Updates, but a little late

The winter semester was quite demanding on my time, and I spent most of my down-time being a lazy potato.  Then I had the summer semester — shorter, but no less demanding as it was a completely different subject — and up next is my wedding.  So I haven’t had a lot of time to think about topics to write about; my contributions to my sponsor’s blog have dropped as well.  But let’s look at the goals we set down in January:

• earn my purple, brown, and black belts in BJJ
• research the time and cost for becoming a Registered Massage Therapist (to supplement BA and MA)
• earn my Sport Science diploma, Kinesiology specialization
• obtain my PDP from SFU UBC
  
• graduate from the BPEC program
• continue coaching the NWSS Hyacks
• complete rough draft of paper on BJJ for peer review and editing
• learn how to properly skip rope for cardio
• improve skip rope technique and increase intensity

In six months, what have I crossed off?  Well,

Earn my Sport Science diploma, Kinesiology specialization: I didn’t actually receive my diploma because I had heard that getting your diploma required you to reapply to the BPEC program.  Two pieces of paper seems nice, but I’ll still be able to obtain the Kinesiology specialization with the degree.  However, I did complete all the requirements for the diploma, and posted my well-loved “report card” on my Instagram.

Learn how to properly skip rope for cardio: thanks to some friends I’ve been able to not only start skipping, but maintain it in a decent rhythm.  I’ve also added in the cross-over, though it needs a bit of work.  Perhaps once I get a more properly-sized rope, or get more reps in, I’ll be able to hit the next bullet point about improving technique and intensity.

Next we have some modifications:

Obtain my PDP from SFU UBC: I’ve modified this from SFU to UBC.  SFU has their requirements laid out in a fairly neat and tidy package, but they require a declared minor in a Science type (Math, Physics, Chemisty, etc.) or French.  While re-learning French is a great option to take, at this point in my time at college it will mean at least another year; my competency isn’t enough to challenge an exam.  On the flip side of this PDP coin is UBC.  I actually hadn’t done any research for the Professional Development Program because I (incorrectly) assumed SFU was the only school that offered it.  Imagine my surprise when a Google search turns up eight school in B.C. from the Island to the Okanagan.  UBC does not require a declared minor, but their site is a bit more finicky to navigate and find the requirements.  I do have an “inside track” by way of a friend who recently got a job teaching at the same school I started my fieldwork, and so far UBC has been fairly prompt and decently informative with e-mails.  I’ll have to look in to attending an info session as well.

While I continue to complete my classes in my upcoming third year of the program, I take a long look at one of my more serious goals:

Complete rough draft of paper on BJJ for peer review and editing: My initial thought was to write something more sociology-based even though there is a bigger shortage of peer-reviewed articles based on physiology and psychology for the sport.  I got in contact with a fellow Redditor who was running a poll to collect data for non-research ends; the man is looking to do a full proper study starting in the fall, and I have asked to be a part of this process in any fashion.

Research the time and cost for becoming a Registered Massage Therapist (to supplement BA and MA): To be honest, getting my RMT status may be a bit too much.  The best programs are a full-time four-year process, with a cost equal to a Bachelor’s degree.  Being able to supplement my services with massage therapy is a wonderful idea, but I may have to look at alternate massage certifications.  It stays on the list, but will likely be modified before the year’s end.

Finally, I add a special goal to honour a friend of mine who is taking his learning to the next level:

Make it Raf’s Place to Challenge Him! Co-host of the MMA-comedy podcast “Verbal Tap Cast” (find, subscribe, and rate them on iTunes!), Raf Esparza and I have forged a relationship that consists mostly of trash talking each other and a certain Kevin T. Phillips.  I have vowed to meet with Raf on our field of battle: the mats of North Hollywood (or whatever sub-section of the sprawl known as L.A. Raf resides and/or trains in).  Perhaps Kevin Phillips can make it to town, where I can avenge my loss from our time on Over/Under Kevin.

