Return to power

Dear me, but I have let this blog fall asleep. Well, there was a lot going on, and I had rather better things than sit down and type...

The Kali Sikaran Christmas camp in Gothenburg was a blast, of course, and the ensuing soreness was glorious. I struck up an old friendship again, the person who once mentioned the very thing of Kali Sikaran to me in the first place. That was really nice, and we are a rather good team as far as practice and sparring goes. It was clear to me that my talent this far lies mainly in unarmed combat, "chaining" techniques, knives or improvised weapons. This is a nice thing as the movements for one can usually be used for the others as well... Karambit was inordinately fun to learn, although apparently it is not a very good idea, juridically speaking, to protect yourself with them in a real-life situation... (Open-palm slapping however, is, to my great pleasure, as I have also proven to be quite adept at using open hands rather than closed fists if applicable).
It was also rather cool to see the advanced classes and those I did not participate in - and there were a few, and oh, how hard it was to choose at times! Good fun, all in all, and great to have many different partners of varying skill levels and body builds.

And as soon as I got back, the very day after, I went to iaido practice, of course. To my disappointment, the holidays, during which I had been rather looking forward to going skiing a ridiculous amount, went... well, soggy. One good long ski tour was had, but then the weather changed for the worse. And of course, bad enough that it wasn't possible to have a good run either, until later, and when I did, well, I borrowed mother's shoes, and had blisters that are still healing (not hurting anymore, though, just... the last loose pieces of skin are falling off). But damn, it went well! I had to slow myself down again and again to pace myself, and not come back home completely exhausted. So, of course, I did have energy to spare when I had completed the run, but... well, I think my lungs still thanked me.

I had a go at being ill in mid-January, to my great unhappiness. It was no fun at all! Just when the training had started up, too!
Buuut, then, I hit the ground running and have been keeping it up since. The muscle soreness is a joy to feel, and this week, there's been a lot of it. The two arts truly do complement eachother well regarding my muscles. My shoulder has not been giving me too much trouble apart from a brief spell around the time I was ill, when I could hardly sleep for the pain in it, and the rest of the neck - I am uncertain as to why this was, but, it passed, and I now sleep with a plastic teeth-protection-bit-thingie. This helps my jaws to no end, and I no longer wake up with my front teeth in a new shape every morning....

For me, it was easy to get back into training after the involuntary hiatus over the so-called holidays. I occasionally run to the train just for the hell of it, or, jog, at least, as I can't run properly in my big boots, I challenge myself in every training session, and I am working on my cutting technique in iai, and, well, whatever is thrown my way in Kali. I have really started to have the various pieces fall into place, even double stick. Today's practice was a joy, with and without sticks. And it's not just me who find that speed is one of my strengths - one of the others grinned and muttered that it'd be far easier to "hit" me were I not so quick. ("Hit" because it was warmup, and all about a light touch to the shoulder or knee, rather than a punch). Also, today I had a truly epic smoothie after the training. I usually only take a sandwich with inordinate amounts of cheese, sausage or something such, usually with salad on top, but I had the chance to mix up a pure-fruit smoothie, and so I did. Strawberries, raspberries, an orange, a banana, an apple... ecologically grown, too, or as locally grown as I could get them - because it damn well tastes better, and is better for the environment too. And, I added a dash of that powder (Gainer or Whey-80, can't remember which and can't be bothered to go and have a look right now) from StarNutrition which I used for a while when I went from pretty much easy workout to four days of hard training a week and very little sleep - it saved my health and I am not ashamed to use it, though I do not use it as a substitute, but rather a complement to the food I eat, a dash of extra help to avoid muscle soreness and promote muscle growth. It's Swedish made, tested for pretty much everything and one of th brands with the best reputation there is, as far as I have found. And if I take just a dash, and blend it into a LOT of other things, well, then I can hardly taste it, and I can stomach getting it down. So tomorrow, I shall see if it has helped the muscle soreness somewhat! I will not overuse it, but, like I said, use it as a complement to give that extra little bit that my body needs. I didn't slack off too badly muscle- or fitness-wise over the holidays, but I am certainly not going to let my evolution stall here...

