2.5 hours of training today. We worked on bo staff, and striking (JKD). Today was the first day after Muay Thai camp where my body felt like normal. Even felt good. I went hard, and got a good workout with my husband and partner feeding me.
We started out with staff class. We had some visitors down from Maryland, and it was cool to have new people in the class. They have come down once before and wanted to train with us again.
Staff Training:
We started off with abecedario with staff. Which while a fundamental move with sticks changing staves makes the movement slightly different.
Abecedario = High forehand, low back hand, high back hand
Then we worked on abecedario with redondo. A redondo is a circular forehand strike from around your head. Not to be confused with an ordabise which is a circular back hand around your head.
Redondo with Abecedario = Circular forehand strike high, circular for hand strike low, circular forehand strike high, low back hand strike, high back hand strike.
In preparation for the high box, we did a roof to shield drill that required the feeder to feed a #15 strike that you roof, then a #15 strike to a shield.
And finally for staff training we did high box with staves. Now this for some reason was more difficult for my brain parts. I can do a high box with sticks, with swords, with espada y daga (sword and knife), but with staff you have to hold with both hands and your body movement is different. Which makes for the perfect storm for Kali brain issues. Which hand.
Staff High Box – #15 strike from opponent, you roof block, opponent returns a #1 strike, you inside deflect and return a #2 strike. The opponent shields the #2, and then you start the circuit over by feeding a #15 to your opponent.
We started to work on middle box/standard but we ran out of time.
I love Kali and the staff class. I love how it stretches my brain muscles and makes me think. Now my brain is dead.
This video is of us working on the Redondo with Abecedario.
We worked on combos. This is were I was able to work on flow, timing, and speed. My partner told me he could see a difference between when I left for Muay Thai camp, and now. He said I flow better, my speed, form and focus are much better. I could not ask for more from Thai camp. I wanted to learn all I could, and to increase my skill set. It seems I have. Yay!
Khun Kru Krysta broke the training down to two sets of combos. First where the feeder feeds, a jab and a right straight cross/cross. The second where the feeder feeds a jab, and a wide cross. For the wide cross think John Wayne punch. Or old western bar fight punch.
First combo –
Feeder feeds Jab
You catch
Feeder feeds straight cross
You parry while doing a simultaneous left kick to inside of leg
You return a cross
You return an upper cut
You return a cross
You return Left torso kick/round house
Second combo –
Feeder feeds Jab
You catch
Feeder feeds straight cross
You split the cross, slide in with a cross to the body
You follow with a hook
You return a cross
Right kick/round house
Third combo-
Feeder feeds Jab
You catch Jab
Feeder feeds a wide cross
You shoulder/bicep stop the cross
You return a cross
You return a hook
You return a cross
You return a right torso kick/round house
Fourth combo-
Feeder feeds Jab
You catch Jab
Feeder feeds a wide cross
You bob and weave
You return a body cross
You return a hook
You return a cross
You return right long leaning knee
You return right torso kick/round house
These were great combos. I loved feeling like I was back into my groove. I liked feeling like I had more confidence, and I love just working on my technique, flow, timing, and target acquisition.
This video is of us working on the third combo, or the stop the shoulder or bicep combo.
I hope you are all having a great weekend. I certainly am. Thanks for reading, let me know if you have any questions. Keeping working to be the best you that you can be. Much respect to you all.
Where do I start… Muay Thai camp was an amazing adventure. I am so happy I got a chance to attend and learn from the many amazing martial artists there. Muay Thai camp was put on by the WTBA (World Thai Boxing Association).
It was hard getting on a plane and leaving my family. It was harder going 5 hours clear across the country in a plane. I have worries about being away from my home base, about being so far from my family should something go wrong. Muay Thai camp was a big unknown too. One person I knew for sure was going to be there was Khun Kru Krysta. She is my instructor and we were going on the same plane. I had some other people I had met at another seminar here on the east coast.
So with all that going on, I also was worried I was not conditioned enough for the camp, and I wanted to do well. =) I had one month notice and I had to get myself ready. So I worked hard to get that conditioning in, running and 16 to 20 rounds a day of bag and pad work.
