Thursday 9.12. Karate Kids Quite a lot of children today. We did some basic techniques, often to the pads. Well as much pads as we could manage when only Sett and I were holding them for like 13 or so kids. Karate adults Quite a lot of people here, too! And a new guy with a brown belt came to try a class and join our dojo. We did a quick warm-up and work-out and shorter stretching as our sensei arrived today to check on things. We asked him to do this so he could see how everyone is doing and see whom he wanted to allow to grading next week. Therefore we did basic techniques, San Dan Gi and katat- what was needed for said grading. Sensie didn't stay for the whole training, as he isn't perfectly fit yet. He was only observing. But he proposed to do a special training this Sunday for those who still want to prepare for grading. That was a good idea. I just hope sensei would push himself too much.
Friday 10.12. Taiji instructors Christmas session The teacher organized a Christmas session with the schools instructors. There are two teachers and 10 instructors who help with classes. Four couldn't arrive unfortunately, but we had a great time. It started off with a training - 2x Lao Jia Yi Lu and the seniors continues the second with Lao Jia Er Lu. Even without warm-up, I felt relatively soft and flexible and was able to start with low stances right off the bat, surprisingly. I felt nice and comfortable today. As I feared, though, after the first, we continued right away with a second and that's when sweat starting pouring down my face, getting into my eyes. It tired me out a bit, but still I enjoyed it a lot. The teacher then talked a bit over a pot of tea. He previously said today would include dinner in the school. I was pondering how he would go about it. Would he bring his wife? Yeah, he did And ordered some pizza. We sat down, ate, drank tea and talked. It was very nice. The teacher's wife actually even baked gingerbread hearts with our names for us. That was so sweet One of the things the teacher mentioned was he was thinking about having similar sessions perhaps once in a month or two. I would definitely welcome that, so we'll see how it goes.
Saturday 11.12. A family celebration and only a 3,3 km walk. Sunday 12.12. Karate Sensei is back and announced an extra training today, mostly for grading preparation. We let people warm-up and stretch, then we split them into groups. Sensei took the three most advanced - 7th and 6th kyus, while Sett and I worked with the rest some more on San Dan Gi Ichi and ippon kumite. There was a small girl who previously did Shotokan, who got a little lost at one technique and started crying when I came up to help. I asked what was wrong. She said she was stressed and wanted to rest a bit, so I took her out of the dojo, talked to her, trying to figure out the problem and cheer her up. She seemed to just be something between stressed and angry at herself by not being as good as shes like. She said she used to do better in Shotokan. She didn't hold it against anyone, but only seemed to be too hard on herself. I kept an eye on her for the rest of the training and only came to help if she wasn't sure about any technique and that was enough. Then we split our large group - Seth took the three youngest and least advanced ones, while I practiced Gekasai Dai Ichi with the rest. I'd say my group already knows everything they need to know fairly well as we focused heavily on it in the last couple on months. Tommorrow is the last training before grading. After class, a grandfather came to pick up his teenage grandson - the grandfather was the one who originally brought him to our dojo. And he brough each of us instructors a big dry sausagewith a christmas calendar. Haha, what an original present! It was so nice of him to bring a present like this. Some people are just nice.
