My son takes Judo at the YMCA. He runs off to his class while I head upstairs to lift weights and run (run!) around the track and follow that up with a cardio machine to keep my heart-rate in the not-quite-dying zone for another twenty minutes.
Tonight, when I finished sweating, I walked down the hallway to the gym where Judo takes place. My son, a white-yellow belt, was fighting (grappling? wrestling? practicing? I have no idea what to call it) with a girl, a yellow belted girl who was taller and faster and more aggressive than him.
She kept tripping him, which is practically the whole point of Judo. I wanted to march right over to her, grab her by her ponytail and fling her to the ground myself. However, I exhibited my extreme self-control and only watched from a distance.
I think I might have been good at Judo in my youth, for beneath my calm exterior, I am a tenacious, easily annoyed person who could use an outlet for my irritation. And throwing people to the ground and holding them in place with a choke-hold seems like mighty fine therapy to me. My son, though, is an even-tempered, kind person who doesn’t have a killer instinct.
My son’s first tournament is Saturday. He confessed that he is nervous because some of the other children have led him to believe that a generous amount of pain will be involved in the matches. I wanted to say, “Honey, you don’t have to do it, you know,” but I held my tongue.
I consoled myself with the thought that at least it’s a double-elimination match, so after he loses twice (hopefully without snapping his spinal cord in two), he’ll be out.
(Can you see why I never played sports as a child? And why I hate board games? And why you should never, ever mess with my sweet 8-year old?)
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Hi Mel. It’s called sparring, what your son was doing with that little gal. I don’t think I’d be able to watch, but good on ya for not discouraging him. I look forward to hearing how his matches go. Good going on the running!
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Hi Mel! Hope he is able to spar well – and last few rounds before being hurt badly.
But I agree with you – sometimes when I’m very annoyed I picture myself breaking some bone in the offending person’s body!
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Oh I am right there with you honey. My boys decided to take up football this year (that alone makes my heart stop). Well each child is “required” to play a certain number of plays, so everyone gets a chance. Well I am the Mom sitting on the sidelines saying “I think my son has met his quota, don’t you think you should take him out?”. Of course DH looks at me tells me to hush.
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I love that stuff! I was sad when my daughter decided to quit martial arts, she was pretty good at it. And I will admit, it gave me some pleasure to see her throwing boys to the ground.
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My kids both did non contact sports like soccer and basketball. Non-contact, my left ear–let me tell ya, there was plenty of contact. There are fouls-oh sure, only after you get hit.
My daughter, 3 years younger than her brother-was always more agressive. Is still..she’s into kick boxing work-outs now.
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My son is in Judo too. It’s good for him to land on his back from time to time because he’s a very strong aggressive 4-year-old. Now a four year old that can throw someone bigger than him, yikes.
I don’t have the desire to knock people to the ground, but I do stay away from board games and other types of competitive “Fun” activities, because I don’t think it’s FUN unless I”m kicking your butt, and I feel really upset and frustrated if I keep losing. (I noticed playing scrabble a while ago that I”m slowly growing out of that, but it’s still there.)
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