Admired Martial Artists Month
There are some martial artists who just strike a cord with you. There’s something special about them. They make you want to work harder, be a better martial artist, and be a better person. The following are some of my favorite martial artists. I know each and every one of them personally. In fact, most of them, at one time or another, either have been or are currently my teachers.
March is going to be “Admired Martial Artists Month” here at Black Belt Mama; and I couldn’t be more excited to be featuring posts written by these amazing martial artists. Some of you may have heard of them; some of you may have even met some of them at training events that have taken place around the country and the world. One thing about them remains constant though. . . they are greatly admired and I am honored to be featuring one of these incredible martial artists each week during the month of March.
Kyoshi Ann Marie Heilman
Mrs. Heilman is co-founder of the HKA, has been a student since 1968 and holds ranks of 8th Dan in Karate and 8th Dan in Kobudo. She has also been awarded her Kyoshi License making her one of the highest ranked women in the world and the highest in the Okinawa Kenpo system. Mrs. Heilman was also inducted into the Alliance Hall of Fame in 1996, making Mr. & Mrs. Heilman the only husband / wife team ever so honored. She was also named Pennsylvania Instructor of the Year along with Mr. Heilman. She has also been a World and National Champion in kata and weapons during her competitive career. Mrs. Heilman is recognized as one of the leading teachers of Women’s Self-Defense Programs in the States. She teaches, along with her husband, at the Heilman Karate Academy.
For the first few years of my training, I’d heard stories about Kyoshi Heilman from others who knew her. There’s a story floating around about several men following her late one night. Smaller in stature, she realized she had some possibly unwanted company, turned around to face the young men, and used the strongest voice she could muster to ask them what they wanted. They walked away. They were smart men. I’ve watched Kyoshi H. throw 20-year old guys around with no effort at all. She’s an amazing martial artist and an amazing woman and I’m excited to introduce her to you here.
Kyoshi Heilman’s posts:
Why Your Child is Not a Black Belt March 2008
Why a Kid Needs to Learn to Fail Successfully March 2009
Sandan Matthew Apsokardu
Matthew Apsokardu has been a student of the martial arts for 12 years and has acquired the rank of 3rd Dan Okinawa Kenpo Karate, 3rd Dan Okinawa Kenpo Kobudo. He has also studied Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Kenjutsu for 3 years. Matthew has participated in various martial art/self-defense demonstrations and has taught for 7 years.
Matthew graduated from Penn State University with a BA in Professional Writing. His writing has appeared in the following publications: Blur: Creative Nonfiction anthology, Woven With Words: Historical Anthology, ClassicWines.com, The Houston Chronicle, Extra Law, eMediaWire, The Nosey Historian, Masters Magazine (pending), among others. He also has his own blog, Ikigai Way.
He has previously posted here on “Black Belt Mama” and also writes reviews for “The BBM Review.”
When I first started attending karate classes, I avoided “Mr. M’s” classes like the plague. To be honest, I was really intimidated by him. A college student at the time, he would walk into the dojo wearing this black gi and you just knew you didn’t want to mess with him. Then, his class schedules changed, I moved up in rank and I started attending Mr. M’s classes. He pushed me to become better and spent as much extra time as I needed to teach me things I needed to know. He also took extra time with Big I too, which meant a lot to both of us. I knew his classes would be challenging but they made me work hard and think like never before. Now I have the distinct honor of calling him my teacher, my training partner and my friend.
