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Post by mrsvalden on Sept 26, 2007 22:14:15 GMT -5
I thought I'd start a new thread, showing the change from the gym/personal trainer to my Karate lessons. I went to the gym tonight and while working out told Brandon this would be my last time there for a while. I told him I was going to try Karate for a while. He proceeded to tell me that he'd been in Karate for 4 years while a kid/teenager and how good he was, blah, blah, blah. Boy, that kid can talk about himself like no other. Then he veered back to talking about his guitar and becoming a master guitar player. So glad I don't have to hear about that flippin' guitar ever again!! I left it like I might come back, if I don't like Karate or if I feel I can handle both down the road. But I don't plan on going back. I was burned out with that type of exercise. I hated it more and more each time I went. I'm really looking forward to an activity that will not only help me physically, but mentally as well. Since I don't have anything to report yet, I thought I'd post the link to the website for the Karate Alliance I'm going to be joining. www.yoshukaialliance.com/index.htmlOf course I don't expect anyone to really read it, but here is the link to the dojo I'm going to be attending. www.yoshukaialliance.com/html/WilliamsvilleDojo.htmlThese are the 2 Senseis at that dojo. This picture is over a year old, from when that dojo opened last summer. Sensei Bottrell on the right is my brother-in-law's good friend. He now has short hair and got rid of that ugly beard. He's pretty cute actually. (Shame on me.) Sensei Roberts now has an ugly beard. They both seem super duper nice and helpful. One thing I'm kind of excited about down the road, is board breaking. They do that now and then in the Alliance. Here are a few pictures from last year's breaking fun. The first one is my brother-in-law. If this little girl can do it, surely I can. This girl is a black belt. Look at all those boards she's going to break! So I'm getting pretty excited. Nervous as all get out, but excited! Mrs. V (Carol)
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Post by lalaland on Sept 26, 2007 23:45:15 GMT -5
My Husband is a Brown Belt In Yoshukai Karate. My girls are green and blue belts. They have been out for the past 2 years. James decided to go back to get his Black belt. Not sure how that will work ~ depends on where he is stationed, they don't have Yoshukai everywhere.
Brittany started at 4 years old. Ashley was about 6 when she started. By the time Brittany was ready, Ashley was already bored with it. Ashley got more interested in boys and less interested in Karate. LOL Ashley stopped going when she was 11. Britt and James kept going. The girls easily broke the boards. You can do it. They had one guy who weighed like 300 pounds who started just to lose weight. He lost 120 pounds in less than a year. They always came home soaked with sweat. They enjoyed it. Great family environment. They all wanted me to join, I was too lazy! I thought physical activity was over rated. Now I am wishing I still had the energy to do it. LOL Good Luck with it. I hope you really enjoy it.
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 28, 2007 7:28:42 GMT -5
Good for you!
I took Tae Kwon Do in high school (my boyfriend was a blackbelt/instuctor) and I broke boards for my Senior year talent show. It was pretty shocking to my classmates because I was the cheeleading captain and only a few knew I was in Tae Kwon Do. You'll be surprized at how easy it acctually is, all technique, very little strength, at least for one board.
I think I am going to join a gym with my Dh. He had lost 35lbs since he started at the Post Office two months ago (he had gotten to 300lbs) So he's really excited to tone and keep the weight coming off. He was about 215lbs when we met. I think it was my fault, all those trips to DQ when I was pregnant.. I still have 20lbs of baby weight the three years later I realize is not coming off on its own.
Stick with it Carol, I notice how different my Dh's attitude is when he is fit. It is so important to enjoying life to feel healthy. I applaud you.
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Post by mrsvalden on Sept 29, 2007 1:09:55 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing you and your families' experiences, guys. It's nice to hear that other people enjoy this sort of thing.
I know that my brother-in-law has lost quite a bit of weight, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. And I really hope it helps my mental state as well.
Mrs. V (Carol)
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Post by mrsvalden on Oct 1, 2007 21:49:14 GMT -5
I just got back from Karate. Ow and stuff. It's going to be really hard. They had one of the black belts going over stuff with me tonight (etiquette, bowing, etc.) And then I did the warm-ups and then the black belt guy showed me some basic moves. To get warmed up, we had to do lots of sit-ups. Ouch. And we had to do push-ups! Ouch. I hate push-ups, and I suck at them. By the time I left training at the gym I could still only do 7 girly kind. And we're supposed to do the guy kind at Karate...AND they want you to do them on your FISTS! Ouch! Who the $%#^ thought of doing push-ups on your FISTS!! They said I don't have to do that yet, of course, but I don't see how I'll ever do that. Especially on a hardwood floor.
