bushido_man96

10/14/2025 Taekwondo: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. Left knee wasn't as sore tonight, so I could give a little more in basics. Good stretch after. Forms were taking a while longer than expected so I got everyone lined up for one-steps while a brown belt was working through her form. Did white and green belt one-steps. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. Kept focusing on the footwork. Sparred well against the 2nd dan, and he did tag me a good one. I doubled up quite a few kicks. Finished with a 2-on-1 match against an orange and green belt. I think I sparred 5 rounds total.

PNF is tricky if you don't have a partner, but not impossible. If you have or can set up a pulley system, you can make it work with just yourself. If you can wedge yourself split towards a wall you can push against the wall for that resistance. Just some thoughts. Also, as a variation to the concentration kicks, you can do what I used to call "doggy kicks," by kneeling on all fours and doing the kicks. The side kick and hook kick you can do straight out behind you, and round kicks you can do to the side. Build the strength and not have to worry about the balance so much. Floor kicks are also good, laying on your side, propped up on an elbow, and do the kicks of your choice at the speed of your choice.

10/12/2025 Martial Arts Cross-Training Seminar Day 2: 2:30 - 4:30 pm. BJJ. We worked from standing/bottom seated guard. Bottom player tried to get hooks and destabilize, top trying to keep a foot inside their legs; if bottom player destabilized the top player, switch roles. We then moved to working an outside oshi to destabilize from the same position; then we moved to an X-guard. After those rounds, we advanced to both players seated, one in the outside oshi and controlling the leg for a heel hook/knee lock, the other trying to escape (smash pass, etc). We eventually progressed the drill to trying to get a submission. For free rolling, I made the conscious decision to start in that seated position for two rounds. I did 2, 2 minute rounds this way, and ended up spending 4 minutes on my back getting smashed, hating life and BJJ. I had felt pretty good about the drilling sessions, too. Bottom side control is my jam. 5:00 - 6:15 pm. Round table. We sat around and just kind of nerded out on Martial Arts and talked shop. Myself, our CI, and the Aikido sensei talked some about Bruce Lee's "punch is just a punch, kick is just a kick" quote in regards to different things, and how the fundamentals make that happen. Mainly, how it's important to learn to work within a structure/framework so that eventually you can learn to work outside of the structure/framework. It kind of came up in referencing the front kick Steven Seagal taught Anderson Silva. I also talked about some of my DT approaches and worked we did partner work on some of the concepts involving utilizing the startle-flinch response. The Shuri-Te stylists taught us Kihon Ippon and the first part of Naihanchi shodan and we worked some bunkai with each. This is really a great group we work with, and these sessions are a highlight of my training year.

That's good advice @DarthPenguin. I'll keep those in mind moving forward. Some lifting days I missed posting earlier: 9/26/2025 Squat: 45x5, 65x5, 95x5, 115x5, 135x5, 185x3 (felt some knee slide on rep 1). Bench Press: 45x5x2, 95x5. Got very light-headed and had to stop. 10/10/2025 Dumbbell Incline Press: 20x10, 25x10. Lat Pull-downs: 130x10, 130x10, 130x10.

