ArthurKing's countdown to Shodan

Discussion in 'Training Logs' started by ArthurKing, Feb 24, 2012.

  1. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    My sensei has set my Shodan grading (provisionally) for weekend 29th April. I thought i would try and combine my thoughts about my progress with my training log.
    Here's some background-
    I'm 47 years old and have been training Wado Ryu Karate for 7 years. I train in the dojo twice a week and train at home (usually) 3 times a week.
    My ideal week would look something like this:
    Monday/Wednesday/Saturday- 4 mile run with dog (am)
    Then later 20 minutes squats, lunges, pistol squats, slow kicks followed by approx 45 mins isometric leg stretching. Followed by 20 mins upper body- sit ups, pull ups, push ups, planks (mostly bodyweight but some weighted).
    Karate Tuesday 4 mile walk there and back (2 hours training) and Friday (same but usually get a lift home).

    I'm vegetarian (i eat dairy products but no flesh, fish or fowl).
    I work part-time but largely work on my own little Permaculture plot and am mostly self sufficient in veg and fuel. I don't drive so i do quite a lot of walking and my lifestyle means i'm quite often doing physical work out doors, in addition to training.

    My main interest in martial arts is for self defence, and i like to cross train when i can.

    At the moment, my grading still seems far away (unless i look at a calender and then it seems really close).
    I feel confident with my Kata- 5 Pinans, Kushanku and Naifhanchi and my Kihon Waza (basic techniques). Because of my age (i Guess) i have some problems with high kicks and find reverse roundhouse very awkward.
    My Renraku Waze (combinations) are a bit stiff yet but i'm working on them.
    I'm most worried about the paired Katas (pairworks- 12 standardised punch and kick defences) because i can't really practice them on my own and i find some of my fellow students too reticent when it comes to training with intent.

    So it's Friday 24th February today and i've just come back from Karate, 4 mile walk there, 2 hours practicing pairworks, 2 miles back before got a lift. I've just had 6 slices of wholemeal bread, with butter and peanut butter and mayo and a half pint semi skimmed milk. Off to bed now, hope i sleep better than last night when i was awake with a fever(?) for a couple of hours.

    Any comments, advice and encouragement much appreciated. I just hope i can keep this up to date and may include more detail as we go on.

    Diolch'ti (thank you).
     
  2. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Sunday 26th February
    3 mile run am
    main exercises in afternoon-
    side lunges, front lunges, deep squats, slow kicks then
    5 x 3 min each leg isometric front stretches with 8lbs in bacpack
    5 x 3 min each leg isometric side stretches " "
    followed by knucle push ups on hard surface, leg raises, side and front planks and overhand and underhand pullups (all with 8lbs weight except the pullups).


    Monday 27th
    5 hours of backbreaking digging, i kid you not, i found and dug out the cast iron frame of an upright piano (?).

    Tuesday 28thLight digging all day.
    3 mile walk, 1 mile jog pm followed by 2 hours Karate (mostly pairworks).

    Wed 29thImile walk
    At work all day
    2 mile walk home
     
  3. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Cool. Will read this with interest.
     
  4. That's great ArthurKing, Here is to cheer you on your journey to this milestone! :)

    Are you really doing 45 minutes of isometric stretches 3 times a week???
    High kicks should not be an issue there...

    I like the walking you are doing, this is great low impact conditioning for life! :)

    LOL, better that than a WWII V1 :D


    Osu!
     
  5. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Head down and really go for it ArthurKing!

    I might pick your brains about your veggie growing too actually :)

    Mitch
     
  6. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Thursday 1st march
    2 mile walk

    Friday 2nd March
    4 mile walk
    2 hours karate- warm ups, kihon waza and more pairworks.

    Saturday 3rd
    5 hours heavy digging
    3 mile run
    Side lunges, front lunges, deep squats,
    front splits (isometrics- 5 x 3 min + 8lbs each leg)
    side splits (as above)
    push ups, sit ups, knuckle press ups, leg raises, front planks, pull ups (overhand and underhand)
    new thing- wrist press ups, only managed 10 on my knees!

    Sunday 4th
    More digging!

    Monday 5th March
    2 mile walk am
    2nd mile carrying approx 15 kg of wood in backpack.
    digging and laying hardcore and concrete slabs all day.
    6 mile run- 22 min for first 3m then 32 minutes for second 3m.
    Felt good, not too difficult, don't know if i'm going to do it every time though!
    Followed later by
    Pistol squats, side and front lunges, deep squats, slow kicks, push ups, sit ups, knuckles, leg raises, overhand and underhand pull ups, 10 more wrist push ups. Most of these were with added weight of 8 lbs.

