MAKE FIRE OUT OF FEAR

Oh No, You didnt

2012-01-27T21:53:00.001Z

FRIDAY KICKBOXING LESSONS ARE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES.

Welcome traveller

That was really hard. It has been a week since my last lesson. Three lunchtime runs with a few exercises thrown in was all I had to go with.

Three minutes of press ups with feet on a chair, on the floor and then between two chairs. Who can do three minutes of non-stop press ups? The next station in the circuit was curls going from 5kg up to something like 10kg, pumping as fast as you can. I was going to avoid the 10kg until James suggested I use the big ones. Going straight into 2 mins of jabbing on pads, then straight into 2 minutes of lead cross. I thought that was hard, but jab, range hook making up the distance was even harder, my sides hurt. I shall try this at home in a months time just to see if I have got any fitter.

I need to put a technique session in together with the running and the physical.

Shadow sparring is very demanding,but I think a tough, fast opponent is worse, obviously. We did 15 minutes of continuous shadow boxing, following the lead of a member in the group of three. On the train home now, I think my arms might not functions tomorrow. I am remembering how I wanted to stop, but the words that kept me going were "Oh no, you didn't...". Which was my way of saying not to give up. I think it reminded me if what I think of before I walk up to the lesson, leave fear at the door at give it some.

Strange, bittersweet week at work. Monday brings a new opportunity , but for now I happy to have made it to the lesson and looking forward to packed weekend.

Thanks for reading.

January and back in training

2012-01-27T13:11:00.000Z

I have had a mini-crisis towards the end of 2011 with regards to training. It occurred when I started focusing on my up and coming website. This also coincided with kickboxing lessons moving to a later time in the evening. This was I guess the excuse that I needed to get on with my web development and try and make some progress. I was however determined not to let my training suffer so I trained harder at home. I new the new regime was good as as usually turning up to kickboxing after two weeks off would be very challenging to say the least.

I started running and training in the mornings, running between 2 - 4 miles, around 3 times a week. After a run in the morning, I started doing at least one minute round on the bag. Moving to an evening session, following a run I would do 6 x 25 exercises, between 3 - 4 times with rounds on the punch bag in between with no break.
This week, having run 3 times this week at lunchtime, I am reminded of the how bad Christmas and New Years can be. Since I trained all the way up to Christmas Eve and kept drinking to a minimum, I am annoyed at how much I am struggling to run. My lower back just siezes up if I go off to fast - that same problem I face at the start of every year, and it happens after 6 to 7 minutes in. Thinking back, last year I think I stopped running and started skipping. I have been running along the Bristol Harbourside and then stopping outside KPMG to do press-ups and leg-raises, dips etc. I did this yesterday in the freezing cold rain, but since I wasn't exerting myself I didn't warm up for a while. This is very annoying, because I am not out of breath. The Tough Ten nears, but I think this year I will give it a miss.

I should be grateful that since Louise is no longer working, I don't have the early 5, 5.30 starts anymore.

Blogging from my iPhone

2012-01-27T12:07:00.001Z

This phone has enriched my life would you believe. I don't carry a note book, kindle or a diary. It has been 12 months since my last post and as something's are hotting up and I am going to start to blog more.

Four Weeks to Tough Ten

2011-01-17T21:57:00.006Z

TRAINING, NUTRITION AND ATTITUDE

I'm sure I've probably seen this somewhere else, but recently I have been thinking about what is needed to sharpen up and achieve my goals. It seems they all go hand in hand and you can't forgo one for the other.

The same as saying 'I won't do sit-ups today, I need to concentrate on press-ups'. I have found that this doesn't work, you need to devote time to both in this example - there are NO QUICK WINS, I guess is what I am trying to say.

Sunday 16th January 0800
I didn't run as we needed to help our friend Asma move the remainder of the heavy goods to her new home. So I decided to postpone the long run til the evening. The evening came around I was too busy stuck into my reading and decided to leave it. So no run!

FINDING TIME TO TRAIN
I have so many other 'projects' on the go and finding time to train needs is difficult. Even writing this blog post takes time, but I have realised the importance of capturing your training for many reasons - to be able to review and maybe see where I can improve, curiosity - 'a life unexamined is a wasted life' (Socrates) is a phrase I read and come to believe in.

I don't know if that was the right thing to do but I felt guilty. Instead I took Mylo and Izzie for a walk and then we finally watched the new Karate Kid film.

Monday 17th Januray 1200
1. Incline Bench Press - 4 x 40kg (10,7,3,2)
2. Squats with the Bar - 2 x 40kg, 2 x 50kg (10 - 8 reps)
3. Clean and Press - 40kg x 3

Don't have much time at the gym as I am endeavouring to do it all in the hour. I think some fast and heavy weights is better than nothing.

Monday 17th January 1800
4.45 mile run in 46 minutes.

I think I started off too fast as my back started to hurt - this is one thing I have learnt from recording my training. I stopped and stretched a couple of times, but at the turning point (around 2.5 miles) I needed to walk for a minute and then stretch before I started again. There was a fine spray of rain which kept me cool and I decided to add 3 x 30 second sprints on the return journey - now I felt my lungs and legs working. I didn't stop after each sprint and kept jogging before getting back into the fast pace. I have marked the last 100 metres to my house and I decided to sprint this.

Did a good leg stretch when I got back home. Planning another run Thursday, but before that I want to run the last 15-20 minutes up to my kickboxing lesson.

Five Weeks to Tough Ten

2011-01-17T21:40:00.002Z

Sunday 9th January 0930

Today Sunday I did accidentally ended up running 8.85 miles.

This weekend our friend Asma was having to move out of her rented house across the road from us to a place in Warminster. She had plenty of help from friends and family of and was temporarily using our workshop to store a few things. I would have stayed and helped, but I was keen to get my training for the TOUGH TEN started!

I was supposed to only run 4 miles, but ended up running home to use the loo on the way out meant that I had done a nice warm-up run of 2.35 miles. Then I decided to run to Bradford-on-Avon, which would be a total of 6.5 miles.

I came back and did around 150 press-ups in sets of 50, then 150 sit-ups and then a few chin-ups. We later took the dogs out for a walk and then I needed a little sleep in the afternoon. I know that this sleep really helps in getting through the rest of the day.

Monday 10th January 1200
No Training - didn't feel up to the gym eventhough I packed my things, still recovering from the long run.

Tuesday 11th January 1700
1. 4 mile walk
2. Kickboxing lesson

Finally understood why 'relax'means when doing punch or kick. Also, snapping back a turning kick, allowed me to keep my balance. Still need more practise on techniques.

Wednesday 12th January 1200
1. Bench Press - 4 x 10 reps using 60kg
2. Squats with bar - 3 x 5 - 7 reps using 60kg
3. Clean and Press - 4 x 10 reps using 40kg

The squats really hurt my shoulders I felt my legs giving way if I tried to squat too far down. Clean and Press was something that CB had mentioned and I tried to do this at speed. Both of these exercises were really tough and I tried to push until failure.

The following day I found it difficult to walk and my shoulders hurt.

Thursday 13th January
0500 Didn't make it up to do my run.
1800 Ran 4.4 miles tempo run.

I thought the run would be painful, but the squats the day before actually made it easier to run. I ran along the grassy side of the road through mud. My trainers were covered and it became harder to run. I think the did run in 45 minutes. I took it nice and easy for the first 2.5 miles - running sideways for a while, heels up etc. and sometimes squatting down. The last two miles I ran 2 miles at a faster pace and rest for a minute. I could / should have pushed this further and harder.

Friday
1800 3.5 mile walk up to kickboxing lesson.
1900 Kickboxing lesson - endurance, sparring and the self defense.

