Zaine

Congrats!

That's another thing that bothers me here. The instructor assumes that the student has never dealt with failure because they have never failed a belt test. Most of life happens outside of the school. The teacher likely has no idea what that student has gone through.

There's just something so fun and satisfying about it, for me. Maybe it's my love of fantasy novels, or maybe just swinging a sword around is just plain fun, but I find myself thinking about fighting with swords a lot.

I placed 3rd with the kata, and 1st in sparring! It was excellent. I'm going to my 3rd with this group next month.

During the course of this month, I've made connections with another school and have been going to their sparring night. I find the CI to be inspirational in his journey. He's an 8th dan and is still trying to learn. We talked about how he has goals to start up Goju Ryu later this year. I respect him a lot. It got me thinking about my own journey, and how I approach martial arts in a very similar way. I am always seeking to learn different styles and perspectives, even within the things that I know. I often joke that I like to collect kata. I know 3 different ways of doing the Pinan kata, 3 ways for Seisan, 2 ways for Ananku... the list goes on. I think that it makes me a better Karateka. In that, I want to return to something that isn't Karate or Eastern Martial Arts at all. A few years ago, I had begun to get deep into HEMA, and I stopped for a variety of reasons. This year, I have added to a my resolutions to get back more into HEMA and WMA in general. I'm saying this hear because I like typing out my thoughts, it helps. Also, I want a way to hold myself accountable. There are a few HEMA gyms nearby, but they tend to be prohibitively expensive. However, I know a few people who are also interested and who would be interested in learning this with me. A lot of HEMA is literal book learning. Wiktenauer is a wiki site that has a lot of WMA fighting manuals that would allow me and a partner to parse out how a technique is done. As an accountability thing, I'm going to start posting the weapons forum about what I have learned with the various weapons that I will be going over. I think it will be a fun read for others, as well. It will give y'all a chance to see another MA that isn't often talked about here, and give me a chance to do something of a post training debriefing. I'm excited. I have a life-long love of longswords and other medieval weaponry. I hope that I can impart that passion onto others.

I 100% agree with you, and I rail hard against CIs who take this type of stance. It especially hurts since a black belt level test is no small thing. It takes so much. In my eyes, either the CI tested someone before they were ready as a way to teach them a lesson, or they failed someone who was ready to comfort their own ego. It's a power trip, nothing more, nothing less. I have no respect for CIs who do this. I've only seen 1 person ever fail a test, and it was because they acted in anger after making a mistake. They hit a wall (literally) in their frustration and failed a test that they were going to pass otherwise. In my mind, it's things like this that should fail people, not the ego of some higher dan who has something to prove.

1/14 MA Training 500/1000 kata completed! Half way through! 30 minute bike ride - 10k I've been lazy about doing weight stuff, and I need to get back into the habit of it. I don't find it as personally fun as cardio and MA work. I need to find a way to find joy in lifting. Maybe I can find a podcast I can listen to while lifting to associate enjoyment with it.

It's good to have you back, Montana! Indeed it is!

1/13 MA Training 466/1000 kata completed!

1/11 MA Training 400/1000 kata completed!

1/10 MA Training 333/1000 Kata completed!

That's using those muscles. A lot of PT, outside of dynamic stuff, is just stretches. Stretching engages those muscles and gives you some relief.

Thanks, that makes sense and is something to try. I was thinking on it and wondering why it was only my right ankle since i did the same amount with both legs and mu left one was fine, so maybe it is something i should get looked at. I have a dim memory of wearing an ankle support on that leg years ago when training (am talking 10+ years ago), so maybe there is a small issue that i just haven't tweaked again that needs fixed! We tend to be a little more stable on our left side than right, as well. It's the side that is the most used to supporting, especially in an environment where we tend to prefer to lift our right leg for a kick over our left.

