Women think too much

Women think too much, or so says SW, especially when it comes to doing board breaks. We all make more of a conscious effort to make sure we remember all the details of what we need to do to make the break. I am one of those women who definitely do it WAY too much, and sure enough, while I do have to think some, the less I think about it, the better I do.

I went to specialty classes again, trying to work on my sword and board break. Well, the time was wasted for the sword - again! - and Alex S was supposed to be helping. Despite being a 3rd degree, he's not disciplined enough to really be helping, and he didn't know what he was supposed to be doing. I was paired up with 2 other smaller kids, one of whom knew the form (heck, he taught me!), and the other one who was easily distracted, and didn't know it. Rather than drill us on segments, Alex just goofed off, and naturally being one of the two adults in class (Sandy had come, and she was doing JB), I had to steer the kids into working on the segments. The problem is that I'm getting NOTHING out of that if *I* am the one who is directing the kids, and I'm there to learn! (grumble grumble) I truly wonder why I bother going. Well, next cycle, I'll go back to doing SJB again, and I stink at that, but maybe I can start to work on doubles, and I'll order a second one. I dunno. I'll talk to SW, as technically, I don't need to learn doubles until later. I just get bored and need a challenge, and I don't have to know SJB drills until the cycle after that, and I don't want to learn Sam-Dong-Bong just yet. To me, that's a 2nd degree weapons, and heck, I'm happy enough learning 1st degree stuff. Okay, sshang nat might be a 2nd degree weapon for all I know, but that one comes a little more easily to me. ;-)

Board breaking was a little better. Sandy stayed for that too, and Winnie was there as well, so there were 3 adults there for a change. So, we alternated in doing drills together, which worked. SW was there to help, and the thing that still gets me is that Winnie, while she does look very skinny and frail, ACTS like she is frail. She didn't think she could deal with me kicking a big pad for sidekick practices without me knocking her down. Sandy, in contrast, is much more confident and not afraid, as 5th degrees (her instructors at Pennington) are not afraid to throw their weight against her, so she's had good practice (that's like the practice I have with the teens and guys in my classes!). I worked up to the RJSK, and I had to make sure my heel was hitting the pad. But when Winnie was holding the pad (we were taking turns), all I could do was just touch the pad with my heel. At least with Sandy, I could put a little force into it. We asked Bill if he'd come over and help, as I went last to do my breaks. I made sure I did both, just so I had the rhythm of it. Sandy and Winnie held the board for the elbow break, and SW and Bill did for the foot break. [Edit: I stand corrected-- Sandy and Bill held the foot break, and Winnie and SW held the elbow break. Thanks for the correction, Sandy! You are da bomb!]The other thing I did, partially for my own confidence and because I'd have to practice on it anyway at some point, I broke the foot board using wood. I'm telling 'ya, wood is SOOOOOOOO much easier to break. This is when, after a few practices, SW told the others just to lock it out, because I'd think too much if I didn't just do it-- I was ready. So I did the elbow break- BAM! - and made sure that I ran up at a slight angle. As I ran, I just kept in mind, "Use your heel and follow through!" The board was at least almost head level, which is good. Sure enough, I got the momentum and did the right body shift, got the heel on and "BAM!" It went through. Oh, I was happy! I mean, I'm not a small person, not only due to height, but due to weight too. For me to defy gravity enough to pull that off, and break it on the first try, well, I was excited! I think doing it on wood made a HUGE difference over doing it on plastic. Although, interestingly enough, I almost made the break dead center on the board (it was just a little off center) and it was almost as clean a break as you can make.

So I'm pleased about that, and a little relieved that I DO have the ability to do it, I just have to follow through and remember to use my heel and not the ball of my foot. Hooray!

You will respect mah authoritah! (Think South Park's Cartman)

Morning class went okay today. SW is picking apart each section and making improvements. The fixes she made today were because I was losing my balance and I couldn't figure out why. Theoretically, I should do well on this form because I've done it before, but I feel like I suck eggs at it. Of course, that's probably why she's trying to help me, and also knowing that I'll have to do this form in a few weeks for the B tourney.

Then, when it was time to work on weapons, I went to get my sword, which I keep with the JBs, which in turn are kept in two large bins. There was the scabbard, but no sword. What the heck? I searched high and low, and couldn't find it. I was none too happy. Those things, even if they are plastic, aren't cheap! I was able to borrow another, but you know, it's the principle of the thing. More on that in a moment.

To finish, it was time to board break. Funny how I'm the lowest rank in my morning class, and yet I'm the only student who knows how to hold a board for someone else! (And there are two 2nd degrees in that class of four!) So, anyway, I got a chance to practice my break, which is actually a double break. I have to do a reverse elbow, then a run-jump-sidekick. Well, I have no problem with the reverse elbow. When I did it today, I didn't break it because I missed-- they moved the board on me! :-S The RJSK is the problem. I don't kick! SW said that my run-jump part is fine. At first, I wasn't putting my heel on the board, and then, once I did that, then I wasn't kicking through. She added that most of the time, people have a harder time with the run-jump part than the kick, and it's the reverse with me. I can get my positioning and chamber for the kick just fine. It's the follow through on the kick that I need to do. She did also say that one of my attempts, had it been on wood rather than the plastic board, would've broken. We agreed that the best course of action, just as a confidence builder, (and I have to do this for the testing break anyway), is to purchase some wood boards, and just work on wood instead for now.

