December 27
From my brain
Contents |
2008
Me 23:36, 28 December 2008 (EST)
A day late, I know, but it's been a whirlwind weekend.
TheBoy and I went for our first full-session round of "free fighting" at the TKD studio. Holy crap was that fun!
First, we had to find the stinking studio. Grandmaster Yang has always been very big on not letting people know that you take TKD. No studio jackets. You shouldn't tell everyone around you that you take it. (One of the black belts use the analogy: "Clark Kent is Clark Kent. He does NOT go to work at the Daily Planet wearing his Superman uniform.") Apparently he does the same with the building as it was so non-descript that you couldn't even see the place after you've driven around it 5-10 times.
We walk in finally, and the place is small. I mean, like maybe even less than a quarter of the size of the space we use at the YMCA. It was an old room. Lots of plaques from governor / mayor / senators who gave Grandmaster awards over the last three decades. I was stunned by the size of the place, and so I barely heard the one parent whisper, "Ask for permission to enter!" ZOMG...this is the entrance to the class, and you ask here.
We bow, we enter, put our belts on, and are informed Grandmaster should be here any moment. Soon, we line up for stretching, and it all begins. There were a few new stretches we'd never done before (such as sitting on the floor, doing leg splits as far as you could, and massaging the inner thigh muscles to loosen themselves up by pounding on them with your fists), but otherwise, it was what we were used to. Once the stretching was done, we got down to the reason why were there: the free fighting.
Free fighting in our school is different than what I remember as "sparring" when I took TKD as a teenager. Then, that was putting on a bunch of padded gloves and footpads, and then went at it. Contact was permitted, but no sharp hits or anything. They'd happen, but it wasn't too bad.
Here, you're not supposed to make contact at all. Sure, block a kick for practice at blocking (and thereby make contact), but you're not actually supposed to hit anyone during free fighting. It's all about balance, technique and trying to understand fighting an opponent.
TheBoy and I have done free fighting all of twice before this weekend. Once was a week before our green belt testing. The second time was the test. Today, we were set to free fight for a full hour and a half.
They lined us all up with the higher ranks -- three black belts and four red belts -- along one line, and the rest of us (one more red, a blue, three greens which included TheBoy and I, and two yellows) facing them. Grandmaster gave the command, and we started with our partner. No rules other than no hard contact, and then just...go.
It was in a word...exhilarating. It was also tiring as hell. I peaked entirely too early. The teenage girl (a red belt) I was paired up with, gave me a lot of good pointers. I thanked her repeatedly. Then I moved down the line after a good 5-10 minutes. The next kid, I did OK with, but I was feeling a bit winded. By the third, I was damn-near spent, and ended up having to stop for a quick drink.
By the fifth, I was breathing really heavy. everal moments of break, putting my hands over my head, deep breaths, and then back to fighting. Kick, kick, punch, block, block. Break off. Block, block, punch, block, counter. Maybe another round of attack, and then I was spent again. Breather. Fight. Breather. Fight.
Then, I switched from this guy (the red belt), to his wife...a black belt. She gave me loads of pointers too. I think that was the best part. Everyone I worked with said, "Try this." There was no intimidation. No feeling inferior. (Hell, it was like the guild.) They worked with me, helped me to be better, not just told me what to do. It was an amazing experience.
Once free fighting was done, we took a good 5 minute break. The majority of the class sat down, but the two black belts were asked to stand, and hold cups of water (not sure how full). One of the red belts and the blue belt were both asked to stand and fight a black belt. The goal: make them spill the water. If they didn't spill the water, they had to do pushups. If the black belt spilled them, the black belt did the pushups. Neither spilled any, but Grandmaster gave the black belt's opponents a reprieve.
Next up: two of the red belts, and a third red belt...and TheBoy. Two younger kids vs. one black belt. I gotta say, I'm damn proud of my son. He landed more attacks than the red belt did. Really got in there like an animal. They didn't knock out much water, so Grandmaster had him and the red belt only do three pushups.
Next up: three red belts vs. two green belts and a red belt. The red belts we were to fight were holding a kicking pad with one hand over their shoulder. I hadn't realized we were to knock it off (at first), and only thought we were to make contact. First up, I went against the same red belt I'd fought with at the start of free fighting. I made several connections with it, mostly with roundhouses, a couple half-moons, and a single (sloppy) crescent.
Then, we switched opponents, and I got the same guy who was my fifth in free fighting. He was at least my same height, and for a guy his size is fast. (Something to look up to for improvement.) I landed a couple of quick jabs to the bag, and it surprised him (as much as the first girl...who was his daughter). A few more, and then something hit me...Nail the bag...hard. Knock it out. Turns out, this was the point of the exercise. One nicely landed roundhouse...and the bag went flying. He got ten pushups. :)
For two hours of free practice (Grandmasters "Christmas gift" to his students"), it was amazing. There's another hour and a half Monday night at 6:30, and TheBoy and I are seriously considering going. It was a lot of fun, and we found something to seriously burn off some calories.
In addition...we both found out we can totally kick some ass. :)
2007
Me 16:09, 27 December 2007 (EST)
Had a really, really good chat with Karin regarding guild issues today. Things have been very tense between us as of late, and most of that has been a difference in management styles. We've been downright snippy a couple times, and it's being noticed by people.
We both came to a meeting place today where we realize we have to find a middle ground. If we can't find it, the guild is going to suffer. If he needs to step down, it may come to that (and he was the one that suggested it, not me), but we need to figure something out.
The chatlog is posted above for my benefit only. No, it's never gonna be unlocked. Don't ask.
Me 18:32, 27 December 2007 (EST)
OW! MY SYNAPSES!
I just finished a test for SetFocus. I'm a mix of challenged and braindead now as there was a LOT on there I had no clue on, some I did well on, and others I was really really really confused on.
I'mma gonna go kill stuff in WoW now.
