Gogor

So, yeah, I grew up reading comics. And when I got some time, I still love reading them. And these are some of my favorite guys: And you know what? I wanna look & be more like those dudes. Yes, I know they are imaginary. I know that I'm being unrealistic. I know that the last dude has horns. But that is a goal for reaching, not achieving. And I'm gonna go for it. Fit like Mark, dedicated like Frank, unyielding like Bruce, focused like Conan, free- moving like Lord Graystoke and ... cool like Big H. Why? I really want to. That's why.

What happened? How did I get here? Well... ...well, I left my old working place, and got a better job. was not easy, but did it! my wife got her big promotion, and now is a big boss at work! we got a loan from the bank and have bought a french car. I call him Red. I started doing a lot of additional work in local community , teaching kids to role play. ... and I really really tried to have my own dojo, but it went bust. I put op the posters monthly, I invited people regularly, I made ads and stuff, I paid the gym on time (and my friend the gym owner was more than cool about it), worked hard there 3 times a week, even if alone. and all I achieved to do is to attract two high-schoolers (a dude and his girlfriend). then they broke up, so she stopped coming. then he stopped coming too. ... later on I have discovered that he is a juvenile delinquent who got into frequent fights and was under police monitoring, that he came up from a broken home and that in the small time that he has spent in the dojo, he was actually getting better in other aspects of life, but then he had to move to another city. so my dojo had no students, and we closed down. I live in a small town where only interests for martial arts are by kids (karate, judo, taekwondo ), teenagers (MMA, boxing, krav maga, BJJ), and are all focused on competition, and, since my club did not provide that, I was not as interesting and went under. ... I wallowed in my disappointing for a bit, but decided that I got another experience, and went on with my life. My working schedule was still intense. I discovered a local tai chi school in the nearby school gym, and went for it. It was cool and I learned a lot. To do tai chi from my perspective was illuminating - each graceful movement is actually a fighting technique intended to strike, take down, hold or brake your opponent(s) - yet it looks so graceful and tranquil. I did that for a year, and then it was summer brake, and we had no classes up until this fall when they are starting again. ... by then, I have put on the efforts to find a better job, got it, finished my resigning work period in my old work, and started anew on the new place- a new kindergarten. working hours are better, collegues are okay, kids in my group are okay. and also, as I have mentioned before: I started doing a lot of additional work in local community , teaching kids to role play. doing this with my friends from a local community center. trouble is, I fell off the wagon. Still have my mourning routine workout, but have neglected my food choices, my martial arts workout, and I'm getting low-spirited. I have to begin again. and again. and again. and like phoenix, rise from "the ashes" of my procrastination, and again sail the skies. As soon as I find the answer: Why does the phoenix chase the sun? It is in his nature.

It was so long ago, and so many things happened. ... ...well, I left my old working place, and got a better job. was not easy, but did it! my wife got her big promotion, and now is a big boss at work! we got a loan from the bank and have bought a french car. I call him Red. I started doing a lot of additional work in local community , teaching kids to role play. ... and I really really tried to have my own dojo, but it went bust. I put op the posters monthly, I invited people regularly, I made ads and stuff, I paid the gym on time (and my friend the gym owner was more than cool about it), worked hard there 3 times a week, even if alone. and all I achieved to do is to attract two high-schoolers (a dude and his girlfriend). then they broke up, so she stopped coming. then he stopped coming too. later on I have discovered that he is a juvenile delinquent who got into frequent fights and was under police monitoring, that he came up from a broken home and that in the small time that he has spent in the dojo, he was actually getting better in other aspects of life, but then he had to move to another city. so my dojo had no students, and we closed down. I live in a small town where only interests for martial arts are by kids (karate, judo, taekwondo ), teenagers (MMA, boxing, krav maga, BJJ), and are all focused on competition, and, since my club did not provide that, I was not as interesting and went under. I wallowed in my disappointing for a bit, but decided that I got another experience, and went on with my life. My working schedule was still intense. I discovered a local tai chi school in the nearby school gym, and went for it. It was cool and I learned a lot. To do tai chi from my perspective was illuminating - each graceful movement is actually a fighting technique intended to strike, take down, hold or brake your opponent(s) - yet it looks so graceful and tranquil. I did that for a year, and then it was summer brake, and we had no classes up until this fall when they are starting again. by then, I have put on the efforts to find a better job, got it, finished my resigning work period in my old work, and started anew on the new place- a new kindergarten. working hours are better, collegues are okay, kids in my group are okay. and also, as I have mentioned before: I started doing a lot of additional work in local community , teaching kids to role play. doing this with my friends from a local community center. trouble is, I fell off the wagon. Still have my mourning routine workout, but have neglected my food choices, my martial arts workout, and I'm getting low-spirited. I have to begin again. and again. and again. and like phoenix, rise from "the ashes" of my procrastination, and again sail the skies. As soon as I find the answer: Why does the phoenix chase the sun? It is in his nature.

