So Much to Learn

In Monday evening’s class I had the opportunity to work on some techniques with a couple different partners than I regularly work with.  A lot of times in classes when we are told to partner up, I quite often pick the same couple of people every time.  They are the ones who are close to my size or happen to be standing closest to me.  Monday night I found out yet again that trying a technique on someone my own size can feel very different on someone twice my size.  Not only did it feel awkward and without flow, it seemed like a totally different technique altogether.   Everyone is different in height, weight, have different amounts of strength and different levels of flexibility and with that I am finding it necessary to adjust slightly or soften, with some techniques, to make them effective.  Oh so much to learn!

Last night in Sihing class, we did sparring, and again I had to find different ways to get in with different opponents.  What worked on one person certainly didn’t work with someone else.   Coming from someone who was deathly afraid of sparring a couple of years ago, I have come to really enjoy it because of a great group of classmates that are patient, helpful and in control.   I’d like to especially thank Sihing Langner who came directly up to me after class to offer some suggestions as to how I could get in on him and past that great kick he always gets me with.  Thanks Sihing, I’ll try that secret move next time!  It is moments like this, with people like this that truly make a person want to come back for more.

I learn something with every partner I work with, whether they are twice my size or half my size.   Working with some of the younger kids has given me the opportunity to try new things in my sparring that I’m a little more leery of trying with some of the bigger, stronger and faster guys in class.  They also give me practice with smaller target zones.  The bigger guys, well, still working on that.  I’m determined to figure out the bonk on the head that Sihing Tymchuk gives me every time.   I’m not giving up yet!

Thanks again everyone!

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca