I hate running...

[Becca]

I hate running but I forced myself to get up a half hour earlier to take the dogs out for a run. I have noticed that my female (german shepard/chow) is getting very disruptive as the weather warms up and my male (german shepard/boxer) is getting fat. The best answer I could come up with was to get up earlier and take them for a short run after my morning tai chi. And it's not like a short run is going to kill me. I just hate running. I guess we'll have to see how long I stick with it. Though if it keeps Sissy from trashing the house while I'm at work, it might be easier than I think to keep it up. The center cushion on my couch can't take much more of her being board...

[5Animals1Path]

That's one of the reasons I wanna get a shepard. I need a running partner to keep me motivated who doesn't talk crap when I get winded before him. ;)

[Becca]

LOL! Can't beet a shepard for that! Although Sonic (male) did whine about being drug out for a run rather than a nice walk. Might have something to do with why he and I are both getting a bit pudgy. :D

[Becca]

Ok. Gave up tryint to get Sonic to run at more than a slow trot. Every time I try to push him, he plnts his butt and jerks me off ballance- Not the way I like to start my morning and a good way to injure my arm. Again. (He's done it to me before.) So It was just Sissy and I running the last few days. She is definanltly more clam threw the day, but now wants a run at night, too. I think I might need to go find one of those dog leashes for bikes. 2 1 mile runs is not too bad, but doing this everyday for the las 4 days, I have notices that the same old constant ache I get in my upper thieghs is back. I know from various docs that this is raidient pain from my messed up hips.

Any other sugestions?

[bodhitree]

steps:

1 buy frisbee

2 apply peanut butter to fribee

3 let dog smell

4 take outside and throw frisbee



Your dog will now be trained in the art of frisbee catching

[Becca]

I tried. He just looked at it, looked at me, and sat down. The closest thing to exersize I can get the lard-butt to do is a slow trot or some of a doggie confidance course (a-frame and pole weaving only). And at 75 lbs, I can't make him do squat. Thank goodness he's a good natured dog!:D

Any other ideas? The frizby didn't work for Sissy, either. But she's the one who really needs to burn off excess energy, and I just can't keep up the running. Man, I wish I'd had the sence to listen to my Doc when I was yonger...:(

[Becca]

Ok. No run this morning at all- it's raining mixed with sleet, and I'm just not that hard core.:p

I did do all of my Yoga for Martial Artists DVD, and now I'm so hyper i'm bouncing off the walls... This is why I usually only do the cat series and sun salutaions 1,2, & 3. The whole thing seems to infuse me with boundless energy, and that is not a good thing when you work at a desk.:o

[bodhitree]

Ok. No run this morning at all- it's raining mixed with sleet, and I'm just not that hard core.:p

I did do all of my Yoga for Martial Artists DVD, and now I'm so hyper i'm bouncing off the walls... This is why I usually only do the cat series and sun salutaions 1,2, & 3. The whole thing seems to infuse me with boundless energy, and that is not a good thing when you work at a desk.:o


Is it this Yoga for martial arts dvd?
http://www.grapplearts.com/Yoga-For-Martial-Arts-info.php?sid=
If it is could you give a brief review?

[Becca]

Yep, that's the one. I love it! You can tailor you workout to as much, or little time as you've got. It doesn't seem to take as long to get good and warmed up if I do that before group class, and unlike some warm ups, it doesn't leave you drained. If your group class is anything like mine, I need every drop of gas to get through it, and I need to be all the way warmed up before it begins, so that DVD has been a god-send.

More often than not, I skip the Bellows breathing, and do a Chi Gong breathing exersize, but from there on, I do the sets as they are shown.

Anything else?

[Becca]

Had a nice, if shortend run with both dogs this morning. I gues Sonic was board yesterday. Did have to dodge more than a few lakes that grew in the middle of the road, though. :rolleyes: Usually Colorado get nothin' but snow this time of year. South Metro Denver got snow. Those of us up north got RAIN. Lots and lots of rain. I missed class last night due to trying to stem one heck of a leak in my roof. Well, 1 big leak and about 4 little ones. Assuming it stays nice today, I will be on the roof after work replacing the flashing around the chimny... Good time to work on stances?:D

[Becca]

The runs with Sissy are getting pretty good. My dogs have found a freind in a pure bred german shepard who is aperantly allowed to run free. This definantly makes for an interesting run, not jog. Sonic is excused from the runs since Tuesday, as he sprained his wrist. On a side note: Am I the only one who didn't know that the joint just above the dog's paw is called a wrist if it is on a front leg and an ancle on the back? I figure, if it is on a leg, it is an ancle by default, but the vet probably has better info on this, so wrist it is. :p

I also found out that very fast runs followed up with 20 minutes of weight training makes you hurt the next day. I had a dentist apointment and so didn't need to leave the house as early as usual. but the dogs still though I needed to take 'em potty at the regular time. Next time I have a few extra minutes, I think I do chi gong...:D

[hskwarrior]

Becca,

Take It From Me. I Feel No Matter How Much You Hate Running..........you Would Change Your Mind If In My Shoes.

Personally I'd Give Anything To Be Able To Run Again. Since I Became Paralyzed From The Waist Down, Running Is Only In My Dreams. Literally.

I Know Im Just Butting In, But Trust Me, You'd Think Differently If Your Legs Were To Be Taken From You.

Keep It Up.

Peace

[SanHeChuan]

People have the endurance to run most animals to death. If you start running further everyday or what not, you might have to leave the dogs behind.

OH and it's "ankle".

[bodhitree]

People have the endurance to run most animals to death.

Have you ever owned a dog?


BTW the ankle thing, funny:D

[stricker]

Is it this Yoga for martial arts dvd?
http://www.grapplearts.com/Yoga-For-Martial-Arts-info.php?sid=
If it is could you give a brief review?yo bodhi,

just caught this... i've got it too. its ok. if your looking for something fairly basic to work along with its ideal, you can just put it on and follow along. every exercise has a basic and an advanced version which is nice.

i'll maybe rewatch it with an eye to a decent review if i get time and your that interested.

[SanHeChuan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SanHeChuan
People have the endurance to run most animals to death.

Have you ever owned a dog?

It's scientific fact!


He observed that relative to most other species, humans are elite distance runners, and he related this capacity to our exceptional ability to dissipate heat by sweating and our ability to vary our breathing pattern while running. He argued that these abilities might have evolved so that early hominids could chase prey animals to exhaustion.
http://www.alumni.utah.edu/continuum/summer05/runners.htm

I've only owned medium to small dogs though. A long walk on a warm day would be too much.

I've wanted to get a Pharaoh Hound because they are good runners and healther than greyhounds, but they are too active for me to keep in my apartment. :(

[hohodicestu]

I love running. I run 10k every day.

[Becca]

... I run only because I can't get my dogs to play basket ball.:p


So anyway. I took Sonic for a long walk to see if his "wrist" was up for jogging yet. It's not. So Sissy and I had to run alone this week end. Then got to work on my carpentry skills helping my ex build a horse pen for mini horses.

Don't ask... I still don't see the point of horses smaller than my dogs, but they aren't mine so I don't care. I just helped build them a home.:rolleyes:

[TenTigers]

two weeks ago I was up to 202lbs, and caught sight of myself in the mirror..."WTF??!!" so i got back on track with my training. So, this morning I get on the scale, thinking,"If I am not down in weight, I will run today, no matter what!" Lo and behold, 194.6!! So I rewarded myself with a beer! ok, jkng. I was so stoked with my progress,I rewarded myself by going to the track and doing several sprints. The pain set in after lunch. Of course,Chao-Sifu making me do freakin tornado kicks yesterday didn't help either.
I like to get on the track, do a warm up lap, then sprint the straights and jog the curves. They just completed rebuilding the High School track, so it is some sort of rubber/asphault compound? A bit more give than straight asphalt.

[Pk_StyLeZ]

two weeks ago I was up to 202lbs, and caught sight of myself in the mirror..."WTF??!!" so i got back on track with my training. So, this morning I get on the scale, thinking,"If I am not down in weight, I will run today, no matter what!" Lo and behold, 194.6!! So I rewarded myself with a beer! ok, jkng. I was so stoked with my progress,I rewarded myself by going to the track and doing several sprints. The pain set in after lunch. Of course,Chao-Sifu making me do freakin tornado kicks yesterday didn't help either.
I like to get on the track, do a warm up lap, then sprint the straights and jog the curves. They just completed rebuilding the High School track, so it is some sort of rubber/asphault compound? A bit more give than straight asphalt.

wow u lost close to 10 pounds in one-two week from running??
man i seirously need to start jogging/running again.....i miss it..need to lose some weight to..but im so lz
ahhhhhhhhh
good job man
can i ask how much u ran on the track?how many miles or how for long?

[NJM]

I hate distance running more than almost every other athletic exercise; that's why I do it so much.

[TenTigers]

sprints-not jogging. Ever notice how marathon runners look like ethiopians and sprinters are jacked? Sprints release growth hormone and boost fat burning, while developing lean mass.
Running is done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, utilizing the fat storages for fuel, rather than food. Breakfast is muscle milk lite, next breakfast is 4 egg whites,1/2 cup oatmeal,water. Lunch is chicken breast on whole wheat. Snack is muscle milk lite, dinner is baby spinach with a can of tuna thrown in, carrots,tomatoes, or a frozen Beverly Hills diet dinner-330 cal-qbout 30 grams protien. Lots of water during the day and weight training/lien gung during the week. My lien gung consists of different pushups, jars, rings,iron bars,and grip strengthening. I will be adding hindu squats,hindu pushups, and others as my trainng intensifies, but no standard weightlifting.

[PangQuan]

Becca,

Take It From Me. I Feel No Matter How Much You Hate Running..........you Would Change Your Mind If In My Shoes.

Personally I'd Give Anything To Be Able To Run Again. Since I Became Paralyzed From The Waist Down, Running Is Only In My Dreams. Literally.

I Know Im Just Butting In, But Trust Me, You'd Think Differently If Your Legs Were To Be Taken From You.

Keep It Up.

Peace

wait...sorry to be so nosey...You're paralyzed?

so you cant walk or stand or anything?

do you still practice upper body stuff?

[PangQuan]

you know, i hate running too.


oi, i ride my bike A LOT, but it doesnt seem to cover what i need and get from running.

reading all this.....I have to go run now.


