soragrey

At least just calorie burning. But if it could also improve my performance that would be cool too.

Do you guys do supplemental workouts that compliment your martial arts training? Or at the very least, don't inhibit it? I would like to exercise more, however I have classes 3x a week and take both Aikido and Iaido. I don't want to go to class with arms or legs that are already sore and tired :/

I need help with this too. I always end up perpendicular to the line rather than facing the same direction I started. Probably something to do with my hips... I think I'm going to try what this guy does in this video: https://youtu.be/EscyQmsZZkM?t=35sHe kind of extends his arm along the line and slooowly goes over.

Squeee! Shihan is ahead of schedule and my katana will be finished in a couple more weeks! I can't wait I've also been progressing through the first set of 5 katas in preparation for my kyu test. I have 1 & 2 down, and am about halfway okay with 3. Sensei said he's really going to be focusing on us 5th kyus for the next couple of months now that those pesky black belts have passed their tests, haha

I'm not 100% sure I get how Challenges work. So everyone's just working on their own stuff, right? The main thing that makes it a challenge is the time frame? We just need to make a post where we figure out our own goal, and our own side quest, and the log it? Is this right? For some reason I thought challenges were everyone doing the same thing together

Your gf's behavior aside... it's really hard to change people or force them to do stuff. Usually the best thing to do is lead by example. Eventually, as you start getting fit, she'll feel more motivated to keep up with you (at least that is the hope). As for cravings, I've found there are two different kinds (for me). There is the first kind is triggered by me seeing something delicious, or thinking about how good something would taste. This type of craving is temporary and I can easily distract myself with something else, or have a healthy alternative (like a dessert-y tea). The second kind of craving will last all day regardless of any food I've seen or thought about. It doesn't matter if I'm hungry or not, the craving is still there. These types of cravings I pay more attention to and will usually follow up on as long as it's not too crazy.

Hmm. I'd say Tai Chi, or Aikido (with kneepads if you want to play it safe). I take Aikido and haven't run into any knee problems from it. We just had an 80yo get his black belt last year. People will understand that your ukemi might need to be modified.

At first I just enjoyed it for the harmonies and how it sounded like a love song in the beginning.. but then once you learn more about the song it's pretty awesome. USA Today interviewed Vienna for an exclusive preview feature. From the story: The Hymn of Acxiom is...a beautiful work that gets progressively creepier as it continues. Teng uses the piece to capture the way people related to technology and the information gathered about them, and there's almost a religious quality to it. "I think the reason we agree to be spied on, basically, is that, on some level, we do want to be known," she says. "There is that unsettling parallel with religion and the way technology works now. At some level, as human beings, we have this deep need, this deep desire to be understood, to be seen, to have the sense that someone knows everything we do. "Then there's the question of what that entity does with that knowledge. In religion, the message is that God loves you and embraces you while holding you accountable for being your best self. Whether Acxiom databases do that is much more questionable." Lyrics: Somebody hears you. You know that. You know that. Somebody hears you. you know that inside. Someone is learning the colors of all your moods, to (Say just the right thing and) show that you're understood. Here you're known. Leave your life open. You don't have. You don't have. Leave your life open. You don't have to hide. Someone is gathering every crumb you drop, these (Mindless decisions and) moments you long forgot. Keep them all. Let our formulas find your soul. We'll divine your artesian source (in your mind), marshal feed and force (our machines will) To design you a perfect love— Or (better still) a perfect lust. O how glorious, glorious: a brand new need is born. Now we possess you. You'll own that. You'll own that. Now we possess you. You'll own that in time. Now we will build you an endlessly upward world, (Reach in your pocket) embrace you for all you're worth. Is that wrong? Isn't this what you want? Amen.

Aikido would be my suggestion. I take it, and haven't noticed much stress on the knees. We had an 80 year old last year get his black belt

Ooh that's a good idea. When I'm in aikido class my white gi top always gaps open, though I wear a black tank top underneath. I'm constantly readjusting it.

What about in the middle of the day - can you take a power nap at work in your car (I've seen coworkers do this) or take a 10 minute meditation break every day (I have done this in an unused conference room)?

I had an a-ha moment in last night's class! My noto still needed some work, so sensei did a little exercise where he poured some water onto the mat and asked me to wipe it up with a cloth in a circular motion. Then he had me repeat it a few times. THEN he had me noto again, and as soon as I did it I smiled because I knew I had done it right. It was something about moving my right arm out and around like in a wide circle. I get the no-time problem. I spend about 9-10 hours a week at my dojo, NOT including the time we socialize and hang out. My time "off" are Monday nights, Wednesday nights, and Sundays (because Saturdays we usually go to lunch together after class and hang out for hours after). On my off nights I usually try to cram in stuff like grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. And now I'm trying to add in more fitness/workouts too, haha.

Hmm. Well, I do find it tiring, and I do need recharge/alone time. But I wouldn't say it's exhausting unless I am forced to interact with a lot of people, like I had to last week for a work conference. A Myers-Briggs test had me at an INFJ. http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/jtypesresult.aspx?EI=-47&SN=-44&TF=-9&JP=9

I don't think anyone ever regrets starting martial arts too soon... dooo eeeet. I wish I had started years ago.