1. 3 months ago  /  642 notes  /   /  Source: fitisthenewbeautiful

  2. Over and Over and Over

    The best way to get good at something is to do it over and over. That’s assuming of course that you’re doing it right. Otherwise, you’re just learning bad habits. In my latest attempt to correct some problems with my karate basics, I’m also having to relearn the movements. It’s difficult, it’s awkward, but I think it’s starting to pay off. For the last week I’ve been practicing one technique (junzuki / front punch). Here’s some observations so far.

    (Note: these may have nothing to do with whatever it is you’re doing wrong. And, yes, you are probably doing something wrong.)

    1. Doing the same thing over and over for a week sucks. It’s tiring, it’s humbling, and it’s harder than it would seem. But, the best insights are just starting to show up. Perseverance is paying off. For example, I realized today that for the better part of my karate career my movement in the front punch has been focused at least in part on getting a “snap” from the sleeve of my karate uniform. While training in a t-shirt, I’ve found that there’s an extra movement fro my hip in the opposite direction at the end of the technique. This is stunting my reach and has been placing the perceived point of impact 1 - 3 inches short of where it could be. Crap.
    2. Take time to consider how the power behind the technique is generated and keep it mind when you’re practicing. I have been relying heavily on my front foot being firmly planted to generate movement from my hip. I don’t know that this is incorrect for a different application, but with regards to basic mechanics it’s making my punch late which means no matter how fast my arms comes off my hip, it’s going to be slower in connecting with the target. More so, it’s forcing me to rely almost entirely on the strength of my shoulder and arm (with some hip rotation thrown in). While it feels quick and snappy, it actually reduces the kinetic energy (and therefore the power of the punch) by removing the mass and motion of my body from the equation. I’ve been hearing about putting the body behind the punch for awhile now, and it’s just starting to click that I am not actually doing that. Crap. 
    3. Even the most basic technique can be broken into smaller and smaller pieces. As a beginner, we learn the gross movement and general mechanics. As we get better, and as we learn more about working within our own abilities and limitations, we should be able to break the technique into chunks, than those chunks into smaller pieces. There might be a point where this just becomes a useless exercise, but being able to do so can highlight problem areas in the technique and allow you to correct just the parts that are causing you problems. If you haven’t done this before, I highly recommend it. Start by going through the whole technique as slowly as possible. Do that a lot. Then see where it goes. Where are the transitions? What areas are stickiest for you? Can you modify them without screwing up the intent of the technique? There is a ton to be learned from this exercise.
    4. If you don’t have a partner, get a mirror. If you don’t have a mirror, take video. Hell, even if you have a mirror, take video anway. You have got to see yourself going through the movements to find and fix things, and being able to go back on video to compare previous training and/or to see your progress is really useful.
    5. If you’re a serious student of a martial art, you can’t limit yourself to class times. Real progress is going to happen when you’re practicing on your own at your own pace. Class should be reserved for your instructor to review your progress and teach you new things, but you’ll get better faster if you’re taking those lessons outside the dojo. Can’t find the time? Bullshit. How much time did you spend on Facebook this week? Right. Take 20 minutes a day and practice one thing. Make it something basic, regardless of your rank. Add time however and whenever you can.

    Anyone else going through this type of training? What observations are you coming up with?

    4 months ago  /  2 notes  / 

  3. Back to Basics

    I attended an instructor’s seminar this past weekend with 20 (-ish) other wado-ryu karate practitioners, all of whom had significantly more experience (and ability) than I. I really enjoy these seminars. Not only does it put me in front of some incredible instructors, but I always walk away highly motivated and with a ton of fresh insight. This time was no different, except that I also took part in the black belt exam, my first attempt at earning the distinction of that advanced rank. In that particular effort, I failed.

    Failure. That word has such a shitty connotation. In a good number of circumstances, it can be the best outcome and I’m finding this to be one of those circumstances. I don’t want to get into a long history of my training experience, but I’ve been traveling this path since 2001 with close to 3 years of time off scattered between the time I started and now. I’ve had great instruction, and in my opinion 10 years of training, in whatever shape or form, marks a significant amount of effort. So, there’s a small, but undeniable sense of disappointment that I can’t and won’t ignore.

