yesterday I worked on my technique

I isolated all punches and kicks and worked them separately.

Starting with straight lead. I am pleased to see that I can feel what I do wrong and while I am correcting one problem I notice another one , ah… but  this is good in a way because when I identify them all I will be able to work on it in a better way then put it all together and deliver a good straight lead or any other punch.

The learning never ends and reaching the level where you can self correct and rectify is a great step , I am happy I reached this now.

I worked a while on the hook kick but I always feel good about this one so I moved on to the side kick, thinking about the video from Ted and working after what he says and shows there.

There are a lot of ways to learn, practise listen read and watch and  Ted made some videos that are to be used.

I also study Micke when he practises and sparrs, I actually know what I have to look at and I use that in my own training.

Ted said about Micke, ” if you want to learn how to kick , look at that guy ! ”

Yeah,  look at that guy! no matter what some people may think, that guy knows what he is doing and my loyalty to him will never end.

As I said before  since last week I have added lunch trainings where situps, pushups and some weight lifting are the focus.

Yesterday evening was time to go to the gym and work the crosstrainer for 40 minutes,  I was about to leave when I thought I could just add some chins and leg training with the weights.

It feels good,  I have gained some energy this past week , I will not go on training twice a day though.

Either than walking,  there won´t be so much training in San Francisco next week that is why I wanted to add some before I leave and I will have to add some after I am back too, no time to loose !

Ok now it is only 4 days to go, I still don´t realize that I will be in the States next week …

I focused on footwork and side kicks last thuesday.

I don´t know why I have problems with this one but I definitely notice I am improving.

There is no mistery here, just practise until it looks and feel right.

As my hands are in no condition I am focusing on other things for the rest of the week.

I have decided to add a bit more training in one day. There is a small gym in the basement of the building where I work.

This is a good opportunity to get some work done during lunch  and the purpose of it is to only focus on JKD  in the evenings. The Lunch routine is basically only push ups and sit ups with some work on the upper body with weights.

Tonight I decided to change my routine a bit as this is actually the thuesday training:

I started with stretch kicks

then footwork ( as usual)

and then I worked on the heavy bag:

50 punches of each  : straight lead, cross and hook

20 kicks of each and on both sides  : hook, side and front.

Then I brought all the punches together trying to get some flow and some decent footwork!

and last,  I added the kicks to it all.

I feel good about my kicks,  I don´t know why but I feel they are better and better especially the side kicks!

But I will really know at the end of the week when I meet my trainer, I just hope this time the word ” Crap” won´t be pronounced 🙂 and if it does well, that means more work on it.

I ended the session with stretching. This is going slowly !!!! I really don´t know when I´m gonna see some results here !

BUT I will get that split , let me tell you that , I won´t rest until I do 🙂

Earlier this week I asked Micke to be a bit tougher during sparring this sunday. Well, I asked for it…

Yesterday we  sparred in my training room, before he arrived he sent me a text message : Clear the room ! Sparring time!

I had a feeling about what he had planned when he told me to also take down all the Bruce Lee paintings from the walls…

A while ago when training outside with the guys, we had tried a close combat where one person is against a wall, attacked in all ways possible and the only thing to do is try to get out ! This day  I almost managed  when I found my whole self  bumped into the wall several times.( The adrenaline is so high I did not feel a thing.)

Anyway the sparring session yesterday was  with helmet gloves and mouth guard. Thank God! I got several straight leads and those famous kicks in the head,  as usual!

We filmed some parts because I wanted to see how I look like in the fights,  so I can see what I need to work on and things I need to practise more.

Again I was thrown against a wall ( AH you think  I didn´t see this one coming ? ) , the thing is it should not be so easy and already because of the difference of size ( and weight) I have a disadvantage, I need to get my mobility and distance  more in control.

But  I felt I was doing pretty good not backing up and not giving up. I threw some punches and kicks at the right place and  time, others not so good but one good point for me is that I have NO fear. ( I have to admit Micke freaked me out before and he still  does sometimes 🙂 ) Anyway , I felt  the technique was better  and I also felt I was more stable on my feet.

When I posted the video on facebook I  got some great feedback . The fact that I train with a big guy like Micke is a real advantage, I got it tough and it is because it is tough that I succeed and make some progress. 

….

