I'm on leave this week so thought I would take my mind off things and start to focus again on my outstanding gold challenges, with my triathlon training starting in earnest next Wednesday. So I thought I would go and try a martial arts session, before the Judo task starts soon. This session was taken by the same instructor that done the boxing with me, and last nights session there were 6 of us of varying abilities.
We started the evening with some shadow boxing, and then moved on to some boxing with kicks before moving onto ground moves and then onto knife defence with a little 1:1 work with what I can only call play fighting (though I am sure there is a proper name for it) in the middle. This was really enjoyable and was one of the hardest PT sessions I have done in a long time. I did however learn several lessons last night, and not just the technical skills, but the kind of lessons you can't be taught:
1/ Trying to train with a younger person that was apparently made out of plasticine as he was so bendy and wiry there was no way of getting hold of him is impossible.
2/ Doesn't matter how strong you are, when one of the instructors catches you in the head with his foot (it wasn't a kick, he was trying to move from a position and I got my head in the way trying to stop him) it hurts and dazes you a bit!
Even though I ache today (with a gym session booked for this afternoon!) it was good fun.
I am an instructor with the Sea Cadets at Worthing Unit and have seen how much the cadets get out of the activities they do. I have also seen how much these activities and all the surrounding admin costs. The sea cadets are a charity, and I felt this was a fantastic way of raising money for Worthing in particular and also to encourage some of the cadets to try something different. If I can do it, so can they!
The gold challenge is based on the sports in the Olympics. Some of these sports I can do with the sea cadets, and I have purposely chosen several of these to illustrate the variety of activities that can be done, whilst also doing something that I think will be fun.
My challenge is to do the following activities.
1. Swim - Learn to swim - again. For those that have seen my swimming style, it has recently been described by Mrs Lawrence as "directional panic in water". DONE
2. Canoe - Learn to canoe. I have canoed in the past, but again this was a long time ago and all the new stuff I have learnt has forced this skill out! DONE
3. Boxing – Learn to box. I needed another sport and someone I work with can train this! DONE
4. Weightlifting – For those that know me, they will know how therapeutic gym time can be for me. This is a great opportunity for me to focus some of my energy on something different in the gym. DONE
5. Triathlon. This is a personal goal, to do a half triathlon. I have never done one and this is the one element that I plan to do in 2012. This will link my swimming and gym work together. DONE
6. Athletics - sprints. I was given the oppertunity to race at the 100m olympic stadium. DONE
7. Wrestling - in the process of doing the Judo section I managed to also cover the wrestling challenge, so it seamed approapraite to include it - DONE
8. Cycling. Take part in a cycle ride or three. I'm training for a triathlon. This incorporates a cycle leg, so why not do a cycle challenge too? DONE
9. 1/2 Marathon. This is similar in theory behind the cycle ride. If I'm doing a triathlon I might as well develop it further and do a half marathon. I'm not expecting to be fast round the course, just finish and not die on the way round would be a bonus. DONE
10. Judo - Try judo. To be perfectly honest, I needed another sport, as its in multitudes of 5, and this was suggested by some one at work. DONE
The challenge is to do them by the end of 2012, but I am aiming to have most of them done by the end of 2011.
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