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?

A little on fighting spirit

Again, a late post, and again, with good reason. The weekend was spent away from my little burrow, until very late in the night of Sunday to Monday.

Last Monday, and the one this week, I held the training in iaido, and chose to focus on the ZNKR Seitei gata, that is, the twelve kata that are sort of international and common ground for the majority of iaidoka in the world. The Swedish National Championships are coming up and though I can't be bothered worrying about more than taking at least one flag (it's possible to have zero, one, two or three in a match, as there are a maximum of three in one match), or fighting for a medal in the sandan (third dan) class, I am going to fight for the Fighting Spirit award. That, to me, means more than any medal - a medal means "merely" technical superiority, a good show, a good match... but the Fighting Spirit award, well, that means one beat everyone else, in one's class or the whole competition, depending on how many they hand out. And that one has a good grasp of the technique, and that what is most important, which are, maai, mind of iai and, well, fighting spirit, is something that one has to a greater extent than anything else.
I realised that it means this to me when I won it two years ago.

Nevertheless... I must be proficient in the technicalities of the Seitei Gata, and so I chose to focus on three last week, and three other kata this week. It is good to see the other participants become better during one lesson! Very rewarding, for me and hopefully also for them.
Wednesday saw our sister club in Linköping send three participants to a very rewarding koryu practice, where, although our sensei focused on helping them, I still found useful new knowledge.

Tuesday and Thursday saw Kali practice with different foci. Yet, in that martial art, since everything is linked in different ways, the more time I spend on it, the more it is like a big, multi-layered jigsaw-puzzle coming together. With or without weapons, the movements are similar, for all the right reasons. I'm happy to say that despite heavy use of arms and shoulders, my muscle soreness wasn't too bad!

I've been looking around for a pair of running shoes, so as not to ruin my rather nice pair of sandals. A friend gave me an old pair of fairly battered sneakers (some kind of Nike ones) which I am aching to go out and try. I'm planning on having my first run in them on Friday - I want to step up my training regime to have a run every other day at least, but I know I need to be a little careful, my knee have been acting up as well as my shoulder, and with new shoes and after the forced winter hiatus on running... It pays to be careful.
Am also possibly going to look into the idea of "chi running" or whatever the name was... sounded fairly similar to barefoot style running, but some kind of a variant. I spoke with a friend you see, and, I'll get back to you on that matter...


Regarding what I wrote about earlier, the fighting spirit thing - it is important to have the right mindset, whatever one is training. It will be far less efficient if one is merely slugging on, going through the motions, no matter what one is training! To me, going to the gym is akin to torture. Boring, drab, uninspiring. I have tried using a mindset of "but it will benefit my iaido!" but that has not worked. In martial arts, I can directly link action to result, I know that what I do is useful, or, in the case of iaido, damn cool because I'm waving a flippin' katana around (to speak loosely and rather carelessly here). There's something about martial arts that not only gives my body exercise, but also my mind. Straightens it out, helps me focus. I can see a direct use of what I do.
And with martial arts, well, they are martial, aren't they? Fighting is in their nature, self-defence or what ever you wish to call it. In iaido it is ever so important to have that fighting spirit, not showing it by facial expressions, but by exuding it. You have no (physical) opponent. Yet it must be clearly seen that you are fighting an opponent. You must act at all times as if you were a warrior, not a fighter, and a warrior at ease with their skill and awareness. Zanshin! And when there is violence, you give it your all, without losing focus, poise, control or awareness. Perfect focus. Perfection.
The idea of a Fighting Spirit award is immensely satisfying to me. All too often, that part of iaido falls by the wayside. Mind is important! Mind is even more important than body! With the right mindset, your life will be right. And with the help of said mindset, I walk the streets more safely, I train Kali Sikaran with greater focus and reward, and I live my everyday life a better way.

...I got a bit philosophical there.
So, how do you find that a mindset can affect training? Do you have good examples, bad examples, examples from ordinary gymming, from martial arts? Tell me, I am curious!

Articles on barefoot style running

It is about time I wrote a bit about barefoot running again, so, that I will do.