THANKS!:mad:

[PangQuan]

yep, still hate it

:p

[BlueTravesty]

I hate running because my shins are always talking to me when I do it... hence why I tend to gravitate to the stair machines, or the eliptical. Escpecially one over in the corner of the gym that I've nicknamed "the beast" because its lowest resistance level is nightmarish compared to every other eliptical I've ever used... and since the feet move in a more elongated circle, it's a bit more like a jog than the vertical pedaling of most such machines...

I hope when I lose enough weight, my shins might shut up and I can jog without problems.

[TenTigers]

shin splints are strains of the tibialis muscles on the front of your shins. Do stretches and reverse toe raises with weight-like backwards calf raises. You can do this sitting backwards on the leg curl machine if your gym doesn't have a separate machine for this.

[SanHeChuan]

my knees kill me when I run too far. Got anything for that :D

[Becca]

Of course,Chao-Sifu making me do freakin tornado kicks yesterday didn't help either.

Doesn't it somehow seem like instructors everywere know exactly what to plan for the class to do to agrivate a spacific injury or complaint. Kind of like mom always seemed to have eyes on the back of her head?:D

No dice in running either dog thismorning. Sissy was also acting like she was hurting, so all 3 of use just walked. I'm going to have to make up the workout after work, maybe with bo staff training. Or I'll just say the heck with the blisters on my hands and do nunchaku; I haven't worked my chuks in a while, either.

[Becca]

I hate running because my shins are always talking to me when I do it... hence why I tend to gravitate to the stair machines, or the eliptical. Escpecially one over in the corner of the gym that I've nicknamed "the beast" because its lowest resistance level is nightmarish compared to every other eliptical I've ever used... and since the feet move in a more elongated circle, it's a bit more like a jog than the vertical pedaling of most such machines...

I hope when I lose enough weight, my shins might shut up and I can jog without problems.
Have you tried tape? put a peice of sports tape around your anckle, on your sock to prevent hair pulling, just tight enough that you can't slip a finger under it. This is 'sposed to help keep the foot bones from spreading. I don't know if it does, but it seems to help with shin pain.

SHC - Don't run so far, you old f@rt!

[Becca]

Well, the puppies got plenty of exersize yesterday anyway. My dad came over and "fixed" thier run. He then let them out in it and left them with the theory that they'd show him where the wholes were. It took me and my oldest son 2 hours to catch Sissy, though Sonic Lazy-butt came back on his own after about 45 minutes.

We did, indead, find the wholes, though. And I worked my Intro to Nunchaku with my left hand anyway, as I really did need to do practice with my left hand. No, we did not go for a run this morning...

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

I hate running because my shins are always talking to me when I do it... hence why I tend to gravitate to the stair machines, or the eliptical. Escpecially one over in the corner of the gym that I've nicknamed "the beast" because its lowest resistance level is nightmarish compared to every other eliptical I've ever used... and since the feet move in a more elongated circle, it's a bit more like a jog than the vertical pedaling of most such machines...

I hope when I lose enough weight, my shins might shut up and I can jog without problems.

mine hurt as well and im only a buck fourty eight. you should listen to ten tigers. i might try that before i start sprinting.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

sprints-not jogging. Ever notice how marathon runners look like ethiopians and sprinters are jacked? Sprints release growth hormone and boost fat burning, while developing lean mass.
Running is done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, utilizing the fat storages for fuel, rather than food. Breakfast is muscle milk lite, next breakfast is 4 egg whites,1/2 cup oatmeal,water. Lunch is chicken breast on whole wheat. Snack is muscle milk lite, dinner is baby spinach with a can of tuna thrown in, carrots,tomatoes, or a frozen Beverly Hills diet dinner-330 cal-qbout 30 grams protien. Lots of water during the day and weight training/lien gung during the week. My lien gung consists of different pushups, jars, rings,iron bars,and grip strengthening. I will be adding hindu squats,hindu pushups, and others as my trainng intensifies, but no standard weightlifting.

any recommendations for starting a sprinting program like this without access to a track? i could measure some areas in my neighborhood with my car to get approximations, but i honestly had my heart set on running in the woods.

this is also keeping in mind that im lifting 3 - 5 days a week (comps in june and sept) and doing jiujitsu 2. do you think a run in the morning a few days a week woudl be too much?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

wait...sorry to be so nosey...You're paralyzed?

so you cant walk or stand or anything?

do you still practice upper body stuff?

i was curious too hsk. you and i had some discussions way back in the day, but if i remember right didnt you have a video of you doing a form competition not too long ago?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

Well, the puppies got plenty of exersize yesterday anyway. My dad came over and "fixed" thier run. He then let them out in it and left them with the theory that they'd show him where the wholes were. It took me and my oldest son 2 hours to catch Sissy, though Sonic Lazy-butt came back on his own after about 45 minutes.

We did, indead, find the wholes, though. And I worked my Intro to Nunchaku with my left hand anyway, as I really did need to do practice with my left hand. No, we did not go for a run this morning...

i'm comfused :(

[Becca]

i'm comfused :(
about what?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

fixed ... in it ... wholes ... and find wholes.

[Becca]

what? :confused:






Now I'm confused... Are you talking about my dad messing up the dog run trying to fix it?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i'm not sure :confused:

[Becca]

um... ok....





Anywho. When for a nice run with Sissy this morning. I think I might be comming down with something, becuase I actually enjoyed the heck out of it. You know how you get into the groove? The weather was just right, the sun just peeking over the horizon. Sissy was running nice today rather than looking for small furry things to lunge after. Had my I-pod loaded up with Danzig's older stuff, and I just ran. I haven't had that much fun running since high school, pre-injury; back when I actually liked to run.

[bodhitree]

um... ok....





Anywho. When for a nice run with Sissy this morning. I think I might be comming down with something, becuase I actually enjoyed the heck out of it. You know how you get into the groove? The weather was just right, the sun just peeking over the horizon. Sissy was running nice today rather than looking for small furry things to lunge after. Had my I-pod loaded up with Danzig's older stuff, and I just ran. I haven't had that much fun running since high school, pre-injury; back when I actually liked to run.


Glen Danzig is nothing for a martial artist to be listening to. His JKD training failed him when he tried to catch the punch that knocked him out. Will look for vid to post later.

[Becca]

Glen Danzig is nothing for a martial artist to be listening to. His JKD training failed him when he tried to catch the punch that knocked him out. Will look for vid to post later.
Well, of course it did. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSiAjnPIvPM&mode=related&search=) He let his ego lead rather than his training. Just because the other guy was a blob, he figured he could push around a bigger man. Dumb...

But I still, and always will, love his music.:cool:

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

glen was being a complete ****head and im glad he got knocked out. the other dude had every right to be ****ed and he just wanted to be heard. there was absolutely no reason to get physical and glen got what was coming to him.

that said i still love old school misfits.

[Becca]

glen was being a complete ****head and im glad he got knocked out. the other dude had every right to be ****ed and he just wanted to be heard. there was absolutely no reason to get physical and glen got what was coming to him.

that said i still love old school misfits.
agree with this 100%... and Samain. Anyone know why someone solodly grounded in punk would now be clasified as metal??? It still sounds like hard core puck to me.

[PangQuan]

agree with this 100%... and Samain. Anyone know why someone solodly grounded in punk would now be clasified as metal??? It still sounds like hard core puck to me.

i think, at least with the whole Danzig gig, its the material, ideas and basically that dark satanic heavy metal attitude.

sinces you know danzig is totally satanic.

on a side note, i thought danzig would have been a perfect Wolverine for the Xman movie, hes short, buff, and hairy. PLUS he's a super wolvering fan freak.

but they got some average skinny dude who looks nothing like the comic character.

stupid movie people

[Becca]

LOL! True, though he claims otherwise, Danzig is most definantly Satanic. It still makes me shake my head that he's my mom's age and has a body like that. I think it's time for him to try another hair style of some rogain, though. A freind of mine said Glen's head reminds him of a bowling ball wearing a grass skirt. :eek: :D

[PangQuan]

LOL! True, though he claims otherwise, Danzig is most definantly Satanic. It still makes me shake my head that he's my mom's age and has a body like that. I think it's time for him to try another hair style of some rogain, though. A freind of mine said Glen's head reminds him of a bowling ball wearing a grass skirt. :eek: :D

ROFLMA!!!!

thats classic

ever see that video "danzig" ?

he shows you his library and stuff, its mostly satanic and wolverine stuff lol

[Becca]

ROFLMA!!!!

thats classic

ever see that video "danzig" ?

he shows you his library and stuff, its mostly satanic and wolverine stuff lol

Yep. Have you seen the one, "Poor Danzig"? I just found it today looking for the clip of the fight. :D

[PangQuan]

no i havent seen the "poor danzig"

it sounds funny though.

whats it got in it?

[Becca]

Poor Danzig (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jFnR_-Y8J0)

Basically just MTV video of "Dirty Black Summer" with some pop-up comments that are funny as hell.

[PangQuan]

Poor Danzig (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jFnR_-Y8J0)

Basically just MTV video of "Dirty Black Summer" with some pop-up comments that are funny as hell.

nice.

ill have to watch that at home later with some sound.

thanks :D

[Becca]

No running yet today. My bathroom was posessed last night. I'd had to pach the pluming inder the bathroom sink after a head when threw it. (don't ask). I had noticed that when the shower is running the cold-water-in line tended to leak the very teeniest bit. Well, last night, the copper pipe didn't leak, it split. Got to spider walk with the spiders while looking for the shut off valve in the crawl space though. That's a pretty good work out for 11:00 at night. 'Specially when Sonic decided he had to come down and keep me company.

(you know I had to talk about the dogs... this is my getting-myself-and-the-dogs-in-shape thread turned what-ever thread.):D

[bodhitree]

(don't ask)


Do you honestly expect that? cmon, dish out the story! Did YOU put somebody's head through the sink? Is it hairdressing gone bad?

[Becca]

Is it hairdressing gone bad?LOL! No, but I did sudenly get a mental picture of my younger son playing "caves". He didn't do this, but the posability and orneryness is there. :D



My Dad has some health issues, which is why I still live whith him. He occasionally passes out in the shower. One time his head ended up through the side of the vanity. I thought I'd fixed all the damage to the plumbing... guess not.:eek:

[bodhitree]

Was he okay?

[Becca]

Depends on who you ask. He thinks he's fine and he enjoyed showing off his split lip and lumpy noggin at work that night.

