Every once in a while it's good idea to change up your work out routine. Last night, I did three five-minute rounds on the heavy bag. Ever wonder what kind of shape you are really in? Do three rounds on a heavy bag and you'll find out!.
In the first round, I am fresh and I start out hitting the bag fast and hard. The combinations I use are my most trusted...the ones I know I can throw out quickly and with power. Left jab, right straight punch, body shot, body shot. After two minutes, I'm huffing and my combinations are slowing down. At three minutes, the bag is swaying on its chain, and its a great time to practice the timing of the combinations I'm throwing...moving with the bag so that it doesn't swing into me. Left jab, left jab, move out of the way. The bag starts to swing away, jump in and connect with two hard body shots... as the bag reaches the height of its arc, a strong overhand right aimed at where I imagine its face would be if it was a person. Ding! DIng! End of round one. The one minute rest is welcomed. I watch as a lower belt receives instruction in sparring...follow the kick with punches! How easy it is to forget that one. Throw a kick and forget to punch and receive a punch to your head for your troubles. Always attack with combinations. My daughter is his opponent. She pops him in the head lightly each time he forgets to throw a combo. Good girl. Ding, Ding. Time for round two! Only a minute of quick hard combinations this time. My stamina, while better than it was 10 years ago, isn't where it was when I was 20...yet. I'm working towards it. My goal is to get my weight back to where it was while I was in high school, an even 200 pounds. Snap, bang! I hit the bag with a jab followed by a roundhouse elbow. At the three minute mark, I'm in a groove now. The sweat rolls down my back as I practice my power hits. These are the punches and strikes I like to think I'll use to end a real fight quickly. Will I be able to land one of them with power in a real fight? I don't know. I do know that I won't be able to do so if I don't practice them. A lesson my Dad taught me a long time ago comes back to me..."practice like you are going to do it in a game!" He was talking about basketball, but the lesson holds true in everything in life...including karate. I hit the bag hard twice. In a real fight, I'm not gonna give them a love tap! Two black belts bang into me as they spar behind me. I didn't see them coming, breaking the unwritten rule to always pay attention to your surroundings. Ding, ding! End of round two. Deep breaths! Round two has taken a lot out of me. I'm pleased my punches are still hitting with power. My shoulders ache from keeping my arms up and my left knee is throbbing. The bruise on my foot is tender and letting me know that I missed catching the bag with my shin at least once...probably more than once. Practice makes perfect when it comes to timing! Ding! Round three, and time to see it through. Power hits! No pretending to be fast this time! I'm hitting the bag with the intention of seeing it bend where my hand impacts it. Left hook, left hook, right body shot. I'm moving good and breathing heavy. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my daughter sparring another opponent. I turn to watch as she lands a kick and a punch to the other girl's chin. Not bad. She comes in again and the other girl catches her with a glancing blow from a spinning back fist. "You got three minutes to go over there" Hanshi shouts to me. He's right! I lost focus. Back to the bag. I'm sucking wind now. Fifteen minutes doesn't sound like much, but it is, and my muscles are screaming. Ding, the bell rings to announce the last minute of the round. I move in and hit the bag hard and fast. I want to hit it hard and fast for the last minute, but with 20 seconds to go I've slowed. I hit the bag for the last few seconds but my power has waned. As the final bell rings, I grasp the bag and allow it to hold me up. Sucking wind, I look up and the dojo is as it always is. The students are finishing up forms or are quietly talking while resting after a round of sparring. I've caught my breath and it's time to bow out. Tired, but not beaten, I turn and look at the bag as I walk off the floor. It hangs from its chain as if nothing has happened...I wish I had that stamina!
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