A struggle through class

Usually I am gung ho for class.  However, last night I was still fighting 13.1 miles of fatigue from Sunday.  It really took out my right ankle and heel; I am still feeling the effects.  As usual, once you start you are glad you came.  I got into the class which was rapid fire techniques done on a partner.  I was working with a shorter gentleman, I like to work with different sized people as it causes me to adjust techniques for the opponent.  At 6′ I am slightly on the tall size but not so much, I am kind of upper middle.  But I am still sporting too much weight, we will see in a couple of months. 

I felt a bit clunkly from my post run lower leg issues.  I had a real hard time flowing through my techniques as  I couldn’t shift my weight properly (read my weight shifts were slow and resembled a hippo on sleeping pills).  As a result, my flow on the hand techniques were lacking power and speed.  But I did the best I could under the circumstances.  I learned a few more techniques which puts me at 50% to the next belt.  I think I just got this one.  I will need to do more perfection beyond just learning the techniques.  I have noticed that my technique needs some refinement in the areas of rounding corners and flow.  There is more of a kung fu element in kenpo I have noticed in this new list.  The linear movements more representative of Japanese striking arts is disappearing in the new sets and being replaced by more kung fu elements.  Kenpo is an art of dual Chinese and Japanese origins, so I should not be surprised.  My training in Chinese Kenpo was similar.  Begin with linear and advance to a more kung fu type system.

When I got done I felt better than when I came in and that is a good sign.  Sensei wanted to borrow my copy of Chushingura (the story of the forty seven ronin).  It is a great movie visually stunning with some nice samurai sequences during the last 40 minutes or so.  It is worth the time.