Catching up

I went to train at Kyoshi's last week for the black belt class, and boy was it hard! We started out doing cycles of pullups (I had to run around with a stool because I was too short to jump and reach them), then we did cycles of pushups (four stations, 1st cycle = 1 pushup at each station, 2nd cycle = 2 pushups, etc. all the way to 5). Then we worked the tonfa, which was alright. It was bo that was the disaster. Once we got past Choun a kun, I had no idea what was going on. We did about 5 or 6 kata that I didn't know and could hardly keep up with. Then, we did some openhand kata, which was a little easier - still didn't know any of the kata, though.
We did a lot of talking in between these things, and he (Kyoshi Coffin) repeatedly put down TKD and criticized it to no end. Mr. Coleman and Ms. Swing had warned me about that, but I wasn't prepared for that kind of verbal assault. He wasn't attacking me, but he was attacking my art, which is almost worse in my opinion. It finally came to a breaking point after class, when he, in front of the entire class, bet his belt that he could teach me more in 2 years than I'd learned in 12 years of tkd. I didn't say anything, but I'd had more than I could handle. I went back to the locker room and cried my eyes out. Normally, I wouldn't get that upset, but I've been a little more emotionally sensitive since Mr. Coleman left.
Once I composed myself, I went back out. I think Kyoshi saw that he'd upset me. He took me in his office and we talked for a long time. I told him that from what I'd seen of Karate, I loved it, but I wasn't ready to make that switch. He told me that, in my heart, I'd always be a TKD stylist, and that Mr. Coleman would always be my master, but there was only so much that he could teach me. I understand where he's coming from, but I don't completely buy it. At least some things got resolved, though. Sigh.....

Yes!

MR. COLEMAN'S HOME!!!!! I was hanging out at the dojang this afternoon when he called my cell phone. He said that his dad was almost fully recovered and self-sufficient. They were going to do a 3rd surgery, but they said it's nothing compared with the other ones he had to have. He said that he and his sister had talked, and decided that he needed to do what's best for him, so he got home last night! He and Ms. Swing are meeting on Monday to talk about what his role in the dojang is going to be, because things have definitely changed. In my opinion, Mr. Coleman leaving brought out an ugly side of both of them. I just hope that they can work things out. I'm so happy, though!! He's home! Truly an answer to my prayers.

A turn for the better?

Well, things are looking better than they did a few weeks ago. Mr. Coleman's father is doing well, last I heard. They think they got all of the cancer out of his lungs, so just pray that he stays clear. Mr. Coleman still plans to come down in late November for a group test and other things. Last night I trained with Kyoshi Coffin for the first time and it was amazing! There is so much more to Karate than I used to think. The kata are absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to learn them. I had to stand in second highest rank (going by my tkd rank), which was a little intimidating seeing as I didn't know what was going on! Kyoshi was very helpful, though. Very understanding. It was a lot of beginners for the class, so we did the basic kata, then some work with the tonfa. After class, Shelley, a green belt, walked me through some of the emptyhand kata and I love them! I already know Nihanchi Shodan, but I need to learn Nihanchi Nidan, Nihanchi Samdan, and Wansu. Kyoshi said I might like to come to the black belt class on Wednesdays, which I am really looking forward to. I think I'm going to start training there on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Things are so much better when you look for the good in a bad situation!

Confused...

**NOTICE** If anyone from my dojang is reading this blog, please keep whatever you read to yourself. It has already leaked that there are plans to change the school and I think it might be because of this blog. So please, wait until you here this news from a RELIABLE source before you tell other people. Thank you. **NOTICE** I really don't know what to think anymore. I've talked to Ms. Swing a couple more times since my last entry and I think she was being a bit overdramatic the first time. She hasn't actually signed anything with Kyoshi or made any official plans to change the school over. It's all just in the talking process. Mr. Coleman called me this morning and we talked for a good half hour about everything. He claims that Ms. Swing lied to him on the phone yesterday and hasn't told him anything about her plans. A lot of the stuff we talked about I can't write here - I don't want anything to leak or anyone to get hurt anymore than they already are. The truth is, I don't know who to believe or what to believe anymore. I've got two people, both of whom I trust, telling me two completely different stories and dragging me into the middle of this mess. For one, Ms. Swing told me that Mr. Coleman had no plans of coming back to Asheboro. Well, I just talked to Mr. Coleman and he said if everything goes well with his father he'll be back in November - he's got two jobs with retirement down here and they've given him a leave of absence until November, so he kind of has to come back at some point. If Ms. Swing expects me to help her run this dojang, then she needs to be completely honest with me on all accounts. Otherwise, it just creates confusion. I hate drama...
So my mom and I were eating dinner at home last night, and I swallowed a sharp piece of taco shell. You know how they sometimes get stuck in your throat and you get a sharp chest pain? So that's what happened. I took a drink of water and it felt like it passed through, but then my vision started blurring and blotting out, like when you're about to black out. Then I have this vague feeling like I was having a dream about something, but I can't remember what and I woke up on the floor in my mom's lap. Apparently, I had laid my head down on the table and when my mom tried to sit me up, my eyes were rolling back in my head and I was jerking like I was having a seizure. She did the heimlich because she thought I was choking, but then she realized I was breathing. I came to after about 45 seconds and didn't remember what had happened. We went to the emergency room and I was really lightheaded and I got dizzy when I walked. We waited for about an hour, then saw a doctor. He did some tests and all that, I had an EKG, and they told us it was probably a Vegal reflex, caused by pressure on the vegas nerve which limits blood flow to the brain. I feel alright now, just a little apprehensive... Whew.... Not cool, man... Not cool...

