of the block, sensei took the other studen of sensei Jorge and demonstrated an exercise he called "Top Dog". Basically we were allowed to only grab on arms of our partner, and the goal was to get into a better position, to struggle to be the top dog. Sensei was just pulling the student from one lock to another, producing various faces in his partner's face, none of which looked very happy. We tried probably three rounds of this, and I partnered up with three of our country's brown belts, all guys. The last one was the strongest and since we used a lot of strenght instead of fluidity as none of us did this exercise before, I went quite tired to get a drink when we had a break. But I didn't let any of them get their way ^^ There were probably more blocks in the day, we also did some more San Dan Gi, I think, but... it is hard to rememeber! EDIT: Oh, I know! In a group of all kyu grades, sensei Jorge listened to our sensei's suggestion and we spent the block working on Renzoku kumite. Sensei Jorge was a bit reluctant as there were also white belts, but our sensei is fond of Renzoku kumite and tries to teach it early. Therefore sensei Jorge seemed nicely surprised that even the youngsters and white belts were able to do it, more or less. Also, at the beginnig sensei Sydney mentioned our head sensei asked him to do a short lesson about meditation. Wow, I didn't really have a chance to talk to our sensei, so it was nice he would like the same, too! Sensei Sydney, however, said that he's not sure if there would be time - of course, I suppose not everyone would be interested anyway, and he talked about how karate is a meditation in action. The good think that today, the headache or any dizziness was gone and I felt great throughout the training Polar results: Time: 5:00 Max HR: 113 Average HR: 172 Training benefit: Basic, long Kcal: 1617 Fat burn: 43 % After the seminar today, our group - car - went back to Sett's cottage closeby where we slept. One of our friends, a brown belt, who started karate together with Sett, at the same time as me, is actually a buddhist. I heard that, but he doesn't mention anything related usually. However, with my keen eye looking for anything that could help me learn about meditation spotted his posture sitting on his bad before we went to sleep last night, as well as praying beads on his bad in his morning. We had a few hours before the Sayonara party, so I took the iniciative to ask him about it, too, and maybe give me some points. It turned out he practices Tibetan buddhism for many years as well and so we talked about it and types and ways of meditation for an hour or two. Then we went for a dinner - Sayonara party. Again, we arrived late and we could again pick places either next to senseis or at the end of the table, so.... :3 I again ended up sitting next to sensei Sydney. I introduced my buddhist friend to sensei Sydney and they were having a conversation about their buddhist practise. I tried to listen to learn anything, but... I really didn't understand as they were using a lot of strange names and talking about lineages I knew nothing about. But I did ask sensei about some tips, later, too, and supported sensei's idea to do a short introduction to meditation at the seminar tommorrow. For the rest of the evening, sensei Jorge was called away by the group of Slovaks who were probably planning some kind of event and wanted to talk it over with sensei, while a group of us talked about various stuff with sensei Sydney. A lot of interesting stuff.
Friday 17.5.- Sunday 19.5. 2019 11th Spring Gasshuku in Jindřichův Hradec with sensei Jorge Monteiro (8th dan, Portugal) and sensei Sydney Leijenhorst (6th dan, Netherlands) Sunday training (9:00-14:00) Today was agian sensei Sydney's turn to do the Junbi Undo. He did a lot of shikodachi exercises which were great to tire my legs out, but also stretch nicely. Too bad I can't remember them all :'( At the end of this Junbi Undo block, sensei asked us to sit down in seiza or cross-legged and actually did a very short meditation course! Meditation is a little abstract to me still and I am wonderign how to go about it, what to do exactly, etc. Sensei now used a nice metaphore for what to do with our mind and thoughts and what meditation is. I think he expalined very well and comprehensibly. After that he gave us a minute to try to only focus on hour breath as he gave us some guidelines. In the break that followed, I went to write down sensei's explanation, as I really liked it Later we thanked sensei personally for listening to our wishes and actually doing the introduction to meditation For the next block, we were again grouped with the black belts. We did some kakie again, however, this time with sensie Jorge. We were told to make pairs and I picked the brown belt I struggled with for the top dog exercise yesterday. He is a guy and maybe more that a head taller than me. Only then sensei said that we are going to be doign an exercise where we catch our partner's arm both lower our center of gravity and we try to pull him several steps back, while he doesn't want to let us. Well, he should have said so before I picked my partner! I appologised to him and my partner said he was going to go easy on me, however, I ended up pulling him more staps than he me. I wonder if he reall went easy, because when being pulled, I usually let him pull me at the end, too. But I actually think being small and having a lower center of gravity is really underestimated! The block continues with several locks - head lock, neck locks, and takedowns, too. I got an unwanted attention when we were doing an exercise where we begin with kakie, pull the opponent, use his energy to turn him, getting behind him and getting a ...uh, what is it called? rear naked choke? ... on him. I remembered the technique from sensei's demonstration, so I started, but... not having changed the partner, I forgot I would have to do something about his height first.... so I... stupidly and partially in fun as it seemed too late to do anything about it anyway - jumped up on him - like I sometimes do to het head-height techniques on tall guys... And... of course, sensei saw me XD So again, he stopped everyone, took us to the front and showed for everyone what to do an a much taller partner. Yeah, gotta admit, his way was much better XD For the next block, the black belts were a group on their own and we became a part of the other group - all kyu grades. Sensei Sydney taught us San Dan Gi. In a special way. We practised a lot on our own and than in pairs. This inusual way did not come natural to me and figuring it out in a pair wasn't very easy and I could't help reversing which foot moves first and some other stuff. So I struggled and was a bit angry with myself. But I kept the cursing mostly to myself as sensei talked to us about how we should programme our mind and only do clever things. Not stupid ones like, for example... getting