Shotokan focuses on weaknesses

[Shotokan]

Like my good friend The Rock says 

I have found the main thing that has kept me from improving all the time I have been doing these challenges. It's not a total lack of focus but lack of focus on the areas that I need to improve. I have improved a great deal since I started doing these challenges almost five years ago but I am not where I want to be. The main problem is, I have been searching for the magic potion that will improve my kicks and my stance for Karate but even though they both improved, they aren't good enough. I like doing the workouts that did over the years and even looked forward to them but it's time to do the things that I don't enjoy. The reason that I don't enjoy doing the things I need to do is, to be honest, they are hard and I suck at them. I guess that nothing in life is free and if I want better kicks and stances, I need to focus on kicks and stances.

 

Focus area #1: Stances and kicks five times a week

Since these are the areas that I need the most improvement in, they are going to be the main focus. 50 kicks a week for each leg, especially side thrust kicks and both stationary and moving stance work. The kicks will be done slowly, since doing them slow is harder than doing them fast. The stationary stances will most likely be timed and the moving stances will be done slowly for reps.

 

Focus area #2: Flexibility or mobility five times a week

Stretching and mobility does help when I do it and I have enough programs to keep me busy but I just have to do them. Five days a week is going to be a little hard to hit but if I want to improve, I have to do it.

 

Focus area #3: Don't loose what I have - glute and hip workouts twice a week

I do not want to loose the improvements that I made and there is a lot of value in workouts that I have been doing. I am pretty sure that twice a week will at least maintain the gains I made and it should not overload my stance and kick training if I keep the frequency low.

 

Extra credit: Meditation five times a week

Using Headspace has really been helping and it helped me come up with the idea of working on what I need to improve instead of just working. I need to training smarter and harder and I think the meditation is helping.

 

Life goal: Rekindle the writing fire

When I started writing, almost 12 years ago, I did it with the intention of making it my full time living. After doing it for more than a few years and realizing that it wasn't working as an income source, I started writing for the joy of it. Over the last two years, I haven't done much writing and it certainly feels like something is missing from my life so it's time to get the fingers moving on the keyboard.

 

[WolfDreamer]

An excellent point, focus. I love how specific your challenge areas are. Keep at it, and let me know if I can support you in any way.

[The Shogun]

YEAH! Another person with a writing goal!!!

 

Also, it can't be a Shotokan challenge if he isn't kicking some goal on its face!

 

Following!

[Teirin]

hey Shotokan :-)  Back to follow you.

[Shotokan]

Off to races, day one:

 

Simple warm up with some arm circles, up and down and in and out along with dynamic leg stretches to the front, back and side.

 

Although I didn't have any muscle building goals in this challenge, I need my old arms back so today started off with some barbell complexes.

 

2 sets of 12 reps with 45 lbs for each:

 

Sumo deadlift

Bent over row

Clean

Press

Barbell curls

 

2 x 12 of sanding cable crunches

 

My heart rate was really up for the first set and second set went even higher and I was out of breath but it felt pretty good.

 

After that came some kata but with focus on stances and the movement in between each one. I am purposely focusing on keeping my pelvis up which is not an easy task for me but is getting better.

 

The rest was 6 each, one both sides, of side thrust kicks and front snap kicks. I am performing these very slowly and a 10 second hold after the last rep.

 

So far it's a good start and there is only three weeks and six days left to go.

[Shotokan]

Today's workout was about flexibility and kicks.

 

I had bought Pavel's Beyond Flexibility many years and never really gave it try until tonight. Needless to say, it was pretty tough and there were a few movements that I couldn't do but I think I did get something out of it.

 

After that came some slow kata with the focus on stances and there were significantly lower than last night. I guess Pavel might be on to something.

 

After that came 7 slow side thrust kicks and three back kicks with each leg. My left leg kicks felt much better than the right leg so I might need to up the number on the right leg.

 

Another day behind and another workout behind me.

 

 

[RisenPhoenix]

On 3/12/2017 at 10:29 PM, Shotokan said:

I have improved a great deal since I started doing these challenges almost five years ago

 

..... Holy crap, I didn't realize you pre-dated me.  By six months, but holy crap.  That's a rare thing.

 

On 3/12/2017 at 10:29 PM, Shotokan said:

but I am not where I want to be.

