Chief Fox's training journal

[Chief Fox]

Clubbells are even more expensive than kettlebells. That's why I'm thinkning about making one out of a plastic bat filled with sand. http://www.geocities.com/fightraining/klub.html

Not sure about the wushu opps in denver. I'm 60 miles south of there.

[Pork Chop]

Well he's a good 20~25 miles south of denver; so what yah do know might help.


The plastic bat idea looks the best.
After looking here:
http://www.hitrunscore.com/batweights.html
I didn't realize how light the ones the baseball players used were.

Another thing I been thinking of was getting some kind of long-handled rubber sledge hammer that could survive pounding asphalt or concrete; to use as a substitute for chopping wood.

[Chief Fox]

Tuesday: 01/18/2005
Just got back from a 4 mile run. Felt ok. My right hip flexor is still sore. Thought it was going away. ???

I'm going to kung fu class tonight. I'm calling my friend and I'm gonna tell him that I'll be there. Then I'll have to go. Been Having trouble motivating myself to get out of the house at night. Then I just sit there and watch TV and feel bad about it.

Tomorrow I practice forms and do a full body workout.

[Chief Fox]

So I went to kung fu class last night. There were a lot of people there. Two students were testing for their next level. So when someone is testing it's like everyone has to test. Our instructor makes it an extra hard conditioning class and then we spar and then we work on forms.

It was a great class. BUT. The people who are testing always have to do a two on one round to see how they handle multiple opponents. So me and my friend had to go up against one of the testors.

So this guy is kind of a spaz and doesn't have a lot of control. He's an ex-tae kwon do guy so all he does is kick all over the place. He's such a spaz that he doesn't even realize when someone performs an effective technique on him. This irritates me because I try to communicate with my opponent when I spar. Letting them know that I know when they would have hit me. Anyway this guy doesn't spar like that. He's just all over the place with his kicks. So last night I caught one of his kicks and dumped him on his back. I sorta felt bad about it but I hope he realizes that his form of sparring (crazy spaz kicking techniques) isn't effective.

Other than that is was a great class.

Today, I do forms and a full body workout at lunch.

[Pork Chop]

I know the drill may have not been full contact, but I wouldn't feel bad about that.

After years of continuous sparring in the school and at tournaments; I have very little respect for medium/light contact.
Reminds me of that quote in Prodigal Son about "friendly matches".

In my opinion there's not a lot you can tell by "going light and pointing out each other's weaknesses".

Of course, there are a lot of people who disagree with my view point on this issue, even other full contact folks- so take my advice with a grain of salt.

But still, when it comes to takedowns, the discussion has come up of whether or not you can actually demonstrate the technique and still go light. I, for one, am guilty of losing my cool after being taken down quite forcefully while "going light". As long as you didn't intentionally spike the guy, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Chief Fox]

Originally posted by BMore Banga
I know the drill may have not been full contact, but I wouldn't feel bad about that.

After years of continuous sparring in the school and at tournaments; I have very little respect for medium/light contact.
Reminds me of that quote in Prodigal Son about "friendly matches".

In my opinion there's not a lot you can tell by "going light and pointing out each other's weaknesses".

Of course, there are a lot of people who disagree with my view point on this issue, even other full contact folks- so take my advice with a grain of salt.

But still, when it comes to takedowns, the discussion has come up of whether or not you can actually demonstrate the technique and still go light. I, for one, am guilty of losing my cool after being taken down quite forcefully while "going light". As long as you didn't intentionally spike the guy, I wouldn't worry about it.

I didn't dump him on his back hard. I caught his kick and then just lifted it up so he was able to realize that he was going down and was pretty much able to catch himself.

I agree, that "going light" is not 100% effective. I think that it does teach control but it does not teach how it feels to hit hard or be hit hard. If I could change one thing about my school I would add a full contact sparring class. Maybe I'll talk to my instructor about it. He's mentioned it before.

[Chief Fox]

Thursday: 1/20/2005
Today I ran 3.5 miles in Red Rock Canyon. It's 67° out there right now. Awesome day for the middle of January. Shoot, it's an awesome day for any time of year.

I didn't work out yesterday. I was sore from my double workout the day before so I took yesterday off.

knee feels ok, right hip flexor is still a bit sore.

Tomorrow is forms and weights.

[Chief Fox]

So I've been recording my workouts for the past month. In the past 30 days I've done 24 workouts. I feel pretty good about that. I'm looking forward to the next 30 days.

[Chief Fox]

Saturday: 01/22/2005
Today I had Tai chi and then kung fu class after.

