Learning to Deal With It
Sep. 25th, 2014 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kajel“Aye-yah!”
The class rang with spirit. My instructor easily blocked the round kick I launched at his temple as well as the cross punch to his solar plexus. I faked a front kick and swung in with an outside hook punch to the opening I saw at his ribs. My punch connected lightly.
“Good shot.” He said as he stepped back from me.
“Thanks!” I smiled. It was difficult for me to get through Jesse’s guard, so I was pleased with my small victory.
“Time.” He called out. “Change partners.”
When I realized I was now facing Randall, my enthusiasm waned somewhat. He was a nice enough guy. He was just tall, big and had difficulty with control. We’re the same belt level in class and my control isn’t always there either. It just seems like every time I spar with Randall, I get hurt.
“Sparring positions! Begin.”
“Aye-yah!”
We circled each other carefully. I realized we both preferred defensive sparring. We tend to let the other person make the first move. So, I went on the attack.
You would think that I could hold my own with Randall. We have the same amount of knowledge and my instructor told me once that I was a lot more ferocious than him. I used to be ok with sparring Randall. However, Randall either was or has become a bulldozer. Anytime I try a kick he throws his knee into my leg. If I punch, he steps into me and shoves me with his weight, then wonders out loud why I keep dancing away from him.
Last night he said, “you can’t keep moving away from me. You need to stay in close to get anything done.”
He told me what a great job I did and how I showed improvement there, but I should really have done this other thing. He’s starting to come across as patronizing. I’ve spent some time reviewing his actions and words and I think this might be a male-female thing.
I came away last night with a knot on my shin from his knee. His knee connected with enough force to numb my entire lower leg. By the time class was over, I was riled enough to seek advice.
My instructor’s advice, hit him, hard. I go to a no contact studio. We throw our pouches and kicks with speed and power, but with enough control to stop just short of actually hitting our opponent. The few times that I have been really hurt, I walked right into someone's move. You get hit. That’s the nature of Karate, but you can normally shake it off. You either walked into it, or someone has control issues.
His advice was given to help make Randall respect my space. It’s good advice, but maybe my last resort. I spoke with my husband about it when I got home. He is a black belt at the studio I go to and he knows Randall. He first suggested that I could always refuse to spar with him. I don't want that. I need to learn how to defend against him. If someone bigger than me attacks in real life, they will use their weight and strength against me also.
After a little more thought, my husband’s advice was lateral movement. If Randall throws his knee up in front of himself nearly every time in response to any kick, then I need to come at him from the side. It was good advice. I will need to be faster and lighter on my feet than Randall. He has weight, strength and reach on me. This is going to take work and a lot of practice. I am not willing to give up. There is a small part of me that wants to outpace and outshine him. My ego has gotten involved.
If nothing else, I could always hit him. Hard.
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This is my entry for LJ Idol: S9 Week 22. The topic this week was Sweep the Leg.
The class rang with spirit. My instructor easily blocked the round kick I launched at his temple as well as the cross punch to his solar plexus. I faked a front kick and swung in with an outside hook punch to the opening I saw at his ribs. My punch connected lightly.
“Good shot.” He said as he stepped back from me.
“Thanks!” I smiled. It was difficult for me to get through Jesse’s guard, so I was pleased with my small victory.
“Time.” He called out. “Change partners.”
When I realized I was now facing Randall, my enthusiasm waned somewhat. He was a nice enough guy. He was just tall, big and had difficulty with control. We’re the same belt level in class and my control isn’t always there either. It just seems like every time I spar with Randall, I get hurt.
“Sparring positions! Begin.”
“Aye-yah!”
We circled each other carefully. I realized we both preferred defensive sparring. We tend to let the other person make the first move. So, I went on the attack.
You would think that I could hold my own with Randall. We have the same amount of knowledge and my instructor told me once that I was a lot more ferocious than him. I used to be ok with sparring Randall. However, Randall either was or has become a bulldozer. Anytime I try a kick he throws his knee into my leg. If I punch, he steps into me and shoves me with his weight, then wonders out loud why I keep dancing away from him.
Last night he said, “you can’t keep moving away from me. You need to stay in close to get anything done.”
He told me what a great job I did and how I showed improvement there, but I should really have done this other thing. He’s starting to come across as patronizing. I’ve spent some time reviewing his actions and words and I think this might be a male-female thing.
I came away last night with a knot on my shin from his knee. His knee connected with enough force to numb my entire lower leg. By the time class was over, I was riled enough to seek advice.
My instructor’s advice, hit him, hard. I go to a no contact studio. We throw our pouches and kicks with speed and power, but with enough control to stop just short of actually hitting our opponent. The few times that I have been really hurt, I walked right into someone's move. You get hit. That’s the nature of Karate, but you can normally shake it off. You either walked into it, or someone has control issues.
His advice was given to help make Randall respect my space. It’s good advice, but maybe my last resort. I spoke with my husband about it when I got home. He is a black belt at the studio I go to and he knows Randall. He first suggested that I could always refuse to spar with him. I don't want that. I need to learn how to defend against him. If someone bigger than me attacks in real life, they will use their weight and strength against me also.
After a little more thought, my husband’s advice was lateral movement. If Randall throws his knee up in front of himself nearly every time in response to any kick, then I need to come at him from the side. It was good advice. I will need to be faster and lighter on my feet than Randall. He has weight, strength and reach on me. This is going to take work and a lot of practice. I am not willing to give up. There is a small part of me that wants to outpace and outshine him. My ego has gotten involved.
If nothing else, I could always hit him. Hard.
--------------
This is my entry for LJ Idol: S9 Week 22. The topic this week was Sweep the Leg.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2014-09-27 05:14 am (UTC)And you certainly have a plan for it, including the ultimate fallback.
(no subject)
Date: 2014-09-29 02:35 pm (UTC)