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Old 04-03-2002, 08:57 AM   #29
Bruce Baker
Dojo: LBI Aikikai/LBI ,NJ
Location: Barnegaat, NJ
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 893
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rolling roundly

Gee, didn't everybody get four years of gymnastics in High School Gym class?

Sometimes I forget, we don't all have the same learning experiences to draw upon?

Relax ... learn to sit and roll on your rounded back. Left shoulder to right hip, and right shoulder to left hip. Never let your head touch the mat as you tuck your chin and try to touch your nose to belly button ... ROUND!

Program the body/mind to accept round with rolling round ... and then forward rolling becomes that much easier.

I used to laugh at being thrown, because I could roll gymnastically, but after slamming my head hard enough to nearly knock me out, turning my brains to jelly, I learned another type of roll very quickly.

There is nothing childlike about falling backward from a sqatting position, or rocking on your rounded back to either warm up the muscles, or to program the mind to round the body for rolls.

I know we don't always use rock/roll warmups to squatting position in warmups, but that seems to be the preferred method to get ready for beginners to Aikido Roll! ... low breakfalls, and Rock and Roll.

I know ... it is not as much fun as diving over four of five bowing bodies nose to toes, but at sometime even them gymnastic jumps/rolls come to an end for more less physical practical applications.

Practice at you own pace. You'll get it.
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