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Old 08-12-2014, 03:33 PM   #11
phitruong
Dojo: Charlotte Aikikai Agatsu Dojo
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,944
United_States
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Re: How essential is timing, and how do you develop it?

many many moons ago, when i was young and stupid, i took up karate with my best friend, under the tulage of an old Okinawan. it was a regular practice that at the end of the class, sensei would pick one of us to spar to test our skill. one day, at the end of the class, sensei pointed to my best friend. he bounced up all hyper and ready to go. they squared up at one step to kicking distance, i.e. it would take either person to take one full step to deliver a kick to target. regular kumite distance. then i saw sensei just step forward and kick my friend in the ass while my friend just stood there. i was howling in laughter and mentioned "slow poke!". sensei waved my friend to sitdown and pointed to me. i bounced up from seiza and hyped up and ready to go. we squared up. so i was thinking that if he even make a twitch, i would flew backward like a bat out of hell and be long gone before sensei got there. that was my plan. it was a good plan. i saw sensei slightly lower his shoulders. i executed the plan, both legs uncoiled to send my body flying backward. as my body lifting off the floor, a leg came out of nowhere and kicked me in the ass. my friend howled in laughter at the sideline. sensei looked at me with the amused look to match my astonished look. my friend said "slow poke!". my friend told me that i just stood there and sensei just walked up and kicked me in the ass.

i was younger, faster, and stronger (farm boy) than sensei. not to mention sensei had to take a long step to cross the distance to kick me. to this day, i still puzzled how he did that.

"budo is putting on cold, wet, sweat stained gi with a smile and a snarl" - your truly
http://charlotteaikikai.org
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