For fitness (and fun), my family takes karate. I rejoined last year after a hiatus and immediately trained for the next belt, a most elusive color for me in martial arts: the Blue belt. One year later, to my surprise, the next belt test is a double-whammy! Continue reading Double Whammy Belt Test
This post is a little outside my usual topics, but I felt like sharing it anyways. I just participated in a very special event and am happy with how it turned out. It was a mixed-style martial arts sparring session for a good cause – raising support for a fellow martial artist’s family. Continue reading The Sparring Fundraiser
My entire family of seven takes karate. We’ve been kickin’ it Kyokushin style for a few years at the YMCA. The fitness is fun and challenging. To help with training, we bought a heavy bag! The first thing to notice is the color: in-your-face red! Not boring black. This heavy bag screams, “Alert, get fired up, find the driving power inside and kick me off … Continue reading Family Pummels Heavy Bag
After all these years, and after all the training and discipline, even in various martial arts, you know what? I finally got a blue belt! Yeah! Do you know what this means? I got blue! Ok. I take chill-pill now. But really! I still can hardly believe it. I just rejoined my karate class in January, then crammed for the belt test! Lots. Of. Fitness. … Continue reading Excited For The Blue
Yesterday I passed the first part of my karate belt test. It was very hard at times; my body was getting tired and weak. The extra cardio and strength exercises pushed my body to its limit, causing me to dig deep, push myself, and keep going. After a lot of workouts, at one point we were doing 100 leg scissors; it was tough! And while … Continue reading Karate Testing Perseverance
Today begins my karate belt test. It’s a two-day affair. First, the physical test. Second, the skills test. I’m excited and ready. For me, this test is a big deal. Because of the blue belt. It started a few years ago when my wife and I put our kids in karate at our local YMCA. Once our oldest could join the adult class, my wife … Continue reading Going For The Blue Belt
A week ago, I restarted my practice of martial arts – Kyokushin Karate. And of course, being winter and post-holiday season, I’ve gotta fight just to get fit…and be fit to fight. So I’m still in the “realizing-how-out-of-shape-I-am-phase.” But at least I know what I need to work on: everything. And the older I get, the longer this phase seems. I’m a 40-something karate kid. … Continue reading A Fight For Fitness
Something happened that I didn’t expect. Looks like for 2019, I’m taking karate again! It happens to be January, a new year, so it’s a good time to start a new thing. Or in this case, renew an old thing. Last week, my youngest son had his birthday and became old enough to join karate with his 4 older brothers at our local YMCA. My … Continue reading Karate And Mental Gymnastics
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