July 2016 Journal Entries (3)

                   For 6 weeks, my Dad and I have been working on our brown belt project.  We decided to do something that we could work on together.  Something that will prepare us for our brown-belt test, and keep our cardio up.  We decided to do a personal project.  My mom has helped us come up with a six-week long work out routine to prepare my Dad and I for our test in Sacramento.  We do a long run in the morning, our work out routine in the afternoon, spar, practice kata,…

Last week I did something I’ve never done before; I filmed myself practicing kata. Years ago when Sensei and I would find tournaments to go to so we could test ourselves against other martial artists, once or twice there may have been a recording. They would be done with a camera that was small enough to no longer be confused for an amateur news camera operator, but still big enough to be a commitment. Now a days I’m not even sure how one would get copies of the weird sized tape it used into…

Last week I started doing something I haven't done in over ten years; I practiced kata. Years ago I gave myself to Isshinryu. Mike and I trained all the time. We went to class three days a week at first, then four, then as many as six classes a week if we came to a morning and evening class on the same day after asking permission. Somewhere along the line, though, something happened. Other things crept into my life that slowly began to eclipse karate, and a time of turmoil arose. Mike held…