And now, the new list:

• earn my purple, brown, and black belts in BJJ
• research the time and cost for becoming a Registered Massage Therapist (to supplement BA and MA)
• obtain my PDP from SFU UBC
  
• graduate from the BPEC program
• continue coaching the NWSS Hyacks
• complete rough draft of paper on BJJ for peer review and editing
• improve skip rope technique and increase intensity
• meet with, challenge, and defeat Raf Esparza of Verbal Tap “fame”
  • knee-bar or heel-hook Kevin if he’s in town

How are your goals progressing?  Let’s chat about them!

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

 

Posture

From an early age I have had problems with my posture.  They were never severe, and stemmed more out of laziness than anything medical.  My mom was always trying to correct my posture and make me stand up straight.  You would have thought that at my short height, I would be all over extra centimetres by any means necessary.  Instead I continued to slouch through school, puberty, and my various jobs.  These days I’ll catch my profile in a reflection somewhere and think “wow, my back is getting a little humped”, and then straighten up.  Or I’ll be sitting at a desk and realize that I’ve curled up in order to bring my face closer an object, like a book, school work, or food.

The past few months I have been making a conscious effort to literally straighten myself out.  Part of this effort is assisted by the strength and conditioning program I use, and I’m thankful for the help.  It is slowly becoming an unconscious habit, but it still slips — especially when I’m tired, from physical exertion, or from lack of sleep.  There are times when I think back to an event and wonder what my posture was like.  I figure that if I have to ask myself, it probably wasn’t as good as it should have been.  My posture while sitting is the harder one to correct, I sit in many different chairs at differing heights with tables or desks of differing heights.  Right now I find it difficult to get postural adaptation to each sitting scenario.  Maybe I should concentrate on desk/chair at a time.

What are your thoughts?

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

Making good

Very recently I publicly stated that I was going to learn how to skip rope — or jump rope as some call it.  My reasons for wanting to learn involved many constraints including time, space, and weather.  Well, shortly thereafter I got in contact with a classmate who does some personal training out in Surrey.  With his help and skip rope, I had a starting point that wasn’t as terrible as I remembered.

After my first solo 30-minute session, I wondered what made the difference between 2011 and 2016?  You see, little known fact: I used to kickbox before jiu-jitsu, and our warm-up involved three two-minute segments of skip rope.  And I was downright terrible back then, always coming to a sudden and often painful halt less than 15 seconds after starting.  Let’s try to compare then and now:

• Then: rubber skipping rope, probably 9 feet in length.  Possibly ball bearing setup in handles, handles made of wood
• Now: rubber skipping rope, probably 9 feet in length.  Ball bearing setup, handles made of plastic, notched for comfortable grips
• Then: barefoot on 24mm puzzle mats over concrete
• Now: in running or wrestling shoes, on hardwood dance floor or carpet-over-concrete
• Then: mirrors in front and behind
• Now: some mirrors, location dependant

The quality or make of the skip rope may have played a factor, but I believe the biggest factors are footwear and being able to not look in a mirror.  Even if I skip at school, I can actively shut out the mirrors — mirrors that are on adjacent walls to each other rather than opposite.  In this tiny sample size that has far too many unchecked variables, I have done three bursts of 30 seconds without missing a skip.  All three involved alternating single legs and then back to doubles, something I likely would not have been able to do back in 2011.  Whatever the cause of my improvement, I seek to improve upon that.  Fellow blogger Jennerosity commented on my last post with a YouTube channel full of tutorials, so I thought I’d share it with you all.

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

2016 Goals!

We can chalk this up to the New Year, or perhaps just as another 6-month check-in.  Either way, G-G-G-Goals!

