Sunday 24 January 2010

Mixed Sport Training

Today, my sons football teams were playing. I like to run the line for their teams. There are several reasons for this:-

1, the top most reason is because I can't shout at them if I'm running the line. I have to keep my mouth shut and this lets them get on and do their sport without their Dad interfering. I'm guarding against impetuous courage.

2, I get a work out. Those 16 year olds can run fast - very, very fast. Keeping up with them, or attempting to keep up with them is an excellent sprint based work out (perfect for martial arts training).

3, I get to be "involved" with my kids sports. I get to feel what they're going through, to a certain degree. And we have lots to chat about as a result.

We had 2 matches today - one in the morning, one in the afternoon. I ran the line for my youngest son's team in the morning; but, not for the game in the afternoon. Therefore, I went for a 2.5 mile run in the evening, just before I made tea.

Did the usual situps & pushups afterwards.

Thursday 21 January 2010

Training

Run, Karate, Run.

1st run went very well. No problem jogging out to the open air dojo.
Karate - Heian Sandan 3 times over. The first run through I was not properly engaged. It was just like doing Aerobics. The second run through had more spirit felt better but, the spirit was not in my hara. The third run through was spot on. My fighting spirit was generated from my hara. The kata felt really good. Then, I went through my tokui kata and that felt good too.
2nd run back was full of stops & starts. :-(

I was pleased with the training, particularly as the kata training went well. I find that training in the open air is not the same as training in a dojo hall but, you have to let that go. You have to ignore those differences, which it is possible to do, if you remember that the training is all about you and your inner self.

Thursday 7 January 2010

Training at home

There has been a big snow fall in the UK. All the schools in Milton Keynes were shut yesterday & today. I didn't go in to work, instead I logged in from home & worked.

Yesterday evening I managed to do some training in the hall way (it has a wooden floor but is very small) of my house.
All kihon basics (except the kicks).
Nijushiho - broke it down in to smaller chunks to fit the space. Worked on executing the techniques faster and cleaner. Did 3 sets of the kekomi kicks, with ankle weights on.

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Training

Run + Karate + Run
Run - good, didn't stop, added some determination to make it.
Karate - 5 x Kihon (not enough & didn't put enough spirit into each move); Heian Nidan; Nijushiho.
Run - poor, lots of walking.

On the run back I had mixed feelings. My knee was hurting from a slip in the karate training; I was telling myself I wasn't yet fit enough to get all the way back; I was not as determined to run all the way back as I was to run all the way out; etc... Lots of sabotaging thoughts. So, I set myself mini goals & tried to exceed them. E.g. "Just keep going until the next lamp-post" and when I got to the next lamp-post I asked myself if I could just keep going until the "next lamp-post"?

Using this technique I was able to push myself more and do more running on the way back.

I remember being told at a Karate club I visited in Basel, Switzerland, that the meaning of training is to "do as much as you think you can do - and then do just a little bit more."

First club grading

Just before Christmas, December 13th 2009 to be precise, 11 of my students went for their first grading and they all passed. A few days before that grading, I caught myself feeling nervous for them when I was thinking about their grading. You really find yourself getting emotionally attached to the students.

Last night we started back at the Cold Harbour Karate Club after the Christmas break and it was open for 2 hours (before then it was only open for 1 hour). Another milestone in the history of the club reached. I was very pleased that almost all of the students turned up to train for the full 2 hours. That additional time really helps because I feel I have more time to go in to more depth with the students on subjects like "kime".

I have been doing my own training over Christmas. I have got back in to jogging and sit ups/press ups. Also a bit of kihon training. My training has been on and off quite a bit for the past 2 months. Now is the time to focus on a tighter training schedule and get myself fit for the February tournament.