Sometimes I feel like a moogle. In case you don't know what that is, is a video game character that is cute and gives you items. Except I feel like someone whose job it is to give techniques and kata and act all cute and cheery. These kids don't know how lucky they are learning some of this stuff. I remember when I started aiki class that Applebee's Guy was an ikkyu. He started when he was twelve (he was 19 when I started). I never appreciated it until we started getting some rat bastar- I'm sorry, I mention little angels- in our aiki class. We have this one kid who won't EVER shut up, and Snotshadow won't work with guys (98% of our class). It's rather funny. Somehow I became the- "hey, what's that move?" sensei. I guess it's a niche. Just don't touch my pompom, kupo.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Martial moogling.
Sometimes I feel like a moogle. In case you don't know what that is, is a video game character that is cute and gives you items. Except I feel like someone whose job it is to give techniques and kata and act all cute and cheery. These kids don't know how lucky they are learning some of this stuff. I remember when I started aiki class that Applebee's Guy was an ikkyu. He started when he was twelve (he was 19 when I started). I never appreciated it until we started getting some rat bastar- I'm sorry, I mention little angels- in our aiki class. We have this one kid who won't EVER shut up, and Snotshadow won't work with guys (98% of our class). It's rather funny. Somehow I became the- "hey, what's that move?" sensei. I guess it's a niche. Just don't touch my pompom, kupo.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Renew the Roo.
Other than being totally broke, nothing much has changed. Head Sensei has been going on a renovation spree, and so now we have a men's changing room and a new paint job. Next we will be revamping the downstairs so we could have a kobudo class, which we never had room for before. So, life is okay now.
I have been trying to pass the torch to my kohai, as my sempai have done for me, but nobody apparently wants it. Goth Kid is our next in line for sho-dan in Aiki, and he (along with everyone else) doesn't study at all nor come to class on time. As for karate, it's tournament time so everything is at a stand-still. I started learning Seipai, but ten other people want kata for the tourney. Ugh.
The hardest part about recent event is what is happening with my future. I have to put school ahead of all else, and even those plans aren't set in stone. And then there is Batta. That's another matter entirely for which I don't want to get into. I have been at this school for almost ten years, and yet, if I were to leave in May like I am planning, it wouldn't take long for my impression to be wiped away. That's the law of the land, really, but it does make me sad.
I can only take charge of what I have control of, so I am attempting to fight my depression with kata and P90X. Wish me luck.
I have been trying to pass the torch to my kohai, as my sempai have done for me, but nobody apparently wants it. Goth Kid is our next in line for sho-dan in Aiki, and he (along with everyone else) doesn't study at all nor come to class on time. As for karate, it's tournament time so everything is at a stand-still. I started learning Seipai, but ten other people want kata for the tourney. Ugh.
The hardest part about recent event is what is happening with my future. I have to put school ahead of all else, and even those plans aren't set in stone. And then there is Batta. That's another matter entirely for which I don't want to get into. I have been at this school for almost ten years, and yet, if I were to leave in May like I am planning, it wouldn't take long for my impression to be wiped away. That's the law of the land, really, but it does make me sad.
I can only take charge of what I have control of, so I am attempting to fight my depression with kata and P90X. Wish me luck.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
January Slumps...and bumps
Training has been very...um, strange? I have kept busy with kata and teaching. The attendance is starting to thin out again, which is good. Head sensei went on a refurbishing spree. He built up the male changing room, painted the dojo two different colors, and is making plans to build a studio space in the basement- all while class was in session. And he wonders how he ended up with stones?
I've been trying to nudge people back into being excited abou aiki and iai class. The aiki class suddenly has made the realization that two times a week is not enough for the class, and requested a third class, which Head sensei agreed upon. He also wants to have a weapons class. Wee. Other than that, people are starting to gear up for the tourney.
This is normally the time I make resolutions. I restarted P90X, and am already falling off the horse. I think I should stick to yoga and running. I do need a job though. That's a good resolution.
I've been trying to nudge people back into being excited abou aiki and iai class. The aiki class suddenly has made the realization that two times a week is not enough for the class, and requested a third class, which Head sensei agreed upon. He also wants to have a weapons class. Wee. Other than that, people are starting to gear up for the tourney.
This is normally the time I make resolutions. I restarted P90X, and am already falling off the horse. I think I should stick to yoga and running. I do need a job though. That's a good resolution.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Movies. Good Ones. Of the whole decade.
Batman Begins
Up
V for Vendetta
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Kill Bill vol. 1
The Wrestler
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Lost in Translation
MirrorMask
Coraline
Little Miss Sunshine
I am Legend
Where the Wild Things Are
Sin City
Spirited Away
Wall-E
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Everything is Illuminated
My taste is weird, I know. I like kick-ass adventure as much as thought-provoking movies. Hardly any good martial arts films this decade- lots of BAD ones.
Up
V for Vendetta
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Kill Bill vol. 1
The Wrestler
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Lost in Translation
MirrorMask
Coraline
Little Miss Sunshine
I am Legend
Where the Wild Things Are
Sin City
Spirited Away
Wall-E
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Everything is Illuminated
My taste is weird, I know. I like kick-ass adventure as much as thought-provoking movies. Hardly any good martial arts films this decade- lots of BAD ones.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Oar you happy the year is over?
