The Road Back

As many of you know I've been doing Choi Kwang Do since 2003. Though after an injury which tore a tendon in my foot and other commitments I've been a lot more off than on for the last year. Anyway I've decided now is a good time to make a come back and start training again. I went along to a grading yesterday to show my face and give my support to the people grading. I don't know what it is about being in the room with the instructors lined up behind a table at the far end of the gym but it always makes me apprehensive and I wasn't even grading. I could see them staring at me but they didn't acknowledge me which at the time I thought was a bit weird. At lunch they have a recess so I went up and introduced myself and it was quite funny because they hadn't recognised me until they saw me laugh. I had a good chat with all the instructors and they were really pleased to see me and said it would be fine to start training again and as my insurance is still valid I'm going tonight. Hopefully I've not forgotten to much but I know it's going to take a while to get my fitness and flexibility back. It's really gutting seeing the people who used to be several belts below me now several belts in front. I'm a blue belt but used to train far above my grade and know every thing up to black belt doing both Junior and Senior classes 3or4 times a week and training to be an Assistant Instructor. This time I've decided to concentrate on flexibility and technique for this year and fixing the things that have frustrated me in the past especially my reverse swing kick which never had the power it should. Hopefully I will survive tomorrow without passing out or getting my arse handed to me by a newbe. I'll let you know how I got on tomorrow.

The morning after and I'm a bit stiff today. Training at Hitchin club went ok considering and I was surprised to see quite allot of new faces and most of the old ones. I'm glad I waited until after the grading to come back because they go through your syllabus for your next belt also the class is a little less intense physically while you learn new techniques. I managed to collar and instructor after class to go through my old patterns/combinations and refresh my memory. I was pleased to find it all come flooding back as I was doing it. Phew, I wasn't shore how much I'd retained but it's all still there. Just need to concentrate on my fitness and flexibility. My belt kick is downwards kick (axe kick in Karate) so it's important to get your leg as vertical as possible so there's greater momentum/force coming down so I'm going to work on that. My belt hand technique is rising palm strike, which has changed slightly since I done it last. I need to work on bending my fingers back out the way, which I find hard to do. They've also changed a kick, the names of some other things and added an extra defence drill but everything else is the same. Can't wait to go again, I'm going to train at Stevenage club on Wednesday (Yeah I know it's Valentines day but we're going to a show in London on Thursday as Debbie has a short day and Friday off).