monkeymorgan

Monday night at karate we were hitting rebreakable boards. I kept hitting with the bone that sticks out on the outside of my wrist. It hurt, but nothing bad. The last time through I hit and the board didn't break. My hand and wrist got warm and tingly and pain shot through my wrist and hand. Now it is bruised, swollen (including my ring finger), stiff, and my grip strength isn't there. It also clicks when I rotate my forearm. When I touch it is it a very specific spot that hurts, but it's enough to make me sick at my stomach. Is this just a bone bruise or something else?

My name is Morgan. I am a 4th kue in Shito-Ryu Genbu Kai. My dojo is in Joplin, Missouri.

I heard that he is continuing to improve! I was told he was able to walk for a short while without his walker and that was in July.

I'm 17 and have been doing karate for the last 9 years. My instructor has always told us that karate is a way of life. Looking back now I know what he meant. Karate has taught me that there is no point in doing something again if you can't do it a little bit better than last time. I have also had chronic idiopathic knee pain for the last 4.5 years, but refused to give up class. I wasn't allowed to test for 4 years and it was pretty upsetting. I learned that as long as you are doing your best you should be happy with yourself. Do things for yourself not others. Karate also taught me extreme self awareness of my body and how it does/doesn't work. Yet the biggest most important thing karate has done for me is bring me out of my shell slightly. I used to hate talking to anybody but family or very close friends. Now I can give presentations in school (I hate it but I can do it) and I can even talk to teachers without my face turning bright red. Karate is my life and the bond I have with the guys at my dojo is something very special.

I wore glasses for 4 years of class and hard gas permeable contacts for the last 5 years. On contact day I wear my glasses because I'm afraid my contacts might break in my eye and I would have to get it vacuumed out. Glasses are no problem 2 other people wear them too. Whenever things get rough they either take them off or an upper belt grabs them off their face.

I have attended 2 camps and my dojo is running one for the first time this year. We had the normal kata sessions with bunkia and oyio (sorry about the spelling). We went on hikes, archery, obstacle courses, weapon battle (2 teams with foam weapons), weapons training, self defense, knife defense, gun defense, strength training games, and cardio games. This year we are planning camp fires, hikes, ziplines, volleyball and the the usual workouts. The camps have a wide variety of ranks so we would get free time which was when we did the extras. We did crack of dawn workouts at 4 and late night get togethers (talks, demos, talent shows). Camps are to create friendships and camaraderie between dojos.

I saw Sensei Demura for the first time today since he became ill. He had a stiff leg, walker, smaller belly and for the first time he look like he was in in 70s. It was really sad and hope that this won't be the last time I get to see him. Everyone should take any chance they get to see him because I don't know how many chances are left.

I'm 17. Why?

I don't care about not winning because I realize that no matter what there will always be someone better than me even if I'm number one. I don't think I could train 24/7 until April and place. I might be able to do my best now but my best now isn't my all time best. I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, I'm just trying to figure out what I should do and needed some help from others in karate who are wiser and have more experience. I needed help because I don't want to regret my choice. I want to compete to please Sensei but I don't want to compete because I don't think I can do my best. I sounds stupid I know.

I get that yeah I may need a nudge given that I haven't been to a tournament in about 6 years and I wouldn't mind it if my knees weren't shot. He banned me from doing stances this week. How am I supposed to win a tournament without doing any stances? And I'm in charge of myself but he still has a lot of control given that I'm 17 and he can talk my mom into making me go. Don't get me wrong I would love to compete if I thought my lower body would cooperate.

Sensei is concerned with my health first. He knows that no matter what I will not complain. He has banned me from doing stances because he is afraid that the way I do them will cause me problems. I was told by a doctor I could continue my training. I don't plan on quitting karate until I'm in a wheel chair. Pain is no problem I have a very high pain tolerance thanks to my knees and my little brother, I have never quit because of pain. I just wanted to know if I should compete out of guilt or just go and show support for my dojo. After reading through your guys's responses I think I will just train twice as hard and see how I feel in April because even though I wouldn't win the experience I would get would be worth it I hope. Thanks for your responses they really helped.

Sensei told me that he wants me to compete in weapons kata in our next tournament because Sensei Demora may not be able to come to many more. I don't object to going to watch but I don't want to compete. I've had knee problems for almost four years now and haven't been able to do a correct stance since then. My feet pronate A Lot, I mean I can turn them out over 180 degrees. My stances aren't even recognizable. I have worked with him and on my own and still can't get everything where it should be. He said my hands could make up for it but I disagree. I am pushing really hard to try and fix them but I still don't think I can fix things by April. The more I try the worse things get. I really don't want to go embarrass myself but I don't want to upset Sensei. What should I do?

We have to learn the Japanese terms. Our brown belt (3rd kyu) test is entirely in Japanese. The tricky part is we don't really learn them until right before testing. I'm a couple tests away (was my next test but went up to adult ranks) and have been studying for 9 years and still don't know all of the techniques in Japanese.

I have tried everything. No matter what I do I either end up on the inside of my big toes or crushing my little toes. I looked in the mirror at my cat stance which is on my toes and tried it every way I could think of and just as I thought I was about to get it my ankle would jump to one side or the other. I'm getting really frustrated. Everybody else in the world can stand on their toes except me. My knees will NOT go over my toes and my feet won't point forward which I think is my problem. Any advice?

Yes it is the ball of the foot technique that I'm supposed to be doing. I have tried sitting, standing and even laying down and using a towel, but I still can't pull all of my toes back. I also discovered I can't stand on my toes like a normal person. I either stand on the edge of my big toe or crush my little toes. No matter what I do only my big toe will pull back the rest go forward. What is wrong with my crazy feet?