We got in to Portland, went to dinner, waited for a new friend and roommate, then we got to our house. I was lucky enough to have a friend rent an Air B and B and I was able to pitch in for a room. So instead of camping in a tent and using a communal bathroom/shower, I was able to have the amenities of home. I would guess a good half of the people who attended Thai camp stayed in tents.
I have a restless sleep, and wake up on my own at 5:30 am Portland, Oregon time. Everyone gets going with their ruitine. We all have something we do, supplements, taping up our various body parts, brushing our teeth, etc. We head of for coffee and then to the first day of training.
I am buzzing with caffeine, and even more so with excitement. I don’t know what is going to happen exactly and I really really want to make it through so I decide to take one challenge at a time.
Training Day 1: (notes: curtesy Khun Kru Krysta, and Kru Caro)
~7 am :
We start shadow boxing, then Ajarn Greg Nelson leads everyone in stretching.
We then do 1.5 mile run. I got slightly lost because I missed the trail. I laugh about it.
We get back and Ajarn Chai starts us off with the combos that we will be working on for the day. We start with a combo and work on the variations each day. This day he wanted us to focus on leg kicks, with entry to boxing, and elbows. He wanted us to always think about counter attacks.
Combos:
Left inside/lead leg kick
Right Overhand punch
Lead body shot/hook
Rear kick to body
Lead Jab
Right leg kick
Left inside/lead leg kick
Right cross
Lead body shot/hook
Shield
“Everything is basic until you start taking punches.”
Ajarn Greg Nelson
We worked the combos in shadow boxing. Then Ajarn Chai had us pair up and work together. He wanted to make sure we got this timing, flow, and combos down.
~9 am:
Then we break for breakfast, and a break. Ajarn Chai gave us about 2 hours for break and breakfast. He wanted us to get enough time to eat and rest.
By the time breakfast came around I had already drank two liters of water. I only mention this because it will become important later. =)
“Get some breakfast and rest, because we are going to work hard when we get back.”
Ajarn Chai
~ 11 am:
When we all got back and got started working. He had us shadow boxing to start with. Then we stretched.
He had us working some of the variations of the leg kicks, and entries. Then we started.
We did more partner work. We worked with partners on pads.
“On the balls of your feet. Lift your body up when you kick, or when you knee.”
Ajarn Chai
Ajarn Chai wanted us to focus on form and getting the combo down. To really know it for the first day. He wanted us to focus on teqnique and not how fast we could do it.
~2 pm:
We break for lunch. Again Ajarn Chai wants us to eat and rest cause we are going to hit he circuit hard after lunch.
A special thank you has to go out to the kitchen staff. They worked hard every day in the heat to feed all almost 100 of us students, instructors, and staff. I know how much it takes to feed an army like that. So many thanks and much respect is owed. Also Ajarn Chai brought out his sister to make us some amazing Thai dishes. I will be dreaming about those dishes for a while to come.
By this time I had drank 2 more liters, for a total of 4 liters. Again I only mention this as this is pertinent to happenings later on.
~4 pm:
We all come back and assemble. Again start with shadowboxing, and stretching. Then Ajarn Chai introduces the station we will be working for today.
Khun Kru Krysta tried to help me prepare for this camp and told me years past that there were four stations. Shadowboxing, Pad Work, Bags, and then Clench Work. This year Ajarn Chai added a station. This one was partner timing. Not going as hard as you can, like on pads on bags (note: he wanted us to go hard while observing technique) , but working on flow and technique.
We would do 4 x 3 minute rounds with a 30 second burn out after each round. The burn out was a:
Makatune, #8 elbow, to skip knee #2, then two torso kicks
We were working on the combos and variations of the combos Ajarn Chai taught earlier in the day.
Water is not enough
We start on the first circuit. I get through all 5 stations, and I am doing grate. However, I start to notice my right calf is locking up on me. If I point or flex my muscle it wants to lock in place and not move. I make it through 2 stations and notice it is acting up more. I head to Khun Kru Krysta and tell her what is happening. She and another Ajarn tell me to go Devon. He is a massage therapist. He comes to camp just to help us when we are having muscle and or joint problems.
Let me just take a side note to say Devon is amazing. He is calm, calming, and listens to you. He deserves so many thanks, and much respect.
