DarthPenguins Training log of an unfit person!

[DarthPenguin]

Tuesday 4th April

Sporadic updates from me - have been feeling really fluey / full of a very heavy cold for the best part of a couple of weeks which has cut down on my training. Have been trying to do some kihon training myself at home most days as can moderate the intensity and working on some hip strengthening exercises every day - can already see an improvement in these : have been starting with a straight leg out in a sidekick position and doing reps of lifting leg up, working towards lifting to the step above. Started both legs on third step up, lifting to fourth and now on fourth lifting to 5th. Doing these grease the groove style, so multiple sets a day spaced out.

managed a brief lifting session today though as per below :

Lifting Session

Seated overhead press

20kg x 5

25kg x 5

32.5kg x 5

37.5kg x 5

42.5kg x 5

bulgarian split squat with kb (total reps = L + R)

8kg x 16

8kg x 16

8kg x 16

8kg x 16

8kg x 16

These felt good. Need to start adding in more single leg stuff i think for general strength and working on stabilisers etc. Movement felt smoother with every set

single arm triceps rope pushdowns (total reps = L + R)

10kg x 10

10kg x 10

10kg x 10

tried these as a new exercise as thought single arms might be a good idea and the lower load might work better with feeling ill!

total poundage lifted : 1727.5

time = 26min

density = 66.44 kg/min

this is lowest density for a long time but as i was feeling ill i am just pleased i got the workout in!

[DarthPenguin]

Saturday 8th April

Still full of this bug so felt session quite a bit in the lungs - ended up in several coughing fits but got the main lifts done!

Lifting Session

Squat

20kg x 5

40kg x 3

60kg x 3

72.5kg x 5

80kg x 5

90kg x 5

72.5kg x 5

60kg x 5

Standing KG overhead press (L + R = total reps)

16kg x 20

16kg x 20

16kg x 20

16kg x 20

16kg x 20

16kg x 20

total time : 35min

total poundage : 4195kg

density : 119.9 kg/min

Overall was pleased with session as still feeling ill. Missed at least one scheduled squat session this block so will repeat the weights from this block again

[DarthPenguin]

Monday 10th April

Bjj session

Bjj on easter monday, a nice way to spend a public holiday!

Session was based on closed guard mainly.

Initially we worked on breaking opponents posture and getting to an overhook. Followed this by moving to an arm drag from the overhook and reaching over the opponents back to a grip in back of armpit ready for a backtake or just more control.

Finished sequence by then moving into a pendulum sweep from there which i liked.

Still not fully recovered so i was sucking wind heavily when it came to the rolling! Was pleased with myself afterwards though that i managed to get several rounds in - managed to get surgically dissected by a purple belt which is always a good learning experience!

Was thinking afterwards (again) that i really need to work on my positive grip fighting and fighting for my grips early on. I was thinking a lot about this and i think that part of my issue may be that i don't have a clear plan at the start and try to see what is available. I'm going to sit down and write myself a flowchart of techniques from positions and see if that helps. Have seen it recommended in a lot of places and it might make it easier to take a dominant grip first, since i have already decided what to do!

[DarthPenguin]

Tuesday 11 April

Lifting Session

Was taking a look back through my logs and i (through illness and other things) have been letting the volume slide a little so made a point of making sure it is added back in. Also slightly tweaked sessions to try and make sure that there is one push, one pull, one squatting movement and one hip hinge movement in all sessions - hopefully that works out well

Bench Press

20kg x 5

30kg x 5

45kg x 5

52.5kg x 5

60kg x 5

45kg x 5

45kg x 5

45kg x 5

45kg x 5

45kg x 5

Widened my grip here. I was thinking about my bench and realised i have been basically close grip benching for ages without fully realising it

Gorilla rows (L + R = Total Reps)

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

24kg x 12

KB Swings

20kg x 11

20kg x 11

20kg x 11

20kg x 11

20kg x 11

Front Squats

40kg x 5

40kg x 5

40kg x 5

40kg x 5

Haven't done these for ages so took it easy to work on form. Felt smoother set by set

