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I have been given a challenge by my karate instructor to learn a new weapon that is "out of the box" for me. As such, he has given me a really unique experience. It's not a bo, bokken, sai, meechi kaibo, tonfa or anything else. I have a unique weapon which I would *never* have thought of in a million years. It is a thought provoking weapon and one that I am going to have a lot of fun learning.
It's Japanese in origin. I really should talk to one of my friends who is a new Shodan and see if she's heard of it. It makes me want to get it out and work with it. I have some additional research to do because I feel that it will benefit me to know all there is to know about this wonderful weapon.
I don't know if anyone from my school reads my blog, but until I have clearance to talk about my weapon with others in the school, I have to work on learning the weapon and practice, practice, practice.
I'm excited! I think it's an interesting choice. I have several things I need to think about as my Master and I will sit down and discuss this weapon with him sometime soon. He wants me to think of the reason he picked this particular weapon for me. I can see at least one reason. It's a weapon that you wouldn't expect to be a weapon. It's a bit of a surprise, more of the "unknown quantity". Since I'm fairly new to the school as well, it suits me because I'm the unknown factor as well.
I was thinking about forms this morning after dropping my daughter off at the track for band practice. I have decided that I am going to start working on Nahainchi Ee Dan, at least the very beginning of the form. I have seen it, at my old school, and was supposed to be learning it before I left. Master P told me that I needed to start learning it a month ago, so I think I'm going to get off my rear and start. I know the first four movements, I think. I have resources. My friend, S, knows it and can show me what I might need, plus, if I ask nicely, another friend, DB, knows it and IF we can ever get together, he could show me things too. I'd love to go back into class knowing this form. It would do wonders for my feeling toward myself. I'm also going to go back and practice a form that I know that maybe I'm not SUPPOSED to know yet (Sip Soo). I haven't done that one in a year or more. I still have it simmering in the recesses of my brain. It'll help me to keep active if I work on the forms I am supposed to know, to firm them up. I don't want to show up and have to demonstrate something and freeze. That's one of my biggest fears.
In order to move ahead with my plans, I need to get myself up to speed with my vocabulary, one steps and Ho Sin Sul. As of tonight, I made an agreement with one of my fellow students to practice my terminology. If I am supposed to know the Korean for things like two handed low x-blocks, etc, I need to get busy and practice. The best way to practice is to get together with another student who is near my level and practice. I SHOULD be working with the other Dans but I feel stupid for asking. There is no harm in asking, as I was reminded during class tonight. I didn't know a technique (gasp!!) and didn't ask, so I looked really stupid in my own eyes. I have an inflated sense of what level I should be working at. Granted, I'm not at that level, but I feel like I need to get off my butt and get to that level. I could be setting myself up for failure, but we shall see. At least I'm setting myself a goal that I think I can reach.
Due to certain circumstances, my martial arts is temporarily sidelined. I'll have to keep up my practicing on my own until I can get back to class. This means that I MUST keep up the forms and practicing the Korean. I need to know what a "soo do" is. I need to keep myself practicing on everything.
I'm frustrated, but things happen. I can pick up the pieces and go on. I'm not fully devastated, which I could be. I've been challenged by Ms. S to keep practicing, so that I shall. I can work with the WF and get my balance there. I can work on forms and make sure I REMEMBER the forms. If I practice daily, I'll be back where I was in no time.
I'm bummed out by the turn of events, but I will make it work for me.
I just hope they don't forget me because I'm not in class.
Thursday's class was a kicking class. It wasn't all kicking, but that was our primary drill after the initial warm ups. Master G has the class bow in (and I STILL need to work on the opening commands for class!!), then someone led the warm up. That was interesting...we did a "downward facing dog" pose (My friend, Ram calls it 'up dog/down dog' but it's all the same thing). Then we did some further stretches--It was a lunge, and to get an extra deep stretch of your hip flexors, you can put your back knee on the floor. The thing I've noticed on that is that you need to keep your back straight and you never, EVER want to have your front knee go past your toes!
We did a few line drills with us doing Aneso Phakeso Mahkee (inside/outside block) and Phakeso Ahn Uro Mahkee (outside/inside block). We did Ha Dan Mahkee (low block) and Sang Dan Mahkee (high block). Then we did some other things, including Jang Kwan (palm heel strike), a side stance with a center punch I think it's Sa Ko Rip Chaseh--no, that's the stance. The actual side stance with a center punch is a Hwang Jin Kong Kyuk.
We practiced Aneseo Phakeso Cha Gi (inside/outside kick) and Phakeso Ahn Uro Cha Gi (outside/inside kick) with partners as well. The goal there is to remember what you're hitting with. You've got two things you can use--either the ball of the foot (the bahl, I think) and the side of the foot. You have more control with the ball of your foot as you go to hit because it's a wider surface. The blade is used as a firm quick 'snap', if my memory is serving me right.
When that was finished, we went to the other room and worked with our Wavemasters and BOB. We practiced our Ho Sin Sul from the "backside", that is, not trying to escape an opponent. You practice like this to get a feel for what the Ho Sin sul should be like. It also gives you a stationery opponent to work with. I think I made it up to #6. It wasn't until I was messing around with Ram at work yesterday that one of them (the bear hug) really made sense to me. I think I just needed the live body to perform it on. It's interesting because it's very much like Pyung Ahn Sam Dan ("Superman form") toward the end. There's an elbow/punch combination there that resembles Sam Dan very much. I think I'll get the hubby out tomorrow and work with him on it. I need to keep practicing my Ho Sin Sul. I need to learn it. I need to learn everything. Lots of things to learn!!!!
I also talked to Master G after class and told him my fears. He said not to fixate too much on the date next year for my test. It's not going to do me any good because I may psych myself out of properly training if I am obsessing over a date. What I need to do is to practice and learn. And keep learning. I don't know Naihanchi Ee Dan yet, so that's something that needs to be learned. I also need to master all the Ho Sin Sul AND the one-steps. I have to make up 6 one-steps of my own. I have to learn the Korean because it IS taught this way. I have to learn the bunkai. I also need to learn something else...I think he mentioned bushido, but I could be mstaken. He's going to get me some information that will help me out with my journey.
I think I'm back on that journey toward black belt. If I was smart, I'd sit down now and write out what it means to me to be a black belt. I should go review my essay I wrote for my first dan. I think I'll do that...
BTK is open tomorrow at Russell Creek and I am GOING!!! I am excited about it, really! I can work on my forms and review what I need to do to get ahead. I also need to pin someone down and start working on my one-steps! I have at least 30 one steps to learn! PLUS, I have to practice my old one-steps and the very first ones I learned. It's going to be wonderful to get back into doing them. I don't know if I'll actually have to do take downs, but we'll see.
