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My 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.