This week saw little out of the ordinary. I was the senpai/sensei for Monday's iaido, managed again to tie in warm-up with the kata we later did, On Wednesday I was a careless klutz in iaido and managed to cut a small cut in my left middle finger - I will continue to badger everyone lifting a sword that is of less grade than I am to do their noto correctly; with fingers together and good hikite/sayabiki. (That is, the motion of putting the saya back onto the sword). Yes, you can cut yourself even with a mogito (not a shinken) - all you have to do is be careless and find that uttermost part of the tip.
Kali held a few challenges, and some of them I conquered quite well! I am very pleased that my knife-work and -defence is fairly decent for my level. Knife-fighting is definitely one of the things I'm most worried about if I would ever get dragged into one.

The Saturday SecurityFitness Open Mat was great as usual. I suspect I might have possibly impressed the instructor a little when I managed to get in behind his guard and hit him with the knife a few times, but, it wasn't really worth mentioning. I prefer finding out what I can do even better, instead of being complimented on something I did all right mostly by accident. So, a few bruises richer, I then took Saturday off from just about everything. Today I merely took a walk in the sunshine - I have to study, so I can't do much else, though the roads are really clearing up now!

And speaking of that: I want new shoes for running in. And I'd prefer not paying a thousand SEK just because they have a nice brand - I know good shoes are important, but I'm cautious nevertheless. I know what I want, but I can't pay crudloads for it, so if I AM going to buy something, I better read up on it. I'm thinking of finding some sort of running flats.

I ran into a few articles on the matter of barefoot running. There are apparently many styles and gurus and preachers and denigrators out there... and as usual, I try to avoid them. Yes, "Born to Run" is a bit evangelical in tone, but at least it is a fairly engaging read.
Now, this series of articles was made by a professional with a background in physiotherapy, and I'm going to drop you right at the end of the series - here - even though it is in Swedish. The little numbers in brackets lead almost all of them to English-language studies on barefoot- and ordinary running. Some are done by companies, others by those seeking an answer and therefore getting it, and so on. Apply caution!

What the series concludes with, in any case, is with an "it depends". It seems fairly certain that too much padding and oddities in shoes aren't too good, but that few people ought to go straight onto running with actual bare feet. The author runs "barefoot style" a few times a week, but mostly in the heel-down way. He is not convinced by anyone's arguments, but stays somewhere in the middle, with a firm "it depends".
There is a bit about marathon runners, a bit about the choice of shoes and a bit about injuries.
And here comes a, to me, interesting part: barefoot running significantly decreases stress and risk of injury on your knees. That is instead moved to lower down the leg, which can be deflected fairly well by good muscles, careful running and proper shoes for you - yes, you yourself, not anything hyped up. Try those shoes out, and don't just trust what people tell you. Shoes ought not to be constricting, too narrow, and, whenever you can, you should walk barefoot - indoors, for example, doing everyday things.
Some people, when faced with shoes with a thinner sole, began putting their feet down more to the middle of the foot, instead of the heel. This too lessens the strain on the knees and the force of the impact on the ground.

So, there were quite a lot of comments for people who said they'd rediscovered the joy of running, and no longer had trouble with their knees! And then there were those who didn't particularily like it, and were fine with running as usual.

One thing that interested me quite a bit was the talk about changes in performance and "economy of running". That is, the energy expenditure and whether your technique is energy effective... and so on. If I understood it correctly, that is. It seems it requires a wee bit extra expenditure of energy to run barefoot style, which, when it comes to running far, is of course a drawback. But as I do not compete, and run for the sheer joy of it, I find it an interesting detail at most. Something to remember, but not anything I will worry about.

Well, for me, the articles and the tests they referred to didn't change my mind about barefoot style running. It did remind me that "to each their own", but I think it is important to tell people that barefoot style running is an alternative. Maybe it won't be for them, but you can't know until you try, and as long as they go on and try past that first bump in the road that is building up the new muscles for it, I'll accept their declining to continue.

Have you read any articles on barefoot style running, and what positive and negative sides did you find in them? Were they well written, or were they more like propaganda? Did they change your mind?

See you next week!

