Posted 10:08 PM by spitgirl
EH-ZAAAAAAH!

I'm toning it down a little bit - because of a rehearsal until 4, I decided to only do the evening workout. But oh, it was nice. We started out with a formal bow-in and then were partnered up with someone else based on the first three digits of our social security number. I got... Steve Brown, who allowed me to run our warm-up. He then insisted that I do fun stuff (given that whenever we have open workouts, I'm the one working the hardest and getting lower belts to do really fun stuff), but all we did was run around, do some stretches (he doesn't do the splits very well), do some kicks and some rolls, and then start in on our "partner exercises," otherwise known as one-ones (one kick, one escape). One-ones against Steve Brown, 3rd-dan. Whee. The reps I'm getting with sparring, both in TKD and in HKD, are certainly getting me more familiar and less intimidated.

Dr. Link noticed my bruises and suggested I get shinguards. Yay. Shinguards.

We then spent a majority of the rest of the workout working on kick defenses, from front kick (catching and turning), ankle hyperextension and lateral foot bars (what happens when you push the foot OUT with your forearm and turn back towards the person? Ouch!). We then worked roundhouse Y-block, during which I had Raymond as my partner. Remember, Raymond is the nicest black belt in the club. He quietly explained that I was catching the kick on my bicep and asked me if it hurt. (Well, NOW it hurts.) He then guided me to having the correct arm placement for the block. I also had the opportunity to work with Steve again, who better explained the foot bar to me in language I understood. Yes, he is definitely a high school teacher.

Our last few minutes were spent sparring. My first round was against Dr. Link. Okay, Dr. Link is a really nice guy and I get along with him fine, but there's a certain intimidation factor when you realize that yes, you're younger and maybe you're faster, but... Dr. Link is a sixth dan and you're only a third kub. We had to stop a couple of times for him to say, "Doing a turning kick as a primary kick isn't that great." Oh yes.

My second round was with Victor, a red belt. Now Victor kept on asking me if I was going to quote him. I can't really quote him on anything he said because it wasn't outright hilarious, but the time when he reached out and just whacked me in the head with an open palm and then started cracking up was definitely a Moment in Hankido. Yes, must protect the head. Must protect the head. We just kept on getting closer and closer with our kicks and soon we were tapping each other. I had to stop a moment and ask, "What happened to non-contact?" "We seem to have lost that a couple of minutes ago." Okay, so I did end up quoting Victor. Nyeah. There you go, Victor. Not in the general quotes page, though.

Three more days until Nathan Day! As you can see, he's definitely a ladies' man, with big eyes and a gurgly, drooly grin.