Strength is an important aspect that often gets overlooked. Most people think flexibility is the problem, when the actuality is the leg isn't strong enough to take advantage of the flexibility that is there. It looks like you're covering a little bit of that with the weighted exercises you describe. Good old barbell squats and deadlifts are important, too. One thing I would consider working on is what I call "concentration kicks." You could do them a few times a week to start out, and lots of variations on them. Basically, you use a wall or chair or whatever for balance, and work the four parts of the basic kicks: chamber, execute, rechamber, and return. Then fun part is that you can leave the return out of it more as you progress to get more intense work done. Here's an easy way to start, using side kicks: 1. Chamber, and do some of them slowly from the ground. 2. Execute the side kick, slowly, over the course of about 5 seconds to full extension. 3. Hold the kick for about 5 seconds. 4. Rechamber the kick over the course of about 5 seconds. 5. Return the kick to the floor, shake the leg out a little. You can either switch legs back and forth, or you can do one leg for all reps in a row. Start with 5 reps on each leg and see who it feels. You can do round kicks and front kicks as well. Now, the fun part is when you start repeating kicks instead of putting your foot down. So one rep could be 2 slow side kicks, out and back, before setting down. Then you can add to it by "pulsing" the extended kick, by making slight up and down movements with your leg to raise and lower your foot about 6 inches either way. Then you can make little circles with your extended foot. There are really lots of options. A big key for the side and round kicks is body alignment; make sure that upon extension of the kick that the heel, knee, hip, and shoulder all line up. Another exercise to add, if you can get a partner, is some PNF stretching. You can use the wall and get into the side kick position, and your partner holds your leg and stretches you up as high as you go. Hold the stretch for a while, maybe 20 or 30 seconds, then have your partner resist while you then try to pull the side kick down into him. Do that for 10 to 20 seconds or so, and then relax just a little, just a few inches. Then, take a deep breath, push it out slow, and have your partner shove the leg up just a little higher than it was for the initial stretch. Then, you can finish by having your partner walk out from under you and you try to hold the leg up as high as you can for a few seconds before putting it down. Or you can skip that last part to start. Again, body alignment is important. Hope these help out some.

Maybe this will start off the Universal Monsterverse?

No matter how bad one of the other is, the Chiefs/Raiders game always seems to be a tough one. Hopefully KC does the job this week and puts them away, but it could be a close one.

This doesn't make sense to me. There's supposed to be a cap on what rookies make based on where they're drafted. Unless they extended him already?

Martial Arts Cross-Training Seminar Day 1: 9:00 - 11:30 am. Taekwondo. The school owner did started this segment off doing some of our basics but in different stances with the goal of working on power generation from these stances. For the second half of the time I taught my Choong Moo flying side kick class. It went over pretty well I thought: 1:00 - 3:30 pm. Aikido. Did lots of connection exercises, one person leading and the other following/reacting, then smoothly working techniques in. Started by strong two-handed grab, and using movements like squatting to get body position and circle to weak points. This led to the connection/leading drill, to blending more. After a break sense discussed the "do" aspect of harmonizing with others and our religious outlooks with that. We finished with transitioning from armbar to nikkyo to sankyo. 3:30 - 6:00 pm. Shorin-Ryu. We did kihon the way they would approach them in their classes. They had some nuances that I liked. We did blocking drills with partners. Then we learned the first part of Pinan Shodan and experimented with different bunkai. We finished with kaki drills, I which I had recalled doing with @sensei8 years ago. It was a great first day!

The association covers schools in multiple states. There are no regional HQs.

Ok, got to make a correction here. I'm 6th kyu, not 5th. I'm working material for the 5th kyu testing, and that confused me on the numbers. I'm actually 6th kyu, working 5th kyu material.

10/9/2025 Aikido: 8:45 - 9:45 am. Loosening movements and aikitaisos, along with front kicks and their basic strikes. My balance was off while kicking. Katatetori sankyo omote: 5th kyu technique, same side wrist grab. Taisabaki just like ikkyo, and we actually get to ikkyo to start the technique, then transition. It felt really smooth; cleaned up transition on footwork, and taking slack out of the sankyo lock. To do this, I need to start the lock low, then manipulate through the elbow. We added the cut down, to the takedown, to the pin. We finished with 5 minutes of seated breathing working on posture. Sat on some pillows to help get the proper pelvic tilt. Taekwondo: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. Left knee was bothering me again. During basics, while doing the punch/side kick/spin side kick combination I had to really deliberately turn, pause, then execute the spin side kick due to head swishy-ness. I had a good stretch after basics. I didn't do my form due to other students learning their new material. Did white belt one-steps, then three-steps 1-6. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. Working with the white belt former karateka, I focused on my footwork and distance. Sparred the 2nd dan and did ok. I kept my distance better, and set up a side kick with some feinting punches. Someone had left their chest protector earlier in the week, and the CI talked about "buying it back;" the student who forgot it would have to do 10 pushups. Turns out it was mine. So I took my medicine, did my pushups and hopefully set an example to the kids. BJJ: 7:00 - 8:15 pm. Class start time has actually been moved up to 6:45, but I hadn't realized that, so I was a little late. Working from guard now. From inside guard, worked on posturing up, securing a wrist, and stepping up on that side. While inside guard, I tried to work on "crawling up." Top player was trying to escaped, and the bottom player was trying to sweep. When trying to escape, I could easily see the transition to the camping position. I did roll a few rounds, and did ok. It seemed like I was doing better, but I think the instructor was just letting me work. With the other instructor, I almost had an armbar, but I rushed it too much and lost it. There was also a guy there from New York who is there at the college for a class. He was really good and worked me over in drills.

