Growing-up’s BodyBlog

In a couple of months, I will be ready for a small tournament.  My Sensei told me that they are opening a Master category so I want to be part of it.

This past weekend we guided our alumni to the Yi Sin Mun tournament organized by the University of Costa Rica.  The local Karate Federation did not gave their approval for this tournament, it seems like the Karate in my country is governed by a poor direction and vision.  It is sad because from our 8 kids 7 got a medal, 3 gold, 2 sliver, 2 bronze.  Not bad at all.  Seeing their smile, makes it everything.  How many hours my Sensei trained them, how many rehearsals, hours of standing, practice, more practice, kumite, kata, more kata, more kumite.

It is always nice to be part of an event.  I’m starting to train my legs, soon my kata will be back where I want it, but I will sneak at least once this year into kumite.  I think I deserve it.

Again my knee is giving me trouble.

Or is it me, who has neglected my knee?  Maybe here is the problem.  I have been training for the San Juan half Marathon, nice run starting in Ochomogo in Cartago, ending in San Juan de Tibas in San Jose.

Well starting this week as part of the training I have to work out 7.1 km every other day.  Well this route has one steep downhill, here is where I found that my knee was not holding, it hurt me like … well.

Today I go to get two X-Ray (front and side) plus ultra-sound of the soft tissues.

The Doctor by just checking the knee asked me if I play Football (Soccer) I don’t I’m a runner and do some other things.  He said that the Meniscus has good shape, but it is worn, good thing is that it has good density.  He mentioned that none of the ligaments or tendons show serious damage, in addition, that the patella has good separation.

In other words, considering age and that I run and do some other training my knee is looking good.  He questioned me if I had hit my knee recently (he did mentioned a hard hit to the knee).  It could be Jui-Jitsu, or a bad office accident.

Ice, more Ice, do not run down-hill and keep using Voltaren Gel after training, but above all give my knee a break, run flat, flat is good.

No San Juan, and be ready for the Tamarindo Marathon then.

This week was interesting.  I was able to fin a puppy that I liked, yes after the loosing Aristo, then the Cituk fiasco I became more careful when looking for a puppy.  I must speak with the owners, talk to the people, find out how my dog is doing, visit the dog, etc.

Second training, started lifting again but this time much more light, more reps, middle weight, not my top but I will start lifting much heavier next week.  Why?  Don’t know I need to make my body get back into the training groove.

My Karate is going EXCELLENT, I asked my Sensei (Obed) to train us harder or at least me, he has delivered.
Now Tomorrow I will be going out for some surfing, yes, more energy to be expended.  I needed that.

After almost two months of being out of the gym, yesterday I was able to manage all the things I had to do, and then drive to the gym.  I must say I was uncertain.

I talk to Rodolfo the owner of the gym I go, and he said he and most of the guys were concerned that I stop coming, that an e-mail that I sent explaining that I could not assist was enough that he freeze my membership, that he did not wanted to loose me out.  I his words, few people come here and leave the place better than when they arrive.

Paid my debts with the Karate Instructor and Sensei, and ask permission to warm up.

I must say It was like, being home again.  Saw a couple of new faces, Jacob the MMA instructor was there he was training a new group of kids learning how to grapple, start warming up, 20 min of run, plus 20 more doing abdominal work-out (roman chair, lateral workout, obliques, etc) ready, after two months I did not wanted to get injured for free, that will be a mistake.

Started with Shoulders:

• Military press 3 x 10 x 25″
• One arm cable front raises 3 x 10 x 20″
• Lateral dumbbell deltoid raises 3 x 10 x 25″
• Incline barbel deltoid raises 3 x 10 x 25″

cleared the shoulders will focus in my traps just to adjust the back for what is about to come:

• Barbel shrugs 5 x 8 x 160″ (don’t know why I enjoy shrugging maybe because that is what I feel after this week of only office 0 Karate, 1% running, 0 gym)
• Dumbbell incline shoulder raise 5 x 8 x 70″

I’m still sore at the traps department, but I feel good!  The triceps are next!

• Started with dips: 4 x 8 x 178 kg (my weight at this point in time)
• Flat dumbbell triceps extension: 3 x 10 x 45″
• Incline dumbbell triceps extension: 3 x 10 x 45″
• Decline close grip bench dumbbell extension: 3 x 10 x 45″

1:30" total work-out time, stretch and ready.  I must admit it is not much, but It feel good enough I have enough energy for today to go out for a short 10km run, that is what I’m looking for.

I have make my mind that I will not do anymore weight training and karate training the same day, I think that was burning me way too much.  I will like to gain some mass too, not too much that it will affect my running and my karate, but enough to show some body build, like before being able to rest, and why not focus in one area at the time.

Just wanted to wish the BodyBuilding group Happy Easter!

"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances…. May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thes 5:16-18; 23).

today I could not go to do my karate,

or my weight training,

my car is broken, the mechanics had trouble diagnosing what the computer was telling them: everything is fine, except that….  There is WATER IN THE GAS!  NOW I’M really angry, worse, I can’t do much as there are no agencies that will support a claim like this here.

