Learning Breakfalls Is Good For You

After doing some techniques in the dojo that require falling, I remembered my Aikido training.  Granted I haven’t practiced breakfalls in many, many years, however I remembered enough to ease the effects of falling.  This got me thinking about how different martial arts have aspects to them that can be helpful no matter the main art studied.  So, after searching youtube.com a bit, I found some videos on breakfalling.  There are many videos on the subject, but here’s one that I believe gives a good instruction on the basics:

Just like this video shows, I remember starting from a sitting position, falling and using arms and hands to break the fall while keeping my chin tucked.  Falling straight onto your back was the first thing learned, then onto your side.  I remember being shown how to do this and then practicing it on our own many many times.  Just like anything, it takes time and practice to get a feel for falling and learning to break your fall.  It can be an uneasy feeling to fall, but with practice, it does not have to be.

If you have some sort of a mat at home, you can practice learning how to fall on your own in a comfortable manner.  If you search “breakfalls” on youtube.com, you’ll find videos of guys doing it on concrete.  The reason I posted about breakfalls is because I’ve heard horror stories about people in the dojo trying to break their fall by sticking out their hand/arm when falling.  Most stories usually detail something broken, which is an injury that could have been avoided.  Hopefully, for those who don’t know about breakfalls, this will give them something to practice to make those times when falling is necessary a safer affair.

Martial Arts Training Is Time Consuming

In my 20’s, I studied aikido.  This martial art was one in which you needed a partner to train.  Kenpo, on the other hand, being primarily a striking art, can be practiced solo on your own in the air and on bags.  Training with a partner is definitely the ideal and a must for many of the elements of the art, however one can work on a large portion of it’s pieces in private without a partner.  In fact, doing so is a must for developing proficiency.

After one year of training, I have so much material to cover, it is time consuming.  Instead of showing up to a dojo or meeting a friend to practice an art such as aikido in order to learn the art, kenpo you must practice on your own so that you are prepared to practice with others.  An art such as bjj or aikido has to be hands on to learn it seems.  At least it seems easier to practice the movements of kenpo solo than it would the aforementioned arts.  Of course I’m speculating from what little experience I had with aikido and the zero experience I have with any other martial art.  Anyway, I think my point is that with kenpo, if you don’t practice on your own, it seems you will learn the bare minimum.

Discovering elements within a martial art seems to be extremely multidimensional and I believe this is what can make it time consuming.  I believe it comes down to what a person wants to get out of their study of a martial art.  I guess it doesn’t have to be time consuming, however, from my perspective, I find myself getting lost within elements of the art during my own practice sessions.  When I say “lost” I’m referring to working on or enjoying a specific movement I may be currently focusing on.

Remembering everything that is taught is a challenge in and of itself.  Practicing everything to the point of discovery is where the time sink comes in.  Although a very enjoyable experience for myself, I do feel a bit of pressure to put the time in to make personal progress.  Some of what I practice feels awkward, some of it feels natural.  Sometimes when what feels natural shows me something I had not noticed before, suddenly, what’s natural becomes awkward again.  It’s a very strange experience, a continual sway between comfort and discomfort.

Sometimes, when I’m not practicing, I’ll be thinking about an element of the art and something will suddenly dawn on me.  Even though my instructor may have told me about it again and again, it’s almost as if my mind needed time to understand the concept and how it relates to my understanding of the art.  When this happens, I usually make time as soon as possible to examine my new found understanding in practice.  It would seem that there is a big difference between understanding a concept and actually putting it into practice with lots of sweat.  At least that’s how I view it.  How can I truly understand something within the art until I see how it works for me and how my body moves.

The biggest amount of time for me is working on my own body movements.  There are so many little details.  There seems to be, at least from my understanding, macro and micro practice.  Macro practice might be working on big picture elements of the art.  For example, working on a technique in one sequence to remember it, working on kicking and strikes to build strength, endurance, and flexibility, and running through forms and sets.  Then comes the micro practice.  This is where time can slip away from me.

This “micro” practice consists of fine examination and specifics.  Breaking down techniques and seeing what elements and movements reside within them.  Examination and drilling of those movements also exists in this micro practice for me.  Going even further, I discover what challenges my own body has with these individual elements dissected.  Imagining what would be effective in different scenarios, drilling specific responses using elements I find work best for my body, and working on weakness I may have with specific combination’s and basics.