In a Daze...

I will elaborate on this later, but for lack of time, here's the long and short of it: The dojang is in debt, Mr. Coleman is in Penn. indefinitely, and Ms. Swing needs to make a living. At the end of the year, she is folding the Kim's Martial Art corporation and merging with Kyoshi Vic Coffin (Mr. Coleman's Kenpo/Karate master). So we're switching entirely to kenpo/karate. Right now, I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm pretty sure Mr. Coleman doesn't plan on moving back, which is breaking my heart. He's been my master for 12 years. He's been like a second dad to me. Our relationship means more than I can put into words. How can all of that be gone, just like that? I'm just going to go ahead and say it: This officially sucks. I guess I'm excited about learning a new style of martial arts, but to leave behind Taekwondo, my first love, my first passion. That's a lot to ask. And not knowing when/if I'll ever see Mr. Coleman again. That's the part that really sucks. Talking to Ms. Swing today, it was hard. She feels that Mr. Coleman turned his back on her, left her hanging in the middle of debt, and I can sympathize. But if it comes to it, I don't know if I'll be able to choose sides between them. Mr. Coleman is, and will always be my master and I owe my first loyalties to him. It's true that I cannot always defend the things he does, but I can and will always defend his character and integrity.
God... This is the last thing I needed, on top of the stress of starting school... I can't cry anymore. I've shed all the tears that I can bear...

Changes...

A lot has changed since I last posted. Mr. Coleman sold his apartment and moved to Pennsylvania to be with his family while his father is being treated for lung cancer. He's staying up there as long as he needs to, and plans to come do group testings every three months as long as he's living in Penn. Ms. Swing and I were left in charge of the dojang, which is slightly terrifying. As of now, Ms. Swing is covering the Monday/Thursday classes, I'm helping her on Tuesdays, Rodney is teaching Fridays, and I teach Saturdays. Covering the actual classes hasn't been hard, but the absence of Mr. Coleman has taken a toll on everyone. Circumstances could change at the drop of a hat at this point, so we wait for news, and we carry on.

4th Dan Test

I tested for my 4th dan yesterday!! I went straight from camp to the dojang, having only practiced my forms twice that week because of work, and having not practiced one-steps or self-defense at all. It was a small group, as the test was very impromptu. My parents, Matt (a guy from my church), Kandie and Jennifer (two red belts), and some friends from camp (Laura, Mandy, and Brian). Ms. Swing was testing as well, for her 3rd dan, and Rodney and Max helped out with self-defense and breaking.
We started out with forms. After doing Koryo three times, with different pointers after each time, I started to realize that this wasn't like any test I'd ever had. It wasn't so much a test, as a learning experience. We both knew the stuff, and Mr. Coleman knew that. It was just a matter of improving on what we already knew. We both did Keumgang, and I did Taebaek while Ms. Swing did Bassai.
Next, Ms. Swing and I paired up for one-step sparring. When you get to brown belt, you have to make up six of your own, instead of having preset techniques like the lower belts. Mine have definitely changed a lot since I was a brown belt, as they should. Those went by very smoothly.
Self-defense was also more of a learning experience. I paired with Rodney - luckily, we had the opportunity to go through them a couple of times before the test, so he knew what to expect. We did the techniques twice - once full-speed, then once step-by-step, with explanations of what we were doing. Rodney accidentally head-butted me in the forehead, but other than that it went really well.
We each had to do two breaks. Ms. Swing chose a jumping back kick power break (two boards) and a round double. She broke both on first try! I chose to do 360 hook kick (my signature kick, I guess) and 360 roundhouse (I feel comfortable with it, but I've only broken with it a couple of times). I broke both on first try as well!
Mr. Coleman had me read my essay out loud (you can read it in the previous post), which went sort of well I guess. I don't especially enjoy reading my own work out loud - I'm more comfortable if someone else reads it, but oh well.
After that, Mr. Coleman said, "In the career of a martial arts instructor, you get only a handful of students who are exceptional. You two, are truly exceptional. Now, for the sake of my getting emotional, you both passed test." Lots of hugging and pictures ensued: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=3287&l=84675&id=507329453

Teaching Taekwondo

Since I'm going to be at camp this week with no computer access, this morning was the only time that I had to write my paper for my 4th dan test. So here it is!

