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bjarvisMy latest obsession, karate, is progressing nicely. As much as one can progress with only three lessons under one's (white) belt.
I'm very conscious that my hamstrings are much too tight and I lack the flexibility to do this as well as I'd like. (And you are hereby invited to get your minds out of the gutter, thankyouverymuch.) A front kick, side kick or round kick can be very effective against an opponent at thigh level, gut level or head/neck level, but my best attempts could only threaten a small child. I can hit high enough to kick an adult in the abdomen, but it's going to take a lot more practice and stretching to reach their chest, not to mention their head. On the good side, two weeks ago, I was only a threat to their kneecaps, so progress is being made.
Another aspect of an effective kick is the non-kicking foot, the one on which one is actively standing. And it is an active stand, not a passive act: that standing foot has to turn so that one's pelvis can pivot to deliver more energy into the kick. Ideally, one's toes should pointed be 180 degrees away from the target, but anything more than 90 degrees is acceptable.
Once again, my flexibility and stretch, not to mention my balance, is insufficient to the task. I could get close to 90 degrees, but only this week after much stretching & practice can I get closer to 180. My balance for the kick has also improved, although I'm uncertain if that is because of repeated practice, the improved positioning of the standing leg, or both.
There is one other aspect I need to work on before I can make any major breakthroughs: I have to get more comfortable with sweating heavily. From prior experience, I know that if I overheat severely, very, very bad things happen so I'm very wary of my internal temperature. I'm used to sweating lightly at the gym, but it isn't very comfortable, or sweating a lot on the treadmill which is pure misery. The formal classes have made me sweat profusely, but I muscle through (a) because of peer pressure in a class setting, and (b) because I know the class is time-limited so I know how long I have to hold myself together. I'm more lenient on myself when I'm practicing solo at home, and that might be a bad thing.
One good fix will come along on its own: winter is coming. The basement where I've been practicing is cooler than the rest of the house but will get downright cold in a few months. This is a perfect situation for me. My other proposed fix is to set small milestones before a rest break is permitted: perhaps 15 minutes of concentrated work, or perhaps 25 consecutive kicks on each side. With a task list in hand, I can force myself to work through the discomfort.
In the interim, extra stretching and Alleve by the handful are getting me through. By Thanksgiving, I hope to be able to kick any of you in the head.
I'm very conscious that my hamstrings are much too tight and I lack the flexibility to do this as well as I'd like. (And you are hereby invited to get your minds out of the gutter, thankyouverymuch.) A front kick, side kick or round kick can be very effective against an opponent at thigh level, gut level or head/neck level, but my best attempts could only threaten a small child. I can hit high enough to kick an adult in the abdomen, but it's going to take a lot more practice and stretching to reach their chest, not to mention their head. On the good side, two weeks ago, I was only a threat to their kneecaps, so progress is being made.
Another aspect of an effective kick is the non-kicking foot, the one on which one is actively standing. And it is an active stand, not a passive act: that standing foot has to turn so that one's pelvis can pivot to deliver more energy into the kick. Ideally, one's toes should pointed be 180 degrees away from the target, but anything more than 90 degrees is acceptable.
Once again, my flexibility and stretch, not to mention my balance, is insufficient to the task. I could get close to 90 degrees, but only this week after much stretching & practice can I get closer to 180. My balance for the kick has also improved, although I'm uncertain if that is because of repeated practice, the improved positioning of the standing leg, or both.
There is one other aspect I need to work on before I can make any major breakthroughs: I have to get more comfortable with sweating heavily. From prior experience, I know that if I overheat severely, very, very bad things happen so I'm very wary of my internal temperature. I'm used to sweating lightly at the gym, but it isn't very comfortable, or sweating a lot on the treadmill which is pure misery. The formal classes have made me sweat profusely, but I muscle through (a) because of peer pressure in a class setting, and (b) because I know the class is time-limited so I know how long I have to hold myself together. I'm more lenient on myself when I'm practicing solo at home, and that might be a bad thing.
One good fix will come along on its own: winter is coming. The basement where I've been practicing is cooler than the rest of the house but will get downright cold in a few months. This is a perfect situation for me. My other proposed fix is to set small milestones before a rest break is permitted: perhaps 15 minutes of concentrated work, or perhaps 25 consecutive kicks on each side. With a task list in hand, I can force myself to work through the discomfort.
In the interim, extra stretching and Alleve by the handful are getting me through. By Thanksgiving, I hope to be able to kick any of you in the head.
no subject
Date: 2017-09-05 07:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-09-07 01:51 am (UTC)In class, we've been doing the warm-up stretches recommended for doing splits here. Karate isn't interested in doing splits, but the basic concepts still apply.
For karate, there is a need to open your legs wide, just below 180 degrees, so that you can deliver a side kick at head-height. To get that kind of stretch, one may sit on the floor and simply spread one's legs as far as one can without injury, hold for at least 30 seconds, then use one's hands to try to pull back either leg just a little more, and hold for as long as possible, perhaps spreading just a little more if possible.
At home, I do one more variation of this leg spread: I lay on my back with my heels against a wall or desk, letting gravity gradually enforce as much of a spread as I can handle without injury. I can let physics do the hard work while I catch up on Twitter or Instagram on my mobile phone.