Sandan Apsokardu’s posts:
Holding True with a Warrior Mind December 2007
Where Will We Take the Martial Arts March 2008
The Importance of Control (Less Boring Than It Sounds) March 2009
Hanshi C. Bruce Heilman
Mr. Heilman has been a student of the arts since 1961. He holds ranks of 9th Dan in Karate, 9th Dan in Kobudo and 3rd Dan in Ju-Jitsu. He has been awarded his Hanshi (Grand Master Teacher) License in Karate & Kobudo and his Renshi (Teachers) License in Ju-Jitsu. He is Founder and President of the International Karate Kobudo Federation, President and Director of the Okinawa Kenpo Karate Kobudo Union, Founding Member and Vice President of the Union of Martial Arts Federations, and a past Board Member of Master Odo’s Okinawa Kenpo Karate Kobudo Federation, and serves as a Board Member of four other traditional martial arts organizations. In 1995, he was inducted into the United States Karate Alliance Hall of Fame, and in 1996 he was named Pennsylvania Instructor of the Year. In 1999 he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Karate Hall of Fame. He has also had an excellent competitive record becoming a multiple World and National championships in kata and weapons. Hanshi Heilman is recognized as one of the leading traditional stylists in the world today. He runs his own dojo, alongside his wife, Kyoshi Heilman.
Hanshi Heilman has an infectious laugh and personality. When you’re around him, you know you’re in the presence of someone special. I have never seen someone so “in the zone” while doing kata. I’ve also never been hit so insanely fast as when I first sparred with him. You just don’t see it coming (It could be because you’re blinded by his continuous grin). Full of amazing stories about trips to Okinawa and training with Master Trias and Master Odo, Hanshi Heilman is a true gem of a martial artist. I am honored to train in his dojo, and I’m honored to present him here.
Hanshi Heilman’s Posts
An Overview of Okinawan Kobudo March 2008
There Are No Stances in Kobudo March 2009
Kyoshi William Hayes
Major Hayes was born on May 15th, 1945, in New York City and enlisted in the Marine Corps in August of 1964. While on active duty he served at a number of major posts including two tours in Iwakuni, Japan, and three tours on Okinawa, where he capitalized on the availability of martial arts instruction in an effort to continue his karate training, which began in 1960. He also served two voluntary tours of duty in Vietnam (66-67 & 69-70). During his second tour as a Staff Sergeant he was part of a martial arts demonstration team and helped teach over 450 Vietnamese Nationals. His efforts resulted in a number of awards and commendations.
In 1973, after only nine years of service, Hayes was selected for both the ranks of Gunnery Sergeant and Warrant Officer. He chose to become a Marine Officer and graduated as his platoon’s honor man from the Warrant Officer Candidate Course in February of ’74 and thereafter served in a number of key billets as a Warrant Officer, Chief Warrant Officer, Company Grade Officer, and Field Grade Officer. He retired in the grade of Major in October of 1990, the highest grade attainable in his military occupational speciality at the time.
The Major is the Past President of the U. S. branches of the Okinawan Shorin-ryu Karate-do International Association and is also the past Historian of that Okinawa-based organization. He publishes a quarterly international martial arts newsletter and is the author of an award-winning book, My Journey With The Grandmaster.
Major Hayes’ teaching credentials as well as his red and white obi were personally awarded to him by his instructor, Grandmaster Eizo Shimabukuro of Okinawa. Bill Hayes is one of the most senior and well-known of the Grandmaster’s students and has dedicated much of his life to the study, preservation, and development of Okinawan martial arts. Major Hayes has appeared on the cover of OFFICIAL KARATE magazine and is listed in the Encyclopedia of Martial Arts (Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People). He has also appeared in England’s FIGHTING ARTS INTERNATIONAL and Norway’s SVARTE BELTE (BLACK BELT). He has demonstrated Okinawan Karate and weaponry on several television programs and is featured in the 1994 video GREAT KARATE INSPIRATIONS.
Bill Hayes has been inducted into both the Karate Masters’ Hall of Fame and the American-Okinawan Karate Association Hall of Fame. He is a charter member of the Marine Martial Arts Federation and is the recipient of both the NAACP’s Roy Wilkins’ Meritorious Service Award and the Marine Corps League’s Distinguished Service Award, which were bestowed upon him as a result of his martial arts expertise.
Major Hayes is currently the Director of the Okinawan Shorin-ryu Karate-do Research Society and is one of the United States Marine Corps’ three Subject Matter Experts on Close Combat, having been instrumental in the development of the Corps’ new and highly touted Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. He is an International Executive Distributor with the Pharmanex nutrition product company and strives to improve the connection between good health and good martial skills. He lives, trains, and teaches in Stafford County, VA.
