ifk Archives - Ichi Kyu Diary

Water, Karate and Ceremony

A Different Kind of Birthday Party

Today we celebrate my daughter’s sixteenth birthday, and it will be like no previous birthday celebration. Obviously the pandemic has changed how we observe all sorts of events. However, last night, I put together a collage of photos for today’s family birthday Zoom.

While looking through the pictures, few of her birthdays, I realized, were alike. One year, she invited thirty kids from different friend groups and wanted them all to sleep over. We told her that was way too many kids. She insisted, because she’d already told them all they were invited. I negotiated with the grandparents (remember they live in our home, too). We landed on a solution: a two night birthday event. She divided her friends into two groups of fifteen. On Friday night, several came and celebrated. Some slept over but many (mainly the boys) went home. By Saturday evening, the first shift had cleared out and the second arrived.

Another year, she wanted a beach birthday party. It was too cold to swim in the ocean in January, so we had a family celebration then, and her actual friend birthday party took place on the beach, in June. We managed to pack a Porto’s cake into a freezer bag, and had cake with her on the beach. Keeping the candles lit was a feat. A friend kindly provided a tent for the party.

Ceremony and Change

For every birthday, some things were consistent: candles, a cake, gifts. Other things shifted: family and friends celebrating together, or separately, or the place and even the time. We try to be flexible. As she grew, what she needed and wanted changed, too. As a baby, mom and dad could be sufficient. Later, toys, books and sweets mattered to her, and the presence of friends grew in importance. As a teenager, time with friends became paramount. Last night, she had a Zoom movie night with a close friend. Next weekend, she’ll Zoom with the teen group. Today, we’ll have a separate family group.

Likewise, as your skills grow in karate and in life, what you need and want from it will change. Some things will remain the same: karate can remain a stabilizing force in your life, helping to keep your focus on health and well-being. As a child, you may care about trophies, contests and tournaments. When you are a young adult, a sensei might require you to compete in tournaments and ask you to demonstrate your breaking skills for the dojo during holiday events. As you age, however, you may be more drawn to the spiritual aspects of karate: meditation, teaching, perfecting your techniques. Karate provides space for and places importance on all of these things.

What is Karate Outside the Dojo?

During the pandemic, we’ve had to alter our methods for teaching and how we perform promotions. When California first went into lockdown last spring, we took a hiatus while figuring out our next step. We scrambled to keep our community together when financial disaster struck our dojo. Like the schools, we shifted to instruction primarily over Zoom. Promotions, however, were still held outdoors, in parks, along with occasional in-person classes as permitted by the county. We could not make attendance at any in-person event mandatory, since that might penalize members with elderly parents or persons with health conditions at home. Sensei R. researched the effects of the virus and its spread; he encouraged us to purchase sports masks. During workouts, he required thirty feet between participants, and substituted hard cardio work-outs for kumite matches. He found a way for promotions to take place.

Most promotions we performed, in order to avoid attention, required participants to wear work-out clothing. We only wore belts to signify rank. As the pandemic worsened in our area, we had to reduce attendance at promotions to just the persons promoting and the judges.

Right now, our promotions do not look like those we held in the dojo. Gone are the gis, sparring matches, fellow students shouting encouragement, sharing food afterwards and big parties to celebrate our accomplishments. Here’s what’s remained: beginning and ending meditation, perfecting one’s kihon, performing rank-related kata, syllabus and exercise requirements (push-ups, sit-ups and squats), hard physical and mental exertion, the ceremony of presenting an earned belt, both praise and correction from one’s senseis and senpais.

What is Karate Without Kumite?

Kumite, long considered part of the core of Kyokushin, is a shadow of what it was in our current practice. We miss it. However, we would miss lost friends and family members, and peace of mind much more, if we permitted it, and one of our members or their families contracted the virus with devastating consequences as a result.

Water as Spiritual Strength

ocean wave, taken on the California coast

Karate teaches us that life is change. When our dojo joined the IFK, we adopted the wave as our symbol and sewed it into our gis. According to the IFK’s USA site:

The International Federation of Karate logo, worn at the top of the right sleeve of the Gi, has as its central symbol a rising wave, which is taken from Saiha Kata. This wave symbolizes the fact that no matter how great an obstacle or problem you may encounter, with patience, determination and perseverance (Osu 押忍) you can rise above and overcome it.

United States Kyokushin Karate

My daughter, by the way, loves water. When we took her to the beach as a toddler, she charged right into the surf. My husband or I needed to be right behind her to insure she did not go to deep. She loved the ocean and had no fear of it. In elementary school, she decided she would eat no fish because she, herself, must be part fish.

