So is it just through experience and practice that your Ukemi begins to become more fluid and graceful? I've been doing Aikido for about 6 months and went through a lot of painful stuff with my back when I first started but now I feel really good. I also don't get as dizzy coming out of forward and backward ukemi during warm ups when we roll across the floor. But I also know that I am hardly graceful or quiet when I do ukemi and I think that from when I my back hurt for 4 months that I am now just naturally tight. I watch my senpai role and she is incredibly graceful when she performs kohoukemi and zenpoukemi. How can I break out of the tenseness I feel so I don't continue to hurt myself during falls and become more graceful on the mat?

Oh and question about the knees. I already have a torn meniscus repair on my left knee and it does hurt a bit during shiko work or even sitting seza. I can hardly stand up after sitting for a long time. Does anyone else feel discomfort with shiko?