I had heard stories about Kyoshi Hayes before meeting him. I was told he could hit you 20 times before you even saw the first strike coming. Was it really true? Absolutely. Kyoshi Hayes is one of those people who greets you for the first time as if he’s known you for 30 years. A nice person all around and genuinely interested in the well-being of others, it was an honor to meet him and learn from him during the summer of 2007. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of corresponding with him a bit via email and there seems to always be something to learn from this amazing martial artist. It is my pleasure to present him to you here.
Kyoshi Hayes’ posts:
Our Two “Moms” March 2008
Kyoshi Rick Zondlo
Rick Zondlo has been training for over 30 years and has achieved the rank of 7th Dan Kyoshi in both Okinawan Kenpo Karate and Okinawa Kenpo Kobudo. Kyoshi Zondlo has also been training in the traditional Japanese art of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu for 15 years, and has achieved the rank of Shodan. Kyoshi Zondlo has been recognized by many practitioners and even some publications as an unusual find among martial art instructors. Kyoshi Zondlo wishes to keep the true nature of old style martial arts alive and demonstrates every day the powerful nature of living through Budo.
As an instructor of one of my teachers, I had heard a lot about Kyoshi Zondlo. It wasn’t until an IKKF training camp that I got to train with him personally. His session was full of charts to help explain his concepts and he had even, in advance of the training camp, made weapons for the use of the class. Kyoshi Zondlo is someone that other people gravitate towards because there is so much to be learned from him, and like so many other amazing martial artists, he is always willing to take extra time to explain and demonstrate his effective techniques.
Kyoshi Zondlo’s posts:
Where is My Mind? What am I Thinking? I Can’t Do This? March 2008
Kyoshi Nancy Caliguri
Kyoshi Nancy Caliguri, a practitioner of Shorin-Ryu karate, has been and continues to be an inspiration to many. After a motorcycle accident sidetracked her karate competitions, no one expected her to come back again, let alone win, but that’s just what she did. In 2008, after an 18 year absence from competition, Kyoshi Caliguri came back and won a Professional Karate Commission national title in women’s black belt kata and is now nationally ranked. She has also earned a No. 8 ranking by the United States Karate Alliance for 2008. Being in the top 10 is quite an accomplishment. In 2008, she was also awarded the 2008 Competitor of the Year award by the International Karate Kobodu Foundation. Other awards include the Legend of Honor award at the PKC International banquet last August. She also took 1st place in the state ratings by the PKRA (Pennsylvania Karate Rating Association) in women’s masters kata division and 1st in the region (PA, NY and part of Canada PKC R4) through the PKC in black belt women’s kata and weapons.
She is currently ranked a 7th dan in by both the IKKF and the USKA. When she started karate in 1975, there were few women involved, but now Kyoshi Caliguri has the opportunity to serve as a fantastic role model for all women in the martial arts. With over 30 years of martial arts experience, a successful martial arts school where she is a Master instructor, and a husband who has been quite successful in the martial arts as well, Kyoshi Caliguri will continue to be a recognizable name in the martial arts for years to come.
I have heard stories about Kyoshi Caliguri for quite some time now from one of my instructors, Kyoshi Heilman. While sidetracked with my own injury, Kyoshi Heilman continued to tell me stories about Kyoshi Caliguri and how after an accident and physical therapy, Kyoshi Caliguri made a comeback. She continues to serve as an inspiration for me, and for anyone about to make a comeback.
Is it going to be a great March or what??? If you have questions that you would like to direct to one of these amazing martial artists, please do so in the comments below. I’ll make sure that they receive them prior to their post.
Kyoshi Caliguri’s post:
Self Defense Advice from a Pioneer March 2009
Giveaway Details
This month, anyone who leaves a comment on one of the Admired Martial Artists’ posts will be entered to win a prize. I am currently working on adding more prizes to the list. Currently, those who comment will be entered to win. . .