    But if I had passed, it may have done me more harm than good. I knew in my gut that I wasn’t ready. Not only has my practice been primarily solo for the last couple years, but there has been a tremendous amount of change in my life recently that has made my practice sporadic and unfocused. Had I passed, it would have tarnished the respect I have for my previous instructors, my current instructor, and my fellow members of this small, elite organization I’ve involved myself in. But I didn’t pass. The leadership that acted as my examiners are the top level instructors in our organization. And they sat the exam with the utmost objectivity.

    Now, they could have said, “No, you suck, move along”, but they didn’t. The first words out of my instructor’s mouth, words I won’t forget, were, “We’d like you to try again.” The following 10 minutes included very specific feedback from the 6 person panel that I would take away as homework. Whether I pass the next exam or not is irrelevant to me right now. Rather, I am certain to be better off for having failed this exam.

    I’ve always felt that the current McDojo culture has deminished what once was a very difficult achievement. These days, schools concerned with putting profit over quality pass out black belts as if they were simply a certificate of attendence. When I pass this exam, I’ll know I earned it, and that it didn’t come easily.

    For now, it’s back to basics. I need people to train with for sure, so I’ll be travelling a bit and recruiting people who want to join me on this journey. In the meantime, I’ll be tackling one basic technique at a time, drilling it over and over, and requesting feedback, asking questions, and generally pestering the people who have left me with this intense motivation.

    For those who have been following my blog and workouts, prior to the seminar I put myself through 11 weeks of a linear progression strength cycle. I missed my load numbers in that week, and then took the following week off to focus just on rest and training for the seminar and exam.

    I’m back at it this week, and will be picking back up the LP, although I’ll go through a bit of a reset since I didn’t hit some of my loads in that last week. Additionally, I’ll be adding some metcon work back into the mix, ala CrossFit Football.

    Yesterday’s Training

    Karate (am)

    20 minutes of warm-ups and basics, then 40 minutes of front punch (junzuki) practice. It’s intense to just do one technique for that long, but as I’ve been told, it’s the key to fixing many of my other issues. This will likely be my focus for at least the next few weeks.

    Strength (pm)

    Deadlifts: 1 x 10+ @ 262.5#. I pulled 12.

    Conditioning (pm)

    5 rounds for time of:

    6 x Power Snatch @ 75# +
    10 x Box Step-Ups @ 40# each hand

    I forgot my timer so I just had to power through it. Thinking I finished in the 5 min. range. The original workout was rx’d at 135# and 54# respectively. Having had a couple weeks off of loaded effort, I scaled down a bit. I probably could have gone 80# or 85# on the snatches, but I did a practice effort at 95# and wobbled too much to feel safe. I’ll get there.

    4 months ago  /  0 notes  / 

  4. When to listen to your body

    The way I see it, the two most vocal groups on the recovery/rest issue are 1) the no pain, no gain folks who think you’re weak, and 2) the your-body-is-always-right folks who think the former are steroid abusing neanderthals. I’m just starting to formalize my thoughts on this issue, so chime in if you have a different opinion.

    I just wrapped up a week’s worth of travel that included 48 hours of driving to and from Colorado, and little to no sleep on a floor in between. To boot, I ate like crap - sporadic and convenience oriented. During that week, I had what I feel were my two strongest lifting days to date. No PRs mind you, but the reps were higher and I simply felt stronger, like I brought more to the bar. I took the day off yesterday to “rest up”, which included a ton of sleep, paleo friendly food, and no training. Today, I’m lethargic, I feel weak, and I generally feel like I’ve been drugged. But I laced up for my training anyway. I put up the prescribed weight for my progression, yet if felt as if I’d doubled up the increase. I’d slated some conditioning work to follow up the lifts, but by the time I got to that point, I was tapped. So I called it.

