New training club

Now that I am working away from home during the week, I have joined a karate club in Bracknell - The Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association. It's a great club. It is quite small but the teaching and training is very high quality.

I have learnt quite a few new basics, particularly ones which include a half step - something I never used to train in but I am glad I picked this up!!! Also, Sensei has helped me with my Ushiro Geri - it's coming along nicely since he told me to step in to the reverse position with my standing leg. Rather than twist my foot on the spot whilst doing the kick. Obviously a good opponent would spot this but, it makes me feel good doing an ushiro geri - feels much better (& looks it too).

Musashi book

Finished it.

It was a very good read. It gave a very good insight in to the possible life and culture of a samurai.

However, I really liked it because it talked about Takuan as well. Takuan is the Zen Master who wrote the letters in the book "The Unfettered Mind" (I think - my mind is a bit fettered).

Musashi

I am currently reading the book "Musashi" about the life & times of Miyamoto Mushashi - the greatest Samurai that ever lived.

Resting injuries

About 3 weeks ago, I felt a strain in my left calf muscle. Did I rest it? No. I was so happy to be in the groove with my running and training that I ignored it. 1 week later and I felt the strain again. In fact it stopped me from going for my run - I had only jogged 100 metres when the pain was too much and I had to turn-around and walk home.

So, for the past 2 weeks I've rested it. No running and very limited running during karate training sessions. Yesterday morning and this morning I was back to my daily 1.5 mile run! Excellent. I'm really pleased that I rested it. I'm also very pleased that I was able to get back to running 1.5 miles without any stopping. Now, back to building this up to 2.5 miles, then 3.3 miles, etc.... until I'm up to 5 miles.

Curse those injuries!

Training update

I currently have a pulled muscle in my calf. It went during the warm up last Friday (but, it had gone previously to that). So, as it's been recurring I haven't done any training for a week. I'll go back tonight but, I won't do any jogging.

This has put a big hole in my training! Grrr!

Anyway, it's the 2nd grading of my students this Sunday - so I need to focus my attention on that.

Karate & Ki by Kenji Ushiro Sensei cont'd

The book arrived on Wednesday and I have almost read through it.

I really like his use of riding a bike as a metaphor - did you ever know anyone who knew how to ride a bike as a result of reading about it? No - you have to do it (and fall off a few times probably). But, then it is ingrained, intuitive, automatic, subconscious.

(A bit ironic writing a book about that subject :-)

His book has helped me make sense of a number of concepts that I have read about in classic martial arts books like "the unfettered mind", "book of five rings", "the life giving sword".

Karate & Ki by Kenji Ushiro Sensei

I have always been interested in Ki energy - particularly from the point of view of penetrating your opponents mind and making them fear you - so that you don't have to fight.

Last night, I found some articles by Tenji Ushiro Sensei on the Internet. Absolutely brilliant! I practiced applying what he was talking about and I believe I made a breakthrough.

Looking forward to testing it in tonight's training session.

I have ordered his book & I can't wait for it to arrive.