    Tuesday 6th
    2 mile dog walk am
    2nd mile plus 10-15 kg wood.
    Light work outside work all day, some log splitting.
    4 mile walk to Karate.
    Kihon/keri waza (kicks practice), some kata and some kumite. Some assisted stretches too. Took a hard kick from my friend Andrew just below my left hip, it's going to smart tomorrow!
    At work now for 2 days, so probably won't get any more serious training and stetching done 'til Karate on Friday and then home training on Saturday.

    Thanks for comments guys. Fire away if you've got specific questions.
     
  7. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Wednesday 7th
    1 mile walk am
    Teaching all day
    4 mile walk pm

    Thursday 8th
    1 mile walk am
    Teaching all day
    1 mile walk pm

    Friday 9th
    2 mile walk
    2 hours karate.

    Sat 10th
    6 mile run am- first 3 miles 27 mins, 2 miles 24 mins, last mile with 5kg backpack 12.5 mins?

    Then later- Pistol squats*, side lunges*, front lunges*, squats*, slow kicks, 5 x 3 min each leg front stretch isometrics*, 5 x 3 min side isometrics*.

    Sun 11th
    Upper body and core (that i didn't have time to do yesterday)
    Push ups*, situps*, knuckle push ups, pullups, over and underhand.
    Trying to increase range of motion in all of these, so reps are lower than they have been.
    * indicates weighted exercise, currently at 8 pounds (about 3.5 kilos)

    Mon 12th
    Light work outside all day.
    6 mile run pm- 3 miles 26 mins, next 3 miles 30 mins (last mile carrying 10kg log).
    Pistols*, deep squats*, slow kicks, 5 x 3 min each leg front stretch isometrics*, 5 x 3 min side isometrics*.
    sit ups, knuckle push ups, pull ups as before.

    Tue 13th
    4 mile walk followed by 2 hours karate.

    Wed 14th
    1 mile walk am and pm.
    Teaching all day.

    Thursday 15th

    6 mile run- 3 miles 27 mins, 3 miles 28 mins ( last mile plus 5 kg rucksack).
    Then later deep squats*, slow kicks, 5 x 3 min each leg front stretch isometrics*, 5 x 3 min side isometrics*.
    push ups*, sit ups*, knuckle push ups, leg raises, pull ups as before.

    Friday 16th
    No walking, 2 hours karate pm.
    Hips were a bit stiff this week and we did a lot of stretching in the dojo and i overworked my hip a little, so probably won't be running or doing isometrics for a few days.

    saturday 17th

    4 mile walk am and 4 mile walk pm. Hips still tender. More walking tomorrow and possibly upper body ?
     
  8. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Mon 19th
    6 mile run- 3 miles 28 minutes, 3 miles 31 minutes.
    Pistol squats*, side lunges*, front lunges*, deep squats*.
    5 x 3minutes front stretch isometric, 5 x 3 minutes side stretch isometric.

    Tue 20th
    4 mile walk, 1.5 hours karate.
    2 sets push ups at home (pathetic i know)
    Had a bad day in the dojo, i was too tired, it had been a long physical day and i arrived late, I messed up my combinations big time, wondered if i really can deal with the pressure of the black belt grading?
    Low point.

    Wed 21
    1 mile walk am, 2 mile walk pm.

    Thursday 22
    Working outside all day, digging etc.
    Half hour combinations practice pm
    Push ups, situps, knuckle push ups, leg raises, pull ups.

    I've decided to change my regime a little as at the moment i'm doing my isometrics the day before my main karate training and my legs and hips, are really not having enough time to recover. Also, karate and my fitness training mean i'm busy 4, sometimes 5, evenings a week and my mrs is complaining!
    So, probably only running twice per week, spending more time on my karate techniques at home and trying to fit my fitness work into a smaller 'window'.
    Also, as i know i'm going to be doing quite a lot of physical work outside over the next few weeks, i'm going to be doing less trained stuff, particularly upper body, but ill still try to fit some in.

    Fri 23
    4 mile walk, 1.5 hours karate.

    Sat 24
    2m walk am and pm
    Wood chopping, splitting and stacking all day.

