My Back... Hurts!

Every now and then. Let us say it happens two to three times a year and is - I am almost completely sure now - connected to significant weather changes. Yes, I do sit a lot because I work in IT, and that is sure an area where TKD saves my... whatever a lot, but this nightmare comes that rare and makes me incapable of normal living for a few days. Then, like it never happened, it disappears, making it hard to diagnose and eventually prevent next time.

Am I too young for this kind of ... to happen to me? Well, let me shock you, I suffer that periodic trouble for more than 14 years now... and no medical examinations and treatments really helped. So I learned to live with it.

The funny thing is that symptoms have changed a bit during years. In the beginning, the pain used to appear in my left or right hip and spread to appropriate leg, almost paralyzing me - I literary could not move or turn in the bed, sitting was impossible as well as standing on hurting leg. Lately it changed to lower back pain which just annoys a lot, prevents sitting (and thus working) and bending forward - I can only tie my shoes if I squat.

I wonder what it is to become in the future. Each time it stops I feel like reborn and am instantly capable of doing wonders in sport. Then I forget about it and next time it shocks me again.

I wonder if other people doing Taekwondo have ever experienced similar problems? If so, a piece of advice could help - so far all I tried was not helpful. It just comes again and again and it picks the moment by its own - several times not a very good moment.

Right today I got rid of it (or better said it showed some mercy and left) and I feel great. But yesterday I had to miss my training, there was no chance to perform well. And I have to be careful about possible injuries when I have not complete control of my body. Can not wait until next week, actually, to be back to the gym.

So some crying at this blog for a change, enough. Happy training, folks, and let mistery pain never come to you!

How to Choose a Taekwondo School

Interesting bit of information. Anyone looking for a good Taekwondo school, or wanting to make his one be really good, go have a look here. With so many schools around, picking a right one could be a hard job. Now, I don't say the school must be perfect, but collecting as many good points from the list and avoiding worst of them should help.

"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it"

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

How much truth in how few words... Just to end the day with some nice thoughts. These are both from "Kung Fu Panda". Even if you think you are too old or too grown-up to watch such a movie, go see it. Maybe you learn something you would not expect. I was certainly astonished. Well done, authors!

I went to see it some weeks ago, but right now, listening to the soundtrack, I can not resist to think about words of old master Oogway and wonder how many wise masters live anonymously in the world passing their wisdom and experience only to their students, not for money, not for glory, just for the sake of itself. And how many "warriors" and "masters" do not yet know what they will become. I wish all of them find the right way.

To hear some beautiful music from the movie... click here.

Some Narcissism

First of all, I do not like to be photographed because I am not photogenic - lines of my face, skin color and some other things including faults in (recent) digital imaging technology produce strange effects which make me look old (which, however, I could be considered, although not yet forty), tired, and even evil in some cases. Second, photographs (can steal your soul! No, no, just kidding :) ) usually capture and show things you don't want to be seen. And last, I am not beautiful, so why would someone want to see photos of mine? Except myself. In that case, refer to the title of this post.

However, demands of web activities I perform lately have put it to the front - everyone wants to see how do I look like (and unfortunately those are not only beautiful women). My move - here it is. A fresh photo taken yesterday in Master Kim's dojang after training session. Maybe you even notice that I am sweaty. At least I hope nobody will get too scared after taking a look at the picture. If you are shocked at very start, please do not click the image to see it bigger. ;)

Now that everyone's curiosity is satisfied, a little about photographing athletes and actions in training and demonstration sessions. Maybe we find some more reasons NOT to be photographed during such events.

While practicing some special actions as well as basic techniques for demonstration purposes, we (the "demo team" of our school - several enthusiasts in constant fight against our own age) were constantly told by Master Kim about errors and wrong performance. Which, for veterans like me, sounded strange. I know everything can be made better - even when close to perfect - but at least basic techniques are something I adopted years ago. Other guys did not look like doing anything wrong too. And then all of the sudden Master Kim took video camera out of nowhere and started to tape the training.

Should I say that we were all sorry to take a look at video material at the end of training?

Well, no, the things were not that bad at all, far from critical anyway, but there were so many little things that made good performance look crappy every now and then - so we all asked ourselves - do I do that often? Such mistakes, like tending to force and speed and forget basic positions probably don't show for un-experienced eyes, but in case some expert watching - it would be better if video would not exist at all.

I know that much depends on angle of recording, light, the right moment and everything, but the possibility to rewind and look at the tape again and again can do two things: good for me (to spot the mistake and correct it next time) and bad for observer (to think "Oh my God, what is this guy doing?!") if he knows what we actualy are trying to do. :)

Should the title be "Self-criticism"? Anyways, the picture is there. So be afraid, little children! ;)

Cheers!