Geezer's Long March Toward the Elite Sneaking Up On the Finish Line

[Flatlandman]

So we agreed something in the range of around 500cc seemed reasonable. So I'm looking at the Harley Street 500. I like Hondas better, but they don't seem to offer much in that size.

I was just discussing bike sizes the other day with my chiro, Dr. Rodney (he of the sausage fingers). The gist of the conversation was that in the '70s, a 750 was considered a big bike, but nowadays seems barely road trip worthy. We concluded that in the '70s, a 200 lb. man was considered a big guy, so bikes have had to grow commensurately.

As a special treat, we were taking my favorite cruise along the bluffs overlooking the Pacific at Esplenade. I spotted a whale spouting so we U-turned and parked. It turned out to be an extended pod of indeterminate numbers about 150 yards from shore. Lots of spouting going and I saw one of them sounding and flashing it's tail flukes at us. No idea what kind of whales they were, not big ones though.

Nice thing for your memory vault after you leave California!

[Mark E. Hurling]

I was just discussing bike sizes the other day with my chiro, Dr. Rodney (he of the sausage fingers). The gist of the conversation was that in the '70s, a 750 was considered a big bike, but nowadays seems barely road trip worthy. We concluded that in the '70s, a 200 lb. man was considered a big guy, so bikes have had to grow commensurately.

The biggest bike we had was a 450 back when. Which as you said, was in the 70's. Big enough and fast enough for me. I'm never been one for long distance rides. The Honda Rebel looks really nice but at 253cc's a little small.

Nice thing for your memory vault after you leave California!

Yeah, one of the things here I'll miss. The biggest thing in the water I'm likely to see in Southern Illinois is one of those huge catfish.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 262.

This session of jujitsu was less wearing than lately. It was a review of some fundamentals aimed mainly at the lower ranks although revealing to the rest of us as well. It revolved around how some techniques are the same techniques but done in a different plane or dimension. Most of them I had discovered already, but a few I had not figgered out as yet. Learning continues while we draw breath.

I was paired with an 18 year old for the first time. He's a very intelligent young guy who I think will go far in his life. After a short while working together he started talking about the physics of what we were doing but missing the basics of how it worked. So I started describing SS principles of moment arm, COM, and misalignment to him. Which quickly revealed the difference between textbook and applied movement and how the body works to escape and overcome obstacles like grabs, strikes, and other attacks. Until reading SS, I didn't have the vocabulary to describe what did what and why. And I have a long way to go to describe things still better. But it gave me a starting point. Great session with mutual respect exchanged from both of us.

Things are heating up on the relocation front today. It's still primarily contingent on achieving black belt 1st degree (Shodan), but DB and I found a house we both like and have entered into bidding on it. Nice one story on a lake with a back patio planter ground perfect for a Zen gravel and rock garden I can rake meditatively when I need to. Here's to hoping Casa de Hurling will go there.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 263.

Test singles.

Seated Press: 45-10, 75-5, 95-3, 110-1, 125-1, 140-1, 155-1, 165-1, 170-1. Great morning for this. I haven't managed that weight in a couple of years. But then the seated press is a mush different beast than the standing one for me. I somehow manage to wedge myself in to the seat, bar, and rack better than when standing. I start from the bottom instead of the way I used to from behind and at the top. Once I get my wrists situated under the bar, it's duck soup. 170 went up slowly but slowly without a grinder. I might have had 175 in me, but decided to let that one happen next time.

Cardio (GXP) and stretched. HR max during lifting was 122 bpm @ 78% of MHR.

Act III of life is moving apace. Our offer on the house in Illinois was accepted. Nice place on a small-medium sized lake with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. An attached 2 car garage and another detached 2 car garage! Home gym? I dunno. Surrounded by mature trees to shade from the sun and an inground pool in the back for DB to get some of her preferred exercise in.

I sent off for the ACE personal trainer certification course to get my experience in training people. Becoming an SSC may be beyond my capabilities, but in any event, I'll get some preliminary ground work in just in case. It's kind of an insurance policy if I can't get women's self defense going in the college town. I figger that and training older folks are two under or unserved markets there. I may not be able to do both, but I intend to do at least one.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Tonight's session at the Wilmington YMCA was lightly attended with only three. Two girls and a young guy. Since everyone there is a newbie, we worked on white belt basic releases. Outside wrist grabs, cross wrist grabs, two hands on one wrist, double wrist grabs, and three variants of releases from a front choke. The wedge release is my preferred technique for a front choke release. The defender steps in with a two hands clasped strike to the solar plexus, then bringing those hands up over the head and dropping them down on the bridge of the attacker's nose with a push backward. Decompressing now.

[Farback]

Give the honda 750 some consideration. I've been riding one, a 2013 Shadow for three years now and love it. It's not overpowered, weighs 550, and is a nice, low COG safe ride. I had a 30+ non-riding gap too, raising kids, staying alive to pay the bills etc.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Funny you should mention that. I saw one today and thought, hmmm. Nice.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 262.

I helped teach at the Westchester YMCA tonight. I haven't been there in a few years but there was a party afterwards. More on that later. I got paired with an adult newbie but one who you could tell had other MA experience. Tall black guy who while moving well, had a little trouble with some of the wrist joint manipulation and sankyo being taught. His background was in Kempo, which in his case got him good at striking. But this was a new world for him. He bore a resemblance to the late, great Woody Strode, which I told him. Blank stare.

OK, have you ever seen Spartacus?

Oh yeah.

He was Kirk Douglas friend who he had to kill in the games.

Ah! Got it.

The party after was for another member of the dojo who was moving to WA. Like me, he's already retired. Nice time with some good folks. Interestingly, the restaurant was a mere three doors down from Paul Horn's gym.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 262.5.

Test Singles.

Deadlift: 135-5, 225-5, 280-1, 315-1, 355-1, 385-1, 405-0, 405-0. Disappointing. 385 was not that hard and 405 broke off the floor and stalled just below my knees. So I thought, bad set up. But the second try didn't come off the floor. I knew there was a risk of two days in a row of jujitsu preceding this. Or I'm trying to regain lost ground from last year's back problems. Or I'm experiencing a decline in strength due to age. Perhaps some judicious warmups and good opening choices will result in 405 at the upcoming meet.

Stretched.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Weight: 264.

Test Singles.

Bench Press: 45-10, 95-8, 135-3, 170-1, 195-1, 220-1, 240-1, 245-1, 250-0. I think could have made the 250 if I hadn't done the 245 first. All of the singles were done with a pause on the chest. It could be that 248 will be my best choice for the meet.

Cardio (GXP) and stretched.