    Sunday 25
    4 mile run am
    Wooding again all day.
    Pistols, side lunges, front lunges, squats*, slow kicks.

    Mon 26
    Wooding all day
    Push ups, knuckle push ups, pull ups.

    Tue 27
    Digging all day.
    4 mile walk pm followed by 1.5 hours karate.
    Sensei punced me on the nose in pairworks practice, still bloody snot a week later (you really wanted to know that didn't you?)

    Wed 28
    1 mile walk am and pm

    Thu 29
    5 mile run- 3 mile untimed, 2 mile 20 mins.
    Spent day carrying logs and digging.

    Fri 30
    4 mile walk, 1.5 hours karate.

    Sat 31
    Working outside all day- digging, wheelbarrowing, stacking etc.

    Sunday 1st April
    6 mile run- 3 m 21 mins, 3m 27 (plus 5 kg log) mins.
    Digging all day.
    Deep squats, slow kicks, push ups.
    5 x 3 minutes front isometrics, 5 x 3 minutes side isometrics (plus 8 lbs).

    Mon 2nd
    Push ups, sit ups, knuckles.
    3 mile walk pm.

    My grading is getting scarily close, 4 weeks to go now and it's going to be split over 2 days with training with Senseis Martin and Jim.
    Pinan Shodan, Pinan Yodan, Kushanku and Naifhanchi Kata- feel ok about these, just gotta keep practising.

    Combinations- messed them up bad in front of the sensei a couple of weeks ago, will have to work hard to make them better.

    Basic techniques are ok, but sometimes 'on the spot' combinations can throw me as it takes me a while to learn new stuff.

    Pairworks/bunkai- my worst bit as they are prety well impossible to practice alone- these are what we are mostly working on in the dojo at the moment.

    Sparring- no problem there, love it!
     
  9. finite monkey

    finite monkey Thought Criminal

    You sound pretty commited. Your grading should be pretty straight forward.

    If you get a bike you will have more time to hit things
     
  10. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    LOL my friend.
     
  11. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Okay, hadn't realised id left this so long.
    My grading is this weekend, i'll fill the log in up to date after that's over and let you know how it's all gone. Hopefully, my grading will be videod and i'll try to you-tube it for so you can all to snigger...i mean give me some honest feedback.
    Cheers.
    Wish me luck
     
  12. Mitch

    Mitch Lord Mitch of MAP Admin

    Hope it goes well!

    Mitch
     
  13. finite monkey

    finite monkey Thought Criminal

  14. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Here we are, update time! I seem to have missed some notes so there will be some gaps).
    Tue 3rd April
    1 hour karate practice at home

    Wed 4th April
    5 mile run staright into isometrics, 5 x 3m front (+12 lbs), 5 x 3m side (+12 lbs).
    Also push ups, leg raises and overhand and underhand pull ups.

    Sat 7th
    6 mile run am, + half mile with log
    Pistols, side and front lunges, slow kicks, squats
    5 x 4min front iso + 10 ibs
    5 x 4min side iso + 10 lbs.

    Sun 8th
    Half mile log drag + backpack (15 lbs?).
    Push ups, sit ups, knuckle push ups, pull ups.

    Tue 10th
    6 m run am + log drag.
    Heavy diging most of the day.
    5 x 3m front iso + 10 lbs
    5 x 3m side iso + 10 lbs
    Held straddle stance for 2m (+10 lbs)
    Also on toes, knees out stance for same.

    Wed 11th
    4 m walk am
    Light outside work all day.

    Thu 12th
    1 m jog, 3 m walk then 3 hours karate.
    Injured right foot sparring, had to get up inthe night to take pain killers, culd hardly bear any weight next day, walking was difficult, consequently most training was suspended.
    This is 2 weeks before my grading!!!

    Sun 15th
    4 mile walk am

    Mon 16th
    Return to running 4 m run am, last mile carrying 2 logs.

    Tue 17th
    4 m walk + 1.5 hours karate.

    Wed 18th
    2 m jog am.
    1 m walk pm.

    Thu 19th
    1 m walk am and 2 m pm.
    Knuckle push ups, half hour karate practice at home.


    Fri 20th
    4 m walk, 1.5 hours karate.

    Sun 22
    4 m run am
    Digging.
    half hour karate warm up.
    Then Push ups, sit ups, knuckles, leg raises, front planks, pull ups.
    5 x 3m front isos only


    Mon 23 April
    Heavy digging all day

    Tue 24 April
    Ditto above
    4 m walk, 1.5 hours karate pm.