She still loves water and still applies its lessons of perseverance to all she does: learning and teaching karate, programming, academics and her new job as Dungeon Master.

Water as an Ancient and Enduring Symbol

Water is necessary for all life; many cultures use it to symbolize purification, renewal, wisdom, or even the flow or time or life itself; its symbolic nature is unparalleled.

The quote, “Still waters run deep” appears in Shakespeare and, according to Wikipedia, was a Latin proverb. Even the Biblical 23rd Psalm of David refers to deep water: “he leads me beside still waters” (paraphrased.)

Confucius said, “Balance is the perfect state of still water. Let that be our model. It remains quiet within and is not disturbed on the surface.”

Water is also an important symbol for Daoism, the grandfather of Buddhism, including Zen, and karate. It is used to show how the soft (water) can overcome the hard (rock). In the words of Lao Tsu:

“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.”
Lao Tsu

Ocean waters eroding islands from land, Oregon Coast

Mas Oyama appears to be referring to Lao Tsu’s quote when he says, “Always remember that the true meaning of Budo is that soft overcomes hard, small overcomes large.”

Since water adapts, changing its shape to fill any container that holds it, it refers to both adaptation and consistency. It takes the shape of any vessel, but remains water. Its essence is not in its shape. When heat or freezing temperatures are applied, it may vaporize or freeze. However, when temperatures are not extreme, it remains in a liquid state. In short, water changes but remains what it essentially is.

Kumite as Challenge

During our last promotion, I repeated something to my kohai that I’d hear Sensei R. say to me and many others: “On this day, you fought yourself. You had to face your own exhaustion, limitations and fear. You fought those and overcame them.”

While we do miss the ability to spar with each other, we do not find obstacles in short supply during this pandemic. The spirit of kumite: the desire to overcome any obstacle, like that ocean wave invoked by the IFK, remains with us.

In karate, and in life, we want to be like water: adapting to what we must, but holding fast to our essential nature.

Karate in the New Year!

A small number of us chose to start out the New Year right: with karate! We reviewed the onerous lower twenty-one techniques, with special attention to foot positions.

A small number of us chose to start out the New Year right: with karate! I admit that accepting the teaching assignment for today was certainly an aid for me. Nothing inspires you to dust off and brush up on a particular skill set like having to teach it!

Jumping right into the Deep End: Lower Twenty-one

We decided to jump right into the deep end by taking on the Lower 21 moves today. It was a good choice, since none of the students in attendance felt secure with it. Admittedly, I was not comfortable with it until I spent time drilling it, I also practicing how I might teach it. Before falling asleep, I went over the moves in my mind. Upon waking, I found myself going over them once again.

17 Hand Techniques and 21 Lower Techniques: Background

Here is an excellent reference posted by the Kyokushin Academy in the UK:

https://www.advosis.coA.uk/assets/Kyoku/syllabus/21_leg_techniques.jpg

According to the Kyokushin Academy, the seventeen hand techniques and twenty-one leg techniques were developed by Hanshi Steve Arneil, who trained under our style’s founder, Masutatsu Oyama. Hanshi Arneil founded the International Federation of Karate (IFK). When we were a physical dojo, our Sensei R. affiliated with the IFK for long stretch of time after leaving the IKO, and has deep respect for many of its leaders and instructors.

The Nitty Gritty Details: Lower 21

I found that the best way to attack teaching the Lower 21 was to divide it into sections based on both the kicking technique and the foot position. Of course, like the upper 17, we know that we start on the right side, then each technique alternates from left to right. Often, we change levels: so if you do a gedan (low) technique on the right, you can expect a chudan (belt-level) on the left, followed by a jodan (high) technique on the right. We accept and expect this pattern, so we can focus on the techniques and foot positions.

Leg techniques

Here’s the breakdown for leg techniques:

2 knee techniques (hiza, knee to the face, followed by a “roundhouse” knee)
1 groin kick (kin geri)
2 front kicks (mae geri, chudan and jodan levels)
4 stretch kicks (ke age, front, circling outside-in, inside-out, side)
3 round-house kicks (mawashi geri, gedan, chudan, jodan)
2 “knee” kick-attacks, to the side and then we pivot to the front for the second (kansetsu geri)
4 side kicks, (yoko geri), alternating between the side and front, chudan then jodan on both sides
3 back kicks (ushiro geri, chudan on each side, followed by a complete spinning jodan back kick)

Foot positions

The foot positions can “transition” between these moves, and we are also moving through haisoku (pointed toe), chusoku (striking with the ball of the foot), sokuto (the “knife-edge,” outer side of the foot), kakato (the heel) and occasionally, teisoku, or the “inside”side of the foot. Here is a breakdown by foot positions:

