Friday, September 21, 2007

Reminiscing with Shotokan kata

Yesterday, Thursday, Sept 20., I had a few minutes before my daughter's Taekwondo class to do some kata. I found myself pining for the old familiar Shotokan kata.

I gave myself permission to touch the past again, and I performed Kanku Dai, Bassai Dai, and Jion. It felt good. Shotokan kata is so different in it's performance from Kyokushin. There is such a different smoothness to Shotokan. I'm not saying that Kyokushin kata isn't smooth.. it's different. Doing these kata was like singing a song.. my body remembered the words, phrases, intonations, silences, everything. In those moments when my mind hesitated because I haven't sang the song for over 5 months, my body almost shouted with "I remember!!! It feels like THIS!!! Follow me! Trust me!" Just like getting on a bike in the spring, my body adjusted, and flowed with the demands of that kata.. and I loved every second of it.

I felt slightly guilty in doing these Shotokan kata, as I am now fully training for Kyokushin competition. I should have been focusing on my Kyokushin syllabus.. no? So... I stopped doing Shotokan kata, and turned to Sanchin kata again. I did that one until I was satisfied.

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