2009 Workout #1: I really hope this gets better soon…

I made it to the dojo with just a few minutes to spare, thanks to taking the wrong ramp to US-6 and having to turn around.  I tried a time-wise longer route to the dojo that bypassed the highway, and honestly I think I will take the highway unless the roads are REALLY bad.  Stop and go is NO FUN.

Sensei Yaguchi was at the Japanese Consolate tonight, so he wasn’t at the dojo.  Instead, class was led by Dale Weyant, who I assume is second-in-command.  Class started out with the standard warmups, and then their “warmup combination of the month”.  This time it was the following:

1. Step to the right in kibadachi, left hand vertical knifehand block.
2. Two reverse punches.
3. Rotate the body left into front stance, downward block reverse punch.
4. Rotate the body around 180 degrees into front stance (facing right), downward block reverse punch.

We did this combination around 20 times on each side.  Then came the next combination:

1. Step forward into front stance, lunge punch.
2. Step forward performing a side thrust kick with the rear leg.
3. Land in front stance and perform a reverse punch.
4. Squeezing the body together, step backwards into back stance and perform knifehand block.
5. Roundhouse kick with the front leg, landing in front stance.
6. Reverse punch.

We did this one around 15 times each side, around half of those were slow to get the combination, and the other half full speed.  Once again, my lungs were screaming by this point.

We got across from partners and did a drill where we got a bit closer than proper sparring distance, and the attacking side would do a lunge punch to the face.  The blocking side stepped back and did a rising block.  The attacking side would then throw a reverse punch to the face, and the blockers would do another rising block with the opposite side without moving backwards, then counterattacked with an appropriate punch based on distance.  We did this with two partners around 20 times each side, starting slowly for half and then full speed for the rest.

Graciously, we took a break after this for water.  The water pressure on the water fountain was really low, so I didn’t get much water.  This folly would haunt me shortly.

Now it was kata time.  Since the dojo is so small, we split into three groups of three.  Each group took its turn taking the floor, doing katas that Sensei Weyant picked.  It unfolded thusly, I was in group three:

1. Kanku Dai
2. Empi
3. Jion

1. Gankaku
2. Jitte
3. Hangetsu

1. Bassai Dai
2. Gankaku
3. Tekki Sandan

And finally, each group got to take the floor and do their choice of kata.  I did Sochin, of course, and it felt pretty good… but by this point I was feeling pretty nauseous and dizzy.  As we were doing our cooldown stretches, I was thanking my blessings that we were done.  By the time I got home, I really wasn’t feeling great.  Tasha made me drink a lot of water and I opted for soup for dinner.  She said my eyes were dark and puffy and I noticed that I looked pale in the bathroom mirror.  I’m feeling much better now, but I sure hope this abates soon!

Oh, and for the record I am now a member of the ISKF National and Regional organizations!  I’m also paid up for three months of karate, so we’re good to go!