Redding Shotokan Karate

Fitness goes through phases. We can't all be at peak all the time, so we go through training, competition (or Special Training), and recovery phases.

I also go through phases like that in other areas. I like to work on cars; however, when the money is tight (Christmas, anybody?) I can't spend it on discretionary items, so I work out...a lot. Thus generally around Christmas my fitness level rises. Then, from February through April or thereabouts, I begin another car project (sigh) and don't work out as much. Of course, I still attend and lead class, but the extracurricular workouts decrease in frequency.

Around April and then again around October, I go through a Special Training preparation phase. I don't care if you say I should just go to ST the way I am; I've experienced it both ways, and can say with certainty that a couple months of cardio work goes a long way at Special Training.

Of course, once ST is over I take a couple weeks off (still going to regular class).

What I'm getting at is that even though right now I'm in a "car project" phase, my overall fitness hasn't decreased that much. I can tell because I've started riding my bike to work, and I'm not that far off my midsummer form. That surprises me, but I'm not unhappy about it.

I can't go to Special Training this summer (somebody rescheduled it during High School graduation time, and I have commitments this year!), so it looks like I'll have to find training motivation substitutes. Time to train for the Central Coast tournament in April, and the NorCal tournament in May!