FULL CONTACT SPARRING!, More Krav Maga (Edited edit)

Monday (29/12/08)
WOOOOHOOOO, just back from my first sparring session of Krav Maga. Its quite funny, since the other were just talking about it. Sparring sessions are extremely rare and only occur when the stars are in their right places. There must also not be any new people signing up. Woah but sparring is dang fun and dang addictive.

So everyone had to do a total of two rounds lasting 3mins. I was chosen to do an extra round so the fights were almost non-stop for me.

Initially it was a 1 on 1 fight. Edwin, my instructor, paired me up with Wei Sheng. He has just completed his BMT so he's done the BCCT (Basic Close Combat Training; if I'm not wrong). He has perfect 6/6 vision while I was as blind as 2 bats(cos both eyes are equally bad). So I was a little nervous at the prospect of fighting him. So we entered the cage and started. I think I made the first move by doing a low front kick, which left my shoe print on his thigh. Then I started doing flying kicks, which Edwin told me to refrain cos I guess it can be quite dangerous. So that kinda took a chunk out of my combative options. Then I started doing chain punches. And Edwin was like "Hey, no wing chun!" Hahaha
So the fight carried on and kinda passed by in a flash. Wasn't really injured by the end of it. It's tiring but it was a good fight. I hope I didn't injure him that much cos I jolted his brain a few times and slammed into his ears a couple of times. He suffered from a high pitch whining noise in his ear and dizziness. Got my brain jolted a few times as well. The dizziness that follows is pleasurable. *Cough

Then it was 2 versus 1. I was up against Damien and Elvin. Didn't hit Elvin much because he's quite old (40~50 years). Damien has very good reach due to his height and long limbs. So it's quite tough trying to hit him. He's like level 99 range. It was quite tough to concentrate on both at the same time. I think he punched me in the ear which is slightly red and tender now.

So like almost immediately after my last fight, it was my turn against Aaron and some guy whom I cannot seem to catch his name. Yeps, that guy is dang fast and powerful. And he keeps doing his jumping kicks. Dang, I had to hold back from doing mine. It's quite weird, cos I'll start chambering my leg, then remembering Edwin's instruction, pull it back. His right hook gave me a bruise just above my left eye, which I'm hoping will not worsen cos it might blind me temporally in the left eye. Took a direct roundhouse kick from him to my solar plexus, which knocked the air out of me. That feeling is really crappy. So I went berserk on him and both of us got into a clinch and I kinda caused his knee to somewhat pop out, which ended the fight for him then. Woops, hope he's fine.
So I had to fight Aaron and after a while the fight finally ended.

The worst part was that there was "Buddy P.T." after the sparring sessions. It's basically doing push-ups with your buddy on your back, carrying your buddy and doing squats and doing "Aaron's leg lifts". It's crazy stuff.

Anyway sparring is dang fun. The adrenaline rush, the feeling of getting hit and the sensation when you land a clean punch right in the middle of someone's face is dang cool. It's addictive. It really tests what you've learnt and makes you realise your mistakes. The pain acts as a reminder. Now I need to start working on my evasion. I realise I'm too static, allowing people to blast my head. Can't wait to spar again! :D

Tuesday (30/12/08)
Back from Krav again. Lesser people today, I think some died after yesterday's sparring. Hahahaha nay. So today was escapes. Hahaha new guy joined us; once again as the only member of the welcoming committee, I helped out with the introductions. Nice guy. Hahahaha hoped he wasn't too freaked out by the demonstrations by our lovely instructor, Suhermman. Hahaha I think he was too into the New Year countdown mood. He accidentally knee-ed the face of the guy he was demonstrating on and kicked the knee of the same guy. Poor guy. BUT this rarely happens.

Anyway had an exercise named after me today. It's that dang sadistic ab-xercise(abdominal exercise) which almost killed me on the first day. Hahaha I think Edwin was a little tired of demonstrating that same thing because no one knew what it's called. So he decided to call it "Aaron's leg lift". Hahahaha cos I'm usually the last one to finish the repetitions of that. I have a love-hate relationship with it; love it because I know it's good but hate it because it's bad in a good way. Hahahaha I know I'm not making much sense but you'll get it if you try. :D

Aaron

Krav Maga, Thoughts...

Another week of Krav passes by. Did a lot of groundwork this week, which is quite fun except for the swiveling around on the ground part. I really need to work on my breakfalls/ukemi, keep forgetting to tuck my chin in. Gonna break my neck some day if I don't do it soon. Realised that doing a stationary breakfall as compared to having someone push you to the ground is a totally different feeling. Each time I do it, I can feel my brain getting rattled inside my skull. According to JiaSheng, a very nice judoka dude, I'm hitting the ground too hard and the dizziness will disappear once you're used to it.
SO my new year resolution is to do about 20(?) ukemi everyday! I feel good; having a new year resolution before the year is up. :D