    This brings me to my point - sometimes, your body is right, and sometimes it isn’t. There is absolutely a difference between overloading and overtraining. Overloading is good, overtraining is bad. Assuming you don’t have a good coach who’s calling it for you, telling the difference between the two can be tough. I have some guesses as to what category the various personalities our clients and athletes bring to the table might fall under, but I’d rather discuss my own experience and how I manage it.

    I’m a type AB personality - I fall into both categories, sometimes swinging into type A, and sometimes into type B. When my motivation is up, I can find myself on the edge of overtraining. That generally leads me to burn-out and a subsequent shift into no training at all. Then I’m fighting for the motivation to get my groove back. In the past, I’ve fallen victim to thoughts like, “Man, my body is begging to rest, so I should lay around for 3 months.” Ok, maybe not that dramatic, but you get the point. I’ve since learned to manage my training and balance the ebb and flow of recovery needs. It’s not perfect, but it’s getting better.

    Given the outline of my last week, it’s no wonder I feel beat down. Poor food choices, poorer sleep, and general work/life stress to boot have simply primed me for overtraining. So today, I made some choices for the week: 1) condense my strength sessions to two days, 2) change my conditioning sessions to skill work and 3) move that skill work to non-strength days. This buys me a lighter load (no metcons), and more time for recovery over the course of a given day. I’m also forcing myself to be in bed at a particular time ensuring at least 8 hours of sleep. My workouts will be in the afternoons (normal for me anyway) so I’m not forcing myself out of sleep earlier than necessary.

    I feel like these choices are a good middle of the road - I’m not giving all training, but I am scaling back. The general intesity of the week is lower. This isn’t new to anyone, though, is it? It’s called deloading. Deloading is an important tool in the arsenal of a strength/fitness coach and any athlete looking to improve their performance. Digging around, it seems most coaches are calling for a deloading week every 4 - 6 weeks. Seems fair, but I think it can/should be dependant on the athlete. This week marks the 6th of my 12 week summer strength cycle and given how shitty I feel, I think a deload is called for. But if you’ve got a good rhythm, if you’re making gains, by all means, stay in your groove. So long as you’re getting adequate nutrition and rest, ride that horse.

    The issue arises, though, as to when you are actually in need of some dedicated recovery time and when you might just be feeling lazy. Here’s the questions I came up with for myself:

    1. Am I sick or injured? If yes, then it is probably in my best interest to rest up.
    2. What’s going on elsewhere? Is my nutrition and sleep up to snuff? Critical factors in many a good coaches opinion.
    3. How long have I been feeling sub-par? If it’s just today, am I just being lazy? If it’s been a few days in a row, or if my previous 2 or 3 sessions have suffered, I should consider some deload/recovery time.
    4. How long has it been since my last recovery/deload week? If it’s been awhile, even if I’m feeling strong, I might want to consider some deload time. It could ward off a future burn-out.
    5. What does my programming look like? Am I overdoing it with conditioning work? CrossFitters are notorious for metcon addiction. Be wary. If you’ve just gone through several months of chippers, maybe it’s time to take a step back and re-examine your goals. And take a break while you’re doing it.

    This isn’t rocket surgery, but it helped me to examine where I am this week. I’m comfortable with my decision to deload this week, but I’m eager to kick it back up a notch next week.

    DGF

    6 months ago  /  1 note  / 

  5. Mine goes to 11

    I’m in week 3 of my renewed strength cycle, and Tuesdays are typically a rest day. Not today, though.

    Coming off a great weekend at the USAW workshop, hosted by Kate Rawlings at Coca CrossFit in Ohio, I’m motivated to get stronger, to get faster, to be better. So motivated in fact, I’ve set a monumental goal for myself - to qualify for the 2012 CrossFit Games.

    I mentioned this to my buddy on the drive to/from Ohio. His response, in short, was, “Do you have any idea how hard that’s going to be?” And he’s right; I don’t. But I’m going to learn. Compared to the current crop of top CrossFitters, I’m weak, and I’m slow. My endurance isn’t too bad, but it’s not at the professional level.

