Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Sorry For The Delay - Last Tuesday, This Tuesday - Sparring

Last week Tuesday, class started out with a little bit of kata to warm up, then went to all sparring. We had one-on-one sparring all the way through the class, until everyone had been matched up at least twice. It was a lot of fun. Strangely, I can't seem to help laughing when we spar. The last part of class, we had two-on-one sparring, where we each took a turn being the one attacked by two opponents. That was one SERIOUS workout - definitely washagi. Great training though.

That week was also the last week of session - time to pony up another $60.00 for seven weeks. I do love the YMCA. (You can do seven weeks for $30.00 if you only go Tuesday OR Thursday, $60.00 for both, Saturday is free, thank you, Sensei.)

Last Thursday I had another commitment and was out of class.

This Tuesday was a lot like last Tuesday, starting with Kata, then 50 reps of roundhouse kicks on each leg, then front kicks across the room, then back-step side kicks across the room. After kicking drills, there was sparring for the rest of class. More about that in a minute...

During kata drills, Sensei made me go up front and lead the class on Empi kata. I swear everything I knew flew out my ear and has yet to return! The point being that we will all teach someday, hopefully, I understood what Sensei was doing, but it still rattled me, being unexpected. Sensei also had both the other white belts in class lead a kata, but I was the first one on tap.

Needless to say, I lived through it. (And I need to practice Empi kata more!)

Sparring was interesting. We took red and blue rubber flags and hung them from our belts, then matched up. The first one to pull the other's flag three times won. Then we switched opponents. That was interesting - especially as the other two guys my age, even though yellow belts, seem to be my toughest opponents. Ed is the hardest of all to spar - but I got his belt three times! Ha!

Ed also is famous for groin kicking - which is allowed and why we wear cups, heretofore referred to as "armor." After flag sparring, we returned to regular sparring, and Ed got my armor. well, guess what? I proceeded to give him a taste of his own medicine, twice! LOL

Of course, we are only going for light contact - so no one got hurt here. I like all the people in class, including Ed, but he is a little competitive, which makes it fun.

One day he came into class as Scott and I were talking. Scott is the other guy my age in class, and tough to spar as well. Ed came up saying, "Ahh, Twinkie, and Twinkette!" I couldn't resist - I asked him if that made him the "official bakery cream puff." We all got a good laugh out of that one.

These are good people, and I really like all of them. This class may be work, but it is joyful work.

Sayonara,

Dan

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Tuesday & Thursday Past - Rubber Legs

This past Tuesday was something else. I had worked in our new organic, no-till garden on Sunday, putting in mulch and compost over newspaper, arranging permanent paths and beds. I also installed a flower bed between the trees in our front yard.

After all this work, my legs were very sore in the back of the thighs the next day from working bent over most of the day Sunday. The fallout from this lasted most of the week.

Tuesday night, I went to class, and advised Sensei that I'd wracked my legs putting in the garden. Stretching before class helped a little. (I have learned that stretching before and after gardening is probably a good idea.) Sensei decided that I needed to work it out of my legs - so, kicking drills for most of the class. We dragged out the two big wavemasters, (the size half again as large as the one I bought) and we practiced every kick I've heard of, with a few hand strikes thrown in.

My legs actually did feel better immediately after class. The next day, however, they were pure rubber. I could barely get up and down the stairs at home. Yowsa!

Thursday, we started with kicking drills again, and also some hand and knee strikes. Then we practiced kata as well. (Sensei also told me and one other white belt that we will test for yellow in June.) After kata, we then had sparring practice.

Both days were very much washagi. Sweat city, elevated heart rate, aerobic exercise. Good stuff. My legs are pretty much recovered now.

One of the fun things that happened - there are two other guys my age in class. Two of us were sitting talking a bit before class. Our other 40-something came up, and teasingly said, " Ahh, Twinkie, and Twinkette." I couldn't resist. "So, does that make you the official Bakery Cream Puff?" I asked. We all got a good laugh out of that one.

The funny thing is, these two guys are also the toughest opponents in sparring. Tougher than some of the much higher belt ranks in class. Good for them noth - it was fun and a challenge. Thank goodness for protective gear!

Sayonara,

Dan

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Kata & Kicks

Last night's session was begun with high-speed and force kata practice, followed by a slow intricate breakdown of kata practiced at a slow pace.

At the end, we practiced kicks, 50 per leg for roundhouse, 15 for side kick, and back & forth across the room for crescent kicks.

Sensei was tight on correct kicking posture and the same during kata practice, explaining how we could actually hurt ourselves fully powered up if we didn't have proper form, but would develop much more power if we executed correctly.

Next session will either be this coming Saturday or the following Tuesday, most likely the latter.

Sayonara,

Dan