However, I make it to Devon’s table. He listens to what happened, and he begins stretching. I tell him I don’t know what the problem is. I took my bcaa this morning, and drank 4 liters of water already. He is stretching my calf and then it goes into full charley horse/muscle locked up. He mentions I am “desalinated”. I need to be ingesting more magnesium, potassium, and salt. My body is lacking and this one muscle is complaining about it.
That Charley horse hurt a great deal. He had to keep massaging it and then letting it relax. He made sure I drank some Gatorade. I was laying on the table watching my fellow Muay Thai Camp family rotating through rounds. I ended up missing 8 rounds. I was so unhappy. I was brought down by lack of minerals and salt. I did not want to fail the entire camp. This was day one. How could I, a seasoned athlete, and just some one who keeps an eye on health mess this up.
Devon made sure I drank two of the cups of Gatorade, and two cups of water before I re-entered the rounds, and finished out the day. My calf was sore and painful for the rest of camp, but it felt like a light muscle tear. I just worked through it.
So now you know why I was mentioning how much water I was drinking. Water is not enough. I was going to drink my recovery drink that replaces magnesium, and potassium after the day. But I underestimated just how much I was going to be using during camp.
All in all every day I drink about 8 liters of water. I made sure after the first day to drink water, and recovery drink, and Gatorade as well. Just to get the minerals and salts in me. I also made sure to eat bananas every day. I did not want another charley horse.
We finished the circuits of the stations, then Ajarn Chai had us line up, count down the line 1 to 5 and then stagger ourselves. He had us doing 8 count body builders. Think if burpees had a bigger older meaner brother.
The group did 50 of them. I got through 40 of them.
~8 pm:
We broke for dinner and finished for the night.
This was one of the most amazing, difficult, and wonderful things I have ever had the chance to do. I was so excited for the next day, but was annoyed my calf gave out on me. I am happy to say that I did not have any more muscle issues. Yay!
In total my Fitbit told me I 34,264 steps and burned 6,731 calories
Thank you for reading, keep working to be the best you can be. Respect to you and your families!
2 hours of training. I still feel it from Thai Camp. I got in on a red eye at 7 am yesterday and had to work last night. While I had a nap yesterday after I got home, I had a nap today. I am still tired. But doing well. So today is our regular training day.
It was really nice to get back on the mats. I had so many people welcome me back and ask about Thai camp. They also congratulated me on completing it and making it. It was really nice to be back in my home. The area I am comfortable in.
So today Khun Kru Krysta told me, “to take it easy, and that is an order.” Kru Kristen was surprised I was in for training today. =)
So I guess other people might not have been in. I can say my muscles are still tired, and my hip flexors are sore still. But I did it.
Enough gabbing, here is what we did. Muay Thai Combos from Thai Camp
1 round of jump rope
Feeder Jabs, and then right kicks
You side step, or move leg out of the way
You teep
Feeder feeds a right kick then a cross
You parry the cross, with left hand
You cover with right hand, grab back of neck and then knee feeder
Feeder right kick
You Shield kick
Feeder feeds a lead hand upper cut
You lean step back and lean back with left arm down to the side, and right hand covering right hand side of face.
Right knee, to right Kick
Kali
In Kali we worked on a entry with jabs creating noise or distraction. The finished with an Cross, hook, cross.
We worked on: Disarms both Snake and Vine
Vine disarms – are weapon assisted disarms, in this instance with a stick
Plus leaver disarm with the stick, using an indide deflect
Off of an equis feed, or strike #1 and strike #2
Inside deflect, and control opponents arm
Strike a #4 or back hand shot to opponents ribs
Slide controlling hand to end of opponents stick
Strike hand of opponent holding stick
Making a plus sign with sticks use your stick to leaver opponents stick out of opponents hand
Equal leaver disarm with the stick, using an inside deflect
Off of an equis feed or strike #1, strike #2, strike #1
Outside deflect, and control opponents arm
Slide your stick along their stick and under opponents wrist making an equal sign
Turn over your hand, and slide your other hand along stick to their hand to grab and wrench out of their grip
Inside Snake disarm
Off of a Strike #1 inside deflect
Snake arm down and around counter clockwise
Look at palm of your hand and turn your whole torso around to pull stick out of their grip in your arm
Outside Snake disarm
Off a Strike #2 outside deflect
Snake arm down and around clockwise
Either wing it out of their grip, or blade hand and squat to take stick from opponent.
