During training this morning, my massive turnout of 1 student and I, throughout the session was stretching and massaging the knees after each kata. We both had knee issues. As for me, three weeks ago I was diagnosed with a torn kneecap and bakers cyst behind both knees- the cysts most likely the result of the torn patella. Weak and limp as I feel at times, I finally decided to restrict my training days to 3 times a week (for the time being). I have been receiving physio since and doing everything as required and more to get my overused knees back in shape. If karate and kobudo didn’t mean the world to me, I’d highly doubt I’d be following the Physio’s advice and exercises so diligently.
Anyway, a few days ago I returned to the Physio for another session and was surprised to hear from the guru that for someone that can barely walk without cussing and cursing in pain, that I was able to perform their recommended exercises and movements at an elite athlete level. One example, I was told to do as many calf raises as I could. The lovely Physio told me to stop halfway as she had seen enough. With my calves pumping, I had reached 90 raises but I so wanted to crack the 100 mark that I kept on going haha. How does that work? Here I am struggling day in day out, yet I seem to have more function, flexibility and endurance - I guess is the word to outdo your regular everyday person. Hmmmm maybe it is due to my karate chopping training I guess – Haiiiiiiii yaaaa !
Then again, the cause of my injuries apart from overuse, and wear and tear kind of thing I think is the result of STOMPING! Why would anyone stomp you ask yourself? Well in several kata in GojuRyu, we incorporate such movement.
It only occurred to me now that every - not 80 or 90% of trips, but EVERY Okinawa training trip I have been to, my knees are always in pain come the end of the second week. Too much heavy stomping at the end of Seisan kata, too many stomps throughout Sanseru, even in our first kata Gekkisai stomps are present. I guess a stomp here and there is ok, but when training daily and performing such actions it will eventually take a toll on the body. Maybe it’s not the stomping motion, maybe I need to get out of the dojo more and rest the body, or maybe genetics come into play. Who knows? I’ve finally come to realise that moderation is the key to a healthy body and pretty much anything in life. Then again, who wants to be normal right?
Ahhh crap……………… must-go-back-into-the-dojo-nowww.......