    Today, though, I’m faster than I was last week. I’m stronger, too. More importantly, there’s this voice that keeps nagging at me. It reminds me that despite all I’ve been through in my life, I haven’t given up. I may not arrive first, but I always get there. When I’m gassed, I fight harder. When the hill is steep, the only thing I can think about is maintaining my rhythm. One foot in front of the other. Don’t quit.

    I’m not a naturally gifted athlete. I’m not Matt Chan, or Chris Spealler, or Rich Froning, Jr. I’m Nick Kirkes. I’m tall, skinny, and I only have a year to sharpen my blade. This is my announcement.

    3… 2… 1…

    Go!

    7 months ago  /  1 note  / 

  6. I know, I can be a bit long winded…

    I got a lot of feedback on yesterday’s post. Most folks agreed that the content was spot on. At least 3/4 of them thought it was too long, and potentially condescending. Long winded and condescending is the last thing I want to be, so I’m adjusting my approach. I chatted with the owner of my daughter’s school today, letting her know I had some concerns (no specifics yet) and that I’d like a chance to sit down with her to chat about the menu. She was open to it, so we set up a time to meet for late next week. This buys me a little more time to provide ideas and tools rather than just spew a bunch of facts at her. A conversation, at least, is a step in the right direction.

    Almost lost my lunch with today’s workout in the ungodly midwest heat and humidity. I’ll get used to it, I’m sure, but I gotta stop training in the mid-afternoon.

    Today’s Workout

    Hang Power Clean: 5 x 3 - 95, 115, 130, 135, 135

    Last week looked pretty much the same except I tried 140# on the final set and failed on the 3rd rep. I think I need to increase the loads in the early sets and decrease the amount I add to the bar each time. This will take me backwards a bit in the weight, but my form on sets 4 and 5 were spotty at best. At one point, I felt my left elbow give a bit and tweaked that shoulder as I tried to dip under the bar. No bueno.

    Deadlift: 2 x 5, 1 x 13 @ 235#

    Still 20# off my pre-break mark at the same reps. This is and will always be my favorite lift.

    Conditioning:

    3 rounds for time of:

    400m run +
    12 Front Squats @ 115#

    I finished in 12:40. Not sure if it’s lack of sleep, or that I’m 1.5 weeks deep into a Whole30 and could be missing out on calories, or the oppressive heat (D. All of the above), but while I faired well in the strength component, I had to scale reps and rounds for the conditioning (rx was 5 rounds and 15 reps). I scaled on the fly, and wish I had scaled the load instead. Lesson learned.

    7 months ago  /  0 notes  / 

  7. An Open Letter to My Daughter’s School

    I’ll be sending the following letter to the director of my daughter’s school. I’ve removed names for the time being as I want this to be a healthy conversation, and not necessarily a public flogging. Today’s workout log is down at the bottom of the post if you’re looking for it.

    Dear Director,

    It’s with tremendous respect for your school, your programming, and your facilitators that I write this letter. My daughter has been with your school for a little over a month and we love it. She’s coming home with new experiences to share, and it’s obvious that she’s excited about what she’s learning. She’s never been a wallflower, but she’s engaging in new and productive ways. Her mother and I are incredibly appreciative of the care, education, and stimulation she’s receiving and are proud of our choice to entrust her early education to you.

    As an avid health and fitness enthusiast, along with being a nutrition student, I tend to be a little more sensitive to food issues than others. While I don’t particularly enjoy playing the role of food cop or to be the annoying know-it-all parent, I feel it is important to alert you to my concerns and to offer some constructive criticism.