Below is a paper doll I made for the 17 count. So the numbers I am referring to above are here below.
Then we worked on Kali sparring with a soft stick, and boxing gloves. One person had gloves and one had a soft stick. We had to work on our distance management, getting in for the boxing and keeping the other person at bay for the soft stick.
Today was a really fun day. I did not push it to hard. I had a good time. I got to see my fellow classmates and Martial Arts family again. As always I try to put up terms when I remember them, into the glossary (What does that even mean?) if you are interested. I use it to remember terms myself. It is a living document, and will keep being added to. If you practice Kali/Escrima/Silat/JKD or Muay Thai and I made a mistake let me know of course. I will fix it.
Thank you for reading, and if you have questions let me know. Keep working to be the best you that you can be.
this is my actual leg, no models were abused in the taking of this picture
4 hours of conditioning training. I did not run today. It was 96 degrees Fahrenheit or 35.56 degrees Celsius outside I was not going to run in that. It would have just sapped my energy and I would have not gotten the training rounds in that I wanted to. I don’t like running and that would have been miserable. I run as a cardio component to my workouts, but not for funsies. I tell people I am a water mammal. I used to be a competitive swimmer, and would only run for cross training.
Muay Thai camp is just around the corner. I leave on Tuesday, and it is 4 x 10 hour days of training with the best. I hope I can keep up. =) I hope my form is not crap, I know it breaks down the more tired I get. So I just have to work on making it awesome. Kru Krysta has said my knees are so much better in just a few weeks.
Per Kru Krysta I am taking tomorrow off, hitting it hard on Saturday, and then taking Sunday, and Monday off. Tuesday I will be flying.
Monday I have an appointment with my Chiropractor. One last adjustment before I go put my body through hell. I am both excited and have trepidation.
Mostly I just want to honor my instructors and make them proud. I also want to learn everything. I want to improve on my technique and I want to experience this.
Anyway enough babbling here was what I did:
1 x 3 minute round of jump rope warm up ( I did not count this in on my rounds)
1 x 3 minute round of shadow boxing ( I did not count this in on my rounds)
16 rounds of hell/heck/poopy, I am fine no really I am.
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking. Kicks for speed, and kicks for power. My partner and pad holder would call out 1 kick, that was for power, then he would call out 3 kicks left side, and I had to do those for speed. Taking the power out but putting speed and flow into it.
30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking. Kicks for speed, and kicks for power.
30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking. Kicks for speed, and kicks for power.
30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking. Kicks for speed, and kicks for power.
30 second rest (Note: at this point I am gassed, that is a lot of kicks)
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking (speed and power), and spearing knees or knees to push back
30 seconds rest
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking (speed and power), and spearing knees or knees to push back
30 seconds rest
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking (speed and power), and spearing knees or knees to push back
30 seconds rest
1 x 3 minute round of mixed kicking (speed and power), and spearing knees or knees to push back
30 seconds rest (this is the point where you want to die, or be ded, but no sitting or laying down, must just walk it off.)
1 x 3 minute round of kicking (speed and power), Knees (spearing, push back), and tie ups with #2 knees
30 seconds rest
1 x 3 minute round of kicking (speed and power), Knees (spearing, push back), and tie ups with #2 knees
30 seconds rest
1 x 3 minute round of kicking (speed and power), Knees (spearing, push back), and tie ups with #2 knees
30 seconds rest
1 x 3 minute round of kicking (speed and power), Knees (spearing, push back), and tie ups with #2 knees
30 seconds rest (dead, just dead, but keep trying)
1 x 3 minute round of punching and elbows,( jab, cross, elbow), (jab, cross, body shot) indicated by if the focus mitt was in the air, or if he patted the belly pad.
30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round of punching and elbows,( jab, cross, elbow), (jab, cross, body shot) indicated by if the focus mitt was in the air, or if he patted the belly pad.
30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on the heavy bag, 30 second burn out of knees and two kicks.
15 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on the heavy bag, 30 second burn out of knees and two kicks.
15 second rest (fin… for now… I stopped there, cause I had class in 20 minutes)
Thai Class – Get in and get out
Thai class we worked on more clenching, defending an elbow attack with a pillar block, then returning a punch combo, like jab to hook, or cross, jab. The deciding factor is where the elbow is coming from, and what opening you have.
