Back in Action

Alright, Boys and Girls. I'm back to blogging. But, more importantly, I'm back to training. Yeah, things went downhill about 2 years ago. I was dating someone and I slacked off. Lost all the muscles and most of my tone. So from now on, if I date a girl, I CAN'T slack off. I'm making that a promise.

So yeah, this blog is going to become a Martial Arts only blog that I'm going to host here on Blogger and over on Facebook via links. It's just a little tool to let people know whats going on Martial Arts wise with me. All posts dealing with training will have the JKD stamp and others that are about other Martial Arts related stuff will be unmarked. I think I might add a little on nutrition on here too.

On with the show. I've decided to change up my routine. I'm going with a modified exercise schedule similiar to the one that I was doing when I took Jeet Kune Do in 2006. Sifu James was crazy so I took out the old school chinese exercises that caused more harm than good. I replaced it with Body conditioning exercises that are a little modern and proven to increase stamina. Here it is. Hopefully, someone sees this and could use it for their purposes.

Independent Training Schedule------Days: M/W/F/S

9:00AM ------ Wake up, Stretch and daily essentials-Breakfest, Bathroom, Protein Intake, Vitamins, Chinese Medicine and Quick meditation

9:30AM ------ Stretch and jog at the park or do route A. (Jog to the Highschool and back)

-10 minute stretch and rest

-20 Minutes on Jogging

10:00AM ------ Body Conditioning --- Iron Tao, Pushups, Pullups, Chinups and Abs workout

-50 knuckle pushups

-25 chin ups

-10 pull ups

-40 crunches and situps 

-Gradually increase all repetitions by 10 every 2 weeks to max of 80

-Skip rope

11:00AM ------ Kicks and Strikes (Bagwork, shadow boxing, etc.)

-60 Kicks(side kick, Round kick, and back kick)

-60 Punches(Boxing, Kenpo and Open palm Strikes)

11:30AM ------ Internal Martial Art Conditioning-Meditation, Practice forms, QiGong, etc.

  -10 minute meditation

  -10 minutes shadowboxing (Seperated by 3 minute rounds with x2 30 second breathers.)

NOON ----- Water break (Food, Social, Whatever)

12:15 - fourty five minutes of working on something that needs work. Free Time. (If I get a partner, Grappling practice.)

Saturday Only ---12:00PM ------ Technique training and Body Conditioning w/partner (Mitts, physical body conditioning, kicking shield, etc.))

Just some reference Notation I found on Footwork and uses from either the Chinese Kenpo Federation or stuff taught to me by Sifu James Chen.

Step and Slide - Equal Distance slides forward, back, and side to side. Be sure to slide. (Experimented and done with Karate, Wing Chun, Boxing and Muay Thai Movements.)
Push Step and Slide -  Equal Distance push off wit your back leg forward. (Usually done in the traditional Wing Chun stance, Back heel raised ever so slightly and 90 degress away from your opponent.) Good to incorperate it with a side kick or boxing punches.
Side Step - Left or right slide movement. Self Explainitory.
Heel and Toe Sway - Very Slight movement forward and back. Just like Push Step and slide but no sliding. Good to incorperate it with a side kick or boxing punches.
Curving Sidesteps - Same as side step but back legs moves left or right. Turn to face your opponent.
Rock and Shuffle - Stay on the balls of the feet and bounce back forth. Practice often for balance training due to weak balance as you first start doing it. Good for throwing off your opponent when he's trying to read your moments. For example of it used in JKD see Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon.
Fencing Stance - Low stance with your feet a few inchs more apart then the traditional Karate or Tae Kwon Do Strong Stance. Good for intercepting and reposte's. Never stay in position too long due to limitations on the lower body.
V-Step or Triangle in Step - Step forward, back left and side step right (or Step foward, Back right and step right) Good to combine with some bobbing and weaving.
Bob in left - Slip the Jab or hook and go for the body all while moving to threat.
Bob in right - Slip the Jab or hook and go for the body all while moving to threat.

