It's been awhile since I last posted. Dealt with some back injuries but learned a lot in the process of healing about healing. Wish I had know these things when I was younger, it would have saved me less pain later on.

No more MBC it seems in order to accommodate the Fundamentals Krav Class. I still go when i can once or twice a week. My gym closed their doors so i joined anytime fitness. Scaled back on my workouts until i fully heal. Suffice to say Chiro and Acupuncture didnt work but the deep tissue massage certainly did.

I see my journey in martial arts more clearly than i ever have before. There is a distinction between self-defense and the "art" as in martial arts and most people don't see this. I'm only finding this distinction realized by a small handful of people. Some LEOs/SWAT - 'some' - not most. Corrections officers, combat military personnel, border patrols most will, Spec Ops and other Operators certainly will. Those that have lived that life and have lived to tell - certainly.

The distinction is this: Martial Arts as they are taught in our modern age will not prepare you for self-defense and certainly not for combat though some "arts" are more realistically focused than others.  Most of these live in a combat fantasy that never quite matches up to the reality of combat because
1. They don't learn from those who have 'been there and done that'
2. They rely on supposed sources of authority who have never been or learned from those who have 'been there and done that'.
3. They have never 'been there and done that'.

....and so we see martial artists being taught techniques that once made sense centuries ago when samurai wore armor, before the age of firearms, before it was illegal to carry weapons with a permit, when you needed to punch or use a knife a certain way to penetrate or find the openings in armor or stand a certain way while fighting on a rocking ship at sea, or if you didnt own a horse how to train to ride one, the list goes on. Locked into tradition they will never discover the truth of combat. They will play at war but never experience war so they take comfort in the fact that their presumptions will never be tested. They will play because its something they enjoy whatever their motivations - cultural, legacy, the kinesthetic joy of movement and learning, an ego driven desire to impress others...whatever the motivation is therein lies their art.

There is much more but Im done ranting for now...until next time.

Observations

Just wanted to get some thoughts down on some observations about training based on what a fellow krav instructor wrote about the Brother factor. I wont go into what that means here other than to say it has to do with testing ones assumptions. In training that means testing what we think we know, are we teaching how to be a compliant partner or are we training for real. I say for the most part schools teach compliant partners because otherwise students wouldnt stick around for long.
Every instructor should have someone they trust to test the assumption of their techniques. If training partner comes at me with a training knife do they always attack the same was with the same rhythm, slow speed, plenty of distance and one slash or thrust at a time?
I enjoy training with this one chinese friend of mine, he's young, a bit tall and lanky. His movements are choppy and erratic, including his footwork. It's throws my timing off. I can usually tell what someone is going to do with the knife by the way they position their body but not with him, it forces me to have to wait until his fully commits to the attack before I react. Good training for me! I also prefer training with bigger and stronger opponents, it allows me to ramp up and go close to all out without hurting my training partner. Women I have a tendency to go easy on, I find they dont allow themselves to let go, they hold themselves back. Maybe this is early conditioning, i dont know, but for the most part they dont give themselves permission to slip the lease so to speak. The women that work in law enforcement and similar professions are a little better but not much.
My other chinese friend, the brother of the first one, is good at wing chun and has a wicked chain punch. He seems to sometimes have a problem with controlling his power and speed and rhythm but for the most part gives me problems with his straight blast but his weakness is he doesnt see the hook punch. Something we discover we both need to work on.

Health

I call this one Health because my focus lately has been on my health - which affects my performance. Recent health issues with bronchitis and my back have forced me to reevaluate some of my training as well as consider cutting back on some of the things I've been doing.

I still train with the UST group as my core group, Bob's school recently became a Gracie Combatives shop which I've begun training Sat mornings, so training UST on Weds and GCBJJ on Sat. mornings.

I stopped going to Modern Arnis, mostly because no one shows up anymore, including Divinci, so I'll be training with the newly formed FCS group in Orlando. Although I like Steve's Judo classes I just dont have the time or money anymore.

I also picked up the study of Kyudo which Lisa Lietl heads up in the newly formed Central Florida Kyudo group we started, which we hope to have a building for through ACAS.

I took a Muay Thai seminar through a meetup this past Sunday, 3 hrs non-stop, killer workout. Not sure I want to do that again, just too much for me, Im surpised im not more sore than I am today.

I started taking a nitric oxide powder to help out with training/oxygen consumption in the help it will enhance my endurance/performance. The jury is still out on that one.
My chiropractor recommended i take magnesium suppliments for muscle tightness, cramps, headaches. Ive just started taking these along with the forslean for asthma. Also taking a multivitamin and mixing in metamucil with my bottled water for high triclyceride levels.

Im starting my own exercise program with kombatas, weights, Martial Arts, pullups, etc along with back maintenance with the roller the chiro sold me and my inversion table and stretches.

Im also considering yoga to help with my flexibility and stiffness I've been feeling to counteract the hard training ive been doing.

Good news is I've lost quite a bit of weight. Will see over time if these methods work.

Updating

It's been awhile since my last posting, change in jobs and moved down to road into a condo with my son. Still training at UST but we're now a Gracie Combatives shop, I'll be training in the blue belt curriculum. Been training in Modern Arnis with Divinci and recently with the FCS group which Jeff Moldovan's group hooked up with as well. Had some good meetups as well in my group. More on this later.

Wednesday Class

No Monday class due to July 4th holiday. On the downside of this bronchial infection, coughing but feeling better. Used the new bronchial dialator from the doc but still had trouble breathing. Was told my triglycerides are 679, even with all the exercise and eating right was put back on chlosterol medicine. I find it strange he doesnt require fasting before a blood test. I have some natural alternatives in mind I want to try for this. I despise medications.

Class went very well, my friend Hanif went and I was able to introduce Fred Stone - a long time Uechi practitioneer to Bob. They hit it off really well. Class was alot of knife and ground work. I was really short on breath by the time we got to ground work. Trained with Joey, one of the Uechi blackbelts. We tipped the training knifes red, i was cut on the back of the arm and across the liver but I got a good thrust to his heart. I used a technique I've been working on with great success, Cesar picked up on it since the REAL training and has been using it. John Riddles seminar was canceled until the fall.

Mon and Tue Night Classes

My nephew Casey is staying with me for the week, always a pleasure to have him around and he has a keen interest in martial arts. Monday we had a captain from the Orange county sheriffs office teaching Gracie BJJ from a self defense perspective - great class - we plan on having him down at least once a month - we were invited to train with them at the sheriffs office on Saturdays. The guy is 43 and still competes......an inspiration to say the least.
Casey enjoyed it especially since he wrestles in high school, he took a couple of things away he thinks he can use.
Came down with a bronchial infection but went to Wed class anyway with Casey - I did better than i expected - i felt strong despite being under the weather. Canceling Sat. hiking meetup though. Looking forward to John Riddles seminar next weekend.

Went to my dr. yesterday, he was suprised i lost so much weight - a testiment to the UST training, picked up some expensive perscriptions for asthma, migrane, cholesterol and others. Wishing there were more natural alternatives.

Monday Night Class

It was a very hot and humid night and I had the most diffculty breathing. Had to take several breaks to catch my breath, felt like i was going to pass out. Making an appt. for the doctor next week.

On the plus side I jumped on the scale for the first time in 2 months, I lost 13 lbs - from 195 to 182. I havent been this weight in over 10 years.

Next Monday all Gracie BJJ.