DarthPenguin

Congrats

I took a look at the rowing numbers and it likely depends on if you are pushing the weight or erring on the side of caution and trying to get some lighter volume in. What i mean by that is that your deadlift numbers are currently a little higher than mine but in a similar ballpark i think overall and for rows i am doing 65kg (approx 143lbs) for sets of 10 with the focus being on lighter volume - if i try to max out i can hit a double at about 100kg. Reason for mentioning this is i have never felt my lats or upper back are a limiting factor in my deadlift at all and it is the only thing i can see as a major difference potentially. Looking again it might well be a mid back thing - your lat pulldown numbers seem a lot higher than the rows and they don't use as much upper/mid back. Just throwing out some ideas so apologies if it is overly interfering!!!

Cheers, thanks for the suggestions! I was trying the frequent one already - any time i go to the bathroom i've been doing a stretch with my leg up on the hall bannister staight and side on like a side kick. Seems to be helping a little already. Am aware this is a slightly daft question but i used to never have any problem with kicking flexibility so i was never sure exactly what helped! Thanks!!

Wednesday 28th September Karate Session Warm ups Kihon Practiced new grading kihon required for grade and also some of the techniques / combinations required for the one after Kumite Just practiced Ippon Kumite, practicing the new additions i will require for next grade. Again we also practiced what will be required for the grade after. Seemed straightforward, focused on this for the majority of the class Kata Ran through Heian Yondan a couple of times. Instructor seemed impressed that i had taught myself the full kata already and said it is already in a reasonable shape but obviously some improvements needed - so i was happy! Away on a work trip for Thurs and Fri then away with the kids and my other half for the weekend so won't be able to do any more training this week

I'll give that a try and see how it works. Thanks! Think i might also invest in a foam roller. I think my IT band is extremely tight at the moment and rolling it may help some.

is the issue definitely with your lats? Was thinking about it and your rhomboids and mid back muscles do a lot to retract your scapula etc when rowing so they might be contributing? How is your rowing strength in relation to your deadlift? That might give an indication of where the issue lies. For myself, while the lats feel it to keep it in tight i try to concentrate on 'pinching' the mid back when i am tightening up the back muscles. I think i also read somewhere before that raising the hips up too early can lead to the bar floating out a little sometimes. Maybe the leg drive is contributing to it a little? If it's on the heavy sets it would make sense that you are driving more with the legs. Just a few ideas, apologies if they are silly ones!!

Tuesday 27th September Lifting session Seated overhead press 20kg x 5 25kg x 3 30kg x 2 35kg x 5 42.5kg x 5 47.5kg x 6 bench press 45kg x 10 45kg x 10 45kg x 10 Fat grip dumbell Row (using my fat gripz originals) 25kg x 8 25kg x 5 25kg x 5 These felt tough, which is good and an indicator that i need to work on my crushing grip strength etc. Still feeling these the next day when typing! Single arm standing kb press 16kg x 11 16kg x 11 16kg x 11 Did these instead of more sets of lighter weight barbell presses to add some more shoulder pressing volume but try to do it standing where possible. Will try to add 1 rep to each set where possible each week with a minimum of 1 rep total increase. When i get to 3 x 20 reps i will go up in weight Barbell E-Z Bar reverse curl 20kg x 12 20kg x 12 20kg x 12 kata practice ran through Heian Yondan 5 times. Gradually getting more familiar with the sequencing etc. Now just need to get better at the techniques themselves!

Man, that sucks! Glad you're feeling better!Thanks!

Cheers for the suggestions - i think i will try implementing the side lunges and see how they work out. Hip flexibility seems fine in a forward direction (my front kick is still plenty high with snap etc) which makes the side kicks etc look worse, since people seem to assume that if can do one high then should be equally flexible for all! For side lunges do you typically take a lateral step and keep knee and foot facing forwards and then squat down to the side that is out or do you turn foot out slightly? Am asking as i tried them in the past with foot forward and it did not feel good in the knees, but when i look online that appears to be the common form. Am interested in what worked for you if you were working for the same thing (and don't worry all caveats apply!!) I already squat weekly anyway but will see if i can fit some more dynamic stretches in. Thanks!

