Remove Bike Pedals

A couple of weeks ago I had to remove the pedals from my bike and I struggled big time. I followed this video for instructions and it was very good. As I didnt have enough time, I only managed to buy the standard spanner key that fitted the screw but that key didnt offer me enough leverage to actually remove the screw and no mutter how hard (or I am not strong enough), I failed. I decided to go to a nearby bike shop and they were nice enough to unscrew the pedals for me in 3 sec… using a pedal spanner like the video. So maybe I need to get one of those for the future (and remember how to actually remove the pedals).

The Lost Art of Running

I finished this book yesterday. After climbing, the sport I most enjoy is running. I am not a great runner and I am going by seasons but still there are few things better that a good run (with a good sweat) to feel you alive!

Due to injuries and time (I can’t have it all) I haven’t run as much as I would like but now with more daylight, I want to start doing it again and rest a bit of the bike.

This book is a bit of motivation and improvement. Mainly to run better without getting injured and coping with current ones.

The main idea is the body to move fluently as it was done in the past before we became office / chair-addicted. So it is not just a mechanic system of muscles, tendons, bones, etc. The missing element is the fascia (info1)

So taking that point of view, running takes a different approach. The author uses plenty of examples for natural African runners to ultra runners.

The summary is:

  • Foot Placement: Dont be afraid to using the whole foot. Thing of the tripod position
  • Cadence: around 175-180
  • Stride length: The key is to “cycle”.
  • Posture: Stand tall!
  • The head: look at the horizon, not down!
  • Arms: coordination with body
  • Natural lean: I think this is connected to the posture
  • Breathing: control it for not over-breathing
  • Mind: Some of the points above, need our mind to be conscious to make them happen and as well to remind us we are doing well. And this is very important for ultra races.

So, in my next runs, I will try to put in practice some of these points!

Beastmaking

I finished this book this week. I have been climbing for a while and I really love it. But as well, for several years I think I am not improving. I dont make a living with climbing but I want to try more difficult routes and challenge myself.

So I decided I was going to start to try different things to get stronger and climb harder. First of all, early this year, after watching this video, I decided to put in use my beastmaker board that was gathering dust…

It took me a weekend of DIY for completing it…. But has been worth it. Although I haven’t managed to get an schedule to do it twice a day. I do it on weekends morning and some non-climbing weekdays. I think I feel some improvement though.

Later on, I started to do weighted pull-ups as recommended by a fellow climber from the gym. This was the excuse to buy a harness after soooo many years! 🙂

Since last year, I had a finger injury so that kept me out of proper climbing for several months but I discovered endurance. I was only able to make easy routes and put low stress in my finger so with time I managed an expected endurance. So I was happy with that and I am trying to get an endurance session each week (if my skin agrees with that).

As well, I had watched this video several times and it helped too.

In the last couple of months I started to get back to the normal climbing checking how my finger was feeling. So I decided to keep adding things. And the book has clarified many things. I really need to improve my finger strength. Something I have ignored as I always thought it was too much for me and it was easy to get injured.

Prioritise fingers and flexibility. Work in your “core”

Do high-intensity strength training when you are fresh and well rested.

Finger strength takes time, it is a slow process, dont rush it. And dont get injured!

Important is to warm-up and stretch. So this is always do so I am happy I have it in my routine.

The book gives a lot examples (and have very nice pictures) for exercises.

So I need to try things and build my training plan. And very likely get back to the book to refresh things.

Rise

I am not very keen of sportsmen/women biographies but I decided to read this one, after watching this video some time ago.

Although Siya is still young, he relates about his career from a very challenging upbringing to the summit of his sport career.

But what I liked from the book, it is not just the path to success but the persona. How he relates to the problems of South Africa, to his own personal problems. In a very macho sport, it is difficult to imagine somebody talking about his feelings, his wrongs, his addictions. This is another very interesting video about mental heath issues from a “big boy”.

As he shows in the book, he found help in his wife and faith. And admits he is not perfect.

There is a important point about success and values. It is more important to be a well-rounded person than a top rugby player. But we live in a society/world that we only focus in the best, the winner (who takes all) And those are the values we give to kids. As a famous coach said, the result takes care by itself. That means, if you put the work .

You would expect the book would finish in his top achievement but not, if follows with what it is really important to him, make a different in the society. From supporting campaigns against violence to women (and it is not just a problem in SA, we had similar problem in Spain) and setup the kolisifoundation.

IronFit

I finished this book this week. I was interested how you can prepare for an IronMan or a normal triathlon. I like to have a training plan for different levels of commitment. And the planning for the race itself. I have learned some tips to improve in the three sports. At some point I would like to try a triathlon (I need to join a swim gym and get a heart meter). My only concern for a bigger challenge is the left knee. But, step by step.

Madrid-Indoor-Climbing

One guy told me some time ago that Chris Sharma was going to open a climbing gym in Madrid but until this week I didnt see any news about it (I never looked for it to be honest). So I am quite impressed and I would love to try it one day (if we can travel and lead a normal life…)

Okinawa

I have remembering my Karate for nearly the last two months. It has been a quite satisfying choice and has brought some good and old feelings.

As I have been adding katas to my set, I wanted to write and find some info in the web about the origin of Karate (and see if it matches my memory) and the main kata stiles I learned in my time. Not sure if it is still the same though.

I think for my black belt exam, apart from performing some katas in front of my teacher, I had to answer some questions about Karate history.

I dont know why, I can still remember bodhidharma, and Indian Buddhist monk, as the person considered for starting martial arts in Asia. Then it spread to southern China and then to Okinawa. There, it developed while some King forbade weapons so people needed other ways for self-defence. And finally, get to Japan after some conquering. Yeah, very short summary. Surely a better version here.

From my time, we had three stiles of “superior” katas: shuri-te, naha-te and tomari-te. I can’t forget the big picture of Gichin Funakoshi (Father of modern karate) in our tatami.

We used to consider naha-te katas the ones with a lot of “breathing” and “slow moves”. Katas with short and quick moves, were tomari-te katas.

And by chance, I was lucky to visit Okinawa (just for a weekend) when I was working in a project in Tokyo. It was a dream come true. Although I was expecting some spirituality there, I was lucky to attend a very important festival and laugh when some towns in the map where actually kata names!

Definitely, it is a very different place compared with Japan main islands.

Shito Ryu – Remembering

Somehow today while working out at home, paid attention to my old black belt and crossed my mind that I could try to remember some of my old Karate. It has been a long time since I donned my kimono and I am supper rusty but I did it. It was really special, so many old memories. I remembered how to wear it and how to put the belt! So many years grinning have paid off 🙂

I was pretty sure I could find videos of my Karate style Shito Rye in Youtube and quickly found a good one:

https://youtu.be/_BUqaOb8Gbo

Funny enough I could remember most of the moves. So my goal it is to practice a bit every day.

Update:

I have been practising all lock-down weeks so I am quite happy. Adding new katas:

Shito-Ryu Kata – Matsukaze