Rehab

And no no, not the Alcoholic Kind.

I'm talking about my shoulder rehab. After the surgery, I was faithful to my Physical Therapist who worked on me. I still love her saying, "This is going to hurt you more than it's gonna hurt me..." True. I had great improvement on my range of motion. She and her intern were a great team working on me. I think it greatly improved my healing time and range of motion. I stayed away from really strenuous activity and started swimming.

Swimming has really helped heal my shoulder as I can vary the resistance with the fluid. My shoulder is supported and it's helped me stretch. Doing it by myself also helped me push it at the right level. I also took it very easy. I think it has helped a lot in the healing process.

Anyways, I'll be back, and adding more things to keep my fat ass from growing.

That's it for now.

Shoulder Labrum Repair (with pictures)

The pictures are graphic. So warning.

The surgery went well. I'm recovering at the moment and then go onto Physical Therapy.

SLAP Tear!

So it's a SLAP Tear.

Had an MRI done today.

Here's the extract from the report:

1. SLAP Tear.
2. Mild articular surface fraying at the insertion of the super status. No full thickness rotator cuff tear.
3. Suspected humeral avulsion of the glenohumeral ligament (HAGL), as evidenced by contrast extravasation through the axillary recess along the medial humeral neck and inferior subscapularis.

I am not a doctor, so I really don't have a deep understanding what the above passage meant.

Basically, something is torn. It needs to be fixed. It doesn't heal by itself and could get progressively worse.

So. I'm an engineer by training. Usually if you have a bearing or a joint fail, you renew or refurbish said bearing or joint.

Since I can't order a new SLAP from the OEM, I will have surgery on 27 OCT 2009 to fix the tear.

X - Rays!

Well, I went to get my shoulder looked at today. The X-Rays came back and well, it's not the bone at least.

It may be the Rotator Cuff or something else that the Doctor mentioned, it had a specific medical sounding name, but I forgot it.

So I have an MRI scheduled on Wednesday. Just gotta sit and wait, in the meantime. Rest and Ice.

Miracle Diet

I saw this video from a friend of mine. A little Friday Funny.

There is a little disclaimer... at the end. Although at the rate that my fat ass is still growing this diet may not hurt at all.

Shoulder....

From: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19623.htm

That's a picture. Basically I like pictures, I'm a visual person.

Anyways, I called up the Sports Medicine Clinic at Northgate and they've got me an appointment at 8:30 in the morning on Saturday. We will see how it goes. Apparently, I was there for my right shoulder awhile back when the receptionist quickly pulled up my record.

It feels a bit better, but I'm not competing in the Rainier Cup this weekend. Mainly because: 1 it's hard to get a medical appointment with a good doctor, and 2. My shoulder still hurts, and competing in a local tournament while hurt doesn't really do me any good. Now if I was Olympic Caliber or World Championships, that's one thing, but I'm a recreational player, doing this stuff for fun. I just want my shoulder to heal up fast so that I can train again.

Popped my shoulder.

Popped my shoulder tonight. Hmmn. I think it's back in place. I'm icing it and taking motrin.

We'll see in the morning.

De Ashi Barai

Spam and Eggs.

That's what I'm going to have for breakfast.

It's tasty. I am hungry. Shouldn't write on a workout blog while hungry....

Other than that, been working out fairly consistently. Was at Seattle Jujutsu on Monday Night, went over the open guard, maintaining posture, and passing the guard. Also went over de ashi barai. I'm not verbose at the moment, but I found this clip on youtube.

Footsweeps in general are awesome because they are quick and when timed right, spectacular.

Wednesday, I didn't do anything, was going to check out some escrima at the Filipino Cultural Center in Beacon Hill / Columbia City. However, they were having a wake at the Filipino Center instead. Quickly paid my respects and moved on. I will have to check out their escrima class sometime.

I'm still sore from helping my friend move some ballast around a houseboat. Today I'm just going to rest.