Over to you, now - was it easy getting back into stride after the holidays, or did you just not stop doing your regular routine?

I hope you're going to follow me yet again, because I am back, and so should you be! Oh, and that enormous blue blotch on the inside of my knee, pay it no heed. That was caused by a well-placed heel, and is now being treated with a very helpful gel, hopefully to be vanished soon...

On stretching your legs

I believe I said I would write a post on stretching, and thus I will do! This might become a wall of text... be warned. Now, I have heard so many contradictory things on stretching, that it is quite ridiculous. I will once again revert to my favourite saying of "to each their own", but to me, that is a "yes please". Some feel nothing, some (like me) can immediately tell the difference the day after between having stretched properly, and not having done so. I am not a scientist, I am not a researcher in this matter, but these will be my personal reflections and recommendations. Regarding the main point of this blog, which is to keep me running and exercising because I know people know if I do or not, this brings with it several things. Stretching is one of them. I tend to say I am about as dextrous and limber as a refridgerator, which I am not alone in saying about myself. Remember the three important things I spoke about earlier? Strength, stamina and dexterity. The last is the trickiest, and the one most often overlooked, and the most important. Being limber helps prevent oh so many injuries, and that, at least, is something I have never heard disagreement of. Even weight lifters and boxers need to be limber and dextrous, whatever one may think. Stretching is something that needn't be done after training. It can be done before, during, or without relation to at all. The different kinds of yoga have different ideas about this, too - some say it should be done in a hot environment to keep the body soft and limber, others say it ought to be done with no warmup, so as to get better effect. But stretching after training have, with the majority of people I know, a beneficial effect, in that not only does it limber you up, it also helps the muscles so that they do not go all contracted from earlier exertion. I will here mainly focus on stretching the legs - that is the most important part for me, and there are really so many ways of stretching it is quite astounding. I recently saw a book which I liked, but could not afford at that moment, regarding "new ways" of stretching. They took a bit of a look at some exercises and told of how to change them, so as not to, with the new knowledge we have of the human body, risk injury or strain it involuntarily. There are many books on the matter, but the best also contain some anatomical guidance, so that you can see things from a more holistic point of view, and with a better understanding of how every little thing affects another. "Prescriptive Stretching" by Kristian Berg is one that might be good, as I am always a fan of going past the "everyday things" into the realm of recovery, medical aid and so on. After all, why should I do "everyday things" instead of things that are designed to be extra gentle and extra good and extra helpful in rebuilding a body, or keeping it in good condition? "The anatomy of stretching" by Brad Walker might also be of use, although I have not read it myself. The more technical and less popular-science-y a book, the more I am inclined to look at it... Your mileage may vary, however. An important part to stretching is this: we want to stretch our muscles, usually, first and foremost, and the tendons carefully and second. We do not want to bend our bones out of the way, nor make odd little bits of the body pop out of their sockets or strain to keep up. The standard starter point is a good posture. Oh, have you heard this until your ears fell off! But it is still valid. Stand straight, your knees ever so slightly bent, and clench your stomach muscles, straightening up. Then you can let go of that, but the important part is: do not rest on your back. Do not get a duck-butt. It is not good for your spine. Push your jaw in a bit. In fact, try to stretch out your spine, holding two fingers above your breast area and sliding them upwards, trying to follow with your entire body. Roll your shoulders back. Hold your head proud but not nose in the air! Roll a bit on your feet, perhaps, back and forth, but keep your weight perhaps 55%/45% onto the front part of the foot. And so on, and so forth. No one can learn this but you yourselves. When stretching, do not allow yourself to get all duck-butt-ed. Your spine was not made to hold you up on its own, that's the job of the muscles around it to help out with. Basic thing: Take it slow. Breathe. I try to count to between twelve and twenty breaths for every exercise, sometimes aloud, as you need air in order to speak, and you need to breathe in order to better relax your muscles! Stretching the front of the thighs is perhaps one of the most common sights to see. You can stand up, for which I recommend having something to hold on to - you want to relax while stretching, not have to constantly tighten the muscles in order to keep your balance. Or you can lie down, your bent knee on a thin pillow, and hold it up to your rump. That is a very effective way for me, by the way. You can also stand on the ground with one knee at about ninety degrees, leg forward, and hold the other (and do keep something soft underneath that knee!) up to your butt. Ideally, you should be able to stand and do this against a wall, but start out allowing yourself to bend forwards, if necessary. Straighten that back, friends, and your hips as well! This is not the time to allow them to sag, although for some, pushing them forward may help. To stretch a slightly different part of the thigh (and actually a part of some muscles in the lower back, or so I heard), one can stand on the floor, again one leg forward and knee at about ninety degrees, and the other backwards, letting it lie down (and that includes the foot and toes) and sort of allowing the hip to fall forwards. If you need extra leverage on this, twist your torso gently over to the side