Inner Strength in the Dojo

During a training session the other night one of my fellow aikidoka took a hard, awkward fall after being thrown. As she went to the side to recover she became upset over what had happened. She was understandably shaken up since we were all out of breath from the training technique we were working on plus taking a bad fall. It looked as though she landed on the back of her neck after being flipped but I think you had to be there to understand what had happened. Our sensei told us all to keep training while one person went over to help her. I found it quite difficult to keep training since I was concerned for her well being (maybe another area for discussion). As the session went on and she recovered, she rejoined the class and continued with similar techniques that got her hurt in the first place. I always try to put myself in the other persons shoes to try and understand how they must of felt at a particular time. In this case I'm sure she felt fear, maybe some insecurity, and most likely embarrassment. To see her put all of that behind her and attack her fears almost immediately after they had occured was deffinetly a feet of inner strength I will not ever forget. To look at her after you would have never known she was hurt. I think most people wouldnt have even finished the class let alone work on the technique that caused the injury in the first place. This incident also made me further understand what the significance of the black belt in Aikido was and why she had one.

If anyone has a similar story or comment please feel free to post it.

Okay...

Today at our weapons training when doing a paired bokken exercise I got myself poked in the eye (with a bokken!) accidentally... man that hurt...
I hold my eye under cold water for some time and then returned to the class. And then sensei came and picked me for kumiken randori. For some time I was really afraid! There was like a psychological barrier that: "Darn... one eye is enough!" But I forced myself to be a good uke, got over it with some throws and then continued normally. Anyway I'm now way much more careful with bokkens for some time

Jorgen
Estonian Aikikai
Riveta Sportsclub

Great story. Thanks for sharing. Yes, IMHO, inner strength is overcoming the inner fears and doing the right thing anyway.

Until again,

Lynn
Nidan Tenshinkai Aikido
Lucaylucay Kali JKD

Originally posted by aikido_fudoshin During a training session the other night one of my fellow aikidoka took a hard, awkward fall after being thrown. As she went to the side to recover she became upset over what had happened. She was understandably shaken up since we were all out of breath from the training technique we were working on plus taking a bad fall. It looked as though she landed on the back of her neck after being flipped but I think you had to be there to understand what had happened. Our sensei told us all to keep training ...

Well, it depends on how badly she was hurt, how old she was, etc. Getting back up and into the saddle is one thing, but if she was really hurt ... I trust she wasn't forced or pressured to keep training.

If you like aikido and pay to train, you run the show. Sounds a little arrogant?

Jim23

My favourite was during a sandan exam - the lady dislocated her toe. She reached down, snapped it back into place and continued on.

Originally posted by PeterR My favourite was during a sandan exam - the lady dislocated her toe. She reached down, snapped it back into place and continued on.

I had only been training about six or seven weeks. My partner and I both entered the same way at the same time, I stubbed my foot against his ankle, looked down and saw my little too sticking up at an odd angle. I remember this vividly my only thought at the time was, I don`t want to go to hospital, it will be much more painful to fix after it`s swollen up, anyway, how the hell do I get my shoe on to go there? So, I reached down instantly and snapped it back into place. Actually, didn`t hurt at that point, probably the shock of the moment. I tried to carry on, but after a few minutes, the fire just started burning, any movement on the mat was excrutiating, I made a hasty exit for the toilets, stuck my foot in the sink and turned the cold tap on.

Did she complete her test? Did she pass? Either way, hat`s off to her `cos I know how much that must have hurt.

Originally posted by batemanb Did she complete her test? Did she pass? Either way, hat`s off to her `cos I know how much that must have hurt.

Yes to both.

bloody excellent

I broke my right index finger three minutes before a grading. Taped it up and did the whole thing, Bokken work as well. I passed but it hurt like hell the next day. Adrenaline is a wonderful thing.
Have fun.

IMHO, training through an injury can show great courage, a high pain threshhold, or simply stupidity. The real courage come from facing those fears, once recovered, and return to training.

From one who, if I had been smarter and stopped sooner, the recovery and return would not have taken so long. A lesson learned more than once. I am a slow learner.

Until again,

Lynn
Nidan Tenshinkai Aikido
Lucaylucay Kali JKD

My sensei once described this girl kohai in our dojo as having great strength. Personally I've always thought she was a big baby since she can't take painful techniques without breaking into tears (or almost). But my sensei explained ...

She works at the office from morning till night, takes a break at 7pm to go for training and after training finishes at 9pm, goes back to work till maybe 12 or 1am, everyday!

That takes great strength. Not the fact that you can take stomach punches, that pulverises your innards, with a smile. Or that you can continue training through an injury, or whatever. Those you do cause you're a nut! At least that's what I think. Nevertheless, I am truly humbled by her determination and of my arrogance.