A piece of general advice that I have heard from a lot of physical therapists, especially when I used to work in a PT office, is to move around the sore area. It sounds like you really focused on finding that discomfort and slowly working through it, and that you'll do the same with the soreness in the small back. Happy to see that you're back in it!

My guess would be that it is the latter of the options. If it helps, you might want to get an ankle brace or some kind of stabilizer as you begin if the exercise continues to make you sore. If it's making you so sore that it hurts to walk like it did, seek a doctor and ask for their advice. Otherwise, I would say that you're doing the right thing. I would 100% suggest starting the way that you did, and working up from there. As Augustus said, festina lente. Make haste, slowly. Slow is correct, and correct is fast. As I typed this, I had a thought. Make sure that you are stable on one foot, and then turning your hips as you throw the kick. I have found, in the past, when students have come to me with similar problems that it was because they were shaky on their leg. Throwing a kick slowly requires more muscle control than a fast kick. Practice just standing on one leg with a chamber first. Also, slow does not have to mean a snail's pace. Find the speed that you can throw it correctly 6 times out of 10 and start there.

Strength Training Shoulder/Deltoid 3 sets of 15: Shoulder Press @ 40 lbs 3 minutes: Shoulder shrug 3 minutes: Behind the back shoulder shrug Back 3 sets of 15: Standing flies @ 10 lbs 3 sets of 15: Lat pull down @ 50 lbs MA Training 200/1000 kata completed! 20% finished!

1/5 Strength Training Legs 3 sets of 15: Squats @ 50 lbs 3 sets of 15: Deadlifts @ 50 lbs 3 sets of 15: Calf Raises @ 50 lbs Abs 3 sets of 15: Sit-ups 3 sets of 15: Leg raises 3 sets of 15: Oblique crunches MA Training 166/1000 kata complete!

1/4 MA Training 133/1000 kata completed!

It is! I'm updating the total as I go. I thought about doing just one kata, but realized quickly that I have trouble keeping count doing that. It also isn't very fun to drill 1 kata over and over, especially Kuskanku Dai which, while a fun kata to do, is on the longer end. Instead, I do it every time I do another kata. For example, I do Pinan Shodan, then Kusanku Dai, then Pinan Nidan, then Kusanku Dai, and so on. In a way, I am breaking down the 10,000 reps to mastery thing, just in a longer and more inclusive way. I also find the break from doing one kata refreshing. It lets me practice kata that I don't normally practice. Also, since many Shorin Ryu kata can trace themselves back to Kusanku Dai, it gives me a different perspective on how to do other it.

1/3 Strength Training Back Single Hand Rows: 3 sets of 15 @ 30 pounds Standing Rows: 3 sets of 15 @ 50 pounds Pull-ups: 3 sets of 8 (I hate pull-ups) Rowing machine: 5 minutes Sledgehammer: 5 minutes Biceps Curls: 3 sets of 15 @ 50 pounds Concentration curls: 3 sets of 10 @ 20 pounds MA Training 100/1000 kata completed. 10% done!

I love that! I can't wait to see the total at the end. I've been there. I tore a muscle in my shoulder in '09 and it felt like it took forever for it to heal.

Happy new year! May this be a stellar year for everyone!

1/2 Strength Training: Chest 3 sets of 15: Push-ups 3 sets of 15: Scapular push-ups (I won't do these again, they were weird. I prefer diamonds) 3 sets of 15: Wide-grip bench press @ 50 pounds 3 sets of 15: Narrow-grip bench press @ 50 pounds Triceps 3 one minute rounds: Chest dips 3 sets of 15: Skullcrushers @ 30 pounds 5 minutes: Tricep Pulldowns @ 25 pounds MA Training: 66/1000 kata completed

1/1 MA Training: 33/1000 kata completed.

12/27 30 minute bike ride: I made it a little over 10k. 30 minute MA training: Now that I have a designated "dojo" space in my office, I find myself more inclined to do home work outs in general, even if it's just getting up from my work desk and doing a few kata to get the blood flowing.