Pneumatised!

MM,

I decided to work on some conditioning today.

First, I went for a two-mile run. My time for the first mile was 8 minutes 40 seconds, and my time for the second mile was 8 minutes 56 seconds. The total time for the run was 17 minutes 36 seconds. It was good run. The weather was a little cooler.

After the run, Nathan and I went to the gym.

Leg lifts
Pull-ups (aka chin-ups, military and parallel)
Dips
Leg press
Hamstring flexor (called seated leg curls)
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Bar pulls (I think this is called the lateral pull-downs; it works the muscles next to the scapulae on the back)
Seated chest press
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift (this is called the shoulder press)
Back extensor

Free weights:
Situps (on a incline bench; worked out the obliques as well by doing double punches during the situp)
Bicep curls
Pectoral fly
Weighted squats
Shoulder strengthening

Then I did 10 minutes on the bicycle to work out my knee. Afterwards, Nathan and I did some stretching to help the muscles relax. I’m so proud of Nathan – his stretches are getting much better. He says he wants to be able to do a side kick like Van Damme – hehe… fast, strong, and high. I have to admit Van Damme has some pretty smooth moves for some French dude.

After the gym, we headed home for some food and rest.

Official countdown: 51 hours left

BB,
Cassandrah
Your local black belt
Brigid’s Flame

MM,

I decided to stay home on Tuesday instead of going to the do jang. I kind of jolted awake from a strange dream, the kind where you get a message of some sort. So, I ended up staying home figuring out what my dream was about. Weird, just weird.

I did go over the stuff I needed to do for the test on Saturday and Sunday though. I’m not worried about my techniques as I know my techniques are good, but I just needed to refresh my mind. I went over the patterns and the one-step sparring we need to do. Basically, I went over the curriculum.

Last night, I studied the history of taekwondo. I think I studied enough, but I will need to refresh my mind. I still need to go over the terminology.

Tomorrow, I’ll either go for a run or the do jang. I plan on going to the gym for some conditioning. My knee needs the weight training.

I’m getting antsy about the test on Saturday now. I just want to get it over with. I have so much to do after the test and demo is over. I’ll need a nice little break too, even though I have other work to get done. I’m still planning on getting my reiki classes started for autumn, but still so much writing to do for that.

Pre-test jitters… I feel like I can’t do anything else but think about taekwondo.

Official countdown: 75 hours remaining.

BB,
Cassandrah
Your local black belt
Brigid’s Flame

MM,

I went for a two-mile run. It was a little hot still, but the humidity dropped – it wasn’t too bad out for me. The time for my run was 17 minutes 53 seconds. A little slower than my best time, but I felt like I could run faster or more.

I’m planning on getting two more runs in this week. I’m thinking another two-mile run on Wednesday and maybe a shorter run on Thursday or Friday.

Friday, I should be in bed by 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 the latest. To be fully awake for the 10k and the test, I need to be up at least two hours before the run. That means I’ll be up with the sun at around 4:44 a.m.

Official countdown: 106 hours left

BB,
Cassandrah
Your local martial artist
Brigid’s Flame

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

I went to the do jang on Wednesday. I ended up helping to teach poomse class and then took the regular class after. We worked on technique kicking and practiced our patterns. After the do jang, I went to the gym for some conditioning.

Leg lifts
Pull-ups (aka chin-ups, military and parallel)
Dips
Leg press
Hamstring flexor (called seated leg curls)
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Seated row
Bar pulls (I think this is called the lateral pull-downs; it works the muscles next to the scapulae on the back)
Seated chest press
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift (this is called the shoulder press)
Back extensor

Free weights:
Situps (on a incline bench; worked out the obliques as well by doing double punches during the situp)
Bicep curls
Pectoral fly
Weighted squats
Shoulder strengthening

Saturday, July 1, 2006

Happy Canada Day! I spent my afternoon at the do jang training. We had our test preparation class. It was the second last class to help prepare for the test and my twelfth class. We needed to take ten out of sixteen available classes. After the two-hour class, I went home to rest. I still need to do some studying – history of taekwondo and terminology. I have no clue how well written the test questions are. I just hope they aren’t trivial questions.

My knee has been acting up again lately. A little bit of swelling. So, I skipped taekwondo on Thursday. Friday, there is only gumdo class. I didn’t go because I wanted to keep my focus on taekwondo and not get too distracted by something else. In any case, I wanted to give myself not only the physical break, but a mental break.

Sunday, July 2, 2006

I needed to rest and decided to skip the last test preparation class. It’s all good though, because the last class was time for working on our demonstrations and I have my demonstration idea already. I plan on practicing later this week during the day-time open training time when there isn’t much people around to distract me.

I still need to keep up with the running. In fact, I hope to get a few more good runs in. Two more mile-and-a-half runs would be good. I think I will be taking time off the regular taekwondo evening classes so I can work on conditioning and get myself focused on the test.

