FUN CLASS :)
Why do all the best aikido days for me begin with only 2-3 hours of sleep? Started out with a lousy day at work, followed by an emotional breakdown in the office with my HR and then discussion about a possible promotion ( how that happened, I don't know o_O)
I was exhausted after work, and I seriously thought about skipping class tonight, but I really needed the physical exertion to get over the emotional/stressful day at the depot.
Went to class and got there about 40 minutes early. Surprisingly, Sensei and a few other people were already there. (testing prep before class)
Had plenty of time to change and stretch out. Also learned the name of one of the techniques we practiced in the regular class on Saturday (the scary dynamic throw thing I didn't want to describe.) Kaitennage! (sp?)
*adds that to the list of aikivocabulary*
Sensei started with a pretty quick warmup. One of the new guys was having a hard time with the wrist exercises, so I edged over towards him to show him how (none of the senior students felt inclined.)
Started with a backstretch exercise. Practiced with a yudansha that I've seen on the mat but never practiced with.. Alberto. Very fun to practice with. We did the backstretch then took ukemi.
A few small corrections from sensei.
Katatetori... slide in and pivot to face same direction as uke then make a big arch swinging up-- extend uke... extend...extend (I'm repeating "extend" and "up is up" like a mantra! LOL) pivot again as you bring your arms across to uke's outside shoulder.
katatetori shihonage (but without grabbing uke's hand)
W/Alberto. This was fun. He told me to imaging I was holding a ball on the entry and the told me to put my hand to my forehead like I'm saying "aye aye aye!" on the pivot. lol
He kept it very light, and I really enjoyed practicing with him.
He said he liked aikido because you can knock someone over with a smile. He was a very encouraging partner.
Afterwards, we practiced a technique I'd never seen. Reminded me of the tenchinage one-armed throw.
katatetori grab. Naga pulls back a little and then extends (like in kokyudosa--or so sensei says) while stepping forward and then following through with what looks like an irimi throw.
(sorry for the lousy description..heh)
Sensei then completely switched focus for about 20-30 minutes. We had 3 newbies, so we practiced ushiro ukemi rolling. Also did quick forward and backward rolls. Then Sensei had us roll out, but extend our back leg out so we made a loud slapping sound. I did not realize at the moment, but this was leading up to learning breakfalls hehehe
After a lot of rolling, sensei had a few students kneel down so their backs made flat surfaces. We had to grab their belt, rest our arm on their backs and then flip over (ala kotegaeshi breakfall.) Sensei said those who didn't feel ready could practice rolling. I looked dubious as my dojomates did the exercise. Sensei walked over and said "what your are you waiting for?" I once again wondered when I lost my status as newbie tentative roller? lol
Actually, it was really fun! Wheee.
After that we moved to a standing breakfall exercise which I didn't feel ready for. Sensei didn't push the breakfalling practice too hard. He said he wanted to quit while he was ahead and injury-free. That really inspires confidence about breakfalling.
Moved into shomenuchi attacks. Practiced shomenuchi iriminage then Sensei said rather abruptly, "now kotegaeshi"
I turned around to kneel/bow to sensei before resuming practice and he walked over to me and said "kotegaeshi!" and pointed to some random spot on the mat. I thought maybe he was planning on demonstrating and maybe I was standing between him and the kamiza, so I started to move to the other end of the mat. He said "what are you doing? kotegaeshi" (with a bit of a laugh...he was in a congenial mood tonight.)
I shrugged and went back to my partner with a bit of a confused look on my face. Sensei said I was scaring him..lol I told him I didn't know what he wanted me to do.
I think he didn't want the formality of the bowing after a simple instruction thing. But after getting a mini-lecture on proper bowing my first week in, I'd rather err on the side of propriety.. lol It was pretty funny though.
Afterwards did kokyudosa and then bowed out for a quick break. Came back and then did a few bokken techniques.. shomenuchi ikkyo and shomenuchi kotegaeshi. I got through the ikkyo with a little amusement from Sensei and my partner Klara, but the kotegaeshi was more difficult.. (what's new?)
According to Sensei, I cut my arm off more than once. LOL
At one point we knelt down to ask him a question. I was looking around the mat trying to find him and turned around to find the bokken pointed at my neck. "See? you are trying to kill me!" lol
He said he was actually not and a very nice person.. "but only in beginner's class...grrr" lol
Afterwards did kokyudosa w/Klara then Sensei offered me a backstretch. Egads! my whole spine popped like a box of pop rocks.
