My ramblings, the endless journey

Horrible work out, I did not have any energy, my job is just terrible right now, It is killing me. Coupled with lift + kung fu the day before, and 2 hours haning out in my bike shop waiting (and shooting the sh*t with my mechanic) for some work to be finished so I could have breaks again... lifting was the LAST THING I wanted to do with myself.

I didn't get started til 10:30 pm, and that did not help at all. My totals SUCKED, and i was just proud that I didn't stop, because when I first (well actually during every exercise, every set every rep) all I wanted to do was stop. drop weights, or cut out exercises. While I did drop the weight of my deadlifts, I did not drop out any exercises, or quit so there you go. What ever.


2 X 25 30 sec rest

Deadlift snatch grip.117 lbs x like 12 reps, couldn't continue, dropped the weight to 97 # pulled the remaining 13, and then 97 X I think I got 22 or 23 and did have to stop and breath in there somewhere.

super set

lunges 20's # X25

step ups 20's# X 25



leg raises lying 4# x 13( again should have been 5 each leg, not happening.)

Hand not helping.... 1 more week and then I have an off week, I am really concerned about squating (I had officially made the switch to front squats for saftey sake, considering my "home" gym. I went to test hang clean last night before I really giot going. I can't do that with my thumd, the reaslese and drop especially, I can't do that right now, I did 77# as my test and nearly got stuck with the weight up, because I couldn't figure out how to drop it with out reinjuring/aggrivating it.

I look forward to Kung Fu tonight, and my sceduled off day on Saturday, even though I have a 12 hour day agin, F*cker's.

Class went ok.

I have to get there maybe next Sat, and see if anyone can help me learn Dragon. It is soo twisty, turny, with so many suble hand changes and switches. Again someone needs to break it up for me, I just keep running through the whole thing and remember nothing. I still get really lost at the end. It is shorter than tiger, but there are a million more suble moves.

They wanted to start me on bird... I don't know if that is smart if I don't have dragon internalised.  But i don't think the other people who have started when I started, can get through a whole form by themselves... is that bad, good what????

But, then they have started learning bird. ehhh..

I'm thinking too much about all of this and that effecyts me in class. I do the best when I am facing the wall and I can't look at other people, and judge myself against them ...

Sparr went ok. I have gotten a couple patterns down. I had a more agreessive teacher this time around. I have worked with him before. It is cool because I can push him around and be more forceful, and that is better for my learning curve. I think last time lady, taught me wrong on a few things. I am getting it though...

I am being positive I swear.

6 X  all and 90 seconds rest.
super sets

close grip chin ups f/N 2/1, 1/3, 1/2, 0/3,0/3,0/3 (hurt my forearm playing with bf, effected the pull, I am very bruised up and down my arms)
Barbell shoulder press 67 x 3 (pb)
wide grip pull up 1 leg assisted all negitiveX3

Arnolds 30's # (60# total) X 3
hammer curls

30# X3
_

Upper body russian Twist 35 # X 12
 
Not great, but personal best on the m press.

Thumb still gets in the way, but i can bend it some now .


Kung Fu last night was good enough! I finally remember some of Dragon, on my own. so at least the process is begining.. O like the Thai Chi lady helped me. She my buddy!

i took take kung fu for five years but then quit...i was really good, black tiger, sword, and all that **** (shaolin style) but all the other kids were really young. all the other kids my age quit. i was by far the best, and the classes were holding me back, because the teacher wasnt teaching me anything new. tip:to get more flexible (this how i got splits, it works really quickly) strech right when u wake up. thats when ur muscles are the tightest, so if u get them loose then, they will get looser during the day.
i didnt forget anything exept for one summer when i went out of the country, and didnt practice at all. i re-learned everything the next class. i had to stay back an extra 3 HOURS.

I have a police record at age 13.....


bench: 150
squat: ?????
deadlift: 220

Really good class. My tiger was excelant. My warm up forms were focused and clean.

I worked more on Dragon,  and started bird. Yeah, bird is gonna be a problem  .

My feet are less like lead, and I am placing them down after kick rather than letting them drop , in the hopes of not falling over. Really feel good about my kicking control, better than I ever have been.

