Ow.

[jsbowden]

I think I hurt myself last night. Actually, no, I know I hurt myself last night. My left shoulder is all achy and stiff.

Damnit, I wanted to attend class tonight. I've only got a couple minor things to work on for my basics and combos, and I'm ready to test for Red belt next month, but I need to get to class for that.

My sparring is great, and forms are not a problem for me, but the blue belt combos are turning out to be a real bitch. I either can't see what I'm supposed to be striking, or I have to twist my head and torso around too far which totally fucks up my balance. Damn you, left eye! It'll be less of a problem as my flexibility increases, and I can get my head around further without forcing my body around (thusly, allowing me to actually see my target), but right now it sucks.

I'd really like two working eyes. Anyone know when I can order a replacement? That's technology that I can't wait to see. I've never had actual 3d vision (this has caused minor injuries as well, since I'll misjudge target distance by about an inch or so, and kick with toes instead of instep: OUCH!), and I'm sure it'd be a cool new experience.

This is so backwards for me; sparring is usually my weak area since I don't really enjoy it, and basics/combinations and forms come to me fairly readily.

Fooey.

Comments

[larabeaton.livejournal.com]

You know, it never occurred to me that monocular vision would be a problem for anything except spinning kicks. I guess you would have a problem with all of the sideways kicks (round, side, hook) on your left leg.

The use of the front leg to kick in sparring was something that my old school used to teach quite well. It's less emphasized in my new school, which may be one reason why I do so well in sparring here.

We do tons of spinning kicks in my new school, mostly spinning hook kicks, and spinning back kicks (with their jump variations). While it is slower than just throwing a front leg front kick, it's also fairly unexpected by your opponent, and they have no way of knowing what technique you're going to throw, because the spinning hook kick, spinning back kick, spinning side kick, spinning crescent kick, and even the spinning back or side fist all start the same way. They're hard to defend against except by just not being there when the person gets all the way around.

Spinning techniques are far more powerful when they connect, too. Plus they just look really flash.

With the exception of one teacher at our school, we don't do much in the way of multiple kicks in the air. And even he doesn't recommend it for sparring, as the longer your leg is in the air, the higher the chance you're going to be on the receiving end of a sweep.

(Again, my old school used to do tons of aerial kicks, really bizarre combinations, too, like front kick followed by side kick, or axe kick followed by hook kick. I could never see the point of those, except possibly for improving balance, they're completely useless in a fight.)