of the upstanding leg, and even raise the hand that is on the same side as the "resting" leg, to create quite a nice shape with your body, and help stretch it even better. From there one can easily go on to the hamstrings. Just put the toes of your back foot up instead, hold your hands behind your back (straight! no duck-butt or slouching!), keep the front foot on its heel and the knee slightly bent (oh yes, bent, I said), and lean forwards slwoly, relaxing the muscles all the while. And then, one can pull the front leg back, sitting with one leg and foot underneath one's butt (much like a one-sided Japanese seiza posture), and bend the front leg, almost hugging it, keeping the foot by the thigh of the leg one is sitting on, and trying to get the heel to touch the ground. This may take a bit of mucking about, and it might not work for everybody, and believe me, it is a dashed tricky one to describe, but you look a bit as if you're crouching down, hugging or leaning on your knee, and the lower thigh muscle is what is supposed to be stretched. While we're at that, stand up and put your front foot up against a wall. As steeply bent as you can! Straight back again, relax, breathe, and lean forwards. I find that I need to do this either by a low wall which I can bend over, or by a corner to bend around... It's not very effective for me. Then, you can use to your advantage a variant of what I know as the iai-goshi position. That is, one leg forward, the other backwards, try to keep the back heel to the ground and lean forwards, bending the forward knee. Easy, but takes a bit of knowledge of your own body to do effectively and not simply put strain on various important bits. The hips are part of the key here - and the back. And the stomach. Having core and stomach muscles help a lot in performing it better. There's the ever-popular standing up, straight legs and trying to reach the ground. I am now proud to say I have only about a finger's length left until I can do that again (I could when I was a child, before I broke my leg at least), when I started trying again about ten years ago, I could reach only down to just below my knees. Refridgerator, didn't I tell you? This is a good one. Sit on the floor, reading, with something against your back. Feel the back of your knees stretch, yummy! Or, when standing up, cross your legs, and reach down. Then switch foot. Good variation on the classic theme. Or, sitting down again, bend one leg to have the foot as far in towards your crotch and other thigh as possible, aaand bend. To the toes of the outstretched leg. Some people are able to do this sitting with their legs in a V, switching foot and holding them with both hands, putting their forehead against their own knee. I am not. But I am working on it, doggedly. Some people hoist one leg up over the other, hugging the knee to the chest and turning to the side of the bent leg. Some bend the then straight leg in under them. Do the Youtube on this, to get a proper idea of how it should look... Text works only so far, and I am not going to go the Photoshop way. I have a personal favourite which seems to require bare feet (no problem for me as I always seem to prefer bare feet). Stand on all fours, pushing your butt as high as you can. But still, no duck-butting! Your back should be straight, and your body ought ideally to make an upturned V. Push your shoulders away from your ears (try it, and you'll understand) and experiment a little with the position of your hands and feet. Sometimes keeping them closer together is better, sometimes pushing them further and longer apart. This is supposed to stretch the back of your legs, and some people prefer taking one leg at a time. The important part is to try, to keep your back as straight as you can, and to keep your shoulders back. This may feel like an exercise for strength, and in a way it is, but mostly, it is to stretch your legs. Don't keep that position for too long, though. No need to overdo it. Some people use four or six breaths, I tend to go at least to ten or twelve. Do the superhero thing, too - stand with legs wide apart, and lean towards one side. Some stop when their knee is a bit bent, others go down to stand on the front foot with knee bent, yet others go all the way to sit on leg and flat foot. The common denominator is to stretch the inside of the other leg. Some point that leg's toes straight up, I tend to keep them forward. It should not hurt except in a "good" way. A little pain, all right. Much pain, not good. Relax, take a quick pause, do again, and find out what works and what doesn't. Strive, but don't be stupid. You can then lie down on your back, put your one foot over your other thigh right by the knee or wherever it feels comfortable, and hold your hands around said thigh near the knee (usually), pressing it towards you. Straightening that leg is also a good idea, it usually feels as if I get more out of the bent and being-stretched leg then. There are many, many more ways, and Google is excellent help on the matter, but oh, do look at what you find with a critical eye! Stretching is for muscles, not for joints. They ought to be strengthened and helped along by said muscles, not torn apart or put to stress. I focus here on leg stretching, as without it, my knees would still be giving me much too much trouble. The muscles around my knees are what helps me go through some days almost without any pain at all, and I have in the past cried in happiness and joy and thankfulness and relief, that my iaido, which is so strenuous for the legs, have built up so much strength of the right kind, that recovery-type and medical exercises never did. I can walk, and now - I can run. The sense of joy and freedom and completeness is indescribable. But when the pain comes a-knocking, stretching can give quick relief, and it can help after training, and it certainly helps in an overall manner. Easy exercises help too, but oftentimes, stretching is more accessible, for example when one is oot and aboot on town. And remember, no duck-butt. Use the muscles in your back and your stomach. Do you have a favourite stretching exercise for the legs? Would you explain any of the above in a different and better way?