One of the most important aspects of a successful dojang is its teachers. Students look up to their instructors and hold them in the highest respect. Therefore, instructors have an obligation to employ effective teaching methods in their classes. It is difficult to say which teaching method is “the best”, but there are several that work well.
One of the most widely used teaching methods is PCP (Praise, Correct, Praise). This works especially well with younger students who may be more emotionally sensitive to criticism. The basic idea is to note something that the student is doing well, gently give them some advice for something that they are struggling with, and acknowledge the student again when they fix the problem. This method is one of the most effective, because the praise builds the student’s confidence and the criticism prevents the student from developing an inflated ego.
While PCP works very well with young students and beginners, more advanced belts sometimes need a little extra push in their workout sessions. This is where the “drill instructor” method is effective. Because of the growing number of young children in martial arts, many instructors are emphasizing gentle teaching methods that are designed to not intimidate the student. I have no qualms with those methods, but sometimes some good, old fashioned yelling is called for. This is not to say that the instructor should be “mean” or “rude”, but should use yelling as a motivational tool. I cannot count the number of times that an instructor’s yelling has kept me going when I otherwise would have collapsed. Again, this method works best with adults and advanced belts. Most children automatically associate yelling with getting in trouble and will most likely shut down during class if they are intimidated by the instructor.
An important part of effective teaching is the structure of the actual class. I base the design of my classes on the students who are there. For example, if the class is predominantly children, I have them do interactive games and fast-moving techniques that keep their minds occupied. With adults and higher belts, I slow things down and focus on detail, but still give them a good workout with intermittent kicking drills and pushups/crunches. It is important to keep in mind, however, that it is difficult to please everyone. In a class with twenty children and one adult, the adult may get a good workout, but might not get to go as in-depth as they would in a class of twenty adults. That is a simple fact and there is nothing really that the instructor can do about it. In that situation, it is up to the adult to choose to try to get something out of the workout or just sulk because they didn’t get to do what they wanted.
Proper discipline is another important aspect of teaching. The instructor’s attitude towards discipline can make it or break it for some younger students, so it is important to know the limits. During a class, assigning pushups is the equivalent of a warning. It is physical labor and it is somewhat humiliating for the student, but he or she is still allowed to participate in class. If the student persists, the next step is to ask them to sit down until they can behave. “Time-out” is effective for younger students because they see their friends having fun in class, which motivates them to behave so they can have fun as well. The two harshest punishments that we employ at our dojang are the confiscation of a student’s belt, and refusing to sign their attendance card. If a student blatantly disobeys the instructor numerous times, their belt should be taken off and hung somewhere in plain sight of the class. This is both humiliating for the student and it serves as a reminder to the rest of the class. The time that the belt is kept depends on whether the student’s behavior improves. Refusing to sign a student’s attendance card is a touchy situation, especially if the parents of the student get involved. Not signing the attendance card lengthens the time before a student can test for the next belt, and in the minds of some parents, is wasting the money that they paid for their child to take class. It is best if the instructor speaks with the student’s parents first, explains the situation, and asks if they have any problems with the method of discipline.
My personal experience with teaching has helped me grow as a martial arts student and as a person. Being a naturally shy and introverted individual, fitting into leadership roles was difficult for me at a young age. I preferred to stay in the background, only offering suggestions if I was asked directly. This changed when my Tae Kwon Do instructor asked me to begin teaching classes for him. I clearly remember the first Tae Kwon Do class that I taught by myself. I had written down everything that I planned to do during the class, along with a time limit for each activity so that I wouldn’t have any extra time. As I began the class, my hands were trembling, but by the end I was completely at ease. I had found my leadership role. Tae Kwon Do is a sport that I have participated in for twelve years, and it is something that I am very passionate about. Having the opportunity to instruct other people in this martial art has opened up a new door for me. I am able to share my passion and enthusiasm for Tae Kwon Do with my students, and hopefully instill a long-lasting appreciation for the martial arts in them.

