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Training Log July 25- July 31, 2010

Friday July 30
morning:
Tai chi:
warm-ups
Wu Style Long form

Afternoon:
Muay Thai/Boxing:
running, hopping, skip, push ups,
Drilling punches:
jab-cross
hooks
upper cuts
running, sideways in, sideways out.

partner drills- gloves and shin guards. (3 n 3)
1. receive rt kick to left thigh, return with 3. (any 3, punches,kicks- round/push).
2. receive rt kick to left thigh, return with 3, take any two (partner does- jab-cross, jab- rt. kick, left kick-cross, etc).
3. block rt.kick and any round kick to any 4 side- left thigh or leftbody, rt. thigh, rt. body.
4. block rt. kick, return kick, opponent counter kick, any 3. (any 3, punches,kicks- round/push).
5. kick catch- move toward the side. left and right sides.
6. brush knee opponent left push kick- return with cross.
7. brush knee opponent left push kick- return with low sweep kick.
8. brush knee opponent left push kick- return with cross or low sweep kick.
100 jab cross
25 left kick
25 rt. kick

2 min. circle and power rt. round kick
10 hard rt. round kick
2 min. circle and power left switch round kick
10 hard left kicks

30 push ups
30 v-ups
30 jump squats

July 29
morning
washing walking breathing
Tai chi- Yang style.
-warm up set,
-standing set,
-qigong set,
-basics- brush knee, wave hands, repulse.
-closing.

afternoon
Crossfit:
jump rope 5 min.
10 hindu push ups
15 pull ups
25 double unders
25 sit ups
10 dislocates
sampson stretch
WOD: (modified)
50 Thrusters (45#)
50 SDHP

Teach kids class.

July 28
Morning
qigong breathing/washing walk
Hsingyi- 5 elements
Pakua- single palm changes
Taijiquan- Lines- brush knee, part horse, cloud hands, repel monkey.
sitting meditation.

evening:
Boxing with Derek Sierra:
shadow box 3 rounds. 3 min. work 1 min.rest.
focus mitts:
3 min. work 1 minute rest
1. freestyle round
2. jab, lead hook, cross, defend counter.
3. jab lead hook, duck (rt. hook), hook- cross, defend.
4. cover body shot and uppercut. left and right side.

Strength exercises:
plank
v-up
plank
jackknife
plank
opposite elbow/knee jackknife
plank
leg lift
plank
sit up
plank
up elbow- down elbow-push up plank
plank
half sit leg circle 10x both direction
plank
circle low sit ups both directions
plank
low plank push ups

Sunday-July 25
morning- Tai Chi form and Push hands.

evening
5 mile running with shadow boxing

July 26-
morning
Hsingyi- 5 elements
Pa-kua- single palm changes 1-8
Taijiquan form
Qigong

Evening
Cross fit:
4 rounds for time:
100 jump rope,
20 push ups,
20 ball slams.

July 27
morning:
Shadow boxing- punches knees
Pa-kua- yin-yang change and shadow boxing punches, kicks, knees.
Hsingyi lines- 5 elements
Taijiquan- Long form.
Meditation: pranayama, concentration drill, lung exercises.

Evening:
5 Rounds for time:
800m run
30 KB Swings (2 poods)
30 Pullups

Lei Tai results July 2010

I am starting to upload some videos I managed to capture. I learned 2 things at my fight. 1#- it takes women longer to understand how to use electronic devices longer than a man, so my fight wasn’t captured on my camera and #2 just keep throwing more punches in bunches.

I did well and i accomplished what i wanted and am satisfied with my performance. what was important to me was that i maintained resilience under pressure and remained in ‘the zone’ using toughness and mental discipline to keep my IPS (Ideal performance self) at its maximum efficient level. I am waiting to hear back from my opponent cause someone on his team has our fight on video. I lost to another “Tai Chi” fighter (Robert Beaver) by decision who also does Shaui Chiao and Chang’s Tai Chi from the Frank DeMaria line. Peaceful Dragon School Really nice people I got to later hang out at the bar.

