I ran about 4.5 K after coming home by the last train.
When I left my office, I was so completely out of gas, so I hit an Italian restaurant to grab something to eat.
By the time I was home, I was recharged, so I decided to hit the road and get my body fired up.
I ran 2.5 K at my new full marathon target of 5:15/K, and then after that I did five sets of alternate runs of one minute of slow jogging and another minute of fast run.
The detail of tonight's session is as follows:
2.5 K: 13:03.23
Alternate runs: 10:13.09
Cool down: 1:13.81
Total 4.5 K: 24:30.04
Friday, April 28, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
7.5 K Pace Run
I ran 7.5 K after work at my new full marathon target pace of 5:15/K.
The details are as follows:
1st 2.5 K: 13:13.85
2nd 2.5 K: 13:04.84
3rd 2.5 K: 12:21.84
Total 7.5 K: 38:40.53.
I feel so refreshed that I'm sure I will sleep like a baby after taking a quick shower.
Tomorrow I have a corporate seminar in Takadanobaba.
I cannot wait to meet my audience.
The details are as follows:
1st 2.5 K: 13:13.85
2nd 2.5 K: 13:04.84
3rd 2.5 K: 12:21.84
Total 7.5 K: 38:40.53.
I feel so refreshed that I'm sure I will sleep like a baby after taking a quick shower.
Tomorrow I have a corporate seminar in Takadanobaba.
I cannot wait to meet my audience.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
On Writing
Writing is an indispensable part of my life both professionally and in my private life also.
I write because I want to. But I didn't use to enjoy writing in the past mainly because I was pathetically poor at it. Years passed, and over the course of time, I've been lucky enough to develop decent ability to write fairly long essays on various topics and sometimes even fun short stories.
Two things helped me. One, I read a lot. I owe the development of my writing skills to three writers, one British, and the other two Japanese. They are William Somerset Maugham, Yukio Mishima, and Ryu Murakami.
From Maugham I have learned condensed expression of reality with effective use of abstract nouns.
From Mishima I have learned metaphors and humors.
From Murakami I have learned insight into human nature.
They are intertwined in my mind like a multi-colored thread, and put to use effectively when I churn out passages.
As I become better at writing, I have come to write more often.
Frequent writing has provided me with two benefits.
One, I have become capable of thinking and speaking logically. When I say "logically", I have three elements in mind: main message, reason, and examples. When observing and analyzing phenomena both inside and around me, I interpret the world in these terms. This helps facilitate my writing process enormously because I can use the same pattern repeatedly without thinking each time I face a certain interesting phenomenon.
The second benefit is professional. I have become prolific. This is a big advantage in my profession. I am a language teacher. As a language teacher I write syllabuses and design lessons day in and day out. I teach five different levels regularly, and they require different activities. The more advanced the level becomes, the more creative you need to be; very often you must create situations in order to have your students "experience" some imaginary conflicts" so that they can practice overcoming those using the language they are learning.
Anyhow, there is a great excitement in becoming better at something you enjoy doing. But there is also a danger. Unless you have some systematic method of enriching your creative resource, you can easily run out of your stock of expressions.
Right now I have one such method. Every now and then, I get to come across essays on topics I like that are far beyond my ability of comprehension. They are often written by well-versed essayists with rich vocabulary. Their vocabulary is so extensive that one cursory reading simply baffles me. Wh ifen this happens, I try to do three things. One, I keep myself from consulting a dictionary and read on till the end once. Two, I check difficult vocab as I read it aloud. Three, I read it aloud again and again till it becomes part of me. And finally, I write about it on Blogger or Facebook.
Right now I am reading a featured essay on The Japan Times about Japanese 'ama' divers. I am a skin-diver myself, and I like the topic very much. Picturing the landscape as a well-versed writer depicts beautiful scenery gives me a great pleasure. There are countless unknown words and expressions in the essay, but I am more excited to discover what they mean than frustrated by them.
Hopefully, in a day or two, I will be finished with my intensive reading of the essay about the Japanese pearl divers, I will write a paragraph or two about it.
