The Martial Artists' Training Log

[bushido_man96]

1/16/2026

BJJ:  6:45 - 8:15 pm.  Some 2 minute warm-up rounds, then we went to work.  We worked from the outrigger position into side control.  After quite a bit of positional work there, we progressed to working on finishing with a gift wrap, Kimura, and armbar.  I felt behind all the time while drilling and rolling, but I also felt like I was doing some good things.  Bottom side control still sucks.  I finished with 2 live rounds, 2 minutes each.  Stretched after.

[bushido_man96]

1/20/2026

Taekwondo:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Traditional Class.  Taught this class.  I tried to get the students to focus on proper walking and posture in stances.  I mentioned this in basics and in forms.  I had two other black belts in class for one-steps, so while they worked with students I focused on white and orange belt students doing their one-steps.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  I sparred an opening round with the 3rd dan, which kind of sucked.  After that, I led few more rounds of sparring, then I had the students line up for footwork drills.  A good chunk of the time was spent on moving.  Finished with blocking drills to include the six-star hit and lining them back up and swinging the blocker at them.

After class I had a brief stretch in The Rack.

Edited January 27 by bushido_man96

[bushido_man96]

1/21/2026

Aikido:  6:15 - 7:15 pm.  Traditional Class.  Loosening, basic strikes, aikitaisos, then quite a bit of ukemi, and I did ok with it.  The meat of the class was higher kyu material, working on several "pivot throws."  They were 4th kyu and up material.  Some of them I didn't mind, some of them I didn't really care for at all.

[bushido_man96]

1/26/2026

Heavy Bag Workout:  8 rounds, 1 min/45 sec rest.  Alternated orthodox/southpaw.  I used this workout to get more warmed up for Aikido.

Rounds 1-4, punching only.

Rounds 5-8, added in round kicks.  I kept the punches to straight punching.

Stretch.

 

Aikido:  6:15 - 7:15 pm.  Weapons Class, entire time spent on the jo.  Warmed up with high-4, low-4, high-8 and low-8.  The rest of the time was spent on kumi jo.  We reviewed 4 and 5, then learned 3.

[sensei8]

5 hours ago, bushido_man96 said:

1/26/2026

Heavy Bag Workout:  8 rounds, 1 min/45 sec rest.  Alternated orthodox/southpaw.  I used this workout to get more warmed up for Aikido.

Rounds 1-4, punching only.

Rounds 5-8, added in round kicks.  I kept the punches to straight punching.

Stretch.

 

Aikido:  6:15 - 7:15 pm.  Weapons Class, entire time spent on the jo.  Warmed up with high-4, low-4, high-8 and low-8.  The rest of the time was spent on kumi jo.  We reviewed 4 and 5, then learned 3.

Love your heavy bag workout, Brian!! You ever add jump spinning back kicks to your heavy bag workouts??

[bushido_man96]

On 1/28/2026 at 10:42 PM, sensei8 said:

Love your heavy bag workout, Brian!! You ever add jump spinning back kicks to your heavy bag workouts??

Thanks, @sensei8!  I have worked them in in the past, but lately I've focused the work a little more.  When I do work them back in, they probably won't be as true jumping kicks, but more like a switching kick that stays low to the ground and drives out fast.  I like to use that as a counter when sparring, especially when someone is trying to jam me up.

 

1/27/2026

Taekwondo:  5:45 - 6:30 pm.  Traditional Class.  I taught this class again.  I'm teaching them more and more often, which I really am enjoying, even though I don't get the same level of workout in myself.  I did do most of the basics along with the class, even working alongside some of the white belts to help them out.  White, low/high orange, low/high green, and middle brown belt forms were done tonight.  One-steps for same.

Sparring:  6:30 - 7:00 pm.  After padding up, I started everyone on the six-star hit drill, then moved to some sparring drills:

From a closed stance, attacker threw a front leg (#1) round kick and the defender blocked with the rear hand.  Then I changed it up so the attacker would throw a repeat round kick with the front leg, and the defender would double block.  The attacker got to pick where the kicks went (body or head), so the defender had to react accordingly.  We finished with two rounds of sparring.  I sparred the 3rd dan, and then one of the low orange belt kids.  Stretched in The Rack.

[bushido_man96]

1/28/2026

Heavy Bag Workout:  Done just before Aikido class to warm up.  Same workout I did on 1/26.  Stretch in The Rack afterwards.

 

Aikido:  6:15 - 7:15 pm.  Traditional Class.  After loosening up and doing aikitaisos and some ukemi, we worked lots of 2nd kyu variations of kotegashi.  We had a hip throw we worked on last.

[bushido_man96]

1/29/2026

BJJ:  6:45 - 8:20 pm.  Started with three warm-up rounds, then worked from the armbar position.  We started by trying to hold the position with just our legs, and the games progressed from there.  We progressed to working the S-mount position to an actual armbar.  At one point we were working an S-mount with the legs across the body and applying pressure down towards the bottom person's hips;  this was very awkward, especially on the smaller/thinner guys, as I felt like I was high-centered.

We finished with three rounds of free rolling, then I stretched.  A new guy with previous experience that was there helped me with fighting out of his half-guard.

[bushido_man96]

2/1/2026

Aikido Video Review:  I reviewed 5th kyu material form our Aikido dojo's Youtube channel.

Shomenuchi kotegashi:  Open stance, irimi step (back foot steps forward and at an outside angle, an "entry" I guess), then tenkan, then the zengo(?) turn (I think it's called zengo).  At any rate, tenkan and then shift the hips to a front stance while applying the lock.  Finish with the standing kotegashi pin.

Shomenuchi ikkyo omote:  Open stance, blend, lead hand to wrist, other above elbow near the triceps/armpit, front foot forward/outside angle side step, then "V-step" to kneeling ikkyo pin.

Shomenuchi ikkyo ura:  Open stance, irimi step (like above), then tenkan and apply pressure to takedown.  Kneeling ikkyo pin.

Munetski kotegashi:  Closed stance, irimi step, tenkan, switch hips to front stance (zengo?), standing kotegashi pin.

[sensei8]

On 2/8/2026 at 3:02 AM, bushido_man96 said:

Thanks, @sensei8!  I have worked them in in the past, but lately I've focused the work a little more.  When I do work them back in, they probably won't be as true jumping kicks, but more like a switching kick that stays low to the ground and drives out fast.  I like to use that as a counter when sparring, especially when someone is trying to jam me up.

 

The jump spinning back kick has been my most favorite TKD kick because I can generate a lot of power, Btw, I also feel in love with the turning-around roundhouse kick, as well. I was most fortunate to have learned them both from GM Suh, and adding them to my arsenal was a turning point because they’re definitely NOT Shindokan in any shape, way, or form.