October 2009
42 posts
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Kung Fu class
We had a relatively small and experienced class tonight, so we treated it like a workshop. After getting warm and working on a few basic drills, we each took the floor and consciously worked on specific strategies/techniques rather than free sparring. Lots of good progress tonight.
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Quick Circuit
Sort of created a workout by committee as a warmup in kung fu tonight. 20, 15, 10, 5 of the following:
DB Swings (35lb)
Burpees
V-ups
Total time: 6:13. Those v-ups kicked my ass. I didn’t think I was sore from yesterday’s OHS extravaganza, but the first set today told me otherwise.
September 2009
55 posts
Wikipedia entry for 'Dumbbell' →
“Dumbbells” as a word originated in Tudor England – athletes used hand-held church bells to develop the upper body and arms. These bells ranged in weight from a few ounces to many pounds. The bells were flourished in various ways. This would have made a great deal of noise, so the athletes would take out the clappers so they could practice quietly; hence the name “dumb”, as...
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Long Division, 603 Style
Stolen from Crossfit 603:
Overhead squat a total of 20 x your body weight (BW), for time
Body weight: 190lb, weight moved: 3,800lb. My approach: 4 sets of 10 reps with 95lb. Time: 4:04 The last two sets were tough, but I stuck it out and finished it in 4 sets as planned.
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Max Effort Dumbbell Snatch
Three rounds of Cindy to get the blood pumping, then onto the good old snatch:
DB Snatch
5 x 50lb
5 x 60lb
5 x 70lb
3 x 80lb
3 x 90lb
3 x 100lb *FAIL* (1.5)
Dammit. I wanted to hit that last set, but I conked out on the second rep with my left hand. Too many reps before the set of 100s. Next week I’ll set a new 1RM.
Aa is for apple, Pp is for pesticide →
A great reminder to buy organic produce.
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Kung Fu class
Ran the first class through a quick warmup, some drills and skills, and then focused on forms. Stuck around and worked myself out on Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen afterwards. Focused on the opening section and the closing section for a while, then worked through the crane section 20x. Sifu gave me some interesting stuff to think about with it.
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Tunnel To Towers 5k Run 2009
I met up with a small group from the kung fu school today and ran the Tunnel To Towers 5k. We jogged it as a team and were stuck in a few serious bottlenecks (looks like there’s always traffic getting to the Battery Tunnel, even when it’s closed to cars) so I didn’t even check our time. The sweat index was low but the rain index was high, so I was sufficiently soaked.
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Crossfit WOD: Fight Gone Bad
As part of the Crossfit-wide Fight Gone Bad IV fundraiser, I headed over to Crossfit Virtuosity aka The Brooklyn Barbell Club to get my FGB on:
Wall Ball x 60 sec (32, 20, 23)
Sumo Deadlift High Pull (75lb) x 60 sec (33, 18, 20)
Box Jumps x 60 sec (25, 20, 15)
Push Press (75lb) x 60 sec (24, 19, 20)
Row x 60 sec (18, 13, 14)
Repeat 3x, resting 60 sec between rounds.
Total score: 314....
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Kung Fu practice
This week has been light on kung fu due to some family and work stuff, so I need to get some more time in. In keeping with this week’s focus on Fuk Fu, I worked it for a while in the cool dark air by the Old Stone House. It’s feeling really strong - better than it has in a while. Also ran through Tiet Sien Kuen, focusing on the stuff I learned in the latest seminars with Sigung.
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Burpee / Jump Rope Intervals
An outdoor quickie by the Old Stone House:
Burpees x 30 sec (11)
Jump Rope x 30 sec
Repeat 10x, resting 30 sec between rounds.
My lowest set of burpees in the 30 sec interval was 11, highest was 14 on the first one. This one attracted the attention of lots of little kiddies.
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“Renew your passions daily.”
– Abbe Yeux-verdi
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Kung Fu class
Worked out with the first class today. After the warmup we ran through the first section of Fuk Fu together a few times, then we focused on some of those techniques and drilled them. Ran through Fuk Fu in its entirety 5x with the second class and drilled Ji Mo Seung Do a bit after class.
FoodScanner iPhone App by DailyBurn →
Pretty rad looking app, but if the people using it are truly health conscious shouldn’t they be avoiding any ‘food’ that comes with a barcode?
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“Never cut corners. Train hard and don’t cut corners. Because if you do, it will...”
– Mickey Ward (via)
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Circuit Act 2: Back in the Habit
Frank and I cooked up this Fight Gone Bad style workout after our chin-up session:
Burpees x 60 sec (24, 19, 18)
Mountain Climbers x 60 sec
Jumping Squats (45lb) x 60 sec (25, 19, 20)
Dumbbell Swings (55lb) x 60 sec (27, 20, 18)
Barbell Thrusters (45lb) x 60 sec (17, 13, 14)
Repeat 3x, resting 60 sec between rounds.
It was tough to keep track of the numbers and the non-burpee numbers may...
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Max Effort Weighted Chin Ups
Started things off with some light overhead squats and the standard joint rotations and stuff.
Weighted Chin-Ups
3 x 60lb
3 x 80lb
3 x 105lb
1 x 130lb
1 x 150lb
1 x 160lb *FAIL*
1 x 160lb *FAIL*
Since the dumbbells in my gym only go up to 150lbs, I had to get clever with my last set. We wrapped a 10lb plate to the triceps rope handle and looped it into the weight belt. It was...
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“Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production...”
– Thomas Edison (via)
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“Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you’re...”
– William Durant (via)
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“I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have...”
– Thomas Jefferson
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Max Effort Squats
Started with the official TWBS warmup and some glute activation exercises.
