Week Rewind

Hiking:

Strange, but my karate week started on Sunday. I know most weeks start on Sunday, but karate weeks start on Monday with sabaki class. Last Sunday I went for a hike with Sensei Kris. My daughter Justice came with us. It was a bueatiful hike in Grafton Notch, Maine called Table Rock. It was about the same distance for both of us, about 45 minutes away.

The notch was extreamly windy. We walked across the street, then up the Appalachian trail, walking on thick wood beams to stay off of the wet ground. Sensei's dog, Kiba either ran ahead or behind, for he was nervous of new people. At one point in the hike, we passed a couple of ladies and it took a good while calling Kiba, before he would pass. The dog is awesome. Made me wish my dog Lily could have came, but she has a hurt leg.

We talked alot. I really like being around Sensei and hope we can hang out a lot more. She wants to open her own dojo and said to my daughter that she hopes that I come to it at least once a week. I was thinking I would be there everynight, but said that I would be there at least once a week. Who else would I fight? No one brings out the inner fighter in me like she does. I learn so much from her.

We talked about the dojo, about the exercises we do at kickboxing that we aren't gong to tell Shihan because they hurt, so therefore, he would make us do them at full contact class.

She asked is I was going to fight full contact at the tournament in May. I really want to and have asked Shihan a few months ago. He said that I need a few more fights before I could go full contact. I think if I do well and feel good after semi-contact, and I ask, he will let me do full at the tournament. I hope so. I didn't ask Sensei if she thought I was ready for full contact fighting. I really would like to know her opinion about it, even though it wouldn't make a difference because Shihan is the final say. Probably just looking for an ego boost if I ask, and that is not Kyokushin, so I won't ask.

Sensei said that my fighting abilities are above my belt level. She asked if I could see the difference in my fighting. I really don't know.

I used to come out at the bell and come right at someone , fists flying, a few kicks. The guys I would fight would be surprised. I think mostly because I am a big girl, who doesn't look like I could do much of anything. I would always be hurt after sparring, because I would go hard (just with the boys) and get hard put right back on me. Which I am not complaining. When I first started my karate journey, they guys wouldn't be hard on me, with the exception of Ryan P and Matt H. They kicked my ass every time. I also didn't know I was going hard. I didn't know that I was strong. Yeah, i was told i was, but I didn't believe them. I was told that I could fight, but thought people were being polite.

Since the beginning, I have learned patience. I sometime wait until the opponent comes to me, and counter. I don't know if that is better fighting or not. I have been watching some beginner level fights, orange and blue belts. They seem to all fight the way I used to fight. Straight on, no bobbing and weaving, so sidestepping. I don't know how I'll fight against someone who is straight on if I am doing what Sensei does. I need practice.

The top of Table Rock offered spectacular views. Across from us was a mountain, still white with snow. A low hanging rain cloud covered the top of it. Just to the right, down the notch a little ways, was bright blue sky and sunshine. The wind was powerful at the top and a few times would push me.

Sabaki:

Monday night was a good night. Sparring was fun. When I sparred Matt C, I kicked him in the head. I wanted to just put my foot up there because he wasn't blocking. I usually stop just before contact, but this time I made contact. I felt so bad. I know it was just a tag and didn't hurt, but I felt like I needed to have more control. I said sorry to him, and Shihan yells at me to not be sorry.

During full contact class, I did have some problems though, weird ones. Near the last quarter of class, we start the sprinting drills and the leap frogs. I do my best, but leap frogs are not good. I hate them. At the end of that round, I just laid down. Shihan yells for me to get up and I do, but I am so dizzy. I am out of breath. He wants us to do these drills where we do a low squat, kick with our lead leg to the inside, then spin around for a back kick. I was all over the place. I couldn't see straight.

My favorite part of the class was last. We left all of our gear off and sparred lightly. After bag work, Shihan was matching us up for conditioning drills. He match Sensei and I up and when we were getting our gear on, I told her that we were going to get matched up from now on. I said I could just tell. So we are doing the light sparring, and after the bell rings to stop, Shihan mixes everyone up, except us. There were ten people at class, everyone else had a new partner. I had a told-you-so moment.

Kickboxing:

Last night, Thursday, was kickboxing. One of the little girls in the beginner class wanted to stay. The little girl asked me if she could stay for kickboxing. I said that she would have to ask Sensei. She asked which one was Sensei and I told her and she asked if I could ask for her. Just as I was saying she would have to ask, Sensei walked into the changing room. "ask me what?", she says. The girl started to stammer. So funny becasue I am like twice the size of Sensei. You would think I was scarier than Sensei, but nope. I am just fluffy and nice and Sensei is badass and scary.

After the usuals, we partnered up. Gaylen and I shared a bag, where we were to roundhouse kick at the same time, low, middle high on the same leg. Weirdly it effected my non-kicking hip. After we were done with the second leg, Gaylen was saying how great I was doing. We were doing the same thing, I did just as great as he did. Then we did leg throws, again he commented on how strong I was, but when it was his turn, he did the same thing as I did, for just as long. I have a hard time taking compliments. I really don't know what to say and sometimes even when I deserve a compliment, I feel like they aren't genuine. Like they are trying to be nice. More emotional stuff I have to work through, I guess.