My Reality Check

JowGaWolf

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I always like to do a "Reality Check" to help determine where I am in my conditioning. Day 0 what condition am I in (not the official day of training). Hitting the heavy bag. These are things I discovered haver 1hr 30min punching the bag. Time flew by really fast. Had I not seen my son's knuckles I would have been in there for another hour. I had good time and really needed it. I had the entire heavy bag room by myself. Not sure how long that will last. 2 people saw what I was doing and came in to play around with the bags a little. They punched the bag, but one guy didn't have the conditioning for it. Made me feel good that my son being out of shape was still better conditioned. Looking forward to be in good shape.

So it turns out that the older I get the faster I fall out of shape lol. I need to pay attention to my son's conditioning more. He won't let me know that he's reached his limit, so if I don't do a check, then he'll push harder than what is healthy. 1hr 30min is too long on the bag for him at the moment. His knuckles were bright red. It look like dipped those things in paint. He did a good job with striking, He didn't break the skin. But I would have stopped his training long before his knuckles got the that color.

My wife took Selfies WTH? 30 minutes into the workout she was asking "what are we doing now?" I think she's trying deal with the reality of how much she's out of shape even though she lifts weights every morning. Martial Arts takes a different type of fitness and sometimes people who work lift weights and other exercises are shocked that they are out of shape in that manner.

Knuckle conditioning - Good. Was able to strike the bag without wishing that I had the gloves on.
Basic Punching - some of my punching techniques fell apart, but I know how to fix it. Wrist structure still good
Punching Cardio = Covid 19 Level (not real Covid). I tired out really quick in this area. Jab cardio was fine but Jow Ga punches made me breath heavy and my muscle endurance gassed out way early
Elbow strikes - Surprisingly the striking technique that I've do the least of was the one that was in best shape. It wasn't Stellar but they were good. It didn't tire me out. I did some with power and I did some relaxed with no power.
Forearm conditioning - weak elbows. But otherwise decent

Issues:
Cardio - I new this was an issue, No surprise there.
Elbows Joints - It could be from the weight lifting mile walks that I was taking after dinner, it seems that my elbows or either over extending, have lost some, flexibility, or my muscle is overpowering the extension so it snaps. I had to user a boxer's jab (rotated the jab more to adjust). Whatever is going on, I definitely have to fix that.

My years of being able to snap back into shape are gone. I can no longer count on that. Time to accept my new reality and base my training on that. I'm starting to understand what Kung Fu Wang was talking about in regards to working out everyday. I'll still have my rests days, where I don't work out. On those days I'll just replace them with movement exercises vs training exercises.

Funniest thing that happened:
At the end of the beginner form, I hear my son say "Oh my legs" yep. we are doing kung fu son. That's the one thing that I love hearing in kung fu.

I forgot the camera, so I'll bring it tonight. I'm working on creating a spreadsheet. I would like to throw some number on the graph after while so I can get a good understanding on the overall picture.
 

dvcochran

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I always like to do a "Reality Check" to help determine where I am in my conditioning. Day 0 what condition am I in (not the official day of training). Hitting the heavy bag. These are things I discovered haver 1hr 30min punching the bag. Time flew by really fast. Had I not seen my son's knuckles I would have been in there for another hour. I had good time and really needed it. I had the entire heavy bag room by myself. Not sure how long that will last. 2 people saw what I was doing and came in to play around with the bags a little. They punched the bag, but one guy didn't have the conditioning for it. Made me feel good that my son being out of shape was still better conditioned. Looking forward to be in good shape.

So it turns out that the older I get the faster I fall out of shape lol. I need to pay attention to my son's conditioning more. He won't let me know that he's reached his limit, so if I don't do a check, then he'll push harder than what is healthy. 1hr 30min is too long on the bag for him at the moment. His knuckles were bright red. It look like dipped those things in paint. He did a good job with striking, He didn't break the skin. But I would have stopped his training long before his knuckles got the that color.

