What's Your Range??

A little personal information first: I am very new at teaching. I don't think the first lesson I taught went over as well as I wanted to. I feel like I rushed everything but I do think the sparring game I had made up for it. People said that they really liked it. (see http://www.kihonwasa.com/2011/11/class-was-taught.html)

So for my second lesson, Shihan asked me if I would teach about 5 days before the class. I know, five days is a lot of time, but being new at this, 5 days seemed very short. I racked my brain for something that would be relevant to teach. Do I go over a basic technique and help them perfect it? Like front snap kicks, or the basic jab, cross? Do i go over something a little more fancy like a spinning jumping back kick? Do we work on something I need to work on so I can get better while helping others?

What It's Like Before a Fight

6 Months Out

Shihan, sensei or someone tells you about a fight coming up, sometime in the month of say, October. I am either asked if I want to fight or I am told that I am going to fight. Doesn't matter which because if I wasn't asked, I would ask if I could go.

Visions of training plans and completely filled out workout sheets dance through my head, much like pre-Christmas sugar plums. I'll do fine, I think. I can't wait. Confidence flows through my veins. Not that I think I will win, but the confidence that I will arrive, fight and they will remember me, win or lose.

2 Months Out

I went, I fought ~ Japanese Karate, So much Fun

Sempai Harry and me

Those who read my blog on a regular basis, might have noticed that I wasn't posting as often as I usually do before a fight. I really couldn't post all my thoughts. You see, I was hurt and didn't want to give it away. I didn't know if my opponents were reading this or not. I know I would be reading the blog of someone training to fight me.

Before the fight:

Nice lean, hoping the other coach didn't notice

So the thing I couldn't write about, I was hurt. Two weeks ago I got tagged on my lead leg, just above the knee on the outside. I limped around all weekend, doing the RICE thing and come Monday It was still tender but I could walk on it. Then during full contact training, I was sparring and wound up getting tagged in the same spot. I didn't show it but I couldn't kick anymore and I think I got hit 3 or 4 more times there. I couldn't lift my leg to kick, I couldn't get it out of the way to block. Someone was yelling for me to use my legs and the guy I was sparring just cracked me hard, really hard right there. I fell to the floor, tears were coming down my face and I couldn't breathe. Finally, seemed like an eternity, I got up and bowed out. They brought me ice but my leg is ruined.

Fighting Tonight GAHH!

Today is the day, well I should say that tonight is the night. This the the worst part, waiting to fight, the sleepless night before the butterflies in my stomach. Wishing it for to be done.

Yesterday was such a long day. We didn't leave until way after the time we were supposed to and it took an hour longer than we planned. Didn't get in Connecticut until after 8:30. When I got to the room Sensei was off training Tim. I should have been with them, but I missed out. Took a quick swim, sat in the hot tub and then I hit the showers.

Sleeping before a fight is harder than the fight. You see in a fight you choose to get on the mat and go at it. With sleep, I chose to sleep, but didn't. It was so very much beyond my control. I tossed and turned. Stupid thoughts and ideas popping into my head. When I did sleep, the dreams woke me up. Dreams, equally stupid as the ideas.

Today I have a kata competition. Last night during one of my sleepless bouts,I imagined myself doing kata. I am supposed to do pinan ni. So I did ichi, ni, san, shi, then blanked out. Could not for the life of me remember what the next 3 steps were. I could remember all of those after that, but those three step drew a complete blank.

Fighting doesn't start until 5ish, it will be a long day.

Fight Video - 8th Annual US Kyokushin Karate Open

Patty Pittman vs Amy Kaufman

There are things in this life you just don't want to do, but you have to. I had to watch my fights from May. I had to edit and upload the video from the 8th Annual United States Kyokushin Open, the first 'full contact' fight I had ever done, it was also the second fight I had ever been to.


The reason for the quotes around the full contact, is that we weren't supposed to wear pads. There was a woman who came down to fight semi-contact, but there wasn't anyone to fight her. The powers that be, decided they would lump all us women together. So as we lined up for the march out to the mats, the woman looked at the rest of us and bowed out of fighting. It didn't matter if we fought with those thin hand pads and shin guards, it was fighting 'full contact' fighters that had her worried. They did find her a fight, but it was left on our ticket that we were "semi contact'. Let me tell you, pads or no pads, it was full contact.

