Back to Basics
I attended an instructor’s seminar this past weekend with 20 (-ish) other wado-ryu karate practitioners, all of whom had significantly more experience (and ability) than I. I really enjoy these seminars. Not only does it put me in front of some incredible instructors, but I always walk away highly motivated and with a ton of fresh insight. This time was no different, except that I also took part in the black belt exam, my first attempt at earning the distinction of that advanced rank. In that particular effort, I failed.
Failure. That word has such a shitty connotation. In a good number of circumstances, it can be the best outcome and I’m finding this to be one of those circumstances. I don’t want to get into a long history of my training experience, but I’ve been traveling this path since 2001 with close to 3 years of time off scattered between the time I started and now. I’ve had great instruction, and in my opinion 10 years of training, in whatever shape or form, marks a significant amount of effort. So, there’s a small, but undeniable sense of disappointment that I can’t and won’t ignore.
But if I had passed, it may have done me more harm than good. I knew in my gut that I wasn’t ready. Not only has my practice been primarily solo for the last couple years, but there has been a tremendous amount of change in my life recently that has made my practice sporadic and unfocused. Had I passed, it would have tarnished the respect I have for my previous instructors, my current instructor, and my fellow members of this small, elite organization I’ve involved myself in. But I didn’t pass. The leadership that acted as my examiners are the top level instructors in our organization. And they sat the exam with the utmost objectivity.
Now, they could have said, “No, you suck, move along”, but they didn’t. The first words out of my instructor’s mouth, words I won’t forget, were, “We’d like you to try again.” The following 10 minutes included very specific feedback from the 6 person panel that I would take away as homework. Whether I pass the next exam or not is irrelevant to me right now. Rather, I am certain to be better off for having failed this exam.
I’ve always felt that the current McDojo culture has deminished what once was a very difficult achievement. These days, schools concerned with putting profit over quality pass out black belts as if they were simply a certificate of attendence. When I pass this exam, I’ll know I earned it, and that it didn’t come easily.
For now, it’s back to basics. I need people to train with for sure, so I’ll be travelling a bit and recruiting people who want to join me on this journey. In the meantime, I’ll be tackling one basic technique at a time, drilling it over and over, and requesting feedback, asking questions, and generally pestering the people who have left me with this intense motivation.
For those who have been following my blog and workouts, prior to the seminar I put myself through 11 weeks of a linear progression strength cycle. I missed my load numbers in that week, and then took the following week off to focus just on rest and training for the seminar and exam.
I’m back at it this week, and will be picking back up the LP, although I’ll go through a bit of a reset since I didn’t hit some of my loads in that last week. Additionally, I’ll be adding some metcon work back into the mix, ala CrossFit Football.
Yesterday’s Training
Karate (am)
20 minutes of warm-ups and basics, then 40 minutes of front punch (junzuki) practice. It’s intense to just do one technique for that long, but as I’ve been told, it’s the key to fixing many of my other issues. This will likely be my focus for at least the next few weeks.
Strength (pm)
Deadlifts: 1 x 10+ @ 262.5#. I pulled 12.
Conditioning (pm)
5 rounds for time of:
6 x Power Snatch @ 75# +
10 x Box Step-Ups @ 40# each hand
I forgot my timer so I just had to power through it. Thinking I finished in the 5 min. range. The original workout was rx’d at 135# and 54# respectively. Having had a couple weeks off of loaded effort, I scaled down a bit. I probably could have gone 80# or 85# on the snatches, but I did a practice effort at 95# and wobbled too much to feel safe. I’ll get there.
- 8 months ago
- 1
I know, I can be a bit long winded…
I got a lot of feedback on yesterday’s post. Most folks agreed that the content was spot on. At least 3/4 of them thought it was too long, and potentially condescending. Long winded and condescending is the last thing I want to be, so I’m adjusting my approach. I chatted with the owner of my daughter’s school today, letting her know I had some concerns (no specifics yet) and that I’d like a chance to sit down with her to chat about the menu. She was open to it, so we set up a time to meet for late next week. This buys me a little more time to provide ideas and tools rather than just spew a bunch of facts at her. A conversation, at least, is a step in the right direction. Almost lost my lunch with today’s workout in the ungodly midwest heat and humidity. I’ll get used to it, I’m sure, but I gotta stop training in the mid-afternoon. Today’s Workout Hang Power Clean: 5 x 3 - 95, 115, 130, 135, 135 Last week looked pretty much the same except I tried 140# on the final set and failed on the 3rd rep. I think I need to increase the loads in the early sets and decrease the amount I add to the bar each time. This will take me backwards a bit in the weight, but my form on sets 4 and 5 were spotty at best. At one point, I felt my left elbow give a bit and tweaked that shoulder as I tried to dip under the bar. No bueno. Deadlift: 2 x 5, 1 x 13 @ 235# Still 20# off my pre-break mark at the same reps. This is and will always be my favorite lift. Conditioning: 3 rounds for time of: 400m run + I finished in 12:40. Not sure if it’s lack of sleep, or that I’m 1.5 weeks deep into a Whole30 and could be missing out on calories, or the oppressive heat (D. All of the above), but while I faired well in the strength component, I had to scale reps and rounds for the conditioning (rx was 5 rounds and 15 reps). I scaled on the fly, and wish I had scaled the load instead. Lesson learned.