Now I will have to pay for the damage in the engine.  Not fair, lost my training this is going to be my third week (tomorrow I will go out running early in the morning and keep my levels up) but h…ll I’m angry.

For those that are about to rock

We salute you!

This is the last chance for some people to get ready for the Sol y Arena Race.  10 km which should be a fast run, at 40C expected (104F) for the day of the race.

Tomorrow is my last long run 12 km and then only short fast runs until Wednesday, 3 km and Thursday Track and Field.

I have trained enough, since December until now, maybe not as consistent as I wish I could be, but I feel myself ready to be a part of it again.  This year I will not be driving my car back home after the race (last year spent from 8 pm until 11 pm driving back home)  I talked with Matt Scott and I will be staying at his hotel this coming 15 - 16 in Jaco.  Why not stay on Domingo de Ramos in Jaco go to the processions in the area (yes I’m Catholic) and enjoy the beach, maybe and thinking about it, I should take my boogie board and enjoy the tide then too.

When you leave the shelter of your home there are thousands of enemies waiting for you.

My Sensei (professor) called me today, I have not been able to go to training in the last couple of weeks, that is sad.  And told me that he expect me to be next week. So after tomorrow’s race I will be practising my Katas this should be enough to compensate the days I have not been able to go to the gym.

Last Saturday I almost became a victim of the increasing number of Express Kidnaps that are affecting my country.  One black Peugeot stop before my car, an hysteric woman came out of the car, screaming I stop my car and walked to see if she needed help.  Immediately a green Suzuki Vitara 4×4 stop across the back of my car cutting a reverse manoeuvre; not good.  I run as fast as I could to the first guy that came out of the Suzuki leaving behind the woman.  I start punching like if my life depended on it, the second guy came out of the car, now I was punching two people.  One of them was able to take me down and jump on top of me.  It is incredible what the thump can do for you when you need to lift someone that is heavier than you, specially when it is right in the eye.

The other guy started to kick me, thank you Sensei, I was able to fence these kicks and was able to stand up without using my hands.  Started again mae gueri to the guts, and more punches, more and more cars are stopping in the area.  The guys got in the car and run away.  By the time the police arrived, there were none,  my car has an anti theft device, I was able to fence my foes away.

They told me that there is a band of Colombians doing that kind of express kidnaps in my area.  Well two of them, my hope is, are having trouble with their neck these days.  Are you ready to leave your house? I’m.

Well, I don’t believe in spending big time in video games, I do barely watch TV, and my working life is at an office making decisions and working on projects, that makes me way too busy too stress.  Here is where I get my balance; I do lift, I do Karate, and I do Run!  And all of them have the same priority out of the office, #1

This week, I had a great workout, run aprox 15 km, in increments, and for this week we are starting today I will be running 20 km.  Getting ready for Sol y Arena.

Next stop I’m working heavier on my upper body and legs, not to get too heavy but to get quicker, I’m lifting my Max this time with fast reps and shorter  recovery times, the objective is to gain some explosiveness with a weight that now (near the end of the current program I’m running) I feel comfortable with.

This week I bought a new pair of running shoes, New Balance 1223!  Now these are WOW running shoes.  My objective in acquiring these shoes is to have them for the Tamarindo Marathon (I will be running the 30 km) by the time I have that run it is going to be… HOT, I mean, HOT.

Also this week I acquire a Wii, yes a Wii.

I have found some games that I’m considering purchasing for now the Wii Sports and Wii Play are fine. But my Dad is all excited, I’m considering a good boxing game, and a good fishing game for the Wii.  A third game I’m considering Resident Evil, the Umbrella Chronicles (has gore and violence) but there is also the realistic games like Medal of Honour, sound interesting.

I wonder how many guys here have a Wii and what games do you play with it.

Yea that sucks.  Last Wednesday while doing my leg-out
workout, my left knee started to hurt, very, very much

What happened?

I think I earned this pain just because, I start to adding distance this week.  30 km in two days, is way too much, I know the rule of adding distance, but I just wanted to be where I was when I stopped.  BIG MISTAKE!

This Patellafemoral pain just come not because of lack of cushion, but because though the mind is ready to run, the body requires to get use to it.  Lesson learned. No running for five days, first days, ICE, ICE baby ICE but now only ibuprofen and hot bands to help the medicine penetrates the ligaments.  So not even gym, there is something about the ibuprofen and your gut, they just don’t get together well, I will be dedicating some time to my car (was it) but also take my mother’s Honda to get aligned.  LOL all the things I should have done on my weekends, that instead are on a second place because of the gym.  Lifring and training has become such an important part of my life that not doing it this weekend, 12 km run, and cross training *today was chest, back and forearms day* makes you feel …
well not good.  Keep training smart, do as I say, not as I do

Links to the pictures:

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00382

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Knie_ct.gif