It's been well over a year since my last blog. My year has been filled with injuries, frustrations, failures, healing, progress, victories and good intentions to keep my blog current. I've had plenty of content to blog about, but somewhere along the journey this blog became a chore. However, I have really missed blogging about my long and perilous journey toward earning my Black Belt and getting back to a winning position in life, so I've decided to get back to it.
I've had a host of physical and other issues that have plagued me this last year. One really can't deny the mental challenges that accompany physical pain and I've experienced my fair share of those, too.
Where am I now? Well, over the next few weeks, we'll get reacquainted again. Yesterday I tested (and passed!) for the second stage of my Brown Belt (Brown Belt decided) and I am one step closer to achieving my Black Belt goal! The belt colors in ATA TaeKwonDo are: White, Yellow, Orange, Camoflauge, Green, Purple, Blue Belt Recommended, Blue Belt Decided, Brown Belt Recommended, Brown Belt Decided, Red Belt Recommended, Red Belt Decided, Black Belt Recommended, Black Belt! After Black Belt, one can further progress in their martial arts journey by achieving higher levels of Black Belt rank through training, instructing and testing, and these higher levels are indicated by degrees e.g. 1st Degree Black Belt, 2nd Degree Black Belt, 3rd Degree Black Belt, etc.
To keep this blog entry from becoming a novel, I'll summarize the tribulations that I've endured this past year: right knee injury, right hip injury, both feet injured, right trapezius injury (upper right back/lower right shoulder), both elbows injured, work stressors, and home/family stressors - all of which affected my training and positive mental attitude. The biggest heartbreaks for me are that I've struggled with depression and have gained back the weight that I worked so hard to lose in the beginning of my training.
Conversely, I have persevered and will continue to fight through. Though sparse and overshadowed by my challenges, I have had my share of accomplishments this year. Being the perfectionist that I am, my memory is clouded by all of the imperfections and I'm unable to recall any, though!
What's in my immediate future? I have much work cut out for me over the next 5 1/2 months, as my Instructor (Mr. F) has decided that I will test for my Black Belt in June 2010. That day of testing will be tough - 3 hours of intense TKD followed by a 1 mile run - all outside in the Texas sun with NO water breaks allowed. Not only do I want to be the best martial artist there, but I want to feel like I deserve that coveted Black Belt. Tomorrow I will carve out time to sit down and blog my specific goals for the next few months.
I'm signing off for now to get in good workout this morning! SO great to be back!
Kihap!
Dedie
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Just For Kicks .......
When I need to close a door or a cabinet door or a drawer, I use back kicks, front kicks and side kicks - it drives my husband nuts.
The other day a door was slightly open and I used a slow motion hook kick to fully open it. He rolled his eyes at me.
When we are in the bathroom together brushing our teeth and getting ready for bed, I practice my balance by doing slow motion kicks that almost touch him. This pretty much puts him over the edge, but I can't stop! (although he's a black belt in TKD and a black belt Kuk Sool Won and could totally take me out if he wanted to)
I just can't help it!!!!
Kihap!
The other day a door was slightly open and I used a slow motion hook kick to fully open it. He rolled his eyes at me.
When we are in the bathroom together brushing our teeth and getting ready for bed, I practice my balance by doing slow motion kicks that almost touch him. This pretty much puts him over the edge, but I can't stop! (although he's a black belt in TKD and a black belt Kuk Sool Won and could totally take me out if he wanted to)
I just can't help it!!!!
Kihap!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Getting Serious....
Well ... I'm tired of training like an ignorant TKD student. I am one of those students that puts their game face on every single time I step into the Dojo and I give it my all - everytime. I can't even tell you how many times I've cried all of the way home, because I desire to be so much better than I am, and I am frustrated by how much I completely fall short of the martial artist that I aspire to be. I take this all VERY seriously.
When I'm not in the Dojo taking classes and bugging my instructors to death with my never ending questions, I'm at home practicing and constantly doing extra workouts to improve my flexibility, agility, strength, power, balance, focus, anaerobic conditioning and cardio capacity. I read books and google for nuggets on what to do better or what I should be doing, etc, etc, etc.
I admit that I'm the TKD geek that has a training and goals journal that I write in between classes as I watch the black belts or others as they train.
HOWEVER, I have fallen into the "paralysis by analysis" rut and need to pick ONE thing to focus on. I believe that I am so scattered running in a million TKD and fitness directions that I am completely training ineffectively. Because of this, I have decided to become truly knowledgeable about the physiology behind our sport and how to focus my training by selecting fitness routines with precision. I purchased a classic, "Complete Conditioning for Martial Arts" by Sean Cochran. Within the first 5 pages, I realized that I have SO much to learn. I have been training myself like I'm prepping for winning a football game, not for excelling in martial arts! I also realized that I am super ignorant about all things anatomy and physiology, especially as it relates to training and performing with intelligence.
