Stumble It!
How many times does a basketball player practice throwing the free throw shot? What about a baseball player, hockey player, tennis player, football player and soccer player? The list goes on and on. Ray Bradbury the Pulitzer Prize Special Citation award winner and author once said, “I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before, but it’s true – hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don’t love something, then don’t do it.
Shouldn’t this pertain to martial arts as well? How many times do you practice your kicks, punches or forms per week? Do you only practice in class? If you want to get better then the only answer is practice and that includes practicing outside of class.
Bruce Lee once said, “If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits, there are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” If you are new to martial arts and you are thinking, “I only know a couple of kicks or punches”, now is the perfect opportunity to perfect them.
What if you have been doing martial arts for years and you think, “Well, I know my kicks and punches are good”, are they? There is always room for improvement? Did you know that Bruce Lee would throw 500 punches per day in order to improve his speed. Sometimes, he would even do 1000 or 2000 in a single day. Granted his training schedule was arduous but he trained with a goal in mind that he set for himself. He enjoyed the never-ending journey toward physical perfection.
However, the key to his success was in his training and practice. You may be thinking, “I simply don’t have enough time to practice”. One of the secrets to Bruce Lee’s training was how he decided to spend his time. The choices he made in each of his 24-hour days included several hours of training. You don’t have to figure out a way to train for several hours but, what about 15 – 30 minutes? It doesn’t have to be all at once. Have you ever tried sitting in horse stance during several commercials? Depending on the program, you could be standing there for 2 minutes! I bet if you tried you could figure out some creative times to practice your martial arts.
Michael Jordan once said, “If you’re trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I’ve had them; everybody has had them. However, obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. Romans 8:26 tells us, “In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness”. Use any obstacles as an opportunity to learn about yourself and God.
In light of this, as you purpose to be intentional in your practice of your martial arts consider doing the same with your walk with God. Do you pray when your practicing your stances or stretches? It is the perfect time to talk with God or reflect on His greatness. Psalm 119:15 says, “I will meditate on your precepts and consider your ways”.
In order to strengthen your relationship with Christ you must also spend time with Him. Just as martial arts takes practice, your relationship with God also takes intentional time.
I encourage you to layout your goals for your practice of martial arts and purpose to be intentional with your time with our Savior as well.
Osu,
Lisa Bethay
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
keys to success
Each of our classes are so different that when you miss one or two then you can feel as if you have missed a great deal! This happened to me when I missed not one but two classes last week.
After talking with my kids about what they did in class I felt so left out! Of course one of the intermediate classes that I missed was throws. I was so disappointed. Thankfully, I know that the class will come back around and I will get another opportunity.
I find it interesting how entwined our classes have become in my life. My kids and I will often pass something else up because we don't want to miss class. That says a lot about our program. Each class is new and exciting and we are continually learning something new. This is especially true as you reach the intermediate level. There are so many new things to learn it's really exciting.
My 7yo daughter hasn't missed a single class in a year! That's really a huge accomplishment for someone so young. The rest of our family has had at least a 90% attendance if not at times perfect attendance. Watching my kids you can really see how this time commitment has paid off. Their knowledge level continually amazes me.
Commitment to class is one of the many keys to success in your training for martial arts. Try to attend as many classes as you can and if you do happen to miss, remember what ever was taught will come back around.
Martial arts is truly a way of life for us. We love to watch martial arts movies and dissect them. We practice at home together and I am careful about what the kids and I eat. Especially prior to class and even the day before to make sure they are getting the right kinds of food they need for their energy levels. Our diet is another one of the keys to our success.
Diet is crucial to a martial artist. You must treat your body as an athlete at all times. That doesn't mean that you can't have desert or a whopper but it does mean that you want to choose what you put into your body with a goal in mind.
Are you training for your next belt? Remember, diet should be included in that training. If you eat like you are the athlete that you want to be, guess what will happen. You will become that athlete.
Research for yourself what would be best for you and your family and remember it is as important as your physical training.
Soke, has some great information on diet and eating habits if you are interested just let him know. It makes a huge difference on how you feel in class and after. He will be the first to tell you, "don't eat a double whopper before class unless you feel like throwing up during class!" **grin**
Consistency and diet are only 2 of the many keys to succeeding in martial arts. I'm continually learning others and as I do, I'll share!