I am so happy the year is almost at a close. What a rotten training year. I was hurt so friggin much. I was sick a lot too. I am looking for a better year next year. I'd like to compete a bit more too, if the money situation improves.
I already have plans for the school's tourney. I am doing the same oar kata I did last year- hopefully with a better oar. I am pissed, by the way, that the eku has become the weapon du jour at school. Last year it was tonfa. Foobar is starting a kata with it. It is so big on him that when he did an overhead block, he almost tipped over. Anyways, I will do that, and I am learning Chinto, though I am not all that impressed with it yet.
I have simpler resolutions this year- a) get buffer by working out more and eating less junk b) practicing more with my weapons c) devoting more time to sword.
I already have plans for the school's tourney. I am doing the same oar kata I did last year- hopefully with a better oar. I am pissed, by the way, that the eku has become the weapon du jour at school. Last year it was tonfa. Foobar is starting a kata with it. It is so big on him that when he did an overhead block, he almost tipped over. Anyways, I will do that, and I am learning Chinto, though I am not all that impressed with it yet.
I have simpler resolutions this year- a) get buffer by working out more and eating less junk b) practicing more with my weapons c) devoting more time to sword.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Back into the G-roo-ve
In between finishing finals, and beagling around with my evil beagle, I have been doing a lot of thinking about teaching practices of myself and others. A kid- let's call him Chipmunk- told me yesterday that his older brother, who had just recently joined MMA, got his arm broken. Already- within two or three months of training. Now accidents are accidents, but what is sounds like is that the training partner was overzealous, and the brother wouldn't tap. Rule number one in submissions- there are no wusses, only idiots.It seems like their teacher forgot (or didn't bother) to teach control. It's a big problem I find with kids. Now Lurch, who barely comes to class as it is, has always had a problem with controlling his power in sparring. Put a black belt on him, and now he thinks he's God. What he needs is a reality check in the form of a fist or foot hurdling into his face.
The Things, on the other hand, need some kind of concept of time. You can't waltz into an hour long class 15 minutes late and expect to get anything out of it.
*Sigh* sometimes I hate class. Ohter times, I like to watch idiots suffer.
The Things, on the other hand, need some kind of concept of time. You can't waltz into an hour long class 15 minutes late and expect to get anything out of it.
*Sigh* sometimes I hate class. Ohter times, I like to watch idiots suffer.
Friday, December 11, 2009
My imaginary Letter to the Editor of a martial art magazine
Dear Editor,
I am a martial artist, an instructor of martial arts, and an a self-professed scholar. I also happen to like mixed martial arts, primarily for the amusement of watching classically trained martial artists wipe the mat with "brawlers", and for the antics of the "Ultimate Fighter" TV show contestants who should know better. I realize that, although my almost ten years of being involved in this world of martial arts is very short by comparision to others, I have been here long enough to discover some basic universal truths. One; there there will be as many schools and styles of arts as there are students to explore them, and someone's heaven on Earth is another man's Mc Dojo. Two; that no matter what style or school you decide to train in, in the end the one responsible for your growth the most is yourself. And three (and perhaps most naive of me); we martial artists have to stick together, especially in tough times like these.
My senior thesis at college was on the examination of community relationships within the local martial arts community. In English, that means I studied how people in martial arts schools behaved. Although I spent a year bouncing between two karate schools that were as different as peanut butter and jelly, I found many similarities; highly structured activity, closeness within members, and a drive to create harmony out of chaos. The most striking aspect for me was seeing that not only did successful schools run like a well-oiled machine, they were also friendly with each other. We, the martial arts community, can in fact be considered a modern guild. We are different with a common purpose- to disseminate our knowledge, and to make money doing it. Unfortunately, several of our colleagues have chosen to focus on the latter part, and forgo any obligation to be nice at all. As a result, many of us engage in mud-slinging with our students (our "children" that we are supposed to be looking out for) caught in the middle, and as a result, many unscrupulous people are able to prey on them.
Styles and schools within the same style have fought for years about everything from the right age to start training to what it should take to be a black belt. Lately, a lot of the fighting has been exacerbated by the rift formed between traditional and mixed martial arts, or MMA. Essentially, MMA started as a contest to answer the age-old question- what martial art is the best? The Gracies, a family of great martial artists and very smart businesspeople, rode MMA's wave to fame, making Brazilan Jiu Jitsu one of the most popular styles in the world. It didn't take long for watchers to realize that it wasn't the style, but the person who came out on top, and usually they were the fighters that were the most well-rounded. Thus, the multi-style hysteria is born. Nowadays, you are no longer considered "complete" unless you can fight on your feet and your back. This concept horrifies traditional martial artists. After all, how can you master a style when you are studying five all at once? The consequences over the last five to ten years have been incredible. For starters, students want more out of training- more conditioning, more classes, more...everything. Unfortunately, a student'stalent and work ethic often falls short of his zeal. They either leave because they are too schizophrenic with training, or they burn out. As a result, the attrition rate at martial arts schools is now sky high.
