Tuesday 15.10. Karate Kids: One new kid today, and a girl whom I haven't seen since June (she was ill) showed up, too. 12 kids in the class, but still 2 missing. What a big class! It was actually more fun to teach compared to 2-4 kids. Except for the one troublemaker who successfully annoys the other kids, too. I still have no idea how to make him behave. I tried to simply ignore him more when he was just messing around. I can't focus the class around trying to do something about him. Despite there being newcomers I simply don't want ot spend all classes teaching tsuki and hiza geri again and again. We did some little sparring with gloves (one boy was nagging me about it since the start of the season, so I finally allowed it. Well, he got hit, or so he said, but it definitely didn't look like any big hit and ended up crying and not participating in the class afterwords. Until I thought he took a long enough rest and was more sulking now than anything so I just told him he plead with me to do this and I didn't want to precisely for this reason, but he has no business just sitting doing nothing. Although unexpectedly that made him get up and join us. We practised some kihon and kata at the end, and a game. Karate adults: Sensei arrived an hour late. Sett taught the class, I joined for Junbi Undo and then we did kihon vrious kihon ido techniques until sensei arrived. There was supposed to be a kumite training on Sunday, but wasn't, so sensei rescheduled the kumite for today. We practised various combinations in pairs, then did a short free sperring at the end of the class. It was quite fun. I forgot to measure the kids class today, but I wasn't particularly active there anyway. Polar results: Time: 1:37 Max HR: 175 Average HR: 126 Training benefit: Basic & Steady State training, long Kcal: 672 Fat burn: 37 %
Karate at Uni 16.10. A teacher allowed us in the tatami room when she was leaving, which doesn't usually happen due to some weird rules, etc. While waiting inside, sensei was nowhere to be seen, so after 15 minutes or so I called him. He said he was really sorry, he said he was in a car crash today. He was ok, but the car suffered some damage. He was now home and only asked me if I could teach the classes and to wear the students out a bit. So I did Beginner class: We only had an hour left. I started by dividing the 8 of us into two teams who competed in running and various other stuff in one or two people at a time. Junbi Undo. I announced my and the kids' from the dojo favourite game where every single person has to stop the class at some point and announce which bodyweight exercise we do 10x (or more or less depending on the difficulty). I started with 10 Neko Undo and the students continued with some nice exercises, some of which were new to me. A good inspiration perhaps We worked on hize geri and tsuki, which they already learned in the first two classes. I introduced mae geri and we practised that kick quite a bit, too. Honestly, I was ather tired even after the first class, we did quite a bit of bodyweight exercises. Advanced class: Four students actually stayed for the advanced class, too. Therefore I wanted to vary things a little. For a warm-up we did somehting I took from Crossfit - 6 round of 6 push-ups, bear walk across the room, 6 squats and frog jumps back. Junbi Undo with some footwork, hiza geri and proper stretching. I introduced the same work-out game where everyone stops the class and announces an exercise. I forgot to check if everyone actually did that. This time there were more students and they were generally eager. I think not all of them had their turn, but most did, at least. We practised the three blocks, some of which they supposedly knew, or at least some of them, to work it up to San Dan Gi practise. We did a few rounds solo, I didn't want to spend an eternity with it and do more stuff, too. We had time for a brief kicking kihon ido - practising mae and mawashi geri. For the last few minutes I played the Bring Sally Up song, to again raise the legs up and down while lying on the floor, never putting the feet on the floor. I quite enjoy this as I don't find it particularly hard, but apparently most people do So I can just be entertained with their suffering One guy actually lasted till the end! After stopping the training on my chest strap, I thought it would show quite an intense training, and it sure did. I might have overdone it again. Honestly though I really really enjoyed today. I worked myself hard enough to actually really feel that wave of energy at the end and it did lift my mood. On the other hand, I can already feel several muscles ending today. I suppose tommorrow will be hard Polar results (including around 20 minutes of wait before we started the class. otherwise the results would be even more fun) Time: 2:37 Max HR: 183 Average HR: 148 (lol, I have spent 1 hour and 8 mins in the 4th HR zone, 11 in the 5th) Training benefit: Tempo training + (hardly ever achieved) Kcal: 1455 Fat burn: 21 %