Then a nice introduction back into the world of sparring byt getting my ass kicked!. I had been a while and I needed to get back into. I came into the first round with Adam way too relaxed. Managed to step it up a little for the next 2 rounds, I was planning on running the 3 miles back to Temple Meads, maybe one day.

New Year 2011

2011-01-03T12:17:00.002Z

JANUARY TRAINING

06 January 2011 0530
1. 2.6 mile run with Mylo

06 January 2011 1230

1. 50 press-ups
2. 50 situps
3. 50 press-ups (25 wide, 25 close)
4. 50 situps
5. 15,10,5,5,2,2 press-ups (close)
6. 25 situps + 25 leg raises
7. 20 tuck jumps
8. 25 dips
9. 25 dips
10. 25 dips
11. 25 dips
12. 20 tuck jumps

04 January 2011
Last night returned from the grand tour of the meeting the family. This morning, back on with the training.

1. 2.5 mile run - did lots of side ways running, kicking heels in front and behind. Back started to seize up again after 10 minutes and I had to stop running for a couple of minutes.

2. 50 press-ups followed by a troll-walk around the workshop

3. 50 press-ups followed by a troll-walk around the workshop

(a) 20,15,10, 5

4. 50 press-ups followed by a troll-walk around the workshop

(a) 20,10,10,10 - with a little rest

5. 50 situps (feet under dumbells) followed by a troll-walk around the workshop

6. 50 situps (feet under dumbells) followed by a troll-walk around the workshop

(a) Did this in sets of 10 and 5s - very difficult.

7. 50 situps (feet under dumbells) followed by a troll-walk around the workshop

(a) Did this in sets of 10 and 5s - very difficult.

8. 4 x 2 rounds on punchbag practising basics and everything from session with Hasthin and Kiran.

9. 40 turning kicks - alternating legs

10. 110 turning kicks - left leg

11. 110 turning kicks - right leg

12. 10 side kicks - right (with power)

13. 10 side kicks - left (with power)

14. 15 side kicks - right

15. 15 side kicks - left

16. 20 side kicks - right

17. 20 side kicks - left

19. 5 minutes on the bike

Christmas Training

2010-12-28T21:53:00.076Z

Hello reader,

After 6 days break...(didn't realise it had been that long) I started back into training. I did spend Christmas eating and drinking what I liked ..... then PAID THE PRICE!

1. 1 mile run - only managed as my back really hurt / seized and couldn't run as I felt immobilised. The previous Thursday I ran the 4 mile route with Mylo and I was ok.
2. 20 x 5 press-ups.
3. 20 x 5 situps
4. 20 x 3 squat thrusts
5. Turning kicks
6. Front snap kick, turning kick
7. Back kick

The running was difficult 1 hours training felt very sick during the turning kicks.

Wednesday 29th December - 1300

1. 15 minute run
2. 5 minute row (Distance 1300m)
3. 5 x 20 press-ups
4. 5 x 20 sit-ups
5. Back to work!

Wednesday 29th December 1830
1. 20 minutes Crosstrainer
2. 20 minutes Kicks
   (a) Turning kicks, hard and fast - then two at a time - around 60 each leg.
   (b) Right Back kick, 10 punches, Left Back Kick
   (c) Back Kick
3. 20 minute run - tried to sprint the last 100 metres - didn't quite make it.

Thursday 30th December 1200
1. 11 minute run (Max speed - 13.4 for the last 1.5 minutes).
2. 5 minute row (Distance 1078m)
3. Stretch
4. Back to work. This is really only what I can do at the gym in the hour, usually I take an hour and 15 minutes. I may just cancel and do a run instead.

In the evening we went off to Gloucester to see my uncle and family. I didn't drink and even passed up an amazing set of curries and rice my aunty had made!

In the morning I trained with Hasthin and Kiran. We did a very short 15 minute run, but I couldn't run far at all as my back was beginning to hurt. I've not felt this kind of pain since I began running (I think this is due to probably putting on weight).

1. 20 minute run (Couldn't run due to lower back seizing up).
2. 2 mins skipping
3. 2 mins shadow boxing
4. 2 mins skipping
5. 2 mins shadow boxing
6. Jab, cross (2mins)
7. Jab, cross, hook, hook (2mins)
8. Body hook, head hook (2mins)
9. Switch stance, double right, lean back, right.
10. Normal stance, double jab, lean back, jab
11. Jab, cross, step back and then a cheeky uppercut in between your opponents guard.
12. Check Hook -
   (a) Step forward with your left leg into the position you want to end up.
   (b) Drag your right foot across the floor 90 degrees to your opponent whilst throwing out a left hook.
   (Note - my left arm really hurt when the pad was bought into meet my hook).
13. Catching and countering - high guard with hands on forehead. Catching the jab and then countering immediately (2mins).

In between some of these 2 minute rounds I did press-ups, tuck jumps and burpees.

14. Evade and counter - maintaining the same high guard, evading the jab through head movement ('sitting on your shot's by just planting your feet moving head and shoulders only) then countering immediately. (2mins) I was impressed with Hasthin as he evaded all of my punches and I really tried hard. Kiran and I finally ended up doing this for a few extra minutes and I asked him to go for it. Let's not forget Kiran is 6 feet 4 and so when he punched it almost knocked me over, so I had to be fast.

15. Jab, cross with weights - 3 x 10 fast as I could. I have done this, but not as intense.

16. 110 turning kicks on each leg with Kiran.

17. Stretching - Kiran showed me some lower back stretches as well. Hasthin also showed me another lower back stretch by lying on the floor in a star shape and then raising opposite leg and arm to meet in the middle. I this felt immediately useful. 2 hour session.

For the next few days, my arms and shoulders were really sore. The next training was today, 03/01/2011.

Happy New Year.

Christmas 2010 - Recognising THAT SLUMP!

2010-12-21T20:13:00.004Z

I haven't been this unfit in a while. I am in a slump, using one excuse to the next not to train. Last year I proved to myself that could overcome the tiredness, and the early morning starts and train throughout the winter, going all the way to the Bristol 10K and coming out with a decent time. But now it is the beginning of a downward spiral and if I don't STOP and TAKE STOCK, it could be devasting come the new year in terms of weight gain and fitness etc. Here's my training for the week.

Tuesday 21/12/2010 1200

1. 15 minute run

2. 10 press-ups, 10 sit-ups, 10 squat thrusts, 10 burpees

3. Repeated the above x 4.

Wednesday 22/12/2010 1830
1. 3 mile run in the snow with Mylo
2. 6 x 20 full press-ups
3. 6 x 20 sit-ups
4. 5 x 20 squat thrusts

I did the press-ups and sit-ups with no rest in between, but then I had to stand-up and count to 20 between each set otherwise I would have just given up. The last press-ups was my limit for a full press-up, the last set all hurt.

Squat-thrusts I almost didn't do, but I surprised myself that I even attempted them. I used to give up too easily before, and now I have to do the number I set myself to do. With every set it became more difficult to do each one. I could just about move my leg on the last 10. I wonder how core muscles and strength is used in kickboxing?

5. 100 turning kicks (10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,1,2...and back up to 10) on left leg.
6. Same as 5 on right leg.
7. Jab, cross, left hook, right hook (2 mins) -- felt dizzy after the first few so had a little breath between each one rather than going all out.
8. Jab, cross, left hook, right hook, left hook ( 2 mins)
9. Jab, cross, turning kick (2 mins)
10. Left turning kick, step down, move sideways and jab, right turning kick (2 mins)
11. Same as above with opposite legs (2 mins)
12. Stretch down.

NIKE+ THE DON
I am surprised how good these damn Nike+ trainers are. I ran over ice, compacted snow, slush, you name it and I didn't slip once. These trainers are the DON! Running was made easy thanks to these trainers.

