Summing up

Not much time to type so I'll just sum up. Beach class was LOTS of fun as usual, luckily the rain stopped just long enough for the beach class picture and the class itself, then as soon as it was done, it downpoured. I have a lot of pictures and I'll post some or link to them maybe on sunday. Today starts Association summer camp so I will be all karate from 2pm-8pm tonite, 8:30am-10:30pm tomorrow and 8:30-noon on sunday. busy busy busy.

I have a question.. do any of you have any helpful hints for callous control? I just can't seem to get control over the ones on my feet. Any suggestions?

Fun Week

So next week is fun week. I love fun week! Monday is picture day. We have class pictures taken as well as individual photos. Its chaos in the dojo on picture day although each age group has their own time slot to show up for. They are always behind schedule. There is also competition camp for the kids all week. Tuesday they have a special guest instructor. Any one heard of Daniel Sterling? Yes! I'm not kidding! Un FREAKIN believable! lucky kids! On wednesday is my favorite class~ beach class~ where we all go in our white gi's, (with swimsuits underneath) have a group picture taken, then have class. We end up doing basics and kata into the ocean as well as commando crawls, forward rolls, maybe some bunkai...anything to make sure you're all sandy and soaked by the end of class. I'm sure I'll have some pictures to post from that~my sister will be there with her camera. Then on friday, association summer camp starts. SO EXCITED! I've never been to one of these all weekend camps before. This year our Kyoshi is hosting it and it will be local (instead of in NJ where it usually is). So I will only have to drive about 10 minutes up to URI. Among other things there will be a White Crane class, lots of kobudo as well as kobudo kumite, ground self defense, pressure points , a Taiko drum presentation in Newport, a BBQ on the beach..plus a lot of other stuff. Its going to be a lot of fun.

Fun Week recap

Beach class did not disappoint. I'll post pictures when i get them. My sister came and took over 400 pictures on her new fancy digital camera so there'll be plenty to post. Thursday night was the Projectile weapons seminar. Oh my god i need to get me a blowgun. Our guest instructor was a very nice man, 7th dan, and a couple of his students were also there to assist. He gave us a bit of backround on Ninjutsu, an overview on the weapons we'd be handling and of course safety. Then we all (about 40 students ) went outside to the parking lot where they had stations with targets set up. There were 2 stations for small star throwing, 2 for blowguns, one for archery, and one for large stars and knife throwing. It was a lot of fun-this is the 2nd year he has come to do this seminar. Hopefully he'll come again next year.
Friday was our inner school tournement. We have about 4 of these per year and a big interschool tournement once a year around St Patrick's day. I competed in kata and sparring. I was happy with my kata-i did Naihanchi Sandan and i did it well, and I did ok in sparring. My opponent is another BB candidate, 17 years old and about a foot taller than me. (and i'm pretty tall). She is excellent at everything she does-her legs are about 10 feet long and she knows how to use them. Needless to say, I couldn't get around her leg and i was eliminated in my first round. I have a lot to work on in sparring. I tend to lose focus. I think i try and concentrate so much on so many things that I lose my grip on everything and I'm all over the place. Not good.
So this morning its back to the track for 4 miles in the rain, then back to class for focus kick drills and probably kumite. My dojo has started a new mentoring program for candidates. each of us has a shodan or nidan as a mentor to kind of guide us through the testing cycle. Its a great program. I feel as though i am at an advantage as my son has been thru this cycle twice already so I know what to expect, but there are lots of students who go into this blindly and are shocked at all the work that is involved.
Monday is my written test. I need to write my paper this weekend. yuck.

"Fun Week"

Next week is the annual Karate Fun Week. There are no regular classes during that week until saturday. Monday is picture day. They have class pictures, individual pictures, demo team pictures etc. You can buy different packages like trading cards, a plaque, mouse pad and other specialty choices. Purchasing these packages is not required, but they do encourage going at least for your class picture. It is STRONGLY encouraged. There are also a few seminars that will be held that week as well as a inner school tournament on friday night. The best part of fun week is the annual beach class. I live in RI and we are about 5 minutes away from many beaches. So wednesday at 6, we all go to one of the beaches here, everyone is required to wear their full white gi. First they set us all up for a school picture then we have class. this class is about 2 hours long and by the end, we will all be soaking wet and covered in sand. (you have to wear your swimsuit under your gi) It is so much fun. it looks great too- all of us in white doing kata on the beach. of course, we will probably also have to do commando crawls, rolls, throws, break falls and other things that will get us wet and sandy. OH yeah- and sand angels too. Now, the reason it is STRONGLY recommended that you attend picture day on monday at least for the class picture is because anyone who doesn't show up who doesn't have a good reason (and it better be good) will usually get called up to the front row at beach class. meaning- you will be first to get wet and sandy and to be subjected to any other forms of torture Renshi has in store. (and when i say torture, it is all in fun) Basics on the beach are done as moving basics, taking the classes directly into the ocean. When he has us start kicking drills, that is when the sand starts flying. The more sand you can kick at your fellow students the better. When class is over, its time to rinse. So usually the gi's come off and everyone goes in the water. I love this class. Last year it was cut short because it was high tide. This year it looks as though high tide is a few hours before class so we should be good. here is a snapshot of what we look like.