There is really so much more to kenpo than a list of techniques, forms, sets, and basics.  It seems to be a personal journey of discovery of one’s own body, it’s capabilities, and understanding how it moves.  Actually, it can even go deeper than that if one is so inclined.  How about the psychological factor of learning such an art?  Frustration of not being able to perform a physical action within the art in what is viewed in one’s own mind as competent is a challenge all it’s own.  Having personally experienced these feelings, I now understand what it is to bridge the scholar and the warrior.  I say I understand it in concept because I now know that I cannot make progress physically if I do not place my frustration in check.  I have learned that continual focused practice with an open mind, knowing that progress can only be made over time, has helped me to see that frustration is really only a road block to achieving my own goals within the art.

So, when I feel frustration, I immediately halt that feeling and start examining what is the cause of that frustration.  Maybe it is a pause in movement.  Maybe it’s incorrect execution.  Whatever it is, I take a moment to identify the cause and isolate how I can improve in that element.  It might be something that I add to a list to work on later.  Nonetheless, it’s all a part of a process that is happening in this long term study of this art.

In many ways, it’s like being a cook vs a chef.  Anyone can read a recipe and make something delicious.  How many recipes can you follow and make endless dish after dish?  You can do this your whole life it would seem.  But how about examining the ingredients, the preparation, and the cooking methods and make different choices for what makes you an individual cook?  What about making a recipe from scratch?  After all, you have all this experience following recipes, learning about different ingredients, trying different things, why not create with what knowledge you’ve acquired?  I guess it might just be easier to follow recipes.  But how can one become a chef just by following recipes without understanding the individual elements that make up the whole process of cooking?  Furthermore, could one become a chef without putting that new found knowledge into practice?  Well, the great thing is that each of us can define for us what it is to be a chef.  I guess that’s what makes the study of an art an individual experience.

Anyway, you get the idea.  Martial arts can be as easy as following a recipe or it can be as complex as you want it to be.  However, it seems the more time you put into it, the more questions arise, which tends to bring about hours of fun making discoveries in one’s self.  At least that’s my take on it.

Martial Arts And Levels Of Fitness

When I think about my own fitness, I remember starting my kenpo training as a way to better myself.  As an observer, not only of my own progress, but of people I train with, and of people I see via videos, I’ve noticed that fitness in martial arts is a matter of choice really.  I can easily do martial arts at a comfortable level of fitness.  I can also see myself doing martial arts at a somewhat poor level as well.  But what about doing martial arts at an exceptional level of physical fitness?  That seems to be a difficult choice to consider.

In order to become an athlete at anything, hard work must be put forth.  Physical conditioning, dieting, and training regimens must be adhered to in order to succeed.  But how does one know if there chosen conditioning path is up to par?  Well, if you look at videos on youtube.com of martial artists long enough, you’ll start to get an idea of what I’m talking about.  Putting martial arts movies aside and focusing on everyday people, I’ve seen examples of levels of martial arts fitness that span the gamut.  I do not want to link any examples because that would single out individuals for scrutiny and would really only be a matter of my own opinion anyway.  However, each of us can watch videos and form our own ideas of what we might like to strive for in a realistic fashion.

For myself, I’m older, so doing flips and such that many younger practitioners are capable of is pretty much not on my list of to-do’s, nor should it be for my own mortality.  However, one thing I’ve noticed over my time studying kenpo is that there is plenty to do physically from within the art that can bring about excellent physical conditioning.  Over and beyond the subject matter within a particular art, there are exercises that can be done to help improve what is done within an art as well.  So, with those 2 aspects alone, one can work toward a higher level of physical conditioning as a martial artist without really going beyond much of what is learned in the dojo.  Heck, a years worth of kenpo knowledge can create a workout regiment that is sure to burn calories and make you drip sweat.

Although I have not been working out at 24 hour fitness like I should be, strength training is definitely a worthy endeavor to compliment martial arts.  There are even body weight exercises that can bring about similar results.  Running, sprinting, and endurance exercises can benefit as well.  Just as one might ask themselves when was the last time they ran as far as they could, when was the last time you tried punching and kicking until you couldn’t?  I guess it’s all about individual perspective and personal desires.

