Karate

Tuesday July 23rd

Made the early morning training today. Was just me, so it was one on one with Sensei. After a good warm up I went on and did hojo-undo for an hour. I used nigiri - game in sanshin dachi, nekoashi dachi and Shiko dachi. My wrists as well as my grip were sadly found wanting.

After hojo-undo we finished with Sanchin.

Bench

Meso Cycle 2 Week 1 Monday 22nd July

Bench Warm Up

2 x 10 @ Bar

1 x 8   @ 40

1 x 5   @ 50

Pause Bench 5/3/1

1 x 3 @65

1 x 3 @73.5

1 x 3 @82.5

Bench AMRAP @ 73.5

1 x 10

Incline Bench

1 x 5   @ 30

1 x 5   @ 40

1 x 15 @ 45

Side Raises @ 6

1 x 30

1 x 20

2 x 25

Fat Grip Barbell Curls @ 12

1 x 70

1 x 30

Snatch Grip High Pulls

1 x 5 @ bar

1 x 5 @ 30

1 x 3 @ 40

1 x 3 @ 50

Notes:

The night before was a big one on the piss. Didn't really drink that much but was out till the wee hours and didn't get much sleep. So when I hit the gym at 9:30 a.m I felt like shit. Pretty sure that had something to do with my pathetic attempt at 73.5 kg (10)... 

Karate

Saturday 20th July

Training tonight was great. Did Sanchin for a whole hour with Sensei on my back the whole time. Was getting me to concentrate on keeping my shoulder down as I push my hands out. Easy to do with one hand / arm, but bloody difficult when do both hands at once. Toward the end of the session I could occasionally feel my lats and my traps engaging which led to my back pushing my arms out. When my lats weren't engaged then it was just the arms pushing.

Sensei mentioned, and I agree 100%, that higher dan grades should be able to do this. I need to get my sanchin better. He also mentioned (jokingly) how embarrassing it would be for him, if I were to go to the summer camp and Higaonna sensei questioned him on my poor form.

Squat / Deadlift Training

Meso Cycle 1 Week 3 Friday 21st July

Squat

2 x 5, 1 x 10 @ Bar

1 x 8 @ 60

1 x 5 @ 80

1 x 3 @ 100

1 x 5 @ 108.5

1 x 3 @ 123.5

1 x 1 @ 138.5

Squat AMRAP

 1 x 6 @ 110

Deadlift

1 x 3 @ 60

1 x 3 @ 80

1 x 3 @ 100

1 x 3 @ 108.5

1 x 3 @ 123.5

1 x 3 @ 138.5

Back off sets

3x3 @ 100

Bar was moving slow. The squat AMRAP was pathetic...

Military Press Wednesday July 17

Meso Cycle 1 Week 3 Military Press

Warm Ups

2 x 10 @ Bar

1 x 5   @ 25

1 x 5   @ 30

1 x 3   @ 35

Press 5/3/1

1 x 5 @ 41

1 x 3 @ 46 

1 x 1 @ 53.5

Military Press 350 @ 36

1 x 19

1 x 11

1 x 9

Total Reps = 39

Chin Ups

30 @ BW

Cable Rows

1 x 5 @ 47

1 x 15 @ 60

Tricep Pushdowns

1 x 100 @ 17kg

Upright Rows

1 x 30 @ Bar

Notes:

Solid session. The 350 military is really coming along. As with the bench I think I need to hit 20 easily and then 2 sets of 15. Still base building so will hold these numbers for another cycle and try to beat some rep records. Must have lost a little bit of weight as the pull ups were a peace of piss.

Weekly Meaty Mutterings

Karate Stuff

What qualifies me to give an opinion on karate stuff?
I've been doing Karate for 40 years. I've entered numerous competitions, national and international, and done okay in a few of them. I've trained with some very, very hard men and had my ass handed to me by those very same hard men; as well as - I'm a little ashamed to say - some not so very hard men. In the past, I taught at a successful university dojo for a number of years, and have ex-students at black belt level training around the world. Today I train in a small dojo in Tokyo under a 65 year old instructor who once had a  fierce reputation as a fighter and a drinker. So in Karate circles I've been around the block once or twice.

Rugby Stuff

Hurricanes finished the season with a loss. The team is shit and it looks like we could be losing Barrett. C'mon guys we need a good coaching team. Hammet moans on about how exciting this group of players are and how they have become so tight knit blah blah blah. The bugger just doesn't want to lose his job. Notice how no Hurricane player has come out to talk him up? Get him out now and bring back John Plumtree from S.Africa I say...

Sumo Stuff

Hakuho is doing his stuff again. Although a bloody good Yokozuna; it doesn't help that the top division of sumotori are so damn pitiful. As for the other Yokozuna - Harumafuji - he's just too small to be of a consistent threat to Hakuho. Although a fan of his, I can't see him lasting too much longer as a Yokozuna before being forced into retirement. 