Other scrappers in my weight class- Middle B, 60.1-65kg upper 143.3 lb, Yellow fighter (Melendez) in first fight won First place in Middle B. Robert Beaver of Peaceful Dragon Tai Chi and Shuai Chiao (Chinese wrestling)- blue fighter second fight.

here is a critique from my fight-

Hi Matt, I saw your fight. You did good. Your grappling skills are good. Your opponent was just physically stronger than you, that made the difference. He also waited for you to commit and then he countered. Next time throw some techniques which only allow you to commit half way so that you can draw your opponent in then you can counter. Remember at the level that you’re fighting at it’s a chess match, most of the guys are going to be as good as you, therefor, you must out think them. Hope to see you do more.

he is right..he wanted me to take the fight to him, i could tell he was waiting so I took the fight to him to be the aggressor (part of the gameplan) i know i should of thrown more punches, my coached warmed me up with some focus mitts, but we concentrated on the take downs. Robert is a nice guy, we are good friends, that was his 8th Lei Tai fight and my first, I plan to do more!

Training journal July 18- July 22

July 18
morning
Tai chi warm ups
Yang short form 2x
10 minute standing.

Noon:
5 mile run with road work and sprinting.
road work:
1. shadow thai boxing
2. wall #1: palm strikes duck
3. pole kicking- double push kicks, side kicks
4. stretching
5. boxing stepping and punching
6. uphill punches and knees
7. wall #2- punch and kick combos
8. stretching
9. 200 abs- sit ups (125), leg raise with neck exercise (50), leg up butt lifts (25)

Afternoon
Boxing-
3 rounds shadow box
focus mitt rounds
1. freestyle. jab-slip, 1-2 duck, 1-2-3 slip, body shot, uppercut.
2. slip, slip, weave left and right- counter punch with cross-hook-cross-hook.
3. slip cross- body hook, cross, hook.
4. take hits from punches- neck tie spin and 4 punches: hook-cross-hook-cross.

strength training: 30 sec each, 15 sec rest.
body blasters,
clap push ups
tuck jumps
alternate arm push ups
v-ups
lunge jumps
back roll jumps
elbow/knee crunches
tuck crunches
push ups
burpies

July 19
Morning:
Yang Long form
Huashan qigong: Crane

Afternoon:
Crossfit:
WOD:
5 Rounds for time of:
400m Run
30 Box Jumps
30 Wall Ball Shots (20#, 14#)

Muay Thai:
Thai pad work freestyle multiple rounds

July 20
morning
Hsingyi lines- 5 elements, tiger, horse, eagle-bear,rooster.
Pakua- fast changes with palm strikes and kicks
Taijiquan- Yang-Wu hybrid long form.

Evening workout
David Carter training:Dave Carter’s Dynamic concepts
running,high knees, butt kicks
bear crawls, reverse bear crawls, judo push ups,
T-push ups, twisters, scorpions, spider push ups,
Abs- leg outs, criss cross, back rolls
running, step slides, sideways with double and triple jabs
punch work:
1. high low high jab cross
2. jab, cross (crouch) long upper cut, cross
3. hooks- high low, low high
4. upper cuts
5. Spin drill and shadow box- work on round kick and side kick combo
6. shadow box
clinch work-
1. pummeling
2. pummeling and toss using swing step off the opponent push
3. pummeling and punching- leg, rib, around head
4. bicep hold and tie up- grab leg and throw via either leg raise and trip or hip throw.
5. pummeling and tie-up to head/ear control- knee-kick-punch
Sparring- carter rounds: switching partner when Carter say so. 15 minutes.
post workout:
3 rounds Thai pad work with throws- 2 minute work 45 sec rest(control center of ring)
-work on right kick- grab leg and throw, push out of ring, attack, move off line of attack,push kicks.
2 rounds- kick work only,push kicks, round kicks, side kicks, etc.

July 21
morning
Hsingyi lines- 5 elements fists
Pakuachang- Cheng style form: fast palm changes and stepping.

afternoon:
Track workout:
400m run 4x
stretches
other- inside, outside, straight stretch kicks, lunges, high knees, butt kicks, karokes, etc.
3x conditioning circuits for time: horse stance jumps, sprint, push ups,sprint, burpies, mt. climbers, sprint, push ups, sprints.
9x wind sprints
ABS- 50 sit ups, 20 side bends, 50 leg lifts.

