Happy new year 2012 !

Our place is getting ready, still painting and getting some stuff but it is getting there.

This is all new for us, we always talk about our “new” place but really, this is our first place. We have been training together for almost 7 years, having a place or not was never an issue. In my opinion a  place is not making anyone good a martial arts, anyone who wants to train will always find a way and this is what we did over the years. Now I must admit that  having somewhere to train which is our own is really nice, it is not that big but again, the size is not relevant.

We will still train outside during the summer, the variation is good and allows us to be used to fight in any condition, this is more or less what we have always done.

Last wednesday was our first group training. Michel, Remy, Will, Pierre and David joined us for this very special session. It got very hot in there but we had room for 6 people plus instructor and this was very nice to see that it is working just fine.

We mostly worked on mitts and pads  and added funny pushups and situps drills, I was not really fond  the last one which consisted in lying on the floor having one person walking on everyone stomach, I am the lightest , not fair ! We finished with the famous invisible chair, ( when you “sit” against the wall the longest possible), and … no no , I won´t brag about who won this one… by far !  🙂

We did some drills with the TRX before Remy tried on a surprise attack on Mikael… oh oh , this is always a bad idea !

Anyway this is good  that we are moving on and this is a great start for this new year.

This morning Mikael and I trained, he showed me some other ways to kick the bag standing on the medicine ball,  Oh yeah really ?????  I will try that one when my kicks look better than they did today ! But seriously, either than being flashy and for those who can do it,  it is a good exercise for the balance, I will definetly try it. Mikael has a lot of good drills that  help with the technique and a better technique will produce better fights. I am always amazed by the amount of drills he comes up with, he has one or ten for anything we would ask, this is incredible and it shows the level of his skills. When Mikael sparrs it seems so easy and effortless, always simple direct and explosive. I understand more and more the amount of work he has done over the years. It can be discouraging for a student but I don´t expect getting as good as him because it is not the point, I will train until I am as good as I can be and considering the range of competence I have access to,  it is up to me to absorb everything I can. I am never questionning Mikael´s methods because I just look at the result:  the quality of his technique and his performance in fights, that is why there is no question.

So my 2012 resolutions are quite simple, I have to get in the best shape ever and reach the next level in JKD, I am not getting any younger,  so it is now or never!