For myself, I spend just as much time imagining as doing.  I’m no wear near the kind of level of fitness I imagine for myself.  However, with all that imagining, I have to filter out what is unrealistic and more appropriate for my age and current ability.  Another consideration for myself is time.  Making time can be a challenge, but also choosing what to do with that time can be complicated as well.  Martial arts is not the only thing I’m interested in.  As you can tell, I enjoy writing, so there’s a time sink for me that takes away from what I could be doing physically.  However, the older I get, the more I realize that physical activity and fitness goals are never a waste of time and more important than ever.  Do I want to die an unhealthy mess or do I want to die knowing I worked toward something greater than what I was capable of the day before.  The latter seems more appealing the older I get.

Symply Too Good To Be True, American Version – A Book Review

Symply Too Good To Be True – American Version is a book written by Annette Sym from Australia.  This book is a diet cookbook written by someone who was overweight and had to learn on her own how to cook healthy recipes in order to lose weight.  Not only has Annette Sym lost weight, but she has kept it off for years by following her own healthy recipes.  What makes this book different is that it is written by someone who is not a dietitian, physician, or other credentialed individual, but someone who was overweight and spent much time learning how to live and eat healthy on her own.  Luckily for the people of Australia, she has shared her insight and recipes through a collection of books that have made her the number one cookbook author in that country.

Now, for the benefit of Americans, she has written a version of her cookbooks that includes ingredients found here in the United States.  Although the book is mostly a cookbook, she also includes tips and guides in this version on how to eat and live healthy.  Much like other cookbooks, the recipes are categorized by types of meals and major ingredients, such as snacks, salads, soups, beef, poultry, seafood, etc.  Each recipe includes a list of ingredients and directions on how to prepare and cook the recipe.

Because her recipes are designed to be healthy and promote weight loss, each recipe includes details including as fat content, carbs, protein, and more.  As an added bonus each recipe rates the recipes glycemic index, which can help people with diabetes choose recipes more adequate to their nutritional needs.  As meals that have a low glycemic index are beneficial to weight loss, this cookbook provides a great way to stay within dieting parameters.

What I like about this cookbook is that the recipes cover a wide range of tastes.  The variety of the recipes makes for a great way to avoid boredom with your dieting while giving you delicious food that is healthy as well.  I do not feel guilty choosing a recipe from this cookbook because I’m shown the details of exactly what it is I am consuming.  Entrees such as Indian Butter Chicken and Ratatouille make for a fun and delicious meal without doubting it’s weight loss and health benefits.  The directions are concise making it easy for anyone to make something that they will enjoy and remember.

Because this author is from Australia, some work had to be done to convert her recipes to include ingredients found here in US supermarkets.  As such, a few of the ingredients may take a bit of looking to find or a bit of creative translation and substitution to accommodate the recipes.  However, with a little common sense and maybe some help from the more cooking adept, this bit of frustration can easily be remedied.  As brands and names for recipe ingredients can differ greatly across continents, as was the challenge of this cookbook, so too can it across regions of the US.  However, like I said, it has not been much of a problem for me, an amateur at cooking, so it shouldn’t be much of a problem for others as well.

So far, I have been able to make what recipes I have cooked turn out to look mostly like the images in the book.  As far as the taste, it has been nothing but a delicious surprise.  If these recipes are good for me, I could eat like this for years to come.  Not only have I enjoyed eating what this book teaches, so has my wife and others.  Just knowing I can pop open this book, take a picture of the ingredients, run to the supermarket, and come home to make something healthy and extremely delicious is a relief.  Everything I have made has been fairly quick and easy to prepare, inexpensive, and satisfying beyond my expectations.

I would highly recommend this cookbook to anyone trying to lose weight or live a healthier life.  Thank you Annette Sym!

UPDATE: 1/20/10

Ok, so you’ve read my review of this book.  Well, I’m even more excited about this book after making one recipe.  The recipe was a pizza.  Ok, big deal.  Well, here’s the kicker.  The glycemic rating was too low so it made the recipe not only ideal for diabetics, but for those wishing to lose weight as well.  Guess what the crust is?  Chicken breast!  Yup, that’s right, chicken breast flattened with a meat mallet.  Never beyond my wildest dreams would I have thought to use a chicken breast for a pizza crust!  Kudos to Annette for this idea. When you place the ingredients on the flattened chicken breast, the chicken breast becomes tough enough to emulate a regular pizza crust.  However, instead of eating a crust full of carbs, you are eating a crust full of protein and low in fat and carbs.  Yet another reason to embrace Annette’s cook books.  She’s lived it, she knows what to do.  Very surprised.

