I got a Sanshin, my very own- 'Matsuda sensei made' sanshin! Plus as a incredible bonus Matsuda sensei finally agreed to giving me regular lessons.
Today was the first one, i didn't think such a beautiful sounding instrument could be made to sound so bad but i'm doing a pretty good job of it!! While i was killing everyone in the area's ears it hit me that at one point i was right here with karate- when i didn't even have the coordination to execute gedan uke or remember the moves to fukyugata ichi. I think of how far i've come simply by not giving up and sticking with it. I wonder what will happen if i keep at it with learning the sanshin and put as much of my heart and soul into it as i have done with Karate.
Talking of Karate, this weekend will be a very big weekend in our karate lives- both the Arakaki dojo and me personally as i attempt my Second Dan (Nidan) grade here in Okinawa with my dojo Senpai who are also grading.
We (I) are all becoming a little bit tense and nervous and after a stressful morning at school i decided that tonight is the night i will start really taking the makiwara training a bit more seriously.
I'm waiting for the criticism to come because i haven't started the makiwara training seriously earlier in my training however i've played about with it in the past and neither of my sensei have pushed the matter- they have let me decide when and if i try it and all previous attempts led to skinned, sore, ugly knuckles and the feeling of not really learning anything from it whereas tonight i surprised myself when i did 60 strikes on each knuckle with no slipping and no bleeding. I also found that i had a very different mindset to all other times- this was almost like stepping into a bubble- like doing a kata. It felt peaceful and calming, yet strong and focused. i feel like i'm at a stage now where i've developed karate technique enough to hit the makiwara and grow from it rather than injure myself.
I also fell back into one of my incredible weaknesses when i got the melon pan from the bakery i was walking past today. i forgot how much i loved melon pan.
Talking of Karate, this weekend will be a very big weekend in our karate lives- both the Arakaki dojo and me personally as i attempt my Second Dan (Nidan) grade here in Okinawa with my dojo Senpai who are also grading.
We (I) are all becoming a little bit tense and nervous and after a stressful morning at school i decided that tonight is the night i will start really taking the makiwara training a bit more seriously.
I'm waiting for the criticism to come because i haven't started the makiwara training seriously earlier in my training however i've played about with it in the past and neither of my sensei have pushed the matter- they have let me decide when and if i try it and all previous attempts led to skinned, sore, ugly knuckles and the feeling of not really learning anything from it whereas tonight i surprised myself when i did 60 strikes on each knuckle with no slipping and no bleeding. I also found that i had a very different mindset to all other times- this was almost like stepping into a bubble- like doing a kata. It felt peaceful and calming, yet strong and focused. i feel like i'm at a stage now where i've developed karate technique enough to hit the makiwara and grow from it rather than injure myself.
I also fell back into one of my incredible weaknesses when i got the melon pan from the bakery i was walking past today. i forgot how much i loved melon pan.
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