Lisa
Momt5
After talking with my kids about what they did in class I felt so left out! Of course one of the intermediate classes that I missed was throws. I was so disappointed. Thankfully, I know that the class will come back around and I will get another opportunity.
I find it interesting how entwined our classes have become in my life. My kids and I will often pass something else up because we don't want to miss class. That says a lot about our program. Each class is new and exciting and we are continually learning something new. This is especially true as you reach the intermediate level. There are so many new things to learn it's really exciting.
My 7yo daughter hasn't missed a single class in a year! That's really a huge accomplishment for someone so young. The rest of our family has had at least a 90% attendance if not at times perfect attendance. Watching my kids you can really see how this time commitment has paid off. Their knowledge level continually amazes me.
Commitment to class is one of the many keys to success in your training for martial arts. Try to attend as many classes as you can and if you do happen to miss, remember what ever was taught will come back around.
Martial arts is truly a way of life for us. We love to watch martial arts movies and dissect them. We practice at home together and I am careful about what the kids and I eat. Especially prior to class and even the day before to make sure they are getting the right kinds of food they need for their energy levels. Our diet is another one of the keys to our success.
Diet is crucial to a martial artist. You must treat your body as an athlete at all times. That doesn't mean that you can't have desert or a whopper but it does mean that you want to choose what you put into your body with a goal in mind.
Are you training for your next belt? Remember, diet should be included in that training. If you eat like you are the athlete that you want to be, guess what will happen. You will become that athlete.
Research for yourself what would be best for you and your family and remember it is as important as your physical training.
Soke, has some great information on diet and eating habits if you are interested just let him know. It makes a huge difference on how you feel in class and after. He will be the first to tell you, "don't eat a double whopper before class unless you feel like throwing up during class!" **grin**
Consistency and diet are only 2 of the many keys to succeeding in martial arts. I'm continually learning others and as I do, I'll share!
Lisa
Momt5
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Dyslexia and Martial Arts
Did you know that I was dyslexic? There are many aspects of dyslexia and each person will exhibit different symptoms. The most common that you hear about is the difficulty in reading but there are many other aspects to it as well. One of mine is math. I have always had difficulty with math. The greatest software invention ever was Microsoft’s Excel. It allowed me to see math computations visually. Spelling and grammar is another weakness. I will often write something several times before I think it is correct. Dictionary.com is definitely one of my favorite websites as well as spell checkers due to my inability to spell.
However, one negative that is visual in martial arts is my lack of sense of direction. The joke in my house is that Mom would get lost in a square box. Although, it sounds funny, it is actually true. I have no sense of direction at all. I was never a cheer leader in high school because I could not learn the sequences of moves fast enough to keep up.
If you watch me in class you will often see me wiggle my fingers on my left hand. This is my way of determining which hand, foot, or direction is left. Learning the forms has been a huge challenge for me. Not only am I remembering a sequence of movements, I also have to remember which direction to turn and which hand or foot to use. Many times I get the left and right confused. My kids laugh at me when I jump up and down in frustration at myself.
I have learned that I have to learn a few steps at a time. I repeat those couple of steps until I have it memorized then add one or two more. I continue repeating the steps from the beginning and slowly adding until I have all of them. The interesting thing in learning form 2 was, because I wasn’t still practicing form 1, I forgot it. Now, that I’m learning form 3, I have realized that I must practice form 1 and 2 while learning it so that I don’t forget them. Thankfully my kids know them well and they are helping me.
It just takes practice and working on it outside of class. If you need someone to help you outside of class, just ask someone. Everyone in class that I have asked to help me has been very happy to and I know they will be for you as well.
Another aspect of dyslexia that affects me is coordination. I was the kid that tripped over my own two feet. The first time I ever rode a bicycle I literally ran into a tree. I could not get my hands and feet to work at the same time. Martial arts is actually helping me with this. However, right now I have to mentally focus on the small details of remembering my foot placement, posture, keeping my hands up and my elbows in with everything that we do. I hope eventually that I will have the muscle memory so that I can think of the big picture of what we are doing rather than the exact detail. This will allow me to think of combinations the way Soke tells us to in the intermediate level.
I’m not there yet, but I am practicing. It takes extra practice for me to get this but I think it’s worth it.
So, if you think that you are clumsy or could never do this, let me encourage you to try. You can do it too. For some people it may take a little extra work but desire is key. Sifu Allen told me that 90% of learning anything new is having the desire to learn it. 10% is actually doing it.
