Karate in the Hospital.

 Im not surprised at human nature much these days. Hostile and abrupt behaviour towards people dedicating their life to helping others can seem almost normal. But definitely not acceptable.  

Yes im back in hospital with a few Hip issues.

An under funded over stretched under staffed system, my heart goes out to the front line carers that are a part of it. I think in general, they do a fantastic job.

So where does Karate fit inside of a Hospital? Well, first off, respect for everyone around you. Being honest the same, no frills, just facts. Looking inward at yourself to see what you can do to make everyone's day/night easier. Helping yourself to help the staff. By this i mean the physical stuff. Rehabilitation isn't easy, but the hard work has to be put in to make progress so that the rehabilitation becomes easier...

Sharing a room with other orthopaedic patients is an eye opener. Not one person out of 4 wants to put the work in to help fix themselves. As each day goes by, that first step becomes harder, and recovery, further out of reach. 

Talking to a guy who had had a tibia reconstruction, I explained the above. To his credit he tried, and then tried again. He saw me walking with a frame and setting an example. At this he kept trying, then after 3 days came over and thanked me. I'd had a Tibia and knee reconstruction myself decade's ago and fully appreciated what the poor guy was going through.  

Anyway, Karate. Helping others, setting an example, trying to make the lives of people around us simpler, happier and less troublesome.  Perfecting character ( that old karate cliche ) if you will. Or to put it another way,  doing the right thing, simply because its the right thing to do.  The physical act of Karate is one thing, giving it depth and meaning,  thats something else entirely.  

Scratching the Itch...

 If you have read the last few posts then you will know i haven't been training for a while. 

Today that ended and I well and truly scratched the itch...

Kettle Bells for Hojo Undo and training in Sanchin and plenty of work with the various Makiwaras that adorn the Dojo...it felt great.

The plan now is to get myself work ready. I will be signed off to teturn to full duties in a couple of weeks. The plan is to train every day. 

The real positive to come out of returning is the mental health side of the training.

Im sure if you're reading this and train in whatever it is you do, then you will agree. The benefits in my opinion for mental health are insurmountable.  Something I'm realising more now than ever before. 

When you do something all the time, you can often become comfortable in the things it has to offer. Not always appreciating it to its fullest. I do now. 

Jony...

An itch you cant scratch...

 My rehabilitation recovery journey continues. 

The last 3 weeks have been tough, both Physically and mentally. The Gasshuku's I have been a privilege to be a part of standing me in good stead with the challenges I have had to face. 

I'm now at a point just 3 weeks post op where I am walking normally and unassisted.  Zero pain and generally feeling stronger every day.  

Ever had an itch you can't scratch, that's me with Karate at the moment. 

Now im fully mobile again and continuing with the rehab, I will use the time to refurbish the Dojo. Fresh paint, a deep clean and service the tools....

Sounds like a plan.

Thanks for stopping by....Jony

Challenges

 Like many I've had some big challenges over the years. Challenges that mould you in to the person you become. 

Being bullied, (ha, try that now) both physical and emotional. A knee reconstruction, 3rd degree burns, losing family and Facing the Black Dog. 

Martial arts however, in my case Karate-do and Judo, have kept me grounded. A staple diet of challenges and being uncomfortable to help forge Integrity, Will and Spirit. A place of both familiarity and the unknown. 

For nearly 2 years the debilitating pain of hip necrosis was taking its toll. Opioids to help me keep working for my family, along with a tenacity of to not give up, despite how difficult a 12 hour shift was. The D.F.Q attitude, tried and tested over and over, Shift after shift, day after day, month after month.  Forged in the Dojo, an internal spirit i didn't really know i had. It's not until real hardship sets in that you realise just what it is that you're capable of. A Gasshuku would now be a piece of piss by any comparison.  And I have done some hard ones of those.

Coming through the other side of such a massive challenge, staying positive and having hope prepares one for any thing. 