Thursday 17.10. Karate: Arrived nearly half an hour late due to work, buying a snack as I was seriously hungry upon arrival, and traffic. It seemed I only just missed the warm-up, which looked like some kind of a game I wasn't familiar with. Joined at the beginning of Junbi Undo. There was a new girl today, a young one, I'd say 13 yo at most, who did Shotoka before for a year or two. She seemed rather timid and unfortunately the two girls her age we have have been missing today. Sensei told us to get gloves and partner up. In pairs, always rotating and changing partner - every other person in line - we practised Renzoku kumite. Bit by bit. Meaning first three steps for several rounds etc. Probably due to me missing the beginning, I didn't rocognize we were going to do Renzoku, which always starts with the left punch, and therefore I was changing sides with my partners. Like the new girl who obviously didn't know Renzoku. Until sensei asked me what I was doing. I made a guilty face and the girls started laughing. It didn't help I messed something u the next time we turned the round and she was my partner again. I was glad she was becoming more relaxed at least and I told her I seriously don't suck as much as it looks like. The third round, she had a wide smile only upon meeting me. I am not sure if I was more happy or sad about it She left in earlier. At aournd that time, sensei joined in, also instead of a friend, who has hurt her albow months ago and it still hurts her, as sensei wanted us to do it more like a sparring and really try to hit each other properly. Sensei then had a position that me and Sett, the highest grades present always skipped him. When we were rotating after some time, I saw sensei thing and swith positions with his neighbor, which obviously meant he was looking for a way to get his way to us. I was rather sad about it as it looked like I'd get a proper beating in a couple of rounds or so when we turn. Then sensei changed his mind and directly chenged positions with my partner. He didn't even want to wait Sensei seemed very happy about all this. Then, before I knew it, I had my nose punched, just BEFORE - I swear it was before - sensei even said "Hajime!". So I totally complained about it! Since we always did three rounds with each partner before turning, we had two more attempts. For the second one, sensei said "Hajime!" and did nothing, no attack for a good few seconds. I was wondering what's going on and just as I was confused, I got punched straight in my nose again, sensei grinning: "So, what excuse do you have now?" I was getting slightly angry now thinking of a way to block and definitely punch him back!!! So sensei said that since I have an excuse for everything, I will be the one saying "hajime" now. So I though of a strategy, sensei prepared himself, ready and eager to start at any moment, so that when I didn't say anything for a few seconds, he had to do a step forward as he was moving his center of gravity towards me eager to attack. I was prepared to give it my all, but... stil got punched again The punch always threw me off and therefore I was never able to punch sensei back in the second attack, which was me attacking him. My next turn meeting him, I was still starting with my hands by my side, but never managed to block. Once I just stepped backwards triumphant I excaped being punched again, that I totally forgot I am so far now I have to way to get my attack through. As the rounds were by, we were doing more and more of the Renzoku kumite, so I basically only got punches to the stomach again. Not that I was too late for them, but if sensei seriously wanted to hit me, he simply would. And I nearly never got any punches back on him as he was simply too far for me to reach. Which seriously made me angry, so it soon became something slose to a brawl, where I always got punched, but charged right back at sensei only to get punched again. I was thinking up strategies of how to get him or thinking of other stuff, that I sometimes forgot I was saying the "hajime" still. Even after we got a short break. I was wondering why nothing was happening for so long. And it turned out it was my fault At one point we circled and I met sensei the other way around - me starting with the first punch. One would say, as my friend closeby did, that I would be happy about that. Honestly, I wasn't. Firstly, I'd still not be able to punch him, and second, only his side was doing the kicking now. Meaning that not only will I get the same amount of punches, now I'll eat some mae geri's too. Luckily, sensei wasn't going with too much power there. When it was my time to kick later, that were the only hits that managed to touch him. My reach with my legs if finally better than sensei's arms! We kept doing this for more than an hour it seemed. So it was rather tiring. At the end we did some belly exercises. Polar results Time: 1:25 Max HR: 183 Average HR: 126 Training benefit: Tempo training Kcal: 579 Fat burn: 31 %
Friday 18.10. Tai chi: We again practised the standing for around 10 minutes at the beginning and a lot of silk reeling. Various types until we were shown how to chain them almost in a short form of only all the types of silk reeling. We also did a bit of the stepping we started on last time. The instructor told us next training he will show us the last form of silk reeling - which is forward and then, in November, we can slowly stat learning the form, too. Felt good today, I think my movements in the silk reeling are getting a bit smoother.