I should finished with a 2 minute PLANK and 2 minutes of HORSE STANCE. There's always tomorrow. I want to train again tomorrow, more technique especially kicks.

Returning After Leg Injury

2010-11-26T22:28:00.000Z

Back to KB lessons after a one month of resting my leg.

Tuesday
This lesson was really tough! I felt sick during the sit-ups, I mean really. I realise how weak my core had become, concentrating too much on legs raises. Squats, troll-walking, bunny hops. It was painful. Then onto kick and punching combinations. I was holding back from throwing up. My cardio had definitely worsened.

Wednesday
15 minute run on the treadmill. Got to a speed 13.2 or something before I knocked it down to 11 for the last 2 minutes. I really tried to push it.

50 press-ups
50 situps
50 press-ups
50 situps

The situps were difficult it was more like 10, 15, 5, 20,5.

Return from Kickboxing Camp 2010

2010-10-29T06:40:00.059+01:00

Wow....that was little painful, but being on the beach at dawn was all worth it!

Tuesday 9th November 2010 14:39

The Bristol office are all working from home due to a fault air conditioning unit flooding my work offices. I am fighting the temptation of eat bacon at every meal.

I returned from KB Camp with a leg injury, after landing awkwardly from jumping off a sand dune. I did however continue to train in the mornings, but didn't extend my training as far as the fell runs in the afternoons. So I have returned with an injury, which has meant I haven't been running (I tried cross trainer and rowing at the gym but they made it worse).

I have just about continued with the upper body workouts at the gym, but not going to the kickboxing lessons since camp. Feeling fat and lazy, I finally got back to training this afternoon after 6 days off.

1. Static stretching
2. 15 minutes cross trainer
3. 25 press-ups with feet on a 1 metre high picnic bench - arms shoulder width apart
4. 25 press-ups with feet on a 1 metre high picnic bench - arms thumb to thumb
5. 25 situps
6. 25 leg-raises
7. 25 press-ups on the floor - arms shoulder width apart
8. 25 press-ups on the floor - arms close together.
9. 25 situps
10. 25 situps with punches left to right.
11. 25 press-ups on the side of the bench - arms shoulder width.
12. 25 press-ups on the side of the bench - hands close together (thumb to thumb) - this hurt my chest with each one.
13. 25 legs raises.
14. 25 sit-ups with punches left to right - this really hurt too!

That's a total of 150 press-ups and 150 sit-ups / leg raises, with no rest (officially)...but I stopped a few time towards the end as I felt sick. That could have been due to wearing my gum shield.

Punch Bag Combinations
15. Jab, cross, left hook, right hook.
16. Jab, cross, jab, cross, right head hook, right body hook
17. Jab, cross, jab, cross, left head hook, left body hook.
18. Bob and weave, jab, cross,
19. Slip, jab, cross
20. Push kick, jab, cross, jab, cross

Stopped their as I felt dizzy and sick. I attempted a few turning kicks, but that hurt my leg. Louise then returned from Devizes with Mylo and decided to try a gentle jog around the block with Mylo.

22. Stretch down.

Is this a good time of year to start a new training regime, but the reality is I no choice. Having missed a few weeks of training and even a few sessions during the camp itself and I falling behind. There is also another grading in January - for my blue belt.

I was thinking about OPERATION ABS!

Grading for my Purple Belt - Day Before

2010-09-17T16:23:00.001+01:00

I'm back from Honeymoon!

Trying to get back into training was actually quite straight forward whilst away on honeymoon (when not on a day out).

Whilst my new wife relaxed by the poolside, I was running down to the beach or on the treadmill. I tried to do 45-60 minutes of highest intensity exercises (running, press-ups, sit-ups, squats, technique). After breakfast, and little rest it was into the pool, spa, sauna and then back in the pool.

Tuesday's Kickboxing lesson was my first lesson back and my first in 6 weeks, 6 WEEKS!! I didn't realise how long it had been. We started on 150 press-ups and it went on non-stop for an hour and a half. I only lost the will to live after 1 hour and 10 minutes doing turning kicks and then quickly settled into the combinations with a few more breathes of air.

Tomorrow is my grading for my Purple belt. But before all of that, we have a lesson, hopefully, I can brush up on last minute technique. I am nervous as hell. It's a 1pm and then we off to my nieces birthday party in the Midlands.

I must remember to do a proper stretch-down after the grading as last time I couldn't walk.

Wish me luck. See you on other side.

Thanks for reading.

Week 4 - Saturday

2010-08-14T11:25:00.000+01:00

Hello

I am in some pain with my ribs! It seems to have worsened by continuing to train. So, I stopped training and then I realised that it would become painful just from leg stretching, so I stopped that too! Doing a bit of tidying up yesterday cause me pain too. NOW, doing very little. On ibuprofen and paracetamol. I would like to be there for next Tuesday's Kickboxing lesson, but unless something changes very soon, I won't make it to the lesson thus jeopardising by chances of grading for my purple belt.

I've been training hard for a while now, and even looked at sorting out my diet and reading about stretching.

Week 4 - Tuesday: Feeling the Effects of Cutting Diet

2010-08-10T20:19:00.032+01:00

Hi there

This morning, no training due to painful ribs, couldn't even move during the night. This was probably made worse by yesterday's Bench Press and taking a few jump back kicks on a kick shield.

This new CUTTING DIET is VERY challenging indeed. Challenging in terms of testing my determination as well as challenging my views of how well I eat. Here are my finding after 2 days:

1) Need to eat my meals slower, make them last, SAVOUR every mouthful.
2) Drink lots of water with my meal.
3) Have a healthy snack prepared for later on in the evening around 9pm rather than diving for a biscuit(carrots, lettuce, raw peppers etc).

4) Put a reminder on the fridge door NO CRISPS, CHOCOLATES, BISCUITS, CAKE, PROCESSED FOOD!

Using a ratio of 45/30/25 of carbs, protein and fat respectively. Unsure abour the protien as of yet.

SUNDAY - 2200 calories
Carbs: 990 calories / 247g
Protein: 620 calories / 155g
Fat: 550 calories, 61g

MONDAY - 2100 calories
Carbs: 945 calories / 236g
Protein: 620 calories / 155g
Fat: 525 calories, 58g

TUESDAY - 2000 calories
Carbs: 900 calories / 225g
Protein: 620 calories / 155g
Fat: 500 calories, 55g

WEDNESDAY - 1900 calories
Carbs: 855 calories / 213g
Protein: 620 calories / 155g
Fat: 475 calories, 53g

So what does this mean in actual food?
Breakfast
1) Apple
2) Black coffee

Mid-morning Snack
3) Fruit Muesli with 100ml skimmed milk
4) Banana

Lunch
5) (a) Tuna / Chicken / Salmon Pasta Salad - home made with 100g of pasta, OR
(b) Chicken and Salad Sandwich
6) Coffee
7) Apple

Evening Meal
8) Chicken or Fish with Green Vegetables
9) Cup of Tea.

Thanks for reading

Hasthin Begins

2010-08-10T20:19:00.002+01:00

Just a little video I put together for my cousin Hasthin, warming up before his first amateur fight, assisted by his close friend Michael Biggs. Cinderford, April 2010.

Week 4 - Monday No (...or very little) Alcohol

2010-08-10T08:47:00.003+01:00

Got up this morning feeling very good indeed. Sleeping intil 11am Sunday morning may have something to do with this, as well as wedding preparations, meeting with the Photographer gave me little time to train on Sunday, so I didn't train.