I'm learning more of the tai chi form and was actually shown some of the applications today. I can see why they say it takes a life time to master. I really enjoy it and have seen improvements in my leg strength and flexibility.

Kung fu class today was cardio crazy. We did a lot of drills. Hard work but fun. After all the drills we sparred and I quickly had my @ss handed to me by two other students. One has been studying kung fu his entire life and has also done some kick boxing. The other moved here last summer and is an excellent martial artist. I have a lot of respect for both of these guys and learn something every time I spar them. My legs are sore right now.

I made two clubbells. I went to walmart and bought a plastic bat for $1.97. I then filled it with play sand that cost $2.99. I also had a smaller plastic bat at home. So for about $5 I now have two clubbells. The smaller one is 7lbs. and the bigger one is 11.5lbs. I warm up with the lighter one and move on to the heavier one. I plan on buying the circular strength training book and if I like it I'll buy a real clubbell later.

Tomorrow is a rest day but I may work on wooden dummy with my friend from class.

I'll have to wait and see. It's been barf fest 2005 at my house the past few days. It started with my 3 yeard old son, then my wife got it and then my 7 year old daughter. I feel fine but I'm sure its waiting around some corner some where.

[Chief Fox]

Sunday: 01/23/2005
yesterday at class I was doig my two weapons sets (broadsword and staff) and I realized that I need practice. So, seeing how it's 63° outside I went out back and did each form 5 times. I also gave my new homemade clubbells a try.

Here's what I did:
Call to order: (clubbell hanging at your side, you swing it up so it's straight up and down. Your forearm is parallel to the ground)
3x12 each arm with 11.5lb club.

Forward Leverage Press: (perform a "call to order" then tilt the club back so it rests on your shoulder at a 45° angle. Then press it up while keeping it at that angle.
3x12 each arm with 11.5lb club.

Shield Cast: Perform a "call to order" then raise your arm so the club falls back behind your head. Rotate you arm over your head and bring the club back in front over the opposite shoulder.
3x12 each arm 7lb club

Tourch: call to order then press the club up into the statue of liberty pose.
1x12 11.5lb club.

I got the exercises from these two pages on bodybuilding.com
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/myers3.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler42.htm

Tomorrow is swim day.

[Chief Fox]

Monday: 01/24/2005
I swam 800 yards today. Again, I forgot to time myself. I feel like I'm getting faster though. I did time my first 100 and I completed it in 1:51. I'll be satisfied when I can get that down to 1:30. Next time I'll swim 1000 yards.

There was a lady there who was over weight but when she got in to pool, wow, she was smooth. I hope one day to swim as well as she does.

Then when I was taking a shower this guy comes in to shower room and the next thing you know, the whole shower room smells like cigarette smoke. It really grossed me out. I admire the fact that the guy is trying to loose weight but dude quit smoking for crying out loud!

Anyway, for the most part it was a good swim and my shoulder feels pretty good.

Tomorrow is run day.

[Chief Fox]

Wednesday: 1/26/2005
Today I ran 3.5 miles. Felt pretty good. Right hip flexor was a little sore.

I didn't workout yeterday because I was in a stupid meeting all freakin' day.

Tomorrow I might do my new clubbell workout and my weapons forms.

[Chief Fox]

Thursday 1/27/2005
I didn't do my clubbell workout today because the weather wasn't so great. So I did my indoor workout instead.

today's workout:
about 30 minutes of forms. Man I need practice.

Upper body pyramid.
1,2,3,4,5,4,3,2,1
Pullups x 1
Pushups x 2
Situps x 3

Deadlift 135x12, 225x6
Squat 135x8, 225x3 (I was pretty spent on this set, especially after the deadlifts. I didn't even go all the way down.)

Tonight I'm going to my kung fu class. I hope to work on my forms more and I need some sparring too.

Tomorrow I'll go running.

[Chief Fox]

Last night I went to my kung fu class and I guess that I didn't eat enough yesterday because I was starting to get dizzy during class. The forms work and then the lifting must have taken more out of me than I thought.

So I ended up doing very little forms work and no sparring.

yet ANOTHER leason learned.

I'm very sore today and for me there's nothing better for sore muscles than an easy run. So that's what I'm doing at lunch.

[Chief Fox]

Friday 01/28/2005
I ran 4 miles at lunch. Felt pretty good. Muscles are still tight. Gonna stretch 'em out tonight.

right hip flexor is still slightly sore. Also today right achilies tendon is a little sore. I need a rest day.

tomorrow I have tai chi and then my kung fu class after.