Active Living, Interests & Pursuits - Karate #4

Mon Sept 12

I have not been to Karate since May, I decided not to go in June or July to protect myself from injury, as the most important thing was to ensure we trek the Silverback Mountain Gorilla's in Uganda in the summer. I have waited YEARS to do that, and nothing was going to ruin it. Alexis asks me if I am nervous. I am not, I am excited to get back into the hard work, the discipline of learning. 

(credit:C Wardle)

As I arrive, I see a new face. I go over and introduce myself. R (we shall call him, says he has done martial arts before, but not for 15 years. He seems friendly enough, and I explain some of the things I wasn't told when I started!).

We start the session. After the warm up we go into basic move techniques, then kumite (sparring) - basically putting the same moving techniques into practice. I have only figured this out the last session before summer holidays, it was never explained that this was the format, but constant repetition over the weeks helped me figure it out. 

The session starts with some punching techniques. I feel good. I feel like I remember most of the basics, of hand retraction, head position, less power, more speed. The kumite session goes well, I am working with R and understand his frustrations as I can see him visibly annoyed with himself for not 'getting it'. 

After the break I work with Sensei on my Kata. We practice Heian Nidan. I am eager to impress, as I remember the whole kata now, I just need to successfully execute the moves. She runs through the basics to remind me, then we start dissecting the kata. It feels like knife after knife ripping through my technique and my confidence is ripped to shreds - once again. The main stumbling block was back hand knife hand block moving technique, which she now explains that I should spin with all the weight on my heel, not the ball of my foot! I stand dumbfounded. I feel anger, disappointment, frustration rise up in myself. I am a perfectionist, why was I not told this 10 months ago.

She explains that she had techniques corrected two years into Karate. I am shaking my (internal) head. I leave the class and go home very disappointed. I feel like I went back 6 months.