March 17, 2009

Like Riding a Bicycle. . . but With Elbows

Sometimes I feel like my karate instructors can read my mind. After returning to karate after nearly a year and a half hiatus, I can't deny that there were some unpleasant thoughts going through my head.

What if I lost it all? What if I can't remember any of my self defense? How am I going to adjust and adapt how I do things considering I used to use my knees and legs for much of my self defense? There's nothing quite like a solid knee or punt of a kick to the groin when it comes to defending yourself against a guy. With that option not looking as good now, I wondered if I'd have to go back to scratch, and find new favorite techniques to use.

Last night, I found out that my alternative options work just fine. I officially have some new favorites and I think it's a positive thing to be forced to change things up. It's easy to rely on only the techniques that we favor, but when forced to think and work outside of the box, some new patterns emerge.

We worked on some pushing hands drills initially and although it felt really funny at first, I could see the point by the end of the exercise. After feeling each other out during the drill, we ramped things up and worked on finding ways to gain advantage and get in some good techniques.

Just as before, I found myself uttering "sorry" when things didn't go as I'd planned or hoped they would go. I'm also really good at scoffing at myself. My instructor kept gently reminding me to keep my mouth shut. I really need to work on replacing my apologies with a good kiai instead.

After working on this drill for a while, we worked on some other self defense. With my back turned to the three guys, I had to casually turn around as an attacker came from behind with whatever technique they felt like throwing. It reminded me of blindfolded self defense. It was uncomfortable and scary-butterflies in the stomach inducing too. The turning part alone gave me pause with my knee that doesn't want to believe it's capable of twisting and turning quite yet. I was also unsure how I would react and whether or not my self defense techniques would surface without me having to consciously draw them back out of hiding.

It's always a concern. Will those moves be there when you need them? Will you react the way you've been trained, even if you haven't practiced in a while?

We ran through several rounds and despite the one time that my instructor threw a punch and I threw up a messy block and strike which was more like me punching his punch (dies of embarrassment), I felt I held my own. Even when I clearly felt I had messed up, my instructor countered with, "Well did you get hit?" I had not.

I found out my new tendencies are to go for the throat and that I also really like to throw elbows-a good thing when you have pointy ones like mine.

I'm finding that coming back to karate after all this time off is much like riding a bicycle. I might be a little shaky at first; but the skill is definitely there, even if it's a little dusty from all the time hanging out in the "garage."