Tried It Tuesday {Personal Goals!}

Yay!!  Today is my Friday!  I am so ready for a much needed break and some quality time with family and friends.  I have big plans for my five days off...catch up on blogging, start some projects for school, catch up on reading, go for our traditional Black Friday shopping with my sisters and mom, karate and kickboxing classes, and decorate for Christmas!!
I just have to get through today. :)

This link up will be open for TWO WEEKS.  There will not be a new Tried It Tuesday next week but feel free to link up anytime this week or next week.  
Also, check back next Tuesday for any new link ups! :)

My Tried It:

Karate Tournament
If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you might remember that I have been taking kickboxing for a couple years and started karate last spring.  You can read more about it here.  This is the first workout routine that I really do love and keeps me going back for more.  Many of my friends have picked up running at some point, but this sums up how I have always felt about that exercise:

I like to challenge myself in all areas of my life and am a goal setter.  Kickboxing and karate fits perfectly into my mindset and need for setting goals for motivation.  For me, kickboxing is probably a better cardio workout, but karate is my favorite if I had to choose between the two.  I think it is because I love the mental challenge and structure of it.  Karate seems like it is just good for my soul.

So, I played around with the idea of trying a kickboxing fight, but didn't know if I was physically and mentally ready for that.  A karate tournament didn't seem as intimidating and point sparring in karate was a great place to start.  I registered for a small tournament and spent all day Saturday at my first ever karate tournament and competed (I had never even been to one before!).  

There is no time like the present, right?  

I registered to compete in sparring and traditional forms for ages 18-34 (I am 35 years old now but the divisions go by how old you are in January of that year).  Since it was a small tournament, there was no novice division for women, and I would be competing against all women in that age group except for black belts.  I am a lowly yellow belt (second belt after white), have only been doing this for a little over 6 months, AND might have to compete against women much younger who are in much better shape, but I went ahead with it!

 So...you're probably wondering how I did, right?  WELL, there were no other women to compete against in my division! :(  That was disappointing, BUT I still learned so much.   I was fascinated watching all the katas performed that day...amazing!  You have to do a "sound off" where you state (at least) your name and what you will be performing.  Well, some of the sound offs were quite unique, intimidating, and fascinating to say the least.
I sparred one of the guys from a satellite studio that I have sparred with a little in class for an exhibition.  He was a good sport and went a little easy on me but I "won" 6 to 3 in points (two minute round).

I also performed my kata and it was a great way to get my feet wet.  For the "grands", I had to perform again because all the 1st place competitors in a certain age range (I was the only one in my division) compete for grand champion.  I lost in grands but my instructor was pleased with my performance.  It was almost like an out of body experience because, as I was performing my kata, my mind went completely (I mean completely!) blank.  I almost, for a fraction of a second, stopped my kata right then and there.  Then, somehow I turned in the right direction and found the movement.  It was a little freaky but that is what I love about karate.  The mental discipline is so challenging and it just awakens me.

Will I compete in more karate tournaments? Absolutely!  I don't want to look back years from now and have regrets.  There's no day like today (from one of my favorite musicals...Rent!).  As Thanksgiving Day draws near, I will be reflecting on all the things that I am grateful for.  Finding a new passion at my age is one of them.  It is never too late to begin.

Find your passion and go for it!!