Saturday

Leslie's class:

practiced with : Cindy, Jamie, Matsuo, Deena,

suwari waza shomen uchi ikyo (omoto and ura)
tachi waza ai hanmi shomen uchi
tachi waza ai hanmi shomen uchi ikyo (omote and ura)
suwari waza kokyu ho

During suwari waza kokyu ho, Jamie told me to go where he wasn't. If I felt strength or presence I was NOT to go there. I found that if I move slowly, relax, and try to find a way to move that requires little effort that I am likely to do it correctly. The problem, of course, remains the paradox between trying with all my might and acting with as little effort as possible. This was especially important because Jamie and Matsuo were tag teaming me and they have completely different ways of doing kokyu nage.

Deena's weapons class:

practiced with : Cindy and Paul

bokken- practiced cuts and extension; need to relax my entire upper body; Deena said that you should think of water or rubber; all strength and power should come from the lower body and really should emanate from where the lower body comes together (i.e. the hara). practiced makiotoshi (I think), horse stance, a weird side cutting exercise that no one knew how to do; then Deena got pissed at us for being stiff and having crap ukemi and so she made us do leg conditioning exercise (saburi, duckwalking, bunny hops, lunge and cuts).