Countdown to Kung Fu Black Sash Test -- Day 2

Yesterday was a barefoot run -- about 2 miles.  On the agenda for today was my regular Tuesday night advanced class.

I knew I had to work the intensity for tonight's class.  In the regular class, we do less in our conditioning sets than we do in the Saturday morning cycle training, and than we'll do on the test this coming Friday, so my plan was to push it harder tonight.  Kind of like doing hill work or sprints.

During the black sash test we will have to get through the following conditioning section right off the bat, before moving on to anything else:

Set 1
60 jumping jacks
90 seconds (or is it 120?) push-ups
90 seconds regular crunches
Immediately to Set 2
60 jumping jacks
90 seconds non-stop push-ups
90 seconds side-side-middle crunches
Immediately to Set 3
60 jumping jacks
90 seconds push-ups
90 seconds bicycle crunches

It's that last bit of bicycle crunches that always gets me and that I'm very worried about.  If you stop during these sets, they will tap you on the shoulder and you're out of the test.  I almost always have to put my feet on the floor and rest after about 30 bicycle crunches.  I'm just not there yet.  But one of my instructors told me to just keep moving.  What I was able to do this past Saturday was just switch to regular crunches.  If they accept that, I'll be okay.

(Very weird thing that's happening during my bicycle crunches.  Since I NEVER wear shoes with arch support any more except for those old running shoes in kung fu class, I have been getting this really weird charlie horse cramp in the arch of my foot when I get down to do the crunches.  It just cramps all up in this tight contraction in the middle of my foot and hurts really badly and is out of my control to relax it.  It makes me look weird as I start the bicycle crunches.  It is bizarre and I think it's because of the shoes -- doing the jumping jacks in those old running shoes.)

I also have to stop in the middle of the third set of push-ups, but I can stay in plank position and just do one more, then stay in plank and do one more, etc..., so I can get by.

The test is going to be 3 hours long.  We'll be tested on everything we've learned for the past four years.  Punches, kicks, various drills, Long Fist I and Long Fist II, the defense applications of both Long Fist I and II.  And then we'll have to spar.  Some people will have to fight 3 people, some 5, some -- the second degree black sashes -- 10 people.  And at the end of all those hours -- the famous 5 minute horse stance!

Well, now back to my plan for tonight.  My plan was to do deeper and faster crunches and push-ups.  Since in the regular class we have to do half the amount of jumping jacks and half the time for the crunches and push-ups, I figure it would be like when you run faster because you are running a shorter distance.  More intensity with less time.

Then, when I have to go the "longer distance" on Friday, I will pace myself.  I will do slower push-ups crunches and not do them as deeply into the muscles.  Like when you run slower for your "long run" day.

That's the plan anyway.