upnorthkyosa's reflective training journal

[Makalakumu]

8-26-2007 - Practice Entry

I worked Martial Arts Workout A this morning. I felt very focused during it and I was really able to stay focused the entire time. When the kids needed me, I stopped what I was doing to help them and then was able to immediately refocus. This doesn't happen very often for me, so this is a great development.

 

[Makalakumu]

8-27-2007 - Practice Entry

Despite the fact that the summer is winding down nicely, our area has warmed up nicely today...complete with the humidity. This has made my morning workout very difficult. I did my normal weight lifting routine, but found myself drenched with sweat when I was through. And then I went for my run. The humidity kicked my ***. It's been a long time since I've been affected by the weather like that, to a point where literally I feel as if my strength is being sapped. Gaurenteed, people who live in other parts of the country would tell me I have nothing to complain about, but all I can say is that I am definitely not acclimated for this.

 

[Makalakumu]

8-28-2007 - Practice Entry

I did Martial Arts Workout B this morning. This was the first morning that I got up early to practice. I need to start getting back into my school routine. The good thing is that it wasn't that hard to do.

 

[Makalakumu]

8-28-2007 - Teaching Entry

Class attendance was light again. I had only two students. The good news is that one of them happened to be my wife! She is starting her training again and I'm very excited about that.

 

[Makalakumu]

8-29-2007 - Practice Entry

I worked my normal weight lifting routine this morning. I was not able to run because I am home alone with the kids. I'll try and get some cardio in later.

 

[Makalakumu]

8-30-2007 - Practice Entry

I worked Martial Arts Workout C this afternoon. I'm almost all of the way through Chinto Hyung as far as applications go. Right now, I'm working on the very last couple of moves and I have some ideas...

 

[Makalakumu]

8-30-2007 - Teaching Entry

Okay, so I went through my senior students requirement list and now my back is killing me. The culprits were the same...jump kicks and high falls. The combination created the perfect storm and now I'm calling the chiropractor to try and fix this mess.

I don't know what to do. The jump spinning kicks are absolute murder, but they are still required as part of my curriculum and then there is tomeo nage. I can take that fall from a person who is good at the throw, but people who are learning it tend to really push you up high and you fall HARD.

I may end up pulling all of those rediculous kicks from my curriculum. They are basically useless and I don't know if I can teach them any more. Even demontsrations are hurting me.

This sucks because I know that my teacher would like me to still have my students do these, but I feel that if I can't do something, then how can I expect others to do it? Especially when the techniques really have no value.

Sigh. Decisions.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-4-2007 - Teaching Entry

Well, I had a workout. I took it light and went over forms and stances with my students. This is very important stuff, because it all leads into the actual performance of various bunkai. Anyway, I feel pretty good. My back is just a little sore. I may even do a light workout tomorrow morning if I feel all right. I don't want to push it though.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-6-2007 - Practice Entry

I tried working slowly back into my routine today. I did martial arts workout A this morning, but I skipped all of the kicks that I knew would give me trouble. Everything went okay. My back was a little stiff and that was all. I still don't know if I can lift weights again. Probably shouldn't until next week.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-8-2007 - Practice Entry

I performed a version of Martial arts workout B this morning. My back is still a little stiff, but I think that I can start moving more normally now. The only thing that I was not able to do was kicking sequence #8. The techniques in there would definitely be too much.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-10-2007 - Practice entry

I worked an abbreviated version of Martial arts Workout A this morning. First of all, I was very tired. I stayed up way to late to get up at 5 am. Secondly, my back seemed to handle things well. I skipped the techniques that I know will aggrevate it...which has put me in a quandry. Do I REALLY skip them for good or do I try and ease back into them?

I don't like to quit. I hate it. And in the very few times I have quit in my life, it usually leaves me feeling kinda depressed. I'm working on accepting this new reality, but its hard...

 

[Makalakumu]

9-11-2007 - Teaching Entry

Good class tonight. We did the typical routine. Attendance was low. I need to start networking and reminding people that we are still here. Even some of my regulars have lapsed. I'm not sure if I should start advertising or what...maybe start to actively recruit a little bit.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-12-2007 - Practice Entry

I started weight lifting again. I took it really slow and I lowered the weights from what I usually lift. Everything seemed to flow out fine and I felt very little discomfort or even pain. Hopefully, my body is getting back to normal after my back injury.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-13-2007 - Practice Entry

Martial Arts Workout B this morning. Everything went great. The weapon work seemed to flow out pretty good. I wish I had a partner to work more drills on. It's just not the same.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-13-2007 - Teaching Entry

We had our first kids class today! It was super fun. We mostly played martial arts types of games. The girls seemed to really have a lot of fun. I hope they keep coming back.

My other classes went well. I worked forms and kicking sequences during the red belt class and we mostly worked ho sin shul during the mixed class. It was one of the rare days that we took the ho sin shul straight up to brown belt level. Lots of grunting and sweating and craziness!

 

[Makalakumu]

9-14-2007 - Practice Entry

I did my normal weight lifting regime today. I did not do it in the morning though. Class was pretty tough the night before and I was up late and really sore the next morning. Thus, I waited until I knew everything was going to be okay with my body before I jumped into it...

 

[Makalakumu]

9-15-2007 - Practice Entry

It's been a while since I've updated my journal. My job has been crazy. I'm so busy I can hardly think. I managed Martial Arts Workout C this morning. In the midst of trying to recover from an exhausting week.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-17-2007 - Practice Entry

I worked Martial Arts Workout A this morning. Very hard to get up. Very tired. Hopefully, I can swing into a more normal routine and get used to this.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-18-2007 - Practice Entry

I worked my normal weight lifting routine this evening. Everything seemed fine. I need to hang my makiwara back up.

 

[Makalakumu]

9-18-2007 - Teaching Entry

Interesting class tonight. I got a new student to return and I got a couple of old new students to return. This is awesome news, especially since my enrollment has been down. I was worried that I'd have to start recruiting or something. Anyways, class with beginners was great. Lots of good breakthroughs with exactly how to strike and use the body, how to escape from various holds, and some basic grappling.