Thursday's class

(a little late)
Bob Sensei taught class tonight. (Switched with Scott Sensei apparently)
I was in a lot of pain due to a large knot on my lower back (probably from a bad fall from Sunday) making ukemi on that side pretty painful.

Ron seemed to notice I was falling strange. He was pointing out that I needed to take a step back in shihonage when he did omote. lol I told him about the knot on my back (which has spread out a little, but will probably be a really nasty bruise in a couple of days.) so he was gracious about my ukemi improvisations... lol
There was one point while praticing shihonage that he told me I could hurt myself resisting the fall. I wasn't resisting, but I kept expecting him to slide forward a little to extend my arm more (that's what I have to do) when I said something about the slide, he asked Sensei over, and I noticed he started sliding forward as he cut down.

Sensei kept the class really interesting tonight with alot of variety focusing on katatetori and katatetori ai hanmi attacks.

In no particular order...

Katatetori ai hanmi//

Iriminage (with Sam)


Katatetori//

Ikkyo & suwari Waza ikkyo (ooo, shiney and new! With a guy I've never practiced with too )

Kotegaeshi but with a different grip applied to uke's hand.

Shihonage w/jo (with Bill)

Shihonage (with Ron)

We also practiced some forward throws empty-handed and with the jo. I think Bob Sensei really likes weapons...lol
There were several other techniques, but I can't remember it all. Suwari waza was interesting. Sensei makes it look so easy, but man! It's hard on the legs. It almost makes the standing technique easy by comparison O_o

It was alot to absorb. I would say it was a good aikido night, despite the pain while taking ukemi. It's nice to feel comfortable practicing. I don't have to ask nearly as many questions, and my partners don't have to guide me step by step through the techniques. If I'm lost, I just try to remember what Sensei called the technique in question, and usually I can figure out where I slide, step, pivot..etc..
It was also nice to note several of my partners focusing on their own technique instead of feeling like they had to guide me.

People also seem to be trying to remember my name.. lol Sam asked "is your name Elizabeth or Lisa?"
I told him "Liz is good... Elizabeth if you're mad at me"

Sensei asked me my name again

"Liz"

"really?"

"Yes"

"really?"

"It's only been my name for 23 years, but I could be wrong"

"really?" For some reason Sensei seemed quite confused about the fact that my name is indeed Liz. O_o Perhaps he noticed I've been training alot when tallying last month's practice and is wondering why I'm still a klutz..heh

In other news, two people in class received their certificates for 5th kyu tonight. (Sam and another guy) We've got testing coming up again in May as well. Testing seems to be on a pretty regular basis.

Anyway, no thoughtful deconstruction of tonight's practice. I've got to be at work early (on my day off even!) to teach a training class. huzzah.
It's definitely bedtime. I'm exhausted.

Liz