Okay, it wasn't COMPLETELY alcohol free I actually had I glass of red wine whilst out with at a friends house on Saturday, which I really enjoyed. It was interspersed with glasses of ice-water. This was enoigh for me. I can really feel the benefit and difference of not drinking, this has made a massive impact physically and mentally. I needed to write this for future reference

MONDAY - 0530
1. Gentle jog to the field.
2. Fast circuit around the field doing the following exercises:

(a) 6 x Squats
(b) Jogging, squat and into Axe Kick x 10
(b) Running sideways and doing around 15-20 fast Hook Kicks
(c) Running sideways and doing around 15-20 fast Side Kicks
(d) Running sideways and doing around 15-20 fast Side Kicks

3. Leg Stretch
4. Horse Stance for 1 minute and 30 seconds (painful)
5. Fast Run back to the house (got tired towards the end and became a slow jog)
6. 4 x 10 Roundhouse kicks on Left Leg
7. 4 x 10 Roundhouse kicks on Right Leg
8. 4 x 10 Side Kicks with speed and power (right leg)
9. 4 x 10 Side Kicks with speed and power (left leg)
10. 20 x Turning Kick, Hook Kick combination (right leg)
11. 20 x Turning Kick, Hook Kick combination (left leg)
12. Warm-down Stretch.
13. Cool down whilst packing my bag and then shower

Total training time : 59 minutes.
Calories Burned : 500

11:45
(1) 60 kg Bench-press 5 reps x 3 sets (painful due to ribs)
(2) 16 kg x 4 Flys, then 14 kg dumbell flys
(3) 5 x 5 Dips
(4) Shoulder Press - skipped
(5) Tricep Extension - skipped.

Total training time:35 minutes
Calories Burned: 200
Weighing in at - 11st 3 Ibs/157Ibs/71.21kgs

Thanks for reading

Life In a Day - The Fear of Dogs

2010-08-04T14:51:00.003+01:00

Here's my the video I created for the Life In A Day global experiment run on YouTube by Kevin McDonald and Ridley Scott. It's a bit of fun.

Damn this brings back bad memories........of editing and narrating I mean.

Failing at the Jumping Roundhouse Kick

2010-08-04T14:30:00.002+01:00

The grading for my next belt will be in September it appears. This will be after my imminent wedding, honeymoon and of course the Jump Roundhouse kick still yet to 'master'.

For a grading, there is always one really challenging technique (previously this challenge was the Spinning Crescent Kick) now it's the Jumping Roundhouse kick. We practised this during Tuesday Kickboxing lesson and I still can't execute this with any power (or hit the pad!)

Here are my thoughts:

1. It's a Roundhouse Kick - So I need to kick through, not stop dead before the pad.
2. I am frightened of hitting the pad with my toes - that is probably why I fall short of the pad.
3. Falling short of the pad - Probably because I'm not bringing my body around enough. I should be kicking through.
4. Should be using my instep and shin.

I will be practicing this every morning.

Stretching and Kicks

Over the past year and a half, I have built up to a high (my head height) Axe kick, as well as a Front Snap kick. But I struggle for balance, height and power with the SIDE, HOOK and TURNING kick. Do you see a PATTERN EMERGING here?

I think my relative success with a kick is due to which LEG STRETCHES I that I do to support it. This sounds like common sense.

I spent this lunchtime hopping on one leg throwing out 10 side kicks on each leg, doing about 30 on each leg in total. Dropping my body weight in order to get the kick higher, but still only just above my waist height...I can see what I need to work on at least.

I have bought a book specifically about stretching for martial arts as I need to know WHAT stretches I should be doing, WHEN and for HOW LONG. In the meantime, having just read the opening pages, I am stretching TWICE A DAY and making sure I hold a stretch for at 20-30 seconds.

No Alcohol, Again!

Having not drank over three successive weeks, I am feeling the benefit:

1. I wasn't THAT tired during some intense lessons - felt like I hit ground running.
2. My speed and response and stamina seem to be on the up.
3. My strength is good enough to get me though the lessons.
4. I can train twice a day, almost every day (although I didn't make it out for Technique Training yesterday morning - so I am feeling the affects).
5. Face and body is not bloated.
6. I'll come back to number 6 - Oh yes, I don't wake up with a hangover on Sunday morning and I actually get some good things done!

It is important for me to capture this feeling in order to keep me on the straight and narrow so to speak. I have (kind of) made a decision to only drink once a month, if that.

TUESDAY
1. 15 minute warm-up run on treadmill - last 5 minutes running HARD (setting was15.5)!
2. Leg Stretches
3. Horse stance - I counted to around 80 before my mind stopped working.
4. Leg Stretch with some squats and spinning tuck jumps (the last exercise hurt my ribs).
5 3 x 10 Turning Kicks of each leg
6. 3 x 10 Side Kicks of each leg
7. Practised Jab for 2 minutes on the punchbag
8. Time to leave.

Thanks for reading.

Getting Punched and Kicked in the Ribs! Aaargh!

2010-08-04T13:57:00.001+01:00

I have lost count the number of times I have been punched and kicked in the RIBS.

During last Friday's kickboxing lesson I took a pretty hefty hook into my rib cage. I felt something inside just collapse and I hit ground, struggling to draw breath, whilst letting out a deafening, freaky sound.

When I could draw breath and I sat on the side and laughed at myself. The perpetrator said it was the 'floating' rib which I know what that means, except that it was one of the most painful places to punched. Or so the stories go. I carried on gently for another two rounds of sparring and proceeded with some body conditioning exercises.

Today, a few days on, I feel a little sore, but the pain and inconvenience is nothing compared to previous injuries. When it seemed that everyone was going for my ribs as a target and every exercise was designed for me not to recover.

During my weights session today, I could manage some of the execises but drew the line on the Shoulder Press with the bar, it REALLY hurt. I just thought, "it isn't worth it". Seeing how I promised by instructor I would be well for the next lesson tomorrow. I am also learning to RE-DEFINE PAIN, but more on that later.

MONDAY
0550 Start
Walked 15 minutes to the field with Mylo
Gentle 5 minute jog to the field.
One circuit, slightly faster pace round the field.
3 squats
Running around the 'island' of trees in the middle as fast as I could. Changing direction twice.
Stretch
Horse-Stance for 2 minutes (the most so far)
Holding Press-up position 60 seconds or so.
Fast run back home
Stretch

Didn't quite manage everything today. What's eveything? I was supposed to draw up a plan....

Training Twice A Day

2010-07-30T09:31:00.018+01:00

Training twice in one day used to sound like madness, but now it feels, surprisingly okay. This is what I managed to this week.

As the week went by, I simply couldn't maintain the RANGE and INTENSITY of the exercises I performed in the morning., so I started doing less or runing out of time.

For me, this is quite a lot of training, but I train when I feel like I should and can train. I also realised that up until now I had been devoting most of my time to improving STRENGTH and CARDIO, but not enough time devoted to STRETCHING and TECHNIQUE.

Question - with all of this training, should I have lost more weight? I think I've only manage to lose a couple of pounds since the weekend, so I may need to re-think my diet.

Next week, I will endeavour to follow a stricter regime (a plan basically) for the early morning sessions.

After this evening's lesson I need to finish editing a video for LIFE IN A DAY, a 'competition' on YouTube. The deadline is Saturday and I can't wait to have the finished product submitted.

Here's how it went.

MONDAY
0530 (1) Jog to the field. (2) 3 x 5 tuck jumps, about 3-4 metres apart changing direction and then 3 squats, repeated 3 times. (3) Horse stance. (4) Holding Press-up position. (5) Leg stretching. (6) Fast run back to the house. (7) Technique Training - (a) Roundhouse kicks, (b) Jumping Roundhouse kicks for about 20 minutes.

1200 Strength Training - Chest and Tricep training at the gym (45 minutes). (1) Bench Press, (2) Inclined dumb-bell flys, (3) Shoulder Press with bar (4) Dips. (5) Tricep curl.