A bit on training others and oneself

One more late night writing, for your pleasure! My toe have gone through all manner of shapes and colours these past two days, including a neat blue-black-red streak that seemed to spread down to the space between that toe and the one next to it. I should have taken some sort of time-lapse sequence, with one hour between photos, I suppose. Iai was very little trouble despite this small injury, and we had a visitor who normally lives in New Zeeland, here to visit his parents. It is always fun to meet other iaidoka and discuss their takes in iai, see what and how and why they do things, and so on. This turned out to be no different. And of course, it is a small world, isn't it? This yondan (fourth dan) iaidoka from New Zeeland, whose parents live in Sweden, have met my beloved Ohara-sensei from Japan, and others that I know too besides. He has also practiced at a club where a guy who trains in the same Kali Sikaran group as I, used to practice. "Coincidence", people call it. There is no such thing. There is just a creeping suspicion that something is up. But back to important things! I have become quite adept at mixing together random things into edible and tasty stuff, often with a bit of squash/zucchini as key ingredient. This is good, as cooking is seldom something I do for enjoyment, but I sorely need to keep my every-three-to-four-hour eating habit up. I was the one that held the training for the beginners yesterday (Wednesday), which meant I did exert myself as much as I would otherwise have. But there were of course a proper warmup followed by core strengthening exercises, and so on. I tend to drive iaido beginners quite hard, if not unfairly. I expect them to make an effort, and if they do, it shows right away. You can tell the difference between pure lazyness/indifference and inability/struggling. Some people think this is not so, but I know when someone tries their best but their body or mind does not quite and entirely follow their orders, and, conversely, when people are probably just not interested enough to bother. And I am not nice, I suppose, in that I know the power of mind, and have very little patience with whinging people who constantly convince themselves they have every excuse not to do this or not to be able to do that. Especially when it comes to iai. By no means am I unfair to beginners, but I have sharp eyes. I do very much like to spread encouragment around me, though, and I make certain to tell people when and what they are doing right, which is perhaps less Japanese in mindset than what I described above. But, some beginners need to hear it, and it never hurts to tell someone that what they just did was good. You learn after a while. I am no expert, but I can figure things out. Regardless, I did feel today that I had exerted my leg muscles quite a lot this week. So I was a little relieved today, when during Kali Sikaran training, we not only did Sikaran (kicking) but also quite a bit of Panantukan (boxing, more or less) with and without mitts and gloves. I also wore a pair of new shoes, some kind of Asic wrestling shoe, I think, which after a very short moment's reflection I bought without even mentioning the price. I wanted good shoes, I need good shoes, and they are just what I want: split-sole, about as thin as I can get them and still have them stop my toes from getting bent again. And wide enough, I do not like shoes which squeeze my toes together. It was highly refreshing, but I was not as sharp and focused as I generally am. I think it may be because I took a whole anti-anxiety pill yestereve to be able to sleep, and this probably still had effect today and tonight. I know I was a bit drowsy today, even after I slept almost two hours longer than intended. There was also a bit of strengthening exercises, with some interesting boxing on people's stomachs to make them stiffen their muscles (and get used to getting beaten, even if we did it with gloves and rather softly), and while good, my shoulder doesn't quite permit me to do pushups the way I ought to. It is a delicate balance, for me, to be able to sleep I need help (or the brain simply goes into higher gear and I lie there and the Autobahn that is my thought processes - several lanes at the same time - go on and on and I never fall asleep), but I must be careful with what I use. Herbs are good, but tend to be less effective in chasing away unwanted dreams. Yet sleep I must or I cannot practice! Sleep, eat, hydration and training, I need them all to feel good. I had a period where I slept much too little and practiced, well, what was back then a bit too much. I did not have time or money to eat enough, and I couldn't figure out why I was always bone-weary and had nosebleeds all the time... Take my advice: Sleep enough. Eat enough (do it, damn you, muscles weigh more than fat anyway, if THAT's why you're exercising). Drink enough water (soft-drinks and the like do not, ever, count). And have fun while you're doing whatever it is you are doing. And now I shall drag my tired legs to bed, hope that the endorphines wear off and that my soothing tea will help me sleep. Tomorrow I may actually take a day off from training, or then again, I may simply do some core exercises just to keep it up. Over to you, reader - what have you done this week, and what was your favourite training-related thing that happened?