I found out about this after the fact, as I was @ kung fu the night it happened. Haven't been to a group class since. I'm terified he's going to go to work after passing out again. He drives tractor-trailors at night and the doc says the passing out is from danrously high blood pressure, a precurser for another major stroke.:(

[bodhitree]

that's stubborn older folks for ya. They have an iron will don't they.

[Becca]

He's not old, only 56.:( And I'm sick of always being worried. There's some rentals close to his house. I am hopping if my boys and I move out, he'll wake up and realize he's not "just fine"...

Any who...

What do you think of this workout? (http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100150894)

I've been doing it at the recomendation of the trainer here at work, but not getting the greatest of results.

[bodhitree]

what kind of results are you looking for?

[Becca]

Stronger hammies. I had mirco tears in both a while back and they have been chronically week ever sence.

I started seeing slow results at first, but have been platued for a while. I doubt my jogging is what made me platue. If anything, jogging should be helping. I got to the point I can controll my desent on the dip to about half way down, and I can do 3 full reps (up from maybe 1 if I wasn't already tiered.)

[bodhitree]

full range of motion squats are great! Make sure to do static stretches AFTER you workout. Do you train with weights?

[Becca]

just starting to about 6 months ago, though I've been collecting weigh equipmet for about a year. So far I have collected 5, 10,15, and 20 lb dumbells and a weight bar with 2, 4, 8, and 10 lb plates. I'm going to get another set of plates this next pay day, but I think I'm good on the dumbells right now. I don't have a forma bench, though. I have discovered that if I lay my sholders on a kichen chair with my feet on the floor and press my hips up, I can also get a great static hold for my hips, back and abs. Aslo seems to help isolate my sholders when pressing.

I do full range squats, wood choppers to right and left, forward lunges, side lunges, and back lunges in sets of 10 reps each, 3 sets a session with 1 1/2 break between sets. 1 set is all of theses exersizes don't quickly but not rushing. I do this every wednesday, with the workout in the link being done on mondays. Right now I do the first 2 sets with the 5 lb dumbells and the third rep with 15s. If I stay on track, I will be up to all 3 sets with 15s by the end of the month.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

Poor Danzig (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jFnR_-Y8J0)

Basically just MTV video of "Dirty Black Summer" with some pop-up comments that are funny as hell.

you know ... as i said im really glad glen got what he asked for ... the other dude had just said "i understand that" and was in the middle of saying "we drove 3 hours up here" when glen pushed him .... there was no call for that. but that said i dont think getting knocked out by a guy that size make you a ***** either. **** happens and that day it just happened upon someone who was beggin for it.

[BlueTravesty]

shin splints are strains of the tibialis muscles on the front of your shins. Do stretches and reverse toe raises with weight-like backwards calf raises. You can do this sitting backwards on the leg curl machine if your gym doesn't have a separate machine for this.

Cool. I'll try some of that in moderation. I'm trying to visualize the backwards calf-raises, but I'll incorporate it into my ankle-strength training too.

[Becca]

Didn't run Sunday, and oly a half a mile this morning. It was a combination of over sleeping by about 15 minutes due to Claratin-head and hand feeding the 4 or 5 week old kitten my kids found while walking the dogs Saturday. I am allergic to cats, but I am not enough of a moster to tell my grinning 5-year-old I didn't want the Mother's Day present he "got" for me... Which his 11 year-old brother knew full well when I told him last year he couldn't have a cat. This one wasn't even weened but was wild.

So I over slept and only had time for a quick, fast run this morning. On a side note, I did get the kitten eating solid food, fence in the back yard is closer to being finished and fixed the lawn mower. The lawn is probably too over grown for it and I'll probably need to go over it with the weed wacker first, though. (maybe I should ask my ex if I can borrow the minature horses of a week end. :p )

[Becca]

Started out for my run on time this morning. (cat woke my son up so he fed her). I am finding that maybe I don't totally hate running. I enjoyed this morning's run. Still don't like the nagging ache in my hip, ankle and lower back, but I must confess it isn't the running but the after effects to my battered body. I'm not loosing any weight and I don't think I'm loosing fat and gaining muscle, but I do seem to be becoming more streamlined? Almost like my body is re-arranging to allow for my new early moring exersize. All I've done in the morning for years is yoga or tai chi.

It was drizzling just a bit and the dogs were content to just pace me rather than trying to dodge left and right after something small and furry. I have to wonder if having a cat in the house has made smelling cats outside not quite so fun. I think maybe the neiborhood peac0cks like the rain too, as they were being very vocal. Almost made up for the fact I didn't have my music this morning.

[Becca]

Think I pushed Sissy too far today. We were 3/4 of the way back when she just wouldn't run any more. On the front door step, she up-chucked. I guess I always figured that as a dog, she could out run me, the non-running fool... Maybe she's just not feeling good. I'll have to keep an eye on her, then take her to the vet is she doesn't seem to be getting better.:(

[bredmond812]

ok folks,

I could have started a new thread, but it seems pointless when this one is good enough. I hate running too...What good does running do that i cant get with other exerceses. For example, i can target the same muscles with isolation exerciese, and i can expand my lung capacity with pranayama, does the heart need that much exercise? Horse stance can get my heart going. What can running do that i really need? What is the physiological mechanism there that other exercises cannot do?

B Red

[Becca]

What is the physiological mechanism there that other exercises cannot do?

I can't get my dogs to sit on the rowing machine. And I can't get my butt on it without some motivation. Running with my dogs to keep them and me healthy, motivated, and content is the mechanism. And posting a blog on this site is like a very public diary where all these very helpful people will keep me on track by either ridding my @ss for slacking or tipping me to better meathods.. :D


I could have started a new thread, but it seems pointless when this one is good enough.
You are more than welcome to share this blog! Welcome.:)

[Becca]

Interesting......

I only ran for a mile this morning so Sissy wouldn't get stressed out. Well, I don't want to back-slide on my conditioning, so after my cool down, I desided to add one set of my Wednesday workout but using only 5 lbd dumbells. I got the most incredible stretch through my quads, hip flexors, and hammies! After the first rep of the lunges, which is the first exersize in the set, I slowed everything down and consentrated more on stretching than on getting a good burn. Ought to be interesting on how I feel latter today and tomorrow morning. I have no idea how its going to impact my legs since I did this exact workout yesterday. (regularly 3 sets, first 2 with 10s, last with 15s)

[bodhitree]

ok folks,

I could have started a new thread, but it seems pointless when this one is good enough. I hate running too...What good does running do that i cant get with other exerceses. For example, i can target the same muscles with isolation exerciese, and i can expand my lung capacity with pranayama, does the heart need that much exercise? Horse stance can get my heart going. What can running do that i really need? What is the physiological mechanism there that other exercises cannot do?

B Red



It depends on what type of running (sprints, distance, etc)

Running isn't usually about targeting muscles, but rather energy systems. Intervals of sprints and jogging will speed up your aerobic and anaerobic recoveries.

Is there a reaplacement to running? There are other cardio activities, but they are not exactly the same.

That being said I hate running. I ride my bike more than run. I wish I could tell you I wake up early every morning and do road work, but, not gonna happen.

[Becca]

Oh, holy cow! Sore, sore, sore, sore, sore.... No running today. I walked the dogs so they could have thier morning potty break outside of the yard, but then did sun salutations 1-3 till my lower body started to loosen up. This took well over a half an hour so no lifting, either. I'll do my upper body workout this evening.

Not convinced it wasn't a good idea, though. I got a very effective stretch out of it yesterday. I'm wondering if I hurt because a) it was the first time and b) it was "the morning after". A full 3 sets with weights needs at least 48 hours rest before working that muscle group the same way. I didn't work it nearly as hard, but I did work it only 24 hours later.

I know that if I can get myself to work though it, my body will adapt. My first sifu was well know for always harping that the best way to work out the-day-after pain was to do a lighter version of what made you hurt in the first place. I didn't hurt yesterday morning because my body was used to doing the lowerbody rutine every wednesday. It hurts today because I worked the same muscle group, iterfering with the healing process.

What I think I will do is work up a differend "with weights" rutine for after runs; one that will work my whole body but not too much. Maybe 3 short forms of the tiger teamed up with sun salutations, perhaps. the forms would lend themselves to weights well, the the yoga to cool off while still taking advantage of the very warm muscles to work my stretch....

Sounds like a good plan. I'll work on it over the next week or two.

[Becca]

Well, I am gaining muscle, I guess. I weigh myself on the freight scale on payday every other week when I go to get the veeder root tape (fuel readings). Last pay day I was holding steady @ 190 lbs. Today I was @ 197! :eek: My cloths are feeling a bit looser and I gained 7 lbs, so I must be gaining muscle. I've been holding steady for several months, never gaining or loosing more than 2-3 lbs in a 2 week period. I also started running daily just in the last few weeks, so there has to be some corrilation. The only change I've made to my diet is eating yogurt for my first breakfast rather than oats. yep, gotta be the running...

[dougadam]

I have a german shepard/chow puppy.

I used to run but I dont anymore because it is bad for your knees.

[Becca]

Ah-ha! I have it! I have not gone swimming in forever as going to the pool with my kids allows absolutly no time for actual swimming. which is why I've started running. I hate running. I think I will check out my local rec center's free swimming period and see if it is open to co-inside with either going to work or comming home from work.

I'll still need to run my dogs 3-4 times a week. But if one dog is hurt of not feeling well, I won't feel guilty about missing my run for the dog's sake. Pluss, I enjoy swimming much more than running.

[dougadam]

Ah-ha! I have it! I have not gone swimming in forever as going to the pool with my kids allows absolutly no time for actual swimming. which is why I've started running. I hate running. I think I will check out my local rec center's free swimming period and see if it is open to co-inside with either going to work or comming home from work.

I'll still need to run my dogs 3-4 times a week. But if one dog is hurt of not feeling well, I won't feel guilty about missing my run for the dog's sake. Pluss, I enjoy swimming much more than running.

You could always go to a lake and swim with your dogs. :)

[Becca]

If you knew anything about Commerce City, you would not have sugested that. :p

The rec center has water walking and lap swim starting at 5:30 am m-f. I already get up at 5, so I sould be able to fit that into my schedule at least a couple times a week.

[Becca]

Well, I have yet to get my sorry bum out of bed earlier so I can go swimming. It's almost like I can't get myself to wake up before 5 am. Oh well. I'll keep trying. Maybe reargange my morning rutine, shufle something to after work that I usually do first thing in the morning.

