March 2008
62 posts
1 tag
Core Training
Started with Turkish Get Up work:
5/side x 40lb
3/side x 50lb
2/side x 55lb (PR)
Then went into my main circuit:
Standing Wheel Rollouts x 5
DB Twist x 10/side (25lb)
Floor Wipers x 8/side (45lb plates on smith machine)
Supermans x 12
Repeat circuit 3x
Finisher: 100 Chinnies
All done at the Zermatt resort in Midway, UT. They have pretty nice gym facilities here and a decent sized...
February 2008
64 posts
Traveling
Traveling to Utah for work today…no time for love, Dr. Jones.
2 tags
Integrated Circuit Training
10 Burpees
10 Med ball slams
Repeat 10x
Total time: 10:05. I’m chuffed at that time, though I don’t think it’s fair to assume I spent 5 minutes on each exercise…I plowed through those med ball slams like they’re nothing (using a 16lb ball). Still pleased with the time.
Workout taken from Ross Enamait’s Full Throttle Conditioning.
1 tag
Kung Fu class
Small, informal class tonight. Did a quick warmup and went to work:
3 x Turkish Get Ups x 5/side (20lb)
100 reps of wrist levering with 6’ (heavy) pole (alternating front and side)
100 knee strikes (50/side) in the air
100 roundhouse kicks (50/side) on the heavy bag
5 min stick rolling on shins
Then worked on the sticking/sneaky snake blocking techniques from last Thursday, setting up...
1 tag
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing...”
– Calvin Coolidge
1 tag
Kung Fu class
Taught the beginners’ class today. Worked on some basic kicks before going into forms. After, worked on Gung Ji Fuk Fu Kuen and Ng Ying Kuen, specifically the beginning stationary section.
2 tags
Heavy Bag Intervals
Hitting the heavy bag with combinations - punches, kicks, and elbows. Max intensity.
5 x 60 sec rounds (45 sec active rest)
10 x 30 sec rounds (30 sec active rest)
1 tag
Core Training
Turkish Get Ups x 5/side (30lb, 40lb, 50lb [4], 50lb [3])
Saxon Side Bends x 6/side (10lb)
V-Ups x 10, Knee Hugs x 10, V-Ups x 5, Knee Hugs x 5
Repeat circuit 4x
After, did a few sets of Overhead Squats to work on my form. Did 2 sets of just the bar (45lb) for 15 reps, then one ‘heavy’ set of 55lb for 10 reps.
Finisher: Plank x 2:25 min
1 tag
“Every time you see something beautiful, you destroy it!”
– Maude
1 tag
Kung Fu practice
Ran through Gung Ji Fuk Fu Kuen using light power, then moved into Tiet Sien Kuen. I always feel good connection and am able to generate lots of power when I do this after weight training. All of the regulation also really helps to cool my body down after a workout. I’m going to do this after every strength session from now on. I’ve also decided that I’m going to do it without...
2 tags
Max Strength Training
Heavy strength day.
2 DB Push Press
3 x 65lb
3 x 65lb
3 x 75lb
3 x 75lb
1 Arm DB Snatch 3 x 65lb
3 x 75lb
3 x 85lb
2 x 100lb (fail)
Simple pair, repeat 4x:
Weighted Pullups - 5 x 90lb, 2 x 135lb, 4 x 90, 3 x 90lb
Weighted Dips - 10 x 45lb, 4 x 90lb, 6 x 45lb, 6 x 45lb
Simple pair, repeat 4x (alternate A and B, no rest between A & B):
Weighted One Legged Squats -...
1 tag
There will be search
Added a live search to the left column to make it easier to dig through the archives. Thanks to Jacob DeHart for the script.
2 tags
“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year but...”
– Lance Armstrong
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A note on kung fu classes
Unless otherwise noted, all “kung fu class” posts include a warmup of tiger rolling pushups, some core work, stance training, forearm/bridge training, and at least 5 minutes of three star block (with either a live partner or the wooden post). If we stray from the standard warmup, I’ll make a note of it.
1 tag
Kung Fu class
Taught the beginner’s class and worked on basic roundhouse kick and setting up the kick with a 1-2 combo. After, Malcolm showed us some really great sticking/sneaky snake blocking techniques. Amazing stuff, need to incorporate this into sparring.
Ran through Tiet Sien Kuen without shoes. The connection felt good today.
2 tags
Crossfit WOD: Lynne
Crossfit’s Lynne today:
Bodyweight bench press (185lb)
Pullups
Repeat 5x for max reps.
Total score = 135 (12, 11, 10, 10, 10 / 20, 20, 15, 14, 13). Improvement from last time, when I scored 123. Did this with Dave, which means two things: a lot more rest than I’m accustomed to AND someone to spot me on the bench, which was a huge help. This one gives me a superhero bloat....
1 tag
Kung Fu class
After warmup did 1,000 forearm strikes on the gravel canvas bag for arm conditioning. Then worked on Yu Ga Dai Pa, focusing on the end of the form (from the overhead spins on). The fork felt like a toy while I was spinning it, which I’m chalking up to lots of TGU work in the past month. More motivation to keep working on ‘em, so I did a few light reps to work on my form. Also ran...
What is GPP? →
2 tags
GPP Circuit
Burpees x 30 secs
Split Jumps x 30 secs
Grasshoppers x 30 secs
Burpees x 30 secs
Split Jumps x 30 secs
Mountain Climbers x 30 secs
Repeat 4x, resting 30 sec between circuits.
Felt good on this one, but it was tough. I already had a good sweat going from the core workout. Even the split jumps (which are usually active rest) got tough at the end. Completed at least 9 burpees in every 30...