3 haisoku(s) (making contact with the target using the top flat of foot, toes pointed down, techniques are 2 knees and the groin kick)
3 chusoku(s) (ball of the foot, two front kicks and the front stretch kick)
teisoku (inside of foot, technique is outside-in stretch kick)
haisoku for the inside-out circling stretch kick
sokuto (knife-edge of foot) for the side stretch kick
back to 2 chusokus ( round-house kicks)
1 haisoku (jodan round-house kick)
6 sokuto (all of the kansetsu and yoko geri kicks)
3 kakato(s) (heels, all back kicks)

Reference Videos

While trying to figure out how to teach these techniques last night, I found a few useful videos. One in particular gave important insights into both the knee techniques and foot positions.

The very first technique, hiza gammen geri, is a knee to the face. Now, if you’re reading this and you don’t know me, know that I am short: just over five feet tall. So I’m thinking, how the heck would I get my knee up that high? Well, I did see some images of karateka using beautiful jumps to raise their knees to the level of an opponent’s face. That is one way. The following video, however, demonstrates a good practice technique, holding your hands at chest-level, then kneeing your own hands. Today we did this as a warm-up between stretches and kihon.

This video also covers another point of reference: why the emphasis on the foot positions? After having his student practice hitting his hands with his knees, he goes on to explain how the foot position, chusoku verses haisoku, can direct the force of the strike. This video was shared on YouTube by Karate-Kata. Please refer to the first segment labelled “Hiza Geri.”

Section called “Hiza Geri” contains relevant information regarding exercises for knee strikes and how foot position can direct the force of a strike.

Unfortunately, the video itself appears to be a collection which does not mention who the instructors are or which dojos they belong to. I also tried to find information about the poster through their YouTube “home” page. While the poster includes links to other interesting karate pages and a memorial to Jon Bluming, I wasn’t able to find more information to share about these folks.

Zoom Instruction

Our class today was small: just my son and me, two young junior shodans, and one very dedicated adult green belt. I lead the warm-up, then had students perform the knee kicks to the hands. We started at chest level and tried eye-level, but that was definitely challenging.

For kihon, we did a round-robin: each student lead the exercises associated with a stance. Most students did twenties! So it was a hard kihon. After a water break, I had us once again do those knee exercises, then proceeded to break down the lower 21 by leg technique. With each one, though, I was careful to point out the required foot position.

Finally, after going over the 21 techniques with me, we did another round-robin. I asked everyone to go into Gallery View in Zoom. We all unmuted our mics. Then, I called out the order in which students would do the techniques, and each student led one technique until we got through all 21. If a student didn’t remember which technique came next, I helped him or her out. But most folks knew or guessed which technique came next, and many remembered those foot positions! I’m very proud of the class.

Point Needing Clarification: Ushiro Geris, two attacks or three?

We also had a big discussion about the last three ushiro geris. So, if you go strictly by what the cheat sheet shows, we might assume that the first two kicks are part of a single attack: you spin 180, then deliver a back kick with the right, then left leg, then spin 180 to complete the attack. In all honestly, for that to work, you’d have to be pretty fast in delivering those kicks to an opponent. Either that, or confident your first kick lands. Normally, we would not want to keep our backs to an opponent for two techniques. But given that the cheat sheet shows no transition between the first right and left chudan-level back kicks, this is one way to make sense of that.

Alternatively, and an equally valid assumption, would be for the karateka to know that each ushiro geri is proceeded by a turn, then the kick is delivered, and the technique is completed by a turn back to face the opponent. In this case, both the right and left ushiro geris would be separate attacks.

I emailed Sensei T. for clarification and will share his more educated opinion when I hear back from him.

Kanku on Halloween, and Vote!

Tuesday Night with Sensei R: introducing Kanku

Last Tuesday, Sensei R discussed and demonstrated kanku kata over Zoom. He also shared the following video:

Kanku is one of the longest kata, but also beautiful and a go-to kata for shodans and high rank karateka seeking a good competition kata

As you will see if you watch the kata, and as Sensei R pointed out, this kata contains over 70 different moves. According to Sensei R, some karate practitioners believe that the Pinan katas were basically pieces of this kata. Early karate instructors, then, had separated it into pieces. While there is no proof that this origin story for the Pinans is true, said Sensei R, Kanku certainly contains many moves from the Pinans.

In fact, many of the more difficult from the Pinans, such as the kick-punch combination as well as the forehead block with strike in Pinan Sono Yon, or the Osai-uke followed by a stab in Pinan Ni, are found in Kanku. Luckily, many of the moves are repeated and mirrored on the other side of the body. However, the kata is still a bear to learn.

