Tuesday's class

Tuesday's class: (late post :))

Bob Sensei spent a lot of time on ukemi as we had two new people and one guy who started before I did, but has only been to a few classes.
We spent a large portion of class practicing sitting rolls...forward and backward. I really enjoyed it, because I can't keep from hitting my head on the mat when rolling backwards (unless I'm thrown, of course) My brain gets in the way.

One nugget I took away from the rolling was feeling the mat roll across my back diagonally while also imagining you are pulling a rope as you roll back-- this seems to give you more momentum.

We practiced shomenuchi attacks last night. I was able to practice with two people I've never practiced with, so it was a lot of fun.

One guy I practiced with had very abrupt movements, but seemed to flow pretty well once he understood the techniques. He wasn't exactly sure what we were doing, as Sensei demonstrated a technique we haven't done before. (well, I haven't seen it, and most of the seniors in class hadn't seen it in a long time) It was a shomenuchi strike leading to a shihonage, but the opening on nage's side was somewhat difficult. As uke strike's nage slides in a little and raises the forward arm to meet it while simultaneously grabbing uke's attack arm with his free hand and sliding back, pulling uke's arm with it. (I'm not explaining this well, but oh well) From there nage steps in to do shihonage. We struggled with it for a while, trying to figure out footing when Sensei rescued us. It was alot of fun trying to work it out together. I am not used to being the one saying " I think it's a slide, not a step" or "didn't he do _____"?

Another guy (a brown belt I have practiced with before) seemed to break everything down mid-technique for me. While it was hard to get a *feel* for the movement, he made me really think about the actual mechanics of the waza.
We were practicing a shomenuchi iriminage. Sensei reminded me about my upward arm extension so as not to closeline uke, and he also told me to imagine I was dumping out a glass of water as I stepped through to drop uke. (so to speak)

Finally, I practiced with a lady who was very fluid. She had a very light, flowing technique. We practiced a shomenunchi kotegaeshi and then a pin that for some reason I can't name O_o My partner said I was doing very well for my first month in aikido training. huzzah!
Sensei told me to sink down and relax my shoulders in the pin and also to hold uke's arm closer to my body while turning towards her head.

All in all, three waza for the night and only three corrections from Sensei... it's a new record.

Afterwards we practiced kokyuho and bowed out for a break. When we came back to the mat, Sensei went through 6 different bokken kata. Yeah, all my feelings of complete blundering foolishness returned. Sensei loves to run through the kata really fast and then say "okay, let's try altogether"
After my having to stop midway through our attempt at 1-6 together he turned around and said "what, you haven't got this yet??"

I don't think I'll ever *get* this... and I think I'm okay with that for now.

Liz