I didn't drop it this time (and it paid off!)

FrogMan · 03-14-2006, 09:38 PM

I've been practicing kenpo karate for almost three years now and practicing with a bo staff for about six months now. I started practicing both karate and the bo because of my son. First karate because I wanted to be able to understand what he was doing then the bo because he picked that weapon among the few weapons classes he could take and I was able to tag along in his class (in the middle of a bunch of 8 to 12 year olds

).

About a month ago, I entered my first competition ever, whereas my son has been doing karate competitions for almost three years now. Even though he's been doing them for a while now, he'd never presented a weapon kata and I thought I'd show the example and enter both of us with our bo kata, that we learned together.

Some of you may even remember me mentionning my first competition in the "what do you look like" thread. Turned out that I was kind of nervous and I ended up dropping the bo midway through the kata, thus being disqualified.

Well, we entered another competition this past weekend and we both presented the same bo kata with me adding a tiny bit into it. Well, I didn't drop it this time, as implies the subject, and yep it paid off. 1st PLACE in the 30-39 category!!!

That's the trophy I brough back home for that first place. I'm quite proud of it (first place not really the shiny trophy) and I'm hoping it will motivate my son to keep on practicing with me so he can get better and maybe bring one himsel. He finished about midway through 9 or so competitors but he's really come a long way since he's started practicing in last September.

Anyway, I don't really practice with the bo to compete. Only winging it around makes me forget about every little problem I might have.
If you want to see the kata, I've uploaded it to youtube and it's available at this address:
hxxp://youtube.com/watch?v=UwDyV9N7rQ8

It's far from perfect as you can see some hesitation, especially in the part where I roll it over my hand before throwing it, but that's where I dropped it the last time and I didn't want to drop it again, so I did a double take instead of going and feeling like I wasn't doing it right.

This was the last regional competition for the season. The next one is a big one in Quebec City and it's of international caliber, at least for black belts. I don't know for underbelts (what they call the "color" belts, I'm a brown belt, a couple tests before black) but it is a big competition. It's coming around the end of April and I'm still thinking about if I want to enter it. Thing is, I'm not sure my son is of the caliber of that competition. Was cool to have him do his thing in regional ones, but I wouldn't want him to get depressed about looking like a fool in a competition against other kids from at least all over the province. I don't mean "fool" in a hard way, but he still needs to practice and some other 9yo kids have been practicing with a bo since they were 5. He started last September, when he was 8 and will have turned 9 only a month prior to the competition... Maybe he could have him come to watch daddy and learn what it takes to make it. Heck I'm not even sure if my kata would be good enough not to make a fool of myself

I'll have to talk with my teacher...

Your comments are welcome, either here or on the youtube page of the video...

FM

bbor · 03-14-2006, 09:42 PM

Congrats Froggie.

But it was more fun when you hit yourself in the head with it

FrogMan · 03-14-2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbor

Congrats Froggie.

But it was more fun when you hit yourself in the head with it

yeah, I bet for you it was. For me, not so much...

I did hit myself in practice, to the side of the head. Had a good bump for about a week. Not much, nothing you could see, but I sure felt it every time I touched my head

FM

JeeberD · 03-14-2006, 09:46 PM

Congrats! Please don't kick my ass for the Canada jokes... :surrender:

tanglewood · 03-14-2006, 09:46 PM

Congrats.

I would NOT like to meet you in a dark alley with that stick.

FrogMan · 03-14-2006, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Congrats! Please don't kick my ass for the Canada jokes... :surrender:

don't worry, we also learn self-control

FM

FrogMan · 03-14-2006, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tanglewood

Congrats.

I would NOT like to meet you in a dark alley with that stick.

thanks but honestly, I'm not so sure that kind of show would help me much in a real fight. Sure there are strikes but some of it is mostly flash. There are some mor traditional bo katas that appear quite deadly though.

Thinking about it, I guess I could do those too

FM

oliegirl · 03-14-2006, 09:57 PM

Congrats FrogMan!

After watching Anthony do Tae Kwon Do for almost 2 years, I see how much work and dedication goes into it. You worked hard for that trophy and should be very proud!!!

FrogMan · 03-14-2006, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliegirl

Congrats FrogMan!

After watching Anthony do Tae Kwon Do for almost 2 years, I see how much work and dedication goes into it. You worked hard for that trophy and should be very proud!!!

thanks, would probably not call it work but dedication, yeah. Does Anthony compete? I remember when Andrew entered his first competition at age 5, I had no frigging clue what he was doing. I mean, I had not started karate at that time and I honestly had no clue if his kata at the time was any good or not. He came back home with a medal that day, but not with his kata but in fighting, where his instincts kicked in.

Took him a good three more competitions over a year and a half span for him to bring back anything with a kata but when it happened, he was so proud and daddy was as proud. We'd worked so hard together to make his kata of the moment as good as he could get and then too, it paid off.

FM

Eaglesfan27 · 03-14-2006, 10:30 PM

Congrats FM. I know that took a lot of work.

finkenst · 03-14-2006, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Congrats! Please don't kick my ass for the Canada jokes... :surrender:

what's with the french flag waving?

:samuray-chino:
:box:
:bowingpurple::samurai::duh2:

Yossarian · 03-15-2006, 04:16 AM

wow.... deja vu

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CVN-pjSg8...r%20wars%20kid

(j/k)

Neuqua · 03-15-2006, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yossarian

wow.... deja vu

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CVN-pjSg8...r%20wars%20kid

(j/k)

:laugh:

FrogMan · 03-15-2006, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yossarian

wow.... deja vu

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CVN-pjSg8...r%20wars%20kid

(j/k)

LOL! My son actually picked the bo to practice because he's a big Star Wars fan. I can only hope I'm showing a bit more technique than the geeky kid here

FM

03-14-2006, 09:42 PM	#2
bbor Pro Starter Join Date: May 2001 Location: toronto	Congrats Froggie. But it was more fun when you hit yourself in the head with it __________________ Pumpy Tudors Now that I've cracked and made that admission, I wonder if I'm only a couple of steps away from wanting to tongue-kiss Jaromir Jagr and give Bobby Clarke a blowjob.

03-14-2006, 09:46 PM	#4
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	Congrats! Please don't kick my ass for the Canada jokes... :surrender: __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

03-14-2006, 10:30 PM	#10
Eaglesfan27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: New Jersey	Congrats FM. I know that took a lot of work. __________________ Retired GM of the eNFL 2007 Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles (19-0 record.) GM of the WOOF 2006 Doggie Bowl Champion Atlantic City Gamblers. GM of the IHOF 2019 and 2022 IHOF Bowl Champion Asheville Axemen.

03-14-2006, 09:46 PM	#5
tanglewood College Benchwarmer Join Date: Oct 2004	Congrats. I would NOT like to meet you in a dark alley with that stick.

03-15-2006, 04:16 AM	#12
Yossarian High School Varsity Join Date: Jul 2003	wow.... deja vu http://youtube.com/watch?v=CVN-pjSg8...r%20wars%20kid (j/k)

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