Then the upper ranking armband students were split off and we did clench sparring. Whew boy, I was tired. But I got some good pointers on how to deal with taller people. And at 5 foot nothing everyone is taller than I am.
Also Kru Kristen mentioned again, our motto, get in and get out, or often said you go all the way in or all the way out. If you are being aggressive say, then you may want to go all the way in. If you are defending or don’t want to get hit, you are all the way out. Don’t hang around in the middle and get hit.
Kali we worked on espada y daga, and gunting:
In Kali Kru Krysta shows us double stick, espada y daga, and just single knife. Gunting drill 1 – 5. I love kali, but at this point my brain is saying nope, you need to feed me and we need to sleep. So my partner and I just went slowly and worked the drills.
We also did 1 – 12 strikes. With the 1 – 5 gunting response added into it. So for instance your partner swings a one, you defend it, then you gunting, and finish with the 1 – 5 for every strike. This is just to get us to think along the lines of, lets just not get hit, and lets return shots.
Savage Vag
I have bought all of my Grrrl clothing I have. I am not sponsored in any way, but I love the company. For girls from strong girls, to lift us all up sot that we can all be stronger. So I saw these leggings and I loved them. They say Savage with the word VAG in bright red letters. They crack me up. They are great quality, and support this great woman run company.
The quality is great. They pass the squat test. The compression is spot on. They have awesome patterns, and I just love them. Oh also they fit a thicc booty like mine.
This is the website, and if you use this link you get 20% off your first order. I get credit for your first purchase. I have not had anyone buy anything yet, but one day I hope some one will, and that money will go right back into Grrrl and I will get new tights. That is how much I love them. I have bought 5 of their tights to date.
4 hours of training today on day 15. I am exhausted. I hit a wall. Not a plateau, nor do I feel like I hit an over training hurdle. I just hit a wall like Wile E Coyote hits the ground after falling off the cliff. Like a Mac Truck hit me. I know that for your body to adapt you must hit these walls/hurdles and keep going, so that is what I did. I got in 20 rounds of training.
Yup that is what it felt like. But I had to keep pushing through.
I started out with a 1 mile run. It was not great timing wise. It was a 13.33 minute mile… it was also 93 degrees out.
I cam back in and did kicking rounds.
Power kicking rounds. 1 to two kicks per side for the entirety of the round.
Speed kicking rounds. Power is taken out, and technique is focused on. Pyramid kicks from 1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, 4 kicks, 5 kicks, 6 kicks, 5 kicks, 4 kicks, 3 kicks, 2 kicks, 1 kick. All in succession.
Speed and Power kicking rounds mixed together.
I did 4 bag rounds of 3 minutes each with a 30 second burn out.
I also working on rounds of boxing. Jab, Cross, Upper cut, Upper cut, body hook, body hook.
Muay Thai Class
Then we had Thai class. We warmed up with jump rope, then we did clench work to warm up.
Kru Kristen had us then work on punches transitioning to elbows, to knees. I got to work with Kru Krysta so we could both work on our conditioning for Thai Camp. As we are both going. Yay!
Each round ended with an elbow flurry blitz.
Kali – Espada y Daga
Then came Kali class, the 4th hour. My brain had stopped braining. My body was just tired, but I kept working at the drills. We worked on Gunting (scissor) five count. With double stick, Espada y Daga, and with single knife. We worked on pass, cut and disarm.
I know this is not super detailed but I am exhausted, need to shower and get to bed. I hope you all have a great day/night when ever you get to read this. Keep being awesome and working to be the best you can be.
3.5 hours of training today. If I include the rounds in class too, I think I did about 25 rounds. I tried to do my mile run but got rained out. I got 8 x 3 rounds straight in today before classes started. This picture is of me looking like some soaked marsupial. I got half a mile in, and the thunder and lightening were over head. The rain came down harder and I threw in the towel as it were and cut my losses. Came back to the gym soaked with soggy, sloshy shoes.
We went in, and I asked H to hold pads for me. He asked me what I wanted to work on. He knows I am conditioning. I told him I wanted to do cardio, and flow. I wanted to work on getting my flow from hands to feet, and feet to hands better.
He is a really great pad holder, and a really great pad holder will make you look awesome. I got some compliments from the gym manager, who was teaching a BJJ class while we were working the rounds.