12 Front Squats @ 115#
- 10 months ago
Great School, Shit Food
I just put my dad hat on…
Little Ms. Shortstack is attending an awesome pre-school not far from where we live. She’s head over heels about this place. Her teachers are all great, and I dig all the stuff this tiny person tells me about when I pick her up. It costs a bit more, but it’s well worth it. Except for the food.
As a busy parent, one of the perks of this school is they provide breakfast. I prefer to cook breakfast for the two of us, partly because I know what I’d prefer she eat, but also because it’s a few moments of guaranteed time with her holding (relatively) still. But, being busy and still getting settled in the area, I’ve made use of the school breakfast a handful of times now. The first time I dropped her off with the intent on her eating breakfast at the school, they were having plain scrambled eggs, toast, fruit, and milk. Not horrible, not awesome either. The next time, she got Fruit Loops and fruit. Another time, after staying at her mom’s, it was pancakes with syrup. Noticing the trend? So I looked back at the menu they send us each week, and it’s awful. Sugar, highly processed foods, and very little quality protein (dairy included). Breakfast, lunch, and snacks, all the same.
Take today, for example. I had planned for the two of us to go to dinner after school and have a little frozen yogurt afterwards because she filled up her little responsibility chart dealio this week. We were bantering about her day, when she told me, “Dad! I had a donut with jelly inside!” She’s 3. This was amazing to her. I thought, odd, a donut in the morning. “No, for snack, Dad. The kids had pancakes for breakfast, with syrup and blueberries.” Yesterday was ice cream day, kicked off with more Fruit Loops. Holy Mary…
As a nutrition student, I’m highly engaged right now with what I’m eating and how my daughter eats. I’ve got her to the point where she asks me to cook breakfast because, “Fruit Loops are bad for us, Dad.” I’m proud of that, yet I don’t force her to eat as strict as I do. I don’t deny her sweets here and there, she isn’t reprimanded for her cravings, and I try to teach her moderation when we do splurge. I want her to eat healthy, and I’m at a loss with the disconnect here - awesome intellectual preparation, horrible nutritional foundation. This school has been open for several years; have other parents not thought it odd? There is so much effort towards preparing these kids for a bright future, yet they are being short changed nutritionally. The habits they form now around food will be carried with them into adulthood.
Nutrition in schools has long been a mess, we all know that. I suppose now that I’m staring at it, that it’s my child, and I’m paying top dollar for it, my blood is heating up. Take note parents and educators alike - healthy food is NOT more expensive, and the only way to see change is to demand change. I’m starting simple, with a polite letter to the school director this week. Who knows where that will go, but if it comes down to me providing our own food for her to take to school, so be it.
Taking the hat off…
Today’s Workout
Standing Press
2 x 5, 1 x 8 @ 83#
Front Squat
2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ 135#
Conditioning
4 rounds for time of:
25 x dumbell thrusters @ 20#/arm
200m sprint
Screwed up the clock but I think I finished right around the 10 min. mark, maybe a little longer.
- 10 months ago
Log: Spring Strength Week 5
Bumpy week. Missed a full day of training and one of the optional days. Back in the saddle this week (week 6).
5/23/11 - 5/29/11
Monday
Bench Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 15 @ 120#
Back Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 13 @ 185#
Rope Climbs: 3 x 20’ (I think it’s 20’)
Handstands: 3 x 1:00 against wall
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
Hang Power Clean: 5 x 3
111#, 121, 131, 136, 141
Deadlift: 1 x 15 @ 248#
Conditioning:
4 rounds of:
12 x 95# thrusters
250m row
I got: 2 rounds in 6:34 (with stairs between platform and rower)
I was mentally taxed and quit. I was kicking myself when I did it, and still am. The fire wasn’t there.