Let’s recap years previous:

• earn my purple, brown, and black belts in BJJ
• research the time and cost for becoming a Registered Massage Therapist (to supplement BA and MA)
• re-start my running exercise, re-time my 1-mile, 5k, and 10k times
• improve upon my 1-mile, 5k, and 10k times
• earn my Sport Science diploma, Kinesiology specialization
• enter the Bachelor of Physical Education and Coaching program
• graduate with my Bachelor’s degree
• research institutes for Master’s degrees in Science of Kinesiology or Sport Psychology
• continue coaching the NWSS Hyacks
• complete rough draft of paper on BJJ for peer review and editing

What have I accomplished?  Well ..

Continue coaching the Hyacks: this season I have embraced more of my role as assistant coach.  Whether it’s tournament prep, getting the team to and from mini-meets or tournaments, or making sure they get a proper warm-up and cool-down, I try to stay on the ball.  I’m ready to take this to the next level.

Research institutes for Master’s degrees: I managed this in late-August, looking at the U of A and University of Calgary as somewhere closer than Ontario or Quebec.  I still have a bit more research to do, and a few other factors to consider now.  This is where it gets fun and interesting.

Enter the BPEC program: as you may remember, I had received a conditional acceptance pending a few things.  Well, I have passed both levels of Anatomy & Physiology, so I do believe I have earned a seat in this Bachelor’s program.  Haha!

It feels good to accomplish some of those goals, and I have a few to be re-worked to suit my current lifestyle.  Let’s see what is being altered:

Resume running: I might never give up the desire to start running again, but in terms of what I need and have time for, this is going to change to Learn how to skip rope.

Improve upon old running times: this will similarly change, and become Improve skip rope time and intensity.

Now let’s put it all back together!

Goals for 2016 and beyond!

• earn my purple, brown, and black belts in BJJ
• research the time and cost for becoming a Registered Massage Therapist (to supplement BA and MA)
• earn my Sport Science diploma, Kinesiology specialization
• obtain my PDP from SFU
• graduate from the BPEC program
• continue coaching the NWSS Hyacks
• complete rough draft of paper on BJJ for peer review and editing
• learn how to properly skip rope for cardio
• improve skip rope technique and increase intensity

So … anyone know how to skip rope and is willing to teach someone with two left feet?  While you’re here, why don’t you comment with some of your goals, old or new?

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

2015’s Year of the Sheep: In Review

We may remember that 2014 was good.  But 2015? Yowzah.

Sheep!  I could go the obvious route about sheep and flocking and yadda-yadda-yadda, but then I’d feel a little sheepish about it.  Ba-DUM-tish!

Once more (with feeling) these are just some of the important days, notes, and highlights in my year.

-January: After reviewing the requirements for entry into the Bachelor of Physical Education and Coaching (BPEC) program, I arranged with former Professor Gord Sturrock to become an assistant coach for the Hyacks’ Wrestling Team out of New Westminster Secondary School.  I helped out with their first tournament of the season: the Western Canada Age Class 2015 Championship, where they all wrestled to a podium finish.  I attended Battlefield Fight League’s 34th card featuring a hefty line-up of friends and training partners: Jeremy Kennedy, Shawn Albrecht, Micah Brakefield, and Christiaan Allaart.  Christiaan’s opponent would no-show to the weigh-ins, forcing him from the card.  Micah would lose to Ash Mashreghi via questionable stoppage, but it was an exciting fight nonetheless.  Shawn would win a unanimous decision and put him as the #1 contender in the Featherweight division.  Jeremy would win a unanimous decision (including a 50-43 score) to claim the Featherweight title belt.  My seat-mates were Sterling Redlack and Stu Deleurme – invited down from Kelowna by BFL to honour Cam’s passing – and Matt Dwyer – former BFL Middleweight champ and current UFC fighter.

-February: Keri and I moved from our place off of 240th and into a newer place on the Haney Bypass.  We moved the big objects during my study break, and got the rest during the month.  With cement floors and ceilings – plus underground parking – it is an upgrade in layout, noise (the lack thereof mainly), and time saved by not scraping frost.  The stairs don’t go down to the parkade, which is a touch annoying, but that’s a mild complaint honestly.  The Hyacks went to the BC Provincials at the Abbotsford Agricultural Rec Centre at the end of the month, and several team members made the top eight to get onto the podium.  I also attended a tournament, the 2nd Marcus Soares Invitational Championships, my first of the year.  I opted in for Gi and No-Gi, feeling decently confident in my stand-up.  Since this tournament only awarded points for submission attempts, I probably would have been safer to jump guard ASAP, but I wanted to test myself.  I lost both of my rounds, but hit an amazing lumberjack sweep in my No-Gi match.  Then I proposed to Keri.  My friend James from Caliber Media was there to help with pictures of the moment.  She said yes.

-March: WarPath hosted their first card in about two years.  I am sad to report that it was not up to their usual standards, plagued by delays and a lineup that was not finalized until the night of the event.  Of note, my friend and former opponent Creigh Sullivan won via dominant fashion, securing a triangle choke in the first round. Battlefield’s 35th card occurred on the 28th, featuring well-known talent such as Nick Ghaeni, Jamie Siraj, Matt Baker, and my friend and former teammate Christian Tremayne.  It was a great night to watch the local talent grow, as well as see their corners evolve.  Notably in attendance were UFC bantamweight veteran Sarah Kaufmann, and ONE FC featherweight Champion Bibiano Fernandes.  Christian won with crisp boxing and slick transitions, getting the Unanimous Decision.  Keri and I celebrated our 2-year anniversary with some lovely relaxation.

-April: Keri celebrated her birthday in conjunction with the Easter Long Weekend, which made for quite a time for all.  Apparently people know us as fans of Doctor Who, as many of her gifts were Doctor-themed.  The final weeks of my classes finished, and then exams.  During that period I had enough stress to lower my immune system and catch a cold and a low-grade fever.  Despite that, I managed to pass all of my classes and up my GPA.  One more course to register and pass, and then I am accepted into my Bachelor’s program.  Keri scheduled an interview at the end of the month at Ridge Meadows Hospital, and her professionalism and knowledge made her a sure-fire hire.

-May: Keri began her training and orientation for her job, traveling to Royal Columbian, Surrey Memorial, and Ridge Meadows.  Then she got an e-mail from ARH asking if she was still available for shifts on the Maternity ward.  While the timing could have been better, it does mean that she could pick up casual shifts from both hospitals and thus have a decent amount of hours.  My summer semester started, and a day earlier than I had previously believed.  Fortunately I caught my erroneous belief before the start, so I managed to appear prepared. The end of the month meant Proving Grounds VI in Bellevue, a tournament I was quite eager for.  It was the same weekend as the IBJJF Mundials which saw a lot of my friends and teammates compete.  Unfortunately I came up short in my tournament thanks to a call that should not have been made.  The experience soured the day for me, but the evening was able to pull it back thanks to Battlefield 36.  It was BFL’s 5th Anniversary. and the card featured five title fights: three amateur titles, one inaugural kickboxing title, and one pro title.  My friend and former teammate/coach Christiaan Allaart would suffer a loss via guillotine choke in the first round, going unconscious and making him unable to claim the Featherweight title.  Christiaan would also retire from MMA following his fight, leaving him able to concentrate on his family and his job teaching BJJ.  Friend and former teammate Christian Tremayne would weather a hard first and second round before going on to win the final three rounds to win the vacant Lightweight belt via unanimous decision, 48-47.  Friend and former co-worker Tylor Nicholson would be unable to continue the inaugural kickboxing bout due to receiving unintentional illegal blows; that coming after his opponent missed weight by 5 pounds.  Chris Anderson would defend his Middleweight title via KO in the second round; Ash Mashreghi would claim the vacant pro Middleweight title via RNC in the third round.

