Holy bleep! Did I really just do that?

[Stac3y]

Friday night I was in a class taught by the head instructor of my school. Near the end of the class, he told us he wanted to do something different. He started by having us do 3 step flying side kicks to hit a small target mitt. Now, I'm oldish (42), and I frequently complain that I just can't get airborne like the younger students can. Do they have springs in their legs? Do they eat antigravity for breakfast?

We did this a few times, and then he dragged out a huge gear bag (one of those that holds 20 plus sets of head and hand gear, and stood with the target held at the back edge of it. I was very, very doubtful, but when the head intstructor says jump....well, you know. On my first try, I started too far back, and I didn't realize it was okay to take extra steps (duh), so I wound up starting my jump from probably 6 feet back and kicking over the top of the mitt! I had launched my decrepit carcass into a leap 6 feet long and well over 3 feet high. I'm still stunned. I was even more stunned when, on the third try, I not only nailed the target and cleared the bag, but had a perfectly balanced landing. My instructor's response was a shrug and, "See? You can do lots of things you think you can't do."

What a great class.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Congrat’s. :asian:

Success is just one small step at a time.

 

[terryl965]

Great job Stacey see anything is possible if you really want it.....

 

[Omar B]

Cool.

 

[Blade96]

a ma on another forum told me that in ma you can find you exceed even your own expectations.

seemed that happened with you. Congrats.

 

[dbell]

Way to go!! Shows you what practice and TRYING it does for you!! Keep up the great training and work!

 

[morph4me]

Great job. Congratulations.

 

[Nomad]

Congrats!

Though it sounds suspiciously similar to the night I bid "adieu" to my left ACL... go carefully!

 

[Xue Sheng]

:bangahead::headbangin::highfive:artyon::asian:

Good job

And I am steeling the line "my decrepit carcass" and applying it to me whenever and wherever possible

 

[IcemanSK]

Outstanding!!!artyon:artyon:

 

[Wey]

Friday night I was in a class taught by the head instructor of my school. Near the end of the class, he told us he wanted to do something different. He started by having us do 3 step flying side kicks to hit a small target mitt. Now, I'm oldish (42), and I frequently complain that I just can't get airborne like the younger students can. Do they have springs in their legs? Do they eat antigravity for breakfast?

We did this a few times, and then he dragged out a huge gear bag (one of those that holds 20 plus sets of head and hand gear, and stood with the target held at the back edge of it. I was very, very doubtful, but when the head intstructor says jump....well, you know. On my first try, I started too far back, and I didn't realize it was okay to take extra steps (duh), so I wound up starting my jump from probably 6 feet back and kicking over the top of the mitt! I had launched my decrepit carcass into a leap 6 feet long and well over 3 feet high. I'm still stunned. I was even more stunned when, on the third try, I not only nailed the target and cleared the bag, but had a perfectly balanced landing. My instructor's response was a shrug and, "See? You can do lots of things you think you can't do."

What a great class.

I love those days... conquering what you thought you couldn't. It's a fantastic feeling rivaled by nothing else. I'm glad to hear of your accomplishments.

 

[DerekB]

I frequently complain that I just can't

In the club that i belong to can't is one of those 4 letter words that gets you alot of pushups. But congrats...being 44 myself I take great pleasure in working at or beating the abilities of the youth

 

[Blade96]

I was told by people (my own family being some of the worst offenders) that I wouldnt be able to so much as carry a cup of tea across a room because in their words 'my balance was too bad' (I was born with a smaller than normal cerebellum.)

I have won a gold medal for my kata Heian Shodan at competition last year and am very close to being an 8th kyu. (my test is soon.)

sometimes i think can't is a word that shouldnt be in martial arts.

and btw I drink tea all the time and carry cups with me everywhere I walk.

and Shotokan requires more balance than simply carrying tea because of all the spinning, twisting, kicking, and turning involved.

 

[Ironcrane]

Those Tournament Judges better be careful from now on. Next time you might actually get one of them with a flying kick.

 

[chaos1551]

"See? You can do lots of things you think you can't do."

"Can't" is disallowed in my school. For speaking the word in any context, 10 pushups are prescribed.