Saturday 19.10. A friend of ours, our Kobudo teacher, is opening a dojo in his home. I prepared the desing for his dojo's logo and he invited us along with a few other people for an official dojo opening today. He has prepared a lot of equipment, although the room itself is quite small. He was having a few trainings over the weekend, we were invited for Saturday afternoon for Kobudo training. We brought our sai and practised (or re-learned) the basic techniques - Hojo Undo and practised a two-step kumite drills with a partner. Then we also learned the basic techniques with tonfa. It was my first time learning anything about tonfa and I was fairly clumsy. The training lasted 2 hours and I realised it is such a pity we kind of stopped kobudo. I asked to teacher to let us know if he's going to do any trainings. He is busy now, thought, so it won't be anytime soon. But I would prefer occassional anyway. Too little time for anymore trainings. Sunday was planned to go do a karate training in a dojo not to far from Prague, bus sensei cancelled it in the end. Too bad, it almost looked like I could get 6 trainings under my belt this week Oh well, maybe next time
Monday 21.10. I went to all the karate trainings I could last week, taught the two on Wednesday, which led to me getting a nice workout I felt really happy about. And despite planning to do a few kettlebell sessions at home before I decide to actually go, I started itching for some CrossFit. Unfortunately there isn't too much room to fit even CrossFit in, but Monday was a free and perfect day for me, so I planned for today to go! And I did In the meantime, I was watching the gym's owner, Soňa, who works herself really hard. Since starting the gym she won the Games I think and got the title of the fittest Czech in the elite category three times in a row. She travels abroad to various crossfit competitions and this year, she and another new instructor from the gym went to compete to the CrossFit Games to the USA, representing Czech Republic. If I understood well, it was the first time our country was represented there. Since then I saw Soňa in various media doing interviews about CrossFit, promoting her gym or talking about the bodyweight exercises done correctly etc. I think she's doing a great job overall. I originally went to this crossfit gym without even knowing anything about crossfit for the sole reason that it opened just 200 m from the place I used to live. And now I think I couldn't wish for a better one. CROSSFIT (Last time I went was 8x in Feburary and before then it was in October a year ago...) I picked the earliest class I used to go to and there weren't too many people there, which was good, too. Only three of us today, plus instructor M. Instructor M is a young lad whom I know best from the instructors. Actually he now lives in my boyfriend's parents house as he was looking for a place to rent in that area and they were preparing part of the house for a rental When I entered the gym, I was immediately welcomed by a bulldog who wasn't listening to his human calling for him to come back to the changing room. The gym is very dog friendly, so I meet dogs here often, but not this one yet. I petted him and before I knew it I had half of my face licked in one go. The dog warmed up to me and came to cuddle when I was just taking a drinking break later. And tried to steal my lifting gloves! Anyway as I was petting the dog in the entrance I heard instructor M calling: "What are you doing here?" Wondering if I was doing a come back. Well, a little one hopefully. I later explained I would love to start coming more often, but I will probably only be able to make it around once a week due to my karate trainings and because I started the Tai chi. Contrary to what I half expected, M said: "Oh, Tai chi? Tai chi is good!" Soňa arrived to the gym later and as always I am still admiring her memory for names (or which I have nearly none), as she went: "Oh, hi Martina!" I went to the gym hoping to find my CrossFit shoes I left in the shoe shelves. They were there indeed! Phew. Although, I had to remove the layer of dust off them, ehm There were some changes to the changing rooms and the WoDs weren't written on the white board, but a screen was installed to displey the detailed program for each lesson instead. Someone has obviously become lazy to write The program was full of just crazy shortcuts in the beginning letters of the names of the exercises and was kind of chaotic to easily decipher. Ok, enough for the intro. Today's program was: Warm-up: 6 mins of: 30 mins rowing 10 squat jumps on a 15 kg disc 6 burpees. Ankle mobility and stretching Weigh lifting: Find 3 RM for power clean. The instructor encouraged me to take it easy and don't overdo the weights today, which corresponded with my plan. He told me to go up to 60-70%. If he meant the percantage of my 3RM I definitely went higher, I probably couldn't lift much more, but well, 60% would seriously bee too little I went up to 45 kg. and did 2x3 lifts and then an occasional lift whilst waiting for the other guys to finish. One behing me was getting seriously angry at himself for struggling with 80 kg. I told him to breath in deeply and calm down. Instructor M nodded: Yeah, listen to her, she does Tai chi. Or something. After we finished we were supposed to do 6 more lifts of 90% of that weight, one clean every 45 s. I was told to just keep this weight. Maybe it really looked like it was nothing, but I was really working myself there CrossFit WoD: 15 min timecap for 2 rounds of: 24 box jump-overs 12 hang power cleans with a couple of dumbbells or kettlebells. Never did this before so I asked for advise which to choose. The RX was 12 kg kettlebells or 15 kg dumbbells for women. I completely forgot it was the RX, not the recomended weight. I was recomended to take it easy and do with 10 kg dumbbells. Dumbbells were supposedly easier. Lol, I found that weight not easy at all. At least for the next exercise with them. 6 strict pull-ups or ring rows (I picked the latter) 12 box step-overs with the same dumbbells - now this was harder (on a 20 inch box) 24 push-ups - women were allowed to have knees onthe floor, but if I can halp it, I always go for the normal ones. At least push-ups should be done properly, if nothing else I finished last, at 10 mins 3 s. Was very very sweaty and breathing hard. Although not completely exhausted that I'd have to lay down for a moment as I often was. I will hopefully be able to adapt to the CrossFit routine again. I enjoyed the training and I am already thinking of how to fit at least two trainings in a week. That would have to be instead or before some karate class. And I am not sure how that would work Well, I'd even try if I didn't have some stuff usually to do in my free time too. Decisions, decisions... I'll see though. I will not be purchasing any membership - like the 10 classes (which unfortunately have to be done in 6 weeks and I used to have trouble doing that sometime), and I'ůů instead just do the one time drop-ins, although they are rather pricey :/ I stretched properly at the end. Polar results Time: 1:10 Max HR: 176 Average HR: 123 Training benefit: Basic & Steady State training Kcal: 462 Fat burn: 35 % ...wow, this looks like I've been pretty lazy for a crossfit today! The results usually showed something much much more intense. But I will get there, surely!