7/7/07

18 years ago today, at 3:30 AM, I was born. Yay! Yes, today has been one of the best birthdays ever. Everyone sang to me at camp this morning, then I came home to several birthday cards from various family members. My parents just gave me a check because my big birthday present was the trip to France. But I bought myself a 30 GB iPod, so it's all good.
I had a private lesson with Mr. Coleman this afternoon, which was great. We worked on my bo katas for a while and fixed a couple of things, but he didn't have much to correct. Which I take to be a good sign. :P Then we worked on self-defense for the rest of the lesson. Today, we got very theoretical in our discussions. It was interesting, what we covered, but hard to wrap my mind around. Near the end, we worked on the flow of movement from my feet to my hips, not over-turning, and not using my shoulder, for a push. It was very close contact, which was slightly awkward after awhile. I don't know why - I'm normally quite comfortable around Mr. Coleman.
After the lesson, Mr. Coleman asked me to stay to talk about something. So I sat down in the office and he started rummaging around in the filing cabinents. He came up with a testing application and said, "Happy Birthday, I'm promoting you to 4th dan". I was speechless for a few moments, and rightly so, seeing as I'm not due to test until next summer! Mr. Coleman said that he'd just talked to Grandmaster Kim today and he told him to test me as soon as possible. So, I'm testing next Saturday!!! I held it together while I was still in the dojang, but once I got out to the parking lot, I lost it and started crying - tears of disbelief, of course. I got a lot of weird looks on the road because I was grinning like an idiot and kept randomly yelling. Hehe. Oh, and I have to write a paper about teaching. I'm so excited!!!!

A Week Off

I have this week off from work and all other commitments, which is amazing. So what's my idea of relaxation? Training, of course! I haven't been since May because of work and going to France (yes, I went to France and YES it was AWESOME!) I went to the 1 1/2 hour class yesterday and got a good workout with Ms. Swing. We worked a lot on forms, but spaced it out with some intense kicking drills.
Tonight was 3 1/2 hours of training, which was amazing. I got to the dojang early and showed Mr. Coleman my pictures from France, and gave him a postcard and book about the D-Day Normandy landings (his dad fought in D-Day, so I thought it appropriate to get him something like that). I think he was really pleased and I had a lot of fun showing him my pictures. :)
There were three of us for weapons, and we worked on bo and sai. It took a few minutes to get used to the weapons in my hand again, but it's like riding a bike - it all comes back to you. Self-defense was good - got to review some old techniques and learn a couple of new ones. Injured my toe, though, so I just helped out with sparring/refereed for the ring fights.
I had a private lesson after class, so we continued with self-defense. I love being one-on-one, because we go so much more in-depth than we would in a normal class. It's a little more relaxed, too. Quite a lot of laughs. I was trying to do a compound lock, but it was clear that I couldn't figure it out for that angle, and I kept twisting his arm this way and that and finally just turned away and started cracking up. He really stressed the point that I need to find a few techniques that worked for me in terms of my size and ability, and work on those, keeping in mind the different variables that can change the situation and techniques. It was really interesting and a lot of fun. I'm trying to get as much training out of this week as possible because I won't have another break for quite awhile. Oh, and my 18th birthday is a week from Saturday!! :D

Frustrations and Joys

TKD was fun, frustrating, relaxing, and rewarding... All in the same night! Self-defense was a small class and I was paired with Lisa (an adult) and Katie Jo (a student doing her senior project on self-defense). Both were fun to work with. Then Mr. Coleman got the mats out and asked who wanted to grapple with me. I was excited; I love grappling. I sparred Deven first, and we were pretty evenly matched. He's a tall guy, but he's only 15, so his muscular strength isn't fully developed yet. Still, a good fight. Siddu was next. He's small and wiry, but very fast. I nearly hit my head on a cinder block and scared Mr. Coleman to death! Mr. Coleman eventually called the fight, but I never tapped out - I'm not one to back down, and neither is Siddu - that's where we clash.
Next was sparring - just Siddu, Thomas (a 10-11 year old) and me. We alternated drills and free sparring, the two of them taking turns with me (which meant I didn't get to rest). Siddu is an excellent fighter - his speed is his strength, and he had an advantage with longer legs. We usually get on really well, but when we spar, I almost lose it. I feel like he's just playing with me, like a cat plays with a mouse. So sparring was frustrating.
After class, I stayed for a private lesson with Mr. Coleman. By that time, I was still frustrated and I think he knew it. We worked on my sidekick (which I admit, needs a lot of work), but I was getting so worked up! On one of my kicks, I yelled so loud that my voice cracked (sounded more like a cry of pain!) and Mr. Coleman just looked at me. I couldn't read the look in his eyes, but I could tell that he understood how stressed I was. We moved on to some blocking drills, which were rhythmical and relaxing. The drills moved into self-defense, which I love. I'm not used to hitting Mr. Coleman, but it was still very fun.
Oh, what a day!

