This morning, I set a timer for seven minutes for writing. I had exactly ten minutes before I had to clock in for work. As usual, I went outdoors to write.
One hundred is the magic number for me for this month, though for “tricep” style push-ups, sixty is still the magic number for my shodan test (*phew!*)
In the morning, I did sixty tricep push-ups on my knuckles on the floor, then forty “chest” push-ups on the mat. For those, I managed fifteen on my toes before I needed to drop to my knees.
Afterwards, I did one hundred squats, still alternating with punches on every other set as I come up from the squat. I tried to get the punches right, following Sensei’s suggestions from Friday. My first set of squats with punches wasn’t great, but by the second set of those, I did pretty well. I remembered to start in hikite and to draw each fist back after punching. Sometimes I put in a straight punch rather than an uraken shita-uchi, but I normally got in the twist.
At the moment, I hear something behind me that sounds like an animal. Will pause to make sure one of our cats did not get out.
*pause*
It’s not a cat but a squirrel! It sounded much heavier behind my back. Here is my little neighbor:
Back to writing about exercises: I did one hundred sit-ups: two sets of toe-touches, diagonal-abs once, “full” touch-your-toes sit-ups once, and the other sets were what we do in class, that is, sit up from the mat and slap the floor between your feet or next to your feet.
That morning, after writing these things, I was feeing very good about my first day of one hundreds.
During lunch, I did jump-rope intervals, following the work-out posted by Sensei. That cardio workout lasts for fifteen minutes. Afterwards, I ran a few katas. I had to look up Pinan Sono San. I confused it with Yon, I think. That exercise showed me I need to start drilling the Pinan kata.
After work, I felt more in “survival” mode during exercises. For push-ups, I performed sixty “chest” ones on my knuckles and toes, on the floor, though that last set was not terribly low or graceful. Then I switched to “tricep” push-ups on the mat, and went to my knees for the entire forty. I did squats with alternating squat-punches outside on the balcony. Those went more smoothly than push-ups. Back inside, on the mat, I did one hundred lower ab-focused exercises, so toe-touches, leg lifts, dutchmen, bicycles and, just because I apparently like torture, more diagonals. By the time I walked out onto the balcony for flexibility stretches, I felt winded. Flexibility, I admit, is still my weakness, so I make myself do leg stretches every day.
After dinner, I went walking with my husband. My shin splints were punishing, so I tried to keep to the grass in the median rather than the sidewalk. We went to what we call the “figure eight” park. It’s a little exercise park at Hollywood Way and Clark.
Tonight I will read another story from “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.” However, after a busy Monday, I felt a couple Advil and an episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” with the kids was in order.