Which Martial Art Style Sucks?

Imagine yourself considering starting martial arts.  Would you want to start training in a martial art style only to find out later that “it sucks”?  So, what does one do to make sure that the martial art style they are considering starting is the best of the best?  Well, rest assured, this article will provide you with helpful tips to prevent such a mishap.

Here’s what we know.  You want to learn a martial art.  You want to learn a martial art that does not suck.  You don’t want to end up being a martial artist that knows a sucky martial art style.  In the end, you want all to know you as a martial artist that is proficient in the best martial art style known to man.  Well, I’m afraid that if that is your mindset, you will be in for much disappointment.

There are so many types of martial arts styles out there, decisions can be difficult when choosing which to devote your time to.  There’s styles that focus on striking, kicking, locks, wrestling, grappling, thowing, weapons, and combinations of the above including other methods not listed.  Imagine every possible scenario you may find yourself in.  There’s no martial art that covers every aspect of fighting that exists.  So, hence, there’s no best of the best martial art. One could literally spending a lifetime learning across many different styles of martial arts.

What there is, however, are good and bad fighters and martial artists, including every degree in between.  No matter the style or styles learned, it all comes down to the individual.  So, what does that say about martial arts and fighting arts in general?  It is an individualized experience.  It all depends on what a person wants to get out of learning a martial art or fighting style.  The individual makes what the art will be for themselves.  You are the one who chooses their own path, goals, and intensity of involvement in the art.

I wonder if that’s what martial arts is really about.  If you want to be a martial artist, be one.  The great thing is that you get to decide what degree of intensity you will put into your learning of such a style or styles.  You can become a competitor or not.  You can be a casual practitioner as well.  You can be whatever it is you want to be in your martial arts endeavors.

What I do believe all martial arts styles are about is passing on knowledge.  So, my greatest concern would be who I am learning from, no matter the style of interest.  Who is your instructor and who did he learn from? What is his teaching style and does it mesh with you?  No matter what style of martial arts one dedicates themselves to, it should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.  Attend a class to watch.  Ask the instructor questions if need be.  Do some research on the school and the instructor.  Try out some classes to see if it is for you.

One thing that I’ve noticed on forum discussions is the “X martial art sucks” topics.  These discussions always have someone who seems more mature and knowledgeable come along to mention that the art is not what matters, but the individual practitioner.  Why does such a discussion exist anyway?  Could it be that a fighter of X art beat a fighter of Y art more often?  And what brought about these facts as fuel for such a discussion?  Could it be open tournaments over the years?  Could it be the more recent popularity of ultimate fighting?  I mean, when styles of all types are finally put to the test against each other, that would finally put to rest which art is the best of the best, right?

Ultimate fighting, just like open tournaments, puts an individual against an individual.  One must remember that these individuals in ultimate fighting have chosen to compete at such a level.  They are the best of the best at what they do.  It’s not the art they practice that makes them the best of the best, but how they as individuals utilize what they have learned to achieve victory in their chosen arena of competition.  Think about all the factors that are involved to win such a competition.  Fitness, knowledge, experience, timing, and luck are just a few.  Wouldn’t such factors apply to any other practitioner of martial arts in a confrontation of any nature?  It seems it would.

So, which martial art style sucks?  In my mind, no style sucks.  However, a person can apply themselves in such a manner as to be considered a casual martial artist.  However, as I’ve mentioned before, the individual should be the one to decide what they want out of studying a martial art.  Casual or ultimate, and all degrees in between, are a path to be chosen and enjoyed by the individual.  When viewing others martial arts ability or style, it seems one should be able to respect what they have accomplished as an individual, no matter the intensity.  This would seem to be a quality expected in all martial artists.  However, reading forum posts with topics such as “X martial art syle sucks” can reveal this is not the case, which is somewhat disappointing seeing as how these posts come from martial artists themselves.