July 22-
morning
Ba dua jin
hsingyi 5 elements
pakua- 8 animal with fast snake stepping
taijiquan- long form

Evening-at Novamma
Modified Crossfit-
jump rope
heavy bag
speed bag
uppercut bag
abs- bench sit ups
10 x Bear complex 95#
- Power Clean
- Front Squat
- Push Press
- Back Squat
- Push Press

-teach kids class
focus jujitsu: kimura, americana, key lock day

sparring class: Novamma with Dave carter of www.dc-athlete.com
15 minutes strength conditioning warm ups:
running, high knees, butt kicks, skip, lunge, bear crawls, reverse, scorpions, v-ups, roll-ups, twisters, etc.
two person: row, arm push ups, lift ups
tie-ups:
1. a.14 control points- head, ear, jaw, nose, shoulder , bicep, tricept, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, fingers, toes
b. neck conditioning drill with pull resist
2. head tie up- crown/ear with swing step toss
3. pummeling, switching persons
4. bicep drill- similar to wave hands controlling inside of bicep
5. bicep drill to counter punches
6. overhook/underhook with swing step toss- head/ear control- knee/kick/single leg
7. from clinch- take head control, head into opponent jaw/ bicep grab and knee.
8. from clinch- dirty box: shoulder bump head up- reach around and head/ear control- knee or kick/take down single leg
9. sparring with tie up and punches/knees
dave carter special for fight:
1. from tie up: pak-upperhook- and bicep control side pass and throw
2. from clinch- punch to ribs, when they move arm, under hook, side pass throw, single leg or knee
3. special attention to the lat throw vs back throw
4. three shadow boxing rounds with kicks and take downs
5. focus mitts: 3 fight rounds, with punching, kicks, tie-ups.

Training log for July 11-July 17 2010

found a really good Lei Tai competitor when searching google on ‘Lei Tai fighting’ and made a new friend Arlanzo Harper, this guy has a really aggressive, fast and furious fighting style. Quite inspirational: Yellow fighter.

Training log for July:

July 11
5 mile run
stretching
Taijiquan

July 12]
morning
100 push ups,
100 sit ups,
100 squats.
Taijiquan

afternoon
20 min. sauna 5 min. steam room
healthy dinner

9 round boxing workout 3min work 1 min. rest
1. shadow box- speed
2. shadow box- power
3. shadow box- speed w/kicks
4. rope line- bob n weave
5. rope line- add uppercuts
6. rope line- add jab cross
7. jump rope- modified- jumping and punching w/resistance bands
8. jump rope- modified- jumping and punching w/hand weights
9. jump rope- modified- jumping and punching/kicking w/hand weights

sitting meditation

July 13
morning:
running 400m
Crossfit: 10 rounds for time
1 round is:
10 deadlifts 135lb.
10 burpies.
total 100 deadlifts and burpies each.
afterwards
running- 400m

afternoon training:
Dave Carter teaches Muay thai, tie-ups, and sparring
warm-ups: running, high knees, butt kicks, side ways, karokes, wind shield wipers,
swing push ups, spider push ups, twisters, cherry pickers, step slide, side step slide, side step slid with jabs, changing directions quickly.

fight stance form:
-jab cross punching
-hooks
-jab cross hook cross repeat
-long box- jab cross body hook-head hook cross
-long box- jab cross upper cut cross
-Shadow box with everything
-spin dizzy drill and shadow box
-left high push kick drill (focus: opponent push off lei tai)
-round kick side kick (focus: opponent push off lei tai)
Tie-up drills:
1. one arm neck clinch control drill
2. inside palm push to one arm clinch and return clinch drill
3. thai neck tie: rise up and turn shoulder
4. Carter haymaker anti-clinch
5. 1/2 neck 1/2 bicep clinch-
a. if opponent body punch: use the side neck and knee body/legs.
b. if opponent high hooks: move under hook, body lock and throw.
6. ‘kung fu’ clinch: push the elbow, under hook, control head and ear andknee/kick head

Sparring-
4 rounds of combined close range punching, body sparring, clinch, and take downs in small area.