Chiefs win against the Ravens, drop a game to Jacksonville, then turn around and beat the Lions. I'm hoping for a winning streak to start. Rashee Rice is back next week. I'm excited to see what that does for the offense that has been picking up as of late.

10/7/2025 Taekwondo: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. Left knee hurting again. It got better once I got warmed up. Lots of basics ran together towards the end without a break. I was pretty tired. I got lost today in Choi Yong, which was bad enough, and the form was sloppy to boot. I assisted white/orange/green belts with forms. White and green belt one-steps. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. I tried to move more, stay lighter on my feet. The 3rd dan got the better of me today.

This really depends. At home, I don't have much room, so I will just walk through the techniques and stances just to get a review in. If I have room to do them, then it just depends on how warmed up I am and what I'm in the mood to do that day.

That's a great training exercise. Thanks for sharing your additional thoughts on it.

We are part of an association, but it's not a NGB. Testing results are sent to the HQ and they then award the rank certificates. However, this is done based off the results the judges present at the testing send in. I don't know if that differs from overseas procedures or not.

9/25/2025 Aikido: 8:45 - 9:45 am. Brief internals and aikitaisos, to include a pre-pivot on step to tenkan (my left knee continues to be a bother). Technique work: double parry pass on munetski (stepping straight punch) from closed stance. The puncher would continue to face the defender and step/turn to follow, which resets the drill and allows you to go again, or to switch who attacks each time. The defender does iriminage taisabaki; lead foot steps forward and at an angle, lead hand parries at elbow (seems to work better above the elbow), then the rear hand moves up to the lead hand to "block" the arm from moving (switching hands), then the rear foot steps up to/crossed and past the other foot, then remaining foot steps and turns to face attacker. Attacker just keeps facing the defender by turning and stepping back leg forward and through. Slick drill really, and simple. Then transitioned into an udegarmi shinoage: parry/pass, secure wrist and then other arm over top to figure-four lock, sink to break balance, turn through to front stance and throw. I need to keep their elbow to my body on the transition, keep arms/shoulders relaxed. We finished by doing multiple reps of this technique with no corrections offered by sensei. I kind of like this training modality of spending time working on a technique and it's nuances, then drilling it over and over without feedback. While doing the technique this way I could feel where I was making mistakes. Taekwondo: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. Left knee was still hurting, so I worked on softening my steps in basics. Had a good stretch after basics. Did Choi Yong once; I took a little more time between techniques as my head was not feeling great. It helped out the form overall. I worked on counter-balancing the reverse side kicks to prevent over-rotation. Then did white and green belt one-steps. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. Mostly working with the kids again. Didn't feel like I had anything today. For some dumb reason I stuck my open right hand down into a rising kick and jammed my pinky finger really good. I was lucky I didn't break it. Don't do that again! BJJ: 7:00 - 8:00 pm. Started with 2 warmup rounds, 5 minutes each. They felt like an eternity. I ran for my life against a young athletic kid in the first round (we were supposed to be going nice and easy...), and I struggled in the second round as well. Then we drilled. More side control work. I still didn't feel like I had anything energy wise. Lots of struggles on bottom. I do a lot of work to get a little, then lose what progress I made. I did learn a ghost pass or escape that I think I can try to use. No free rolling; head still not doing great.