Hi all, I thought i would see if anyone had any recommendations for some good exercises / routines to do to improve hip flexibility for kicking specifically. I've been working at my yoko geri and mawashi geri and neither are as high as i would like (or indeed could manage in the past). Yoko geri is very much chudan and mawashi is a little higher but still not properly Judan. I've been working at doing 90/90 exercises every day as well as some lying hip stretches but i was wondering if there were any good ideas out there. I had a read through my copy of the Thomas Kurz book too but was hoping that someone on here has either had the issue themselves or had to help a student with it. 90/90 is a lot tougher than it used to be with it being a lot harder to remain upright with my right leg in front and left behind, than it is otherwise. Generally my left hip seems a little tighter than my right one It isn't a structure of my hip issue (i know some people have these) as when i was younger and originally following striking arts i could easily kick above my head with both a side kick and roundhouse kick. I grappled for several years and only returned to striking last year and have noticed it then. Grateful for any suggestions - even if they are just "work at your stretching more!" Exercises i have been doing daily for the last few weeks : - 90/90 for 30 sec each side x 2 - clamshells 3 x 12 for each side - side lying leg lifts 3 x 12 for each side - Lying on back, cross leg over other leg with knee up and push down towards other side whilst keeping back flat (can't remember name for there) - propping leg up on stair or kitchen worktop and stretching down towards it. Bending standing knee to increase relative height of stretch

For the floating away from the shins i have always heard that that can be either not contracting the lats enough or not hinging back quite enough. For me the queues that always seem to work is to pull back rather than up, in a way that you think feels like you might topple backwards with the weight being a counterbalance (i am probably wording this badly) and to focus on pushing the ground away rather than pulling the bar up. I find i am a lot tighter and explode better into it when i push the ground away. Probably queues you know already i know!

Update on lack of entries for last week - got a bug and was in bed ill all week so didn't get anything done. Tried to do a little stretching but that was the limit. Will be back to normal this week though!

Ha Ha yeah, and cheers for the suggestion - am always happy to get some! Is times like this when i get jealous of the additional space you North Americans typically have for things like that!!

Thanks I'm fine power cleaning, used to do it a lot, plus fine with power snatch too. Issue is there isn't really anywhere outside i can clean a barbell and press it. There is a small amount of space beside the side garage door where i can clean and press a kb or dumbell (did it again the other day) but nowhere really where i could do the same with a barbell - i would be in a driveway on a busy street where i would look a bit idiotic plus with the amount of rain we get her in scotland it would be unsafe! I probably should add some cleans back into my routine though! Good thought!

Congrats to Zach, you must be (rightly) very proud. It will be especially meaningful when you are there to see him get his Shodan

Sunday 18th September Lifting Session Deadlift 70kg x 5 80kg x 3 97.5kg x 5 112.5kg x 5 127.5kg x 6 72.5kg x 10 72.5kg x 10 72.5kg x 10 Squat 50kg x 10 50kg x 10 50kg x 10 Standing one hand kb shoulder press 16kg x 10 (per hand) 16kg x 10 16kg x 10 Kata Ran through my new kata Heian Yondan 5 times. Have the basic sequences down now i think, just need to work on the details and getting the techniques and rhythm correct (ie the skilled bits!)

Saturday 17th September Karate Grading Grading sat and passed so have now gotten back to 6th Kyu. Pleased at result - thats me successfully sat and passed 4 gradings in the last 11 mths. Now onto training hard for the next level, have a kata to learn!

Wednesday 14th September Karate Session Warm ups Class was then run as a mock grading, so just performing our grading required Kihon a few times with no demonstration of techniques etc beforehand. Did several rounds of kate, with about half of them being out on the floor yourself. Identified one slightly sloppy bit i was doing where i was not retracting my hand enough at my hip, once my body was turned. Simple fix as i thought i was putting it in the right place and it was a conscious movement - glad to have it pointed out pre grading though. Then went onto multiple rounds of the grading kumite which is stated ippon kumite. Straightforward enough though i had another good thing pointed out, that i am not "Kiaiing" enough when i am the attacker. For some reason i had it in my head that i wasn't meant to, but again better pointed out now! Grading on Saturday so won't do any more training this week as don't want to take a chance of an injury popping up, will just do the hip mobility stuff i have been working on.

