Pneumatised!

Friday, November 11

I went to gumdo class and learned the rest of pattern #4 and learned all of pattern #5. Because of the demo in December I decided I won’t test for gumdo that month. Too much to work on. Besides I figure an extra two months practice before the next belt in swords will be good. It’s good to work on the basic techniques before moving on.

Saturday, November 12

We had a colour belt test for which the black belts have to attend and help grade. The people testing did fairly well – some better than others, but overall good. We had a short black belt meeting after. I was thankful we did not have any training as I was exhausted that day.

Wednesday, November 16

Okay, so I stayed home Sunday to Tuesday. It’s because I started reading some fantasy novels (recommended by Nathan of course!). I knew that once I started reading these books, I’d be absorbed by them. So, now I’m reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Book 11 was just released. I have a long way to go… starting at book one, The Eye of the World. And before that, I just finished reading The Silmarillion by Tolkien.

Wednesday I decided I needed to do some running. I ran to Park Road and Bloor Street (approximately a half mile) in 4 minutes 36 seconds. I went to the bank then ran home from Church and Bloor streets in 3 minutes 58 seconds. Pretty good.

I didn’t make it into the do jang. I stayed home and practiced sword patterns, duelling techniques and candle snuffing. I’m working on two candles now (this really works out the biceps and triceps!). I also practiced some taekwondo hand techniques (what a workout!) that we don’t normally practice in the do jang. I switched do jangs and found out that they concentrate mostly on kicking, so I have to make myself practice some hand stuff on my own. I find it peculiar how people just want to focus on kicking and not balance out their martial arts with hand techniques. It’s good to know how to use both your hands and feet (and let’s recall that taekwondo means “the art of the hands and feet”). Keep a balance between the two. There are pros and cons to using both hand and foot techniques. Thus, once in awhile I practice some stuff on my own. I also needed to decide on what techniques to do for the board breaking demo.

I even got Nathan to do some taekwondo stuff… 😀 Our arms were very sore after! But it felt good to get a decent workout.

Thursday, November 17

I went to the do jang to practice some stuff for the demo. I needed to practice the self-defence routine for the demo and some patterns.

Sunday, November 20

Okay, just getting into The Wheel of Time. Book is intriguing. Couldn’t tear myself away and go to the do jang on Friday or Saturday. Sunday, I stayed home. I practiced some candle snuffing (two candles). Giving my arms a good workout this week. I think it’s because I hadn’t been in the gym for awhile. Anyway arms are very sore. I don’t think it’s the biceps really anymore, it’s the brachialis (the muscle that initiates the lever movement of the arm). The brachialis is a very hard muscle to build up. If I recall my anatomy reading, the brachialis does more work than the biceps – but it’s the biceps that gets the attention, isn’t that just the way of life? One does all the work while the other gets the credit for it. Sheesh.

Monday, November 21

Yay! I made it to the do jang just to practice for the demo. I needed to practice the self-defence routine with my partner. I had to show him what to do. It’s a women’s self-defense routine – the guy does all the attacking. I also practiced patterns again. I think I got a third person to do the patterns with for the demo.

After the do jang I headed to the gym. My knee is really screaming at me to go work out my quads and hamstrings.

Leg press
Hamstring flexor
Hip adductors
Hip abductors
Pull-ups (again military and parallel)
Dips
Chest press
Bar pulls (works the muscles next to the scapulae on the back)
Pectoral press
Shoulder fly
Shoulder lift
Bicep curl
Tricep extensor
Leg lifts
Back extensor

My brachiali were still sore from candle snuffing so I only did a few reps of the bicep curl. The muscles still haven’t rebuilt I suppose. I guess I really worked them with the candle snuffing. I do at least a hundred cuts when practicing I think. I lose count, but I know it’s more than a hundred. I skimmed on the pushups – just 10 reps of each kind (I do 4 different kinds of pushups) and did 20 on my fingertips while doing the side splits. Didn’t have enough time to do full stretching so did some light stretching and went home. Gym was closing. My tail bone is still sore – no situps still.

Cassandrah
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