I write because I want to. But I didn't use to enjoy writing in the past mainly because I was pathetically poor at it. Years passed, and over the course of time, I've been lucky enough to develop decent ability to write fairly long essays on various topics and sometimes even fun short stories.
Two things helped me. One, I read a lot. I owe the development of my writing skills to three writers, one British, and the other two Japanese. They are William Somerset Maugham, Yukio Mishima, and Ryu Murakami.
From Maugham I have learned condensed expression of reality with effective use of abstract nouns.
From Mishima I have learned metaphors and humors.
From Murakami I have learned insight into human nature.
They are intertwined in my mind like a multi-colored thread, and put to use effectively when I churn out passages.
As I become better at writing, I have come to write more often.
Frequent writing has provided me with two benefits.
One, I have become capable of thinking and speaking logically. When I say "logically", I have three elements in mind: main message, reason, and examples. When observing and analyzing phenomena both inside and around me, I interpret the world in these terms. This helps facilitate my writing process enormously because I can use the same pattern repeatedly without thinking each time I face a certain interesting phenomenon.
The second benefit is professional. I have become prolific. This is a big advantage in my profession. I am a language teacher. As a language teacher I write syllabuses and design lessons day in and day out. I teach five different levels regularly, and they require different activities. The more advanced the level becomes, the more creative you need to be; very often you must create situations in order to have your students "experience" some imaginary conflicts" so that they can practice overcoming those using the language they are learning.
Anyhow, there is a great excitement in becoming better at something you enjoy doing. But there is also a danger. Unless you have some systematic method of enriching your creative resource, you can easily run out of your stock of expressions.
Right now I have one such method. Every now and then, I get to come across essays on topics I like that are far beyond my ability of comprehension. They are often written by well-versed essayists with rich vocabulary. Their vocabulary is so extensive that one cursory reading simply baffles me. Wh ifen this happens, I try to do three things. One, I keep myself from consulting a dictionary and read on till the end once. Two, I check difficult vocab as I read it aloud. Three, I read it aloud again and again till it becomes part of me. And finally, I write about it on Blogger or Facebook.
Right now I am reading a featured essay on The Japan Times about Japanese 'ama' divers. I am a skin-diver myself, and I like the topic very much. Picturing the landscape as a well-versed writer depicts beautiful scenery gives me a great pleasure. There are countless unknown words and expressions in the essay, but I am more excited to discover what they mean than frustrated by them.
Hopefully, in a day or two, I will be finished with my intensive reading of the essay about the Japanese pearl divers, I will write a paragraph or two about it.
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Upper Body Home Workout
Between April and mid August I almost never join any serious running races,
except for a couple of fun relay events where my friends need a runner and I pitch in. But just because I don't run races doesn't mean that I don't run for training. In fact, I do things that I don't usually do during race season.
For example, I do a lot of upper body exercise. Apparently, it can create a big problem for long-distance running, because muscle in your upper body is simply extra weight. Nonetheless, I do train it because it simply feels good to have your upper body pumped up in hot season because you get out in T-shirt most of the time.
If you want to get a glimpse of what I do to build my upper body,
please click the link below and watch my fitness video on You Tube.
You can see some good exercise you can do from hom.e
https://goo.gl/34DDge
Though I said that extra weight in your upper body is a disadvantage,
it's not necessarily entirely so. Because when you run with a slightly heavier upper body, it puts extra resistance to your legs, so the whole running training now becomes something like a weighted run. You can build strong legs by carrying extra weight. So that's another reason why I do something that apparently goes against maximizing benefit in long-distance running.
The first race in my race season 2017-2018 is in mid September: Kyoho no Oka 20 K Road Race. I will have been most built by then. And then from that race on, I train my upper body less and less, slowing shaving off my upper body muscle while focusing my entire attention on strengthening cardio and legs.
I'm not sure it works for other people, but it does for me.
except for a couple of fun relay events where my friends need a runner and I pitch in. But just because I don't run races doesn't mean that I don't run for training. In fact, I do things that I don't usually do during race season.
For example, I do a lot of upper body exercise. Apparently, it can create a big problem for long-distance running, because muscle in your upper body is simply extra weight. Nonetheless, I do train it because it simply feels good to have your upper body pumped up in hot season because you get out in T-shirt most of the time.
