The class is often split up into groups based on belt level for obvious reasons. Often though, we all work together. I finally got my sparring gloves today. Things are going very well and I can see that I am getting better. My stances are lower and more accurate, and my kicks are more accurate, controllable, and stable.
Grading will happen before Easter and I think I will be ready, barring injuries. It is amazing to watch one’s stability and “perfection” of form improve as the appropriate muscles gain in strength and flexibility. One might know how to do a roundhouse kick, and even do it correctly once, but doing it consistently a number of times in a row requires the muscular strength and balance to do it. If you are strong and have endurance it is easy, but if you tire after the first few kicks or punches, you find your arms waving around randomly and then ending up in an approximation of a proper stance.
I like karate because every tiny muscle in your body gets a workout, all the way from a tiny 1/2 inch diameter muscle rope 1 inch long in your ankle, to your large muscles such as your calves. Amazing stuff.
Anyway, grading will happen probably the week before Easter, and after that there is an open tournament April 12th in Sylvan Lake put on by the Goju Ryu style club out there. Might be fun to watch anyway.
I often cheat during the warm-ups, and I try not to stretch or do core exercises very hard – not because I’m lazy, but because I need to heal from all my other workouts such as marathon training 3 times a week, and upper body workouts I do twice a week. Add to that 2 karate lessons a week and my days are pretty full.
I think I am very fortunate to be able to get karate instruction from some of the world’s best instructors. I mean, I have Joe Barrau (5th Dan), Tony Baller (5th Dan), Pat Buhrs (1st Dan), and a dozen other Sensei’s who are between 1 and 5 Dan levels above black belt teaching me personally. I would probably have to go to Japan itself to get better teachers. Hey if you guys read this, thanks. Too bad I wasn’t twenty years younger with the same attitude I have now. Then I might have gotten far in karatedo.