No matter the style you choose, find a good school and a good instructor.   Find what works for you and fits with your wants and desires.  Don’t worry about what others say.  Follow what your gut tells you.  I’m lucky to have found a great instructor.  I can only wish that for others as well.  Don’t be one of those people that goes to a school for a few months to make a judgment about an art.  Remember, people have different goals, interests, and reasons for their chosen path and art.  Martial arts can only be judged by someone who has spent years training in a specific art or arts.  Although, interpretation of any art could be said to be of a subjective nature.  Hence, the reason this article and the dreaded “martial art style X sucks” comments exist.

Regardless of what is said here or elsewhere, just do it for yourself.

Starting Second Year of Kenpo Training

Shortly before this time last year, I spent a considerable amount of time researching what type of martial arts I should begin.  There were several ways I went about this.  I researched written material and articles on the internet, watched videos on youtube.com, and went to the bookstore.  Then I began the search for a school in my area from a list of martial arts I might pursue.  I had the choice of an MMA school, taikwondo, and american kenpo.  It really came down to what I think I might be able to do.  An MMA focus was not something I wanted to be around at the time and lots of kicking was a scary thought for me, so I chose Kenpo.  I’m very glad I made that choice because not only did I discover I could do it, I found that I enjoy it greatly.

Last year I spent learning the basics of the art.  Now, with beginning the second year of training at purple belt and beyond, I am going to be learning more advanced applications of the art.  I am very excited about this.  I love watching kenpo videos on youtube.com.  Even the remote possibility of being able to perform the complex movements displayed by proficient practitioners showcased in many videos is beyond what my imagination can grasp at this moment.  However, being in an environment where I will be taught how to do just that has me smiling ear to ear, inside at least.

From what basics I’ve learned in my first year, I can see bits and pieces of what I know being used in more advanced demonstrations I see on youtube.com videos.  Although I am at a point where I know some these pieces, I do not know how to put it all together.  I’m like a child in grade school, so to speak.  Watching “older kids” demonstrate what they know is a very motivating factor, not only for my interest in kenpo, but in aspiring toward goals for myself in the art.

I have so many questions about the art, yet in many ways, I don’t know how to ask them yet.  I know that I must be patient and absorb what is taught to me so that I can find answers over time with practice.  There’s a mystery to be unfolded and I’m right in the midst of it.  The greatest thing about it is that this mystery is unique for me.  I am the main character and how the story unfolds is entirely up to me.  My story will be different than anyone else.  What I learn will be absorbed, interpreted, and made a part of me in some ways similar to others, but in some ways much different.  How my mind and body comes together in the coming months and years through what I learn and develop will be unique to me.

I’ve had several opportunities throughout last year to watch advanced students.  I see them moving and imagine myself doing the same.  However, my mind sees a blank space between what I know and what I am watching.  I want to fill those blank spaces with knowledge and ability so that I may be able to perform similarly.

All I can say is that I can’t wait to begin the next class.  Being able to do this is probably one of the greatest gifts I’ve been given in recent years.  I hope I’m able to do this for years to come.

Passed Kenpo Purple Belt Test

A years worth of material I was tested on.  Wow….it’s hard to believe that this year is over.  When I think about what I knew when I started and what I know now, it leaves me scratching my head a bit.  It’s hard to believe because I never thought I would do it, even though I wanted to for years.  So, here I am with purple belt in hand.

Once the holidays are over, I start the next year of training, which, for my school, happens at different times with a different group of students.  I will be working with purple belt through top-level brown belt students.  I am very excited about this.  My first year, as I’ve been told, was designed to build good solid basics.  My imagination now runs wild with what I will be learning come January.  Today, after one year of training, I have a whole repertoire of information and knowledge of basics, sets, forms, techniques, and additional skills that can easily create a training session that lasts a few hours or more.  I guess that’s one of the reasons why I say I scratch my head a bit.  There is so much information in this system after one year, that I cannot yet imagine what it is I will know by the time I am a black belt.

Anyway, the belt test was tons of fun.  Everyone in my class who tested passed.  Since beginning my training, I’ve seen purple belts awarded and have said temporary goodbyes to these students.  Now I find myself in that position, saying goodbye to lower belts and stepping forward toward another flight of stairs.  Time has gone by very quickly, so much so that I have to stop for a minute to think about all that has transpired.  When I go over my notes, it all comes back to me just how much has been shown to me.  I feel very fortunate to have learned all that I have been taught.

Not much else to say really.  I can’t wait for classes to start back up in January.