1 tag
Core Training
Started with TGU practice:
20lb x 5/side
30lb x 5/side
40lb x 5/side
50lb x 3/side (PR)
Then onto the main circuit:
Flag x 5
Knee Hugs x 25
Supermans x 15
Russian Twists (25lb plate) x 20
Hi-rep set of Chinnies
Repeat circuit 3x
Finisher: Plank x 2:00 min
1 tag
“It’s important to train hard, but equally important to train smart. One...”
– Ross Enamait
Here's a good reason NOT to break bricks →
3 tags
Jump Rope / Burpee Intervals
3 min Jump Rope
3 min Burpees (51)
2 min Jump Rope
2 min Burpees (33)
1 min Jump Rope
1 min Burpees (19)
30 sec Jump Rope
30 sec Burpees (10)
I rested 60 seconds after the 3 min intervals, 45 sec after the 2 min, 30 sec after the 1 min, and 15 sec after the 30 sec. Total burpees: 113.
That was rough. I was very close to my pace of 100 burpees in 6 minutes for all of these sets...
1 tag
Kung Fu class
After warmup, did various kiu sau drills to pump up the forearms, then 5 minutes of saam sing with wooden post. Worked on bong sau application before going into forms. Worked on the first section of Gung Ji and ran through Hang Yuet Darn Dao a bunch of times, specifically working on the slashing.
1 tag
“I do not fear the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man...”
– Bruce Lee
1 tag
Takin it to the streets
The big day - lion dancing all day in Chinatown. I shared my time between music and lion head. My ears are still ringing and my shoulders are feeling it, but too not worn down otherwise. This was our last performance, so now I can get back to concentrating on my kung fu training.
1 tag
Lion Dance Performance
Second show at LIU Brooklyn. Everything went well again and there were more asses in the seats. Lots of kids in the crowd too and they really enjoyed getting up close to the lion after the performance.
2 tags
Kung Fu class
After warmup, went into forearm/hand training:
8 minutes tiger claws squeezing sand bag
10 fingertip pushups
2 minutes wrist roller
10 fingertip pushups
100 wrist levering with 6’ (heavy) pole
10 fingertip pushups
10 minutes forearm strikes on gravel bag
Then some lion dance practice to finalize details for today’s performance.
1 tag
Lion Dance Performance
Our first show at LIU Brooklyn. Everything went well, but the seats were empty! A good warm up for tomorrow, if nothing else.
Conditioning Research →
A scientific approach. Science.
Lion dancing →
Some background info on what I’ll be doing tonight and all weekend long.
1 tag
“You’ve got to drive the body to the last inch of energy then go on! You gain...”
– General George Patton
2 tags
Kung Fu class
Loads of lion dance practice. Sleeping and lettuce routine for this weekend’s gigs. After: Tiet Sien Kuen, no shoes. The connection felt really good today, put hard power into some sections and soft power in others.
1 tag
“I drink your milkshake! I drink it up!”
– Daniel Plainview
1 tag
Kung Fu practice
Worked on Tiet Sien Kuen, using very light power. Felt a lot of chi stuck in my arms after weight training, so concentrated on regulation and releasing the chi. Practiced without shoes.
2 tags
Explosive Strength Training
Explosive strength day.
Double DB Split Snatch 5 x 3/side x 45lb
Barbell Punch Press 5 x 5/side (50lb, 75lb, 75lb, 50lb, 50lb)
Complex Pair - repeat 4x (Rest 60 sec between B & C and D & A)
Side-to-side Pullups x 4/side
Explosive Pullups x 8
Lumberjack Squat x 8 (50lb, 75lb, 75lb, 75lb, 75lb)
Knee Tucks x 10
Finisher: Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls 3 x 15 x 95lb
Choosing The Right Martial Arts School →
An intelligent answer to the “which style is best” question: choose the school and instructor over the style. I’ve been saying this for years!
2 tags
“He who sweats most in training bleeds least in battle.”
– Chinese Proverb (bodes well for me if I’m ever in a battle)
1 tag
Kung Fu class
Ran the beginners’ class warm up and then did some forearm/grip training: 500 tiger claws squeezing sand bag. Then lion dance practice, lion dance practice, lion dance practice. Getting ready for our upcoming gigs.
1 tag
Current Goals
I recently posted a link about staying motivated and the value of setting specific goals. So I decided to post my short-term training goals for the next 60 days.
One arm Chinup (both arms) (accomplished 5/1/08)
100 Burpees in under 6 min
70lb Turkish Get Up (accomplished 3/29/08)
45 second L-sit
I’ll take a crack at these goals as my schedule permits and track my progress....
2 tags
Core Training
Kneeling Wheel Rollouts x 15
Plank x 2 min
Abmat Situps x 20
Supermans x 15
Slow Side Crunch x 15/side
V-Ups x 15
Knee Hugs x 20
Repeat circuit 2x
Finisher: L Pullups x 20
1 tag
Boardin'
Full mountain assault on Okemo. Perfect weather for boarding but didn’t get as many runs as I would have liked. Got more practice driving in a blizzard than I cared for. Ratio of time sitting in the car compared to boarding: 3:1.
1 tag
“When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a...”
– Emil Zátopek
How to stay motivated →
1 tag
Lion Dance Performance
Another Lion Dance performance at a school for kids, this time in Brooklyn Heights. They were preschoolers this time and they really got into it. Went through the sleeping routine, then played with the crowd. Also did a workshop with the baby lion heads afterwards. Happy new year!