BB,
Cassandrah
Your resident martial artist
Brigid’s Flame

MM,

Here’s an article that has some useful tips for those interested in starting running for themselves without having to join a gym or some program – Speedwork for Every Runner. Yes, that’s right, you can train yourself to be a good runner.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

Integrity is doing what I’d expect others to be able to do. If I can do something, I’d expect others to be able to do it – in fact, I’d expect them to do better.
~~~Cassandrah’s comment on training and teaching martial arts

MM,

I finally did a full 5 k run. The actual distance for the route I planned was 5.7 km (approximately 3.5 miles). My total time for the run was 35 minutes. It’s a good time – just about ten minutes a mile. If I can keep up the pace for a 10k (approximately 6.25 miles), then I should finish around the one hour mark.

I ended up timing my run in three parts. The first part of the run was from home to Avenue at Dupont via Mt. Pleasant and Roxborough Streets East and West, a total distance of 2.6 km. My time for this part was 16 minutes 16 seconds. The second part of the run was from Avenue at Dupont to Davenport at Yonge via Davenport at Dupont, a total distance of 1.8 km. My time for part two was 11 minutes 23 seconds. The last part of the run was from Yonge at Davenport/Church to home, a total distance of 1.3 km. My time for this was 7 minutes 21 seconds. Total time: 35 minutes; total distance: 5.7 km.

It was good run. I’m ready for the 10k. I just need a good rest the night before.

BB,
Cassandrah
Your local webmistress and martial artist
Brigid’s Flame

MM,

Another busy week…

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

I went for a run. First, I ran 1 km for a warm-up and then 1 mile. I ran 1 km in 4 minutes 56 seconds and 1 mile in 7 minutes 57 seconds (both of which are my fastest times so far:)).

I decided not to go to the do jang. It was pretty hot for a run, so I was feeling a bit tired from the run. I had some things to do around home and decided to go to the gym instead. Then it turns out htat the gym was closed because they painted the pool room. Nathan and I decided to walk along the 5 k route I planned out. It was a good walk and helped loosen up the my knee – I think the fluid was building up again since I didn’t get much exercise last week.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Summer solstice! At the last moment, I decided that I wanted to do an impromptu ritual for summer solstice on my balcony and watch the sunset. (Well, not really watching so much as I live in an apartment, the point was just to be outside until the sun was clearly under the horizon.) Instead of training, I studied my terminology – some of it I obviously know already, but there is much that isn’t used in class. I typed up five pages of Korean-English taekwondo terminology. That helped me study the terminology for a bit. Next, I have to study the history again. *sigh* Lots to do and so little time.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

I went to the do jang for gumdo and taekwondo class. Afterwards, I worked on my demo pattern. Amazingly, I remembered my patterns for gumdo. With the black belt test going on and everything else to think about, I haven’t been paying much attention to gumdo. I like sword art, but I really still want to do tai chi sword, so I’m hoping I can take classes in that once in a while. I think the tai chi places let you pay per class.

Friday, June 23, 2006

No training today as I had to take my mom to visit the hospital. She has been having a lot of doctor visits lately. Still not sure what’s up. Mostly, the doctors are just taking precautions. I have to take her back on Tuesday for her bronchoscopy.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

I went to the do jang. I took the 10:30 class and then the test preparation class at 1:00 class. I got home by 4:00 and then left to go watch the black belt show for my former do jang. It was a pretty good show this year. They have this one girl there – I think I remember her when she was a little younger – who did some amazing demos. Aside from the demo team guys (Team Ryouko), she was probably the most talented black belt at the show. Overall though, the show was entertaining – some funny fight scenes.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

I went to the test preparation class. We got more time to work on our demo stuff.

BB,
Cassandrah
Your local martial artist
Brigid’s Flame

MM,

I ended up missing taekwondo on Saturday and Sunday. I was feeling a little tired, and I had a sore throat. I think it must have been the weather and the hospital visit this week. It was quite humid the past few days. Today is a nice reprieve.

Monday, I managed to get into the do jang for taekwondo class. I had a chance to practice the stuff I want to do for the demo. I’m planning on doing one of the palgwe (the old set of WTF patterns). I also finally decided on what I want to do for my demo breaks, though I’m not sure how many boards we’re allowed. For the test, I still need to study the history of taekwondo and the Korean terminology. Still loads to do.

Tomorrow, I’m hoping to get to the do jang and then the gym after for some conditioning training.

Official countdown: 18 days left

BB,
Cassandrah
Your local martial artist
Brigid’s Flame

Friday, June 16, 2006

I managed to get a good run in on Friday before I had to run out. I ran my normal 1.5 miles route. My time was 12 minutes 32 seconds.

I’m hoping to do another 5 km run in the next week.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame