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Last night's class was very cool. I was very happy moving right and fast but suddenly we got to irimi nage. If you ever seen a Segal movie, it's the technique where he stucks his fore arm into a guys throat and pushes him to the ground.
So senpai showed us the technique and he broke his fall in a very spectacular way. He flew on the air and landed on his back, slapping the mat with his hands. And I said... hmm that looks pretty cool, I can do that.
It looked so cool and so easy I had to try it. After all I've been training for so many years, odds are I wouldn't get hurt, right?
Wrong.
I asked nage (the guy who inflicts the pain. LOL) to do the technique on me and I fell the same way senpai did. And I hit the ground hard with my neck. I was stunned for some seconds and I got back to the regular way of ukemi.
When I got home and my muscles cooled down I felt the pain. In fact it was so bad I could hardly sleep.
So this post is dedicated to all the brave souls that try new technique without actually asked how to do it safely.
Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity. - Albert Einstein...
Last night I got perfectly on time for training and I even if I was aware of what was awaiting me, I didn't think it would go like that. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but I now every single molecule of my body hurts.
I started warming up by running some laps around the mat (it's a big one), then jumping; knee, neck, back and waist exercises. Then came Shikko (walking on your knees) and Ukemi (breaking falls).
After that, we saluted to O Sensei and started class with Senobashi (back stretching) and then we continued Aihanmi, from grabbed Irimi (beginning of the technique) to Shomen Uchi (being attacked to the head with a blade or blunt weapon).
Then Tauchi-san, my Sensei, got to the dojo. She was happy to see me and she showed it by not letting me even breathe. She was most of the time correcting my stances and locks. And she was all over be demanding to give more and more.
That was my warm welcome.
And even if I can walk straight, I am most thankful for that.
No matter how life hits me sometimes I always have the feeling that I will get the best out of it. Sometimes I'm sad but I learn. And I understand that with every hit I get, my body hardens but the heart softens.
Tan Shin Ren Shin
Those are the words of Nishio Sensei, the teacher who created my Aikido school and a huge branch of human thought.
I trained for many years but when life got hectic I just had to make some quick adjustments to keep the pace and I left training.
Tonight I got back and I really hope it's for good.
When I got there I couldn't help it but notice the looks of my classmates. Many of them I knew from years ago and some new faces surprised me.
As soon as people got the chance they came over to greet me and hug me. It was really cool.
Class started with Ikkyo. I had to pay extra attention to try to remember all the moves. Then came Kansetsu Nage and Aiki Nage... which was VERY painful.
Minutes after the class started I noticed pain on my foot. As usual I had injured them. Then my legs and my arms. I'm a mess now. LOL
I put extra attention on my breathing and eye contact, which to me, are of extreme importance when being Uke.
The class flowed as I remembered and before I noticed, it was over.
I thanked O Sensei, my senpai and every one else and head back home...