My wife took Selfies WTH? 30 minutes into the workout she was asking "what are we doing now?" I think she's trying deal with the reality of how much she's out of shape even though she lifts weights every morning. Martial Arts takes a different type of fitness and sometimes people who work lift weights and other exercises are shocked that they are out of shape in that manner.

Knuckle conditioning - Good. Was able to strike the bag without wishing that I had the gloves on.
Basic Punching - some of my punching techniques fell apart, but I know how to fix it. Wrist structure still good
Punching Cardio = Covid 19 Level (not real Covid). I tired out really quick in this area. Jab cardio was fine but Jow Ga punches made me breath heavy and my muscle endurance gassed out way early
Elbow strikes - Surprisingly the striking technique that I've do the least of was the one that was in best shape. It wasn't Stellar but they were good. It didn't tire me out. I did some with power and I did some relaxed with no power.
Forearm conditioning - weak elbows. But otherwise decent

Issues:
Cardio - I new this was an issue, No surprise there.
Elbows Joints - It could be from the weight lifting mile walks that I was taking after dinner, it seems that my elbows or either over extending, have lost some, flexibility, or my muscle is overpowering the extension so it snaps. I had to user a boxer's jab (rotated the jab more to adjust). Whatever is going on, I definitely have to fix that.

My years of being able to snap back into shape are gone. I can no longer count on that. Time to accept my new reality and base my training on that. I'm starting to understand what Kung Fu Wang was talking about in regards to working out everyday. I'll still have my rests days, where I don't work out. On those days I'll just replace them with movement exercises vs training exercises.

Funniest thing that happened:
At the end of the beginner form, I hear my son say "Oh my legs" yep. we are doing kung fu son. That's the one thing that I love hearing in kung fu.

I forgot the camera, so I'll bring it tonight. I'm working on creating a spreadsheet. I would like to throw some number on the graph after while so I can get a good understanding on the overall picture.
Yep, I pulled a muscle in my right kidney area. Going on for over a week now. One of those pulls that Really make you check up when you move certain ways. My recovery time is terrible now.
Sucks as you get older.
 

bushido

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LOL, I hear you Jow Ga... I am just tagging 60 now. If I take 3 or 4 weeks off I really notice it. Weights drop and cardio takes a hit. It does not take long to see a decline in conditioning.
I find the worst is the torso... If I am out of throws for a couple of months, it is really noticeable.
 
OP
JowGaWolf

JowGaWolf

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Yep, I pulled a muscle in my right kidney area. Going on for over a week now. One of those pulls that Really make you check up when you move certain ways. My recovery time is terrible now.
Sucks as you get older.
Yep healing takes longer. I try to catch it early. I'm learning my new limits. I have a dedicated repair time that is geared towards repairing my body, even if there is no pain. My diet changes during this period of time.
 

Yokozuna514

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I always like to do a "Reality Check" to help determine where I am in my conditioning. Day 0 what condition am I in (not the official day of training). Hitting the heavy bag. These are things I discovered haver 1hr 30min punching the bag. Time flew by really fast. Had I not seen my son's knuckles I would have been in there for another hour. I had good time and really needed it. I had the entire heavy bag room by myself. Not sure how long that will last. 2 people saw what I was doing and came in to play around with the bags a little. They punched the bag, but one guy didn't have the conditioning for it. Made me feel good that my son being out of shape was still better conditioned. Looking forward to be in good shape.

So it turns out that the older I get the faster I fall out of shape lol. I need to pay attention to my son's conditioning more. He won't let me know that he's reached his limit, so if I don't do a check, then he'll push harder than what is healthy. 1hr 30min is too long on the bag for him at the moment. His knuckles were bright red. It look like dipped those things in paint. He did a good job with striking, He didn't break the skin. But I would have stopped his training long before his knuckles got the that color.

