The fight starts before the armor, before you pick up your stick, and before you step onto the field. It begins with an individual that is devoted to himself and understands the gravity of taking up arms against his fellow man.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

On 3:51 PM by Unknown     No comments
I've hit the point in my training where my focus needs to switch from casual interest to serious dedication. I've been upping my personal fitness with cardio and weightlifting and changed to a more protein rich diet. The theory I discuss with my knight keeps me on track, helping to analyze mental and physical issues. My gear slows me down so I must be faster, my size is smaller so I must strike precisely and with good force, I will not die. When I fight, I fight to survive, I will not go down.

Friday, April 16, 2010

On 1:59 PM by Unknown in     No comments
Second round of HIIT Fitness completed this morning, again on the recumbent bike, with better success. The seat was adjusted correctly so my back was flat against it while I spun, alleviating the "recumbent butt" issue. Due to the intensity of this type of exercise I've chosen to do it every third day instead of the normal 30 pre-weight lifting cardio.

Earlier last week I took my helm into a shop and pounded out the dents, reshaped the dome, etc...but needed to change the padding to fit my newly fixed gear. My Knight and I got together and spent the time fitting new padding into the dome of my helmet. The foam looked and felt perfectly usable but after a few gagging blows I am uncertain if it will hold up for a season. It compressed a bit too easily causing the metal to slap slightly against my head, rocking me a bit too much for safeties sake. We alleviated this issue by adding some stiffer foam into the top of the helm but I may purchase a few different materials and use the padding currently in the helm as a pattern for later. Sometimes padding doesn't work out, I'm glad my Knight and I spent the time checking it out.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

On 1:49 PM by Unknown in     No comments
An interesting read on changing cardio routines for max results.

http://www.simplyshredded.com/fit-with-hiit-science-is-dropping-the-hammer-on-endless-bouts-of-steady-state-cardio.html?awesm=fbshare.me_AL54O

Gave this theory a try today at the gym using a recumbent bike and learned a few things. To my unfortunate demise, some riders suffer "recumbent butt," a pain in the gluteal muscles caused by their increased effort while being compressed. This can usually be addressed by adjusting the seat angle and pedal position. In a more reclined position, the weight is spread evenly between the back and buttocks alleviating discomfort.