Day 22

So, today is the last class before our competition. I'm pretty sure it's going to happen this time. It'll be relatively warm and sunny, so there's very little chance it'll snow this time! I'm a little nervous, because ever since the competition was cancelled Kee Cho Hyung Ee Bo has gotten sloppy. I think it's partially because I scored the highest in our mini competition in class, so I'm worried I won't do as well. Secondly, it's because I watched my boyfriend do something wrong and then subconciously picked up his habit. So, I've had to correct that over the week. Third, I've been working on a new form, so I haven't been practing Ee Boo as much. So, I don't feel as cofident this time around. I also found out today that I wasn't holding my hand right during Sang Dan Mak Kee (upper block). I swear I was doing that before. I don't know what happend, but I'm loosing it! Oh, well. I have the rest of the evening to practice. Yeah, I'm disappointed, but I'll pull through. I know I'll do an awesome job when I get there. I just have to remember and think about doing it the right way, like I used to. I think by the end of class today it was coming along well.

Anway, I bought new running shoes. Yeah! And I think I have a bit more stamina. But I'm not sure. I'd been sick this weekend. Lot's of congestion and stuff, so my body may just be glad that's over with and gave me a little extra energy boost. Sometimes that happens after I've been sick. Hum, I've also increased all of my weights at the gym by at least 20 pounds since I stated (well, with a few exceptions). I was approached yesterday at the gym by some body builder dude. He was probably hitting on me, but he approached me about my mp3 player and asked me how it worked. After we discussed this, he looked at my chart, which I use to keep track of weight and reps for each exercise and asked what that was for. When I told him I was trying to gain muslce he was a little taken aback. He told me that wasn't a common thing to run across a female looking to build muscle. But he seemed pretty excepting of it though. In fact, I think that was probably a turn on for him, being that he's a body builder himself. In fact, he approached me again later, while I was doing ab stuff. However, I had to kinda cut him off because I didn't really have time to chat. I had to go to work. My point is that he seemed accepting and interested in a woman looking to gian muscle.

Hum, also another point of interest. At the beginning of class today, Master Miller was telling me and "Sally" (the new girl) about power and in doing so, said that women were just naturally smaller than men. I don't think he was implying that we couldn't defend ourselves, but just that our build was genearlly smaller. I would possit this as true. Currently we are smaller than we, but I wouldn't possit this as an absolute, as he did. My position on this issue is that we can't be positive that women are smaller than men, because they haven't been given as many oppotunities to grow, i.e., haven't been given the same physical training, which makes it difficult to make a comparison.

I have also decided to drop one of my classes at school. It wasn't relevent to my major and was becoming more work than I could handle reasonably. This means I should have more time to study for my other classes, but also means I may be able to find time to do that survey I've been talking about. I'm thinking of doing one with everyone in the class, and maybe even people at the gym. That would be interesting, even if it wasn't relevent to my thesis.

Well, I think I've said as much as I could on the subject for today. I will report back over the weekend on the competition. Tang Soo!!

Day 21

Master Miller handed me the testing form for my orange belt today. I will be testing March 20. So, this is what I have to do:

• 1 minute of pushups and jack knifes
• Write a one paragraph essay on my Tang Soo Do experience to date
• Know Korean Terminology
• Kicking Demo: Roundhouse, Back Kick (i.e., Dui Cha Kee and Dul Yeu Cha Kee)
• Hand Escapes: #1-#4
• 1 Step Sparring: #1-#4
• Self Defense: Opposite Side Hand Grab
• Free Sparring
• Boards w/ foot using side kick (aph cha Kee), Roundhouse kick (Dui Cha Kee), and Back kick (Dul Yeu Cha Kee).
• Kee Cho Hyung Il Boo
• Kee Cho Hyung Ee Boo
• Kee Cho Hyung Sam Boo

As of todayI have knowledge of all the things I need for the test. Master Miller taught me the rest of Kee Cho Hyung Sam Boo and hand escape #4. And I can't really remember anything else that happend today. So I'll leave it here.

Day 20

Well, I have some catching up to do. Haven't been on here for a week or more. Been buisy with school and I also haven't felt like I've had much to add to this blog as far as the frailty stuff goes.

Anway, today (Day 20, which is actually a week ago from this calender date) was testing day. The new girl was able test and the other female in the class did the first part of her 1st Dan test (black belt). I intially thought the new girl (I'll call her Sally for privacy's sake) wouldn't break the board on the first try, but she did. She did a pretty good test, although I really don't have any previous experience to judge her by. But she ranked and that's all that's important. She still doesn't have much power in her forms, but her technique is good. She knew her terminology well. I'm not sure how well she did on the pushups and jack knifes, because we had to do them for a minute as well. Needless to say, I was focused on what I was doing. I'm getting better at both of those! I do the jack knifes at the gym and am getting quicker. Actually, I think I lasted longer than anyone else did that day! Working out at the gym really pays off! Anyway, I did notice her fatiguing a bit, but she pushed through it. Man, when I had to test, evreyone had to watch me suffer through the pushups. So, she was lucky on that end of the deal.

We didn't do much else but watch those testing. I did learn more of Kee Cho Hyung Sam Bo! I can't say I really have any thoughts to add specifically to my thesis, in regards to testing day. Both women did an excellent job.