DarthPenguins Training log of an unfit person!

[DarthPenguin]

Tuesday 10th January

Took a couple of days off due to the ankle issue i mentioned in another post but it was fine now so back to it.

Also, my other half has realised it is easier for her to put both the kids to bed together rather than us doing one each and staggering it! She said she would prefer me to exercise at that time which suits me fine as it might let me get back to judo also in next few months

Lifting Session

Trap Bar Deadlift

70kg x 5

75kg x 5

85kg x 5

97.5kg x 5

110kg x 5

85kg x 5

85kg x 5

85kg x 5

85kg x 5

85kg x 5

Tried to do these more as a touch and go which felt a little harder. Usually i do a quick reset after every rep so felt good to do a little differently.

E-Z Bar curl

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

These are light and easy but that is the point. am using them for some gentle volume. once i have done a few run throughs of this krypteia template i will likely add in a heavier exercise to accompany the deadlifts but erring on the side of caution for now

Triceps straight bar pushdowns

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

20kg x 12

Standing one arm kb press (reps are total reps L + R)

16kg x 16

16kg x 16

16kg x 16

16kg x 16

Grippers

T x 11

T x 11

T x 11

Total poundage lifted : 7736.5lg

time : 44min

density : 175.83kg/min

[DarthPenguin]

Wednesday 11th January

Karate Session

Warm ups

Usual warm ups done

Kihon

All the usual kihon techniques though we have been doing them slightly differently recently. Rather than doing 3 x Age-Uke etc we have been chaining together the grade required kihons as a sequence and doing that multiple times : eg age-uke, gyaku-zuki, gedan barai, soto-uke, empi-uchi, uraken, gyaku-zuki etc. I've been quite liking that tbh

got some useful points on ushiro geri that i was able to implement quite quickly. Was told i am still doing it more like a prior style i trained in, where you rotate most of the way round then do the kick (so more like a spinning side kick) and should have my rear facing the target more when kicking

kata

several run throughs of grading kata, seemed to go smoothly, am now working on rhythm mainly

Kumite

Multiple rounds of required grading kumite for next grade. Then added in some jiyu ippon kumite which will be required at future grades.

combinations / kihon

At end of class we worked on some more combinations that will be required for future gradings then got called out in pairs to perform them in front of class as if at a grading. Was useful practice

[DarthPenguin]

Thursday 12th January

BJJ Session

Trains were sorted so was able to make it to my first lunchtime session of 2023!!

Session was focused on de la riva guard which is something i have wanted to practice more for a long time as i often end up in that position in open guard anyway and haven't drilled it much

Started by drilling moving from open guard with feet on hips to standing opponent into de la riva

Next drill was working on unbalancing the opponent using the de la riva grips/hooks

Next drill was working on keeping some kind of open guard on opponent while they attempted to strip grips. was a useful drill

Then worked on the balloon sweep from de la riva. Details being to get opponents weight forward and onto your hips. transition the sleeve grip to the opposite sleeve (the non de la riva hook side) and can do from there but is easier if you take collar grip on the same side. Worked left and right sides. Manage ok on both sides but on my left side is better, sweep is more powerful and more overhead, on right side it goes slightly more to the side, though both sweep over.

Moved onto some rolling next. Was pleased with it and came out with some things to work on :

positives :

- pulled off several sweeps including the balloon from de la riva and also the reverse scissor sweep a couple of times

- managed to pass guard smoothly a few times and keep top control decently

negatives :

- need to work on my grappling conditioning A LOT - found that the power in my sweeps etc was dropping massively

- need to work on finishing some sweeps better, though this was linked to the conditioning. near the end of the session i landed several sweeps and lacked the energy to push through and finish it so we ended up in a scramble, when earlier i was coming up into side control or mount

- need to brush up on my submissions from side control! Was scratching my head trying to think of submissions to go for!

- need to go for submissions faster when identified. Had a good armbar opportunity that i lost by being overly laborious with getting into position to finish it. by time i was ready to sit back he was gripping tight and i had to try to finish another way.

On the whole though was pleased. Was a good session and some clear things for me to work on going forwards.

Will try to do the lunchtime sessions on a Monday and Thursday going forwards (work and transport dependent)

[bushido_man96]

Love seeing the BJJ session update. Great that you have that opportunity!

[DarthPenguin]

Love seeing the BJJ session update. Great that you have that opportunity!

Thanks! Plan is to try to fit in a couple of lunchtime sessions a week and see how it goes

[DarthPenguin]

Saturday 14th January

Lifting Session

Slight amendment to ordering of sessions here. I had ended up with the 'heavy' sessions (squat/deadlift) shifting to be midweek due to xmas workout schedules. This doesn't work well with the midweek martial arts training so adjusted. Decided to do the squat session today instead and superset with some shoulder work skipping the shoulder press session allocated for this week.