And, it hurt just doing the bowing on my knees thing. At the beginning and the end of class, we have to get down on our knees, then sit back on our ankles. That in itself hurts. I think the tops of my ankles hurt worse than anything. But then you have to sit there and clear your mind for at least a minute, and by the time I was done, I was cramping. At the end, my toe started cramping, and I was trying not to break position, but oh it hurt! Anyway, it's definately going to be exercise.
I'm already having trouble remembering everything about the basic moves (feet this much apart, toes pointed out not in, knees bent a little, leaning forward, this hand a fist, other hand over it, elbows slightly bent...it goes on and on.) But I'm still glad I'm trying. And they are all very helpful and assure me everyone sucked at the beginning.
I was embarrassed though, because halfway through the black belt guy helping me with basics, I realized I had been saying "Yeah" and "Ok" all the time. I was supposed to say "Oss" which is their way of saying "Yes, sir." I was so embarrassed, so I apologized to me. He just laughed and said it was ok, but I was mortified. Already messing up! It just feels so weird to say "Oss." And I'm real bad about joking around. I have to watch that. I'm supposed to be serious and concentrate, and I'm wanting to crack jokes. But if my brother-in-law can do it, I can. He's the biggest jokester around. I just have to remember it's different when we're actually training. Aftewards or before it's ok to joke, but not during training.
Too much for my feeble brain to remember. I think I'll go back this Wednesday, and that will be all for this week. They also have classes on Thursdays, but I have something going on then.
Mrs. V
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Post by jennifer3141 on Oct 2, 2007 16:08:22 GMT -5
Carol, you are amazing for trying something so new and different for you. You're very brave, my friend.
Jen
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Post by mrsvalden on Oct 2, 2007 16:25:02 GMT -5
Carol, you are amazing for trying something so new and different for you. You're very brave, my friend. Jen Aww, thanks so much for saying that!! I don't think I would've had the courage if it wasn't for my brother-in-law being there with me and introducing me to the sensei. He was there last night again, even though he usually goes to the dojo in the town down the road. He's getting ready for his next belt test, so he's training more days a week. It's good having him there at first. I'm still so scared though. Thanks so much for the compliment!! That makes me feel good. Carol
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Post by Phoenix on Oct 2, 2007 17:06:41 GMT -5
Don't get discouraged. You're doing great! I am very proud of you and a little jealous too .
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Post by bookjunky on Oct 4, 2007 0:18:51 GMT -5
Way to go Carol! Hai Sensei is also a good thing to learn to say; it means - yes teacher. What, you don't like udete seiken? You will find your flexibility will improve faster than you think I highly recommend spending 15 minutes a day stretching. Did you start kata yet?
I looked at the web sites and you will be doing some very traditional karate. And please be sure to pronounce it correctly - it is not ka-rotty.
If you are like I was the first successful board break is a very empowering experience.
