I SIGNALED FOR THE ATTACK TO BEGIN. My opponent came at me with a stomach punch. I blocked it; he struck with his other hand. In quick succession: block. spin, grab his wrist and shoulder, pull him off balance, takedown. I then hyperextended his elbow and applied pressure. He slapped the mat twice; the technique …
Intentions
I have turned in my "Intent to Test" for 1st Kyu (the final Kyu test). Assuming I pass, my next test will be for pre-Shodan (black belt level). As I passed my pre-1st Kyu test in July, the earliest I could test for 1st Kyu is October. So the choice was whether to push for …
Run Woodstock Wrap-up, With Slideshow
AFTER WHAT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY, Sunday was bound to be a bit of an anti-climax. The takedown was underway well before the final fun run Sunday morning. After two days of constant activity and loud music, the atmosphere seemed somber, even sad; the campground was quiet and the gathered runners subdued. But when Randy yelled, "We're …
What I Learned from a Vacuum Cleaner
Today I visited the Genyokan Dojo for a noon stretching class. I was the first student to arrive, so after changing into my dogi I got out one of the vacuum cleaners and began to clean the mat. No one told me to do this; I had learned it from earlier classes, watching other students …