Morton’s Toe Causes Foot Pain

Within the past 3 years, I’ve started developing pain in my feet on occasion.  The first time was a few years ago when I could barely walk at work because it felt like there was a nail driving into my right heel.  After talking with some people at work, they said I had plantar facaiitis.  The next day, I went to see a podiatrist.  She confirmed that fact after some x-rays.  She took some inserts out of a box, adjusted them a bit, and sent me on my way.

Within a week, the pain was gone.  I’ve worn these inserts faithfully, however, over time, pain in my feet has returned, but in different ways.  Now my pain occurs when standing up and first starting to walk.  It’s in both of my feet on the outter edges of my feet.  After walking for a bit, my feet tend to “warm up” and the pain goes away.  However, initially, the pain makes me limp for a few steps.

I’ve scrated my head about this because, for one, pain is not fun, especially when it is a regular happening.  Secondly, I don’t want it to affect my kenpo training.  I haven’t really gave it much thought because it goes away rather quickly within about 30 seconds of walking or activity.  But, what’s been waining on my mind is the fact that if I don’t do something about it, it might get worse and become debilitating.

So, instead of just living with the pain and accepting some false reality of it being due to getting older, I thought about getting some new shoe inserts.  I remembered hearing about a store called Ideal Feet where I live.  Sounds great as I’ve heard ads on the radio about it.  But after investigating this store and reading about inserts on the internet, it does not sound so promising.  Not only are there people complaining about this store from matters such as a no return policy to continued pain, the inserts are rather expensive.  Turns out these high dollar inserts are making a few people rich and no better than the cheap ones.

My other option was buying the Dr. Scholls inserts.  There’s actually a new computerized kiosk at Walmart that you can stand on that reads your feet to tell you which inserts are best for you.  My feet came up needing the most dramatic inserts they had.  They’re around $50, so it’s not too bad.  However, not really understanding what was going on with my feet still bugged me quite a bit.  I didn’t want to go back to the podiatrist to only get new inserts or some simple adjustment.  So, what could I do?

I started searching on the internet and found a site discussing Morton’s toe.  That’s where your second toe bone is longer than your big toe bone.  I’m not talking about the bones that make up the actual toes that stick out, but the bones that your piggies attach to, the one’s that make up the internal of your foot.  Come to find out that about 25% of the population has this herditary condition called Morton’s toe.  OK, so what does that mean?

Well, after reading about and watching a video at http://whyyoureallyhurt.com/, I learned that your foot is supposed to be supported by your 1st and 5th toe bones.  However, with the condition of Morton’s toe, because your 2nd toe bone is longer than your 1st, most of the support lies on the 2nd toe bone.  This can cause your feet to be flat, your ankles to turn inward, and callouses to appear in certain areas on your feet and big toe that should not occur normally.

After further searching, and here’s the pot at the end of the rainbow, I found a website that tells you how to self diagnose and treat Morton’s toe.  So, guess what?  I’ve got Morton’s toe, everything I described above.  After reading the information on this website, I was able to see what would make my feet and ankles normal again.  I even placed objects underneath both of the bones of my great goes and watched my ankles straighten again.  I could not even believe that it took this long for me to find answers that might explain my foot pain.  Even a trip to a podiatrist did not reveal this about my feet.  I can’t say I’m exactly pleased with the podiatrist.  Maybe she was hoping for revenue from another appointment before disclosing this information to me. Who knows, who cares.

Let’s talk about all the things that can cause pain in your feet.  If you’re overweight or obese and you’re having pain in your feet, lose weight.  If you’re wearing the same shoes you bought a year ago and you’re having pain in your feet, buy some new shoes.  If you’re on your feet all day and you’re having pain your feet, get some gel shoe inserts and maybe sit down more often.  If you’ve done all of the above and you’re still having pain, that’s when a trip to a podiatrist might be appropriate.  Of course, I’m sure there’s a ton of other possibilities.  I’m just sticking to the obvious to keep it simple.

For myself, I had done all of the above, even the trip to the podiatrist.  Maybe it was just bad picking on my part as far as the podiatrist goes.  Anyway, I’m hoping that with my new found knowledge, I’ll find ways to end the pain in my feet.  After a bit of a pedicure, I’ll add some photos to show everyone my lovely feet and what I’ve discovered so others can benefit as well.  Update coming soon.

