I cycled into work and back and then did a good weights session. I cooked a protein-rich dinner and had an early night.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol
Tuesday
Weight: 10st 2lbs
I bounced out of bed feeling great!
I cycled in to work. It was a stressful day today with an actual very real threat of violence outside of the college. I made sure I was in the middle of it in case I was needed. Happily, I wasn't.
I cycled home.
At the Karate session, I was very pleased, honoured and embarrassed to receive the Student of the Month award for my efforts at the Shirley dojo on Saturdays. I should have received the medal on Saturday but I was in London at the weekend.
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| Wearing my medal, with a few of my best friends. |
After a photograph, I got to do some sparring with Sensei Kai and Sensei Joey. Two very different karateka and both adding to my kumite experience.
Then, a very welcome announcement - Sensei Gary has put the grading back by one week! I get another 7 days to get myself fitter and faster before I'm tested.
We finished with some team kata.
Home for loads of healthy protein (fish) and an episode of Vikings!
Karate, no junkfood, no alcohol
Wednesday
Blood Pressure: 124/87
Resting Heart Rate: 48 bpm
I cycled in to work. For this morning's fitness lesson, I showed the lads how to measure their blood pressure and resting heart rate. I used myself as an example and was pleased to have some good results (although the diastolic reading is a little raised.) Then I took the sports group out on a 2 mile run. I think the chaps are getting a little fitter, or I'm getting better at nagging at them. I still find it hard to believe how often these teenage lads slow to a walk during our 2 miles. Some of them even refuse to run uphill!
The afternoon lessons were great fun and very satisfying.
After the students had gone home, I went along to Mr Roger's fitness training class. This week was all about the dumbbells! Every exercise involved hurling dumbbells about. I tried to lift as heavy as I could, but I did find myself exchanging my heavy dumbbells for lighter ones as the exercises went on. We trained for a little under an hour before I slumped at my desk to scoff rice and chicken.
I cycled home, aching all over.
I made a healthy chicken and mushroom stir fry for the family.
I've been aching all evening, especially in my shoulders. It must be good for me, right?
2 mile run, fitness training, no junkfood, no alcohol.
Thursday
Weight: 10st 2lbs
The weather was horrible. Driving rain all day. I decided that jumping in the car with Lucy was the best option today! After work, Lucy convinced me to go for a run. I really didn't want to go and was looking for any excuse to stay in the warm. Anyway, I ended up plodding the streets for 6.3 miles. I was incredibly lethargic but I didn't slow to a walk at any point. I wobbled home in an embarrassingly pedestrian time of 69 minutes.
I hate running, I felt physically terrible when I got back, but I was so glad I did it!
10K run, no junkfood, no alcohol
Friday
I cycled in to work. It was a brilliant day at college with a good morning lesson and lots of paperwork done in the afternoon. I cycled home and got ready for Karate.
Unfortunately, I was asked to teach this evening. I had the white belts, orange belts and two absolute beginners to inspire and try to develop. It was hard to think of things for them to do. I hope it wasn't too boring.
So I didn't actually get to do any training myself!
After dinner, the fact that I hadn't done any exercise today wouldn't let me relax, so I set about doing a weights session.
Weight training, no junkfood, no alcohol.
Saturday
Weight: 10st 3lbs
A walk in the park with the dogs in the morning.
This afternoon's Karate session was a very stop-start affair with Sensei Tony making sure that everyone understood what they were doing and that they were performing each technique correctly.
At the end, I stayed behind to tire myself out with some Jion and Heian Godan.
Tonight's dinner was homemade chicken and chickpea curry with lots of spinach. Training fuel!
Karate, no junkfood, no alcohol
Sunday
Weight: 10st 2lbs
Up at 7am for a three-egg breakfast.
After taking the dogs out for a very cold walk in the park, I headed off for my first Karate session of the day. Initially, my heart sank when Sensei asked me to go through kata with some white belts, but it was only for a short while and I was doing some proper training soon enough!
We warmed up with plenty of high-speed basics before moving on to a kumite competition. I was pleased to win all of my fights but I was only up against young teenagers. I was the only senior adult training at Cocks Moors Woods today.
I got home to eat a banana and do some ironing. An hour later I was back in the dojo, this time at Tudor Grange.
We did Karate circuit training! This involved ippon kumite, ju ippon kumite, freestyle kumite, kata, press-ups, sit ups and bag work. Phew. And my partner? No less than chief instructor Sensei Ronnie Christopher, World Champion medallist, and the man who will be overseeing my grading in exactly three weeks time! At the end of the first circuit I was out of breath and feeling dizzy. Then we went round another three times!
We did some kata in between each circuit too! By the end of the two hours, I was gasping and desperate for a sit down. I had been determined to keep up with Sensei in the sit ups and press ups and had given my all in the bag work. I was exhausted.
I realised at the end of the session, when Sensei gathered the students round to give them feedback, that the man wasn't even breathing hard. I know that Sensei is more than ten years my senior. His fitness is outstanding.
I went home to fill up on homemade Sunday dinner with the family and to somehow resist the lovely beers lined up in the kitchen!
3 hours of Karate training, no junkfood, no alcohol.
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