Athlete Vaporists?

[kel]

Do you remember Kel if his performance dropped when he was drunk?
And, as a follow-up question, what do you think we can conclude from this?

Honestly, if anything it seemed to get better haha

Conclusions? not sure... perhaps; if you repeat something often enough it becomes second nature?

 

[Nina]

Honestly, if anything it seemed to get better haha

Conclusions? not sure... perhaps; if you repeat something often enough it becomes second nature?

Wouldn't you assume that being intoxicated by alcohol would affect motor coordination and slow him down?

 

[kel]

Wouldn't you assume that being intoxicated by alcohol would affect motor coordination and slow him down?

Typically yes, of course, but as I say, it seemed to make him more relaxed and this was a profoundly instinctual thing - blink of an eye, sober or drunk!

edit: also a question of degree of course, passed out on the sofa and reaction time would be curtailed, but I can't ever remember seeing him *that* drunk, so I don't know.

 

[His_Highness]

Over 30 years ago I trained in Shotokan. Shotokan is one of the oldest, traditional Japanese arts that can be tracked all the way back to "Bitchin" Gitchen Funakoshi. I trained at the US headquarters (45th street in Philly) under Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki. The headquarter's training was more intense than the other Shotokan dojos. There was usually a little blood on the floor during belt exams because we didn't use gloves when sparring. Blood on the floor didn't happen at the other Shotokan dojos. Some of the men and women who trained there were what I would classify as "The Truly Dangerous". I never even came close to the almost magical way they could execute.

Shotokan training centers around generating maximum power through precise technique. It's about external power versus something like Kung Fu which is more about internal power. There are stories about "the ancients" knocking out a bull with one reverse punch. Not sure how much I believe that one but I did see some amazing things.

I trained in other styles after we left Philly but I refused to train in "We learn by fighting" studios or any watered down arts because they often left out respect and tradition which I felt was an important aspect. After Philly, training became a family thing once my oldest daughter became old enough to train. The studios after Philly/Shotokan really couldn't stress their students the way the studio in Philly did because you can't make money that way. In Shotokan you could get hit with a Bo (More embarrassing than painful due to the loud noise it makes when it hits you) for not having a low enough stance or your foot off by an inch in a knife stance. Most everyday students wouldn't put up with that kind of thing.

One of the "tells" for who was a serious Shotokan practitioner was that the knuckles of the index finger and middle finger was one big knuckle. Those knuckles got that way from hitting something called a makiwara board with maximum force hundred of times, for hours on your own. Its not just about hitting the board.... Strict attention to technique from the twitch of your waist/butt through how hard you pull the opposite arm back into the pocket was the expectation when using the makiwara board. The traditional makiwara board is rigid and without padding.

Finally a story.....There was a special event at the Philly dojo where one of the oldest living Sensei (Think it was Masatoshi Nakayama) came for a visit. This was a huge honor. People showed up from all over the US. The most "truly dangerous" student, a 6 foot, muscular, overachieving doctor who had hardly any body fat, no sense of humor and tremendous overall control, was asked to assist in a demonstration. The aged visiting sensei shuffled to the middle of the dojo and stood there with his hands at his side and the doctor was told he should attack without holding back. They picked the right student because in all the years I trained there I never saw him do anything at less than 100%. They bowed and the visiting sensei was again standing there with both feet perpendicular with his hands at his sides. The student got into a fighting stance and Sensei Okazaki yelled the command to start. The student was pretty much a blur as he attacked the old master. The old master made a barely perceptible move to the side, did a almost invisible knife hand strike to the neck and the student was launched across the room. The old Sensei had barely moved and the look on the students face was pure "WTF!".

I've also trained in Tae Kwan Do and Kung Fu. My daughters have their black belts in Tae Kwan Do, my youngest is a 2nd degree and used to teach. My biggest regret is not having trained in Jiu Jitsu / Judo. My Tae Kwan Do instructor was Grandmaster Kim in Midland Park N.J. and he used to be an instructor for the Korean Army so I did get exposed to some locks and holds but nothing as useful as what I see being taught today.

