stubbsmcgee

I hit 275 on my DL a couple days ago! (I'm going for 280 tonight!) That's a little over my full bodyweight :-D

Very nice!

Congrats! That's truly awesome!

This might be a bit dead, but why the hell not? I started out in martial arts at the age of 21 with borderline-high blood-pressure (spent most of high-school in front of my computer drinking pepsi as I suspect many other nerds did). When the nurse told me about the state of my health it was a wake-up call. I knew I needed to do something, but I've never been into organized sports (big surprise, I know). So I decided to look into martial arts. I ended up signing up at the first place I walked into. It was what I recognize now as a something of a McDojo. Although funny enough, I did manage to develop a pretty good grounding in physical movement and a decent understanding of how to make things work (I realized later it was what I put into the training, as I was bit more dedicated that most of my classmates). The school taught a mix of American Kenpo with some Shotokan derived forms mixed in (it really bugs the shit out of me now how I was required to know those forms to progress even though they never taught any useful applications!). My biggest gripes with the place were that the whole process was corporate, fast-food martial arts. Individuality was stamped out, real understanding was glossed over in favor of lots of techniques, and self-protection training amounted to a large array of interesting techniques with no grounding in how to really make them work (just as long as they looked "effortless"). After 7 years there (under contract of course) I left. I'd already been going to a Tae Kwon Do school with my then fiance (she wanted to learn, but I didn't want to be her teacher). I didn't much like it after about a year. They focused almost entirely on sparring with the implied understanding that it would help in fight or a self-protection situation. Somewhere in there I had also taken Kajukenbo and Tai Chi classes at the university for a semester. Once I left TKD, I decided to look into Wing Chun. I signed up for classes with the only school in the area and took classes for a month but ended up stopping because i was too busy with school/work/wedding stuff. After I got married, I started looking into WC again, my long time friend that taught at the school had quit because he was tired of the owner's BS. So I asked him if he'd teach me, he said sure and gave me a crash course in the parking lot behind his apartment for the next year and a half. Then he moved out of state. From that experience I really started look at what I wanted from my training. I wanted practicality plain and simple. Toward the end of my WC crash course, I took a couple of other classes through the university one was a more traditional form of Karate (I don't remember which) and an ITF TKD class. The Karate class was okay, the teacher had been teaching for something like 30 or 40 years, the TKD class was a joke though. The techniques the instructor assured me would work in a fight would require nothing but compliance from the other side. It was around this time that I got introduced to work by Rory Miller, Geoff Thompson, and Iain Abernethy. Miller's work in particular had a universe shifting effect on my view of making stuff work for self-protection. After my friend moved I found a Jujutsu class (funny enough in the previous location of the first school I trained at). The instructor took a very different view on the martial arts, he broke things down and analyzed them from different perspectives. How could they be used in war, how could they be used by law enforcement, etc. He was also the only instructor I ever had that actually knew what the law in the the state of Utah is regarding use of force. I didn't get much in the way of technique from him, he told me that I had all the physical knowledge he could provide. But what he could offer me was a shift in how I understood the arts and he wasn't kidding. He got me started in understanding kata application, as well he told me to start teaching. Then to get rid of any excuses on my part, he said "here's some time and here's some space, we'll worry about money later." He was also the one that really helped ground my practice in physical reality, as opposed to chalking everything up to ki/chi he broke things down in terms of anatomy and bodily systems. Here I am now, I teach a small class that I refer to as an "open lab" where essentially my students let me use them as guinea pigs. I tell them up front that I have no formalized system and that I'm not in the business of making clones. I'm learning probably 10x more than they are while I'm teaching. Stuff martial arts has taken from me? My hubris and my tendency to blame others for my problems. Stuff it's given me? A decent sense of what I'm actually capable of (physically as well as mentally) as well as a possible livelihood outside of sitting on my ass in front of a computer.

What's your level of flexibility right now in comparison to where you want it to go? What you can do to improve your flexibility is really up to what you want to improve as well as how far you want to improve it. The very basic thing is simply go through a range of motion simply trying to to push (gently!) against where it's comfortable. Simply look at the joints you want to increase motion in and then work through it's range. I'm guessing that you're looking for leg flexibility specifically though. Why don't you try starting with dynamic motion in the legs. Specifically basic kicks (front, side, back, round) work great for this especially when you're just starting a workout (NEVER static-stretch cold!). If you want you can do some basic static stretches here (toe-touches, hamstring, hurdler, splits) for 10-20 seconds on each side. I also like to stretch out my lower back here by lying on my back with one leg straight and the other pulled to my chest then pull the knee across to the other side while looking away (usually get a few lumbar pops and a occasionally an SI joint pop). Once you've warmed up your legs/hips then find a wall and try front to back swings with each leg. On each swing try to get your foot higher. After front to back swings, try side to side swings again, just try to get your foot higher with each swing. From there try stranding on one foot and bring your other knee up as high as you can then sweep it in a crescent motion from one side to the other and then back again. If your flexibility is as bad as you say it is, stop here. The preceding will leave your legs/hips feeling sore for a couple weeks while you get used to it. Follow that routine everyday for a couple weeks and see how you feel.

Wow, it's been a lot longer than I'm sure I realize that I've been in here (ALMOST 3 YEARS!?). Maybe I should re-introduce myself. My name is Brandon, I originally joined as a Monk (I've been studying martial arts for ~12 years now), although more my focus has been on strength training using free-weights. I've been going through the Starting Strength program with some good results. Although, I hurt my back a couple months ago and just barely (as in two days ago) got back to my previous squat PR (235). I learned a few things from my back injury: If a muscle injury feels better once it warms up, it's a muscle belly injury (not a tear) The best way to work through muscle belly injuries by focusing on high-rep/low-weight sets going for perfect form (high reps is 3x20) - look up the Bill Starr Method (it'll still be really painful, to follow through every day though - which I didn't do, but my 3 days a week doing it for a while definitely helped my back feel better) Use a valsalva maneuver to create a lot of intra abdominal pressure to reinforce your lower back (nice deep belly breath in at the start of the rep, don't let it out until the end of the rep) - check out the starting strength youtube channel for more information To go with the valsalva use a weight belt properly to help reinforce the abdominal pressure you're creating - put it around your waist and pull it as tight as you can With muscle injuries a chiropractor is the worst person to go see (I was almost in tears while the doc was trying to adjust me) A massage therapist on the other hand will work wonders (then go see the chiropractor to get your skeleton straightened out) I started lifting at the beginning of the year and I've managed to keep with it, yeah it was really really discouraging to injure myself but I'm back in full swing and I even managed to get my bench to keep going up while my back was hurting (My PR is 205 right now - I need to get some fractional plates!). Anyway, I'm happy to be back! I'll see everyone around the forums!

So I've restarted my blog recently, and I just published the first in a series of articles on the basics of working out and nutrition for martial artists (well more for martial artists who like Dragon Ball and are just getting started or who have tried supplementing training with further exercises and only succeeded in burning themselves out). I thought I'd pass it along. Any feedback you guys would be willing to give me would be greatly appreciated. You can find the article here: http://nerdjutsu.com/achieving-your-ultimate-form-part-1/ Thanks!

Heya Azure85, I work in Petersboro (right on the other side of the mountain) from Honeyville/Brigham/Tremonton. I've actually started teaching American Kenpo and Wing Chun Kung Fu classes on the south end of Logan if you're interested.

