Loose 10lbs by New Year!

[Chief Fox]

My family and I just got back from a weeks vacation at my parents condo in St. Petersburg FL. We had a great time but I've been feeling lately that I've been gaining a little weight. So I weighed myself this morning and I weighed in at 191lbs! I'm just not used to weighing that much so something must be done.

For those that don't know my story: I quit my kung fu school (for various reasons) about 8 months or so ago and have been unfocused since. I've dabbled in several different types of workouts and lately I've been going to a BJJ school but I still remain un-focused and to be honest, a bit depressed. I've had a few injuries and to top it all off, my job sucks right now too.

I really don't like sitting around feeling sorry for myself but that is exactly what I've been doing. THAT STOPS NOW! Between now and January 1st, 2007, I will loose at least 10lbs.

The kung fu school was always the back bone of my workouts. In addition to my kung fu training, I was running and weight training. I need to get that structure back.

I'm still not sure if I like the BJJ but I'm willing to give it a solid effort through the new year. So here is what I intend to do.

I will attend BJJ at least twice a week. The standard days will be Tuesdays and Saturdays. If I attend a third day, I will go on Thursday nights.

I will run at least twice a week. This is where I had an injury in my foot. It's not totally gone but I think that I'm on the down side of this injury so I should be able to run. Running days will be Mondays and Fridays at lunch.

I will also weight train 3 days a week. These will consist of an interval training workout, a strength workout and a full body kettlebell workout. These days will be Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

On the days that I don't run, I will practice my kung fu at lunch.

I'll keep track of my progress here.

Today is Monday so I'll be running at lunch.

[BoulderDawg]

10 pounds is a very realistic goal for 5 weeks. As a matter of fact in the first week alone you might lose 4-5 pounds. Of course after that it gets harder however with your exercise you should still lose around 2 pounds a week.

Just remember to be sensible about your program.

[Chief Fox]

Thanks. Being sensible has always been my undoing in the past. I tend to ramp up too quickly.

I'm really going to try to take it slow and steady.

I just got back from my run. It's like I'm starting over again. I was really sucking some wind.

I ran 2.6 miles in about 24 minutes. Pretty slow but it's a start. No pain, so that's good.

Tomorrow morning is my interval workout and tomorrow night is BJJ.

I'll be updating this thread just about everyday to help keep me motivated.

[The Xia]

If you don't mind posting it, why did you quit your Kung Fu school? Did you just quit that school or are you done with Kung Fu all together?

[Chief Fox]

If you don't mind posting it, why did you quit your Kung Fu school? Did you just quit that school or are you done with Kung Fu all together?

In a nutshell:
1. too many forms, not enough application.
2. Only light contact sparring.
3. I got too close to business opperations and was made too aware of the financial situation.
4. My requests for more realistic sparring and a more balanced forms to application ratio fell on deaf ears.

I was going to a new sifu's house twice a month but I sprained my ankle and am really looking for something that I can do several times a week. There is another kung fu school in town that I may try out but I'm gonna stick with BJJ for now.

I don't think that I'll ever be done with Kung Fu all together. But when all that stuff went down at my old school it really did a number on me. I was depressed, angry, sad, confused, you name it. I felt that I had invested so much just to find that it wasn't what I thought it was.

So now I'm sorta in an exploration period. I really want to find something that is going to work for me.

I suspect that my story may be a common one. What do you think?

[The Xia]

I too suspect that it's a common story. I think you touched upon a topic that deserves its own thread.
http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/foru...361#post722361

[franco1688]

It is definitley a common one. I went through the same thing at the first kung fu school I went to. Mainly forms and some light contact sparring. My second kung fu school (the one I have my black belt and instructor cert. from) was totally different. It focuses on fighting and trainings (iron palm, iron vest 1&2, iron wire and tiger claw) and we do forms also. If you have a hard time finding a school that suits your wants and needs you should try to find a boxing gym. I know a lot of people in the martial arts world put it down but, if anything, I believe it compliments and translates into any style. All of their training is focused around contact. Just some food for thought. Either way, good luck to you. I'm need to hop off now because I have to burn off some turkey and stuffing myself.