I’m proving this to be true. You will often hear me say if I can do it anyone can do it. Now you know why!
If you would like more information about dyslexia there are several websites with great information. Two of my favorites are:
http://www.dyslexiamylife.org
http://www.allkindsofminds.org
One of my favorites quotes:
I have to do it differently, the way that works best for me. Learning is like a tailored suit; it takes a while and is unique to everyone.- Girard j. Sagmiller
However, one negative that is visual in martial arts is my lack of sense of direction. The joke in my house is that Mom would get lost in a square box. Although, it sounds funny, it is actually true. I have no sense of direction at all. I was never a cheer leader in high school because I could not learn the sequences of moves fast enough to keep up.
If you watch me in class you will often see me wiggle my fingers on my left hand. This is my way of determining which hand, foot, or direction is left. Learning the forms has been a huge challenge for me. Not only am I remembering a sequence of movements, I also have to remember which direction to turn and which hand or foot to use. Many times I get the left and right confused. My kids laugh at me when I jump up and down in frustration at myself.
I have learned that I have to learn a few steps at a time. I repeat those couple of steps until I have it memorized then add one or two more. I continue repeating the steps from the beginning and slowly adding until I have all of them. The interesting thing in learning form 2 was, because I wasn’t still practicing form 1, I forgot it. Now, that I’m learning form 3, I have realized that I must practice form 1 and 2 while learning it so that I don’t forget them. Thankfully my kids know them well and they are helping me.
It just takes practice and working on it outside of class. If you need someone to help you outside of class, just ask someone. Everyone in class that I have asked to help me has been very happy to and I know they will be for you as well.
Another aspect of dyslexia that affects me is coordination. I was the kid that tripped over my own two feet. The first time I ever rode a bicycle I literally ran into a tree. I could not get my hands and feet to work at the same time. Martial arts is actually helping me with this. However, right now I have to mentally focus on the small details of remembering my foot placement, posture, keeping my hands up and my elbows in with everything that we do. I hope eventually that I will have the muscle memory so that I can think of the big picture of what we are doing rather than the exact detail. This will allow me to think of combinations the way Soke tells us to in the intermediate level.
I’m not there yet, but I am practicing. It takes extra practice for me to get this but I think it’s worth it.
So, if you think that you are clumsy or could never do this, let me encourage you to try. You can do it too. For some people it may take a little extra work but desire is key. Sifu Allen told me that 90% of learning anything new is having the desire to learn it. 10% is actually doing it.
I’m proving this to be true. You will often hear me say if I can do it anyone can do it. Now you know why!
If you would like more information about dyslexia there are several websites with great information. Two of my favorites are:
http://www.dyslexiamylife.org
http://www.allkindsofminds.org
One of my favorites quotes:
I have to do it differently, the way that works best for me. Learning is like a tailored suit; it takes a while and is unique to everyone.- Girard j. Sagmiller
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
It's all about Posture
I've learned a great deal about posture recently. I've had problems with pinched nerves in my shoulders, first my left and then my right, since before the last belt test. So, I finally broke down and went to my chiropractor. He took an x-ray of my neck that shows that it does not curve the way it is suppose to. It is perfectly straight. As a result, I tend to roll my shoulders and head forward. I am now working really hard to remember to stand up straight (just like Mom said) and keep my shoulders back. If you see me in class and I'm not standing up straight, please remind me! I need all the help I can get to prevent this from getting worse.
But, I want to explain what I have learned from this. Have you ever seen a martial artist who has bad posture? Think about it. Visualize all of the martial artists you have seen in our class and in the movies etc. How did their posture look? Great, right? Guess what happens if you have bad posture. You also will have trouble with balance and if you have balance problems it affects everything else! All of your kicks and punches will be off and you will look like a weeble wobble. Posture is key to good balance.
Posture has a profound effect on breathing, if muscles and bones are compressed a certain amount of restriction has to be expected. It also creates neck strain, pinched nerves, arthritis, and can degenerate your disc's.
Are you wondering about your posture? How can you tell if you have good posture? Stand with your back to a wall. If your shoulders, bottom and back of head are all touching the wall, then your posture is correct.
