A fellow Kentucky Uechi practitioner here (Bert) has been kind enough to invite me to his school. It took some searching on Google Maps to find it, but find it I did. As I told Bert, I once worked as a geologist in another life, getting recruited out of the chemistry lab when there was a need by my company. I was to take measurements of the magnetic field every 1000 feet on every road through 4 counties in the Ozark mountains. So yea, I have no problem finding my way. It's partly a guy thing I suppose, and a gift that some of us have. As I told him, I don't do GPS.
This area is south of what they call E-Town in Kentucky. To you folks used to big cities, it isn't. It's farm country. The biggest employer is the hospital in the nearby town. Otherwise it looks like largely an agricultural area in some hilly areas of Kentucky. I suppose they have horses hidden in barns as well in the area.
This was a small, family-oriented school that worked out in a recreation room attached to a christian church and camp area. There's really nothing remarkable about the area except for a few houses here and there, and the people you'd meet in any location you made a stop. Bert's son appeared to be the most advanced student in the class that day. He was a skinny kid about my height, and about the same weight I was back when I also ran cross country.
The most significant thing I can say about the experience is that people appeared to enjoy what they were doing. I quietly mingled with the group in the first part of the workout. After warmups, hojoundo, and Sanchin, people broke up into groups. That's when I got to have fun, taking a few at a time through kata and asking them if they knew what any particular move was for.
The young girls in particular were fun. They seemed to enjoy what they were doing, and didn't mind me coming in and encouraging them to try things with their partners. One young girl in particular with a fairly distinct rural accent was completely fascinated by the Kanji and katakana on my belt. Of course I used it as a teaching opportunity.
I also had fun working out with Bert's son. When you're the most advanced student in a class and you're a teenager, you don't always get a chance to cut loose. It took a bit of prodding from me, but I finally got his son to try to hurt me. It had been waaaay to long since I had done any arm or leg conditioning. I get a chuckle when kids are worried about hurting someone. It's always fun to cut loose when and if you can.
Bert's a good man practicing pretty much without an organization. Good for him. I'm looking forward to us meeting up on a semi-regular basis. Right now I've yet to start anything here in Louisville. I'm just pumping iron and stretching to stay in shape. I really am not trying to, but... doing only weights and no karate have caused me to get a little bigger. Oh well... I'm sure it will all tone back down again once I do more repetition work. That will be happening when/if I get the folks in my gym to let me do my thing.
- Bill
and that we had other mutual friends.
As a matter of fact, we were sparring last nite (sans the hand and foot "Pillows"), and I caught a good knee in the side of my quad. I could still feel it when I hit the gym today.