Another story....During an evening Tae Kwan Do class I ended up matched with my wife for sparring. My wife is/was very heavy handed and had no idea how to pull a punch or kick which is why she probably got matched up with me. Master kim announced "no techniques to the face" and gave the command to fight. I was fully prepared to protect everything except my face so when my wife tried a kick to my groin I easily blocked it but her next technique was an immediate reverse punch straight to the face which was full contact. Blood was gushing out of my nose and I was preparing to return the favor when Master Kim, laughing hysterically said "Stop! and No fighting when you get home!". The class laughed pretty hard. Took time for the swelling to go down and when someone asked what happened the response was typically "Your wife beat you that bad and she just started training? You must suck!"

Sorry about the verbal dysentery. Got stuck in the past........enjoyed reliving it though. Haven't trained in over a decade and pretty sure I couldn't kick my own ass at this point. Now if you'll excuse me I just realized I still owe my wife for the face punch......

EDIT: I just noticed that I've been calling the Shotokan/Japanese instructors "Master" and not "Sensei". In the US...Tae Kwan Do instructors are called "Master" and Japanese instructors are called "Sensei". I've updated the above accordingly and apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently insulted.

 

[Nina]

so a question of degree of course, passed out on the sofa and reaction time would be curtailed, but I can't ever remember seeing him *that* drunk, so I don't know.

Of course I should remember that intoxication is not a binary thing!
All said and done he sounds like someone that you want to keep on the good side of

 

[VapeEscapist]

Over 30 years ago I trained in Shotokan. Shotokan is one of the oldest, traditional Japanese arts that can be tracked all the way back to "Bitchin" Gitchen Funakoshi. I trained at the US headquarters (45th street in Philly) under Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki. The headquarter's training was more intense than the other Shotokan dojos. There was usually a little blood on the floor during belt exams because we didn't use gloves when sparring. Blood on the floor didn't happen at the other Shotokan dojos. Some of the men and women who trained there were what I would classify as "The Truly Dangerous". I never even came close to the almost magical way they could execute.

Shotokan training centers around generating maximum power through precise technique. It's about external power versus something like Kung Fu which is more about internal power. There are stories about "the ancients" knocking out a bull with one reverse punch. Not sure how much I believe that one but I did see some amazing things.

I trained in other styles after we left Philly but I refused to train in "We learn by fighting" studios or any watered down arts because they often left out respect and tradition which I felt was an important aspect. After Philly, training became a family thing once my oldest daughter became old enough to train. The studios after Philly/Shotokan really couldn't stress their students the way the studio in Philly did because you can't make money that way. In Shotokan you could get hit with a Bo (More embarrassing than painful due to the loud noise it makes when it hits you) for not having a low enough stance or your foot off by an inch in a knife stance. Most everyday students wouldn't put up with that kind of thing.

One of the "tells" for who was a serious Shotokan practitioner was that the knuckles of the index finger and middle finger was one big knuckle. Those knuckles got that way from hitting something called a makiwara board with maximum force hundred of times, for hours on your own. Its not just about hitting the board.... Strict attention to technique from the twitch of your waist/butt through how hard you pull the opposite arm back into the pocket was the expectation when using the makiwara board. The traditional makiwara board is rigid and without padding.

Finally a story.....There was a special event at the Philly dojo where one of the oldest living Sensei (Think it was Masatoshi Nakayama) came for a visit. This was a huge honor. People showed up from all over the US. The most "truly dangerous" student, a 6 foot, muscular, overachieving doctor who had hardly any body fat, no sense of humor and tremendous overall control, was asked to assist in a demonstration. The aged visiting sensei shuffled to the middle of the dojo and stood there with his hands at his side and the doctor was told he should attack without holding back. They picked the right student because in all the years I trained there I never saw him do anything at less than 100%. They bowed and the visiting sensei was again standing there with both feet perpendicular with his hands at his sides. The student got into a fighting stance and Sensei Okazaki yelled the command to start. The student was pretty much a blur as he attacked the old master. The old master made a barely perceptible move to the side, did a almost invisible knife hand strike to the neck and the student was launched across the room. The old Sensei had barely moved and the look on the students face was pure "WTF!".