Thursday
Rest
Friday
Missed the workout. Did several volume sets of pullups, pushups, and pistols throughout the afternoon.
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
Rest
- 1 year ago
Log: Spring Strength Week 4
4 weeks in to this 12 week cycle. Feeling like this effort is growing into something bigger than just a strength program. I’ll post thoughts on that separately…
This week was a conditioning week, so there’s a touch more of that in the mix. I have a 1.5 day karate seminar this weekend, but I think that will be more of a technical challenge than a conditioning one. Whatever, I’m not scurred.
5/16/11 - 5/22/11
Monday
Bench Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 15 @ 17.5#
Back Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ 180#
Conditioning:
“13 goes both ways” for time:
13 KB Swings @ 50#, 1 Burpee
12 KB Swings, 2 Burpees
11 KB Swings, 3 Burpees
…
1 KB Swing, 13 Burpees
Time: 18:25 (damn burpees; the swings were like a rest period)
Tuesday
Frequency Ladder Pullups: (22 total) 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2
Wednesday
Hang Power Clean: 5 x 3
111#, 121, 133, 133, 133
Deadlift: 1 x 15 @ 243#
Conditioning:
12 min. AMRAP of:
20 x Box Jumps (20”) +
10 x Knees-to-Elbows +
30 sec. Plank
Rounds: 7 + 11 box jumps
Thursday
Dips: 3 x Max
6, 6, 10 (yes, this seems backwards; mental game between the 2nd and 3rd set helped)
Friday
Standing Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 7 @ 95#
Again, the press is my weakest lift. And it’s the only lift so far that is going down steadily in reps each week. I’ll be stoked to clear 100#, but…
Front Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ 143#
For some additional athletic load, I did sets of 10 box jumps at ~22” between the working sets of the front squat.
Conditioning:
10 min. AMRAP of:
10 Pushups +
50m Shuttle Sprints
Rounds: 7 + 75m sprint.
I had to wing it on the sprint, and basically did touch/shuttle sprints on a regulation basketball court, 4 legs for each round which totalled ~100m. Needed to follow up with my coach on the shuttle sprints, but he’s a new baby-daddy (Congrats Chris!) so I just made a judgement call. Also, the first two rounds of pushups I did clapping.
Saturday
8 hours of a karate seminar
Sunday
4 hours of a karate seminar
- 1 year ago
Log: Spring Strength Week 3
Last week felt awkward, like I didn’t work as hard as I could have. I missed a couple of accessory days, but hit my numbers on the primary days. Diet wasn’t as solid as weeks prior, likely the primary factor.
5/9/11 - 5/15/11
Monday
Bench Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 12 @ 115#
Back Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ 175#
Overhead Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 12 @ 85#
Overhead Kettlebell Toss: 5 x 3 @ 20kg (44#)
Tuesday
Rest
Wednesday
Hang Power Clean: 5 x 3 - 99#, 109#, 111#, 121#, 131#
Deadlift: 1 x 12 @ 235#
Conditioning:
4 rounds for time of -
10 x 1-Arm DB Thrusters @ 50# +
10 x Pullups
Time: 7:06
Thursday
Rest
Friday
Standing Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 8 @ 92.5#
Front Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 9 @ 138#
Clapping Pushups: 3 x Max - 15, 15, 11
Clean Pull - Find 3RM -
89#, 109#, 133#, 155#, 175#, 185#, 195#
I think I could have hit 205# or a little better, but I’m sure my form was starting to suffer. In either case, this was a PR.
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
Rest
- 1 year ago
- 1
Log: Spring Strength Week 1
The post-per-workout day is getting tedious for me (and likely for my coach who is reading this thing), so I’m condensing a week’s worth of effort into an end of week post from here on out. Here’s the recap for last week:
4/25/11 - 5/1/11
Monday
Bench Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 20 @ 105#
Overhead Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 12 @ 75#
L-Sits: 6 x 20s work + 30s rest
Back Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 9 @ 165#
Tuesday
Karate
Wednesday
Deadlift: 1 x 7 @ 255#
Thursday
Karate
Friday
Press: 2 x 5, 1 x 8 @ 87.5#
Front Squat: 2 x 5, 1 x 12 @ 125#
Ring Pushups: 3 x Max - 15, 9, 8
6 x 100m Sprint (1:1 work/rest ratio): 19s, 18s, 17s, 17.6s, 18.1s, 17.9s
Indoor 100m track for the sprints included corners. I think I’m faster than a 17 - 19s 100m sprint…
Saturday
Rest
Sunday
Rest - 2+ hours walking @ Zoo with Zoe
- 1 year ago
