these are excerpts from a journal i am writing specifically on my karate training, so some things may seem a little out of context here, but i thought it would be worth sharing anyways. i'm finding it is always beneficial (difficult, humbling, frustrating) to learn something new. if i can capture that experience, share it with you, and inspire someone to else to learn something new, then my struggles become well worth it!
Day Two
I was feeling more intimidated this week for some reason. I had not practiced what we learned on the first day and I was worried I wouldn’t remember it all. I think the warm-up before our training was helpful and I was a little surprised how difficult the lunges felt. Again, I felt comfortable with the stances and slightly confused by the blocks. I’m not sure why it is hard for me to pick up. I also find the names of everything incredibly hard to understand. I don’t know any Japanese so all the words just seem like sounds to me right now and I am struggling to learn which positions they refer to.
This week we learned how to punch and I actually really enjoyed hitting the punching mat. I knew that to make a fist you must close in your fingers tightly but I had never had any real practice hitting anything before. I think this is my favourite skill so far, because it seems like something I could use if I had to, where as I might not use the stances unless I continued to study karate.
When a block or sequence is demonstrated, I think it is important to go through the motions slowly the first time. Slow motions were used when the last sequence was demonstrated and I felt more confident performing it. Hopefully speed will come once I remember what I am supposed to be doing with my hands and feet. I would love to see two instructors spar together. I think that would give me a better understanding of what a fight might look like and inspire me to be quick and forceful with my movements.
I have still yet to yell in class.
Day Three
I think I am improving a little bit! My improvement is very slow, but I think it’s there.
Today we practiced some sequences including a very slow and gentle sparing with a partner. This was actually kind of fun and I think it gave me an idea of how these blocks and punches would function in a physical situation. I definitely need to practice more and also look up the Japanese names for things so I can remember what they are. I am not picking up the words very quickly.
I am looking forward to learning more about the philosophy of karate as well. I am interested in practices that have both a physical side and a mental or spiritual one to them. I think all exercise could be like that actually, and if it was, maybe more people would be interested in adopting healthy lifestyles. I find that too many people just regard exercise as a chore that they have to do and so they spend 30 minutes on the treadmill 3-5 days a week, hating it. That is not what exercise is! It should be composed of a variety of activities, including ones that you like, and exercise should be one component of a healthy lifestyle. I think as fitness educators, we often fail to explain the entire philosophy of healthy living to people and instead focus too much on the exercise part of it. I like how karate is a practice, a way of life, and a philosophy, not just a method of combat.
I look forward to next week.
Day Four
“There is no good or bad, just learning right now.” - Sensei
Class was great today! We learned how to kick and I found that to be quite fun. I’m going to need some practice with my kicks because it is a little difficult to get the right combination of form, balance, and power all in one motion. We also practiced our punches, blocks, and stances.
We were also given a Chinese Fable to read and comment on. The Story of the Stonecutter explores the themes of envy and power. The stonecutter felt dissatisfied with his position in life and powerless when he compared himself to the merchant and eventually the high official. When he found himself in these high ranking positions, however, he discovered even more powerful figures such as the sun, cloud, wind, and mountain, and he envied their greater power. It wasn’t until he became the mountain and felt a simple stone cutter chipping away and changing the shape of the mountain that he realized the power he once had as his former self. I think the fable reminds us that we all have our strengths, no matter what position in life we find ourselves in, and those strengths might be more important than we realize. To envy someone else’s power (or wealth, or possessions) is a waste of energy. We could instead focus on improving ourselves and finding our own power. I think it is in this way that the fable relates to the way of life that is karate. Karate is not about envying your opponent because of whatever power they may have, but about finding your own strengths and working to improve your own practice. We may all have more power than we realize.
Day 5
Today we practiced everything we have gone over so far: blocks, punches, stances, kicks, and katas or sequences of karate movements. I enjoyed the five step sparing we did in partners and practicing our kicks against the bag. Reviewing everything is beneficial, especially since the class is only once a week. I am trying to practice at home but I actually don’t have very much space in my tiny apartment and I don’t feel like practicng on my own has been very effective. It is impressive how much we have learned as a class! We have gone from hardly even knowing what karate is to learning many simple, but crucial movements.
I am impressed at the physical side of karate. Even though I regularily weight train, I still feel holding some of the stances and performing some of the movements to be quite challenging. I am impressed at the mixture of balance, power, and endurance needed. I quite enjoy performing the movements in bare feet as well. I feel like this brings a special awareness to how my body moves and awakens many of the tiny stabalizer muscles that may not become activiated as much when I am wearing shoes all day. I have become interested in some other bare foot activities as well (such as bare foot running) and I think martial arts training is such a wonderful compliment to some of these forms of exercise. I wonder if all martial arts practitioners train in bare feet? Why is this the case?
Day 6
This week we were asked to look into a different martial art of our own choosing. I chose Capoeira because it is quickly becoming a very popular activity in fitness centers around Victoria and I was not clear on what it actucally consisted of. I knew it was a very muscial and cultural expression of a martial art....but I wasn’t even sure of which culture! This is what I discovered.
Capoeira is a martial art which combines various elements of music, dance, and sport. It was created in Brazil in the 16 century, influenced by the Brazilian natives, African slaves, and their descendants. Originally used by enslaved individuals for self defense, Capoeira was considered problematic and deemed illegal in several periods through out Brazillian history. In 1932, 1937, and 1940, training centers were finally opened to teach Capoeria to the public and the art gradually became more trusted, respected, and even popular.
Today, Capoeria is used to showcase Brazilian culture all over the world and new training centers are opening every year. The martial art is still just as popular in Brazil as well, bringing students and curious travelers who are willing to immerse themselves in the language, culture, and study Capoeria’s unique movements. Capoeria is truly driven by the music that accompanies it and in this way has earned its label as a dance, as well as a martial art. The music is both lyrical and instrumental and includes stringed percussion instruments, drums, tambourines, bells, and songs that often follow a call and response pattern. The fundamental movements of Capoeria include the ginga (rocking back and forth in a triangular step on the ground while coordinating movements of the body to the music), kicks, strikes, and several more aerobatic moves such as rolls, spins, and cartwheels. Attacks are often disguised as part of a dance and Capoeria presentations are often theatrical and highly entertaining.
Like we have learned about Karate, Capoeria is much more than a style of combat; it is a symbol of culture and a source of pride for the Brazilian people. I think it would be well worth checking out!
