I have focused on several details the past weeks, yesterday I worked on footwork, kicks and straight lead.

I do the footwork back and forth in my living room, then move it to my training room in front of the mirror to see what it looks like, then I add some shadow boxing before moving to the heavy bag.

Straight lead:  as usual it has to come naturally, hand before foot and the proper body alignement , push the hip and get some power in it ! well if you train often enough you will get there, already knowing what you have to do and feel or look like is a good point, doing it properly with all that knowledge is the whole point and  it needs practise.

I train quite some time on the kicks, low regular and high on both sides ( hook kicks only) , then I taped some peaces of coloured paper at different levels on the bag  to give me  targets. While kicking I focused on keeping a straight line and the guard up. After a while you have to stop thinking at all, so the whole movement can get some better flow and natural movement.

After that I decided to try  some yoga , ( one of my friends gave me a DVD  for christmas) . Interesting at first but then I got borred by the lack of action 🙂

I started with jumping rope then  footwork and shadow boxing.

Then I decided to hit the bag , trying to get some flow.

I worked on the straight lead for a while, then cross hook and elbow, trying first to get the technique right and then add some movement around the bag with proper footwork and added bob and weave .

I tried to focus on the depth of the punches, retract fast but still go in with the punches.

Then I added the kicks , I was quite happy with all of them, on the right side, GOD that is so annoying not to perform the same way on the left side !  so I worked the kicks on the left side for a while.

I added some stretch and went on with high kicks on the punching ball, still the same problem and I am really annoyed !

That means only one thing, this need some more work !

I finished with a  serie of punches on the punching ball , with speed, moving around, blocking,  bob and weave .

Then I finished with stretching.

yesterday I worked mostly on footwork and kicks

I jumped rope for about 10 minutes, then some exercises,  steps,  jumps and finished with regular footwork

I still feel like an elefant  but doing that everyday I will loose that feeling I hope.

Then I put the punching ball in place,  a bit higher than usual to work on my high kicks , on both sides.

The position of my hands is having a life of its own, so I took that rubber tube thing and put it around my back holding the handles in the right on guard position, this is so tight my arms can´t go anywhere and this is actually a good thing to focus on yet another detail: keep the line straight during kicking!

I did this for a while and went back to it without the ruber thing, well no,  the arms are still living their own life so I put the thing back ( will have to check the name of that “thing” in the dictionnary ! )

and  I did the Bruce rope stretching again.. I wanted to tough it up a little bit by adjusting the rope higher up and I had to get on a chair first to be able to put my foot in the handle.. tricky ! but I have to do with what I have and the result is the only thing that matters actually.

I finished with the same stretching as last time against a wall and pushing myself forward putting one and then two mitts between my back and the wall.. It hurts like hell and I do that one minut or two until I start feeling sick or like I am gonna cry !

Well if this is not working at the end I really don´t know what will.. not getting any younger here, it is about time to get flexible  🙂

I was done but I added situps pushups and a bit of weight lifting to “really” finished the session ..

A part of training JKD is to be aware of what your problem is . Of course I don´t have only one… but apart from a real improvement on my footwork I have quite a big one, my movements are always restricted, I thought I needed more stretching for my legs  it appears the problem is also situated somewhere else !

Yesterday I started the session with the heavy bag,  concentrating on the technique on only a few punches and kicks.

I always decompose the movement for at the end put it all together but I was not very happy with that yesterday.

 Anyway,  I remembered I saw a video posted by Amy and wanted to try some of her exercises, I built what I thought would work with a rubber band put my feet in the handles and tried to position myself but the equipment is wrong so I could not manage but it gave me another idea.

I remember Bruce using a rope to hold his leg on the side kick position using the other hand to lift it. Well here comes one answer to the problem, while trying to position myself correctly with a good body alignement and lift the leg, I thought this would kill my legs but no I did not feel a thing, it killed my back and my hip.

I repeated on the other side and found the same answer.

Ok then, this will be another goal for this year, try to get some flexibility in there !

The more I evolve in the style the more I find problems, is that good ? the good thing is to be able to identify and feel when something is not done right, the other thing is to be able to know what is needed to get it better, so in a way yes this is good, and only confirming one thing, after 6 years I see I have so much more to do, I understand why some people cannot handle the style, it is such an amount of personal work and dedication. I work most of the time alone, Micke has given me the tools during the years and is still is teaching me as  we have our sessions but I would not be at that level if I did not work by myself as well, there is no way, a great deal of discipline is required,  it is good I have time on my hands 🙂

I stretched even more on the floor trying to get to the legs as much as to the back and hips.

I finished with some JKD pole and wristroller, talking about killing something, I definetely killed my arms with those two favourites.

I feel sour today but I like the feeling, it means I worked where it is needed, now I just have to prepare for my session of today.

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 ! 🙂