Never Yield
2 years ago
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Due to a surprising turn of events, and a reduced entry fee, I will actually be running the Spartan Race this year! It takes place on June 16th which gives me a little less than two months to get into tip top shape. I will need to focus on cross-training as unlike your typical 5k this race is a combination of workout drills, obstacles, and trail running. Fortunately the push for this race overlaps with this years Crown Challenge and I can train for both simultaneously to increase endurance and over all strength. The beauty is, I found this great site with a list of Military Workouts I'm going to work my way through over the next few week.
The workout today is as follows:
1 mile run
1/4th mile running
10 burpees
1/4th mile running
20 push ups
1/4th mile running
20 squats with 10 lbs weights in each hand
1/4th mile running
10 push up rows
1 mile run
Core work out
Stretching
The workout today is as follows:
1 mile run
1/4th mile running
10 burpees
1/4th mile running
20 push ups
1/4th mile running
20 squats with 10 lbs weights in each hand
1/4th mile running
10 push up rows
1 mile run
Core work out
Stretching
Friday, April 20, 2012
A few nights each week are devoted specifically to different aspect of my training. Mondays and Thursdays are sparing practices, and Wednesday nights are one-on-one with my Knight. This week we armored up and ran through a couple of drills. Some initial movement and blocking ensued, where one person was solely offensive and the other only defended. Being able to read body motion is important otherwise there are gaps in defense. This drill forces you to adjust your sword and shield positioning as well as teaches you that stepping toward or away from your opponent can be just as effective as blocking with your shield.
The second drill was learning a basic pump fake. By drawing your hand forward without committing your body to a blow, you can fool your opponent into moving there defense in anticipation of the shot. Thus creating an opportunity to kill you opponent in a very energy conserving manor.
The third drill focused on something referred to as "sheathing the sword". Throwing the on-side snap to the head and the recovery bringing your hand down in a tear drop toward your left hip, known as "sheathing the sword", to throw an offside body/leg/head depending on the openings available. Of course one must bring the shield up to protect the head otherwise you've tangled yourself up something fierce.
The second drill was learning a basic pump fake. By drawing your hand forward without committing your body to a blow, you can fool your opponent into moving there defense in anticipation of the shot. Thus creating an opportunity to kill you opponent in a very energy conserving manor.
The third drill focused on something referred to as "sheathing the sword". Throwing the on-side snap to the head and the recovery bringing your hand down in a tear drop toward your left hip, known as "sheathing the sword", to throw an offside body/leg/head depending on the openings available. Of course one must bring the shield up to protect the head otherwise you've tangled yourself up something fierce.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Student: "How do you fight such an opponent?"
Teacher: "With heart, faith, and skill.'
There is a mental shift that occurs where focus on the small things, like individual fights, is replaced by a broader more over-all view of the sport. Defeating an opponent comes from an ability to adapt your techniques and skills to any situation within a fight. At practice you train and learn how different strikes feel, and what situations to use them in. These actions need to become first nature so you can be engaged physically and disengaged mentally, allowing you to feel and adapt during an exchange of blows.
Attitude when approaching a fight will also contribute to its outcome. When fighting opponents of a greater skill level, fight them. Don't assume they will beat you 10 times out of 10 solely based on reputation. If you go into the fight thinking you will loose, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage. It doesn't matter if you loose, it matters that you make an impression. Their overall experience may overwhelm your skills, but the fact they had to work for the win will give them something to remember you for.
A little update to this post. A good informative video, focusing on female fighting, that is well worth the time to watch from The Modern Medieval .
Teacher: "With heart, faith, and skill.'
There is a mental shift that occurs where focus on the small things, like individual fights, is replaced by a broader more over-all view of the sport. Defeating an opponent comes from an ability to adapt your techniques and skills to any situation within a fight. At practice you train and learn how different strikes feel, and what situations to use them in. These actions need to become first nature so you can be engaged physically and disengaged mentally, allowing you to feel and adapt during an exchange of blows.
Attitude when approaching a fight will also contribute to its outcome. When fighting opponents of a greater skill level, fight them. Don't assume they will beat you 10 times out of 10 solely based on reputation. If you go into the fight thinking you will loose, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage. It doesn't matter if you loose, it matters that you make an impression. Their overall experience may overwhelm your skills, but the fact they had to work for the win will give them something to remember you for.
