A little bit of fun

I had the coolest epiphany last week. I was watching a fellow student's yellow belt test thinking how well he was doing when I realized, "Hey, I passed that test too! I really can do all of the things he's doing". It was a really cool feeling.

Granted, I don't have the finesse and speed as many of our younger students, but what I lack in finesse I certainly make up for in enthusiasm. I really enjoy all of our classes. I have so much fun doing things I never thought I would ever do. Me doing a jump double roundhouse? Yea, well it wasn't pretty, but I did it and it was a lot of fun learning how to do it.

Isn't that what it's all about? Enjoying what you are doing. Life is short and we each only have one day at a time. I hope today that you smile when you are doing what you are passionate about. Share the enthusiasm. It is incredibly contagious and in today's times, we need a little fun. So whatever your fun is, indulge today. I plan to punch on our kicking bag awhile, what are you going to do?

As I tell everyone, if I can do martial arts, anyone can. If you haven't tried it yet, go for it! What have you got to lose, a little fun?

Do you feel like a martial artist?

I have been learning the art of Tao Hsieh Wu Shu for a year and half and I am just now beginning to have the inkling of feeling like a martial artist.

The first time was a couple of weeks ago during the great Atlanta flood. We had been fighting water for 4 days and I was feeling frustrated vacuuming the water out of our exercise room for the umpteenth time. I looked at the kicking bag and thought to myself, "I just need to punch and kick the bag for about 30 minutes and I'll feel better". Suddenly I grinned at myself, realizing that I actually knew how to do that. This was a great revelation to me. If your a guy then you probably grew up knowing how to do these things instinctively. I did not have a brother or Dad to teach me these things and was not very athletic, so for me this is a cool feeling.

Another huge milestone has been learning to overcome fear. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of times in class that I get intimidated, but it seems to be getting less and my confidence more. I attribute this to our terrific teachers and my fellow students.

The more classes I attend, the more there is to learn. The more that I learn, the greater my abilities will grow. As my abilities grow, my confidence increases. This confidence will one day lead to feeling like a real martial artist all the time and not just some of the time.

But the beginnings of feeling like a martial artist is a cool thing!


Keep on kicking,
Lisa

Victory

Each belt test is a hugh milestone in martial arts. Earning your way up to black belt is equilivent to being a baby and learning first to hold your head up (white belt), rolling over (yellow belt), sitting up (orange belt), crawling (green belt), walking (blue belt), jumping (red belt), running (blackbelt), and flying - beyond....

(We only have a total of six color belts in Tao Hsieh Wu Shu)

While it only takes about 1.5 years to pass those milestones as a baby, in martial arts it takes many years. After yesterday, I'm at the crawling stage (green belt). Crawling is a good description of all the things that I still have to learn and perfect. Yesterday was a great test but difficult one. I learned many things about myself.

First and foremost, I need to continue to work on my endurance and flexibility. My spinning kicks really need work as does my straight back kick. I didn't whip my arm enough in my ridge hand or knife hand punches nor did I put my shoulder into my hook and upper cut punches. As for cartwheels, let's just say they are not pretty!

However, I did learn without a doubt that if I was ever attacked, I could defend myself. I had felt that I could but yesterday seem to prove to me that I really can. To me, this is the most important thing I could ever learn.

There are many techniques that I'm not great at but need to learn in our system in order to teach others who may do it well. Everyone's syle is different as are their strenghts and weaknesses.

I do feel victorious this morning, even with all the bruises from the test yesterday. Bruises seem to be my mantra these days. But they will fade and I'll still have my green belt and the knowledge that goes with it. How exciting is that?

MMAMom

p.s. Special thanks to my uki yesterday (Rich) for pushing me and not just letting me have it. He made me look good.

When times are tough

To be truthful there are times as I am training that I wonder if I going to be able to continue. For example, tonight both of my wrist hurt, my forearms are bruised, my knees are bruised, my shin and foot is badly bruised, my shoulders hurt etc, etc, etc. I'm wondering if I'm crazy doing this at my age. Is it worth it? Why am I doing this?

This is when I have to sit back and reevaluate my goals. What have I accomplished so far? What do I plan to accomplish? Just where am I going with all of this?

Hmmm, interesting questions. First, let's look at where I've been. Prior to taking martial arts I had never done any sport at all. I never played any ball sport, took gymnastics classes, track or even swimming. I didn't learn to swim until I was 13 and then it was only enough to get from one side of the pool to the other. I was never athletic in any way. The only cool thing I did as a kid was ride a dirt bike.