angry at ourselves when we can't do what is asked of us XD At the end we did the Top Dog exercise again. Again, forcing it with stranght and not much of an idea how to get my partner in a lock from it, I started with Sett. The round seemed long and I got tired, luckily, Sett seemed, too, so We weren't as aggressive toward the end anymore. When we were to change partners, I was close to another of my brown belt partners from yesterday, but I was in the middle of proclaiming: I need someone small and weak! Oh, come, my friend! XD I think he actually took a bit seriously and was a little angry with me, hahaha He got me in a nice lock once, though, I had to tap. Shame on me! Later we ended up in a symmetrical grip. My partner was pushing me his way, to perhaps take me down, but one step behind his leg and I could say: "hey, I can do just the same!". Unexpectedly, his reaction was getting up on the balls of his feet and "But I'm taller!" My third parter was another brown belt, another guy, so I thin I tried really hard and pushed myself. Honestly, though, I am happy for all my kettlebell work-outs. I won't make it easy for anyone! it was awesome, though, that from the Czech Republic, in our group, there were four brown belts, all guys who I know would make great partners and I will be able to practise well whatever we have to practise with either of them. And them being guys means they will push me, which was great For the last block, our kyu group had sensei Jorge. He practised kata - all of them, once with us and then bunkai. He put us into three groups accirding to bellts and in each round each of the group was shown a bunkai to practise. Then we practised with four attackers in a group - all three bunkai. As for the last exercise, sensei told me to pick a partner. I pointed at on of the brown belts, for example. The exercise was that in pairs, one, now me, would run across half the gym, do a kata - Shisochin in our case - while the other would hold a position sensei would show until I run back and tap my partner, after which we change places. First was holding in a push-up position - plank, but on hands. I made sure to do a proper position and not bend like most of hte people I could see, and look forward. My partner took the longest doing his kata and etiquette in a slow pace, that sensei had to remark he probably doesn't like me too much. Hmph. And there I was, rushing it after my partner pleaded with me to be quick. I wasn't particularly in a rush anymore For the second round, the position was holding in a squat. Sensei showed with only somewhet bent knees. A friend next to me said after a while, frightened: "I... I can't possibly last in this position for this long!" I was sure we can do it, so I tried to cheer him up. I wanted to push myslef, so I lowered a bit more, until getting my thighs parallel to the floor. Sensei praised my low posture, although... I am not actually sure if this didn't make it easier? As I hed to bend my body quite a bit too. I was shaking by the end, of course, but we I wonder.... For the last round, sensei found out that Shisochin takes longer than Saifa or Gakisai Dai Ichi which the lower grades did, so he ordered us to do Saifa as well, for the last round. The last position was lying down on our back, lifting our legs slightly above the floor. I was very confident I could do this. I did, as everyone else, but it turned out to be more difficult than I expected. Well, we had many ours of training behind us already. I really enjoyed this exercise, though, and it was the type that made me energetic just enough and hyped for more training. Too bad this was the very end of the seminar The whole gasshuku was awesome, though! Both senseis were really knowlegeable, nice and great teachers. Too bad we can't have seminars like this more often I am looking forward to meeting all the guests again in Okinawa this summer Polar results: Time: 5:03 Max HR: 120 Average HR: 180 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 1878 Fat burn: 38 %
Tuesday 21.5. Busy, busy, only went to teach the kids today. My new garden's grass we sewed and fertilized to grow nice and thick, grew really nice and thick and in the past rainy week also very fast. I only have a reel mower and while it usually works nice, let me tell you it is not the best for a bit overgrown and wet grass. I spent nerly three hours mowing just half of my not so big garden, and is was quite a work-out. Some workers watched me while smoking and they commented on how I work hard, good thing their work was easier I couldn't resist to set the mowing as a training on my Polar watch after a while. The last part of the training was spent hand cutting the grass around the plants, so not all of it was so difficult. Polar results: Time: 2:24 Max HR: 151 Average HR: 123 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 1007 Fat burn: 42 % Only two boys present - the two friends, one preparing for an orange belt, one beginner. I had them warm up with a slapping game, where, actually, the beginner, who is well... not very fit (which is the reason his dad brought him in the first place), who's also younger and usually rather clumsy, held the upper hand! What a nice surprise After, since the grading is approaching, I wanted to focus a bit on that and went with both of them through some kihon needed for the first grading. Later, because of the older boy and his grading, we worked a bit on Renzoku kumite he is not very sure about. Unfortunately, although I tried to hurry, I had to explain the kihon techniques before and only had like 10 mins for the Renzoku. But we did what we could. Then I told the boys a national weekend seminar in Southern Bohemia was approaching. Since I could smell the beginning of some excuses, I straight away told the older boy that the seminar is compulsory for him (since he trains for a long time and it is always a very good seminar where everyone will learn a lot and he can actually do his grading there), so he shut his mouth The dad of the younger boy always watches the classes and he did show some interest. So I gave him all the info I know for now, assured him that as a parent he can definitely come, too, and even train with us if he wishes and he seemed like he liked the idea and could take both the boys there Polar results: Time: 1:13 Max HR: 152 Average HR: 103 Training benefit: Basic training Kcal: 305 Fat burn: 53 % Sensei appologized in advance today that he couldn't come. I had some work to do, so I didn't go to the adults class, either. (But I think I had plenty of work-out earlier today ) And had to skip Thursday class, too. As I compensation I went out for a short walk since the weather was finally nice. (It been quite cold and raining since the beginning of the month)- I am leaving for a birdwatching holiday next week and there are still things to take care of until then, so I will most likely not make both trainings next week, either.