Weight Training Stuff

Don't you hate the fuckers that curl in the squat rack? Had to wait 20 minutes the other day for some ass hole to get out of the squat rack where he was curling the incredible weight of... 20 kg. That's right the bugger was curling the bar, AND with a weight belt on. As I stood there slack jawed and fuming he noticed me staring and must have thought I was admiring his guns or . Little did he know I was thinking on how to throw him out the window with out requiring a visit from the boys in blue. Now I got no problem curling just the bar as I've been known to do it as well. But boy, if you ever come across this meaty mutt curling in a squat rack please please please shoot me and put me out of my misery...

Privacy Stuff

So the country of my birth is thinking of giving children as young as the age of 3 identification numbers so that their parents can be tracked in some sort of welfare blah blah blah blah. Who gives a flying fig about the reasons, this is invasion of privacy in a HUGE way. C'mon my fellow brethren get off your asses and nip this one in the bud...

Karate

Warm-ups
Basics
Gekki-sai-dai-ichi and bunkai (Taught the new boy)
Tensho - felt reasonably strong

Training last night was great. Temperature was in the mid 20's thank you very much.  Arrived on time and participated in a good warm-up. Is it just me or am I slightly fitter. Still weigh the same though - "lard ass" needs to be my new nickname...

Bench Training Sat July 15th

Meso Cycle 1 Week 3 Bench

Pause Bench

2 x 5 Bar

1 x 10 Bar

1 x 5 @ 40

1 x 5 @ 50 

1 x 3 @ 55

1 x 5 @ 68.5

1 x 3 @ 77.5

1 x 1 @ 80

1 x 1 @ 82.5

1 x 1 @ 85

1 x 1 @ 87.5

Bench 350 @ 60

1 x 20

1 x 12

1 x 11

1 x 8

Incline Bench

1 x 5   @ 30

1 x 40 @ 15

1 x 45 @ 10

BB Fat Grips Curls

1 x 100 @ 10

DB Flys (Side)

1 x 40 @ 6

4 x 20 @ 6

Felt strong. Finished this in an hour. Still base building by using medium weights with high reps...

Enjoying the arm work and I think they are really responding to the volume. Interesting point on the 350 bench. I left a few reps in the tank on the first set (20). This left me with more grunt for the following two sets and as a result the number total number increased on past efforts.

Karate Sunday July 14th

Training was good and it feels good training in the morning. I guess it's not as humid as at night which is all good. Still bloody unfit and my sanshin feels like shit but got in there and did the minimum. Taught Charlie some chi-shi. Must do more hojo-undo to strengthen wrists and grips.
Today we did...

Kakie
Sanshin
Gekki-sai-dai-ichi

Squat / Deadlift Training Sun July 14th

Meso Cycle 1 Week 2 Squat / Deadlift

Warm Up

2 x 5   @ Bar
1 x 10 @ Bar
1 x 5   @ 60
1 x 5   @ 75
1 x 5   @ 90

Squat 5/3/1

3 x 101
3 x 115
3 x 131

Pause Squat @ 90

4 x 3

Deadlift 5/3/1

1 x 3 @ 60
1 x 3 @ 90
1 x 5 @ 100
1 x 5 @ 116
1 x 5 @ 131

Deadlift Back off Sets

3 x 3 @ 100

Solid session. Felt better about squatting and dead lifting on the same day; although it was still pretty tough.

Military Press Training Friday July 12th

Military Press

Warm Up

Bar 2 x 10
1 x 5 @ 25
1 x 5 @ 30
1 x 5 @ 35

Military Press 5/3/1

3 x 38.5
3 x 43.5
3 x 50

Military Press 350 @ 36 

x 15
x 10
x   9

Chin Ups

30 reps @ BW

Cable Rows

1 x 5   @ 47

1 x 15 @ 60

Tricep Pushdowns 

Rest/Pause reps @ 15 (30 sec rest)
1 x 30
1 x 15
1 x 9

Upright Rows

1 x 30 @ 20

Felt good. Had to stop myself from doing more...


       

Meaty Mutterings

Well my first Meaty Mutterings Post. This is where I will talk or comment on events that, if they don't have a direct impact on me, are deemed significant enough for me to comment on.

Rugby Stuff

All Blacks vs France

France came, bent over, and were spanked 3 - 0 in the test series with the All Blacks. All is right with the world. Nuff said.

Lions vs Australia 2 -1

Lions go on to smack Auzzie in the 3rd test. As an All Blacks fan I'm not really sure how I feel about this one. If I was pushed to take sides I guess I would say go the Lions. But I dare say they will head back to the U.K with an overinflated opinion of their ability.

