The Not So Ideal

I am currently in BC visiting family.  I prepared myself for this mentally in terms of my training because I knew that it would be difficult to just drop and start doing setups in the middles of a family gathering.  And unfortunately, privacy or alone time is limited.  As is space.  And so far it's been raining non-stop.  And so my reps are happening in our bedroom.  Any time I go in there, I make sure I do at least something. And my forms are done as repetitions in very small sections.  Although not ideal, so far so good!

Fatigue

I've been feeling some extra fatigue this week.  

I've been trying to develop my full pushups.  So that's probably part of it.  I'll need to keep a close eye on that.  Typically when I try to push, I end up injuring my shoulder(s).  And then I end up getting set back.  I'm trying to learn from those past experiences, so I'm going to lay off full ones for a couple days and make sure I let my shoulders rest before I push again.  

My legs have been pretty fatigued as well.  I've been working on that jump in the spear form, so that's been working my legs quite a bit.  One of my personal requirements is also 50,000 squats/equiv's. So that's adding to this as well I'm sure.  I've been feeling the fatigue in my hips too a bit.  So I'm monitoring that as well.

I feel good overall....just sore.  Which is better than injured...but certainly has the potential to become injury if I don't listen.  I'm trying to rest this weekend, but at the same time, don't want to lose the ground I've got.  Balance.

Having said all that, this is also why I like the variety of requirements I have.  If I need to back off of one, I've got others to work on so that I'm still moving forward.

The Need For Good Leaders

The Tiny Tigers age ranges from about 5-7.  So they're pretty young.  Easily distracted and need help staying focused.  And that's on a good day.  Lol.

Even so, everything about the most recent Tiny Tigers class felt extra "high-strung" for lack of a better word.  It wasn't that anyone was being "bad" per se.  But it felt like the class was just abnormally "amp'd" up and I, as an Instructor, felt like I was on constant high alert.  

I think I realized afterwards why this was.

Due to the roads, it was a small class.  Only 6 kids.  Which you'd think would have made things easier.  But I realized later on that 5 of those 6 kids were actually our "more rambunctious" ones.  We have a few kids in the Tiny Tigers that require a lot more hands on by the instructors.  A lot more redirection.   A lot more help paying attention and re-focussing.  Great kids!  Just a lot more high-maintenance, so to speak.

And they happened to be 5 of the 6 in that class, making the ratio of leaders to followers completely out of whack.  I think I realized, from this class, just how important it is to have good leaders in a group...and to have enough good leaders to support the rest.  The leaders not only set a good example but their energy also tends to keep the class grounded.

Without good leaders, without good examples for all of us, it can be easy to lose control and let chaos reign.

A Good Day

This is a “first” blog.  I was just going over my numbers and realized that I have done a little bit of something towards every single one of my requirements today, except blogging and sparring.  So guess what?

Yup.  Just did a couple rounds of some shadow boxing and I’m writing this blog to share this “first” with all of you!  I don’t recall this ever happening before.  And who knows when/if it would happen again.

Yup.  It’s been a good day.  

This Might Be One To Just Scroll By

Disclaimer:  I recognize that as I worked through this blog, it started one way, changed to another, shifted back, then did a 360, and then landed in space where it currently floats without any gravitational pull.  But perhaps this is important for me to recognize that I just might be in a state of flux or maybe even a void.  I don't see this as good or bad just yet...simply what it is.  But as I publish this I really don't know where I was going with any of it so take it all with a grain of salt.  Although I started last nights meeting with a thumbs up, I must admit I left feeling like some things discussed weren't sitting well with me.  I haven't figured out why just yet.  And so my headspace is also a little clogged.

A Good Start

I'm really pleased so far with the personal requirements that I've set for this year.  It was suggested that I make my requirements to suit the things I was already going to be working towards and that advice is proving to be sound. 

I feel like everything I've laid out is carrying me forward in some way or another.  Nothing is sitting there untouched, even only a month in.  In previous years, there have been things that I've told myself "no worries, I have lots of time yet", but then several months in, they are still sitting there, untouched with no real desire to work on them.  This year, everything seems to be nicely progressing and I seem to have desire and motivation for all of it.  Which is very exciting to me.

I realize (and accept) that this may change at some point.  But I don't think I've yet had a start to a year like this one.  And that in itself, is providing a lot of motivation and drive.

Also, a quick shoutout to the Strides app I'm using.  It's proving to be quite versatile and has really been keeping me on track.