On a side note, I know why Sissy has been getting an upset tummy. My son caught her eating a cat-nip toy. And it looked like there might have been brown crayon in her... leavings... this morning. LOL! I think my dog has as many neroses as I do! No more cat nip for the kitten, though. That could kill a dog. And I'll have to watch my kids with thier toys a bit closer.

The rain we have been getting every day combined with the road construction up in my neck of the woods has caused me to change up my running. Rather than going for distance, I have been doing laps around the abandoned soccer field a block and a half from my house. My feet still get wet, but I don't have to dodge lakes in the road and random pits dug out of the side of the road. I noticed that I started doing my laps sprint style. One side of the feild slow, one side fast, next side slow... ect. I have no idea how big it is. There are actually 6 formal soccer fields in that space, 2 rows of 3 each. I run the perimiter.

[Becca]

Ok. swimming's out. I doubt I will be able to get my hienny up any earlier, so no way I can fit it in before work. I wrecked my bike summer before last and still haven't replaced it, so I can't ride to work. I guess I'm just stuck with the running. :(

For the time being any way. I now have all kinds of reasons to go buy another bike. I wish I could convince myself to buy one at the pawn shop, but the higher end bikes are probably stolen, and I don't want to buy stolen goods. And the lower end ones usually aught to be in a junk yard...

But I now live much closer to work, only about 8 miles, so time isn't a factor and I don't think I'll need to worry about contioning for that short of a ride. Also, no real hills on the route. As far a s the bike, I'll just plunk down next weeks' gas money. that will easily pay for a bike @ Wally World and force me to commit to it for atleast a week.:D

[5Animals1Path]

Make sure you don't get one with plastic shifters. One good flip and I ground them off my last bike when trying to keep my self from going into a semi. :eek:

[Becca]

LOL! Last bike had them when I bought it. One good tumble down a mountain will break them, too. Several tumbles latter, that bike was good for nothing but a scrap heap. I was looking at this (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4232170) one, but I'm going to have to go into a store to look at it closer. It looks like it has the plastic one's, and I can't tell if they are the kind that are easy to find after-market metal replacements.

Midgit that I am, I could get away with this one, though... (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3555166) :o

[SunBeam]

Okay, after looking through this thread, I have now committed myself to running; and yes...I HATE RUNNING:mad:. I have been using an eliptical machine that I have at home a couple times a week and I walk about 2 miles a day at work for stress relief . I need some good quality shoes though. I have pretty flat feet and the tendence to have shin problems. I like that first bike Becca. I've seen it in the flesh resently when I was looking for a birthday gift for my daughter.:)

[Becca]

New Balance shoes are the best for the buck for running shoes IMO. A good pair costs less than $50 at the major shoe stores and they don't seem to stink after only a few runs like some of the more expensive brands. They are also uber comfy and hold up at least 3 months, even if you get them wet alot.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

Well, I am gaining muscle, I guess. I weigh myself on the freight scale on payday every other week when I go to get the veeder root tape (fuel readings). Last pay day I was holding steady @ 190 lbs. Today I was @ 197! :eek: My cloths are feeling a bit looser and I gained 7 lbs, so I must be gaining muscle. I've been holding steady for several months, never gaining or loosing more than 2-3 lbs in a 2 week period. I also started running daily just in the last few weeks, so there has to be some corrilation. The only change I've made to my diet is eating yogurt for my first breakfast rather than oats. yep, gotta be the running...

you probably are gaining muscle which is a good thing ... it'll boost your metabolisim. i've had the same thing happen to me recently and im not sure why. suzi commented that i was looking much more defined, which made me happy, but i started to wonder how much weight i must have lost. to my surprise i gained 6 lbs. our gym is ridiculously hot and my buddy is convinced that training in that type of heat can release growth hormone which would allow me to build muscle while loosing fat. to be honest i dont care why ... i just want it to keep happening.

[SunBeam]

New Balance shoes are the best for the buck for running shoes IMO. A good pair costs less than $50 at the major shoe stores and they don't seem to stink after only a few runs like some of the more expensive brands. They are also uber comfy and hold up at least 3 months, even if you get them wet alot.


Cool, I was thinking about Nike Air Max but I will look into the New Balance. I guess I will bite the bullet this weekend so I can start next week. :(...:o

[Becca]

I haven't tried that style of Nike, but I haven't had much luck with Nike for sport shoes, either running or mat shoes. They just don't seem to hold up as long for running as New Balance and thier mat shoes start to take on a smell that could gag a sewer rat after just s few good, sweaty work-outs. I like Adidas better for those. I guess there's a type of Nike that's gott these funny sectioned off soles that are like wereing nothing. Several of my kwoon mates love them, but I am not paying $100 or more for a pair of shoes designed to wear out after 3 months. :eek:

And I took a long luch so I could buy my bike durring Wally-World's off peak. If I'd have a bit more time I would have driven home then ridden back in to work. :p

[SunBeam]

And I took a long luch so I could buy my bike durring Wally-World's off peak. If I'd have a bit more time I would have driven home then ridden back in to work. :p


Well happy trails on the biking. Oh, and I'm probably going to get New Balance as reconmended. Thanks:)

[Shaolin Wookie]

I've seen too many joggers with bad structure recently. I want to roll down my window and throw 'em a tip that'll make things easier, but I don't want to sound like a *******. Most people haven't run competitively, so they just figure they'll lace up and start jogging. If this is you, you might be looking for some help:

Here's a good place to drop some tips:

Keep the arms moving. Not excessively, just enough. The elbows ought to be at about a 90 degree angle.

Keep the back straight. Don't force it up, but never let it sag. You are literally running into the ground when you lean forward. Man, will you feel it in the joints when this happens.

Breathe, with some control. Don't force it, but don't let yourself hack either.

Pick up the knee, using the quadriceps (you can isolate that muscle). Then, let the calf rise up almost to the point it touches the hamstring, then reach that foot out in front of you as if you're really reaching for ground (I call this chickenscratching), and primarily make contact with the ball of the foot (try not to roll along making contact with the heel first), then draw that leg back, kicking up the heel again.

Stride is everything. Keep that stride even and smooth. Don't speed up or slow down unless you know the terrain and how you react to it. Me? I like to attack hills, and let loose on the descent, then regenerate on the level field.

Focus on gaining ground through chickenscratching. Do not bounce up and down (I see this all the time). You're trying to cover distance, not height. (If your shins hurt aftwerwards, you've probably got too much contact and friction).


Pick a good place to run. Parks, nature trails, etc. I don't recommend road running. I won't run if it's on the road. I'll only run on trails. Roads make you self-conscious, they interrupt your concentration (or lack thereof), mess with your breathing, and add stress to your joints. Plus, there's no sun cover.

Do not tense the hands. they shouldn't flop, they shouldn't be clenched in fists. The natural postur of the hands is kind of claw like. Let them stay there, and don't mess with them during the run. If you do, you'll find it hard to regain that relaxed posture of hte hand.

The hips kind of roll. You have to run with your whole body, kind of like kung fu. It's not all legs and arms. The torso sways a little, and the hips roll.

[Becca]

Pick up the knee, using the quadriceps (you can isolate that muscle). Then, let the calf rise up almost to the point it touches the hamstring, then reach that foot out in front of you as if you're really reaching for ground (I call this chickenscratching), and primarily make contact with the ball of the foot (try not to roll along making contact with the heel first), then draw that leg back, kicking up the heel again...
(adding my 2 cents) If you calves are hurting, you are indead making contact with the heal first. To get them to loosen up without stopping to stretch, glide along. keep picking your knees up, but when you "thrust" off the foot in contact with the ground, make a point to point your toe back tward the spot it left contact with the ground. This will look goofy, like your are trying to "dance" but it will allow your calves to loosen up. This is a very good thing to do if you start to get a cramp in any part of your leg. You don't want to run this way for more than a few yards at best becuase it will mess with your natural rythme, though.:)

[SunBeam]

Humm, never thought about "chicken scrtching" or "toe pointing" so much in the past. At the risk of looking goofy, I'll try it out. :)

[Becca]

Ok, so what do you get when you ride a bike 8 miles each way to and from work, take the dogs for a short run in the morning and a similar length walk after work, then get talked into going to a beginner's class you hadn't planned on going to?


A back spasm from he!l. Not my lower back, either, but rather the lwer mucsle heads for my traps. I haven't had that much pain from an un-injured body part since I gave birth to my oldest son. :eek:

I would have had thought it would be my legs cramping up. And my calves did cramp up a bit durring the hill run, but they released pretty quickly. My back didn't totally release till I sat down in my truck to drive home. And that was after Sifu worked it over and I slipped out to put red flower oil on it. I just couldn't stand up strait with my feet together. And bringing my hands together palm to the floor about dropped me, no mater where my feet were.

Me thinks someone needs to work her back and sholder flexability a bit better after a lifting session.:o

[Becca]

Have changed from trying to ride to work to a more reasonable riding most afternoons. I do not ride my bike with Sissy; the one time I tried to, she tried to kill me chasing something small, furry and white. I just let go of her leash; she came home a few hours later. But Sonic and I really enjoy our ride. My kids now have 2 kittens and Sonic is feeling the strain of having to small, nija-like fuzz balls constanly trying to chew on his ears, tail... stuck like velco to one of his legs... He never leaves my bedroom now, as that is the one place the cats are not allowed. Not that he dislikes them. Heck, he even lets them eat from his dish while he is eating. He just doesn't like them messing with him when he's napping. So now we go for an extra walk, just him and whom ever is walking him so he can get some peace and quiet. Sissy loves the kittens; now she has two furry, interactive squeek toys. :D

[Becca]

I still hate running, but it is starting to pay off. Last night's group class was 1 1/2 of all hook kick all the time. 3 months ago, I would have been hobbling. Last night I had enough gas in my tank to work hard the whole class AND find a new way to ballance so's I could kick by the count as high as I could kick full speed. This is what I was working tward: Being fit enough to go into class to learn.

If group classes are too much of a workout, then you focus on keeping up the intensity.

If you are in good enough shape as not to be gasping after one trip "down the room" then honestly trying to improve the technique will keep the intensity high all by itself. And you get better. ;)

I'm not done, though. I'm still a bit sore this morning and my goal is to be able to take a class like that with no residual aches and pains. But this is a fantastic mile marker!!!