Dagéki World Karate Championship 2010

Leading up to the fight

We got to Montreal around 4 in the afternoon. After we settled into our rooms, we went to weigh in. I was up to 178, which is 5 pounds heavier than at the dojo. That made me disappointed. I haven't been overeating. But then I thought that maybe all the coffee and sitting around for 4 hours might have added some water weight. 

We waited to eat until after weigh-in because kenny had to be sure to be in light weight and it was awful close. Dinner was a very nice Indian Buffett. I never had indian food before and I have to say that even though the flavors were foreign to me, I really liked about half of the things they offered. I didn't over eat, which is usually hard for me at a buffett. I guess it is hard for everyone because as I sat, my tummy warm and full, everyone kept getting more food. I started to get picked on (freindly) that I could eat something, until Sensei K told them to leave me be. I think it is hard for people who don't struggle with weight to understand.

Nerves, Nerves, and more Nerves

 Tonight we had our last full contact training before the World's on Saturday. It was supposed to be an easy night. We did some sparring. It started light. Sensei Kris and I were sparring, probably 30% power. Then Kenny and I sparred and it started at 30%. Kenny is so hyped up. Slowly the power got turned up to about 80%, by him. I was still trying to keep the power down but defending myself, I turned it up too. The last 30 seconds hurt. When Kenny and Sensei sparred it was almost a fight.

Kenny is all about a certain technique. I can't say what it is because I don't want to give away any inside info right yet. But I have to say it is a very nice technique, but a fighter has to use a technique when it is an open option rather then trying it until you succeed. It was his downfall at his last fight. He was just looking for the opportunity to show his awesome skill, that he got beat with basics.

Speeding to the World Championship

Time is VERY short. I only made the final decision last week that I was going to fight at the upcoming world championship.

How could I not fight? Many people train for years for this opportunity. In my dojo, most people have a couple of years of semi-contact fighting before going to full contact. I am lucky enough, at my advanced age, to find a talent that I never even dreamed that I would have. I still have tons of talent polishing to do.

Last May at the US Open, I 'knew' I was getting a butt whopping before I got on the mat. I 'knew' I was going to lose and just prayed that I wouldn't embarrass the dojo and my teachers. I was so scared. I was determined that, even though I would probably lose, that the women were going to have to work for their victory. I wound up winning first place and my first trophy ever.

Flipping the Coin

Monday was fight class. I got there a little early and was sitting behind the desk reading a magazine when Shihan came in. He told me that I needed to make a decision by Wednesday on fighting at the Kanreikai World Tournament. That set my happy mood into a different place.

Sensei Kris came out and told me she had something for me in her car. We went out to get it and she kept asking me what was wrong. I really didn't realize that I was being broody so I just said that I was tired.

After kihon and fitness, Shihan had us do walk on our hands around the dojo, if we never had done that before, we were to do handstands against the wall.

Full Week of Training, Finally

 Monday

This past week was a good one, training wise. Well it was better at the start than at the finish. Monday I went to the YMCA and did the weight program I got set up with the personal trainer. Later I was off to my son's soccer game, which made me late for class, but I told Sensei K that I would be late.

I missed the lesson for the day which was to pivot out of the way of your attacker. They were learning to read opponents by noticing the pressure differences in punches, just before a kick or knee is thrown. I watched the class practice their movements while I stretched. When they were done they got their gear on for sparring.

Sensei K asked if I were warmed up enough for sparring, and of course I said yes. Michelle said 'Patty is always ready for sparring!" and of course I was. I think I wake up ready for sparring.

Belt Test - Felling a Little Yellow

It has been a rough few days here in the Northeast. The temperature has been soaring in the upper 90's Schools in Maine have cancelled their after school sports and some have even closed all together.

Wednesday's kata class was surprisingly full. Usually when it is hot like that, people will stay home. I think some wanted to make sure that they got their hours in before the belt test. We did the usual kihon, then fitness. We lined up for kata, and went through just a few of them when Shihan stopped us. Some of us didn't look healthy, me included, I am sure. So we stopped and just worked on self defense.