This attitude has developed the Generation Me phenomenon, encouraging new martial artists (especially children) to demand that the style work for them, inside of the previous "how can I fit in with the style?" attitude of years past. As a result, many traditional martial artists blame MMA for their problems, but what it's really done is make us evaluate how we can compete in this changing world. Not all of the Me attitude is unjustified- after all, even the most pious of schools are out for a buck, and as such we student/customers ought to get what we pay for. Many old-schoolers have chosen to rest on their laurels and be unfriendly to schools around them, especially to the newer MMA schools. Instead of choosing to advertise our successes with students, we instead put down other schools. X style is not good, or Y teacher is crap, because only I know the right way. And wouldn't you know these are the same people who have not practiced or trained under anyone themselves for several years. The old cliche, "the fancier your belt, the fatter your waistline" is starting to hold true, and that scares me. We are driving our own students away by being stale.
Bruce Lee was a major pioneer in the martial arts world- not because he wanted to prove he was the best- no, because he wanted to share his knowledge with others. He once said- "I am a martial artist first, and an actor second." He was not shy in admitting that he acted for the money, remarking in several instances that he was a terrible actor. But he hoped it would help promote his little nugget of truth- that a style of "no style" made the best martial artist. But many have misinterpreted this comment, believing he advocated quantity over quality. What he really meant was that to think that "this style is the best" or "this works well for this situation" would only serve to stunt your growth as a martial artist, be it one style you study or five. The best philosophy is to open your mind to many. This was not a new concept by any means. Several hundred years before, the great swordsman Musashi indicated in his The Book of Five Rings, that the only things of use where the things you understood. The modern translation would be that although BJJ is "great for ground game" it will be utterly useless to you if you suck at it.
But what does this have to do with community? Well, traditional and MMA schools, I have written this plea to you in hopes that you will realize we are all under attack. We have been for many years, by people who are only interested in making us look bad and profiting highly off of it. Lately, these people are under the guise of MMA, even though their ideals are not even close. You might have seen them in your neighborhood. All of a sudden, thanks to television, more schools than ever are popping up offering MMA. Some of them are already established schools who seem to magically acquire cage fighting skills overnight. They offer maximum training at inflated prices and false promises that they can turn you into a fighter. There seems to be no limit to how low these people will go to steal our students away, and probably the worst of it all is watching them market directly to children. Let the buyer beware- being a member of a school like this will not help you become a professional mixed martial artist, won't teach you self-defense, and will hand you disappointment and an empty wallet. The very usage of MMA in the title of these schools is a joke- teaching bits of several martial arts is not mixed martial arts. Those schools who cannot discern the difference between the sport that is MMA and a school that offers classes in different arts have no business using MMA in their school's title. I find it pointless to offer MMA to people who don't understand that a match is not a real fight (as many teenagers and highly-testosteroned young men don't), or to offer it in a state like NY where competing in it is illegal, and you are several hundred miles away from any venue that allows it. That being said, many MMA schools should be sweating these fraud places. It is a black eye for the sport of MMA as a whole, much like a boot camp for anorexic girls is bad for the sport of gymnastics.
We don't have to agree on everything. I think there is a certain beauty to that. Just look at how vast the world of visual arts is, where Van Gogh can exist with Warhol. There is plenty of room for everyone if we play our cards right, but we have to look out for each other. Stop bickering. Start becoming involved in the community that you are supposed to be supporting. If martial arts is to survive past this Me era, we are going to have to let go of our preconceived notions about how we run things, and get back to what's important. In the end, we teach martial arts for two reasons- because we love it, and want to share that love.
Regards.
I am a martial artist, an instructor of martial arts, and an a self-professed scholar. I also happen to like mixed martial arts, primarily for the amusement of watching classically trained martial artists wipe the mat with "brawlers", and for the antics of the "Ultimate Fighter" TV show contestants who should know better. I realize that, although my almost ten years of being involved in this world of martial arts is very short by comparision to others, I have been here long enough to discover some basic universal truths. One; there there will be as many schools and styles of arts as there are students to explore them, and someone's heaven on Earth is another man's Mc Dojo. Two; that no matter what style or school you decide to train in, in the end the one responsible for your growth the most is yourself. And three (and perhaps most naive of me); we martial artists have to stick together, especially in tough times like these.
My senior thesis at college was on the examination of community relationships within the local martial arts community. In English, that means I studied how people in martial arts schools behaved. Although I spent a year bouncing between two karate schools that were as different as peanut butter and jelly, I found many similarities; highly structured activity, closeness within members, and a drive to create harmony out of chaos. The most striking aspect for me was seeing that not only did successful schools run like a well-oiled machine, they were also friendly with each other. We, the martial arts community, can in fact be considered a modern guild. We are different with a common purpose- to disseminate our knowledge, and to make money doing it. Unfortunately, several of our colleagues have chosen to focus on the latter part, and forgo any obligation to be nice at all. As a result, many of us engage in mud-slinging with our students (our "children" that we are supposed to be looking out for) caught in the middle, and as a result, many unscrupulous people are able to prey on them.