 

Annnnnnd this is the constant thought in my brain these days.

 

Anyway, sounds like you have a new fire lit under your butt.  So huzzah, get that forward progress!

[Shotokan]

19 minutes ago, RisenPhoenix said:

 

..... Holy crap, I didn't realize you pre-dated me.  By six months, but holy crap.  That's a rare thing.

 

 

Annnnnnd this is the constant thought in my brain these days.

 

Anyway, sounds like you have a new fire lit under your butt.  So huzzah, get that forward progress!

I was almost sure you and many others were here much longer than me. 

 

You are not alone with the constant thoughts but the best part is, we keep moving forward.

[Shotokan]

Today's workout went pretty well.

 

I was able to get home from work early enough to get in 30 minutes of beyond stretching before leaving for Karate class.

 

My kicks were better tonight than they have been in a while and I ended up giving my wife two solid roundhouse kicks in the ribs.  I didn't think they were that hard but she told me different. Oddly, I was able to put out some pretty good side thrust kicks and was even able to hold them out, not fall over and even smiled about it while I was holding the kicks out. My wife did laugh about that at least, after the roundhouse kicks anyway.

 

If I counted my kicks from tonight that part of the challenge would be complete but I am not going to count Karate classes for that part. 

 

Even thought, Pavel's Beyond Stretching is one of his oldest routines, it seems pretty effective, at least after only two days. I am going to play with Super Joints next and see what that does tomorrow. 

[Shotokan]

Another day, another workout.

 

Today's workout was Super Joints by Pavel. This is a little different than the other mobility workout that I did the past two days.  The upper body part of this one is a bit more intense but I can't explain in text how loose my shoulders feel right now.  The lower body part was equally intense and I did some movements for my hips that I didn't think I could do but I guess all training in the past helped.

 

Next came some katas but no specific stance training. After that came five side thrust kicks and 5 roundhouse kicks for each leg. Those were as good or better than yesterday but they were done slowly instead of fast like in class yesterday.  One difference that I have been noticing is that I am finally getting more glute activation during the kicks. I am not feeling the muscle soreness in my hips as much as I am the glutes which is good sign, I think.

[Shotokan]

One thing I forgot but I have been for 14 or 15 days is mediation. It has been going really well and I feel that it helping on many levels.  I wasn't sure if Headspace was worth it but it really is.

[Kishi]

I've been thinking about Pavel's joint stuff, and really about flexibility in general. How would you say it was?

[Thrillho]

If you're looking for a writing Accountabili-buddy, this is the month (well, the beginning of April) I start TRYING to make writing my career, as in my source of income. I could use someone yelling Rock-isms at me while I do it.

[Shotokan]

8 hours ago, Kishi said:

I've been thinking about Pavel's joint stuff, and really about flexibility in general. How would you say it was?

Honestly, after trying to so many different things over the past 10 years, his stuff seems to be giving me more bang for the buck than most others that I have tried. I couldn't do any type of mobility or flexibility training before a Karate class before without ending up tired and tighter then I would be if I didn't do anything but on Tuesday, I was able to do the Beyond Stretching routine and actually have it carry over into class and help me perform better.  Even though I had 30 minutes and a car ride to class, I was still able to jump right into class and throw better kicks than normal.

 

So far, I am pretty positive about his stuff but it will be more time before I see if I continue to improve. I also noticed that I am able to move from my knees and ankles when walking down my stairs at where as I used to walk do them like Frankenstein before with stiff legs.

 

 

[Shotokan]

7 hours ago, Thrillho said:

If you're looking for a writing Accountabili-buddy, this is the month (well, the beginning of April) I start TRYING to make writing my career, as in my source of income. I could use someone yelling Rock-isms at me while I do it.

Sounds awesome to me.  I haven't typed much at all since this started and I too could use the encouragement.  Do you want to start April 1st?

[Shotokan]

Today's workout, ah another good one.

 

I tried Relax into Stretch today and it was a little different than the other two routines from Pavel. It was harder than the other two but I was able to get farther into my stretches with his contract relax concept. It really does seem to work but if also made me realize how tight my upper body is which I am sure if impacting my lower body flexibility. I might need some more time with the other two routines before I get the full benefit from this one. 

 

I really should have did the stretches after my stance and kicks but I'll try to remember that next time.

