Pneumatised!

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

I went to the do jang for poomse class, and then took the regular class

After the do jang, I went to the gym.

COMPLETE LIST OF WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES:
Machine/apparatus Exercises:
Pull-ups/chin-ups
-overhand (palms facing front)
-underhand (palms facing back)
-parallel (palms facing towards each other)
Dips (same apparatus as for the chin-ups)
Weighted squat machine
Leg press
Hamstring flexor/seated leg curls
Hamstring flexor (lying down)(this machine wasn’t working properly)
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Seated chest press
Lateral pull-downs
Pectoral fly (sometimes done using free weights)
Reverse pectoral fly (not sure exactly what this is called, it works the rhomboids in between the scapulae/shoulder blades)
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift/press
Back extensor (did a back strengthening exercise in taekwondo class)
Bicep curls (usually done using free weights now)
Tricep extensor (the dips do a good job of working the triceps, plus a special kind of push-up that I learned from taekwondo)
Leg lifts (I hate the new apparatus for this; might start doing these on a bench or the floor instead; did these on the floor in taekwondo class)

Free weights:
Two additional shoulder exercises
– lift weight in front using shoulder muscles
– bending at waist lift weight out to the side using muscles along the scapulae (this is the same as the machine that works in reverse of the pectoral fly)
– wrist strengthening

Other exercises:
Pushups
Situps (did a hundred in taekwondo class, including side situps)
Cycling
Elliptical

Thursday, May 10, 2007

I went to the do jang and took two classes. The first class was good because we get to work on what we felt needed work. The second class was a cardio kicking class.

Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

MM,

I’ve been busy since last Thurday, but I managed to get in a run on Monday afternoon before teaching reiki. It felt good to run again, even though it was a tad hard since the last time I ran was in November. I’ve done some cardio at the gym on the bicycle since November, but running is slightly different. I ran half a mile to the bank, and then did a short errand. Then ran one mile home. My time was a little slow, but that’s to be expected. Hopefully, my speed will increase again.

I didn’t get into the do jang last week like I hoped, but I will tomorrow. I promised myself, and I need to be teaching more often. With everything at WCC, it’s been hard to go in and teach taekwondo regularly. Perhaps though, it would help relieve some stress and tension. Plus, I do feel bad that my taekwondo Master has been trying to get me in more often. He recently opened a do jang in Barrie. Thus, he needs more help in this do jang now. Well, at least there’s motivation for me to go. I really don’t mind teaching, but it helps to know if people appreciate it.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

I went to the do jang this past Saturday for a black belt meeting. Afterwards, I practiced some patterns and the one-step sparring techniques. It’s been a while. I’ve been missing the do jang. The past two weeks have been one thing after another. Last week, I was a little tired and stressed so I was at home pretty much absorbing myself in something relaxing and amusing. In any case, I have to go in this week. Maybe I can get in the do jang later tonight (class is at 7), and I promised to go in tomorrow. Probably would be good for me. It helps with the stress.

Lately though, it seems that Monday and Tuesday are my weekend days. Sunday nights are so busy and sometimes crazy, I like to have Monday to relax. Good thing I have a flexible schedule. Nice to not have to work for someone. Then on Tuesdays, I can try to get things organized in my head again. LOL Okay, back to organizing my thoughts. Hoping, hoping to get in the do jang tonight if I can.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

Monday, April 9, 2007

I ran to the gym.

COMPLETE LIST OF WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES:
Machine/apparatus Exercises:
Pull-ups/chin-ups
-overhand (palms facing front)
-underhand (palms facing back) (I did the biceps curls and the seated row before doing this one, the biceps were already suitably worked out!)
-parallel (palms facing towards each other)
Dips (same apparatus as for the chin-ups)
Weighted squat machine
Leg press
Hamstring flexor/seated leg curls
Hamstring flexor (lying down)
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Seated chest press
Lateral pull-downs
Pectoral fly (sometimes done using free weights)
Reverse pectoral fly (not sure exactly what this is called, it works the rhomboids in between the scapulae/shoulder blades)
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift/press
Back extensor
Bicep curls (usually done using free weights now)
Tricep extensor (the dips do a good job of working the triceps, plus a special kind of push-up that I learned from taekwondo)
Leg lifts (I hate the new apparatus for this; might start doing these on a bench or the floor instead)

Free weights:
Two additional shoulder exercises
– lift weight in front using shoulder muscles
– bending at waist lift weight out to the side using muscles along the scapulae (this is the same as the machine that works in reverse of the pectoral fly)
– wrist strengthening

Other exercises:
Pushups
Situps
Cycling
Elliptical

After I left the gym, I picked up some household stuff and then ran home. It’s always so much harder running with a few extra pounds to carry.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

I went to the do jang. It was a good class. We did some relay exercises mixed with kicking drills. These are good anaerobic exercise mixed with some cardio. After the class, we did sit-ups, side sit-ups, back ups (lie on the stomach, hold arms out over head, keeping lower body on floor, lift the top half of the body off the floor, this works the back muscles) and leg lifts.