Monday 13.12.. Karate kids After warm-up and Junbi Undo we practiced kihon. Sett was testing their technique, while I was going around correcting mistakes. We finihsed a bit sooner and spent around 15 mins talking about history of hour karate and told some stories about the past senseis we previously heard from sensei Nakamura. This was last regular training of this year, only grading on Thursday. Karate adults Sanchin kata at the beginning, we needed to also focus a bit on one boy who'll need it for the upcoming grading. A small work-out, Junbi Undo and as usual, 5x Neko Undo. After that we split the class into two groups - Sett took the two more advanced to practice Saifa and Sanchin kata, while I worked with the rest. For their grading we trained a lot and yesterday worked a lot on all the technical stuff, so today I had them practice kihon ido - basic techniques - combinations while moving in a line. I mostly chose more difficult combinations that might or might not appear in the grading. I didn't do breaks except for one, always had them do 10 combinations slow, then 10-20 full power with kiai. With exception of combinations like mae + mawashi + ushiro + yoko geri. We only had room for one combination before we'd have to turn around, so we did less of those. And some bodyweight exercises in between. We long planned to do kihon ido that would be more cardio than technical, but Sett tends to get stuck with the details. I was forbidden to work them too hard just before grading, but it was more cardio, surely this shouldn't cause sore muscles and even if it does, there are still three days to rest. I finally got an opportunity to raise my heart rate a bit, how could I not take it? ^^ I hope people won't hate me. I've had people voice some disagreements with classes like this previously (and certainly more than one of two), but I only had like half an hour for this today, so it couldn't have been too bad, could it? Sett also planned to talk about history and our lineage and some of even our experience we had in Okinawa or with people etc., I sometime inserted bits, too. We had five minutes till the end of class, but, ehm, didn't stop until half an hour later. We did tell everyone they were free to leave, though... Finally, at least 820 kcal burned! It's not hard to guess where in the training I got to work-out, is it? It wasn't too harsh, but I did get a nice feeling from it, full of energy to work out some more, but there was no time.
Tuesday 14.12. Morning Taiji I arrived a bit earlier, though not too much, so I only went through the staff form once for practice. Wuji meditation, then Lao JIa Yi Lu straight away, our group is skipping the silk reeling now. Our group was taught by the head teacher today. A friend had a question about Protect-the-heart Fist, so the teacher explained this as there were three of us knowing this move and each counted it by breaths differently, so the teacher explained the main points and the variations. Then we joined one more lady and reviewed Flashing Turn to Back and proceeded to explanation and practice of Cloud Hands. I can't do this move too well, but the teacher watched us and gave us several tips and corrections I haven't heard before, mostly, but I think if I practice those, it would be of great help with this move! Before I rushed home, I chatted a little with instructor Z in front of the changing rooms. When the teacher came by he joined us and it turned into an interesting talk about the teacher's learning from his sifu, some of his insights etc., and before I knew it half an hour was gone. Good think I did some work in advance yesterday evening!
Tuesday 14.12. Taiji Kung-fu Wuji meditation and normal silk reeling, today without fajins (what a pity, I wanted to practice since I started having a bit of a good feeling about them ^^) Then we were split into groups, I was called to a group with instructor L and the cool senior student and we were asked to show Flashing Turn to Back. The teacher reviewed it, saying we do work from the hips, the postures are ok, circles, etc. more or less, but we don't know how to use the flexible force and therefore we seem to be ingoring it completely (well it's just as he said), so the teacher demonstrated how to find it in all the little movements and had us try. Ugh. No, this was hard. When he returned after a while and we weren't able to find it still, he wanted us to work in pairs. I was paired with instructor L. We were told how exactly to push against each other and how to receive the force with the correct structure. We practiced for a while. I still suck at this... Later we were asked to receive the force and return it straight to the opponent with a very minor movement and without really using much force. The teacher demonstrated with the senior student and asked us if we saw how he moved the hips, etc. Hell no! It looked like there was no movement at all and the student was just pushed back. The student said he did feel it, but that wasn't much help to us watching. So the teacher came to the conclusion it should be tightened up to more like an internal feeling -_- No idea, honestly. I basically simplified the hints for myself - the direction the hip and elbows should move in, but wasn't able to do it well. The teacher went around us and tried with each of us - pushing us and trying to help us figure out the structure and direction of force. The only thing calming me down a bit was the fact that the other two seemed to struggle with it (at least almost) as much as I did. Well, after some hints from the teacher and adjustments I was told I did quite well, but I honestly didn't figure out the key to it at all. Also the teacher was able to feel the moment my structore broke within the milimeters of the movement, much sooner than I realised. And no matter if I did