Training:
Rained out run, only 1/2 mile, but that half was done in 6 minutes woot! So if I did my full mile and kept that pace I would have had a 12 minute mile.
1 x 3 minute round – 4 counts left to right, and right to left combos for the first round
30 seconds – burn out kick pyramid. (1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, 4 kicks, 5 kicks, 4 kicks, 3 kicks, 2 kicks, 2 kick all on one side.)
1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, right/rear knee, right kick – Jab, cross, left/front knee, left kick – jab, cross, right/rear knee, left kick – jab, cross, left/front knee, right kick
30 seconds – burn out kick pyramid. (1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, 4 kicks, 5 kicks, 4 kicks, 3 kicks, 2 kicks, 2 kick all on one side.)
1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, right kick, right kick – Jab, cross, left kick, left kick
30 seconds – burn out 3 kicks with right/rear leg, 3 kicks with left/front leg, lather rinse and repeat for 30 seconds
1 x 3 minute round – double kicks, to slide in to knee
30 seconds – burn out 3 kicks with right/rear leg, 3 kicks with left/front leg, lather rinse and repeat for 30 seconds
1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, body hook, striking knee
30 seconds – burn out elbow blitz
1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, body hook, striking knee, striking knee, striking knee… doing both left and right knees
30 seconds – burn out elbow blitz
1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, upper cut, upper cut, body hook x 3 each side.
30 second – burn out body hooks
1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, body hook, striking knees x 3
30 second – 4 elbows, to 3 knees
I tried to not make to much noise when hitting the pads. I don’t like disturbing the other classes when I am using the gym. However, apparently I made an impression about how hard I was working. =)
Muay Thai Class:
We worked on clenching again, and flowing in clenching. Going from 1/2 clench, to 50/50 clench with bicep control, to off balance, to then breaking your opponents posture, to knee, to elbow.
The Thai Clenches
Both hands on the neck/crown of head = Full Plumb
Neck and Arm control, or Neck and Bicep control (great to give you inside control)
Under hooks ( really good for when you have a taller opponent )
Full Fence (great for off the line/off to the side)
Half- Single Wing (good for control of upper body, done well shuts down their upper body)
Waist and Arm control ( really good for when you have a taller opponent)
50/50 (is where most people end up, because full plumb is untenable)
Quarter
I was working with a new guy, he is a big dude. I am a short girl and have this clench and tie up, that I like, and a leg bump that we do. I do it all the time, and did it to him. He was surprised at how much I threw him and his mass around with out trouble. He easily has 100 lbs on me. I explained what I was doing and did it again, showing him. He looked surprised again, and Kru Kristen laughed and said, “that’s her favorite clench and dump. And it goes to show you that size does not have anything to do with it. You can do it to anyone if you have the right technique.”
After that we did rounds of sparring. Sparring is a mental thing as much as physical. If you are stressed, scared, or worried it shows. I need to relax. I do far better when I am relaxed. I can respond faster as well. I am standing flat footed, and to heavy on my lead leg. Thai fighters usually do 40 lead leg, 60 back leg. But when I am sparring I am trying so hard to remember everything, keep my shoulders up and hunched at the same time, covering my face, movement, getting hands to feet and feet to hands combos in, and blocking. I forget to be on the balls of my feet. Sigh! I have so much to learn, and get better at.
I however, was able to get 4 good kick blocks in. My friend A. helped me afterward for about 20 minutes working on not being heavy on my lead leg. I just need to keep practicing. I need to work on my hip flexors. I am a little tight there so I can lean back a little.
Anyway I am tired, and have to get up early in the morning. Thanks for reading. I have 12 more days of conditioning to get in before camp. Rest tomorrow, and then Saturday hit it hard.
Keep working on being the best you that you can be. I will try to do the same.
1 hours and 30 minutes Conditioning day 9. I ran 1 mile this morning, and then worked 12 x 3 minute rounds. I intended this blog to write about the good and the bad on my fitness journey. I am doing so, even though I worry it will bother some. I hope it will help others who feel the same.
Reflection on Yesterday’s Feelings
Now that I have slept, gotten up, done a workout, and eaten breakfast. I can contemplate yesterday, and how I was feeling. When I am having a lack luster day, not wanting to do my workout. Tired and annoyed. I get into my head. I worry that I am just a joke to almost everyone. That when I am practicing, I see all my faults, and how ridiculous I look. I think everyone else can see that. I start thinking. Why did I decide to go to this camp. I am going to fail and look stupid.
