Bringing a friend along

The days of rest did me good, the shoulder has not been bothering me as much since, though it's sort of moved and still aches almost continuously.

It was good to get back on Wednesday and pass on the new and not-so-new knowledges gained from the iaido seminar. Some things were dismissed with an "that's the Ishido-sensei way, we do things a bit differently" which, to be honest, is quite all right, but others are changes we do need to implement on the way we do Seitei Gata. I also appreciated being able to go through the kata slowly and in my own time, to better understand the changes. I may not appreciate the ZNKR kata but, oh well, I need to perform them.

Joining the Kali Sikaran training on Thursday was a delight. It's quite satisfying that the majority of the little club are female - if only because it makes people look surprised when you say it. Why should that be strange, really?
Anyway. There were five of us, plus our trainer, and we focused on Panantukan and some cadeña de maño, chaining hands. I need to learn not to stop breathing just because I am punching things, though! I was pleasantly tired afterwards.

I was of half a mind to go to either Kuntao or another club's iaido training on Friday but decided against it - I needed the rest away from people. Saturday, though, I managed to lure with me a friend to Open Training, and we had lots of fun! She wants to start training martial arts and was rather tempted to go for some kind of FMA (Filippino Martial Art), partially because of the very practical part with knife-defense. She was brave to just jump in when I asked her to join, and have a go, with sticks, softsticks and knives, and damn, did she take to it! It was great to see! The learning curve is usually quite quick in the beginning, but knowing that and seeing it in action are two different things. It was so gratifying, such a great experience, to see how quickly my friend took to it, and how fun we had together!

The trainer, Theo, is good at emphasising that you need to practice with intent behind your attack, so both of us got a few bruises, but he also found us a pair of leg-protectors to put on our right arms - all the slapping with and without knife on the right arm hurt quite enough with it on, so I don't like to think what it'd have been like without!

And, I managed to win a small sparring match against him - though it was part luck on my part, more than skill, I think. Still, good to get a few hits in on the trainer as a change!

I was going to go on a run today, but I am still a little worried about my left knee. It's fairly annoying that it's started acting up again... perhaps I need to do more koryu iaido?

How do you do when a friend starts expressing an interest in training, whether it be your martial art or preferred way of training, or something else entirely? Have you ever brought someone along and how did it go?

Looking up

Last weekend, I was given a pair of sneakers, some sort of Nike, black with red symbols. They're flat underneath, with no heel to speak of, and I was itching to try them out, see if they were good to run in. Today I did...

I'm fairly happy with the way my iaido is going, I've been able to train that thing that feels the most important to me right now, which is zanshin, awareness, and fighting spirit. The technical matters are as they are, I need a lighter sword to become quicker, and there's little to change this close to the National Championships, but I've felt really disconnected, going through the motions. I need some more space than I am sometimes given, need to be able to go inside myself and find what I need to bring out.
I happened to be the one to lead both Monday's and Wednesday's training, which actually was quite beneficial as I could then change them to suit my needs. And, consequently, train the kata I needed, and leave the participants to theirs for a few moments now and then, doing my own thing. One needs a little time without supervision, to figure things out properly, or so I have found. They said they appreciated it, anyway.

Because our trainer in Kali Sikaran was at the Mandirigma Boot Camp in the Phillippines this week, Tuesday saw, well, me, sort of leading the training. But I've had training in suddenly having to do that before - iaido, anyone? I simply gauged the participants, figured one can always, always use a return to the basics, and off we went. It was very cooperational. It became a little more troublesome when more people showed up - at first it was me and the Two Brothers, then a guy who's had to be away for most of last and this term dropped in, and lastly a young woman, freshly committed to Kali Sikaran. So our skill levels were... uneven. But it worked out all right! After a creative and fun warmup, I took the two less experienced through some basics in double baston (double stick), showing them then some simple applications of that without weapons, the young guy joined the Brothers in kicking, punching and takedowns, and me and the young woman (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember, much less spell - I'll get there eventually, I'm just not very good with names) continued with some really basic defense against a straight punch, and later, a left jab, right cross, left hook (a hit that comes slightly from the outside-side of your head), and the "revenge" part of simply ducking underneath the hook, slamming one fist into the stomach of the attacker and then, once past them, slam your hand into their face just to push them away and make them flinch. She caught on really well!
We ended it with a nice and exhausting piece of workout, that certainly let me know I have some nice back muscles these days...