H2 NROL
5x6 everything (cept, abs) super sets full rest at 90 secs. Dips and abs straight sets

All time best bench and rows, reverse grip or otherwise

Barbell reverse Grip Bent over row 87# X 6 (could have done at least 5 #'s more if not 10)
Dumbbell bench 45's # (90# total ) x 6
1 arm row 50# x 6
Dumbbell incline bench 30's # (60# total ) x6
Bench Dip 30# X6
swiss ball crunch 3 X 12 @ 60 sec rest, 35#

Felt real strong in the back, the one arm row doesn't seem right, but i am recording here from memory..... I need to remember to bring my log to work to record properly, since this is public record.

looking forward to off week, something fierce. I think this last week was the end of my incidental 12- 15  hour days at work. Hopefully I don't need to keep jigging around training days, or doing double Kung fu and lifting nights. My work has really been screwing with me.

i took take kung fu for five years but then quit...i was really good, black tiger, sword, and all that **** (shaolin style) but all the other kids were really young. all the other kids my age quit. i was by far the best, and the classes were holding me back, because the teacher wasnt teaching me anything new. tip:to get more flexible (this how i got splits, it works really quickly) strech right when u wake up. thats when ur muscles are the tightest, so if u get them loose then, they will get looser during the day.
i didnt forget anything exept for one summer when i went out of the country, and didnt practice at all. i re-learned everything the next class. i had to stay back an extra 3 HOURS.

I am certainly not doing Shaolin Style, although that form and mine share the same roots...
If you are curoius this is the link to my school. http://www.sevenmountainskungfu.com/htmls/aboutphan.html

That is my Master, he such a little deadly cutie!

There are better video's throughout the site. It just doesn't look as complicated or interesting in the videos, and his editing style is bad.

there are links to the articals from inside kung Fu inthere as well, It talks about my form.

My school is taught the traditional way, beginners and experts taking the same class. It is part of the training to teach those who are less experianced than you are. There is no stalling for anyone, no one gets held up. Just the opposite.

Goot somewhere with Dragon on Friday. I almost have it. I began calling it, half right half wrong. I am confidant in my progression for today at least.

Couple more go arounds and I shold be able to practice the whole thing by myself.


Then I can work on Bird, bird is Yuck!Yet again a totally new way of moving through space. It will come in time.



3 x 12 60 sec rest

Deadlift snatch grip.137 lbs x12

super set

lunges 30's # X 12 1 st 2 sets 25# 3rd x 12

step ups 30's# X 12 1st set 25# the last 2 x 12

leg raises 5 # x 12 x 3

just couldn't keep my grip, and the right DB keep leaning on thumb (that is what happens when I start to lose my grip, on the step ups), I could not keep it there not good for poor little thumb, seriously.

But got them deads over my last 3x 12 failure, and the rest was still an improvemnet.

So that is ok.

Had a very nice class yesterday.

Felt really good warm ups through froms proper. Still don't have dragon down quite yet,  but i have it well enough to leep up with the rest of the class and not get lost.


Ha dmy favorite spar partner for set form sparring. I just click with him. He has a very good way of articulating exactly what I should be doing.  Foot placement, leverage all that jazz, the moving and the leg locks are really good. He said a number of things I was doing was excellant ! Blocks and such... And my 6 punch is finally committed to memory.

Hurray!

If any of you (if anybody is), following this journal and has interest in helping me with a new routine.. please see the training forum I could use some help.

25 x 2  30 seconds rest.
super sets

close grip chin ups 2 leg asssit x25
Barbell shoulder press 37 x 25
wide grip pull up 2leg assisted X 25
Arnolds 10# x 25
hammer curls 10# x 25
_

Upper body russian Twist 35 # X 12

Not brilliant but better than the last time at 25 reps. I hit all my targets.

Ok my learning pattern is rearing it's ugly head, I am getting worse.

it is like clockwork, 2 steps forward 1 step back. I am lost again, my tiger is regressing as I try to think about more areas of subtlety. My Dragon is falling apart!!!! I really thouht by the end of yesterday I would be able to call it, NOOOO.

Well, at least I am remembering the spar stuff. , for now...

I don't think i will be able t test next test from what mrs. Phan said. I need to be there at least 6 months to be able to test, I will ahve been there 5.5 months at next test, I don't think they  are going to let me slide in.

Probably for the best, considering my slowness, but.. I don't wantto go to open spar before I test, I fell like it is just a good mile stone... Argh. that is still a little while off.