One more week

As I said before, I get home late, and then have no energy to write anything. But, I have not been lax and lazy! Monday it was again time for iaido practice, though I was senior and the others did not think there was to be any practice - as I am a woman, I change in a different room, and miss out on all the pre- and post-iaido social stuff, and they missed me going into the hall. Well, I did a good warmup with some extra core exercises, and then had a good hour and a half practice. I tried to do many of the basic things, and also did mostly koryu kata, which are more strenuous, which is good. I had a plan to go to Wudang Tai Chi Chuan on Tuesday, but my head wouldn't hear of it, and it ended up being a day for stillness, except for a walk. Wednesday however, I got to iaido practice, and there was nothing special to tell you about that. I had forgotten to bring proper food to eat afterwards, which is never advisable! Always have something to eat after your training session. Your muscles rebuild themselves faster then. On Thursday I went to Kali Sikaran practice after a very quiet day, and it was very good to burn some energy! Kali Sikaran includes much sparring of varying kinds, and I went away sweaty and cheery, and decided to commit. It is pricy, but I believe it may be worth it. The all-round exercise seems to help me even out some of the one-sidedness I have acquired to certain movements and muscles and reflexes, from the iaido, which is by necessity rather "one-sided" when it comes to the sword. You always keep it to the left, for example, when it is in its sheath. So, like every sensei I have met have recommended me to do, I have now got a secondary budo art (well, not budo, strictly speaking, but a martial art, at least). Friday, I had slept lousy, and was very tired, and thus took only a walk and did some core exercises. I noticed when I was going to sleep, that this affected my ability to fall asleep. I sleep marginally better if I have done something physically exerting during the day. Saturday had me dressed to the teeth and going to an event, which made my legs ache - walking, walking, walking; it takes more out of you than you think! Today I also took a few good long walks, and tomorrow I am hoping to go grocery shopping, since I am almost out of things to make good food with. I had to revert to chicken-meat sausages and pasta with some sauce and cheese the other day! Which is nice, once in a while, but I do prefer something more... vegetably to go with it, if that is the case. I would go running today, but I suspect I ought to listen to my knees and not do so. I do have twenty minutes to spare for some easy exercises for my torso and legs and arms however! Tomorrow, I look forward to iaido practice, but not to getting home at around eleven in the night. Remember to always do something, no matter how small! Fifteen minutes a day is the minimum you should do, and after all... fifteen minutes is hardly anything. It really is a very short time, so anyone can fit it into their schedules.