My diet has taken a nosedive lately, I tried to keep a food blog. But that has mostly been OBE. (Overcome By Events) Logging food, is really time consuming and guilt inducing. Instead, I end up forgetting to eat and I eat less, but then I indulge in food when I get really really hungry. I should just really plan out my day. I just really need some more prior planning. I've been more reactionary than proactive lately. This has to change. Doing this should improve my diet, which I think is the key ingredient that I'm missing in my fitness repertoire.

The more I learn, the less I know...

Sunday afternoon, Auburn Bob invited me to work out at Ippon Dojo in Tacoma. It was a good workout. Did some newaza and tachi waza randori. Afterwards there was someone in the club working on no-gi grappling. Did that too. I haven't done no-gi in a long long time, and it was a much faster game, much different. No gi opens up faster turns, rollovers, etc... Basically it's still the same, although the convenient handholds (the gi) is not there. However the basic moves are still the same. Hadaka Jime (Rear Naked Choke) still works. Ude Garami/Juji Gatame/ still works. The difference is that you can slip in and out of a hold that is not tight. There's more clinches and stuff in no-gi. It's different but good.

It was a good workout. I'm just hitting a plateau in my training.

Basically, I'm starting to know, enough of WHAT I AM NOT DOING.

1. Working out every day with one day a week to rest and recover. Improve my cardio, strength and flexibility...

2. A balanced healthy diet. Not a SEE-FOOD diet. I see food. I eat.

3. Attend practice consistently and on time.

On the technical side here are some things I need to work on:

1. Grip and Throw. What I do now, is grip, grip, grip. I would have that awesome grip for a half second, but guess what, I wouldn't throw, and that fleeting moment of an awesome grip is gone. You get a great grip, throw. It doesn't open up that often, so seize the opportunity.

2. Transition Control. I need to control the transition phase, where you knock someone down, not enough to get a point, but enough that he is on the mat. Take advantage of it, establish a superior position and attack. Sometimes, I get the deer in the headlights look, because, well, I don't train as much in transition as we do the two main phases. The stand-up and the ground work. Transition Control is key. I know Aaron always emphasizes transition control, and it's finally coming together that I need full control throughout the fight.

3. Repetitive/Telegraphic Attacks. When I fight someone, it shouldn't be like the AT&T Commercial, "reach out and touch someone..." I need to vary it up a bit and not telegraph "hey I'm going to do this next..."

Anyways, just gotta plug away. It is after all a journey and there is no magical end. Actually, I'd get absolutely bored if there weren't any challenges. That's the beauty of martial arts, there's constant learning. It's not like a book where you read from cover to cover and that's it. There's more to it...

Getting Above the Weather....

I've been out of it since Sunday. I feel much better today, and back to my old self. Ready to roll. Got out of bed early and itching to make breakfast, mop the floors, do dishes, and laundry.

I feel brand new. I was dragging since Sunday, not really a cold, not really anything just a malaise.

Anyways, looking forward to working out again.

New IJF Rules Explained

These are the new IJF Rules that are getting looked at this year. With some explanations. Here it is from their IJF website:

REFEREEING

Decision of the IJF Executive Committee in Rotterdam from 21/08/09

Introduction

The IJF’s wish is to defend fundamental judo values.

Within this scope IJF particularly devotes itself to preserve and develop education, physic and mental trumps of Judo.

« Judo is a physic and mental education system ».

From the other side, IJF would not like to change Refereeing rules during Olympic qualification period. For this reason it will proceed in this sphere with necessary experimentations and their testing before the first January 2010.

The experimentations will be tested during World Junior Championships 22/25 October 2009 in Paris.

Refereeing rules

Leg Grips.

All direct attacks with one or two hands or with one or two arms below the belt are not allowed.

PUNISHMENTS: First attack: - Shido

Second attack: - Hansokumake

Grips below the belt are authorized only after a sequence of techniques if it’s real and sincere.

Grips below the belt are authorized in counterattack.

These counterattacks are allowed only within a sequence (continuity) of techniques started by the opponent. The principles of Go No Sen and Sen No Sen.

For better understanding of the new rules, while giving a punishment referees will explain it by an appropriate gesture.

Refereeing system

The contests will be refereed by only one referee without 2 referees at the corners.