I keep hearing that. The other day I rolled two rounds, 2 minutes each; spent 4 minutes on my back under side control and hated my life.

9/17/2025 Aikido: 6:15 - 7:45 pm. Brief internals work, then aikitaisos, where we focused on staying grounded. Along with the grounding was keeping the body connected and staying centered (I don't really think those things are ever separated). We did a tenkan with front kick drill to help with keeping centered upon completion of the turn (the tendency is to lean back upon finishing the turn, or sitting back on the leg that is moving). Don't want any lean or readjustment to kick. I liked this drill and will be doing it more often on my own and in TKD class. We did do some forward rolls. I kept crashing my shoulder. Sensei said he'd take some time to work on it with me when we can link up. Spent a majority of the class working on yokomenuchi soumen iriminage, but against a knife attack. Entry is in/angled toward the knife forearm/elbow with the lead arm to jam/intercept/kazushi, other hand secures at wrist. Then circle the arm up high to keep the blade away and get into position. Finish is modified by wrapping arm around the head and taking them down, secure the knife side as an armbar on the knee, other hand pressure point at the corner of the jaw. After spending time on this, we did some jo-dori. My rolling had to be limited tonight, but when I did it, it was ok.

I read that Belichick and the Tar Heels are discussing buyout options already. Apparently, there's more than just losing going on. My initial thoughts were to just stick it out; it's not like UNC has expectations like Ohio State, Alabama, and other contenders. Let it play out over the course of four years and see what Belichick can build. But there appears to be more than that going on. Allegations of lack of communication on gameday, a divided locker room, disorganized coaching staff, and the fact that Belichick has been "weird" and "distant" over the past two weeks. A lot of parents are upset with the fact that he closed practices to New England Patriots scouts after the coach had stated he was committed to developing players for the next level of football. He needs to clean up the act around there and get his ducks in a row or this will be a failed experiment.

We usually do the form once like this, and then the students do it once at their own count, that is, once they've got the form memorized. I like to teach it count by count, and then as they get better, add in rhythmical nuances.

Those are all great. The one I've really focused on is self-awareness. Another thing I preach about is being able to articulate the actions you took to law enforcement after the incident. Saying the right things are tantamount to keeping yourself out of more trouble.

This is honestly the first time I have seen it. My understanding is that it was a daughter interacting disrespectfully with her dad, who is also the CI and likely teaching the class that it occurred in. I believe it was likely a series of events that snowballed into the temporary demotion taking place. She had to test each time to get back another rank. When she wrote her 1st dan essay again, the questions reflected the issues that she had to resolve, which to her credit, she did.

I have not heard of that, but after the few times back to the gym and the results afterwards, I'm starting to wonder if strength training is something I will be able to continue to do. It seems my head does not tolerate it well. 9/16/2025 Taekwondo: 5:45 - 6:30 pm. Traditional Class. I taught this class. It was a big class, too! It was exciting to see. We had 16 total, including me teaching. We had two fresh-out-of-orientation white belts, so I stuck to the normal basics protocol. However, one of the new white belts was actually a red belt in the Karate school we have here in town. The school closed, and the instructor recommended our school for her to go to. She's catching on pretty quick. There are some technique adjustments for her to make, but those will fill in pretty quickly. I'm sure she'll skip some ranks as she tests. For forms, we had white, low and high orange, low and high green, high blue, 2nd dan and 3rd dan. One-steps for same colored belts. I had the white belts work with black belts to get some good reps in. Sparring: 6:30 - 7:00 pm. I joined in for this one. Several rounds with colored belts, working on various things. My legs were heavy and dead on me. Last round was with the 3rd dan. I'm trying to spar taller than I am, sliding while kicking to close distance and the like, cover ground more, etc. Nice stretch after. Wrist hurt, knee hurt, back hurt.