Styles and schools within the same style have fought for years about everything from the right age to start training to what it should take to be a black belt. Lately, a lot of the fighting has been exacerbated by the rift formed between traditional and mixed martial arts, or MMA. Essentially, MMA started as a contest to answer the age-old question- what martial art is the best? The Gracies, a family of great martial artists and very smart businesspeople, rode MMA's wave to fame, making Brazilan Jiu Jitsu one of the most popular styles in the world. It didn't take long for watchers to realize that it wasn't the style, but the person who came out on top, and usually they were the fighters that were the most well-rounded. Thus, the multi-style hysteria is born. Nowadays, you are no longer considered "complete" unless you can fight on your feet and your back. This concept horrifies traditional martial artists. After all, how can you master a style when you are studying five all at once? The consequences over the last five to ten years have been incredible. For starters, students want more out of training- more conditioning, more classes, more...everything. Unfortunately, a student'stalent and work ethic often falls short of his zeal. They either leave because they are too schizophrenic with training, or they burn out. As a result, the attrition rate at martial arts schools is now sky high.
This attitude has developed the Generation Me phenomenon, encouraging new martial artists (especially children) to demand that the style work for them, inside of the previous "how can I fit in with the style?" attitude of years past. As a result, many traditional martial artists blame MMA for their problems, but what it's really done is make us evaluate how we can compete in this changing world. Not all of the Me attitude is unjustified- after all, even the most pious of schools are out for a buck, and as such we student/customers ought to get what we pay for. Many old-schoolers have chosen to rest on their laurels and be unfriendly to schools around them, especially to the newer MMA schools. Instead of choosing to advertise our successes with students, we instead put down other schools. X style is not good, or Y teacher is crap, because only I know the right way. And wouldn't you know these are the same people who have not practiced or trained under anyone themselves for several years. The old cliche, "the fancier your belt, the fatter your waistline" is starting to hold true, and that scares me. We are driving our own students away by being stale.
Bruce Lee was a major pioneer in the martial arts world- not because he wanted to prove he was the best- no, because he wanted to share his knowledge with others. He once said- "I am a martial artist first, and an actor second." He was not shy in admitting that he acted for the money, remarking in several instances that he was a terrible actor. But he hoped it would help promote his little nugget of truth- that a style of "no style" made the best martial artist. But many have misinterpreted this comment, believing he advocated quantity over quality. What he really meant was that to think that "this style is the best" or "this works well for this situation" would only serve to stunt your growth as a martial artist, be it one style you study or five. The best philosophy is to open your mind to many. This was not a new concept by any means. Several hundred years before, the great swordsman Musashi indicated in his The Book of Five Rings, that the only things of use where the things you understood. The modern translation would be that although BJJ is "great for ground game" it will be utterly useless to you if you suck at it.
But what does this have to do with community? Well, traditional and MMA schools, I have written this plea to you in hopes that you will realize we are all under attack. We have been for many years, by people who are only interested in making us look bad and profiting highly off of it. Lately, these people are under the guise of MMA, even though their ideals are not even close. You might have seen them in your neighborhood. All of a sudden, thanks to television, more schools than ever are popping up offering MMA. Some of them are already established schools who seem to magically acquire cage fighting skills overnight. They offer maximum training at inflated prices and false promises that they can turn you into a fighter. There seems to be no limit to how low these people will go to steal our students away, and probably the worst of it all is watching them market directly to children. Let the buyer beware- being a member of a school like this will not help you become a professional mixed martial artist, won't teach you self-defense, and will hand you disappointment and an empty wallet. The very usage of MMA in the title of these schools is a joke- teaching bits of several martial arts is not mixed martial arts. Those schools who cannot discern the difference between the sport that is MMA and a school that offers classes in different arts have no business using MMA in their school's title. I find it pointless to offer MMA to people who don't understand that a match is not a real fight (as many teenagers and highly-testosteroned young men don't), or to offer it in a state like NY where competing in it is illegal, and you are several hundred miles away from any venue that allows it. That being said, many MMA schools should be sweating these fraud places. It is a black eye for the sport of MMA as a whole, much like a boot camp for anorexic girls is bad for the sport of gymnastics.
We don't have to agree on everything. I think there is a certain beauty to that. Just look at how vast the world of visual arts is, where Van Gogh can exist with Warhol. There is plenty of room for everyone if we play our cards right, but we have to look out for each other. Stop bickering. Start becoming involved in the community that you are supposed to be supporting. If martial arts is to survive past this Me era, we are going to have to let go of our preconceived notions about how we run things, and get back to what's important. In the end, we teach martial arts for two reasons- because we love it, and want to share that love.
Regards.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Sometimes life sucks.
I am hurt again. I ended up twisting my neck in a real odd way two weeks ago and gave myself "spasmic torticullis", which sounds much cooler than "muscle spasm". I also had my bad rib out again, and as a result haven't been doing much of anything. I am very wonky to say the least.
Prior to that I had been doing really good at P90X. In 3 weeks I had worked up to doing 5 pull-ups and was just starting to get some definition when the thing with my neck happened. I was in a half-sleep two weeks ago and turned my neck too quickly. Pop. Followed by not being able to get out of bed for nearly 4 hours after that. So as a result, I cannot do much of anything exercise-wise until my neck heals. So, there pretty much goes my only source of serotonin, which is excellent timing- right around finals. Did I also mention I quit soda?
