The Carb-Night Solution, Day 5

OK, so the Carb-Night diet (ahem, "lifestyle," as Coach Jaye corrected me) is getting easier by the day. I'm starting to get a rhythm down, and we figured out a bunch of things that I can actually eat and drink, so the last couple of days have gone a bit smoother. Still not a picnic, but I'm sure it will get easier as time passes, and I am looking forward to the eventual carb night chowdown.

Jaye gave me some tips on drinks, snacks/multi-meal foods, but the important concept that set my mind at ease, and helped me to feel like I was really "doing" the program, rather than just cheating or fumbling through it, was the understanding that 30 grams of carbohydrates per day is more like an ideal, than an immovable, immutable, carved-in-stone rule.

You want to keep carb intake low, and as close to 30 grams as possible, but 40 or even 45-50 is ok. Jaye also said that when I get back to strenuous daily workouts, I might even be able to bump it up to closer to 100! I don't know if I'll want to go that high, once I really get this process down, but the trouble I was having was counting carbs up to 30 grams per day, when you have to have whey protein isolate in milk at least twice a day, and that's about 13-15 grams of carbs already. Even total skim milk (not 1% or 2%), has something like 13 carbs in it. On top of that, almost every fruit has carbs in it (a LOT), and I was getting tired of eating tuna fish and 0 carb cheese; even a diet of only meat can get a little stagnant (people that know me well are having a hearty laugh right now, as I am basically a carnivore when it comes to standard diet). But I think with the modifications made, I can do this for the long haul, so I'm looking forward to seeing the results. Also looking forward to getting back to workouts and martial arts classes, but I need just a little more time off, so I'm skipping Judo tonight. I may be picking-up a second shift job as well, and I want to take the time to hang with the family while I can. Anyway, so far, so good, as the insane carb cravings seem to have evened-out. But I will keep y'all posted...

White Belt Out

Quick Diet Update

Day 2 of the Carb-Night Solution. Dad-Gum, seems like Day 1,000,000,000. I've got to find something to eat besides tuna fish, and something to drink besides water (which is good, I know, but c'mon man, I need some FLAVA! missing the iced tea more than I can say).

On the positive side, I am getting more and more comments daily on my appearance vis-à-vis weight-loss. I guess all of the prior working-out and diet tweaking has had a very positive effect, but it's funny, because it's very hard for me to see it. But people keep throwing unsolicited compliments, so, I'll take 'em.

Going to do some upper body weight lifting today. Still no major martial arts workouts or Corey Norman calisthenic extravaganzas; I still need a knee x-ray, and I just found out today that my co-pay will be $200 (that's just the co-pay, folks). "THANKS, Obamacare." (Or, insert your own tried and true insurance/geo-political polemic humor tag line here... For Example-- Thanks, Insuro-Medicinal Complex, or Thanks, ISIS. Or, Thanks, ISIL, or Thanks, Republicrats. Or, Thanks, Democrips, etc., etc., etc.) It'll probably be a little while...

I'm blind to all factual reason! I'm becoming ENRAGED!

I WANT YOUR CARBS!!!! GIVE THEM TO ME NOW!!!!

White Belt Out

PS/Editor's Note-- This was actually posted on Weds., so that would have made this Day 3 of the Carb-Night Solution. ...Still learning to work with Arithmetic...

Blade Enthusiast or "Knife Nut?" Part III

This should be it for the blade showcase posts for awhile. I do have some more knives, but they're kind of all over the place, so I won't get around to gathering and taking pix for some time. I just wanted to have a relatively comprehensive look for y'all, once we got started, and I'm kind of "space filling" a bit while I start this diet, get my knee back in shape, and get back to workouts and martial arts training(!)...

