Seiyunchin and Dancing

Hi. Karate was fun today. It started like usual because we all self-practicing when the younger class got over. I started practicing Seiyunchin which I started learning on Tuesday. I’ve gone through it with everyone doing the kata in Gasshuku, Tuesday, and today. On Tuesday, Sempai David (the green belt) taught me most of it. However, it’s a long kata and I only went through it five times with him. So, today I practiced the beginning because that’s all I know. When practicing, Sempai David showed me a step or two when I got stuck. When he helped me for the last time, he started practicing the Sepai Bunkai Oyo which I learned during Gasshuku. I wanted to describe it through words so I won’t forget it, however; it would be really complicated. Today, I realized that I have to practice it without a partner so I won’t forget it.

So, I started practicing the Bunkai Oyo. When I was practicing, Sensei was sitting in his office and asked me what I was practicing. I told him and continued. I was up to Bunkai Oyo number four when Sensei came up to me and wanted me to do Bunkai Oyo number three. I went through it once with him helping me. Then, he grabbed Sempai John to do it with me. For a second, I thought Sempai John was going to be hard on me. However, it was fine because Sensei supervised us and he wasn’t teaching me. When we did it a second time, Sensei wanted everyone to watch us. When I got up, Sensei said to me not to hurt his black belt. Then, we did it one more time. I know that I looked bad because I wasn’t smooth. When I was back handing Sempai John, I didn’t know to use my hand or arm. When we were both on the ground, my kick to the stomach was really light. I don’t know how much power to use. When we were done, Sensei made everyone clap because I did very well for a green belt. I wanted to do more Bunkai Oyo; however, for the rest of the night, we did kata.

It’s nice being a green belt because now I can do Seiyunchin with everyone. Plus, I have caught up with Sempai Mesha and Sempai David. Getting promoted is expensive though. It cost me ten dollars when I was promoted as a white belt. Now, it went up to $30 dollars when I became a green belt. Sempai Scott told me that it cost an additional eight dollars for my obi. I have an obi however, it’s way too small because it’s a size two and it’s only temporary. I can only wrap it around me once instead of twice. Hopefully, Sensei can remember to bring me a new one on Tuesday. When I get it, I’m going to wash it so I can soften it up. The one I have is really stiff. I miss my white belt because it was soft and easy to tie. I realized that I’m never going to wear my white belt again. I was going to resew one of the stripes because the ends of the thread are not tied down. I had to sew on my stripe very quickly because I didn’t have time to put very many stitches in. Good thing I sewed it on because Sensei looked at my belt and noticed when he first saw me during class.

When I sew on my stripe on my green belt, it has to be two fingers away from the end. Plus, I have to take of the label which is on the obi. Whenever I put on the obi, the stripe has to be on my left side. Sempai Erick, who’s from Seattle, told me these three things. I noticed that my Sempai Diana hasn’t taken off the label on her obi. However, I’m going to not copy her and obey my Sempai Erick because he’s a high black belt. I met him on the first day of Gasshuku, when we were all at Sensei’s house. He said that women can be express and be themselves when doing karate not like socity. I know that he’s been doing karate for more than 20 years. He made a good impression on me when we visited. Therefore, I tried to hang around him whenever I had the chance. For example, I walked with him and Sempai Ross when we were at the park. I felt very comfortable talking and visiting with him. At the park, there was an actual youth circus that had clowns. I told him that I have never seen clowns in real life before. He told me to get closer, so I can see them better. The clowns had a stupid act. For the finale, they had a small boy tight rope thirty feet in the air.

As we were walking through the park, Sensei made all of us learn some dances by a Japanese lady and her group. It was one of those things where everyone was welcome to learn the dance. The first dance included a fan. When I slapped the fan with my hand, it didn’t make the sound it was supposed to because it was broken. The second dance included a paper plate that had some tissue paper glued on it. The third dance didn’t have anything. It was a dance that looked like we were digging something. I know that I heard the song for the thrid dance before. Sensei knew it too, so Sensei started singing along with it. Actually, he was in tune for the most part. I was impressed because not many people "Ok" singers without the proper training.

