Kaio-ken

So! Last night was my weekly training at the Knight's Hall, which was awesome.  Brought a newcomer with me this time, Myles, who is as excited as I am to get into this.

Workout rundown: laps up and down stairs as a warm-up, followed by various on/off exercises:  spider-man push-ups, clean and press, goblet squats, burpees, jack knifes, jumps, Turkish half get ups, and so on.

Doing better each time, last time the half get ups killed me, this week I was able to get off the ground each round.  Jack knifes sucked far less this time around, core is getting stronger.  We did not hard after exercise, as the guys were fighting over the weekend, and those of us that didn't get to (weren't able) need the exercise more. 

These days are hectic for me, as I literally have no gaps in my schedule until after training, so I actually use the most Herbalife products out of any day of the week.

Morning before work: immune health, multi-vitamin, morning shake (mint, with a teaspoon of cocoa), along with a Liftoff drink (in place of coffee).

Lunch: I eat food, chicken and couscous, made spicy.

After School: Karate, where I do a lighter exercise before class.  After class, I make a second shake (same as above) and hit the road.  On the road I'll have another Liftoff (as I'll be going for goddamn hours). 

During training: CR-7 sport drink mix, this is where I see the immediate difference. As someone used to fighting all day in the hot sun, I can feel when I'm dehydrated.  This holds it off nicely.

After training: my Rebuild shake, some of my left over water for the ride home, and I've been trying out smaller, condensed Rebuild supplements, no real review on those yet, we'll see how hard I can test them later on.

Overall:
Feeling pretty good on a Wednesday, little weak in one knee, but it's a damn sight better than my first day.  Comment on Thursday as to how I'm feeling then.

As for armor, I got to take a good look at a set, and much of it can be built, or brought in from sources.  Helm and gauntlets look to be my first big hurdle.  Though I may have plans for that...

"Any fool can have courage.  I have wits, which is better."  -Hawk of the Hills

Minding Ones' Feet

So, first off, what the hell is this blog?

Two things:

It is a cronocle of an intentional transformation, pushing myself beyond what I have in the past.  Not just physically, but also in my chosen careers.  My intention is to be stronger on every front by this time next year.

It is also, accountability.  Holding me to my goals, publicly, and with myself.
 
Background:

I started all this back when I was barely in the first grade.  My brother was an instructor at a local school, and I wanted to do everything he did.  Even got a buzz cut, can you imagine?

Loved it, but mostly I loved the weapons.  As far as I saw it; anyone can learn to slug it out, but to learn how to use a blade?  That was an adventure in the making.  So I tried learning, as well as any seven year old can, and "practiced" as often as I could. 

First time I saw men in armor, was a Renn Faire, where I watched a villain character in purple and black, kill a man.  Won't lie, took an hour to convince me he didn't actually murder him in the dirt.  I remember thinking to myself "I need to do this." 

So, I kept on training, tried learning different styles as well, to further hone my abilities.  I even started working at Renn Faires myself, just to fight more people. 

Eventually, joined up with the SCA to do heavy list, which... I did not do well at.  Wrong art, none of my skill translated.  Fencing, however, was my shit. 







I'm never more comfortable than with a sword in my hand, it's how I feel most like myself.  Before I could drive, I could hold my own against grown men with twice my lifetime in experience.  It is who I am.


So, I've always struggled with weight, more so, keeping it on.  It has been a lifelong issue, along with stomach problems.  To help fix these issues, I've started Herbalife, a nutrition meal plan, and so far the results have been good.

I've also started training at the Knights Hall, to eventually join their ACL group, and fight along side them. Actually paying the gym fees with Herbalife!  So, that's neat.

There's no real poignant start to this blog, it's just my honest feelings as me, a mad man with a sword.

So, weekly updates, along with measurements and pictures!  Because this isn't just a hobby, this is a life I have grown through, and grown into.  I do not play the swordsman on the weekend.

During the week, I play the civilized man.

"Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand, a thief, a raver, a slayer, with gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet."