Tag: walking

I’ve been too busy to blog. Let’s look back on the past week and a half.

Last week was Spring Break. I spent Monday morning at the beach, where I resumed my walks to the pier and back. That night was Krav practice with Eddie. He couldn’t stay late to work with me, but it was good to have him there for practice since he sees nuances that I don’t.

On Tuesday I went to the gym with Nik. We lifted (arms) and did cardio.

Wednesday was another beach day (with a walk). Michael was back at practice that night. He downloaded a workout from Sound Cloud: a professional fighter called out combinations for us to do on the heavy bags. We did 3- minute sets for about half an hour.

Thursday was another gym day with Nik. We had chest and shoulder day, but I think I skipped cardio (I’m getting my days mixed up, but I don’t have any aerobic activity logged in my Fit Bit that day). That night I went to a fun and challenging Beach Body class with Eddie and Kita. That was definitely a full body workout! I have no idea why the Fit Bit wouldn’t log it.

On Friday I tagged along to the beach partially to enjoy my vacation and partially because I needed to fill out paperwork for my new job. I did a lot of walking that day.

Saturday was my first day at my new old job. I’m a pirate again, so I get to spend a couple hours on the weekend doing stage combat and playing games with kids. I have second shift, so I still get to hang out at the beach and go for my long walks in the mornings.

On Sunday I helped at a Krav seminar Eddie and Kita were running on my side of town. Then I picked up Nik and headed to the park, but we didnt fence. We planned to get some cardio in, but the gym was closed, so we took a Poke-walk instead.

This week I was back to the grind at work, so my routine is back to normal.
Monday: Krav
Tuesday: cardio
Wednesday: Krav

I’m gearing up to do the P3 test with Michael in a couple weeks. I’ve already passed, but I’ve been asked to do it again. I didn’t ask why. I’m happy to have the practice and confident that I know the material.

I’m getting a little overwhelmed at work. It’s been a struggle to work out when I’ve been unmotivated, but I know those are the days that I really need to get up and move.

#30daysofkrav isn’t going the way I planned. It doesn’t work like #fencingeverydamnday because I have such a small pool to draw from. I haven’t been fighting daily. However, I have been preparing. The new hashtag is #countdowntocic .

Wednesday: teaching, review with Michael
Thursday: light sparring with Nik
Friday: elliptical, fencing, watching videos
Saturday: lots of walking
Sunday: weight lifting, fencing

I hesitated about including fencing in the above list, but being in that headspace, in “fight mode,” benefits my Krav training. It gets me up and moving around, even when I want to stay home.

I’m looking for a freestanding punching bag so that I can practice by myself. I’ve gone for a walk today, and class will happen tonight. Eddie is subbing for Michael, so I’m hoping to go over some of the advanced skills with a different partner after class.

On Thursday I rested.

Friday after work I tried out my new sneakers on the outdoor track. The results weren’t promising, and I was super apprehensive about the run. I went to fencing practice that night and went over some basic I.33 with the class. I’ve also been helping CC find her fight and become more aggressive (because of her stature, she really needs to get in close and fast if she wants to win). I’m seeing some progress and am proud of her.

On Saturday I did the McGuire’s 5K with my friends from Krav. Michael and I ran together (and walked a few stretches). The ship in my identification bib didn’t work, so I don’t know my exact time. I know I crossed the finish line at 9:50. The starting gun went off at 9, but it took us some time to get to the start line. Unfortunately I didn’t think to look at my phone when we started, so suffice to say my 5K took less than 50 minutes. I’m okay with that. I spent the rest of the day hanging out with my friends, enjoying adult beverages, and watching the bands play. That was my last hurrah until CIC. No sweets, fast food, or alcohol until I get back.

Sunday I was super miserable and sunburned because I forgot to wear sunscreen (at least I wasn’t hungover). I spent my time getting ready for the week ahead and working on a project for my job. Nik took me for a Poke-walk at the nature trail around dusk so that I wouldn’t be further harmed by the daystar.

