Pleasant RKC Related Experience in Japan

Matt Brocklebank

Kenneth Lee now RKC in Korea (left) Ishikawa "Orange" Atsushi (middle) Iwamaru san from Kansai (right)

Boris Bachmann in middle

If you live in Kansai area of Japan and interested in kettlebells, please contact Matt Brocklebank.

http://www.will-ea.com/cgi-bin/will-ea/siteup.cgi?category=4&page=0

Man with character, very pleasant man to talk to. Every time I meet him, he shows his signature smile. He's an English native who speaks fluent Japanese.

Boris, Kenneth and I slept in an extremely small apartment of mine. I can say I love women more than men, but this experience was one of 5 major highlights I experienced in year 2009.

Trauma

Getting hit by punch or kick may not lead to serious injuries but likely compromise the power output of punches and kicks. Kettlebell trains kicking and punching mechanism but doesn't cover those minor trauma a person receives by being kicked and punched.

Punching and kicking a pad is one thing, being hit whether clean hit or blocking and returning punches and kicks are pretty much different aspects. Nerves react differently therefore works differently after being hit.

24kg Snatch

I snatched 126 reps in 5 minutes today.
24kg that is.
Although for some reason I cannot get this dullness off from my body. Somehow something stresses me and puts me into sleep.

Some thoracic spine rotation works have helped some of my students today. They came up to me and said "that's damn good!!". I took the ideas from DVD "Loaded Stretching" by Pavel and CK-FMS principles.

Meaning of Zen - Yamaoka Tesshu

Yamaoka Tesshu 山岡鉄舟 (1836-1888)

Tesshu was a low class samurai who single handly saved approximately 1 million Edo (now Tokyo) from Imperial troops in 1868. He did not spare his life nor others. He traveled approximately 200 miles on foot as a diplomat/negotiator who ended up stopping Imperial troops from attacking Tokyo. 1868, the end year of samurai regime in Japan, was overran by first modern day government.

Tesshu became the successor of Ittoryu (sword art), which are one of the two major style that survived up to this day. Also as master of Zen as well, he traveled 100 miles from Tokyo to a Zen temple in Mishima to study. 19 century Japan, no automobiles and traveling this distant is pretty much by foot or horse. He left his house early in the morning and reached the temple in 2:00 am and studied. Few hours and he went back.

Pretty amazing being a renown sword master and zen master, he never killed anyone but saved the fate of 1 million people, and lived another 20 years to tell about it.

Many episodes are known about him. One that I like, is someone visited Tesshu who wants to learn about Zen. Assuming Zen is an art about sitting on tatami mat and study, instead Tesshu threw this visitor into Kenjutsu (sword art) practice.
Visitor said "what the hell was that???" and Tesshu replied "That's how I study Zen".

Don't stay still, keep moving!!
I don't believe people can reach their true desire without moving.

On a note, David Whitley and I saw Musashi Masamune sword in Tokyo. Known to be owned by Miyamoto Musashi, this very piece in 19 century was also dedicated to Yamaoka Tesshu.

Juice

Texas high school football 1984
Westchester Junior Varsity at Cypress Fair
I'm kneeling and James Guice (aka juice) is 75. I talked to him over the phone in 23 years this May when I was in Minnesota. Miss these days.

Training September 14

Something bit me and I became aggressive.

Pull Ups and Hanging Leg Raise for various numbers

Turkish Get Up 32kg 2X2
Half Get Up 32kg 5X2

Two Arm Swing 24kg 20 sec on 10 sec off for 8 sets

Double Clean & Jerk 24kgX2 / Double Front Squat 24kgX2 in 20 minutes EDT format

I woke up great today.

Ichiro 9 consecutive 200 hits

No one identical nor close to this guy even in Japanese ethnicity standard. His father was over protective in good ways, keeping him away from over coaching batting form.

My sister in law said her parents were going to state of Washington to see the historical moment, Ichiro didn't wait for them.

Training

These days, it has been 32kg snatches.
Today body weight pullups which I am not that good at, however got some hints doing lots of these.

Of to Krav Maga studio where for some reason I end up having a headache now. I teamed up with a fairly powerful and good Brazilian guy, some of his light punches hit my jaw. It didn't hurt much then, but came back home and started to feel it. He has a fairly well controlled intense punch. Rare breed.

Officially CK-FMS certified

Brett's review on my CK-FMS case study has passed his approval and as of today I'm officially CK-FMS certified. Probably only one in Asia Pacific region (thinking that no one else in this area attended this year) and presumably are only 20 others listed in the world.

I can smile about this since it took quite some effort to earn this. And there were lots of good things in process.

I screened David Hansen RKC for my case study.
He happened to be a Danish RKC who's mother comes from a Japanese town next to my father's birth place. David's visit was worthwhile. Another Danish friend.

Training

81/81 32kg snatches in 20 minutes.

From FMS drills, no longer shoulder stiffness, I can continue this thing with blisters in both of my hands. Ripping off some skins no longer dictate the outcome of snatching.

No forearm stiffness in this. And total video adds up to 7.5 minutes just like year ago.

No excuses, I should be doing this better.

Hill runs, or technically bridge run (bridge near by my house has approximately 100 yards of slope). Both breathing patterns inhaling from nose and mouth. Interestingly this dictates the outcome of human movement.

Kettlebell in Japan 1937

Kettlebell in Japan, from book published in 1937.

Amateur wrestler Kitahata Kanetaka.
Learned strength training from John Kentel, a Russian strongman. He had learned training skill and manufactured his own equipments.

8 to 9 kan (approximately 32kg) ironball wrestler bridge lift.

Some Pictures

30 minutes after receiving first RKC cert. Still my favorite self portrait. Person who shot this picture must love me, or I probably I love her.



My student who's an arm wrestler did a great job placing a 12kg kettlebell next to FMS kit.
I think he can read people's mind, a nationally ranked arm wrestler he is.



RKC community and Gray Cook recommends Vibram 5 fingers. Boris, who's half Japanese was half crying telling me "I don't like this.... ". For me.... Japanese for most of the time take their shoes off indoors. Therefore wearing this outdoors doesn't tell me anything. Not uncomfortable but never felt significant. There's something called "tabi" in our culture which costs less than $10 a pair. Vibram was $150 here.



My brother Madoka asleep. Quite frankly I can't tell whether he's a genius or not. Scoring 800 on math part of SAT is one thing. Being wigged while asleep is quite the opposite of genius.

Alive and Well

August was hectic, had to deal with some income tax issues, income issues (which to this day I don't quite know why I am living on current standard) etc.

In Japan, kettlebell is hardware first, software second. It doesn't matter how good an instructor is, if there's no hardware so is no instructor. This was the most challenging thing I dealt since I took my RKC in 2007.

Had lots of turmoils but well... Lesson learned. I know how to handle.

I sent the CK-FMS case study to Brett Jones. David Koji Kariyado Hansen, a Danish RKC who visited my place was the one I screened. Man with character, football tight end, and her mother being Japanese who came from a town next to my father's birth place.

3 days after turning 40 years old, Aaron said "down hill is easier?". Might as well say yes. My thoughts and acts are more of auto-pilot these days. I don't forsee a successful future nor solid income next year, however pretty much confident that I can get through.

No foreign instructor workshop for 2009. But I am working out my best to get RKC senior who can play guitar to do one early next year.
Other than that, congratulations to Matthew Brocklebank for earning his RKC. It is his work ethic that passed him. Man with character, likable person.
There will be another one going to Korea. I'm hoping this will be the second Japanese native who lives in Japan to become an RKC.