Weaning off the medicines. Almost out of them anyways. Insurance cleared for PT. I need to call them to set up my first appointment. I have been doing a couple of back strengthening stretches very carefully. But I don't know if they are the best ones. Thanks for asking.
Saturday, May 23, 2015 - 9:33- Two person CLF practice with Mr. M. 10:00 - Stretching 10:30 - Push hands part of TCC class 11:00 - Sparring Class 12:00 - Resting after sparring class- chatting with fellow students. Two person Moving step partner was able to show up for sparring class today. Her work schedule hasn't permitted it the last month or two. But I didn't think my back was up for it. :cry: Maybe next week though. 12:30 12:45ish? - (forgot to check time) Practice TCC Weapon forms, CLF hand forms- mostly the first three forms in formal exercise. Still working on proper energy in strikes. Couple of hand techniques, Double dagger techniques. Wall Bag. 2:52- Kicking practice- Yellow to green level kicks. Starting back slowly due to back issues. Will be increasing time spent on kicking practice, but at least I started! Still no slow motion kicks- due to back. And still cutting back on stance training due to same issue. 3:00 - school closes Sunday, May 24, 2015 - Took the day off. No workout.
Monday, May 25, 2015 - School closed due to Memorial Day holiday. So I went to 24 Hour Fitness and did a TCC Hand forms day. First day doing this since my back injury. AND first day trying a workout with no pain meds. 7:18 - Stretching 8:05 - TCC Hand forms and CLF Buddha Palm Internal Set. Also practiced Fajing on moves Parting the Wild Horses Mane and Repulse Monkey. Cybex Leg Press- 4 sets of 8 @ 80 Pounds. Ankle problem is holding back how much weight I can do. Also (had to google what they are called) did some back hyperextensions (what a weird name- sounds like an injury- not an exercise) to start building my back up. Baby steps, just did two sets of a few to start off. I wanted to see if my back would tolerate it. So far, so good. I will double check with my PT that these are good to do once I start seeing him/ her. Left at 10:00.
Really like your profile picture, dude. I mock America a lot, but I do actually adore the country and respect how much you guys revere your military.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015 - Evening shift - so only Stance Training. Horse - 1 Minute and 30 seconds Bow - 1 Minute and 30 seconds Cat - 1 Minute Slanted Horse - 1 minute and 15 seconds Cross Step - 50 Seconds Horse - 2nd round - 1 Minute Crane - 35 Seconds Haven't lost much time on most stances. Almost up to where I was in the amount of stances done. Almost. Except the Crane stance. It hurts my back issue. Less time and lost some height. I am wondering if trying to raise my crane stance and my height in slow motion kicks over the last few months is tied to how I hurt my back. That I had back issues/ weakness before and this aggravated it? Will ask my physical therapist when I see him/ her. Which isn't until June 9th. I set up the appointment today, but they were very booked with regards to working around my work schedule. Wednesday, May 27, 2015 - Evening shift/ no workout
Thursday, May 28, 2015 - Stance training throughout the day Horse - 1 Minute & 35 seconds Cross Step- 1 Minute Slanted Horse - 1 minute & 20 seconds Bow - 1 minute & 30 seconds Cat - 1 Minute Horse - 2nd round - 1 minute Crane- 30 seconds Kneeling Horse - 20 seconds 6:30 - Last half of TCC class 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF class - focus on kicks, formal exercise, staff form. Had trouble with many kicks due to back issues. Very frustrating. Crane stance/ chambering puts pressure on ailing lower back. 8:00- little bit of hand techniques training. But I got sidetracked talking to a fellow student about the new TCC curriculum. Talked to Tai Sifu a bit about the new curriculum too. 8:40 - Little bit late pulling fellow student for CLF two person practice. Golden Leopard vs Tiger. 9:00 - School closes - Still no slow motion kicks due to back
Think all the slow-motion kicking you've been doing might've led to the back problems? But that's usually high kicks and such that do that to the back, I suppose.
I WISH my kicks were unusually high! Well, actually I can kick head height with snap kicks and round house and a few others. But rear and knife edge no- I can't. Knife edge and similar kicks have always been difficult due to tightness in hips and I did feel them in a part of my back that is part of my issue. So, I wonder if my trying to get higher stances in slow motion kicks was a factor. I will ask my PT when I see him/her in a week or so. And ask for safe ways to stretch out and get to my goals safely. I think the slow motion kicks and trying to get my stances higher in crane may have tweaked whatever problem with tightness I already had. One contributing factor perhaps. Not the sole cause.