Otherwise, you have some work to do. Here are a few tips:
Good Posture Tips While Sitting
Keep both feet flat on the floor (if your feet cannot reach the floor, adjust the chair or use a footrest)
Align your back with the back of the chair
Don't slouch or lean forward
Adjust the chair so your knees are even with your hips, or slightly higher, and your arms are at a 75-90 degree angle at the elbows
Keep your shoulders straight
Choose an ergonomic office chair with good back support
Get up often and stretch
Good Posture Tips While Standing
Keep your weight on the balls of your feet, not your heels
Let your arms hang naturally by your side
Keep feet about shoulder-width apart
Don't lock your knees
Keep your head level and in line with your neck and spine, not pushed forward
Keep your shoulders upright and stand up straight
An upright posture conveys confidence and self-esteem. What does your posture say about you?
But, I want to explain what I have learned from this. Have you ever seen a martial artist who has bad posture? Think about it. Visualize all of the martial artists you have seen in our class and in the movies etc. How did their posture look? Great, right? Guess what happens if you have bad posture. You also will have trouble with balance and if you have balance problems it affects everything else! All of your kicks and punches will be off and you will look like a weeble wobble. Posture is key to good balance.
Posture has a profound effect on breathing, if muscles and bones are compressed a certain amount of restriction has to be expected. It also creates neck strain, pinched nerves, arthritis, and can degenerate your disc's.
Are you wondering about your posture? How can you tell if you have good posture? Stand with your back to a wall. If your shoulders, bottom and back of head are all touching the wall, then your posture is correct.
Otherwise, you have some work to do. Here are a few tips:
Good Posture Tips While Sitting
Keep both feet flat on the floor (if your feet cannot reach the floor, adjust the chair or use a footrest)
Align your back with the back of the chair
Don't slouch or lean forward
Adjust the chair so your knees are even with your hips, or slightly higher, and your arms are at a 75-90 degree angle at the elbows
Keep your shoulders straight
Choose an ergonomic office chair with good back support
Get up often and stretch
Good Posture Tips While Standing
Keep your weight on the balls of your feet, not your heels
Let your arms hang naturally by your side
Keep feet about shoulder-width apart
Don't lock your knees
Keep your head level and in line with your neck and spine, not pushed forward
Keep your shoulders upright and stand up straight
An upright posture conveys confidence and self-esteem. What does your posture say about you?
Thursday, September 4, 2008
My smack talker
My 14 year old son was talking smack to me all day long. Our Sensi had told us to bring our sparring gear to class tonight because we were going to spar. So, my 5’8” son decided he was going to ruffle my feathers. He told me he was going to beat up on me in class. I just laughed at him and told him to, “bring it on big boy”! We had big fun teasing one another all afternoon.
So, we are in class with all of our protective gear on and I’m face to face with this teenager who has been taking classes for 4 years. I have to admit I was intimidated more than once in class. The smack talker is at an intermediate level and is still learning to control his punches. Not only that, he is very powerful and fast. But, I am competitive (this has been a new revelation to me) and I wasn’t going to let this boy know it. Anyway, we had great fun trading punches and I feel like I almost gave as good as I got. Yes, he certainly landed more kicks and punches than I did but, I got a few in of my own.
Of course, when faced with my second son I thought it was going to be easier. Ha! He moves so fast with his punches I ended up closing my eyes and flinching, as I tried desperately to block what he was throwing at me. He just grins that big grin at me while he’s continually landing punches.
My two girls did well too. They are much younger and have the techniques down but have yet to gain a great deal of power. Both were hurt at different times and had to sit out for a few minutes, but neither gave up and they both continued sparing as the class continued. They are only 10 and 7 and took a few hard licks. They reminded me of the energizer bunny, they took a licking and kept on ticking. Now, don’t get me wrong, both of the girls have earned the right to be in the intermediate class and want to be there. My 10 year old is actually a higher belt than I am. However, their brothers are always very gentle with them and I think tonight was a bit of a surprise despite the fact they have sparred competitively, with trophies to show for it. They are just usually sparring with kids their age and not with older kids and adults. But, I’m proud to say they held their own.
So, as I am yet again nursing bruises, I am smiling thinking of the fun we had tonight. Everyone in class must have thought I was crazy when I laughed at someone who landed a good punch or kick on me. You could hear me laughing throughout the class. So, that tells you how often I got hit. But, if it landed, then I didn’t block! I’m learning.