One Year Of Kenpo Training Completed

As I’m about to take my purple belt test, I thought I’d reflect a moment on this year of beginning my training in Kenpo.  I remember walking into the dojo the first day wondering if I had made a good decision.  I was fat, out of shape, and older than most in class.  I had let myself go physically and was not sure if I would be able to do what was required.  Doubts and feelings of embarassment were frequent.  But, I stuck with it, and it’s a bit weird to be sitting here writing this today.

For myself, my age, and my weaknesses I had to overcome, it was hard work.  What is strange is what I know I must work on now, is quite different than months past.  It has been a very “in the moment” experience this year.  What weaknesses I have overcome in the past have been replaced by new challenges on a continual basis.  It’s like walking up a never ending flight of stairs.  I literally have to stop and look back to see just how far I’ve come.

What I had to work on so hard earlier this year is now engrained into me.  My balance, strength, and flexibility are much greater than when I started.  What I can do without thinking now, I had to concentrate on before.  What techniques were difficult, are now easy.  What I didn’t understand early on, I now grasp.  However, like I said, I have to stop and think about what I’ve accomplished because there is so much more to learn and so many more questions I have yet find an answer for.  I now know with hard work, it will happen in time.

Speaking of questions, it seems the more I learn and am exposed to, the more questions that develop as I practice.  It’s kind of like trying to guess what a picture is of while a curtain slowly lifts revealing more to see.  Every technique, form, set, and basic element that I’m exposed to brings about questions not only of how to physically move, but also of how to logically understand it all.  Before I started, I pictured myself learning how to perform physical movements, and that’s it.    I never imagined the cerebral element of martial arts.  For myself, it is equally a part of my training as is the physical aspect involved.  What a surprise that is.

Aggression.  Hmmmm.  I don’t think I’ve ever really been much of an aggessive person.  I’m a more happy go lucky, a lover instead of a fighter, kinda guy.  So, to be encouraged to be aggressive has turned out to be a good thing for me.  I guess I never really had an avenue in which I was interested enough where I could or wanted to embrace that potential side of myself.  Yes, it’s true.  Outside of the dojo, I’m more focused on helping others or laughing/joking around.  To have a place and a way in which I can physically release frustrations in a manner in which is not the norm for me has helped rid myself of undue stress.  Plus, the confidence of knowing what it is like to tap into that animal side is somewhat refreshing.

When I first started, I wanted to be a certain person at martial arts.  Unrealistically, I wanted to be something like a cross between Chuck Norris, Jeff Speakman, and Bruce Lee.  As time passed this year, I became aware that I had to accept that which I was not capable of, in essence learning to accept, in certain aspects, who I am.  I learned that I can become my own martial artist, not like some martial artist.  I have unique qualities that make me different than anyone else.  I also have weaknesses that I must deal with in my own way.  No matter what I am or am not capable of, in some small way, I have learned to be proud of myself for stepping onto this path I’ve chosen.  I’ve have definately began to understand myself more.

I find myself excited for what lay ahead of me.  The new information that will be passed onto me I view as a gift I will carry for many years to come.  Although I’ve been practicing off and on most of the day today for my belt test, my mind wanders wondering what I will learn and be exposed to come January.  Just like in the past months, I cannot wait to experience what my instructor has in store.  This may sound rather weird, but it’s kind of a game for me to think of every new class as exposure to some ancient secret.  Although it’s not so much so, I find the excitement of new material envigorating.  What may seem simple, can be explored beyond what’s visible on the surface.  You can easily view something as “ok..yeah…BAM…no big deal” or you can ask yourself “but wait a minute…what about this or that”.  I’ve had lots of fun wondering about the “this or that” aspect of what I’ve been exposed to thus far.

Yes, it’s true, I should have done this a long time ago.  But, I’m really glad I’m doing it now because there is no telling if I would have been mentally or emotionally ready at any other time in the past.  I was talking with a friend of mine about distance running.  He told me that the majority of runners who are able to complete marathons are older indviduals.  He discussed mental resolve and how that is something that one just cannot learn from someone else.  Unless someone already inherently possesses such mental resolve, it takes years to develop such an adept trait.  When thinking about myself in that past, I can see some truth in this statement.  I hope I’ve developed the resolve to continue my training without fail for years to come.