The “Care” system with 2 cameras filming the contest at 2 different angles will be set up to help the one unique referee.

Control and supervision of the “Care” system will be done by the IJF Refereeing commission

Golden Score

Regarding Golden Score part of contest of maximum 2 minutes, the entire marking of refereeing table resulting 4 minutes of initial contest, will be conserved during this period except the contest duration.

At the end of Golden Score and if no advantage was marked, the referee will take a decision for the period of initial contest and its Golden Score part.

Commitment Issues

I stopped by the Budokan on Tuesday night for a good workout. Since this was the last workout for people going to the US Open, no technique was shown, and basically it was a full session of randori after warm ups. Everyone brought up their game, and it was a lot of fun to randori knowing that it was the last workout before going to the US Open for those that are going.

I was tired, beat, and yet I keep on going. It's not the training commitment I'm talking about, it's committing to a throw. I'd go in for an attack, yet not follow through. I think I need to practice on the follow through.

What I probably need is just some open mat time and continuous repetition of the throwing motion. I need to attack more, and I end up just stalling all the time. Practice some more uchikomis, then throws on a crash pad, and then some more throws.

Spider Guard or Daddy Long Legs

I stopped by Seattle Jujutsu on Monday night for a workout. It was pretty good. Worked on a lot of newaza that night. I've been mainly working on guard passes.

In randori got into spider guard or daddy long legs. It was interesting. Its different, I'm protecting my arms and learning to post and pass guard. Not bad.

The technique of the night is a rollover using your shin to cut at a 45 and do a rollover. Hmmn, it's hard to explain in words. I'll see if I can pull up a youtube somewhere.

Not much to say, except that it's a good workout.

New IJF Rules...

Just learned from the Jiu-Jitsu Sensei Blog about the new IJF rules. Jumped into the Judoforum and saw this informative youtube clip that pretty much explains it.

Again. I really don't know what to think of this, mainly because I do tend to use leg, ankle picks as well as the drop kata-guruma. Mainly because I'm a bit shorter and stouter. Again rules have been changing. Used to have a safety zone, then no safety zone, a dynamic edge, 5 second opposite grip rule, no pistol grips, koka/no kokoa, chui, etc... It's just a longer series of rules that just gotta get familiar with. I'm sure Olympic Judo is starting to stray from the old Kodokan Judo. If you look at Mifune's "The Canon of Judo" there's a lot of techniques that are left out in today's curriculum, and is mostly carried out in other sports such as sambo, kosen judo and the differing jiujutsu variants.

Homemade Cookin!

This week has been mostly a wash, mainly because I've been gorging myself with homemade food. My mom is in town and has been feeding me lumpia and other delicious home cooking. The crockpot has been simmering with curry chicken, giniling, adobo, spare ribs, menudo among other things.

Seriously. I'm gaining weight as I type this. She has also brought in some moon cakes. Nevertheless my freezer is stocked full of lumpia and I could survive off this for awhile. I'm sure FEMA would designate my refrigerator as an emergency resupply point with the amount of food ready to go could literally feed a small army. Or me healthily for the next month or so.

As for working out, I missed my Monday Night Workout because I ate a whole plate of lumpia and brought enough to share. There is no way I can workout with that much food in my belly. Regardless it was a lot of food, and it's a rare delicious treat at that.

Tuesday Night, I rolled into Budokan to workout. There were about a dozen people. Warmups were really good. This was the first time that I actually felt that I could do cartwheels. I cartwheeled across the mat in continous motion, that finally got dizzy at the end of my cartwheel thing. I know 8 or so years of judo (on and off) and finally, been able to do a cartwheel. Most of the other attempts at cartwheel, were just that attempts at flopping your legs over your body while standing on your hands, which mainly resulted in your butt sticking in the air and with your legs doing a clockwork motion.

The technique of the night was mainly gripping. With a quick exercise in grip fighting. The rest of the night was just spent in standing randori. Lots and lots of standing randori. I would fight for 2-3 rounds, take a round break, 2-3 rounds, take a round break... and so on and on.