If you want to get a glimpse of what I do to build my upper body,
please click the link below and watch my fitness video on You Tube.
You can see some good exercise you can do from hom.e
https://goo.gl/34DDge
Though I said that extra weight in your upper body is a disadvantage,
it's not necessarily entirely so. Because when you run with a slightly heavier upper body, it puts extra resistance to your legs, so the whole running training now becomes something like a weighted run. You can build strong legs by carrying extra weight. So that's another reason why I do something that apparently goes against maximizing benefit in long-distance running.
The first race in my race season 2017-2018 is in mid September: Kyoho no Oka 20 K Road Race. I will have been most built by then. And then from that race on, I train my upper body less and less, slowing shaving off my upper body muscle while focusing my entire attention on strengthening cardio and legs.
I'm not sure it works for other people, but it does for me.
Monday, April 24, 2017
5 K Jog + Interval Training
Today is my regular day off.
I slept late at a hotel in Yokohama, strolled along the Isezakicho Mall,
had lunch at Nepalese restaurant Safari in Kannnai,
and had dinner at steak restaurant Pepper Lunch in Sakuragicho.
Having fully charged my body's batteries,
I hit the road after coming home.
I jogged 5 K for warm-up,
and after that did alternate runs for twenty minutes.
The latter is a kind of interval training.
You jog for one minute and run fast the following one minute.
I did it ten sets today.
Together with the 5 K jog that preceded it,
I ran about 9 K in 44:48.50.
The details of today's training are as follows:
1st 2.5 K: 12:41.72
2nd 2.5 K: 12:05.31
Interval training: 20:01.47
Total 9 K: 44.48.50
Ever since I ran Sakura Asahi Kenko Marathon 2017 on March 26,
I haven't run farther than 9 K.
This is mainly because my focus is on running form.
The past running season brought me a new running experience.
The most important element in the change is shoes:
split-toe minimalist running shoes MUTEKI.
The shoes have allowed me to acquire something called "Nanba Souhou"
where forward movement is created not so much by the kick of your leg, but rather by the shift of your weight.
The biggest benefit of this running form is that energy loss is minimum,
so there is a big advantage when the distance is long.
In fact, the benefit is proven in a short distance race.
200M finalist Shingo Suetsugu got a bronze medal in IAAF
World Championships in Athletics in Paris
by running in Nanba Souhou.
I watched his documentary, and have learned
that two factors are important in getting most out of this strategy.
One, you move forward not by the kick but by the shift of weight.
Two, you land on the whole of your sole to maximize repulsive force.
When I ran tonight, I did my best to adjust my form to realize what I learned from the video.
It seems hard to know if you are doing the right thing or not.
But in fact you can fairly easily tell that.
When you are doing the right thing, you feel light,
and you continue to feel light throughout the entire fast run session in the alternate runs.
On the other hand, when something is off, you can easily get exhausted.
It was my first time to combine regular running and interval training.
I would usually do either one of them, and not both.
But I kind of like it.
Sometimes you don't feel motivated enough to do a 50-minute interval session,
but still want to do something focusing on speed.
But you also want to run a certain distance at a steady pace that's not too challenging.
What I did today answers both of these needs.
I may do it more often during my off season.
I slept late at a hotel in Yokohama, strolled along the Isezakicho Mall,
had lunch at Nepalese restaurant Safari in Kannnai,
and had dinner at steak restaurant Pepper Lunch in Sakuragicho.
Having fully charged my body's batteries,
I hit the road after coming home.
I jogged 5 K for warm-up,
and after that did alternate runs for twenty minutes.
The latter is a kind of interval training.
You jog for one minute and run fast the following one minute.
I did it ten sets today.
Together with the 5 K jog that preceded it,
I ran about 9 K in 44:48.50.
The details of today's training are as follows:
1st 2.5 K: 12:41.72
2nd 2.5 K: 12:05.31
Interval training: 20:01.47
Total 9 K: 44.48.50
Ever since I ran Sakura Asahi Kenko Marathon 2017 on March 26,
I haven't run farther than 9 K.