Oh well, off week, I think I actually am going to take a week and a half off. I need the rest. the routine coldfire gave me is going to be quite chalanging (understatement of the year). I'll try to make it to kung fu 4 to 5 times next week, so it won't be to much down.

Kung Fu Friday was back to basics night for everybody...

We were embarrassing Phan, with both our kicking and punching.

That was a sad thing to hear. "It is not our fault it is his, if we were to kick someone in public like we have been, he would be ashamed to call us his students".. soo cute, but still gotta feel like crap about it.

He fixed our kicks for the time being.

He also told me my puching was greatly improved, and my expression is very good.

In my form it is very important to allow the character of the forms come through. If you are doing tiger, your supposed to embody the fighting style of a tiger, dragon, bird, whatever. During testing he was very displeased with several students who just repeated the forms, with out any internalization of animal, and no expression on the face, no audible breathing, or fight rhythm.

So at least n that front I am doing ok.

I worked on bird  tons! At least 20 times throught the form with ray (trying to remeber everyones damn name, rather than Phan's nicknames, such as lazy girl, jewish guy, asian John (that one is my friend), and so on)

Close to having dragon memorized, funny the parts of dragon, I screw up, are the ones I do in warm up, the parts  know the best, go figure??

Went in on Saturday since it is my off week. There was nobaidy there but my buddy john, and 2 other guys, I guess because it is spring, and the next test is 2 1/2 monts away.

Worked on making sure my tiger is totally correct, the way the hands clear each other and my stance, especially the horse into back fist into step out punch which is how the form ends before switching sides. I have that better, my horse was way to wide. But I do have it even what I thought I didn't have I do.

My Dragon is so close I can taste it, but still so damn far away.

Got lots of class gossip there has been a mass exodus of 4-6 years, but that happens at that stage of the game, so I found out.

too many new students the mid year people feel neglected because the have to help, the newbies (like me), and they feel that the senior students are to distracted so they can't be helped by the. This is what happens at my school.

Kung fu last night.

We did a controlled spar fight simulation for most of it. I never did that before. fun and confusing. More pieces of the exodus of 4 year studnts, are coming to light and we are being taught certain things in response to that. He was upset with their sparing because they we not using the forms, the way they were supposed to. They were also faking during spirit class, I haven't seen a spirit class, but I know that is an UBER NONONO! I don't believe in Mysticism, per say, but I know people can put themselves in trances, or deep meditative states, these guy were faking that. Phan mad!

OUCHIE!!!!

Ha ha we freesparred in forms last night.. I certainly did not expect that!

I got my ass KICKED, I am bruised and battered all about my legs. It was fun even though I had no idea wht I was doing.

Phan said before we started (no ladies but me last night), well, most women don't come to his school to learn to fight, the men do... except the big one, I won't name names, *cough* hardway

ROLF!!!!!! I swear to god, well he used my real name but you all get the idea.

I did good all and all, kept blocking kicks and leaving my face open.... that is a BAD BAD BAD habbit.

I'll go agaion tonight and then I think I am back to weights and the coldfire routine.

Day 1:

Front squat 5x3
Bench press: 3x5
Power clean: 5x3
Chin ups: 3 to failure

Day 3:

Clean and press 5x3
Deadlift: 1x5
Rows: 3x8

Day 3:

Overhead squats if you can. If not, lunges 3x15
Bench press/overhead press: 3x15
Romanian deadlift 3x15
Pull ups: 3 to failure

Damn how off week flies, figured I would post up the new routine, Thanks again coldfire! I had planned on taking a full week and a half off start on Sat or Sunday but this little meet up happening, I better get started tomorrow, night. I'll feel way soft otherwise. Going to Kung Fu now.

I think I got that damn DRAGON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And Thai Chi lady, who I found out is also a 3rd degree Black belt in Karate, she is fierce!, helped me with Bird. I have figured out how i am going to keep thhe charector of the form, I have to *flap my wings*, just like I meawoed with Tiger. It reminds me where to keep my shoulders, and elbows, I am so F'in retarded.

She is awesome at articulating how my hands should go, i swear it is the Thai Chi influance, she is great at being really articulate, and slow, when she explains. She spent a lot of time on me, and made sure I understood the practical applications, which is very helpful. Like breaking the neck, as the first movement and such...

Good times.