Judo, FMA, Systema, and a February Diet...

We had a great Judo class last night. Sensei Eric was not available, but a couple of great senseis from Kin Tora, Sensei Nick and Sensei Sal, came to train with us. We had a small group (there was a big BJJ seminar at the dojo this weekend that kept a lot of folks occupied), but just enough for the right amount of training partners. We practiced some variations on the basics (a different way to approach Ippon Seo-nagi), and a cool little trick called a "shoulder to shoulder" roll (not a full Judo roll/breakfall or a somersault,
but a neat way to twist out of a few attacks, and maybe even wind up with an arm-bar). We also went over the three basic yellow-belt chokes. I'm still having a lot of trouble remembering all of the Japanese names for all of these techniques!

Last Wednesday night, Datu Hartman gave a knife defense seminar from an Arnis/Kempo perspective-- some very simple but effective techniques. I definitely want to get more training in with him.

Today, Buffalo Systema put on a Body-Guarding/VIP Protection seminar. Very informative and challenging! Systema is a lot more about concepts than it is about specific techniques (although there are some techniques involved), and the concepts that we drilled today were both interesting and fun (and did I mention challenging?). I have even more respect for security professionals involved in personell protection (as opposed to "personal") than I did before. We drilled with single attackers and groups, with weapons and without; cool stuff. Kudos to Brian and Casey for putting-on a great seminar.

The big news? I'm very happy with the progress I've made so far physically, but with all of the martial arts training, all of the workouts, and all of the minor dietary tweaks I've made, I have hit a bit of a plateau. I've lost 30 lbs. (don't get me wrong, I'm still happy about it!), but I seem to be stymied there, and while I am building muscle (I know), it is difficult to keep "working my butt off," so to speak, and not see more gains reflected on the scale. I've even been fasting lunch for almost the whole month of January (our church usually tries to start the new year with some type of fast), but the pounds are not moving as quick as I'd like. The next 35 is proving to be a lot tougher than I thought it would be to take off. Enter my friend and co-worker Jaye. Another friend recommended that I go see him about something called The Carb-Night Solution. I have been looking (for a couple of years now, actually) at the Atkins Diet, Body-for-Life, and also the Virgin Diet, and the Carb-Night Solution seems to incorporate good elements from all three, without relying on "eating grass" (as I call those "vegetable shake" kind of diets). It is not something you do for a life-time; it is a way to burn fat-- not necessarily lose weight, but burn fat and replace it with muscle, and I am giving it a go starting in February (in a few days, actually). It will take (even more) work, but I have high hopes for this plan. I will report on my experiences here so that others can get a sense if Carb-Night might be right for them.

Until then...

White Belt Out

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2015

An interesting day to post on a martial arts blog. Choosing a non-violent path is definitely the more admirable choice in most circumstances. It's an interesting fact that well-trained martial artists are actually less likely to get into (non-sport, non-training-oriented) physical confrontations. There are of course liability issues and possible legal consequences, but even more so, the confidence gained through training often helps one diffuse tensions without worrying about "saving face." (Of course, there are exceptions-- "Let me Bang, bro! Let me BANG!!!!")...

http://www.mmaplayground.com/mma-videos/video/let-me-bang-bro-8860.html

Anyway, Happy Martin Luther King Day. Take some time to remember the man and the reason we celebrate, and the gains we have made as a country and society (and some of the things we've lost as well).

Coming soon-- More workout info, and some equipment revues (as opposed to "reviews"--blades, and various sparring and workout gloves).

White Belt Out!

A Martial Arts Library

Here are the books currently in my personal martial arts library. A handful of these I've owned since I was a kid; a number of them I've purchased in the last few years as my interest and involvement in MA study has grown, and one of them I just got for Christmas. I'm still looking for a good book on fencing. In addition, I also enjoy Black Belt Magazine, Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, and a few of the other MA publications out there (I'm not really into the UFC/MMA/WWE magazines or the muscle-head books right now, although I do occasionally read Muscle & Fitness if the cover looks interesting or there's a new workout that looks pertinent to me).

If you have any books to suggest, or appropriate links to throw-up, post them in the comment section. I'm also looking for a good primer on Filipino Martial Arts styles.


Boxing

Boxing Basics (by Chuck Bodak)

The One-Two Punch Boxing Workout (by Andy Dumas & Jamie Somerville)

Indian Martial Arts

Kalarippayat (by D.H. Luijendijk)

Karate

Bruce Tegner's Complete Book of Karate (by Bruce Tegner)

Karate: Basic Principles (by A. Pfluger)

Best Karate Volume 2: Fundamentals (by M. Nakayama)

Karate Basics (by J. Allen Queen)

The Essential Karate Book (by Graeme Lund)

Systema

Systema Manual (by Major Konstantin Komarov)

Judo

Get to Grips with Judo (by Peter Holme)

(Japanese) Ju-Jitsu (and Jutsu derivatives)

Jujitsu: Basic Techniques of the Gentle Art (by George Kirby)

Taiho-Jutsu: Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai (by Don Cunningham)

Koga Ryu Ninjutsu (by Dr. William Durbin)

Stick Fighting (by Masaaki Hatsumi w/ Quintin Chambers)

Kung Fu/Chinese Styles

Bruce Tegner's Complete Book of Kung Fu and Tai Chi (by Bruce Tegner)

Northern Shaolin Sword (by Dr. Yang Jwing Ming w/Jeffery A. Bolt)

Reference

The Tao of Jeet Kune Do (by Bruce Lee)

Comprehensive Asian Fighting Arts (by Donn F. Draeger w/Robert W. Smith)

The Samurai Warrior: The Golden Age of Japan's Elite Warriors, 1560-1615 (by Ben Hubbard)



Good Reading!

White Belt Out

Happy New Year

Resolutions... I'm really glad I had a head-start this year! Starting next week (January 5th), when the "season-of-goodies" has officially ended, I'll be kicking-off a fast (thinking just lunch for now), then launching into a full-scale diet. I've got some more weight to drop and I've reached a bit of a plateau with exercise. Diet + Exercise + Training (should) = success.

As to training, I just picked-up a Side-Show B... I mean, Century B.O.B. ("Body Opponent Bag") heavy bag/training aid on-the-cheap. It should add some fun and realism to martial arts training and boxing workouts, and I'm starting to collect some gear for a planned home dojo/gym.

What are your 2015 resolutions?

White Belt Out