My ramblings, the endless journey

Front squat 5x 3 97 lbs X 3
Bench press: 3x5 40 lb dumbbells X 5
Power clean:5x3 92 lbs x 3
chin ups 2 full, 6 neg; 1 full , 7 neg ;8 neg

back to my old program. well see how long i have, before I stall.

lost some chins, back to my old bar, we haven't set up the bar at kung fu yet, so hopefully mine doesn't pull out of the wall, It shouldn't i do work in construction and staging, and rigging, but...

Skipped the fights and forms yesterday, I am still so sick, my head is clogged, and I would have gotten snot on anyone I came near, I am like a faucet.

Well I had a great class up until, we form sparred.

We went through our forms very slowly, I felt very connected to what I was doing. I had decent balance through out. My hand postures were good, and my stances felt right. All of my movements, strikes blocks and even most of my kicks, were very deliberate and clean.

Form Spar, I did not like my partner, or I should say I don't think my partner likes me. She has been there a considerable amount of time, 5-6  years I believe, although she does not come often at all. I don;t know if she has been sick or injured, or her schedule just doesn't allow her to come often, but she is never never there. I think i have seen her 5 times in the past 8-9 months that I have been at school.

She grudgingly, accepted that we were paired up. it was obvious as she choose me. She would not look me in the eye, and constantly was looking around the room at everyone else. We were doing shoulder blade take downs, and you know it goes one of two ways, either you you just bend over as you go through the motions, or you fight it, to force the other person, to make the move work, and find the sweet spot.  It is purely a leverage, twist exact spot kinda thing, it is not a muscle move. she didn't flop, so I tried to find the spot and force her over. Well she got pissed.. stop yanking my shoulder... well then why didn't you ****ing bend. also if there  is a injury issue you disclose that to your partner, before they touch you, there wasn't with her, I don't believe, but seriously, I know if I have something that is a problem on a given day I will tell the person, not get mad if they hit it. What ever it was more the eye contact and obvious disinterested disgust with me that got under my skin... she really stuck in my craw. This is form spar she said, it is not free spar. I apologised later on, again, and she said, again, it is form spar it is different I like to form spar lightly, I don't want to get hurt form sparring. Her idea of form sparing is not touching each other, and I mean really she barely even touched me. Now i get it I get the value in going at it with out the agression, working on posturing, precision, and getting the movement down, but just look me in the eye. Funny thing is since i had never worked with her I had already toned down my punches and conciousley sort of went to "girl mode", and that wasn't light enough.    She imparted zero knowledge to me. I really think if she would have looked me in the eye, I would not even be thinking about this.

Clean and press 5x3 77lbs x3



Deadlift: 1x5 ramped up 127 lbs x5, 147 lbs X5, 167lbs x 5, 187 X 5 working set 217 x 5



Rows: 3x8 77 lbs X 8

Still a snot factory, should have lifted this morning, did not manage too, fiirst day thatr I have had to go in a 1 pm and did not manage to lift before I left the house.... should get it in tonight though. Bf is playing tonight so I will have the house to myself, that usually does the trick. And it is not really in debate anyway, I took my sick time off earlier last week, so no excusses for the rest of my time being sick.

I am leaving work after nmy electrician comes I can not shake this cold! I used lighter than I should have weight, just so I did something last night and did not skip.

2 X 20 super sets 60 sec rest after each pair

Overhead Squats 47 x 20
 
Bench press 20 lbs  X 20
romanian Deadlifts 197 lbs x 20

Pull ups negatives 3 x 8

I am still very sick I left work early on tues, stayed out wednesday, worked out both days. Not really smart, and my lifting suffered, I did not increase, just tried to make it through with waht was already oon the bars,

Tues, had a very good class, yes my balance has worked it self out for just a moment. It won't last but hey, that is a step. I found for the first time, that after I threw a kick, not only were my hands not used in balancing myself, but i could very easily place my kicking leg back down, in the position it should be for the next move. Read, I did not fall into the stance I should be in for the next move but placed my foot down.

and then my progress was all blown up, I started to learn snake tiger, the very first true intermediate form. Yeah that is all a mess! in due time I will get it, but it is certainly the accumulation of everything I have been learning up until this point, yet different.


