Training Log: Entry 3320

Slept until about 0730, got up and got in some very slow squats and push ups.  Back is super stiff and this illness is most likely viral, as it hits me hardest at the morning and evening.

Had a fantastic breakfast, walked both dogs a short distance, got some burger patties from Culver's for lunch, and then got in some mat pulls when we got home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNinka7dEF8

I really had ZERO expectations coming into this, since my back was so tender, but it looks like I'm still able to perform on demand.  The 13 reps this week were easier than last week.  I most likely could have pulled more reps if I wanted to do some hard hitching and grinding, but since I had my Tang Soo Do test a few hours after this, I decided to be safe.  Ended up going 13+5+4x425 from 5 mats.

Rested up enough for said Tang Soo Do test.  I was feeling better, but still ill, and it showed, because I completely sweat through my dobak in the first portion of the test.

We have a physical testing requirement to start off.  At my rank, they're 35 push ups (elbows tucked to the side), 35 sit ups, and 35 jumping jacks.  If you do them slapass, they're a cakewalk, but if you actually put some rep quality into them, it can be challenging.  After that was an hour of basics, and that was pretty brutal, but we had one student fallout and I wasn't that student, so I was happy with that.

From there, one-step self defense.  Paired up with the Valkyrie.  My head was spinning and I was making some simple mistakes, but I played it cool enough that it wasn't obvious.

After that was forms/hyungs/kata (depending on your region).  I put max effort into this.  I was still pouring sweat as well, and I lost my voice during the basics, so I was letting out some very horse kiais.  

From here was sparring.  Just did a round with the Valkryie, and then a 2-on-1 against here and our senior student, then we put the shoe on the other foot.  I did well on the 2-on-1: all about space management.

From here was board breaking.  I went with an upset knifehand for my hand technique, as it's my "steak and eggs" of hand techniques on a board break.  It looks cool and challenging and I can do it in my sleep.  For the kick, I went with a challenge: a spin axe kick.  I'm something of an axe kick meme in sparring, as I like to pretend I'm Andy Hug while no one else cares to use them, so I figured I'd give it a go. My instructor had legit never seen anyone do it before, so that was cool.  Nailed them both on the first try.  From there, 2 hours of testing was done.

Picked up BBQ (half rack of ribs for me, on top of those ribs I had yesterday, it's been 2 good days in a row) and settling in for the evening.  I'm sick, exhausted, broken, bruised, forgotten, sore, and couldn't be happier.  Super proud of my family.  My kid and Valkyrie both nailed their board breaks and both picked some challenging techniques.  We're rocking this.