I've also trained in Tae Kwan Do and Kung Fu. My daughters have their black belts in Tae Kwan Do, my youngest is a 2nd degree and used to teach. My biggest regret is not having trained in Jiu Jitsu / Judo. My Tae Kwan Do instructor was Grandmaster Kim in Midland Park N.J. and he used to be an instructor for the Korean Army so I did get exposed to some locks and holds but nothing as useful as what I see being taught today.

Another story....During an evening Tae Kwan Do class I ended up matched with my wife for sparring. My wife is/was very heavy handed and had no idea how to pull a punch or kick which is why she probably got matched up with me. Master kim announced "no techniques to the face" and gave the command to fight. I was fully prepared to protect everything except my face so when my wife tried a kick to my groin I easily blocked it but her next technique was an immediate reverse punch straight to the face which was full contact. Blood was gushing out of my nose and I was preparing to return the favor when Master Kim, laughing hysterically said "Stop! and No fighting when you get home!". The class laughed pretty hard. Took time for the swelling to go down and when someone asked what happened the response was typically "Your wife beat you that bad and she just started training? You must suck!"

Sorry about the verbal dysentery. Got stuck in the past........enjoyed reliving it though. Haven't trained in over a decade and pretty sure I couldn't kick my own ass at this point. Now if you'll excuse me I just realized I still owe my wife for the face punch......

EDIT: I just noticed that I've been calling the Shotokan/Japanese instructors "Master" and not "Sensei". In the US...Tae Kwan Do instructors are called "Master" and Japanese instructors are called "Sensei". I've updated the above accordingly and apologize to anyone I may have inadvertently insulted.

Very cool, man. RIP Sonny Chiba....

My brother is 3rd degree under Dan Inosanto. He's is also an instructor and has certification in a few other forms. I also have a friend who runs a combat Sambo gym in Manhattan.

Striking ends fights the fastest, grappling wins more fights.

I've heard it said that striking is better if you're attacked by a group and can drop the first guy, hopefully deterring the rest. Grappling and submission is best if it's truly 1on1. Watching MMA progress in recent years, Dagastany Sambo wrestlers and US collegiate wrestlers (or higher) have a clear edge in fitness and control. Even without submissions, wrestlers can control an entire fight with clinching and top control 90+% of the time. Obviously street fights have countless elements that a professional match doesn't but that's how it's played out a lot over the years.

I love traditional strikers, I almost always root for them when they're talented, but wrestlers with a good enough defense almost always have a clear advantage.

That said, I've come to believe (from my armchair martial artists perspective) that Muay Thai is likely the pinnacle of striking arts, especially kicking, so that's why I've been leaning towards that form for myself.

Edit: tomorrow looks like a cherry day to resume cycling. I've been nursing a couple injuries so my cycling was scaled back to commuting only. Pretty psyched to feel that 70 degree breeze....

 

[kel]

I have just come back from the second run in as many days and I am on fire!

I have no idea on timings but I am powering up hills and on my two favourite technical sections I felt like I was at racing speed, knees high, ass down low - think sort of cossack dancing but running down a very thin rocky undulating trail... so. much. fun!

 

[bossman]

I've always wanted to try clip-in shoes/pedals. The closest I've gotten to that is toe straps, but I see why clip-in would be so much better.

One of these days...

First time reading or posting to this thread. I wanted to chime in about clipless pedals to argue against the notion that platform pedals are in any way safer because you can put your feet on the ground more quickly.

There's a few things playing into this misunderstanding. I think a big one is how ubiquitous the shimano spd pedals and cleats are. They don't have any float and have a sticky ski binding feel. Taken together it's easy to get a bad impression of the clipped-in experience.

Also it's only the very slow or stationary accidents where putting one or both feet on the ground would benefit the rider or prevent a fall. This is especially true of road cycling, but even with mountain biking secure points of connection actually make you safer because you have more control of the bike.

Toe cages are the worst of both worlds and also risk biasing someone against clipless pedals, the rationale being "well those toe clips already feel sketchy so no way do I want to try clipless!" It's the dead tech of toe cages where one can legitimately argue that your feet are stuck somehow and might not make it to the ground if needed. They only ever made sense back in the pre-clipless era or for velodrome racing.

Sadly I don't feel comfortable recommending the Speedplay pedals I've used for decades: they discontinued the cleats for my older pedals with no upgrade path apart from buying their expensive new model that feels and works the same.

But in general it'd be better for everyone to know:

1) you can definitely control your bike better if your feet are clipped in because you we don't have monkey thumbs on our feet and toe clips are some bullshit.

2) you're not just "10% more efficient" from being clipped in. When you're using a proper bike shoe with a stiff sole (often carbon fiber these days) along with a pedal that has adequate float (always better for your knees). This effectively turns your whole bike shoe into the pedal, which is the safest, most efficient, and most ergonomic option.

Granted there's a bunch of different ways to enjoy cycling and some are admittedly to casual/short/slow to fully appreciate the benefits of a nice pedal and decent cycling shoes.

But it's what everyone does who rides a road or mountain bike hundreds of miles a week and it's because it's better: you don't want your foot flexing in some bendy sneaker for a twenty, forty, or sixty mile ride. You don't want the oversized toe box of that sneaker rubbing against some hopeless toe clip cage (with loose straps since nobody really cinches those up). You don't wear boxing or mma gloves to hold the handlebars and running shoes on a bike make almost as little sense.

You want a stiff cycling shoe for efficient energy transfer, a floaty cleat for knee health and confident release, and a clipless pedal that let's you hold the cranks with your feet and make the most of your exertions.

 

[VapeEscapist]

First time reading or posting to this thread. I wanted to chime in about clipless pedals to argue against the notion that platform pedals are in any way safer because you can put your feet on the ground more quickly.

There's a few things playing into this misunderstanding. I think a big one is how ubiquitous the shimano spd pedals and cleats are. They don't have any float and have a sticky ski binding feel. Taken together it's easy to get a bad impression of the clipped-in experience.

Also it's only the very slow or stationary accidents where putting one or both feet on the ground would benefit the rider or prevent a fall. This is especially true of road cycling, but even with mountain biking secure points of connection actually make you safer because you have more control of the bike.

Toe cages are the worst of both worlds and also risk biasing someone against clipless pedals, the rationale being "well those toe clips already feel sketchy so no way do I want to try clipless!" It's the dead tech of toe cages where one can legitimately argue that your feet are stuck somehow and might not make it to the ground if needed. They only ever made sense back in the pre-clipless era or for velodrome racing.

Sadly I don't feel comfortable recommending the Speedplay pedals I've used for decades: they discontinued the cleats for my older pedals with no upgrade path apart from buying their expensive new model that feels and works the same.

But in general it'd be better for everyone to know:

1) you can definitely control your bike better if your feet are clipped in because you we don't have monkey thumbs on our feet and toe clips are some bullshit.

2) you're not just "10% more efficient" from being clipped in. When you're using a proper bike shoe with a stiff sole (often carbon fiber these days) along with a pedal that has adequate float (always better for your knees). This effectively turns your whole bike shoe into the pedal, which is the safest, most efficient, and most ergonomic option.

Granted there's a bunch of different ways to enjoy cycling and some are admittedly to casual/short/slow to fully appreciate the benefits of a nice pedal and decent cycling shoes.

But it's what everyone does who rides a road or mountain bike hundreds of miles a week and it's because it's better: you don't want your foot flexing in some bendy sneaker for a twenty, forty, or sixty mile ride. You don't want the oversized toe box of that sneaker rubbing against some hopeless toe clip cage (with loose straps since nobody really cinches those up). You don't wear boxing or mma gloves to hold the handlebars and running shoes on a bike make almost as little sense.

