Last night as I was teaching class I had students doing a kick out of a stance that you would not normally do it out of.
I made the statement don’t let your stance dictate your next move. Hmmm? If you want to be good at karate, you can’t limit yourself to doing what most everyone does. When you see a certain stance you expect a certain move. When you see a certain punch or kick coming, you expect a certain technique after it. That’s just what everyone does. Kinda like you can’t get there from here. I’ve learn a long time ago when the expect a certain thing and you keep doing it, then you’ll not do well. You have to do the unexpected. You have to set people up and confuse them. You can’t do the standard issue, basic combination that everyone does. If you don’t do what others thing either shouldn’t or can’t be done then you won’t win much.
Life is kinda like that. My dad is 86 soon to be 87. At my age he pretty much hung it up. He wasn’t cutting grass or much of anything. When I turned 60 I did all 27 kata and pushups in between. I started with 100 that day and did 1003 during my workout. When my dad would tell others that I could do 100 pushups that said no way he must do them in sets.
Well the other day he was talking to my nephew and I and was quizzing me (which he love to do) and asking about why, when, how and all sorts of questions that started to confuse me as to their purpose. Finally I said how many people do you know that can do 100 pushups? He said no one. Then I said well how many 60 year olds do you think can do 100 pushups. I said I don’t know anyone. That’s why!
With my workouts like I’ve made them I competed in the 45 & 55 + Kata divisions at the Kumite Classic and competed at the MD State Karate Championships and when I stepped in the ring I was so confident. I knew I had worked out harder than anyone else in the division.
If you want to do something then do it. When you are ready to do it, then do it. Don’t let your stance, age or any other excuse you come up with stop you.
By the by I have a real crazy plan for October, I’ll see how that goes.
Ya gotta be different!!!
Shihan Culver
Culver Karate Club
Connellsville, PA
