Racquetball is like karate.
I know...I know. But in my mind, I could probably draw comparisons between karate and practically anything. I had a racquetball lesson this week. The instructor was fabulous. I saw as sign on the announcement board at the gym for a free racquetball lesson. Last week, I decided that I needed a lesson. I left my name at the front desk and within a day I received a phone call. Here's the kicker...on the phone the racquetball coach knew who I was due to my regular court time. It just so happens that the coach is in the adjacent court playing wally ball. He mentioned that he watched me play and I would benefit from a lesson. (That was a nice way to tell me that I stink at racquetball. I told my brother and he laughed.)
Time for the hour lesson.
The racquetball coach walked on the court and I announced "I am terrible at racquetball". He told me that he was going to review the basics of the game. He wanted to review racquet position, swings, court position and serves.
The coach discussed the proper way to hold and swing the racquet. He told me that a swing has three elements...a level swing, proper connection between the racquet and the ball and feet/body position. When those three elements coincide, it will be a perfect swing. A player needs to step into the swing as the racquet connects with the ball. A karate reference...This is similar to how we teach a punch. A punch is not isolated to the arm. It is the connection of the body movement, hips and fist that create a strong punch.
Next up...court position. I had a tendency to watch the action. I would hit the ball then stand there and watch the ball until my opponent hit the ball. Bad idea. I need to move and get in position to receive the ball. During the lesson, I learned where I was supposed to go after I hit the ball. The person who controls the center of the court usually wins. This concept clicked immediately when I referenced it to the control of center line in martial arts.
The racquetball coach proceeded to instruct me on the proper serve...drive and lobb. He demonstrated then he had me practice. The coach suggested that I mix up my serve by changing my target spot on the court. Lure your opponent in by serving to the right side of the court and then once they get used to this...change your serve. He gave me a few tips in dealing with a left-handed (dear brother, I hope your practicing) player. Mixing up your techniques to draw out your opponent sound like a good sparring tip to me.
My hour was up but the coach continued. He was a great instructor. His enthusiasm for the sport of racquetball was obvious. He wanted to teach and he wanted others to appreciate the game. The coach asked if I had a few more minutes. My free one hour lesson turned into an hour and a half. This one lesson made me want to play more, learn more and improve. (I can only hope that I have had this effect on some of the karate students.) The coach wants me to join the beginner racquetball league at the gym. I am interested but it falls on a bad night. The coach said he would stop in our court every once in a while and give me some pointers.
With racquetball, karate is my reference point. The racquetball instructor gave numerous analogies from other sports such as football, basketball and soccer. These references went in one ear and out the other because they did not make sense to me. As soon as I translated the racquetball concepts into related karate concepts...I understood.
Showing posts with label racquetball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label racquetball. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Enthusiasm or Experience
I recently started playing racquetball on a Sunday with my brother. I have never held a racquet in my hand until three weeks ago. I have not played a game yet because I am still working on the basics. My brother used to play years ago. My niece Nik (his daughter) started playing at college a few weeks ago. Since she was coming home this past weekend, my brother challenged her to a game of racquetball.
Nik is athletic, strong, fast, young and enthusiastic. My brother, who turned fifty this year, calmly told her that he was going to beat her. This banter went back and forth all week. If there were bets placed on this match, Nik would have been the favorite. Everyone thought she would win. We were wrong. It was not even close (sorry Nik). After the game, she was lying down catching her breath. She sat up, tapped her forehead and said, “You beat me here.”
Exactly!
The same is true with sparring. Anyone who has been around a dojo for a while has experienced the enthusiastic student who cannot wait to spar. Often they are young, fast and strong. They are definitely eager. They enter the ring facing a more experienced fighter and find themselves ineffective. The enthusiastic student just cannot seem to land their techniques.
Case in point: A young student came to the dojo eager to fight. His first match was against my husband. (We have new students fight the black belts for safety reasons.) The young man was thrilled to be sparring. He was trying fancy moves. At one point during the fight, the student dropped down in to a split and punch towards the groin. (I think Van Damme performed this technique in a movie). My husband was at least two feet away from his punch. My husband walked over, placed his foot on the student’s chest and lightly pushed.
In racquetball, my brother knows the game. He has the experience. He can more accurately predict the movement of the ball. He quickly realized that Nik was unable to return a ball hit to the back wall. He used this to his advantage. However, he is going to have to watch out because I predict that when she comes home for the summer...she is going to be a formidable competitor! :)
What do you think about sparring? Can enthusiasm alone defeat experience?