Friday, May 29, 2015 - 6:30 - Weapons class- Spear form- Particularly good class tonight! I liked how the instructor had us breaking down the form and practicing it tonight. 7:00- Stretching 7:30 - CLF practice - Formal Exercise. Now trying to remember Siu Moi fa. Basically, trying to remember my curriculum after taking the time off for TCC test focus. It is coming back pretty quickly. Hand and double dagger techniques. Trying to remember the hand techniques for brown 2nd degree. Started up doing some light bag workouts. 9:00 - school closes
Saturday, May 30 2015 - 9:32 - arrived at school for two person practice, but partner is not there. No call. It is possible that he told me he wouldn't be here last week and I forgot, but I think he just flaked out on me. So I just took my time getting my gear all ready and took a few minutes to really wake up. 9:52ish - stretching 10:00 - TCC Class. Went to full class today because instructor had told me ahead of time that they would be focusing on new cooperative drills from the new curriculum during the first part of class. 11:00 - Sparring class 12:00- Rested from sparring class 12:10ish - YAY! My moving step partner's work schedule cleared and she is back! So, some moving step practice. But I stopped it earlier than we normally would have stopped when my back started to feel it. Still got in a good 20 to 25 minutes of practice! 12:30ish - stretching 1:00 - TCC Weapon Forms practice. Bodhidharma Gim CLF form. 2:00 - CLF practice. Spear form. Remembered it pretty good from last nights practice. Butterfly knives. Brown sash 2nd degree hand techniques and double dagger techniques. This was my first practice without pain killers since hurting my back. (Back is feeling it some as I write this a few hours later, but not too bad.) 3:00 - school closes. I gathered my stuff and quit working out about 8 minutes earlier.
Sunday, May 31, 2015 - Took the day off Monday, June 1, 2015 - 6:30 - Stick fighting Class. Which wasn't stick fighting but weapon fighting class today. We went over some basic knife movements. It was awesome! But the bad news is the instructor for that class is having to cut his schedule- I presume due to his main job. He won't be teaching that class anymore. I hope the new instructor goes in a similar direction with the class. 7:00- Private lessons. Talked to my instructor about the future of my Tai Chi Chuan training. (I will talk more about that later on.) Worked on Gung Ji form- same emphasis as last few lessons. Working on Ging energy. Talked about proper acceleration in strikes. She was emphasizing my need to practice slower as I get this down. Shoulders are - as always - a big problem. I need to find a way to loosen up my shoulders. But I have carried my tension there my whole life so this isn't easy. Not sure- but I think lesson ran long due to conversation about TCC training. 8:30 - Stretching 9:00 - School closes
Thursday, June 4, 2015 - 6:30 - last half of TCC class 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF class 8:00- Talked to fellow students an an instuctor about training related stuff. 8:30 - I can't remember what I did. But I worked on something. I am having a little bit of focus/ motivation issues. Which is a very rare thing for me. I am dealing with a big change in my TCC training. I was expecting it, but it came about a year earlier than I thought it would. And I am finding it is bumming me out me more than I expected it to. It is just a transition. I am going to allow myself a few days to emotionally adjust. I know I will bounce back into things full on soon. 9:00 - School closes Friday, June 5, 2015 - 6:30 - Weapons class- still spear form. 7:00- same motivation issue going on. found an excuse to chat with a couple fellow students. I allow myself two lazy days a year where I socialize and don't really work out. This is one of them. 8:40 - bag workout. working on footwork for backing out at angles- instead of straight back. Talked with a fellow student about it. He is an ex fairly high level boxer. So I got some good drills/ tips from him. 9:00 - school closes
Saturday, June 7, 2015 - 9:34- 4 minutes late to two person practice -2 person staff with Mr. M. I really gotta get myself together and get there on time! 10:00 - TCC class- focus on new cooperative 2 person drills in the new curriculum. 11:00 - sparring class 12:00- rest after sparring class 12:10ish- Moving step practice with Ms. R. 12:45ish - TCC practice - TCC weapon forms- didn't get through all of the forms today. Was focusing on certain details in the forms I was doing. 2:00- CLF Practice- Wall bag, weapon and hand techniques (Brown sash 2nd and 3rd degree level), first part of formal exercise. Still focusing on proper energy of strikes. Should also mention that I did do some stance training a couple of times earlier this week, but can't find the papers I wrote what I did down on. 3:00 - school closes
Monday, June 8, 2015 - 6:30 - Stick Fighting Class- We have a new instructor teaching it. I am very bummed about the instructor who was teaching it not being able to do so any longer. But the new instructor for the class was also excellent. 7:00 - Private lessons- All CLF 8:00 - Practice - Dang. I need to write these down right away as I can't remember what I did. Pretty sure some hand and weapon techniques as part of it though. 9:00 - school closes Tuesday, June 9, 2015 and Wednesday, June 10, 2015- evening shift at work - day off
Thursday, June 11, 2015 - Stance Training throughout the day. Horse - 1 minute and 35 seconds Cat - 1 minute and 5 seconds Bow - 1 minute and 30 seconds Slanted Horse - 1 Minute Crane - 30 seconds (back giving me issues on this one still) Horse- second round - 1 minute Kneeling Horse - 15 seconds Cross step- 40 seconds 6:30 - last half of TCC class. 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF Class- Lots and lots of details on the Staff. And some details on the stick. 8;00 - Practice. Gads, what is wrong with me? It was only yesterday, but I can't remember what I did! 9:00 - school closes Friday, Junce 12, 2015 - 6:30 - Weapon forms class - still the spear. coming along well. 7:00 - Waited for and watched sash presentation ceremony. Then congratulated student 7:10ish - Stretching and practice. Wall Bag - really focusing on corrections given in last private lesson. Right energy/ mechanics in strikes. Hitting at right angle, because I was pushing the bag at an angle in some strikes. Proper distance. Brown 2nd degree hand techniques and double dagger techniques. Formal Exercise- Focus on working on developing Ging. Instructor is having me throw strikes slower. You would think that would be easy, being a TCC person, but having a little trouble making myself do this in CLF - getting there though. But then again it isn't so slow that it is TCC speed. Left about 9:12. They are training some new potential instructors on Friday nights. So the school seems to be totally shutting down a bit late- even though it officially closed at 9:00. I should mention I had my first PT appointment a few days ago. Starting off with one exercise I do every two hours. Doing it regularly. I want to get my back all better. my PT person said to not do high slow motion kicks yet. And there seems no point in doing really low ones. Although I think I will ask my instructor if I should skip them or do them lower right now. Something about my spine needing to regain a curve that isn't quite right right now. The exercise is to help with that. Also she gave me some things to focus on in my posture. My posture has been horrible most of my life- especially when sitting- I slouch. Well I am trying to fix that now as my body seems to not be letting me get away with that now. Sheesh, fixing almost 50 years of bad habits isn't easy.
