Ippon Kumite Waza #1

Hy-ya!

Hy-ya!

Hy-ya!

These words are the international sound of potential bodily harm and I hear them morning and evening on most days in my house.  Karate is the vehicle of doom that Max uses to overthrow evil and all that may threaten the good people of the earth, or our house.  "If a bad guy came in our house to take stuff.....ohhhhhhh, I would (block, *kick, double punch, push him down and stomp on his face!) *Please fill in the appropriate Hy-ya with each punishing blow inflicted.  Isn't it sweet how he is going to protect us all?  Now, while Max is committing his kataki to eimin (enemy to eternal sleep) the dog starts to do his thing but he is confused as to where he is to direct all of his ferocious energy.  Moo thus begins to leap around wherever we are all standing and act vicious!  Bark, bark, growl, growl, Hy-ya!, bark, Hey, not the wall!, Bark, Hy-ya, Not the dog either!, growl, bark, bark, Hy-ya!, bark, ENOUGH!  Geez!

I do love these little moments of intense chaos.

I get to have some fun too, while Max is learning his maming techniques.  I get to pull his hair, choke him and yell, at any time for any reason, IPPON KUMITE WAZA #1, and he dances his karate dance right there, on the spot.  I get a little giddy each time and have had to start rationing myself so as not to abuse the power of the Waza.

As Max's obsession continues with this physically demanding team not team sport of choice.  I am actually astounded at the transformation that he has undergone in a short time.  He use to do this stalker thing at the playground, he would walk up to a kid or kids that were playing and stand there and stare at them without saying a word.  If they got up and walked to the slide, he followed.  It was a little creepy, harmless, but creepy.  Now, after a couple months of 1-2 times a week karate, he walks up to those same kids and says "Hey, Whatcha doin'? Wanna play?"  and off they go!  Very NOT creepy!  He speaks up more often and has the confidence to ask questions and make observations.  He does not curl up in a fetal position so quickly if he is emotionally blindsided, he gets upset, struggles with it, and moves on.  Perfect!

I have a picture of Max in my head in 20 years, after decades of martial arts training and countless millions of dollars (OK, a slight exaggeration).  He is dressed in Dalai Lama orange and sitting perched on a mountain top contemplating the universe and solving the great philosophical conundrums of the day.  IT COULD HAPPEN! 

Till he becomes fully enlightened, he will continue to Waza his way through life, beginning with the belt test he will be taking on Tuesday May 25th.  When next you see him he will be sporting a flash of color and a wide sturdy stance to go with his growing confidence.
Please always remember and don't ever forget:
"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."         Bruce Lee