You want a stiff cycling shoe for efficient energy transfer, a floaty cleat for knee health and confident release, and a clipless pedal that let's you hold the cranks with your feet and make the most of your exertions.

It's not my intention to be confrontational or purely contrarian here but I must respectfully disagree in regards to year round 24/7 NYC conditions.

Where do you ride primarily? The only people clipped in at all here in NYC are people obviously out on serious long rides. I ride in rain, snow, and ice, every year for 11 years now. I would love to see someone try to follow me on pitted ice clipped in on a road bike. You don't see it for good reason.

Personally, I have avoided a few potentially nasty crashes/falls partly due to having feet free. I once hit successive pot holes in the pitch black at just under 20mph, and the undulation caused a wobble algorithm to take over my front wheel and instantly planting both feet allowed me to correct and stop. Though I went uncomfortably into my frame and handlebars, I didn't fall or crash. I also like to change the position of my foot for different grades of climb and while doing track stands.

Nothing about a road bike set up really fits with any of that. I won't ride drop bars either for safety reasons. We had 7 cyclists killed in NYC last Sept alone.

Walking is also often very necessary in this cycling environment, especially if you ride everywhere, as I do. I told a road cyclist I met at Coney Island that he should use the Triboro bridge path to cross the East River instead of the Queensboro to avoid the traffic in the bike lane and hook up with the East River esplanade so he can travel the length of Manhattan safely away from car traffic. He then asked, "It has steps, right?", and when I said yes, he looked sad. That's when I realized, I don't see road bikes on the Triboro often because the metal edged steps are too treacherous with clip-in soles carrying a bike. Cycling is my main means of transportation, not just an athletic hobby. I have little interest in ankle rolling my way around a store, or carrying other shoes. Though I think they make slip covers for some clip-ins soles.

If I was riding in a place where I had long uninterrupted stretches of pristine blacktop, I would probably own a road bike and full kit. The majority of my rides are no more than 2 hours round trip unless I'm training or touring. In my opinion, road bikes are really meant for a metric century or greater. Anything less, it's not necessary to have all that time shaving accoutrement. I'll do 50 miles to the Rockaways and back tomorrow, maybe with the same effort of a road bikes 70 miles, but that's good, right? I've done 126 miles with platform pedals on a 35 pound bike in a single day. Is that like a 175+ miles on a road bike? Certainly not, "casual/short/slow", riding there.

Road bike culture is an industry that has ostracized many people from cycling as a whole as they see things like clip-ins as inaccessible or elitist when cycling of all kinds should be encouraged. But alas there is little profit in most utilitarian cycle culture compared to the world of $10k+ bikes. (*See also the pre-WW2 global cycling culture.)

Flat bars offer better maneuverability, and I don't see a lot of clipped in guys track standing the light cycles like I do either.... so who has better control of their bike? If you really want ultimate efficiency and control shouldn't you be riding fixie as well?

I'm definitely a rugged individualist, and absolutely someone who likes to do things his own way for his own reasons. Around here, I see a lot of people on bikes more concerned with how they look than how they ride, including road cyclists. My last century, I passed a fair amount of casual road cyclists, all clipped in. Raced someone in full time trial gear to the next rest area, and won. I love getting to the end of a century and seeing them look like they're going to fall over and I'm skipping my way over to meal time whistling.

 

[kel]

I like both the previous posts

As a primarily urban rider I am 100% in the no clip in camp too, although I hasten to add, it is getting on for 8 / 9 years since I last did any serious urban biking.

By urban biking I mean absolutely as a mode of transport, I never rode just because I fancied a ride, but literally rode everywhere and a bare minimum of 6 miles a day - as my commute, thinking of the city as a sort of low level obstacle course, hopping kerbs and potholes, riding down steps, picking up my bike and running up if the steps were more than about 8 steps which was about the maximum I could ride up, etc. but stopping short of anything that would be considered a trick/bmx style - I rode a very low slung undersized (for me) Kona Explosif with a very tall seat post, massive road racing drive cog and regular mountain bike rear set. That thing went like the clappers, was solid as a rock and flexed in the most pleasing way - being steel! I fuckin love steel bikes! Nothing like em!

