Turning the Page Last December, shortly after earning my second degree black belt, I decided to stop formal training at my dojang. There were a number of reasons for this, an important one being a strong belief that there was nothing substantial left to learn there, either physically or intellectually. It was time to tryContinue reading “Beginning Muay Thai”
Author Archives: Andrew Adams
Extreme Commitment
Last week, two days before Thanksgiving, I tested for my second degree black belt. The test lasted two hours and was as physically intense as I expected it to be. What I didn’t expect was how mentally taxing it would end up being and what I would discover in myself at the end. The finalContinue reading “Extreme Commitment”
On the Eve of Ee Dan
This week I’m going to be testing for my second degree black belt (the rank of “ee dan” in Korean) and I feel compelled to create a post, if only to remind myself of how I’ve trained, what I’ve learned, and how I’ve changed since earning my first degree in February of 2019. As IContinue reading “On the Eve of Ee Dan”
Upgrading the Wanhao Di3 V2.1 with a BTT SKR E3 Mini V2.0
For quite some time now I’ve been running my Wanhao Di3 with the cover of the console/controller box removed so that the stone age Melzi controller board and its rat’s nest of cables is visible. I don’t recall exactly why I removed the cover in the first place. Maybe I was concerned with airflow aroundContinue reading “Upgrading the Wanhao Di3 V2.1 with a BTT SKR E3 Mini V2.0”
Training for Life
I’m well into my third year of doing regular strength training in addition to training martial arts and this is probably the longest that I’ve ever stayed with any sort of strength training routine. I played around with strength training when I was in college, mostly during the summer when my schedule was more relaxed.Continue reading “Training for Life”
3D Printed Part Zooms Underwater
It is a sad statement of fact that no matter how much gear we own, in the days leading up to the departure for a major trip we manage to identify something that we absolutely, positively must have before we fly. This time was no different. It’s May of 2022 and the world is emergingContinue reading “3D Printed Part Zooms Underwater”
Sewing Machines
For a number of years now I’ve wanted to learn how to make things on a sewing machine. But let me be clear — I’m not talking serious sartorial aspirations here. Rather, I’m talking very simple things like utilitarian bags and dust covers and maybe a better fitting protector for the dome port of theContinue reading “Sewing Machines”
Making Gazebo Hold-downs
Introduction We recently purchased a ‘gazebo kit’ and installed it on the raised deck attached to the back of our house. The structural components, e.g., columns, roof supports, etc, are made of extruded aluminum, and as can be seen from the photo, it has a cloth, tent-like roof. So far we’re fairly satisfied withContinue reading “Making Gazebo Hold-downs”
The Blinkin’ Kick
Recently, while working to break a bad habit I’d identified in my execution of a very basic technique, I became aware of another stranger, and more subtle, bad habit. I blink. And I blink at weird times. While reviewing a video of myself, I noticed that I was targeting my Choi front kick much tooContinue reading “The Blinkin’ Kick”
A Mathematical Treatment of Foot Placement in the Il Dan Blue Pattern
Since my earliest days of learning the Il Dan Blue pattern, I’ve had a hard time convincing myself that the right (left) foot should finish in the same place as it started when performing the pattern’s right (left) side. I would always finish close to where I started, but always sufficiently far away to leaveContinue reading “A Mathematical Treatment of Foot Placement in the Il Dan Blue Pattern”