I stole that from Luda, but it's true.
I'm happy to be back for so many different reasons. This project will now become a very useful tool in my development, my patience, and mainly to remember the journey. I fizzled out reporting on the reports of MMA, a great way to waste useful energy. Well maybe not, maybe I was aggregating for a few people and they were devastated when my expertise was no longer so readily available. I apologize.
I've become obsessive and it's better I cradle that energy into elevating my game. I maybe able to learn a few things that will be applicable on multiple levels inside and outside of the Martial Arts.
I recently joined a gym not even 200 yards from my old high school. While it's nostalgic to pass my old stomping ground daily, I am eager to be homesick. I've been here too long, and this gym is the one small spot that has me mesmerized. While it's far from being a true camp, I'm far from ready to experience one. This is a great stepping stone into the lifestyle I'd love to live while I still have youth. The Big project is a little endeavor into entrepreneurship, but that's not what this is about. This is about what will fill the free time once the Big Project takes off. Then we travel from camp to camp, and eventually from birthplace (Thailand for Muay Thai) to birthplace and (Brazil for BJJ). I'm as interested in the cultures as I am the Martial Arts. But for now I'm here in the gym getting my ass handed to me on a daily basis.
I'm only a month in but still pretty tough on myself. I've got to realize what my strengths and weakness's are mentally and physically before I can really start making strides. I know what my main assets, one is having a background in Karate (even though it was from 10-16). I reached black belt and picked up an amazing amount of control and speed in my kicks. The second is the only reason I left Karate is because I became so committed to dancing. Yeah, I know dancing. All types. Ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, and whatever else my teacher could McGuyver up for us to do. But Ballet shapes long, strong, and lean muscles. Tap gives you rhythm and dexterity in the feet. Jazz gives you grounding and a strong lower center of gravity. And hip hop gives you the foot work and helps with seeing the "flow" or whatever description you give to the shifting of energy in a fight. But mainly dance gave me such a knowledge of my body that seeing the mechanics in any movement is my greatest gift. I'm able to dissect what I see so well, the trick is practicing that part over and over.
Oh yeah. Boxing helped. Quick feet quick hands.
I was pretty pissed after my last class. I ran out of gas and got ran through. This time, I intend to break down what I got caught with and why. It's one thing to get beat. But getting beat by the same things over and over again is starting to bruise. So it's on.
1st things first. Tomorrow is jam packed with stuff for work. If I can make it up there I'm going to create a small warm up . The same thing I used to get a quick stiff jab, I'm going to try with the legs. Same thing we did in ballet or tap, by warming up with basic movements close to countless times.
To be repeated on both front and back legs, Reg. and Southpaw
Pure Mechanics (10% speed and power) 4x
20 Lower Leg Kick ea.
20 Mid Kick ea
15 High Kicks ea
The goal is to work on 2 ideas.
1) Minimize the amount space it takes to throw the kick, both front and back feet. Do this by lifting the knee and twisting the hips over. Keep an eye out for the tendency from karate to come around with the knee ala the round house. That shows I'm being sloppy and running out of gas.
2) Concentrate on the footwork. The heel opposite from the kicking needs to rotate as far around as possible to allow the largest range of motion for the hips. The hips then can generate the power, but it begins all with the supporting heel. The higher the kicks go, the more important the lower heel being rotated and grounded becomes.
K. So I'm done rambling.
I always have hated the first entry in a blog. And now that the awkwardness in writing is thankfully over, I'm off to bed.
Hate this post? And tell the world.
