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

Kung Fu II Time!

-Horse Stance Stretch
-Low Stance Stretch
-Horse Stance - 2 min
-High Heel Kick, Jumping High Heel Kick - 6/side
-Knuckle Push Ups - 10
-Inside Crescent Kick, Jump Spinning Inside Crescent Kick - 6/side
-Tricep Push Ups - 10
-Outside Crescent Kick, Jump Spinning Outside Crescent Kick - 6/side
-Spider-Man Push Ups - 10
-Cyclonic Kick - 3
-Crunches - 10
-Double Back Fist, Scraping Punch - 6/side
-Side Crunches - 10
-Running Punches, Front Hand Block, Rear Hand Back Fist
-Horse Stance, Bow Stance Punches (see notes)
-Horse Stance, Bow Stance, Punch Kick Punch
-Bow Stance, Kick out, Cat Stance
-Bow Stance, Jump, Low Stance, Block Punch
-Cyclonic Kick (again)
-Chong Keun
-Sam Lei Keun
-Staff
-Sam Lei Keun
-Horse Stance - 2 min

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 533 calories, avg heart rate of 119 BPM, max heart rate of 145 BPM
-All the Horse Stance Punches" and Bow Stance Punches were done super slow with a concentration on good form
-A few redundancies from different people taking turns running the class. Good thing one of them was Sifu!

 

Gym Time!

-Seated Chest Press - 90 lbs (15), 110 lbs (12), 120 (8)
-Seated Lat Pull down - 100 lbs (15), 110 (12), 120 (10)
-Preacher Curl Machine - 40 lbs (15), 45 lbs (12), 50 lbs (10)
-Tricep Press - 70 lbs (15), 80 lbs (12), 90 lbs (10)
-Seated Leg press - 135 lbs (15), 160 lbs (12), 185 lb (10)
-Heavy Bag - 10 min

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 262 calories, avg heart rate of 105 BPM, max heart rate of 145 BPM

 

Kung Fu II Time!

The best thing about the first three months of the year is that it's "Demo Season". So all the young 'uns are usually outside practicing for the various demonstrations and display events leading up to the big Chinese New Year shindig next week (Gung Hey Fat Choi!).

This means the class is really small...and mostly adults.

Technique
-High Heel Kick
-Inside Crescent Kick
-Outside Crescent Kick
-Front Snap Kick
-Hook Kick
-Rear Roundhouse Kick
-Rear Roundhouse Kick, Spinning Heel Kick
-Rear Roundhouse Kick, Spinning Heel Kick, Push Kick
-Rear Roundhouse Kick, Spinning Heel Kick, Push Kick, Low-High Roundhouse Kick
-Low Scoop Kick, Low Side Kick
-Low Scoop Kick, Low Side Kick, Circular Kick, Low Side Kick
-Back Fist, Back Fist, Reverse Punch
-Back Fist, Back Fist, Reverse Punch, Ridge Hand, Ridge Hand

Pad Drills (We spend a lot of time on these)
-Upper Cuts
-Roundhouse Kicks
-Roundhouse Kick - kick through
-Roundhouse Kick, Spinning Heel Kick

Forms
-Chong Keun
-Staff

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 429 calories, avg heart rate of 110 BPM, max heart rate of 142 BPM
-Kick are getting better. But I'm still timid around the focus pads. Tend to pull the kicks to make sure I don't hit my partners hand. I can usually go to town on the bag.

 

Kung Fu Sparring Time!

Since it's the first day of Chines New Year, Sifu felt it would be bad luck to start it off with bloodshed...so we didn't spar tonight. I should also mention that there were also a lot of rookies in class tonight. So the likelihood of bloodshed was much higher.

Anyway, it was still a good class. We worked on punch kick combos and then a Two-Person version of Sei Fon Sei Bei (our very first form). We broke that down into its component movements and worked them into two-person drills.

I worked with Sihing Mike. So even though we didn't have our gear on, we didn't hold back. My arms are still red (and sore) from blocking his punches!

The two person version of the form incorporates a LOT of trapping hands, which was fun to play with. I have a tendency to want to muscle the moves and use brute force. Contrast that to Sihing Mike who just rotates his arm and turns his hip to guide the attacker well outside the center line.

It took awhile, but I was finally able to relax and just rely on the small subtle moves.

Very effective!

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 472 calories, avg heart rate of 113 BPM, max heart rate of 153 BPM

 

Gymology

Turned up the intensity on the weight training. Still keeping it medium weight and high reps, but I'm hitting each body part twice.