TUESDAY
0530 (1) Easy jog to the field. (2) Sprinting round a large circle and changing direction. (3) Tuck jumps. (4) Squatting and touching the ground - doing this fast. (5) Horse Stance. (6) Leg stretch. (7) Fast run back to the house. (8) Technique Training - Jumping Roundhouse kick, Jumping Back Kick (especially left) for about 12 minutes.

1700 3.5 mile walk to kicboxing lesson.
1800 1.5 hour kickboxing lesson

WEDNESDAY
Rested in the morning, I needed 8 hours sleep!
1200 Strength Training - 'Push' session - (1) Chin-ups, (2) Lateral dumb-bell flys, (3) Bar curling (back against a wall) (4) Shrugs (5) Hammer Curls. (6) Dips.

THURSDAY
0530 (1) Easy jog, to field and back. (2) Stretching and Horse stance. (3) Holding Press-up position.
1200 Gym - Technique Training - (1) 5 x 20 (full press-ups) as warm up. (2) Practising punching combinations for 2 minutes x 5. (3) Turning Kicks (4) Practising Jumping Roundhouse kicks.

FRIDAY
0530 (1) Walk to field. Easy jog round. (2) Some tuck jumps and squats. (3) Leg Stetching and Horse Stance (1 minute 30 seconds). (4) Easy Jog back home. (5) Stretching.

1800 3 mile walk to kickboxing lesson.
1900 2 hour kickboxing lesson

Thanks for reading.

Jumping Roundhouse Kicks

2010-07-22T13:18:00.003+01:00

Taking a piece of my own medicine...(is that right? Sounds wrong)

I struggled to get up at the 5am alarm and then struggled again at 0530. Lay there, waiting for that thought that was going to make me get up. It finally came at 0545.

I was out of bed! I blame wedding preparations.

1. 20 minute warm up jog to the field (with Mylo)
2. A 5 minute run around the field.
3. A 5 minute leg stretch
3. 1 minute Horse stance - until it really burned, honest.
4. 20 second Horse stance - that was it
5. Run back at a faster pace.

Straight into my workshop on the punchbag. Took of shoes and socks.

6. 20 mid-section Roundhouse kicks (alternating leg each time)
7. 20 head-height Roundhouse kicks (alternating leg each time)
8. 20 jumping Roundhouse kicks - left leg
9. 20 jumping Roundhouse kicks - right leg.

Had to go back to basics on this kick. Things have changed a little in the lesson and it appears we kick always from the back-leg, changing stance to do the kick.

Anyway, realised I needed to start from the beginning and build it back up. It felt like I need to swing my hips into it and flick my leg round. I think. Can anyone offer any advice?

10. 5 x Left jab, left uppercut, left hook - fast as I could.
11. 5 x Right cross, right uppercut, right hook.

Then the phone rang. Who could be calling at this time? I was my 'brother-in-law' from Australia.

Beating Muscle Spasms

2010-07-07T16:32:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was my first Kickboxing lesson back in a few weeks and I was preparing myself NOT to get cramps in my calf as has recently been the case.

How I changed my routine:

1. Did a gastroc and soleus stretch before I left the office.
2. My hour walk was done at a gentler pace so as not to exhaust myself.
3. Drank a recovery drink (500ml) after my walk and some water too.
4. Stretched for 10 minutes before the lesson.
5. Drank a 500ml bottle of water during the lesson.

After 1 hour and 15 minutes, during a set of 10 punches and 5 tuck jumps I felt the beginnings of what felt like a muscle spasm in my right calf. I immediately found time to stretch whilst my training partner ran back down to the far side of the hall and put on the spot mits, I continued to stretch throughout.

For the last 15 minutes or so we were bare feet doing 'line work': all performing the same kick at the same time. This is also where I can also get cramps. I took it easy and did a gastroc stretch agains the wall during the very short changeovers!

So far so good.

Thanks for reading.

Training Whilst Away

2010-07-07T16:13:00.008+01:00

With wedding plans and time away work, my attendance at kickboxing has been erratic over the last few weeks. So much so, I don't think I shall be grading for my next belt, which isn't such a bad thing as I would like to have gained a little more proficiency in the kicks before I am graded.

Not being able to make the gym and having cut back on the long distance running, how has this affected my fitness? Well, I'll tell ya...I think my new regime has helped.

I have increased the intensity of my running, sometimes using skipping; around 10-15 minutes of continuous and speed skipping as a warm up. But alas I still need to spend more time devoted to practising technique. (Back to the gym Thursday lunchtimes ).

Penthouse Suite

Staying away for four days in a hotel last week, I was determined not to let this get in the way of my training.

Tuesday

I did a 40 minute run, including sprinting (10 minutes of this was due to me not paying attention to where I was running and getting lost, how embarrassed was I when I had to ask directions to the hotel) quickly followed by 110 press-ups and 110 sit-ups in my room. I had been upgraded to the Penthouse suite so had all the room in the world!!!

Thursday

With one days rest, I got out into the cool morning air by 0530 and ran for 30 minutes. This time I paid attention to where I was going. Returning back to the hotel, I walked around the back and discovered paradise: a beautiful large garden complete with summer houses, benches and other things I could stretch and exercise from. What did I do?

20 full press-ups then ran around the garden to the same spot and did another 20 press-ups. Total of 120 press-ups. This became very hard around 80 but kept going until I couldn't do a single press-up.

20 situps / leg raises / cruntches / double-cruntches and then ran around the garden back to the same spot. Total 140.

20 dips off a bench then ran to the next bench and repeated. Total 100.

I then practised 10 minutes of turning kick, shadow boxing, side-kick and back kick.

Stretched in the garden.

Drank a protein drink (yes I took all my gear with me).

Packed my bags whilst I cooled down then hit the shower.

Full English Breakfast (awesome!)

Spending Time With the [Future] Mrs

Having been away I didn't make it to Friday night Kickboxing and thought it best that I spend some time with the future Mrs Raj. We went out for a drink and and then a meal.....but before any of that happened....I felt the desire to do some training.

Friday

170 press-ups, 100 sit-ups and 140 squat-thrusts and a 2 mile run with the dog!

Thanks for reading...

Next time, I may divulge a little on what happened Monday following our disastrous journey from the Pink concert.

Who's Better, Polish or Scousers? There's only one way to find out...

2010-06-25T12:30:00.002+01:00

My gym session this lunchtime was an interesting one:

5 min warm up jog
8 min run with 2 x 3 minute tempo runs.
Stretch
20/20 full press-ups (jogging on the spot in between each set counting slowly to 20)
20/20 full press-ups
20/20 full press-ups
15/20 full press-ups (not so good towards the end)
10/20 full press-ups
20 x 5 full situps (last two sets needed to be faster as I could see myself slowing down)

Two Polish lads were stretching off and a the thin shoter one was on the punchbag. When they were approached by a Scouse man (the Scouse guy looked like a MMA fighter). He called them over and asked if they remember him from weekend? According to Mr MMA, the thin one was squaring up to him when he was with this wife and kids.

This does not for a good Sunday make (or a Thursday lunchtime). It looked like it was about to kick off so I grabbed my bottle and didn't stick around to see how it ended, I get enough punishment during the week.

I saw the clock and realised I had to get back to the office. I didn't get chance to do my squat-thrusts, what a shame, maybe next time. I was aiming to do 200 of each exercise but settled for 100 as a starter, errr for 10.