Martial Movements

1.) Counter to Lead Straight - Wrist Lock and lead front kick to knee
2.) Counter to Jab - Trap hand. Vstep into guard and elbow lock
3.) Low kick, Low Kick, (Double Low Kick) Combination
4.) Low kick, Low Kick, Low Kick (Triple Low kick) Combination
5.) Counter to Jab - Stop Kick (Shin or Knee) to spinning Hook kick
6.) Counter to Lapel Grab - Inside Wrist Lock and kick to the Knee or Shin
7.) Counter to Shoot - Advance push off to head grip and knee to face (hanuman thayarn)
8.) One, Two Punch with Round kick combination
9.) Counter to Lapel grab - Shihonage (Over the bridge wrist lock to throw)
10.) Round kick to spinning hook Combination
11.) Chain Punch to Elbow (Follow up with a reverse elbow or backfist) Combination
12.) Elbow followed by a Reverse Elbow to temple or face
13.) Low kick to knee or outer/inner Thigh
14.) Reverse Punch to Back Fist
15.) One, Two with Inch punch combination
16.) Trap punch and left kick to knee or shin (Variation Trap Punch Vstep in kick to the back of the knee) 17.) Trap punch and shoot to legs
18.) Deflect to Chain Punch, jab, hook, staight, etc.
19.) Stop Kick to Right Lead Straight
20.) Shoulder or hip throw (Morote, Ogoshi, kataguruma) to face stomp or Submission wrist Lock
21.) Elbow to reverse elbow to reverse Elbow (Should end up in beginning stance)
22.) Jab, Jab, Straight
23.) Hook, Hook, Straight
24.) Trap punch to outside wrist lock

Sept. 30 2011

Things are happening to me... I don't know where to begin. Lets see.

First off, I'm on my last week of internship with Urban Corps. It's hard work but I learned more here(And taught more to others) then I have ever done anywhere else... I will miss that place. There was never a dull moment. Between female students trying to converse with me at lunch and the old ladies trying to get me to crawl under their desk, there's never a dull moment.

I was talking with a friend the other day... we talked about her engagement and she invited me to anchorage for the wedding. Crazy how she knows me well enough to know how I'm doing without asking... after I talked with he about stuff, she told me to hang in there. She gave me a virtual hug and told me of all those good qualities that I guess I have. It's been so long since someone has said anything nice to me in regards to my work, ethics, what I do or who I am. Lately, life has been casting a dark shadow over me like it did in the dark years I lived quite some time ago. Nowadays, it seems people compare me. Like for example, Most girls I've dated had either compared me to others in their lives, abused me or just used me in some way. Most of my friends rarely comment on my abilities or who I am. I feel like I simply just exist to them. Don't get me wrong... I don't like the spotlight... but it's nice to be appreciated slightly by your friends and loved ones.

Something that has never happened to me happened and today I decided to record it so I wouldn't forget it... Well, I was on the trolley on the way home from work. I was sitting down and noticed and older woman in her, 70's maybe, was there standing and her daughter was attending to her. I decided to give my seat to her and she just grabbed me. I found it extremely uncomfortable because she called me Jonathan over and over again and held on with a tight grip. Her daughter explained to me that she has Alzheimer's disease and she doesn't remember her husband has been dead for years now. She forgets remembers and forgets again. So I sat down with her and listened to her until she had to leave on H Street. She had some amazing stories to tell about her youth. I guess she still remembered her childhood. Lucky for me, her daughter told her I'd meet her at home later. I really didn't like that, because what if she still remembers that... but, It just made me think what eternal hell was. It's not fire and brimstone. It's not the void. It's feeling pain over and over again. Like in her cause, reliving the fact that the one person she loves has died, over and over again. I can relate to that in a half sense. No matter how much people say words of comfort or even words of moving on, it doesn't help the grieving process move forward. Truthfully, these days, if I talk about that situation... There are mixed feelings on the subject. They look it at from an adult point of view with an impersonal understanding of the situation... I was in my Teens when that happened to me. I didn't turn to anyone for comfort. I didn't turn to my family. I just simply let it sink in.

I've been trying to spend more time with my father more lately. He's the wisest, most level headed and compassionate man I've ever known. In a sense, his love, moral behavior and strength is what I aspire for. No matter what the odds, he preservers. It truly is an honor to have him here in my life. Today, for instance, he shared with me some wisdom about my current situation in life. That advice actually made me feel like I'm not worthless. Like I am worth something.