[Becca]

I’m not claiming him, not after his latest stunt… Imagine my shock Saturday morning when I took the dogs out in the back yard for a potty break after our morning run and saw Sissy chasing a baby chicken. I knew who to ask about it; that sort of thing is right up Jake’s ally. I also knew that his class did a science project that involved hatching chicken eggs right before school let out. After much questioning and nearly a half hour of “the mommy stare” I got him to admit to swapping some Yugi-ho cards for 2 of the hatchlings from the kid whose parents had given permission to keep the things. He then hid them in his back pack, smuggled them onto the school bus, then made a pen out of the dog house to keep them. Now I had noticed that the dogs had been hanging out in the sand box quite a bit the last 2 weeks, but thought nothing of it, as that’s were the dog house was. And we live in a rural, unincorporated part of Commerce City, so the cacophonous sound of birds was nothing to raise suspensions. Needless to say, the baby chicken that Sissy chased died. She didn’t kill it, but I couldn’t getter to leave the thing alone, and it couldn’t handle constantly being chased. God, I hope the next bird swap gets here fast; I am not letting them keep that last chicken!

[Becca]

2 weeks ago I had a bad back spasm that started up after some yoga-like stretching excersizes. Last week was fine. I tought last night was fine, too, but my left leg cramped up after a class where I was working very hard to get my kicks technically perfect while kicking fast enough to make my pant leg snap. It's still trying to cramp up today. Just like how my back and sholders were god-awful sore and trying to cramp up the day after the back episode. I'm very thirsty today, wanting nothing but water to drink. Not even coffee- I didn't finish the one cup I poured this morning. That is also just like 2 weeks ago.

I don't think I need to panic, though, just keep an eye open to see if it really is a trend or just a coincidence. I'm going to do exactly what I did for 2-3 days after last time, see if it will continue to mimic the last episode.:confused:

[Becca]

So what do you get when you go to a formal wrestling class and forget your mat shoes?

Blisters from hell. Taping did not help.:eek:


On saturdays my boys have a "small group session" with a local wrestling teacher. My youngest son's dad doesn't like kung fu and won't let me put him in kung fu. But wrestling is once again o.k.

Well, both my sons are currently harassing thier respective fathers, so thier coach sugested I take thier session. I thought this would be great- I've never had a formal wresting lesson and was curious. So I went in Saturday afternoon (90+ degrees outside! ) and Coach askes, "Where's your mat shoes?"

D'oh! I have some, but it never once crossed my mind to bring them... No problem; I'll just work out bare footed. I've done that many, many times. Well, Coach has a seperated rib, so we didn't roll. I drilled single and double let take-downs. I lasted about 3/4 hour before the blisters were killing me too much to keep going and my legs were too jelly-like to shoot.

Needless to say, I did no running this week end. I did ride my bike several times though. A nice slow ride will help work screeming quads like very little else, and if you stumble, you just slow down, not fall down.:D

[unkokusai]

So what do you get when you go to a formal wrestling class and forget your mat shoes?


You get goin' back home and get your wrestling shoes if you're smart.

[Becca]

Who ever said I was smart?:p

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i always do jiujitsu/judo barefooted. im too poor to afford wrestling shoes. i admit that i do notice it more when we drill the take downs all night though.

[Becca]

Bargin huntting (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_so_22/102-8549364-5933748?ie=UTF8&rs=1036592&keywords=%20wrestling%20shoes&rh=n%3A1036592%2Ck%3A%20wrestling%20shoes%2Cp%5F4% 3Aadidas&page=1), the parent's best friend. I could never afford the sports for myself and my 2 kids otherwise.:)

On the other hand, I am thinking about working more without them so I can work up to not needing them. Sounds like a good way to perfect my taping technique.:p


And since this is a thread about training, not dogs, shoes, kids and chickens...

I did try running yesterday evening after the sun went down, about 1/2 mile. Sonic and I ended up walking another mile and a half, though. The blisters are healing rather well. I should be able to work my way back to running the full 2 miles by the end of the week. Am also trying to get a few hours off Friday so I can go in and get my hips adjusted.

I'm very much wondering if the fatighue and cramping in my back might be a precurser to it going out again. I'd noticed before that my sit-ups would start to get worse right before. Maybe the weekly rolling is showing me an ever earlier warning sign. It would be nice to catch it before I end up on the ground flopping like a fish because my left leg is numb and useless. I also wouldn't mind missing that lovely pins-and-needles sensation of the leg "comming back on-line.":eek:

[Becca]

Oh, goody. I got to be a practice dummy last night. Sifu decided to have a "taking care of yourself" class last night due to the high number of injuries lately. As I didn't want to put shoes on due to blisters, I got to be a demo of how to treat and bandage blisters so they wouldn't interupt your training. I didn't have the nerve to tell him it didn't help much. I was alergic to the so called hypo-alergenic "hospitle" tape that was used and while it did stop friction, it did nothing for the pressure issues I was having. But every time I object he tells me I have "trust issues." I guess I do if I don't want him to put tape on me I know is going to give me hives.

But that's ok. Other than running, there is nothing I do that can't be done bare footed or in flip-flops. And as that class was heavy in learning but light on working out, I took advatage of the seasonabley cool weather and lack of kids after class. I when for a very long bike ride (don't know distance, but about 1 hour) followed up with nunchucks in the back yard while sonic moped at being left behind and Sissy tried to figure out how to get the remaining chicken to play chase. I didn't crawl into bed till 11:30. :eek:

[Becca]

I keep forgetting that Saturday isn't my "rest day" any more. My wrestling lesson with my kids is almost a joke; Owey won't wrestle unless his big brother is there, so this week was another one on one with Coach, as next week probably will be. I can almost make it the full hour Coach wants to work, and actually wearing my mat shoes helped a bunch.

Keeping in mind, I still do kung fu group class 2 times a week, and still trying to either run or ride my bike daily, I really do need a rest day 2 times a week. And Saturday used to be one of them; Sunday was for hiking and forms. So my youngest son, the dogs and I all headed up to the mountains to go hiking and I did forms later last night while I was watering the lawn....

My whole body is sore today. I know better, I really do. Hiking is not just legs, but also a good deal of core work, and back as well if you are carying a pack. Wrestling is also a total body thing. The form I chose was a staff form; my staff is a 5 1/8 lb red oak monster, so I might as well have just lifted weights. I really should have just rested yesterday.:(

[Becca]

Wow! 2 mile hill run last week... I never run hills outside of class runs for a reason. I don't even like running on relatively flat groung. My calves are still aching 5 days later. Made Wrestling class interesting; hard to work shooting drills when your feet and legs don't want to bend.

And a topic change back to foot wear. I know the calf pain comes from pretty much refusing to run hills unless required to, but my feet hurt like hell for a day or two after, as well. I know this sign well: time for new running shoes. But I'm pretty pizzed as the current pair is only 2 months old.:mad:

And thanks to forgetting my mat shoes a couple weeks ago, I realized that those are not quite what I need to be using either. While I got blisters from not taping, I had much, much better flexability in my ankles. I haddn't actually made that connection; Coach did. He pointed out how 2 weeks ago mt shoots were very powerful. Week before last, he figured the lack of power was from me not wanting to push it with half healed blisters. I told him I just couldn't get my ankles to move right. So he asked if I'd brought my tape.

Bingo! While my current shoes are good quality, they are too rigid to allow full range of motion. Not a problem for kung fu, didn't slow me down when I was just rolling whatever technique, but messing me up big time as I learn the intricies of wresling.

So now I have a choice:

Buy both new running shoes and the new style of mat shoes Coach thinks will work for me. (bankrupting the household in the process)

Buy just the running shoes and roll bare foot, gaining the lovliest set of calluses on my feet right in the middle of sandle season.

Buy mat shoes and hope I don't get cohursed into another hill run untill I can scrape together mor cash for shoes.

Consensus?

[Becca]

Ok, it has been decided. I'll get running shoes and just tape my feet. We ran hills again last night... more than once. This is Sifu's favorite method to "get our legs back under us" when we are working stances or one type of kick only. If we are going to keep pounding the kicks, we are going to be running hills a lot. I really need the running shoes. :eek:

Interesting revelation last night, too. We worked side kicks and all the various torture techniques to improve endurance with them. Usually I do very, very badly at this. I have decent flexibility in my hips now but no functional strength. The running helps, but not much. I didn't have nearly as much trouble last night as I usually would and I'm not really all that sore today. (Other than my feet. :mad: )

It's got to be the once wrestling I've been doing. One class on Saturday with several spots of practice through out the week to work on speed. Every week since I started, coach has been having me do drills for single and double shoots, reshots, boot drags, basically getting me used to moving around the mat like a wrestler, not a kung fu person. This really works the hell out of every muscle in your legs, back and abs. I have this sneaky suspicion that wrestling just may have been the missing conditioning link I've been looking for.:)

Ok, that was a bit rambling...

[5Animals1Path]

Becca- If you're looking for stronger hips, I might have somethin for ya that my Sihing's been havin a coupla the guys doin.


Front and side kick holds- Hold the leg out straight as possible, this'll probably be easier on the front then side, try and get the knee to the waist, and hold for at least a minute

Tension stretches- Easier to do with a partner, not impossible though if you've got a level railing. Push your leg downwards from both side and front for 30 seconds, at anywhere from 2/3rds to 3/4ths of your max stretching range.

And of course, there's always the good ol' standby of lowhorse. ;)


Diggin' the new sig by the way. :)

[Becca]

Diggin' the new sig by the way. That was just begging to be quoted.:D

I actually do all that, have been for years. My least favorite of the side kick tourture is where Sifu lines one side of the kwoon with logs, changing them up by hight: knee high, waist high, mid-torso, ect. You get to hop one-legged down the side with the other sitting on top of a log in side kick configurating. Every time you move, you carefully pick up the resting leg and place it on the next log in the row. By the time I get to the end log (which is actually a shoulder high round kicking target) my hip, side and outer thigh are one hugh cramp and I can't get my leg down from the kicking target.:eek:

I hit a brick wall in improvmnet about 3 years ago and nothing I tried could get me past it. Thinking back, that was also about the time I quit rolling regularly. Started wrestling by accident almost. I e-mailed my son's wrestling teacher that both boys would be out of twon one weekend. He commented that since I would be in town and apperently child-free, I aught to come in and take thier lesson. The next day, I was sore in muscles that had not gotten worked hard in a long time. And by my Thursday group class, I was noticing all kinds of improvement in my low stances...