Nik is athletic, strong, fast, young and enthusiastic. My brother, who turned fifty this year, calmly told her that he was going to beat her. This banter went back and forth all week. If there were bets placed on this match, Nik would have been the favorite. Everyone thought she would win. We were wrong. It was not even close (sorry Nik). After the game, she was lying down catching her breath. She sat up, tapped her forehead and said, “You beat me here.”
Exactly!
The same is true with sparring. Anyone who has been around a dojo for a while has experienced the enthusiastic student who cannot wait to spar. Often they are young, fast and strong. They are definitely eager. They enter the ring facing a more experienced fighter and find themselves ineffective. The enthusiastic student just cannot seem to land their techniques.
Case in point: A young student came to the dojo eager to fight. His first match was against my husband. (We have new students fight the black belts for safety reasons.) The young man was thrilled to be sparring. He was trying fancy moves. At one point during the fight, the student dropped down in to a split and punch towards the groin. (I think Van Damme performed this technique in a movie). My husband was at least two feet away from his punch. My husband walked over, placed his foot on the student’s chest and lightly pushed.
In racquetball, my brother knows the game. He has the experience. He can more accurately predict the movement of the ball. He quickly realized that Nik was unable to return a ball hit to the back wall. He used this to his advantage. However, he is going to have to watch out because I predict that when she comes home for the summer...she is going to be a formidable competitor! :)
What do you think about sparring? Can enthusiasm alone defeat experience?
Thursday, February 5, 2009
108 Movements and Broken Ribs
Yang's long Taijiquan has 108 moves. The teacher has broken the form up in three sections. I have been working on the first section (20 movements) since October. We begin class with some warm up hip exercises and then begin the form.
I can not remember the sequence of the first twenty moves. When I am going through the form I think about my hip motion, stepping forward from my center and the individual technique. This week, I was determined to leave class knowing the sequence to the first section. The instructor indicated that we will work on the second section (38 movements) through February and begin the third section (50 movements) in March.
This week during class my focus was on the pattern. I did not focus on the movement rather the sequence of the form. Finally, after five months, I remember the first section. The other students and the instructor have mentioned that remembering kata should be easy for me. They are right, when referring to Okinawa Kenpo but not Tai Chi.
Why can't I remember?
Racquetball Update:
My brother and I had our first racquetball session. It was fun and a great workout. The week leading up our court time, my brother kept telling me how important it was to stay out of each others way. He told me that we must not run into each other. He made sure that I knew how important it was so stay clear of the wall.
Well...he didn't. He smashed into the wall. His left arm got pinned and smashed into his rib cage. He hit so hard that he got the wind knock out of him. He finally went to the doctor and he has broken ribs.
He still wants to play this Sunday.
I can not remember the sequence of the first twenty moves. When I am going through the form I think about my hip motion, stepping forward from my center and the individual technique. This week, I was determined to leave class knowing the sequence to the first section. The instructor indicated that we will work on the second section (38 movements) through February and begin the third section (50 movements) in March.
This week during class my focus was on the pattern. I did not focus on the movement rather the sequence of the form. Finally, after five months, I remember the first section. The other students and the instructor have mentioned that remembering kata should be easy for me. They are right, when referring to Okinawa Kenpo but not Tai Chi.
Why can't I remember?
Racquetball Update:
My brother and I had our first racquetball session. It was fun and a great workout. The week leading up our court time, my brother kept telling me how important it was to stay out of each others way. He told me that we must not run into each other. He made sure that I knew how important it was so stay clear of the wall.
Well...he didn't. He smashed into the wall. His left arm got pinned and smashed into his rib cage. He hit so hard that he got the wind knock out of him. He finally went to the doctor and he has broken ribs.
He still wants to play this Sunday.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A Knee Adventure
It has been 21 months since my ACL reconstruction. I have returned to all my previous activities, joined a gym and started Tai Chi classes. On Sunday, I will be embarking on my first knee adventure. My brother called me last week and asked if I wanted to be his racquetball partner. He played years ago and wants to play again. I immediately said yes.
A few days later, the reality of what I agreed to sank in. What about my knee? How will it hold up? I kept thinking about the cutting motion and the quick directional changes. What was I thinking? I sent my brother a worried email about knee injuries and racquetball. His response was "It is up to you". Since I reserved a court for 11:00, I guess I am playing. I just might have to bring my knee brace out of retirement.
On another topic...I have been tagged by Perpetual Beginner to post the 6th picture from the 6th folder on my computer and tell the tale. Here it is:
This fish has been in our tank since we got it from my Uncle three years ago. This fish was in the tank when he got it from someone else. It has to be at least eight years old. It is a silver dollar fish and it has a mean disposition. We think it ate all the other fish in the tank.
It is now a lonely fish.
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