How to do a Soleus Stretch

2010-06-24T09:52:00.004+01:00

Do To do a SOLEUS stretch:

Stand in front of a wall (or stationary object) with one leg in front of the other.
Place both hands on the wall or object.
Bend slightly at the knees as if you are in a 'seated' position.
Keep your feet flat on the ground
Keep back straight and learn in to the wall gently applying pressure on your lower calves.
Hold for 20 - 30 seconds

Calf Cramps - Becoming an Issue

2010-06-23T14:40:00.007+01:00

Having returned happy and in one piece from my stag weekend; spent drinking and jumping off waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons (a few hours in between) I am suffering in a different way.

During last week's particularly gruesome kickboxing lesson, towards the warm down my left calf spasmed in a severe cramp, where I ended up falling to the floor in absolute agony, finally aided by Sir.

A few days later I was limping around a little, and found my calf muscles very 'tight'. To relieve the tightness I needed to stretch my calf muscles. The stretching exercises I performed is were the SOLEUS stretch and the GASTROC stretch.

The muscle cramp happened again yesterday. This does explain wht sometimes I have feared kicking a pad of bag with full force. Since then I have done some reading on the subject and this could be down to a few things:

Dehydration
Over-exertion
Low carbohydrate levels
Conditions that cause alterations in the balance of salts in the bloodstream (such as a high or low sodium or potassium level).
Very tight muscles

When I first started writing this post I had no idea, and I would have said it was a combination of all things. Writing it down has helped in analysing and trying to find a solution. Here's what happens during the lead up to a calf cramping:

I 'power-walk' for an hour with a heavy bag up to my Kickboxing lesson.
Towards of the end of the walk, the road becomes a steep up hill battle.
I drink around 250ml of water.
I used to stretch quite routinely after my walk and before the lesson.

The stretching may be the actual reason why I now suffer these severe cramps. I shall continue with the stretching just before lesson and rehydrate with a recovery drink and see if this cures the problem. If not, I may need to re-assess my carb intake before the lesson, at present I eat around 50g of carbs two hours before.

If you have any thoughts, suggestions or reference I would love to hear them!

Thanks for reading.

8 Points about Early Morning Training

2010-06-09T11:27:00.024+01:00

I gave a lot of thought over the past few years of unlocking that part of the day that I rarely ever saw, getting up as the sun rises to start my training.

I even day dreamed about it back when I wasn't even training. But it was just a notion. I didn't think I would actually start doing it.

This year, I finally did. How?

1. When its gone, it's gone

2. The maximum fat burning potential

3. Great preparation for competitive runs

4. Feeling great and exceptional on the way to work

5. Feeling great the rest of the day

6. Maintaining forward momentum

7. Being fully rested

8. Routine

Allow me to elaborate:

1. When I missed the morning session, I missed the opportunity - weeks and months go by and the number of training sessions would rapidly decrease. If I missed the morning, I didn't make it up in the evening.

2. Maximum fat burning potential - I would describe training early morning as a very RAW feeling, and it also maximises your fat burning potential.

3. Feeling great on the way work - the commute to work all of a sudden isn't as stressful, you are still on a natural high!

4. Fully prepared for my competitive races - doing my early morning runs meant I was no stranger to getting up and just running, no food, no energy drinks - just you and the road (and 10,000 other runners)

5. Feeling great the rest of the day - err...you might however feel a little tired towards the end of the morning when you first begin, I would advise that at lunchtime you get up and go for a FAST WALK, this has the power re-energise. Then in the evening, just think you are now free to focus on the rest of your life, knowing that your training has been taken care of.

6. Forward MOMENTUM- Just keep moving forward! Turn off the alarm, brush your teeth, wash your face, put on your training gear. If you stop to think, you may just give yourself enough reason to go back to bed (don't do that). Instead, if you need to, think about the easiest, slowest, least demanding start to the regime, (a walk for example) and say to yourself "Your can do that, can't you?".

Sometimes, when you're feeling the most tired, sore and reluctant, you can surprise yourself with what you can achieve!

7. Fully rested - ensure you have had enough sleep the night before. Everybody is different but generally 7-8 hours. After a while you will adjust.

8. Routine - Again, over a period of weeks and months, your body will adjust and you will simply get used to it. You've been through the worst, you're through the other side and now it has become your normal morning ritual.

NOT CONVINCED
You may need your own motivation for jumping out of bed at five am. Find that one thought or objective thats going to fire up your engines and get you running out that door. Think about flying through the air and executing the perfect jumping roundhouse, throwing a combination punches at lightening speed and precision, thundering across the town in a trail of dust.

WHITE HORSES?
If all else fails, turn up the volume right up on Phat Planet by Leftfield. You might not think you know the track, but it was used in the White Horses Guiness advert.

AND FINALLY...
Don't do this indefinetly, take a few days off or a week off to recover when it best suits your objectives and routine. I am always amazed how fresh I feel when getting back to training after a week off.

Good luck and surprise yourself with what you thought you could not do - "A chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor, to show his quality".

(PLEASE FORGIVE the unfortunate html file name of the previous post (Running at 5am). This is what happens when you add a title a post way too quickly and regret it later!

Lesson learned, let's move on!)

Thank you for your time.

(Coming Soon, "Why you smell like my old Volkswagen")

The Rubbish Side Kick

2010-06-03T22:24:00.000+01:00

I dared to roam free at the studio in my gym this afternoon. Why not? It was empty and I was thankful for the space. I cautiously began my warm-up stretch. Jogged around the sides, changing direction a few times. I moved onto sprinting along the lengths and jogging back. I stepped it up a little with SQUATS within the nicely spaced spotlights on the studio floor, moving onto squat to a TUCK JUMP. Ending on a few double tuck jumps. Warm up, done.

I then moved onto FOOTWORK with some BASIC PUNCHES. Trying to get used to throwing out a jab, cross whilst moving sideways in a circle and quickly changing direction.

I also practiced the the BOB AND WEAVE countering with a jab and cross. Next, I added the SLIP and a jab and cross COUNTER. A chap came into the studio and did a few situps on an exercise ball and then disappeared.

The studio was still all mine.

I was very suspicious however and expected to be kicked out at any moment. I moved onto KICKS. Inside to Out Crescent Kick, Outside to In Crescent Kick. I had the benefit of mirrors all round. I then moved onto Side Kicks. I could immediately see it, my rubbish left side kick. This needed work, and in front of a mirror.

Soon after the inevitable. A lady walked in and said "Hi, I'm starting a circuit training class in 10 minutes."
"~~Shit~~!" "Ok, no worries" I said.

I thought I would finish on a few SPINNING HOOK KICKS, whilst she placed different cards out around the outside. I looked over and each card described a different exercise. I asked how long do you spend at each station, "30 seconds and then 40 seconds" was the reply. Interesting, I thought, there were quite a number of stations!

She asked if I'd like to join in, I would have loved to, but time was running out and I needed to get back to the office.

Entering the main gym, I stood around sweating profusely and resigned myself to stretching, shower and then back to the office. I had a quick look at the timetable (NOTE TO SELF: a little earlier next week).

Running at 5am

2010-06-02T22:44:00.000+01:00

What is my motivation? Why am I doing this? Remember the dark times, remember the Empire.

It was a misty start to the morning and I struggled to get up and go for my run. I did a heavy weights session yesterday and with only six hours sleep I just hit the STOP on my annoying Samba alarm and went back to sleep. Over and hour later, I emerged out the mist with Mylo (my dog) from a 30 minute run followed by kickboxing in the park and casually waved hello to my neighbour.

This wasn't always so, a year a go it was just a nice idea, to be able to get up 0500 or 0530 every morning and start my training, but now I have come to an important realisation and it has allowed me to shed the extra weight and achieve some Personal Bests on 10K runs. Not to mention going a little further during the sparring sessions on a Friday night.

Time for some revelations.