The rehabilitation process is so much easier too. Taking hardships and lessons of the kind away from Karate-do, ensures steady and positive attitude, a can do attitude. Fighting pain and hardship, but of a different kind.  

Karate-do is a beautiful thing when you can use it to win the battles life throws at you. More than a bunch of moves in a gym, school hall or bonafied Dojo. When you can use its very essence, its core teachings and practical approach to problems, you really are blessed in life. 

Jony...

Been a Minute...

 I've not been on the blog for a while, for too long in fact. But this said, it still gets lots of views and interest, of which I hope goes some way to help, inspire or open the eyes (Kaimoku) to the world within which we Martial artists move. 

My absence has been caused by AVN otherwise known as Hip Necrosis. No blood flow to my right hip saw the femoral head die and subsequently in November 24 a total Hip replacement of Titanium, Ceramic and a special polyurethane was had. 

Just when I was cleared to return to training by my surgeon almost a year had gone by and my left Hip joint then presented itself with the same issue. Fast forward another 6 months and I had it replaced last week. So i'm currently in rehab again. 

The rehab process can be slow. Which is how i see it. But this said, I'm told my progress is exceptional, in both cases. For my latest one I was in hospital from admission to discharge for a total of 35 hours. Karate can be attributed to this. Shin, Gi, Tai. Body, mind, Spirit. 

The hardships undertaken in the Dojo can be applied to the process as a whole. 

So, there we have it. My Karate will never be the same again. And at this stage, I'm not too sure what it will actually look like. Titanium hips have a limitation in just how far the joint will articulate before dislocation occurs, so there are Interesting times ahead.

Thanks for stopping by the Blog. I'm now back in a sense, albeit in a different way. Time will reveal what that eventually looks like....

Jony..... 

Moving forward.

 It's been a few months again since a post...  I thought I was back, then bam! Another tear another setback and more rehab. Fortunately I didn't lose any time from work. 

The Dojo beckoned this morning. We were in the minuses a 5:20 am in my part of the World, so being very cautious I started with a good half an hour of Junbi Undo. (Preparation exercises) Exercises that involve bodyweight, body resistance and stretching. 

I only used the Dojo tools today. No Kata at this point as sudden stops in movement aren't good for injury recover or so an expert in sports med tells me. Couldn't get stuck in to a Makiwara either due to the shock generated through the body, but all in good time.

I'm the wrong side of 55 now, considered old by some. 

I prefer to look at it that I'm just getting going. With more than 3 decades training behind me, I see it that I've easily got 3 left in me, but now with more knowledge and experience under my belt, so to speak. 

What I do know is that I don't want to be limited in moving around like I see a lot of my peers. At this point in my life Karate is more about maintaining good health and being able to enjoy a good future and continuing to move forward. It's not about living on past glories and stories or being stuck in an arm chair reading a news paper or watching Netflix every day..  

Stay strong and healthy out there... 

Until next time. Jony.

Life hits hard.

 It's been a while that I have written on the blog... life gets in the way sometimes and hits hard. But this being said, I'm now back.

And what of life? Well, it's easier with Karate in it. This is something I have come to appreciate more and more as my existence on this large rotating globe moves on. 

I'm not talking here of the Karate that the likes of little kids practice or that of which is found on the high street of any large town or City. No, it's the Karate that is practiced in a similar way of anybody who has a home Gym. It's easy training in a group, all that is needed is to develop a habit of showing up and being told what to do. 

Isolated training requires a different mindset. Its a mindset of pure discipline, tenacity and Will. Boxers and Weight lifters of some years have this mindset. To go and train by themselves, going through the same routines and sets day on day rep by rep for slow gradual improvement .

I don't do Needy people. And heaven knows, there are lot of those around in our modern world. Look around and the future is not too bright with their Namby Pamby ways and ideas. 

But this said there is hope. As long as we have those who pursue a solitary life of self improvement through their actions of Discipline, Tenacity and Will, then there will always be a strong societal backbone when it is needed and called upon. 

I'll leave this post here with a quote from Sylvester Stallones fictional Character Rocky Balboa.