My wife took Selfies WTH? 30 minutes into the workout she was asking "what are we doing now?" I think she's trying deal with the reality of how much she's out of shape even though she lifts weights every morning. Martial Arts takes a different type of fitness and sometimes people who work lift weights and other exercises are shocked that they are out of shape in that manner.

Knuckle conditioning - Good. Was able to strike the bag without wishing that I had the gloves on.
Basic Punching - some of my punching techniques fell apart, but I know how to fix it. Wrist structure still good
Punching Cardio = Covid 19 Level (not real Covid). I tired out really quick in this area. Jab cardio was fine but Jow Ga punches made me breath heavy and my muscle endurance gassed out way early
Elbow strikes - Surprisingly the striking technique that I've do the least of was the one that was in best shape. It wasn't Stellar but they were good. It didn't tire me out. I did some with power and I did some relaxed with no power.
Forearm conditioning - weak elbows. But otherwise decent

Issues:
Cardio - I new this was an issue, No surprise there.
Elbows Joints - It could be from the weight lifting mile walks that I was taking after dinner, it seems that my elbows or either over extending, have lost some, flexibility, or my muscle is overpowering the extension so it snaps. I had to user a boxer's jab (rotated the jab more to adjust). Whatever is going on, I definitely have to fix that.

My years of being able to snap back into shape are gone. I can no longer count on that. Time to accept my new reality and base my training on that. I'm starting to understand what Kung Fu Wang was talking about in regards to working out everyday. I'll still have my rests days, where I don't work out. On those days I'll just replace them with movement exercises vs training exercises.

Funniest thing that happened:
At the end of the beginner form, I hear my son say "Oh my legs" yep. we are doing kung fu son. That's the one thing that I love hearing in kung fu.

I forgot the camera, so I'll bring it tonight. I'm working on creating a spreadsheet. I would like to throw some number on the graph after while so I can get a good understanding on the overall picture.
Good on ya for tracking your progress and seeing where the gaps lay. Not always easy or accommodating to the ego to show our weaknesses but that is the only way we will improve them.

I'm no longer a spring chicken either and to stay in shape takes long hours of work that no one really sees. For sure a few days/weeks off will have a noticeable difference in performance but you won't be starting from zero again. It may take you 2 or 3 times longer than when you 'fell off' to get back where you were but life happens and we all need to deal with it.

If I want a reality check, I go work out with the 20 year olds. They are pretty good about not reminding me how old I am except when they do. I guess we both get reality checks that day.
 

Wing Woo Gar

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Good on ya for tracking your progress and seeing where the gaps lay. Not always easy or accommodating to the ego to show our weaknesses but that is the only way we will improve them.

I'm no longer a spring chicken either and to stay in shape takes long hours of work that no one really sees. For sure a few days/weeks off will have a noticeable difference in performance but you won't be starting from zero again. It may take you 2 or 3 times longer than when you 'fell off' to get back where you were but life happens and we all need to deal with it.

If I want a reality check, I go work out with the 20 year olds. They are pretty good about not reminding me how old I am except when they do. I guess we both get reality checks that day.
So true. I judge my cardio level against what my 25 year old students can keep up with. If I can keep going after they gas out then I feel like I’m doing ok. My recovery time is where I notice a lag these days. I also have to stretch for longer to get the same benefit of yesteryear.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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It does not take long to see a decline in conditioning.
In CMA, this is called "lose Gong period". It's very painful.

For example,

When you are 20, you can touch your hand on your foot while you do inside crescent kick, outside crescent kick, and front kick.

When you are 60, you may still be able to do it with some pain.

When you are 80, you will feel very painful to remain these kind of flexibility.

 

Damien

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Great to see someone keeping track of their condition and progress :) One thing that really gets me about a lot of martial arts practice is that it is just doing the same moves the same amount of times, with the same intensity each week. You get stagnant doing that.

We need to assess where we are and push ourselves to get to the next level. 20 roundhouses in 5 minutes this week? Go for 25 next week, then 20 in 4 minutes etc.
 

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