Taekwondo Update
July, August, and September were three months where writing was a priority. One of the things that happens during those months is that I push taekwondo down on the priority list, which roughly translated means that I pretty much stop going at all (especially in those last six weeks).
On top of that, I wasn't going much anyway because of this thigh/pulled groin muscle issue. But in October I started back, with a reasonable schedule of alternating once per week and twice per week. That may not sound like much, but generally I stay after each class and work on stuff for about 30 minutes, it adds up.
I've been fairly impressed with my own progress. Have re-memorized most of the forms and the various self-defense. Have gotten a lot of the flexibility back and can do all the kicks pretty well.
I'm thinking of maybe two more weeks of review and then... well, not really sure. I think by that point I should be able to really work on the kicks and get them back up to level they were in late 2010 (assuming that time has not made a fool of me). But I'm also considering working on my sparring game.
Taekwondo sparring is a strange thing. It's fun, but it's also kind of dangerous, and I'm good at it, but then I'm not nearly so good at it as I probably should be. What I want and need to do is try to find some of the bad habits I have and replace them with good habits. This isn't easy. It is especially not easy as I will have to have a partner-- I can do forms and kicks all by myself and the self-defense can be done in short 10 minute intervals if necessary. Sparring, especially the way I want to do it, will take more time and thus finding someone who wants to do it could be a challenge (this is assuming that anyone my size/level is ever there on any given night).
Sparring is also the highest liklihood of injury. Of course, that's part of what I want to work on, getting rid of the bad habits that leave me vulnerable to getting clocked. But still, the chance is always there.
This kind of thing will have to be a fairly long-term project-- not the least because I only have like six weeks (and there are major holidays in that period) before my next 3-months of writing kicks off and taekwondo will again slow quite a bit.
Speaking of writing, I'm planning on getting some projects out and working on them next week (Monday is a holiday for me).
On top of that, I wasn't going much anyway because of this thigh/pulled groin muscle issue. But in October I started back, with a reasonable schedule of alternating once per week and twice per week. That may not sound like much, but generally I stay after each class and work on stuff for about 30 minutes, it adds up.
I've been fairly impressed with my own progress. Have re-memorized most of the forms and the various self-defense. Have gotten a lot of the flexibility back and can do all the kicks pretty well.
I'm thinking of maybe two more weeks of review and then... well, not really sure. I think by that point I should be able to really work on the kicks and get them back up to level they were in late 2010 (assuming that time has not made a fool of me). But I'm also considering working on my sparring game.
Taekwondo sparring is a strange thing. It's fun, but it's also kind of dangerous, and I'm good at it, but then I'm not nearly so good at it as I probably should be. What I want and need to do is try to find some of the bad habits I have and replace them with good habits. This isn't easy. It is especially not easy as I will have to have a partner-- I can do forms and kicks all by myself and the self-defense can be done in short 10 minute intervals if necessary. Sparring, especially the way I want to do it, will take more time and thus finding someone who wants to do it could be a challenge (this is assuming that anyone my size/level is ever there on any given night).
Sparring is also the highest liklihood of injury. Of course, that's part of what I want to work on, getting rid of the bad habits that leave me vulnerable to getting clocked. But still, the chance is always there.
This kind of thing will have to be a fairly long-term project-- not the least because I only have like six weeks (and there are major holidays in that period) before my next 3-months of writing kicks off and taekwondo will again slow quite a bit.
Speaking of writing, I'm planning on getting some projects out and working on them next week (Monday is a holiday for me).