Karate 69

Today’s class was a lot more interesting. Everything seemed to slow down, meaning that we spent a lot of time looking at various stretching techniques. We stretched (assisted stretches) into our kicks. We used static assisted stretches. Normally, assisted stretches are frowned upon as dangerous because it takes so very little to do some serious damage. However, the person being stretched was in complete control. It requires the person assisting the stretch to pay very close attention to the person they are helping to stretch out.

After the stretch we did the kicks. Then we practiced some katas and some kumite. Again, what seemed so simple actually is quite complex when broken down. Beginning belts can low block and punch. More advanced belts have to put their hips into it. Beginning belts can step back into stance then block and punch. More advanced belts take almost the same move , but they step back into the stance at an angle to get out of the way, then they block and punch putting their hips into it. The hips rotate, adding power to the block and punch. So the key to karate, which is a defensive art, is to first get out of the way by stepping out of the line of attack, then to block the attack, then to counterattack.

Would you all have believed that the very first move you make as a raw white belt, which is a simple low block and punch, is still being worked on as an orange belt over a year later? Such is the way.