A Scare

I had a little bit of a scare today. I was the first one to the dojang today, and on my way in I was approached by a guy with a cardboard box shouting, "Hey, you want free stuff?" I backed up and kept my hands up and open (non-aggressive, defense posture) just like we're taught in class, but I had no idea what was in that box. Worst case scenario, I thought he might have had a gun or knife in there. Thankfully, he pulled out an apron and some grilling utensils and tried to sell them to me. When I told him I didn't have any money, he got into a car that had been driving up and down the street and they drove away. I was a little shaken, but fine. That's the closest I've ever come to having to use self-defense and I hope I never have to!
Class tonight was great - I partnered with Siddu and Rodney which was a lot of fun. We worked on wrist locks tonight. After class, Rodney told me that I was the "strongest little girl he'd ever met." I told him that he was the strongest little man (he's fairly short) that I'd ever met. He laughed, and said, "Somehow it doesn't sound the same when you say it to me!"
My fake tattoo was a big hit at TKD. Everyone thought that it was real, which I found funny. As if I would ever get a tattoo of a dragon on the side of my neck! You could tell by the adults' responses which ones were parents. They were the ones who said, "Pamela Plant, that better not be real!"
Mr. Coleman's (50th) birthday was on Sunday, so we threw him a party yesterday. One of our parents makes cakes for a living, so she baked a cake for him and we all hung out and socialized after class for awhile. It was nice...
Exams are this week, so I should get back to studying. :(

Updates

I've been slacking a lot, but here's the stats:
Pushups: 11,235
Situps: 12,396
Miles: 173.25
Form: 40
Sparring: 99
Acts of kindness: 240

Last week, we had a writer-in-residence visit our english class and have us do some opinion writing. So here's a piece that I threw off in about 10 minutes - its about the misconceptions that people have of martial arts (it's still in its raw form - I haven't had time to edit it):

I hate the misconceptions of martial arts that the media has given to people. Whenever I say that I take Taekwondo, the first response of most people is, “Dude, so you could kick my ass, right?” Martial Arts are not about beating people to a bloody pulp – they’re about discipline, self-control, the power of the mind over the body, and not fighting unless it is absolutely necessary. I have thankfully never been in a situation where I had to defend myself – I learn Taekwondo so I don’t have to use it. There are, of course, benefits to the physical aspect of martial arts. A toned body, muscle control, flexibility, strength, etc. But those are things that you could get through any sport. What sets martial arts apart is the focus on developing the mind – strategizing while you are sparring, thinking of different functions for a certain technique, learning which self-defense moves are appropriate for each situation. People don’t see that in Chuck Norris or Bruce Lee – all they see are the flying kicks and amazing speed of their attacks, which are, I admit, “cool”, but there is so much more to it than that. I may not be able to do a backflip or throw someone across a room, but I am a better person because of martial arts and that is the real goal in the end.

One of our teenagers, Hamp, tested for his black belt tonight. I was his partner for one-steps, self-defense, and sparring, so I got quite a workout as well. He did really well and I especially enjoyed his "What TKD has done for me" essay. Congrats, Hamp!

It seems I get injured every time I spar nowadays. I have a bruise on the joint of my elbow that is slowly disappearing, a large buise on the joint of my knee that has a new color everyday, and tonight I received a large, painful lump at the base of my thigh (right near my knee) that will most likely be a briuise by tomorrow and will hinder my ability to walk. Oh goody. I wouldn't trade it for the world, though. It's my life, and pain comes with life.

Aha!

Taekwondomom's suggestion about combining two of my interests into my senior project gave me an idea. I'm interning at a film studio at the moment and I'm pretty sure they would be generous enough to lend me one of their cameras (they've already offered to let me have one this summer when I go to France). So, I would train/film in Pennsylvania, then I would use the footage that I had to make a short film, using the studio's resources. I like it! You like it? I'm going to run it by Mr. Coleman tomorrow night. Thanks, tkdmom! :D

Senior Project...

So, as my junior year comes slowly (so agonizingly slowly....) to a close, I'm already looking ahead to this time next year when I'll be starting my senior project. I've known for awhile that I want to do something with TKD, but quite a cool idea came to me this morning. Our grandmaster lives in Pennsylvania and he has several schools in the area, so what I want to do is stay and train with him at his dojangs. I spoke to Mr. Coleman about it today and he likes the idea, but since I'm already a high level black belt he thinks that I'll have to come up with something that will be "educational" or a "learning experience".... I agree with him, so I'm trying to think up ways for me to disguise the fact that I just think it would be the coolest thing ever to train with him and to make it look like an actual senior project. Any ideas? I'm not exactly sure of my school's guidelines - I'll have to get some information after spring break. But, yes. Ideas are most welcome!

