tumbling tumbleweeds..

Not wanting this to turn into one of those blogs that never updates, and really has nothing to say, but work sucks. I'm looking for another job, but these things take time.. more on that as it develops.

BJJ update:

Saturday, I went to my first class. The professor, talked to me about some stuff, showed me where the school Gi's were. I tried a few of them on, the pants fit fine, but I couldn't find a top to fit. That’s the problem with being 5’10” and 100kgs. So I went through class in my t-shirt. Not ideal, but it worked out. We started with some basic calisthenics, push ups, sit-ups, bw squats, nothing too difficult. Then the rest of the class went and did some drills, and I learned to stand up properly from a sitting position, which is harder than it sounds. After some individual instruction, have the movement, now I just need to make it smoother.

The other thing I learned Saturday is what's called a scissor-sweep. Which is complicated. The idea is that I'm on my back, my opponent is on top of me, in my guard (his hips behind mine), I knock him over and end up in full mount, my hips over his belly. A good ju-jitsu player can defend himself quite comfortably from guard, when mounted however, your best option is to get the hell out of there.
I also learned a "cross choke" which is when in full mount using your opponent's collar as a fulcrum to scissor your forearms across his neck and choke him out. Hard to execute... actually it's all hard to execute, but that’s why it’s fun.

After all of the drill and demonstration the "not new" folks did 4-5x 6 minute rounds of sparring. I watched. After class, I paid for a month of classes, and bought a gi (since none of the club gi's fit, I didn't really have a choice) It was a blast. It's very technical, and physical, but it's still fun because everyone's more than happy to teach you what they did to you and what you did wrong to get there. It's a really cool environment.

Monday, I had off for Columbus day. Random, but a day off none the less. So, I got up late, had some breakfast, and went to BJJ class. This time in a gi. The daytime class is much smaller and there were two other beginners there. So we got loads of the basics. We learned a arm-bar from guard, 2 ways to go from mount back to full guard. And how to jump to guard (basically concede a take-down and just start things out on the floor).

I was sweating like crazy. It's pretty chilly outside, and the school isn't warm, but the BJJ gi's are about 1/4 inch thick. Very heavy cotton.. thicker than canvas, and only slightly softer. I was sweating my butt off.

I've washed and dried the thing about 15 times just trying to soften it up, no dice. Apparently as you roll, some of the fibers stretch and break, and that softens it up. Right now the jacket could stand up on its own.

Needless to say I am having a blast, but I am tired and sore in weird spots as my body gets used to the new stimulus.

Last night’s workout was brutal.
Tuesday:

Heavy legs:

Warm-up.

Squats:

Build up to 4x2@275

Dl:

4x1@ 405.

The deads felt super heavy. My hips were tired from all of the work on Monday in guard, and the two weeks away from heavy weights from the rib injury. This will get better as I get used to the addnl work.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Sorry about the slacking..

Work has been crazy, and I've lost a couple posts due to power outages here at the office.

Tues:
intervals, short ones.. I forget what exactly.
After that I visited Ballard Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu I met a few folks, sat in on a class. I dug it. Tomorrow I go take my first class. More on that after.

Wed: Calisthenics (for lack of a better term) with my Pair Partner.
(all work was done 1 person at a time, I work you rest, you work, I rest)
10 burpies with 20lb vest
stair wheelbarrow 1 set with vest
side to side jumps over bench 20
renegade rows 10 each side
broad jumps 10
step overs 20
yeats rows with vest 20
split jumps 20
kb squats with 44lber 20
I think I'm forgetting something, but those were the big ones.
burpies with vest:
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
good times.

Last night heavy uppers:
bench:
4x185
2x205
3x1@225
very close grip:
8@135 (need to work on this more, my delts and triceps are the limiting factors on my bench, need to bring them up)

db 1a rows:
4x6@75

chins:
2x as many

and some light shoulder work.
The rib feels better, but I'm being very careful.
tonight, I'm taking off. Tomorrow is BJJ, and maybe speed legs.
Sunday will depend on a couple things.
Monday I have off work, so things'll be a little quiet around here.
mahalo.

cardio is for suckers.. and that's me.

Healing up I am becoming Mr. Cardio. Lasterday, I did:
10x30 sec all out/30 sec light jog
6x 30 sec all out/1 min light jog.

The rib feels pretty ok, only hurts when I do.. "this" but it's not effecting my normal life

quickie.

last night's speed upper workout:
scap retraction/warm up.

bench:
8x2@185 (45sec rest)

1A rows:
12@55
8@65
5@75

Y-T-Ws:
4 sets of as many

Roman chair med ball throws:
4 sets as many.

Rib/back still bothering me, so no heavy legs today.. got to get healthy first.
Mahalo.

Everybody loves a wedding.

This weekend was a chock full of fun:

Friday I did Speed Lower workout because we were leaving town saturday.

Squats:
8x3@225. I lost my stopwatch so the rest was walk over to the clock, rest 30 sec, walk back to the rack.

Speed Pulls:
7x1@315 rest walk 20 ft to a bench and back.

abs.

We went out for sushi, and went to our favorite place for books, coffee and pie.
Saturday: I did some actual cardio..
10x1 min on 30 sec off. elliptical.

Then showered, packed and hopped in a car with my in-laws and headed down to Portland. On the way down we stopped at Fry's. I bought a Grahame Parsons double album (GP and Grevious Angel), and a Chris Ledoux anthology. Once in P-land, we stopped at Powell's book store which has to be experienced. I bought 3 books, two that I will review.. sometime, and a very cool Rugby picture book. From there we went to an excellent Cuban restaurant (Oba). We had some great food, I talked to my wife's cousin's S.O.s and generally had a good time.

Saturday, was the wedding. The cousin in question is a little eccentric, and I have heard plenty of stories about her, and knowing some exceptionally strange folks myself, I was prepared for.. a lot (of what I'm not sure, but a lot of it). It really wasn't all that odd. There was a bride, and groom and minister, a wedding party, cake and tears, and happiness. It was a wedding. Sure all the groom's men (and one woman) were armed with swords. There were several references to Dungeons and Dragons (a game that I'll admit to playing in my youth, and on a handful of occasions during the summer in college ) at least one reference to Star Trek, and none of it was contrived, which was the best part.

Coming from a large extended family I have been to weddings all over the united states. I have been to crappy ones all over the place. The worst weddings where you learn nothing about the people involved from being there. They put nothing of themselves into the ceremony or the reception, they have a generic hall, play generic songs, and do all the generic traditions. Or worse, they contrive some "funkyness" into the wedding, it's forced and awkward, and everyone shrugs and moves on. This wedding, nothing was contrived, the ceremony and reception was a reflection of who they are, the two people were obviously in love, and meant every word of their vows. That to me is a good wedding.