Curse of the purple belt.

[white owl]

Congrats on your purple belt shotokan.

Tori, sorry to here about your hand, but glad to here it is getting better.

Ya, I here you. The here the same thing about being woman and I'm to old to being training (34), and bruises on a woman are not flattering. I've actually been stared at and asked if everyting is all write with my husband and I because of some of my bruise I have worn and to let you know I do not bruise easly. I have went to class with a sore back from and old injury that happen before karate but going to class helps work it out. I have went karate not feeling well from being sick and pms . I try not to let anyting stop me from attending class. My family (not my husband) thinks I'm obsessed with it.

[joesteph]

I have went to class with a sore back from and old injury that happen before karate but going to class helps work it out.

That's interesting, White Owl. I spoke with a friend about taking karate, but she's afraid of hurting her (already has problems with it) back. I thought she should give it a go during the free trial period, but . . .

My family (not my husband) thinks I'm obsessed with it.

That's great that he understands that it's important to you, not an "obsession"--a word bandied about too freely, like the way people toss around "OCD" without understanding it.

[pittbullJudoka]

You have trained hard and while be fine. It's you nerves getting to you. I went throught the samething before my brown belt promotion. I even considered quiting to avoid failure. But in the the end I changed my mind set to nothing can stop me but me. You'll do fine trust in you technique.

[Shotokan Student]

Hey Pittbull, I don't know if you are talking to me or somebody else, but today your advice is really helpful for what I'm feeling. That's timeless advice really.

[white owl]

I have went to class with a sore back from and old injury that happen before karate but going to class helps work it out.

That's interesting, White Owl. I spoke with a friend about taking karate, but she's afraid of hurting her (already has problems with it) back. I thought she should give it a go during the free trial period, but . . .

My family (not my husband) thinks I'm obsessed with it.

That's great that he understands that it's important to you, not an "obsession"--a word bandied about too freely, like the way people toss around "OCD" without understanding it.

I'm Lucky because my husband and I take MA together and also my son, if I'm obessed with it I would not know what to call my husband because he is worse than me.

As for your friend I do not know what kind of injury she has suffered, but I have a little thinnig of my L-5 it is not real bad but it is little more than a 34 year old should have. But my chiropractor keeps me going with what he does and the stretching and conditioning of MA helps me losen up and strengthen my back, but there is something that hurt and I stop if it hurts, which are some of the throws like the one's that you have to bend to the side Ogoshi comes to mind for a example.

But tell her to give it a try.