Mwahaha!

I took the SAT yesterday and (hopefully) rocked it. And I was mistaken for a guy for the first time in a while.... Ok, so the guy that I was sitting next to during the test was walking down the hall with me to the bathrooms and I turned to go into the ladies room, and he pulled me back, saying, "No, that's the girl's room!" I turned around, confused, and said, "... I am a girl..." Needless to say, he got really red in the face and avoided eye contact with me for the rest of the day. I was wearing a baggy sweatshirt, so I guess it might have been hard to distinguish, with my short hair and all. :P
So I've been meaning to post about this, but I haven't had time until now: A couple Fridays ago, we were supposed to have a ladie's self-defense class, but no one showed up, so Mr. Coleman had me and the ukes (Max and Deven) do some self-defense "sparring" with the knives. It was SO MUCH FUN! Max made it really hard for me to get him down, and even getting control of the weapon with him was difficult. Not to be outdone, I thrashed around so much that Max had to sit on top of me and pull my hair (after unsuccessfully trying to apply pressure points) until I let go. Oh, and... Hehe.... I bit Max.... He had me in a body lock and his shoulder was right there next to my mouth, and.... Instinct just took over. I realized what I was doing about half-way through it and I started laughing. I guess it's a good thing, though, that my instinct is to bite, scratch, do whatever is necessary to get away. Anyway, it was the most fun I've had in a long time - I hope we get to do that kind of stuff more often!

Oww....

I taught on Monday, which was pretty fun. It was a 1 1/2 hour class, so we did kicks, forms, self-defense, a flying sidekick contest, and played "intructor says" for the kids. It was a big class (25 people) but Deven helped me out so that was nice.
I taught on Tuesday as well, but there were only 8 people, so it was more relaxed. I taught the first 45 minutes of self-defense, then Rodney took over for the rest of class. I'm beginning to wonder whether I command enough respect from my classes. When I teach, the other teenagers (even ones who are black belts!) tend to goof off and it's hard to keep them in line when they're my age or older. Once Rodney took over, he made it clear that no one was going to goof off with him around. I wish I had that air of authority... But, then again, Rodney was in the military, so that probably helped out. Anyway, we got the mats out and did some hip throws/sweeps, which was fun. I partnered with Chris which was a challenge, seeing as he's a good foot taller than me. But I love a good challenge! I also got kneed right in the temple when he was throwing me - it hurt! It's pretty tender today, but no real damage.
Today, we ran the mile in Fit for Life. We weren't going for time, but we had heart rate moniters strapped on so we could stay within our target heart rate zones. And I found out that my aerobic fitness isn't good at all. TKD is pretty much anaerobic, which means that your body isn't using oxygen while you're exercising - its kind of like sprinting. You can only go for so far, but you're out of breath at the end. Aerobic is more endurance, like a marathon runner. So when you go above your target heart rate zone, you're exercising anaerobically, which doesn't improve your heart and only burns sugar, instead of carbs. I found that a brisk walk/slow jog got me in the upper part of my heart rate zone, so one of my new goals is to improve my aerobic fitness by exercising in my target heart rate zone for 20-30 minutes 2 or 3 times a week. That's about all that's happened to me lately!

Uniforms

When I do my nunchaku kata in my normal uniform, the sleeves always get in the way, so I tend to practice in a tank top or t-shirt. I found a few "non-traditional" uniforms online that I really like. I'm leaning towards this top: http://www.centuryfitness.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&storeId=10051&productId=79803&langId=-1&product_parentId=13953&crumb=13501&categoryId=13953&parent_category_rn=13502
with these pants: http://www.centuryfitness.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&storeId=10051&productId=79818&langId=-1&crumb=13501&categoryId=13953&parent_category_rn=13502
I like the pants because they have a special fabric on the sides that you can use to wipe sweat off you're hands (so my nunchaku don't go flying out of my hands) and even a special pocket that holds most nunchaku.
I'm going to show them to Mr. Coleman tonight and I hope he's open to the whole non-traditional thing. Still haven't thought of a name for my kata.... I need to find one word that encompasses the entire form...