I was very happy to see on Thursday that Theo, the guy holding the Open Training on Saturdays, guest-starred as the trainer. We went through the oh so important basics of double baston; how to hold, how to hit, how to hit the very spot you need to hit - and that, dear readers, is something one needs to work on. There is a technique to it, as there is to everything, and by the end we'd started weaving it all together into a nice whole. We turned to empty-handed applications after that, which were very enlightening! There are so many good defences, and it is very nice to learn them, one after another, until they are completely internalised. However, with only one and a half hour, we didn't really get through all of his planned program, so, yesterday's Open Training included some repetition. And oh, was it good. I enjoyed it thoroughly!

Those two hours might have been some kind of favourite in a long time. Five enthusiastic participants, one enthusiastic trainer, a lot of good new advice and knowledge, some positively humiliating takedowns, some really good tricks... it was great. My shoulders, and my throat muscles, are sore already (it usually takes a little more than just one day for them to start whining about having been used), despite the precautions I took! I love it, of course.
I had a friend along (let's call him Jax), who's trained karate, kick-boxing and other things, and is a devil at kicking, whether it be standing on the ground or flying through the air. He's dedicated to climbing now, and thus has excellent shoulder and core muscles - gratifying to work with, as there is less danger of hurting him. I've seldom had such a fun and excellent partner to work with for two hours straight. We could help eachother, and thank the powers that be for that! My kicks are absolute rubbish, even if I have the strength, but they are his forte. On the other hand, he's not too used to going in close, whether with attack or defence, but I've become quite familiar with that. So, a lot of fun was had! And I love "fighting" with my friends. Seldom do you see their true nature as then, and seldom can you behave like a young, overenergetic fox pup and still get out of it with a smile, a few bruises and no hard feelings.
It was rounded off with a few minutes of sparring, which was absolutely brilliant. Knife fighting, and finally me and Jax had the chance I've sort of been itching for for years! First round I won decisively, sneaking in under his arm and cutting him across his torso. Second round was quite even, and a lot of fun. No one really won, but no one really lost.
So we're both kind of hoping this'll be a recurring event! We had an after-training cup of tea/coffee, which is always great. When it was time to part, most of my mad energy (that always turns up after training) had begun to dissipate, and even though I was determined at first to take a little run when I got home, I eventually just dove into bed and slept for about ten hours. Not straight, I woke up now and then, but, more or less.

It might have something to do with being social, being out amongst people for two days in a row (had to get some art supplies on Friday and therefore had to brave the crowds), and training with great enthusiasm for two hours...

Today, the sun was out from early morning, and I felt the familiar itch in my whole body. I needed to run...
The problem was, I'm a bit hesitant to get out twice in a day (social anxiety and all that), and I did need groceries. I also did not want to waste time. Of course, I eventually wound up getting my trousers on, my new jogging shoes, put in a pair of in-soles that, to my great relief, works perfectly, pulled on my long-sleeved training shirt and grabbed my rucksack and went out. I took a detour, of course, running on the fields behind the house, and only a small distance on asphalt. Bought what I needed, stowed it in the bag, and took a longer detour back, on my favourite gravel and dust road. I ran a wee bit longer than strictly needed to get back home, but, turned as soon as I started feeling fatigue in my legs. I need to be careful, as I've said, now that I'm starting up this running thing again!

The first run in the "new" shoes turned out quite fine. They don't sit as snugly around the foot as I am used to, and their opening is wider than usual for me too. However, I can get used to that. It was nice that they were completely flat, and they gave me a little dampening but not the Mega Über New Technology sort that I really, really can do without... just enough that I can run on unpaved roads. So my running outfit is now complete: long-sleeved Nike training shirt that looks as new from a theatre sale, (probably fake) Adidas used trousers bought from an eBay-spinoff (not really worth the money, but that's auctions for you, and it's all made up by the other parts costing next to nothing) and used shoes. Not a new item in sight, except underwear and socks. I like it that way. Why ditch something that's perfectly useful? I wouldn't use the shoes if they'd been well-walked in, I'm aware of the danger in that, but, they aren't, so, I use them. Carefully, of course, but they do work.

My body is responding well, the shoulder is still painful but seems to like the varied training it is getting these days, and I had a long, admiring look at the lovely muscles on my legs the other day. Really, do take that time to look at yourself and admire all those bodyparts that are so strong, so gorgeous, that carry you through everyday life, trainings and pastimes! Not only are they gorgeous in themselves, but they are strong, and healthy, because you use them!

