AWESOME!! Getting another girl into the free weight section is too cool!
Sweet on the roundhouses - I’m just not the most flexible girl in the world - I’m pretty consisten with both legs, but they tend to be around high chest height. Feeling good about the test? I KNOW you’ll do awesome!
The tourney went well although there was no one in my divisions to spar (continuous or point) - the tourney was much smaller this year due to the economic downturn. I wish more women competed. Did get asked to join a few male black belts and compete in team point sparring - US vs Italy. We won.
Hi nvh,
Thanks! I am feeling pretty good but I dream all night long about screwing up at the test.
Early in my training, I heard people say us older students would never kick as high as the teenagers. I thought that sounded like bs and just kept trying. Now, I just love being 45 and able to kick people in the head.
I’ve been to several tournaments where there was no one for adult women to spar. You end up with someone 40 lbs different from you, or five belts below or above… it’s still a good experience and I really believe if you and I keep showing up, we build up a community of appropriate opponents. I’m going to go look up team sparring now. We don’t do that in my style. Have a good day!
Team point sparring is pretty simple. In this case, it was 3 males and one female on each team so there were 4 matches. You just add up the scores at the end of the matches to determine who won, so it’s not really style dependant. I couldn’t tell you if the others were TKD, kickboxing, karate, etc… It’s fun, but nervewracking. I really didn’t want to let down the others on the team.
[quote]nvh95 wrote:
Team point sparring is pretty simple. In this case, it was 3 males and one female on each team so there were 4 matches. You just add up the scores at the end of the matches to determine who won, so it’s not really style dependant. I couldn’t tell you if the others were TKD, kickboxing, karate, etc… It’s fun, but nervewracking. I really didn’t want to let down the others on the team. [/quote]
Weighted chinups 3x3 +15 lbs < this was pretty cool because there were some maintenance guys in the gym and they burst into applause at these. hee hee.
Deadlifts 1x5 45, 95, 115, 135 2x1 155 lb < new PR again. Can’t let Kimba and Tootles kick my ass!
BB Bench 1,5 55,65,75 1x4 80 1x6 75 1x9 65 lb and db bench 1x5 30 lb < my bench is just not getting any better. I’m trying upping the volume to see if that helps.
BB reverse curl 2x4 33 lbs < I’m not sure about this one. I thought the solid steel bar was 13 lbs, but a facilities guy was in the weight room and said it was more. Someone took down the sign that says how much the other bars weigh and I can’t remember now. Anyway, the guy says he has a better forearm/grip device he is going to make me. I’ll post pix Friday.
I ran the whole blackbelt run before my sparring class yesterday. Well, I ran half, then walked some, then ran the rest. But I did it. By the second class I was a little woozy. Got to pay careful attention to nutrition. I’ll run again this evening before kickboxing and class. 3 1/2 weeks to go!
I got a speedbag put up in the gym and I have been kicking it. I can hit it with a roundhouse and a turning hook kick at the lowest setting, which is just over head height.
Hi everyone!
Sorry I’ve been gone. I was told by my coach/blackbelt friend to quit lifting about three weeks ago to focus on endurance. I entered a highly focussed (aka semi-freaking out) state and I’m proud to say I am now a blackbelt!
The test went great. Highlights include: I BROKE the concrete brick (!), 10 boards, and survived multiple attackers with grace and style, and all my kicks were solid. My pushups were better than the other two candidates, and my superior core strength, because of my strength training, was obvious to all onlookers. I’m going to try to get the video of the brick break up this evening. I cried, the audience cried, it was awesome! :) (my 5-mile run totally sucked but I don’t care)
It’s been killing me not to lift heavy and now I am back so watch out!
Here are my new (short-term let’s say December) goals:
Deadlift 170 current 1RM 155
Bench 95 current 1RM 90
Overhead press 65 current 1RM 62.5
Squat 130 current 1RM 125
Chinups 1x5 with 25 lbs added
These may seem modest, but I’m not sure how much I’ve lost by being out for several weeks.
It’s great to be back! Stay tuned for video as soon as I figure it out.
The test went great. Highlights include: I BROKE the concrete brick (!), 10 boards, and survived multiple attackers with grace and style, and all my kicks were solid. My pushups were better than the other two candidates, and my superior core strength, because of my strength training, was obvious to all onlookers. I’m going to try to get the video of the brick break up this evening. I cried, the audience cried, it was awesome! :) (my 5-mile run totally sucked but I don’t care)
[/quote]
Thanks Kimba,
hee hee. Three of my employees said the same thing. “Remind self not to piss off Diana, she can kick you in the head.”
I can’t wait to start lifting heavy stuff again!
Its amazing that you can break a brick without, you know, hurting your hand and all. That comment betrays my utter lack of knowledge about martial arts, but there it is. The support of the audience was really nice to see.
It is bruised, but when the brick breaks, the force is less, because energy goes into moving and breaking the brick, rather than back into your hand. Most of the audience knew how very determined I was to break that brick. Not everyone has done it during our blackbelt tests, AND I am so far the smallest woman to do it at our school. This was a HUGE personal accomplishment for me. :):)
[quote]arachne12 wrote:
Who says I didn’t hurt my hand? [/quote]
Well, then. You are an even bigger bad-ass than I originally thought!
Oh, do I totally understand what it is to be the smallest and yet be determined to do something strong or powerful. That is so much easier to do with support and you obviously had alot of it.
Mostly what I get is “oh, don’t hurt yourself”. Not terribly encouraging. But, hey. Fuck 'em.
Did get asked to join a few male black belts and compete in team point sparring - US vs Italy. We won. 
