Broken Boards & stuff
Feb. 13th, 2006 09:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
redthroatedloonI actually broke two boards today -- yes, I did. Really.
You see, I've decided to try taking karate again (I took it for about eight years back in my youth), and found a small women-only school that operates out of a rehearsal studio in the West 30s. It's a fascinating place -- chairs and sofas in the hallways, scads of nervous 20-somethings who were clutching scripts for various auditions, good-looking actor types there to rehearse a scene... And there I was, all flabby 50-something and feeling like I was in the absolutely wrong place. Scared the shit out of me. First time I was up there, I nearly gave it up then and there.
But I'm enjoying the class, even though I'm in terrible shape and can't stretch hardly nowhere. Today the teacher had us break boards (because she says it gives confidence). The other three newbies chose to do it with their fists; I chose to do it as a kick, because, quite frankly, I have more confidence in my legs than in my arms. (Why everybody seemed to think I was especially brave I sure as hell don't know -- as far as I was concerned, I was taking the easy way out.) The first board was four inches thick, and not much trouble for anyone. The second was six inches, and twice I kicked it out of the teacher's hand rather than breaking it. She said it was her fault, because her hand was tired from holding the board -- so she put it between two chairs, and I was able to get it.
It was sorta cool, I have to admit. But I'll be glad to get back to relearning stances, and katas, and stuff.
You see, I've decided to try taking karate again (I took it for about eight years back in my youth), and found a small women-only school that operates out of a rehearsal studio in the West 30s. It's a fascinating place -- chairs and sofas in the hallways, scads of nervous 20-somethings who were clutching scripts for various auditions, good-looking actor types there to rehearse a scene... And there I was, all flabby 50-something and feeling like I was in the absolutely wrong place. Scared the shit out of me. First time I was up there, I nearly gave it up then and there.
But I'm enjoying the class, even though I'm in terrible shape and can't stretch hardly nowhere. Today the teacher had us break boards (because she says it gives confidence). The other three newbies chose to do it with their fists; I chose to do it as a kick, because, quite frankly, I have more confidence in my legs than in my arms. (Why everybody seemed to think I was especially brave I sure as hell don't know -- as far as I was concerned, I was taking the easy way out.) The first board was four inches thick, and not much trouble for anyone. The second was six inches, and twice I kicked it out of the teacher's hand rather than breaking it. She said it was her fault, because her hand was tired from holding the board -- so she put it between two chairs, and I was able to get it.
It was sorta cool, I have to admit. But I'll be glad to get back to relearning stances, and katas, and stuff.