I have been regularly waffling from so much excitement and anticipation, to oh my God what have I done. I am crazy for trying to get ready in such a short time.
Days like yesterday, a third feeling is added to the mix. I am just a joke and ridiculous. What am I even doing here? I don’t look like everyone else. I make so many mistakes. Am I even improving?
I know I am getting into my own head, and worrying about things. I know some of these feelings are fleeting, but it is hard to get out of your own head and keep pushing on. I have done, and will do just that.
Anyway… onward to better things, and my training that I did today.
Conditioning Training Today
I had a great day of training. I even ignored my run time. I just did the mile run. I was able to get 12 rounds of 3 minutes in today before the gym closed for the morning.
Training:
1 mile run
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
Shadow Box for 1 x 3 minute round
Shadow Box for 1 x 3 minute round
Shadow Box for 1 x 3 minute round
Shadow Box for 1 x 3 minute round
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 seconds burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and knees till time runs out, double kick.
Today was a great day. Its always more fun to train with others. But today as I was training in solitude I was able to reflect on my last day. I was able to think about my day and week to come.
I filmed two of my bag rounds to see how I was doing and to review in the future.
4 hours of training today. My mile run time sucked, it was hot outside, and I did not want to do it. But I did it anyway. I was/am really tired.
I ran the mile for warm up. It was by far my worst mile. 14 minute mile, and it was hot. 85 degrees F out is not fun to run in.
I then did 12 rounds training. 8 rounds bag work, and 4 rounds of distance management and teeping.
Conditioning Training
Training:
1 mile run
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
15 second rest
1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
15 second rest
1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
15 second rest
1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
15 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
1 x 3 minute round on bag
30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
Muay Thai Class
We worked on elbows today. We did a line drill where we all line up and split up working on technique. I love doing line drills and it was perfect when we were first starting to learn new things. We have a number of new students and it is great review for us.
The drill we worked on was:
L horizontal elbow
R Downward Diagonal elbow
Lead spinning backward upward elbow
Upward elbow
Spearing elbow
These were great and I felt good doing them. Kru Kristen gave me a compliment saying you have been working on these in Ajarn Chai’s seminar right? I said yes. She said, your elbows look good. Yay!
Then the newer students paired off for clench work, and we green arm bands and up, went to sparr with J. He is training for fight coming up, and I am training for Muay Thai camp.
I dropped my hands a few times, and got punched cause of it. But over all I would say kept my hands up, blocking the punches coming at my face. I was able to get some torso shots in, and some kicks in. I was even able to knock his glove down and put one right in his kisser. What I did not do is shield very many kicks. I sucked at that today.
So yeah today was a… I don’t really want to do this today but I did it… kind of training day. Sparring at the end was fun and worth it. First day in the 8 so far that has been lack luster for me.
I have a early morning training day tomorrow. 6 am… weeeeee… so I am going to get to bed.
Thanks for reading. I know that not all days are going to be great, and not all days are going to be the ones that are looked forward to, and that some days are going to be meh. But I just gotta keep working at it. Have a great night/day/morning where ever you are, and keep working to be the best you that you can be.
1.5 hours of Conditioning training. I got there at 6 am, went for a run, and then did my training. I ran a mile and then did 12 rounds. I had to stop because the gym was closing in the morning.
Listening to the advice of my trainer/teacher, Kru Krysta, I am going to be going with two different styles/pairs of running shoes to Muay Thai camp. So I went out to the outlets and got a new pair. I usually use the Nike Free Run shoes, but I got a different model as well.
She recommends having two different types of shoes so if you get blisters from one set, you have a different pair that wear differently so that you don’t have your foot rubbed the same way. So I tried the Nike Run Swift style. I must say I like them. They are light weight has great support and seems to help propel me. Different from my Nike Free Runs, that feel like almost nothing on my foot. And of course on their maiden voyage, it was raining today. So I am breaking them in for the next few weeks.
Today I did a 1 mile run. It was 13 minutes so not great but not terrible I guess. I then worked on rounds on the bag.