I was “monitoring,” or basically doing “tech” for the Zoom session, during that class, so I didn’t really follow along. When others weren’t following, I let Sensei R know or controlled the spotlighting.

The Night Before All Hallows Eve: partying and practicing

Luckily for me, Sensei T covered that kata again on Friday night. We had a very small adult class. It was Sensei T, Senpai DJ and me.

The Youth Counsel planned a Halloween bash/movie night over Zoom. Most of the kids, including a couple who showed up on the regular karate class Zoom, went to the party once they found out about it. This was expected and encouraged. Given trick-or-treating has been discouraged in our area due to the pandemic, these parties have taken on much greater importance. They are a poor substitute for kids getting together in costume and haunting their neighbors, granted. Nevertheless, these events serve as an important way for kids to celebrate and spend time together.

The kids had maybe fourteen separate households attend their Zoom. They played games, gossiped, showed off their costumes and their pets, and watched movies.

Sensei T asked DJ about her last promotion kata, so we reviewed those, then he basically taught me a good portion of Kanku. Given the complexity of that kata, it was great to have that training. Learning it, and I’m sure teaching it, over Zoom was a challenge. Sensei T was careful to demonstrate the turns from different views, so DJ and I were able to understand them. I have enough trouble keeping track of left versus right without having to interpret these through video. However, Sensei T watched carefully and really helped us. I learned so much from that class!

It’s funny: I had considered suggesting we cancel the class, since we knew that the youth party would greatly reduce our attendance. I’m so glad we didn’t. Personally, I really benefitted from that class.

Saturday in the Park: learning Kanku

We met in a local park in Burbank for our Saturday morning class. We’ve been meeting outdoors roughly once a month, and it’s great to practice in person. I admit, though, it’s easy for each of us to forget to social distance, particularly given how excited we feel to be together again. We do our best. When we forget ourselves, usually someone will remember, caution the group, and then we’ll spread out again. During the actual exercise portion, we make an effort to keep our groups more spread out than usual.

Sensei T had me lead warm-ups, and I got us to run in a wide circle as Sensei R had often done with us, do side-shuffles, high-knees, butt-kickers and just generally jog to get the blood flowing. Then, of course, we moved on to my nemesis, stretches, and ended with the shuto ukes, which I love.

I just looked up shuto mawachi uke, and this brought up a video of the Kyokushin warm-up for a Japanese dojo, and the teacher leading it is our style’s founder, Mas Oyama!

Sensei T then assigned students to lead sections of kihon, and we did a vigorous “speed kihon,” in which we just run through the techniques without needing to name them. We did twenties, so we were out of breath at the end.

He then covered Kanku, affording us the opportunity in person to practice what we’d been learning over Zoom. That was a different experience for sure. Sensei T demonstrated the kata for us, too, and his moves are elegant and powerful at once. He is such an insightful and sensitive teacher, too: he gives both praise and correction in a kind, straightforward manner.

A moment in Time: remembering Kanku at the dojo

While driving to attend the class in the park, my mind went to the first time I’d seen this kata performed. One of our instructors in the dojo had been a kata champion, and she’d both demonstrated and taught that kata. As a low-ranking student, I was in awe of her and her beautiful execution of it. Kanku also appeared to me, at that time, as one of those near-unattainable goals. It was so complex, powerful and elegant. How could someone like me learn to do that? I could but watch and dream.

However, this week, I was actually learning it!. Given my mastery of previous kata and approximately seven or eight years of practice, I feel I understand much of it. Now don’t get me wrong: learning it will still be challenging, and I’m sure I won’t be doing flying jumps. While watching Sensei T perform it in the park and on Zoom, I recognized so much of it from our previous studies.

I have a karate New Year’s resolution ready to go: learn Kanku. What do I plan to give myself for the holidays? Knowledge of Kanku!

Halloween Gifts

While the gift of Kanku knowledge, courtesy of Senseis T and R, was perhaps my favorite Halloween gift, our family also received a wonderful “boo bag,” for perhaps the second or third year in a row. We do not know who gave us this thoughtful gift: a friend, a neighbor? We’re not even sure if these gifts came from the same person or persons who “booed” us last year or the year before. This year, two pairs of Halloween-themed socks, along with baked goodies and candy corns, were included. We are guessing our friendly ghost knows two children reside in our household. The bag contained two or more of everything.

The first time we received a “boo” gift, it came with instructions, including a sign to hang on your door, indicating you’d been “booed.” This year, there was simply a card announcing “You’ve been booed!” We made our own “we’ve been booed” sign to put on our door.