Tuesday 22.10. Karate Kids. Only 7 kids today, the biggest troublemaker missing. He was, however, substituted by his friend very quickly. We did various games and bodyweight and running, jumping things for the first half. Then we practised evading sideways, age uke and built it up to a partner drill wehn the attacker punches head-height, defender moves sideways with aga uke and strikes back. A bit hard to coordinate the kids, but in the end it worked, more or less. Karate adults: A lot of various kihon techniques in the beginning along with some push-ups. Then we practised turning - mawate and slowly added some techniques right after the turn. Or combinations. The two of us blackbelts then were told to do one combination everyone was struggling with a bit at the beginning twice in a row and do that faster than the rest finishes their first. Well... Then we did another combination from a kata. The two of us were told to do a part of Sanseru. I am not particularly good with this kata, but I told sensei I will figure it out. That was until I realised that when turning the other way around, the combination is mirrored to how it's done in the kata. It was very confusing, but I tink I managed. Then sensei told everyone to pick the highest kata they know and do it three times. Well I do remember the steps of Sepai, more or less, but I am just as bad with Sanseu and I still think there is no point in drilling Sepai before I know Sanseru somwhat better. Sett was probably thinking about Sepai, but when I told him I am not doing that, he joined me in Sanseru. First time I went fast and did well, the second time I had to stop when something felt wrong. Like having the worng leg in front and therefore being stuck with moving forward. I tried again from the beginning and realised I forgot to step forward with one technique. As soon as I messed up once, the rest of the kata was more of a struggle, too, I made stupin mistakes, like turning 90° instead of 180° etc. But eventually finished. Sensei was wathcing me and corrected some mistakes in techniques, despite me obviously being off during the whole kata But I will try to focus more on what he pointed out. The last 20 minutes or so were spent learning kata. The newcomer was taight Gekisai Dai Ichi by a yellow belt, the teo brownbelts were teaching the green belt Seiyunchin while practising themselves and the two of us were taught Tensho by sensei, as I asked him to please teach us sometime after we did in on the seminar in September, but were fairly lost. Sensei explained the steps in detail and answered all our questions, which was great. I wrote down notes afterwards. I have to practise. In the end everyone demonstrated teh kata they were working on. I am glad we were finally able to work on these kata we should be slowly learning now! Polar results: Time: 3:25 Max HR: 161 Average HR: 107 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 953 Fat burn: 48 %
Wednesday 23.10. Karate at uni - beginner class: I arrived a little late, but it looked like they have just started. So I just joined the exercises for a warm-up in pairs - step on the other's foot, take them down, etc. We then did some reflex challenges with a tennis ball and a stick falling down that we have to catch. After Junbi Undo the main program today was mae and ushiro ukemi. I am not particularly confident in doing either. Well, mae ukemi is ok, but only on my right side. Left was a bit of a struggle. As for ushiro ukemi, I have to do a lot of thinking before I manage to get it done. We tried both from a standing (walking) position, too, and mae ukemi while jumping over a heavy bag, then two. We also practised a combination in pairs - tsuki, tsuki, duck, punch back. I was with my muai thai friend O. There was another, very tall girl paired with a guy, so sensei told us to switch so all the pairs are of the same sex, so that guys can punch back with a bit of force (body punch). O was as always on about "But I already am with a guy!". Unusually, though, before I was able to say something in my defence (or rather, punch him), the tall girl came towering over him: "Then I am going to be with the girl!". Haha O, who calles this girl an "Amazon" since the very first day, was up for the challenge, put his hands up as a signal for her to start the combination. And she did. Punch, puch, duck, and... a misguided punch to the nuts XD Hahahaha, I was crying from laughing so hard! And O was nearly crying from something completely different , although I saw him laughing from his crooked stance, too. Ooooh, this was so good I unfortunately don't know the girls name, but I already love her! Around a 100 squats at the end. Karate at uni - advanced: I was planning to stay for only the first half an hour at most as I had to go to Tai chi. I normally go on Friday, but we have a prolonged weekend and I will be leaving Prague and won't have time for Tai chi in the evening. We did the same games as in the beginning of the first class. A lot of people today, as all of the beginners decided to stay for the more advanced class. And some games were added. It was rather fun, but then I had to leave just before Junbi Undo. Polar results: Time: 1:33 Max HR: 165 Average HR: 113 Training benefit: Basic training Kcal: 500 Fat burn: 44 %