-June: The first Saturday was a taste test at Austin Gourmet, a wedding catering company.  We selected a 3-bean salad, southwestern potato salad, spinach and feta cannelloni in a white sauce, and a beef lasagna.  All of it was amazing, filling, and not greasy.  While eating, we chatted about the general layout of the Old Mill Boathouse, and got some experienced input on where the head table should go.  The staff at Austin Gourmet were very pleasant to deal with, and we recommend them to anyone looking for a caterer.  The next Saturday was the CBJJF 3rd Annual Provincial BJJ Championships, hosted in Abbotsford at the Events Centre.  I volunteered with the set-up and the scorekeeping, plus I competed in Gi and No-Gi; medalling in both.  The following Monday I attended a seminar hosted by top Featherweight competitor Gianni Grippo, learning about a berimbolo set-up.  Friend, roommate, and teammate Jordan and I would complete the Grouse Grind for the first time in many years.  It is quite different now with a lot more completed staircases and fewer rocks to scale.

-July: After a few false bookings, I booked and completed my Standard First Aid & CPR level C + AED certification; a prerequisite not only to graduate from my program but also to start my fieldwork courses in the fall.  The two-day course was a lot easier than the provided First Aid Reference Guide suggested, but there are skills that I want to continue to practice.  Keri and I went to lunch with my cousin Courtney, finally allowing the two of them to meet face to face instead of relying on stories from me.  Professor Cobrinha returned to town for a two-day seminar, concentrating on the double-under guard pass and utilizing a Kimura grip in a variety of ways.  My cousin Mike came down from Kelowna to participate as well, which was fun.  That same weekend I attended Battlefield Fight League’s 37th card, which was aired on the Fight Network.  My teammate and friend Shawn Albrecht fought but fell prey to a superior stand-up game despite his control of the ground game.  UFC Bantamweight fighter Sarah Kaufmann was in town to coach her teammate and fellow professional fighter Ryan Janes to a successful and exciting Middleweight title defence.  A day later my parents arrived in town for a quick vacation, allowing for an impromptu reunion of sorts followed by a family engagement party.

-August: Longtime friend Jordan tied the knot in a wonderful, simple, and fun Hawaiian-themed ceremony; myself and longtime friend Niv were the groomsmen, along with fellow Edmontonian Jan.  Friend and training partner Matt Kwan would host an open mat at his new academy On Guard BJJ, and receive his well-deserved and long-awaited brown belt.  I volunteered at the Katana BJJ Roots BJJ Challenge III, and ended up competing rather spur-of-the-moment.  I had enough warning to invite my cousin Courtney to come watch, it helped that the tournament was at the Richmond Oval.  I took gold after two good matches, and I got another two takedowns.   I would make my way up to Kelowna to attend a Rafa Mendes seminar – thus completing a third seminar by one of the best BJJ Featherweights in the world – and managed to get in a couple of training sessions with the beasts at RDC Jiu-Jitsu.  While there, I went (or tried) wakeboarding, and then had a blast on a huge tube — until it flipped and launched me into the air.  Apparently my body made a very unmistakeably loud noise when it hit the water.  But, no injuries to report from that!  Amanda and I (and everyone else) pulled a surprise engagement party for Keri (and for me, but one of us had to be in on it).  Finally, Keri and I managed to sneak off for a week-long trip to Alberta to visit my parents and test-drive some Subarus.  We managed to avoid the massive windstorm as well.

-September: I finished the last round of my Twinrix Immunization, bringing me up to date on Hep A/B, MMR, and Tetanus.  Another Fall semester started with an unexpected fire alarm, an expected Violent Intruder Drill, and Fieldwork Orientation.  Amanda and Ben had their engagement party, which was a fun mingling experience with mini pumpkin pies!  Just as my school schedule became normal, Keri and I jetted off to Florida/a quick Bahaman cruise (BOAT DAY!) for my good friends Jeff and Claire and their wedding!  Yay!  I helped Jordan get his first sponsorship with Just Saiyan, a company that has a collection of shirts and rashguards featuring costumes from DragonBall Z.  Jordan picked up Vegeta and Frieza, Keri grabbed a Vegeta (which can double as child Gohan on Namek), and I grabbed a Goku.

