Pneumatised!

MM,

A while back, I posted that I was reading Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series. I finally got around to finishing book three, The Dragon Reborn. Interesting books. Captivating. I just can’t believe there are eleven books in the series so far, at least three of which consist of more than 900 pages. Book four, The Shadow Rising, is over 900 pages. Before I can delve into that though, I decided to read Battle Royale by Koushun Takami (the novel version, not the manga, though the manga is probably quite interesting). This book has been lying around tempting me since Nathan bought it to read. I also have to read Nathan’s second novel, which I promised I would as soon as I finished reading book three of The Wheel of Time. Well, at least I have some interesting reading to keep me busy when I’m resting from my workouts the next eight weeks. I expect I will be fairly tired and needing loads of proper rest (writing will be very difficult for me to do during this time, but I will make an effort to keep at the reiki manuals).

So, okay, time to get back to reading.

BB,
Cassandrah
Brigid’s Flame

Friday, May 5

Nathan and I went to the gym. For some reason the weather was making me feel gloomy, and though I wanted to stay home, I went to the gym anyway. We did our usual exercises, but because the gym closes at 9 p.m. on Fridays we did not have time for the cardio machines.

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

Free weights:
Situps (on a incline bench; worked out the obliques as well by doing double punches during the situp)
Bicep curls
Squats with weights
Push-ups

Saturday, May 6

Saturday is the start of the black belt test training. First, there was a colour belt test, then a black belt meeting, and then training. We practiced our patterns and one-step sparring techniques. For second dan, I need to know fifteen one-step sparring techniques, all the colour belt patterns and the first black belt pattern, Koryo. Fairly standard stuff. Tomorrow, we have one hour of training.

The test starts July 8 at 8 a.m. I have adjusted my countdown timer accordingly. So, on a nice, bright Saturday morning, I have to be up and ready to run a 10k. That’s kind of a good thing because I wouldn’t want to be running outside at high noon in the summer here. After the 10k, we head back to the do jang for the rest of the test, which I’m told includes 1000 skips (after a 10k run, skipping might be a little harder than normal). On the 8th we finish at 5 p.m., and then continue on Sunday where we have to perform some stuff at our BBQ picnic in the park in front of an audience. Lovely. People get to come by and watch. Not sure what time it will be, but I think it’s around 9 or 10 a.m.

Anyway, hoping tomorrow (er… today, since it’s 3 a.m. already) I’ll get some more practice in.

BB,
Cassandrah
Your local black belt
Brigid’s Flame