Wednesday was my first night back at Sajido for a two hour session … one hour with the beginner’s class, one hour in the advanced.
Boy do I need that beginner’s class.
My basic techniques are good until we hit the turn roundhouse and turn sidekick. These are Tae Kwon Do kicks off the back leg, so I have to plant and turn before kicking. It’s a combination of balance, knee position and the proper leg extension.
The leg extension is where I’m having problems.
The Brian at 29 is a different than the Brian at 36. The year off did nothing to help my less-than-stretchy frame. I have to focus on getting my legs to extend properly, both in setting up kicks and delivering them with maximum power.
Grand Master Sams knows I have the mind of an engineer, so his explanations always focus on the mechanics of the kick. Extension fully stretches the leg, so I maximize use of my body’s strongest muscles. That extension also aligns my hip, knee and ankle … so I put my leg into optimal position to deliver the proper strike.
What does this mean for Mr. Brown Belt? Extra stretching, some time on the heavy bag in my basement and a lot more time in the beginner’s class.
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