-October: We celebrated my 31st birthday in a low-key style: watching the UFC 192 card with friends.  I started getting back to the weights to push my weight solidly into the Middleweight bracket, with the assistance of Twin 1: Jack.  The entire household went to the advance voting polls to cast our votes for the Federal election, an action that over 800,000 Canadians joined in on.  My Fieldwork site was a voting station, and they didn’t seem terribly busy during the scant moments I was inside to notice them — but that doesn’t mean they weren’t getting a good turnout.  Battlefield Fight League held their 39th card, “Halloween Hell”, at the Hard Rock Casino.  Friend and sometimes-teammate Stu Deleurme fought for the first time since Cam passed away; Stu unfortunately lost via first round TKO.  Mr. Kitty unfortunately passed away, but it appeared to be painless for her.  She will always be loved, and missed dearly.

-November: Keri and I went to visit the Shar Peis that Sonja breeds, and enjoyed being once again in a pile of dogs.  We had a sleepover with one of the gorgeous dogs, and soon realized that separating a grown adult from her pack was not the easiest task in the world; especially compared to raising a puppy.  It was a good lesson to learn, but at least we enjoyed a night of having a dog sleep on the bed with us.  I did my first solo stint as a wrestling coach at a takedown tournament.  It was a great way to give our youngest team member some competition experience before War On The Floor; a big thanks to the Pinetree wrestlers for ignoring the 25kg difference in weight and giving him several matches.  My fieldwork at Maple Creek wrapped up, and I was gifted one of their shirts.  More than 10 years after graduating high school I’m finally starting to feel school pride.  Finally, I got my seasonal flu shot, continuing the trend I started in the summer.

-December: The month started out with my last tournament of the year: the 1st Annual Vancouver International Open.  I competed in Gi and No-Gi, and volunteered all day.  My Gi division didn’t go as planned, but I managed a better show in No-Gi, taking Gold.  My cousin Courtney came out to watch, and we had a little family reunion with our cousin/my teammate Mike.  The first official tournament of the wrestling season kicked off right as I had to write my big Anatomy & Physiology final, but the timing worked so the Hyacks had a coach with them all day.  I solo coached four of my wrestlers at War On The Floor, two of them were second-year veterans and two of them were new.  None of them have any big holes in their games to deal with, just small things to be corrected in practice and with more experience.  Back on the dog front, we puppy-sat the gorgeous little Muji while Sonja tended to the newest litter of puppies.  This gave her the opportunity to work somewhat less impeded while giving Muji lots of love and attention.  Keri and I had multiple Christmas dinners with family and friends, including some haggis!  ‘Twas delicious actually.  Finally, I felt my first earthquake on the 29th, a 4.9 on the Richter scale.  It was a bit underwhelming, but perhaps this building is a bit more earthquake-ready as compared to older places.

What a year it’s been!  I know some of what 2016 will bring, but I’m looking forward to all of it!  How was your 2015?  Any big highlights — or small ones — that you’d like to share?

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

CBJJF Vancouver International Open

Saturday December 5th was the launch of the inaugural Vancouver International Open tournament, hosted by the CBJJF at the UBC War Memorial Gym.  They had close to 700 competitors, and a schedule that would have doors open at 7:45AM and the final matches start around 8PM.  A long day for all of the staff and volunteers, but we got through it with few incidents.  I had a few jobs as the day progressed: I started at the weigh-in table, moved to score-keeping and semi-impromptu ring coordination, and ended with Gi/No-Gi checks combined with a bouncer-style position to ensure a specific area remain open to those with a media or coaching pass.

