On Sunday morning I sparred with Charles for the first time in three weeks and I did embarrassingly bad, so bad I failed to give him much work. This was becauase of my trip. I did three training sessions—just footwork and stretches and got in some walking and hiking. But there were so many things to see out west, and the range so expansive, that you had to drive a whole lot. That and the plane flights, basically left me a gimp by my return, hobbling along with a knotted up hip rotator and no massage therapist good enough to work it out that I can afford.
This will take a few weeks to fix.
Been here.
Been done by this.
One day it will be for good, for keeps.
Not today.
From First to Last Attribute to go in Hand-to-Hand Combat
1. Speed, here today gone tomorrow [Of course, their are many ways to achieve the effect of speed, but raw speed flies away.]
2. Reaction time
3. Eye-hand coordination [which is related to the last one]
4. Anaerobic endurance
5. Aerobic endurance
6. Ability to take punishment
7. Strength [A]
8. Mobility [due to accumulated use injuries] [A]
9. Balance [due to accumulated head injuries] [A]
10. Power—thus far the only one I have not lost. The reason for this is that the things that go directly into functional power are on the other, shorter list of things that keep getting better with age for a fighter.
Notes
A. I lost balance first, then mobility, which, I believe, is atypical.
Whether or not one loses 7, 8 or 9 first, second or third, really has to do with the sport, your injuries, your level of medical care and your attention to therapeutic training.
Twerps, Goons and Meatshields: The Basics of Full Contact Stick-Fighting
The Punishing Art
You should try this. "Miss Craig's 21-Day Shape-Up Program for Men and Women: A Plan of Natural Movement Exercises for Anyone in Search of a Trim and Healthy Body". Millions and millions sold. You can get a copy for a penny and postage. It's a sissy exercise book but really good. It stretches every part of your body. I don't do these all the time now but I have and after about six months or so you get amazing results. I sat down in a chair and you know how we tend to slouch. I noticed I was sitting perfectly straight. Like you would see in a proper posture book. I tried to slouch and IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE.
amazon.com/Craigs-21-Day-Shape-Up-Program-Women/dp/0394409930
Here's the other one 5BX.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5BX
Formulated by scientist for air crews stuck in limited spaces. Free download.
campbellmgold.com/archive_health/5bx_cmg.pdf
Don't scoff at Mrs. Craig's plan because it doesn't seem macho. There's lymph nodes that remove waste in the body you have to have movement of the limbs to clear these out so you're pumping waste out of the body doing these. It's kind a Western Wo Fong Kong or whatever that Chinese exercise is.