July 14
Cross fit
5 rounds for time:
400m run
15 ring dips

July 15
morning
deep breathing walking
Xingyiquan 5 element lines
Pakuachang- combat circling- 1. circle-palm strikes, kicks, circle 2. circle- kick, palm strikes, circle.
Taijiquan- Yang long form
Meditation- concentration drill, Lung exercises, tan tien breathing.

evening
Sparring

July 16
morning
deep breathing qigong walking
Hsingi- 5 elements, Tiger, eagle-bear, rooster, horse.
Pakua: 1:30 work 30 sec rest 3 rounds pakua shadow fighting:
circle- kick, knee, palm strikes, punch, side kick, throws, circle.
Taiji- Yang short form.
Meditation, patting massage.

afternoon
jogging
3 rounds shadow thai boxing
3 straight rounds kick shield
1. push kick
2. push kick round kick
3. freestyle
break
3 straight rounds kick shield 1:30 work 30 sec rest.
1. push kick
2. push kick round kick
3. freestyle
focus mitts- 4 straight rounds: 2 minute rounds- 45 sec rest.
1. anticipate strikes: jab-duck-cross-hook-cross
2. anticipate strikes: jab-duck-cross-hook-cross
3. same, more freestyle, guard against kicks
4. add more power strikes, defend kicks, anticipate strikes: jab-duck-cross-hook-cross

July 17
morning
stretching
boxing lines
kicking line
teach kids classes (2)

Afternoon
2 crossfit workouts-
warm-up:
jump rope 300x
10 medicine ball squats
10 kettle bell swings
20 situps

WOD #1: 15 minutes, as many rounds as possible.
20 double unders
10 burpies
10 medicine ball squats and double punch
3lb hand weight shadow boxing – forward, back, circle.

WOD #2: for time.
25 kb swings with 24kg
400m run
15 thrusters at 75lb.
800m run
15 thrusters 75lb.
400m run
25 kb swing 24kg.

Mind boxing, Long boxing, Shadow Boxing, Sparring

Morning workout:

-5 elements Hsingyi
-Long fist- kicks- stretch, inside, outside, slap, circle slap
plum flower blocking
bow stance punches,
side kick, snap kick, snap-side kick.
-shadow boxing

Evening:
teach kids class.
Sparring-
running warm up- high knees, butt kicks, falling/rolling, push kick, round kicks.
drill 1- kick drill high or low
drill 2- jab cross hook hook
drill 3- jab sparring
drill 4- 3 attack drill I go, you go.
drill 5- jab sparring
drill 6- 4-6 attack i go, you go.
7-sparring with take downs
8-sparring with take downs
9- sparring with take downs
3 focus mitt rounds- no break
1- jab, cros, jab-cross, counter punch system. last 30 sec. drill jab cross non-stop.
2. add knees. last 30 sec. drill hooks.
3. add kicks. last 30 sec. drill uppercut and body shot.

Lei Tai weekend training- June 19 and 20th

Saturday-

Taught kids class and stretched with them

Afternoon-
12 rounds workout- 3 min. work, 30 sec. rest
1. Shadow box
2. jab, double jab, cross on heavy bag
3. high kick, low kick, push kick round kick on heavy bag
4. upper cut bags work
5. 20 pull ups, 20 box burpies, 30 sit ups
6. shadow box
7. heavy bag all techniques
8. 18 pull ups, 18 box burpies, 30 sit ups
9. heavy bag punching
10. 16 pull ups, 16 box burpies, 30 sit up
11. shadow box kick attacks
12. 14 pull ups, 14 box burpies, 30 sit ups

Track workout:
run 400 m
6 wind sprints (sprint straight away, jog the turns)
boxing plyometric drills- using line on track
hopping left and right,
ski jumping forward and back,
cross leg step forward and backward
rail drill- step, with jab, with jab/cross

sunday morning- 2 minute rounds, 1 minute rest.
Lei tai conditioning and sparring in lei tai gear: head gear and gloves.
1. low kick conditioning 1 and 1 trading low kick block
2. jab cross trade off 1 and 1.
3. high kick drill- trade off high kicks left or right
4. kick counter drill- evade low kick,, return kick
5. jab double leg take down drill, sprawl counter
6. jab- double leg take down with more resistance
7. Throw rounds, work several throws
8. sparring punching and throws
9. sparring
10. sparring

close out: 2 minute rounds
focus mitt- counter punch system- return 4 after cover.
1. counter punch system- drill out last 30 sec with continual jab cross
2. pad holder adds jab, cross, or jab cross and counter punch system, drill out last 30 sec with KO cross.
3. pad holder adds kicks and counter punch system. drill out last 30 sec with upper cuts and body shots.