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Post by bookjunky on Oct 4, 2007 0:24:22 GMT -5
May I share a few pictues? Sai Brown belt test day
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Post by mrsvalden on Oct 4, 2007 11:05:15 GMT -5
Way to go Carol! Hai Sensei is also a good thing to learn to say; it means - yes teacher. What, you don't like udete seiken? You will find your flexibility will improve faster than you think I highly recommend spending 15 minutes a day stretching. Did you start kata yet? I looked at the web sites and you will be doing some very traditional karate. And please be sure to pronounce it correctly - it is not ka-rotty. If you are like I was the first successful board break is a very empowering experience. Thanks so much for the tips!! That's a great idea to stretch at home. The only kata they've started showing me is the 27 movements. And I think I've only gotten through about 4 of the movements. And that was just briefly. Last night they had me to a lot of work on the basic fighting stance, and switching that from one leg to the other. The last 20 minutes of class, the higher ranks worked on their combinations for their testing coming up next month. But my brother-in-law took me aside and helped me more with the fighting stance. There's just so much to remember. Front foot pointing straight ahead, back leg out at a 45 degree angle, hips turned, fists facing straight ahead, leaning forward a bit, 60% of weight on front leg, 40% on back leg, shouldn't see your toes in front of your front knee..... That's a lot for my poor feeble brain. But it's still fun. And I like it so much more than lifting weights at the gym. I feel I'm getting a workout, but it's interesting, and I'm learning something new and very cool. I did about 5 pathetic push-ups last night. But I'm trying and that's all they care about. And I did the first 60 sit-ups we had to do. But then we have to get a partner and do 50 more sit-ups, but with your legs straight out in front of you and the other person laying their legs over yours to keep you down. That's a lot harder than it sounds. I partnered with a sweet little girl (maybe 8 years old) who did her sit-ups first. All 50...not the greatest form, but pretty darned good. Then my turn...not so good. I only did about 20 before I pooped out. She said, "It's ok. I couldn't do them at the beginning either." Then this little boy next to us said, "It's really hard at first. It'll get easier." It was really quite sweet of them, but made me feel so pathetic. These little kids are having to console me for my poor performance. Pretty funny actually. I'll get better. I know that. I'm sore today. My thighs are sore from being in the fighting stance for so long trying to get it right. And my abs are sore. And my arms. And I bruise easily, I'm afraid. And when I was learning my first few blocks last night, the guy showing me would act like he was going to hit me and I would block. And he didn't hit hard, but where he did, my forearms are sore and bruised today. I'm so soft!! And I feel like I was pretty close to getting a blister on one of my big toes when I was doing the fighting stance. It's sore today. I'm really not complaining. Just letting anyone who's interested know how it went. I'm still very glad that I've joined. And I'm very excited to learn so much. Just a little scared at all there is to know. Mrs. V (Carol)
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Post by mrsvalden on Oct 4, 2007 11:18:17 GMT -5
Oh, and yes, they teach a very traditional type of karate. They keep stressing that. It's a very traditional Japanese type, not so much the Okinawan type. They say Yoshukai moves are shorter and more forceful. The stances aren't quite so wide as Okinawan and things like that. And they don't gear anything toward competing in tournaments. I guess when people do tournament karate, they adjust some of the stances and blocks, etc. to make more of a visual impact. These guys don't like doing that. They keep it traditional. They don't really do the tournament thing. Which is fine with me. I wouldn't want to do that at all.
It is incredibly cool to watch the Senseis, especially Sensei Bottrell (the cute one) do their thing. He is so amazing!! Everything is so perfect that he does!! He wasn't there last night (bummer!) His job ran late and he couldn't get back in time. Hopefully he'll be back next Monday when I go next.
If udete seiken is the fist push-ups, then no, I don't like them! Is that what that means? I'm not good with the Japanese terms yet.
I saw on their website that karate means open hand. The "kara" is empty and the "te" is hand. So it seems to me it should be pronounced kara-tay. Is that right?
And great pictures, by the way!!! I can't wait to get my gi so I can have my hubby take my picture in it!! I'm so excited!
Mrs. V (Carol)
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Post by Little Pet Crazy on Oct 4, 2007 11:48:02 GMT -5
I saw on their website that karate means open hand. The "kara" is empty and the "te" is hand. So it seems to me it should be pronounced kara-tay. Is that right? Mrs. V (Carol) Yes you got the pronunnciation right. In japanese the e makes and ay sound as in day, i makes an ee sound as in see and ou makes an oh sound like go. It is my favourite language. Me and the girls will be signing up for karate when I get feeling better. the last couple of days have been bad. I am glad to hear that you are still enjoying it. People hear karate and they immediatley think fighting but I feel its more like and art form. Works your mind and your body. Good for you Carol.
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Post by karajoy on Oct 4, 2007 11:57:18 GMT -5
Great job Carol! I love reading your posts .. very inspiring and interesting. Would you say you have to be somewhat in shape to start something like this or are there out of shape/overweight people there also. It seems so intimadating
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Post by bookjunky on Oct 4, 2007 16:03:13 GMT -5
The push ups will get better over time. My school had 10 levels in the kyu grades and at my first test I did 10 of the worst looking push ups on my knees they had every seen. Next test I managed to hold the proper position, fists on the floor, knees off the floor. I held the position and shook while everyone else did their push ups. I was always remembered at test - I was the only one in the system who wore shoes. With the atrophy in the smaller muscles in my feet I was not stable enough to move around without them.
Making contact with your partner will get better over time. You will toughen up. Same with the way you knuckles feel against the hardwood floor; one day you will realize with amazement that your hands don't hurt.
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