Monday, November 12, 2007

Training Log; Nov. 12: TaeKwonDo is Fun!

Here is the problem with going to a really awesome workout about an hour and a half before bed. I am SO jazzed! I am so amped! I have SO MUCH FREAKIN' energy! I feel like putting on my headlamp and going for a hike. Seriously. Wow.

Tonights TKD workout was great, it was much more tame than Thursday's workout (from which I was STILL SORE this morning!) It was a bit more technical, and I tried my hand at counting in Korean, and I did allright until the last three numbers, which almost EVERYONE says differently! WHAT is THAT all about?

Turns out one of the awesome hardcore female black belts in my class is a PEDIATRICIAN! YES! So, that's cool. Because we need one, and if Ethan won't take his medicine, she can just threaten to kick his ass. Just kidding. But I bet they will bond well and he will trust her because he ALSO takes TKD at the same school.

I had forgotten about Martial Arts calluses... the bottoms of my poor little feet are sore. Poor baby. But I remember how good it felt when I finally had thick soled feet when I did this before. Tonight we did one of my favorite drills in the world, the extended roundhouse kick. This is where you kick out, then leave your leg out there in space, with your body in balance for a count of two seconds, then you pull your foot back in and switch legs. I adore super specific drills like that, I love the challenge of getting the pose JUST SO and of how it gets harder and harder as you do it more, because your muscles fatigue. And then when you do it next week, you can do it better, longer, because you are growing your strength, your stamina, and your body/spatial awareness.

One of the best parts of class? I love it when Master Saltz comes down the row as we move across the mat and our kicks end up in unison. He is really powerful, so its cool, because I get a power boost from syncing up with him. Plus, it drives me to do it well, to copy his form. Sweet. Its cool, because he does it with everyone, from the high level belts to us lowly white belts, and me, the lowliest of all, with no stripes.

I still don't have any stripes on my belt, I am not to worried about my belt, I guess, but the only reason I'll test up is so that I can learn more advanced moves, because the forms and the spinning kicks look really FUN!

Tired out my entire legs tonight, its great, (as I found out because I could barely walk on Sunday) the TKD work out does not just thighs, but hams, adductors, calves and glutes. Plus you get a mini core work out from the balance.

Alright, I gotta calm down and get some sleep, I have to build a huge sculpture tomorrow!

PS, if anyone wants to see a blackbelt test, go to TaeKwonDo West this Saturday the 17th at 2:30, two people are testing for their black belts. And NO, these are NOT the suburban black belts we are familiar with that you can earn in a year. These guys had to work for it.

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