A little update to this post. A good informative video, focusing on female fighting, that is well worth the time to watch from The Modern Medieval .
Monday, April 9, 2012
At practices and events I always hear long discussions about workouts that primarily focus on weightlifting. In this sport, a goodly percentage bulk train for strength to increase power but agility training is often left out. Agility drills are perhaps the most underrated exercises when it comes to conditioning for our type of combat sport. While the armor is protective, it doesn't mean you should stop moving to avoid being struck. Plyometrics is a type of exercise
designed to produce fast, powerful movements, and improve the
functions of the nervous system. If your looking to increase your overall fitness, then this type of training is definitely something to add to your weekly workouts. These exercises are explosive and very high intensity, which matches up perfectly with the quickness needed in certain combat situations.
A few examples of these include:
Any of the jumping drills are great for building lower body quickness. These exercises include box jumps, squat jumps, side jumps, jumping lunges, ladder drills, etc.
For the upper body: medicine ball throws, plyometric push ups, and other explosive push up variations.
A few examples of these include:
Any of the jumping drills are great for building lower body quickness. These exercises include box jumps, squat jumps, side jumps, jumping lunges, ladder drills, etc.
For the upper body: medicine ball throws, plyometric push ups, and other explosive push up variations.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
It is my goal to run the Spartan Race next year.
As much time as I have spent hitting the gym to build up muscle and endurance, I had forgotten how much fun it is to push my limitations in other areas. I need to run the Spartan Race next year, to train, to push, to see how much punishment I can take. It is a truer test of endurance and fortitude than cranking out 5 miles on a treadmill or stationary bike. I had gotten so obsessed with focusing on training skills that it was beginning to feel like work. It is overall fitness, practice and clarity of mind that help you improve. When on or all of these things becomes occluded you find yourself on a plateau.
My change is mud races. I fell into it by accident when a friend of mine out of the blue signed up for one and wanted some friends to run with. All in all I'm not much of a runner, mostly because I get bored running at a gym, when there is no goal in mind. I need to run SOMEWHERE to SOMETHING not run in place, it doesn't serve much purpose in my mind besides the drudgery of exercise. So when this opportunity to join up for a race presented itself, I jumped at it. It was brutal and I learned, a lot, the hard way. Running gear was designed for a reason; to be light, to shed heat and water, and to be nonrestrictive. I wore clothes that were none of these things........
observe:
This also applies to sparing gear. It should be nonrestrictive, fit comfortably, and protect you well. I often see kits slapped together at events that can not be comfortable and obviously fight natural body motions. I know feeling of wanting to get in gear, any gear to get you out there, but take heed from this photo. You may be out there but you wont be performing at an optimal level. Make sure the gear you wear is right for what your doing.
As much time as I have spent hitting the gym to build up muscle and endurance, I had forgotten how much fun it is to push my limitations in other areas. I need to run the Spartan Race next year, to train, to push, to see how much punishment I can take. It is a truer test of endurance and fortitude than cranking out 5 miles on a treadmill or stationary bike. I had gotten so obsessed with focusing on training skills that it was beginning to feel like work. It is overall fitness, practice and clarity of mind that help you improve. When on or all of these things becomes occluded you find yourself on a plateau.
My change is mud races. I fell into it by accident when a friend of mine out of the blue signed up for one and wanted some friends to run with. All in all I'm not much of a runner, mostly because I get bored running at a gym, when there is no goal in mind. I need to run SOMEWHERE to SOMETHING not run in place, it doesn't serve much purpose in my mind besides the drudgery of exercise. So when this opportunity to join up for a race presented itself, I jumped at it. It was brutal and I learned, a lot, the hard way. Running gear was designed for a reason; to be light, to shed heat and water, and to be nonrestrictive. I wore clothes that were none of these things........
observe:
This also applies to sparing gear. It should be nonrestrictive, fit comfortably, and protect you well. I often see kits slapped together at events that can not be comfortable and obviously fight natural body motions. I know feeling of wanting to get in gear, any gear to get you out there, but take heed from this photo. You may be out there but you wont be performing at an optimal level. Make sure the gear you wear is right for what your doing.
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