Sunday Afternoon-

5 mile run

Go see new Karate Kid movie with wifey.

Internal Arts- Neijia recovery Training log 6/16/2010

Morning workout: recovery workout using Neijia arts to cultivate and circulate qi.

walking deep breathing washing qi to ‘bai hui’.
San ti standing left and right.
rise,drill, overturn, fall drill
5 elements- Pi quan- recall all variations (short flat walk, luihe, sichuan)
beng- all variations.
tsuan- all variations.
pao- all variations.
heng- all variations.

ba dua jin-
twist left and right, side pulls, toe touches, bear spine, bear squat,

Pakuachang- single palm form- recall all variations.
1. fan chang, circle fang chang, tien fan chang, standard, standard with FUL (flower under leaf)
pierce palm, reverse palm, coil hand, coil hand low, white snake, palm strike change, adding FUL and Tien fan chang changes.

Fast Taiji Long form- Yang small fast frame/Wu fast frame hybrid form.

closing- patting/slapping massage to arms, legs, back, face, head, neck, body.

Lei Tai Training Journal

summary of last team workout:

5 mile run (optional)
or run track a few times.

3 straight 2 min. rounds in gear: training/sparring- 24 x 24 area.
round 1 – all defense getting hit with focus mitts
round 2- all defense- blast 4 punches
round 3- defense and counter punching system

2 circuit rounds, get under 2 min.
[i]circuit description for that day:[/i]
20 hook-hook *duck* hook-hook punches
run 50 yard dash and 15 push ups
run back 50 yards to start and 20 jab-cross-hook-cross-hook combos
run 50 yard dash and 15 push ups
run back to finish-end.

8 wind sprints
close with Ab work.

Lei Tai agenda

1. 24 x 24 area light spar and pushing opponent off/out platform/area
2. Review throw drills- 4 throws total
3. Focus mitt drills- take a beating from coach with focus mitts.
4. Thai pad kicking drills. *push kick when opponent near edge
5. 5 sec drill/separate.
6. Anti-take down- single change of palm strategy
my old teacher on anti take down with single change of palm:
Anti take down using single change palm

Review contest protocol:
1. Bowing to judges and opponent.
2. No coaching from corner

William CC Chen seminar notes: 5/23/2010.

William CC Chen seminar notes: 5/23/2010

Yesterday’s event was a great eye opener in several areas for myself. We first started the seminar with form instruction. Since everyone there was already familiar with the form, it was more of a discussion on details. Master Chen’s experience and learning through long period of study with Master Cheng Man Ching led him to many insights in which he discussed how his form had changed through time.

The first point of discussion we talked and experienced for ourselves was internal relaxation and sinking. He discussed the importance of really knowing this internal relaxation and use of the hands. He said that the hands had yin and yang. The yin fingers are the ring and pinky while the yang fingers are the thumb, index and middle. For instance- when you open a door your ring fingers touch the door knob, but your yang fingers do the work by twisting the knob.

When beginning the form and raising the arms, the attention moves to the yin fingers while you should experience the internal organs relaxing and naturally sinking while you bend and sink into kua. At this point the shoulders lightly float and open the same way a bird sinks its weight in legs and opens wings and pushes before flight. The body might lean a bit forward but the spine is still straight. This is done unconsciously in many sports as Master Chen demonstrated a tennis player or baseball player unconsciously sink and compress ‘chi’ before striking a ball. The yin fingers help the body to sink and relax (especially in inner thighs) in many of the transitional postures he showed as we went through the form.

Using these point of awareness we went through the form and focuses on points of transitions that use the ‘yin’ parts of palm and the sinking and relaxing feeling and understanding the yang aspects. This was combined with the second part of form discussion on using the big toe and inner thigh muscles when stepping. He discussed not turning the waist but stepping and shifting into the lead leg and allowing the fingers to lead the movement of the body. This stepping with concentration on the big toe and inner thigh created power and compression of ‘chi’ along with a burning in the legs. William Chen said that he didn’t know, but “Tony knows” ….that is- ‘Toe, knee, nose’ all move in coordination. After a studying these stepping and transitions up to the ‘wave hands like clouds’ we began the application portion of the seminar.

