Monthly Archives: January 2017

Keeping up the hard work

Day 3, this is probably the hardest day of the Karate 2 week intensive.
Your muscles all around your body are throbbing and cramping up, your energy is running low and your mind is wondering all over the place and makes it hard to focus on an activity.

However as I walked into class today feeling all of these things, I was thinking about what I was doing.II was motivated to participate in the 2 week intensive, not only for the Japan Scholarship but for my self growth, and for my training to help me get to my next goal. So as I walked up the stairs and sat in seiza I was thinking “A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.” Joyce Brothers, so I started thinking about what I want to get out of the two week intensive:

1) Expand outside my box – This 2 two week intensive is perfect for self growth, as it is a high intensive workout that takes a lot of motivation and determination to keep up and attend every class till the end. This is definitely very different to my normal weekly karate schedule, and I do believe that this will help me grow body and soul with the amount of high intense Karate that I will be doing,

2) Basics – Because I have been starting the afternoon classes at 3:45 with the little champions I have been able to work on the basics of karate a lot more. This, focusing on my heels sticking to the ground for my stances, working on my body structure (keeping my head up and my shoulders back) and also working on the end position of my kicks and punches.

3) Preparation for the Scholarship – If I am the one to receive the Japan scholarship, this training we are doing now is perfect, especially the morning classes.  With the fast speed activities in the heat and sweat running down my face I imagine the circumstances that will be far more intense and hotter with lots more high intense body movement while training in Japan with Soka Sensei and I know this current training is valuable.

With these goals in my mind, it will be all the motivation I will need to keep me pushing through the pain and the heat and I will be able to achieve my goals.

I am very much looking forward to the training  and the lessons yet  to be learnt during the next week and a half of this intensive.

 

What motivates me

As the second day of the training intensive is over, I am pondering on what I want to get out of the next two weeks in the dojo. I have two main motives for my training, one is to attend every lesson as a requirement for the training scholarship, and the other is to see how I feel after I complete the two week intensive. I know that if I can complete the training intensive (and in this hot weather), any doubts of being able to train in other situations will be quashed.

I am already feeling soreness in my muscles, but it is a good kind of soreness. And I know by day 4 or 5 my muscles should be used to it. Stretching was a big part of tonight’s class on day 2, and flexibility relies on consistent stretching. I am far from the most flexible guy in the world (or even our class), and improving flexibility is one of the things that should greatly improve my overall karate, in both technique and control. It will be good to see if I can improve my hip and leg flexibility over the next two weeks with more stretching than usual.

Image is not a true representation of my current flexibility 🙂

Expand your Box out of your comfort zone

This morning in Class Sensai Sandra talked about Pushing the lines of your Comfort zone, not only in karate but every aspect in your life. But talking in a karate circumstance like this morning, Sensai Sandra led us through some very high intensive high speed basics and kata’s, it was hot, sweaty and sticky,  what you do is push through it keep going at your best ability, don’t worry if your techniques are off target or you feel as though your all over the place and nothing is working, just keep going, keep pushing and if you can do that you expand your abilities and your expectations of yourself expand. There is obviously times to relax and be comfortable and then expand outside your limits, if you can keep this going you will always be moving forward in life, you will grow and change and expand. The challenge is to not only be out of your comfort zone when other people are pushing you, but learn to push yourself out of your comfort zone as well, just like self discipline learn to be able to do it to yourself and that way you can grow faster and in your own time.

I found today I was pushing through all the hotness and fatigue, I tried to set an example so I could help the people around me to not give up and to push through it with me, so they could look to me and share my spirit and energy with me.

I like to think I’ve always done this since I’ve been doing karate, I remember always looking to the more advanced belts and tried to do what they was doing following by there example, I think that helped me get to where I am today not just in karate but my life outside of karate as well.

Selina – Monday the 9th

One down. Nine to go.

Before this week started, my thoughts went in the direction of ‘I’m going to die’ and ‘I really should not have spent the last two weeks eating and sleeping’. Today during 3.5 hours of training I only thought I would die once. Then the endorphins kicked in and I couldn’t stop smiling.

What drives someone to put their minds and bodies through two weeks of, after no physical activity for two weeks past, what I constitute as hell?

Ask me in two weeks.

I’m kidding. It’s not really hell. It’s a challenge, sure, but one that everyone has volunteered for. The difficulty is why I’m doing it. It’s something I’ve never done before and this is the furthest my mind and body will be pushed to the limits. Mainly the mind.

My goal for this intensive: get rid of thoughts like ‘I’m dead’ or ‘I can’t do anymore I need a rest’. These thoughts are poison and do not have a place in my head. For me, this intensive is about strengthening my mind, and maybe regaining some of the muscle lost over the break. Putting your mind and body through something like this is what makes or breaks a person. You either quit, or come out stronger.

While body and mind will suffer, this fortnight I refuse to break. This is the next part of my karate journey and it’s time to tackle it with gusto.

1st day training – getting back into it

1st Morning Class of 2017

It has been two weeks off from regular training classes, and it sure is good to be back in the dojo. Training started early at 6am, which is a change for me as I don’t normally do the morning sessions (I am not an early riser). The focus on this morning’s class was mainly kihons (basics). Doing kihons after a two week break is a great way to get the cobwebs out. Even a short break from regular training I can find myself a bit out of sorts, but by the end of the lesson things were feeling familiar again. As a welcome surprise I was presented with my 1st Dan black belt and certificate by Sensei Martin, having been sent all the way from Kumamoto, Japan by Soke Sensei.

1st Evening Class of 2017

The 6 to 8 pm class is where you will normally find me most days. Training at dusk suits my schedule and it usually has cooled down by then (not tonight though). There was a good turn out of students in the class, and a good spread of belt colours. We did the majority of the class in groups or with partners, with a focus on using our reach for the first part of the class. Reach is important for a couple of reasons, first it will give you maximum distance in the least amount of time. It also helps with not coming within range of your opponent. To achieve maximum reach, good posture and turning of the hips is very important. The latter part of the class we were focusing on getting our left and right sides of the body to work together in unison. Especially looking at the pull back to finish at the same time as the punch, by going through many different kata. Sensei Martin asked us to look at two things from other’s kata; observe one thing that they did really well and try to incorporate it into our own kata, and one thing that needs improvement and see if we are also needing improvement in the same area. It was a great first day back and I am looking forward to the consistent training over the next two weeks.

First Class of the week

So was a great start to the two week intensive, was great to see so may people there for the first morning class of the week hopefully everyone keeps up the great work. Was a nice intensive class to start off with. Cant wait for the afternoon session!

Training in 2017 – Sam Hunt

A bit about me and training scholarship

Hi, I am Sam Hunt and I am one of three participants going for the 2017 training scholarship in Japan. My karate journey started just over three years ago, never being involved in any martial arts before. I will be turning 30 this year and I feel that after achieving my First Dan black belt only a few months ago, my best karate is ahead of me. I will using the two week training intensive to get back into the swing of things. Updates will be provided via this blog to share my learnings and what motivates me to train every day.

Up coming 2 week intensive

I cant believe the 2 week intensive is starting tomorrow. been waiting for it for a while now. I’m so keen on learning so many new things in the upcoming weeks and probably doing lots of hard work and sweating, what a great way to start the year. I shall see everyone at the 6:00 am start tomorrow morning.