completely wrong or correct, I couldn't tell much of a difference in what I was doing. Sigh. I hope we'll practice this more often. Not sure how time passes so fast in these classes, but the first hour was over. In the next one we joined the Cannon Fist course for wuji meditaion and Lao Jia Yi Lu. The meditation was again led by the senior student, who likes to make it longer - 10 mins. After practicing for an hour, this really does help me sink and... I don't really know how to describe the feeling, but I feel my body more connected, probably, and the form then feels great. Today I focused on keeping my body axis straight, without turning or bending in the waist and for the movement coming from the legs. It felt nice. The whole course was then working on Stepping Back and Wrapping Upper Arms, so we joined. We were stepping back by the length of the gym. It is a hard move I struggle with and since tommorrow I'll be standing in front of the class demonstrating this move, I was very happy to get a chance to practice it. Seeing us, the teacher than decided we should try working in pairs, each of us holding the end of a staff in each arm and create a bit of a resistance for the other's movement. While stepping back, the person would push with their front arm and pull their back arm back, alternating the arms with each step. The partner would do the same walking forward. I paired up with a fellow junior instructor R. When we started, it took me a while to figure out the movement and forces and I found out it was a really good exercise. Then the teacher came to us just as we finished a round each and told my partner: "Give it to me, I'll have Nachi break some sweat!" Ah, with his frame it wouldn't be too difficult for him! What a bully! This time I was told to push forward as an exercise with the teacher creating the resistance. Well he resisted hard enough that with me trying to push, I completely lost any semblance of a structure. It would take me a bit to figure out this movement, too, but the teacher wanted to help me or to just work me up, so the whole lenght of the exercise, he just shouted at me nonstop: "Back straight! Close the chest! Back straight! Weight first then start turning!" etc. again and again -_- It was haaaard. The Cannon Fist group then went on to practice some moves we didn't know, so my partner and I continued practicing the Stepping Back and Wrapping Upper Arms along the lenght of the room, over and over, till the end of class. When we started, my muscles did remember the movement with the staff in each hand creating resistance and I felt that exercise did help! Though I am still clumsy with that move. Taiji 64 moves We started with meditation and the whole form first. For the whole form, we usually have a particular senior student be in front and dictate pace, but unexpectedly this time, the head teacher arrived to take this job. It was quite unusual, I've never gone though the whole form with him before, actually. It's been a while since I could watch him and copy, so I took this chance and although I stood in the very back of the group as I had to drink before joining the class as the last person, I made sure to copy the teacher as much as I could, not taking my eyes off him unless I had to turn the other direction. Which was great. I wish I had more opportunities like this! Unexpectedly we also didn't stop at the 63rd or so movement as usual, but finished the whole form - a few people knew it, the rest just stopped and watched, there wasn't much left till the end, anyway. Considering today we spent the first hour working in pairs and not practicing the form nonstop, I wasn't as tired as usual, my knees weren't giving out, yet, either, so I enjoyed this class more than usual We then reviewed the last move we learned and continued with the easy next one, practicing these two till the end, the second half of the class with teacher P. In the Double Wave Lotus - a nightmare move for me - maybe also due to not being so tired, but well warmed up, I was able to keep my balance better than usual. I still can't do the second turn there well, though. If only I wasn't supposed to turn on the heel! Great training today, 1005 kcal burned.
Wednesday 15.12. Taiji - 19 moves, assisting I came a bit earlier today and was alone in the changing room. That is, until one woman only passed through. We greeted each other, but I didn't know her and she seemed to be rushing back to the ongoing class, so no more than that. When she was at the door, though, she turned back and told me: "I really liked how you were working with our class the other day!" Aww, so nice! I thanked her and was in a good mood as a result. It is so nice when someone goes out of their way to say something nice. I stood in for the other instructor two weeks ago. I wouldn't have guessed the people from that group would remember my face, even, but she still has something nice to say a couple of weeks later. Things like that just make me smile. I am glad she liked it Our class then went as usual, though there were very few - only 4, for a while 6 (when two girls joined for the beginning only as they don't know as many moves) - people. Nonetheless we did the meditation, silk reeling, went through the 19 moves once and then the teacher explained agian and had us work a lot on the Stepping Back and Wrapping Upper Arms. Towards the end we repeated the whole 19 moves a few times. My kness didn't hurt today (though when I went home I was careful not to accidentaly twist them as when I do when they are tender like this, I am regretting it for the few next days...). Today's practice felt nice, I was able to do low stances and felt comfortable, though I slacked a little with my back at times. Feeling the numbing/electrifying feeling in my fingers for a very short while after the first form, too.