Training:
1 mile run
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
Shadow boxing round 3 minutes
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
Shadow boxing round 3 minutes
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
Shadow boxing round 3 minutes
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick , 30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
1 x 3 minute round on the bag
30 second burn out, Makatune, #6 elbow, knees till time runs out, double kick, 30 second rest
Body builder 8 counts x 10
Some people wonder what I do for my supplements. I take a pre workout that has BCAA’s and enough caffeine to that of a cup of coffee. I take a post workout recovery drink that replaces the glycogen levels.
But that is day 7, and I am steadily moving along. I hope to be ready come Muay Thai camp.
Thank you for reading, keep being awesome, and keep working to be the best you that you can be.
Conditioning Day 5. I was warned by Kru Krysta that we were going to hit it hard today. We did! I ran a mile in the morning at about 8:45 am my time. My mile is normally 12.5 minutes but today, it was humid and hot, and my mile was terrible. It was 13.5.
We did the same workout we did on Thursday. Its awesome knowing you went through the workout before. Because then you don’t have that worry that you won’t make it through. However, you also have that knowledge of how bad it is going to get. I am and was so proud that I got through it. But it is hard. This is hard. I put in a great day of training. Hopefully I will be ready when Muay Thai camp comes around.
So I pushed through, and just did it. Focusing on form and pushing myself.
Training: 1 mile run and 16 3 minute rounds
Bag work–
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Pad Work-
Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Bag Work-
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Pad Work-
Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
45 second rest
As I was getting tired I was told to keep my hands up especially when tired. Because we will revert to our worst habit when we are tired. So in training when exhausted if we focus on our form and keeping our hands up, you will train your body to do the right thing when tired. It takes so much mental concentration to force your body to do that thing it does not want to do. =) But it is so worth it. I noticed and asked Kru Krysta if I was correct. I was keeping my hands up much better as I was getting tired. I also have been correcting, working on my knees. Kru Krysta said I am doing so much better. Like night and day from my knees when I was tired on Thursday.
This was all training before my classes today. So my classes were the following:
Bo Staff class:
We worked on a drill (first with stick then with staves)
Forehand strike
Redondo around head high forehand strike
Redondo around head low forehand strike
Redondo around head high forehand strike
Back hand low
Back hand high
At this point my shoulders were telling me they were tired.
Then we worked on doing the same thing with staves. This is harder cause it forces you to move, when swing the staff. It is not as easy as with stick. There is much more of the weapon to move around.
We worked this High Box drill next – (first with stick then with staves)
#15 strike to the head
Roof Block
pass off opponents hand
Return a #1
Inside deflect on the #1
Return a #2
I was exhausted at this time but kept going.
Striking class:
We did these drills, I would hold for a student, then they would hold for me. 3 minute rounds with knee burn out.
Jab
Cross
Right knee
Right Kick
Teep
Burn out 25 skip knees
Jab
Left Elbow
Left Knee
Left Kick
Teep
Burn out 25 skip knees
Makatune
Cross
Body Hook
Rear Knee
Rear Kick
Burn out 25 skip knees
At this point in the day, I was exhausted. My muscles were not firing the way I wanted to. I had only eaten in the morning. Took a pre workout before the run, and one recovery drink after the first conditioning training (run/16 rounds).
Muscle Fatigue:
Muscle Fatigue is a decline in the ability for the muscle to put out energy.
Muscle energy is described as ATP. “The source of energy that is used to power the movement of contraction in working muscles is adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – the body’s biochemical way to store and transport energy. ”
For me muscle fatigue shows up with these symptoms:
Twitching Muscles
Weakness
Soreness
You can combat this with proper nutrition (minerals, vitamins), drinking plenty of water, stretching, rolling your muscles/or massage, sleeping, and making sure you get enough calories in.
Today I made breakfast for the family. I made Eggwhite Pita sandwiches, which I will put a recipe up for you later.
For lunch at about 2 pm today, I went to a burger place, and was able to get an yellowfin tuna burger. It was delicious. I asked for them to keep the mayo off the sandwich. But I did allow myself to have some tater tots. This was delicious and much needed meal.
Today was a great day. I am exhausted and my muscles do not feel like they could do anything else. I may take a nap now. I did it again. I was able to get through Conditioning Training, and through two other classes today. Woot!
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thank you for reading, and keep being awesome. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thinks with Spinks 