Mother’s Day Weekend 5/9/08 – 5/11/08
Every year on Mother’s Day Weekend, I lead Northern California Women’s Practice. This is the seventh year. It’s always fun and interesting to practice karate exclusively among women. At every practice we create a special kind of bond and sense of support. We enjoy the ultimate freedom of being able to express women’s concerns when we try to stay tough and feminine at the same time. For our Nor Cal Women’s Practice several years ago, I chose the Saturday right before Mother’s Day, because I felt that the weekend was reserved for us women to do whatever we wish to do for ourselves. Well, this year’s women’s practice weekend turned out to be just like a special training （強化合宿）for me.
Friday, May 9
9:30 am
I left my home in Redding and drove 5 hours to get to Stanford University. I didn’t mind driving, but it was stressful to find signs and not miss exits on unfamiliar highways and streets with many more cars around me. I was trying to make it to my first practice on time and I barely made it!
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
I led a self-defense clinic for women open to the Stanford community. I emphasized the utmost importance of always being aware and not putting yourself into dangerous situations in the first place. I introduced attendants my personal alarm, letting them hear the piercing sound that could save our lives.
http://www.electronicsurplus.com/ccp63659-loud21-paal-sport--107db-personal-alarm-loud21-104024-pd-300-6276.htm
I emphasized that, when confronted, we should first try to escape. As the last resort, we will have to fight back for our lives. I have a list of favorite techniques. They are all single, simple and effective ones such as eye attacks, head-butts, elbow attacks, stomping, kicking and wrist releases. We need to practice them regularly, so we can make our own combination techniques spontaneously in different situations. Also, don’t forget our natural (non-martial arts) techniques such as biting, pinching, scratching and yelling. After practicing simple techniques, we worked on some groundwork. Attendants were all happily surprised when they could throw a big guy off them fairly easily.
5:00 pm
Brigette (nidan) from Garden Grove dojo and I changed quickly and headed to a CalTran station nearby to pick up Su-Lin (nidan) of the Stanford dojo. She was the coordinator for this year’s women’s practice but didn’t make it to the self-defense clinic due to her work schedule. The driving was not easy for us. I lost Brigette’s car on campus filled with cars for some kind of event. I drove around and around, not sure if I was heading to the right direction. Somehow I got to a parking lot of the station, and then there was Brigette’s car ahead. Wow, how lucky! I called Su-Lin and she walked to us all the way from where we were supposed to meet. Gomen! We drove 15 minutes to her home. Brigette and I unloaded our stuff, and each of us was offered a very nice and comfortable room. Sweet! Su-Lin volunteered to be a chauffeur for us. How nice of her! We were both tired from the long drive. Brigette drove seven hours from L.A. this morning.
6:20 pm
I guess I took too long a rest. Su-Lin said we were going to be late for the memorial practice for Daniel Chemla (godan) in Berkeley. Oh, No! Ohshima Sensei （大島先生）may be leading the practice... I was sure that there would be many notable seniors at the practice. How I wished Su-Lin’s car had wings! Okay, it’s all my fault... I hated myself. I would give my yodan rank back to Sensei. Berkeley was much farther than I thought.
7:15 pm – 9:00 pm
I was a little disappointed when I heard loud and strong kiai (気合) coming from the hall when we finally got there. So, the practice started on time. (Of course!) Brigette and I hurried to the second floor while Su-Lin drove off her car to find a parking space. The floor was filled with karateka (空手家）. They were doing kihon coming down the floor. We waited them to turn around with “kaette”. When they all turned their backs to us, we quickly joined them at the end of the lines. When they turned around again, we had blended with them. After the kihon, Ohshima Sensei talked about Daniel Chemla. He said Daniel was there with us in spirit and we all believed it. After making his favorite Jutte kata many many times, Sensei had us do kata for each belt level. Yodans were asked to do their favorite kata individually…in front of Sensei, many godans, yodans from Canada, Europe and across the nation, as well as nearly 50 juniors. I had anticipated that this kind of thing could happen someday. I was glad that I had been practicing kata everyday. After the fifth yodan finished his kata, Sensei was about to call godans in. He didn’t know that I was there! (Well, I was late...) I stepped up, waved my hand, trying to catch his attention. “Ohshima Sensei, one more yodan is here!” This is such a rare opportunity to have my kata seen by Sensei. How could I miss it? I bowed deeply. I looked straight into Sensei’s eyes and made a deep breath. I tried to relax my upper body. I did my Gankaku (岩鶴）. This time I could focus my mind without a mental lapse all through my kata. I didn’t lose my balance during that last 180 degree turn. I completed the turn (always the hardest part for me) smooth and solid. I had never felt so good when I finished my kata. I was very happy. Sensei told me that my project was to work on letting my ki (気） out through my techniques. Otherwise my punch could not destroy a bigger opponent. How fortunate it was to receive comments from Sensei! Then, godans demonstrated high-level short-ma kumite, iai. After the practice, we were all busy saying hi to one another. It was wonderful that Daniel brought us all together that night. It was like a big SKA family reunion.
9:00 pm
Brigette, Su-Lin and I knew that people were going to a pizza place. It sounded a lot of fun, but we decided to go straight home. We were going to have a busy day tomorrow – Daniel’s memorial service, reception and then our women’s practice! On our way home, we debated over Denny’s or In-and-out Burger for our quick dinner. We eventually agreed to stop at In-and-out. It tasted pretty good. I had eaten another hamburger earlier today on my way to Stanford, so it was the second one in the last 5 months or so. Brigette said that it was over due. I fell asleep fast at Su-Lin’s that night.
[To be continued]