Saturday, June 13, 2015 - Well, my two person staff partner is away at various camps the next month+. Serious bummer as there really isn't anyone else to practice with. Just as we were making progress too. 10:00 - TCC class. Focus on new drills still. Sort of frustrating as I keep getting matched up in classes with this very negative beginner who completely ignores input from more experienced students. The beginners are matched up with more experienced people for a reason. When I gave him input, he went on the attack and made up something wrong I was doing that I wasn't actually doing. It was very strange. Another student who worked with him later experienced something similar, so I know it isn't just me. 99% of the students at my school are great - this guy is very hard to work with. I explained to the instructor what was going on (he already knew really) and asked if I could share the burdon of being matched up with him with others. That I don't ALWAYS get stuck with him because it is affecting my training. He agreed. Other than that, the class was great. I am really liking the new drills. 11:00 - Sparring class 12:00- Rest after sparring class 12:20ish - Practice. TCC Weapon forms- didn't get through all forms. Focusing on continuity. 1:30 - TCC Lesson. First lesson with my new TCC instructor. Yes, this was the thing I alluded to before. The thing that was bumming me out. I had to change TCC instructors. I have had the same TCC instructor since beginning TCC. (She is still my CLF instructor.) Change is tough. But my new instructor, who is second in charge at the school, is also really great and it was a great lesson. Learning a Fa Jing form!!! yay! Something I have wanted to delve into for years, but I had to get my Black Fringe first. And then some moving step instruction! I have been both mourning (so to speak) the loss of my first TCC instructor AND looking forward to my new instructor at the same time. I think both feelings are understandable and valid, so I allowed myself to feel this. It does make it easier that I didn't lose my other instructor in CLF, so she still is one of my instructors. 2:00- CLF practice. Double Dagger techniques, 2nd degree brown sash techniques. Beginning to relearn the cane techniques. Formal exercise. Siu Moi Fa form. Small Five animal form. Now I have to work on remembering Sup Ji Jit Fu form. I will start that next week. Tried to do kicks, but back was acting up so I stopped. I just can't kick with height without back pain right now. That crane stance pulls on my lower back. School closed a bit late, so I left at 3:19. Sunday, June 14, 20165 - Took the day off. No workout
It might be good to video-tape yourself doing your routines and have your physio have a butcher's - could be more than slow-motion high kicks that could be hurting your back at present. My guess, FWIW, she probably wouldn't want you to do ANY high kicks till the problem(s) with your back are alleviated. If you are experiencing that "catch" when you do high kicks, you'n count on it She may not be fully aware of what you are doing. Is the pain experienced in the lower left or right side of your back; i.e. 4 - 6 inches to the left or right of your tail-bone, by chance? Tell me about it That's something I've had all my life as well. Other than strapping a metal-rod to one's back, what are some of the tips she's given you to help correct your posture?
My pain is sort of all over my lower back- and it seems to migrate. One day the right side hurts more, another day the center hurts more. But basically all over. The spasms were in the mid back- strangely enough. The lingering pain is lower back.Higher up than the tail bone though- like generally the height of the small of the back and up from there. I have no way of taping myself. Someday I suppose I will have to cave and buy one of those newfangled smart phones, but I really don't want to and am putting it off as long as possible. And you are right, no high kicks for now. Can't say I am doing that 100%, but I have cut down a lot. She told me to pay attention to posture. Keeping that proper curve inwards in my lower back instead of it going the other way.I keep catching myself slouching. I think I am going to buy one of those lower support cushions this weekend too.
Monday, June 15, 2015 - 6:30 - Stick Fighting Class 7:00- Private lesson and make up private lesson. Working on same basic stuff I mentioned last week. 8:00 - Wall bag. Same focus I have mentioned recently. Nothing new today. Also, working on remembering cane techniques. 8:30 - chatted with another student a few minutes 8:40ish - Working on Fa Jing form I am now learning. This is going to take awhile to get down! 9:00 -School closes
