Black and Blue

The past week has been painful. Every extremity of mine is hurting in some form or another.

My right arm is black and blue from about mid-forearm to my wrist about two inches wide.  This is because I was playing the attacker in a self-defense drill and the blocks were against my forearm.  Repeatedly.

My left palm is black and blue around the base of my thumb (about the size of a peach).  I was holding a practice board with perhaps a little two much give in my hand. When the kicker broke the board, he hit pretty solidly. Instant pain.

My right shoulder is giving me fits. I think I have a pinched nerve. I get this weird tingling, burning sensation across my shoulder along with a pain in that muscle where your neck attaches to your shoulder.

My shins are both bruised up because I went to sparring class last night. Several of the other students have a tendency to block kicks with their forearms. Not a bright idea. They are risking getting their arm broken. It is a reflex though to protect themselves. It does cause pain and bruising to the kicking shin.

I have both a forms and a sparring competition tomorrow. I'm trying to find shin guards at the last moment. I'm also trying to figure out how to improve quickly. I had a few tendencies pointed out to me last night that I need to correct if I'm going to last at all in the tournament.