Well, Facebookers, Ebloggers and Blogthis users, This is Steve... Signing off.

Long time...

First off, it's been a long time since I've posted to this blog. I apologize to any friends that actually read it and don't have a Facebook to know whats going on in my life. I changed my Facebook preferences so only my friends will be able to visit this blog if they see the link on Facebook so that will prevent any strangeness if someone sees it who shouldn't. Well, things are pretty good. I started working with my passions, I'm nearly a graduate of the School of Technology in UEI. Things seem to be picking up in my life. Right now, I'm Externing at a county services center. It's a hard job with harsh consequences if I screw up working with the servers... but it's a great learning experience. Besides that lemme see... I'm studying for my A+ computer certs. I've also come to the conclusion that I'm going for my Cisco networking certifications eventually in the distant future. I'm going the distance. Who knows what the future may bring and the extra money could be helpful. Relationship wise, I'm doing better then ever. I've said this to her many times but she makes my heart glad... no matter how many challenges we face together and that will probably never change.

I've changed several things in my life that might disappoint people. Martial arts is turning into something that is dwindling in my life. I don't have the time to devote myself to it anymore. I mourn that fact but it's a fact never the less. I still can do the Kenpo, Wing Chun and Grappling but It'll probably fade from my mind like Night into day eventually... I've also gotten back into writing stories. I'm 3 chapters into a story called "The Gate." I'm also pondering another idea involving mysticism in the modern world. I also decided to start singing again since someone told me to hone that skill. I'm trying my hardest to be as decent as I was before in that respect but it's a challenge...

Well, Facebookers, Ebloggers and Blogthis users, This is Steve... Signing off. =)

Life is a tough cookie to eat sometimes...

Life isn't as easy as it used to be. I reflected like crazy last night in imperial beach. I stared at the waves for a few hours. Wandered around. Then when I took a final glance at the ocean. I realized something. Those waves and I aren't too different. Our lives are both Chaotic, churning, changing and being pulled around. It's also beautiful, wonderful and heartwarming. I started realizing that I am a foolish person. I bent my rules out of love, and changed. It didn't expect it, it just happened. I guess I'm not used to thinking this way... I'll adjust. I have to be like water and take my own advice. I have to adapt.

I'm gonna starting taking Cardio Boxing classes at Healthy Kicks. I need to start getting fit to my level of expectation.

New Events...

The fear of death isn't something that I normally have but it hit me hard on Thursday. There was a fight outside my house involving two kids. I nearly got stabbed trying to do the right thing. I think I got to handle situations better... When it happened I reacted on instict and hit him in the throat with the bridge of my hand and he went down like a oak tree in a fierce rainstorm... It was a bad mess after that. The agressive kid with the screwdriver took off when I was checking the other hurt kids for serious injury. I had to call the boys parents but they didn't speak English, lucky for me, the kid was able to talk.

Other then that, life has been good. I've been out and about doing things I haven't done in awhile and it's a plus. It makes me feel awesome. :).

For once, I took down my barriers for someone. I volunteerly removed the walls around my heart. I've never done that for anyone before, even for people I thought I loved... For once, I feel comfortable, safe, and real. There's no coming back from this feeling. It's like swimming in a warm ocean of warmth, hopes and security.

I did something today without flinching. Which tells me a lot... considering how the last few weeks have been for me. I was sitting on a bench preparing for the next test when a really pretty girl actually tried making conversation with me. She was training for a nurse here at UEI and was on her last module. Anyway, she asked my name, shook my hand tried to flatter me, then she asked me if we'd like to go out for some lunch at Fudruckers. I gave her an, "I'm sorry, I can't." without even hesitating... I just find it strange how life changes constantly. If this happened 3 weeks prior to holloween, I would never have said that. Which led me to this thought, "Life is a fast paced world... things change evolve and move forward. Sometimes, very quickly, It's how you react to those things that define you. There are many possibities in life. So, it's also how you move forward which determines where life takes you." I'm happy where I am... and I wouldn't change that for the world.