-Seated Chest Press - 90 lbs, 100 lbs, 110 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Seated Chest Flies - 90 lbs, 100 lbs, 110 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Lat Pull Downs - 90 lbs, 100 lbs, 110 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Seated Rows - 90 lbs, 100 lbs, 110 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Preacher Curls - 40 lbs. 45 lbs, 50 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Cable Rope Curls - 40 lbs. 45 lbs, 50 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Tricep Cable Press - 50 lbs, 60 lbs 70 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Tricep Dips - 3 x 10
-Weighted Horse Stance Squats 2 lbs, 4 lbs 6 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Straddles Splits - 3/side
-Standing Splits - 3

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 271 calories, avg heart rate of 100 BPM, max heart rate of 128 BPM
-Had the Yoga Class not commandeered the big room, I'd have done some rounds on the heavy bag, too...

 

Kung Fu II Time!

More "Fun with Pad Drills" tonight.

Technique
-High Heel Kick
-Inside Crescent Kick
-Outside Crescent Kick
-Cyclonic Kick
-Spinning Inside Crescent Kick, Jump Spinning Outside Crescent Kick
-Four Kicks

Pad Drills
-Rear Leg Roundhouse Kick
-Jumping Roundhouse Kick
-Jump, Spinning Roundhouse Kick
-Steal Step Side Kick
-Spinning Outside Crescent Kick
-Figure Eight Side Kick
-Butterfly Kick

Forms (see notes)
-Sam Lei Keun (Blue Belts)
-Chong Keun (Green and Blue Belts)

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 522 calories, avg heart rate of 117 BPM, max heart rate of 150 BPM
-For the Forms, each group came out and performed one section...maybe the first 20 moves. So all the Brown Black Belts did a section of Jeet Keun, all the Blue Belts did a section of Sam Lei Keun, etc...
-I've said it before and I'll say it again...I need to practice my kicks more! I'm just not comfortable with them. And I get especially timid when doing "target practice" on the pads.

 

Kung Fu Sparring Time!

Good night. Small class with a lot of new/young people. So naturally, the only three adults squared off. This meant me against a Brown-Black Belt and a Purple-Brown Belt (thankfully, not at the same time).

We started off with combos and warm ups before moving on to Two-Person Sei Fon Sei Bei like last week.

This time, since I'd practiced the form a bit during the week, I was ready. It was still a bit of a mental challenge translating (or transposing) the "form" movement to a "practical" movement. But after a little while, I got the hang of it.

During free sparring, I fought the tall, fast flexible kid who's been my nemesis (in my head, at least) every class. I've just been intimidated by him. However, tonight I realized that he wasn't untouchable and was actually able to intimidate HIM into giving up some shots.

He's still better than me (as he should be), but he's still human.

Then I sparred Sijay Brenda who's our resident Brown-Black Belt. I love fighting her because her style is a lot like mine (mostly hands with functional mid level kicks). So I end up stealing a lot of her moves and using them against her.

Of course, by then...she's moved on to something completely new.

But still, it was a good night. Learned a lot of new stuff.

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 559 calories, avg heart rate of 122 BPM, max heart rate of 166 BPM

 

I like that, arch nemesis, I think we've all had one of those at times were we focused our efforts to improve based on their skill level. For years at kungfu I had the same with my friend who started just after me, always trying to do better in sparring it can be a great driver for focus.

 

Gymbiosys

-Seated Chest Press - 90 lbs (15), 110 lbs (12), 130 lbs (10)
-T-Bar Row - 45 lbs (15), 65 lbs (12), 85 lb (10)
-Tricep Press - 70 lbs (15), 90 lbs (12), 100 lbs (10)
-Cable Curl - 40 lbs (15), 45 lbs (12), 50 lbs (10)
-Horse Stance Squats - 3 x 10
-Straddle Split - 3/side
-Standing Split - 3
-Jump Rope 2 x 1 min
-Heavy Bag - 10 min

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 476 calories, avg heart rate of 111 BPM, max heart rate of 145 BPM
-Allergies are absolutely killing me. So it's been a challenge to do little things like "breath". Was hoping the shot of adrenaline would have helped. And it did...but only for as long as I was working out.

 

Gym Tyme!

Work and allergies put a crimp in my workout schedule last week. But Now I'm back at it. Here's how it went down;

-Seated Chest Press - 90 lbs (15), 110 lbs (12), 130 lbs (10)
-Seated Upright Row - 90 lbs (15), 110 lbs (12), 130 lbs (10)
-Tricep Extension Machine - 60 lbs (15), 70 lbs (12), 80 lbs (10)
-Seated Preacher Curl Machine - 40 lbs (15), 50 lbs (12), 60 lbs (10)
-Seated Leg Press - 130 lbs (15), 140 lbs (12), 150 lbs (10)
-Heavy Bag - 10 min

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 210 calories, avg heart rate of 104 BPM, max heart rate of 146 BPM
-Went to a different LA Fitness than usual, so the machines and weights are different. It was kind of refreshing
-Still a little stopped up from allergies (or maybe it's a cold), so I didn't push it too much. After all, I still have Kung Fu tomorrow!

