All in the mind?

This injury is getting to me now. It seems the more I train the longer I’m going to be out of action. But I can’t go on at half speed – things to do, monsters to kill …. grading, competition and lots of other things to achieve.

One thing I have thought through though is completing Forms ‘in my head’. The idea may be of use to others and it seems to work for me so have a stab at it – no need to break your foot before you start!

Basically, find some quiet time and space and just imagine, in your head, that you are doing a particular Form or Draw. Take you’re time and concentrate it really works. I also check out the Form with the training book and/or my notes book and, surprisingly, have come up with a few revisions which I need to correct when next training for real.

I’m going to try the grading next week, with my foot and ankle strapped up, and then see how I get on before deciding on the competition for 8 June 2008.

Broke my Foot!

How stupid can you be? I’ve not only broken a small bone in my left foot but pulled the Achilles tendon in my right leg at the same time. I thought I was at the bottom of the ladder but had one step to go – and missed.

It’s not a bad break, no need to set in plaster – it’s just swollen and very badly bruised. In fact it looks far worse than it feels – but my right leg is causing me lots of pain. Stupid, stupid boy!

I’ve got three weeks to my grading and four weeks to the competition – why now? I’m really in a bad mood. No training!

Growing in Confidence

Just a review really – just so I can keep my brain in order. Computers write things to disc to free up memory so I’ll try the same? I feel I’m improving at last – not sure if others do – but things are starting to click into place. (Mostly my elbow!)

I can do all the stuff I need for my next grading three weeks away so I have time to improve some more and lessons in hand so to speak. My fitness and weight loss/muscle gain is all better, stretching still poor but increasing and I feel more alert, awake and alive!

The club has also put together a team of students to enter the June competition and I’ve been selected as Captain of the team – a nice thought, so let’s hope we all do well and clean up on the trophies.

June is looking like being an exciting month: grading, competition and, all being well, another visit by Grand Master Eddie from South Africa – fantastic!

Forward Roll and Cart Wheel

This week I’ve come across and age old problem we all have to face sometime – old age! According to the syllabus Form 5 requires a forward roll and Form 9 a cartwheel! And, of course, I need these Forms for thier related Grading!

Should I really be throwing myself across the ground doing a forward roll or a cartwheel – with a drawn sword? To be honest is isn’t the sort of thing I’d planned to do with my retirement and at the age of fifty it’s going to be difficult.

Ha! It was going to be difficult at the age of twenty five but at least I could do rolls then as part of my Judo training. I’ve never done a cartwheel – yet!

Bring it on!

Anti Social Behaviour

Well, that took some time to resolve - thanks for bearing with me - so frustrating. It seems the long arm of the law has an even longer waiting list for taking action. But it feels good when it finally acts, and sorts it.

So now I can get on with my training without having a clouded mind and my family can get back to their lives too. All except one that is, poor Zoe. She's decided it would be fun to take up Tang Soo Do!

Started back swimming and training at the gym. I'm glad to be back and feeling much better already. Haedong!

Anatomy Of Stretching

I guess I knew it was coming; stretching – just needed some help and I think I found it!

This book - Anatomy Of Stretching by Bradley E. Walker – is truly amazing – everything you wanted to know AND how to achieve it, in very simple terms.

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So now I can set to work and increase my flexibility on a daily basis with the book open in front of me. Sounds too good to be true – we’ll see!

Finding it Hard (Again)

I always sound like I’m having a moan but I just want to express my concern in public about my self inflicted misery through having a useless brain and a tired and unfit body.

Any Martial Art, as I recall, has as much to do with the fitness of the mind as well as the body. With my next grading coming up this month, the Anti Social Behaviour problem (which isn’t going away) and all the stuff about my fitness level and flexibility - I’m getting very stressed and just a little annoyed with myself.

Well, maybe it isn’t that bad but yesterday, not only did I managed to drop both Escima Sticks at the same time but I fell over as I tried to pick one of them up too!

I have two forms (Form 2 and 3) to perfect in the next two/three weeks, or I’m going to let myself and others down. Get a grip!

Swimming to Fitness

Anti Social Behaviour! (Grr!) It’s amazing just how fast you can lose your fitness and how soon you can feel a difference. I haven't been going training, swimming etc to stay at home with the family. Consequently, last night saw me struggling in class with my balance, breathing and generally getting tired.

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OK, so last night was a really good lesson – we went through again some of the stuff we already thought we knew only in more detail. Hard work really, doing the same stuff over and over, but I think it will be well worth it.

The Escrima Sticks are very useful – I can use them in a fairly small place – since they are much shorter than a Mokkum.

Swimming to Fitness

Objective achieved? Swimming is good for you and I think it has worked wonders for my training programme. I can maintain swimming thirty lengths in 30 minutes now and have just pushed it to thirty-two lengths which is exactly half a mile. That’s a good standard in my book and I’ll stick to that level. Swimming has been exceptional for toning my body and sliming me down to just over 15 st – which is a weight loss of almost 2 st in ten months. Everything is starting to get better!

Swimming to Fitness

Holidays, don’t you just love them? They sure mess up your training programme. Returning to the pool has been hard after almost a month away. It’s amazing how you can lose a fitness edge in just a few weeks. Have dropped back to twenty-six lengths in 30 minutes and will have to pick up the pace!

Holdiay Training

It’s holiday time. I’ve been away to the Forrest of Dean and Wales for three long weeks - fantastic. I did take the Mokkum but I only did about an hour of practice and it just wasn’t the same. I have a grading next week – I hope I can remember what to do. Anyhow, here’s a photo of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd – ‘Hero of Wales’.

Swimming to Fitness

Just a quick note about swimming and fitness. Everything the doctors say about health and swimming is correct, absolutely. I can do twenty lengths now and although I do have a rest here and there for a minute or so, I can complete the lot in less than 40 minutes.

In genreral, I might add, my whole body seems to be comming back to life - including my brain - which is much needed in this Martial Art for the concentration levels alone.

Swimming to Fitness

This problem about fitness and being overweight is getting to me. I have absolutely no energy or precious little at the end of a long day when I have a bit of spare time. Oh, and by which time it’s dark, cold and miserable.

I know I’d collapse of a heart attack if I went to the local gym so am taking an easier option, I think (?), swimming. Went for the first time last night (in probably ten years) and swam six, 25 meter lengths (with a rest at each end). It took about 30 minutes – ouch. Still, I didn’t drown and slept like a log.

I’ll try and add two lengths more each week and see how it goes.