Now, at the age of 44, I can throw a pretty mean hook punch and roundhouse kick. Grab me unexpectedly and I'm apt to throw you with a hip or leg throw. I think that is pretty cool. If you had told me years ago that I would be practicing a spinning kick I would have asked you, "what is that?". I can also break three boards with a reverse punch. That was amazing! You can see this on youtube at our Tao Hsieh Wu Shu youtube channel.

I also have a great time training with my kids, watching martial art movies with them and dissecting all the fabulous moves. I have also made many wonderful new friends that are now a part of my family.

That leaves me with with, "What do I plan to accomplish"? Hmmm, right now, just to make it through my next belt test. One day, to earn my black belt. Beyond that, who knows. Martial arts is a life long process of learning. Who knows where I'll be in my 50's. I hope to one day be able to teach self-defense to other ladies to help them gain some of the confidence that I have. That would be really cool.

So tonight, I'll put on the ice pack and grin about my martial arts badges of honor, my bruises!


Lisa
mmamom

Any shape or size

I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I updated my blog. Life seems to be coming at me at 90mph and I'm moving 30mph!

I am getting ready to test for my green belt that I began training for in Feb. at the end of this month. It has been a long journey that at times has been difficult due to my lower back issues and other physical issues. You will often have injuries as you train and I am no exception.

I’m made some interesting observations over the past few months and I wanted to share one of them with you that has been a revelation to me. I have had the opportunity to meet many different martial artists this year in different martial art systems. The one thing that intrigues me is that martial artists come in all shapes and sizes. I had always had the preconceived idea that to be a martial artist you had to be this perfect athlete and in perfect shape! Yes, most of your competitive martial artists are in phenomenal shape as they train for 2-6 hours per day. As a mom of 5, this simply is not feasible for me. Nor is it feasible for many of the black belts that I have met. The one thing we all have in common is a passion and love for the sport.

A martial artist doesn’t have to be in perfect shape. It is easier if you are young and in shape or even older but athletic. I guess my point is that you don’t have to be in perfect shape to learn martial arts. You can be any shape, any size or any age to learn. It may take you longer, may be a little harder but it can be learned. I have seen people much larger in weight than I am throw a kick that was techniquely beautiful! It’s not about the weight, it’s about fitness and fitness can be gained no matter what your weight is.

I write this as I am struggling still to lose the weight due to going through menopause (yes I’m an early bird), but knowing that I can do this and I am in better physical shape. Strength training has helped me a great deal as I need stronger muscles to be able to do what I want to do with my extra weight! I still have a ways to go with my technique but I have figured out how to throw the power of my weight into my kicks and punches.

If you enjoy watching martial art movies and have ever had the thought, “I wish I could do that”, try. You will be amazed at what you can do no matter what your size, weight or athletic ability. I’m a perfect example of being able to do it. My kicks are not as pretty as my beautiful girls, but I remind myself that age and wisdom comes into play!

Getting Fit For Martial Arts

When I initially began martial arts it was with the idea that it would help me to get into better shape and that I would be doing something fun with my kids.


While these are good reasons to start, over time my reasons for continuing the class have begun to change. When I started it never occurred to me that I would actually one day earn my black belt. However, as I begin training for my green belt my thinking has changed on many levels, one of them, setting a goal to earn my black belt before I turn 50!

Today my thought process is, I want to be in better shape to do martial arts instead of the other way around. Investigating strength training for martial arts has opened a new way of thinking for me. I am learning that one of the secrets of doing martial arts well for me is not just the technique, but the ability to manipulate my body against a variety of forces. These include my weight, my opponent’s weight and inertia for quick changes in speed and direction and the ability to explode in a movement.

In order to improve my ability to do this, I am beginning a strength training regimen. I have learned that when you are physically strong, your acceleration, body balance, recovery and reaction time improve. Having a well-conditioned body also sharpens your mental ability as well. This has been even more evident as I have struggled with my lower back problems. Last Oct. I injured my lower back trying cartwheels on the beach and I have struggled with lower back pain since. A cartwheel is required in our Form 3.

Acupuncture has helped me regain control of my back (I’ll write another article on this topic later) and I am now in the process of regaining my strength and flexibility. It has been very frustrating to watch my kicks get lower and lower due to back pain that could have possibly been eliminated or at least not as bad had I been doing strength training for my back. Hmmm, don’t you feel some lessons are learned with our 20/20 hindsight vision?

