FullAuto Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share Posted March 17, 2012 Grading tomorrow. Please let me get some sleep. Please let me not disgrace my fellow students and instructors by being shit. I don't mind failing, but I hate letting people down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 You can not be shit with all the invested training. The only thing that can stop you is fear, so just try to relax. Do some breathing, no alcohol today, warrior! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 You know the techniques almost by heart, how to maintain the correct postures, etc. A lot of it you'll just perform - muscle memory will be engaged by itself. I know it's easier said than done, but don't tense up as that will just lead to stiffness and hinder you. "Adapt, overcome, left-click" Same mindset. :: If you do the best you can, then you can't let anybody down, FA. Now go show them how it's done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted March 18, 2012 Author Share Posted March 18, 2012 Passed. Totally knackered. Feel like I've been hit by a truck after five hours training. Thanks, though, the pair of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflash Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Was there ever any doubt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share Posted March 19, 2012 Rather a lot of it at my end! Really didn't feel confident, and promptly managed to give myself the shits during the first break by drinking a litre of water and having an apple, on an otherwise empty stomach. Cue the world falling out of my arse. Absolutely ruinous, and it happened several times. Worse still, I had to grade with a chap I don't like and don't particularly rate, and the experience was not a good one, especially as he went on to fail. Got to see a brown get her black, and it's surprising how emotionally affecting it was, hearing dozens of silent disciplined aikidoka break into applause simultaneously. Startled me so much I forgot to join in at first. Such courses, going on for hours and packing several sessions into one day, are extremely tiring. We had one injury, a dislocated toe, which has been resolved with no problems. You can question the value of training so hard, I suppose, as being tired may not help you remember or perform, but then again you're too tired to simply muscle it all the time, and it's a good test to see if your skill holds up under prolonged stress. Both my knees are bruised, and I've got a little finger taped to its neighbour, but I'm not feeling too bad today. We'll see how I feel tonight at training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Passed.:: We'll see how I feel tonight at training.Good, that's how you'll feel, with a fresh, well deserved new belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 It's been a hard week. Qualifying for my blue, and having my birthday, meant I got the Hell knocked out of me every session as congratulations (including the aikido bumps, 30 throws in a row, which left me too exhausted to get up). Combined with celebrating afterwards, this has taken an understandable toll, which culminated in puking in my instructor's car on Friday night. I see more suffering in my future. Speaking of suffering, one of my instructors was injured on Saturday, and at a party that night, wondered when one should stop practising aikido. This upset me greatly, not that I wanted her to lie about it, but that there might be a time when one can simply no longer train. Although she is in her fifties, and is small and slightly built, I'm well aware that everyone's body has limits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 which culminated in puking in my instructor's car on Friday night. Ouch, that stinks. I don't think one should stop training at a certain age, but it is good to know how far to push oneself. That reminds me, I really need to start working out again. Two years of stillness made me no stronger. At least I need to lift 13 and 20 kilo weights all the time. This slows the deterioration a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 You really should. I understand that it's incredibly difficult, however, with a family who require your time and effort. One of the more pleasing aspects of aikido has been the weight loss, commbined with gym attendance, has meant that my improvement looks much more impressive than it actually is. My muscles have got bigger, but mostly there's just less fat hiding them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 You really should. I understand that it's incredibly difficult, however, with a family who require your time and effort.That is only partly true. There is time after 20:30 in the evening, when kids are forced into bed. So all I need to do is give workout priority over playing a game, leisurely watching some TV, going out for a beer or two or just doing nothing. Damn, that is incredibly difficult. I am weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 LOL. We all are. Well, practice continues. My blue belt fits me nicely, and as it has been inherited from a chap who levelled up to brown at the same time, it has a lovely faded veteran colour to it. I'm getting in some bokken and jo practice in the back garden on the days when I don't train, and the weather is currently perfect for it. Not much I can do, but training strikes and doing kata will have to be enough. I am worried about our upcoming amalgamation into the Aikikai, the biggest aikido organisation. The course happens this month, which will essentially be an opportunity to train with one of the Aikikai's chief instructors and an evaluation of our aikido. It means altering the way we do things, perhaps not necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, but changing to fit into the Aikikai's preconceptions, which I fundamentally disagree with. The xenophobic nature prevalent in Japan has been noted enough for me not to have to go over it here, but I see no reason why we can't simply be recognised as part of the Aikikai without changing anything. Okay, terminology changes are minor and make no difference to non-Japanese speakers anyway, and certainly some of the etiquette additions/polishing are only to be expected with Japanese visitors, but I fear the changes will not stop at the surface. I fear it will mean changes to our aikido, the way we do things, the way we breakfall, the de-emphasis of weapons, which are not emphasised anyway, and