Karate training in the Middle East

[seienchin]

Big Al - glad to hear you are still doing ok.

If anyone reads that post above, and continues to have doubts about the value of Sanchin kata, then they are truly beyond saving!!!! What a great post, and a great write-up of the benefits of focussing on sanchin for a while.

Keep up the great training. Your sensei won't recognise you when you get back.

[Bloke]

Fantastic post BigAl - made me want to go an do Sanchin right now.

[BigAl]

I'm glad I'm not the only one getting something out of this

For the first time the other day, I videotaped myself doing Sanchin just to see what I looked like and noticed a few things I might need to work on. I bounce ever so slightly when stepping, and when I turn I end up slightly off from where I began the turn (something I've been bugged about before but seeing it on video really made it noticeable because I slowly shifted off camera by the end). Once I get a good one, I'm going to try to upload it to get some feedback from the more knowledgeable folks on here.

Having a lot of fun with my protein jars turned nigiri game (gripping jars). Added a bit of tire flipping to my routine too, fun stuff.

[BigAl]

So it's been over four months now that I've been doing Sanchin pretty often. For a while there it got down to only once a day, but now I'm back to 2-3 times a day. I finally got somewhere with access to a heavy bag, so I've added some of that to my routine. Definitely out of shape with it, only a few hard 2-minute rounds on the first day had me gasping for air. I've noticed if I try to keep the same feeling in my midsection when striking as I do during Sanchin it seems as if I hit a good bit harder. It's more an observation than anything calculable though. I haven't noticed too much else lately to be honest, I was only practicing it once a day for a bit there due to our schedule suddenly getting busy.

Otherwise, training has been going fairly well. I have my weight training/kihon/abwork days, my kumite/plyometrics/endurance training days, and my kata/power yoga days. I get plenty of rest and feel pretty good, have lost a little around the midsection, and it helps me sleep at night so good stuff in general.

I sat down about three weeks ago and sketched out what I could call my "philosophy" on training, which really helped me get an idea of what I can do for myself and has made all my workouts since pretty productive. I look at my strengths and weaknesses, what techniques work for me and what are hard for me, what I'd like to have and what I have already, and work with it from there. It's almost like I treat myself as the teacher and student in one.

Otherwise, that's been about it. Whenever I'm not working, I'm either sleeping, eating, training, reading, watching movies, or playing video games on my laptop. Just counting down the days until I go home.

[seienchin]

Good to hear from you Al...we are counting the days too, until we know you are safe. Thanks for keeping us updated. And you are right about getting the core feeling the same as in Sanchin when you are hitting. It gives you more strength. There is a reason that Sanchin and Tensho were Sosai's favourite kata.

[BigAl]

Thanks seienchin.

Can't really say I made much progress lately, probably did just enough to barely maintain if that. Moved to another camp where I have more frequent internet access though so I may be able to post more often.

[Brad]

Osu Big Al.

Good to hear you are doing well. And your training is doing better. All the best.

[vapor]

We enjoy every post that you make BigAl....it is a good indication that all is well with you!

vapor

[seienchin]

Just yesterday I suggested that someone come and read this thread to get an idea about setting goals and challenging yourself. Keep it up..and don't be discouraged by the temporary lull.

Looking forward to hearing that you are home safely.

[BigAl]

I've moved again so I have internet access in my room once again, so hopefully I'll be posting more frequently :P

So, five months since I started my Sanchin-oriented training, and it's going fairly well. My Sanchin feels good and I look forward to training it. I've been experimenting with the Uechi Ryu version of Sanchin too for a change of pace, and it's actually helped me improve the Kyokushin version. I've been working on walking around with that Sanchin feeling to my posture during my normal day to day stuff, and it's exciting to see how I sometimes catch myself doing it without even concentrating on it. Of course, once I notice it, it becomes harder to keep there.