Wednesday 23.10. Tai Chi Today wasn't raining like last time I hurried from the faculty to the center for Tai Chi, so I was riding my motorbike and only took 15 minutes to arrive, which was great and much less stressful. We started the ... the teacher said Hu Ti? Or something like that - when he was naming the standing meditation exercise. For the rest of the class we were pracising and revising the silk reeling, always focusing on one type for a time. And did one more meditation, too. In the beginning, I again got into the zone - or like a meditative state and I was really enjoying it, feeling the movement. But then we were asked to always focus on one type of silk reeling and practise for a while and I started to think too much about it, and got out of the zone and didn't feel that great doing it. Thinking too much and messing up things a bit more. Towards the end I realised my legs and my body overall maybe was already feeling tired again. Today's karate wasn't very intensive, but I guess the combination of the training before, the fact that Taich starts rather late on Wednesday (8 pm) and not as much sleep as I'd like for the past few days, took its toll. I think the mindset I get during Tai Chi practise plays a bit role in how I do and how I enjoy the class. I will try to find some time to practise both the standing and the silk reeling till next class. Felt very drained at the end.
I haven't trained much last week. We had a national holiday on Monday and the instructor was ill, so the CF class I wanted to go to was cancelled. The same fate befell Tuesday's karate including my kids' class as children had longer holidays and sensei was away. As for Wednesday and Thursday, my partner was in a hospital undergoing a minor surgery and I was waiting for the news of how it went or picking him up, driivng him around, so I missed karate on both days. Finally on Friday I was able to make it to Taichi, which, at least, I did not want to miss. Taichi 2.11. We were reviewing everything we learned thus far, including the silk reeling to the front, which I missed. I switched the classes in a way that I missed the explanation both on the Wednesday and Friday course. However, it is not that different to the other silk reeling and I was able to just copy the instructor. Hopefully I did not miss on any important details. We also started to learning the form. The first form of the 74 forms. I knew the start a little bit as it was what was taught on my very first trial lesson when I visited the ongoing beginner course. But we covered more steps today. We had a different teacher to teach us most of this as our regular teacher was teaching mostly the more advanced group that we share the gym with. This instructor taught us faster, so to speak. I will have to practise that form a bit at home as not to forget
Monday - missed CF again. Tuesday 5.11. Karate Kids We did a game for a warm-up, quick Junbi Undo, some kihon we don't practise as often and the last 15 minutes I spent explaining the first 8 steps in the kata as most of the kids wer beginners and didn't know it. I was wondering how to split my attention, as the most advanced boy wanted to practise material for his grading. And I really wanted to allow him as he doesn't have much opportunity as the class is full of beginners now. I asked him to try and practise the bunkai for this kata by himself. After some time, i placed a boy who knew the kata a little to be a model for the beginners and practise the steps with them, count out loud, while I briefly went over the first two bunkai with the more advanced boy. The model boy didn't count, though, and refused to do so, so I asked another boy who was trying to get to his spot. By the time I returned, the oldest girl took the lead and finally was able to go over the steps slowly while counting. It would be great to have an aid at these times. I just don't want to subject the advanced boy to always only go through the beginning of the kata, while he has to practise the next one, etc. The biggest troublemakers were missing today. However, anytime the troublemakers are missing, someone else takes their place. Today it was a boy who was very proud to have finally learned to the cartwheel. Problem is he was practising it constantly, at any second he wasn't required to do anything else, but also when he was, like in the middle of a kata when I stopped for a couple of seconds to explain something. Burpees were my answer, but he still wouldn't stop. He came to me to appologize after class, saying he was happy to learn it. I told him I understand and I am happy for him, but that by practising while I am trying to teahc him something else, something new, too, he is missing on that. He can practise his cartwheels after the class. When he was leaving, I heard his dad giving him a good piece of mind over this. I guess he saw the end of the class.. Karate adults: Not too many people today, and mostly beginners, although three brownbelts showed up later. Sensei had us practise mostly in pairs some drills starting with suri ashi to the side and blocking a tsuki with age uke, then the same with yoko uke and then either a kick resulting in a Sanseru bunkai or an ura tsuki and a choke. For the last half an hour we practise something sensei usually teaches in his self-defence classes - modified karate. He wanted to give us more of this self-defence perspective which was good. I had a bit of a trouble in coordinating some of the movements, especially when first practising the move solo before moving to our partner. Forgot my Polar chest strap at home... But today class wasn't particularly sweaty.
