Thursday (Thanksgiving) I got an e-mail from Kirsten Cassidy at ADAPT Training. I had been a member at ADAPT until March of this year; when Sue was laid off from her job I decided to discontinue my membership and focus on starting my own fitness coaching business.
In her e-mail, Kirsten told me that there had been a raffle at their annual free Thanksgiving workout. One of the students from the 9 AM classes I had been attending won a six-month membership to ADAPT. She asked Kirsten if she could offer the membership to me, since I hadn't wanted to leave in the first place. Hell yeah, I want it! I love ADAPT; not only did I enjoy training there, I learned a lot, and met some great people. This gift also coincides with my training cycle for The Test; the extra coaching is a welcome surprise.
I'm extremely grateful to have the opportunity to resume my training at ADAPT, but I'm more grateful to my benefactors Brad and Shannon Simmons. Their generosity is very touching, and much appreciated. I'm not the most friendly person in the world, so when someone reaches out to me like that... let's just say I'm very moved by the whole thing.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
11/18/09 12:45 PM
I’ve practiced forms and nunchucks a little bit this week, but not enough to log the practice time. Haven’t memorized anything new. Today’s gym workout also served as a photo shoot for Outlaws website.
Warm-up: jump rope; 3 90-second rounds
Roundhouse kick, alternating legs; 100 stiff kicks. Focus was on power, not speed.
One-two punch combination; 100. Stiff jabs/straight punches.
Kettlebell swing (35 lb); 3 sets, 30 seconds each, 30 seconds rest
Kettlebell clean & press; 3 sets each arm, 8/8/6
Barbell good mornings; 65/15, 65/15, 95/12, 95/12
Floor Russian twist with 12 lb medicine ball; 5 sets/10 reps
I’ve practiced forms and nunchucks a little bit this week, but not enough to log the practice time. Haven’t memorized anything new. Today’s gym workout also served as a photo shoot for Outlaws website.
Warm-up: jump rope; 3 90-second rounds
Roundhouse kick, alternating legs; 100 stiff kicks. Focus was on power, not speed.
One-two punch combination; 100. Stiff jabs/straight punches.
Kettlebell swing (35 lb); 3 sets, 30 seconds each, 30 seconds rest
Kettlebell clean & press; 3 sets each arm, 8/8/6
Barbell good mornings; 65/15, 65/15, 95/12, 95/12
Floor Russian twist with 12 lb medicine ball; 5 sets/10 reps
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Forms: Palgwe 1 thru 6; Taebaek. Started practicing Palgwe 7; got about 15 steps in.
Those Hindu squats really beat me up yesterday, but I'm pleased that I can knock off 100 and still have a little gas in the tank. :)
The plan is to break the forms into bite-size chunks; that way works best for me, especially since I’m learning them from a book and a DVD. Learning forms from the masters at the dojang is difficult for me. My school offers two forms and weapons classes, and I’m teaching the less-experienced students on both of those days. Yeah, it’s frustrating to see the masters on the other side of the room teaching things I need to learn to everyone but me.
There are three forms I haven’t learned yet that I need to know: Palgwe #7 and #8, and Pyongwon. I know the other 20 forms well enough. Some need lots of practice, and I’ll be focused on them in my home training. Next, I need to film someone doing all the nunchuck patterns. There are 30 altogether; I know 20 of them well enough to practice unsupervised; the other 10 I have no clue.
Those Hindu squats really beat me up yesterday, but I'm pleased that I can knock off 100 and still have a little gas in the tank. :)
The plan is to break the forms into bite-size chunks; that way works best for me, especially since I’m learning them from a book and a DVD. Learning forms from the masters at the dojang is difficult for me. My school offers two forms and weapons classes, and I’m teaching the less-experienced students on both of those days. Yeah, it’s frustrating to see the masters on the other side of the room teaching things I need to learn to everyone but me.
There are three forms I haven’t learned yet that I need to know: Palgwe #7 and #8, and Pyongwon. I know the other 20 forms well enough. Some need lots of practice, and I’ll be focused on them in my home training. Next, I need to film someone doing all the nunchuck patterns. There are 30 altogether; I know 20 of them well enough to practice unsupervised; the other 10 I have no clue.
Stones and potholes in my path
The biggest challenge in the way of me earning that fourth stripe is working at the dojang. It isn’t a very good school anymore for a number of reasons. I really don’t care for the teaching style of the young masters there, and Master Kim rarely ventures out onto the floor these days. Hell, I haven’t learned much of anything there in about three years. I’m sort of at peace with it most of the time; other times it really bugs me.
For me, the worst part is how low the standards for behavior and discipline have become. The kids get away with way too much. They don’t show any respect for the school, the teachers, the other students, or themselves. Left to my own devices I would never tolerate that. As it stands now I’m just an employee there, with no real authority.
Having said all that, it doesn’t matter. Fuck it. I’m getting my 4th dan one way or another, and it’s gonna be on my own terms. It’s too important to me to let anyone else’s low standards ruin it for me. I don’t know exactly what will be expected of me at the test, but I’m setting the bar very high for myself. I plan on being at a physical, mental, and spiritual peak on the day of the test, and there isn’t a goddamned thing anyone can do about it…except myself.
For me, the worst part is how low the standards for behavior and discipline have become. The kids get away with way too much. They don’t show any respect for the school, the teachers, the other students, or themselves. Left to my own devices I would never tolerate that. As it stands now I’m just an employee there, with no real authority.
Having said all that, it doesn’t matter. Fuck it. I’m getting my 4th dan one way or another, and it’s gonna be on my own terms. It’s too important to me to let anyone else’s low standards ruin it for me. I don’t know exactly what will be expected of me at the test, but I’m setting the bar very high for myself. I plan on being at a physical, mental, and spiritual peak on the day of the test, and there isn’t a goddamned thing anyone can do about it…except myself.
Monday, November 9, 2009
First entry, mission
Sometime in either spring or summer 2010 I will take what may be my last taekwondo belt test: 4th degree black belt, master level. In order for me to feel good about the title “Master” I’m going to need to improve my skills. I think I’m pretty good, but I don’t consider myself an expert…yet. I have a list of specific goals for my skill level, weight, fitness level, etc., but I will keep that list private. This public blog is to help me stay on task.
11/9/09 11:00 am
Jump rope, 1 minute intervals, 30-60 seconds rest; 5 sets
Hindu squats 100
Incline one-armed push-ups (20” bench) 5/5/5/5
Floor sit-ups 20/20/20/20/20
Back extension 20/20/20/20/20
Forms practice: Palgwe 1 thru 6, Taebaek
Nunchucks: single patterns 1 thru 15 (extra reps on 15 to get past the sticking point); double patterns 1 thru 7
Finish 12:20 PM
This workout took place 2 days after my final level test. I’m a little banged up from the test: sore hamstrings, some muscle pain, etc. Nothing severe, but I do need to give myself a little time to heal before I go all-out in my training.
11/9/09 11:00 am
Jump rope, 1 minute intervals, 30-60 seconds rest; 5 sets
Hindu squats 100
Incline one-armed push-ups (20” bench) 5/5/5/5
Floor sit-ups 20/20/20/20/20
Back extension 20/20/20/20/20
Forms practice: Palgwe 1 thru 6, Taebaek
Nunchucks: single patterns 1 thru 15 (extra reps on 15 to get past the sticking point); double patterns 1 thru 7
Finish 12:20 PM
This workout took place 2 days after my final level test. I’m a little banged up from the test: sore hamstrings, some muscle pain, etc. Nothing severe, but I do need to give myself a little time to heal before I go all-out in my training.
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