Front squat 5x 3 97 lbs X 3
Bench press: 3x5 40 lb dumbbells X 5, x 10 , x 6
Power clean:5x3 97 lbs x 3
chin ups 2 full, 6 neg; 8 neg ;8 neg

I am still sick...... : (

thehardway




I am still sick...... : (

Hope you feel better soon.....

Current Stack: HDROL,Celltech,Superpump 250, Glutamine,Beta alanine,Whey protein.

thanks Bulking, I am actually getting better!!!

Fued last night, fight night and forms. I only free sparred with AJ a 20 year old who has been around for like 4 5 years, He is usually ****y, and jumpy, but something took the spry right out of him.

So we sparred nicely for a change, we didn't hit hard, or real fast worked on executions, and he could try moves that he in no way shape or form could execute against a student at his level or better.

So I got some learning in.

On to forms nothing earth shattering, I was finally, finally asked to call a warm up by Phan. the one I was most comfortable to call to boot, bird elbow sweep. Oh 9 months in or so and I am almost intermediate (where I will reside for the next what 5 years or so)!


I form sparred with Wendy, I love Wendy. We had secret learnings last night ; )  , it is funny how true kung Fu masters always tell you to beware of the masters with "secret learnings" how full of crap they usually are. They are right however secret learnings, for us, means advanced and more difficult style. Like last night we learned all about cursive movements, that is a corner stone of all Kung Fu's that the ovements are cursive not linear (like karate). So we worked on being fluid with in our form sparring. Very difficult for most everybody, but not so secret or oogy boogie (continues to validate that my school is a very good school!).

Clean and press 5x3 82lbs x3

Deadlift: 1x5 ramped up 127 lbs x5, 147 lbs X5, 167lbs x 5, 187 X 5 working set 222 x 3 (failed half way up number 4)

Rows: 3x8 77 lbs X 8

I am having serious trouble progressing, or maintaining my strength, maybe it has something to do with my sick which is still lingering, and my lackluster workouts for the past few weeks... I have to get on looking into programming proper, as the progress of last year will not continue with out some changes.

Went to open studio today (work kept me away from class last night which is why I lifted instead)


today went to open studio. let's see about 20 5 elements 20 intermediate birds, a little bull sh*tting. Phan gave me advice on my free sparring told me how horrible my foot work is is I need to simplify, and be more confidant. More direct more clear, stop withdrawing punches and kicks while I asm in, kick and punch at the same time, same side, don't waste time and energy.
he took me through some punch and kick replies, told me to firm up my stances, and blocks.... Hard because half the time I am told not to muscle things but then I am not useing enough strength.... I KNOW exactly what they mean, with the contradiction....but it is hard.. 
All good things to learn, thinngs I know, things very hard to apply.

Have you ever been concussed in kung fu? I got twatted in the eye once haha the karate kid I thought I was but was closer to Mr Garrison in technique.

''If one is after quick results one never learns an art.''

Erich Fromm

Adam... not yet, I am waiting, and I am sure it will happen. My best damages include a split lip, and a chorus line of bruised and welted legs...Some of the bruises deep enough and some of the welts bad enough, that the swelling and pain took literally weeks to dissipate. Actually worried at times about making it home, because I was limping so bad... worried I actually fractured something. I don't even know how to describe my skills... yeah I do piss poor!!! hahaha give me 10 years though!

2 X 20 super sets 60 sec rest after each pair

Overhead Squats 52 x 20
 
Bench press 20 lbs  X 20

romanian Deadlifts 102 lbs x 20

Pull ups negatives 3 x 8

i know I know I should have another pair of exercises in there, certainly if i am doing a 2 x 20. Lazy! And then I have the nerve to ****about my lack of current progress...

I checked back I was doing 3 x 15 at 67 on the overheads last cycle.... yikes the 52 was certainly heavy...I don't even want to think about 57... let alone the 60's

You sldl 202lbsx20? Wtf?!

