Shu's Training Journal (or "Old Man Kung Fu")

So true...so true...:meditate:

 

Kung Fu class today!

I think it's the last day of Sihing Alex's Theater of Pain. And let me tell you...he did not disappoint.

Warm Up
Pretty much the same warm up he'd been doing all week. Though he ratcheted down the intensity a bit since this was the Open Class and there were a lot of kids there.

So for instance, we only did one set of push ups between kicks, etc...

Kung Fu Technique

An interesting focus on acrobatics today. A lot of hopping, jumping and coordination (or lack thereof, in my case).

-Two Legged Hops
-Two Legged Hops 360s
-Running Two Legged Jump
-Jump Knee Tucks
-One Legged Hops
-One Legged Hops while bringing the opposite knee to the chest.
-One Legged Hop/Front Slap Kick/Land on Take off Leg (this seemed strangely counter-intuitive).

All in all, a good cardio workout.

 

I already do a lot of stretching, but some yoga would probably do me good. You've inspired me to dig up my P90X yoga disc.

 

I think my legs just snapped reading that

I'm sorry to say I haven't been paying enough attention to your log. I really should have because you have some great things going on. Good volume, good consistency, good variety, good stuff!

Do you find that the strength training in between Kung Fu classes knackers you out a touch or do you manage to cope all the same? Have your kicks gotten up to scratch yet? Have you developed any new goals?

Good stuff .

 

ditto!

 

That's good! I neglected stretching when I was younger. As a result, I have very poor flexibility. So that will help you from getting stiff later in life.

And Tony Horton rocks. No one yells at you to push it in yoga quite like he does.

 

Thanks, 'Sloth!

My Sifu has a PhD in microbiology and he said making the muscles stronger actually help them recover faster. That's the immediate benefit I'm seeing. Something that used to take 2 - 3 days to heal is now usually better the next day.

But yeah, there are times that I'm sore in kung fu from the previous day's gym workout...particularly around the chest area (I don't understand my school's heavy emphasis on push ups...other than that's just a good all around body weight exercise).

The kicks have gotten better. I can now do a decent roundhouse around mid-torso level with both legs. But for some reason, only my left side side-kick is any good. The right side is stuck at knee level. But I messed up my hip some time ago which has something to do with it.

As for goals, my next is just to get to orange belt and start sparring. That's where the good stuff is! :fight1:

 

Kung Fu class tonight!

And Sifu is back. So thus end the tyranny of Sihing Alex's pain induction lessons...until Saturday (when he usually teaches).

Here's the drill:

Warm Up
-One Foot Stance Balance (each side)
-High Heel Kick/Inside Crescent Kick
-Knuckle Push Ups - 10
-High Heel Kick/Outside Crescent Kick - 10
-Tricep Push Ups - 10
-Stretches
-Straddle Splits
-Spider-Man Push Ups - 10
-Backwards Push Ups - 10
-Back Bend Push Ups - 10
-Sit Ups - 25
-Back Extensions - 35


Technique

Combinations (eight reps for each side unless otherwise noted):
-Back Fist
-Back Fist/Groin Kick
-Back Fist/Reverse Punch/Ridge Hand
-Back Fist/Reverse Punch/Ridge Hand/Steal Step/Side Kick
-Back Fist/Shuffle Feet/Ax Kick
-Back Fist/Shuffle Feet/Ax Kick/Roundhouse/Spinning Side Kick

Basic Techniques (down the length of the studio and back)
-Horse Stance Punch
-Horse Stance Punch/Kick
-Jump Kick/Low Stance/Sweep/Bow Stance Punch
-Jump Kick
-Skipping Side Kick

Forms: Nunchucks

I think I'm forgetting a couple of the techniques. But I'll blame it on the fatigue. Whew! Good class!

 

Solo Training Day

Between running around between meetings and getting a last minute birthday gift for the missus, I didn't have much time to train.

But I did manage to slide into the gym for a few.

Here's the drill:

-Seated Chest Press - 130 lbs (8,8,9)
-T-Bar Bent Over Row - 80 lbs (8,8,9)
-Close Grip Tricep Cable Press - 140 lbs (3x8)
-Dumb bell Curls - 35 lbs (3x6...went up in weight because I'm trying to "biggerize" my guns...)
-Goblet Squat - 50 lbs (3x8)
-Roman Chair Leg Raise/Twist (3x10)

Finished off with some low stance stretches and some dynamic stretching.