 

Kung Fu II Time!

Back in the Martial Arts saddle again after a week long absence. It definitely showed. And I definitely felt it. Anyway, here's how it went down:

Technique
-High Heel Kick
-Inside Crescent Kick
-Outside Crescent Kick
-Step Same Leg High Heel Kick
-Step Same Leg Inside Crescent Kick
-Step Same Leg Outside Crescent Kick
-Four Kicks
-Outside Crescent Kick to Butterfly Kick
-Two foot take off Roundhouse Kick
-Two foot take off Side Kick

100 Push Ups!
-Knuckle Push Ups - 10
-Tricep Push Ups - 10
-Spider-Man Push Ups - 10
-One Armed Push Ups - 10 (per arm)
-Clapping Push Ups - 10
-Back Bend Push Ups - 10
-Dive Bomber Push Ups - 10
-"Backwards" Push Ups - 20

Forms (see notes)
-Chong Kuen - Whole class
-Sam Lei Keun - Blue Belts
-Jeet Kuen - Upper Belts

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 388 calories, avg heart rate of 104 BPM, max heart rate of 126 BPM
-For forms, we just worked on one section of the form and repeated it over and over, paying attention to proper form (pun intended).
-At the very end of class we completed Sam Lei Keun

 

Kung Fu II Time!

Pretty much a carbon copy of Tuesday's class with a few little twists thrown in.

Technique
-High Heel Kick
-Inside Crescent Kick
-Outside Crescent Kick
-Step Same Leg High Heel Kick, Step Same Leg Inside Crescent Kick, Step Same Leg Outside Crescent Kick
-Same thing as above but alternating legs
-Back Fist, Steal Step Side Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Reverse Punch, Two foot take-off spinning Side Kick
-Back Fist, Steal Step Side Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Reverse Punch, Two foot take-off spinning Hook Kick
-Four Kicks
-Cyclonic Kick
-Outside Crescent Kick to Butterfly Kick

100 Push Ups!
-Knuckle Push Ups - 10
-Tricep Push Ups - 10
-Spider-Man Push Ups - 10
-Pike Stretches
-One Armed Push Ups - 10 (per arm)
-"Backwards" Push Ups - 20
-Back Bend Push Ups - 10
-Straddle Splits - 3
-Standing Splits - 3/side
-Dive Bomber Push Ups - 10
-Clapping Push Ups - 10

-Sit Up Punches - 30
-Back Extensions - 40

"Circuit" Forms (Same routine as Tuesday night's class...see notes)
-Staff
-Sam Lei Keun
-Tong Keun

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 378 calories, avg heart rate of 105 BPM, max heart rate of 135 BPM
-The class was small enough that Sifu could split us up into groups by rank. So all the forms I have listed are Blue Belts only.

 

Kung Fu II Sparring Time!

Good class! Several new people as well as some returning "old" favorites. So it was a good mix.

We focused on movement. There were some drills on footwork, but also the deceptive nature of our styles. Sifu was trying to get us out of our conventional way of thinking. For instance, most styles would use a block-then-strike rhythm. In our style, we block and strike simultaneously. Or we'd turn the block into a strike, or the strike into a block.

The challenge, as always, was not to have all the stuff we learned go out the window once we started sparring.

The class split up into groups with one of the Higher Ranking students watching one group and Sifu watching ours. That was awesome because I really got some good critique on my technique.

I fought a few people; one was a classmate/friend that I spar with regularly and a couple of the newbies. The newbies I didn't have much trouble with (though they were both Tae Kwon Do students).

But my friend (who is one rank higher...and about three inches taller), got a lot of good shots in. To my credit though...I blocked or evaded a lot of them.

Sifu's final critique was that I have good reflexes and a good eye for strategy, but my kicks fall a little short. He said if I can raise my expertise on my kicks, I'll be formidable!

So...time to practice those kicks! Need to get them to feel natural and easy so I can just shoot them out as and when I need them.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 460 calories, avg heart rate of 111 BPM, max heart rate of 145 BPM

 

If your kicks are falling short, I would initially think that you hadn't trained against a moving partner enough? Your log seems to show plenty of sparring time, so I'm not so sure about this theory.

Are they falling short when there is an opening (i.e. the distance is misjudged)
or
the partner moves before it lands?

If it's the secondary, alongside more practice on moving partner with/without pads, you can work on covering your entry with hand combinations.

What's the rule-set for your sparring?

 

Axel,

Thanks for the reply. Let me explain.

When my Sifu says my kicks are falling short, he's not being literal. That's his polite way of saying that my kicks are not very good. He feels (quite rightly) that my hip flexors and quadriceps are simply not conditioned enough to launch a strong side kick or roundhouse.