This is mainly because my focus is on running form.
The past running season brought me a new running experience.
The most important element in the change is shoes:
split-toe minimalist running shoes MUTEKI.
The shoes have allowed me to acquire something called "Nanba Souhou"
where forward movement is created not so much by the kick of your leg, but rather by the shift of your weight.
The biggest benefit of this running form is that energy loss is minimum,
so there is a big advantage when the distance is long.
In fact, the benefit is proven in a short distance race.
200M finalist Shingo Suetsugu got a bronze medal in IAAF
World Championships in Athletics in Paris
by running in Nanba Souhou.
I watched his documentary, and have learned
that two factors are important in getting most out of this strategy.
One, you move forward not by the kick but by the shift of weight.
Two, you land on the whole of your sole to maximize repulsive force.
When I ran tonight, I did my best to adjust my form to realize what I learned from the video.
It seems hard to know if you are doing the right thing or not.
But in fact you can fairly easily tell that.
When you are doing the right thing, you feel light,
and you continue to feel light throughout the entire fast run session in the alternate runs.
On the other hand, when something is off, you can easily get exhausted.
It was my first time to combine regular running and interval training.
I would usually do either one of them, and not both.
But I kind of like it.
Sometimes you don't feel motivated enough to do a 50-minute interval session,
but still want to do something focusing on speed.
But you also want to run a certain distance at a steady pace that's not too challenging.
What I did today answers both of these needs.
I may do it more often during my off season.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Another 5 K Run After Work
I ran 5 K tonight.
This time at a slightly faster pace than yesterday.
I'm staying over night tomorrow in Kokura, Kyushu
to get ready for a corporate seminar that starts at 9:15 am on the following morning. I don't think I can make time for a run there. So I decided to hit the road now.
I basically ran the same route as the one I ran yesterday.
But I make a minor change. I avoided several corners near my house, and took a straight road. This allowed me to keep a fast pace without slowing down at the corners. I enjoyed cranking up the pace along the straight.
I ran the first 2.5 K in 12:20.26, and the next in 11:35.06
to cover total 5 K in 23.55.32.
This time at a slightly faster pace than yesterday.
I'm staying over night tomorrow in Kokura, Kyushu
to get ready for a corporate seminar that starts at 9:15 am on the following morning. I don't think I can make time for a run there. So I decided to hit the road now.
I basically ran the same route as the one I ran yesterday.
But I make a minor change. I avoided several corners near my house, and took a straight road. This allowed me to keep a fast pace without slowing down at the corners. I enjoyed cranking up the pace along the straight.
I ran the first 2.5 K in 12:20.26, and the next in 11:35.06
to cover total 5 K in 23.55.32.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
5 K Jog After Work
I jogged 5 K after coming from work.
I ran the usual 2.5 K circular course twice.
The last lap was 12:56.58.
The second was 12.10.11.
I felt great after the run.
I'm going to to do some hill sprints tomorrow morning
if I feel strong enough.
I ran the usual 2.5 K circular course twice.
The last lap was 12:56.58.
The second was 12.10.11.
I felt great after the run.
I'm going to to do some hill sprints tomorrow morning
if I feel strong enough.
Friday, April 14, 2017
Alternate Runs: [1-Minute Jog + 1-Minute Fast Run] by 10 Sets
I ran for twenty minutes after work today,
because I was just in the mood to.
I had a very productive day, getting a lot done
both in private life and at work,
and I wanted to do something that I like
just to reward myself for all the jobs well-done.
I did alternate runs today.
A slow jog seemed to monotonous.
It was too late to do major interval training;
I have an early start tomorrow.
So I decided to do something in between.
In alternate run you jog for a minute,
and run fast for another minute,
and repeat this cycle all together ten times.
Lactic acid started building up in my legs
around the sixth set.
I knew it because my legs started feeling heavy.
But I recovered while doing the following three sets,
and in the last set I finished fairly strongly.
I'm glad I did the training.
My mind is totally refreshed.
But physically I'm so exhausted.
I am ready to sleep like a baby.
One more day to go, and then I have two days off.
I've got some exciting plans lined up for the weekend.