I completely understand now why a lot of people can't stick to an exercise or diet plan, when there is so much stress. I would just like to be able to do yoga again. I am very, very frustrated. I just have to wait it out.
Prior to that I had been doing really good at P90X. In 3 weeks I had worked up to doing 5 pull-ups and was just starting to get some definition when the thing with my neck happened. I was in a half-sleep two weeks ago and turned my neck too quickly. Pop. Followed by not being able to get out of bed for nearly 4 hours after that. So as a result, I cannot do much of anything exercise-wise until my neck heals. So, there pretty much goes my only source of serotonin, which is excellent timing- right around finals. Did I also mention I quit soda?
I completely understand now why a lot of people can't stick to an exercise or diet plan, when there is so much stress. I would just like to be able to do yoga again. I am very, very frustrated. I just have to wait it out.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Roo...a lowly holiday from martial arts
Things have been a mess lately. I've been under a lot of stress. School has been kicking my butt. And my interest in martial arts has been really dampened because of it. It's been difficult to even do little things martial arts wise- I have working on Tekki Shodan, not a complicated kata, but I'm just not up to it. So this week I have missed class, and I am just trying to reflect on how I managed to get to this point.
This past weekend, we had a guy run a grappling clinic. The guy was shaped like a bulldog. I think it went way over most of our heads. It is hard to pass guard without knowing what guard is. If we do this again, I'd like to start with the defensive aspects, instead of trying to do a banana split on people that are afraid to rub up against each other.
That day, Applebee's Guy showed up with his dad. He gained some weight and looked old. I had to remind myself he's still two years younger than I am. I had to wonder if he was thinking where he would be right now if he were still with us. Were there any regrets? Maybe he didn't miss it at all. I guess that's what's been really bothering me. I have been thinking about leaving this all behind recently. I still will do martial arts, but I want to be somewhere else. Roo.
This past weekend, we had a guy run a grappling clinic. The guy was shaped like a bulldog. I think it went way over most of our heads. It is hard to pass guard without knowing what guard is. If we do this again, I'd like to start with the defensive aspects, instead of trying to do a banana split on people that are afraid to rub up against each other.
That day, Applebee's Guy showed up with his dad. He gained some weight and looked old. I had to remind myself he's still two years younger than I am. I had to wonder if he was thinking where he would be right now if he were still with us. Were there any regrets? Maybe he didn't miss it at all. I guess that's what's been really bothering me. I have been thinking about leaving this all behind recently. I still will do martial arts, but I want to be somewhere else. Roo.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Roo! An Aiki sho-dan
Sunday was....how do I put it? Hell. Yep, it was Hell. But for hte first time ever, we actually started on time. Foobar's test was a lot shorter than I thought it would be, primarily because he's so small, he only had a 3 uke line. So things flew. Thank God he knew his vocab, but I don't put any faith in him remembering anything or staying long enough for ni-dan.
The baby ni-dan tests.....I seriously might kill them all. Wheezy Kid STILL can't do a back fall, Lurch kicked a kid in the face (and can't roll out of throws), and Frankenstein still wrestles instead of using...I dunno ANYTHING we taught him to do. I can't stand them, and hope they all quit. Soon.
My karate ni-dan test was much longer than I thought it would be, and I didn't get any comments about it. I dunno if that's good or not. Goth kid tested for ni-dan, and that was pretty uneventful.And then my aiki test came about. It was long, tiring, painful, etc. It wasn't the big fanfare that I was hoping, and I was rather discouraged when most of my critiques came out of things that were Head Sensei's fault. Stupid bobbles in reishiki, etc. It all seemed to stem from the fact that every other school that teaches aiki does so 3x a week, while we teach 2 1/2hours a week total. Shit.
The baby ni-dan tests.....I seriously might kill them all. Wheezy Kid STILL can't do a back fall, Lurch kicked a kid in the face (and can't roll out of throws), and Frankenstein still wrestles instead of using...I dunno ANYTHING we taught him to do. I can't stand them, and hope they all quit. Soon.
My karate ni-dan test was much longer than I thought it would be, and I didn't get any comments about it. I dunno if that's good or not. Goth kid tested for ni-dan, and that was pretty uneventful.And then my aiki test came about. It was long, tiring, painful, etc. It wasn't the big fanfare that I was hoping, and I was rather discouraged when most of my critiques came out of things that were Head Sensei's fault. Stupid bobbles in reishiki, etc. It all seemed to stem from the fact that every other school that teaches aiki does so 3x a week, while we teach 2 1/2hours a week total. Shit.
Monday, October 12, 2009
So pooped.
The non-stop rain has made it impossible to get outside to practice, so I have been doing whatever kata I can fit in a tiny enclosed space. My main conern this weekend is my aiki test and keeping healthy. I hurt my toes doing my idori- probably because I didn't warm them up properly.So I have to be really vigilant about what I do with the balls of my feet. Stupid toes.
