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METRO WORKOUT

Saying hoo-haa isn’t so easy

Photo: Serish Nanisetti

Flailing kicks Before you learn to break bones, the push-ups, stretches and balancing can hurt your pride

I always wanted to learn karate and beat to pulp folks troubling me, but never got the time or the opportunity. Now was my chance. Venukumar who teaches karate at the AWHO colony agrees to take me under his wing. So, I join some six boys and a girl a s they follow the day’s routine created by Venukumar.

First we bow to the master with the fists in front. Then it is a warm up with side squats that tone up the thigh and stretch the body, the kids go on up to 30 and I lose count.

The boys stretch their legs on either side splaying out their palms in front of their body and almost touch the ground as if their bodies are boneless. I try to do that and instead of 180 degree stretch, I manage to do maybe a 120 degree stretch which tells pelvic girdle that it is old. Instead of the guttural hoo-haa, it is a groan that begins somewhere near the heart and reaches the throat like a wheeze. This is followed by push-ups with fists on the floor (they come in good when you have to break those bricks with your fists).

Karate is more than stretching and straining. Remember Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan who kept their palms straight like a samurai’s sword and then moved on the ball of their feet or the toe like a ballerina’s always keeping the eye on the antagonist? This is what I want to learn.

It is a 1-2-3-4 routine. One is the poise, two is raising your foot in the front and three is swinging it to your side keeping it straight and keeping the eye near about the raised foot and four is back to the poise. Sounds easy, but when Venukumar keeps the count at 2 or three and your foot is in the air, the knee wobbles, and the fall appears inevitable, the mind says why should you undergo the agony? Ah! The best part. I left out the hoo or haa sounds that are supposed to come from the solar plexus and terrify the enemy as well as bring all your energy into that raised palm. I make the sound without mastering the art and aware of the surroundings and the sound comes from my throat not my solar plexus.

Unless I break the self-awareness and stringing of words, it is an unlearnt martial art.

So, yame: stop, and yasume: relax.

Bottomline: Fitness that you can use when necessary.

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