Cannot wait.
because I was just in the mood to.
I had a very productive day, getting a lot done
both in private life and at work,
and I wanted to do something that I like
just to reward myself for all the jobs well-done.
I did alternate runs today.
A slow jog seemed to monotonous.
It was too late to do major interval training;
I have an early start tomorrow.
So I decided to do something in between.
In alternate run you jog for a minute,
and run fast for another minute,
and repeat this cycle all together ten times.
Lactic acid started building up in my legs
around the sixth set.
I knew it because my legs started feeling heavy.
But I recovered while doing the following three sets,
and in the last set I finished fairly strongly.
I'm glad I did the training.
My mind is totally refreshed.
But physically I'm so exhausted.
I am ready to sleep like a baby.
One more day to go, and then I have two days off.
I've got some exciting plans lined up for the weekend.
Cannot wait.
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Movie Review: "Untouchable" (1987)
"Untouchable" is a 1987 crime drama starring Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro and Andy Garcia.
Without giving too much away, the story is about Treasury agent Eliot Ness played by Kevin Costner. He tries to collapse Al Capone's crime syndicate, but nothing works because the whole city of Chicago is corrupt from top to bottom.
One day he sees a cop on the beat named Jim Malone (played by Sean Connery). Agent Ness sees in Officer Malone pride as a guardian of law, and a flame of commitment to justice still flickering at the bottom of his heart.
Ness asks Malone for help to bring Capone to justice, and Malone agrees only on the condition that Ness himself should also commit fully to the difficult task ahead.
All in all, Director Brian De Palmo, who also directed "Mission Impossible" (1996) later on, has coaxed Oscar-worthy performances from all four main characters mentioned above, and one of them actually did get Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Sean Connery). Kevin Costner and Andy Garcia are still so young and full of vibrancy. And Sean Connery shows an aspect of his talent different from those seen in his 007 role. Robert De Niro's sinister presence and unstoppable arrogance in his role as a Mafia Boss are also worth checking out.
It's a movie worth seeing even 30 years after its first release. If you haven't decided what to do this weekend, you should check it out. If you are a Amazon Prime member, you can see it on your PC with no additional charge.
Without giving too much away, the story is about Treasury agent Eliot Ness played by Kevin Costner. He tries to collapse Al Capone's crime syndicate, but nothing works because the whole city of Chicago is corrupt from top to bottom.
One day he sees a cop on the beat named Jim Malone (played by Sean Connery). Agent Ness sees in Officer Malone pride as a guardian of law, and a flame of commitment to justice still flickering at the bottom of his heart.
Ness asks Malone for help to bring Capone to justice, and Malone agrees only on the condition that Ness himself should also commit fully to the difficult task ahead.
All in all, Director Brian De Palmo, who also directed "Mission Impossible" (1996) later on, has coaxed Oscar-worthy performances from all four main characters mentioned above, and one of them actually did get Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Sean Connery). Kevin Costner and Andy Garcia are still so young and full of vibrancy. And Sean Connery shows an aspect of his talent different from those seen in his 007 role. Robert De Niro's sinister presence and unstoppable arrogance in his role as a Mafia Boss are also worth checking out.
It's a movie worth seeing even 30 years after its first release. If you haven't decided what to do this weekend, you should check it out. If you are a Amazon Prime member, you can see it on your PC with no additional charge.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Reward for a Good Job Done: 200 M by 5 Sets Hill Sprint
I completed a big job yesterday in Nagoya.
I was a two-hour seminar to an audience of 700 people.
Prep for the event was highly stressful,
but once it started rolling,
it turned into a tremendously exciting, and dramatic event.
I was burned out when it was done.
And I wanted something totally physical
in order re-set my mind.
What I chose to achieve this goal this morning
was hill sprint.
I jogged to the venue which is 1.5 K from home,
and did 5 sets of hill sprint over a distance of 200 M.
I jogged back home to cover total 4 K.
The details are as follows:
1.5 K jog: 8:46.16
1st set: 39.09
Rest: 1:47.75
2nd set: 37.91
Rest: 2:08.36
3rd set: 38.18
Rest: 2:00.70
4th set: 38.21
Rest: 2:00.19
5th set: 38.76
1.7 jog: 10:37.20
Total 4 K: 30:32.51
I was a two-hour seminar to an audience of 700 people.
