Just like riding a bike...

The greatest thing about being in the martial arts is the practice you do to perfect your art. I don't think people realize the hours and hours of breaking down a sequence of punches and blocks along with footwork to make a sequence flow effortlessly and beautifully like a dance. Since I started in the middle of July, I've been practicing kihon, Ippon and my 3 practice katas, breaking them down step by step, movement by movement to teach my muscles to memorize how it feels. For people who don't have patience this would seem mundane and very bizarre, but for people who love the culture, the discipline and want to be the best they can be, it's well worth the effort of endless repetition.

Coming back from much time off, not 10 years mind you, but long enough for someone who's started over in a different style and being a white belt, to be tempted to throw in the towel because of thinking all past efforts were for nothing, was difficult in itself. I thought that I wouldn't remember and Sensei gave me so much information before I left to study while I was away and not having the time nor the strength to practice up in Canada because of visiting with family and having a very severe cold, I felt I was letting him down. I came down hard on myself emotionally and mentally... thinking I wasn't going to be good enough for his expectations, for mine and that deep down I was scared of him being disappointed in me like I was of myself. All of this lead me to have a very topsy turvy belly, one that didn't cease cramping up and making me want to go to the bathroom. When I get into a situation that is uncomfortable for me mentally, my body turns on me and gets physical, making me physically ill... the closer I got to Appleton the worse I felt. Stepping into the dojo I felt fine, no cramping but the closer I got to performing my techniques the weaker my bowels became... I know too much info... but it's the truth. I became physically ill. Then I started to realize as we did review, the tension left me, as I began to perform the techniques, it was coming back to me, just like riding a bike... the tension and cramping left me just as quickly as it began. It amazes me how my body reacts when I'm coming down on myself or put into an uncomfortable position. I suppose that's another thing I will be working to eliminating from my life. I'm very thankful for the continuous repetition of techniques, I suppose if I didn't have the previous training and practice it could have been a bad thing for me if it didn't all come back to me... like how it is when you ride a bike.