Thursday 16.12. Morning Taiji I was looking forward to my staff practice in the morning, but... I got to bed at midnight and couldn't fall asleep no matter what for like the next hour and a half, so my alarm at 6:10 was very unwelcome and I didn't make myself get up until 6:40, so I was just in time for the class, no staff practice... We did Wuji meditation and silk reeling. I had a higher stance today, my legs were tired already. Then we went through the whole Lao Jia Yi Lu once. There were only three of us in our group, all of the same level - the whole form, so the teacher talked to us a bit about theory and went with us through the form slowly once more. He told me to focus on straightening my fingers, as he's been urging me to do this for a while now. I am trying, bit by bit at least. Also while in the first form I did my best to keep the stances low, I naturally had them a bit higher the second time around, when I stopped focusing. I am just generally fatigued already. Before the second form the teacher had us stand in wuji for a bit - to align - and checked our posture. To my delight he didn't have anything to say to my posture, but on the other hand told me if I can align well enough, the next step is to challenge myself with keeping my arms higher. I remember when we learned wuji in the very first class, the teacher told us there were levels of physical difficulty and the younger and sronger and fitter person, the higher they'd place their arms. So of course as this was the only way to challenge myself and I didn't know many other things to focus on, I always tried keeping them at shoulder height. But as I started focusing more of the posture and breathing and relaxation, I got lazy in this aspect and just naturally let my arms sink lower to about my solar plexus. Keeping them at shoulder height for like 5-10 mins strained some tiny muscle near my shoulder, giving me a discomfort and I didn't push it. I didn't practice wuji by myself much, so the muscle was still weak. Today the teacher decided to put an end to my laziness and positioned my arms as high as my face. -_- Oh, looks like I'm up for some pain. I'll be trying, though.
Thursday 16.12. Karate - grading Not a training for me, as the grading was for lower kyu grades of our dojo - meaning most people attending at the moment. There were around or probably over 20 adults and children. Some children were told they weren't actually grading, just practicing with those who do, to spare them some stress, but all who didn't have to go home early passed their 10th kyu. Most of our new adult members graded straight for 9th kyu, as the 10th kyu is usually taken as a motivational grade for children and the adults easily learned more than the few basic techniques. There were also higher grades, one person for each - 8th, 7th and 6th kyu, who all passed. Then one or two potential candidates for 5th kyu, but that was mostly a trial grading for sensei to see how they do as starting with 5th kyu we have an agreement that a sensei from a different dojo would do that grading. Which will happen on Saturday. Probably only one of the two will try for it in the end, we'll see with what result. Sett and I were assisting with the grading. Sensei is staying away from exercising still, so the two of us demonstrated the techniques sensei wanted the students to do. That was is for the exercise of us, though. We helped prepare and hand out the certificates and collect the fees, sell the membership passbooks, etc. Even thoiugh it is a pity that since September most of our former members left due to life getting in the way, but we got quite a lot of new members, so it is kind of nice most people are at a similar level now. We'll start teaching the kata in the children class and the adult class will be full of yellow belts now, so we have new things to start teaching, too. What a pity we're still staying away from pracicing things in pairs, so what we do is a bit restricted.
Saturday 18.12. Today is the traditional karate Christmas seminar in Southern Bohemia, but since yesterday I felt like a cold was getting to me and when I woke up, I unfortunately had to give up the idea of going. Cough, rhinitis, headache, muscle ache and a slightly risen temperature. Covid test came out negative. It seems to be just the usual cold I get like twice a year. I better not let it transform into my usual several months long bad cough. I don't feel too bad, but in this time I don't want to go anywhere and cough etc. Hopefully it goes away quick.
A few of my family has this all recently. Negative tests, but still not a good virus Hope you feel better soon.