Last night was Krav night. Michael lost his voice, so Kita taught with me. We had only two students this time, so we each took one and went over some skills; then we switched to do some review. That’s one hell of a student/teacher ratio!

I intend to visit the gym after work today. I like the camaraderie of going with Nik, but I also know that it’s faster if I go by myself (he likes to workout for a couple hours at a time). I’m still deciding what I want to do.

Tomorrow will be one month to the day before CIC starts. To prepare, I’m going to do what I always do and fight (or study) for 30 days.

Monday’s post-practice Krav practice went well. Michael and I burned through four skills fairly easily (without breaking a sweat). Then we talked about pedagogy stuff and whether or not we want to pare down how much we teach in a given day. I’m working on tonight’s lesson now, and I think I have a decent plan going with two skills plus a backup if the class is picking it up quickly.

Last night Nik and I hit the gym. We skipped the rock wall but will be back at it next week. I thought hauling my body weight up the sheer surface might count as strenuous lifting. Instead, I did very light weights but with more reps. I can feel it today, so I’m happy with it. I also did some cardio. I alternated laps (walk 1 / run 1) and did my mile in 13 minutes while keeping sweat out of my eyes.

After that we met up with a bunch of our students (I think there were seven of us total) for extra UWF fencing practice. It was a fun day – plenty of goofing off. I mostly took films, corrected form, and hung out, but I did get some Valentine’s bouts in with my loaf.

Today I am one week post-op. As of tonight, I don’t have to take the drops anymore, and I can get sweat and tap water into my eyes. Should the occasion arise, I can now wear make-up. My next milestone will be 10 days, when I no longer have to wear my super high-tech eye shield when I sleep.

On Saturday I went to extra practice at UWF with Nik and Tiny Nick! I did a long sword drill that didn’t require me to wear a mask and walked the track. Of the 8 laps I did, I jogged 3 (not all at once – I spread them out). No sweat.

Yesterday we had SCA practice. Because we had a lot of new people, I got to do some mask-off instruction. I sparred with a few of the more experienced students – again in short bursts.

Tonight I’ll be back at Krav. I expect teaching will be the same as usual, but my practice time after class may be limited.

There hasn’t been much to report lately. I’ve been taking it easy.

I bought a FitBit. So far I like it. I explore a different feature every day or two. If you’re into that sort of thing, I bought the Flex 2. I was a little bit disappointed because it doesn’t measure heart rate, but then I saw that none of the ones that measure heart rate are swim proof, so I feel like I made the right choice for my needs. I mention the FitBit because it helps me see the merit in walking – even just short walks to the water fountain or around campus.

In addition to generally moving around during the day, I’ve been taking walks on the indoor track at UWF. At first it was frustrating because I wanted to move fast – run, jog, or even just power walk. I had to stop thinking of it as exercise and approach it as rehab instead. I used the walks to get my lungs used to activity again. I did that for several days, and I felt really good.

Last night I fenced for maybe a quarter of the allotted practice time.I worked on a couple of specific techniques and then played in some melees. I felt pretty good but a little sore when I got home.

This morning I was miserable. My throat is sore, and I have a headache. I’m hoping that I just pushed too hard and not that I’m getting sicker. I’ve done everything I was supposed to do. I don’t know why I’m still feeling so lousy.

Tonight I’m taking it easy. I’ll get my steps wandering around work and forgetting to bring things downstairs at home.

I did not, in fact, push through and go to Krav, but that’s also the last class I’m skipping for a long time. Now I’m focusing on getting ready for civilian instructor certification level 1 (CIC1) in April, so I can’t afford to slack off. I’ll be moving into a more active teaching role in my own little Krav school (I feel like a Krav TA) before I head off.

I did go to yoga on Tuesday, and I made it back to Krav on Wednesday. The calf is still sore, but moving around and stretching helps.

Thursday was a rest day, and Friday I (finally) made it to UWF fencing practice. We had a special guest for that practice – Prissy got some teaching experience by warming us up with some yoga. I focused primarily on rapier during that practice, but the room was busy with rapier, dussack, and ringen.

