It's time to get started again

I've been looking to do things in a new way. It's not working.
I'm getting stronger, but fatter and that's not quite what I am looking for.

I need to lose 5kg and 2 appartments from spain:-)

Next summer is my big season in golf. I'm playing as a senoir for the first time. My goal when I started gold about 7 years ago was to compete as a senior. So this is it.

Drilling Gracie

I'm doing a Gracie garage session today at 2 pm. It's slow roll and repeating earlier lessons. One step forward, too. More workouts and more drills... I'll be back

Crazy Monkey is from South Africa. Gracie for South America:-)

Working - but not pushing

I've been quite tired, but not really working very hard. Done some home workouts and some bjj rolling and few times walked home from work - 6 km. So it's not total lose, but still not quite the intensity that would make a difference.

I might be getting old...

I did a good workout in the gym - so it's a step forward

Day that just have to breath throu

Today is a day that demands all the positive thinking that I have. I hope I'm wrong, but... it's only sitting in a bus and sitting in meetings and sitting in a bus for 14 hours...

1.stripe

I went to the gym today and did my regular workout.
I also gave my self my first stripe to my xo-belt:-)

Next stripe is if I'll complete my URST... ultimate red stripe test, which is under development.

I toke a picture of my belt over my karate passport ( No 56). Number is small because I'm not so young anymore

Virtual rolling - GJJ

I had planned to go to gym, but I was a computer support person for my family all morning and evening is theater with neighbors. So I watch a lesson on Gracie University and developed a small itch to practice.

Run in the snow

I ran from work to home - well all most. We got our first snow today and it was slippery. My home workout is still under development. Tomorrow should be a traditional gym day. If I'll get a lift to the gym. I don't like to ride my Kawa when there is snow on the road.

Red Stripe for my xo-belt

Ok - first I'll award me a red stripe for my xo-belt. Xo-belt is my training belt that I started to use maybe 5 years a go. ( I have a 4 dan, and 1 kyu, and 9 kub and so on:-) So to sum it up, I make me a gray belt with an idea that I'd use it.

Well - it did not happen, but...

My xo-belt can be my personal martial arts belt. And after 4 years, I deserve my first stripe. And next comes when I complete my URST Ultimate Red Stripe Test. First I'll have to adjust my goals or work to find how much I can practise during a week/ or during a day. Two hours feels much, if training is intensive. (If it's golf, it'd be easy...)

Next years workout program- URST

The Ultimate Red Stripe Test 2013
(modification of UBBT by Tom Callos)

• Weekly Journalling in Blog / Vlog Write about GJJ research and do research at least 5 hours per week 

• 100 Gym workout sessions 
• 100 Martial Arts classes 
• 1000 Rounds of Sparring or heavy bag 3-minute (minimum) rounds.
• 1000 Rounds of Kata 
• 1000 15-minute home workouts 
• 1000 Kilometers Walk, Swim, Run, Bike, or Paddle 
• One Reality-Based Self-Defense Course (GJJ) 
• Daily Meditation / Yoga/ Qi-gong

What would this add up to in a week?
2 times at gym ( 1 - 1,5 hours = 3 hours)
2 times at class ( 1,5 hours = 3 hours)
1 hours heavy bag/ sparring
1/2 hour Kata
5 hours of home workouts
20 kilometers running/skiing/biking (3,5 hours per week)
And some stretching and Qigong

16 hours of training per week... that's after work and doing my phd research and babysitting my granddaughter.

I have to think about this - maybe a reality check...

Not crossfit - 15 min doses

I'm going back to 15 min doses of action. Crossfit sounds good, but it's difficult to do. It takes too much time to convert WOD's to suitable workouts. I'll do my own system with 15 min doses of basic workouts and extra will be gym, bjj and running/ biking etc.

Why not RNC

Crossfit - WOD?

15 min slices of workout during a day is one approach. Has not worked yet, but I'm not totally giving up. An other way might be to do WOD's from crossfit site. Or use WOD's a bases for planning a daily workout.

