Training Week 1

It always looks easy when you watch some one else do it... so I finally, after stalling and stalling I started going to Karate last week. I have been meaning to for some time. I know that I am putting on weight again and my 35th birthday is coming soon so I signed up and got going. Since I joined the Marines I was always in pretty good shape and ALWAYS physically capable of getting anything done. Fighting, Surfing, Swimming and what ever else. I could get it done and I always had a good self image when it came to my body. The first shock was when I put on my Geii and went out into the dojo and stood in front of the mirror WTF I look like the friging Micheline Man. Then after 5 or 10 minutes of constant physical exertion I was sweating every where and breathing heavy. Woooow I thought this is not gonna be easy anymore. Second shock came a bit later when I had to spare. I use to have this awesome set of parries and combinations that I just new and had always worked for me. Almost naturally but now I found myself getting frustrated cause I couldn't find my rhythm and get control of my self. Finally the fact that I felt like a flailing fish out of water most of the lesson did not help, and the fact that I was soooooo uncoordinated and had to ( and still do ) be shown the basic moves over and over again was just crushing. The other people in class have been friendly and cool to me so far so I think I am going to stick with it for at least a couple more months. I will update this when I start to get a little better feel for what I am doing. E./