Anyway, a new one, some old ones, and those larger training blades/swords I mentioned in previous posts. To wit:


Here's the actual US Army M5A1 bayonet I picked-up the other day (the earlier photo was a clip art/Commons graphic). This one is an original issue, but not from the Korean War era, if my info is correct. The M5A1 was made in US factories, but post-Korea until the mid-60's, so it's possible that the bayonet saw action early in Vietnam, but unlikely. It's probably from a training unit or someone's stateside TA-50 gear. It doesn't have a sheath/scabbard, but they still make them, so I ordered one through Paratrooper Army Navy surplus. Cool store, good guys...


Three blades-- An Imperial hunting knife, an "Air Force Tactical Folder" (I'm not sure of the make), and an old Buck I've had since high school. There's a (somewhat bad) story attached to it that I might tell here some day. This is different from the slightly smaller lookalike* from an earlier post; that one belonged to my father. [*editor's note-- I have one more hunting folder that looks like this, that I thought I showed you, but looking back over parts I & II, I actually didn't... Maybe I can sneak a photo in during a future edit. For now, you'll have to trust me.]


A couple of (real, not "Swiss Army type") Swiss Army knives. The smaller one (Wenger) is one of the first knives I ever owned (along with the aforementioned Barlow from an earlier post... I think the actual first knife my dad bought for me was a tiny pen knife with a primary blade no longer or wider than the average cleaner on a small pair of finger-nail clippers!). The larger one (Victorinox) with the broken blade point was my wife's, which saw a lot of action as she traveled in Africa with the Peace Corps., then around the world (climbing in the Himalayas, for instance).


A couple of views of a "training machete;" actually a toy wooden sword that was just the right size!


Some Asian training swords-- a Chinese sword I bought to work through some of the concepts in Dr. Jwing-Ming's Northern Shaolin Sword book; not progressing very far with all of the other items on my plate; and a bokken that Coach Rob let me have on long-term loan, to work on some Iaido katas and more recently the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu material. I've got a bit more time in on that (much more than zero, anyway)...


A few views of my fencing foil. Not much use since I've been concentrating on saber, but a good blade to have for point work and fundamentals.


My primary (read: only) fencing saber. It's from Absolute Fencing, and I like it a lot. Traditional grip, nice balance. It is a practice blade, but I can convert it to electric if I ever decide to get into a tournament. At least Rob said it could be done pretty inexpensively...


Here's a little trick I discovered, kids. If you are starting fencing, have a decent blade, but don't have a case for it (and you find that the trendy fencing cases are a bit pricey), head to the sporting goods section of your local Walmart. This DeBeer bag is actually made for a Lacrosse stick, but it fits one saber or foil perfectly. I added some foam pipe insulation inside, to keep the blade from banging around too much, and it works great. The no-case crisis averted!

I guess that's it for now. You guys decide: Blade Enthusiast or "Knife Nut?" Leave a comment down below (if you're not yella', that is, you lilly-livered...).

White Belt Out

Diet and Injury Update

A quick two-part update:

So, due to a series of issues that my friend Coach Jaye will never believe (my vacation coinciding with my wife going to Kenya on a last minute trip to visit a sick friend, which left a number of church ladies making food for myself and the kids, and me not wanting to put any special demands on them after their already generous assistance... plus, my mom having been in the hospital), I am only on Day 1 of the Carb-Night Solution rather than, oh say, Day 15 or so like I should be. I started today, because I just had to, even though I'm probably not completely ready mentally and even in terms of edible food supplies-- living on less than 30 grams of carbs per day (the equivalent of two slices of bread!) has so far proven to be, interesting, to say the least, and I'm only on Day 1!! Breakfast-- tuna fish, pepperoni, some cheese, and low fat milk with whey-protein isolate (not too bad, actually). For lunch, tuna fish, pepperoni, and an Atkins low-carb snack bar. Dinner... And so on. Making it to Day 10 and my first carb night seems... really far away... (cue violin music).


Re: The knee injury, I feel a lot better, but I'm continuing to take it easy due to not yet having an x-ray or official medical clearance. I think I'll go to Systema and Judo (and Fencing) this week, but it looks like I'll be a spectator more than a participant. Likewise for the high intensity workouts for the time being; I'm going to focus on some weight training and upper body exercises that are a bit milder for now. Hopefully healing and a doctor's release come quickly.

