Karate 117

Again, I really did not feel like going to karate tonight. I felt too tired and worn out from the heat and the lingering heat of Saturday’s brutal 14.3 kilometer trail race. I whined and complained to Marilyn about maybe giving this one a miss and she just said – too bad so sad, suck it up – so I (we) did. I often feel that way just before a class and sometimes even a run but I always feel better after getting into it. I really appreciate these classes lately, Juan Molina is an excellent teacher. He is always teaching us new stuff and challenging us to be the best we can be. In spite of this he does not push us too hard, but his natural love of karate and of teaching us is quite apparent and inspires me, if not all of us, to really shine.

Juan is a great teacher, but of course, I have to add that we are all great students in that we care about learning and have a good attitude. I imagine even Juan couldn’t teach someone with a bad attitude or who does not want to be there.

Anyway, yet another new kata tonight, my head is just reeling with all the new katas we have been learning lately. I don’t remember the name (Marilyn has it written down somewhere) but it is a rohai kata without variations. Unlike Itosu Rohai Shodan, for example, this kata has no number after it and so is unique with no variations. Shodan, Nidan, Sandan, etc. are all numerical symbols appended to whatever kata variation you want, hence Pinan Nidan, Pinan Shodan, Pinan Sandan, Pinan Yondan, and so on. Itosu Rohai Shodan is a famous team kata and I imagine it has more than one variation.

No weapons again tonight, but we did learn 4 new self defense techniques intended to break free from an attacker. I really like this part of our class. All of them allow you to break free, then run away or if needed do some serious damage before you run away. They also allow you to control your attacker using the minimum amount of force in order to not hurt the attacker. Only if absolutely necessary would one resort to the full technique which would seriously hurt the attacker. But, as we were told, these are just for practice in the classroom. What we learn in the class room stays there. No public demonstrations or practice, no posting to You Tube, nothing like that.

We are a serious club with a serious art full of tradition that strives to preserve the basics of our style. Andrea Molina, and Eduardo Molina were there with their brother Juan. I know of 4 Molina family members who are all at a similar high rank and have taught us and helped us in the past. I have not seen Ernesto Molina for a long time but I think it’s because he is in Toronto, I’m just not sure about that. Sensei Joe Barrau and Sensei Tony Ballard have not been around too much either due to the demands of their jobs and families, during this summer season. I’m sure they will be back soon enough.

Sensei Kerri Trotman, the head instructor for our Devon dojo has been away as well due to injury but she will eventually be back. We are very fortunate that we have so many excellent instructors; we have never lacked direction for our classes. I just wish I had more time to practice at home. I guess I’ll have to make some.