So a lot of people are gearing up for the US Open, which is a "C" level elite tournament that's going to be held in San Jose in a couple of weeks. And so the emphasis on the night is Randori. Also on the mat was Matt Walker, who is the #2 Ranked +100kg athlete after the Olympian McCormick. Matt is headed to Brazil with coach Bert Mackey for an international competition in a few weeks. So he is getting geared up and ready.

Most everyone going to the competition is on the peak cycle, with next week most likely going to be on a taper, and take it easy right before the US Open.

So being one of a few bigger guys in the dojo that night. But tonight it was basically Matt, Jake, Kurt and myself. So we took turns randori with Matt. I ended up randori with him basically 4-5 times.

Here are the lessons learned.

1. Vary your patterns. Matt caught me in a good foot sweep (deashi barai) that was timed perfectly. I tend to be repetitive in my patterns of attack.

2. Move the body. Matt weighs close to 250lbs. I have to actually use good judo to move him, apply kuzushi and then throw.

3. When fighting a relatively bigger opponent, use your lower center of gravity (in this case my smaller size and speed) to execute techniques.

4. Stiff Arm. In a Stiff Arm competition, one with the longer reach wins. Don't get caught in this trap.

It was actually great to randori with the #2 guy in the country. I'm learning quite a bit on what to do and not to do. And with someone that is stronger and bigger, I now have to actually rely more on technique and strategy to beat them.

Things to work on.

1. Expanding my different footsweep techniques. Applying footsweeps from different angles.

2. To go with the flow. If I'm pushed, I pull; I'm pulled, I push. Fighting strength vs. strength which works on weaker and less technical opponents does not work all the time.

3. Commitment. I have to just commit to a technique. Once I have a grip, commit and throw. This just means that I must commit without fear of getting thrown.

4. Repetition of simple techniques. I just simply need to keep on practicing so that my footsweeps, throws are all second nature.

A nose is a nose...

Remember, when I said, I only seem to bleed when wearing a white gi? It also happens when wearing a blue gi too.

During randori, my nose bled when it hit the back of someone's skull. It was only a nosebleed. Anyways, I had to sit out for the rest of the night because it kept on bleeding. I tried to get back in for one round, but it started bleeding again.

No biggy. I actually prefer nosebleeds or cauliflower ear as it doesn't affect future training. Nosebleeds will stop, cauliflower ears can be drained and taped. It's not a worse injury like a knee, ankle, or shoulder injury. Basically momentary discomfort.

People are getting ready to fight at the US Open in the Budokan, so randori has been stepping up a notch. Also, some explanations on the new rules that were implemented. A big emphasis on continual attack. Always attack, attack, attack.

Other than that I don't remember much really...

Sambo Seminar Saturday

Went to a great Sambo Seminar given by Serge Gerlach and Aaron Fields. Throwing dummies courtesy of Ben and Vince.

What can I say, it was an action packed 4 hours. I can't remember much, but it was a great workout with lots of hands on experience. There were about a dozen or so attendees.

Let me recap best I can.

I. Warm Ups

II. Discussion of History of Sambo

III. Discussion of Philosophy of Sambo
1. Basically a scientific methodical approach to grappling based on body mechanics.
2. "There is no dogma..."
3. No Ranks on Sambo, everyone is equal.

IV. Demonstration of Techniques/Breakdown/Application/Q&A of Technique:

1. Kuzushi or Offbalancing techniques. (I tend to use japanese terms because of my judo background, however offbalancing tehcniques are the same no matter what the art)
a. Diagonal Points of Offbalance
b. Practical Application of Offbalance to the left and right corner.
2. Ouchi/Kouchi/Kosoto Gari (Inside Trip and variations)
3. Drop Inner Leg Pick
4. Drop Kata Guruma (Drop Fireman's Carry)

5. Joint Locks

a. Breakdown of Bio-Mechanics of Joints

b. Stabilize the next proximal joint of the joint you wish to lock.

c. Apply the lock.

d. The key things in joint-locks is the stabilization of the proximal joint, for example:

i. Armlocks - Elbow is stress point, stabilize the shoulder joint.

ii. Kneebars - Knee is stress point, stabilize the hip joint.

iii. Ankles - Ankle is stress point, stabilize the knee.

iv. Wristlocks - Wrists is stress point, stabilize the elbow.

e. Juji-Gatame (Straight Armlock Demo and Practice)

f. Leglock Exersice Warmups

g. Knee-Bars (Straight Kneebars)

i. Ankle Lock Warmups (aka 2 minutes in heaven)

j. Ankle Locks

V. Recap.

- The "Basics" Philosophy.

