I've been having a hard time getting full-blown-practice in every night, due to the unexpected stress of one of our furry feline friends contracting some sort of unknown illness. This means that I haven't been able to go over my forms every day, having to spend equal (or greater) time pampering my little kitty cat and trying to get her to eat. The problem is either a mysterious disease of the liver, or a mysterious disease of something else that is affecting the liver. Whatever the culprit is, things are very tenuous for the little trooper. We have not been sleeping.
So... how to fit the training in? I mean, I've been working for the black belt for almost six years now, and I can't just toss aside the upcoming test. Well, I've been trying to get in at least some practice each night, even if its only a half hour. To compensate, I've been destroying my forearms during the 45-minute commute to work each day. The routine: drive with one hand while squeezing one of those grip-strengtheners. You know, the ones that look like thigh-masters-for-gnomes. 100 reps with each hand, and then I use the Wrist Strengthener, 50 reps in each direction for each hand. Then, I repeat the whole thing. It's not hard to do while driving (my commute is mostly straight flat highway) and it actually helps to pass the time.
However, now I'm not only tired but my forearms really hurt.