From Martial Arts Supplies: A pair of Trainer Martial Arts shoes from Discipline
From Turtle Press: Vital Point Strikes book by Sang H. Kim
From Kyoshi Hayes: A one-year subscription to Kyoshi Hayes’ quarterly international martial arts newsletter (which is fantastic and always provides good food for martial arts thought)
From Bags of Character: a custom nunchaku or tekkos bag
Help Promote Admired Martial Artists Month!
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Put me Down for $0
My kids have started "answering" the phone. This is quite disturbing for someone who considers herself the ultimate professional in phone call screening. I wouldn’t mind so much if the kids just handed me the phone without answering it; but their little thumbs hit "talk" almost every time and I’m left to wonder exactly who the person is waiting for me. The person waiting for me is probably wondering why they’ve been dropped 10 times and why a certain member of our household likes to heavy breathe into the phone too, but I’m more worried about me.
Over the weekend, Big I picked up the phone and hit "talk." She handed me the phone and I assumed it was Mr. BBM or my parents. It wasn’t.
"Good afternoon M’am. I’m Joe Annoying and I’m calling today to represent. . . ."
He continued on for a good four minutes leaving me no opportunity to even begin to cut him off. Plus, I was totally off my game since the phone had been answered for me. Sigh.
Finally I had my opening as he said, "So M’am, I’ll put you down for a donation of $35 and send you a thank you decal. I just need to get your information."
"I’m sorry, but I really can’t right now" I said.
"That’s o.k." he said cheerfully, "we have different levels. Let me put you down for $25."
"Even that right now is going to be. . . "
"Then let me put you down for a measley donation of just $15. . ."
"I really can’t," I said. "I just had major surgery and I have to pay for a bunch of it. Plus I have to pay for physical therapy. I really just can’t right now in any amount, unless of course, you’d like to go ask my health insurance company to pay more or call my doctor up and ask him to lower the amount that I owe him. I haven’t even gotten the hospital bill yet, so you can imagine. . ."
"What kind of surgery did you have M’am?"
He was totally trying to call my bluff.
"ACL reconstruction," I said.
"Oh MAN!" he said, "That is THE worst. That is SO painful and awful and it takes so long to come back from it. When was your surgery?"
"December," I said, "right before Christmas."
"Oh Man! I should let you go. You probably need your rest and stuff. I’m SO sorry for bothering you today M’am. You take it easy and have a good recovery. Best of luck to you. I’m really sorry for bothering you."
And with that he was gone. He hung up. I kid you not.
Blink.
Blink.
After he hung up, I summoned Big I and asked her to PLEASE not answer the phone unless we know exactly who is on the other end of that phone line. She will thank me for this lesson when she hits her teenage years and doesn’t want to go to the school dance with Harold. Perhaps we’ll fabricate an ACL injury for her at that point. Feel free to fabricate your own considering that it can totally get you out of tele-marketing calls.
So Now You’ll Know
The other day, I noticed I was getting a decent amount of traffic from Citizen of the Month. I went to investigate (always worried people are saying mean things about me) to find out that he’s a writer in LA and I just so happen to be a "current crush." I don’t need to tell you that he made my day.
He had this fun post up about not winning blogging awards and feeling left out, and set out to change all of that with this interviewing idea. Hoards of people commented and suddenly the Citizen of the Month had a part time job of assigning interviewers with interviewees. To be honest, I sort of forgot about it until I got a nice email from Dave.
Dave didn’t know my blog even existed before coming here to research and think up some interesting questions. His questions are as follows, and if you’ve been reading me for a while, I think you’ll find you’ll be getting some new information:
1. A quick perusal of your posts and background reveal your family life, adventures and challenges in martial arts, freelance and personal writing are the among many things that form the basis of your
enviable and rich life. Do you ever feel insecure (like many men) that your professional pursuits haven’t landed you a more conventional brand of success (like a CEO)?