    It shouldn’t be news to anyone that the U.S. is the worldwide leader in childhood obesity and incidence of food related illness. However, the issue is acute in Indiana. Several years ago, the CDC ranked Indiana third in the nation for the occurrence of childhood obesity. Poor nutritional foundations can have long lasting and devastating physical, emotional, and financial implications throughout a person’s life. Additionally, there are a number of studies available indicating a direct relationship between nutrition and academic performance. In light of this information, and in consideration of all of the time and energy devoted to delivering an excellent early childhood development curriculum to our children, I’m increasingly surprised that your nutritional plan and menu is so outdated and, seemingly, haphazard. As an example, I’m concerned about the trend to serve Fruit Loops, Cheerios, French toast, Pancakes and the like for breakfast on a regular basis. In conjunction with the rest of the menu, my daughter would be receiving high doses of sugar and simple carbohydrates at regular intervals, short circuiting her potential for the day as well as setting her up for a future metabolic nightmare. It’s for this reason that I opt to serve her breakfast at home as often as possible.

    There will always be debate about what constitutes a healthy diet, but there are some fundamentals that are easy and inexpensive to implement. I realize you have a wide audience you need to cater to, but I doubt that any parent would argue that better sources of protein, fewer concentrated forms of sugar, and the inclusion of more nutrient dense foods to be a bad thing. With a little additional effort, I believe the students in your school could be placed on the front lines of the coming and necessary health revolution in our community. 

    As a nation, we have a history of being progressive in so many ways, yet nutrition consistently takes a back seat. Our government’s dietary guidelines, while well intentioned, have been guided by industries and corporations who are more concerned with their bottom line than the real health of our people. That places the onus on us - parents, educators, health and wellness practitioners, and medical providers - to force progress, provide real change, and ensure the best opportunity for our children to thrive.

    Now, it would be unfair for me to present myself as the pinnacle of nutritional perfection. Rather, I’m a staunch supporter of moderation in all things. My daughter and I enjoy occasionally feeding our sweet tooth, and sometimes convenience provides the motivation to choose good over best. This doesn’t negate, however, the need for a stable framework from which to start. It’s in that direction I would like to see your nutritional program moving.

    I don’t know what your meal planning process looks like, but I believe it needs reevaluation. A suggestion would be to seek external advice, be it a 3rd party nutritional expert, a committee of concerned parents, or simply a volunteer willing to provide feedback. I believe having additional, informed input on the meal plan would help mitigate the issues I’ve described. I’d be happy to volunteer my time in such an effort, or to brainstorm other options with you if you don’t already have those resources in place.

    I appreciate everything your school offers my daughter and I’m hopeful that my comments will be well received. If there is room for additional conversation, please don’t hesitate to contact me. If you have other insights you’d like to share, or other options I’ve overlooked, please let me know. First and foremost, I have my daughter’s health and success in mind, but I would be thrilled to see the situation improve for all of your students.

    Thank you for taking the time to consider my comments.

    Sincerely,

    Nick Kirkes

    Monday’s Workout - Summer Strength Program Week 2

    Bench Press - 2 x 5, 1 x 12 @ 120#
    Back Squat - 2 x 5, 1 x 11 @ 170#
    Hang Power Snatch + Overhead Squat - 2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ 70#
    Pullups, Strict - 3 x max: 7, 4, 4

    Pullups have been missing from my workouts since before the big move/training break. Eager to see those go back up. The HPS + OHS was interesting. I think I could have been closer to my previous weight, which was 80#, but the practice was good. Breaking up the movement like that, instead of doing a Hang Snatch, allowed for better focus on each pull, and then on each squat.

    PolicyBrief_Childhood_Obesity.pdf Download this file

    7 months ago  /  6 notes  / 

  8. Green Light, GO!

    I’ve been doing my blogging over at Die Going Forward for some time. As that is slowly transforming into a multiple contributor effort, I wanted to get things set back up over here, where it’s just my voice. I’ll still moderate and contribute a lot of posts over there, but this is all me.

    See you soon! 

    7 months ago  /  0 notes  / 

  9. stronger faster healthier: Fish Oil - Triglyceride Form? Free Fatty Acid Form? Ethyl Esters? Introducing SFH's NEW SUPER OIL - SO3 →

    strongerfasterhealthier:

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    8 months ago  /  13 notes  /   /  Source: strongerfasterhealthier