Sparring on Friday was tough. Our sensei came in and sparred with three of us. Sensei Blake is an extremely tough guy and we all took some heavy licks from him. It doesn’t look very nice at first glance, but this is a new year, and we students have been with Versus 21 since or almost since it opened, almost a year ago. So as we progress, the challenges are sure to only get greater. And as we learn more we can also expect to be coddled a bit less as well. If you get into marital arts, especially in the harder forms, you are probably going to get hit once in a while – and you need to learn now to take a hit so you don’t just crumble when it really happens. I feel neither malice nor humiliation from the experience. Nor should I ever. Sparring is a test; we take responsibility for ourselves and what we know and we act upon it. What would we be learning anyways if we were never exposed to real conflict once in a while. And it wouldn’t be such a great class if it weren’t so intense. Successes give us confidence; failures help us learn. So by Saturday morning, one corner of my eye was blackened and my left eye inside the socket felt like it has been scraping against sandpaper. Both eyes are totally bloodshot; an ice pack helps all of this. And I am thinking about what I did wrong – I let my guard down at some point and I am responsible for that. Something tells me this wont be the last time either. But by defending myself, and responding appropriately to my opponent it shouldn’t have to happen more often than necessary. Osu!

Be Sociable, Share!

•