82,4 - 15 minutes workout slots

Just an idea I've worked on. What if I cater my workout in 15 minute portions? 15 minutes of strength, 15 minutes of stretching, 15 min heavy bag ... and so on? When I have time, I can have a portion - I just have to have a fixed amount during a week?

Maybe I'll work on this more:)

Princible of prgress

Exercising is simple. You workout to get tiered and recover to get stronger. What you do is what you get. If you lift heavy weights, you get stronger and if you lift light weights, but more reps, you get more endurance. If you run, you'll be a better runner.

This is so easy!

In theory - yes, but in reality, you also have to do the work and also the RECOVERY. The balance of work - recovery is where it gets fuzzy and combination of multiple abilities makes even more demanding.

Maybe one good rules is to work on what is your NO SO GOOD ability? (Unless you are an active sportsman, then you have to develop your strong points?)

82,6 - Garage at work

I've promised to introduce BJJ to co-workers for 10 sessions. We'll do Gracie Universities lessons - if it goes well from 1 to 10. It's exciting to see how it goes. Today is the first day with all the students. I had a test roll with one student last Friday.

Golf during work

Today I get to play golf with my co-workers and tee up at noon. I like this kind of working days:-)

Heavy bag and something else

I'll be late for the open mat so I need to do something at home. Maybe a video workout from P90x or insanity? I'll do some heavy bag.

Eat Thai and work Brazilian

I'm going to BJJ class, but first we'll have lunch. I need to do a new timetable for my gym workouts. My training partner is away for 5 weeks. I've been doing gym workouts on Mondays and Thursdays. Let's see if I can get my self to the gym with out a partner.

83,0 - golf

Yesterday was the first time I did a Gracie university video with a friend how did not know any BJJ. It was an interesting experiment. I'll continue it. (My own unofficial GJJ garage:-) Today I'll hit the little white ball and enjoy nice Autumn weather.

83,2 - stretching and ukemis

I'll do a light stretching and an ukemi session straight after work - 1 pm and then get my granddaughter from kindergarten.

Fresh start?

What if I started from beginning
- to develop my physical abilities - aerobic/anaerobic - strength - flexibility
- to learn about BJJ

Golf season is closing - just one or two weeks left

It's time to start fresh again...

egg cracker

82,8 - golf (but it's cold out thre)

Yesterday was a gym day and today it's golf. It's very much Autumn (+ 5 C at the moment).

Stapling by Jason

82,5 - bjj

Today I'll go to BJJ class. I'll try to attack, but also to take it easy.

82,9 - getting fat, but playing golf

I did my gym workout yesterday and today I'm STRONG - or just stiff from my shoulders.

It's golf day today and I'm hitting it looong with a new driver. (It's new to me. I'm just borrowing it from my neighbor.)

Sunday golf and blue ideas

Autumn is the time to start again - to bounce back what ever was left behind during summer break. For motivational texts check BJJ Canvas.
If you don't know what motivates you, you can take my motivational questionnaire. It does not give an answer, but there are good questions that can help.

I just signed in for a lecture at Harvard and MIT joint virtual university
Isn't that something. I could do anything I want to - and I'll go and play golf:-)

It's a sunny day so why not.

Flow roll - with bumps:-)

Today at open mat I'll try some "flow roll", but it might be more like stop motion animation. It's just one step in the process of getting better.

After open mat, I'll visit a birthday part (7 years). I might get some flow roll there too.

82,1 - recovery

Today is a well needed recovery day. Yesterday was golf and Wednesday was a long day at the office.

I do like Fridays!

82 - golf and pull ups?

I'll play golf straight after work. Yesterday was my first pull ups day in gym workout and I need to work on it. I did 5-4-3-2 letting shoulders relax after each rep. I am feeling strong a.c.a stiff today.

AND my fellow bjj rollers - watch out for my armlock:-)
I'll attack you with this combination -  it's so easy - click on the pull up image.

81,7 - 50/60 "life is life" BJJ patch-project

Did the second part of my split full body gym program today. It was better than I expected:-)

Just to remember to assign a patch project to students. To design a BJJ patch "Matti Nykänen"
who one famous quote is possibility is  50 - 60.