I have found some fascinating myths and facts that I would like to share with you from Martina Sprague’s book, “Strength & Power Training for Martial Arts”:

Myth: It is all in the technique, and you don’t need strength to be a successful martial artist

Fact: Technique is important, and technique along with intelligence and courage can help a smaller or weaker person defeat a larger adversary. However, strength does matter. Strength increases your confidence, helps you achieve your objectives with greater ease, and raises your pain threshold, allowing you to endure greater physical punishment.

Myth: Lifting weights will improve your martial arts skills.

Fact: Weight training will make you stronger; skills training will improve your martial arts skills. However, a stronger athlete has the potential to be a better athlete. A strong martial artist can hit harder, throw higher and more powerful kicks, and endure more pain.


Myth: Weight training will make you slow.

Fact: Stronger muscles can make you faster and more explosive and stronger muscles will definitely not make you lose speed in your martial arts techniques.

Myth: Muscles that don’t show are not strong.

Fact: Muscles only show if you have a lean body. Excess fat will cover up the muscles and is especially prevalent around the midsection on most people. But muscles that don’t show can be just as strong as muscles that do show. Yes, you can be both strong and fat. In fact, being too lean or over-obsessing about your diet can be detrimental to your health. Work to improve strength, not looks.

Myth: It is dangerous to start lifting weights when you are old, if you are not already in good shape.

Fact: It is never to late to start strength training, but you should understand the demands you place on your body and use a progressive program. Building a strong body takes time, both for youngsters and seniors. Don’t expect to accomplish your goal in one day.

Myth: If you can’t afford a gym membership, you can’t gain maximum benefit from a strength training program.

Fact: Body weight exercises (pushups, pull-ups, sit ups, squats, and lunges) are some of the most effective exercises for improving sport specific strength.

Myth: Strength training for women can cause women to develop muscles that make them look unfeminine.

Fact: This is not possible, because women don’t have the testosterone required to build huge and unsightly muscles. If you see a woman with very well defined muscles, it is likely that she has been on a strict diet that has cut all of the fat so the muscles show better.

I would encourage you no matter what your age to research strength training for yourself and the benefits that it may have for you. There have been many studies that have proven that weight lifting increases bone strength, muscle strength, and overall health for everyone. One study of adults ages 86-96 showed an increase of 174% in strength and walking speed of 48%! Imagine the benefits at a younger age like 43.

While my information is geared toward adults there is a lot of information for youth and teens. My research has found that youth should stick with body weight exercises while their body and muscles are growing. Older teens can begin weight training with supervision.

Do some research and see what you can find that will work for you!

Wish me luck and I continue to strive for personal health benefits and my black belt.

Momt5


One of the key resources I used in this article was Martina Sprague’s book. She has written several and I recommend them all.

It's all about the details

Moving into the intermediate classes has proven to be a challenge for me, but I have loved every minute of it. While I am learning new techniques, the most fascinating thing for me has been the new details on our basic moves.

I've been learning and working on the basics for a year now and felt like my technique was ok, but I still needed lots of practice. Little did I know how much more detail was involved in our basic techniques. I am constantly amazed at each class and the new information to be absorbed.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by using one of our most basic kicks, the front high kick. I'll ask some questions but let you give the answers.

1. What is your foot position?
2. What should angle of your hips be?
3. What is the position of the opposite leg (is it bent, straight, turned etc?)
4. What is the position of your hands?
5. Where should you be looking?
6. During practice what should you be looking at for a high kick?
7. When do you tighten you foot for impact?
8. Is your kicking leg straight or bent?
9. Where is the impact of the kick on your opponent on your foot? (top of toes, top of foot, etc?)
10. Do you move your shoulders forward during the kick or keep your back straight?
11. What is the position of your elbows?
12. How do you gain speed and power in performing this kick?
13. What stretch to you work on to gain height in this kick?
14. What is the position of your head during this kick? (up, down, side etc.)
15. Can you only use this kick standing up?
16. In what situation would you use this kick?
17. How would you throw this kick up if you are up close to an opponent?
18. Should you slide your foot forward at the beginning of the kick?
19. Do you ki'ah in this kick?
20. When should you inhale and exhale in performing this kick?

Wow! Can you believe I came up with 20 questions for one of our most basic kicks? I'm sure that there are even more.

I am not going to give the answers as I want you to continue to practice this kick and learn these things for yourself in class. However, keep in mind that there are just as many details for each basic technique that you are learning. In light of this, I encourage you to continue working on all of your techniques knowing that practice makes perfect!

Still learning the details,
Lisa

p.s. Happy Birthday Sensi Kendall! Your ability to teach the details is incredible.