William CC Chen discussed his form and the additions of postures from the Yang Long form that were excluded in the more common 37 Yang Short Form. These were Needle at Sea Bottom, Fan Through back, Hit Tiger and Double punch ears. He also showed us a step back and push that Cheng Man Ching would do when he ran out of space practicing form in his living room. William CC Chen included that stepping change in his form instruction.

Here in the application portion we worked with a boxers jab, cross, hook, and upper cut. He teaches the jab by using the weight already transferred into the lead leg and a slight push upward with the lead leg thigh and big toe. The arm is relaxed and extends like handing someone a cup of tea. The yang fingers clinch on impact. He had me hit his hand in a jab and while my arm was relaxed and tensed on contact, the line of power was firm from foot through entire body out to the fist. The mental aspect of punching was based on William saying “ I kill you or I knock you out” when punching. He had us working a stepping forward foot work with this slight raising of weight with the front leg while rear leg almost comes off the ground. We worked this striking on a heavy bag with gloves using jab and straight right punches. The lead leg and big toe had a slightly more inward detail when using Tai chi for punching. He showed the same power connection with the hook punch and showed a combination upper cut-hook from the form with ‘step up to seven stars and ride tiger’; this was a rear upper cut, rear hook application in a quick 1-2 combo. There was a second interesting drill he showed with two people holding gloves up- he quickly hit both of them several times with a whipping motion same as the opening and closing of ‘playing the pipa’. Lastly he showed the yin fingers in use for sinking/ level change or ‘ducking’ to avoid a hook punch faster than mentally trying to bend knees.

Next was the push hands portion of the seminar where we concentrated on 3 main techniques. The first technique was centered around a short but power motion of the elbow slightly lifting up when a partner has his hand sticking to your wrist and arm. The second was if an opponent was using a very strong ‘taiji resistance’ to a push and you simply grab and turn the partners shoulder and waist guiding them toward you and easily tossing them. “Oops I push you” he would say when walking around and showing it to each person effortlessly. The last technique was similar to the expanded ‘embrace posture’ you often see in holding postures in zhaun zhuang and yiquan and it is simply expanding out the arms and not pushing in the sense of pushing we are all too familiar with like a horizontal push for opening a door. He had a phase for this pushing ‘you smell bad get away’ kind of push.

Lastly was the sword portion of the seminar. We went through the entire form section by section using the same stepping drill as we did in empty hand set with the stepping details with sword fingers as leader to turning body and turning over of the sword. After 4 hours of not sitting and th stepping work I really felt a lot of deep muscle work done in the legs.

About Master William CC Chen:
At age 75 he trained in Tai Chi Chuan at a young age with Master Cheng Man Ching in Taiwan China.
He competed Taiwan full contact between 1954 and 1958.
His daughter Tiffany and son Max are both US San Shou team fighters and National champions as well.
more info: Master William CC Chen

training notes 4-25-2010 Lei Tai

Warm up: running.
Shadow boxing.
2.5 lb. weight- step jab, step cross, step jab-cross, step jab cross hook, step jab cross hook cross, step slip-slip.
Line drills- 4 punches 1 kick, 1 kick 4 punches, 3 punches 2 kicks, 2 kicks 3 punches.
Rail drill- step jab, step jab cross.

Heavy bag- 12 rounds
1. Circle right, circle left double jab, work all jab variations.
2. Add cross to all jab variations
3. Add left kick and right kick to above 1 and 2.
4. Jump rope
5. Sit ups, freestyle on bag
6. Jab-cross knees, 1+2+3.
7. 7 drill using: Body hook, head hook, cross, hook, cross, hook, cross.
8. Drill punches, fast kicks for speed- front, side, round.
9. Abs, strength condition.
10. Power round- jab cross, hooks, cross, kicks.
11. Speed round
12. Power and speed round.

Sparring- light sparring, defense drills, 6-8 attacks drill.