The above exersize would have had me hobbling in pain for days. Since I started traing with coach in earnest, I'm no more sore than I would be after a strait-up forms class. :)

[Becca]

Dang, when did I cross the 2,000 post mark? last time I looked I was only around 1,980.:confused:

[Becca]

LOL! You know you might be complaining too much about running when Sifu gives a lecture about running and uses you for an example.:D

I still don't like running, though. ;)



And on to other things. I have sort-of taught Sissy to run on the bike leash, so I'm going to make a stronger effort to get my hinney up in the morning so I can take the pups for a bike ride rather than just a walk. I actually haven''t gone on moring runs other than week ends in quite a while. I haven't even really done Tai Chi in a while. My mornings have been dedicated pretty much to lots and lots of yoga. Between working wrestling drills and trying to clean up my KF forms, my lower back and hammies are constantly tight if not out right hurting. And the yoga works wonders at controlling that.

I do enjoy a jog after work, though. (Note: jogging is not running.) Even on hot days, I find myself working off the stress from a job I am beginning to hate. And after being penned up in the house all day, the pups like to stretch thier legs, too.

[Sifu Darkfist]

I hate running but I forced myself to get up a half hour earlier to take the dogs out for a run. I have noticed that my female (german shepard/chow) is getting very disruptive as the weather warms up and my male (german shepard/boxer) is getting fat. The best answer I could come up with was to get up earlier and take them for a short run after my morning tai chi. And it's not like a short run is going to kill me. I just hate running. I guess we'll have to see how long I stick with it. Though if it keeps Sissy from trashing the house while I'm at work, it might be easier than I think to keep it up. The center cushion on my couch can't take much more of her being board...

B]hog tie her and sleep in instead of run[/[/B]

[Becca]

Ok, I haven't posted in about 2 weeks. So it's time to update.

I admit I have not gone running in that time. I spent the last 2 weeks figuring out that I can take my stance training, add it to working single and double leg shots, string it all together, and get one heck of a cardio work out. And after about a week and a half, I can go as fast in the cross training mix as a decent jog for almost the whole perimiter of the soccor field. ('S actually 2 rows of 3 fields, but soccor field works.) Plus, the dogs' sudden pulls and jerks help work my ballence.

Now I really hate running. This gets my heart rate up just as well as running, I'm working the areas I was weak at in the first place, and my hips and ankles aren't getting pounded. And as I don't have that god awful bone pain the next day, my recovery time is next to nothing. And I can thank Coach Wood 100% for this revelation. He commented the he never does formal cardio; he works his technique in ways that get the cardio at the same time. And that man is like the energizer bunny. I've seen him spar for an hour with a guy who dwarfs him, then turn around and teach my hyper-@ssed kids for another hour. So I figured I'd give his meathod a try.

I started simply by doing a type of wind sprint with what coach calls a duck walk. I'd go for a douple leg shoot then let it flow into the duck walk, keeping going untill I leterally fell over. Then I'd get up and walk it of till I caught my breath and repete by shooting with the opposit leg. The dogs caught on to what I was doing very quickly and now enjoy the game.

From there I started changing it up. There are four sides to the soccor field, so I'll do double shots to duck walk on the north side, a standard kung fu stance drill all the way down the east side, the single shots to reshot (?) to a step across down the south end. I walk the west side right now. I'm not sure what to fill that side up with, but I've got time, as I'm still struggling to complete the first 3 sides.

[Becca]

You know your brother takes advantage of you when....



.... He shows up at your house in the middle of the night wanting you to watch his animals because he has to move out. Now. :eek:

Some time this morning, I'm not sure what time exactly, I woke up to find 3 dogs in my bed. I only have 2 at the moment. I then noticed that my kid brother is standing at my bedroom door, asking if the dog run was still in good repair. WTF?!?

I glanced at the clock, but only noticed that the first number was a 3. I'm not sure how much past, but it was after 3am and before 4am. So I tell him I took the dog run down as I couldn't get the d@mn thing Sonic proof. Then I ask why he wants to know. He wasn't sure if Smokey would get along with Sonic and Sissy. This is about the time I register that the third dog in my bed is indead Smokey.

To add some background to anyone actually reading this who hasn't followed my pet stories over the years, Smokey used to be my dog. He got hit by a car on Fourth of July several years ago and broke his leg. He went to live with John because the arthritis that developed in the limb made it almost imposible for the poor old guy (he's now 13 years old, very old for a pit bull mix) to make it up and down the stairs of the 3rd floor apt I had for a while. I didn't have the heart to ask for him back after I got a house, so I love it when I get to baby sit Smokey for my brother.

I asked him if Sonic and Sissy met him at the door. Yes? Did they go nuts? No? Well, if they were going to object to having their older brother visit, it would have been as he brought Smokey in the house, not after the three of them were already curled up together on my bed.

I also notice that my kids' cats are playing with John's cat, and they are making enough noise they could have passed for a pride of lions, not house cats. At this time I also realized that with 3 good sized dogs on my bed and a pride of lions out in the living room, there was no point in trying to go back to sleep.

I never did get it out of my brother why he sudenly had to move in the middle of the night... And knowing my brother, I'm not sure I really want to know. So I get up and take all 3 pups for a walk. No running; I have a nasty chest cold at the moment and running with a chest cold is not fun. I chickened out and didn't go to kung fu last night because I really didn't want to run. And 3 dogs would make a bike ride just too much work, so we walked about 3 miles.

[Becca]

Ok. This week ought to be fun. I went to the doc friday about the chest cold that would not go away. It's not a chest cold, just congestion from post nasal drip. And since I'm still smoking, it got bad enough it was borderline on becomming walking pnemonia.

So now I am trying very, very hard to quit smoking. Again. But this time I have one heck of a motivator to stick with it. Brian told me about a Muay Thai clinic at the end of September he though I might be interested in. (I am.) And kung fu summer camp is comming up in 2 1/2 weeks. Sooooo....

I if I quit now, and get myself to the point I don't cheet by the time I go to summer camp, (and stay quit after that) I will let myself go to the Thai clinic a few weeks later. Better lungs will make it easier to keep up at summer camp. And I will likely need the endurance for the Muay Thai, as Brian said it was going to be taught by Duane Lundwig, and me thinks any clinic of his is going to be hard core, fast paced, and lots of fun.:D

[Becca]

I have gotten the skin on my feet to the point they don't blister on the mat. That didn't take as long as I thought it would. But now all the "small" bones in my feet ache constantly. Last wrestling class Brian had mercy on me and cut out the shooting drills after about 5 times up and down the mat. Spent the rest of the hour working on getting from my belly up to a turtle and then several ways to get back to standing from the turtle.

While I was still sore after that work-out, I was not in horrible pain like I usually am. That work out, while still a strong challenge to my skill level, was not as great a challenge to my fitness level. My KF school is not big on "zombie" attacks so getting out of a real side head lock, full/half nelson, or an arm tangle is nothing new. The techniques wrestling uses to escape them are different, but the muscle groups use are not. (By zombie attacks I meen those stereo-typical arms out strait from your sholders, stiff leged walk to your oponant followed by the a fake choke wilst yelling CHI! every time they almost get loose.)

Did get some interesting insite into why my feet hurt so d@mn bad. After quizzing me for several minutes on when my feet and toes hurt and what eases the pain, he asked me if I had arthritis in any other part of my body and did I take glucosamine (sp?).

As a mater of fact, I do have arthritis, though it is not bad enough to bug me much other than when it's raining or very cold. I've had arthritis in my hips, right wrist/shoulder, and both elbows for years. I guess I might also have it in my feet, but it never registered. And wrestling bare foot once a week seems to be a good way to inflame it. It would also explain why no amount of conditioning could make running any less torturous.

I wasn't using anything for joint support before, but I am now. :o

[Becca]

Pit bulls are innocent (http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/08/20/pit_bulls/)


Self-appointed experts will tell you that
fighting is in the blood. And dogfighters use
this cliché to support their "sport." It would be
cruel to keep them from fighting, they say. Yet
if fighting were purely dictated by genetics,
there would be no need to feed dogs gunpowder,
insert glass shards beneath their skin, or to
engage in any of the other cruel forms of
"training" in the underworld of dogfighting. And
if it were true that pit bulls, through their bad
breeding, are prone to unexpectedly attack, the
streets of New York City would be littered with
victims of its estimated 300,000 pit bulls. It is
easier to believe that the dogs are somehow to
blame, rather than their human counterparts. It
is easier to point to faults in the DNA.



Sad to think that a society that has come so far has back-peddled so badly as to slaughter animals because it is easier than addressing our own short-commings.

If you read the article, you will notice that the author states the the first pit mix he had was adopted out as a shepard mix to keep the cops off his case. I have a confession. My big male was adopted out to me as a shepard/boxer mix. My old male is a pit bull. I know full well what a pit bull is and Sonic probably doesn't have a drop of shepard or boxer in him.

So this hate-filled dog holucost sweeping the nation is very scary to me. I could have some "Self-appointed expert" call the cops on me one day and have 2 of my 3 dogs ripped from my family and slaughtered for dareing to exist. I'm not being an alarmist; over 600 dogs deemed "probable" pit bulls were seized from thier owners last year in Denver proper and slaughtered. Yet the were only 14 reported dog bites from pit bulls. There were over 200 reorted dog bites. Those 600 dogs were slaughtered for something they never did.

[Becca]

Ok. Today is the first day of summer camp. I had to miss it, though as it is Jake's first full day of school, and I'm not the kind of mom to let my kids slide on that. I also couldn't get the day off, but didn't bother "calling is sick". So no smoking starting today. I'm not sure how this will work; I haven't been able to go more than a day and a half without one yet. But I guess we'll see, yes?:p

[Becca]

Quitting smoking was a bomb. I made it all through Friday and most of Saturday, but by the end of Saturday, I was so p!ssed and stressed out I caved. I didn't just cave a bit, either. I sat by the nose of my truck, about 200 yards away from everyone, and chain smoked for about 30 minutes. It’s always fun when you are the only smoker in a crowd of 70 or so martial artists. :D

On an up-side, the physical part of summer camp didn’t kill me as it usually does. We learned a kick-@ss sword form with lots of high kicks, jump kicks and quick level changes. My legs were not killing me, just a bit sore Sunday. And Sunday’s work out was not hard enough to do more than work out the soreness from the day before. Everyone I’ve talked to since has said their legs are killing them. I’m not getting a big head about it, though, as they had one more day of the sword form than I did. That might have made all the difference. I also did not get as much of the form as they did. (The reason I was p!ssed and stressed out.)

I may not love shooting drills but they are getting my legs where they need to be better than anything else I’ve ever tried.