Yah, spring is here, training's looking up, my goal is now set to be at least a small run every day (ten to fifteen minutes will be quite all right for most days, though Fridays and Sundays might see me run longer) before next winter, and the National Championships is in two weeks time...
How are you doing, readers? Any new goals? Any new equipment to be fond of?

Donning the ears for a forest jaunt

There were no posts during the weekend as I was oot and aboot, running around in a forest with pointy ears and pretty clothes. That is, I was at a live (action) roleplaying game in the forest outside... well, wherever. This caused a perhaps unexpected amount of physical exertion. Why, you might ask, you were just out playing like a kid, which proper grownups don't, and pretending to be an elf? To which I'll just answer, well, whatever you say, dear. I had to bring a proper canvas tent, a small pyramid-shaped one which have served me well for many years, and the pole for that. Arrows, a bow, a big military medical duvet, a cloak, clothes in abundance (I did enough freezing when I first started running about in the forest ten years ago to have learned my lesson), things for eating and staying clean, shoes, accessories... etcetera. All in all, it is quite heavy and quite unwieldy. All to be able to keep the appearance up of being a travelling elf. My companion on this jaunt carried the food, since I had the tent, to even it out a little. Now, last Thursday, it seemed like a perfectly sound idea to drive myself hard when doing jabs, crosses and uppercuts. The next day, having to carry around a lot of heavy luggage, it seemed less so. So my arm- and back-muscles are quite happily exercised. Why I mention this, one of my favourite pastimes here, is because I am seldom stationary for long during a larp. Especially not as this character, who is a wood-elf (think Legolas, if you are a beginner in these matters). So me and my friend ran whenever we didn't necessarily have to walk or sneak, and of course we ran barefoot style. It looks light and effortless, and it is far less risky when running on wet, uneven ground with lots of roots sticking out. I am not certain how we managed to never trip or fall, and even though we each slipped once or twice, no one was there to see us. And we didn't just run effortlessly and quickly, but quietly, too. We're still a bit confused as to how we made it, but, that is the magic of larping kicking in sometimes. On paths or off them, didn't matter. And we preferred the forest to taking the road, even if we did at times have to cross it. Sneaking in that forest required its muscular strength, too, since it is by necessity something one has to do quietly and with full bodily control. If you feel a branch about to snap under your foot, you need to know how to balance, on that foot or the other, or help out with a hand, to avoid it. And this forest was not a good forest, it was a so-called "cared-for" forest, that is, one that is with regular intervals invaded by big machinery and the ground ripped up and has a lot of old branches lying around making it look very messy - and hard to walk in. And homogenous regarding the species of trees. But enough about that. So, despite not going for a "proper" run or any such thing, I certainly did a fair share of exercise over those three days. And that is an important thing to remember - even everyday things, or hobby things, can be seen as exercising your body. Not necessarily strengthening it, but keeping it strong, and using what you have already got, and, being a reason for building more so that you can use it. Running in the forest is always a joy, too. Next up is a post on motivation. Have you got any particular thing you do which you consider an informal part of your training regime, such as always walking in stairs instead of taking the elevators?

After a pause comes exercise

And it did! Saturday was my "day off" again; Sunday I merely took a walk and did some household work (which to be honest can be quite good as a workout too, depending on what you do and how you do it), Monday I took a brisk and long walk and combined it with grocery shopping. After that, I Carried Heavy Things. I don't mean to, but I seldom manage to pack only what I need. I always add something extra, just in case. Often, I do need it, but not always, and it invariably leads to my bag being, well, heavy.
Tuesday was the time for another long walk, some part of it uphill. But Wednesday, oh, Wednesday brought good things! I had the chance to go for a run with mother, and we ran first for about fifteen minutes, took a very brief stop, and then for five or ten more before I had to concede that maybe I should be careful with my left knee after all. I walked for a while, until mother had turned around and began jogging back, after which we ran for I have no idea how long. All in all we ran for more than thirty minutes, and though my lungs are not on par with my muscles, it still felt very refreshing and good. And I can be fast, too, when I sprint! After this I did just a few crunches, back exercises and some core, nothing much really.

We topped that off with a swim (yes, a swim - an old limestone quarry where once, in a busy summer's day, you might see one or two other families there, and you probably knew them, but now... there's space for three hundred cars (supposedly...), toilets, recycling stations... well, while it's good these facilities do exist, I would gladly smack the blogger over the head who made this place public. Well, that person, and the one who mentioned it in a radio programme, and in a magazine, and there probably was some idiot on tv, too... But, on the twelfth of September, there was only us. A bit chilly, but lovely and refreshing.

