I was a little nervous for last night's session, which was mostly focused on kata. I had been practicing 17 or 18 katas really intensely for the few days before that, and I was so worried that they would start to blend into one another and I wouldn't be able to keep them straight if I got a little nervous during the test.
But all said and done I performed 15 of them during the test (including one bo kata), and as far as I know, I did not switch over to Kosokun Dai in the middle of Bassai Dai... yay me!
We also did lots of basics (all Japanese terminology), three-step, endurance, a small show of bunkai, and a little taste of self defense.
Even though we knew tonight's session had a bit of everything, too..... bunkai, one-step, self-defense, free sparring, judging, and the reading of our thesis, I was surprisingly calm all of today, and really spent very little time focused on karate. The things we were covering in tonight's session weren't really things to physically prepare for.
And over all, it was really really fun!
I wasn't too worried about the bunkai, I think I could do that routine in my sleep. And if I may say, I'm really super proud of my thesis... I haven't written any kind of paper since at least Opt school, if not undergrad (Opt school thesis doesn't count since it was a group thing.... kind of). I was most nervous about free sparring, self-defense, and one-step.... in that order.
Except for a brief moment when I completely gave in to a hold of Mitchell's in self-defense (I got over it), I felt I gave {pretty much} the best I could. I say {pretty much} because sometimes it took me a little while to get really riled up enough to be fighting my hardest. When I was almost pinned to the floor in free sparring, I decided that THAT was not happening.... and now I know that I have enough fire in me to get out of a situation like that in real life. I actually can't even imagine how much more strength one would have in a real life or death situation. Crazy!
So overall I'm feeling pretty good.... although REALLY sore!
Have to present 2 katas next Thursday, with "more hips" (the story of my karate life!). And teach a class. And then I am done. (Hopefully). Phew.
Off to the tub again....
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