DarthPenguins Training log of an unfit person!

[Zaine]

Good luck! Don't push too hard! Your instructor knows that you're ready, no need to go all out if you're not 100%!

[DarthPenguin]

Sorry for the belated update - sat grading and passed fine (though someone might have tripped over one of my lungs!). Covid away fine but left me with an annoying chest infection while has curtailed my exercise routing annoyingly.

On the plus side thats me got my 5th Kyu (purple belt) again, so my working back through the grades is progressing smoothly still. Got some nice comments from the grading examiner. The course beforehand was really good too : there is one comment he always makes and he never made it clear what he meant but he covered it in the course so now i know!

Learnt Heian Godan already so now just need to work on it being less poor and work towards passable!

[DarthPenguin]

Wednesday 21 December

Karate Session

First session since grading with shiny new purple belt

Small class, just myself, 3rd Dan, 1st Dan and my 6yr old!

Warm ups done as per usual

Technique work

This was done a bit differently. Sensei worked on teaching us a quite involved black belt combination which was fun. Worked on it for about 30min, had 25 moves to it. Worked up to the full sequence and then did it starting from the other side. Was fun

Kata

Worked through Heian Godan multiple times. Sensei said i have learnt the techniques fine already (was pleased at this) and started working on the rhythm and details (i had my hands horizontal for the crossed wrist block rather than upright etc)

Quite like the kata already tbh so will be good to work on it.

[bushido_man96]

Congrats on passing your grading, DarthPenguin!

[Zaine]

Congrats on the grading!

[DarthPenguin]

Thanks both!

I was thinking the other day that i have never been a fan of those belt display boards but i might just do one when i (eventually) grade back up to black belt - a board of the belts up to black, then starting at white again might look quite smart (and unusual!).

Am finding i enjoy the katas more as they progress which is a good thing.

The best part of the grading is that i get to practice my side kicks from a freestyle stance now rather than kiba-dachi! They make us cross step with the stepping foot in front and i find that restricts my kick a lot more than stepping behind, so i am pleased i don't need to do it often anymore!

[bushido_man96]

In our school, when we do basics, we do our side kicks from a sitting stance, and always step in front of the kicking foot. We do this in order to emphasize getting the kick into the proper chamber position, nice and high, and then getting the hip thrust into the kick.

[DarthPenguin]

yeah, i have just always found it easier to get into that chamber position with stepping behind or front a freestyle stance. Not sure why but my hip feels restricted when i step in front

[DarthPenguin]

Tuesday 27 December

As i have been ill a decent amount this month i decided that it made sense to just start with the week 1 day 1 numbers again for my most recent lifting plan and use them again.

Lifting session

Bench Press

20kg x 5

30kg x 5

42.5kg x 5

50kg x 5

57.5kg x 5

42.5kg x 5

42.5kg x 5

42.5kg x 5

42.5kg x 5

42.5kg x 5

Split squats (not Bulgarian variation). Reps given are per leg

8kg x 8

8kg x 8

8kg x 8

8kg x 8

8kg x 8

These felt a lot smoother than the last time i did them. Am working them up gradually until i get used to the motion. I think these will really help my stances

KB Swings

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

These felt light but good for getting back into it

Triceps straight bar pushdowns

20kg x 10

20kg x 10

20kg x 10

biceps cable curl

20kg x 10

20kg x 10

20kg x 10

Grippers (reps are per hand. equal done for both)

T x 6

T x 6

T x 6

decided i would go up in strength for this since i was banging out lots of reps easily before. A lot tougher than the S but managed fine. Will try the same progression as before

total poundage : 4702.5kg

time : 36min

density : 130.6 kg/min

[bushido_man96]

yeah, i have just always found it easier to get into that chamber position with stepping behind or front a freestyle stance. Not sure why but my hip feels restricted when i step in front

Yes, for sure it is harder this way. It's part of the reason we do it that way in basics. In order to get the side kick done correctly, with the body and leg in proper alignment, you have to focus on a), making sure to keep the body side-on (the cross-over will cause newer students to over-step and bring their back hip too far forward), and b), emphasizes getting the chamber into the proper position by getting the body back into that side-on position. When I first started doing it that way, it was weird, but the more I did it, the more I understood why, and the more it's helped with my side kick technique. But as an instructor, I've got to really harp on students when doing the kick to make sure they are really breaking it down and not skipping steps.