Kata

Saturday I had a private lesson with Mr. Coleman and we really started working on my nunchaku kata. It improved so much within just 40 minutes of tweaking and making adjustments. I'm beginning to feel a little more confidence about competing in the Battle of Atlanta - I don't know if I'll place, but at least I won't look like a fool! Mr. Coleman said that I need to think of a name for it. We're calling it "Independence" right now, just so I can practice my introduction to the judges, but I'm trying to think of a name that reflects the story that the kata tells. Because that's what a kata really is - it's a story. The only way I can describe it is, "explosive". There are a lot of loud kiyaps and rapid strikes. If anyone has any ideas for a name, please post it! TKD mom, I'll try to e-mail you a video I took of me doing the kata, so you can see it and get a better idea of what name would fit it.
In other news, I went to the job fair at a new film production studio about 15 minutes from my house on Saturday and interviewed for an internship and a position as an actor. I got to talk with the director/not sure what his title is, and he was really nice - he's an actor himself. And I met the Studio Manager - they all wanted to hear my Gollum voice after reading my resume and seeing that I played him in The Hobbit. I think/hope I made a good impression. On my way out, I heard one of the interns saying to them, "Yeah, she's good!" I'm supposed to hear back from them soon, so wish me luck!

Tuesday Fun

Tonight was a great TKD night. Mr. Coleman ran Ms. Swing and I through the new introductory classes that we're going to start doing with prospective students, then I got to "teach" them. One of the greatest joys in life is seeing Mr. Coleman act like a 5 year old, getting to call him out on his stances, and having him call me "Ma'am". :D Haha, 5 minutes was all I got and I milked it for all it was worth!
Self-defense was amazing tonight - there were only 8 of us and I got to partner with Rodney which is always a treat. We did a couple of takedowns and wrist locks and Rodney and I were going full-force - it was great! We started "resisting" each other - flailing around and making the other person work to get the hold on. I don't get to go hard like that very often, so I was having a ball.
Sparring was alright - we did drills and free sparring, but it was hard for me to get into it. I'm so used to reacting to Heather's fast, agile movements, but my partner tonight was a lot bigger (taller and out-weighed me), so I had to adapt. I'm a little down on myself because I didn't do as well as I hoped I would, but oh well. We have good days and we have bad days. Oh, and I got kicked in the groin which (in case you men are unaware) is pretty painful for women as well.
On another note, I can now do 3 pullups whereas, a few months ago, I could barely do one. I'm hoping I can work up to 5 at some point.
Oy, SAT prep classes start tomorrow, so its going to be a busy month leading up to March 10 (dun dun dun!)

Mute and Testing

I was mute on Thursday, as part of my UBBT empathy requirements. I figured it would be easy, since I don't talk that much anyway, but boy was I wrong! I couldn't talk to my mom on the phone when I got to school (I had to clap to let her know that I was ok), I couldn't joke around with my friends, and people just tend to ignore you when you can't speak. Taekwondo was interesting as well. I couldn't answer the phone, bow the class in, answer the instructor, or yell. I now understand just how important kiyaps are. I didn't have nearly as much power as I usually do, and the adrenaline rush that I get from kiyaping wasn't there, so I wasn't as energetic. Its definitely tough, not being able to talk, and I think that it's a good thing for everyone to try, just to get a different perspective on the world.
This morning we had our first group testing of the year. I was up for a progress stripe in TKD and my brown belt in Kobudo. It was small (only about 20 people) and Mr. Coleman conducted the test because Grandmaster Kim doesn't come down unless there are several people testing for dans or pooms (he lives in Pennsylvania). Demo team performed first which was fun. I have a new self-defense routine (wrote it myself and everything!) so I got to do that. Ms. Swing and I did a bo kata and I did my nunchaku kata. I broke too, with a 360 hook. I think I'm getting out of that rut that I was stuck in - you know, the one where I couldn't break with that kick? Glad that's over! TKD testing was next - Rodney got his deputy black belt, which was awesome! He's really dedicated and very talented. I passed my stripe testing, along with all the other black belts who were testing for stripes. Kobudo testing was last, and Ms. Swing and I were the only candidates. We went through a couple of katas on each weapon, Mr. Coleman gave us advice and pointers, and we both passed to brown belt! Now I just have to train hard for my 1st dan test (whenever it will be) because we have to test in front of Kyoshi Coffin (Mr. Coleman's weapons master). The man is absolutely terrifying and will probably be haunting my dreams for months before the test!
In other news, Mr. Coleman wants me to compete at the Battle of Atlanta this summer! So that will be exciting. But for now, I want to start my training for my 4th dan test (yes, I know, it's 10 months away, but still... I want to be in the best shape I've ever been so the sooner I start, the better.)

