Probably the last posting...for 2006! ;-)

Now that I know that I have a more serious knee injury than I thought, I have to take it a little easy on it. Last night, I think just due to the stress probably put on it from Wednesday's sparring bout and going up and down a lot of stairs in my house, my knee was so inflammed that I could barely walk last night, and it hurt SO much as I tried to sleep. Fortunately, the Motrin eventually kicked in, and getting some rest helped.

Drew skipped out on classes today (which was probably a good thing), and I went to only two. I would have done weapons and board breaking, but with Christmas essentially being a two-day celebration in my family (my husband's family celebrates on Christmas Eve, and mine does on Christmas Day), I had (and still have at this writing) a LOT to do, so I stuck with sparring and forms class.

SM showed up, and so I had a partner, of course, for sparring class. Today, Jason K, a teen who transferred in from another local school and is VERY good, taught the class. He's the one that would do that "voodoo hex" thing during sparring. He really knows what he's talking about. While class centered on the ideas of a) learning to evade your opponent, b) learning to figure out your opponent's favorite moves so that you can figure out how to not only counteract them with a move they don't expect, but throw in some moves that aren't your favorites to throw THEM off, and c) learning to judge distance and throw your opponent off. While these are all things that you always have to learn, and in so many ways, are the basics of sparring, they are all things that I still have to master well. (See video below). I have to get a better repertoire of combinations and defense moves to be able to counteract others. I know that punching or other hand stuff is my weakness, and I also don't protect myself (notice that my arms pretty much always flail out when I kick, leaving me open), so getting back to basics, and seeing how to break that down, or look at it more carefully, as if in slow motion, is a good thing. It was a good class and a good exercise.

Forms class was good too. MZ was there teaching as well, but again, it was Jason who mostly taught the class. I really hadn't taken a class from him before, (well, except the sparring class just before forms class), but he's very good. I learned the somewhat long second segment of this latest form. At least there weren't any big jumps or kicks in it, so that helped. Pretty basic, but it's just a matter of remembering the steps in the segments that we've done so far, and also learning how to get the hand-foot timing, since we aren't taught that going slowly (and with 95% of the students in the class being kids!). It shouldn't be too bad, from what I could see in the cheat sheets I have and was reviewing later today.

After that, I had to go. I didn't have a chance to say a proper Happy Holidays to SW (who was actually in, and giving the sales pitch to a family that I had booked for a free trial class), or SM, as she was taking the weapons class as I left, but that's okay. I'll probably talk to them during the week or something like that via email.

So, I have a week off from work, and a week off from TKD. Probably good, as sometimes we all need a break. I'm not afraid of doing classes, other than if they agitate my knee or my asthma. Both will probably be put through the wringer without TKD, as part of my post-Christmas activities will be moving the furniture in my house to my new house! Yes, I'm spending the week moving! It's just across town, but still...lots of physical work nonetheless. Having a break from TKD will not be a bad thing. Hopefully I'll be able to start fresh with the new year after taking the break. I think I'll still be in the same mental mode, since technically I won't really be taking a break from the rest of my life. Someday, I'll have a vacation on my own! If the moving isn't too strenuous, it'll be a good break for my knee. I did wear the "holy" knee brace, but I didn't like it, and didn't feel it helped that much. It also needs a good washing, BLEECH! I went and bought another one at the local CVS today (while picking up the prescription anti-inflammatory for my knee), and it seems to be doing a slightly better job. I think it's because it's a little more flexible than the other one. The other had metal support on the side, that if you bent your knee too much, it would dig into my leg. This one has double plastic supports, and is flexible enough to bend more and not dig into my leg. It's supposed to be a sport brace, and it's a little more breathable, so I think it'll work out. We'll see.

So, unless something comes up big time, I want to thank my martial arts friends that I've met through this blog in the past year for your support. You are all a great bunch of people, and I find a lot of joy in getting to know you and knowing that we all support each other in our martial arts endeavors as well as our "outside" lives. You are all such great, fascinating people, and it's very cool that we all have this common bond that ties us together, even if we all practice different types of martial arts. I wish you all peace, love, joy, safety, good health, and happiness in the holiday season and in the new year.