In Bjj 50/50

82,2 - BJJ

Yesterday I planned to go to open mat, but played golf instead. Today there is a strong possibility that I'll go to BJJ class - or babysit my granddaughter.  

Gym and pull ups

Today is the first day of ...rest of my life?...new gym workout. We'll modify it on the first session, but it's good to do something new. Related to the gym is pull ups. I'm not good at it at all. We used to do 30 pull ups in 3 sets ( 12 - 10 - 8) but at the moment 7 is hard for me. So I'm planning to do an extra exercises - do daily 10 pull ups passing from kitchen to living room. I have a pull up bar there. So I'll do ones each time I pass my pull up bar. - Just an idea. I'll know how it works in one or two months.

81,9 - new blog

I decided not to write about motor learning on the same blog as fitness. Fitness is a diary of my personal training and it should not be mixed with new hobby - research of motor learning. My interest in motor learning is not new, but the idea of having it as a hobby - not as a serious attempt to be a real researcher. My new blog is at http://xophd.blogspot.fi

81,6 - heavy bag, bill, paul and other workouts

Looks like Thursday gym will be on Friday, but today I'll do a little development on my heavy bag workout - add a little kettle bell, dumbbell and pull ups to it.

Bill superfoot kicking routine and Paul's warm up routine are included:) 

New workout for gym

It's time to plan a new workout for gym. I need to work on my legs - still and maybe more on core too. I need to grow muscle on legs, but core could be endurance. Next gym is on Thursday but I have a rough plan for the workout all ready.

Monday - Legs, Back Strength
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Front squats	4	10,8,6,4
Single Leg Squat	4	10,8,6,4
Stiff leg	4	10,8,6,4
Calf Raises	4	10
Pull Ups	4	10,8,6,4
Lat Pull Down	4	10,8,6,4
Plank series	2	60sec (diagonal + side)
One Arm Dumbbell Row	4	10

Thursday - Chest, Shoulders & Triceps
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Abs Bench Press	3 4	10 10,8,6,4
Incline Dumbbell Press	4	10
Upright Rows	4	10
Shrugs	4	10
Dips	4	10,8,6,4

”Undulating diagonal woodchop”   4         10

Hyperextensions

4

10

81,6 - gym

Sunday was an interesting golf tournament - you get to play mulligans halve your hcp. I've been lazy reading research article so no interesting quotes. Maybe I'll have time to read during day.

82,3 - did not talk to my self

Played a round of golf today, but it was not as good as yesterday. Maybe I just did not talk to my self:-)

82,2 - it's time to something else

Writing about my personal training is not very interesting. It's not supposed to be. Maybe I should write about something else. One idea is to write about learning motor skills and quote research. Like the research that stated that people who talk to them self score better in sports. In golf I talk to my ball so that's why I don't score so well.

Today I'll play golf and self talk me a best possible round:)

81,5 - heavy bag

Today my work starts at 10 am so I'll do some tapata and heavy bag workouts before going to work.

 I've been reading research articles on learning motor skills. Very interesting result is that watching videos help you learn. You don't learn just by watching, but after watching techniques you learn faster by actually practicing them. Click the image and learn:)

82,2 - golf

I did not go to bjj yesterday. It was enough to do the gym workout. Today is golf and it's time to draw conclusions from this golf season. I played less than previous seasons and practiced sparingly - result was no progress in skills:) What! I did not get better because I did not play or practice enough. Next season is my first in seniors. If I want to get better I need to make a off season practice program...BUT I think I'll start in February...

81,1 - maybe slow roll and gym

Just realized that I could go to fightclub and see if there is some one who would like to roll. I've promised to go to gym 6 pm so it's a bit asking too much, but any way...

Oldman crosstraining and golf

It's Sunday an time to play with my grandchild and with my neighbor. With my neighbor I'll do the oldman crosstraining program. In the afternoon it's time for Sunday golf, but today I'll smash the ball - like yesterday:-)

82,1 - fat and playing golf

Ok - fat maybe an overstatement as my personal fatso limit is 82,0, but 82,1 is over it. Also playing golf might be an overstatement considering my game, but both are fairly easy to fix. One way would be to lower the par... playing golf is just having fun. And that would be sensible as I'm not making a living from golf. Today I'll swing with all the relaxation and just whip the ball to far far away land!