You have to do the Basics well. And most of the time, you'll only really use basic techniques. The majority of techniques used by elite athletes are basic. Why?

i. Basic Techniques are simple to execute.

ii. Basic Techniques have a higher probability of success.

The only difference between a beginner and an elite level athlete is not the techniques but the execution of the techniques after many hours of practice.

There is no "Magic" technique. The only way to get better is simply hard work and sweat.

VI. Q & A.

VII. A well deserved beer all around.

Overall, there was ample opportunity to actually work on the technique and ask for clarification. The people in the seminar were really cool, and it was a great opportunity to talk to other grapplers.

A great way to spend a Saturday!

Monday Night Workout.... and San Miguel Beer

So, it was a rather slow night, I stopped by Seattle Jujutsu for my Monday Night Workout. Tonight there were 5 of us and a visitor. It was quite an intimate class. Started with doing light uchikomi.

The standing technique was a variation of the body drop or valley drop from an ankle block? This one passed by me through a haze. I need to review the technique as I have a vague understanding of this. It was a cool technique when done right. I just need to review it again that's all...

Then we went onto newaza. It was back to basics night and we went over the kesa gatame hold. It's amazing how bad habits develop over time, and it was a good night to go over the basics. First of all in kesa gatame you want to be a bit more forward and lift your opponent's shoulder off the mat. Secondly there must be constant rib to rib pressure. It must not feel comfortable. My leg position needed to be a bit more forward. My inside hip has to be forward, and not only that with contact with the mat. It's important that I maintain pressure.

I pulled this photo from judoinfo.com

In this picture I was actually doing it like that. To improve it you must reduce the space and make it tighter and be more forward with greater pressure.

We then worked on juji-gatame from the scarf hold while maintaining pressure during the transition. As always the key is maintaining pressure on the head. From a Kesa you can go to a jujigatame near side or far side. We practiced both that night.

And as always, Aaron broke down the bio-mechanics of the juji-gatame. It's important that you have control of the shoulder for the juji gatame to work. Basically, isolate the joint that is the next joint up from the joint that you are trying to lock. Once isolated, then you can apply with great control and precision the lock you are trying to achieve.

We then proceeded to go into randori trying to eventually trying to get a juji-gatame with the principles shown. One of the things learned tonight was flow. Just flow with it. Roll, roll, roll to wherever direction your opponent is taking you and that the armbar keeps on working. As always maintain control of the shoulder, roll where you need to be and you should all be good.

I did get an armlock last night using my legs, which was pretty cool. Seen it done a few times, and haven't really practiced it as much, but the opportunity presented itself, and so I took it.

Brad brought in some San Miguel Beer last night and it was good to actually drink some San Miguel after practice and chew the cud.

Sunday Night Open Mat... and fresh baked cookies.

So I stopped by Sunday Night at Seattle Jujutsu. Matt and Lana were running open mat. There were a few observers with some people from the club coming back with a visitor or two. There were perhaps 8-10 people in the club that night. The night's open mat was just newaza randori.

Things I was working on:

1. Passing the Guard

a. Guard Using the knee to the half guard then from the half guard to a scarf hold (Kesa Gatame) or shoulder hold (Kata Gatame). Relatively successful.

b. Guard passes using an arm to get underneath one leg. Bad Idea, very prone to triangle choke (Sankaku Jime) or straight arm bar (juji gatame). I'll make sure to scratch this off the list, as it did work sometimes, the bad thing about it is that I'll be prone to arm bars or triangles. I think I'll just chalk this up to bad haits, and probably worked because of my opponents most likely using the guard as a delaying tactic, as opposed to the guard as an attack position.

c. Keeping myself posted up, and keeping my arms out of reach to prevent armbars.

d. Defending against sweeps. Have to lookout for sweeps.

