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My ass and my deltoids hurt like a bitch today, and I'm not sure if it's from weight training, kung fu, or karate. My guess is that it's from a combination of the three! Despite my aching wimpy muscles, I dragged my sorry arse to karate again this morning. It was a tough class, and my brain just wasn't in full gear. Nonetheless, it wasn't without merit. I believe my shutos ("karate chops") have suddenly gained power that was never there. Before, although I had speed, there was no real power. But now I've finally incorporated hip movements, and when Rob (my instructor) was testing me out, he shuddered beneath my mighty strikes. Yes, yes, he did! And I saw the bored look on his face change to a pleased expression, and then he said, "Good! Good!" before moving on to the next person.
Unplanned praise can really make my day.
Afterwards, we worked on epon kumite. This is essentially a catalogue of what to do in certain scenarios. We worked on upper area, middle area, and lower area attacks. I haven't done this for about three months, and was really awful today. No matter. It'll come back with practice. My partner was Jim (a black belt).
Now, when we are told to partner up in class, Jim is kind of the equivalent of the fat, geeky, or smelly kid who is always chosen last for the team. It isn't that he's any of these things. No, the reason no one chooses him is because he hits really damned hard. Today, I wasn't fast enough, and so I got to work with him. Really, I don't mind, though. Although he does hit very hard, and has a penchant for showing off his keen knowledge of pressure points and joint locks, he is also really helpful While he's putting you in a very painful hold, he also explains exactly what he's doing, and how he's doing it. He does the movement at full speed (where it won't break bones or kill you, at least), and then he breaks it down slowly, describing each step. So the pain is educational, at the very least.
Anyhow, he thoroughly kicked my ass, and also dug a knuckle deep into my poor inner thigh. It hurt, but I was expecting it and was able to grunt, smile, and say, "Yup. That hurts."
I take it like a man! Heh....
So then we get working on a response to an upper area punch. I drop to one knee (jamming my knee onto the attacker's poor little tootsies), grasp the attacker's forward heel and muscle just above the knee, and then yank the foot while pushing on the leg. Normally, this very effectively sends the attacker flying onto his/her back. With Jim, however, it didn't work that way.
On three seperate attacks, I did my technique, and he did not fall. He didn't even budge. Confused, I asked, "What am I doing wrong?"
He grinned at me. "Nothing!"
"Then why can't I knock you down?"
"Because I'm putting all my weight on that forward leg."
"Aha," I thought. There was no budging of him through sheer technique, then. Not when he was prepared for my move. He's a very big, muscular man. I'm puny in comparison. So I'd just have to improvise....
It was time for the fourth go-round. Once again, he planted all his weight on that forward foot. Once again, I placed my hand on his heel, and another just above the knee. But this time, as I yanked the heel, I gave him a wicked pinch just on the inside of his thigh right above the knee.
He gave a startled yell, and although he didn't fall down, he certainly stumbled more than a little bit.
"She pinched me!" he squawked.
Everyone laughed, including me.
Jim got a big grin on his face. I think he likes it when people play rough back....
Unplanned praise can really make my day.
Afterwards, we worked on epon kumite. This is essentially a catalogue of what to do in certain scenarios. We worked on upper area, middle area, and lower area attacks. I haven't done this for about three months, and was really awful today. No matter. It'll come back with practice. My partner was Jim (a black belt).
Now, when we are told to partner up in class, Jim is kind of the equivalent of the fat, geeky, or smelly kid who is always chosen last for the team. It isn't that he's any of these things. No, the reason no one chooses him is because he hits really damned hard. Today, I wasn't fast enough, and so I got to work with him. Really, I don't mind, though. Although he does hit very hard, and has a penchant for showing off his keen knowledge of pressure points and joint locks, he is also really helpful While he's putting you in a very painful hold, he also explains exactly what he's doing, and how he's doing it. He does the movement at full speed (where it won't break bones or kill you, at least), and then he breaks it down slowly, describing each step. So the pain is educational, at the very least.
Anyhow, he thoroughly kicked my ass, and also dug a knuckle deep into my poor inner thigh. It hurt, but I was expecting it and was able to grunt, smile, and say, "Yup. That hurts."
I take it like a man! Heh....
So then we get working on a response to an upper area punch. I drop to one knee (jamming my knee onto the attacker's poor little tootsies), grasp the attacker's forward heel and muscle just above the knee, and then yank the foot while pushing on the leg. Normally, this very effectively sends the attacker flying onto his/her back. With Jim, however, it didn't work that way.
On three seperate attacks, I did my technique, and he did not fall. He didn't even budge. Confused, I asked, "What am I doing wrong?"
He grinned at me. "Nothing!"
"Then why can't I knock you down?"
"Because I'm putting all my weight on that forward leg."
"Aha," I thought. There was no budging of him through sheer technique, then. Not when he was prepared for my move. He's a very big, muscular man. I'm puny in comparison. So I'd just have to improvise....
It was time for the fourth go-round. Once again, he planted all his weight on that forward foot. Once again, I placed my hand on his heel, and another just above the knee. But this time, as I yanked the heel, I gave him a wicked pinch just on the inside of his thigh right above the knee.
He gave a startled yell, and although he didn't fall down, he certainly stumbled more than a little bit.
"She pinched me!" he squawked.
Everyone laughed, including me.
Jim got a big grin on his face. I think he likes it when people play rough back....