    Wed 25 April
    1m run am + backpack.
    4 m run pm.
    Half hour karate practice- combinations, pairworks/bunkai, kata
    5 x 3m front iso
    Straddle stance 2 m
    Knucle push ups.

    Thu 26th
    Woodchopping/stacking all day
    Half hour karate (as above)
    Sit ups, knuckles, pull ups.

    Fri 27th
    2m walk, 3 hours karate.

    Sat 28th
    1 m jog, 3 m walk.
    5 hours karate very sore ribs!
    2 m walk.

    Sunday 29th
    GRADING DAY!!!!!!
     
  15. Simon

    Simon Administrator Admin Supporter MAP 2017 Koyo Award

    Very best of luck.
     
  16. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    Good luck.
     
  17. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    I is a black belt- details to follow!
     
  18. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    29 April
    Arrived at dojo to find ambulance waiting, apparently Sensei Martin had thrown Sensei Petros who had landed badly, hurting his neck which later went into spasm, ambulance was called, no serious injury and Sensei Petros was able to carry on with the day.
    Good start!
    2 hours training am followed by grading.
    I was pretty relaxed during my grading, i'd already messed up in front of the panel during the morning's training so i just went for it, they'd already seen how crap i can be.
    Kihon waza were ok, on the video they look a bit slack, not enough push/commitment, especially on the side kicks, and other sloppy footwork (having trouble getting the video into digital but still trying).
    Combinations were also ok, probably the best i've done them, still a bit sloppy and pathetic reverse roundhouse kick.
    Pairworks again were ok, i'd changed training partners the week before (he dropped out), new partner was more aggressive, just how i lke it. Had a bit of a blank near the end, had to redo a couple of them.
    Kata felt good, my Kushanku was complimented.
    Kumite felt good, we both fought pretty hard, missed an opportunity for a takedown though.
    Grading took approx 45 minutes.

    I'll post the video as soon as i can get it transferred but i'm really glad i did all the fitness work as it meant i was well able to cope with the physical stresses of the day without gassing out, just leaving the psychological truama to deal with!
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2012
  19. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    30 April
    Chest infection, very tired, no exercise/training this week apart from several dog walks.

    4 May
    3m walk, 1.5 hours karate.

    5 May
    3m run

    6 May
    2m walk am
    knuckle press ups (i'm easing myself back in...)

    7 May
    5m run am
    Digging all afternoon then
    front and side lunges, pistols, squats, slow kicks, pull ups, push ups, knuckle push ups. sit ups. 5 x 3 min front leg isometrics.

    10 May
    6m run am, 2m walk pm

    11 May
    2m walk and 2m run followed by 1.5 hours karate.

    12 May
    2m walk and 2m run

    13 May
    Outdoors all day, digging etc.

    14 May
    5m run am followed by front and side lunges, squats, 5 x 3min front iso, 5 x 3min side iso, couple of mimnutes of straddle stances.

    15 May
    Digging all day and pull ups, knuckle and ordinary push ups.

    16 May
    1m jog am, 1m walk pm
     
  20. ArthurKing

    ArthurKing Valued Member

    Wow man, I really didn't realise i'd been away from this for a whole year!
    I'm just going to bring this up to date and then probably continue on another thread as I plan to do a 50 man kumite next year and will probably start a training thread for that.
    Currently hill running 6-8 miles twice a week, including about a mile of sprint.
    Probably walking 4 miles, 4 or 5 times per week.
    Training at home 2 times a week also- Lunges, pistol squats, deep squats, 45 mins side (only started side isos again recently) and front split isometrics, then some mostly upper body work- pull ups, knuckle push ups, front and lateral leg raises. Have started adding weights to most of these, currently at 10 lbs/5 kg approx.

    I am doing more physical work on a regular basis as a jobbing gardener/odd job man plus doing a lot of digging and wheelbarrowing at home (some major reorganization of food growing areas at home). Soon logging will start again most non working days (carrying, chainsawing and stacking 10-20 10kg (average) logs per day and will probably continue for the next 2 or 3 months).

    Dojo training is down to once per week at the moment, and that's usually fairly light, 20 min warm up, stretching, usually kata practice or teaching junior students, 10 mins of sparring, easy or harder depending on who i'm paired up with.

    Will try to keep on top of this until I know what's happening with 50 man kumite. Cheers peeps.
     

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