[Becca]

No smoking all weekend. I didn't tell anyone I quit, as you then get 8,000 folks haranging you with tips and comments. I find it best to not think about smoking and being constantly reminded makes that imposible.

I did cheat a bit when a freind needed to go in early and offered me the rest of her cigerette. My doc recomended that the best way for me to quit and stay quit is to do like I have always done, just don't smoke. I like to take my braks outsid sitting by the river. Doc said that if I stop smoking but also stop enjoying sitting outside with freinds on my break, I won't have any kind lasting success. It may take longer to keep from cheating this way, but I won't feel dprived of the healthy things I enjoy.

I did not, however, enjoy the smoke. It made my mouth taste funny and I keep brushing my teath obsesivly 'cause I can't seem to get the taste out. I guess I really am ready to quit this time. I've never lost my enjoyment of the taste before...

[WinterPalm]

Good luck quitting smoking!

I smoked for a couple years and it sucked. But the body repairs itself and your martial arts skill will go way up with the better circulation, etc.

Every time you want to have a cigarette real bad, do thirty burpees as fast as you can!:eek:

[Becca]

LOL! That was sort of how I got past Saturday and Sunday. I steam cleaned the carpet in my dinning room. And when one of the dogs peed on it not 30 minutes after I put the steam claner away, I went balistic and literally tore all the carpet out. I think I might have over reacted just a bit...:o

But on the up side, I did find out that there was a lovely pine plank floor under the carpet, and refinishing and repairing it gave me something to keep my mind off of the death sticks. :D

[Becca]

Wosu led class last night. Wosu likes to run. I have no idea how long that run was, as it was a route I've never done before, but I only got about half way through it before my right shin and both ankles were hurtting too bad to finish it. I ended up walking back very slowly, feeling like an idiot. I know I'll never get into the advanced class if I can't make the class runs, and I haven't ever been able to make those class runs. Which meens I'll never make black belt. I guess I need to figure out if I love Kung Fu enough to be content with never getting my black belt...:(

[Becca]

I hadn't been posting this, but I have been picking out certain areas I'm week in and working the heck out of them. I was having very bad issues with lower back strength and flexibility, so I went to the doc, found out I had a pinched nerve, and got it fixed. Then I set to strengthen my core. I did this by picking one specific exercise I was having a problem with, aggressively working on it till it improved, then moving on to the next.

The first one was a yoga posture I do not remember the name of. You get in a low lunge, push both palms out in front of your body, fingers in, and lower your chest to you thigh, elongating your spine as far as you can. I can now hold this posture as long as I want.

So then I pick crab-ups. I think they are also called a bridge. It's were you arch your back so that your stomach is facing up and you are on your hands and toes. Got commented on last night that my crab-up was much better, so now it's time to pick another.

This time, I think bicycles. I'm not going to explain that one, as that's a pretty common term. But after only 1 minute of them last night I had a cramp in my lower back that could make a strong person cry. So it's bicycles. The way I work on them is very basic really; I start off with low reps many times a day, every day. I did 20 when I got up this morning, and I'll do another 20 at lunch, when I get home, before my long evening walk with the dogs, and one last set right before bed. To keep up with my gains in the first two, I also added the yoga posture to my morning stretch and I will add the crab-ups to after work.

[carlos.jango71]

Well friend, you should run even though you hate it, there are plenty of ways to make it more enjoyable...and know all about that because i used to hate running a lot and now i run everyday because i now find it to be a good time to think about things and its just enjoyable...running's a really good way to get int shape so just run with a friend or something, but if you hate it that much try biking or swimming.

[Becca]

Well friend, you should run even though you hate it, there are plenty of ways to make it more enjoyable...and know all about that because i used to hate running a lot and now i run everyday because i now find it to be a good time to think about things and its just enjoyable...running's a really good way to get int shape so just run with a friend or something, but if you hate it that much try biking or swimming.Did you bother to read any of my blog before making that comment?

[Becca]

So I was introduced to this easy, somewhat accurate way to measure body condition. It's a 2 part test, and is only a guide line, as no "simple" test works the same for everyone. I got this from the trainers at my company's gym, so take it with a grain of salt. I trust them, but I've known them for 4 years...

First, you get the tape measurements for you waist and hips (around your bum) and divide your waist measurement by your hips measurement. This will get you a reading of less than 1, assuming your waist is smaller than your hips. Note: this test only tells you if you are "in proportion" or not. It's still good to know, though.

.93 and higher = not good, disproportionate amount of fat stored around the middle. You have an elevated risk for heart disease.

.93 - .80 = not too bad, your fat stores around your middle aren't out of proportion with the rest of your body.

.80 and lower = Your lower body is disproportionately big. This is not as bad as having a big waist, which can herald in heart disease, but it is still a sign of being over weight.


Next is a simple "spot check" body fat test. The percentage it returns will not mean much from one person to the next, as it only tests one area of the body. But I can give a person some perspective if they are dieting, loosing inches but not pounds, and getting disheartened...

Sit upright in a chair that lets you set your feet down flat with your thighs level. Gently pinch the skin above the upper thigh and measure with a ruler.

1/2" ~ 14% body fat
1" ~ 20% body fat
1 1/2" ~ 26% body fat
ect...

[Becca]

Now, the reason I brought this up is that my body proportions have been changing since I started to wrestle, but my weight is still more or less the same.

so.... I wanted a way to track the changes. This is what the head trainer gave me. And since this test does not rely on my weight, I don't have to post it on an open forum.:D I'll be testing myself every Wednesday.

Waist/hips ratio: .913
BF Pinch test = 1 3/8" (24%)

[Becca]

I managed to make myself a bit sick yesterday. For reasons I cannot fathom, I did not drink any water. Several cups of coffee, a Lipton raspberry tea, and a frappe, but no water. I know better than that.:(

So anyway... I've progressed very well with the bicycles. I was getting almost nothing from sets of 20 so have bumped it up to 40 5 times a day. I'm feeling it now.:D

Also starting to pay very close attention to my breathing. Brian's back is better, so we did 2 person drills all day last Saturday and I gassed very easily. After about 40 minutes, I'd gassed too many times for my muscles to recover and spent the next day and a half with that gawd awful achy-weak feeling in every muscle in my body. Brian mentioned that the harder I worked, the more erratic my breathing became. So now I'm making a point of focusing very close on my breathing in everything I do.

And since I haven't mentioned an animal in a few posts...;)

My younger son's kitten managed to hurt herself pretty badly. We think she fell off the half wall leading to the basement. The vet said she defiantly fell at least 4 feet and landed on her head. We are now nicely concussed and have one very oddly dilated pupil. But she is healing nicely, as only the very young can. (She's about 5 months old)

[Becca]

Wow, what a great weekend!

Saturday:
8:00 am - RTD's bus rodeo. Owen was with his dad, so Jake and I went, had breakfast, watched part of the skill test, and generally had a blast. I also found out that one of the kung fu brothers I met this year at summer camp is a mechanic here. Small world?:D

12:00 or so - My youngest son had his very first peewee flag football game. And if you have never had the privlage to watch 5-year-olds play football, I recoment "borrowing" someone else's kid so you have an excuse to go. It's a riot!

3:00 pm - Took Jake to Sweat Rockin' and Jammin' (indoor climing gym) for his first climbing lesson. I wasn't going to go, but Sifu mentioned that I really aught to re-learn how to belay for Jake. And I ended up bouldering and almost making it up the wall once. I fell repelling about 10 years ago and hadn't done it since. I definantly should not have gone so long without climing; something I intend to rectify. I need to get over the fear first, but I definantly felt the itch to climb again.

Was either going to go to a concert ( Head Banger's Ball Show-Down) or the fight (Ring of Fire 30) but spent the evening at home trying to work the knots out of my forearms, wrists, and bicepts instead.:p

Sunday I spent doing housework ( :o ) and watching all the Godzilla movies I found on the free on-demand listings. made folding cloths and cleaning fish tanks much more enjoyable.;):D

[Becca]

Just 2 more days till the Muy Thai! (http://a515.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/113/l_701568e2db51c0f8f9728387e4387b92.jpg) I am so jittery. Of course, I get this way right before every camp, seminar or clinic I go to. :D

So. Missed KF group class on Tuesday; was "sick". (as in feminen problems) I ain't going to class with horrible cramps and a pounding head! Pups let me know they did not like missing thier nightly jog by carefully taking everything out of my gym bag. I know, it sounds like a lie, but it's not. I left it open Monday night after putting my nunchacu back. You can't do that around Sonic. He doen't "trash" stuff, per say, but he will take everything out. I now have tooth marks on my mouth guard case, aspacream, and he managed yet again to get the cap off something without ruining it. This time it was a bottle of herbal head ache tablets. I have no idea how many he, or any of the other furry terrorists, had but no one got sick. I just found my other bag glove. I still haven't found one of my foot pads.

That is one very odd dog.:p

On the other hand, I have figured out that one of the giant trees in my back yard is perfect for "bouldering." It's one of those realy old, hulking poplars with the rough, knotty bark and it's about 4' across. So Monday night and last night, I got a fantastic total body workout by spiralling my way up the trunk. And it just happens to be in my kids sand box, so no biggy if I fall, assuming I don't fall on toys.:p

edit: no recordable changes in that measurment test thingy I'm doing every Wednesday.

[Becca]

Seminar was great! It only ended up being an hour and a half. I guess they were expecting a bigger turn-out than they got, so it was shortened and they only charged $25. Learned a few very valuable things, too. For instence:

* Shadow boxing with 12oz boxing gloves will heat up your shoulders like nothin' else!

* you can't properly "load" a hook punch if you don't keep some weight on the rear leg. otherwise your rear leg looses it's plant when you hit something solid and you loose much of the power.

* a muy thai punches are slightly, but fundamentally, different than kung fu punches. Not better or worse, just different. Kung fu has you plant your feet then throw the punch; muy thai wants the punch to land the same time the fist connects.

* a kung fu round house kick works exactly the same in muy thai as it does in kung fu. only real difference is muy thai treats it as a block then a kick; kung fu assumes you always block the groin before and after a kick, there fore the block is part of the kick.

* many, many people seem blisfully unaware that chambering a kick has a real, usefull pupose. (see above)

* I cannot chew bubble gum and walk at the same time. Or at least, I can't get my hands and footwork in sync if I'm punching right handed.

* I am a "south paw." I write right handed, but aperently I box much better left handed.