Wednesday 6.11. Karate at uni - beginner class. We started with some light sparring games for a warm-up, did stretching in pairs and an exercise, where one partner kicks in an arc over the other's head, the other does a squat to avoid it with hands held in a guard, protecting head if something went awry. We were told to find partners of similar height, but I got a guy considerably taller than me. A little challenge at least. I started kicking, however, didn't notice the guy kept his elbows very wide as he was going down. And when I was kicking back, putting my heel down with a speed, I kicked his elbow with my heel. Which set us for a bit of a break, when the guy was jumping around, cursing, while I was very adamant about touhing my heel to the ground for now. We were both laughing, but it hurt quite a bit (I can still feel it on Thursday). While keeping the same partners, we worked with pads for the rest of the class. We did a combination of two punches and duck to avoid a hit from the pad holder (we practised this before we got to the pads, too). Then there were the big pads and wi did: hiza geri, mae geri, mawashi geri, kizami+gyaku tsuki; gyaku tsuki and the combination I mentioned. Everything around 30 times per side or until sensei said stop. I tried to always hit hard and could feel that I missed a week of training as I was feeling tired, despite the Polar results from the training not showing anything terrible. Maybe the hitting hard exhausted me. I left after the first class, as I had some work to do at home and the next class was most likely going to be the same as the first. Polar results: Time: 1:13 Max HR: 180 Average HR: 128 Training benefit: Basic training, long Kcal: 521 Fat burn: 33 %
Thursday 7.11. Karate The first 45 minutes of the training were spent with taking picture of the dojo's instructors to be put on our dojo website. Our two former sensei's aren't really in the picture for some time now - one teaches at the faculty, but hasn't really been going to the dojo for a few years now, the other one gave birth nearly a year ago and didn't yet find her way back to the dojo. Therefore the two adult classes and one kids class are taught by our head sensei and the three other kids classes by the two of us fresh black belts and a brown belt friend, who was brave enough to take up the class of the smallest kids. I took my new Shureido Gi I haven't worn since Okinawa, where I bought it earlier this year There were only 6 of us today, for some reason. We practised kihon - three closed and three open handed blocks separately, then in one go and then we used them in the combinations from San Dan Gi San and Shi. We did a bit of kihon ido: mae geri + kizami + gyaku tsuki; mawashi geri + uraken uchi + gyaku tsuki and yoko geri + ushiro geri + gyaku tsuki. And the defending side for thos combinations, too. We then practised them in pairs. For the last 15 minutes, sensei appologized and he left to take a shower and prepare for his self-defence class and instructed us to go through all our kata, until the highest anyone of us has to know for their grading (Sanseru for me). I asked whether to do Sanchin, too, as I wanted to practise and if possible, sneak in Tensho, too. Sensei said yes, Sanchin, too. We also did 10 body weight exercises between each kata. I was the only one going up to Sanseru, so I finished last. Sensei arrived then and went to the beginner in the class to explain more details of Gekisai Dai Ichi. I thought it looked like there is a bit of time and sneaked in my Tensho. I was planning for repeating Sanseru, too, but Just as I bowed, sensei announced end of the class. Polar results: Time: 1:18 Max HR: 174 Average HR: 135 Training benefit: Steady State & Tempo training Kcal: 614 Fat burn: 29 %
Friday 8.11. Tai Chi Started with the meditation and a silk reeling practise. Maybe half an hour in we started practising the first form we learned last time. Great All of the training was about just practising that and claryfying some details. We had two instructors take turns explaining and at one point at the end of the first form, there is a stance very similar if not the same as Neko-ashi dachi. From what we've been explained it seemed the same, except for that I am unsure of the front foot position. One instructor barely touched the floor with a tip of the foot, the other, our usual and I think more senior instructor had a position usually like we have in Neko ashi dachi, an sometimes it seemed he touched the whole foot to the floor. I didn't find a good opening for a question, although I have been looking for it for the whole class and it really bothered me inwardly Next time!
