Some more words of wisdom from Sensei…

In between classes last night, I was helping Erbe-san with his jyu-ippon sparring for his Shodan test. I took a break after that to talk to Sensei Hartman about the aforementioned Crash incident, and Sensei Brewer leaned over during our conversation to inform me that “I spar like I’m 20 years older than I am.”

He went on to tell me that I should be “hard to touch” and “like the old sparring videos of the Japanese tournaments.” He explained that with my build and my speed I should be hard to see, let alone punch and kick.

This was all I needed to hear. I stood up and asked McCabe-san to spar, but I was blocked by Oedewaldt who claimed that he had him first. So I called out Dublair-san and sparred with him for a few minutes before Sensei said to line up.

instructed me to think of sparring in bursts, without overcommiting to moving forward. I tried it a little, but it’s really difficult to break all the habit that has been formed over the years. A few times I felt it starting to work and I started to see it a little when I actually ended up way too close to Sensei Hartman. I think part of the trick to this is going to be able to time fast bursts with timing the long slower techniques that I like to do (SIDE KICK).

Either way, Operation Mobility has begun in earnest.