Wooden Dummy for Dummies!

Welcome to Structureland! 

(Where anything is possible if you have the correct angles! Only your footwork sets the limit!)

Today it was Wooden Dummy seminar at WT Center with Dai Sifu. So nice to get the chance of a thorough run-trough of the Muk Yan Chong, the Wing Tsun Dummy Form. Sifu explained the basics of this intriguing form. For instance pointing out that the Wooden Dummy is a piece of wood, it is NOT a Chi-Sau training tool. Do NOT stick to the arms.

Dai Sifu presenting the Wooden Dummy for dummies. As he eloquently put it: 

"MYC teaches and corrects positions and coordination of hands and footwork. Although some toughening and conditioning of the arms is an outcome of training on the Dummy, that is not the purpose.

Do NOT strike the Dummy full force! 

Each movement on the Dummy is separate and must be completed and felt as separate movements. 

Do NOT speed through the form."

There was also time for some serious applications:

As with the other forms MYC is a collection of ideas, techniques and suggestions - some connected to the Siu-Nim-Tao and Chum-Kiu, others to the Biu Jee.

Kettlebells continiued

Sitting down now after an intense workout that began 11 'o clock with one hour jogging around the lakes in central Copenhagen. I can't remember if it's three or four of them right now, but they are quite impressive.  And the chestnut-trees are all green and full of leaves. Nice!

When I had conquered the lakes I ran to WT Center where I swinged kettlebells and other heavy items for one hour, togheter with Charlotte. A lot of stretching and a proteindrink to finish with. 

Now I will relax with a cup of dark black coffee, some dark chocolate and Anne Rice's novel "Merrick". 

Also looking forward to the Wooden Dummy seminar tomorrow at 12.00! Welcome to StructureLand!

The challenge from 1755

I have access to 250 year old training-equipement, right here in the apartement where i live:

The challenge: to be able to do 10 chin-ups without assistance before Summercamp 2008! 

Kettlebells

It will be very interesting to see if I can get up from the bed tomorrow. Did my first kettlebell workout today. My body is completely wasted, in a way that feels strangely pleasant. The training is called "Hardcore" at WT Center, and it was extremely fun. It also builds the kind of strength you need as a martial artist, focusing on hips, stomach and back, the core of the body. Shaped like a cannon ball with a handle, kettlebells at first seem more cumbersome than dumbbells. The weight of dumbbells is evenly distributed and doesn’t force grip strength, but the bottom-heavy Kettlebells are designed to hang down and move ‘ballistically,’ requiring the use of more stabilizing muscles, the way the body was meant to move. In effect, you build functional strength.

I will try to attend tuesday and thursdays from now on, and document the changes in my body. Already after today I feel so much more powerful, maybe because I awakened muscles I did'nt even know I have?

Sisters of Mercy

Time to RUN!

Nice weather, a lot of energy, a lot of training, little time for the computer and writing in my blog. I just love my new joggingshoes from Asics and use them as often as I can, to jog around in Copenhagen. And with some nice music in the Ipod, Sisters of Mercy's album "Vision Thing", and some Nightwish: