Shotokan Karate

I have been training in Shotokan Karate for only a month now. Three lessons a week ensure that I maintain my razor sharp martial arts skills - to complement my other skills: "nunchuck skills, computer hacking skills, bo-staff skills." (Napol Dynamite movie line)

I'm only a yellow belt, but the system is kind of unfair because you need to start fresh everytime you change a martial arts type. For instance, I've had a year of taekwondo, then another form of karate, judo, wrestling, boxing, but I'm still a yellow belt in this new form. Then I also have to memorize this whole new set of movements, and my old sets are not obselete. Plus, it's even kind of a liability... "Stop throwing your shoulders like a boxer when you punch!" my sensei always yells at me.

A few things that inspire my return to karate training include getting chased down the street by a homeless bum on crack 2 weeks ago, and experiencing that 5 on 1 barfight in Taiwan 4 months ago. I need to be able to hold my own, not run away from a cracked up bum like a little girl.

I don't have a car here on the East Coast, so I have to ride my bike 30 hr to the dojo and back, up and down big hills. Getting there is a workout in itself. Just wait until the weather gets colder and my fingers freeze and fall off.