Next post on my blog will be my number 100!  I need to come up with something special to celebrate, stay tuned 🙂

Tonight according to the new schedule,   I ´m gonna hit the bag 🙂

I start with 6 minutes rope

Footwork

Heavy bag : 10 rounds of 2 minutes using all combinations at different levels of speed and strength.

Finishing with stretching

I have to be prepared for the Sunday sparring session as it is gonna get tougher !

Some people ask me why I am enjoying this , I answer : you have to spar like mad if you want to be good at JKD,  especially after 6 years !

So why do I like it ? Well I don´t like it,

I love it ! 🙂

I had to write about today´s training. I train different things everyday,  I try to harmonise during the week to cover it all.

Today was mostly on the  heavy bag.

I started jumping the rope for a couple of minutes.

Then on the heavy bag I started slow:

Jab  then cross then hook

jab and cross

jab cross and hook all together

then I work a round of 3 minutes with all hand techniques jab cross hook uppercut elbow…

Kicks:

I actually worked a while on the side kick first

Then low hook , normal and high,  on both sides.

Right at the beginning (and because I use to hear it on sundays) I feel my guard is low when I kick, I decided to get a rope  around my shoulders and put my arm in it,  in the correct position which provided me from loosing my guard while kicking.

 Amazing feeling here as I feel I got a whole new and better stability during kicking !

I have some work to do on the side kick still,  the start position of the knee is too far on the inside, I know what I have to do, lift and kick,  easy ! I just need to have my body to get it ! but as I train it again and again,  I will get there.

Hook kicks feel good , front kick OK, I did not use any other kicks tonight , I thought I limit myself to a few.

Then I took it all on the heavy bag ( 180cm and 75 kgs ) it  did not use to move a lot when I punched it , but as I got myself a bit stronger I see a difference now.

I did a couple of rounds on the heavy bag .

I decided to work on my straight lead again, and I took the gloves off to feel better, this is exactly what happens you feel the punch in a whole other way and when you hit wrong you know it because it hurts like hell 🙂

Anyway I am always happy about the feeling, if I get blisters  so what , I train Martial Arts not golf 🙂

Some hard stretching after that ( I WILL get that split for heaven sake ! ) 

Sit ups

Push ups (and  no girly ones in case you wonder,  I ´d rather not do it at all! )

20 push ups- 20 secondes rest –  20 push ups  … 5 times totally.

Then I could sit down and start thinking , my God training JKD is the best feeling in the world…

I have looked for different forms of complement training for the winter,

Yesterday I tried Body Pump . I found it to be a good workout and I decided to integrate it in my weekly schedule:

Footwork and stretching: everyday

Body Pump: once a week

Technique and Heavy Bag:  Three times a week

Sparring: once a week ( sunday )

Regular gym: one to two times a week.

I think this is a good start , I will try it for a while and adjust or change if needed.

Well I have been writing this post 4 times already but I can´t save because there is something wrong somewhere,  but I won´t give up ! let´s try AGAIN

The Sunday sparring session was cancelled so I asked for a private session to work on my technique .

We practised on mitts:

Straight lead as the mitt holder is moving and only showing the mitt quickly.

working the speed and reaction ability as much as the footwork

same drill with cross and then hook.

Combinations: showing the pad in any position : adapt to recognise which punch to use , constantly moving to adapt to the correct distance and work the speed !

And last we added the ” mitt response “, by that I mean the mitt will hit you back ! feels a lot like regular sparring but hitting on mitts instead and mitts hitting you !

the thing here is the focus on hitting the mitt, the partner is actually controlling the game as he is controlling where  you will be hitting , this is not a free / regular sparring where you can hit wherever you want , anywhere you find an opening.

kind  of interesting exercise though,  it requires a lot of awareness, control and speed in reaction.

then we worked on footwork.

I placed myself next to Micke and tried to follow him, trying to get some flow !

This will be perfect for me to practise alone during the week.

Finally I could write this whole post, means it works again !

 I am going to work on my footwork now:-)

I decided to add more cardio to my daily training, yesterday I went to the gym and completed 60 minutes cardio training on the step machine, the one that allows you to take wide steps upwards and work with the arms as well.  This was a great work out.

 I guess this will help me get strength in my legs and the stairs will be a piece of cake after  several weeks of this !

Strength in my legs will also mean more stability and power in my kicks, I look forward to see some results.