Tuesday 12.11. Karate Kids I planned to do one bunkai, especially becasue of the boy with the orange belt, who needs this a little advanced stuff for grading. Unfortunately, just during the warm-up, I noticed him lying on the tatami, face down clutching his ankle. Oh no. He's not the type to cry for every bump, so it seemed he really hurt himself. I asked if he twisted the ankle or what happened, he said yes. He had him mum waiting in the next room, so he jumped to her, not wanting my help. I just found some towel - there's a lot of towels with uncertain owners in our changing room, so I just borrowed one him mum could wet with cold water and cool his ankle down. With the rest of the kids I practised Kihon ido - mae geri and added hiji ate. The beginning of the bunkai. Tried both techniques to pads, but that was about it. This bunkai is a little more complicated so at least a start was fine. We reviewed and worked a bit more on the kata we started last time at the end. The kids did well there Karate adults - teaching. As sensei announced a week ago and also called me today, he had to stay at his work late and wouldn't come today. So I prepared a training. I thought to do a traditional one sort of with hojo undo, iron body conditioning, kakie + kakie kumite and a kata of choice or Sanchin at the end. At the beginning however, not too many people gathered, with one orange belt being the highest grade and with two younger teenagers, who probably shouldn't be overdoing it with the hojo undo, so I changed the program a bit. Instead of Hojo Undo we stood in a circle and I wanted everyone to say, or show, one hands technique and count to 10 to do relaxedly and 10 to do with kiai, then the same with a leg technique. During this exercise, two brown belts arrived too. The next thing, we did the iron body conditioning, Ude tan ren. Unfoooortunately, there was an odd number of us, so I didn't participate as I wanted people to make pairs :'(. I tried a few strikes usually with a friend brownbelt to show the technique at least. Each technique I wanted people to do a few times, with three partners always. Afte sucha round, I tried to come up with a new bodyweight exercise 10x. When I used some stuff we did at crossfit, a friend eyed me not in a very friendly matter, commenting on my creativity today. Which boosted my morale and I tried hard to really be creative Walking lunges with chi ishi held overhead, parner one-legged squats (hold your parners leg, he would hold yours and do a squat). We managed with the friend I was showing it with, I wanted everyone to try just one as it's hard enough for strenght and balance, but I think it was fun I did some iron body conditioning techniques that aren't done that often, but we used to do them with sensei some years ago and everyone seemed surprised they had never seen them before. Which surprised me. I wanted to move to kakie, but asked if everyone wanted to continue this with the rest of the techniqus I can remember and whcih aren't that common and people agreed, so we basically did that for the most of the class. Just a few minutes before the end, everyone picked a kata and practised by himself 3x. I tried one Sanseru, but saw a guy struggling with his Gekisai Dai Ichi, so I helped him with that instead. Overall good training I'd say, although I didn't participate for the main exercise. Oh well. Polar results: Time: 3:03 Max HR: 175 Average HR: 125 Training benefit: Basic & Steady State training, long Kcal: 1229 Fat burn: 35 %
Thursday 14.11. Karate The whole class was focuse on bunkai - to each their own. We practised by ourselves the bunkai for our next grading. Sensei was going around, showing us one bunkai at a time and when we practised it in front of a mirror 30 times and did 30 bodyweight exercises, sensei would show the next bunkai. It was great, I was shown the bunkai for Sanseru. I did then before a few times, but didn't remember all of them. At the end we practised quickly with attackers and did the kata once. I sweated more than I would have guessed. Polar results: Time: 1:50 Max HR: 178 Average HR: 131 Training benefit: Steady State training + Kcal: 818 Fat burn: 30 %
Friday 15.11. Tai Chi Started with the meditation and the silk reeling chained into a form of sorts. Then we worked on the first form like last two classes. The teacher deemed our first form good enough probably to start teaching is the shorter and probably a bit easier second form. We went through it and will be practising more next time. The whole form is starting to be something interesting to practise I also found a moment to ask about the stance I was wanting to ask last week. It apparently isn't exactly as neko ashi dachi. I was told we'll be working on details like this in time, but I was explained the foot isn't standing on a tip and in fact, isn't planted to the floor at all. A paper should be able to slip under it. Which I agree is a bit complicated at the moment, but at least I know the final goal I should be placing my foot for. The central heating wasn't working there today. They just had a small heater in the gym, which I don't thing helped much, and I arrived in a tank top. However, as I found out first when I tried meditating and now in the taichi type of standing meditation and in general. Just by trying to breath in the tanden, for some reason, I get fairly warm, so I didn't bring a sweater with me. It's not like it was that cold there, but colder than usual. I just hope I won't get cold from this as I had my throat a bit sore today.
