First Hapkido Class

Didn't post last night because I went to my first Hapkido class. It was awesome! Really good work-out. Of course, as a white belt once again (the 'picture' at right represents my white belt!), much of the time was spent watching the higher ranking belts do their drills. The idea is that you learn by watching as much as by doing.

Just as I was getting impatient to be up again, our Master paired us with some higher belts and we did some more advanced kicks. Careful what you wish for...I wanted to sit down again, because I was so lost!

Naturally, after 10 years away from martial arts, I'm lacking in flexibility I once had, cardiovascular endurance is much lower, and just the extra coordination needed is lacking. But it will all come with practice. As last time, the students seemed welcoming and many said hi to me as I came in. Another guy was very patient showing me how to tie my belt (I completely forgot how!). Overall, it was a very comfortable environment.

The only bad thing was that I think I tied the drawstring on the lower part of my gi wrong, so I kept having to hitch it up towards the end of class. That kind of sucked! But that was the only bad thing, and I'm really excited about my next class!


One thing I should mention is that keeping this blog may have been a big part of what got me out to check out the school at all. Writing about wanting to get back into martial arts (even in a public forum like this that no one reads but a few people) somehow made me get off my butt more to make it happen. Partly so I could have something to write about, partly because once I wrote it I felt more compelled to make it happen. After the horror of that first school I checked out, I wonder if I would have gone to this school at all without this forum as a motivator.


I suppose blogging can be every bit as positive an activity as keeping those journals all those years was.