I'd like to think I'm in decent shape for being off consistent training for so long and injured, but the reality is, I'm way off pace and not in any condition to fight right now. I'm carrying around 10 extra pounds which is quite evident, lost nearly most of the muscle tone and conditioning I'd had and the hills I'd normally run up with no problem are burning me so my cardio has deteriorated considerably.

These next 3 weeks are really important. Going to train consistently and avoid injury, bring my conditioning back up and work some flexibility and quickness back in best I can as well. Meanwhile, my ankle and hip needs to finish healing, so that'll limit what I can do intensity-wise.


I've been doing speedbag and heavy bag work, sparring combo's on the waveform bag, and I'm going to spar 3x/wk now that my ankle's taking my full weight and not hurting as much. I'm definitely going to take it easy on that foot, can't re-injure it or else I'm not going to be able to train at all, the worst case scenario.

No heavy lifting for workouts, just cardio, core work, plyometrics, light weights.


Here's me doing a little ab work:

YouTube - ‪Dave Abwork VID00010‬‏


A little leg work (and no that's not me farting on the plyo jump, it's my rascal son making sounds, lol!):

YouTube - ‪Dad LegExercises VID00008‬‏


A little lower back work:

YouTube - ‪Dad backwork VID00009‬‏

 

Update on the ankle: This is now a sprain and a cracked bone, burning all the time. Peroneal tendon for sure, reaggravated from previous sprain, not sure about ligament condition, avoiding MRI for now--I can't immobilize, going to have to just deal with it, try to control inflammation and get through the competition best I can. Getting acupuncture treatments, wrapping it when sparring and doing forms workouts, using anti-inflamatories, hot water, elevation. Not fun, effing really inflamed now. But...could be worse, could be totally unusable, so looking at the bright side.

Shot this with my cellphone a few days ago. Usually the acupuncture treatments get the swelling and burning to subside within a couple of days. I start to feel better next day after being treated, but the training fires everything back up.

Going to talk to a sports PT friend tonight who's also a fighter. I'll need to tape my ankle for sure at world's to keep stability. Hurts so much right now, it's making me a little unstable, so I need the extra help.

 

Took the day off training yesterday to let the ankle swelling come down a bit.

Sparring workout w/instructor went well this morning. After crunching down on my ankle, had to switch stance and lead with my injured side so I could base off my healthy one. It's going to be interesting to see how well the ankle holds up at worlds; will have to go as long as I can before switching stances. If I get to the finals I'll bet the ankle's going to be on fire, so I'm planning for gutting it out. I can heal in July and all Summer, right?

Our school has sparring practice this afternoon. I'll go and take it easy. Work on keeping relaxed on my feet and try to work around the ankle, keep in the pocket and work on my combo's, cover up on defense while getting off-line and then counter-attacking...lots of basics I need to work on. The errors I've made across the season have been fundamental ones. One of my problems is that I'm very active with footwork and it not only burns up too much energy, I have a tendency to attack and then get out of the pocket too quickly. I need to stay in and keep driving the attack. And if I take a shot, I need to counter and keep attacking, not stop. I know this sounds stupid, obvious, etc but in sport karate, TKD, point sparring, when they break you, you can sometimes listen to the judges too much and stop when you should really attack until they pull you off the other guy. There are too many exchanges that are judged poorly and the more shots I fire, the better probability that the judges will see my strikes and the scoring will go my way.

I also need to use my strengths with the way I'm built. I'm very flexible to the front kicking-wise, so front, crescent and axe kicks need to be fired. Side and round kicks are much more common and expected. So I need to use all my tools, not just the ones everyone else tends to use. Again, I know this sounds obvious, but in practice everything is easy. In competition, I, just like many competitors, forget these simple things...and that's what leads to opportunities not capitalized on and fundamental errors.

If anyone has any tips or input, constructive criticism, etc please feel free to share. I'm trying to work all of this out in my head really without a coach. The instructor I sparred with this morning is my favorite, and really communicates well, but he's a full-time policeman so I only get to see him periodically. That means I have to mostly prepare and plan on my own. My kids get lots of coaching and attention, while I work. Wish I was a kid, it's got bennies!

Hope everyone had a nice week.

 

I was training this morning and while doing a spinning hook kick, lost balance on my unstable ankle. Slipped and landed on my back hard. Kept my head from hitting the ground and evidently wrenched a muscle or two in my neck and shoulder. Now I can't turn my head all the way to the right before it feels like someone's sticking a steak knife in the base of my neck.

This is classic.

I just wanted to have one. Just ONE tournament where I'd come in healthy. What have I got now...4 injuries, lol!

Ankle sprain and crack
Lower back sore from fall
Neck tweaked, can't turn my head
Hip screwed up


Tomorrow I'm going to spar with a dozen or so guys for a couple of hours.

I am not coming back with any other problems, dammit. I mean it!

I have to laugh. That's it. This is hilarious.

 

Ohhh man D feel well buddy!

 

Thanks DJ, will try.

 

Went to sparring practice this morning. Not good. Not very mobile. Saweeet!

 

Took the day off training. Sore back and neck.

Will stretch tonight and get some rest.

Getting back at it in the morning. Have 2 training sessions planned, one in the AM, one in PM.

 

Had a good mix of training this past week working on forms, sparring and got a little trail running in. Sparred Friday and dead-legged both legs, lol! I've been taking it easy the last couple of days, letting the injuries calm down, trying to get healthy as can be for this coming weekend. Wife got a stomach bug which turned her into a poop machine, now I have it, grrreat!

Feeling positive, hoping I'm healthy in a couple days, will report back after the tournament weekend.

Getting on the plane early tomorrow AM.

Hope everyone has a fun week.

 

Had a pretty great day w/the family overall at worlds today. Son took gold in traditional Forms and Weapons, bronze in sparring. He had some really bad judging in his other events (XMA and Creative), didn't place, should've for sure. That's the way it goes in a judged sport, sometimes it's a bit crappy. Daughter took gold in trad'l Weapons, bronze in Forms and Sparring, and bronze in 3 other events (XMA and Creative weapons). I took silver in trad'l Forms behind the 2010 world champ. I actually tied for 2nd due to a really lowball score from the center judge, then won the tie-breaker unanimously. In sparring, I was decent, took a bronze. Had a some pretty bad calls from the center judge including a foul and point awarded to the other guy in the semi's which wasn't a foul. It cost me the match. The center judge was terrible, but there's nothing I could do... Sometimes that's just the way it goes with judges. Hard pill to swallow, especially in a big tournament, but it's happened before, and you have to expect it'll happen again. Everything has to come together in order to succeed. Good performance, good judging, and a little bit of good luck doesn't hurt either I suppose.

All in all, for my rookie season competing as a BB, I can't complain. Won the CA state title in both Forms and Sparring, won the 2010 Fall Nationals in both events, won the 2011 Spring Nationals in Sparring, qualified top 10 in the US in my division and took home hardware at Worlds. I didn't train enough due to heavy work schedule, had injuries all season long, made the most of it, good things happened.

I'm super proud of my kids. So composed in competition. I was really impressed by both of them. They're 8 and 10 now, I can't imagine what they'll be capable of in their teens! Hope I don't get them mad. I'll try to avoid it.