Recently we posted about how I need to give up frog jumps because they are killing me. Yes… literally killing me. Not just because they require me to be speedy so I get out of breath, and my chub jiggles all over. Although that part is seriously no fun, the main reason, is because the speed and ankle mobility that is required is exceptionally painful to my not so awesome ankle.
I have always hated them but I understood Daniel’s reasoning behind their importance. They build speed and cardio. Both of those things are super important in Kung Fu. So I figured I would try to love them, like when my mom made me have four beets at dinner.
Like ingesting the beets, I cut them up into small amounts, and tried not to gag. I started out with 75 frog jumps and doing them 2-3 times a week, they were tolerable but having done them first thing, the rest of the class was harder and harder to get through. My wind got stronger though, so I figured I could just deal with the ankle pain. We increased to 100.. my wind got better, but my ankle… hips… and back… cried a little louder. We increased steadily all the way to 150. This my friends, was my breaking point. We have been doing them a few weeks and they are not getting any better. My wind is definitely better but my ankle is so awful from that point on that I have a hard time making it through the 2 hour class. The rest of the day is pretty shot too. I hate having to be sidelined on the weekends.
By now, you guys know me pretty well and you can understand that it’s difficult for me to admit that I cannot do something. Perhaps this is my ego, or maybe it’s me not wanting to “bitch out”. Either way, I hurt.
I was reminded by Daniel that Rule #1 applies to me too. I drill it into your practice, especially in the beginning, why should I think differently? So, I have to put my ego aside and admit defeat by frog jumps. Part of me is excited to not have to do them. The rest is extremely frustrated over having yet another thing I can’t do.
Up until now, we have been able to find a way around something that hurt me. I step a little different. I shift a different way. I say all the time that my body was not meant for speed. I am strong and powerful but I am not fast. I am ok with this. I will find ways to work within my circle of excellence. This is a good thing about being a bit older, and learning a new martial art. I already put my body through hell when I was young and dumb. This time around I am smarter, and I only need to impress myself. I can still do things, they just need to be done my way. All that being said… I at least tried it and no they didn’t officially kill me… I stopped before they could.
~ Kate
PS. I still hate beets.