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Last Saturday (12/13/03) was my first time back in class for about a month and a half. The class went well. I was nervous about coming back, but I wasn't too rusty and everyone was very welcoming.
I lead warm-ups before class, and they were literal warm-ups. The dojo is unheated, and it was 28 degrees F outside when class started. It felt only a little cooler inside. We did a few aiki taiso and then practiced our empty hand strikes as ways of warming us up. Our exertions also warmed the dojo.
As I said, practice went well. I was, however, a bit surprised about one thing. We were doing a lot of taisabaki, and everyone's strikes were soft and slow. I had to consistently ask my partner to really strike well. I expect this from the new students, but those who've been there a while shouldn't have needed the reminder. It makes me wonder if I was doing the same thing before I took my sabbatical.
I was sore for two days after class. I was very physically active during my break from aikido, so I thought I'd be less sore. But aikido uses a different set of muscles, I guess.
12-17-2003 01:35 PM 