I’m not sure what else to say about this year of Kenpo training.  Oh, wear a cup!  Once you’ve had your  jewels lifted or adjusted by another’s appendage, it’s importance becomes quite apparent.  The best way to avoid experiencing this realization, and I’m speaking from experience, is to go buy a cup, remove it from the package, and actually wear it.  For women, I’ve seen breast shields for sale.  If I were a woman, I’d own and wear one for sure.  That’s all I have to say about that.  Oh, one more thing.  You will get hit from time to time unexpectantly as we all try to be careful, but accidents happen.  If the taste of blood in your mouth, bruises on the skin, or pain frightens you, rest assured, that fear will be surpassed after a few slip ups by your training partner.  It sucks when it happens, but it makes for great stories later on.

Conclusion:  Glad I started, Kenpo is great, I’m much better for it, and I recommend it to anyone and everyone!  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Did Red Yeast Rice Lower My Cholesterol?

If you’ve read anything about me in my other articles, you should know that I wasn’t in the best of shape.  My bad cholesterol was high, my triglycerides were way up, and my good cholesterol was down.  This was about a year and a half ago.  This was in addition to being basically sedentary and obese while downing who knows how many mountain dews a day.  I lived out of restaurants and off of fast food.  When I did cook at home, my favorite meal was the greatest plate of nachos anyone could ever make.  All other meals were of the same quality.

Yes, I’ve ended my tainted ways, but one problem I had was getting my cholesterol levels were they needed to be.  I absolutely hate the notion of prescription medications unless it’s something I cannot live without.  So, when my doctor put me on crestor, let’s just say I was not the most compliant patient.  I had it stuck in my mind that diet and exercise was the key.  It seemed natural and only a matter of time for my cholesterol levels to reach healthy numbers.

In February of this year, after nearly 9 months of trying to be as good as I could be, minus not taking my crestor, my cholesterol was still not were it needed to be.  I had the diet thing down, I was exercising regularly, but still my cholesterol was not satisfactory with my doctor.  He wanted to me to go on crestor again.  He gave me a 4 week sample and told me to return when they were gone.  What I did was went home and started researching natural remedies for cholesterol.  That’s when I discovered red yeast rice.

So, that day I went to the local drug store and bought some red yeast rice.  I never returned to the doctor as instructed, but instead began taking the dosage as indicated on a daily basis.  Last week I had my cholesterol levels checked and my doctor said everything was where he wanted them to be.  So, now here’s the question.  What was the attributing factor to my cholesterol levels returning to normal?  Was it the red yeast rice, my diet, my visits to the gym, or my kenpo?

Seeing as how I started kenpo in January, I can see that being a factor this entire year.  I’ve been hitting the gym as well on a regular basis, so that had to have something to do with it as well.  I’ve been taking red yeast rice twice a day since February, so I’m sure that has helped as well.  Now, here’s where it gets interesting.  My diet I have slipped up on quite often since about October with vacations and holidays.  I’ve been less disciplined about going out to eat so much so that my wife and I have felt we have fallen off the wagon as far as our diet goes.  Granted I don’t eat no wear near as horrific as I used to, but surely I have not been the healthiest compared to previous months.

So, with that said, how did my cholesterol keep getting better over time even though I’ve eaten some undesirables on more than one occasion?  Was it the gym, kenpo, red yeast rice, or a combination of all 3?  I guess the only way to find out would be to spend some time getting my cholesterol levels all out of whack again, and then only doing one of the three over a period of time to see what the results would be.  That could be a potential time sink that I’m not willing to entertain.

It is interesting to note that good habits over time seem to bring about happy endings.  I guess I could stop taking red yeast rice for maybe 6 months and see what my blood work shows then.  But I’d like to think that it was a contributing factor and I’d hate the return of potential risk factors.  When telling my doctor that I took red yeast rice, he commented that his endocrinologist friend swears up and down over it’s benefits.  With the return of some bad diet habits, I was almost half expecting my cholesterol to be just as bad as it was in February, but it was quite the opposite.  So, did red yeast rice help lower my bad cholesterol and raise my good cholesterol?  I really don’t know for sure, but it seems that maybe it had.  It would be nice if there was a simple answer.  I think I remember something about a healthy diet and regular exercise being good for you, but surely that could not be enough, could it?