I worry that Morihei Ueshiba created aikido, as he said, for everyone, for the whole world, but the current viewpoint of Japanese organisations is that aikido is Japanese first and foremost, that their country is the home of aikido (arguably true), and that Japanese aikido is the best, and the most important thing in aikido is spirit (that is, Japanese spirit). By doing this, we're enabling the way the Japanese see themselves and the world, enabling attitudes that verge on, if not encompass, racism. We should be accepted as we are, a European branch of aikido, a very Westernised branch coming from a Western student of Ueshiba. We're a little different, certainly, but it is still aikido. I don't understand why we can't simply fall under the Aikikai umbrella and be recognised without making substantial changes. I am very lucky to have aikido, to train with the people I do, in the way I do. I love aikido, and I don't love very much. I do not want to see it reduced or damaged for some intangible benefit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted April 8, 2012 Author Share Posted April 8, 2012 Was reading one of the latest columns on aikiweb, and apart from the start making me despair ("What's your aikido like?" immediately made me do the unhappy face), one of the comments almost made me spit my tea all over my keyboard. Take a month off. Take a month off. This madness no doubt makes sense after decades of practice, but to me, recently returned from injury, it's inconceivable. The state of my aikido is not going to be improved with a month off, and I'm not exactly amazing at it now. Right now, I resent every missed training opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted April 15, 2012 Author Share Posted April 15, 2012 Injured my right shoulder. Not as bad as I hurt the left, but the exact same injury (separated shoulder, I think). Brilliant. The horrible thing is, it hurts, but it's fully functional. So I can't really justify taking time off because it's fine 95% of the time, and I didn't admit to the injury when it happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Do try not to dismember yourself altogether Here's some help with the diagnosis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDePRKeB4kc Ignoring pain may be a show of manly resilience, but not a particularly good example of smarts so do avoid the trap of silly "I can take it - gaah" pride, especially if you intend to apply any sort of continued strain to the affected area. To put it simply, it aches for a reason, and it's not wise to completely disregard the clear sign your body is giving you of the existence of a lesion. :: Shrugging it off works, until it doesn't. Press your luck and make it worse and you'll really have to stay away longer then, Mr. Aikido Bear. *tut tut* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Ignoring pain may be a show of manly resilience, but not a particularly good example of smarts so do avoid the trap of silly "I can take it - gaah" pride, especially if you intend to apply any sort of continued strain to the affected area. To put it simply, it aches for a reason, and it's not wise to completely disregard the clear sign your body is giving you of the existence of a lesion.THIS, FA, Can't justify a little time off? Keep it up and you'll be writting a justification for a permanent disability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted April 15, 2012 Author Share Posted April 15, 2012 I'm fine chaps, come on, it's just a little knock, it's not major damage. I'm not lifting weights or anything until it's sorted out, and I'll be tapping early at aikido to avoid any stress on the joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflash Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 You'd say that if you had a spear in your lung. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted April 15, 2012 Author Share Posted April 15, 2012 Yes but I have TWO lungs, one is essentially a spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 He he he! So a spear went through the heart, too, so what, we have two, one is essentially a spare. :ignorance is bliss: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted April 17, 2012 Author Share Posted April 17, 2012 So a spear went through the heart, too, so what, we have two, Damn Slovenians, coming into our EU, taking all our internal organs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 Sorry, but we're not as interested in your externals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 So, first day of the course, just a quick two-hour session on the night, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The visiting Japanese sensei was very good, very keen to use his limited English to the utmost, and immediately set about demonstrating and interacting with the aikidoka straight away. He didn't show us a technique to practice and then merely walk about and watch, he mixed in amongst us, and as one of the first people asked to grab him, I was a bit chuffed. He definitely wasn't the stereotype of the Japanese martial artist, all inscrutability and laser-beam staring eyes. The style of aikido was very different, to my inexperienced eyes it was lighter, less forceful than our norm, with more space, more opportunities to disengage, not as linear or direct, and it was interesting and very difficult mentally to perform movements very similar and yet with vital differing details to our usual. I think I'm just biased, but I don't want this style to be our organisation's style, it feels too...tentative. Still, it's fascinating to do it and have it mix with what I know. All the worse, then, that I have to leave before the last session on Sunday to catch a plane. Not only will I be missing out on aikido for the next few days, I might not get the course stamp in my aikido passport. A bit disappointing, that, (especially as I will be attending 80% of the course) but not a big thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 What, no laser beams?! What a disappointment. Remember, FA, you're leaving for a greater good. It will all be repaid in e-heaven, mmmmwwwhahahahha. Mwa. M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Strike Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Aikido is supposed to be fluid, not forceful. There is force, but from the opponent. Anyway, that's my two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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