You're not allowed to kick the only heavy bag I've found out here, so I can say that my hand strikes are getting stronger but I'm not sure about my kicks because I have no real way to judge them. I have been working on staying consistent with my daily kihon and kata, especially recently. I've added in more cardio too, mostly bagwork, sprint intervals, and using the treadmill at a low intensity. There might be some good training options coming up, so I want to make sure I'm ready endurance-wise for it as well.

I'm going to try to post what I do in here so I can use it to motivate myself to do better as well as to keep a better log of it. Yesterday I did 5x3 rounds of bagwork, all hand strikes, and I can tell my hand conditioning is getting better as there was no problems whatsoever striking the bag without protection. Right after that, I did sprint interval training on the exercise bike for 20 minutes, then the treadmill for 30 minutes at a low intensity. I got a big help from the two TV shows I got to watch while I was in there: Fight Quest where they train in Kyokushin, and then Man vs. Wild. That night, I did my kihon and kata for the day and some static stretching.

Today was supposed to be my off day for cardio and strength training, but since I was stuck in the gym since everyone else was there, I did another 30 minutes on the treadmill at low intensity. I then did a weight transfer drill with shoteis on the heavy bag, most seemed pretty decent, and played around with the speed bag while coaching one of the other soldiers through a dumbbell circuit training routine I made for him. Yoga and kata later on tonight.

[seienchin]

Fantastic post, and a great effort too keep that discipline and motivation up in the face of the constant changes and uncertainty you face. Looking forward to the next post.

[Dent]

Osu! Big Al,

Are you using any of the weight plates/ dumbells as Sanchin Game for your training? I found that these helped both the root and the turning.

Osu!

[BigAl]

I have a pair of nigiri game I made out of empty protein jars which I use occasionally, but no real plates or dumbbells. I have started adding in Zercher squats to my routine though, as since you hold the barbell like Sanchin I thought it'd be a nice supplement.

[Brad]

Osu.

BigAl i like the dumbell and wieghts there, old school. Great pic.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by BigAl

I have a pair of nigiri game I made out of empty protein jars which I use occasionally, but no real plates or dumbbells.

Excellent! Nothing wrong with those. Have you come up with a local version of Tetsu Sashi then too?

Osu!

[BigAl]

They have kettlebells available out here so I may experiment with those. They're virtually identical so it should work out okay.

[Dent]

Osu!

Originally Posted by BigAl

They have kettlebells available out here so I may experiment with those. They're virtually identical so it should work out okay.

I had a hard time keeping the 'bells on the wrist for some of the exercises, and the curve of the handle (Maybe just mine?) made the catch-striking from Nukite kamae difficult too.

I have to ask though, where did you find such an amazing array of equipment in the desert? Sounds like a great training environment.

Osu!

[BigAl]

The protein jars I bought at the PX here, though that was a pain as they go quickly.

The kettlebells were sheerly by luck. My old camp had virtually nothing, but once I moved I happened upon the gym that belongs to the unit we're supporting and saw they had a huge array of kettlebells as well as a fairly decent setup.

Yesterday I lifted hard, did my kihon (minus the kicks, as my hamstrings were and still are sore) then had a night mission, so today I was hurting for a bit. Still managed to get my endurance workout in. Did my kihon and kata for the day, then hit up the gym.

**5x2 on the heavy bag (last time it was 5x2 as well, just noticed the typo). In the very first round, I opened a cut on my left middle knuckle so the rest of the time I threw shoteis.
**5 min warm-up on the exercise bike, then did 10 speed sprints (20 sec sprint, 10 sec rest), level 5 resistance, and a quick cooldown.
**20 min fast walking on treadmill, speed 4.2. Cut 10 min off as my hamstrings were cramping up.

Now I'm going to do some quick pushups, light stretching, and a shower before I hit the rack.

[hasbeen]

OSU BIG AL!!

being as you are in the desert i`ve thought of a new kata for you................

sand-chin ................strange to call somebody else big al, this is what i have to answer to as well !

keep the posts coming!!!!!!!!!!