It is a hot, humid and sweltery summer afternoon in the Land of Lincoln and I am (so far) done with clients for the day. It is mid-point of July which means that I am due for an update. I have also been struggling as what to write, but I will give it a go.
July challenge: I am learning this issue the hard way. Only one challenge a month. Any more, and I end up with struggling focus and diluted goals. I have decided to eliminate the other goals except for lunchtime fasting through the week and it is working on non-bjj days. On bjj days, it is a miserable failure and I find myself really bonking in class. However, on the days I am not training bjj, it is such a feeling of euphoria and almost like the weight is evaporating off of my skin. It is also excellent mental training. I do not know about fat or weight loss, but I seem to be leaning out some in the midsection and broadening and thickening in the shoulders and arms, but more about that later. So, as far as the challenge goes, one thing at a time.
I have been struggling in bjj. My performance is on a downspin and it seems like I am constantly getting my ass kicked. However, that is part of the growth cycle. However, time off (or lack of it) may be to blame. In 6 years of bjj training and aside from the weeks that the academy is closed for Christmas, I have taken about 10 days away from bjj. We are heading on family vacation for a week at the end of July, so it is pretty serendipitous timing. However, I am also getting my ass kicked due to always placing myself in deficit positions with people that are much more skilled than me in a particular area. The other night, Bill the Wristlock King passed my guard like it was non-existent like 11 billionty times. So it is important to focus on the deficits. I will improve when it is time to improve.
Martial art-wise, I have been working on my flexibility more and playing around with kicks more. It is more of an exercise in athleticism than it is for combat effectiveness, but it sure is fun!
I received a new comp style kettlebell for a Father's day present and have been doing a lot of double kettlebell work, either complexes, crossfit style, or straight hypertrophy work and it is working. We were leaving for church yesterday when a boy in the neighborhood said I looked like John Cena. LOL! You can't see me!!!! I have been also getting the clubbells out and combining them with my kettlebells and my pushup board for homemade "Zurkhaneh" (Persian = House of Strength) training popular with kushti wrestlers of the past. But, my shoulders, elbows, hips and wrists haven't felt healthier! I typically do it in circuit fashion and end up having one Zurkhaneh style workout and one hypertrophy style workout a week, which seems to be enough. Mobility work, every day.
Today's videos are a smattering of the things that I have been watching including an example of how I have been working out, what the Zurkhaneh is, a really incredible documentary on arm wrestling, what clubbells are, and some good ole kickboxing.
Have a good one!
xoxoxo, Scissor
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