Good point on the Sumo's, was thinking of them as an extra rather than main lift but that might be overdoing it. For the overhead press the reason is quite simple - i am lifting in the garage and the ceiling is only about an inch above my head where the joists run across it so i physically can't overhead press inside! I sometimes take kettlebells or dumbells outside so i can stand and press them. Ideally would prefer to do a standing barbell press but since it's impossible where i am (plan to get a bigger garage built eventually which will alleviate the problem) the next best solution i could come up with was to do a seated overhead press with zero back support - so i put a flat bench in my squat rack and just sit on that when pressing. isn't ideal but means i can't lean back on anything.

I must admit i have felt a little sorry for her family. She was their mother/grandmother/great-grandmother and Charles and her children have had to follow her coffin around the country as part of a variety of ceremonial duties and to allow people to pay their respects. Can't help thinking that it won't be easy to do that. Granted it comes with the role (so to speak) but still doesn't make it easy.

If you really can't attend in person classes then i would opt for reputable videos. You mentioned the issue with people exhaling indoors etc. Would any kind of outdoor training sessions alleviate this? Might be possible to get someone to agree to the occasional session outdoors to help check your technique / that you are progressing appropriately. If you know someone skilled enough (that you trust to give a useful opinion) then maybe you could also video yourself performing the techniques that you have performed and they can give some critique on the performance of them? Not a substitute for live training of course, and i don't think you could 'rank up', but it would hopefully help you regain some technical skill and then when able/comfortable to train with people in person again you can then work on the timing that comes from sparring

Tuesday 13th September Lifting Session Lifted a lot earlier today as i had some professional exams this week and decided to lift when done, so lifted at lunchtime rather than early evening as i usually do. I prefer the later time i think, but wanted to make sure i could get session in Bench press 20kg x 5 40kg x 3 50kg x 2 57.5kg x 5 67.5kg x 5 77.5kg x 6 45kg x 10 45kg x 10 45kg x 10 Felt ok, final set felt tough, but i always find the 5's week tougher so will see how the next session goes. Seated Overhead press 25kg x 10 25kg x 10 25kg x 10 Bent over Barbell row 65kg x 10 65kg x 10 65kg x 10 Reverse E-Z bar curl 20kg x 10 20kg x 10 20kg x 10 Decided to do these as i am trying to add in some more exercises to work on my wrist/forearm strength. I've always been quite weak at these so that seemed a good reason to do them! Have also identified i think the positions i need to work on to improve my hip flexibility to improve kicking height. I've been trying to sit in the 90/90 position for a bit, which when i could kick a non pathetic height used to be easy, and it appears to be my left hip, with the tightest part being when it is the 'back' hip. I've been working on these every night for the last week and it is beginning to loosen a bit. Will keep working on these i think and see where i can get to. May also add in some sumo deadlifts to strengthen hips more

Saturday 10th September Lifting Session Squats 20kg x 8 40kg x 3 50kg x 2 60kg x 1 70kg x 5 80kg x 3 90kg x 6 47.5kg x 10 47.5kg x 10 47.5kg x 10 This went smoothly. All reps were to hamstrings touching calves depth. Reduced warm up reps for this too and it did seem to help. Looking at old logs (when i lifted more) i used to do warm ups at 20kg, jump to 60kg and then usually jump up a lot more again. When heaviest set gets back up over 100kg again i will likely drop the 40kg warm up set and start with 50kg, then work up to this increasing. Deadlifts 70kg x 10 70kg x 10 70kg x 10 had to cut session short here as got a phone call to go deal with a family emergency that arose. All sorted now though. Got main lifts done so it's all good!

Snatch grip deadlift is an excellent exercise. If you are using it as more of an assistance exercise then i also like snatch grip RDL a lot, if you haven't tried it you should give it a shot too! Since i am quite tall the wider grip for the snatch grip means i have to get lower or bend over more than i would like to do the deadlift from floor but the rdl eliminates that issue.

I think having a 5 series confirmation from the get go really helps with world building. I've quite enjoyed it so far. Is quite sedate but reminds me of the books quite a bit. One positive to the appendices being quite sparse is it gives them a lot of leeway to flesh out the story. Couple of things i don't like so far but that is the same in everything!