When that got stolen, I lost a little piece of my heart, I got a new Explosive from the insurance company, but it had front suspension and the geometry was weird and it got stolen within 3 days as it was all nice and shiny! They replaced it again, bless them, but by this point I had lost my temper and that's when I bought a single speed and became a squeezer - extremely narrow handlebars to brave the traffic, huge wheels, insanely responsive. twitchy and fast!! This meant the end of the urban biking, but my cross city times improved significantly. I'd be 300 yards down the road before the traffic caught up with me from the traffic lights. Sometimes I would sit centre of the lane if I didn't feel like being brushed by the vehicles passing. Most didn't even seem to mind that much... which thinking about it, was a bit weird for that year or two I did that!

 

[Nina]

I won't ride drop bars either for safety reasons.

I hear you and I do like riding with flat handlebars, but I also really like riding my road bikes, just the way they feel. I never ride in traffic though.
Swimming is my favourite athletic endeavour speaking as a vapourist, but it messes up your hair something chronic and swimming pools give me the ick now that I'm old
Edit: as for the martial arts anything other than non-contact fengshui is too terrifying to contemplate

 

[VapeEscapist]

I hear you and I do like riding with flat handlebars, but I also really like riding my road bike, just the way it feels. I never ride in traffic though.
Swimming is my favourite athletic endeavour speaking as a vapourist, but it messes up your hair something chronic

I always tell people that swimming is my favorite activity but I unfortunately can't swim to work.

 

[bossman]

It's not my intention to be confrontational or purely contrarian here but I must respectfully disagree in regards to year round 24/7 NYC conditions.

Where do you ride primarily? The only people clipped in at all here in NYC are people obviously out on serious long rides. I ride in rain, snow, and ice, every year for 11 years now. I would love to see someone try to follow me on pitted ice clipped in on a road bike. You don't see it for good reason.

Personally, I have avoided a few potentially nasty crashes/falls partly due to having feet free. I once hit successive pot holes in the pitch black at just under 20mph, and the undulation caused a wobble algorithm to take over my front wheel and instantly planting both feet allowed me to correct and stop. Though I went uncomfortably into my frame and handlebars, I didn't fall or crash. I also like to change the position of my foot for different grades of climb and while doing track stands.

Nothing about a road bike set up really fits with any of that. I won't ride drop bars either for safety reasons. We had 7 cyclists killed in NYC last Sept alone.

Walking is also often very necessary in this cycling environment, especially if you ride everywhere, as I do. I told a road cyclist I met at Coney Island that he should use the Triboro bridge path to cross the East River instead of the Queensboro to avoid the traffic in the bike lane and hook up with the East River esplanade so he can travel the length of Manhattan safely away from car traffic. He then asked, "It has steps, right?", and when I said yes, he looked sad. That's when I realized, I don't see road bikes on the Triboro often because the metal edged steps are too treacherous with clip-in soles carrying a bike. Cycling is my main means of transportation, not just an athletic hobby. I have little interest in ankle rolling my way around a store, or carrying other shoes. Though I think they make slip covers for some clip-ins soles.

If I was riding in a place where I had long uninterrupted stretches of pristine blacktop, I would probably own a road bike and full kit. The majority of my rides are no more than 2 hours round trip unless I'm training or touring. In my opinion, road bikes are really meant for a metric century or greater. Anything less, it's not necessary to have all that time shaving accoutrement. I'll do 50 miles to the Rockaways and back tomorrow, maybe with the same effort of a road bikes 70 miles, but that's good, right? I've done 126 miles with platform pedals on a 35 pound bike in a single day. Is that like a 175+ miles on a road bike? Certainly not, "casual/short/slow", riding there.

