Last nights training session was around sparring, and here I am, it’s 2 o’clock in the morning, I should be tucked up in bed, and I’m scrutinising my performance to see what I could have done to:

a) Protect myself from kicks to the head, (only seen just before impact!).
b) Get in some effective strikes.
c) Giving away my intended attack/strike.

I have been training in Kuk Sool Won for a little over seven months, I’m at blue stripe belt level, so I’m one of the lowest grades in the class. Now that’s not a bad thing, because we all have to start somewhere. And in that seven months, I have progressed through white belt, to yellow stripe, to yellow belt and now a blue stripe.

So I listened with some apprehension to Pu Sa Bum Nim when he informed the class that students will be sparring with every member of the class including the instructors and black belts. I’ve watched some of the higher grades sparring and some of the stuff they do is… well, incredible. At this moment in time, I’m not entirely convinced that I can perform successfully at their level. I can already feel the pain…

Tonight, I sparred against two students and eventually Pu Sa Bum Nim. My first opponent was a lady of slight build. I made an incorrect assumption, although she was a higher grade, she was female, and she would be easy to spar against, as I’ve a stocky build. However, I was wrong, she was both nimble on her feet and very quick with her attacks. My movements tended to be lot slower, and at first I found myself holding back as it didn’t feel quite right to strike a woman. I was able to defend myself and absorb the attacks, until my opponents stamina gave out, at which point I put together some effective attacking sequences.

Unfortunately my second opponent was injured early on and unable to continue. At this point Pu Sa Bum Nim (3rd degree) stepped. I’d like to say my killer instinct took over, and I was victorious, however, I’d be lying. I got pummelled. Using my peripheral vision, I was able to block some of the kicks and punches that came towards me. My blocks usually had punches right along with them and even though I was not very successful, I kept my fighting spirit alive, and I got a few successful strikes, but above all, despite biting my tongue and losing a contact lens, I really enjoyed myself.

I did learn a very important lesson though, and that is not to make assumptions.

When you start out, it feels like your in an unfair playing field, and you get creamed. The higher belts beat you again and again. No matter what you do, nothing seems to work. But when you’re committed, you know that early success isn’t to be expected. This is the training phase. Your aim is to survive and to learn, not to win. I know that I still have a long road ahead of me, but I wanted to stop and say thanks for all the torture and physical madness that you put me through every week.

Social Bookmarking