Monday Night at the Gym

2013-05-13, Monday,

Today's plan is to attend the Monday night Self-Defense class at my gym. Done!

Tonight we worked on stick-fighting practice. It was very cool, almost as cool as you see in the movies. I was a slow starter and keeping my co-ordination going with two (2) sticks was a challenge, but by the end of the session I was really getting the hang of it, and flowing pretty well. It looked a lot like this video from YouTube:




Our coach also showed us the same empty-hand application demonstrated in the video. However, in a high-speed street fight the empty-hand technique may not be as useful as some of the methods we've already learned, including The Fence, and exploding through your opponent from there.

After my Self-Defense workout, I went to the Fit-in-(30) Circuit Training room. I started out with (100) Rope Jumps (non-continuous) as a warm-up, then worked through three (3) laps of the circuit room in (38)-min. I wanted to get in a solo CrossFit workout, too, but was feeling much too winded by the circuit room.

Done with my workout, I went grocery shopping, then home to make dinner: Refried bean burritos with (4) Cheese Mexican blend, jalapeños, Tapatío hot sauce and red taco sauce on flour tortillas. The side dish was Spanish Rice (instant) by Knorr; very good. And the rest of the Barefoot Wines Red Zinfandel; tasty.

Now, it's way past my bed-time.

Other News:
I'm still working security at the hospital and now have a "fixed" schedule, but that schedule keeps changing for different reasons. *sigh* At least I still have a job. AND I have those medical benefits I was aching to get at discounted prices, so now I can put more money to other bills, and even start restocking my savings account. *whew*

I have been running again, but only intermittently before, or after, work, and usually only for (2)-miles at a time. I really need to get signed up for another half-marathon, full-marathon, or both, so I can push myself back into a regular training schedule. I just seem to be less motivated when I don't have a fixed goal to work toward.


Speaking of marathons, I registered (and paid) for the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon, Half and 5K 2013, and training was going well till I started my new full-time job back in October 2012. Since then my running has been only intermittent, I never spent time at the gym, and was even missing my Monday night Self-Defense classes. Well, at the somewhat last minute my brother got engaged and he and his bride chose the March 24th, 2012, race date for their wedding, thus hijacking me from the marathon.

Frankly, I hadn't kept up with my running so there was little chance I could run even the half-marathon at that point, although the 5K would have been total cake. :-)  My brother chose the date because it was the wedding anniversary date of our mother's late parents. I can see the sentimental value in that, and it was his first wedding, so I had to be his best man. And he did promise to pay for my next marathon event... [I understand I sound like a jerk for griping about it, but it was a goal I had been trying to work toward ever-since I finished the 2012 SAMM Half-Marathon.]

Anyway, here's to a bright and happy future for my brother J.-, his wife and soon-to-be-born son.

Cheers!


-Lancer!!