EMTF, TSD, DOMS & MIA

This past weekend has been one of the busiest and most tiring I can remember and I’m suffering for it today. As I mentioned previously on here we had a visit from the federation we’re part of for our Tang Soo Do training, the EMTF (European Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do Federation). We were expecting three visiting Masters but unfortunately Master Nessworthy was unable to attend, but that still meant that we had Masters Kumar Jr. and Sr. down and were determined to give a good account of ourselves.

Friday evening’s normal lesson was replaced by a two hour seminar led by Master Kumar Jr., and it was an utter beasting! Those of us who’ve seen or met him before know that he’s a very strong and very fit person, and after that session it’s easy to see why. We mainly concentrated on sparring techniques with a succession of drills interspersed with fitness and strength routines. The only problem was that we were training in a large dance studio at the local school and the ventilation was very poor. By ‘very poor’ what I mean is by the end of the session there was so much condensation/sweat on the floor that it was nothing more than an ice rink. The sparring we ended the evening with was crazy, people slipping and sliding everywhere, but all done with great spirit and a (necessary) sense of humour. In particular I remember trying to blitz my instructor and finding myself in  mid-air, horizontal and going nowhere. Well, nowhere but straight down.

Saturday was a tough one for the seniors, four straight hours of forms and weapons work under the  tutelage of both of the Masters, whereas those of us lucky(?) enough to still be considered junior only got to enjoy the second two hours. We were taken to one end of the hall to work with Master Kumar Sr. and personally it was a little nerve-wracking, but had more of a sense of ‘this is my chance to show what I can do and how we’ve been taught’. He walked us through basics and forms and I’m hoping I came across well enough, he only saw fit to correct my shape once (my high block was a little too far back over my head since you ask). After the rigours of the previous nights training the tops of my thighs got tired and sore very quickly indeed, and holding stance during heung-jin kong kyuk (sideways moving punch in horse-riding stance) was agony! The only way I find to get through that is to keep breathing, tell myself ‘it can’t last forever’ and most importantly a really good kihap on each strike.

Saturday evening was a much more sedate affair. Off we went to a local Indian restaurant, where I confidently strode down through the town leading everyone there despite never having been there or  knowing exactly where it was. The feeling of relief when I finally saw the place was palpabe I can tell you! Meals in the presence of such senior practitioners isn’t a simple thing like it might be when going for a bite with your mates, there’s still a definite air of respect and ceremony applied. For example; no-one sits, orders, eats or does anything really until the most senior (in terms of rank) does first. I was sat next to Master Kumar Sr. and so was on best behaviour all night, no slouching, no booze, good manners – the whole shebang! One of our guys couldn’t really contain himself at times and was laughing and joking and not being entirely appropriate, but luckily our visitors seemed to have a good sense of humour and take it in the manner it was meant. Tang Soo Do is all about the internal and external aspects, I think I did enough internal cringing that evening to last me a lifetime. That said, it was a good laugh, great food and really interesting conversation. The overall impression from the weekend seems to have been a good one though, and apparently they are very pleased with our training ethos and respect for tradition and etiquette. I think we can be really pleased.

(Seniors and Master Anesh Kumar training under Master Ashok Kumar)

I had no trouble sleeping on Saturday night, I was shattered and full of delicious Chicken Madras, and when I got up on Sunday morning it really hit me just how tired I was. Not tired as in ‘sleepy’, but just having no energy in my legs, it was a serious effort getting around for the first half-hour. One of my friends came back from a European road trip so we went on a dog walking mission at the beach. It was bitter, but the dogs had fun running and getting wet as usual. I tried running with them at one point and soon realised just how exhausted I was. Never mind, more training that evening, a normal lesson followed by an hour of fight squad training. Surprisingly I felt ok in both, and really enjoyed the sparring. I was working on a few things and for the most part they came off well, so I’m very pleased. I’m feeling the effects today though, my legs might as well not be there for all the use they are and my back’s a little sore from some takedown in last nights lesson, but that’s why we train. As is said to anyone who takes a knock in sparring – ‘It ain’t flower arranging’.

Finally here’s a little tune that’s become firmly wedged in my cerebellum after hearing it last night while fighting. That little hook/sample in the background, it’s infectious.

M.I.A. – Paper Planes