What? You mean I’m not the CEO??? I actually consider myself to be the Supreme Ruler of Black Belt Mama which is way better than CEO, but anyway. . . in all seriousness, I used to answer the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" with one word: rich. I’m not rich when it comes to money; but I am rich in other areas. I have two perfect little girls (Yes, I’m extremely biased and I’m also correct). I have a husband who loves me and this family, so much so that he’s made sacrifices for all of us by working twice as hard as many others so that I don’t have to work outside the home. We made a ton of sacrifices to get where we are, selling our home to move in with my parents for a year when I had my first baby and my husband needed to switch career paths so that we’d be able to begin again on only one income.
So no, I don’t feel insecure. Do I sometimes wish I had a bigger house, or that I was able to take more lavish vacations and buy whatever I want to buy? Absolutely. Who doesn’t wish that from time to time? I’ve been very fortunate though, that I’ve been able to stay home with my girls, write for fun (and sometimes for some money), work from home with jobs that allow me the freedom to be a SAHM and also have some adult interaction, and do something that I love. . . write. I think I have a fairly enviable life and I’m pretty proud of it, CEO or not.
2. You’re a great writer (in my amateur opinion). Are you obsessed over your site’s traffic and do you make a significant amount of cash from your blog?
I hate to admit this, but some days I check my site traffic before I get my kids breakfast. Obsessed doesn’t even begin to describe it. Sometimes I think I have a serious problem. I get super happy when someone new links to me or mentions me (as long as they’re not all like "I hate that BBM. She’s a . . . ". Then it’s not so great). But yes, totally obsessed. As far as the money issue goes, that depends on what you mean by significant? Could I buy a bunch of bananas with my blog revenue? Totally (Pretty cool, right?). Could I buy a new dress? Possibly, depending on the month and the designer. So "significant"? Not exactly, but I guess it all depends on what your definition of significant happens to be.
3. You never use your name in any post I could find but you freely publish your picture. Why the partial anonymity?
I guess I think of it this way. I only publish pictures of me on my site that I think are exceptionally good pictures of me. Do I look this way in real life on a regular basis? Puh-lease! Don’t make me laugh. So, I guess I figure no one will really recognize me. I don’t use my name on my site because I didn’t want former students googling me, getting together at reunions and saying things like "Did you see that Ms. B on the internet? Omigod, she’s like a blogger, y’all." I taught English people. While I try to adhere as much as possible to the standards I gave my students, it just doesn’t happen all the time.
Also, crazy stalker serial killer people. You know, general reasons.
4. You don’t swear, even at the drive through of McD’s when confronted with a bitchy worker. Do your parents read your blog or are you just that virtuous?
Do my parents read my blog? My parents have no understanding of my blog. I mean, they’ve been on it every once in a while if I’ve told them to go read something specifically. Maybe. When I tell them something cool about my blog like "I’m getting published" or "I got a paycheck from my blog" they sort of nod and look at each other in confusion. Truth be told, they probably have that "I can’t believe we paid X amount for college when all she’s going to do is change diapers and ‘blog’" conversation when I’m not around. You’ll need to keep in mind that pretty much every time my Mom wants to check her email, she calls me and asks me what she’s doing wrong when she can’t get on, and usually, she doesn’t have the computer on yet. Ok, it’s not that bad, but you get the idea.
Virtuous? No. I take full responsibility for Lil C saying s%&t the other day and when she gets mad, she sometimes says "damn it" because I do too. I also swear into a pillow at physical therapy when my PT is pushing my knee too far. I’m horrible when I’m mad too. Saying it is one thing though. Putting it down in writing? The big time swearing stuff? I don’t know. I guess my opinion on that is sort of like my Grandmother’s opinion on girls who drink out of beer bottles (which I do, but she doesn’t have to know about it). If you want to do so, that’s fine. I’ll probably laugh and enjoy it. It’s just not me, not here anyway.
5. I apologize for not being able to read your entire site, but is there a post where you’ve described using your martial arts skills to defend yourself?
