Two Points for Breathing

Normally when we play the tournament sparring game, we give points when our partner hits us with a solid shot.  Tonight, we gave points when we felt our breath come up high.

The objective, then, was to keep our breath low.  The hidden agenda beneath this objective was to relax, stay present and stay in control.  Breathing up high means “panic” mode.  Breathing low means “in control” mode.  Thus the game was to stay in control.

Trouble is, when your partner does crazy stuff like superman punches or flying hook kicks it sometimes causes you to panic for a moment – to let your air come up.  Funny thing is that sometimes you cause your own air to come up – you concoct some elaborate plan about how you are going to throw a roundhouse kick and then a backfist and then… whoops, your air came up.  And sometimes it comes up as things ramp up – contact, speed, intensity – whatever it is that is coming up makes your air come up to.

So the game went – keep the breath low.  Keep in control.

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