Resolutions

In Taekwondo, we are required to submit 5 new years resolutions every year - I spent some time thinking on it, and this is what I want to accomplish in 2007:
1. Complete my personal test requirements by my 4th Dan test.
2. Have all of my college applications finished by Christmas.
3. Continue to deepen my faith.
4. Be responsible with the privileges that come with being 18.
5. Plan and organize an Invisible Children event.

Most people tend to think of resolutions as ways to better yourself, like losing 10 pounds or working out every day, but I like to think of them as the opportunity to commit to something that you've always wanted to do, but have never done, all the while bettering yourself and the people around you. Like the UBBT - I've never undertaken such an enormous physical committment, but this new year gives me the chance to say that, YES, I will complete the task I set for myself!
As for the college applications, I want to have them over and done with by the time I leave for winter break so they're not hanging over me - I've visited one college on my list so far, and have lined up two more visits this spring. I'm excited about starting the process!
Every year, at least one of my resolutions has something to do with my relationship with God, because heaven knows we can always use work on that one! This past year, making time to read and study my Bible, pray, and just listening to God has been a problem for me, so I'm resolving to make time for these things because nothing in the world is more important than developing and keeping a strong relationship with the One who made you.
My fourth resolution doesn't actually go into effect until July, but I wanted to keep it in mind anyway. Yes, I'll be 18, but that doesn't automatically make me a mature adult. That is something that takes time, experience, and wisdom, so I don't want to let any of the privileges of being 18 go to my head - I want to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground until I'm ready to fly.
The last resolution is more something that I've wanted to do for a long time - Invisible Children is an organization that raises awareness about children in Northern Uganda (and all over the world for that matter), who are being kidnapped by rebel armies and forced to fight as child soldiers (www.invisblechildren.com). Some of these kids are as young as 5 years old, and most of them are badly mutilated or killed by the commanders. Girls are usually taken as sex slaves by the officers. This is a horrible thing that is happening, and we're just... Letting it happen. The US did not offer any support for the recently collapsed Juba Peace Talks between the rebel army and the Ugandan Government, nor is our government making any effort to bring this news to our attention. That is where Invisible Children comes in; Three filmmakers went to Africa to film about the genocide in Sudan, but ended up discovering the "Invisible Children" of Uganda, which they decided to make a documentary about. I would encourage everyone to watch this documentary - It changed my life the first time I saw it, and every time thereafter it ignites a fire in me that I can't put out. I donate $10 out of my allowance every week to the organization and I have made information posters and put them around town, but this year I want to organize and execute a screening of Invisible Children.
I try to set high standards for myself, so in short, I want to change the world (or at least a tiny part of it) in 2007.

Keeping Track

Every night before I go to bed, I record my pushups, crunches, miles, form, acts of kindness, and sparring matches in a little journal. Since September, I have done:

Pushups: 6,078
Crunches: 7,180
Miles: 105.5
Form: 24
Acts of kindness: 135
Sparring matches: 24

According to the plan I set out with, I've only completed roughly 1 1/2 months worth of pushups/situps. That means I have 3 1/2 months to catch up on. That's 14,000 pushups and situps, + keeping up with what I'm currently doing.
Today I did 600 pushups and 1,000 situps. There's a man doing the UBBT, who did 1,000 pushups and situps EVERY DAY for 50 days in honor of his turning 50. And he's kept going (as far as I know), even after the 50 days. If a 50 year old man (however fit he may be) can do 1000 pushups and situps everyday, I can sure as hell do at least 200 a day to try to catch up to where I need to be. I think that'll be one of my new years resolutions...

Back into the Swing

My training has been going really well, as of late. I did all 1000 of my pushups and situps last week, and I'm almost done for this week as well! I got two testing applications last week - one for my 2nd progress stripe in tkd, and one for my brown belt in Kobudo. I feel pretty confident in both areas - I might need a little practice with Matte Ush, No Tonfa Ich, but I've pretty much got it down. I'm just worried about the next Kobudo testing - for my 1st dan. Black belt tests have to be conducted by Kyoshi Coffin, who can be quite a terrifying person to be around. But I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
Last night was great. Brian has been coming more often (now that he isn't working 12 hour shifts) so it was good to train with him tonight. We also had two new black belts who just moved from Salt Lake City. Its a father and son (I think the son looks about my age - maybe a little older), and they were phenomenal! I could tell from the way they moved that they had come from a more traditional style, but they caught on quickly. Lane (the son) has an amazing jump back kick, and they both have very good form. I was paired with Lane for self-defense (we just did a couple of techniques - block/palmstrike and some wristlocks) - it looked a little awkward for him, like he hadn't done much with self-defense, but once he got used to it, he was a lot smoother. I didn't get to talk to them after class, but I hope they come back. Its nice to have some more adult black belts around.