I registered for Gi and No-Gi, Master 1 Middleweight for both.  The Gi division started as six of us, but had a late addition from the Master 2 bracket when half (a.k.a. one) of the opponents didn’t show up.  There ended up being three of us from Genesis, but fairly well separated by other matches.  My own match didn’t go very well, my long-time opponent Clay from Gravity BJJ pulled me down into a tight triangle choke in the opening seconds while I was busy setting up for a single-leg attack.  He was rewarded with the tap and moved on to face my teammate Rich.  At this point I was starving, so I grabbed some lunch from the volunteer’s food table and sat down with my cousin Courtney who had arrived in time watch my quick match.

My RDC teammate/cousin Mike had arrived as well, so we had a small family gathering of cousins until I returned to my volunteering duties.  The tournament was running behind as the day progressed, at the worst being about an hour behind schedule, but started getting back on track as the No-Gi division started.  Clay and I faced off once again, this time we battle for several minutes until a scramble gave me the opportunity to sink in a Rear Naked Choke at the expense of securing the position.  The gambit paid off and I was rewarded with the tap.

As always I was decked out in crisp new Gi from Triangle Athletics, and my go-to shorts and long-sleeve rashguard.  I haven’t worn the rashguard in a while, keeping to short sleeves while wrestling, but putting it on felt like coming home again; familiar, comfortable, and wondering why I didn’t wear it sooner.

Many of my Genesis teammates competed as well, and several of them made it to a podium finish.  Some of them competed in No-Gi for their first time with no prior training and had a lot of fun.  It will likely be my last tournament until February of 2016, and in the meantime I’ll be busy studying, enjoying time off, and starting yet another semester.

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

Fitness!

Being a very undersized Middleweight competitor (up to 181.5lbs with the gi on), I have two choices: cut the few pounds to be a Lightweight (168lbs) either each time or permanently, or gain weight — preferably muscle.  So I decided on option 2: muscle.

Getting another membership and finding the time to get there just wasn’t feasible, along with the fact that I didn’t have a workout plan.

Problem 1: a gym.  Answer 1: Douglas College.  Students get access to the weight room and other facilities during their posted hours.

Problem 2: finding time.  Answer 2: Before, after, or between classes.  Certainly makes it worth the drive when I can do something on campus that is longer than a single class a day.

Problem 3: a workout plan.  Answer 3: Jack-Attack!  My boy Jack, a wrestler on the SFU team and a classmate of mine, was already doing sessions at the gym.  He, like I, was on campus five days a week.  It was only natural that we join forces to be gym-boys together.

Boom, problem solved!  Now I just have to actually gain weight.  The bonus side of things: we’re doing some anaerobic cardio as well, something that is a must for wrestling and BJJ.  We’ll get stronger, we’ll get more endurance when the pressure is on, and we’ll look good doing so.

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army.

Soaptacular Facts

Ringworm is a common affliction to those of us who grapple on a regular basis. It is so common that virtually everyone who grapples will have knowledge on how to deal with it. Being a fungal infection, ringworm takes time and diligence to deal with. There are steps you can take to keep your defences in check and stave off such infections for your entire career.

Tea tree oil is often used in soaps, and has long been used as a topical treatment by the Australian army for a variety of purposes (Barnetson, Bell, Satchell, & Saurajen, 2004), mainly due to the major component of terpninen-4-0 L. As many companies will tell you: tea tree oil has tonnes of antimicrobial properties; that is why it is a key component in many products. Barneston et al. (2004) conducted a study on a mix of male and female patients totaling 158 total, all between the ages of 17 and 83 years old. The group was randomly divided into three groups: placebo, 25% tea tree oil concentration, and 50% tea tree oil concentration. When the study wrapped up, it was found that an effective cure – defined as both mycological and marked clinical response – was found in up to 50% of the participants in either tea tree oil group, versus less than 15% in the placebo group (Barnetson et al., 2004).

While greater amounts of tea tree oil is required to reach the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and the minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs), as compared to fluconazole and N-terminated palmitoyl lipidated peptide Pal-Lys-NH₂ (Abruzzetti et al., 2009) it was found to reduce Microsporum canis and Trichophyton rubrum fungal biomasses in a statistically significant manner.

