A year ago, like other moms, I scouted around for summer lessons to enroll my two boys in and ended up with basketball and bowling for the early summer months of March and April and Karate for the remaining vacation month of May. Taking the hands-on principle to the max, I bowled with Vinnie and inspired by my svelte friend/co-parent, Richu (already a blue-belter at that time), took the plunge and enrolled as well in Karate with the boys.

Now this would have been a breeze had I not been One: 38 years old with a close to nil history of physical fitness (au contraire, with a long list of illnesses); Two: a working mom with two grade school sons who had to maintain grade point averages; and Three: a trial court judge with a caseload in the thousands.

Never mind the age (for me it’s a mind thing), my major obstacle was my 140 lb. body which had long been riddled with diseases (imagined and otherwise), ranging from hypertension (already had a mini stroke), endometriosis, asthma of the skin, a slipped disc, anemia, bell’s palsy, mitral valve prolapse . . . let’s cut this and not bore you further.

As if this list was not enough, I also had no discipline to stick to any exercise routine, hence the more than twelve years’ hiatus of my once sexy bod. I just didn’t see myself hauling my tired body from the comfort of my side of the bed to be in the company of half naked men and women in the gym. Spare me the trouble, not to mention the humiliation. Besides, I didn’t have time nor energy to spare after a full day’s work, with homework and dinner yet to attend to.

Lucky, lucky me. As in all aspects in my life, after the initial chaos, things magically worked out. My aging body started out literally slowly in its own smaller circle in the jogging path of our Tuesday-Thursday Karate class (with Sir Homer shouting “Si Judge lang ang may karapatan!!!” when others dared venture into my inner weakling path) and gradually found its way in the mainstream. Best news that can make it to the 3rd page of the Inquirer is my miracle fifteen pound weight loss (with Sir Sandy’s support, I am ambitiously aiming for another ten)! Much to my stickler-for-the-rules son Nicky’s ire, I still cannot do all the required reps of the strengthening exercises, but I am infinitely and proudly stronger now than I have ever been.

A slimmer me that resembles the real Rhona I know and feel I am and a stronger one even is not just how good it gets. Karate has been the stress-buster I so need with my kind of work where perennially quarrelling lawyers, never-ending stream of new cases, detainees, deadlines and difficult questions of law are but some of the things I encounter daily. I swear that several times I have half-heartedly gone into a lesson with a major headache and have emerged after an hour and a half feeling better and walking taller. I think my husband also prefers Karate to the alternative time-tested stress busters – alcohol and karaoke (occasionally na lang).

As it that were not enough, I have thankfully been in better health too. My hypertension has never been more controlled, I have less headaches and fewer bouts of flu.

The best deal Karate has offered for me, though, is that it has given me all the benefits above-mentioned while providing me with but one more bonding opportunity with my sons Vinnie and Nicky. Truth be told, I would not have been able to stick with Karate at the onset if I had been on my own. My lack of discipline and plain laziness aside, I would have bewailed it as time away from my kids. But the Super Mom wins once again: I give my kids an exercise routine they so sorely need (time out from the tri-bane of Gameboy, computer and PS2) and get one myself. Together. And my timing is also perfect since I doubt they would have agreed to having their ancient mom enroll with them for the first time had they already been in their teens. Now, they’re stuck with me in this. Risk I state we’re thankfully stuck in this together.

A year ago, I said I’d be ecstatic to make it to green belt. Well, yesterday, after four and a half hours of interspersed terror and adrenaline and excitement, we all passed the test and earned ourselves the green belt. I must say (Sirs Francis and Rex are free to disagree) that I felt I did better than I ever expected of myself during the test. I actually survived the sparring and even earned myself a proud point!

Still, that is not the end. On top of all I have written, I have found new friends in Karate I seriously doubt I would have encountered in a roomful of glistening pecs and exposed abs. Sirs Chino, Homer and Sandy along with Ma'am Celeste have been most tolerant of this often out of breath, occasionally out of form and perennially out of line chatting and giggling student. My classmates, young and not so young, especially my good friend Richu and her sons Jopee and Monpee, have given my sons and I added reasons to heave our lazy bodies out of the house twice a week for Karate.

With the green belt around my smaller waistline, I can now aspire for a blue for myself. For my sons, I see no other goal but black.

Predictably, it will still not be a breeze; but after a year of being in AAK, I’d like to think we are all here to stay.

“Rhona” in general

“Judge” in the courtroom and in the dojo

p.s. Half a year ago, I would have bargained for exemption from jogging from Sir Chino in exchange with my complying with his request for this piece. Now, I can settle for more water breaks.

Note: by Judge Maria Rowena Modesto-San Pedro