S and I also purchased and delivered a “boo” gift to neighbors up the street with three children. I confess we reused the cute “boo” card from our gift, but the fresh baked goods from our local cupcake shop were no re-gift, unless our neighbors dislike cookies! S took them to the door, rang the bell and ran to my car. I hesitated just long enough to see the door start to open, then drove away. S giggled the whole time, sputtering “Hurry Mom! Drive away!” between giggles. I hope they enjoyed their boo gift as much as we enjoyed ours!

Vote! Then find peace with your decision and those of others

And it is November 1st, so go vote! For practitioners of karate of our style, remember Oyama’s three points on why we practice karate:

to be a better person (more fit, healthy but also more at peace)
to be a better family member
to be a better member of society

Karateka strive to be better members of our societies. In a democracy, this includes our civic responsibility to vote. Please vote!

Recognize both your power and your limitations

Also, given all the stressors coming with this particular election during this particular pandemic, I’d like to remind folks of two things.

First, recognize that your vote counts and this is a very important election. Do not underestimate the importance of your vote. Our American leaders, for both better and for worse, have significant influence over world politics. As an American, your decision can influence not only American lives for the next four years, but it can influence people across the globe.

Lake in Colorado; do your best, then do your best to let go

Second, recognize that American politics has its limits. Do not overestimate the importance of our decisions. No president or other elected official is going to single-handedly cure COVID-19 in a day, though they may help or hinder our human group efforts towards a cure. Presidents and other elected leaders are not gods or goddesses. Also, despite what we decide, the sun will rise and set. The earth will rotate and follow its course around the sun. The moon waxes and wanes, regardless of our decisions. Find peace in knowing, whether or not your chosen politician wins the day, and whether or not you are in step with the rest of your nation’s other voters, that these changes are temporary.

As an American karateka, if you have carefully considered your decisions and cast your ballot, you have done your part. The rest is up to everyone else. Let it go now.

Belts, Imagination and Kumite

Wednesday September 2nd, 2020

Last week we celebrated four birthdays (my nephew, my sister-in-law, my husband D and me), and we saw Sensei in the park last Saturday morning. He spoke words of encouragement to all of us, and handed out belts and certificates.

We arrived home to a pancake breakfast prepared by my nephew from Northern California. It was also D’s birthday, so we got take out from our favorite restaurant, shared it with D’s brother’s family and the grandparents. Afterwards, we watched Zodiac. D had worked with Aaron, the son of Robert Graysmith, who authored the original book. It was disturbing, mainly because it is a true story, but a good movie.

On Sunday, we peformed those chores neglected while entertaining out-of-town guests and celebrating birthdays. On Monday, we were off running.

I want to share my entry from Saturday.

Ceremony of Belt Awards

Today is D’s birthday. He slept in. The kids and I rose at 7 am. We were at the Figure 8 park by 8:30 am. T, TF, B, Sensei AJ and our Sensei were all there, as well as many of the kids. Sensei brought a large box, filled with certificates and belts. With help from T and B, he arranged them in a row on the green. His certificates this time were issued by the California Budoshinkai Association, the new style he is in the process of creating. We are still an IFK affiliate.

It was an emotional experience, seeing so many friends and my own children receiving their belts. Certainly I felt emotional upon receiving my own belt. Obviously this ceremony was not the one I imagined a year ago. Kyokushin, however, is about seeking absolute truth, or absolute reality–this is our preferred translation in our dojo community. Buddhism teaches us to let go of illusion, including and especially self-delusion. Wisdom will bring us to recognize beauty in that reality, when we can strip away enough self-delusion to see it.

Imagination versus Reality

Before the pandemic, I imagined a ten-person kumite match: most of the folks whipping my tail would be good friends from the dojo. I imagined it within the dojo building that Sensei no longer rents, along with board or brick breaking to demonstrate our skills, along with a party afterwards. But the reality is we gathered in the morning, outdoors, in a neighborhood park, under blooming crepe myrtle trees, standing on grass, surrounded by our greater Burbank community. Sensei announced that two persons from our dojo have been diagnosed with Covid-19. I hope they are coping okay and not seriously ill.

Many of us gathered there in the park, distanced but well, dressed in street clothes instead of gis. Despite the pandemic and the many woes inflicted upon our group that might have pulled us apart, we were there together, at least, those of us who could be there. Some others do join us over Zoom that were not at liberty to come to a park. One pair of children were allowed to come only briefly to receive their belts, and had to leave right away. Three members of their family are immunocompromised, so these children, understandably, kept their contact brief.

We are fortunate to be together, mostly over Zoom but sometimes in the park, like this gathering. We are fortunate to not have lost anyone in our little dojo community to this disease at this time. Granted, preserving our community through this crisis took a lot of work.

