The Martial Artists' Training Log

[tallgeese]

Bushido man, I thing that the wide grip pull up with the palms out just further than shoulder width is the best overall for the "pull up workout". It also gave me good results in my other activities. That being said, vary things up a bit here and there to work different primary movers. Each variation is a bit different.

today-

3, 3 min rounds on the mitts. focus on coverage to tight power combos. added more stikes to combo, tie up at end

6, 1 min rounds agaist the rib portector and mitts. cover and find opening for a low jab, close distacne. work combo from mitt training. tie up and knee. finish with front takedown and spin to knee to side and establish control

25 min instructinal block. two sweep series to mount, finish with armbar.

6, 3 min rounds free roll

[joesteph]

Class with my sons

- Back kicks, with me on my knees, holding a small square target. I was the "stranger" reaching out with one hand; each boy turned away (as though about to run away), looked back (at me, the stranger), then kicked the target.

- Sitting on kick shields like sitting on a man taken down, we did elbow strikes straight down. Prelude to board breaking in future, to be done with the elbow.

- Pyung Ahn Cho Dan (paired with our teacher as the guide)*

* They did not do as well today, Wednesday, as they did on Monday , so, at home, we stayed in our do boks and did Pyung Ahn Cho Dan with me guiding.

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Home

Leg stretches

Front swing kicks

Kicking exercises lying on floor:

- roundhouse and side kicks

[bushido_man96]

1-14-09

Irimi tenkai: 10 each sidex2

Jog with the dog: about 20 minutes, walking and running. Then stretched.

Back/shoulders

Assisted pull-ups: plate 7x5, plate 6x4

Lat pull-downs: 130x7, 140x6, 150x4

Dumbell shoulder press: 40x10, 50x6, 55x4

Abs

Cable crunches: 105x20, 15, 15

Cable trunk twist: 70x10, 10, 10

Cardio: rode bike for 15 minutes. Then stretched.

[tallgeese]

modified crossfit:

30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 reps of

virtual shoveling (as if I haven't been doing enough real shoveling)

pull ups

chest/tris

still light on the lifts due to a shoulder injury last week that's still nagging along. bicep tendon i think.

[joesteph]

Class for me tonight

- Sparring combinations

- Pyung Ahn Cho Dan demonstrated by me, found acceptable

- Started Pyung Ahn E Dan; found opening moves familiar from the past, so shown further

- Remained after class for tutoring, first by Jo Kyo Nim (assistant instructor), then Kyo Sa Nim (chief instructor) and I discussed bunkai* I felt I'd found in first half of form

*Downward redirect of incoming midsection punch, then spear hand to opponent's solar plexus

[bushido_man96]

*Downward redirect of incoming midsection punch, then spear hand to opponent's solar plexus

So what did you find out of this movement, Joe?

1-15-09

Pre-class warm-up:

FL Front kicks: 3x10 each side (some of these were done earlier in the day).

FL Side kicks: 3x5 each side.

Cross-over side kicks: 10 each side, from sitting stance. I focused on getting the knee up and the hips turned over; this tends to knock off my balance.

TKD class: 6:00 - 7:00. We actually got started a bit late, because our school had Little Lions testing prior to our class. I used the time to work on the above, and get a stretch in. Basics were a touch abbreviated, but we did some different things:

-From fighting stance, we did a front leg knee up, followed by a front snap kick, followed by an outside drop kick.

-From fighting stance, we did a step forward, then back leg round kick moving down the floor.

-From fighting stance, we did a shuffle step back, then back leg round kick, moving down the floor backwards.

The change ups were nice drills. Something different.

[tallgeese]

just the warm up and lift today-

back/bis

[joesteph]

*Downward redirect of incoming midsection punch, then spear hand to opponent's solar plexus

So what did you find out of this movement, Joe?

When I first had it shown to me, Brian, I did the "bow and arrow" power motion that I realized could be to have one hand pull in or control the opponent, while stepping up and shooting the other hand, a "vertical" spear hand, forward to the solar plexus.

But the completion resembled a Taiji move to me, one that I'd done with a fist, in which, applied to this Soo Bahk Do form, you have a redirecting, sweeping hand move to a certain point and instantly strike over that sweeping hand with the spear hand. Then I realized that the point reached would be better considered a midway point, to redirect further, opening up the solar plexus while stepping forward and striking--"ramming"--with the spear hand.

My teacher let me know that what I said were interpretations that she was fine with. Should I pass the green belt (6th gup) test in February, she's spoken of creating a green belt class. Then we might be freer in sharing bunkai.

[bushido_man96]

I have two forms with a similar segment in them; Do San and Won Hyo hyungs. My concern is that I don't think I would ever try to strike someone in the solar plexus with a spear hand. It just isn't a very reliable strike, in my opinion, especially if someone has a strong core.

1-16-09

Midnight Aikitaisos:

Tenkan: 3x10 each side.

Shomen: 3x10 each side.

FL Front kick: 2x10 each side. Not Aikitaisos, but they were part of my night-shift workout.

Gym

Bench press: 185x6, could go up.

Seated cable row: 150x7, could go up.

Military press: 105x9, 9 was failure.

Lat pull down: 140x10, should go up.

Triceps press: 216x10, should go up.

Barbell curls: 90x6, maybe go up.

I did the military press and the bench press on the safety squat machine, and I don't think that the weight of the bar on the safety squat equals that of the regular bar. When I do regular bench press, I can push up 185 10 times with ease. The 6 reps I did above were rather tough. So, I'm not sure what the difference is between the two. It doesn't matter too much, because I'm worried about gains more than the numbers themselves. I would just like to know so that I could get an idea of where I would be on the flat bench when I do it.

Cardio: Rode the bike for 15 minutes. Then stretched.

[joesteph]

I have two forms with a similar segment in them; Do San and Won Hyo hyungs. My concern is that I don't think I would ever try to strike someone in the solar plexus with a spear hand. It just isn't a very reliable strike, in my opinion, especially if someone has a strong core.

I take it that the spear hand shot to the solar plexus only works against out-of-shape muggers, the more "jelly belly" the better!

Home

Leg stretches

Front swing kicks

Kicking exercises lying on floor:

- roundhouse and side kicks

Ki Cho Hyungs (Il, E, Sam Bu)

Pyung Ahn Cho Dan

Chil Sung E Ro Hyung

Pyung Ahn E Dan--first half

Class tonight with my instructor's teacher

- Sparring exercises, both required and combos

- Concentration on non-basic hyungs

- Bunkai of lapel seize and kick within segment of Pyung Ahn Cho Dan explained

- Tutored after class to work on first half of Pyung Ahn E Dan

- Discussed "my" bunkai in same segment of Pyung Ahn Cho Dan regarding lapel grab, one that I again see related to a Taiji move, but also another move in "American Jiu Jitsu" by Len Lanius, pp. 11-12, "Cross Arm Break." Both moves I see involve crossing your own arms first, then applying a kick (Taiji) or an arm break (Lanius).*

*I feel as though I'm "cross-training."