No, actually there is not. I haven’t had the need to defend myself since I started taking karate. That doesn’t mean I didn’t need to before I started taking karate. I didn’t write about it here before, but I was on a date that went very wrong a long time ago. With no karate training what-so-ever, I beat the guy to a pulp. He deserved every kick, every punch and every elbow I threw at him that day. I got away completely unscathed; he wasn’t so lucky. Many people wonder whether or not they’ll be able to defend themselves when faced with a scary situation. I know I can.
I train because I wanted to learn karate and be better able to defend myself. I also truly believe that when you know your stuff, you carry yourself differently. People just know not to mess with you, sort of like the Jedi mind tricks. (Oh MY GOD! Did I just say that? Mr. BBM is getting to me. He’s seriously getting to me!)
6. I enjoyed one of your first posts, Butt Flinging "Ash Holes". A hilarious tale, in retrospect only, that
makes a parent a parent. I noticed your style and tone haven’t changed much compared to your more recent posts. Do you think your writing (style or content) has changed over the past couple years?
My style hasn’t changed much at all. At least I don’t think it has. I spent so many years writing that I think my style is what it is at this point. I refined it in college and it seems to remain steady. As far as content goes, things have changed around here a lot. The focus of this blog was always getting to shodan and beyond; but with this acl injury, surgery and rehab, the focus has really changed. It’s not so much about getting to the black belt test anymore. It’s more about learning how to walk again the right way and getting stronger. Overall, I think that the tone has changed and will continue to do so. This injury is forcing me to think about things and look at things in very different ways. I’m not quite sure where it’s all going yet, but hopefully you’ll all stick around for the ride.
7. We all love Neil, but after Citizen of the Month (and Dooce), what is your current favorite site on the web (doesn’t have to be a blog)?
I absolutely adore Karl of Secondhand Tryptophan. I "rented" a spot on his blog many months ago, which led to a coveted spot on his blog roll, a guest post, a video that no one can seem to forget, and a nice friendship as well. He just cracks me up. He has the ability to take the tiniest detail and make it so hilariously funny.
I’m a bit ashamed to admit it, but I also love MySpace. I know, I know, but when you can search by graduation year and lurk back on all your former students and see how they turned out, and confirm that you were completely right about so-and-so. . . it’s a guilty pleasure. What can I say? No one is perfect.
Thanks to Citizen of the Month for setting this up, and to Dave for coming up with some very thought-provoking questions!
***Don’t forget to enter the contest give-away over at The BBM Review. Check out the "My Fruit Roll-Ups" post and leave your comment before it’s too late. Make sure you check back often. We have some cool martial-arts related give-aways coming up in February!
“Disgusting” and Liking It
I had my 6 week post-op appointment today with my surgeon. I’ll be 6 weeks officially on Monday. He checked out my knee, grinned and told me how great I’m doing. He did that pulling test that he did on me before surgery. My leg barely budged. Before it felt like he could just pull it right off. I’m realizing that my knee is stable. It is better; I just need to give it time to heal now. My surgeon also reminded me that while the outside incision areas may be disappearing quickly, I need to remember that there was a whole lot happening on the inside and all of that trauma is going to take some serious time to heal.
My knees at almost 6 weeks post-op (I think you can tell them apart).
He officially welcomed me to the boredom stage. For the past two weeks, my body has been breaking down the graft and for the next six weeks, my body will work on building it back up. I need to be very careful during this crucial don’t-screw-it-up time period. I’ve been given instructions to start walking around the house without the brace from time to time to see how it feels, with plans to get rid of the brace within the next week or two (minus excursions outside the house where they still want me to wear it so people don’t bump into me, etc.).
I didn’t break any flexion records at PT today. I pretty much stayed where I was on Wednesday. Considering that I barely did any of my PT yesterday since I was busy dealing with a 24 hour virus, I wasn’t too disappointed. While I was on the table working on my leg lifts, another woman was laying on a table a few down from me. She still had steri-strips on her knee. I heard her tell my PT that I was "disgusting" because of how I was able to do leg lifts.
My PT said to her, "Try to think of it as: that’s the goal."