Training After 2 Weeks

2010-06-02T07:15:00.000+01:00

NOTE TO SELF, never take two weeks off! Last night I returned to my normal Tuesday kickboxing lesson after a short break (I was suffering from a cold). Having only done one (4 mile) run and two weights sessions (plus a little indulgence during the intervening weekends) I knew it was going to be MASTER CHEF Semi-Final kind of TOUGH!

It always starts with a few minutes gentle jogging, which naturally develops into sprinting - so far so good. Then onto sets of 10 press-ups followed by 10 uppercuts for one minute. Oh the feeling of sickness returneth. And it went on ....

My muscles were tired and I struggled to complete the last two sets of 10 wide press-ups, I think I managed 8 or 9 and then realised I couldn't do a single one. Sir shouted "TIME" - thank god for that. But it was the feeling of sickness that I've not experienced in a while which was the most disturbing. I could match my usual intensity for probably three-quarters of the set and then the sick feeling. I could have done it slower, but I didn't want to hold back and wanted to learn from the experience.

SO REMEMBER, for next time - ~~don't rest~~...do a high intensity session before the actual lesson as a 'warm' up.

Grading for my 5th belt is in July. If I am to get ready in time, I need to dedicate an hour a day and practise the kicks and combinations. Gradings are hard.

Feel Like a Conquering Hero

2010-05-27T22:27:00.001+01:00

In part one (http://makefireoutoffear.blogspot.com/2010/05/road-to-bristol-half-marathon.html) I had set myself the challenge of running the 2008 Bristol Half Marathon. How did I go from running all out for 1 minute to 13 miles, in just five months? Welcome traveller to Part 2.

With the excruciating pain of my ankle, I desperately needed medical advice as well as a different exercise regime, something that was low impact. I simply needed to get fit enough to run this half marathon, my first and longest run in over twenty years.

←This is me trying to sprint finish the 2010 Bristol 10K.

Where could I turn to? I was very fortunate, I worked alongside some self-motivated individuals that have stories of their own of training and fitness and this spurred me on. One colleague had started walking set routes at lunchtimes. I asked if I could come along.

During my first walk, my left leg seized up and I couldn't walk any more, it was St Michaels Hill in Bristol. But it felt good.

So I was up, out of my seat and working up a sweat at lunchtimes, as well as learning how to push myself. I remember returning like a conquering hero, it felt like I'd just climbed a mountain! This how good I felt.

Note - I would at this point have benefited from doing some leg stretches.

We started at a distance of 2.5 miles and over the coming months we slowly increased our pace and distance to 4 miles; tracking our routes using http://www.gmap-pedometer.com.

REEBOK STEPPING MACHINE
One late night I saw an 'infomercial' for a stepper machine. Another low impact cardio exercise which helped to burn fat. We bought a Reebok 'stepping' machine from Argos and I took it outside first thing Monday morning. I remember that cold morning, I could see my neighbour across the back garden sticking her head out of the patio doors and smoking a cigarette.

I would use the stepper every other day, first thing in the morning before I went to work. I read it was important to do this exercise before your first meal of the day so that you are maximising your fat burning potential.

My first session was back in 27 May 2008; I did 1000 steps then ran one third of a mile. My total weekly mileage went from 4.6 miles to 22 miles, this was both running and walking.

My girlfriend and I also started swimming a couple of times a week in the evenings. We tried to do as many lengths as we could do in an hour, with a few rests in between (you know, diving in, touching the bottom that sort of thing).

Again, another low impact cardio exercise which pushed your lungs as well as strengthening arms, shoulders and core muscles. I didn't realise swimming could be so tiring and I that couldn't do the breast stroke.

I was following the official Bristol Half Marathon Training plans downloaded form the site, I also needed to do press-ups and sit-ups on my days off from running.

I couldn't believe I had gone from zero exercise to all of the above. I had really GAINED FOCUS from actually having signed up for the Half Marathon. There was no going back now! It was then public, not just my own training known by only, I would need to stand with all those other runners at that START line and run non-stop for 13 miles.
BUT DAMN IT BLACKADDER! I only had 5 months to get ready! I was pulling out all the stops, I ran about 4 miles with 6 litres of water in a rucksack on my back across Westbury White Horse.

I was following the plan BUT ignorant of one very important fact that I would later realise would seriously hamper my training.

Thanks for reading.

Never Used Trainers

2010-05-22T22:00:00.000+01:00

After 17 years, I found myself standing at the edge of my life and taking stock. Within the next five months, something amazing was about to happen, I would run my first half marathon. But being three stones overweight and suffering from previous ankle injury I knew it would not be easy.

I dug out a pair of Nike trainers (and I mean literally dug out from underneath a pile of clothes from back of my wardrobe).

I got up early one morning and decided to try a short distance; a run around the block. I managed to run for one minute and I was completetly out of breath and in pain.

Just gathering the motivation to get up early in the morning was harder than the actual run. Starting out is 90% physcological and 10% physical. On this road, I have learnt some invaluable lessons.

LESSON 1 - Start mentally preparing yourself hours before.

Go through everything step by step in your mind, actually visualise yourself doing whatever it is you are trying to do. If it is an early morning run, do this mental preparation the day / night before.

A very important piece of advice that was given to me by a friend was not to feel disheartened when starting out and being able to run for a very short time. Here is important to walk for a minute or two until you feel ready to run again.

LESSON 2 - Build up slowly. Start by running for as long as you can. Rest by walking until you feel like you have recovered and then run again. Repeat this cycle for as many times as you can during the time you have allotted.

BRILLIANT! I thought. I didn't feel like a failure because I could only run for a minute. Over the following weeks, I followed this approach and quickly I started adding up running times and it came to four or five minutes. To me, this was the best feeling in the world.

With every early morning run, I was clocking up the miles, but this was taking its toll on my ankle. My ankle would flare up, it would 'give way' in severe pain. How could I train and lose weight with an injury? A part from medical advice, I needed an exercise that was LOW IMPACT.

Thanks for stopping by!

Facing your Fears

2010-05-20T20:56:00.000+01:00

LISTEN. That is the sound of your spirit trying to tell you something. It wants you to let go, to run free, leap through the forest and never look back. Sometimes you feel its uncontrollable drive surge through you for a moment.

One day your spirit will break through and demolish the fear.

You are running in the dark. Moonlight breaks through and begins to glance off the path in front of you. It is a forest. Are you being hunted or are you the hunter? You are chasing something with a animal desire to kill.

Moving fast ahead of you, you leap like a gazelle through the foliage, the earth rumbles beneath you as you hit the ground running. You tell your legs to "run faster", "more power" if you are to catch it. You let out a snarl as it moves out of sight. The snarl fires your determination and helps you to move at a greater pace. Sweat falls off your face and into the air. The snarl turns into a howl. Your prey is losing speed at the sound of your howling. With every breathe, gasp and howl your lungs fill with the sweet smells of the forest.

It has slowed and you have quickened, one more leap and it is yours. The demon starts to turn frantically in different directions; it can sense that the end is near.

How I got my Mojo Back!

2010-05-15T08:53:00.000+01:00

After two and a half years later...in a galaxy not so far away...what I did next?

Firstly, I owe a massive debt of gratitude to Allen Carr and his book "THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING".

One of the key suggestions in the book was that you must make a solemn vow to yourself, that you will NEVER EVER smoke another cigarette again. This is quite a significant point.

Just by smoking that one cigarette, you have replenished your body with nicotine. Within an hour your body will be craving another cigarette and the ADDICTION is back!

There is an answer, and you won't believe how SIMPLE it is. In fact, the whole premise of the book and for quitting is based on this fact.

Finish your last cigarette, put it out and don't smoke another one again. I mean, when you think about it, it sounds ridiculously simple doesn't it? If you are a smoker and tried to quit, you may be thinking, "but, it's not that simple is it fella? What about the withdrawal symptoms?"