Kumite

This was our real fight: our kumite match was against a plague that would pull us apart with fear, illness and financial troubles, all against a backdrop of political unrest and dissension. Though we’ve received our belts and certificates, this particular kumite match is far from over. We have to support each other in the face of this plague, build harmony from discord, and hold our little community, along with Burbank, California, the United States and the free world and finally, the whole world, together. We are a world community of humans, with more binding us together than separating us. Also, all living things in this world are interdependent upon keeping our environment, and each other, in good health. We’ve made it this far.

Sensei saw fit to honor many of us with belts and certificates for our hard work. He also gave high honors to T and AJ by asking our dojo community to address them now as “Sensei,” or Teacher. They well deserve this honor.

Performing Breaks

Yesterday, in our own back yard, F, S and I broke up chunks of concrete and rocks with shuto hands. So we did our breaks before receiving our belts. That evening, S and I showed his young cousin the rocks and chunks of concrete that we’d broken. He was actually more impressed by the concrete breaks, since the rocks looked more “breakable” to him. S and I found a thinner piece of concrete and demonstrated how to break it on the patio. S’s young cousin listened carefully, and, using the technique we demonstrated for him, he broke it!

Sensei had told us that receiving a black belt is about teaching, sharing what you know. I was so excited to see my ten year old nephew present the fragments of his shattered hunk of concrete to his own father with pride. His was a clean, straight break.

The Loss of Chadwick Boseman

Our family was saddened to read about the death of Chadwick Boseman. Sometimes we fight hard and do not win. Not winning the battle, or even the war, does not make you less of a warrior. On screen, Chadwick fought super-villains. In real life, he had more formidable foes: racism, on top of the usual demons faced by artists and other creatives, and finally, cancer. He deserves his own black belt for tenacity and his drive to share his gifts with the world.

If you have not watched his speech to the Screen Actors’ Guild, it is well worth your time.

This is another kumite match we, as a society, need to take on and defeat: racism, including systemic racism and unconscious bias. Exacerbating these situations is the problem of poverty, another formidable foe, but one we can defeat, if we have the will.

Shodan Test! How an Earthworm saved me from Tabata

Sunday, August 9th, 2020

I should make this the last entry for the Daily Logs, and come up with a new category now that F and I have passed our shodan tests.

But first, I promised to explain about earthworms!

This is what I wrote regarding the shodan test on August 8th.

August 8th: Shodan Test!

Last night, F and I packed the car with most of what we needed: bo staffs, masks, sunscreen. I left a cooler with bottled water on the counter.

We woke up at 6:30am. I fried each of us an egg and made shots of coffee. F likes iced lattes and I like mine warm. I also wore contacts, so working out in a mask would be easier. The combination of glasses, working out and masks can often result in foggy glasses and poor vision. These contacts are pretty old, and they are both “left” eyes, but I see well in them at a distance.

As instructed, we did not wear our gis. We wore work-out clothes, running shoes, masks–preferably vented ones–and our ichi kyu belts. Senpai M, now considered a Sensei to us when she visits, named it “ninja mode.” Our Sensei was concerned about attracting attention, since formal group gatherings are highly discouraged.

F and I arrived at the park around the same time as TF and T. B was already there, stretching with Sensei and his wife W. “Get out here! The test has already started!” yelled Sensei. That lit a fire under all of us. We rushed to drop our coolers and staves under a tree and join the workout. As a long-time, tough fitness trainer, W is a Sensei in her own right. She devised the tabata portion of the workout.

We did stretches, then kihon. Sensei kept us thirty feet apart. We were allowed to pull our masks down to breath better, as long as we maintained that greater distance. After kihon, we did the kata walk.

Next, Sensei suggested we remove our shoes, and we did Pinan Ichi Ura in the grass. We had practiced this in the dirt path, but there were a few joggers on the path. Also, I foolishly left my shoes right in my own path for Uras, and I heard Sensei call out, “Everyone watch your shoes.” I was a bit rattled trying to avoid stepping on my sneakers. At the end, I forgot the ending shuto mawashi ukes for the kata and did punches instead. I noticed I was the only person ending in zenkutsu dachi. For a moment, I panicked and feared I’d done the wrong kata all together. Later, when F and I grabbed water together, I confirmed we’d both done the same kata, then my mistake finally dawned on me.

We put our shoes back on for the bo staff katas. Sensei required bo sono ichi from the ichi kyus, but T had taught us bo sono ni. F, TF and I tried it. Sensei noticed we each did it and thanked us. Afterwards, T and B did Kanku. F tried to do some of Kanku. She had learned it last summer, but had not practiced it in a long time. She knelt part of the way through, if I remember correctly. T and B were super-sharp doing that kata. Somewhere in there, we also did the shodan and nidan syllabi.