You must be wondering if I’m getting beat up on and ending up with bruises, why do it? Well, if you are a woman, let me ask you a question. Have you ever walked out of the store late at night and felt uncomfortable? I have often felt nervous if I was out shopping too late, or at Christmas time. But you know what? I haven’t felt that way since I began learning martial arts. I am learning that I CAN defend myself. As a woman, it is truly a feeling of self-empowerment. If I can block most of the punches and kicks thrown at me tonight then in a real situation I can certainly block a few. Not only that, I'm somewhat prepared for how they feel. The statistics on women being attacked is incredibly high today, and I truly believe that all women should learn basic self-defense techniques.
But, if you’re a guy, then you probably understand the competiveness and plain fun of sparring with someone. I didn’t grow up with brothers so this is a very new thing for me.
As I continue to learn, I am realizing even more the importance of my kids growing up and learning how to defend themselves in different situtations. In addition, they are learning how to deal with confrontations and how to difuse things before they get out of hand. Don't you think all kids should learn this. Wouldn't we have less fights in schools or maybe even less shootings? Hmmm, interesting thought.
So, I’m off to bed and hopefully next time I’ll land a few more punches on my smack talking son as I learn better blocking and combinations! Look out baby, Mama is coming after you (grinning a very big grin!).
Momt5
So, we are in class with all of our protective gear on and I’m face to face with this teenager who has been taking classes for 4 years. I have to admit I was intimidated more than once in class. The smack talker is at an intermediate level and is still learning to control his punches. Not only that, he is very powerful and fast. But, I am competitive (this has been a new revelation to me) and I wasn’t going to let this boy know it. Anyway, we had great fun trading punches and I feel like I almost gave as good as I got. Yes, he certainly landed more kicks and punches than I did but, I got a few in of my own.
Of course, when faced with my second son I thought it was going to be easier. Ha! He moves so fast with his punches I ended up closing my eyes and flinching, as I tried desperately to block what he was throwing at me. He just grins that big grin at me while he’s continually landing punches.
My two girls did well too. They are much younger and have the techniques down but have yet to gain a great deal of power. Both were hurt at different times and had to sit out for a few minutes, but neither gave up and they both continued sparing as the class continued. They are only 10 and 7 and took a few hard licks. They reminded me of the energizer bunny, they took a licking and kept on ticking. Now, don’t get me wrong, both of the girls have earned the right to be in the intermediate class and want to be there. My 10 year old is actually a higher belt than I am. However, their brothers are always very gentle with them and I think tonight was a bit of a surprise despite the fact they have sparred competitively, with trophies to show for it. They are just usually sparring with kids their age and not with older kids and adults. But, I’m proud to say they held their own.
So, as I am yet again nursing bruises, I am smiling thinking of the fun we had tonight. Everyone in class must have thought I was crazy when I laughed at someone who landed a good punch or kick on me. You could hear me laughing throughout the class. So, that tells you how often I got hit. But, if it landed, then I didn’t block! I’m learning.
You must be wondering if I’m getting beat up on and ending up with bruises, why do it? Well, if you are a woman, let me ask you a question. Have you ever walked out of the store late at night and felt uncomfortable? I have often felt nervous if I was out shopping too late, or at Christmas time. But you know what? I haven’t felt that way since I began learning martial arts. I am learning that I CAN defend myself. As a woman, it is truly a feeling of self-empowerment. If I can block most of the punches and kicks thrown at me tonight then in a real situation I can certainly block a few. Not only that, I'm somewhat prepared for how they feel. The statistics on women being attacked is incredibly high today, and I truly believe that all women should learn basic self-defense techniques.
But, if you’re a guy, then you probably understand the competiveness and plain fun of sparring with someone. I didn’t grow up with brothers so this is a very new thing for me.
As I continue to learn, I am realizing even more the importance of my kids growing up and learning how to defend themselves in different situtations. In addition, they are learning how to deal with confrontations and how to difuse things before they get out of hand. Don't you think all kids should learn this. Wouldn't we have less fights in schools or maybe even less shootings? Hmmm, interesting thought.
So, I’m off to bed and hopefully next time I’ll land a few more punches on my smack talking son as I learn better blocking and combinations! Look out baby, Mama is coming after you (grinning a very big grin!).
Momt5
Saturday, August 23, 2008
I Did It!
I did it. I am now officially a 4th Gup orange belt. What a day. Martial arts is the only sport I know of where bruises are a badge of honor. As I sit reflecting the day, I am covered in bruises but they were hard earned ones and I’m proud of them. This probably sounds like a contradiction to most people. But if you have ever worked for months on obtaining a goal then what ever you went through to reach that goal was worth it in the end!