I have a belief. We all limit ourselves everyday. We can fail to realise that there is potential within ourselves and it knows no bounds, meaning, we could be amazing at something only if we allow ourselves to LET GO. Free our minds.

At last night's kickboxing lesson, I was holding the pad for my [kickboxing]partner, who is a beginner. She couldn't find the power or intensity for the kick and berated herself after every attempt, saying "I can't do it". My words of advice were "let go". Don't feel embarassed, you may feel awkward and silly, and you may actually look silly too, but hold onto that frustration, take it away with you and remember it in your next training session and then one day, you won't look silly, you're going to LOOK GREAT. I of course, didn't have time to say all of that, just the "let go" bit, but you get the benefit of what I was thinking.

Free your mind. Free yourself from yourself. Drop that negative self-image, MOVE ON from the past. Focus, just think about WHAT YOU WANT out of life?

When I realised that I would never ever need to pick up another cigarette again, I got very excited. My immediate thoughts were "What should I do NOW?"

I made a list, I actually needed to write it down in words. Which item in your list is the most important to you? I made that item my number one goal. Then wrote down how in DETAIL I was going to make it happen?

I used to be one the fittest people in my final year at school, having completed a definitive 12 minute run and came out on top (and that's not bad for a short fella like me). I could beat all my friends at sprinting, swimming and had the stamina for long distance, but when you're eighteen years old you take all of this for granted. I thought, so naturally I thought I will start running again. I got even more excited. Wow, I thought I'm actually going to do this.

I had a new found LOVE FOR LIFE. There was an extra "spring in my step", I got my MOJO BACK so to speak.

I felt more POSITIVE than I have ever been? How? Simply because I had decided to CHANGE my mind about something. I hadn't actually run a single mile yet, but with this renewed sense of being and OUTLOOK had changed me. Friends and colleagues had noticed it too, it was becoming infectious. And what had I actually physically done? Nothing, just freed my mind up to the possibility.

SUCCESS STORY

A few weeks ago, I made a new friend. He was a university student, aged 22, with great potential and hopes for his future. We talked in depth about our favourite films and aspirations for becoming a writer. Time was getting on I was on barbecue duty. As I walked away, he started rolling a cigarette. I heard my fiance say I had quit that I had just run the FRENCHAY 10K in Bristol two hours ago. He seemed genuinely shocked.

I sat back down and tried unload as many facts as possible, trying to make an impact in the shortest amount of time. A few minutes later, he walked over to the bin and emptied his tobacco into it. HE EMPTIED so he couldn't simply pull it back out.

So, how did I feel after I quit smoking? Well when you can save someone years and years of smoking like our 22 year old friend here, the answer is JUST GREAT!

Thanks for stopping by.

The Day I Gave Up

2010-05-14T15:04:00.000+01:00

You are not happy. Is it the world, is it me, is it my place in the world? I wasn't having a break-down or break-through moment like Jerry McGuire, but I took hold of a fleeting thought, to change my life.

How can you provide an answer without first knowing the question. There are feelings of inadequacy, anger, fear and self-hate. You didn't plan this for yourself, but you have found yourself in a progressively worsening situation.

In 2006, I was suffering from a disconnect from life, a disconnect from my childhood aspirations, but still outwardly and to my mind I remained an exceptional and brilliant individual. Feeling marginalised, the fragments of truth slowly came together to present me with a picture of myself, which would, one day soon, propel me like a rocket from this plain into the cool sereness of possibility.

Stumbling out drunk out of my back door, I fell into the darkness and found a place on the wall. Burning my fingers and nostrils, I lit up the other half of the cigarette I had smoked five minutes earlier. As I dragged on the cigarette, I felt for the first time the futility of it all and took note.

I had recently met someone,and that someone had given me a life-line as well as the space and time to reflect. A strong stable relationshiop was something that I didn't want to ruin. The moment lingered...

I momentarily escaped my stupor and asked myself "why am I sucking on this cigarette, what am I looking for?" This was the moment when it all changed. I stood there rocking sideways in the warm evening and the answer came to me. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing".

There was nothing to be gained, I realised how unsatisfied I was. UNSATISFIED. That was the feeling for so long. If I was unsatified, why do I continue?

I knew then that this was an important realisation but only now, two years later do I truly acknowledge significance of this moment.

FALSE REALITY

I had been drinking more than ever and more frequently. Managing only to remain sober for a few hours and then starting again; riding the wave of the euphoria of recovery, I would lose myself again in the false reality I had created for myself.

I had gone from a lean 11st to close to 14 stones. My waist size had expanded to unprecedented levels! I was eating, drinking and smoking whatever I liked, without any restraint or regard for health.

In January 2007, still a little reluctant, I made the decision that I really needed to quit. I bought nicotine gum. I chewed it for nine months without a cigarette, but I was still supplying my body with nicotine and therefore still secretly craved one; having not actually purged by body of the chemical. In October 2007, something happened. An incident at work sent me immediately to a shop (and then a pub) to buy a pack cigarettes, (something I would later realise is a symptom or weakness rather of a smoker - being unable to handle stress).

Since we are on the subject... a short interlude.

Top 10 Reasons ...
HOW SMOKING ALMOST RUINED MY LIFE

10. Being unable to handle any form of challenge or stress
9. Couldn't concentrate for longer than 30-40 minutes at a time
8. Feeling inferior to non-smokers
7. Never satisfied (in a bad way)
6. Wanting to move to a stronger brand
5. Fearful
4. When I had no money, I bought cigarettes rather than food.
3. It was my guilty secret for many years
2. My clean clothes still smelt of cigarettes

And the number one reason how smoking almost ruined my life is...

1. The tobacco companies had me for life, unless of course I did something.

I was back at square one, and I continued smoking up through Christmas. I tried to quit again in the new year, now 2008. I was now smoking AND chewing gum. My mouth was hurting, I was going round and round in circles between quitting and then smoking again. I also suffered one strange side-effect of the nicotine gum, severe hiccups.

Two years prior, a friend of mine had given me a book "THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING" by Allen Carr. It had sat gathering dust on my bookshelf for around two years. During this time, other friends mentioned the success stories they had heard of quitting using THAT book.

During this time, I knew that when I was ready, the answers lay within. But I needed to want to quit. I came home one day in April 2008 and pulled it off the shelf.

Inside it said "The journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step", with excitement I began to read.

AND TODAY...
It's nice to bring this tale of woe to end on a positive note. A lot has changed since those days, I am fitter, leaner and happier than I have ever been, I have the energy now to do anything I want to do.

I quit smoking that very day, and I have never touched another cigarette again. All without using any nicotine replacement. It was the most freeing feeling in my life. I could breath the free air again. I owe a huge debt to Allen Carr and his wonderful book. I will also forever be indebted to close friends and family for their support and encouragement. You know who you are people?

Soon after I started running. I completed a few half-marathons and 10K races as well now pursuing Kickboxing since September 2008, just having achieved my Green Belt.

This is when the REAL HARD WORK began, trying to run again after 17 years of inactivity, I needed to get my body ready for the Bristol Half Marathon.

Thanks for reading.

The Essence of Feeling

2009-03-26T21:07:00.000Z

How does one decide the priorities of this life? I stared in wonder at the swathes of sunlight brushing past the city this evening, and thankful for this moment, it will no doubt return in some other form, many years from now, in a painting or photograph, it represents the essence of feeling.

Welcome traveller!

2009-03-25T23:03:00.000Z

Hello and welcome to my first blog posting! Life has taken a very interesting turn indeed in recent months. Everything has become a social experiment and I have set some ambitious goals and whilst hoping to achieve the dreams and aspirations that make me who I am. Do I dare to capture it all...all the thing I have done?

For now however, time to sleep.