Sunday, October 25, 2009

I swear it's not like that...


This has been my go to phrase for the past few weeks.  It's surprisingly versitile in all sorts of situations.  Those of you who've been on the business end of that phrase will get a kick out the honorable mention (I hope). 

So, to use it again.  I know I have missed a week with the blogging, but I swear it's not like that!  I've not been lazy, I've been fairly productive and that's been taking me away from the computer screen.

TDS and I have started to lift more consistantly, been good with my running, and have managed to take Robbie's class and work on my Thai every other day.  So, all in all, not bad.  Not great, but not bad.  I'm honestly very happy with what little improvement I've seen because it's been so long since I've moved in that positive direction. 

Part of what has helped is me starting to drag poor old TDS with me.  He's not been feeling too spry lately due to life and work stress, or what I like to call 'Complications of Reality', so it's been good for me to have to get up the energy to yell at him over the phone in the am to get him here.  Once I've done that I can't very well sit on my butt and watch him work out. Well, I could, but I can't live it down later.  :)

He and I have started rolling Jiu Jitsu in the morning, which has been surprisingly unawkward.  For those of you not familiar with Jits, it's a very up close type of wrestling and grappling.  It can make for a VERY awkward day when a guy and girl are rolling.  Just go google 'guard position' and think about that one.  But, TDS is all professionalism and I'm all 'must KILL HIS FACE' so awkwardness doesn't really have time to set in. :)

Nope.  Can't see how this would be awkward..  :-/


I do have my problems with Jiu Jitsu, however.  I don't retain it well.  I feel weird rolling with most girls (though the Lady Instructor for my old Jiu Jitsu class is an exception.  At that point I'm just trying not to die.).  I'm not sure what it is about girls that weirds me out.  I happen to be a girl and I'm not gay so there's no awkwardness.  I just always feel like I'm doing something wrong or I'm missing some secret 'girl' communication.  I always feel out of the loop.  Weird, ya?

So, the obvious solution to that problem (besides therapy) would be to switch over to the guys classes.  Well, I thought about it and there are a few problems.  First: the guys in the Jiu Jitsu program here are fucking douchebags at about a 75% Douche to 25% tolerable ratio.  I have no idea what it is about the Jits guys here but the are so Douchebaggey that they've even lost the ability to make eye contact and return a friendly 'hello'.   So, fuck them in the ear with a screw driver. 

Second: It costs and I'm a broke monkey.  :)  I'd rather spend my money on books and food.  Thanks.

Third: Rolling with the big Jiu Jitsu guys, or any big guy, scares me.  It actually makes me panic.  Even rolling with TDS on Monday made me get panicky and short of breath.  And he's as sweet as can be.  He's the human equivalent of a yellow lab if you will.  He can bite, but why would he? 

I've put a lot of thought into it and it's something to do with the big, crushing weight of the big guys.  Now, Jits is a sport designed for small people.  It's physics and physiology used together to mess up a big person's day.  Realistically, a person my size with Jits knowledge is way more dangerous to me than a person who is the size of TDS.  But I can't get over it.  There's that very real fear of someone that big just planting on me and me not being able to do anything.  That totally weak and powerless feeling.  I hate that feeling.  I have basically wrapped my whole life around being snappy enough to keep big guys from thinking they can do that to me.  But it's still there. 

It sucks!

So, Jits with TDS has become less about actually learning the Jits (which I do want to learn) and more about overcoming that fear.  Because the second I get scared, I lose. 

So poor TDS gets to try to roll with me knowing that I am TERRIFIED of what is happening.  I do feel pretty bad about it but there's not much else for it.  In a weird way it kinda helps because I find myself convincing him that I'm okay so often that I start convincing myself that I'm okay.   Whatever works, I guess.  :)

We've been hoping we can find a 3rd person to roll with.  Someone a little closer to my size.  Partially to give TDS a break from scaring the crap out of me and partially since TDS is so big and I'm so small it's really hard for me to do simple things, like lock him in guard position.  It would also be nice if they were a guy. You know, we're looking for the ideal 3rd member!  I did get a spark of interest from Little C a few days ago, and he would be perfect, but I doubt he would actually do it.  Or if he did it wouldn't be for more than a day. He's the big man on the thai floor and I don't think he can handle going back to square one.  Just sayin'.



So, on to the workouts.. Since I've missed a few days I'll start with Monday because I just cannot remember back that far.

Mon: Did legs with TDS   I failed to look at the weights but we did Leg Press, Squats, Calf Raises, and Hamstring curls.  I could NOT do the leg extentions due to knee pain and neither could TDS.  It's a bad machine.   