Sensei W took over, and had us do four sets of tabata. Initially the Senseis said “three or four,” but we knew “three or four” meant four. It was, after all, a test for shodans and nidans. For the first exercise, we did side shuffles and bear crawls. Next, mountain climbers, followed by one leg repeated kicks, until W told us to switch sides.Sometimes we did not switch sides. Finally, we did long jumps, followed by a push-up and high-knee jog backwards as our last set.

I want to say each set lasted a minute or to. I’m honestly not sure how long. W modified the original tabata timing to more closely resemble a two minute fight. Between sets, we had twenty seconds to rest. These exercises were intended to raise our heart rates rapidly and wear us out, and they succeeded.

About half way through, right when I was getting quite tired during one of the jump-push-up-jog-back sessions, I noticed a big, long earthworm lying in the grass, very close to me. Might I inadvertently squish it?

I also remembered Sensei’s story about how, at least from the Tai Chi perspective, when you need energy, you can ask the mountains or sky or some force of nature for help. I also remembered the camp-out in Malibu Canyon State Park, years ago, when the three of us, F, Sensei and I, were in a pool of water considered sacred by the peoples who had lived there. It was late at night, very dark, but something that we think resembled a large turtle came up next to F, and Sensei felt as if she may have summoned it. We did not know exactly what it was, but we talked for years about F’s “turtle spirit.”

In that moment, I felt that little earth worm needed protecting. When we reached our twenty second rest period, I placed bottles on either side of it. I laid both bottles flat, so neither would topple over onto it. The worm spread itself out length-wise, so I gave it plenty of space between the two bottles. During and after the sets, I checked on it, as it began to burrow down into the grass. Directing my mind to the earth worm actually distracted me from feeling tired or worrying about the test. After each set, the worm was less and less visible. When we finished, I couldn’t see it anymore, but I could see a little opening in the grass where it had been. I poured some water around the spot.

After the test, I thought of the earthworm as my personal testing “spirit guide.” My husband, after all, had recently named my friend Jessica and me the “sisters of the dirt.” I also knew it was likely that Jessica had watched part of the test. Her apartment complex is next to the park, and I’d texted her we’d be there. She texted later that she had, in fact, watched us discreetly, right around 8am.

Sensei congratulated us at the end of the test. We had all passed. We took pictures together. He also explained that he needed time away to figure out his own situation, but would be in touch when he had the belts. Our belts would not have “international” as part of the Japanese lettering, but would say “California.” He is no longer part of the IFK; also our martial arts club has not formally registered as a non-profit or incorporated, so though individuals had paid IFK memberships under our old dojo, our current organization doesn’t yet have a legal entity, let alone any affiliation with any other karate entity. Still, as a San Dan, our Sensei can grant our ranks, and did.

When we arrived home, I joined B outside for the Zoom Saturday morning karate class, which had already started. Senpai K, who is quite young, was teaching and doing a very good job. I made it through my second kihon, still in my “ninja” outfit. T joined as well.

F spoke with Senpai (Sensei) M as soon as we got home. I spoke with her later that evening. It was so nice to get caught up with her. I also thanked her for calling F and giving her words of encouragement the day before. F really needed it, but she did just fine.

We both slept like stones that night.

A native California Oak, in honor of our California karate shodans and nidans

Wednesday July 22nd, 2020

This morning, instead of exercises, I meditated for ten minutes. I sat outside under the loquat tree and tried to focus on natural sounds outdoors. Despite the leaf blower running, I could hear birds and the neighbor’s fountain. However, my mind went everywhere: more changes and cuts at work; concern over this blog since our little martial arts club is unaffiliated, and, though I’m pretty sure I did join the IFK, I only have my daughter’s membership card; fears that the Shodan test will be less meaningful without kumite and in this potentially shortened form; fears that, if I find employment in another industry, the adjustment will be more difficult than expected. When I realize my mind has wondered, I try to find a bird sound or the water, and listen again.

Funny, when I glance over the list of worries above, actually contracting COVID-19 myself, or having a member of my family contract it, doesn’t rate. Why is that? Despite the fact that a good friend and a couple cousins have gotten it, and recovered, the actual threat of the disease feels unreal. My husband keeps a little cheat sheet of the rising national count on a daily basis, which I see, but do not pay much attention to.

Despite the fact that it feels unreal, I act on what I know. In the morning, I still spray down the kitchen counters and frequently touched surfaces, like light switches and refrigerator handle, with a diluted bleach solution. A note taped to the door reminds me and others in my household to wear a mask before answering the door, both to protect us and whoever is dropping off a delivery and ringing the bell. The doorbell, outside and inside door knobs and even the mail box are surfaces I spray with the diluted bleach solution. I take these actions every day. I know that, despite our best efforts, one of us could still contract the disease. Despite this knowledge, I don’t worry about it. I just do what needs to be done.