Monday - had to wait at home for a delivery of some christmas presents, didn't make it to crossfit :/ Tuesday 19.11. Just as I arrived in the dojo and was changing with the girls, I got what I call the dreaded call - when sensei's name appears as the call notification on my phone just before class. It is more than clear what that means. Sensei's not coming today. But he did give me an idea what to do - prepare for the upcoming grading. Karate Kids Started with a team race - running, running on all four, and sideways. A friend - an adult guy arrived too as he sometimes does when he can make it earlier. Unfortunately, he hurt his big toe like 2 mins into the class. He seemed rather cool about it so I thought it nothing serious, but it seemed to still hurt quite a bit after class ended. We practised a couple of combinations from the kata to use them to go through the rest of the kata at the end of the class. The most senior student wanted to practise for his grading - bunkai for gekisai Dai Ni, so I took advantege of the big guy with the hurt toe to go through it with him. He seemed to more or less remember. I wanted to go join them, but there were just too many kids of different levels - I was teching the kata to the 4 newcomers, while the rest didn't want to do the kata step by step, so I let them form a group when they take turns of who does the etiquette etc. soon though I discovered thy were doing everything but kata, so had to go put them in line a bit. Before I knew it the class was over. Karate adults: I asked sensei wehn he called if there was the syllabus with techniques needed for each grade. He advised me to go through the cabinet and I did indeed find the old one. Great! There were six people other then me today, none of them wearing gi (we don't have to wear it, so most people usually don't and save it for seminars etc.). I wanted to do the warm-up when people have to untie each-others belt without touching their own in pairs. I found just enough belts (although I borrowed one from people who left their gi in the changing room O ). After stretching, I wanted to start with kihon ido - basic techniques in movement, according to grades. I was talking to somebody while going through the syllabus, which is composed mostly form the techniques for each grade, but has some theory there and bunkai explained etc. Altough the book is very thin, I was going through it back and forth and just couldn't locate the grading requirements. Only when I focused on the book more did I realise that most of the pages in the middle had fallen off D: In other words, this syllabus was very useless! I came up with a few combinations I remembered were there for the lower grades, did some kicking combination and moved onto bunkai practise - everyone practised the ones they needed, I quickly went through Sanseru bunkai and otherwise was helping others. We went through the kata 3x too. For the last half an hour we did kakie - I wanted to do them last week and one guy really wanted to do some locks etc. We had one person who has never done kakie before, so we just did the basic exercise for today, trying to do it strongly so our arms hurt. My chest strap had a low battery and I wasn't able to download the training.
Wednesday 20.11. I ran out of my favourite cheese, so I was planning to catch the car that sells it here. Unfortunately, they arrive at the time of the training at faculty. In the end I decided to skip faculty and go to crossfit instead, since I didn't go on Monday. CrossFit: Warm-up: 5 mins of: 10x10 m shuttle run Scapula something negative ring row or whatever it's called x 5 10 jumping jacks 5x roll from hollow hold to negative whatever - basically roll from back on the belly slowly, with arms and legs never touching the floor Stretching Technical stuff: 3 rounds of 3-5 strict pull-ups (with a very thick rubber band for me) Bent over rows with a 12 kg kettlebell for me - 6x per side 20x tricep extensions pulling a rubber band down WOD: 24 minutes all together, with 1 min working on each exercise and 30 secs break in between. 4 rounds altogether of: Box jump-overs - I did usually around 15-17, I think. Didn't want to run out o breath. Wall balls - 6 kg - imilar amount, maybe slightly more Sit-ups - more confident here, I started with 30 for the first round and got up to 33, I think Kettlebell swings - 16 kg - did between 29 and 31 each round I found myself a nice corner where I could properly stretch No polar results unfortunately, as when I looked up from my work at home, I realised it is rather late, so I grabbed my stuff, looked for my gloves, and forgot my chest strap :/
Thursday: There was some traffic accident where I live which stopped the public transport from going either way for at least 45 mins that I stood on a tram stop. After that I gave up trying to get to the dojo. Friday 22.11. Tai Chi A bit of Wu Ti? meditation at the beginning, followed by the usual "form" of silk reeling and practising the first two forms of the 74 forms till the end of class.