I think the groin guard doesn't really work. I got knee-ed in the groin and could feel the impact. Hahahaha BUT I guess the pain's good. Injuries and pain are good reminders not to commit the same mistake again. I'm still trying to figure out how I got this shoe print on my chest now. Judging from the sole, it think it's probably a pair of New Balance trainers. I don't remember getting kicked there. Oh well I guess that's what happens when you do groundwork. I have cuts on my first 2 knuckles as well; I guess it's from punching the tyres. Hahaha those tyres are a mystery. No one seems to use them and they just hang there. I guess it's because they are new tyres so hitting it can cause cuts due to the prescence of the threads.
Hahahaha I guess I'm lucky; others got elbowed in the face, bitten on the forehead, punched in the ear etc. Hope they're alright.
*Just in case you are wondering, I'm not the one doing all of the above damages. :)


Hmmm, I think I need to start doing some soothing exercises. I'm like a lake. Seemingly calm and nice on the surface but the water currents beneath can be very strong. The water currents refers to packets of aggression concentrated somewhere. Maybe it's the Krav training. I guess it's partly because of certain emotional stuff happening right now, mixed with the nature of Krav training. Somehow they just blend together to create a very explosive mixture. I need to learn to control that. Maybe I'll do some tai-chi exercises.
And I need to start blocking out certain things. Though it may be difficult to do so, I'll need to start trying.

Oh if you've just read the above paragraph and feel slighlty alarmed, please don't. I don't have a violent streak in me. I'm generally happy and nice, unless provoked. :D

Aaron

It's over! Part 4, Krav Maga Lessons, 6E gathering, Bas Rutten

DAY 3: (Long overdued)
Woke up at 7/8 bright and fresh, thanks to the lack of snoring. Had a very good sleep with Seiyee by my side. Yeps.
Everyone started getting up and washing up, lazed around till about 10 plus when it was time to return the key. Dropped the key off at the counter and started walking to White Sands. Had breakfast at MacDonald's, ate 2 apple pies! I realise I like to eat desserts for breakfast; ate the Hershey's pie for breakfast on day 2. Yea, after the breakfast, the rest headed to somewhere to have a post-gathering gathering while I had to head home to study for the diploma exam held on the following day.

Yeps. And that concludes the chalet. Had a great time, love to have more of it.

Anyway, went to FightWorks to register for Krav Maga.
*For SJI Guys: Remember that "Mr. Commando" guy from Ace camp while we were sec 2? He's now my instructor! I had a big shock when I first saw him there as well. I thought he was the Muay Thai instructor, but when he turned around, his shirt read "Krav Maga Instructor". BUT he's not as bad as he seems; in fact now he's a really nice guy with a somewhat sadistic sense of humour. Hahahaha

The first lesson was very fun. After introducing myself to the rest, Suhermman(that's Mr. Commando) led us down to the alleyways surrounding the building. I was slightly reluctant to leave the nice gym with the padded flooring and Muay Thai girls. *cough. So, we were doing knife defences. I paired up with Itzah, who's a very nice guy, and he patiently explained to me the technical details of the defences. Did the 360 instinctive defences which was crazy. Since Krav Maga is considered a RBSD (Reality-Based Self Defense), hence training is carried out in a very realistic manner, which means the controlled use of excessive force. So Itzah and I started pounding away at each other's forearms. That's fun as well!
Towards the end of the first training, the instructors made us do some abdominal exercises (I like to call it abxercise), which totally killed me. Got abrasions on my lower back cos we were doing it on the road. I discovered a set of muscles I never knew existed the next day; think it's called Transversus abdominus.
Next day, whole body was aching BUT I'm addicted to Krav Maga! Yeps, can't wait to go back for training every day.

So moving on, just had a WGPS 6E gathering on monday(22/12/2008). Went to Kallang to ice-skate. Or rather they skated while I sat outside and read. Couldn't skate because my whole body was aching and I didn't wanna risk any new injuries, cos Krav gives enough bruising. Luckily I didn't skate cos those who did developed blisters on their feet which will prevent me from going for Krav. To those who have blisters, get well soon! Remember RICE: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevation. Oh wait, I think that's for sprains..
While reading, I spotted a very familar face: Lee Xun! He was there with some SJI friends to ice skate as well. Kudos to him for graduating from the NCC Cadet Lieutenant course.
After skating, the rest went to KFC to have dinner. Didn't eat cos it was too early to eat and wasn't really hungry. Was still deliberating whether to go for Krav or to watch a movie with the rest. Krav is fun and gathering with the rest is fun as well. In the end, finally decided to go for Krav. Haha sorry for seeming anti-social! Krav is just too addictive. Hahahah :)
(Dang, they are closed on 24th and 25th. Hopefully they won't be closed on 1st, though it's highly likely they will be. I mean, what better way to start a new year than to get brutalized? :D)

Yeps, that's about it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! :D Remember to stay safe! And PLEASE DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!!

Bas Rutten! (Slightly Explicit)



Hahahaha gotta love this guy. He offers very practical tips! Err, use at your own discretion though. Hahaha :D
I like this quote from Bas: "I don't believe in an eye for an eye, I believe in two eyes for an eye...but that's just me." Hahaha

Aaron