Poll: How physically comfortable are your aikido classes?

AikiWeb Poll for the week of June 19, 2005:

How physically comfortable are your aikido classes?

• I don't do aikido
• Entirely comfortable
• Very comfortable
• Somewhat comfortable
• Not very comfortable
• Not at all comfortable
  

Here are the current results.

Physically comfortable as in the dojo environment (indoors, outdoors, air conditioned, new facility, old facility, etc...)?

Physically comfortable as in the physical effort needed to train in the class?

Physically comfortable as in social/spiritual/mental challenges (having assumptions challenged, having mental limits pushed, etc...)?

Once in a while we do a class with no ukemi at all (endless work on one drill, weapons, etc) and I feel like an addict who has missed her dope. What is it about ukemi?

Other than that, well, it varies with temperature (we have no air conditioning, just a fan in the window), technique (yonkyo just isn't comfortable), and how well I'm doing that evening. Once in a while I have a day where I just roll like a brick, and we have a hard tatami mat so this isn't pleasant.

Most of the time, though, I come out feeling a lot better physically (and otherwise) than I went in.

Mary Kaye

I don't go to Aikido to feel comfortable. I go to push my limits, (usually.)

Jeannne

In my three winters at the dojo we have slowly reached a compromise wherein I will wear as much as I possibly can fit under my gi and still be able to move easily, and generally no one will open the windows until after ukemi practice.
I don't mind when it gets too hot...
Other kinds of discomfort, hmm, well, we are nor *required* to sit in seiza so thats pretty comfortable. Being forced to listen to some of the ballet class music next door can be rather discomforting...

With my knee and my thumbs, nothing, nowhere is quite comfortable ;-p

Techniques? If done properly how could they be "comfortable". I mean..we have nice mats, and the AC works great, but having someone manipulate your nerve endings in order to make you throw yourself on the floor isn't going to be a cakewalk. lol
But I love it!