See 'ya in 2007!!

Some surprises, some not surprises

The last two days have been interesting. While I haven't taken any classes since the school tourney, I've had two significant events happen. They aren't necessarily HUGE, but they have their impact.

The bad news is that the knee problems I've been having are not psychosomatic, or just arthritis as I was told almost 4 years ago. I had the MRI done on Monday, two days before my tourney, and post-tourney my knee is feeling worse. The results came in, and today I talked to my MD about it. Turns out that I have all sorts of problems going on. The main problems include fluid in the knee, inflammation of the joints, the kneecap out of whack (which I already knew), but the clincher was that I have a torn ligament. See, I knew something was bad! It could've happened anytime. Could've been that time I crashed down on my knees when literally trying to keep up with the 2nd and 3rd degree guys doing advanced kicking (double kicks on the bag, whereby you might do something like a front, then round with the opposite foot, both before landing on the ground). Or I could be when I got knocked down at the regional this past summer, and then couldn't walk for a few days. Who knows? Nonetheless, it's not good news for someone who does a lot of jumping and kicking in class. While I thought the positive side of this was that I'd get out of sparring, I am not. :-( I will have to take a prescription anti-inflammatory, go to an orthopedist, and get PT (and I swear the PT won't do squat, as I've done it before). Laying off it, and getting surgery is the answer, if you ask me, but I have to wait for the orthopedist to make that determination.

In the meantime, upon telling SW of the prognosis, she immediately (while on the phone with her) insisted that I find the knee brace with the metal inserts on the side. The way she talked about it, you'd think it was the Holy Grail or something, and the responsibility of her passing it to me was a great honor. Evidentally, this particular knee brace has had a history, whereby it has helped heal many a person, and included wearers such as a few Senior and Chief Masters in the ATA, let alone people within my school whom I respect as talented martial artists. SW said I had to carry on the tradition that when somebody tears a ligament in their knee, they have to wear this do-dad. OK, if you insist! I found it under some boxes in her office, confirmed I got the right thing when I saw her later in the afternoon, and I guess I'll try it tomorrow in class, and see how it works. I'm a little skeptical, but hey, it's worth a try, right? Maybe with some of the prestigious wearers (and if you knew ATA hierarchy, you'd be impressed by some of the people who have worn it before me!), it'll have magical healing powers or something. I just don't want to be in pain after nearly 8 years of enduring this, and it getting progressively worse. We'll see...

The good news is that I got an AWESOME Christmas present from my Jewish boss/instructor. ;-) (Or Christmannukah, as she likes to call it). Now, I'll be honest, my present from her was sitting on a bunch of boxes for a few days now, and I didn't want to open it without her being around. Just felt wrong. But like a goofy little kid, I couldn't imagine what was so large that I just...felt...the present. Just feeling the shape of it, etc. Before I knew it, without too much squeezing I had figured it out, or so I thought, but I figured I'd wait. So tonight, SW was very insistent that I open my present. I put on a fairly good act, which was partially true, based on what I could guess it was. I couldn't imagine what large present she could be giving me, and was afraid that she got me something really great. And I gave the genuine look of surprise (and half acting, since it was what I thought it was), when I opened the paper to see that it was one of those really cool ATA zippered chest protectors. Those things ain't cheap, and even though I know how much she paid for it at cost...still! Her comment was that with SM and I now becoming tournament competitors, she didn't want to see that SM had one and I didn't! Those regular chest protectors make me feel like the Sta-Puf Marshmallow Girl, so I'm REALLY happy about getting this. It's so comfortable, and less restrictive, and heck, easier to put on! Now all I need is my black belt so that I can get my black gear! ;-) But what a fantastic present. Do I have a great boss, or what?

