Shotokans' continuing quest for better kicks and stances.

[Shotokan]

This is my fourth 6 week challenge.  I made great progress on my last 6 week challenge but now it's time to fine tune my workouts and get more specific.

 

Daily glute or core workout:

 

I did this during the last challenge and I plan on doing the same this time too.  I am still going to do at least one movement per day but I have to do at least one set of trapbar deadlifts each day.  This is one exercise that seems to work my entire body, except for pushing movement.  I hope to add a core movement and a pushing movement too but I have to at least do the trapbar deadlifts every day.

 

I have already been doing the daily trapbar deadlifts since the end of the last challenge and I really like it.  I have been using 145 pounds for at least 6 to 12 reps, depending upon how I feel each day.  I am hoping to get the point where I am doing sets of 6 to 8 with 300 pounds but I am willing to take my time to get there.

 

Foam roller, tennis ball and other pain maker usage:

 

Trigger points in my glutes are still a major pain in the butt so I am going to continue to use the foam roller, stick or my deep tissue guys each day to bring them to there knees or wherever they belong. I work at least one area each day, mostly my glutes but my quads and calves are mixed in there too.

 

Leg raises and static stance training at least three times a week:

 

Side and back leg raises and knee raises to the front are in the plan this time.  I need to continue to improve my range of motion and also get my strength up in the hips so the leg raises are the part of the attack plan.  

 

I also want to improve my Karate stances and static stance training is in the route that I plan on taking to do it.

 

These will be done at least three days a week, hopefully more.

 

Cut my gluten intake by 80% or more:

 

This is something that I have been trying to do for some time now and I think this time, I can do it.  It should help with my Crohn's disease and I am hoping it will make me feel better overall and keep the inflammation in my body at bay.

 

Write more:

 

Last time, my goal was to write at least 750 words per week and I did at least that but now it's time to bump it up to 1000 words per week and I want to publish at least two blog posts each week.

[Kishi]

Honestly, all of this is completely attainable. You owe it to yourself to do this and finish strong for the year.

 

I wish you the very best!

[Shotokan]

Honestly, all of this is completely attainable. You owe it to yourself to do this and finish strong for the year.

 

I wish you the very best!

Thanks my friend.  

[Zuel]

Great to read you are doing well Shotokan. Getting to lift up to 300 pounds sounds amazing, I´m sure you will make a lot of progress aiming to that. 

 

I´m back man, hope to read more of your progress and routines! 

[The Shogun]

Good luck in your challenge! As Kishi says, let's finish strong this year! 

[Shotokan]

Great to read you are doing well Shotokan. Getting to lift up to 300 pounds sounds amazing, I´m sure you will make a lot of progress aiming to that. 

 

I´m back man, hope to read more of your progress and routines! 

Thanks Zuel!  I am glad you are back!  

[Shotokan]

Good luck in your challenge! As Kishi says, let's finish strong this year! 

Thanks!

[Shotokan]

Workout 1: 11/11/13

 

Daily glute or core workout:

 

Trapbar deadlifts - 145 x 12 - time to add some weight.  

 

Foam roller, tennis ball and other pain maker usage:

 

I visited my deep tissue guy yesterday and he did some work on my calves and my left hip flexor.  I cannot describe the pain that he puts me through but it always feels good after he is done.

 

 Leg raises and static stance training at least three times a week:

 

I did side leg raises for 3 sets of 10-12 rep each leg and then a single set for the front and back leg raises.

 

Cut my gluten intake by 80% or more:

 

I don't think I had any gluten at all unless the Ragu sauce on my gluten free noddles had some in it.  Cutting out the gluten seems to really be helping reduce the inflammation in my body and especially my stomach.

 

Write more:

 

I published a blog post on one of my blogs.

[Zuel]

So you are working on your calves and hip? How are those progressing? 

 

I´ve been hearing a lot about gluten lately, I´ll have to check it out, just in case.

 

Great lifting by the way!

[Shotokan]

So you are working on your calves and hip? How are those progressing? 

 

I´ve been hearing a lot about gluten lately, I´ll have to check it out, just in case.

 

Great lifting by the way!

The hips are starting to loosen up a bit.  Still very tight after 30 years of desk jobs but there is some progress with my internal hip rotation.  My calves are a different story and have always been really right for some reason.  The deep tissue guy just loves to see me squirm when he digs into them.  

 

Thanks!

[Kishi]

I don't want to spoil anything for further down the line, but let's just say that it's good that you're practicing with your deep tissue work now...

[Zuel]

I see, good to know there is no problem with the calves and hip then. Deep tissue sounds harsh!

 

And I suspect Kishi is doing some foreshadowing here XD

[caponerd48]

Crohns huh? Rough business. My brother's had it since he was a kid and it has caused all kinds of problems with him. Let me know if the gluten free thing keeps working! I have been urging him to try but he's stubborn and the more anecdotal evidence I can amass the better. Good luck with the pain relief!