One key item I have learned in training for this level:
1. Why we do forms or kata’s:
In the beginning, I had no idea of why we do this. I just thought it was a series of movements. Yes, we are suppose to visualize attackers but it still didn’t make any sense to me, I just did what Soke Geniesse told me to do trusting in his leadership. Now I know, not only does it help sports challenged individuals like me learn their left from their right, it helps develop coordination even at the age of 43. In addition, it creates muscle memory. In an unexpected situation, you will always fall back on your muscle memory. It’s like riding a bicycle. You may not have ridden in 10 years but when you get back on it begins to come back to you. In memorizing and practicing your forms if you are ever in a position of being attacked your body will begin to do the things it has memorized. I now understand why they should be practiced daily.
In our form one, it gives you practice in pivoting, breathing and controlling quickly your emotions. This is key in so many of the things we do. Form two, carries it several steps further in practicing specific strikes, kicks, how to look for your opponent, and when to gather your strength.
The ukemi was still hard. I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder. But, I learned that I can push myself even further than I have before. Soke had told us, “Mind over matter”. He was correct.
Truthfully the hardest part of the day was watching each of my 3 children that were testing struggle through certain aspects of their test. Each of them persevered
and words cannot describe how proud of them I am.
I have several people I want to thank if you will bear with me:
Thanks to Mr. Van for his cardio classes. I still had a hard time. However, I don’t think I would had made it if not for his help increasing my stamina.
Sensi Fernandez’s advise on some of my techniques made a huge difference. He has the ability to spot things I could not have. As well as, his words of encouragement during the test.
Sensi Kendall’s steady presence and consistent teaching has been a plus in helping me learn over the past several months.
Soke Geniesse has the ability to make me believe that I can do more than what I think I can! Thanks Soke.
The best part was listening to my kids encourage me as I struggled with certain parts. Hearing, “You can do it, Mom”, can really push you to do more and last but not least to my precious husband for the back rubs and adjustments!
Thanks Zack for being my ukie today. You did great!
This all goes to show, that you are never to old to try something new!
Have a great night. I’m off to a hot bath to soak these tired muscles.
Ous! (means I can do)
Momt5
One key item I have learned in training for this level:
1. Why we do forms or kata’s:
In the beginning, I had no idea of why we do this. I just thought it was a series of movements. Yes, we are suppose to visualize attackers but it still didn’t make any sense to me, I just did what Soke Geniesse told me to do trusting in his leadership. Now I know, not only does it help sports challenged individuals like me learn their left from their right, it helps develop coordination even at the age of 43. In addition, it creates muscle memory. In an unexpected situation, you will always fall back on your muscle memory. It’s like riding a bicycle. You may not have ridden in 10 years but when you get back on it begins to come back to you. In memorizing and practicing your forms if you are ever in a position of being attacked your body will begin to do the things it has memorized. I now understand why they should be practiced daily.
In our form one, it gives you practice in pivoting, breathing and controlling quickly your emotions. This is key in so many of the things we do. Form two, carries it several steps further in practicing specific strikes, kicks, how to look for your opponent, and when to gather your strength.
The ukemi was still hard. I had a pinched nerve in my shoulder. But, I learned that I can push myself even further than I have before. Soke had told us, “Mind over matter”. He was correct.
Truthfully the hardest part of the day was watching each of my 3 children that were testing struggle through certain aspects of their test. Each of them persevered
and words cannot describe how proud of them I am.
I have several people I want to thank if you will bear with me:
Thanks to Mr. Van for his cardio classes. I still had a hard time. However, I don’t think I would had made it if not for his help increasing my stamina.
Sensi Fernandez’s advise on some of my techniques made a huge difference. He has the ability to spot things I could not have. As well as, his words of encouragement during the test.
Sensi Kendall’s steady presence and consistent teaching has been a plus in helping me learn over the past several months.
Soke Geniesse has the ability to make me believe that I can do more than what I think I can! Thanks Soke.
The best part was listening to my kids encourage me as I struggled with certain parts. Hearing, “You can do it, Mom”, can really push you to do more and last but not least to my precious husband for the back rubs and adjustments!
Thanks Zack for being my ukie today. You did great!
This all goes to show, that you are never to old to try something new!