Add me on facebook!

rippedchick


You sldl 102lbsx20? Wtf?!

NO

typo!!! 102 I will ahve to fix that..... fixed!

Haha I was like whoa!

Add me on facebook!

Front squat 5x 3 102 lbs X 3
Bench press: 3x5 45 lb dumbbells 1 st and last set middle 4
Power clean:5x3 97 lbs x 3


No chins had to be at work crazy day, just didn't have 6 minutes to spare, really..I almost bagged today's work out entirely.

Yeah ripped if I ever sldl 202 for 20 I will have to seriously consider competition... Yeah don't hold your breath

Clean and press 5x3 87lbs x3

Deadlift: 1x5 ramped up 137 lbs x5, 157 lbs X5, 177lbs x 5, 197 X 5 working set 222 x 4, number 5 just wouldn't pull

Rows: 3x8 77 lbs X 8 (nice and clean)

Overhead Squats 57 x 20, 57 x 19
 
Bench press 30 lbs  X 20, 30 X 17
romanian Deadlifts 107 lbs x 20, 107 X 18

assisted 3 x10

Failed all over the place, obviously sticking to these weights next week.

bicycles 3 X 25

Front squat 5x 3 107 lbs X 3
honestly that was a very good round of squatting, form felt great, weight was manageable, very deep, no back rounding that I could perceive. I am finally almost back to where I started before I reevaluated my form and had to start all over.

Bench press: 3x5 45 lb dumbbells x 5, x5, x6 (up ; )  )

Power clean:5x3 102 lbs x 3
also felt real good clean and correct.

I am a little trouble by some shoulder pain, I think I tweaked it the last round of overhead squats. The weight shifted in a weird way, on my last rep. Slightly concerned.

I skipped kung fu yesterday, went with my friend John (my senior student old friend from kung fu, so it was his bad influence) Went to a scotch tasting instead.....well we takled a lot about kung fu...............ok doesn't count.

I'm there tomorrow for fights nihgt and forms though.

Hey good job on the squats ;)

Add me on facebook!

thanks ripped, it took a long time, and certainly doing a higher volume at lower weight, got my flexibility where I needed it, plus doing good mornings helped me greatly.


So I fu'ed although I didn't free spar, John was there it was really cold, neither one of us really felt like fighting eihter each other or any one else, so he helped me with snake tiger instead. And he fixed my cat stance, a subtle shift of the hips made all the difference in the world, and now my hips are screaming bloody murder from the adjustment.

Phan took pictures of us during forms, and that diodn't hel[p we had to hold so many poses and actions for such a long time.

I forget how taxing static holds are. 

45 lb dumbells? I'm surprised.

''If one is after quick results one never learns an art.''

Erich Fromm

AdamScott


45 lb dumbells? I'm surprised.

I know my bench sucks...

Clean and press 5x3 87lbs x3

Deadlift: 1x5 ramped up 137 lbs x5, 157 lbs X5, 177lbs x 5, 197 X 5 working set 222 x5
Rows: 3x8 77 lbs X 8 (nice and clean)

nothing to report on fu, except for a not challenging spar partner. It is sad, she is my senior (although she is much younger than I am), and I make her work, rather than just letting her go through the motions.


I left it all the same... hit the deads...  clean and press, felt good. Rows good, I will increase next week, except the deads, I am going to try for 7, if I hit that then I'll move that up.

2 x 20 60 rest
Overhead Squats 57 x 20,
Bench press 30 lbs  X 20
romanian Deadlifts 107 lbs x 20,
assisted pullup 3 x10 

bicycles 3 X 30

hit all my targets, it was just a matter of a couple more reps, felt much better this week. Should increase next week, overheads in the 60's just scare me though.

Ahhh, the fu.