Coming soon, "Knife Nut?..." Part III (I picked-up that Craigslist bayonet the other day-- pretty cool!).



White Belt Out

Blade Enthusiast or "Knife Nut?" Part II

Here are a few more knives, and a couple of straight-up cool new ones. Check-out the captions for the scoop on each:




A two-blade Barlow from my childhood (maybe the second knife I ever got; 10 years old?), a small Humvee-branded folder from a set of three of various sizes that a friend gave me, and an interesting Chinese gadget-- Why have just a knife, when you can have a mini spring-loaded key-ring knife that also has a laser pointer with several different selectible and projectible graphic patterns?



A couple of shots of a spiffy collectible folder I found about a decade ago.



A handful of views of some interesting Chinese/Fantasy versions of Japanese Tanto knives/mini swords.



Speaking of the current rage for "Tanto-style" blades, here's a brand new titanium folder with a Tanto edge that I just picked-up today.



Some of my "EDC" pocket implements; some CIA composite "ice scraper" tools, and a titanium tactical pen.



The piece de resistance-- my honey just returned from Kenya, and she brought me this Maasai fighting knife, a smaller version of the indigenous Seme (or Sime), a small sword carried by all Maasai warriors that acts as an everyday weapon and tool-- useful for fighting lions, for peeling fruit, as an all-purpose utility blade, and for self-defense. The sheath is made from wood that is covered in dyed-animal skin/rawhide, the steel blade is "full tang" that has been affixed with wood handles that are also covered in shrunken/sun-dried hide. I assume that they use goatskin (a pretty ubiquitous animal in the region), but I'm not positive. Cool blade! We are supposed to make a trip back to Kenya together next year, and I'd like to try and get a full-size Seme sword to match the fighting knife.

That's it for now; I'm looking at an M5A1 US Army bayonet (circa Korean War) that I might grab from CL this week, to help keep my Swiss Wenger 1957-Pattern chrome bayonet company (see picture in the last entry).

Injury Update: I went to the doctor on Tuesday. Of course, my knee was feeling much better, then started hurting again when I left the office. But she did poke around pretty good and she believes that I just have a strain/sprain, but I got a script for an X-ray to be sure. I haven't gotten the pictures taken yet, but I'll hopefully be able to get to the lab sometime early this coming week. I'm itching to get off restrictions and get back to full training. I'm going to fencing tomorrow, but coach Rob has some light-weight "chair exercises" for me to work on. I've also got to get both shoulders looked at eventually; seems like a trip to the Ortho-Doc is in order. I still have to have my left wrist carpal tunnel surgery fairly soon as well. Too much to do in life to spend weeks in a bandage with an 8 oz. weight lifting restriction though. "What a drag it is, getting old."

Next post-- Blade Enthusiast or "Knife Nut?" Part III, featuring the large training blades... Saber, Foil, Bokken, and Chinese Sword...

White Belt Out

Blade Enthusiast or "Knife Nut?"

A little off-topic as far as "fitness" goes, but definitely more on-target in relation to all things martial. Besides, with this knee issue, I don't have much to report on as far as workouts are concerned...

So anyway, I've always been interested in knives, swords, and various blades and edged weapons and tools. Long before I took up Fencing, Pekiti-Tirsia, Arnis, or Systema. It's just something I'm interested in. I'm not sure why, and I'm not looking to "stab anybody" or "get in a knife fight" (crazy things that people ask); quite the opposite, actually. I just have an appreciation for the well-crafted tool, and a fascination with sharp things made of iron and steel.

So in lieu of an actual workout related topic today, here are some pix of just a few (believe it or not) of my sharpened little friends:





There are more... Many, many more. Some at home, some in the studio, some are EDC ("every day carry"). Some are new (I've discovered Tractor Supply and Walmart as great low-cost blade outlets), some I've had for ages, some were my father's, and the rustic looking cross between a "Joker" and an apple-peeling kitchen knife in the first picture above was made by my oldest son when he was a scout.