Prep for the event was highly stressful,
but once it started rolling,
it turned into a tremendously exciting, and dramatic event.
I was burned out when it was done.
And I wanted something totally physical
in order re-set my mind.
What I chose to achieve this goal this morning
was hill sprint.
I jogged to the venue which is 1.5 K from home,
and did 5 sets of hill sprint over a distance of 200 M.
I jogged back home to cover total 4 K.
The details are as follows:
1.5 K jog: 8:46.16
1st set: 39.09
Rest: 1:47.75
2nd set: 37.91
Rest: 2:08.36
3rd set: 38.18
Rest: 2:00.70
4th set: 38.21
Rest: 2:00.19
5th set: 38.76
1.7 jog: 10:37.20
Total 4 K: 30:32.51
Friday, April 7, 2017
After Work Reward: 2.5 K Jog
I jogged 2.5 K after coming home from work.
I needed it badly because I did a new seminar today,
and I did it so wholeheartedly
that I was still so excited
that I couldn't immediately go to bed.
I wanted to go blank by doing something purely physical.
Therefore, jogging!
I ran 2.5 K in minimalist split-toe shose MUTEKI.
It took me 12:50.30 to cover the distance.
I enjoyed directly feeling the shock of landing
as the shoes have no cushioning.
The feeling is so great
that I don't think I can go back to running in regular shoes
with cushioning.
It's too civilized, and not for me
who take pride in living simply.
I needed it badly because I did a new seminar today,
and I did it so wholeheartedly
that I was still so excited
that I couldn't immediately go to bed.
I wanted to go blank by doing something purely physical.
Therefore, jogging!
I ran 2.5 K in minimalist split-toe shose MUTEKI.
It took me 12:50.30 to cover the distance.
I enjoyed directly feeling the shock of landing
as the shoes have no cushioning.
The feeling is so great
that I don't think I can go back to running in regular shoes
with cushioning.
It's too civilized, and not for me
who take pride in living simply.
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Karate Training Continues.
I've been doing karate training for four consecutive days.
I do this for the purpose of improving my ability to defend myself
against potential assault, as well as of increasing my explosive power
of both my upper and lower body.
When I did it four days ago, after a long absence of practice,
I was as clumsy as if wearing a turtle shell.
But as I continued, I slowly improved on flexibility
as well as coordination.
The practice this morning was probably the best of four.
I particularly saw my single-legged stability improved
when I tried a series of different kinds of kicks.
It takes about half an hour to go through the basic training of Kyokushin karate
that consists of warm up, punches (with an elbow attack included), defense techniques, hand sword offense techniques, and kicks.
When the whole training is over, I am reasonably out of breath and sweaty to the point where I need to take a shower immediately.
I especially see a clear benefit of doing some unusual kicks
such as 'uchimawashigeri' (内廻し蹴り) and 'sotomawashigeri' (外廻し蹴り).
I do not know the official English name of either of them.
For now let me just call them 'inner windmill kick' and 'outer windmill kick"
respectively.
What I like about them is that both engage the inner and outer thigh.
They are important muscles in running.
They are naturally trained as you run.
But the process is gradually.
But the kicks mentioned above put a significant amount of stress on both the inner and outer thigh.
It is a very good off-season training for running.
It's like killing two birds with one stone.
You can improve your defensive competence.
And you can strength the muscles that you are going to use in full swing
once the race season begins this coming September.
I would like to carry on with this new habit of mine.
I do this for the purpose of improving my ability to defend myself
against potential assault, as well as of increasing my explosive power
of both my upper and lower body.
When I did it four days ago, after a long absence of practice,
I was as clumsy as if wearing a turtle shell.
But as I continued, I slowly improved on flexibility
as well as coordination.
The practice this morning was probably the best of four.
I particularly saw my single-legged stability improved
when I tried a series of different kinds of kicks.
It takes about half an hour to go through the basic training of Kyokushin karate
that consists of warm up, punches (with an elbow attack included), defense techniques, hand sword offense techniques, and kicks.