For the second dance, I was behind the Japanese lady and for the third dance, I was behind one of her helpers. I went behind them because it was easier to learn from the person in front of me. In the first dance, it was hard to learn because none of her helpers were that close to me.

When I was dancing, Sensei said everyone to look at me twice. When we were all dancing, Sensei made us all kiai. At first, people thought it was very funny, but by the third dance, people didn’t think laugh any more because it got old. Sensei liked the third dance so much, that we did it twice. When we were waiting for a song to start, Sensei made all of us go into Shiko dachi and punch a few times. I wanted to perform more for the crowd because I wanted people see what we do. However, that was the only thing we did that was karate related.

I know that when we were at the park, we stood out like sore thumbs. When we first walked in the park, someone said asked us if we were a soccer team. Sensei got mad and called him an idiot. Sempai Linda said that it was like we were all wearing clown suits. She said that when people make stupid comments toward us, I can’t talk to them at all. However, if people are sincerely interested in what we do, I can tell them.

Anyway, Sensei made all of us face the center when doing kata tonight. When I was trying to learn Seiyunchin and copy what my row was doing, I accidentally copied what Captain David did who was right in front of me. After a few seconds, I noticed that I did that instead of copying the person next to me. When I got into place, I expressed myself through my hands by shaking them because I messed very badly. Sensei noticed and said that I cannot do that at all. Probably he said I couldn’t do that because it looks bad and because I have to control my mind and emotions.

I noticed that karate is mental and physical training. Tonight, Sensei made us get into knuckle push-up position and say the dojo kun. Normally, I last a few seconds, but this time, I pushed myself harder. When I was focusing and pushing myself, Sensei made me look up in front of me. Then, he said that I had to speak because I wasn’t saying the dojo kun. When I started saying the last part of the dojo kun, I gave out and put my knee on the floor. So, I’m proud of myself for lasting longer than I normally do.

Tonight, I figured out why I walk weird when I was standing there watching my Sempai do higher kata. I walk like a duck and bob up and down when walking. Tonight, I realized that I stick my hips behind me instead of right under me. So, when I thrust my hips forward, my knees match up with my feet. I have noticed that I walk in the inside of my arches; therefore, I walk like a duck. However, it’s hard for me to have my hips thrust forward because I have to flex my thighs, butt, and abs, so it gets tiring. I look skinner and I don’t think I bounce when I do that. When I was doing karate, I was focusing on thrusting my hips forward. I noticed that my movement improved. When I was doing moving attack and focusing on that, Sensei said to get into a deeper Zenkutsu dachi. Many times, Sensei has said that I’m a lazy girl and go deeper. When I went deeper, I noticed that I was lower that the person in front of me and I’m taller than him.

When I was watching my Sempai do higher kata, a cell phone went off. I looked at the reactions in their faces to see whose cell phone was that; however, everyone stayed stone faced. Then, it went off a second time. Finally, Sempai Kirk made a face and that told me it was his cell phone. After doing the kata, Sempai Kirk asked Sensei he could go to the men room to turn off his cell phone. Some people, including Sensei, thought the cell phone was an ice cream truck. My cell phone went off during my first quarter of karate at SCC. Sensei didn’t mind though. However, I felt bad and apologized after class. I don’t turn off my cell phone because nobody calls me.

Today was the last day that Russians/Ukrainians will train with us. On Monday, Elena and her Sensei fly to New York. Doctor will be flying back to the Ukraine. So, Sensei Mary made cake because they were leaving us. Doctor is an actual doctor of medicine because he treats families. I was surprised because I didn’t think he was an actual doctor. Elena asked how I was after class. I told her that I was wonderful. I wonder if I’ll ever see her and her friends again. I’m mad that I didn’t think to say goodbye when I left Sensei’s house.