When I was done with my table exercises, I Lance Armstronged it on the bike for 15 minutes (while visualizing kata), added another 5 lbs. to the leg press machine and then spent a couple minutes walking backwards on the treadmill. I had to look straight ahead because looking down was so funny and disorienting. I started imagining myself on one of those crazy treadmill commercials where the person goes flying off and into the wall.
Walking on an incline, the goal is to use long backward strides which help with walking and extension. Thankfully, I kept it together and made it off there alive.
The college rugby player who is seven weeks ahead of me has been my goal. Now I’m somebody’s goal. It feels really nice to be a goal. Go ahead and call me "disgusting." It’s the most flattering compliment I’ve heard in a while.
***The BBM Review is giving away three boxes of customizable fruit roll-ups, just in time for Valentine’s Day. All you have to do is follow the directions and leave a comment there telling me the sweetest Valentine or message you’ve ever sent or received. You can even cheat and just leave a nice Valentine’s message for me. The sweetest three will win! Winners will be decided next week! Hurry up and enter here.
Don’t Call it a Comeback
I fully expected to be tortured today at physical therapy. I worked so hard on my bike yesterday that this morning, I was hurting. The back of my knee was just killing me and when I tried to work on flexion this morning, it was a lost cause.
I walked into PT with the weight of the world on my shoulders and it was obvious to my PT. On the table beside me, sat the college rugby player who had ACL reconstruction seven weeks before me. He was the one who warned me three days before my surgery that it was awful. He gave me this huge smile and asked me how I’ve been. We spent our table time discussing our recoveries. He asked me where my flexion was and when I told him I was at 129 last week, his eyes got wide.
"Girl! That’s good," he said. "I didn’t hit 130 until nine weeks!"
He went on to tell me that he had a lot of problems with swelling and that it wasn’t until his 8th week that he got to ride the bike. He was shocked that I was riding already, let alone two weeks ago. That made me feel awesome. All along, I’ve been feeling sorry for myself thinking that I’m not a world class athlete and I’m not young like a lot of people who have this surgery. It’s just going to take me longer. According to him, I’m way ahead of the game.
For your listening pleasure, some tunes to match my mood for the day with particular emphasis on the following lyrics. Just substitute "knee" for "land" and "PT room" for "itty bitty world":
"I’m gonna rock this land
I’m gonna take this itty bitty world by storm
And I’m just gettin warm"
My ACL friend went on to walk backwards on the treadmill and work on some lateral movement exercises and I started working on my flexion. My PT came over and started bending my leg a bit. I told him I was going to have a lousy day, that my flexion had been horrible this morning. . . and then he measured me at 133 degrees and it didn’t even really hurt all that much. I was shocked.
He put me on the bike for 15 minutes with a tension level of three and I managed to ride over four and a half miles in that time. I also broke a sweat and got a good work out. When I felt like I couldn’t pedal any faster, I imagined my beach bod this summer. I truly will be in the best shape of my life by then. Slacking off is not a choice with this recovery, so I’m hoping that I can continue the working out trend once I’m healed completely.
After the bike, it was on to the leg press machine, where we added another 10 pounds and another set (up to four now). When I was finished with all my exercises, my PT told me how awesome I’m doing and gave me a high five. He does not distribute high five’s for just anyone or any accomplishment. In fact, I’ve only ever seen him give them to me. Uh-huh, that’s right.
Then he watched me walk with the brace unlocked. The grin spread across his face and he told me I can keep it unlocked. "You’re walking GREAT!" he told me. He was genuinely excited and so was I. It feels weird walking without it locked, but having the freedom to walk normally again feels AMAZING. I’m guessing that in another week or two, this brace will be officially gone.
What was going to be my birthday party/black belt party may instead be my "crutches and brace are gone" party. (Did I happen to mention that the crutches are gone as of last week?) And yes, there will be music by LL Cool J at my party, and you better believe I’ll be chair dancing my butt off.
***Make sure to check out The BBM Review today. We’re letting you know about exciting contests and have three prizes to give away next week!"
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