bushido_man96

I will be checking this out as well!

8/23/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 300x5, 300x5, 300x5. Bench Press: 45x5, 115x5, 135x3, 160x1, 200x5, 200x5, 200x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 225x3. Neutral-grip Chins: 2, 2, 2, 2. Got through squats, but deadlifts was another story. TKD Class: 7:00 - 7:30 pm. Got to class late with scheduling conflicts. Did get some review work in on some one-steps, some three-steps, and then self-defense work. For self-defense, we defended against impromptu attacks, and had to react accordingly. 8/25/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 255x5, 255x5, 255x5. Press: 45x5, 85x5, 100x3, 120x2, 146x2, 146x4, 146x4, 146x4, 146x1. Power Cleans: 95x3, 115x3. Light day, and my back needed the break. Short on time, due to scheduling conflicts.

Yes, the law of diminishing returns seems to apply in most cases, except testing fees....

I don't know why TKD gets labeled for having so-called "snappy kicks." I break three and four boards with round kicks. They aren't "snappy" kicks. The bottom line is, no matter your style, you can choose to do snappy kicks, or thrusting kicks, or swinging kicks, or spinning kicks, etc. It's not about style, it's about execution.

I wish you luck! This sounds like a fun opportunity to put doing what you love into making a living.

8/19/2021 Firearms Training: 8:00 - 11:30 am. Got some range in today. Pistol first, and we worked on drawing and firing with a threat moving towards us from 21 feet. Great drill. After that, we worked on pistol on stationary and moving targets (side to side), and then the same drill with pistol/transition to rifle. Good stuff. 8/20/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 310x1, 235x5, 235x1. Press: 45x5, 85x5, 100x3, 120x1, 135x5, 135x5, 135x5. Neutral-grip Chins: 2, 2, 2, 2. Power Cleans: technique work; jump, jump and catch, and working on the split. My back was in a lot of pain today. I couldn't do my work sets for squats, as the pain was acute when I was in the bottom position. I also backed off weight on press to avoid too much layback, and avoided deadlifts altogether. I hate these days.

That's great news, Bob!

I hope this is the case! I'd rather not have to wait another year for it to come out. It's bad enough with the delay some of the other series have had (looking at you, Stranger Things Season 4).

8/16/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 305x5, 305x5, 305x5. Press: 45x5, 85x5, 100x3, 120x1, 146x4, 146x4, 146x4, 146x4. Power Cleans: 135x3 Deadlifts: 205x3, 225x3, 255x2, 275x1, 310x5. Neutral-grip Chins: 2, 2, 2. Squats are getting heavy, but I completed the sets, although the bar felt like it wanted to roll around on my back. Press went surprisingly well, getting sets of 4. I did one set of power cleans to start warming up the deadlifts, went forward from there. My back was pretty sore after this session. Might have been from the press. TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Black Belt Class. Do-Kangs 1 and 2, twice each, then worked on three-steps quite a bit. Finished working with block/pass/pin drills. 8/18/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 255x5, 255x5, 255x5. Bench Press: 45x5, 115x5, 135x3, 155x1, 195x5, 195x5, 195x5. Power Cleans: 95x3 & Press x3, 115x3 & Press x3, 125x3 & Press x3, 125x3 & Press x3, 125x3 & Push Press x3, 125x3 & Push Press x3, 125x3 & Push Press x3. I changed up my power cleans. Instead of the standard catch position, I changed to a split clean. I really liked it, after I got used to it. Now, I just need to work on the catch itself, because I'm really beating the crap out of myself catch the rack. TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. T-Shirt Class. I did Choong Jang 3 times, and Se Jong twice, for review. A little bit of technique work, and some stretching.

Bob, I hear you on that prep drink. I had to do prep before my last colonoscopy, and it is never enjoyable. Fasting on top of it, it just sucked. That, combined with the prep being loaded with sodium, I was really worked up about having to take it. I hope it goes well for you. I'll be keeping you in my prayers! So, about this T11 discovery; does this mean that things are worse than they thought, or did it sound like this was nothing out of the ordinary?

I think it will be kind of tough, outside of the normal class setting, unless some of the students are siblings that can train together. In lieu of games, and if you have the capabilities to do so, you might consider assigning some kind of "homework" that the students need to complete on their own time, have recorded on video, and then downloaded for you to watch.

8/13/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 300x5, 300x5, 300x5. Bench Press: 45x5, 115x5, 135x3, 155x1, 190x5, 190x5, 190x5. Power Cleans: 95x3 & Press x3, 115x3 & Press, 135x3 & Push Press x3. Deadlifts: 225x3, 255x2, 275x1, 305x5. Neutral-grip Chins: 2, 2, 2, 2. Finally, with consistent training, getting to that 300 lb. barrier. Bench press is continuing to feel good, so I will continue with keeping it in the program. I used the power cleans to warm up for the deadlift, and after each clean, pressed/push pressed it overhead. Deadlift is feeling ok so far, too. I just wish I could have kept it farther ahead of my squat numbers.