I went to the gym after the do jang.

COMPLETE LIST OF WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES:
Machine/apparatus Exercises:
Pull-ups/chin-ups
-overhand (palms facing front)
-underhand (palms facing back)
-parallel (palms facing towards each other)
Dips (same apparatus as for the chin-ups)
Weighted squat machine
Leg press
Hamstring flexor/seated leg curls
Hamstring flexor (lying down)
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Seated chest press
Lateral pull-downs
Pectoral fly (sometimes done using free weights)
Reverse pectoral fly (not sure exactly what this is called, it works the rhomboids in between the scapulae/shoulder blades)
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift/press
Back extensor (did a similar exercise in taekwondo class that helps strengthen the back muscles)
Bicep curls (usually done using free weights now)
Tricep extensor (the dips do a good job of working the triceps, plus a special kind of push-up that I learned from taekwondo)
Leg lifts (I hate the new apparatus for this; might start doing these on a bench or the floor instead)

Free weights:
Two additional shoulder exercises
– lift weight in front using shoulder muscles
– bending at waist lift weight out to the side using muscles along the scapulae (this is the same as the machine that works in reverse of the pectoral fly)
– wrist strengthening
dead lift
clean and press/clean and jerk

Other exercises:
Pushups
Situps
Cycling
Elliptical

I also tried out a machine that allows you to do the a twisting exercise with weights. This works out the obliques (your side muscles) and supposedly the obliques are a set of muscles that contribute to overall practical body functionality.

Now, for those who have seen 300 and are wondering how the actors got into shape, check out this article at Gym Jones.

Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

On occasion, I like to browse the used book stores to see what I can find. Yesterday, I picked up Tae Kwon Do: The Korean Martial Art by Richard Chun.

Originally published in 1976, just when taekwondo was becoming a popular sport, this book remains to this day a comprehensive manual of taekwondo. The only thing missing are the newer colour belt patterns (called “taeguk”) and the black belt patterns, but there are plenty of Kukkiwon sanctioned books containing those.

Some people may think that a book published over thirty years ago would be outdated for a martial art. In fact, not at all. This book was written as an attempt to retain the original training and teaching of taekwondo before it became “just a sport” (as some naysayers like to describe it) with flashy kicks. (There is nothing wrong with the sport aspect of taekwondo, it still builds fast reflexes, and I respect many of the competitors; however, the danger is the martial art may diminish into only a sport and we lose much of what should be taught still.)

As a colour belt, I was privileged to have studied at a school that retained much of the original training and teaching of taekwondo (kicking and hand strikes). While flipping through this book (which is all I’ve had time to do so far), I was astounded at how many of the techniques and exercises I was familiar with. I was also happy to discover other things that I was never taught.

Taekwondo is the “art of kicking and punching”, which lately has been diminished to the art of kicking with the occasional hand blocks. This book shows that there is much more to taekwondo besides the kicks. There is a chapter dedicated to “hand, arm, and head attacking techniques”, followed by “blocking techniques” (which also includes a knee block), then “kicking techniques”. There is also a chapter on “advanced positions and combinations”, and of course “sparring techniques”. Additionally, the book includes “self-defense techniques”, which includes sections on falls, throws, and ground defense. As mentioned, the forms in the book are the old palgwe patterns, which is great in my opinion. I’ve been wanting a good book on the old patterns, now I have it.

This book is a must-have for taekwondo students. It is especially important for those students who are interested in learning the full art of taekwondo. For those who think taekwondo is all about the kicks, get a copy of this book (available on amazon.com) – it will prove you wrong.

Richard Chun was an 8th dan when he wrote this book. He is a 9th dan Grandmaster now, and is still teaching taekwondo in the United States.

Monday, April 2, 2007

I went to the gym after a long while. Damn, I actually lost some weight staying at home working for nearly three weeks straight. Go figure. I didn’t work out enough and didn’t eat enough. Truth is, I forget to eat when I’m working obsessively. Argh… still didn’t like losing the few pounds.

It felt good to be back in the gym, although I had to drop the weights on the leg press a bit.