(And for the record, I already had a nice piece of jewelry all set for my wife. But that one box just seemed so...lonely)

 

Ha! Ive a new word I learnt today.

Rule of thumb: The more "you shouldn't have"s that you hear, the more you should have.

 

Oh yes. The last minute shopping spree paid off swimmingly when my dear wife opened her gifts this morning.

What's the price for piece of mind?

 

Kung Fu Class tonight!

Relatively small class tonight. I think Sifu forced all the advanced students to attend the intermediate class. (Well, if you're a blue belt, you shouldn't be going to the beginner class except for a touch up!)

Anyway, here's the drill:

Warm Up
-One Foot Stance Balancing (thank you, P90X Yoga!)
-"Searching the Sea"
-One Foot Stance Hop
-High Heel Kick - 10 (each side)
-Inside Crescent Kick - 10 (each side)
-Outside Crescent Kick - 10 (each side)
-Front Snap Kick - 10 (each side)
-Horse Stance Punches (stationary) - 10
-Knuckle Push Ups - 10
-Tricep Push Ups - 10
-Spider-Man Push Ups - 10

Techniques: Combinations (All combos done 10 times on both sides)
-Step/Back Fist
-Step/Back Fist/Ridge Hand (same hand)
-Step/Back Fist/Ridge Hand/Step Out (turn and pivot away)
-Step/Back Fist/Ridge Hand/Step Out/Reverse Punch
-Front Snap Kick/Back Fist
-Front Snap Kick/Back Fist/Ridge Hand (y'all see where this is going...)
-Front Snap Kick/Back Fist/Ridge Hand /Step Out/Reverse Punch

Cool Down
-Reverse Push Ups - 10
-Sit Ups - 25
-Back Extensions - 35

Forms
-Seifon Seibei
-Keun Lei Keun
-Nunchucks (I completely forgot how to do the last half of the form!)

They say that the two things you lose as you get older are your memory...and I forget the other one!

Buh dum pum shhhhh!

Thank you. Thank you. I'll be here all night. Don't forget to tip your waitstaff...

 

I've been meaning to ask, what's the deal with all of the knuckle push-ups? There must be some big benefit to them because your dojo has you doing them every single session.


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I've been wondering that myself. The only thing I can think of is that it gives you a little more of a tricep extension and maybe works those "stablizer" muscles around the shoulder.

Most of the times, the women folk and young 'uns do reg'lar push ups anyway.

But taking to paraphrase the song you took your ending quote from: really don't mind if I sit that one out...

 

Napoleon Solo Training Day (TV Reference. If you'er under 30, ask your parents)

Did some of that P90X Yoga (a little over 30 minutes worth). I'm liking its placement in the training routine.

Over the past week I'v done gone and aggravated an old parkour injury to my hip (as in...I'm an old man who tried parkour). So the yoga was a great way to gradually work it out. It still hurts, but the limp from this morning is completely gone!

After that, I did some Kung Fu Stuff

-Dynamic Leg Stretches (a good follow on to yoga)
-Slow Side Kick (10 x each leg)
-Slow Roundhouse Kick (10 x each leg)

Forms:
-Seifon Sei Bei (focus on form)
-Keun Lei Keun (focus on power)
-Nunchucks (focus on precision)

Notes:
-Spent a good 20 minutes on the nunchuck form. Maybe it was the calming and clarity I received from yoga, but I was able to analyze and correct some errors on the form.
-Simple things like holding my arm to far out to the side when doing a behind-the-back pass. Amazing how a little attention to detail can change everything.
-How much form could a nunchuck form if a nunchuck could chuck forms?

 

nun.

 

My understanding is that pushups on the knuckles align the hand/wrist the same way it should be held in a punch. So, promotes proper alignment and also strengthens stabilisers in the wrist/forearm.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Pretty much what I was told as well actually. Did wonders for my wrists.

 

Really could have done without the visual. It's a sin...to put a face like that on legs like hers.

 

Ah! That makes sense! Thanks, gents.