8/11/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 255x5, 255x5, 255x5. Press: (PC)45x5, (PC)85x5, (PC)100x3, (PC)120x1, 144x3, 144x3, 144x2, 144x2, 144x2, 144x3. Power Clean & Jerk: 125x3, 125x3, 125x3. Neutral-grip Chins: 2, 2, 2, 2. Light squat day. I really appreciate it more and more, especially with the Meniere's giving me fits. I've decided to give the power clean another go (since I've given bench press a second chance, too). Also, since I'm kind of disappointed with how my press is going, I've decided to try to increase my overhead work, so I'm going to press everything I can, until I can't, and then move to jerk pressing. Today, due to lack of room on the racks (I had both of my boys at the gym with me), I power cleaned the first rep of each press warm-up. I did not clean the work sets. For the power cleans, I'm going to press and jerk all the weight that I can. Since the weight isn't high yet, and since I did the heavy pressing already, I jerked each clean rep. As I progress, I'm going to try to get more sets in (up to 5 is the plan), and I may progress from clean and press, to clean and push press, then to clean and jerk, and to just cleans once the weight gets up there. I am thinking of using the power clean to warm up my deadlift, as well. MA Training TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. T-Shirt Class: I did a little bit of work in this class, but spent most of the time teaching. It was a small class, just a couple of black belt kids. I had them doing side-stepping techniques on the bags, and after about 20 minutes of reps doing that, I had them line up to spar each other, and work to apply the side-stepping footwork and counters. I think the two did really well at doing so, and they definitely spent less time backing up, and more time circling and working angles.

Patrick, I really love the jacket! I never had a letter jacket as kid in high school, as Martial Arts was always my thing, and not other school athletics. This gift really means a lot to me! Thank you so much!

Nice!

It's definitely an eye-catcher.

8/9/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 295x5, 295x5, 295x5. Bench Press: 45x5, 95x5, 115x2, 135x2, 155x1, 185x5, 185x5, 185x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 255x1, 300x5. Neutral-grip Chins: 3, 2, 2. MA Training TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Black Belt Class. Do-Kangs, 1, 2 x2, 3, by count. After individual forms work, I had all the students work on some things I broke down for them on Kwang Gae. Finished with three-steps.

8/6/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 290x5, 290x5, 290x5. Press: 45x5, 85x5, 100x3, 120x1, 142x5, 142x3, 142x2, 142x2, 142x3. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 245x1 295x5. Neutral-grip Chins: 3, 2, 2, 2, 2. The Meniere's subsided some today, and I didn't feel the effects on squat as much. Press, my nemesis. The first set to 5 was a struggle, and then after that, it was all a struggle. Right before the last set, I realized that I had tightened my belt after squatting to hole I added for pressing....tightened the belt, and got a set of 3. Deadlifts are still feeling good, and my back isn't complaining about them.

I agree that gradings are just a small part of the bigger picture of the journey. I've been a member of schools that I feel put too much emphasis on "the next grading" all the time, and that is what is always being worked towards, as opposed to thinking about the myriad different things instructors should be teaching their students.Welcome to KF!

8/3/2021 TKD Testing: 6:00 - 7:20 pm. We had another small group testing, but one was testing for 2nd dan. The rest were colored belts. It's always fun to watch their improvement. 8/4/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 255x5, 255x5, 255x5. Bench Press: 45x5, 95x5, 115x3, 135x1, 155x1, 180x5, 180x5, 180x5. Neutral-grip Chins: 3, 2, 2, 2, 2. Deadlifts: 135x5, 205x3, 225x1, 245x1, 290x5. MA Training TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. T-shirt Class. Spent the bulk of the hour working on counters and footwork sparring drills. No gear, just light and easy movement. Spent a good amount of time before class stretching out.

Thank you for all the kind words, everyone! They mean a lot to me!

Congratulations!

We had a grading last night at our dojang, rather small one, but they all have been lately. Despite that, it was a good testing, and the school owner and I were the judges. Throughout our testing, we usually take notes on various things we notice, along with jotting down the testing scores on the material at hand, as I'm sure most instructors do. At the end of testing, we'll address these with the students and audience. As per usual, technique usually comes up in some way, shape or form, and last night, the CI was discussing it. While he was making his points, it kind of struck me that we talk about technique a lot; good technique vs bad technique, how we want techniques done, etc. Although we tend to know it when we see it, we don't really but a face to the name, so to speak. So while he was addressing his point, I had one of those "a ha" moments that Bob (sensei8) mentions, and I addressed with the students. I defined technique for them as "the efficiency of movement," and now that I've thought on it a bit more, I think I would amend that to "the efficiency and application of movement." We see good technique as fluid movement that allows the technique to be performed with precision, power, economy of movement, etc. We see proper technique as the way that allows movements to have speed and power generated through them. It's also usually done in a direct manner, thus the efficiency aspect. I'd love to hear everyone else's thoughts on the matter. I've always thought about good technique, and I feel like I can teach good techniques, but I'd never really verbalized it out loud in this way. Anyone else have a thought like this, or do you have a different analogy for defining technique? I'd love to hear the discussion.

7/30/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 280x5, 280x5, 280x5. Bench Press: 45x5, 95x5, 115x3, 135x2, 175x5, 175x5, 175x5. Deadlifts: 135x5, 185x3, 205x2, 275x2. 8/2/2021 Strength Training Squats: 45x5, 135x5, 205x3, 235x1, 260x1, 285x5, 285x5, 285x5. Press: 45x5, 85x5, 100x2, 120x1, 140x5, 140x5, 140x3, 140x2. Neutral-grip Chins: 2, 2, 2, 2. Deadlifts: 135x5, 185x3, 205x2, 225x1, 245x1, 285x5. Meniere's really messed with me today while squatting. Really light headed after the sets. I'm struggling with the press right now, too. MA Training TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Black Belt Class. Do-Kangs 1-3, and Choong Jang hyung. Three-steps, then self-defense, working on chokes from the front, from the side, and from the front with a push.

That sounds great! Getting to start working on bunkai and things that bring out applications is a great way to retain information.