Spontaneous running

Dexterity. That was the word I was looking for! Not flexibility. I shall go back and fix the older posts. Thursday saw me try Kali Sikaran practice, and I found it to me immensely fun and rewarding. It was far less "macho" than I had worried about, and one practices with eachother, rather than against - much like Shorinji Kempo, then, which I remember that I really liked. The training session started right away with warming up, but in this case, that meant taking turns to do loose kicks, at first, and then other things were introduced and gradually we got to more strenuous stuff. Using a bamboo stick was also interesting. I took to it all rather like a fish to water, and I am sorely tempted to commit at once. However, I said I would try Wudan Tai Chi Chuan twice, so I will. I merely had a walk on Friday, and one on Saturday, but today I decided to go on a run. I was itching to do so, after not having been able to for quite a while. Well, able, with regards to time or to my head and its antics. It was probably a good thing I had the chance now, as my left knee was starting to act up, and I suspect it was because I had not exercised enough. I started off with the slow uphill stretch and then turned around, and it was glorious. It was a bit of an exploratory run, as I came upon an unexpected rune stone, which I simply shall have to find out everything about (telling me that the road past it is far older than any building nearby, and hinting on interesting relations in the landscape... but I digress), and found that the gravel road is quite long, and quite empty at that time of night. I foudn that if I didn't check myself, I automatically speeded up, and by the end of that road, I let myself fly. It was, again, glorious. There are quite a few paths in the fields, which are possible to take although at times somewhat muddy. This is a blessing (the paths, not the mud) since neither I nor my legs particularily like running on asphalt. It took about 25 minutes, and I finished off with ten leg-lifts (strengthening the stomach muscles), some random stomach-strengthening excercises, twenty back-lifts and a bunch of stuff for my shoulder. It was a good idea to take the chance, while I was going out anyway to see a friend off at the bus, to prepare and get my running gear on, and when the bus had gone, just set off. I was outdoors anyway, and that, I find, is something people at times find the hardest: just getting out the door. Once out, once in your shoes and on the road, it's not hard, but you have to take the step to get there. Self-discipline is sadly lacking in many people, but there are ways around the most obvious obstacles. Try to find what works for you, and surprise yourself with something new now and then! Sometimes, it's still hard to believe that I can run. And just like that! And how I fly across the landscape, as if borne by the wind. It is quite remarkable, really. I had lost hope and put it behind me, but as so often, what was needed was merely a different view, another path, a slightly different way of doing things. That is worth keeping in mind.

