*TAP, TAp*
*tAP*
*taP*
*Tap*
With each step, it grows louder but as it intensifies, the rhythm shifts to a much softer sound. I am only walking beside her but I can actually feel the the strength that my mother holds. It sends a completely different message than father.
"Well, we're here! Go on in, and get ready!"
"Yes, mother." I always acknowledge my mother, that's what you're supposed to do. I make the effort to respect my parents. I believe that no one deserves to be disrespected and why would anyone want to be disrespectful? It makes no sense.
I take my dogi from my bag and walk towards the changing room. This has already become something of an everyday thing for me. Afterwards, I appeared before my mother to await instruction.
"What do you want to learn first, Taekwondo or Judo? The choice is all yours?"
I was stumped for a little bit because learning how to throw people around would be fun but...Learning how to kick would mean I could pack more force than a punch.
Decisions, decisions? Oh well.
"I want to learn taekwondo first."
Mother's eyebrows raised. I could tell she was getting ready to ask me something, I presume.
"Why taekwondo and, not Judo? I just want to know what sparked your choice."
I thought of words to say in this moment and then...
"Well, I just figured that taekwondo would be great as a striking style plus I think it would be best to get used to being attacked, in order to become a better grappler."
Mother's face was a little shocked, probably due to speaking out my thoughts in such a well spoken manner.
Not usually typical of a 10 year old but whatever.
"Wow, very well put!.., but I have something I should tell you first?"
"Okay...?What is it?"
"I'm actually, gonna have you focus on striking with your hands first because an untrained person typically prefers a punch over a kick in a fight."
That seems to be the logical way to go about it. I completely agree with that statement. I just need to make sure I become a well rounded fighter.
She told me to throw punches and palm strikes until I could no longer lift my arm to do so. And that's exactly what I did.
"Well Sotaro, are you tired yet?" She said as if she had something else in store.
"I'm plenty tired already but you seem to have something you want me to do next."
"Indeed I do! I want you to lift your arms with just your shoulders and throw them back and forth."
Umm, what?
She had me do such a weird motion with my shoulders in order to throw my arms without fully controlling them. The first thing I noticed when I began was that all my punches seemed to be faster and that I could repeat that motion for as long as I want. The second is that I felt like how a puppeteer controls the puppet through its strings.
"Ok, I think that's good enough."
{Finally, there is time to rest. I know, I need it. My arms feel incredibly loose like a ball connected to a chain; from my fist to my shoulder.}
"Hey, mom?" I asked because the motion I performed had sparked my curiosity.
"Yes, son?"
"What do you call the punches that you told me to do? They had a bit of a, I don't know an unorthodox feel to them?"
She smiled and said, "They are called wave punches and yes they are what you would call, unorthodox."
Wave punches, huh? This seems like something I need to practice with more, I might have a secret weapon under my belt.
"Alright Sotaro, its time to learn some kicks." Mom said in a way to interrupt my thoughts.
"I will teach you a total of 3 kicks today and that will be all for this training session. The first one I will show you is the front kick. Lift your knee all the way up to your chest and make sure to lean forward. Then thrust your leg out and deliver a devastating blow."
"Try it for yourself!"
I nodded. I didn't need to say anything. I repeated every action that my mother did and thrusted my leg forward. It was strong but something tell me there is going to be a kick more powerful than this one.
"Well done. Time for the next one, called the roundhouse kick. In order to do this kick you must pivot the lead leg and as it pivots swing the rear leg around towards the front to land it."
It seemed simple enough. But I wasn't expecting it to feel so...Different. It is really hard getting used to throwing my leg around...Maybe I should figure out how to loosen up a bit more?
"I guess that one was a little hard for you but overall you're doing great work. Keep it up." Words of encouragement, from my mother, will supply me with all the strength I need to keep improving.
"All right!!! Ready for this last one!!" My mother said with such enthusiasm.
"Absolutely!!!" I responded as a way to match her energy.
"This last kick is one of the most powerful kicks. This kick is called the side kick. Start by pivoting the lead leg and turn your whole body with that action. As you turn lift rear leg with knee to body, turn your foot inwards and kick."
I did not even think as hard as I did the first time around. I pivoted and twisted my body till contortion and with my knee already lifted, I struck hard then turned in my foot so all my power flowed through.
"And I think that will be it for today. Sotaro you are doing really well with following along with my teachings. I give it 8 more years for you to strike out on your own. Well, you'll be doing that anyways sense you would be considered a young adult."
"Thank you, mom for training me. I'm glad that I have found something difficult for me to do. Now I can practice and build upon my mistakes until it becomes ingrained in me."
"Of course, anytime son. That's what being a parent is all about."