Tuesday: Rolled Jits with TDS. My ass and inner upper thighs were SORE! Trying to lock the guard on him was a workout all on its own.
AND!
 Did the most gawd awful sprints I've ever done in my life! They're Little C's new favorite thing and they nearly killed me.   Here's how they go:

Start off on the treadmill with a .75 mile warm up jog. Then set the treadmill to your lowest jog speed and crank the treadmill up to it's maximum incline. The sprints go as follows:

On for 40 sec,
Rest 40sec and up the speed by .5 mph
On for 40 sec,

Rest 40sec and up the speed by .5 mph
On for 40 sec,
Rest 40sec and up the speed by .5 mph
On for 40 sec,

Rest 40sec and up the speed by .5 mph
On for 40 sec to a minute
Rest for 40 sec and keep the speed the same
On for 40 sec,
Rest for 40 sec and lower speed by .5mph
On for 40 sec,

Rest for 40 sec and lower speed by .5mph
On for 40 sec,

Rest for 40 sec and lower speed by .5mph
On for 40 sec,

Rest for 40 sec and lower speed by .5mph
on for 40 sec. 
Rest for a minute
So at this point you should be right back where you started. 

Now, the way 'I' was doing sprints, we'll call it the 'rational way' was to finish it off with a 1.5 mile jog at no incline since distance incline hurts my shins, calves, hip, and back. 

The Little C method adds on to the 'rational sprints'.  They go as follows:

Reduce incline to half the maximum incline. 
After your minute rest, hop back on the treadmill and go for a minute at your slowest jog.

Then without a rest, up the speed .5mph and go for another minute.

Then up the speed .5mph and go another minute.

Then up the speed .5mph and go another minute.

Then up the speed .5mph and go for 2 minutes.

Then reduce speed by .5mph for a minute, then reduce again for another minute, and so on until you hit your slowest jog.

Then kill the incline and give your legs a good 10 minute cool down jog/walk.

I honestly thought I'd be fine until I got to the minute right before  my max speed.  Then my legs started to scream.  I made it all the way through, but it's definitely going to be a 'once a week' type deal for a few months until I build up some endurance.  Yikes!  It hurt to sit after that.

I also came back and did Robbie's Technique class Tuesday night, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  PLUS Robbie held pads for me!  It was like having Sem back!  Tons'o'fun!  I got kicked in the right quad a lot though and that wasn't so much fun.  :)  It wasn't because I wasn't blocking, it was what Robbie calls 'conditioning'.  I like to call it 'Trainer Amusement'.
I also learned a cool  left kick from Little C to help build up my balance and left leg endurance.  Basically, you shoot off that left kick and then pull it back into its blocking position without letting it hit the ground.  To keep from swinging around you post your right hand on the bag.  Then when you're ready, pop the leg to the ground and fire it off really fast.

It's all one super fast movement from block, to ground, to kick, and back to block.  I can do about 10 and then my left leg falls off.  Little C can do about 100 while having a conversation with someone.  8-I 

Wednesday: NATHING!  I fell of the band wagon pretty hard and took TDS with me.  I haven't been drinking coffee lately and I OD'd on it Wednesday.  I had also forgotten to eat so half a pot of coffee on an empty stomach left me feeling really shakey with a resting heart rate of  90 to 110bpm.  I felt awful. 

TDS came and picked me up to go do weights but I couldn't get my HR low enough so we ended up hanging out for an hour and chatting.  I did get a lot of chores done so I can't complain. 

Thurs: Felt much better this morning and was able to get some lifting in with TDS.  We did chest today.

Dumbell press:  Warmed up with 25lbs to sets of 10 reps. 

Then did 30lbs for 3 sets, 8/6/6.  I had no problem with the 25lbs and couldn't lift the 35's.  Apparently it's a very fine line there.

Incline Press: 3 sets, first of bar cuz I's scared.  Did 10 reps no problem.  2nd set with 10lbs at 8 reps.  3rd set with 20lbs at 6 reps.  Pretty easy.

Superset Dumbell Fly with pushups.  (I can do more pushups than TDS can!  HAHAHAHA!!)

First set: 15lbs 10 reps (easy!) 20 pushups.
2nd set: 20lbs 8 reps (still easy!) 15 pushups.
3rd set: 20lbs 6 reps.  (not easy at all! UG!) 10 pushups.  <--Those were still easy. 

So, not a bad weight day.  Much easier than legs, though. 

I don't think I'll run today because my chest is still sore from yesterday.  Definitely a bad feeling.



Srsly.  Liberty Park is so beautiful!  Can't. Stop. Taking. Pictures!

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