Mama did my hair
Originally uploaded by renfield
surviving
Once again I spent the lunch hour getting pummeled by a professional MMA fighter. The final 3 minute round we did speed switches: he's on his back, the rest of us go into a half-mount and fight until he reverses or stands up.
First time, I was flipped in three seconds.
Second time, ten seconds.
Third time, I managed to hang on for a full half-minute, avoiding getting pancaked not once but twice, before executing a textbook anaconda choke hold, which would have dropped any normal human into unconsciousness. Instead, he simply plied my arms off and crushed me into the mat.
You know when you get a piece of tissue paper stuck on your shoe, and you kinda shake it all around, but it's just hanging there by one corner, really tenaciously? And then finally, after flopping all over the place it finally just gives up and flutters away, settling on the pavement once again in a defeated, tangled, dirty, tired heap?
I was the tissue, he was the shoe.
First time, I was flipped in three seconds.
Second time, ten seconds.
Third time, I managed to hang on for a full half-minute, avoiding getting pancaked not once but twice, before executing a textbook anaconda choke hold, which would have dropped any normal human into unconsciousness. Instead, he simply plied my arms off and crushed me into the mat.
You know when you get a piece of tissue paper stuck on your shoe, and you kinda shake it all around, but it's just hanging there by one corner, really tenaciously? And then finally, after flopping all over the place it finally just gives up and flutters away, settling on the pavement once again in a defeated, tangled, dirty, tired heap?
I was the tissue, he was the shoe.
rewardingly humbling
Fight Club at lunch was packed today: a bunch of new guys, all the old crew, some rare faces.
Got to go two rounds with a professional mixed fighter, which basically means I spent three minutes underneath 100 kilos of smiling, dread-locked muscle raining down on top of me. Fun, in a really tiring, I-could-die-any-second-if-he-even-made-the-slightest-effort kind of way. Wasn't much of a workout for him though, I'm afraid. Also a couple of proper grappling guys, one dude with hands for feet and spider limbs for legs and arms. Easily outweighed me by 10 kilos but moved like a hummingbird and clenched like a python. Couldn't box for anything, but it didn't matter because unless I managed to knock him unconscious he'd just tackle me and twist me into a submission pretzel.
After work taught at the dojo and Salty and I each cut a roll. Cutting just doesn't do it for me anymore. It's more a hassle than a thrill, and I'm not learning much from it for my draw cuts. Will probably be a once-in-a-while kinda thing methinks.
Got to go two rounds with a professional mixed fighter, which basically means I spent three minutes underneath 100 kilos of smiling, dread-locked muscle raining down on top of me. Fun, in a really tiring, I-could-die-any-second-if-he-even-made-the-slightest-effort kind of way. Wasn't much of a workout for him though, I'm afraid. Also a couple of proper grappling guys, one dude with hands for feet and spider limbs for legs and arms. Easily outweighed me by 10 kilos but moved like a hummingbird and clenched like a python. Couldn't box for anything, but it didn't matter because unless I managed to knock him unconscious he'd just tackle me and twist me into a submission pretzel.
After work taught at the dojo and Salty and I each cut a roll. Cutting just doesn't do it for me anymore. It's more a hassle than a thrill, and I'm not learning much from it for my draw cuts. Will probably be a once-in-a-while kinda thing methinks.
Blisters
Blisters
Originally uploaded by renfield
This is what happens after being a bit too enthusiastic about barefoot running. First couple of times I ran I was fine. On Monday I ran in the morning, felt great,and actually had a good pace. When I got home i realized I had several gnarly blisters: on the middle and third toes of each foot, a small one next to the ball of my left foot, and this bad boy on my right foot, which is actually two overlapping blisters. Stunningly painful for a few days. But as I expected, it is now hardening up nicely. Will let it heal for a few more days before I do more running, shod. Next week will do a circuit or two of barefoot. A couple months of this and i will have steel plates for feet!
more body hacking, week 1
So this week I have been trying Tim Ferriss' 4-Hour Body "Slow Carb" diet.
It's basically PCP with a couple of twists:
1) No white food (so no carby-carbs; bread, pasta, etc.) except cauliflower
2) Beans, protein, and veggies every meal
3) Weekly "indulgence" day
4) Don't drink calories
There are some other details, but it's basically the beans-not-carbs part that is "slow", as in the body processes bean-carbs slower that white carbs, meaning less blood-sugar spiking, less hunger between meals, etc.
The author dropped a ridiculous amount of weight in 4 weeks without exercising, and because I tweaked my ankle last week I haven't been running much either. But it's kinda boring and I want to get running in the mornings again, so next week I will start doing a few barefoot clicks every morning.
The diet says I need to eat breakfast as soon as I wake up, but I'd rather go for a quick run and do some zazen before the kids wake up.
Anyway I want to see if I can get a couple centimeters off the waistline; mission creep since PCP completed a year ago. Health check again in August and I want to see if I can beat my previous year's results!
It's basically PCP with a couple of twists:
1) No white food (so no carby-carbs; bread, pasta, etc.) except cauliflower
2) Beans, protein, and veggies every meal
3) Weekly "indulgence" day
4) Don't drink calories
There are some other details, but it's basically the beans-not-carbs part that is "slow", as in the body processes bean-carbs slower that white carbs, meaning less blood-sugar spiking, less hunger between meals, etc.
The author dropped a ridiculous amount of weight in 4 weeks without exercising, and because I tweaked my ankle last week I haven't been running much either. But it's kinda boring and I want to get running in the mornings again, so next week I will start doing a few barefoot clicks every morning.
The diet says I need to eat breakfast as soon as I wake up, but I'd rather go for a quick run and do some zazen before the kids wake up.
Anyway I want to see if I can get a couple centimeters off the waistline; mission creep since PCP completed a year ago. Health check again in August and I want to see if I can beat my previous year's results!
New freitag
New freitag
Originally uploaded by renfield
In celebration of my new ipad2 friendly bag, obligatory what's in my bag
shot.
Bonus explain!
Mystery blue things in small clear pouch to right of bag: first responder
barriers (gloves and cpr mouth barrier).
My first official barefoot run: huge success methinks. Used my GPS watch and heart monitor, it was surprisingly easy. I guess I was inspired by reading Born To Run, and reasonably motivated. Got some strange looks as I ran through Roppongi Hills, though. I think I will do at least two barefoot runs a week, just to get my feet toughened up. It certainly helps to keep a smooth, flowing stride with no heel-striking. I have never run in regular sneakers, only Vivo Barefoots, so I don't actually know what it's like to jog with standard bad form, so I can't really compare. But as easy as running in the Barefoots is, running barefoot is even better. No knee stress, no joint shock, and when I am in the groove it's just a really easy and fluid cycle, head barely moving, shoulders and back relaxed, short and quick steps, heart beating about 110 bpm. I think if I keep this up I will have no problem doing a barefoot 10K in the summer and finishing in an hour.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)