Well today's class was... how should I say... EXTRAWESOME!!!!
Sensei was on a work trip so he wasn't here today with us, so Tom did both the kobudo class and the karate class. We started our kobudo at a little bit after 8:00, first weapon we worked was the nunchaku. We did Tae Kyo kyu Ichi and Ni... that would be low block embussen drill and the mid block... very different easy enough, then we did the dreaded Kihon Nunchaku, I had blogged the whole thing a while ago, very in depth much manipulation of the nunchaku. We did this 5 times, and then dissected parts that we had questions on, we worked this for about 45 minutes.. then we switched to sai. We did some basic warm ups with it, and then started the first kata... Sensei Charles, you probably know the name of that one, its where you go along the path... smile.. that's what Tom and Sensei say because the same path is taken 5-6 times in it. Then we got to the bo... I must say after manipulating the nunchaku and sai for an hour, my arms were very limber and very loose at this point.
What happened next was something I wasn't expecting. It really does make a difference in which order you practice your weapons because as I picked up my bow to do Tsue Sho, I noticed it was feather light. As I went slowly through Tsue Sho (brown belt requirement in Shuri Ryu karate) I felt like I was possessed or something. The movements were instinctual. My techniques so crisp I felt like jumping for joy, my blocks and strikes just so clean and precise, and my strength and posture, emulating a novice Sensei. Yes, I am boasting because I am extremely proud of this new confidence. I performed this form about 6 times, each time getting a bit better.
I heard people coming into the dojo for the next class at 9:30, the mixed adult and youth class. I worked that bow like it was an extension of me. Executing the crisp, precise, powerful blows to my imaginary opponent. After I whipped the bow around in front of me in closing the kata, giving a very swift bow in respect for the closing. I looked up and saw that Tom, our resident brown belt and Karla were looking at me with wide eyes, Tom broke the silence first, and simply said, "Wow." Then was able to say, "That was great!" I felt a swelling of pride because something happened that I can't describe. I am completely empowered right now and very proud that the ones I try to emulate and look up to, saw a change in me today and it was a good change.
As we walked off the dojo mat, Shawn, a young boy of 11, was hopping in place as I approached, he smiled as I neared, and said, "That was awesome!" I thanked him and continued to the dressing room.
Not sure what happened today, but it felt like the One's Who Come Before (O'Sensei) smiled on my practice session today.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Friendships That Will Last A Lifetime.
Tonight was a kyu night for us... Sensei was out on one of his trips so Tom was keeping things going while he's away. These are the nights I look forward to. I love Sensei, he's a wonderful teacher, but sometimes it's good to blow off some steam with your brothers and sisters. It's kind of like when your parents go away for a bit, and it's just you and your siblings... lots of laughter, some goofing off, but we do get some things done. Tonight was a good night, something I really needed. We did do work, but we did a lot of talking as well, all martial arts related of course, but some real life thrown in as well.
We did the warm up that we're all accustomed to, talking as we go, I found that we got so absorbed in catching up that we talked quite a bit just doing hip rotations... all of us, jibber jabbering as we rotated our hips.. it probably looked funny if someone didn't know what we were doing... I found out that Tom was promoted to first level brown belt on Saturday, in 6 months should he be ready, he'll be promoted to Shodan (first degree black belt). Very happy for him, he works hard and is a very good instructor when Sensei has him working with us.
We started review on Anaku, did the form 3 times together, stopped to dissect it and asked questions, and then pretty much worked on self defence techniques. For those who read my blogs, for the most part some are in the arts as well, but for those who are along for my adventurous ride, you will notice that we're a very close lot of people. Working in close proximity doing techniques, putting each other into holds, taking them down to the mat, etc... you develop this immunity to what society would normally consider inappropriate or sexual harrassment... smile. It comes with the terrority. We did self defenses 1-5 with the locks, then Tom and Karla went on to do 6 and 7, I was allowed to do the releases... we laughed, we joked, and just had a fun time. Tom even made me pretty much kiss my own boob... yes, he had me contorted in such a way that I was pretty much squished right into my bust... LOL... and before you knew it, the class was over, much laughter, much critiquing and much comradery... I hated to see it come to an end.
In the change room, Karla and I talked about my doctor's appointments and my concerns, told her that I've been in karate for 7 months now, and don't see a big difference in my weight, I know that my muscles are toning up and skin is getting looser but just concerned about the weight not coming off.... what Karla said after my little vent made me realize how very lucky I truly am... she said, "does it really matter, you've come so far, who really cares about the weight!" The way she said it, the way she looked at me and the way she made me feel, made me realize that these students that I've felt for a while now and consider them my second family don't see me the way I see myself. They don't see an overweight person struggling and getting discouraged when I don't do a move to my specifications, they don't see me as the unsure person I am, when other people are watching me. They see me as one of them, trying to find their way through this way of life, struggling but always ready to take on a challenge when it's presented to me.
So tonight, I dedicate my blog to them. My fellow classmates, my friends, and most of all, my martial arts brother and sister. Thank you so much for being who you are, thank you for bypassing over my outer appearance and seeing me for who I am, thank you for always encouraging me to be better by being a good role model, and thank you for accepting me as an active member of our dojo. Domo Aregato Sempei Tom and Sempei Karla.
We did the warm up that we're all accustomed to, talking as we go, I found that we got so absorbed in catching up that we talked quite a bit just doing hip rotations... all of us, jibber jabbering as we rotated our hips.. it probably looked funny if someone didn't know what we were doing... I found out that Tom was promoted to first level brown belt on Saturday, in 6 months should he be ready, he'll be promoted to Shodan (first degree black belt). Very happy for him, he works hard and is a very good instructor when Sensei has him working with us.
We started review on Anaku, did the form 3 times together, stopped to dissect it and asked questions, and then pretty much worked on self defence techniques. For those who read my blogs, for the most part some are in the arts as well, but for those who are along for my adventurous ride, you will notice that we're a very close lot of people. Working in close proximity doing techniques, putting each other into holds, taking them down to the mat, etc... you develop this immunity to what society would normally consider inappropriate or sexual harrassment... smile. It comes with the terrority. We did self defenses 1-5 with the locks, then Tom and Karla went on to do 6 and 7, I was allowed to do the releases... we laughed, we joked, and just had a fun time. Tom even made me pretty much kiss my own boob... yes, he had me contorted in such a way that I was pretty much squished right into my bust... LOL... and before you knew it, the class was over, much laughter, much critiquing and much comradery... I hated to see it come to an end.
In the change room, Karla and I talked about my doctor's appointments and my concerns, told her that I've been in karate for 7 months now, and don't see a big difference in my weight, I know that my muscles are toning up and skin is getting looser but just concerned about the weight not coming off.... what Karla said after my little vent made me realize how very lucky I truly am... she said, "does it really matter, you've come so far, who really cares about the weight!" The way she said it, the way she looked at me and the way she made me feel, made me realize that these students that I've felt for a while now and consider them my second family don't see me the way I see myself. They don't see an overweight person struggling and getting discouraged when I don't do a move to my specifications, they don't see me as the unsure person I am, when other people are watching me. They see me as one of them, trying to find their way through this way of life, struggling but always ready to take on a challenge when it's presented to me.
So tonight, I dedicate my blog to them. My fellow classmates, my friends, and most of all, my martial arts brother and sister. Thank you so much for being who you are, thank you for bypassing over my outer appearance and seeing me for who I am, thank you for always encouraging me to be better by being a good role model, and thank you for accepting me as an active member of our dojo. Domo Aregato Sempei Tom and Sempei Karla.
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