Kimetsu no yaiba. But you have Asthma

The joys of training when it’s 32°C/90°F outside -- and a bit more inside! For the third week in a row, we could only get access to the dojo quite late and so we lost a good 15 min. Frustrating but there’s nothing to do. We are not allowed to complain.

The good news is, I’m no longer the only purple face on the mats. Everyone sweats but I used to be the only one morphing into a tomato. I still do but there are a couple more people who are bright red like me! 

My stamina has improved a lot. The past two summers (already two full years behind me!) my lung capacity was much worse, and my overall fitness level was much lower, esp with high temperatures like that. I saw tonight that on suwari waza, my movement and leg endurance have significantly improved. Better technique and more muscle mass I guess. I’m really happy, because I’ve always had average-to-poor stamina, combined with asthma. So it feels great!

The self-congratulation minute happened when I nailed a sempai systematically with yonkyo (omote). The first time he was surprised, then almost shocked when he saw it wasn’t an accident, and he gave me heartfelt compliments -- making sure to do it within sensei’s ear.

The funny moment of the evening came when I found myself opposed to the same sempai as on Saturday, for kokyu ho suwari waza. On Saturday, sensei had chided him for not being able to resist more against me, giving him some advice to take my balance. This time, sensei -- who was sitting a bit away, behind my sempai -- called him out right away: “G san... daijoubu?” (you ok? everything under control?). My sempai muttered “daijoubu!”, slightly annoyed. I confess I had a shit-eating grin on my face.  

Side note: my self-inflicted bruise is now purple-yellow and is at least 10 cm wide. *Of course* it’s located right where nage catches your elbow. Outch.