 

I worked on some slow, moving stance training and my front stances were really low and I was able to keep my upper body upright without leaning. Then came 5 side thrust kicks and 5 back kicks for each leg. The side thrust kicks were pretty good and my hips are really starting to open up.  It is getting easier to hold the kicks for 10 seconds on the last rep than it was just a few days ago. 

[Thrillho]

Works for me! April 1st is when I have two serials starting (fingers crossed!) and my Patreon launching (to very little fanfare at first). 

 

... crossing your fingers makes it hard to type. 

[Shotokan]

Friday's workout went well with some Beyond Stretching again since I had to teach four Karate classes on Saturday.

 

Saturday brought an unplanned workout with a lot of side kicks, some warm ups for the classes, that included some of the Pavel stuff and some good stance training. It's funny how teaching Karate makes me more sore than a full hour of training. I never realized how much I walk around when teaching and ended up over 4000 steps during that time. 

 

Week one went well on levels except for the writing part.  I have some ideas for things to write but I need to do it. I am sure my writing Accountabili-buddy, Thrillho, will help me with that after another week.

[Shotokan]

Sunday's workout was more Pavel in the form of Super Joints with some static stance training after. The stances are getting lower and moving from one to the next is getting easier so something is helping. I do not have Karate class for weeks because of a break in the sessions so I want to try to maximize my training to see if there is any noticeable improvement.  It feels better but it will help to see if my Sensei's notice.

[Shotokan]

Monday's workout:

 

Today was a day to lift some weights.  I did a very simple routine of only a couple sets.

 

Trap bar deadlifts 2 x 145 x 5

Kettlebell single arm press 2 x 25 x 5

Barbell curls 2x 65 x 5

Standing cable crunches with the green band 2 x 10

 

After that some more Beyond Stretching and 10 side thrust kicks on each side.

[Shotokan]

Today was a be a lazy bum day workout. That included a lot of time in my recliner except for a few katas. I did do a lot of fast paced walking at work and sleep was not good last night but those aren't good excuses for me being lazy. On a good note, I did get to train to lovely ladies today who wanted to start lifting. Luckily, I did get a few movements in while demonstrating proper form. Training these two is really important to me because it was my wife and my son's girlfriend. Tomorrow, I am supposed to train my son, who hasn't worked out in a long time and I have something fun in store for him.  

 

The stretching must be doing something because my right hip is sore and the left part of my lower is bugging me a little but I am going to see my chiropractor tomorrow and I am sure he will fix me. 

 

The mediation is going really well with 24 days in a row and I even wrote part of a blog post yesterday. The focus on weaknesses are starting to slowly get stronger and I guess that's a good thing since this challenge was all about focusing on that. 

[Shotokan]

So, yesterday was a no workout day except for a couple of katas.  I did something to my lower back a few days ago and the chiropractor was able to do some deep tissue work to get it loosened up. It's not back to being totally pain free but I am sure it will be in a couple of days.

 

Today was back in action with some extra.

 

I worked out with my son doing the following:

 

Trapbar deadlifts - 2x145x5

Kettlebell presses - 2x25x5

Low cable row - 2x100x5

Kettlebell swing - 2x20x25

Standing band crunches - 2x12

 

A couple hours later:

Beyond stretching routine, a couple of katas with 5 second static holds for each stance and 5 each of side thrust kicks and front snap kicks in slow motion.

[Shotokan]

Today was a short workout.

 

The deadlifts and kettlebell swings roasted my hamstrings yesterday and moving was a little stiff. But the show must go on.

 

I did 20 front snap kicks and 20 side thrust kicks for each leg.  I did them a little different today where I did a kata move and then two kicks throughout the 20 move kata. May balance wasn't too good but that's done. I also some static horsestance training.  Not doing the stretching routines before the kicks and stances is a bit of an issue but I need to loose enough to do these moves while cold and this was a good indicator of where I am today.

[Kishi]

Now now, it doesn't have to be a long workout to be a quality one. As long as it's building toward something, right?

 

So, have you figured out how loose you are, yet?

[Shotokan]

21 hours ago, Kishi said:

Now now, it doesn't have to be a long workout to be a quality one. As long as it's building toward something, right?

 

So, have you figured out how loose you are, yet?

True, short workouts are better than no workouts right?

 

I am still not loose enough when cold but I assume that will come with time.