On Friday my sensei had a large mixed class of all levels, white through black belts. We spent some time on what he called "conditioning"...essentially standing there while your partner hit or kicked you, or you traded blocks, over and over again. The recipient had the option of turning the intensity up or down with a thumb signal. It was the first time I had ever participated in something like this. Strangely enough, even though it hurt, I really enjoyed it. I discovered that my body is harder and tougher than I imagined, and that with training it will become even more so.