Road bike culture is an industry that has ostracized many people from cycling as a whole as they see things like clip-ins as inaccessible or elitist when cycling of all kinds should be encouraged. But alas there is little profit in most utilitarian cycle culture compared to the world of $10k+ bikes. (*See also the pre-WW2 global cycling culture.)

Flat bars offer better maneuverability, and I don't see a lot of clipped in guys track standing the light cycles like I do either.... so who has better control of their bike? If you really want ultimate efficiency and control shouldn't you be riding fixie as well?

I'm definitely a rugged individualist, and absolutely someone who likes to do things his own way for his own reasons. Around here, I see a lot of people on bikes more concerned with how they look than how they ride, including road cyclists. My last century, I passed a fair amount of casual road cyclists, all clipped in. Raced someone in full time trial gear to the next rest area, and won. I love getting to the end of a century and seeing them look like they're going to fall over and I'm skipping my way over to meal time whistling.

Oh I don't think we disagree that much really. I do think that for city cycling folks largely can't be bothered and are putting more of a priority on wearing the shoes they want to wear after the ride is over. I was talking about riding for exercise and encouraging folks to embrace the benefits.

This thread is called "Athlete vaporists?", maybe I should have put more emphasis on the question mark

But sure: for a city bike you can make the "but potholes" argument to assert anything. I used to see a courier in full down hill armor with the big helmet even in the dead of summer.

And sure: as many bikes as you like for the kinds of riding you do with whatever pedals and shoes suit your application.

It's still true that nobody need bother with toe clips and it's still true that a bike shoe on a good clipless pedal is optimal for the actual riding; it's why they exist.

Whats your stance on bouncy forks and cultural appropriation?

 

[kel]

Whats your stance on bouncy forks and cultural appropriation?

Well, he looks like he's enjoying himself and not hurting anyone ...

My rule:

Live your life, do what you want, try not to hurt anyone. but if you do hurt someone, apologise, unless they try to hurt you and keep coming and won't stop.. then defend yourself in an appropriate manner!

 

[VapeEscapist]

-snip-

This thread is called "Athlete vaporists?", maybe I should have put more emphasis on the question mark

-snip-



It's still true that nobody need bother with toe clips and it's still true that a bike shoe on a good clipless pedal is optimal for the actual riding; it's why they exist.

Whats your stance on bouncy forks and cultural appropriation?

Some of your statement seems needlessly derogatory.

For me actual riding means every day, rain, heat, snow, or ice, for commuting or actual transportation. I like endurance rides, I like self sustained cycle touring, but those are hobbies.

That's the highest purpose a bicycle can attain. Completely supporting a healthy lifestyle for the person and the planet 365 days a year.

My point was safety and the mostly pointless pursuit of shaving minutes for the 99.9% of cyclists who will never compete professionally.

The guys hiding inside riding on their trainers when the weather is less than comfortable will never know the relief that Spring warmth brings or feel they really earned the cool Fall breezes when Summer breaks.

I don't care for Thicke, or compression forks, thank you.

 

[VapeEscapist]

https://imgur.com/lSD8Squ

Coney Island - 2 ships passing in the.... day.

https://imgur.com/KEiS7Zx

Jacob Riis, Rockaways

https://imgur.com/2r1ATiy

Earned my treat! *Pina Colada Ice not shown.

Had a half of a strong edible and vaped 3 coils worth of Galactic Jelly.

Massive back to school rush hour traffic riding down to Coney. Some avenues were parking lots. Saw one accident right after it occurred. Smelled cannabis maybe 4 times.

Still felt great to ride 50 miles when it wasn't 90+ degrees, regardless of insane traffic conditions.

 

[kel]

I should be running today, but I feel sore, achilles tendon has decided it wants some attention again - it's been a while! Ass is still not 100%! And despite it being a beautiful day here which would normally get me out on the moors, I have just had too much to do and now the light is fading!

Maybe tomorrow?

 

[Cannabiker]

it's still true that a bike shoe on a good clipless pedal is optimal for the actual riding

I promise, I use this for actual riding. Vape content: my bike is waiting patiently through a safety break.