When the whole training is over, I am reasonably out of breath and sweaty to the point where I need to take a shower immediately.
I especially see a clear benefit of doing some unusual kicks
such as 'uchimawashigeri' (内廻し蹴り) and 'sotomawashigeri' (外廻し蹴り).
I do not know the official English name of either of them.
For now let me just call them 'inner windmill kick' and 'outer windmill kick"
respectively.
What I like about them is that both engage the inner and outer thigh.
They are important muscles in running.
They are naturally trained as you run.
But the process is gradually.
But the kicks mentioned above put a significant amount of stress on both the inner and outer thigh.
It is a very good off-season training for running.
It's like killing two birds with one stone.
You can improve your defensive competence.
And you can strength the muscles that you are going to use in full swing
once the race season begins this coming September.
I would like to carry on with this new habit of mine.
Monday, April 3, 2017
Kyokushin Basic Training
I started basic training of Kyokushin Karate.
It's more accurate to say I re-started it,
because I used to do it in full swing in my mid twenties,
and ever since then I have been doing it every now and then.
Anyway, it'd been quite awhile since I did it last.
Upper body training was a breeze.
But the kicks!
Oh, I couldn't believe how much I had lost flexibility.
It's going to take a while to bring my lower body strength, stability and flexibility back to a decent level .
I am going to make the basic training, both upper and lower body,
my new morning routine for weekdays.
Let's see how my mindbody will transform.
To see the details of the training, please see the You Tube video below
that was shot a few years ago.
↓
https://goo.gl/jUJlf6
It's more accurate to say I re-started it,
because I used to do it in full swing in my mid twenties,
and ever since then I have been doing it every now and then.
Anyway, it'd been quite awhile since I did it last.
Upper body training was a breeze.
But the kicks!
Oh, I couldn't believe how much I had lost flexibility.
It's going to take a while to bring my lower body strength, stability and flexibility back to a decent level .
I am going to make the basic training, both upper and lower body,
my new morning routine for weekdays.
Let's see how my mindbody will transform.
To see the details of the training, please see the You Tube video below
that was shot a few years ago.
↓
https://goo.gl/jUJlf6
Sunday, April 2, 2017
Hill Sprint: 200 M by 5 Sets
I did hill sprint today. It was a first training session after Sakura Kenko Marathon 2017 on March 26. I jogged to a 200 M hill about a kilometer down a straight road from home. It is located at the end of so-called the water-pipe road that has a long water pipe running along it underground.
Today's result is as follows:
1.5 K jog: 10:58.85
1st 200 M uphill sprint: 36.67
200 M downhill jog: 2:13.58
2nd 200 M uphill sprint: 39.84
200 M downhill jog: 2:30.40
3rd 200 M uphill sprint : 40.01
200 M downhill jog: 2:29.93
4th 200 M uphill sprint: 39.06
200 M downhill jog: 2:34.87
5th 200 M uphill sprint: 40.71
1.5 K jog: 12:04.12
Total 4 K: 36:08.04
Toward the end of the 5th round I felt my legs getting heavier.
It takes less than 30 minutes to bring yourself to this level of exhaustion.
That's the power of hill sprints.
I highly recommend it to those who want to improve their cardio,
but who don't have time to go to a gym, nor any fitness equipment at home.
Today's result is as follows:
1.5 K jog: 10:58.85
1st 200 M uphill sprint: 36.67
200 M downhill jog: 2:13.58
2nd 200 M uphill sprint: 39.84
200 M downhill jog: 2:30.40
3rd 200 M uphill sprint : 40.01
200 M downhill jog: 2:29.93
4th 200 M uphill sprint: 39.06
200 M downhill jog: 2:34.87
5th 200 M uphill sprint: 40.71
1.5 K jog: 12:04.12
Total 4 K: 36:08.04
Toward the end of the 5th round I felt my legs getting heavier.
It takes less than 30 minutes to bring yourself to this level of exhaustion.
That's the power of hill sprints.
I highly recommend it to those who want to improve their cardio,
but who don't have time to go to a gym, nor any fitness equipment at home.
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