Today, Thursday, saw a bit of an interesting event. Mother and I decided to go kayaking. We decided on a good route that would take about two hours altogether, maybe a little more, and then set out. We went out on the east coast of Gotland, and had wind blowing from land, out to sea. It was, at times, fairly hard and steady. This made for some interesting waves and, in places, some very interesting currents. Nothing too tricky or especially scary, though, but still, it was rather harder going than expected, and even I was glad for the tailwind when we paddled back after a sandwich on land. It turned out the outgoing journey took a bit more time than expected, a delightful detour some short distance up a small brook took some time too, and when we returned, it was clear I was not going to be able to go to the shooting range, where I had been offered to have a go at a rifle and moving targets. But, it was a great day nevertheless and I feel most pleasantly tired. I hope this means I shall sleep better tonight than I have lately!
I prefer long lazy swells to the smaller cocky waves we had most of the time today. It just feels so nice to speed across them. The smaller waves make balancing harder, which of course gives you more work for your muscles, but still.

Kayaking is a very nice thing to do, but one is a fool if one believes it is all about arm strengt. Yes, arm strength does play a part, but if you use only your arms, you will tire in no time at all! You should endeavour to use your shoulders (always roll them back, don't hunch!) and even your torso! Tighten your stomach, straighten your back and don't forget to use your legs for balance - but don't stiffen up too much, or you'll lose your balance that much easier. Having some kind of strength in your fingers is recommended, too, and if you didn't think one has muscles in the hand, then I strongly advice you on taking a wee look on a schematic over the muscles in the human body. Which, by the way, should give anyone an excellent view of how everything is connected, and everything affects something else!


This little post should also point out that doing something else now and then is nothing bad. Deviate from your usual training regime. Take a day with looong walks, or let moving house count as strengthening training. I didn't just let go, I picked it up again despite taking it easy for a few days. And I took the chance of doing something completely different (kayaking) from what I can normally do, which puts everything in perspective - I practice other things, therefore I have muscles that allow me to do this other thing as well! Try something new now and then, either for finding a whole new thing, or just for a detour into unknown lands. It gives new energy to continue with what you're already doing, or, it may spur you on to keep going.

Forest jaunt with nice company

I have found that, since a few years, the worst of my muscle pains comes not the day after, but about one and a half day after. However, this time it was because I forgot to shower in cold water right after iaido. That helps to get the blood to carry away the leftovers from the muscles, which helps to avoid muscle pains.

Today, thus, was consequently a day of feeling a bit stiff and rather pleased with myself that I did. Eating got a bit jumbled, with breakfast being lunch; that is, late, and dinner therefore came early. After that it was time for a jaunt out in the forest. I had company, who is rather unfit (but working on it; has strength but not yet stamina, since it's not been too long since said person finally got the right cockatil of medicines to combat their asthma), so I was literally jogging in circles a lot of the time, doubling back along forest trails. We started out with the asphalt road before heading up into the quarry and the forest. All in all it was about forty minutes of running, perhaps fifty, with a few minor pauses for walking here or there where the trail was too tricky. Afterwards I did a rather short and easy set of crunches, core, back and shoulder excercises, and then, stretching. And showering in cold water (well, at first, then I had some that was a bit warmer).
It was particularily nice having someone to occasionally chat to, and to help said person keep going and not stopping, as is so easy to do when one despairs of ever getting some kind of constitution back!

My left knee was beginning to act up about thirty minutes into the jaunt, so I walked downhill (it's a rather long and uneven stretch) and took it easy for a couple of minutes, until I could jog on flat ground again. It doesn't hurt very bad, but as I have said - I am going to take it easy for quite a while so as not to sink this ship before it's left port. It's been many many years since I could run fast and far.

As to the blog name, "Fleet feet, pointy ears", it partly has a nice ring to it and of course also stuff behind it. I feel so joyous being able to run again, and I don't run with a thumping motion, but even when running quite slow, I seem to float along, looking quite fleet despite the speed. And, of course, if you look at the famous works of the nowadays well-known John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, the elves there are known for running fast and far and light. They even walk on top of snow - something which caused me great joy when a decade ago I saw the movie version of "The Fellowship of the Ring", that they had incorporated. Note how the character of Legolas runs in those movies - lightly, on the balls of his feet rather than heavily and lumbering on his heels! So, like an elf with pointy ears, I run, and I run best when I am in a forest on a winding path.

Perhaps on Sunday I will tell you a bit more about why I am so careful about starting out slow, and why I couldn't run for so very long. Until then, run easy, run smooth, run careful and run joyful!