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If you've been following Jester's "Hear Me Whimper" thread, you know that like Jester, I am working hard to lose weight and get in shape.
I woke up one morning in November, looked at myself in the mirror, and said, "I can't do this anymore." I bought an elliptical and started working out. But I didn't do well with the routine . . . I get bored with solo exercise.
So with much trepidation, I decided to get back into Tae Kwon Do. I did TKD in college, but dropped out about 15 years ago because my work hours meant I could never attend classes. I was a blue belt, or about half way from white belt to black belt. I'd been President of the Martial Arts Club in college and really enjoyed the sport, especially the friends I made at the school.
I'd been thinking about getting back into it for the past several years, but always had some excuse not to: mostly revolving around the fact I'd put on 60 pounds slowly over the past 10 years or so. I dropped 30 three years ago, but then my dad died and I put it right back on. I figured I was too out of shape for the rigors of martial arts. My joints (especially my knees) were in bad shape. I didn't want to start over at white belt. I couldn't afford it. Ad nauseum.
Well, the elliptical wasn't working. My weight was the highest it's ever been. My BMI was 32.9. I got short of breath going up stairs or with physical exertion. My blood pressure was borderline high. So I took the plunge, and on January 19th, started back at Tae Kwon Do as a white belt.
And to my great surprise and delight, it was not as difficult as I had feared. Oh, my knees are killing me . . . I'm doing physical therapy to keep from hurting myself along with the TKD . . . but I feel good. It came back to me very easily. It's a good school: the instructors are really passionate and use a lot of positive feedback. The students are a social bunch; I'm making new friends.
Fast forward to today. Testing Day.
I missed class all last week because I was sick . . . very nasty cold. I've still got some nasal stuffiness even today. That made me nervous, because I didn't feel like working out or practicing. I felt like I'd fallen behind.
I went back to class yesterday, and wasn't doing as well on my 3 step sparring techniques as I wanted to be. I didn't think it was testing quality.
But I practiced this afternoon at home, and reviewed my terminology.
We get tested on our forms (poomse in Korean, kata for Japanese styles), 3 step sparring, kicking techniques (TKD is a kicking martial art), we have to break a board, and our knowledge of Korean language.
There was six of us testing for Yellow Belt tonight and we'd been working very hard together.
I wanted to make a good impression. I washed and even pressed my dobuck so I looked sharp.
Test almost didn't start out well for me. Before the test, we were allowed to stretch and practice a bit before the formal start of class. We have cards with our photos and names on them that we hand into the instructor (sort of like calling roll). I wanted to practice my punching and 3 step spar. Well, a dobuck doesn't come with pockets. I put it down on top of one of the kicking bags. Master Ou calls us to line up and hand in our cards. I look back to the bag. Gone!
I'm in a panic . . . the last thing I needed to do before Master Kim (the owner of our school, and former S. Korean national champ) is lose my card!
At the last second, I found it on the floor behind the bag. Whew! Crisis averted.
Kibon Poomse went very well. Didn't make any mistakes. Felt my form was good, had good power.
Kicking went very well. Had good technique for my front snap kick and roundhouse kick.
3 step sparring went without a hitch. The first one with a high block always makes me mess up. Not tonight.
Then we moved to breaking boards. I got picked to go first.
We'd practiced with a plastic training board, but this was my first attempt to break a real one. I managed to break it on my first try. Whoo hoo!
I hit it too low on my hand, though, near my wrist. It's a bit sore.
One of my classmates was lifting her hand to aim her fist at it, when the board snapped in two in the instructor's hands. She managed to break it with an evil glare! 
At the end of the day everyone passed. We all feel really good. We worked hard for this, and now we have it.
Next goal: green strip (a yellow belt with a green stripe). Plan: test in May.
Ultimate plan: Get back to blue belt level by November.
Penultimate plan: Get to black belt by 2014.
Initial weight loss was 18 pounds. Gained 3 back since last week . . . I'm hoping that's muscle mass. BMI dropped from 32.9 to 30.4. Lost 3 inches off my waist.