I did make this belt rack (finally) that I have been meaning to do for 6 years now. It's alright.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Pit Bulls are not vicious creatures :)
So yes, lots of promotions. And for me, I think this next weekend will be my last with the school. My grades as of late are suffering, and so is my body. Taking three arts is fun , but not very smart for somebody whose body falls apart at a whim. If and when I move to chiro. school (again, this time out of state) I will let my martial arts take the brunt of my lack of time management skills and only study one for maybe twice a week for the couple of years I am in school.
Enough of that. Here is (how we think) next Sunday is going to go:
- Foobar's baby sho-dan test
- Frankenstein, Wheezy Kid, and Lurch test for baby ni-dan
- My ni-dan test for karate (the adult version, dammit!)
- (hopefully) some lunch
- Goth Kid's ni-dan test
- My aiki sho-dan test
Monday, September 14, 2009
Questions asked by 14 year olds online...and my answers
1. Who would win in a fight between (guy a) and (guy b)? The better guy. How about (wildlife) and (guy)? wild animal. What if (guy) had a gun? Guy with gun. What about (dead guy) and (other guy)? Other guy, because dead guy is DEAD. But what if (dead guy) was brought back to life in his prime? He'd probably have better things to do than fight a douchebag like...make crappy kids flicks and make shit loads of money (Jackie Chan...)Okay but what if (guy a) and (guy b) fought, and one of them had a gun? Well, provided that said gunholder can successfully use gun without blowing own face off, the gunholder.
2. Should I fight this guy? Um...no. But he totally disrespected me. And...And I wanna fight him. Well you've already made up your mind to get your ass kicked, so why are bothering to ask?
3. Is (art) effective in street fights? First, lemme ask you a question; what do you think a street fight is? Do you even know? Unless you are currently located in the slums of an inner-city, living in a housing project run by drug lords and your momma wants you off the street at every night at dark to avoid being a stat in the city's homicide count, then DON'T FUCKING TELL ME, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW, OR IF YOU DID YOU'D KNOW THIS IS A STUPID QUESTION! You wanna know what's 100% effective in street fights? Stay off the street.
2. Should I fight this guy? Um...no. But he totally disrespected me. And...And I wanna fight him. Well you've already made up your mind to get your ass kicked, so why are bothering to ask?
3. Is (art) effective in street fights? First, lemme ask you a question; what do you think a street fight is? Do you even know? Unless you are currently located in the slums of an inner-city, living in a housing project run by drug lords and your momma wants you off the street at every night at dark to avoid being a stat in the city's homicide count, then DON'T FUCKING TELL ME, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW, OR IF YOU DID YOU'D KNOW THIS IS A STUPID QUESTION! You wanna know what's 100% effective in street fights? Stay off the street.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Roo! A test date!
So finally after waiting...and waiting...and waiting, I finally found my test date for both aiki and karate. It will be the 26th of this month. I can't wait for it to be over. I feel ready. I have worked out all the bugs, and now it will be a battle to practice enough while juggling college.
For the last week I have been teaching a lot- mostly the upper belt juniors. I am trying to get them to hold themselves up to a different standard than that of an eight-year old child, but sometimes I think rich kids wanna be babies forever. Well, I know my rank sheet...clearly, that's all I need- or rather, want. It makes me wonder why so many of these same kids wanna do MMA. There's no ranks to be had. Oh, and by the way, MMA is not the same as hodj-podj. I'd like to tell that to the resident martial art mogul/idiot who opened up a children's MMA school out of a local bowling alley. *SSSIIIGGGHHHH!*
Okay, every once in a while, I like to write out my lists of pet peeves. So here goes:
For the last week I have been teaching a lot- mostly the upper belt juniors. I am trying to get them to hold themselves up to a different standard than that of an eight-year old child, but sometimes I think rich kids wanna be babies forever. Well, I know my rank sheet...clearly, that's all I need- or rather, want. It makes me wonder why so many of these same kids wanna do MMA. There's no ranks to be had. Oh, and by the way, MMA is not the same as hodj-podj. I'd like to tell that to the resident martial art mogul/idiot who opened up a children's MMA school out of a local bowling alley. *SSSIIIGGGHHHH!*
Okay, every once in a while, I like to write out my lists of pet peeves. So here goes:
- Children of the same rank and age rank the same. That one day of difference really doesn't matter. So if I catch another pair of same-ranked kids bumbling over each other to line up, I'm gonna punt 'em.
- You cannot learn new kata by watching. Ever.
- Parents, stop dressing your kids. They needed that skill for kindergarten.
- Sword sensei- little bites...little bites. Not whole sandwich. Not unless you're a hound.
- If I see an unclaimed weapon, manual, or piece of sparring gear thrown carelessly onto the floor, I will follow the beagle property law- it's mine.
- You are not above sweeping the floor...Snotball.
- If class starts at 6, that means 6pm. Not roll out the changing room at 6. Not arrive at 6. Be dressed and ready to go AT 6.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Cute and Fluffy!