2. Reversals.

a. I executed a few reversals, mainly by bridging or shrimping.

3. Hadaka Jime (Rear Naked Choke)

a. I worked on this but, I have a hard time in getting the arm and the right angle.

b. I managed to get on my opponents back, bring him backwards, and executing control. I just have to work on the final aspects of the choke. I do have control on rolling someone so that they're back is to me and execute control. The hard thing is to actually fish in there to get the choke, but usually the opponent tries to fight the arm going around their neck.

4. Positional adjustments.

a. I was doing okay in getting the initial position, and I'm quite strong in position, going from a scarf to a shoulder to a north south and a side hold. I just have to maintain pressure, and at the same time, slowly attack to get a bent armlock (ude garami). From a pin (oseakomi), I only know submissions from the side hold (yoko shiho gatame); and consequently, I'd hate to give up my strongest pin (north-south) to a side pin to execute a bent armlock. Or I could attack and go post his shoulder up and then execute a straight armlock (juji gatame).

Overall it was a fun night at open mat, and there are some things I'm working on in newaza mainly, guard passes. A lot of people keep a closed guard, some people keep a relatively open guard and others keep a butterfly guard.

I have decent pins, and for me, easier to execute than the more technical submission. As an oseakomi for 25 seconds will get you an ippon; consequently the pins are hard to break from, and I just have a habit of stopping at a good pin. Now the bad thing, is that I'm not that good in transition from a pin to a pin. The transitional pin and mobility is where I need to work on. And it's a good habit, as I look "beyond" a pin and look for a submission. I think this thinking opens up a whole array of options. Now that I think about it, I'm actually starting to connect what Bert from the Budokan told me about the "weave." The "Weave" is to go for a pin, go for an armbar, go for a pin then back to an armbar or armlock..... and the key is transition from attack, to attack, to attack, to attack... And to attack from different angles... Wow. I finally made a connection. He's been saying do the "Weave" for over a year now, and I finally get it.

I think that stepping back and looking at things from a "generic" grappling standpoint is good. Looking through things in a context of rules is quite myopic. As always, competition rules change. However the big picture is to maintain control, and not only just control to maintain the status quo, but control to push things forward. And that's the big picture, always look ahead.

And Sarah stopped by the dojo to visit and dropped off some cookies! Fresh baked. Wow. Eating freshbaked cookies after a workout is just plain delicious. Yummy.

Chicken Wing! And no, not the KFC Wings...

... I love KFC Wings. They have this new $ 5 dollar fill up box, and you can get lots of wings. I just love wing places in general and there are some really really cool places where you can get wings. There's the wing dome, and of course the infamous Jersey Shore Wing place with the Nuclear Wings where you have to sign a waiver to eat the wings. I ate those wings, and never again will I do it again. That was more painful than being peppered sprayed. (Yes, I have been pepper sprayed before, and you get this nifty certificate that you keep in your training folder). As hot wings coming in was hot, but more importantly was HOT COMING OUT! That's all I have to say about that...

Wow, all that wall of text of digression. Now to the training part of the night, was:

1. Control the head.

2. Grab a hold of the wrist.

3. Get a key-lock.

4. Get a chicken wing.

Option A: Use wing to roll opponent so that they end up in a triangle pin.

Option B: Use wing to roll opponent the other way, pivoting ending in a cross body hold.

The chicken wing was highly effective, although it's effectiveness is determined by control of the head. If you lose control of the head then you lose the technique and they can simply (gasp) sit up, and the position is reversed, and they have your arm and shoulder. So as always, control the head, and the body follows.

Funny thing, today after I was reading this, I read the Growing Judo 2009 August Issue, and well, that was the technique of the month. Actually the USJA publication actually explains it better with pictures! Take a look it starts at page 5.

http://www.usja-judo.org/GrowingJudo/GrowingJudo2009_08.pdf

That's about it, the rest of the night was spent doing randori both newaza and stand up. I have to work on placement of my feet and balance, as I was horribly prone to foot sweeps. UGGH.