A couple of days in the same post

There's been silence here for quite a few days, not because I have not done anything, but because what I have been doing has caused me to come back home very late. (As you can see on the timestamp of this post!) Monday was a good day, as it contained iaido. I turned down the "offer" (I was the highest ranking, so by rights I should have) of leading the practice session, because I really did not feel comfortable about standing in front of people and doing so. In the end, we decided on having free practice after the warmup. It turned out very well, and it was refreshing to just occasionally be asked questions, and not otherwise be disturbed. The front of my thighs felt tired afterwards, which was a great feeling. The warmup consisted of some running in which I partook with joy, and some other assorted things - core, crunches, pushups etcetera. And cutting. I focused on koryu, that is, old style iaido, and did every Musou Shinden Ryu Shoden kata twice (at least) and the Chuden kata that I know, too. I showered in cold water, but forgot to stretch the front of my thighs, hence the above tiredness! Tuesday saw me try out Wudang Tai Chi Chuan (martial art, rather than the meditative slow style), which was both as I expected, and not. I do like the softness of it, the deceptive ease with which longtime practicioners move, but the practice itself was a bit too lax for my liking. However, I shall try it again next Tuesday, since one should not judge it from once only. And today, again, iaido. I was itching for it, since yesterday's practice wasn't very physically challenging. The next to highest ranking iaidoka in our club was there (as usual on Wednesdays) and it is always inspiring to have him near. He is not necessarily nice, but he is just, and his kiritsuke (cuts) are the best I have the honour of seeing on a regular basis. Or, in my opinion, they are, but I am merely sandan (third dan). It is perhaps his strongest point, and my weakest, so I appreciate every time I am able to watch it. For, watching, and seeing, and analysing how others do their physical exercise, is also training of a sort! Regarding my own session, it was much the same as Monday's (...I am sleepy enough that I can't decide whether weekdays are spelled with large or small first letters; such is the price for living an hour and a half away from practice), except that I had the opportunity to show the kata we call "Evil-nami" by Stille-sensei. It looks deceptively simple, but it is truly evil. Watch the thumb, as they say, and with good reason - you will one day have a very sharp sword in your hand. After kata practice, we were told to use some interesting ways of traversing the floor, all of them core-strengthening exercises. Before, we ran around the room, which I must admit, I rather like these days. This new way of running is really my way. I can't wait until Friday when I'll go out and have a run in the nature! Or, perhaps not, if the Kali Sikaran practice turns out to be exhausting. But then, I'll do it on Saturday. In iaido, there is a lot more going on than your eye may catch. We have great exlposive and static strength, but it is also very beneficial for your focus. And as always, in "sports" that require concentration, if you have good stamina, it helps you immensely. So being a runner is good. As in all things, a well-rounded schedule of exercises is the best. Don't just focus on one thing, but remember that everything is a part of a whole! If you are mainly a runner, you still ought to do some core exercises, something for your back, and of course various things for strengthening not only the legs, but the buttocks and lower abdomen. If you prefer to lift heavy weights, you should still make sure to move a lot, running or walking, whichever you prefer. And stretching! One must not forget the most important part of the triad of strength, stamina and flexibility, which is the last.

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!

Exercises for efficient recovery

I had to remind myself that I am still working on building strength today, or I would have gone on a run. But I felt a bit stiff from yesterday's iaido, and decided to let my body rest from that kind of exertion. Instead, I went through a thirty (or a little more, possibly, timekeeping isn't one of my strong points) minute program of stretching and strengthening exercises, because I know that is a weak point with me. I tend to describe myself as being "as limber as a fridge". This is not a very good thing.

One should strive to balance strength, stamina and flexibility. Without the last, you are in a very real danger to hurt yourself. I am aware that the last is my weak point, and therefore, working on for today's excercises felt like a very good idea, no matter how unwilling I may be to sit still in various positions and count my breaths.

It loosened stiff muscles, had me feel a lot more limber afterwards, and did, actually, work to make me feel refreshed. Thus, very good.

Nothing exciting regarding eating today, except that I had fresh berries from the brambles outside for my morning yoghurt. Dinner was leftovers after lunch, that is, lots of white thick rice (sushi rice, without the fancy name, more or less) with wakame spicing and some sesame seeds, and an omelette with leek, mozzarella cheese, tomato and some sweet pepper. Wicked tasty.

I have a bit of trouble sleeping well. I may wake up and get up, but I inevitably feel lethargic and sleepy until afternoon, evening-time, no matter what I do (Well, I haven't had two cups of tea in the morning yet, maybe that might help). Come nightfall, though, I manage to perk up and have the energy to read and do things. I'm going to experiment with vitamin B-pills, and have soothing tea in the evening time, but honestly, it could be anything.
It does seem, however, that a movie or an episode of "Doctor Who" (or "Torchwood, for that matter) wakes me up, so perhaps I'll have to - oh woe! - watch one every morning for breakfast accompaniment. Worth a try, certainly.

Film accompaniment

I was in half a mind to run today, but at the last moment decided against it. I've been sitting still for most of the day; such is the life of studying. I'd forgotten.