Today I was called by a friend "Stitch" for my ability do aiki rolls without a sound. He said, "Not calling you a little blue monster or anything." To which I replied, "But I am cute and fluffy." "Sure, he said without thinking. That was a nice moment. He got ranked today in karate. Aiki sensei came back from a long stretch away. That is very good. I hate having to lead class. Sarge and her kid have employed me for private lessons to get them ready for black belt. They are good students. I dunno how I will hold onto the "fun" of martial arts class now that I am going to school again. Ugh. We'll see.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Boring Summer
Nothing has happened really this summer. Batta is home for the summer break. A lot of people either quit or come once in a blue moon- I don't hold my breath that it will stay that way, though. Bailout left for Japan, where no doubt her world will come crashing down when she realizes she can't do half the things she thought she could. I can't wait to hear her complain about getting hit during her first round of shotokan full-contact sparring. We have been working very little iai. Sword sensei is sick, and Head sensei is busy with karate. Foobar, now t-minus 6 months to his black belt test, has suddenly figured out he's screwed. He has no self-defense skills, can't throw the kids closest to his size (all two of them), and the worst of all CAN'T READ HIS MANUAL! Apparently his mom has been reading it for him. It's past sad now. Oh, and after a 3 month hiatus, Wheezy Kid has made his triumphant return. Hasn't changed one bit. I might kill him.
Although I supposed to test for ni-dan this summer, that didn't happen. Head Honcho sensei was just too busy. Instead I will do both my aiki sho-dan and my karate ni-dan on the same date. Bah. It's been a fight to stay interested in martial arts, with all the adults checking out left and right.I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Although I supposed to test for ni-dan this summer, that didn't happen. Head Honcho sensei was just too busy. Instead I will do both my aiki sho-dan and my karate ni-dan on the same date. Bah. It's been a fight to stay interested in martial arts, with all the adults checking out left and right.I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Summer of Schnauzer
I haven't been writing lately because I was in Austin, visiting my brother and his schnauzer. It was quite interesting, and I really enjoyed the time off. I came in to class Wednesday night, but wasn't feeling well. Hopefully, I will be back to my old self by Monday. I am trying to get my head together because I will be (supposedly) testing for my aiki sho-dan in a couple weeks. I'm still kinda bah about it, and my study buddy is busy studying for things that matter. It's times like this I wish I had a cute, cuddly schnauzer of my own. Squeak.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Unlikely Friends to a Martial Artist
1. Downy Wrinkle Releaser- for when you just don't have time to press your gi.
2. Moleskin- for stick-to-your-foot cushiness.
3. Febreeze- when you remember you forgot to wash your gi, and it's 10 minutes before class.
4. the perfect pushup bars- nice on your hands, and help you get in shape.
5. boxing hand wraps- better than "bag gloves"
6. travel sized nail clippers- for short nails as a common courtesy to your fellow gym mates
7. Rite Aid toe cushions- meant for bunions, they work as a surprisingly good toe splint, and did I mention they are cushy?
8. Sambo shoes- for those special sketchy-looking dojo floors/ petri dish for ringworm.
9. bleach + H20- hurray for disease control!
10. dollar store mesh laundry bag- for when $80 is simply too much to pay for to protect your gear.
11. Dixie Cups- why not?
12. Lidocaine patches- it lasts for 12 hours!
13. Travel size Tylenol- just because.
14. pens- because you always gotta write something down.
15. pilates weighted ball- because most kids wouldn't know the meaning of chi if it hit them in the face, a nylon weighted ball in their hands makes those shitty presses in their katas that they do a hell of a lot harder to accomplish.
16. cosmic brownies- when you're about to crash from low sugar levels
17. Tide pen- see #16.
18. tissues- because inevitably, your nose runs whenever some kid is tying up the bathroom.
19. a pocket calendar- for figuring out if you're working on training days.
20. more of #16 and 17.
2. Moleskin- for stick-to-your-foot cushiness.
3. Febreeze- when you remember you forgot to wash your gi, and it's 10 minutes before class.
4. the perfect pushup bars- nice on your hands, and help you get in shape.
5. boxing hand wraps- better than "bag gloves"
6. travel sized nail clippers- for short nails as a common courtesy to your fellow gym mates
7. Rite Aid toe cushions- meant for bunions, they work as a surprisingly good toe splint, and did I mention they are cushy?
8. Sambo shoes- for those special sketchy-looking dojo floors/ petri dish for ringworm.
9. bleach + H20- hurray for disease control!
10. dollar store mesh laundry bag- for when $80 is simply too much to pay for to protect your gear.
11. Dixie Cups- why not?
12. Lidocaine patches- it lasts for 12 hours!
13. Travel size Tylenol- just because.
14. pens- because you always gotta write something down.
15. pilates weighted ball- because most kids wouldn't know the meaning of chi if it hit them in the face, a nylon weighted ball in their hands makes those shitty presses in their katas that they do a hell of a lot harder to accomplish.
16. cosmic brownies- when you're about to crash from low sugar levels
17. Tide pen- see #16.
18. tissues- because inevitably, your nose runs whenever some kid is tying up the bathroom.
19. a pocket calendar- for figuring out if you're working on training days.
20. more of #16 and 17.