There is a lot more research to be done with tea tree oil, as seen in clinical reviews, such as one by Bagerhani, Kazerouni, Pazyar, & Yaghoobi (2013). The current research suggests that tea tree oil can assist in removing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, or more commonly known as an antibiotic-resistant staph infection) from the skin, is a good alternative antioxidant, and has potent virucidal effects against herpes simplex virus I.

Now what does all of this mean in plain English? It means that tea tree oil is a viable agent in the fight against fungal infections commonly known to us as ringworm, athlete’s foot, and jock itch. It can also help prevent damage to cell membranes caused by free radicals. All of these positive effects and very few negative effects – barring the occasional adverse reaction – coupled with a fairly open and accessible market means skin care products with tea tree oil are a great way to stay healthy and keep training!

And what’s better: tea tree oil is featured in all of the soap products offered by the amazing Arm Bar Soap Company. Chad certainly knows his stuff when it comes to blending the right ingredients together to create amazing products, and he offers them up at a great price – even for us Canadians (available through BJJDepot.ca, where you get Canadian prices from a Canadian company).

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

About the author: Kiyoshi is a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and completing his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Coaching. He takes advantage of the peer-reviewed databases at his disposal to research important topics to his grappling and educational careers..

 

 

References

Abruzzetti, A., Arzeni, D., Barchiesi, F., Castelletti, S., Cirioni, O., Ganzetti, G., Giacometti, A., Kamysz, E., Kamysz, W., Offidani, A.M., Riva, A., Scalise, G., Silvestri, C., Simonetti, O., & Spreghini, E. (2009). In Vitro Susceptibility of Dermatophytes to conventional and Alternative Antifungal Agents. Medical Mycology, 47(3), 321-326.

Bagherani, N., Kazerouni, R., Pazyar, N., & Yaghoobi, R. (2013). A Review of Applications of Tea Tree Oil in Dermatology. International Journal of Dermatologiy, 52(7), 782-790.

Barnetson, R.S., Bell, C., Satchell, A.C., & Saurajen, A. (2002). Treatment of Interdigital Tinea Pedis with 25% and 50% Tea Tree Oil Solution: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Blinded Study. Australian Journal of Dermatology, 43(3), 175-178.

BC Day!

Today is B.C. Day, a Stat holiday.  It has been quite the weekend for me, and now I finish it off with an open mat hosted by On Guard BJJ in Port Coquitlam by my friend and training partner Matt Kwan.  Enjoy your extra day!

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army

Bugs are assholes

Over the past few years, I have noticed that my reactions to bug bites have grown stronger.  The area around the bite grows splotchy, which tends to hide exactly where I was bitten.  After a week or so, the bite and surrounding area would recede and heal.  I thought it might have been some of my genetics coming to the forefront, my mom generally has the same reaction from bug bites.  But a few of my coworkers mentioned similar growing reactions, leading me to believe it wasn’t just an increase in sensitivity.

And now, over the past couple of weeks, I have sustained multiple bites.  Not only are they itchy and splotchy, but now they’re swelling.  Most recently, a mosquito bit me on my ankle.  Within 24 hours, it looked as though I had rolled my ankle very badly; it swelled a lot, and looked very bruised.  The swelling has gone down a bit, in part thanks to a topical Benadryl treatment, and in part since the excess fluid is moving elsewhere due to gravity.  But it still looks like I snapped a tendon with the size and rich colour of the bruise.

I’ve purchased a bug-repellent in the form of a lotion, allowing me to apply it without losing a lot to the air or inhaling it.  But does anyone get the sense that bugs are becoming bigger assholes?  Maybe it’s the chemicals we’re using to prevent bites from bugs carrying West Nile and other malicious things, or maybe I haven’t put enough points into poison immunity; either way I’m not happy with the reaction my body is having to them.

Anyone have any similar growing concerns?

–Kiyoshi “The Prototype”
Your #1 Canadian eh?
Respect the Technique, Triangle Army