[The Shogun]

Kishi should have his own spoiler alert. 

[Shotokan]

I don't want to spoil anything for further down the line, but let's just say that it's good that you're practicing with your deep tissue work now...

I have been getting worked on for a few months now and even though it is painful, the deep tissue work is really helping.  I have 30 plus years of scar tissue in my hips that need s to be broken down.  One of the most painful things he does is he jams his fingers into my hip flexor and then makes me put my leg as far behind me as possible.  When it won't go any farther, he helps torture me more by pulling my leg back for me.

 

I cannot believe the things I have gone through to help my kicks.  LOL

[Shotokan]

I see, good to know there is no problem with the calves and hip then. Deep tissue sounds harsh!

 

And I suspect Kishi is doing some foreshadowing here XD

I have been told that I do have arthritis in both hips but that's not going to stop me.  I do have a tendency to get a lot of knots in not only my calves but most the muscles in the legs too.

 

I will offer some advice to many of you who are still young, this is something that my Sensei shared with me, "don't get old".  He told me that but sadly, I was already old when he told,  I certainly hope my son listens to him. 

[Shotokan]

I don't want to spoil anything for further down the line, but let's just say that it's good that you're practicing with your deep tissue work now...

It really scares me when the deep tissue guy tells me that I must have a very high pain tolerance.  I am going to need to bring a mouthpiece if it gets any harder.

[Shotokan]

Crohns huh? Rough business. My brother's had it since he was a kid and it has caused all kinds of problems with him. Let me know if the gluten free thing keeps working! I have been urging him to try but he's stubborn and the more anecdotal evidence I can amass the better. Good luck with the pain relief!

Will do.  I have tried of lot of stuff since my flare up almost three years ago.  I also had issues when I was younger (35 years ago and then about 25 years ago) but I never knew what it was until I was in my mid 40's.

 

I have been wanting to outline what I learned over the last few years and as soon as I get it done, I will share it with you.  

[Shotokan]

Kishi should have his own spoiler alert. 

Very true!

[Shotokan]

Workout 2: 11/12/13

 

Daily glute or core workout:

 

Trapbar deadlifts - 145 x 6 warm up 155 x 7.  

 

Foam roller, tennis ball and other pain maker usage:

 

Foam roller on quads, hams and glutes.

 

 Leg raises and static stance training at least three times a week:

 

I did side leg raises for 2 sets of 15 reps each leg and then a single set for the front and back leg raises.  Static horse stance for 60 seconds and static back stances for 30 seconds each leg.

 

Cut my gluten intake by 80% or more:

 

Clean eating day except for some ragu sauce again.  I think the ragu might be a problem so I am going to not have that for a while.

 

Write more:

 

Worked on text for my portfolio website.

 

Tough Karate class too but it felt good.  My hips were working well!

[Shotokan]

Workout 3: 11/13/13

 

Daily glute or core workout:

 

Trapbar deadlifts - 145 x 6 warm up 155 x 8.  

 

Foam roller, tennis ball and other pain maker usage:

 

Foam roller on quads.

 

 Leg raises and static stance training at least three times a week:

 

I did side, front and back leg raises for 1 sets of 15 reps each  

 

Cut my gluten intake by 80% or more:

 

Had some breaded white meat chicken and a donut today.  Not sure about the gluten because I don't know what was in the breading or the donut.  I really needed the donut.

 

Write more:

 

Working on a blog post for Shotokanplanet.org from Karate class last night.

[Kishi]

Man, I know. I had to have a whole box of donuts on my cheat day. That was how strong the craving was. And I made do with the store-bought stuff. I bet you managed to get yours from an actual place.

[Shotokan]

Man, I know. I had to have a whole box of donuts on my cheat day. That was how strong the craving was. And I made do with the store-bought stuff. I bet you managed to get yours from an actual place.

The donuts that I get are evil,  They are from a local bakery that delivers to the grocery store that we shop at.  The problem is, I normally get a box of four and I have one and my wife and son get the rest but this time, they only had a box of eight so I had to have three of them so far.  Pure evil!!!

[Shotokan]

Workout 4: 11/14/13

 

Daily glute or core workout:

 

Trapbar deadlifts - 145 x 6 warm up 155 x 9

Straight arm plank for 60 seconds

Lying side leg raises - 12 each leg

 

Foam roller, tennis ball and other pain maker usage:

 

Foam roller on glutes and calves.

 

 Leg raises and static stance training at least three times a week:

 

I did side, front and back leg raises for 1 sets of 15 reps each  

Static stance - Horse stance (with slow front punches) for 60 seconds and back stance (with slow knife hand blocks) for 30 seconds each side. 

 

Cut my gluten intake by 80% or more:

 

Mostly meat today but I did have a small amount of sourdough bread and two of those evil donuts.

 

Write more:

 

Working on a blog post for my fitness website.

[Taijibum]

Hey, you're a karate guy! How long?