K is for Kinesiology

So what exactly is Kinesiology?

 

“The study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement”

Source – Merriam-Webster dictionary

 

Now, you may be asking yourself what exactly does this have to do with writing? Please be patient and bear with me, it will all make sense in the end.

 

A little over a year ago, I started a journey. I was looking for a place that taught Tai Chi, looking for a way to get more fit in a low impact way. Although there was only one place that taught Tai Chi in my area, I decided to investigate the other dojos as well. It’s a good thing that I did because the place that taught Tai Chi was a very narrow minded place and did not fit at all with my principles and morals.

 

So I walked into this dojo with little to no idea of what I was doing, only a dream of wanting to learn martial arts since I was a little girl. It was a welcoming place and I felt instantly at home. Despite having no idea what I was getting myself into, I signed up and started off on my martial art journey of learning Kenpo Karate. Thankfully, I was very fortunate with the dojo I joined. The teachers are incredible and there is a culture of responsibility and kindness there. It is taught as self defense and they make sure that you know what will happen if you have to use it as well as ways to avoid having to ever use it. After all, the best self defense is to get out of danger before it even starts, right?

 

So what does this have to do with writing? When I first started Kenpo, I just wanted to do the cool choppy thing. I am not a fighter and I have never been in a physical altercation (except for with my brothers, but that’s just sibling stuff so it doesn’t count). So, like in Kung Fu Panda, I was looking for a level zero.

 

I am like Po, lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWo0dm16wLY

 

For the first month, I was totally lost. However, I persevered and gradually things began to fall into place. And this is where kinesiology comes into play. As I started learning the different techniques, I also started learning cause and effect. If I hit here, a person would most likely react this way. If I block a blow, I’ll have to be ready for the second punch or kick because most people won’t just hit you and then wait for you to hit them back. This then turned into freestyle sparring. I often didn’t have time to fully execute techniques, so I learned how to break them down and use the pieces to get the results I needed. If I needed to get more space from my opponent, I could do a, b, or c. If my opponent favored a certain type of move, this is how I could deal with it. It became like a giant chess game or unraveling a mystery and I adored it.

 

So the genre I write tends to be action/adventure under the broad heading of fantasy (I like to create my own worlds, although the Seeker Files do include magic and supernaturals, so it is fantasy). However, despite my love of the genre, I have trouble writing fighting scenes simply from my lack of experience. They just sounded stiff. So imagine my surprise when I was writing one about half a year after a started karate and it just flowed. I was half shocked, half thrilled, and totally ready to write even more. I hadn’t realized how much I had subconsciously learned and how important it was to know exactly how people act/react in a fight.

 

I have been learning Kenpo for about a year and a half now. Unlike when I first walked into the dojo, I know exactly what I am getting myself into. I also readily admit how little I truly know and that it’s going to be the journey of a lifetime to ever truly master it. But that’s ok, because like writing, it’s a passion that I will never abandon.

 

So what is something in your life that has translated into your writing?