I had so much fun tonight. I'd have more details on the actual techniques, but I'm exhausted. time to sleep ~_~ zzzzz
Liz
I was exhausted after work, and I seriously thought about skipping class tonight, but I really needed the physical exertion to get over the emotional/stressful day at the depot.
Went to class and got there about 40 minutes early. Surprisingly, Sensei and a few other people were already there. (testing prep before class)
Had plenty of time to change and stretch out. Also learned the name of one of the techniques we practiced in the regular class on Saturday (the scary dynamic throw thing I didn't want to describe.) Kaitennage! (sp?)
*adds that to the list of aikivocabulary*
Sensei started with a pretty quick warmup. One of the new guys was having a hard time with the wrist exercises, so I edged over towards him to show him how (none of the senior students felt inclined.)
Started with a backstretch exercise. Practiced with a yudansha that I've seen on the mat but never practiced with.. Alberto. Very fun to practice with. We did the backstretch then took ukemi.
A few small corrections from sensei.
Katatetori... slide in and pivot to face same direction as uke then make a big arch swinging up-- extend uke... extend...extend (I'm repeating "extend" and "up is up" like a mantra! LOL) pivot again as you bring your arms across to uke's outside shoulder.
katatetori shihonage (but without grabbing uke's hand)
W/Alberto. This was fun. He told me to imaging I was holding a ball on the entry and the told me to put my hand to my forehead like I'm saying "aye aye aye!" on the pivot. lol
He kept it very light, and I really enjoyed practicing with him.
He said he liked aikido because you can knock someone over with a smile. He was a very encouraging partner.
Afterwards, we practiced a technique I'd never seen. Reminded me of the tenchinage one-armed throw.
katatetori grab. Naga pulls back a little and then extends (like in kokyudosa--or so sensei says) while stepping forward and then following through with what looks like an irimi throw.
(sorry for the lousy description..heh)
Sensei then completely switched focus for about 20-30 minutes. We had 3 newbies, so we practiced ushiro ukemi rolling. Also did quick forward and backward rolls. Then Sensei had us roll out, but extend our back leg out so we made a loud slapping sound. I did not realize at the moment, but this was leading up to learning breakfalls hehehe
After a lot of rolling, sensei had a few students kneel down so their backs made flat surfaces. We had to grab their belt, rest our arm on their backs and then flip over (ala kotegaeshi breakfall.) Sensei said those who didn't feel ready could practice rolling. I looked dubious as my dojomates did the exercise. Sensei walked over and said "what your are you waiting for?" I once again wondered when I lost my status as newbie tentative roller? lol
Actually, it was really fun! Wheee.
After that we moved to a standing breakfall exercise which I didn't feel ready for. Sensei didn't push the breakfalling practice too hard. He said he wanted to quit while he was ahead and injury-free. That really inspires confidence about breakfalling.
Moved into shomenuchi attacks. Practiced shomenuchi iriminage then Sensei said rather abruptly, "now kotegaeshi"
I turned around to kneel/bow to sensei before resuming practice and he walked over to me and said "kotegaeshi!" and pointed to some random spot on the mat. I thought maybe he was planning on demonstrating and maybe I was standing between him and the kamiza, so I started to move to the other end of the mat. He said "what are you doing? kotegaeshi" (with a bit of a laugh...he was in a congenial mood tonight.)
I shrugged and went back to my partner with a bit of a confused look on my face. Sensei said I was scaring him..lol I told him I didn't know what he wanted me to do.
I think he didn't want the formality of the bowing after a simple instruction thing. But after getting a mini-lecture on proper bowing my first week in, I'd rather err on the side of propriety.. lol It was pretty funny though.
Afterwards did kokyudosa and then bowed out for a quick break. Came back and then did a few bokken techniques.. shomenuchi ikkyo and shomenuchi kotegaeshi. I got through the ikkyo with a little amusement from Sensei and my partner Klara, but the kotegaeshi was more difficult.. (what's new?)
According to Sensei, I cut my arm off more than once. LOL
At one point we knelt down to ask him a question. I was looking around the mat trying to find him and turned around to find the bokken pointed at my neck. "See? you are trying to kill me!" lol
He said he was actually not and a very nice person.. "but only in beginner's class...grrr" lol
Afterwards did kokyudosa w/Klara then Sensei offered me a backstretch. Egads! my whole spine popped like a box of pop rocks.
I had so much fun tonight. I'd have more details on the actual techniques, but I'm exhausted. time to sleep ~_~ zzzzz
Liz
posted by Liz at 5/04/2005 12:34:00 AM
1 Comments:
Hey Liz, thanks for your comment. I loved your blog, which I will add to my links. Very literate and witty. You're a lot of fun. Richard
Post a Comment
<< Home