I took a Tai Chi class one semester, it was really interesting to watch a 150 lb 70 year old man push a 260 lb 21 year old marine around like he wasn't there. As far as it being taught as a way to exercise without breaking a sweat, I don't believe that, at least that wasn't the case in the above mentioned class either. But then again, my teacher talked about how he was taught and his teacher put his classes through the wringer (he mentioned that in one class they held a single stance for about 2 hours). In my experience though, Tai Chi and other primarily internal styles have a very steep learning curve in the beginning as so much of it is reliant on internal structure that's not very easily taught (it really has to be felt through experience). However once you have the internal understanding it tends to turn other things on their heads (such as how a punch is executed). But back to the question, should Tai Chi be considered a martial art? Well that depends on how it's taught. If it's taught with combat in mind then yes, if it's taught as a self-development tool, then probably not. It's just like Karate Do vs Karate Jutsu. The Do (as in a female deer) typically denotes an emphasis on the personal development while the Jutsu typically denotes a focus on practical application (I think that's where the distinction between Tai Chi vs Tai Chi Chuan is really important).

I would say it really depends on what the workouts will demand. I personally prefer heavy cotton gi pants like: https://www.tigerclaw.com/hayashi-heavy-weight-traditional-pants-martial-arts-pr-5628.html as they are built to hold up doing ground work (biggest problem I have with them is when they get drenched with sweat and start to slip down). I also like cotton specifically because it tends to pull sweat away as opposed to the cotton-poly blends (they just trap the sweat against the skin). Although if you want to go realistic, you'll want to find stuff that's close to what you normally wear (at least if you're actually studying for self-protection).

Anyone living close to Logan? I'm looking for some people to practice martial arts and work out with.

Dang dude! Sounds like things are heading to the up and up though! Hope things went well and that stuff has worked out for you! I've been laid off a couple times in my life, no bueno. Let alone you've got a family to take care of, I was on my own at those times. Throwing some vibes your way, even though it sounds like there's a good chance you've already go something lined up! Stubbs

Welcome! Sounds like you've already got a lot figured out Deadlift! Good luck on the runs! Stubbs

Heya Frax, No problem, let me know if you need anything. I'm happy to help. Stubbs

Good Luck Rugby Momma! I've gone from being super skinny/out of shape when I finished high school, to in shape and feeling good, to back out of shape, all in the course of about 12 years. I just turned 30 and want to get into shape again, I'm starting with martial arts forms again (I got into shape when I was earning my black belt), they're increasing my muscle tone and reducing joint pain when I do body-weight stuff. I'm actually thinking about recording some how-to videos for anyone that's interested. Best of luck! Stubbs

Welcome to NF! I can't say much in the way of having kids, the only experience I have with them is that I used to be one and that I've 7 nieces and nephews, all little bundles of energy. Best of luck to you! Stubbs

Welcome Fraxinus! I remember all too well being super skinny when I was highschool. I was 6'2" and a 165 (I could wrap my thumb and index finger around my upper arm). It wasn't until I was in my 20s that I hit 180 although I couldn't break it until I hit about 25 or 26. By then I'd been studying martial arts for a few years and earned a black belt, but then I decided to go to college. Since then it's been an uphill battle with my weight and motivation to train. Although part of that was most likely because I got laid off back in 2008 from a job I loved and ended up in one that took a piece of my soul away every shift I worked for 4 years. Oh well I got my job back at the beginning of this year and interestingly enough I find I have more emotional energy so I can get out and start training again. Not to mention I just turned 30 so, I figure it would be a great way to start off another decade of life. I'm also graduating after Fall Semester this year (HELL YES!). As far as your joints go, I'd recommend you start over and work your way back up. I say this because my long frame has always put pressure on my joints, it wasn't until I had some basic strength that I was able to start working out heavily (even just doing more than 10-15 push-ups). I've started getting back into the swing of things by going over some of my martial arts forms (if you're interested, I'll record some videos for you), paying particular attention to using dynamic muscular tension. I've noticed some muscle tone coming back and as such my joints haven't been hurting so much doing light body weight exercises. I"m going to start doing Steve's Beginner's Body-weight Circuit - http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/ Then I've been posting stuff on my blog, but I've started re thinking my approach to reporting there. Nothing concrete yet. Best of luck, sending good vibes your way! Stubbs