Yep, I guess this is a commong winter cold. Thank you I had stuff planned for the next week, so I hope it won't stay with me long
So despite my symptoms being of a regular cold with the addition of muscle aches (that I never have), I though I might as well go for a PCR just in case, before I go to trainings next week. Not sure if I was going to, but in case I got better, then perhaps. I found out we can do a free PCR test twice a month and I live near a hospital, so I went for a preventive test. I was honestly quite surprised when the results came later in the day. I actually tested positive Apparently I got the Delta. Looks like my plans for Christmas and New Year's are pretty clear now... I contacted my Karate and Taiji teachers right away to let them know I won't be coming and when I last came to training. I am now waiting for a list of contacts from the grading sensei if putting together already. For the tracing. Merry quarantine to everyone, I guess
Oh no that's terrible to hear I hope you recover soon. Will your quarantine end before Christmas Day?
Thank you. No, I am supposed to stay isolated for 14 days starting today - so till 2nd January. I definitely won't be meeting anyone this Christmas. I planned a Taiji seminar and New Year's celebration, which I am not sure if I'll be able to do that, either. According to this info, I won't, but I'll call my GP tommorrow to let her know I am positive and I will ask if there is a chance to leave my isolation earlier in case I test negative. I am a bit afraid it may not be possible, but I'll see.
A few days later I am doing well, today actually significantly better, all the symptoms are slowly going away. Well, so far except for the loss of smell. So it's all good, but I am still taking it easy and resting plenty. I want it to go away fast, after all Sett, who's been with me all this time went for his PCR today as per advice to wait for about 5 days and he's actually negative. Which I am happy about - though he's disturbing my positive atmosphere here, hehe . Unfortunately we got a call from a friend - one of the parents of the little karateka that her son is positive (he'd attended the grading, where I was, too), but at least he has no symptoms. She also mentioned another adult friend, who was vaccinated as well, tested positive, too. I am not sure if he has symptoms, but hopefully he'll be fine. So far I don't know how everyone else is doing. I hope I didn't spread it to many people... And if so I hope they did stay at home and didn't spread it further, either. I'll be spending Christmas in isolation. Sett can now at least briefly visit his parents. Both his and my parents are very kind, sending all the Christmas food and sweets our way. While it's a pity I won't get to see anyone, I will make sure to enjoy the Christmas peacefully and relaxedly and visit everyone later. So this doesn't seem too bad, either. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Really sorry to hear this. Consensus seems to be that eventually we'll ALL get infected to some degree. Wishes for your recovery and no long haul effect.
Thank you, Simon Yep, that's quite likely. I hope it already counts and I don't have to catch it again. We'll see. Thank you. I hope that will be the case.
Monday 27.12. A week after, symptoms are still getting better, bit by bit. I actually caught a weak smell of frying carp when I was cooking lunch. Only briefly and weekly, but a good sign my smell might be back soon. I still have a temperature around 37°C, runny nose, only cough is probably somewhat worse than at the beginning (still nothing serious at all). Most of my colds tend to get long lasting, especially when they turn into cough. Hopefully this will not be the case. A called my GP today to stop my sick leave (I work from home) and asked her about my isolation. She was the only one who said she might end it sooned for me if I'd be symptom free and would get a negative PCR. The lady from the hygienic station, the GP's nurse, the hospital that diagnosed me and everyone said the isolation lasts 14 days at minimum and no way around it. Luckily, the one who'd end it would be my GP, who had the most optimistic opinion. However, since I last called her, she seemed to have studied the law and today I was told I can't leave my isolation sooner than those 14 days. Ah I wouldn't mind normally, but for the New Year's weekend I was planning ot go to a Taiji seminar, this time even with Sett. My Taiji teacher organizes this every year. Last year, when I planned to go for the first time, it was cancelled due to covid lock down. This year, the teacher was determined to proceed with it even if there was the tiniest leeway and was looking forward to it. We're not in a lockdown at the moment, so the event can take place, but... I am struck with stupid covid. What a pity, I was looking forward to it, too. I'll go next year for sure! Luckily there will be plenty of Taiji seminars next year and I am planning to go to a few. I'll be stuck at home for one more week still, it seems.