Anyway, that was the bulk of morning class. I spent part of my work afternoon trying to find my sword, and then discovered that Drew's JB was missing too! What the heck? I left a note for SW when she came back later about the missing weapons, and she was able to find both. My sword somehow got mixed in with Aikido stuff (how the heck did that happen?) and Drew's JB was supposedly in the bin after all. I know mine is there, but I swear I didn't see his in either bin, and I checked twice. Maybe my eyes are getting older than I thought! I'm just glad that everything was found, because just between those two weapons alone are worth over $100 together!

Tonight's class was fine. We are now in this mode of doing some instruction stuff for the first 10-15 minutes, working on our individual stuff, then taking the last 15 minutes for a staff meeting. I did work on my form and my sword again. I put the points of correction into my form, and SW noticed and said it looked much better, so that's good. I also got a little help on the sword again tonight. It just isn't coming as easily to me as some of the other weapons. I think a lot of it has to do with the footwork, oddly enough. If I have the footing correct, then the corresponding hand positions with the sword seem to fall into place a little better. Oh well.

It was interesting tonight-- other than myself, the only color belt, and one 3rd degree - Jodi, everyone there was a 2nd degree black belt. There are no 1st degrees in there at all! Well, that will change in October, most likely. ;-)

I am ready for a break, and I know that Spring Break time for the schools is next week. While I'm not working, I wouldn't mind a break from classes myself (TKD school is still open), but my board break with that RJSK needs so much work, and I need to feel confident with my form, at least for graduation, if not for the tournament the weekend before. I mean, I know I'd pass, because she knows I know it, but she's going to be more critical. But I hate this form. Bring on the Chuhng Jung forms. I like them better. After all, I'm going to be doing CJ#2 for 4 months after June until I graduate to black belt. I am SOOOO ready to move on with my new information. But at this point, I don't have time for the break. Not yet, at least. I have to get through the tournament and the graduation, and then we'll talk.

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

Not much going on.

Well, I haven't been writing here lately as there hasn't been a whole lot going on in my TKD world so much. Drew is on his sabbatical, although due to some show, he said he wanted to do Kung Fu, and I don't think he understands what that means, so I told him that he was already taking Korean Kung Fu, which is called taekwondo, and he was taking a break. He'd play with his SJB(numchaka) and his BME, and he still has some good form. When I asked if he wanted to go back now rather than later, he said no. LOL I think he does miss it a little, but I think there are some other stressors in his life that he does need the break, but I'm glad he still has the interest.

It's been a tough week at home, due to Drew and things going on at school. I won't go into detail here, but if you are so inclined to get details, you can check it out on my "regular" blog, Windsornot's Knotted Life, and read posts from the past week or two. It hasn't been an easy time for anyone, and stress levels at home are rather high, but we're trying to do the best we can.

At this point, I'm still working on relearning IW#1, getting my sword information down, and avoiding sparring. I really shouldn't avoid sparring, because I suck at it so badly, and I can't improve if I don't at least participate in it every once in a while. Last week, SW was trying to get me to work on the last two sections of IW#1 in greater detail, because she knows it's what I am going to be doing for the next tournament in April. Bleeh. I appreciate that she wants to spend the extra time with me getting the kinks out, especially after I told her how disappointed I was in my scores at the last tournament. I know what she's up to. Part of me doesn't want to put that kind of time in, as I rarely get close to placing except for that one time last year, and it happened to be with this same form. It's not my favorite form either. But, the fact that she wants to help, and evidentally finds some worth in how I do that she wants to put that time in, I might as well try. Can't hurt. My kama routine is fine for competition, so I'm not worried about that. I just do it to review and make sure I don't forget the skills or moves.

My adventure with the sword continues. Yesterday, SW was really picking that apart. I didn't have the sword blocks over my head correctly, I was moving in the wrong direction, etc. Well, footing is my biggest problem with that. I know she's a first degree in Gumdo, as is Gary, so I know I have to work with them and not Ryan so much with that. Ryan is not a first degree, but he wasn't helping me with the footing as much as the combination. So I have 2/3rds of the combination down, but a lot of mistakes that need to be fixed. Hey, I'm one of the few leadership people doing it this cycle, so give me some credit! I could take the Gumdo classes on Saturdays to get better, but it's just a lot of time out of my schedule to do it, even if it's at no cost to me being that I'm in leadership. :-S I'll get it. I have the main gist of it, it's working out the feet and the blade angles a little better, I think.

Board breaking isn't going too badly. I'm just starting to get the run-jump-sidekick (RJSK) combo down. It has to be down with a reverse elbow break as well, so I was practicing the latter yesterday, since I hadn't done that in a while. It's amazing how much easier that is now than when I was first learning it. I'm confident about doing the RJSK on wood, not so much on plastic. I've done both now, so I know I can do it. I just have a problem with follow through on the kick. It'll come with practice, I'm sure. Also trying to defy gravity with that break (the jump) is not easy with my bad knee, which is the leg I land on, and, well, you've seen my photo, I'm not exactly a petite skinny person! I just need a slight break, or take it easy, rather than train so hard. I did that for the last one, and it didn't get me as far as I would've liked all the way around, especially with form, so I need to relax, and just do the best I can without trying to stress myself out. I still have a few weeks, so I'm not worried yet.

So, things are coming along, but nothing much to write about. I haven't seen that they've updated the tournament stuff for a week, so maybe by the end of this week they will have more. By my estimations, if I can win this next regional tourney, and depending on how they stack up the interschool tourneys, I could either be one point under or tied for 1st place in the state for weapons. So, in my head, I have a lot more riding on the weapons than my form or sparring. I just wish that ATA HQ would hurry up and tally this stuff. I'm anxious!