Regardless, I put on "The Chronicles of Riddick" and let that rather well-muscled main character inspire me. Why not, after all?
I had the timer on 20 minutes, but I think I will change that to 30 the next time. I kept going until I got lazy after 35 minutes. I focused mainly on my arms, my stomach and my back, but threw in a few exercises for the legs too. I think I will start again with the old habit of doing easy ups and downs while I am brushing my teeth. It's such an annoyance to be able to do only one thing at such times, anyway.

I felt a bit of after-exercise muscle pains after yesterday's session, though nothing in the legs. That felt good, so for my back exercises I did every exercise with more than twenty repetitions, and for crunches, 15+15 three times. I also carefully cut two times ten cuts with a bokuto (wooden sword), and while my grip is good, I believe I shall have to do that a lot more. I feel I really need to change the way I cut - I want my shoulder to heal one day, and for that, I need to be able to cut without it "falling" forward while I do so. It's an easy mistake to make when you have a heavy sword, and if you're not careful it will be the natural way of cutting, which isn't very good at all (trust me and my injured right shoulder on that).

Eating today was a yoghurt bowl, the bulgur and sauce mix, pasta with crême fraiche, and fried mushrooms, squash (mmm, tasty!), pepper and bacon, some (unfried) salad, and after my little session I had a small bowl of yoghurt with just a few seeds and nuts in it. I also had quite a few pieces of dark chocolate, and drank the last of the unsweetened juice.
I seem to drink more water than I am used to, which is always good. Water cleanses the body!

I have not been sleeping well, but my herbal tea didn't make any change yesterday. I suppose it's got to do with external troubles then, for otherwise, I tend to sleep very well when I practice regularily.

Finding new tracks

I just returned from having a thirty-minute blast of a time running. I couldn't force myself to go by train to iaido practice, sadly enough, but I took a small breather out behind the garden today, and found to my satisfaction a nearly overgrown path (which I suspect is merely a dead end) and that the field nearest to the trees has no fence. Consequently, I figured I'd run around it for a while, but then I grew curious - where does that road lead, anyway? To a riding school as it turned out, but there were paths too, and I took a random one which at first seemed well trodden, then became almost overgrown, and then seemed more used again. It lead upwards, upwards on a hill covered in shrubbery and trees, probably rather untouched since the trees didn't look very desirable for use as building material. Then I found out which paths lead to dead ends and eventually found a quarry I had seen on a map, where I had a lot of fun jumping between stones and cliffs. And finding someone's old discarded clothes, but they were several sizes too large, unfortunately.

The last part of the jaunt was unfortunately on asphalt, and my right leg, again, felt gradually more and more stiff, although less so than on Friday.

Then I did a few crunches, now fifteen in a row instead of twelve (times... two, I think, every time going from fifteen straight crunches directly into another fifteen side-to-side crunches before doing something else), some stuff with my red band for my shoulders, and a bit for my back. Nothing much, just keeping it up and doing a little more than I really felt like doing - that is a good thing, I have found, to do juuust a few exercises more, before giving in. Not giving in at once is important.

I have thus found a good path for running that is not all asphalt, but, it remains to be seen how good it will be later in autumn, and in winter. My socks are hanging up to dry, not that I minded a lot, but it's a bother if everything gets too muddy.

Eating was as per usual my bowl of yoghurt, with sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and some green raisins added to the usual mix. They will also become a staple ingredient.
Then I had lunch and dinner consisting of a gorgeously tasty mix of fried squash, leek, tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet pepper, haricots verts, tomato sauce, taco spices etcetera, and bulgur. It was so tasty I didn't mind having it twice. Possibly I ate too much, just because I liked it so much...

After my running, I've had some of that wicked tasty crisp bread with some butter on it. I'm thinking of having an apple and a spoon of yoghurt or somesuch, too. I usually eat far better after I've been out and about, but I ate fairly soon before I ran, so I don't feel the need to do so this time.