[Chief Fox]

Thanks Franco, I've looked into a couple boxing gyms but I'm going to stay with BJJ for a while. It's funny, with kung fu, I knew right away that I wanted to practice it. With BJJ I don't have that same feeling. People say, give it some time and you'll be addicted. So I"m willing to give it some time.

This morning I woke up a little late so I could only get in a short workout.

3 rounds of:
Row 500 meters
20 squats
20 chinnies
20 push press with 65lbs.

Total time was about 15 minutes. If I had more time I would have went for another round or two. I like this style of workout because there is no rest. You just move from exercise to exercise. You're constantly working for 15 minutes or more straight.

So after my run yesterday, eating well and then working out this morning I decided that I would get on the scale and I weighed in at 188.5 lbs. So I lost 2.5lbs. in one day. I'm sure it's mostly, if not all water weight but it is progress. I don't plan on weighing myself everyday, I was just curious. I'll probably weigh in every Monday. I've revised my goal to be 11 lbs. instead of 10. This would bring my weight to 180 on January 1st. I guess that I just like even numbers.

Tonight is BJJ class.

The schedule is looking like this:

Monday: Run at lunch
Tuesday: Interval workout in the morning. BJJ at night.
Wednesday: Rest day
Thursday: Full body strength workout. Sometimes BJJ at night.
Friday: Run at lunch
Saturday: BJJ class in the morning
Sunday: Full body Kettlebell workout. Go hiking with the kids.

I guess it's pretty plain to see that I like variety.

[Ford Prefect]

BJJ is fun, but in all honesty, I'd rather be punching and kicking. Hitting up a boxing gym or kickboxing gym and jumping into sparring right away is a good impetus for getting into shape. Sucking gas and getting drilled by kicks and punches is far more unpleasant than gassing and tapping to an arm bar or being stuck in side mount.

Good luck. 10 lbs in 5 weeks shouldn't be very hard. Depending on your work ethic, keeping it off after the 5 weeks may be the difficult part.

[Chief Fox]

Mostly I'm liking the BJJ because it's a good bunch of guys. I'd really like to find a good Muy Thai gym.

Thanks Ford, keeping the weight off shouldn't be a problem if I can keep from getting injured. If I'm healthy I'll run more, which has always been my first love anyway.

[franco1688]

I like running myself. Personally, I find it to be the best and fastest way to lose weight, along with diet of course. The circuit approach you're doing with your strength training is, I believe, the best route, for not only weight loss/ strength gain, but it's ideal for martial artists and those whom have time constraints. Get in, gitter done and keep it simple. Congrats on the 2.5 lbs. loss, it may be water weight, but it still counts and it all adds up. When I used to cut weight for wrestling, I ran, sat in the sauna and ate ice cubes throughout the day. The reasoning behind the ice cubes wasn't to keep me from eating (or starving myself), it's because when you consume something that is ice cold your body burns calories heating it up. This may sound ludicrous but it's true. I think it's the reason why, in some chinese trainings, they tell you to not eat anything cold when you're finished. Any way-- good luck and keep on keepin' on.

[WinterPalm]

When do you pracitice your kung fu?

[jigahus]

I can't imagine losing 2 lbs a week. 1 pound a week is my goal and that is a work out for me heh.

[Chief Fox]

When do you pracitice your kung fu?

Right now I don't. I'm not affiliated with a school at the moment. But I've been thinking that I need to go try this one school out. There's not much kung fu to go around in the town that I live.

The jury is really still out on this one. I'm not sure if BJJ is for me and I really enjoy kung fu.

But I also really just enjoy working out and being fit. I'm really messed up right now with what I want to do.

I'm so confused!

[WinterPalm]

Just because you don't belong to a school doesn't mean you probably didn't learn anything at the last school you were at. I'm sure they taught you something you could practice on your own? Maybe the basics? Forms?