Muffin tops belong only on muffins. I call this a good start
Cheers!
I woke up one morning in November, looked at myself in the mirror, and said, "I can't do this anymore." I bought an elliptical and started working out. But I didn't do well with the routine . . . I get bored with solo exercise.
So with much trepidation, I decided to get back into Tae Kwon Do. I did TKD in college, but dropped out about 15 years ago because my work hours meant I could never attend classes. I was a blue belt, or about half way from white belt to black belt. I'd been President of the Martial Arts Club in college and really enjoyed the sport, especially the friends I made at the school.
I'd been thinking about getting back into it for the past several years, but always had some excuse not to: mostly revolving around the fact I'd put on 60 pounds slowly over the past 10 years or so. I dropped 30 three years ago, but then my dad died and I put it right back on. I figured I was too out of shape for the rigors of martial arts. My joints (especially my knees) were in bad shape. I didn't want to start over at white belt. I couldn't afford it. Ad nauseum.
Well, the elliptical wasn't working. My weight was the highest it's ever been. My BMI was 32.9. I got short of breath going up stairs or with physical exertion. My blood pressure was borderline high. So I took the plunge, and on January 19th, started back at Tae Kwon Do as a white belt.
And to my great surprise and delight, it was not as difficult as I had feared. Oh, my knees are killing me . . . I'm doing physical therapy to keep from hurting myself along with the TKD . . . but I feel good. It came back to me very easily. It's a good school: the instructors are really passionate and use a lot of positive feedback. The students are a social bunch; I'm making new friends.
Fast forward to today. Testing Day.
I missed class all last week because I was sick . . . very nasty cold. I've still got some nasal stuffiness even today. That made me nervous, because I didn't feel like working out or practicing. I felt like I'd fallen behind.
I went back to class yesterday, and wasn't doing as well on my 3 step sparring techniques as I wanted to be. I didn't think it was testing quality.
But I practiced this afternoon at home, and reviewed my terminology.
We get tested on our forms (poomse in Korean, kata for Japanese styles), 3 step sparring, kicking techniques (TKD is a kicking martial art), we have to break a board, and our knowledge of Korean language.
There was six of us testing for Yellow Belt tonight and we'd been working very hard together.
I wanted to make a good impression. I washed and even pressed my dobuck so I looked sharp.
Test almost didn't start out well for me. Before the test, we were allowed to stretch and practice a bit before the formal start of class. We have cards with our photos and names on them that we hand into the instructor (sort of like calling roll). I wanted to practice my punching and 3 step spar. Well, a dobuck doesn't come with pockets. I put it down on top of one of the kicking bags. Master Ou calls us to line up and hand in our cards. I look back to the bag. Gone!
I'm in a panic . . . the last thing I needed to do before Master Kim (the owner of our school, and former S. Korean national champ) is lose my card!At the last second, I found it on the floor behind the bag. Whew! Crisis averted.
Kibon Poomse went very well. Didn't make any mistakes. Felt my form was good, had good power.
Kicking went very well. Had good technique for my front snap kick and roundhouse kick.
3 step sparring went without a hitch. The first one with a high block always makes me mess up. Not tonight.
Then we moved to breaking boards. I got picked to go first.
We'd practiced with a plastic training board, but this was my first attempt to break a real one. I managed to break it on my first try. Whoo hoo!
I hit it too low on my hand, though, near my wrist. It's a bit sore.One of my classmates was lifting her hand to aim her fist at it, when the board snapped in two in the instructor's hands.
She managed to break it with an evil glare! At the end of the day everyone passed. We all feel really good. We worked hard for this, and now we have it.
Next goal: green strip (a yellow belt with a green stripe). Plan: test in May.
Ultimate plan: Get back to blue belt level by November.
Penultimate plan: Get to black belt by 2014.
Initial weight loss was 18 pounds. Gained 3 back since last week . . . I'm hoping that's muscle mass. BMI dropped from 32.9 to 30.4. Lost 3 inches off my waist.
Muffin tops belong only on muffins. I call this a good start
Cheers!
I can afford to give off a good 30#.
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