I had a major (although if history is my guide purely temporary) breakthrough last night. My hips are swiveling, the cat stance adjustment made something click. And, AND, I can finally hit the ground on the cross hand take down. After having that stance fixed twice, and not doing what most everybody does, which is bend at the waist with all the weight on the back leg, finally my flexibility has improved enough the right way that I can aggressively and solidly grab the ground, and come back up. I was shocked when I realized it was happening, I have been hitting my knee as a substitute... well probably for the past 6 months. I can't remember my first correction, but that was the one that made me go to the knee, rather than faking the stance, the most recent correction, i thought was going to keep me at the knee indefinitely, but I got It, got it with out even thinking or straining. form spar partner again was little Nancy, ehh, we have fun but i don't learn from her, I push her much more than she pushes me.

Little Phan talked to me for a half hour about all the school drama, going on, we lost Ryan our best red sash, sad business. And Asphans anger issues, one more inappropriate outburst, he is our, Scott the body builder, who made racist comments to neighborhood kids, asked to be let back but Phan decided he can not, under any circumstances come back. Although with Ryans departure, some of the students that left around the time I joined, might, just might come back, if Phan lets them. I found out that he was one of the major reasons they left... Any way I was nioce that phan wanted to talk to me for so long, finally getting really comfortable in my skin there, which is good I plan to be there for another 9 years.   

Front squat 5x 3 112 lbs X 3
UGGGGGHHHHH!
Bench press: 3x5; 46 lb dumbbells (added an extra collar to each db, to make the weight 46 x 5, 46 x 5, 46 x3 (fail), 46 x3 (to make up for the failure)

Power clean:5x3 107 lbs x 3 I got them all however set 4 rep 2 failed at the catch (made it up), and really everything after was fairly poor form , no moving up next week, I will try to make these perfect at this weight.

Chins piss poor 1 full 0 negitives, 2 sets 10 negs, I just didn't have anythign left in me. I have been having a problem working out at an acceptable time of day, llast night started at 10  pm, so that wasn;t helping, and the power cleans just took whatever I had left right out of me.


and soo signals my front squat stalling out again, it is not my legs it is getting the weight to my shoulders (ie power clean), well no reason to raise the white flag just yet.

Ok, so my shoulder is still giving me problems, it was serious enough that I did not lift saturday. Seriously sucked because I had the energy to lift (and that usually my biggest problem), but i had to call it off, when I moved my bar out to position, it had like 107 on it, and I could feel the strain at my colar bone just deadlifting and carrying  to my lift station. I will give it a go tonight, as I am feeling better but, there is still some residual strain, but not at all like it was. Hated to skip, but decided not to be a dumbass.

Thursdays fight... I had a lesson from Dave... again I got lots of compliments on my hand work, and tips on how to improve me piss poor kicking. I got kudos, for not flinching, even when he put his hands in my face. Also he told me i was as strong or stronger than half the guys at kung fu, that is a sad reflection of the strength of the boys, not a compliment to me (in my mind.) he did mean it as a compliment though!

then both thursday and friday forms, was all about secret learnings, taking very linear bird and turning it in to a very very cursive form. Hurt my lower back, and my shoulder, worked really hard on using my whole body and copre to make the movements happen.

Didn't lift till 11... had to work a last minute funeral, run sound, It was the saddest funeral I have ever worked. I hate people and it still made me cry. I wasn't up for heavy lifting, when I could finally find the time for it.

Clean and press 5x3 92lbs x3, 92 x 3 92 x 2 failed on 2 attempts last rep... 87 x 4 87 x3

Deadlift: 1x5 ramped up 137 lbs x5, 157 lbs X5, 177lbs x 5, 197 X 5 working set 222 x4 MOTHER****ER!!!!!!!!!!!
did I mention I have a hand injury in form spar on thursday, Dan and I were doing triple fist Chi gung, and we punched each other square in the knuckles accidentally, knuckle still swollen, grip suffered, I dropped the weight on rep 4 , could not pull number 5. I am so pisssed about this nonesense, I just can not progress. If I could have lifted on  saturday, I wonder if i could have made my targets, but even if my shoulder was ok, my hand was in much worse shape, so I doubt it.

Rows: 3x8 82 lbs X 8 (nice and clean) YEAH!!! finally went up!

