The Martial Artists' Training Log

[DarthPenguin]

@Zaine, Is the kata total a monthly one then? Are you just picking a single kata for the month and then planning to rotate them monthly or are you breaking down the '10000 reps to mastery' approach?

[bushido_man96]

1/3/2023

DT Training: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. I taught 4, two-hour sessions of DT for my department today. It's the second session since we started it back up. Covered a lot more Spear material, getting a lot more dynamic as we went along.

We got the mats in that the boss ordered for us, so it was fun to use those. In the coming months, we are looking at getting some high gear training suits, too. I'm lucky to have a boss that sees the importance of regular DT training, and is all in on the process.

That night, I was pretty sore, especially my feet and my back, and as I wandered around the house, I was pretty achy. Guess my age is starting to show!

1/4/2023

Strength Training

Deadlifts: 135x5, 185x5, 225x3, 275x1, 315x1, 350x5.

Triceps Push-downs: 65x12, 65x12, 65x12, 65x12.

I was still pretty sore from training the day before. But I got the boys around, and we went to the gym together. I was going lift, but I didn't thing I was going to be pushing to very hard, with my back being so sore. But, as I went through the warmups, I went ahead and loaded my work set for deadlift, and pulled it. Felt good to do that, too, on a day where I didn't think I was going to have it physically. Still fighting some bar floating, but overall, got the set done. I had my youngest son pull a PR single for 315.

On the triceps push-downs, I'm doing a rep progression. When I can hit 4 sets of 15 reps, I'll add 2.5 lbs.

TKD Class: 6:30 - 7:30 pm. T-shirt Class. Finally back to class, after a two month hiatus due to my work schedule sucking. I sat in the sauna and then had a brief stretch in The Rack prior to class. I did a little bit of work on our makeshift makiwara, doing 5 knifehand strikes each hand, then 5 reverse punches each hand. Did my form, Choong Jang, 7 times. First three times were with pretty good speed and power. Last 4 were more paced out. Nothing major done on the bags; just goofing really with some new bags we got that I don't really like. Also tried going "up the scale" again on the rebreakable boards. Got just a few, so need to get back to work on this. Finished class with a nice stretch.

The CI mentioned that the school got set up with the college again to offer TKD class as a college credits. Hopefully, that gets some students in. He has also been speaking with the local Aikido dojo CI/owner about doing a club through the college. There has been an Aikido club at the college for some time, but they have talked about setting up a "Traditional Martial Arts Club," which could be an interesting thing. I looking forward to hearing more about the possibilities involved with this.

Choong Jang Hyung count: 7

[Zaine]

@Zaine, Is the kata total a monthly one then? Are you just picking a single kata for the month and then planning to rotate them monthly or are you breaking down the '10000 reps to mastery' approach?

It is! I'm updating the total as I go.

I thought about doing just one kata, but realized quickly that I have trouble keeping count doing that. It also isn't very fun to drill 1 kata over and over, especially Kuskanku Dai which, while a fun kata to do, is on the longer end. Instead, I do it every time I do another kata. For example, I do Pinan Shodan, then Kusanku Dai, then Pinan Nidan, then Kusanku Dai, and so on.

In a way, I am breaking down the 10,000 reps to mastery thing, just in a longer and more inclusive way. I also find the break from doing one kata refreshing. It lets me practice kata that I don't normally practice. Also, since many Shorin Ryu kata can trace themselves back to Kusanku Dai, it gives me a different perspective on how to do other it.

[Zaine]

1/4

MA Training

133/1000 kata completed!

[Zaine]

1/5

Strength Training

Legs

3 sets of 15: Squats @ 50 lbs

3 sets of 15: Deadlifts @ 50 lbs

3 sets of 15: Calf Raises @ 50 lbs

Abs

3 sets of 15: Sit-ups

3 sets of 15: Leg raises

3 sets of 15: Oblique crunches

MA Training

166/1000 kata complete!

[bushido_man96]

1/5/2023

Half hour of "cardio" split between an elliptical and a treadmill.

Did Choong Jang hyung 6 times in the living room today. Moved some stuff around and was able to get some decent reps in.

Choong Jang hyung count: 13.

[Zaine]

Strength Training

Shoulder/Deltoid

3 sets of 15: Shoulder Press @ 40 lbs

3 minutes: Shoulder shrug

3 minutes: Behind the back shoulder shrug

Back

3 sets of 15: Standing flies @ 10 lbs

3 sets of 15: Lat pull down @ 50 lbs

MA Training

200/1000 kata completed! 20% finished!

[bushido_man96]

You've got a good pace going, Zaine! Keep it up!

1/6/2023...this one is a three-parter!

MA Training: 1 hour of nunchaku training. I was digging around in the basement, and found an old pair of foam-handled, chain nunchaku. I figured, since I had the time, I'd see if I could find some YouTube tutorials. I found one that had some follow-along classes, and jumped in. Got through the first two classes on the channel, and I may repeat those two classes the next time I get the chance to. Did this in the very early morning hours.

Strength Training

Squats: 45x5x2, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 215x5, 215x5, 215x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 85x3, 100x5, 100x5, 100x5.

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 165x3, 225x2, 250x5, 250x5.

A good lifting session this afternoon. Doing my best to eliminate knee slide in the squat by not bouncing in the bottom. Press was ok. Some discomfort in the shoulder, but not so much that I couldn't do it. Second set of snatch grip deads was exhausting.

MA Training: 15 minutes of doing forms. Got 5 reps of Choong Jang hyung; the 4th and 5th were done back to back, with a little bit of power and speed peeled off. It was really fatiguing on my legs. I did this right after lifting, so that was part of it, too. Spent 10 minutes in The Rack stretching afterwards.

Choong Jang count: 18

[bushido_man96]

1/9/2023

Strength Training

Squats: 45x5x2, 135x5, 185x3, 225x5, 225x5, 225x5.

Press: 45x5x2, 65x5, 85x3, 105x5, 105x5, 105x5.

Took videos of my squat to form check myself. I need to let my knees travel just a touch further forward and then lock them in. Third set looked the best. My shoulder was feeling really good today when pressing. I sat in the sauna for about 15 minutes after, and before class started.

TKD Classes: 5:30 - 6:30. Traditional Class. There were three young students in this one. I assisted with basics, breaking things down and helping out. When the students were doing forms, I jumped; two reps of Dan Gun hyung, two reps of Won Hyo hyung, and a rep of Do-Kang 1. I got two reps of Choong Jang in prior to class.

6:30 - 8:45. Black Belt Class. We did a ton of Do-Kangs in this class. Do-Kang 1 once, Do-Kang 2 twice, Do-Kang 3 once, Do-Kang 4 once, Do-Kang 5 once, and learned Do-Kang 6 for the first time ever. Lots of kicking, lots of spin kicks. I really felt doing the spin heel kicks in my right adductor tendon, so I'm hoping that doesn't inflame it.

Do-Kangs are considered our "black belt basics," but they are required to do at black belt testings, so they basically count as another form. So, adding to the form count.

Choong Jang hyung count: 20

Total hyung count: 32

[Nidan Melbourne]

9th Jan 2023

9 - 12 Taught a Monster Class of 30 People (they stay for the entire duration). We in depth reviewed absolutely everything from 9th Kyu (White Belt) to Nidan (2nd Dan).

Could easily have spent the whole day reviewing things. Many of our students had a "Oh yeah" moment, which as an instructor is awesome.