Summer Term at Ninja High.

[davywavy]

These days I have two Ninja Masters. Ninja Master 1, who teaches me tai Chi, is Andy.
Andy reminds me of one of these old men in Kung Fu films who gets picked on by the mocking street gang and then kicks their heads in. He's been training to be a Ninja Master for more than 20 years and is, predictably, hard as nails. He's also got that modest nothing-to-prove attitude that really tells you just how much self-confidence he has by not being forthcoming about that self-same confidence.
Ninja Master 2 is the sort of person you'd want to be teach you kickboxing and circuit training: he's a stocky black guy with a shaved head and a line in invective which wouldn't have been out of place in Full Metal Jacket.
Ninja Master 2 runs two classes on Thursday night, and it's seen as a mark of some nailsness to attend both. He really does push you, and so usually by the end of the first class I'm staggering about crying "Pills, pills! In my jacket pocket!" and complaining that I can no longer feel my left arm. The rest of the class comprises of people like Sofia, who combines the fitness and flexibilty of an athelete and a highly paid pornstar, and Szil, who looks like he relaxes in between classes by jogging up mountains with a couple of anvils on his back.*
Still, the point of this post is simply to boast that last night, for the first time ever, I managed both of Ninja Master 2's classes - from 6pm - 9pm of circuit training and kickboxing.
What is more, I feel utterly great today. My muscles are singing little songs of happiness, which wasn't at all what I expected.
Go me.

*Szil is very popular with female members of the class as he's got an exotic accent and muscle definition. I, on the other hand, sound like Doctor Evil and have muscle definition in the same way that blancmanges are shaped like rabbits.

Comments

[ksirafai.livejournal.com]

Terrifyingly enough, someone let me go to fencing classes.

I've always thought of myself as terminally unfit and so forth, from years of comparing myself with wannabe olympic medal gymnasts... It comes as quite a shock to be spending half the class doing a mildly ineffective warmup and the other half correcting people's grips on the foils.

And, after today's meander into pointless commentary, congratulations on getting disgustingly fit. When's it going to show? ;P

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

When I cut down on the lard butties that I love so much.

I've considered doing fencing; there's the Swash and Buckle club at Victoria who train on Tuesdays.

[ksirafai.livejournal.com]

Ooh, shiny. I have no idea as of yet if I'm actually any good, due to spending most of the time going 'look, your wrist should be _there_, not _there_...' (which makes more sense if you can see me. Just imagine I'm waggling my wrist about in 'proper fencing' and 'off kilter fencing' poses alternately. ;P)

Food is good, though. It's very distressing to realise that we have to think about what we eat in order to get to an image change. :/

Then again, eating in some way relating to 'nutrition' and 'regularity' couldn't _hurt_, at times, I feel. This thought is brought to you by the realisation that I've eaten a sausage sandwich, more cherries than I care to admit and lots of chocolate swiss roll today. ;)

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Young lady, you need to eat properly, its important...

And fencing is something i'd like to be doing sometimes ;)

[ksirafai.livejournal.com]

I know. It's why I have elethiomel, Ms. davedevil and vilenspotens.

You think I keep them around for their wit and charm? ;)

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Cherries are good. Low glycocaemic index.

[ksirafai.livejournal.com]

Really? Ooh, good! I read somewhere that soft fruits were awful for 'high sugar, fake vitamins' value.

Then I tried to forget I'd read it, cos I like fruit. ;D

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

Early fencing classes are dull. Then the next ones you spend getting your stance right, which hurts your legs. Then finally you get to hit someone, which is where the fun begins.

Fencing is great, but you have to do it for the right reasons. The right reason being to be able to hold off three of the cardinal's guards while your buddies free the prince.

[ksirafai.livejournal.com]

*nods* of course. Sadly, the first one made my legs ache a small amount, the second I was ill for and the third I spent staring around curiously as I came to understand yet again the difference between 'professional' and 'teacher'.

Though I'm annoyingly un-achy. Need more practice. Obviously not working hard enough. Do you know how to fence? ;) Dave has foils floating around and has muttered things about practicing - but he won't let me hit him in the face with a pointy bit of metal, which to me ruins the essence of the thing. ;D

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

[brag]I was Captain of the school fencing team [/brag]

Which means bugger all because there were 5 of use and no one else wanted the position. But I fenced for about three years at school and was OK. But practising without masks is not the brightest of ideas.

The achiest I ever got was when I did a 6 week stint with Vladimir, the Russian coach. Incredibly dull lessons, footwork and parries, but my god did it improve me.

You need to hang in with classes, a lot of people drop out quickly before they get more fun.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I want a class where swinging on chandeliers is part of the curriculum.

[ksirafai.livejournal.com]

*nods* If it was longer than six weeks, I'd feel a lot better, but yeah, it's entertaining. Mainly in a sadomasochistic 'how bad _can_ his teaching be? ...Oh, _that_ bad...' sort of way. ;P My years as unpaid gym coach show through. ;)

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Or to aid in the natural superiority of the Ghosts over them other scumballs at Shards ;)

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

Fencing is good for LARP defense, but you have to overcome your natural tendency to lunge and thrust, so it's not much good for attack.

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

*nods*

could be so...i have not done it, and that is really an excuse i'm giving myself for if i ever get round to having a play.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

I cannot think of any other reason to learn fancing, although I'd have to find a good sabre school for that.
Monty knows of a school with a proper Imperial Hungarian Fencing Master, but then he would.

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

Sabre is for psychos. hmm, must try it again.

Because I am VERY bored

[ukmonty.livejournal.com]

Right! Thats it! I have dragged myself off the sick couch and demand satisfaction!

Sabres at dawn Wade - or after 11 to be more civilised (we do that in the south)

[riksowden.livejournal.com]

Sounds a well worthwhile thing to be doing though...

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

*starts up 'Eye of the tiger' for you*

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

It was great! That's really how I felt!
I came out hoping to encounter a group of ne'er-do-wells insulting a nun or something so I could administer a punitive thrashing.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

*Nods* Just how I used to feel after I finished a good session at Jitsu (which was rare) which is also why I stopped, I didn't like feeling that aggressive.
Oh that and because I'm a lazy sod.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you'd consider insulting a nun for my benefit?

[rosamicula.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. Will you be able to do it again?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Of course! I am unstoppable!
Feel the confidence exude!