Thoughts

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Sometimes I wonder where I would be today if I hadn´t started with JKD. I just turned 30 + something 🙂 , I must admit either than JKD , I haven´t  done much with my life.

I feel very frustrated sometimes and sometimes I think it is good, it is the way my life is supposed to go. Well, I chose my path some years ago  and from that decision it influenced the years hereafter. I don´t regret it but I should  have done some things differently , pay more attention to important beings that I lost before I could do something about it.

I put my whole self into JKD and let the rest of my world pass me by. I will never regret starting with JKD because today , this is my life , this is all I am about and I am so proud of it . I would never want to go back to the life I had before but the rest is  not there,  I just have to do something about it. 

JKD brought me so many things and much more than a fighting ability and I don´t think it will end there. One thing is for sure,  I will never give it up and if it means I have to sacrify other things so be it , I start to get too old for those other things anyway but I won´t give it up without a fight.

I strongly believe that life is what you make of it, and JKD gave me the opportunity to get strong enough to know and decide what I want out of it.

It is about time …!

Pump it up !

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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.

Certification

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Do you need one ?

This is the question I have been asked today my answer is:  NO, I don´t NEED one

do I want one ? well by ONE what do you mean ? in my eyes there is only one possible certificate in JKD and it is the Instructor certificate but it is hard to get and it should be !  If I get good enough to deserve one of those it would mean something to me of course.

But nowadays I see all kind of ranking in JKD , did we forget what Bruce said ? 

The legacy that  Ted is trying to keep ?

“KEEP THE NUMBERS LOW AND THE LEVEL HIGH ”

( and don´t get me started on those who are making a business out of it!)

 The question here is why do I train JKD ?

It started because I always wanted to train JKD, because it was Bruce Lee´s style, because there are hardly any women training proper TWJKD nowadays and because of the opportunity I was given .

But it  went deeper  when I met Micke. He taught me another way of thinking, another approach and I became another person. It is all about my personal achievement, I don´t need to tell people , to try to explain, this is personal and private because JKD changed my life, changed me. I believe I became a better person and I feel I have achieved something, I am proud of it and I do not need a certificate to prove it to myself.

There is no certification or ranking in JKD, some students better than others , this kind of competition is banned from our group. We train together as equals not towards certification but towards personal achievements .

The only thing I need is to train more in order to get better,  I want to be a good JKD fighter, I need to feel I am good,  this is what  I need  because JKD is for me a way of Life.

Working the mitts !

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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:-)

Looking back

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When I started my private training with Micke,  we almost only trained on pads because I had to build the technique first. When the guys started with us, we added some serious sparring sessions together as a group but I always have private training where I  most of the time, want  to focus on the technique on pads because I still need some serious work and those sessions a precious to me. This is where my technique is corrected and it gives me some advice for my own training at home afterwards, I can then try to apply this during the next training session with the guys.  

 I remember in the begining it was difficult for me , I had not the same level as the guys and I felt a bit outside the group. I got better on pads but useless in sparring because I did not sparr enough . When they all left for military duty I got the opportunity to close the gap a bit, the goal was to try to reach their level in their absence. I trained more with Micke and focused on my technique / own training and applied on sparring sessions more often.  I got better because of this and when the guys came back, the sparring sessions became more intense and I have  to say it is thanks to sparring in real conditions with those guys who never treated me like a girl that I am where I am today. I am so thankful for this team.

Cardio Training

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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.

Wild training in the wild

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Although we are deadly serious with our training sessions, we also have some fun trying new things

Yesterday we started with running up the Hill.

Then Sparring with no gear and open hand with opponent pressing against a wall.

We then decided to train  balance on a big tube lying on the ground ( see our videos on you tube ! )  those you could hold on it long enough did some light sparring ..

Up the Hill again and  sparring:  the opponent who has the highest position is having the advantage pushing down ,  trying to provide the other to go up .

Some “pushing” the partner up the hill while the other one is resisting using  his body weight to push down . ( good leg and back exercise ! )

Michel and Remy carrying each other down another slope in on guard position and doing some step and slide.

We ended with hardening: punches and kicks in the stomach first, then kicks on the inside and outside of the legs and we (especially Michel 🙂 ) were done with it for the day .

then Remy wanted to try to crawl through the tube as quickly as possible , as he started the other two guys thought it would be funny to roll the tube while he was in it, YES ! funny it was ! as Remy not only rolled over in the inside he also was attacked by big spiders !

He must have woken them up and quite a lot of them were running all over the place…  Lucky me who  did not try that , we would have added a heart attack to this session !!!

Training with Stefan

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This Sunday the whole group went down to Nynäshamn for a training session with Stefan at his school.

It was a very intense session and the heavy air in the room made it even harder, AC Stefan 🙂

We started with drills on pads

Simple Direct Attack, Progressive indirect Attack , 1/2 beat , Attack by combination… ( We left out attack by drawing and hand immobilization.)

After that we practised combinations on pads:

Kicks -Punches- Elbows – Knees – push the pad holder and kick when he backs up

Then  same thing on Stefan / Red Man

Michel and Remy hit hard and don´t back up , I have to work on speed, first kick and punch should be one, when I got that right it will be good.

Stefan says it is easier when you have a great footwork like Micke, yeah  Well ! we all wish we had ! 🙂

Then Some brief kicking and punching on pads when attached to a belt with rubberband attached to a wall, I liked this one !

Then it is sparring time. Stefan wants us to focus on attacking with all we got and using most combination possible. NO STOPPING AFTER ONE – TWO !!! Go on until the opponent is down .

Micke starts with Michel and very fast I see he´s increasing the level a bit, harder kicks and punches made Michel end up  down against the wall , were he got ” finished ”  🙂

Remy and Markus , it went fast over to the ground and I wish the trainers had stopped the fight to force them up ! Markus is more comfortable on the ground, he told me he does not have the opportunity to practise real sparring , if I can make a comment here, you should force yourself to stand on your feet to practise sparring, grappling is no JKD.

I sparred with Michel .

I have to say it is  very easy to loose all form and go for it like this made me be more agressive and less clean in the style. It felt like I was punching for my life,  this is how the real fight would probably happen in real situation, But I must admit I was not happy with the feeling I had.

I was not able  to keep it clean. I don´t know how the film will turn out but I did not feel it right and I should be able to not loose it all in this situation , keep control and know what I am doing.

But as Stefan says this is part of learning process, you do wrong once, so what? you do wrong twice , so what ? Go on until you get it right,  use this as an experience and go on .

I have some more learning to do, Micke gave me 3 years , I agree,  it will take me at least 3 years to get those things right.

Motivation and detrmination are at the highest right now

Rainy day, in and out !

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This sunday we were short of training partners ( ! ) I trained alone with Micke at my place.

First on mitts:

. Front Hand lead, I spent some time on this one , it needs work everyday

. Shovel hook

. hook trying to hit the mitt when the partner is moving

 Micke wanted to do it as well but after two times did he not only hit the pad but the pad hit my face too  🙂 well joke appart , the problem here is that I am too slow

. jab – step back

quite tricky , the timing is crutial , I have to work on that ( too .. )

Footwork:

. drop step , AH ! yes I have some troubles with this one, I did it again and again and again , the thing is trying to feel it right , as everything else, it comes with practise, no secret .

Heavy bag :

.Hook and Side Kicks, both sides , I am quite happy with the progress of those, only one detail , the position of the leg for side kick need to be adjusted: lift and kick.

.Spinning back kick

.Spinning wheel kick

.Horse kick

I will not comment on those 3 , I choose to work on them and talk later….

Conclusion of the day:

Better technique overall,

Explosivity need some serious work.