Squat

20kg x 5

40kg x 5

62.5kg x 5

72.5kg x 5

82.5kg x 5

62.5kg x 5

62.5kg x 5

62.5kg x 5

62.5kg x 5

62.5kg x 5

single arm kb press (reps are total L + R)

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

16kg x 10

Weighted hold

2 x 24kg kb x 1min

Thought i would start adding these back in for grip strength and overall structural strength. my 24kg kb's have a fat grip so they are good for this i think. Will try to work up to more time and more sets gradually

[DarthPenguin]

Monday 16th January

BJJ Session

This was another open guard focused session, mainly focused on de la riva.

Started out with a couple of drills on hip escaping. First one was focusing on coming all the way through with the lower leg, keeping it off the ground and coming through enough that shoulders and head are tilter slightly downwards. Second drill was similar but the bottom leg stayed on the ground, linked to elbow, with a slight internal rotation of hips to the lower foot it pointing up (so it could push on a hip etc)

Then moved to some drills for moving side to side in de la riva and entering it from open guard with foot on hips. Similar drills to Thursday session.

Started practicing tripod sweep from de la riva with details being to pull with the hand grabbing heel and with the gripping hand (sleeve or collar) and push with foot on hip. Works best when opponent is shifting their weight backwards ti take a stronger base.

Started to drill then working different sweeps from de la riva based on the direction opponent moved their weight.

Instructor ran through the principles of how the sweeps work, based on creating a level using the leg with the trapped foot being the pivoting point.

Worked some positional sparring from this position. Initial drill being person on bottom had to keep feet on opponent, person on top had to strip them. Progressed to 'standard' drill of opponent trying to pass, person on bottom sweeping. Only a win when person has clear dominant top position. At one point i escaped to turtle when on bottom and were told to keep fighting from there. Successfully came up into a double leg from there and passed guard using a smash pass variant which i was pleased with. Did leave my head out too much so had to fight out of a guillotine on way round so that is something to work on.

Few rounds rolling which went well - managed to pull off an armbar that i spotted by going for it quicker than usual so i was pleased with that. Managed several guard passes too which is always good!

Main thing that went well was i had a semi epiphany on Sunday that i was being too passive in my grips. I have extremely long arms so i realised i had been taking a collar grip and just letting my opponent posture up and being content to hold their collar. This is obviously a bit silly and doing nothing so i went into the session actively planning to grip harder and pull my opponent down. Worked really well and managed several sweeps simply from my opponent being so imbalanced from standing by my pulling them down and forwards. Will need to work on this being my standard gripping and not slip back into bad habits!

Takeaways :

positives :

- more active gripping is the way forward (obvious i know but doesn't hurt to remind myself)

- was happy with my double under passes

negatives / things to work on

- work on a stronger grip with my non collar hand

- conditioning work is always needed : try to add in more

- need to improve flexibility (this is something i had already identified for karate anyway!)

- work on core strength more as it will help with certain techniques

Overall though was pleased!

[DarthPenguin]

Wednesday 18th January

Karate session

The other 3rd dan instructor taught class tonight as the CI had something come up. Both are 3rd dan so not a massive difference in experience and is always good to get a different perspective!

Warm ups

similar to usual though slightly more stretching (which is good!)

Kihon

Performed usual grading kihon, though more reps up and down as not many people at class. Got a couple of useful pointers that are slightly different to usual instructor but very helpful

Kata

Worked through from Kihon kata up to Heian Godan in sequence.

Went through Heian Godan slowly with instructor working on details and then ran through it in my own time multiple times post that. Got good feedback (which is always good!) and a couple of minor things to work on - my back foot in back stance sometimes points slightly back (rather than 90 degrees it is about 105 degrees)

spent a lot of time on kata tonight so class was finished with no kumite portion. Good class though and very useful points made

[DarthPenguin]

Thursday 19 January

Lifting session

my partner was ill so i needed to stay around the house to pick up mini people from nursery etc so didn't go into office. This meant i missed lunchtime bjj as i need to be in the office to get to it!

Did a lifting session instead.

Bench press

20kg x 5

40kg x 5

50kg x 5

57.5kg x 5

62.5kg x 5

50kg x 5

50kg x 5

50kg x 5

50kg x 5

50kg x 5

gorilla row (total reps here = L + R)

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

was short on time to squeeze a session in with the other half being ill and my right knee was feeling a little cranky so i thought it would just superset gorilla rows with the main lift. Can never get too much rowing!!

Grippers

T x 12

T x 12

T x 12

time : 31min

total poundage : 5280kg

density : 170.3 kg/min

[DarthPenguin]

Saturday 21 January

Lifting Session

Trap bar deadlift

70kg x 5

80kg x 5

92.5kg x 5

105kg x 5

120kg x 5

92.5kg x 5

92.5kg x 5

92.5kg x 5

92.5kg x 5

92.5kg x 5

E-Z Bar curls

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

Triceps pushdowns with straight bar

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

20kg x 13

Single arm standing kb press (total reps = L+R)

16kg x 18

16kg x 18

16kg x 18

16kg x 18

Was pleased with this one as i totally could not be bothered to go and lift! The deadlift volume is accumulating but feels good. Is going to be a tough workout once the majority of sets are above 100kg but it will do me good. I used to do high rep deadlifts and it always worked well for me

Total time : 41min

Total poundage lifted : 8402kg

density: 204.9kg/min