That's why we have specialty classes.

Today was the first Saturday I had been at the ATA on a Saturday in quite a while. It's always so crazy and crowded on a Saturday, and I wasn't always finding that the specialty classes were helping me as much as they were before. However, since Gary is there on some Saturdays, and he's much better with the sword (being a certified instructor in Gumdo AND has his 1st degree in the discipline), I wanted to be there to get his guidance. I also decided that I do need to spend more time on practicing my run-jump-sidekick break, since the other half of that breaking combination, the reverse elbow, is fine.

Weapons class is always a little crazy, since there are three weapons being used during this cycle. (Last cycle, it was only two.) Certain Leadership people, if they have the sword and want to do it, can do it for this cycle. Originally, it seemed to be just myself and one little boy, NH, who were doing it. Today, it was NH, and a brother and sister, CG and AG, who were doing it too, and they have been taking the Gumdo classes lately too. (I wish I had time and energy to do it, since it would cost me nothing!). Gary reviewed stuff, and then he had to go start the WOY class, and work with an intro pair that had come in. So, since CG and AG knew the whole form from Gumdo, I asked them to help me learn the rest of it. Gary had shown us how to approach the "hard" part, but for me, the "hard" part was actually the easiest for me. (It's a spinning jump with a vertical cut - very Jedi/swashbuckler-like!) So, the kids helped me fill in the blanks, and get some of the footing down better. I have the main gist of the whole thing. (For "Hardheaded is My Middle Name", since she's one of the few who would understand this, we're doing Gumbob #2 form in Gumdo.) So, now I have the whole form, and I just have to work on getting the wrinkles out of it, which is mostly the footwork more than anything. Who'd have thought that learning the sword would be such a challenge?

Board breaking was a little better. Again, it's a case that it's hard when the whole class is full of children all old enough to be yours, and no teens or other adults taking the class. But that run-jump-sidekick needs works, as I have to break for testing for that. We did several drills with breaking kicks. I swear, there are these two brothers, JG and RG (a lot of kids with G-last names today!), and they seem like total dunderheads. The younger one seemed to have a slight clue, whereas the older one was clueless. The thing that got me about both of them was that the younger was a 1BR (black belt recommended) and the dumber one had his black belt! Bill was helping out with the drills, and if you know Bill, he's not a small guy. He's about 6'2", and somewhat stocky, so it takes a lot to push him down (and I often get paired up with him, just my luck!). Well both of these brothers were kicking the practice pad, which Bill was holding in his hand WAY too hard. I mean, the purpose of the drill was not only to have some power behind the kick, but more importantly have the technique down, as it's technique that breaks the board more than power. Well, RG, the older, 1BD (black belt decided) brother, just decided he was going to be Mr. Powerforce. He was just kicking practically for the sake of kicking, and kicking so hard that Bill was getting a might bit pissed, and it takes a lot to get him pissed off, he's such an easy going guy. So, he stopped the kid, and the kid wasn't even doing proper technique. Bill warned him to ease up on the kicks, as they were too rough, too hard, and weren't doing the job they were supposed to do. He even had to stop everything for a while, and reteach him the basics of doing a simple sidekick (make the T with your feet, pull the knee in front of the chest, etc.). I made sure, since I was the person behind RG, that I went very gently so as to give Bill a break on his arm. The kid just didn't want to listen that carefully. Then, it showed that he wasn't paying attention, because we backed up our line because instead of doing the stationary side kick, of course I was practicing my run-jump-side kick, and needed to be backed up, but maintain my spot in line with these not so bright little boys. Somehow, he couldn't understand why they were so backed up. HELLO McFLY! Sheesh. I let the other kids go first in breaking their boards when it was finally time, and then Gary had come back for a bit, and between Gary and Bill, they were able to help me fine tune a few things with my break that it will start coming. The newest little twist was that I should run at a slight angle to get the right twist with the jump. Man, I really have to practice that one.

Other than that, I ended up staying late because they needed a little help with some transactions at the front desk, and then I was outta there! I know Em was a little disappointed that I wasn't staying for Gumdo. I would like to learn Gumdo, but I already spend SO much time over there, even when it's not work, and this month is just very busy, that I couldn't do it. I do have an interest, but timing just isn't right at the moment. I'll try to get into at a later point if I can.

This cycle is just weird. I don't know why. Perhaps it's due to repeating a form that I've already learned and didn't like the first time around, and don't have much of a choice but have to compete with it in the next month. (Bleech!) Perhaps it's the frustration of the sword not coming to me as easily as I'd like. (Heck, a review of the JB form came more easily to me than this!) And of course, I avoid sparring like the plague and really shouldn't. I'm just not as motivated as I should be, especially in light of the fact that I could possibly tie for 1st (depending on how things happen and fall) in weapons for the state title. I dunno. It's something to think about. Perhaps I am burned out with TKD right now too, like Drew, but I am SOOOOO close to that Black Belt that I can taste it. OK, so it's still about 6 months away, but still.... Depending on what happens with my job hunt, maybe I can do a black belt boot camp, and get one of my cycles crammed in one week, and take the summer off that way myself. We'll see. It all depends on what happens with my job situation. I have two interviews this week, and one of them is with a part-time job that would give me the summer off! (Although this summer, I'd be willing to work for part of the summer, just to get established.) I would like to get that job, but again, we'll see. Can't count your chickens before they're hatched, right?

I have a feeling I'll be going to more Saturday classes again for a while. :-S