The Martial Artists' Training Log

[bushido_man96]

I appreciate the feedback @DarthPenguin.  We are mainly doing no gi, although the instructor has worn his gi once, and he said we can do it from time to time.  But I think I'll be the only one other than him in the gi, so not sure how much that helps me, if at all.

10/7/2024

Aikido Class:  Weapons Class:  5:00 - 6:00 pm.  Started with jo warm-ups, hi-8, then did jo kata 1, a few times on the traditional side and a few times on the unorthodox side.  Good review.  We also did jo disarms again, this time a kote-gashi throw, moving to the outside of a shomenuchi strike.  I need to focus on my center, where it is, and where everything else is in relation to my center.  I need to stay in my center, especially when turning and rotating.

After jo, we did bokken strikes and thrusts up and down the floor, and worked on getting a good launch to cover distance.  This is tough for me, having short legs, but made some progress on figuring it out.  We did bokken kata 1 twice.

[bushido_man96]

10/8/2024

Strength Training

Leg Press:  135x10, 185x10, 225x5, 295x3, 315x2, 345x5, 345x5, 345x5.

Press:  45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x2, 135x5, 135x5, 135x5.

Lat Pull-downs:  162.5x10, 162.5x10, 162.5x10.

 

10/9/2024

TKD Class:  Traditional Class:  5:30 - 6:30 pm.  I led the class today.  There were only three of us, counting the 3rd dan that usually teaches the class, but he wanted to jump into basics and asked that I lead it.  After getting through the normal strikes and blocks, I added in some things on the kicking basics and the combinations.  From our twin low blocks/front stance position, we usually do stretching kicks and then back leg front kicks advancing down the floor, and then finish with outer crescent kicks in place.  I added inner crescent kicks, and then finished with a combination of outer crescent kick followed by same leg spin outer crescent kick.  After we did our side kicks advancing down the floor in sitting stance, I added hook kicks advancing down the floor in a similar manner.  We did our normal combinations to finish, and I added in the long lost 3rd combination we hardly do any more; double face punches in front stance, followed by back leg round kick, followed by spin outer crescent kick.  I used the whole length of the dojang on most of the kicking and combination work, switching things up halfway down the floor.  Basics took us about 20 minutes, and it was a good warm-up.

I watched and critiqued forms next; Toi Gye, Hwa Rang, and Yoo Sin.  Then I did my form, Choong Jang.  I then watched them do low-blue/brown belt one-steps, and then we hopped into sparring.  No pads, 2 rounds.  I need to see things better and move a little more.  Finished up with a nice floor stretch.

[bushido_man96]

10/10/2024

Strength Training

Leg Press:  135x10, 185x10, 225x5, 315x3, 350x5, 350x5, 350x5.

Bench Press:  45x5x2, 75x5, 95x3, 115x2, 150x5, 150x5, 150x5.

Lat Pull-downs:  165x10, 165x10, 165x10.

 

BJJ Class:  7:00 - 8:30 pm.  I was paired up with Kendall the whole night, so I got some good work in (I think...).

1.  Standing, one person's job was to get double underhooks (win), and the other person's job was to try to break balance and use footwork to get an outside-to-inside foot sweep (scooping with the foot) and "lift."

6 min, 2 rounds.

It was really hard to get to double underhooks on Kendall.  He pummels well and moves well.  I think I got to double underhooks once on him.  On the flipside, Kendall struggled with setting up the foot sweep.  He could get close and step behind for a sweep, but that wasn't the focus of the drill and we talked about how to get better at it, which he did.  Coach provided some thoughts as well.  When I was trying to foot sweep, I could get to a good position footwork wise, but he kept a good base and I had trouble breaking his balance.

2.  One person on bottom, other on top in mount or side control.  Bottom man's job was to escape, reverse, or get to guard (win).  Top man's job was to hold the chest-to-chest or chest-to-back position (if offered) for as long as possible.  Top guy couldn't win, which meant in order to switch roles, it was on the bottom man.

6 min.

We did this drill with the top guy in mount position.  From bottom, I could reverse or sweep or get to guard on a fairly regular basis.  I felt I did ok.  When Kendall was on bottom, the wrestler came out, and he turned and gave up his back a couple of times (trying to base out like a wrestler).  I talked him through some better options.

3.  Same game, but this time the top guy's job was to work to isolate both arms above the head and get the head, too (win).  Bottom guy still trying to escape/sweep/reverse (win).

6 min.

This time we worked with the top guy in side control.  It was much harder for me to get out.  I'd rather be under the mount.  A few times I was able to get to a half-guard, but I had a hell of a time finishing to a full guard.  I did carry the pressure better.  Or I just dealt with it better, one of the two.  It still sucked.  Kendall keeps such good pressure.  On our last roll I was actually getting his arms worked up while I was in mount but ran out of time.  What I failed to do was walk my knees up along with my hands.  We talked about it with coach afterwards and I mentioned that I feel like if my hips leave his hips I'm giving up control or something.  I don't know why I think that, but that's what I think, with no basis whatsoever.

After all that, Kendall and I rolled once for around 3 minutes I think.  We started standing, and he got me with an arm-drag where I went down to one knee, and he all but locked up a cradle on me and took me down.  Then it was a fight from the bottom.  After that, Kendall rolled several matches with coach.  He did pretty good at getting takedowns, but he seemed to always end up in a spider guard (I think).  He tapped to chokes a few times, which is a good learning experience for him.  He's getting better.

One thing I mentioned to coach while working on things was that with TKD I can see everything out in front of me, and I tend to know where I am and where someone else is.  I'm still learning to feel what I can't see when grappling.