Today I put on my gi and worked out. After some careful stretching I did all the basic Shotokan stances, strikes, kicks, and blocks. I ended up doing the first kata.
I joked on Twitter I was about to die, but I have to say I got through it pretty well. It was a good workout and I followed it with a hot bath.
As readers of this blog know I have toying with the idea of finding a martial art to keep me busy this summer. I was a big Shotokan guy for a long time but there’s not a dojo around within a decent driving distance. There’s one in Arlington, but that’s 50 minutes away. That’s too far. So I looked at some other classical karate around and there’s Wado Ryu which isn’t too bad. But if I’m going to stay in karate I don’t know about learning a whole new style.
What I mean is, if I am going to learn a whole new style…why not learn a whole new style?
I did some homework and found a Shaolin Five Animals/Northern Long Fist not far from me at all. I checked it out last night and liked what I saw. Did a little digging in their background (which you have to do with every training hall because some are shady) and they seem legit. Even better, the classes are unlimited, I can go anytime during the day to practice (yay!) and they have yoga for martial artists (yay, because I’m an old man!) and Tai Chi classes. That’s a lot to bring to the table.
So this is the direction I might be going. I’m an old karate guy: linear, straight-line, external. Kung fu? For me?
Maybe so. Stay tuned. 🙂
Hoover's Corner 
I’m a life long martial artist. Father, amateur boxer, began my training at three. Fencing age 5, KF training before the show, training in several Japanese disciplines. Tai chi since ’77. Working for last six years on 7 star mantis and combat applications tai chi; weapons for both, too: focus on internal. I recently turned 49. Time does not allow a prosaic response, but contact me if you like. Btw, I have Richardson KF contacts.
Thank you!