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On Monday the only people at the dojo were sensei and I so we worked on the techniques that I will be doing for my 3rd Kyu test. Interestingly enough two of the new techniques I'm going to do are just that, new. The first technique, katata kosa ushiro something, ends with the throw leveraging ukes arm over my out stretched arm. I have had sensei throw me with this one once or twice as a supprise throw to see how my ukeme would respond to something unexpected, but have never practiced it myself. I didn't have any problem initiating the throw. It seems to be quite simple and fluid. I find also that it tends to be easier for me to stay relaxed during this throw. Of course the ability to stay relaxed tends to help with connection to uke.
The other technique is a Yonkyo zemponage where the yonkyo is applied in an upward motion with the throw immediatly following. As I will be doing it for the test there is a pump of the arm into Yonkyo before the throw. I was having trouble with the pump because it felt like I was changing uke's direction too many times. We practiced an abreiviated version where there was no pump. It lended itself well to the throw, but it was difficult to apply the yonkyo. Mind you, even with the pump it was difficult to catch the yonkyo. We didn't get a chance to work on it too much because the few other yonkyo techniques we practiced prior to this made our nerves too tender to continue.
We next with some taigi (sp). Sensei was a bit sick with a bug so he was having trouble with ukeme so I was uke and he was nage. I like being uke for taigi. It is a good cardio vascular workout for me. We did two rounds, one right after the other, and I got a good huff going. Despite the huff I didn't need too much of a break before we went on to Jo and Bokken. I wish we could have timed the taigi because I think it was the fastest I have been able to go through it.
Bokken practice mainly shows me that I'm pathetic at it. In summer months I can at least practice in my back yard. But in winter I'm SOL unless I'm at the dojo. For some reason I'm tense like a board, I'm tripping over my own feet, and my bokken is waving all over the place. I really need to practice more with bokken, in slow kata, concentrating on relaxing my shoulders, and using my legs more to sink into the cuts.
I sure wish I could practice more. I guess as the kids get more independant I'll have more time to get to the dojo. Hey! I got a life! It just belongs to the kids thats all.
11-26-2003 01:23 AM 