* pro fighters are alot less likely to cop an aditude about being pard up for drills with a woman. if they are hitting too hard, they realize it on thier own and fix it. if they think you can hit harder than you are, they tell you so. no fuss, no fits, no puffing up of the chest.


To sum it up, I was plesently suprized at how easy it was to just be myself and train. And that made it easier to push myself to train hard. I hadn't realized that I usually spend so much of my training time "acting" the part I was expected to act. The guy I was paired up with would see me slipping into what he called my "acting mode," and call me on it. Very nice to just get to be myself. :)

[Becca]

I hit an epiphany a few weeks ago talking to my Sifu. I then spent about 2 weeks moping about it. I know why I have no interest in rank testing. In Sifu’s words, there’s some “funkiness” in my movements. And not the good kind. That is not to say I don’t know the material or that I can’t use it. But I don’t look like I should when I use it.

I think I’ve known this in the back of my mind for a while. Then I felt relieved that my dad being put back in the hospital would be a good reason not to go to the rank test a few weeks ago. Only one reason for that… I knew I wouldn’t pass. There’s just something about how my body moves that keeps my material from looking like everyone else’s.

It kinda su(ks because I absolutely love my art. I’ve spent the last few years just plugging away, figuring I’d hit a break though eventually. Now I know I won’t. I'll never get any higher; I'll never get any more techniques. My stumbling block is that I fell in love with one of the few TCMA that still have thier high standards. You don't get what you already have right, you don't get anymore.

I've spent the last few weeks moping and trying to come to terms with my slightly childish anger at realizing that I want something I'm not going to get. I haven't been to any classes, either wrestling or kung fu. I haven't posted here, or anywere else. Just moped and thought.

Pretty much came to the conviction that I am not the type of person to poor my heart and soul into something when I won't get any return for it. And the return I've gotten from kung fu the last few years is frustration and angst. Time to cut my losses while I still love the art.

[GiggityZZ]

hey, i myself have just recently started running.

my schedule is run on the weekday mornings at 5:00 a.m. around my neighborhood

sometimes i go everyother day, like when im feeling a little too tired. and i had pulled something the day before from skateboarding, im an active skateboarder.

i started jogging/sprinting around my neighborhood about a month ago. it just started getting colder tho, so now i have to wear a hoodie when i run. since its turning winter and all over here in virginia. I think i might have caught a cold this morning from the cold conditions outside O_O *sniff*

i dont exactly hate running though myself. i find it benefitial and fun in a way. i just hate not getting enough sleep at night and then waking up early.

[Becca]

LOL! my son saw a skit on america's funniest animals and tryed to get the dogs to pull him on his skateboard. Funy, funy, funy!:D

I've been running most nights with Sissy (small shepard mix) since I haven't been training formally for a few weeks. I have so mucg junk on my mind that I can't sleep otherwise, and Sis loves it. We walk the regular route with all 3 dogs, then drop the 2 males off at the house and do the same basic route again at a brisk jog with doggy inspired spurts of flat out running. The route we've been using is roughly a mile and a half. We had to stop using the abandoned soccar feild due to stickers getting in the pups' paws.

[Becca]

I am just discusted...

I have a freind I've known for more than 10 years. In all that time she has been over to my house and played with my dogs, especially the 13-year-old, who as only lived with me on and off durring that time. She absolutly loved Smoke-dog. Then a couple weeks ago she was over for dinner. It was the first time she'd seen all 3 dogs together. Like most people, she was struck by how similar they all look, even though they are not of the same breed. Sho she asked what breed each was. I told her Sissy was a shepard mix and the 2 males were pit bull mixes.

"No way! that's not what pit bulls look like!"

I thought nothing of it at the time; most people don't actually know much about pit bulls. So I invite her and her boyfreind over for dinner tomorrow. She doesn't want to come because "your dogs are pit bulls and my be dangerous."

She's known one of those "dangerous" dogs for 10 years!!! She didn't even know enough about pit bulls to recognize them for what they were!!!

I never knew she was such an ignoramus (http://www.cafepress.com/lawdogsusa.95746298) :(

By the way, the dog in this picture could almost be my big male... Very scary looking, yes? (http://www.cafepress.com/lawdogsusa.118011274)

[sanjuro_ronin]

I don't know who I blame more, stupid people that over react or the stupid people that mistreated those poor animals and made them "killers".

[Takuan]

In Sifu’s words, there’s some “funkiness” in my movements.

Hi there! If you don't mind my asking, is your sifu Christophe Clarke? I just saw 'Colorado' and 'funkiness' and he's the first person I thought of :P XD

[Becca]

Nope, never heard of the guy.

[Takuan]

Gotcha! thanks ^.^

[Becca]

been a long time since I posted, so....

pretty much quit training formally. Wrestling coach has been training for his first true MMA match (this Saterday at ROF 31) so I haven't been meeting with him since the seminar back in September. Got pizzed off one too many times in kung fu being told to watch my control for hitting dead on but with some heat... then getting my neck wrenched my class mates who were using no controll and mussing up the techniques. The straw that broke the camel's back, though, was being told I could pay to learn the rest of the sword form I'd already paid to learn at summer camp. (My son and I were the only 2 who didn't get the same amount as every one else at summer camp because I came a day late.) As they say, "my way or the high way." So I left. Not going to join another school till I get that contract paid off.

So..... just training on my own. I got started just doing some general calistenics after work while the dogs do thier thing in the back yard - jumping jacks, wind mills, jump rope, squat jumps, ect. It's only for about 15 minutes; just enough to get a bit warm. I have also been doing this any time I take to dogs out. Still doing the shoots and stance training while walking the pups, too. I have also more or less cohersed myself onto a very strict diet of 1,700-1,800 calories a day, wich sucks. But since I am not trying to keep up in a group class, now is the time to cut way back on the calorie in-take. I actually gained about 15 lbs in the first month after cutting it all out! :eek::(

[Becca]

Well then. Just posting to rant. I took my 11 year-old to his first live MMA fight so he could see Coach Wood compete. Coach won 2:10 into the first by submission RNC, if your interested. Every thing was going great, we were haveing a great time sipping smoothies out of neon plastic tikki cups and filling up on peanuts ans fries. My son was making intelligent comments and asking good questions. I spacifically bought seats in a part of the arena the hard drinkers and party snots don't usually end up, as they never stay seated in the section they bought seats in... And guessed wrong.

A whole pack of them slipped into our section between the 2nd and 3rd fight. The 3rd figh was a women's bought, so I bet you can guess what happened next... We all got treated to detailed, graphic, drunken descriptions of just how ***** watching "chicks get it on with each other" was making them. So my son and I moved. And by the time the next women's fight started, they had managed to migrate close enough to our new spot, we got treated to an even raunchier dialog... so we left.

Way to go Drunken Moronic Frat Boys of the world... an 11 year-old kid had his very first live MMA experience ruined by you.:mad:

[Becca]

So I found a mouse last night when I was cleaning the spare bathroom. I don’t usually leave the door open to this bathroom as it is only partially remolded and a bit of an eye sore, though it’s fully functional. I leave the door open and go grab my kids’ cats. The cats obviously smelled it because they started checking things out. Then, after about 30 seconds they both come tearing out of there terrified. I’m guessing they found the mouse….

My little Shepard, Sissy, being a very curious girl, just has to go in and see what scared the cats. The next thing I know there’s banging and crashing noises coming from the spare bathroom. The dog had obviously found the mouse… I go in to see what on earth she was up to. She was tossing this tiny little gry mouse up and letting it run about 3 feet before pouncing on it, and sliding into the walls in the process. This is the same dog that once chased a baby chicken till it fell over dead.

I can’t put bait and traps out because of the animals, so I figure it’s only fair that they take care of any pests the get in the house. But it never crossed my mind that a 40 pound Shepard mix would be a better mouser than the cats.

[sanjuro_ronin]

LOL @ your pussified cats !!

They need to learn wing chun !!
:D

[Becca]

Had an actual face-to-face with Sifu last night. It went pretty well considering I quit his school and still owe on the contract. I thought I was meeting with him to hash out a timeline for when I would have it paid off. I guess I forgot that he likes to keep in touch with former students, make sure things are going well for them. I also discovered that I don't owe as much as I thought I did; I should have it paid off in the next 2 pay checks. Good finacial news is better than a gift at Christmas time!:D

[Becca]

That walk 4 dogs could be an effective full body workout.:p

I'm "baby sitting" my kung fu brother's dog over the Christam holiday. No biggie; I've watched him before and never had any problems. Well, apparently Buddy's leash maners have gone down hill since that last "visit". What is usually a nice 15 minute jog turned into, well, a not-so-nice 30 tug-a-thon with my little shepard joining in. Apperently Sissy figured that since Buddy was going nuts she could too. Thank goodness my two males were behaving themselve!:eek:

On the up side, I did get a burn going like I usually only get when I do Chinese Stance Exersize... 10 times in a row.:D

[Becca]

Best exersize ever (at least at the moment) seems to be throwing chewed up basketballs in random directions as fast as I can get to them while dogs run them down and bring them only 3/4s of the way back. we do this 3-4 times a day. There is well over 6 inches of snow in my back yard... well we got almost a foot, but much of it has been very well tamped down. I have managed to drop a whole pants size in the last week - even though it was Christmas! Gotta love anything that helps you loose weight durring the holidays.:D

[shyphoenix]

Just jumping in here...I love running so much. I ran five days a week before I started training martial arts. However, in addition to being tired all the time from rigorous training, I started finding running painful as if the stance and strength work was countering the effect of the distance running on my legs. More pressure on the achilles etc.

I continued to run and train, but with much less running. Then I got an acute sprain in jump. I haven't run any significant distance for five months. :( I hope I can get back into it. Good to hear there are other runners who use kung fu as cross training! Err, perhaps it is the opposite now. My running is going to hopefully my cross training. Just one more New Years resolution.

Good job picking up a difficult hobby! It's great for your endurance. I'm also quite jealous that you have dogs!! I have one cat who always wants to be in the middle of everything. I guess I just have fewer dogpeople getting under my feet while at home.

[Becca]

Went digging for this thread. Anyone who's followed it knows about my dogs. I had to put the oldest, Smokey, to sleep today. He just hasn't done well this past winter and isn't eating well. And at almost 14 years old, he's getting a little senile. Last night, he bit one of my kids. I loved the little fur ball, but I won't tolerate a dog biting a kid unprevoked.

R.I.P. Old man.:(