Yesterday I went to the beach, took a walk, and did some sun salutations. The jellies were out, so I elected not to swim. Nik and I took a Poke-walk on the beach after lunch. 

Today, SCA fencing practice is cancelled. We lost one of our own last week, so all local SCA activities are cancelled, and we’re spending time with our loved ones.

I believe that’s all I’ve been up to this week. Looking forward, In addition to getting ready for CIC1, I have a big fencing event coming up in November, and I want to participate in as many tournaments as possible, so I need to tune up my dussack and long sword skills. November is a big month for me in general. I have somewhere to be (involving fencing) every single weekend that month. I’m excited, but I also expect to be exhausted.

I’m hoping that some of the adjustments I’m making to my diet and fitness levels for CIC1 will help me make it through that month. I’ve installed MyFitnessPal on my new phone, and I’m keeping track of what I’m putting in (again – I use this app in phases). I’m considering getting a fitness tracking device, but I’m not entirely sure which one I want. They’re pricey, so I want to make sure I get the right one!

I think that’s it for now. I’ll try to update more consistently. I really hate these weekly walls o’ text, but my schedule has been hectic. Thanks for bearing with me.

I pulled a muscle at Krav on Wednesday night. I’m not seriously hurt or anything – I just had a Charlie horse.

I took it easy on Thursday. On Friday, instead of going to fencing, I went to visit my mom. We took the dog for a walk Friday evening and again Saturday morning. I did some swimming on Saturday as well. It was a chill, low-impact weekend.

I came back to Pensacola on Sunday for SCA fencing practice. We ended up chilling with our friends, sharing food and stories. I’m okay with that.

Despite taking it easy this weekend, I’m pretty tired today. I’d like to push through and go to Krav, especially since I’ve made up my mind about civilian instructor certification. I intend to pursue instructorship next year, so I need to train seriously. On the other hand, I can’t get anything done if I get hurt (which is more likely when I’m fighting tired). We’ll see how I feel this afternoon.

Talk about getting back in the groove! Wednesday night at Krav, we warmed up by doing a couple of songs’ worth of Zumba. The gal leading our class is very skilled and kept things hyped up. After that, class lasted about an hour. After helping some of the P1s, I got to work on sideways break falls, which involve using one leg to lower yourself down if you’re shoved from the side. My thighs were feeling that for a few days!

On Thursday Nik and I went to New Orleans to see Beck. It’s not really a workout, but we did walk around the Big Easy a lot, and I was dancing (as much as I could) during the show.

We drove back from NOLA on Friday and got back to Pensacola just in time to do a joint fencing demo with the SCA and UWF Fencing Club (plus more walking around downtown).

Yesterday it was too rainy to go to the beach, but I did want to get out and move around. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, and when I turned on my computer to do some homework, nothing happened. That machine has been on its way out for awhile now, so Nik and I headed to Best Buy to get a new one. We had a little PokeWalk at the mall right before closing and called it a day.

Today, once again, it’s too rainy to fence. I have enough homework to keep me busy, though. I’m looking forward to Krav tomorrow. I think I’m back to myself!

Last Wednesday I went to Krav and helped students in my more active teaching role. I feel completely out of my element.

On Friday I got to go to UWF fencing practice, and I actually got to DO some fencing as well as teaching.

Saturday involved some beach yoga and a walk to the pier and back. I’d say I s wam, but I mostly just floated around.

On Sunday I resumed SCA fencing practice. Introducing a new student to rapier was a welcome break from the heat. One disadvantage to training indoors is you forget how to train outdoors. I emphasize lots of breaks and lots of hydration.

Yesterday, however, I decided i needed a break. I’ve been feeling kind of down lately, and I wasn’t up to any sort of challenge. I stayed home and worked on an art project instead. Yoga is cancelled tonight, which is kind of a bummer, but I’m looking forward to actually being in my house for some time before class. Tomorrow, though, I’m getting back into the groove!