Golf -don't have to stop practicing yet

One thing in common with golf and bjj is that your never quite as good as you would like to be. There is always room for improvement. To be truthful my golf and bjj both suck so there is no reason to stop practicing - I'm not getting too good at either one. AND that is a good thing!  Remember it's not the result that counts but the journey - it's all about how you work your way to your goal. After you are there, it's done and you have to move on to next goal.

Golf competition

Today I'll go to Siilinjärvi about 170 km to play a golf tournament. Today we'll practice and tomorrow is the big day. I have last years championship to defend:) Anything can happen, but most of all - I hope we have a good time. (It's not the winning that counts, but getting a way from work place.)

81,8 - gym

After work I'll go to gym. No BJJ today. I really need to workout a plan to do more bjj workouts. Goal is to do some slow rolling after work. For me it's about 2 pm. So rolling 2PM - any takers?

btw - click the image to see a video

Golf

It's getting cold in the morning - about +6C at 7 am. Looks like it has been zero during night. Autumn is here! My last "big" competition in golf is in couple days: Thursday and Friday. Weather broadcast predicts heavy rain - well it's the same for everyone.

Today I'll play golf

81,3 - recovery

I have an one hours break before getting my grandchild from day care and few hours working time after her mom comes to get her from our home. I could do some short game practice on golf or some slow rolling. I'll end up taking a recovery day:)

81,3 - no gi

I did some no gi bjj today. Not that I know anything, but I did get some bruises for trying.

One important observation was that it's a good idea to invite someone you know to open mat sessions. Everyone was more or less rolling with own partners. No harm done as I did want an easy day, but still some "gi" rolling would have been nice.

81,8 - golf

I know I should stretch. I know I should do some daily drills for bjj, but I am lazy and I'll just go golfing after work.

Golf results - team -personal

80,6 - best ball and gym

I have a small golf competition in the afternoon and after it I'll go to gym and do my split day routine. So it's a full working day...

So our team won the best ball competition... and I was 3.rd in personal series... and gym was good too. 

Looks like I am way better in golf than in BJJ:) 

80,6 - fight like a pig

We have a saying "kuin pulloperse sika". I'll translate it as fight like a pig with a bottle stuffed in it's ass. That was the mental feeling after yesterdays open mat. I was very angry for not getting any attacks done - and not much sensible techniques at all. I was lost and could not even read my opponents. OK - positive thought is that there is only one way to go - it's getting better.

Today is golf.

81,1 - Today it's BJJ

Today I'll go to open mat and roll for a while.

80,4 - mooonday

bjj and no golf (just kidding!)

I'll try not to play golf today so that I'll have no excuses for skipping bjj class. I'll do slow roll - maybe I should make a priority of open mats. Open mats are not so intensive as bjj classes. I am sure that best way to learn bjj is to roll every day, but my body does not recover from normal speed ... even light normal speed rolling.

One good thing about physical activity is that one gets better by doing it. So no problem - just do it!
More rolling and less whining.

Weather in summer is better for golf than in winter - I'm playing golf. BJJ is on Tuesday.

Golf

Feels like winter is coming and it's last opportunity to play. Weather is below 15 C, windy and rainy BUT August is one of summer months? Feels like we jumped fron early spring to late autumn and skipped summer. I'll play some more golf until my last "big" competition. It's 24 - 25 of August. After that we will have a one week BJJ seminar and let's see if it turns golf season to bjj.

81,8 - golf and coffee

I'll play a round of golf again today. After golf I will enjoy a cake and coffee to celebrate Outi's Nordic Bmx Championship. And we will watch London bmx finals to stay in the mood.

82,6 - tabata and golf

Looks like I'm staying over my fatso limit - 82 kg. Too much cake and sitting in meetings! I did my morning run and in the afternoon I'll play 18 holes golf. Lot of golf is on the program for next two weeks.