December Blues and Grading

The month of December was a strange one, work taking up far more time than usual at this time of year.  Something seemed to happen most weekends, and even the time between Christmas and the New Year was busy.  At least I had some days leave left to take, so that broke things up a little.

04 12 Kata Tai Chi style

Karate had to take a back seat in repect of being able to make formal lessons, but still formed a part of unwinding.  Usually in the form of Kata or fundamentals practice, as at the start of the month we were told that we would be grading.  Since at the stt of the Covid-19 outbreak, both my and my son missed out due to him having a cold, and us not being able to attend, this seemed like a really good end to the year 

09 12 Naihanchis

However, my workload lead to me missing a good few lessons, and I began to think that maybe I wouldn't be allowed to grade.  Our Sensei had arranged a session of just me and my son outdoors with themselves, but before we even discussed dates, of course Covid-19 struck again and the infection rates around our area rapidly started to grow, so no grading any way.  😞😞 

12 !2 Short Training

Most of the lessons in December had been geared towards grading, and in my own time that is what I had been practicing, so it felt like a real downer to lose out a second time.   However, a little while later, I got a pleasant surprise.   Over the last two weekends before Christmas, my Sensei told us that they would be holding gradings over Zoom for those that were ready to grade at the beginner and intermediate grades.   Both me and my son were told that we would be grading in the second session, on the Sunday before Christmas 😀😀

19 12 Practice

More practice was in order, and I went through what I knew to be in the grading a good few                    times before the day itself.   It was a good distraction from both home and work (though all have been in the same place for several months now), and there were a few early morning butterflys.  I know my kicks are the weakest part of my repetoire, and tried to work on my Ushiro and Yoku geri kicks.

20 12 Cant sleep

I chatted with my Sensei before the grading and worked on a way to try to improve it, but it still has a long way to go.  The work on the Yoku geri appears to have paid off.  On the day before the grading we had a lesson with Jamie Clubb, about anti grappling techniques; its not often my son likes to work with me in these situations, as there isn't much room for two people to work together inside, but we gave it a go on this occasion.  A few bits and pieces nearly took a hit, but it was fun 😀😀

20 12 Grading - kata

On the 20th.- the day of the grading, as I said, I had a few early morning nerves so I practiced some more.  I needed have worried, I passed with a B grade.  It could have been better, as my Ushiro and Mawashi geri kicks were picked out as needing more work and the kata could definitely have been a bit sharper.  But it wasn't too shabby and now I'm a blue belt. 😁😁

27 12 Time to work off the excess

The was just one more lesson before Christmas, was was in the form of a knowledge test and pad work, then no more lessons until the New Year.  I used a little bit of karate practice to burn off some of the Christmas excesses, and which overall passed quite peacefully for our household.

So hears to wishing all of you who take the time to read a Happy New Year, and hope it's much better than the last.  Thank you for sticking with me 😀😀🙏

0512

Naihanchi
Naihanchi drill 3, solo and on pads with pre empt on start and flank, vital points and incidental strikes eg forearm into brainstem before the neck crank

1012

Grading routine Fundamentals, Kihon, Kata

1712
Grading routine
Fundamentals, Kihon, Kata

1912
Jamie Clubb lesson
Anti grappling techniques, recovery from the floor

2012
Grading, fundamentals, kihon, kata

2112
Last lesson, attended in part
Spotlight on individuals - explaining fundamentals, padwork, teiso, hammer fist, elbow