New Year's Eve.. completed

YES! In spite of hardly any room to move, and half a dozen people interrupting the area where I am training consistently, I have succeeded in my goal of doing 209 Chudan Tsuki ( middle punches), 209 Mae Geri ( Front kicks), and 29 Kata to bring in the New Year.

My Goals last year were:

Kihon: To work on my right fist so that it is more solid, and constant. To unite my body's effort when doing push ups so that I do not stress my shoulders.

Kata: To compete at a Tournament in Montreal this spring as a Kyokushin Adult in Kata competition.

Kumite: To work on keeping my guard hands up at in a better level when sparring so that they can be useful.

I'm quite happy to state that I have improved in my Kihon goals. My push ups are more controlled, and united. My fists could stand improvement, but I have managed to bring up the level of my efforts.

I was not able to achieve my goal to compete at a Tournament in Montreal, BUT I did travel to Montreal, and trained with 3 wonderful Sensei. I brought home some Bo kata to work upon.

In Kumite, I have been successful in keeping my hands more up, and forwards. I will continue to work on this aspect.

This year I have a different goal for all three areas of my training:

I want to focus on improving my inner mental condition.

In Kihon, I want to learn to see each technique as worthy of it's own existence, and focus on the quality of that movement alone rather than thinking of the past, or future.

In Kata, I want to learn to see beyond each movement, and live outside of the technique seeing applications, and meaning.

In Kumite, I want to learn to anticipate my opponent's attacks.

I wish you all a most wonderful, healthy, and joyful New Year! Good training to you.

Christmas, and 2 weeks of no classes

I received a wonderful Christmas gift from my husband. He chauffered me to the dojo where I used to train years and years ago under my first Sensei. I was able to visit with some Sempai, and fellow students that I used to train with, and meet some wonderful new friends. I was so proud of their achievements, some had gone forwards, and earned their black belt. Some had competed nationally, and won the Gold medal for Team kata. I barely recognized some of the students as they once were small teenagers, and now were adults. It was a wonderful day of sharing time, energy, and training together.

Yesterday was the final class of this year, and I face 2 weeks of no classes due to the Holidays. This is the aspect of Christmas that I like the least because my body does not understand "holiday". It needs a constant regime of stretching, and working out, or it causes me trouble. I will have to find moments of sandwiched time inbetween the extra parties, and celebrations, and lack of classes available to personally train in the small confined space of my living room as my children try to walk past me to go to the kitchen, or such. I'm going to try to pay a drop in fee, and visit a nearby health facility to work on the machines there to keep up my endurance, if possible. IF the gym is open, and available, I'll sneak in there to do kata.

My husband saw the sad look in my eyes at the thought of no classes for 14 days, and he offered to allow me to practice my self defense applications on him during his vacation days. I might just take him up on that offer ( more than once).