Running in terrain is far more fun than just eating up miles on a road. It's more challenging, the scenery is better, there are less people and you can always find a new random path. And I don't forbid myself to stop occasionally, either. I just don't stay stopped, and I never walk more than I absolutely have to. I rather prefer to very slowly jog, instead, if the terrain requires I slow down. Besides, I'm out to run, with fleet feet, so why stand still and catch my breath?

Two days in one post

In the interests of my knees, which I am still more cautious than happy about their willingess to work, I took the Saturday off from excercises and running. I admit I could have done some excercises, but a many-hour trip for several bags of groceries was all the excercise I felt up for (mentally especially). I ate well as per usual, but tried a Billy's Pan Pizza - they're supposed to be less filled with icky additives than is usual in such items, and I am careful to always keep something at home which can be made ready and eaten in about five to ten minutes. I know well how I need to eat every three to four hours, with no exception, but sometimes one cannot account for a late train, changes in plans and so on. And I do nearly always lug around a sandwich - but only nearly; after all, it is not always one expects to be away for very long, is it?
Anyway. I have not eaten such a thing for... well... near on ten years, I believe. Unfortunately, I didn't find it very tasty. So I'll stick with powder-soup for a while yet, if I'm all out of vegetables and such.

I find that music sometimes merely annoys me when I am doing something else. So I turned to a trusty remedy, that is, audiobooks. http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/ have a large selection of "classics" read by happy amateurs, to a varying degree of success (I couldn't stand the book by lord Dunsany I most wanted to hear, for example, read as it was by someone with abominable accent and bad reading skills), but for those unwilling to purchase audiobooks, it is an excellent webpage.
Audiobooks are useful for many of the things I do. Today, "Pride and Prejudice" (call me girly if you like, it's an entertaining read) accompanied my excercises. I set the timer for 20 minutes, as I find I can hardly fit all the excercises I want into fifteen minutes, but continued long after it had beeped. I estimate it to have been half an hour to about 35 minutes. I did a bit of an allround choice of training. Variations of crunches, back-lifts, work with my red elastic string to strengthen my shoulders, something for my legs and jogging in place. It felt good and I did not feel the tiredness in my legs that I had yesterday. However, the stiffness in the right lower leg makes itself heard when I've been trotting around for a while.

Even though it was late, I managed to get going with training. I think this is a testament to the importance of perseverance. Fifteen minutes a day became twenty, and suddenly I find I hardly need to remind myself to take the time for it. Make it easily accomplished, make it a habit, and then, when it's pretty much ingrained in your everyday routine, add to it a little at a time.
I COULD go the hard way and just go all-out at once. I know myself well enough to know I have the willpower for it. But I prefer going easy on myself after my various illnesses. Better I regain my appetite for excercise, than find it a chore! And it is such an appetite, once whet. The joys of feeling one's body grow stronger, to feel muscles in places you didn't know you could have them, to see posture and gait improve... it really is a wonderful reward. I admire myself, in a not self-centered way, but in a self-loving way, and that is as it should be. If I do not love me, then, really, I shouldn't look to others to do it for me.

For food, I have deviated but little. I added a nectarine to the half apple I used for my morning yoghurt, lightly fried some leek, squash, sweet pepper and mushrooms and added to what became both lunch and dinner with the aforementioned pasta sauce, to which I cooked fresh pasta. Nothing exciting there, eh. I had a bout of chocolate-eating, 86% dark, several squares and with a sideorder of small mints, but chocolate isn't candy, it's kind of like light and oxygen and water and such, wouldn't you agree?
For a late snack I had some wicked tasty crisp bread that has a lot of different seeds in it, with cream cheese and salad on it. I have also been drinking a probiotic juice during the day, wich is about as sweet as I can take it.

I must be honest and say that I think today's intake has been a bit on the excessive side if my physical activity is to be considered - I have been painting and not moving outside much at all, but a hungry pointy-ear is not a happy one. I don't need to worry about gaining weight in the wrong way, rather, I NEED to gain weight, since it will amount to me gaining muscles, which is rather a goal of mine.