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

[57bergstrm]

I decided to get a briefer more intense session of cardio done today. It turned out to be not all that brief and waaay more intense than I had intended.

Rounds with the speed bag, SciFit, handball, long bag kicks and sweeps, side bends, stretching.

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Average HR was 139 bpm @ a blistering 90% of MHR! WOOF!

Thats an impressive average. Over thirtyminutes

[Mark E. Hurling]

Thats an impressive average. Over thirtyminutes

I know, huh? Entirely not the level of effort I was aiming for. Because I had Jujitsu to teach tonight.

[Mark E. Hurling]

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I had a lengthy telcon with my mentor, Gary, now a 6th Dan black belt, catching up on social and dojo things. Great guy. He told me about a new blocking technique being taught now called brushing the hair. He also jogged my memory about some dynamic drills we used to do in CA that I had forgotten. I incorporated both in tonight's session. In addition, I got up to speed on the purple belt techniques that I needed some aids to memory over.

Only K showed up tonight and late. He's usually early, so this was something of a surprise. But I first taught him the stepping inside to outside and outside to inside deflection drills that are good preparation for applying a host of follow on counters. He had a hard time with these, because he wanted to deliver them like hard Karate blocks, which these are not. More of a sticking hands kind of thing that Bruce Lee acolytes talk about so much.

From there, I went over the brush the hair technique. This technique is similar to an outside block. It begins with the right hand held open and palm facing the body. It tracks up the center line of the torso to the forehead, and then angles off to the right side temple and ear, taking a straight linear punch or push to the upper body off line and setting up to hook the hand into an arm bar, wrist lock, or other counter takedown.

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Average HR was 125 bpm @ 81% of MHR. This was a more strenuous teaching session than I have had so far. I am flogged out and dragging ass.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Well something is definitely up with my training. I took it what I thought was slow and easy this morning. Rounds of SciFit, the rower, interspersed with leisurely walks inside the Rec Center to and from the equipment. Oh, and the water fountain too of course. Just like those trips between sets when I lift. Despite this, my average HR was still 130 bpm @ 84% of MHR. My resting HR is up a couple points today too. One of the key indicators of overtraining. This FitBit was the best purchase I ever made to assess my training. So, taking it easier for a bit.

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[Mark E. Hurling]

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K showed up tonight. No idea where G and A are. But they're teens and it's Summer, so . . .

I skipped other lifting or cardio today. My RHR was still elevated and I decided to go easy and rely on a light cardio session tonight. It turned out to be more than I anticipated. Working one on one with a guy roughly my own size is not terribly tiring, but it does extract it's own cost. K and I did the usual warmup and then into the inside/outside and the outside/inside drill again. He's getting better. He's still having some issues with trying to shrug power his way through techniques when relaxing and keeping his hands near his center of mass would serve him better. Funny how COM is yet another cognate of SS along with moment arms and good use of leverage.

I worked on his use of his hands in the elliptical push/pull movement of the heel to heel trip (Osoto Gari). Small changes of movement vectors distort the attacker's spine, body, and balance that magnify their vulnerability hugely. Near the end of class, I explained some of the 30 principles that underlie Mushin Ryu and the techniques. Back up mass and anchoring. As in pulling your own hands in to your own body when applying a technique, and keeping them near COM to better leverage the power concentrated on a small part of the attacker's body like the wrist, elbow, or fingers. In addition, I explained the difference between the dynamic sphere as the concept is interpreted by Aikido and how it understood and applied in Mushin Ryu.

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Average HR 119 bpm @ 77% of MHR.

Also, I got slammed and cracked (in a therapeutic manner mind you) by my accomplished chiro today to realign my aging and burdened spine from my poor attempt at a 335 DL earlier this week.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Aging sucks. But it beats the Hell out of the alternative.

I gritted my teeth through two days of complete rest. My RHR had gone from ping ponging between 71 - 74 bpm., and then jumped up to 76 and finally 78 on Saturday. Thank God I had already decided to stand down after Friday. I think it was the singles and then that balls to the wall cardio suicide fest on Wednesday that really put icing on the cake. I hate doing nothing. It makes me irritable and unpleasant to be around. But, my RHR came down to 73 bpm this morning, so back to the gym for a Bro-lite dose of Vitamin I at 75% of last working sets poundage.

Lateral Raise: 80 lbs. for 3 sets of 8.

Rope Pressdown: 140 lbs. for 3 sets of 8.

Hammer Curls: 95 lbs. for 3 sets of 8.

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Average HR was 122 bpm @ 80% of MHR. A little more intense than I wanted, but even with all those long 2-3 minute rests between sets and leisurely trips to the water fountain, I hectored my way through the session.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Upper body work today. Rounds of speed bag, arms only SciFit and rower, medicine ball toss, stretching. I figgered I'd forebear on the heavy bags since they tend to amp my HR up, and I wanted to take it easier. Kinda didn't happen as easy as I wanted, but hey! We do what we can. RHR leveled off at 73 bpm, so it appears recovery is on track.

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Average HR was 131 bpm @ 85% of MHR

[Mark E. Hurling]

Full body stuff today. Rounds of SciFit, elliptical with cross arms, rower, and stretching. MY RHR has dropped to 70 bpm, so it looks like I am on the right course to recovery. Thanks of retirement I am getting more sleep than usual because I can sleep in now.

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Average HR was 126 bpm @ 82% of MHR. Keeping it in reserve for Jujitsu tonight.

[Mark E. Hurling]

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K showed tonight. We worked through his blue belt techniques. He needs to relax his traps, persistently trying to shrug his way through some of the arm bar takedowns. Which will work just fine under overwhelming power, but, I'm working to get his technique refined to where he is moving from his COM and not relying primarily on arm strength to git er done. His footwork is coming along. I used a cue from the Star Set stepping drill to get him to step diagonally to the rear when he applies a right angle hold (sankyo) to counter a rear wrist grab. It was a revelation for me as well. The cue worked like a charm. He even picked up on the other parts of the stepping drill that applied to the arm bars he has had some trouble with. Learning as I teach alongside my students.

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Average HR was 114 bpm @ 75% of MHR.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I just had to finish out the heavy singles. RHR was 70 bpm again, so I'll see if this sets me back on recovery.

Hip Belt Squats: 360-380-405. Room for more. Next time.

Incline Press: 190-200-205. See above.

Hammer High Row: 360-370. No growth soon on this one. But 2 out of 3 ain't bad for an old guy.

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Average HR was 126 bpm @ 82% of MHR