Monday, July 13, 2009
The gut-wretching episode that was the UFC 100 dinner....and a bad batch of food
So my sister, Batta, and I went to the local dive bar that was showing UFC 100 after fruitlessly trying to get a seat at another dive bar where the food is slightly better and there was pie to be had. The last time we went there for a PPV, a fight broke out, so it wasn't a total loss. It was less crowded here, and the people actually looked like they were old enough to drink, not to mention they actually knew who was on the card that night.
And the food is...still haunting me. I was so hungry- literally waking up after a 2 hour nap just 20 minutes before we had to go, I was starving. And since none of us were beer drinkers, we had to order something we could milk for a whole PPV- onion rings, french fries, moz sticks...ever notice that food for fight watching would never be touched by self-respecting fighters? Anyways, so we ate and ate, watching the tv and discussing techniques we saw. There was a lot of nice things I saw- Akiyama's first win and how happy he was (even if the fight was kind of a draw), GSP's clinic on takedowns (the man is GOD), and Dan Henderson's elbow sandwich of Bisping's face...ouch. All of this was shattered by the circus that is Brock Lesnar, and a 24 hour bout with everything Pepto Bismol treats.
Baby Brock, as I like to call him, reminds me of one of those kids who got kicked off the football team for his inability to "play nice with others" , and now bitterly thinks the world owes him something. The thing that scares most martial artists, traditional or otherwise, is not his bad-boy persona, show-boating, or his lack of tact in show-boating (fingers, public declaration of wife-screwing, or otherwise), it's the fact that he's actually appealing to young kids as cool. That's exactly what we need- a ton of Brock wanna-bes with more boisterous behavior and less talent. It's a future many teachers fear will be for their Snotballs or Frankensteins if such behavior is rewarded. And another thing...what the hell are 10 year olds watching UFC for??? Really, bad parenting for the win, or what?
I don't want to encourage Baby Brock one way or another- he's an okay at-best martial artist (which is different from being a good fighter, which he is), and he's not that interesting as a "bad guy" if that's what he is going for (he wasn't that particularly interesting the first time he tried it in the WWE). So I will wait until it all blows over, which for guys like him always ends one of three ways; 1) he gets arrested 2) he gets fired or 3) he becomes a footnote by getting knocked out by someone with talent.
And the food is...still haunting me. I was so hungry- literally waking up after a 2 hour nap just 20 minutes before we had to go, I was starving. And since none of us were beer drinkers, we had to order something we could milk for a whole PPV- onion rings, french fries, moz sticks...ever notice that food for fight watching would never be touched by self-respecting fighters? Anyways, so we ate and ate, watching the tv and discussing techniques we saw. There was a lot of nice things I saw- Akiyama's first win and how happy he was (even if the fight was kind of a draw), GSP's clinic on takedowns (the man is GOD), and Dan Henderson's elbow sandwich of Bisping's face...ouch. All of this was shattered by the circus that is Brock Lesnar, and a 24 hour bout with everything Pepto Bismol treats.
Baby Brock, as I like to call him, reminds me of one of those kids who got kicked off the football team for his inability to "play nice with others" , and now bitterly thinks the world owes him something. The thing that scares most martial artists, traditional or otherwise, is not his bad-boy persona, show-boating, or his lack of tact in show-boating (fingers, public declaration of wife-screwing, or otherwise), it's the fact that he's actually appealing to young kids as cool. That's exactly what we need- a ton of Brock wanna-bes with more boisterous behavior and less talent. It's a future many teachers fear will be for their Snotballs or Frankensteins if such behavior is rewarded. And another thing...what the hell are 10 year olds watching UFC for??? Really, bad parenting for the win, or what?
I don't want to encourage Baby Brock one way or another- he's an okay at-best martial artist (which is different from being a good fighter, which he is), and he's not that interesting as a "bad guy" if that's what he is going for (he wasn't that particularly interesting the first time he tried it in the WWE). So I will wait until it all blows over, which for guys like him always ends one of three ways; 1) he gets arrested 2) he gets fired or 3) he becomes a footnote by getting knocked out by someone with talent.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Weather the Storm
Today was very interesting day. Not only was it Tanabata today, but a MMA school opened just two doors down from us. I looked at the door at its stark emptiness (the school is a basement) and it just says "MMA". I have to admit, I turned my head in curiosity like a beagle. A year ago, I would not have considered such a thing happening- now, I'm not surprised. I immediately wondered who in this small town is qualified to teach such a thing. I wonder if it's one of those schools that teach you MMA like it's an actual "style". It should be interesting to see what happens with that place. I think we should do something to welcome them into the neighborhood, like... make them a fruitcake or something.
So I go in into school (and I normally do not go to Tuesday class, as I have said before) and I could not believe the debaughery that was going on there. Frankenstein trying to run warm-ups...and then Foobar running combos *stick fork in eye here* I CAN'T STAND KIDS! So where is Head sensei during all of this? Teaching Bailout how to use kama...and she kept dropping them. *sigh* MMA is tempting me...
So anyways, I am setting up my bamboo tree like I always do. This year, the holiday will be on Wednesday class, the more populated of the week, so a day late. I am feeling in need of a joyous occasion.
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