Let’s see. I have a possible broken toe, smashed knee, bruised thighs and ribs, and can’t open my mouth wide from the knee strike. Ya, that sounds like Friday night at Contact Kicks Dojo Dojo in Toronto, with around 12-18 (I lost count, but I think I went three times with everyone) 2 min rounds of sparring. OSU !
It’s summer and I’ve been trying to take it easier, with less writing and spending more time outside. Trying to take advantage of the warmth, before the Canadian winter returns. But one thing doesn’t change, and that’s Kyokushin. This past Friday was no different. Starting of with basic warm-up, we got into kumite pretty quickly. It wasn’t long before I blocked a knee (hiza geri) with the side of me head. Haha! Things just got better and better from there.
I feel like I might be improving some, as I feel more relaxed and I made it through all the rounds without dying. My kicks are feeling better as well, and I think that might be in part to now cycling to and from work everyday of the week. No matter how much I think I’m improving, when I spar with Sensei Fogarasi, I am reminded I am a beginner. Sensei is just at another level. You might know a kick is coming. Your brain registers it. But you still get hit. Friday night he was he hitting me with jabs, over and over, and I felt like a punching bag. Sensei took the time to explain how to intercept the punch and counter, but I still kept getting tagged with his punches. I am sure part of it psychological, but it sure shows the long road ahead. Osu!
We are also joined for a few months by a guest from Japan, Norihiro Yoshida, who is a light-weight full-contact fighter. It was so much fun sparring with him, as he is very quick but controlled, and he takes the time to work with you. Plus, it’s kinda of cool to hear someone yelling out OSU! with a Japanese accent in the dojo 🙂
All in all it was an amazing way to spend a summer Friday night. A few bangs a bruises for all and class ended with a feeling of exhilaration. I walked away with what I believe might be a broken toe lol. Time heals wounds and training builds an indomitable spirit.
On a side note, when I was younger studying Kenpo I had heard of the Chinese liniment Dit Da Jow (Die Da Jiu in Mandarin) sometimes translated as “Iron Bruise Wine.” Its purpose is to improve circulation, relieve pain, and increase bone density. I decided to go to 
Chinatown and see if I could find some. It wasn’t too hard. The herbal store I went to made the liniment for a local Gong-fu school. 
I was told there are three types of the liniment: Training Jows, Conditioning Jows and Injury Jows. I decided to get the conditioning and injury ones. Is was cheap and smelled very “herbal”. Anyway, the point I bring this up is… it works! When I come home from the dojo with sore thighs from kicks, etc., I put the injury liniment on and my the next day I am almost better and the bruises begin to fade. Something to think about if you’re serious about conditioning.
“Fukutsu no Seishin” means to never give up. It can also be translated as “[one] hundred [times] broken [still] don’t succumb”. Or more naturally translated, “Even if attacked/beaten one hundred times, still be undaunted/indomitable”. I believe this embodies the spirit of Kyokushin Karate, my Sensei and my dojo. OSU ! 