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DAY FOUR of my journey second to nun…chuck

While learning her nunchaku kata,

She sobbed when I asked ‘What’s the matta?’

‘My head’s been nunchucked

And my elbow is ****ed,

Can’t do it, I quit and that’s thatta!’


And that kinda sorta sums up my progress to date!

Just kidding – about the quitting bit at least. I don’t care how much you laugh at me, giggle, snigger and snort. I will NOT give up. My mantra for this week has now changed. I WILL learn this kata, I WILL learn this kata, I WILL learn this kata … Until I’m laughed out of the grading room I’m going to stick with it. For crying out loud, it can’t be that hard, can it? *she sobs*

Today’s plan:  Strike 1 x 500 … Strike 2 x 50 … First few kata moves strung together … x 20 (erm … perhaps a tad optimistic???)

Well – can’t whinge too much. I feel like I’ve taken a tiny step forward. After all, I’m not in hospital, I haven’t had to raid the First Aid box today, I haven’t been arrested for brandishing lethal weapons in the park and my general self-destruct sequence seems to have switched to ‘PAUSE’.

Not that any prospective burglars, thugs or vandals are in any danger just yet LOL  My strikes aren’t going to keep anyone away for very long but …

I’m getting there. I think the Hyatt-Nunchuck relationship is a little friendlier, which has to be a positive. Now all I need to do is to learn which sequence of strikes goes where. This is a big issue for me – and not just in the nunchuck kata – in any kata. I know all the separate moves, but the order? Ho hum. Worse still, I’m always at my most creative during gradings when the instructors must wonder exactly which school of karate I’ve been attending.  Wado Ryu? Shotokan? Nope! In grading I have the unique ability to show off my very own Hyatt School of karate – all original moves, never-before-seen kihon …. Oh, you name it! So I’m not holding out too much hope for my nunchaku kata bearing any resemblance to what it’s supposed to look like. Still, we can but try!

A very kind and patient sempai reviewed the first ‘mini’ sequence of strikes with me this morning. I can only pray I’ve remembered them correctly – in this instance, it’s less a case of which order and more a case of how many of which strike – but hey ho, we’re getting there!

LESSONS LEARNED/QUESTIONS TO ASK

  • Don’t quit
  • Never give up
  • Did I mention ‘Don’t quit?’
  • When is it a good time to say ‘Quit’?
  • Repetition is the only way

THOUGHTS FOR TOMORROW

(a)     Oh boy! Here they come! Those damned figure of eights (they scare the crap out of me)

(b)   Possibly wear motorbike helmet while practising!

(c)    Learn to expect absolutely NO sympathy from my family when I self-destruct with nunchucks

(d)   Add on next step or two of kata

(e)   Goal:  Be able to remember the whole kata sequence by the end of Day Seven

The word nunchaku appears to come from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word which means ‘two-section staff’ (but don’t quote me on that …. If it’s wrong, tell me!)

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