 

[vapirtoo]

Wow,
Rocking the newer one chain ring, ground clearance thingy.
HaHa I see from the tell-tale suspension mung on your front tubes
that you are using all of that front travel.
Great pic, bike and environment!
Man that shit just looks right!

 

[VapeEscapist]

I promise, I use this for actual riding. Vape content: my bike is waiting patiently through a safety break.

View attachment 13129

Those are some slim and spiky platform pedals for sure.

I like the tastefully understated look. Functional, well maintained.

That cassette is monstrous. No surprise torque is king in the wild...

 

[EverythingsHazy]

Very cool, man. RIP Sonny Chiba....

My brother is 3rd degree under Dan Inosanto. He's is also an instructor and has certification in a few other forms. I also have a friend who runs a combat Sambo gym in Manhattan.

Striking ends fights the fastest, grappling wins more fights.

I've heard it said that striking is better if you're attacked by a group and can drop the first guy, hopefully deterring the rest. Grappling and submission is best if it's truly 1on1. Watching MMA progress in recent years, Dagastany Sambo wrestlers and US collegiate wrestlers (or higher) have a clear edge in fitness and control. Even without submissions, wrestlers can control an entire fight with clinching and top control 90+% of the time. Obviously street fights have countless elements that a professional match doesn't but that's how it's played out a lot over the years.

I love traditional strikers, I almost always root for them when they're talented, but wrestlers with a good enough defense almost always have a clear advantage.

That said, I've come to believe (from my armchair martial artists perspective) that Muay Thai is likely the pinnacle of striking arts, especially kicking, so that's why I've been leaning towards that form for myself.

Edit: tomorrow looks like a cherry day to resume cycling. I've been nursing a couple injuries so my cycling was scaled back to commuting only. Pretty psyched to feel that 70 degree breeze....

Muay Thai + BJJ is a great combo for MMA.

In regard to street fighting, something that a lot of people don't take into consideration, is that fact that takedowns, throws, and slams are all brutal on concrete. If you get taken down on a mat, it sucks but it's tolerable. If you get taken down or thrown onto pavement, you're likely going to be seriously injured, if not KO'd or worse. If a wrestler picks you up on the street, and you aren't a skilled grappler, your life is pretty much in his hands, because he doesn't have to complete a proper takedown into a pin like in competition. He just has to throw you down, head first into the pavement, and it's over.

In a 1 v 2+ fight, a good grappler will likely just use takedowns as finoshing moves and to set up soccer kicks on a downed opponent, rather than actually grappling him for a submission, while getting kicked in the back of the head by his friends.

Even if it's 1 v 1, nobody wants to be grappling on concrete, because win or lose, you're likely going to get scraped up pretty badly (knees, elbows, the back of your head, etc.).

 

[GetLeft]

@EverythingsHazy nice insight. Sounds like you've been there done that?

Nice ride @Cannabiker ! Just missing a rear suspension What make is that?

It's now painfully obvious that I have to look into platform pedals. I may transition when my current clipless ones wear out. I'm out of touch with current tech. I've been in clipless ever since clip & strap pedals went away. These platform pedals may help avoid a spill or two, not sure (sometimes when you're going down, you're just going down). Can you wear any old shoe with them or do they assume the puchase of special shoe?

 

[VapeEscapist]

https://imgur.com/P7wQuUB

Late evening constitutional.

Climbed the Triboro to Randalls Island for a few laps after a heavy meal.

Including my commute I climbed 6 bridges today.

 

[Vape_ninja]

I'm not an athlete lol but i like to ride my bike for exercise, and i find that if i vape a bit of THC/CBD bud (1:6 ratio) before a bike ride it improves my endurance quite a bit. Ive also found that in the winter months it can help stop that dreaded 'sports effected asthma' and my airways do not end up inflamed. I wouldnt recommend consuming a lot before going though its about trial and error until you get the amount right

 

[kel]

What is an athlete? It's pretty vague. And can also be professional or amateur, and literally is just someone who engages in physical exercise...

Sounds like you qualify to me