Back Squat
3 x 245lb
3 x 265lb
3 x 285lb
1 x 315lb
1 x 335lb *FAIL*
1 x 335lb *FAIL*
I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be a strong day in the squat cage on the walk to the gym. I tried to take the same approach I used with TGUs and kept it relatively light for the first few sets so I could max...
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“Live every week like it’s shark week.”
– Tracy Jordan
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Kung Fu class
Assisted with the first class of the night, then worked myself on Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen and Yu Ga Dai Pa afterwards. Ran through both forms a few times and focused on a few different sections, but was sort of unfocused. Also briefly reviewed some of the material from the weekend seminars with the fellas.
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Kung Fu class
After a quick circuit-style warmup, which I had nothing to do with (since I was already pretty warm from the gym), we did some pad work with combos. Light free sparring after that - the standard fare for a Wednesday.
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Fight Gone Bad Prep
Tried to do some prep work for my upcoming Fight Gone Bad challenge. Just working on the movements with the prescribed weight, not for time:
20 Push Presses (75lb)
20 Box Jumps
20 Sumo Deadlift High-Pulls (75lb)
Repeat 3x
The goal was to do each set uninterrupted but I partitioned the last set of presses and pulls. I think I need to work on my grip for the SDLHP because they just fry my...
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Max Effort Turkish Get Ups
Turkish Get Ups
2 x 55lb
2 x 75lb
1 x 90lb
1 x 100lb
1 x 110lb (PR)
Damn it felt good to get 110 up. I felt rock solid the whole way up and even the whole way down. I decided not to tempt fate and go for a heavier set since I was sort of short on time. I’ve learned that the key to hitting PRs with TGUs is not to wear myself down too much in the first few sets.
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“This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never...”
– Winston Churchill
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Burpee Fran
Following Crossfit’s 21-15-9 rep scheme and adding burpees to modify their Fran WOD:
DB Thrusters (30lb)
Pullups
Burpees
Total time: 7:41. This was terrible. Too much resting. You know it’s a tough workout when the burpees are the easiest part.
Previously: 8:10 on 5/5/08
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Kung Fu class
Small class tonight (Monday night football?), so I hung back and did my own thing. After the first class cleared out, I worked on Yu Ga Dai Pa for a while. Briefly reviewed some of the seminar materials with the training brothers after that, but we’ll go into greater detail later this week.
Blog - Yee's Hung Ga Kung Fu School - Park Slope,... →
Oh look, another tumblr-powered blog by yours truly.
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“The obstacle is the path.”
– Zen saying
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Man dies during East River swim competition →
This is terrible news. As someone who swims in several NYC Swim events every year, I’ve always felt safe by the amount of kayakers and boaters along the course. Apparently this guy had a heart attack mid-swim and there was nothing anybody could do for him.
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Tabata Twenty
Out behind the Old Stone House, along with every kid under 7 in Park Slope:
Tabata Jump Rope
Tabata Box Jumps (7)
Tabata Jump Rope
Tabata Decline Pushups (12)
Tabata Jump Rope
The number in parentheses is the lowest number of reps completed in the work intervals (a la Crossfit). I tried to maintain the high-knee-sprint-in-place style of jumping rope throughout, but the middle section was...
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Kung Fu testing and seminars
Long day of testing and seminars at the New Jersey branch today. I attended the senior seminar in the morning, then judged junior testing, and went through the junior seminar in the afternoon. Learned lots of great techniques and got a healthy sweat going at various points of the day.
Yee's Hung Ga Kung Fu School - Park Slope,... →
What a fine looking new web site!
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“The only thing worse than starting something and failing… is not starting...”
– Seth Godin
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Kung Fu class
I ran the first class through the paces tonight - standard warmup followed by some forearm training before going into forms. I worked through Ng Lung Ba Gwa Gwan a bit and was feeling pretty good by the end of the night.
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Kung Fu class
After a quick warmup, I took the guys through test prep today - looking over forms and stuff. Managed to work in some practice on Ng Lung Ba Gwa Gwan when I wasn’t helping them out. I fear this form will always be my goat.
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Kung Fu practice
Outside by the Old Stone House in the lovely cool air. I started off with an easy Tiet Sien Kuen to get warmed up, then ran through Fuk Fu Kuen 10x with varying power. Had another go at Tiet Sien Kuen after all that and felt really good. I wish I could do this every day.
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“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
– Jack London (via)
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“Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are...”
– Will Rogers on success
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Dirty Thirty Birthday Workout
I had something much grander planned for my 30th bday workout, but had to modify my plans to fit the day’s festivities. After I put Zach down for his nap, I went to the basement for a quickie:
30 Double Unders
30 Kneeling Wheel Rollouts
30 Burpees
Repeat 3x
Total time: 16:27. Spent most of my time on the wheel rollouts, but the burpees were really tough after those too. I never...
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Max Effort Weighted Chin-Ups
After the official TWBS warmup, I worked on some light back squats and front squats (3 x 5 x 135lb for each) to get the stagnant blood out of my legs.
Weighted Chin-Ups
5 x 75lb
5 x 75lb
5 x 75lb
3 x 105lb
3 x 120lb
3 x 120lb
Felt alright, didn’t really push to failure today but still got a good workout.
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“Never interrupt your enemy while he is making a mistake.”
– Napoleon Bonaparte
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Kung Fu practice
I was pretty beat down by the time I got to the school today, so I ran through Tiet Sien Kuen a couple times to recharge my batteries. After that I worked on Ji Mo Seung Do for a while. Totally beat and looking forward to tomorrow’s rest day.