Oh, now here's something that will show what the two chest protectors look like, and something for a good giggle. SM had SW take video of our sparring bout at the school tourney the other night, and she posted it online! She said it was fine if I posted it, as she made it public domain with my permission. Heck, I think it's funny, and while I did beat her 4-3 before time was called, I was exhausted after that! (For those not in the know, we had to do forms and weapons before doing sparring, so it'd already been a while that we were working out). My husband said upon looking at this that we looked relaxed, but quite the contrary-- we were both wound tightly like springs, and that in itself takes a lot of energy. It is REALLY evident that I need to work on my sparring, although I think one fake out-reverse kick was not too shabby in there.

So here, in all my glory, is my latest sparring round. I'm the tall Darth Vader chick on the left; SM is to the right. Victoria is the center judge to the far left between us; Jodi is the corner judge on the right, and Nina is behind me as the left corner judge. Oh, and when they said points towards red or white, I'm "white". Enjoy!



12-20-06 Sparring Match

The Phoenix has risen from the ashes!

Just as a precursor, most of this is in my other journal, almost word for word, but since I have two audiences, it's easier to write it once, and edit the same words for the other audience. In this case, this is the "other" audience, but one that understands more of what it's all about. ;-)

Tonight was the interschool tournament that I was slightly dreading. Sure, I could've skipped it, but if I did, then I'd be losing another opportunity with points in an arena that I am comfortable with (my own do-jahng) and with competitors I know, and in this case, it was only one other competitor.

Well, let's get the big part out of the way. I got 1st on all accounts, in forms, weapons, and sparring! Which I will say, without hopefully sounding conceited, was very cool. BUT, let me tell you, I did have to work at them. There were only the two of us. SM and I get along great, and we're new friends, but we are also fiercely competitive with each other. FIERCELY. Then again, I went in knowing that the worst I could do was 2nd place. There have been plenty of times, including the last interschool tournament and in regional tournaments, where I haven't placed at all, so 2nd place all the way around wouldn't have been too shabby. Nonetheless, I knew that SM has been working very hard, and I think although we share one instructor, her main instructor is much tougher on her than mine is on me, so she was plenty prepared. I work hard too, however, I think there is no question that she earns her high placements due to her diligence and practice. If I was as diligent and practiced more, people would PHEAR ME. ;-) LOL

SM did have a more difficult form, but I won. Why? I think it boiled down to the fact that, yes, I had an easier form, so it came more naturally to me, especially being a higher rank and more experienced. I think that in having an easier form allowed me to be able to put more "finesse" in things like the punches and kicks, and I could take my time and get those finesse points in. It's something I've been working on, such as "popping" the punches and hand stuff. It's all in the wrist, literally. There was less to remember, less complexity, and by pacing myself I could remember to get those finesse points in. It's not a criticism of what she did or how she did it. The score was very close, and I was watching her. She knew her form like nobody's business. I think this is where experience benefited me with the more tournaments with more tournaments under my belt.

I felt really good about the kamas. I think the comment that the girls made at graduation made me feel like I had an inkling of knowing what I was doing, at least, and that gave me confidence. It also helps that not many color belts do kamas. I wish I knew more moves, but I can hold my own, and tonight proved that. I did an original freestyle, not the kama form that eventually I will have to learn, unlike the BMEs, the SJBs or the bo staff. Again, I think it's finesse points, and not rushing my 20 seconds, pacing myself evenly, that helped as well. I think the finesse points are the "snaps" or "popping" the moves more, so they are very clearly defined. I had worked on that with the kids, who in fact were the judges tonight, all last summer with my weapons routine then, and they worked on those finesse points with me. I benefitted from THEIR experience to help me smooth it out more, and it helped. Even the form I did tonight was something that the kids helped me work out the kinks. Heck, they were the ones who taught me the moves in the first place, as I wasn't getting a whole lot of instruction on the kamas to begin with. I don't even know what the actual kama form is, so it was all original, just pieces I put together myself to make it "razzle dazzle", and it worked.

