Yoga didn’t happen Tuesday night. I’m kinda bummed about that, but we’ll be back on schedule next week.

Krav on Wednesday night was good. I feel a little more ready for the test after each practice. At this point we’ve re-covered everything, so from here on out, it’s just drilling all those skills into our heads. My chest is a little tender, but I’m otherwise pretty much healed.

I didn’t get to fence on Friday partially because I thought I might be coming down with something and partially because the UWF club did a demo that day, so they really didn’t need two more hours of practice.

I’m looking forward to fencing for the first time in what feels like ages tomorrow.

Day 30

I went to SCA fencing practice on Sunday. I probably could have geared up, but I played it safe instead and did 100 lunges, some footwork, and the around the clock drill. The realization that my chest protectors would line up perfectly with my bruises helped me reach the decision to sit it out one more day.

I had the chance to go to UWF fencing on Monday, but Nik and I were both too pooped to go, so we declared Monday a rest day. I’ll be back at Krav tomorrow. I’m looking forward to yoga tonight.

My P1 test is right around the corner. I’m excited, but the nervousness hasn’t really kicked in yet.

Day 29

Since I was still very bruised from Krav practice on Wednesday, I opted to restrict myself to non-contact practice until next week. I went to club fencing practice and did 100 lunges. I also did the around the clock drill and worked on some footwork. Mostly I stretched and observed.

I think that even if you can’t fully participate, just being at practice is good for you. I didn’t really want to go since I knew I couldn’t fence, but I still like being around my students (my team).

We had intended to go to an SCA event today, but Nik is sick, so we’re staying in. We’ll be back at it tomorrow (he fencing and I observing).

Krav last night was spectacular. My favorite part was when one of the instructors pointed out to us that we’ve gotten to the point in our training where other people are watching us to see what to do.

I got punched in the face by a teenaged girl. I don’t recommend it. Her form was excellent.

I also learned an important lesson about gear. It is unwise to wear an underwire sport bra when you practice the “educational stop.” I have a tremendous bruise on my sternum from last night, and we only worked on that skill for about a minute! I’m considering doing a no-contact fencing practice tomorrow if I’m still tender. You may hear about lots of drills and lunges in my next entry.

Other than that, things are going well. I feel like I’m prepared for the P1 test as a student and as a training partner.

Tonight was another all-out Krav practice. I still don’t do so well with what I refer to as “changing planes.” Basically, if my head is alternating between being above and below my heart (like breaking out of a headlock) or if I’m getting up and down a lot (like doing burpees), I tend to have issues with my blood pressure. I’m not passing out, but I do see the static at the edges of my vision. I actually stopped once, but usually I try to fight through. I figure if I’m ever being attacked for real, my assailant won’t hold off on me if I get heady.

Right now I know I need to work on stopping an attack with a punch. My instinct is to block that outside strike, but I really don’t need to. I also need to review my forward kicks to make them more like a knee with a snap (if you do Krav, that makes sense, if you don’t, well… I’m not sure how to clarify).

At any rate, I feel awesome after class, and I’ve dropped 5 lbs since the beginning of the year. I’m assuming I was holding some water weight at that first weigh-in. I haven’t been leaning out hard enough to drop that much weight in 10 days. More importantly, though, I feel strong (except when I’m in armor, but that’s another story!).

I think I pulled a hamstring on Monday. It isn’t serious, but I felt like someone jammed a golf ball in the back of my leg any time I flexed it. I stayed off it on Tuesday and spent pretty much an entire episode of Arrow slowly stretching it out.

Last night I was still sore, but I went to Krav anyway. I can’t afford to miss practice right before P testing. Also, the muscle seems to like being used. It hurts less today than it did Tuesday or Wednesday.

We’re still working on getting into that mode for testing. At this point, I’m more worried about being a good partner than I am about taking my own test.

Other than that, there isn’t much to report. I have the usual bumps and bruises (including a really inconvenient one on my elbow), but other than that, everything is gravy.

Last night was my return to Krav after two weeks off (except for one fencing practice and practicing my blocks with returning combatives with Nik twice during the break). We didn’t ease back into things, either. We jumped in with full force to get ready for testing. We reviewed, but it was constant repetition with no breaks. We closed class with zombie drills at the end.

Testing is at the end of the month. We’d originally been told that it would be two weeks in, so I’m glad to have more time to prepare. I’m not too thrilled about giving up pasta, booze, and sugar for an extra two weeks, but I’ll be healthier for it, so I won’t complain too much.

All joking aside, it was a good class, and I’m looking forward to Wednesday. This test will be hard, but I’m confident that I can do it.

After the big test (read “In February”), we’ll be resuming the ladies’ class on Thursdays. I’m pretty stoked about that too. I like helping teach but not being in charge of the whole class. It’s a good day to work on technique, even if it’s mostly by watching and seeing which mistakes to be wary of instead of by doing.

In addition to training my ass off in Krav, I’ll be going back to UWF’s fencing practice on Fridays, and (perhaps even more of a big deal) I’ll be resuming regular SCA fighter practice on Sundays (teaching fencing and learning armored combat).

Here’s to fighting five days per week.

Tonight Nik and I spent some time in the studio working on hand to hand combat. I’m working extra hard on my inside defense to get ready for my proficiency test next month. We had a lot of fun trying out different combinations, and I think I’m getting more consistent.

Monday and Wednesday were good training days in Krav. It looks like we’ll be testing in January.

It looks like I’ll have to make a choice: testing falls on an SCA event day. There will be another chance in February, but I have easily twice as many events in February as I do in January.

At any rate, I’ll need to train this month so that I don’t forget the material before the test. Don’t worry. I won’t neglect my fencing.

Last night at Krav we spent a lot of time on the ground. We learned how to get out of a choke on the ground from the side (we’ll cover a choke where the attacker is on top of you in the next level, I think). If you need a core workout, that’s certainly one way to do it!

Tonight the fencing club kids are coming by to hang out before leaving for Winter Break. I live in Florida, so we’re grilling out. In December. Be jealous.