And he's absolutely right. My background is in Muay Thai where we essentially have two kicks; a roundhouse and a front push kick. There are no side, inside crescent, outside crescent, front slap kicks in Muay Thai. So my muscles literally have to be trained to do them. No easy feat at 50. And note that in Muay Thai, we don't chamber the roundhouse kick. It's launched from the rear and utilizes the whole leg.

He gave me some drills and exercises to help me improve my side kicks (see post below), but if you have any training tips or exercises to improve them, I'm all ears!

 

Gym Fu!

Worked exclusively on the machines today (because they were the only stations available). Here's how it went down.

-"Life-Styler" Seated Chest Press - 100 lbs, 110 lbs, 120 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-"Nautilus" Seated Lat Pull Down - 110 lbs, 120 lbs, 130 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Tricep Dips - 3 x 10
-"Nautilus" Preacher Curl - 50 lbs, 60 lbs, 70 lbs (15, 12, 10)
-Horse Stance Squats w/2 second hold - 10
-Side Kick Leg Pumps - 15/side

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 190 calories, avg heart rate of 101 BPM, max heart rate of 124 BPM
-Since this a "new" gym (i.e. not my usual LA Fitness), the machine weight settings and resistances are different than I'm used to. That's why I've called out the manufacturer in quotes.

 

I think I see what you describe now given your experience and log, it didn't seem that "lack of sparring" was an issue!

So he feels there isn't enough "bang" in your side kick? The side kick leg pump is a good tool for helping build that up to chamber the side kick, I recall when I get tired I used to not chamber, instead the leg would come up to position like dragging straight up.

Ones I've trained and found effective, and working it in reps/sets like with other resistance training, increasing sets and/or reps over the weeks:
side kick leg pump.
Holding the side kick out.
Slow side kick leg pump.
If you have any ankle weights you can add that for extra resistance when doing it slowly, I definitely wouldn't do it fast, I'm sure that would cause problems.

When doing the above I always felt towards the end of the sets of pump exercises a real burn in my gluteous area for mid section or higher kicks, so that definitely plays a large part in the firing from side chamber, so any squat style resistance training will help, and if you can add in plyometics, like box jumps, you can add a lot more bang into that kick.

Inside/outside crescent kicks, I have never been a fan of and I don't see how you can get much power in those for sparring, I'm yet to take a hit from those kicks and feel that it could create any great damage; the MT round kick for attacking those angles is a much better kick I believe

 

Thanks, man. That's a good idea about the ankle weight and the plyo!

As a side note, my Sifu is known for his side kick. When people in the Kung Fu Circles see someone executing a devastating side kick in combat, they'll immediately say "Ah! You must have training with Sifu Su!"

So I'm kind of his Problem Child right now...

I mostly agree with you. Recently, I've used the crescent kicks more like annoying little jabs to swat someone's hand away. Of course, ya have to follow it up with something (like a sneaky little side kick...which I've seen people do). Sifu explained that, in our style at least, we do those kicks primarily to train our hips to perform inner/outer leg blocks. It'd be akin to the Muay Thai method of "checking" a kick by bringing your knee up and moving your leg outward to redirect the kick.

 

Kung Fu II Time!

Technique
-High Heel Kick
-Inside Crescent Kick
-Outside Crescent Kick
-Step Same Leg High Heel Kick-
-Step Same Leg Inside Crescent Kick
-Step Same Leg Outside Crescent Kick
-Back Fist, Steal Step Side Kick, Reverse Punch, Jump Roundhouse, Jumping Spinning Hook Kick
-Back Fist, Steal Step Jump Side Kick, Reverse Punch, Jump Roundhouse, Jumping Spinning Heel Kick
-Cyclonic Kick

Classical Punches (all punches moving from Horse Stance to Bow Stance)
-Horse Stance Punch, Bow Stance Punch
-Punch, Punch, Kick, Punch
-Palm, Block, Palm
-Eagle Claw Grab, Punch, Eagle Claw Grab, Punch
-Upper Eagle Claw, Punch, Upper Eagle Claw Grab, Punch

Forms
-Sam Lei Keun
-Tong Keun
-Staff

Notes:
-Fitbit results from today: 324 calories, avg heart rate of 98 BPM, max heart rate of 128 BPM

 

It was an emphasized kick a lot in all Sanda training I did, the sifu would always have a real snap in that kick, and get it right into your ribs pain and also flying backwards.
They also used it a lot in the sanda format to knock out the side and you could win a match easily with that ruleset. I like the kick also as it's easy to adjust laterally during execution with lots of practice (a frequent drill we did), so someone side stepping will still get it

Recently I've seen it used in TKD as a close range head kick, good for scoring points in that format as a head kick is high points. I find this puts you in an awful position for vulnerability for a throw, but they also have no clinch/throw format so that merits well there. I used it once in a kungfu championship to knock the hands away and follow with a round kick, as one teacher showed us, but they clued up to that quickly.

But definitely very good for working the hip flexor