Shoulder is much better, I widened my press that helped, I will work rotator cuff work into my high volume day. I used to do them regularly, but have been slacking. not smart

forgot to update today.

Fu was good, spirit class has been opened up, Phan keeps telling me I can come in whenever I like.... I am not ready, after my test in January, I think I'll be ready... to be possessed by a long dead 1000 plus year old martial artist (am am not even kidding you about that, I swear I have watched it, and John is my very good friend of 14 years, he is solid and grounded, not impressionable, not new age, just not, not at all, I can not stress that enough. But I have watched his possessions before )... christ! Man, my atheisim, and astrial projction, do go against each other. January, January I will get my spirit teacher. I, I don't even know what to think.

On the grounded side, Phan told mer I am moving better.... he is really skimpy with compliments, so that is huge. I need to start working in earnest on preparing for my tests. And Amber and her father fought over me as a spar partner. It is nioce to feel wanted.

High rep day tonight, after my meeting, I am not going to feel like it all, would have done this morning, but had a lunchen staff party and had to be in too early, to get the work in before I left.

My eating is the reason why I am stalled on strength, I know this, I haven't been getting my 6 meals. My food choices have been bad. I don't want to gain more weight, but I don't want to cut either. I have been maintaining, but not with good food choices, and that is not helping my strength. I think I leaned a little, so maybe I am under maintance, my 4 pack is more pronounced, thanit had been. but ehhhh. I get really disgusted when I am wishy washy about things I have been wishy washy.

OWWW, I didn't get out of work til 9;30, I was ready to lift around 11, then the rabbit started having toilet problems, that turned into at least an hour of... is he ok, do we need to go to the vet tomorrow, do we need to go to penn vet emergency room, tonight? That is the problem with bunny man, those things are designed to croak at the slightest little thing/illness/ complication (on top of being delicious).

I finally got to lifting at midnight... I can't even believe I attempted the increases. I was really worried about the little guy. but, by the time I pulled out all the weights he was about back to normal, and certainly did what he does, investigating all the dumbbell, barbell relocation, getting in between my fee as I do warm ups, and generally find the most dangerous spot to be in while i lift, until I sho, him away to one of his many project houses.

I couldn't fall asleep after wards, and had to be in early today. I got about 1 and a half hours sleep.  I don't know how I am going to fight tonight. 

Overhead Squats 62 x 18, 62 X 16
Bench press 31 X 20 (up barely)
Romanian Deadlifts 107 lbs x 20,

assisted  pull ups 1x10, 1 x 13, 1 x 12
bicycles 2 x 30

assorted rotator cuff stuff

Had a sloppy class, I fought twice, once with AJ, he said I have gotten much better, and then with Dan. Dan scares me I had to call it off. he has minimal  control, and is entirely too aggressive all of the time. He usually only comes to fight night, and stays for half of forms, because he either tires himself out or gets too hurt to continue. So lame, however, I choose to spar with him on accasion, because fighting with him (even in the spar with a beginner scenario), is much more like a real street fight situation, and important for my application. I did knock him down once. Dude is way strong though I'll give him that, his legs are crazy powerful. He is not well respected at school, and really, for very good reasons. I am battered and bruised.

I was tired, my form was ****, I kept losing my footing, (we have new matts, and everybody is complaining), almost twisted my ankle (just caught it before it crumpled to the side), and had my legs slide out from underneath me, twice, just caught that too, before I was really damaged. Form spar I was stuck with Dan again, we worked on applying the entire beginner dragon, that is hard, we did that Tuesday as well. He was confused I was confused, then when we finally both got close to really getting it, he was bored so we wasted the last few minutes. Phan told me I should have picked a better parner, I have to start picking my partners, rather than scooping up what was left, Phan said I sould have worked with Ray.

I learend more about Spirit, I don't think I am supposed to talk about spirit publically (not that anybody told me not to), So now I am on the fence as to record what I learned last night, I learned how we get our spirit teachers.

I know my bench sucks...

 
I meant the opposite.

''If one is after quick results one never learns an art.''

Erich Fromm