COMPLETE LIST OF WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES:
Machine/apparatus Exercises:
Leg lifts (I hate the new apparatus for this)
Pull-ups/chin-ups
-military
-parallel
Dips
Leg press
Hamstring flexor/seated leg curls
Hamstring flexor (lying down)
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Seated chest press
Lateral pull-downs
Pectoral fly (sometimes done using free weights)
Reverse pectoral fly (not sure exactly what this is called, it works the rhomboids in between the scapulae/shoulder blades)
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift/press
Back extensor
Tricep extensor
Bicep curls (usually done using free weights now)
Weighted squat machine

Free weights:
Two additional shoulder exercises
– lift weight in front using shoulder muscles
– bending at waist lift weight out to the side using muscles along the scapulae (this is the same as the machine that works in reverse of the pectoral fly)
– wrist strengthening

Other exercises:
Pushups
Situps
Cycling
Elliptical

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Yay! Taekwondo again. Loads of kicking. I feel sooo slow now. I used to be faster before I hurt my knee. Haha… have to spend three months at the do jang and the gym just working out. I think if I just increase my leg strength by about 20%, my knee won’t feel so bad when doing the kicking – just need another good block of time to focus only on working out again. Well, at least my cardio was surprisingly okay for class. Master Kim was pushing us a bit. He says it’s bikini season soon. 😉 He made us do one hundred situps and pushups at the end of class. Yup, there was no getting off easy. Next time, I’ll try to remember all the drills he gave us – I’ll bet we do over a thousand kicks each class easy.

I went to the gym after taekwondo for some strengthening and some extra cardio.

COMPLETE LIST OF WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES:
Machine/apparatus Exercises:
Leg lifts (I hate the new apparatus for this)
Pull-ups/chin-ups
-military
-parallel
Dips
Leg press
Hamstring flexor/seated leg curls (seems redundant to do both hamstring machines – the other one works the full range)
Hamstring flexor (lying down)
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Seated chest press
Lateral pull-downs
Pectoral fly (sometimes done using free weights)
Reverse pectoral fly (not sure exactly what this is called, it works the rhomboids in between the scapulae/shoulder blades)
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift/press
Back extensor
Tricep extensor
Bicep curls (usually done using free weights now)
Weighted squat machine

Free weights:
Two additional shoulder exercises
– lift weight in front using shoulder muscles
– bending at waist lift weight out to the side using muscles along the scapulae (this is the same as the machine that works in reverse of the pectoral fly)
– wrist strengthening

Other exercises:
Pushups
Situps
Cycling (10 minutes)
Elliptical

The cycling felt good after going to taekwondo. It will help me get my speed back. It’s really only the instability in my knee that slows down my kicking. Starting to miss the running again. Now that it’s warm, going to try to get out at least twice a week for a mile or a mile and half run. The first month running again is going to hurt, but there’s a 10k coming up again, and this time hopefully I won’t be too sick to run.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

MM,

In light of a recent ritual involving dance and music, I’m reminded of something I still want to study one day (assuming I ever get the time) – Korean sword dance.

Here’s a video of probably the best Korean sword dancer:

Sword dancing seems to be a tradition in Korea, as there are quite a few movies featuring it. One of my all-time favourite movies, The Duelist (Hyung-sa) which happens to be Korean, features a beautiful dance/”fight” scene between the two main characters. The man is using a sword and the woman is using two daggers. A beautiful scene – best understood in the context of the whole movie.

I might just have to return to gumdo classes, if I can’t find a Korean sword dance teacher.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

It’s warmer now. I made it to the gym this Thursday. 😀

I ran a half mile to the bank first (it felt good to run now that the weather’s a little warmer), then speed-walked to the gym.

COMPLETE LIST OF WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES:
Machine/apparatus Exercises:
Leg lifts
Pull-ups/chin-ups
-military
-parallel
Dips
Leg press
Hamstring flexor/seated leg curls
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Seated chest press
Lateral pull-downs
Pectoral fly (sometimes done using free weights)
Reverse pectoral fly (not sure exactly what this is called, it works the rhomboids in between the scapulae/shoulder blades)
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift/press
Back extensor
Tricep extensor
Bicep curls (usually done using free weights now)
Weighted squat machine

Free weights:
Two additional shoulder exercises
– lift weight in front using shoulder muscles
– bending at waist lift weight out to the side using muscles along the scapulae (this is the same as the machine that works in reverse of the pectoral fly)
– wrist strengthening

Other exercises:
Pushups
Situps
Cycling (25 minutes)
Elliptical

Cassandrah
Your local renaissance woman
Brigid’s Flame

I made it to the gym on Monday. 😀

COMPLETE LIST OF WEIGHT TRAINING EXERCISES:
Machine/apparatus Exercises:
Leg lifts
Pull-ups/chin-ups
-military
-parallel
Dips
Leg press
Hamstring flexor/seated leg curls
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Seated chest press
Lateral pull-downs
Pectoral fly (sometimes done using free weights)
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift/press
Back extensor
Tricep extensor
Bicep curls (usually done using free weights now)
Weighted squat machine

Free weights:
Two additional shoulder exercises
– lift weight in front using shoulder muscles
– bending at waist lift weight out to the side using muscles along the scapulae
– wrist strengthening

Other exercises:
Pushups
Situps
Cycling (20 minutes)
Elliptical