Mapleton…

Last night there was a relatively good turnout in Mapleton. We had a few new people (including ‘s brother-in-law) so McCabe-san and I got to teach a little bit. During the second class we did sparring drills and kata, and it was a relatively good time.

Kathy-san is so timid and nice that she won’t hit people, so I started to help her change that a little. I refused to move back unless she socked me one in the gut at least once in 3-5 time attack. By the end, she was doing very well but it was causing her visible stress and exertion. Hopefully we can continue to break down those mental walls.

Aside from that, Operation Mobility continued on. I’m learning that a great deal of doing this speed thing right is keeping distance from your partner and then moving toward the end of their technique quickly in to attack. This is easier said than done, especially considering that I was trying this for the first time with Erbe-san. I still have a problem with not getting back fast enough, and I also have trouble with getting caught flat-footed. I’m able to see where I’m making mistakes, though, and that means it’s just a matter of time before things start working.