Some are "throwers," as I was recently turned-on to that unique sport by a friend who got me throwing last year. He also bought me that really cool looking "Mini Bo-Kri" (a combination Bowie and Kukri) that is a pretty decent thrower as well (thanks Noah!). I'm getting pretty good at "spin technique" (for having so little opportunities to practice), but I can't do any "no spin" throws yet. The easiest ones to throw out of those pictured above are the Ninja spikes; using them is a lot like throwing darts, only easier and they are more aerodynamic and accurate, in my humble opinion.

My wife is returning from Kenya Wednesday, and if all goes well, I'll have a Maasai lion-fighter to add to the lot (not for throwing, obviously).

These are rigid training knives, used for drills and exercises, and simulated (safe) "knife fighting" and self defense technique practice in a martial arts context. They are solid, but have no sharp edges. Two are wooden Japanese tanto-style blades, and one is a Pro-Force blunt trainer. Dull, but still can hurt if you do the technique wrong, get slapped with it or jammed in the ribs (!):



But if I was really "all-that," I could just use a rolled-up magazine or a pen, like Jason Bourne. If that's his real name, that is...

White Belt Out

Injuries Suck...

Training has been curtailed a bit lately. I've been pushing through a knee injury that has finally got the better of me. Had to watch a Judo class last night, and skipped Fencing this morning. The funny thing is, it's been bothering me for probably a week, but I have no idea what happened or how I injured it. There was no specific "Woh!" incident; I just woke up with it one day.

When I walk or turn the wrong way, it feels almost hyper-extended, but when I bend or stretch that leg (left), it screams from the top left side of my knee down into the calf.

So anyway, I hope this heals quickly. I don't want to deal with a lot of downtime!

White Belt Out

Defence Lab/DNA-- Good Enough for Batman...

Formerly known as KFM (or the Keysi Fighting Method), DNA is a newer system that has elements in common with both FMA and Systema. If you have seen the Dark Knight series of Batman movies, or recent films with Liam Neeson or even the new Bond movies, then you have seen DNA in action, as founder Andy Norman has been called upon to use his system as the basis for fight choreography in Hollywood quite a bit over the last several years.

Defence Lab Buffalo, the local DNA representatives, put on an awesome two-hour seminar tonight at Horizon Martial Arts in West Seneca. Even though my sons and I could only train for the second hour (I had a short gig that started at the same time as the workshop), it was well worth our time and money. They have some very interesting concepts that are based on pretty natural, "gross motor" type of movements. I'd definitely like to get a closer look at this system. Watch the blog for future, more in-depth posts on this fascinating style. If you get a chance, check-out defencelab.com, or defencelabbuffalo.com for more info...

White Belt Out

Why are the "gloves off," anyway? I thought you were supposed to put them on?

So, I've got a lot of gloves. I do believe in having the right tool for the right job, but I also find it hard to pass up "a deal," and as in other areas of my life, I suppose I might fall victim to the "collector" mentality. In any event, with the pair of speed bag gloves that I've had since I was a kid (that have gone missing, but I still have somewhere!), plus the eight sets pictured here (and not including other glove-like training gear such as focus mitts), I have nine sets of MA/bag/workout gloves. Some got thrown in when I purchased other equipment, some I bought just to have on-hand, or for my kids to use when training with me, and a couple sets I've had for many, many years (I got the Tuffy boxing trainers for Christmas one year when I was 14, I think, and the Everlast Karate-style open thumb bag gloves were also a Christmas present from when I was in my 20's).

My favorites are the Everlast bag gloves; these were made back when even the budget-priced Everlast gear was still manufactured to a high standard and lived up to their name... I've had these gloves, and beat on these gloves, for years.