Sparring, as usual, was the big challenge. I avoid sparring like the plague, as most of my readership knows, and SM has been doing more training in this event, and it showed! We were more evenly matched than before. Her moves tonight were the fire I needed under my butt to get back into working on my sparring. In our sparring match, I started out well with a good kick to the head, which was 2 points (you have to get to 5). The area where she is better than me is in the straight out punching-- I admit I suck at that part. And while I do have good kicks, I was not warmed up or anything, so they weren't as good as they could be. SM was convinced that if time hadn't run out, she would've gotten me with a good head kick, especially since I was tuckering out near the end there. Oh, I know I was getting tired. Another thing to work on, especially between my weight and asthma-- stamina. Could she have gotten that kick in, or could I have gotten that last point to better secure things before time was called? (The final score was 4-3.) Hard to say. My thought was that I needed to get that last good head kick in to get that final point, but time was called, so who's to say? But like I said, it looks like I'm going to need to start taking sparring classes again, and I hate them!

So, I had a good night. SM is excellent competition for me, for sure, and she definitely gives me a run for the money. Until now, I didn't have anyone, really, to compete with. I was competing with 2nd degrees, and that's not exactly an even playing field. THIS is an even playing field. NOW....the competition is going to get interesting. There's an A-level tournament in March that we are both intending to go to, and again, we'd be competing against each other as well as a lot of people from all over, so the general competition will be extra fierce. Both she and I have talked about doing XMA, since there are next to nobody (or as far as we know, in NJ, nobody at all!) in our age group doing it. We stayed after our competition tonight to watch the teen/younger adult gals do their stuff, including their XMA forms. After watching them, not to sound obnoxious, but I think I could do just as well, if not better in some instances, as they did. They had the skills and the moves, but none of the showmanship or pizzazz that ATA XMA is supposed to be about! From my many years of dancing and having to perform publically, I think I have a good shot at doing VERY well in this field, without having to do any gymnastics. XMA is a totally creative form, and I think if I can come up with a good form in both "open hand" (regular form style) or closed hand (with weapons), I've got a good chance at doing well, and actually earning a 1st place berth. Of course, SM is hot on my heels that she will be the 1st place winner in those categories, as we'd be up against each other again. We shall see in March! I have my work cut out for me. Hey, as far as I can figure, the worst I can do is 2nd place again. ;-)

I really needed this 1st place sweep tonight. I don't mean to sound egotistical or full of it, but I do work hard at what I do, and things in the rest of my life haven't been going so smoothly lately, so to get this big win was a big deal to me. It was that silver lining in the dark cloud. Sure, there were bragging rights won tonight, and I succeeded in making the best of the opportunity I had in front of me. But sometimes, you have to know that you are doing well in something, and I got that boost tonight. So yay me.

Tournament frustration kicks in again

Tomorrow night I have an interschool tournament, so that I can, as my instructor says, "chase down some points".

The problem is, I just read the state stats for my group (women color belts, 30-somethings), and found out that Sandy, due to that last big regional that I had to miss and was very upset about missing, is now placed #3 is sparring and tied with me for #4 in weapons. This just opens up an old wound and gets me depressed. Now understand, I don't begrudge Sandy. She works very hard on her stuff, and she earns what she has gotten. This is not to say that I haven't, but again, this just means that if I had gone, I would have had an opportunity to really gain some big points. Even according to Sandy, I always beat her in sparring, and yet she's #3 in the state? I am not going to be facecious (if I spelled that right) to think that I would've beat her and the others. But from prior conversations, it sounds like I would've had a good chance, and that chance was lost with me not attending. I would have just liked to have tried, and if I lost fair and square, then that would be that. But I know that I am fairly good at what I do, and that tournament was a big opportunity lost, and I knew it, but couldn't help it. WAH!

Tomorrow night, we have an interschool tourney. Not as big, and I'll be up against Sandy, hoping to kick her butt and take her name (to use her phraseology). Nothing against her personally, but I think my competitive psyche is turned on. I might go to work early tomorrow so that I can practice for the tourney. I know that my forms and kama routine are pretty good. I just have to remember where the kihaps are for the form (I didn't have to remember them because I couldn't say them at graduation due to my laryngitis), and see if there are any little adjustments I can make to make this easy form sing. My life has been so...yucky lately that I need something good to happen.