Oh, how long ago have I written all of this...

Got the new space for my gym! Awesome! Along with my stuff ( punching bags, focus mitts, weapons), there's a lot of other stuff ( weigts, ketlebells, barbells, dumbbells, etc) that I can use!

The dojos in Croatia have a fee in the range around 35 to 50 $ a month ( depending on the timetable of lessons: 2 times, 3 times or entire week long ).

Hope you had a good time with Systema. (hope I ge to do that sometime, too) Considering the ones you mentioned, there was Aikido. From my experience, aikido is great for stretching, balance, perception, breathing exercises, reducing stress and health. There are unarmed and armed techniques ( knife, stick, sword ), a lot of falling and rolling. Basically, it is a defensive grappling martial art with a traditional Japanese feel to it. There are a few different branches of aikido, but basically they all come from the same source. To see how it looks like, look it up on google ( for instance, sensei Christian Tissier has some impresive demonstrations ) and to see it in movies, check out old Stephen Segal movies, or this awesome film by the name of "Bunraku" . Good luck !

I keep a diary of aikido lessons, and drawing stick figures and body parts to explain what was going on. Also, it is good to note it down, and then review it later to see how much you understood then, how much you understand now, and how much will you understand later on

Still sticking to it. Every morning, stretching and some yoga. Need to do it, or my back will crack - I'm a kindergarten teacher, so there is a lot of movement and bending down - picking up stuff involved. My body is my tool. Every day some exercise: if not martial arts, then kettlebell. Or strength routine. Or natural movements outside. Or just walking for 30 minutes. Every day, thinking what I eat. I cut out milk, too. Watched a show where a doctor said that drinking milk is not really good for persons of my age (35.). Back to the dojo soon. Kind of feel bad that I couldn't attend the month there were tests, so I didn't get to level up. Gotta wait for the next time exams. Hoping to be ready. Keep on keeping on.

Same here. I use a baseball bat to swing around, many gallon jugs to carry, stacks of books as yoga blocks, heavy bags and full backpack, towels for better grips, even an old phone book as a makiwara, duffel bags filled with old blankets for striking pads, and oven mitts for hand protection. Scrounging - that's my way.

Gonna start a new addition to my workouts: the path of the shadow warrior. The Shinobi no mono. Yup, that's right. The path of the NINJA! Why? Because I frikkin' love ninjas. I loved them since my childhood. I loved them ever since I have seen the Awesome Ninja Super Movie (and yes, I know that reveals how old I actually am. Shut up.) So, that's why I have started my journey into martial arts. As I mentioned in my previous personal quest post: " I'm a martial arts geek, too. Ever since I saw Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon and Michael Dudikoff in American Ninja, I was hooked for life. So I started shotokan karate when I was 7, but didn't like to compete (being somewhat insecure), so turned to Aikido, and found myself later in Shorin Kempo (where I got my bleck belt). I was doing wing chun kung fu, and it is awesome and was a huge part of my life. Got back to aikido, and what can I say... I'm in love with that stuff." As far as my ninjutsu experience goes, I was not so lucky: at first- there were no ninjutsu schools in my local town. Then after, I have found one, but was already a member of another dojo. Then, after quite a while, I found a dojo ( Genbukan Mangetsu Dojo in Zagreb, Croatia), and have trained there for couple of months. But it was costly a bit (not really a problem) and also really far away from my home, and from my working place. So I turned to aikido (price is reasonable, sensei is awesome, art is beautiful, dojo is near). And to incorporate ninjutsu in my daily life, I have found some online help: I joined the Natori ryu online, lead by Mr. Anthony Cummins, and got some of the books he translated. Those are ninja training manuals from the past called the Bansenshukai. I am also following the instructional videos from youtuber called Chosun Ninja, Mr. Greg Park. He is somewhat controversial figure in the online ninja community, but I find his videos cool and instructional, and I quite like some of his ninja stuff. Finally, I have bought ninja home training DVD compilation from sensei Richard J. Van Donk on the local flea market ( for a price of a sandwich! ) and will use it to my advantage. Even got some friends to help me out. Feeling really hyped about this. Gonna post more later on how it all goes. Arigato gozai mass!

Summer is here. Finally. And it's hot and humid, down here in Croatia. Still sticking to my morning routine. And I added this little bundle of joy to it: So I get to lift and play around with 16kg each morning.

So tired. Sometimes, so tired. Wake up in the morning and go to work, then hold lessons in English language for kids, then rest for half an hour, then go to the aikido practice, then take the bus home and fall asleep on the bus, then finally come home, cook and clean a bit, then bed. Day in day out. And still feeling guilty for not doing more, for not working out more. But when ?