My second favorites are the relatively new V-Sport grappling style training gloves, to wit:



I've been using these almost exclusively for several weeks, as I'm trying to break them in (and they are getting more comfortable by the day). These are all leather, have a nice, solid construction, and so far can take a beating. I'm using these for bag work, but I could see them being useful for grappling, MMA, or other types of training that require decent protection without sacrificing finger mobility, grip, or tactile feel. The best part of these gloves (besides the color, the nice solid construction, and the feel of real leather)-- they cost $20 Canadian!

One accessory that I've realized in my old age is not optional are wraps.



When we were in high school, my know-it-all friends and I (so cool and tough, to the last man) used to work the heavy bag with speed bag gloves on at best-- no wraps. Sometimes we went bare-fisted/sans speed bag gloves entirely. But there's a reason they have "heavy bag gloves" and "speed bag gloves;" they are different! And in either case, you should always wear wraps. They not only protect your hands by adding some padding; they also protect your wrist and fingers from spraining or breaking, and they help to maintain the integrity of your fist by establishing the proper relationship from finger to finger (if you've wrapped your hands correctly!). I learned all of this the hard way, after several bent fingers, twisted wrists, and scuffed and cut knuckles... Don't train without wraps and the right gloves, kids. Your hands and finger joints will thank you later!

White Belt Out

Blessed is the Man with Great Teachers...

It's Coach Shout-Out Day; time to give props to my PeMA FAT ("Personal Martial Arts and Fitness Advisory Team" tm). This will not be an exhaustive list/expose, but I'll try to add pictures and bios of other team members in entries to come. Today, we are featuring the core coaching staff, including:

Rob Smith-- Fencing coach, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor, student of Japanese swordsmanship and Judo, and former National-level fencing competitor. Rob has been working with me for about two years now, and he has put a lot of extra time into helping an old dog learn a handful of new tricks, for which I am very grateful. He is an excellent (and patient) coach and teacher. Rob is the proprietor of the Forge Saber Academy; any prospective students in the Western New York area should feel free to contact him via Facebook and join in the swash-buckling** fun.

Corey Norman-- MMA Coach and competitor, former competitive wrestler and Judoka, and savage fitness coach and strength trainer. "Savage," because he joyfully destroys us with insane workouts three days per week (M-W-F), which has become a (somehow) perversely enjoyable component of my overall fitness-acquisition strategy. You know how going to the chiropractor and getting a set-up occupies that weird nether-space between pain and pleasure? Yeah, like that (but a lot heavier on the pain side of the equation).

Jaye Pratt-- Track coach, Krav Maga enthusiast, and overall fitness/diet guru, Jaye will be advising me through the "Carb-Night Solution" diet program. More on this later, as the plan unfolds and the results pour in, but the idea is to burn fat, not necessarily "lose weight" (we want to keep the muscle, just ditch the fat). Jaye is a great encourager, and I'm sure he will help keep me "honest" during the trials that are to come.


(From left to right: Jaye Pratt, Rob Smith, Corey Norman)



(Brian Hammond)

Brian Hammond-- Systema Coach, former Aikido specialist and football devotee (and possible CIA agent)... Brian is one of the most humble and gentle guys you could ever meet, but when it comes to martial arts, and specifically Systema training, he knows how to dish it out "for your own good." Because sometimes love don't feel like it should (or something)... Western New Yorkers interested in Systema training can get in-touch with Brian through K.C's Gym in Buffalo, NY. For that matter, you can even train MMA with Corey Norman at the same place; K.C.'s has lots of options (boxing, Aikido, Tai Chi, kettleball training, self defense, etc.) for those interested in fitness and the fighting arts.

So there you go! Props to the coaching staff! When I attain my short-term goal of looking like Vin Desiel by July, and receive all of the attendant Hollywood accolades and thick stacks of show business green that rightly accompanies such an incredible feat, I will remember all of the little people that helped me along the way... I'll remember these guys too; my wife told me that the "little people" are all (and only) in my head, anyway.

White Belt Out



**I've never really understood what "Swash-buckling" is, to be completely honest...