Heya PD, Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, thought I had this configured to send me updates on things every day. Oh well guess I still need to tweak it and figure it out. Anyway, yeah I'll have to check out your blog, what's the address? That would be pretty infuriating, not teaching you about your own history. As far as my job goes, I worked for the same company for a couple years but got laid off back in 2008 after the economy had really hit the shitter. But the VP of the company was one of my Karate students back in 2005-2006 (wow, has it been that long?!?). I was studying programming at the local tech college and we ended up having a few conversations about tech and stuff, then one night he offered me a job testing robots. So I said yeah, why not? I guess I did a really good job while I was there because even though they laid me off, I still kept in touch with the CEO and the VP and the COO remembered me, so I put in a resume and they all put their blessing on it and I got my job back (with a sizable pay increase!). Thus has begun the year I start taking my life and actually start living! In other news I've started teaching a Wing Chun Kung Fu class! Just one night a week right now, but I'll probably push it to a couple nights a week after a few weeks and my Karate Instructor also wants me to teach American Kenpo. So hell yeah! Should help with getting in shape even more, not to mention really help build a lifestyle of fitness. With regard to lettuce, get the dark green stuff. Iceberg is teh suck! I love redleaf and romaine. Later! Stubbs

Just finished reading: The War of Art and Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield, really good if you need a bit of a bitch-slap to get yourself motivated to do what you know you should be doing. Clash of Generations by Kolikoff and Burns, not something I'd pick myself, but it was a good read from one of my FCHD classes this semester. Kind of depressing/enlightening on how much we're being screwed by the entitlement systems in the US. Currently reading: Be Excellent at Anything by Tony Scwartz - I'm a bit of a self-improvement junkie I guess Vital Point Strikes by Sang H. Kim - To feed my martial arts nerd

No Problem PD. You can call me whatever, stubbs is something I gave myself (as I suspect most internet handles go).

Hehe, well figured I should introduce myself to the community! Anything you need help with PD let me know, I'll do what I can!

So PD, what about Scottish history during 1300-1500 do you find so interesting? Finally getting settled into my new apartment! I bought some veggies, and juiced them (first time I've used my juicer in a bit). I think I found something comparable to Jamba Juice's Apple's and Greens (my personal favorite). 4 Red Delicious Apples3 Cucumbers1 Bunch of Celery1 Bunch of KaleFreaggin' delicious! Here's to veggies! Nom nom nom! Yeah PD that picture is pretty sweet!

Heya PD, Yeah, I'm a student as well. I'm finishing up the current semester in a couple weeks and then taking the summer off. Then I'm going back to finish my last semester in the fall, speaking of which, I need to apply for graduation. As far as what I'm studying, my degree has ended up becoming an amalgamation of Social Sciences. Mostly Psychology and Sociology with a sprinkling of Family, Child, and Human Development. Which is somewhat strange since I originally wanted to study Computer Science when I started, but alas Algebra and I don't get along. Oh well, as much as I love tech, people are a lot more interesting. It also feeds into my passion for the martial arts so I guess everything works out in the end. It's the martial arts that are really my fuel for wanting to get back into shape. I've wanted to do stuff with them professionally, but realized I need to get myself back into shape (got busy with school and a dead end job for a few years and so I didn't have much time for anything else). This year started off well, I got a job back that I absolutely love (testing robots) and I realized how close I am to graduating. Thanks for sending the vibes my way! If you want to checkout my progress as I go along I'm documenting it on my blog NerdJutsu.com for accountability sake (and because it gives me something to write about on a regular basis). Have a good one!

LOL Gilfren!

Heya PD, I don't have much experience with going Paleo (still working on it myself). But I've read through some stuff on it, and from what I remember, they said specifically that you'll want to ease into it. Something like making only 50% of the meals you eat for the first couple weeks Paleo and then working up from there. I know exactly what you mean about the more energy and not feeling bloated as well. I ate Paleo for funny enough, 3 days and the same thing happened. It's also difficult for me because I'm having trouble getting my wife on board and she does most of the cooking right now. Oh well with the semester almost over, that'll change. What are you studying? Take luck!