Tag: krav maga

Last Wednesday I went to Krav and helped students in my more active teaching role. I feel completely out of my element.

On Friday I got to go to UWF fencing practice, and I actually got to DO some fencing as well as teaching.

Saturday involved some beach yoga and a walk to the pier and back. I’d say I s wam, but I mostly just floated around.

On Sunday I resumed SCA fencing practice. Introducing a new student to rapier was a welcome break from the heat. One disadvantage to training indoors is you forget how to train outdoors. I emphasize lots of breaks and lots of hydration.

Yesterday, however, I decided i needed a break. I’ve been feeling kind of down lately, and I wasn’t up to any sort of challenge. I stayed home and worked on an art project instead. Yoga is cancelled tonight, which is kind of a bummer, but I’m looking forward to actually being in my house for some time before class. Tomorrow, though, I’m getting back into the groove!

Last week was the first time in a long time that I did all my activities (and then some).

Monday: Krav Maga
Tuesday: yoga
Wednesday: Krav Maga
Thursday: rest
Friday: fencing
Saturday: beach yoga, beach walk, nature trail walk
Sunday: dancing
Monday: fencing (since the gym where I do Krav was closed)

I felt more than a little rusty during almost all of those activities at first, but it’s good to be moving again. I’m really really looking forward to yoga today because I need to stretch out all those muscles I used!

Monday at Krav Maga, a fellow came and interviewed some of the ladies for a project he’s doing with his young daughter. They make videos reviewing and exploring women’s fitness in the area. I’m excited to see my school getting some publicity.

Unfortunately I pulled something in my leg and scared myself. My knee really hurt, but I think it’s structurally fine. It holds weight and moves the correct way and all that jazz. I sat out for the rest of the class (so about half) and did some couch coaching.

Yesterday I went to my first yoga class of the semester. The knee seemed to like yoga with the exception of child’s pose. I’m thinking I’ll rest up again today partially to make sure the knee is fine and partially because I have a super busy weekend ahead of me with Nik’s elevation. I don’t know if I’ll get the chance to fence or not, but I really hope I get at least a little blade time in.

Last night I went to Krav. I missed one class, but it felt like I’d been out for weeks.

Last night we did lots of kicking. First we went over some P2 kicks with students learning that material. I like getting to go over things I’ve already learned with the new class because I can show them how to avoid mistakes I’ve made, and it improves my ability to do the skill.

After that, Kita caught me up on some things that I missed after Eddie showed us how to block forward kicks (P3 techniques).

On Sunday night, I finally went to an aerial yoga class. I absolutely loved it. We used aerial cloud (the silk is in a U shape), which I found much more accessible than straight up and down silks. I really liked the way that suspension took pressure off my spine… plus we learned some neat tricks. I’d like to practice aerial cloud again – maybe montly – but it all depends on how busy I am with school this semester.

Since my last post ran long talking about my beach adventure, I figured I’d put my real update here.

On Friday night i went to UWF fencing practice. We mostly sparred since Fridays are short days. I’m fencing with both hands now, but I’ve been using a lighter (and shorter) sword in my right hand more often than not. The finger is still stiff, and I’m still doing my stretches and exercises four times each day, but I am seeing progress.

On Saturday I went back to the beach. Because of the beach restoration efforts, my walk to the pier was cut short, and I didn’t really have a good space for beach yoga. I did get to pick up some neat shells, and I saw a bunch of seagulls chilling out in the hard hat area because there weren’t a bunch of people in their way. That was pretty cool. I did get back in the water, and I swam around for a good portion of the day. After that, I borrowed Nik’s phone and played Pokemon Go a little bit on the island. The poke-stops were a reasonable distance apart, and I managed to catch some pretty cool creatures.

I did not attempt to have fencing practice on Sunday because the forecast was so bad, and I also really needed to do some sewing. I finished NIk’s shirt in its entirety and the base of his pants. His doublet is still mocking me. I will still be naked for the ceremony. Fortunately we’re taking a little trip to see the lady making his court garb, so I’ll have plenty of time to work plus some skilled hands I can borrow if I get stuck.

Last night I went to Krav. There were new people, so I was helping one of them – a young man in his teens. He was pretty chill, but he admitted that he shouldn’t have eaten so close to class and had to have a little break at one point. I told him there was no shame in that – I fart loudly in class all the time. It’s just life. Anyway, he recovered, and I think he made some progress and had a good time. After the new students left, the P3 students (man, that’s exciting to say) worked on stationary kicks. I’m actually fairly good at these, so while I drilled this skill a lot last night, I didn’t have the frustration of constantly correcting.

I passed!

I’m really excited and relieved because my training partner and I both passed our P2 tests. Last night’s class was pretty brutal, but I know working out harder and longer (now we help with P1 and P2 7-8 and train P3 8-8:30) will make me stronger and more adept. I am also very very tired.

I’m looking forward to yoga tonight. I’ve been working on correcting my posture this summer, and yoga really helps me keep everything aligned. I’m also trying to increase my flexibility in my hamstrings and lower back – that whole region can get super tight and (I think) cause cramps in my calves when I’m working out.

My Krav class is helping with a self-defense seminar on Wednesday. I’m thinking I’ll take the opportunity to fence that day at UWF, but I told my coaches to call me in if they’re short handed since the two practices will be close by. It would be kind of funny to show up in my fencing gear to Krav!

UWF Fencing practice was cancelled on Friday, and I spent Thursday resting up. I was still kind of recovering from the migraine I had after the test Wednesday night. After two days of rest, I finally made it to the beach, but the weather was lousy, so I didn’t make my walk to the pier and back. I did splash around in the surf a bit.

Fortunately my weekend wasn’t entirely inactive. I went to the gym with Nik on Saturday, and he helped me with some weight lifting. I discovered that I can bench press 95 lbs, which I think is pretty good for a first time (it’s more than half my weight)!

On Sunday I went to SCA fencing, but I didn’t get to do a lot of fighting – instead I mostly talked to new fighters and got some advice on another project. I did get to do a little dussack.

Tonight is my first night back at Krav since the test. I think I might be more nervous now than I was when I actually took the test. I’ll let you all know tonight or tomorrow. I don’t want to keep you in suspense, but I’m about to burst if I don’t find out!

Last night I took my P2 test for Krav Maga. I drilled and fought for an hour and a half with no breaks except for those precious moments of slugging down water when the proctors were adjusting the room for us.

I honestly don’t know how I did. I walked into the test feeling really good about it, but I know for a fact that I had some techniques backwards. I know I missed some stuff and went the wrong way a couple of times. I think I managed to fix the little screw-ups along the way, but I honestly have no idea whether or not I passed.

I find out on Monday, and I’ll let you know when I know. Honestly, though, even if I didn’t pass, I’d call last night a success. I did my best, worked hard the whole time, and left with my head held high. If I need to re-test, I’ll re-test. I hope, though, that I get to progress with my partner. We have a level of comfort with each other that I don’t want either of us to have to re-cultivate with a new person. 

There’s no point in dwelling on what went wrong last night or what might go wrong next week. I’m proud of myself for making it through.

Last night was our last Krav review before the test on Wednesday (I said “next Wednesday” in my last post, but I meant this Wednesday coming up – I guess my brain was still in weekend mode!).

Tonight I’ll go to yoga after work. Then I’ll go home, get some rest, and wake up rejuvenated for work and then my test. Wish me luck!