Kumite Tips #1/Kumite Tips #2/Kumite Tips #3/Kumite Tips #4/Kumite Tips #5/Kumite Tips #6/Kumite Tips #7/Kumite Tips #8/Kumite Tips #9
Had my first Karate class after our Dojo took the Christmas, New Year holidays off...
What a killer...1 hour of mostly kicking....front snap, side snap, side thrust.
Then just for fun, Sensei would make us do double kicks... and then he would throw in a few slow pushups when we slacked off.
After that first hour, my gi was soaked with perspiration and we still had another hour of Kata training to go.
I'm going for a red badge some time in June...all's I have to do to get it is, Heian 1-5, Tekki 1-3, Bassa-Dai, Kanku-Dai and the first Jo Kata, Nijuni...
So, for the second hour, we only worked on perfecting the first 6 movements of Kanku-Dai, paying attention to the slow and fast aspects of the different movements, and making sure we used lots of Kime.
Sensei was also demonstrating the bunkai, or the practical meaning of the movements...there's some really cool and damaging techniques in Kanku-Dai...great stuff.
I was completely exhausted after class, and downed a liter of water before I even made it to my car for the drive home.
A couple of tylenol before bedtime and I slept like a baby.
I was sure stiff the next day though...that'll teach me for slacking off during the holidays.
Anyway, I should be getting back into the routine of things. Funny how fast the body goes soft when it isn't being worked, and how long it takes to get it back into shape....
That's why its important to find a sport or activity which a person really loves doing...it's way easier to motivate oneself that way and easier to stick with it and ultimately stay in some semblance of good shape...
RJF
