2005 Workout #144-145: Insults, Dispersions, and Kumite…

Thursday night’s workout was a ass-buster. It didn’t help matters much that I’ve been battling this allergy/cold monster for most of the week, but I was still able to be 80% or so competent. I seriously thought about skipping Thursday’s workout in order to recouperate, however I always feel better when I work out so I decided to tough it out.

I knew I was in trouble when Sensei Hartman told McCabe-san to make sure to stretch us out good during warmups.

The first class consisted of reverse punch and front kick. Deep stance was encouraged, and I was not afforded the same dying nerve luck that I had during the last workout. This one hurt all the way through. The second class was more basics and some partner drills. I was ready to be done when the bell tolled for this workout.

Saturday’s workout also began with basics. We did the 3rd kyu test, as we had and on board for the workout. After that, the purple belts and I split off to do kata since I still couldn’t breathe quite well enough for another hour and a half of sparring. We did several kata, then it became apparent to me that both my Dad and weren’t quite visualizing things properly. I told them to work on this a little, and that caused my Dad to start asking some tough questions.

We talked it out, but not before accused me of being a junior to one of our other black belts who shall remain nameless. Needless to say, that was about all the impetus I needed to stop kata training and whoop it up a little.

I sparred with Mike-san for a bit. He’s still unsure of what to do with my new tactics… I was able to have this whole idea work flawlessly on him ONCE. I stayed around the edges and saw my opening, darted in and front kicked him (hard) in the stomach and got my ass out of there. He did nothing to block or counter this offensive. I will take as many more of these as I can get. It still feels like I can see more openings than I can commit to hitting.

We rotated and I got to spar with for a bit… good lord is that man fast. I accidentally caught him low on a few kicks… I think because I was aiming where his stomach was and he was throwing his over the top backfist when I hit. Being over the top, his stomach does not remain where my target was. Oops… he said it best “I only need one.”

There were a few encounters during that set where I could’ve easily gone to the hospital or met Jesus had Sensei had any less control. I’m really glad he has it. I need more sparring like this… theres only one way I’m going to get faster and sneakier, and that’s to continually pit myself against the fastest and sneakiest. This means you, other fellow black belts.

(P.S.: It is my goal in life to never again be called the name that I was called today.)