Have a great night. I’m off to a hot bath to soak these tired muscles.
Ous! (means I can do)
Momt5
Monday, August 18, 2008
Perfectionist
One of the most difficult things for me in martial arts is my own perfectionism. As I am preparing for my orange belt test I struggle in feeling ready because I feel have not absolutely perfected all the the techniques. Can I do them? yes. Are they perfect? no.
Where do you draw the line? What determines that your ready to move to the next belt? Those are questions that loom in the back of my mind as I prepare to test.
I really want to move forward to that I can continue learning. However, I can still see areas that need improvement. I don't have the flexibility that I really want. My cardio isn't quite there yet and as I mentioned in a previous post, ukemi is really hard for me. As well as, my kicks could be so much better!
My kids are telling me to go for it. My husband went through all of the techniques with me tonight and said I was doing well. But the perfectionist in me says, "are you sure?"
I'm not sure that I'll ever conquer the perfectionist in me so I'm going to go for it. I really want to be in the intermediate classes. They are learning such cool stuff and I can't wait to try it.
It was fascinating watching my kids tonight working through scenarios of a bully or attacker coming at them and how they would handle it. I was in awe watching them throw leg sweeps, kicks and punches. Truthfuly, I'll never worry about my 10 year old daughter again. She kicked butt against adults twice her size!
I can't ever imagine being as good as my kids but I'm sure gonna try!
Mom to 5
Where do you draw the line? What determines that your ready to move to the next belt? Those are questions that loom in the back of my mind as I prepare to test.
I really want to move forward to that I can continue learning. However, I can still see areas that need improvement. I don't have the flexibility that I really want. My cardio isn't quite there yet and as I mentioned in a previous post, ukemi is really hard for me. As well as, my kicks could be so much better!
My kids are telling me to go for it. My husband went through all of the techniques with me tonight and said I was doing well. But the perfectionist in me says, "are you sure?"
I'm not sure that I'll ever conquer the perfectionist in me so I'm going to go for it. I really want to be in the intermediate classes. They are learning such cool stuff and I can't wait to try it.
It was fascinating watching my kids tonight working through scenarios of a bully or attacker coming at them and how they would handle it. I was in awe watching them throw leg sweeps, kicks and punches. Truthfuly, I'll never worry about my 10 year old daughter again. She kicked butt against adults twice her size!
I can't ever imagine being as good as my kids but I'm sure gonna try!
Mom to 5
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Mind Over Body
One of the most difficult things for me to learn is throwing myself on the ground. Yes, you read that right. One of the things that we practice in Tao Hsieh Wu Shu is throwing ourselves on the ground. It is called, "Ukemi" and it is the art of accepting the ground. Sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it. I mean why on earth would you want to throw yourself to the ground?
Approximately 8 years ago an orthopedic surgeon wanted to do back surgery on me to remove a bone spur in my lower back. I refused to have back surgery! I have been managing it with exercise and stretches ever since. However, I have had times when I was in the floor for three days straight because it hurt so much. So you can imagine my face the first time I was shown how to do a rolling back fall. My first response was, "you want me to do what?"
The point to Ukemi is to learn how to land properly in the event you are thrown. Sensi Greg (our Ukemi guru) tells us it is going to hurt when we land but not near as much as if you don't land properly. Let me tell you, he speaks the truth. I've landed before and didn't tuck my chin properly. As my head snapped, I could feel my brain swishing back and forth in my head. When I stood, my instructor was reminding me to tuck my chin, as I'm trying to clear the birds from flying around my head and the spots in front of my eyes! I think I just nodded and mumbled, "Yes Sir".
In my next belt test I have to do a rolling side fall. My oldest son has been instrumental in helping me learn. We started on the trampoline. Believe it or not, it was actually easier to do on the pads. Of course, my son is an over achiever and kept saying, "Come on Mom, five more", as my head was spinning from rolling and my body began to ache. One of our instructors Mr. Van patiently helped me perfect the fine points that Luke began with me and now I'm beginning to feel ready.
It just goes to show that you can overcome your fear and if I can do this anyone can!
Approximately 8 years ago an orthopedic surgeon wanted to do back surgery on me to remove a bone spur in my lower back. I refused to have back surgery! I have been managing it with exercise and stretches ever since. However, I have had times when I was in the floor for three days straight because it hurt so much. So you can imagine my face the first time I was shown how to do a rolling back fall. My first response was, "you want me to do what?"