Other areas of my life could benefit from that treatment: regarding work, I should do my best to look around, and do my best on the job I have, while I have it. It’s not always easy and I don’t always succeed, but that is a good goal. Regarding karate, the same: do what Sensei requires and trust his judgement. He will grant the next rank, or not, depending on how each of us performs during our test. He has given us the requirements and will administer the test. Also, we’ve chosen to continue our karate practice at home, to the best of our abilities, under these circumstances. Our only other option was to stop karate; that option precludes not only a black belt test but also any progress in karate.

My friend Jessica, my “dirt sister,” came over today. Her Queen of the Night started blooming. It only fully blooms at night. We are to check it roughly once an hour tonight to see, and hopefully record its progress. Above, take at peek at where it was at around 5:30pm this evening.

Tuesday June 16th, 2020

I did exercises this morning. During push-ups, I am trying to stay up on my toes for more repetitions, and today was better. During karate class, Sensei had us do sets of thirty push-ups, sit-ups and squats in between various exercises. I had one more set of thirty to do after class in order to get in my evening ninety.

F lead kihon and did a good job, though she has not lead in a while, and spaced on the names of some moves that she normally knows. Nerves, most likely, but her form is crisp. She set a steady, quick pace. We were out of breath after her kihon.

Sensei returned to third kyu syllabus for another type of exercise: we did ten of each move on both the right and left sides. So, after doing this, it was easy to remember the syllabus. Also, it is a method of using the syllabus as a workout. He said the IFK will often have students do this for multiple syllabi.

A younger version of my step-mother appeared in my dreams for a few nights in a row. She read my diary, though this didn’t bother me. Since it was published, I was glad to have a reader. In another dream, she was in a room with a girl strongly resembling her daughter, my younger step-sister, who died about ten years ago. I should get in touch with my sister and let her know about the dreams.

Around lunch time, I went to the office to retrieve my things. The company is giving up one of the floors of our building, and they are moving other folks into our offices. I don’t know when this will happen. For now, most of us work from home and will in the near future, given we are not furloughed.

I enjoy working from home. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before. We can thank the pandemic for significantly reduced traffic and more family time . One friend from the dojo, a parent of two, told me that her husband, before the pandemic, was never home from dinner. He drove to and from work for over an hour. His commute, in addition to working overtime, meant he simply arrived home well after family dinner. Since the shutdown, he has not missed a family dinner.

Obviously the loss of life and the isolation that many feel as a result of the pandemic are terrible. Hopefully we as a society will figure out how to be better prepared for these events in the future. If we can avoid or minimize suffering and death, while hanging onto improvements in quality of life, this is best.

Saturday, June 6th, 2020

The kids and I participated in karate class last night. Sensei talked briefly about the importance of kihon and the need to continue it; it is the foundation of karate. We also practiced the Ido Geiko drill we learned on Tuesday, and that was fun. S caught on quickly and was super-fast. Sensei asked him and and another fast boy who had mastered the exercise if they were good at math, or liked math. They both did. One of Sensei’s instructors had pointed out to him that kids adept at math often pick up Ido Geiko quickly.

Sensei explained that, when he was a student under the IKO, the teachers would often throw in an Ido Geiko exercise right at the end of promotion. The teacher would give students a series of exercises to do, off the cuff, and they’d have maybe two times to practice it before they were graded. So more like a karate pop quiz. I’m pretty slow at that kind of thing. I do get it, but with lots of practice.

Sensei also covered the difference between hiji ate uchi and hiji ago uchi. A hiji ate elbow strike comes around the body and usually aims for the chin, while hiji ago uchi starts low and rises up. The ending hand positions for these two strikes are clearly different. For chudan (mid-level) hiji ate uchi, as an example, you “post” your elbow forward, with your fist tucked into your chest, whereas for chudan hiji ago uchi, your fist ends near your ear. This is useful information for both kihon and IFK’s third kyu syllabus. Even when I learned third kyu syllabus, I remember struggling to understand the differences between these. Somehow, last night, it clicked.

After Friday night’s class, I ran through all the kata I know. I will need to be able to do the “walk,” or all kata I’ve studied, for the Shodan test. Some of the Pinans were mushed together in my head, so I worked on those. I struggled with Saifa and Tensho. Those were my last promotion kata, too, so I really need to get them down again. I will ask the kids to show those to me. I don’t know if they know Saifa, but they do know Tensho.

This morning, I attended karate by myself. We covered many of the exercises from Friday and Tuesday nights.