E-Z Bar Curls

32.5kg x 5

32.5kg x 5

32.5kg x 5

32.5kg x 5

total poundage : 6152.5kg

time taken : 35min

density : 175.8 kg/min

[DarthPenguin]

Wednesday 12 April

Karate Session

Warm ups

usual warm ups performed

Kihon

Worked through usual grade kihon with an emphasis on shoulder turn and hip movement for blocks / punches. We also added in some more practice on kicks, breaking them down into a lot of detail. I am going to have to fight against some muscle memory as the striking action for the mae-geri is actually slightly different to the way i was always taught in in prior styles and i will need to work on it. I was taught to pull toes back and also pull foot back so you come up and hit with the ball of foot that way. We were told last night to point foot out when striking with toes back and hit with ball of foot that way.

Kata

Lots of run throughs of Tekki Shodan. Firstly breaking it down slowly to the count and then running through at my own pace. Got good comments on it (which is always nice) and a couple of small points to work on (also always nice)

Spent a lot of time on the kata so that ran until the end of the class

[DarthPenguin]

Friday 14 April

Lifting Session

Trap Bar Deadlift

70kg x 5

75kg x 5

85kg x 5

100kg x 5

112.5kg x 5

85kg x 5

85kg x 5

85kg x 5

Incline Bench Press (slight incline)

45kg x 10

45kg x 10

45kg x 10

45kg x 10

45kg x 10

Not done these for ages but felt good

Triceps rope pushdowns

20kg x 10

20kg x 10

20kg x 10

Hang Power Clean

30kg x 10

Bulgarian Split squat (L + R = Total Reps)

8kg x 20

Had to stop there as got a call i needed to deal with. The power cleans and split squat were a superset. Got main lifts in though

Total poundage : 6197.5kg

time taken : 37min

density : 167.5 kg/min

[DarthPenguin]

Monday 17 April

Karate Session

Warm ups

Slightly different to usual, with walking light mae-geris rather than on the spot

Kihon

Worked through grading kihon. I was really trying to focus on angling my hips for blocks, there was a reflective window in front of me so i could see it looked like i wasn't doing quite enough, felt a different with a small amount more so worked hard on that all evening.

Was pleased with my yoko geri kekomi, hips felt a lot smoother in their various movements. The additional hip strengthening work i have been doing seems to be working

Kata

Worked through Heian Nidan a lot as a couple of the brown belts couldn't remember it well! Lots of reps of that and then got asked to try a mirror version at the end. First time i have tried that but was told it was actually quite good!

Class ended before any kumite, but on the whole was a productive class

[bushido_man96]

Those reflections can be quite informative training tools.

[DarthPenguin]

Those reflections can be quite informative training tools.

Definitely, i thought it was quite useful - removes the 'autopilot' that people often get into when performing a kata and forced more active thought.

[DarthPenguin]

Wednesday 20 April

Karate Session

Warm ups

Same warmups as usual

Kihon

Performed grade required kihon as per usual. Hip movement for the kicks is gradually feeling a lot smoother - is a slightly different way to the way i had been taught it in prior styles so has been taking a little work to adapt eg ushiro-geri : the way i was taught to throw a back kick before was more like what Shotokan would call a spinning side kick

Kata

Ran through every kata from kihon kata to Tekki Shodan once at least with Tekki Shodan performed a few times. Working on ironing out minor details now

Kumite

We did quite a few kumite drills. Initially starting in freestyle stance and then attacking with a Jodan strike and opponent has to block and counter, announced attack.

Then moved to a new drill : both in freestyle and opponent attacked with whatever strike they like unannounced, with defender to block/avoid and counter. Enjoyed this one quite a bit tbh. Was paired up in a group of 3 with a 3rd dan and another black belt. Got interesting feedback that i should try to avoid a little more rather than block and counter - something i need to work on, though in my defence i am a genuine heavyweight so not as naturally light on my feet as some of the smaller folk. Plus side though i managed to not get hit at all!