The point to Ukemi is to learn how to land properly in the event you are thrown. Sensi Greg (our Ukemi guru) tells us it is going to hurt when we land but not near as much as if you don't land properly. Let me tell you, he speaks the truth. I've landed before and didn't tuck my chin properly. As my head snapped, I could feel my brain swishing back and forth in my head. When I stood, my instructor was reminding me to tuck my chin, as I'm trying to clear the birds from flying around my head and the spots in front of my eyes! I think I just nodded and mumbled, "Yes Sir".
In my next belt test I have to do a rolling side fall. My oldest son has been instrumental in helping me learn. We started on the trampoline. Believe it or not, it was actually easier to do on the pads. Of course, my son is an over achiever and kept saying, "Come on Mom, five more", as my head was spinning from rolling and my body began to ache. One of our instructors Mr. Van patiently helped me perfect the fine points that Luke began with me and now I'm beginning to feel ready.
It just goes to show that you can overcome your fear and if I can do this anyone can!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Yes, I'm crazy
Sometimes I feel crazy beginning martial arts in my 40's. I've never done any kind of sport. I didn't have brothers or sisters to wrestle with growing up. So you've got to wonder, what on earth am I doing?
Well, I have 5 children and 4 of them have been taking a mixed martial art called, Tao Hsieh Wu Shu. It means, "The Way Of Unified Martial Arts". It is a mix of 8 different martial arts styles blended into one. My kids and my husband always made it look so easy! So, when Soke asked me when I was going to start, I would always grin and say, "when the baby is old enough". Well when the "baby" was three, Soke hired a babysitter and I no longer had any excuses.
I had been very involved with the school up to this point in helping out with the administration, video taping all the belt test and tournaments so I wasn't a stranger to some of the concepts. However, trying to get my body to do what I had been watching was something else! Now, I don't consider myself to be very athletic, in fact, I'm about 30 lbs over weight. After 5 kids and hormonal changes - well you get the picture.
So, here I am 7 months later still trying to figure out my left from my right but having a grand time doing it. Is it hard? Yes, there are many nights after class that I come home and take 4 Ibuprofen and a hot bath! Am I learning? You bet! I've actually earned 2 belts and am preparing for my next belt test on August 23rd.
My favorite part has been doing the class with my kids and hearing them encouraging me, instead of the other way around. Each of them has had a special part in helping me learn and prepare for each level as I have progressed. We also have a grand time watching martial art movies and discussing what is going on.
I am slowly getting in better shape. I certainly have better cardio (thanks to Mr. Van's MMA cardio class) and I am gradually becoming more flexible. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be able to break a board with a front snap kick or hip throw my 220lb husband, I would have laughed at them! But I'm thrilled to say, "I can actually do all of those things".
Momt5
Well, I have 5 children and 4 of them have been taking a mixed martial art called, Tao Hsieh Wu Shu. It means, "The Way Of Unified Martial Arts". It is a mix of 8 different martial arts styles blended into one. My kids and my husband always made it look so easy! So, when Soke asked me when I was going to start, I would always grin and say, "when the baby is old enough". Well when the "baby" was three, Soke hired a babysitter and I no longer had any excuses.
I had been very involved with the school up to this point in helping out with the administration, video taping all the belt test and tournaments so I wasn't a stranger to some of the concepts. However, trying to get my body to do what I had been watching was something else! Now, I don't consider myself to be very athletic, in fact, I'm about 30 lbs over weight. After 5 kids and hormonal changes - well you get the picture.
So, here I am 7 months later still trying to figure out my left from my right but having a grand time doing it. Is it hard? Yes, there are many nights after class that I come home and take 4 Ibuprofen and a hot bath! Am I learning? You bet! I've actually earned 2 belts and am preparing for my next belt test on August 23rd.
My favorite part has been doing the class with my kids and hearing them encouraging me, instead of the other way around. Each of them has had a special part in helping me learn and prepare for each level as I have progressed. We also have a grand time watching martial art movies and discussing what is going on.
I am slowly getting in better shape. I certainly have better cardio (thanks to Mr. Van's MMA cardio class) and I am gradually becoming more flexible. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be able to break a board with a front snap kick or hip throw my 220lb husband, I would have laughed at them! But I'm thrilled to say, "I can actually do all of those things".
Momt5
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