Robbie Deans vs Ewan McKenzie

This change needed to be made. With the talent Robbie Deans had at his disposal over his 6 year reign of the Wallabies, he should have had a much better win/loss record. I think Ewan McKenzie is going to be a huge hurdle for the All Blacks and he will certainly make Hansen and Co earn their money.

Karate Stuff

Training in a dojo in 35 degree heat with no AC is no fun. Half heartedly asked Sensei to buy an AC and he just laughed in my face^^. Can't say I was expecting any different...

Strange Stuff

The Japanese peel their grapes. I swear they do. And I don't mean they plop the thing in their mouth, suck out the middle, then spit out the peel. They PEEL the bugger strip by strip, grape by grape. You won't find this self respecting male sitting at the table peeling his grapes - I kid you not.

Bench Training Wed July 10th

Bench Day

Warm Up

Bar x 2 x 10

40 kg 2 x 5

50 kg 1 x 5

55 kg 1 x 3

Pause Bench 5/3/1

5 x 60
5 x 68.5
5 x 77.5

Bench@350

60 x 23; 9; 8

Incline Bench

5 x 30
15 x 35
10 x 40

Flys Forward/ Side/ Bent over

30 x 6
30 x 6
30 x 6

Barbell Curls 100s

12 kg x 1 x 53
10 kg x 1 x 47

Notes

Writing this the morning after. Went out for a feed of sushi after the workout and woke up feeling better than the 1st time I tried this workout with this volume of accessory work. Need to keep an eye on that recovery meal. Especially in this heat.

Karate

Training
Tuesday July 9th, 8 - 9:30 p.m

Warm up
Basics
San chin
Gekkisai dai ichi
Kururonfa
Suparenpei

Notes:
My conditioning sucks! And there is no heaviness in my technique. My suriashi sucks also. Thank fuck I got to training 15 minutes late. Tom and the Swedish fella were already sparring when I got in. I wouldn't have been able to keep up with either of them and it would have been embarrassing.
Sensei was teaching the noobie - Charlie - basics. Charlie is the new fella from Chicago and Sensei has taken a shine to him.  Watching Tom spar while I was warming up I noticed that he moves back a lot. He needs to trust his conditioning more; learn to take a punch and get more on to the front foot.
I need to lose weight which currently stands at 87 kg.

Squat/Deadlift Training Sunday July 7th

Squat and Deadlift

Warm Up - Squat

Bar x 2 x 10

60 kg x 1 x 5

75 kg x 1 x 5

90 kg x 1 x 3

Squat 5/3/1

93.5 x 1 x 5

108.5 x 1 x 5

122.5 x 1 x 5

Pause Squat

90 kg x 2 x 5

Deadlift 5/3/1

60 x 3

75 x 3

90 x 3

116 x 1 x 5

131 x 1 x 3 

146 x 1 x 1

100 x 3 x 3

It was probably close to 35 degrees in the gym tonight. That 1 set of 146 was damn slow and heavy. Didn't really want to do this workout due to the heat and a long day at work.

A true 10 percent workout

Military Press Training Friday July 5th

Military Press

Warm Up

Bar x 1 x 5

25 kg x 1 x 5

30 kg x 1 x 5

35 kg x 1 x 3

Military Press 5/3/1

36 kg x 1 x 5

41 kg x 1 x 5

46 kg x 1 x 5

Military Press 350

36 kg x 1 x 15

          x 1 x 8

          x 1 x 8

Total of 31 reps

Chin Ups          

BW x 30 total reps

Cable Rows

47kg x 1 x 5
47kg x 1 x 15

Tri-ceps

20 kg x 2 x 50

Notes# 

Was supposed to do DB press as well but the shoulders were feeling a little crispy so skipped them. Added the cable rows at the last minute as I wanted to do some more pulling to even out the pushing.

80 percent workout.

Bench Training Wednesday July 3rd

Bench Warm Up:   

Bar    2 x10
1 x 5 x 40 kg
1 x 5 x 55 kg
1 x 3 x 60 kg

Pause Bench 5/3/1

1 x 3 x 65 kg
1 x 3 x 73.5 kg
1 x 3 x 82.5 kg

Bench 350:

1 x 22   60 kg
1 x 10                                 
1 x 8
Total = 40 reps  Goal is to hit 50

Incline Bench:

1 x 5 30 kg
1x15 35 kg

Barbell Curls

100 x 10 kg

Notes:
Goal for the bench is to hit 50 reps of 60 kg in three sets. 2 minutes rest between each set. When I can do that I will up the weight.
The Barbell curls for 100 were fucking hard even though the weight was light. Felt like an idiot grunting and groaning in the gym when I was only curling 10 kg^^. But bloody hell what a pump!

80 percent workout