I am very excited about taking this new journey that will stretch my cognition about training in a purposeful way, instead of doing rudamentary things that are appropriate for other sports. Today I'm learning about the different martial arts training activities and the energy systems used. For the martial arts practitioner that wants to excel in his/her sport, it's imperative to know which energy systems is used in the various exercises. For example, in TKD when one performs roundhouse kicks, it's a high intensity activity that uses the phosphagen system (anaerobic exercise). Both inside and outside of the Dojo, that martial artist will need to perform exercises that train his/her body to be more efficient anaerobically both in the production and replenishment of ATP (rest).
If I think too long about how much I need to learn and apply to my training, it's so overwhelming that I get an ice cream headache!!!
Kihap!
When I'm not in the Dojo taking classes and bugging my instructors to death with my never ending questions, I'm at home practicing and constantly doing extra workouts to improve my flexibility, agility, strength, power, balance, focus, anaerobic conditioning and cardio capacity. I read books and google for nuggets on what to do better or what I should be doing, etc, etc, etc.
I admit that I'm the TKD geek that has a training and goals journal that I write in between classes as I watch the black belts or others as they train.
HOWEVER, I have fallen into the "paralysis by analysis" rut and need to pick ONE thing to focus on. I believe that I am so scattered running in a million TKD and fitness directions that I am completely training ineffectively. Because of this, I have decided to become truly knowledgeable about the physiology behind our sport and how to focus my training by selecting fitness routines with precision. I purchased a classic, "Complete Conditioning for Martial Arts" by Sean Cochran. Within the first 5 pages, I realized that I have SO much to learn. I have been training myself like I'm prepping for winning a football game, not for excelling in martial arts! I also realized that I am super ignorant about all things anatomy and physiology, especially as it relates to training and performing with intelligence.
I am very excited about taking this new journey that will stretch my cognition about training in a purposeful way, instead of doing rudamentary things that are appropriate for other sports. Today I'm learning about the different martial arts training activities and the energy systems used. For the martial arts practitioner that wants to excel in his/her sport, it's imperative to know which energy systems is used in the various exercises. For example, in TKD when one performs roundhouse kicks, it's a high intensity activity that uses the phosphagen system (anaerobic exercise). Both inside and outside of the Dojo, that martial artist will need to perform exercises that train his/her body to be more efficient anaerobically both in the production and replenishment of ATP (rest).
If I think too long about how much I need to learn and apply to my training, it's so overwhelming that I get an ice cream headache!!!
Kihap!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Hey Girlz, I'm Back!!!
I just fought again after rehabbig my knee for 6 months!!! Had a nasty ganglion cyst that grew in my proximal anterior tibia-fibular joint under my kneecap. I never knew it was there, but just knew that my knee was in pain something fierce all of the time. It grew to the size of a large gumball!!! When the doc went in to aspirate the cyst, something went wrong and massive pain ensued. Not a great day. Events that followed: rushed to ultrasound and then MRI, found damage from the cyst aspiration & further diagnosis of Chondromalacia Patella & Quadriceps Tendinosis (not tendinitis) and 6 months of lots more pain and PT.
I've been super nervous to kick and fight again, which Is the bomb for me. I am undefeated in sparring, which is my fave part of training. There is something so gratifying about wrapping my foot around someone's head!!! (which is exactly why round kicks are my absolute favorite kicks)
In class this week I decided to go for it. Did 5 rounds and BOY DID IT FEEL GREAT! The only way to describe how it feels is like when you come back home from being away on a long trip OR like when you drink a super cold tall glass of water on an incredibly hot day and you are absolutely parched. AHHHHHHHHHHH
Kihap!
I've been super nervous to kick and fight again, which Is the bomb for me. I am undefeated in sparring, which is my fave part of training. There is something so gratifying about wrapping my foot around someone's head!!! (which is exactly why round kicks are my absolute favorite kicks)
In class this week I decided to go for it. Did 5 rounds and BOY DID IT FEEL GREAT! The only way to describe how it feels is like when you come back home from being away on a long trip OR like when you drink a super cold tall glass of water on an incredibly hot day and you are absolutely parched. AHHHHHHHHHHH
Kihap!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Inked - for the first time!!!
Well - I finally did it. I went out and permanently marked my ummarked body. I got an amazing tattoo and LOVE IT!!! I have known since I was 18 that I wanted a tat, and never had the guts. In addition, I didn't want to do something in my youth that I'd totally regret later on.
Well - now that I'm pushing 40, I really thought it's now or never. I felt like my desire to be inked has actually increased as I've grown older and I didn't want to be geriatric with saggy skin when I got my first one! Since 40 is the new 30, I feel like I can still rock it!
It hurt like hell and the chick that did it had more facial hair than my dad, but I absolutely love it! My left leg between my calf and ankle have "indomitable spirit" forever marked in Korean. No color - just black. Sheer perfection.
Kihap!
Well - now that I'm pushing 40, I really thought it's now or never. I felt like my desire to be inked has actually increased as I've grown older and I didn't want to be geriatric with saggy skin when I got my first one! Since 40 is the new 30, I feel like I can still rock it!
It hurt like hell and the chick that did it had more facial hair than my dad, but I absolutely love it! My left leg between my calf and ankle have "indomitable spirit" forever marked in Korean. No color - just black. Sheer perfection.
Kihap!
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