Hurts so Good

Fast paced kick-boxing last night, working with R mostly which means I can punch and kick hard during the pad work - when I'm with one of the girls I always feel like I have to hold back a bit so I don't knock them over! T was being hard on me about getting my turning kicks right, making sure I'm turning my hip over properly. This means that by the end of the session my hips were aching, but in a good sort of way that I quite like really (is there something wrong with me to feel that way?) I also managed to trip myself up and fall over during some spinning kicks!

Then Kung Fu, tried to teach the yellow sashes some more Chang Chuan, the problem being that it was the bit that I struggle with myself nowadays because it starts the same as a section of Yang Fan Chuan and I always end up doing that instead 'cos I practise it much more often. I think I got it straight in the end though.

Sparring at the end, I'm enjoying it more and more lately. Paired up with the guy who knows Mok Gar Kung Fu and we gave each other a good fight I think, although I was a bit nervous because we weren't wearing gloves.

After the lesson I went through two-person choy li fut, mantis six-punch and the single person butterfly knives. Still lots to brush up on.

4 Tough Miles

Went running today, didn't feel like it but I need to do some kind of preparation for the inter-departmental race at work this Wednesday - wouldn't want to let the team down!

Gorgeous day but couldn't seem to find my stride or get into it really, at least not until the last mile or so. Managed a bit more than four miles overall. And now my nose is running again. I think I'm going to have to start taking an anti-histamine before I set out if this keeps up.

School's Out

Saturday was the last kids class for a few weeks over Easter. It was already quite quiet - don't know if the gale-force winds put everyone off?

Good class with the littlest ones, they were relatively calm and in a mood to follow instructions, then the beginners (which J joined in with), and finally the improvers, who were surprisingly calm too. One of the J's friends F, who is pretty good, has decided she's going to do the whole of Yang Fan Chuan in one go for the grading. this is good because it will mean she catches up with the group just above her, and can train with them, rather than being the only one doing her grade as she is at the moment. And I'm pleased that she's keen to try - I think she's one of the kids who does KF because she enjoys it, rather than because it's something her parents think she ought to do.

Anyway, my next couple of Saturdays will be a little less manic than usual - in fact we're going to go away for a bit of a break next Friday....

Mirrorball

Women's kickboxing was in a new venue this Friday, the "Dance Studio" at the leisure centre. The floor is wooden which is a big improvement on the tiles and concrete of the old hall, and there are fans so it's cooler, but one of the walls is mirrored. I didn't really enjoy being able to see myself, in fact in was pretty off-putting. I think I need to look through my reflection instead of at it.

It was useful when we were doing horse stance though, as I discovered I don't go nearly as low as I thought I did. More practice needed there I think.

T and I are trying to encourage the women to go for their first grading at the beginning of May. Not sure how much they'll be up for it though - I think most of them see it as more of a fitness class than a martial art at the moment

Rap it up - I'll take it

Thursday's Kung Fu - T introduced a new routine for doing stance work which was pretty good, similar to chang chuan really. Then I got to do single and 2-person pole with the purple sashes who'll be grading on it soon, and revise Choy Li Fut a few times, then Mi Chong. So basically all my favorite forms in one night! I also went through a two-person double sticks drill with the beginners, which is fun, and only got my knuckles rapped once.

One of the guys who use to train with another part of the school in Bath is going to show me his Double Sai form next week. I've always wanted to learn the Sai's, and didn't know that Wutan had a form for them, so there's something to look forward to for some point in the future, hopefully.

Downstairs to Tai Chi, managed to get a short break between which helps a lot, then short form to the left. Single person sword this week, learnt a few more moves, feeling quite comfortable with it this time (I should be as this must be about the fourth time I've been taught it). Double pushing hands to finish, which was difficult as always - not least because everyone else there is about a foot taller than me.

Defenceless

Realised just after leaving home that I'd left all my weapons and my sparring stuff at home - but it was too late to go back, so went I went to Kickboxing and Kung Fu without any of my usual clobber. For the pad work in kickboxing I borrowed some gloves that are heavier than mine, which is good, but as I'm typing this my arms are aching slightly. We started work on the second form tonight, which I learnt in a day about a year ago, so it's a bit hazy, but it seemed to come back to me fairly quickly.

In Kung Fu spent some time going over Siu Lim Tao with the beginners, then some stick work and some Chi Nar (?) locks.

After the class T and me and A, J and N went through Li Pi a few times. I seem to be able to do it at the same pace as them now which is a good sign that I'm about ready to grade on it.

Then we went through the 2-person butterfly knives, I'm happy with the defence side but the attack is still a mystery. Lots to brush up on before the end of April...and I'm going to miss a few lessons around Easter!