General class with Miguel
Practiced with Deena, new Chris, and Dominck
The first half of the class was all about ukemi and conditioning. Then we practiced shomen uchi suwari waza ikkyo (omote and ura) and nikkyo (omote and ura). Really need ot work on my ukemi and on my nikkyo.
Weapons class with Deena
Only person
Deena gave me the option of working with the bokken. We moved very slowly and just did some suburi at first. Then she started to show me some iaido techniques. The first was drawing and slashing stright forward, then to the left, and then straight behind. At the end of class, she invited me to start practicing iaido. I'm not totally sure, but I think it would help a lot to develop my focus, control, and lower body development.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
14- Saturday
Instructed by: Leslie
practiced with : Misa, Alan, Jamie, Masato, Cindy, and Deena
We started the practice with some conditioning exercises: playing the teeter-totter on the entry to suwari waza ikkyo (omote and then ura). Then we practiced it all the way through and then took it up to tachi waza. Then we practiced irimi nage and kokyuho. Leslie showed me on a couple of occasions how I could put my center of gravity beneath that of the uke (while practicing with Masato, who now almost always makes me work). She also showed me how to use my body and not my arms when executing both irimi nage and kokyuho. It makes a real difference when I manage to drop my center like that.
I'm still so stiff, but I can feel a new confidence in my practice. Thursday night I dove over two kneeling people into a forward roll. I landed all wrong and hurt the next day, but the point is that I did it.
practiced with : Misa, Alan, Jamie, Masato, Cindy, and Deena
We started the practice with some conditioning exercises: playing the teeter-totter on the entry to suwari waza ikkyo (omote and then ura). Then we practiced it all the way through and then took it up to tachi waza. Then we practiced irimi nage and kokyuho. Leslie showed me on a couple of occasions how I could put my center of gravity beneath that of the uke (while practicing with Masato, who now almost always makes me work). She also showed me how to use my body and not my arms when executing both irimi nage and kokyuho. It makes a real difference when I manage to drop my center like that.
I'm still so stiff, but I can feel a new confidence in my practice. Thursday night I dove over two kneeling people into a forward roll. I landed all wrong and hurt the next day, but the point is that I did it.
Friday, March 6, 2009
11, 12, 13- Thursday
11- Gary Payne's morning class
-practiced with Chad
everything started with the "open the door and extend" technique; lots of conditioning, too;
12- Deena teaching for Elizabeth
-practiced with Jamie, MJ, and Donna
Practiced ryote dori entry- irimi nage, kokyu nage, shiho nage, tenshi nage, and junji nage
Both Deena and Jamie were really getting on me for being tense. Jamie counseled me to tighten my center all day every day until I get it; I don't have it yet. He says that my ukemi is improving faster than my relaxation. The result is likely to be that I will thrown around faster than I can handle if I am stiff. Also, if I resist, then that makes the nage employ more force. I'm bound to get hurt.
One good session as uke for Deena. She really knocked me around and loosened me up. I was wheezing by the end of it. I know I wasn't a model uke, but I feel like I learned a lot form the experience.
After class, I told Jamie that I have practicing with my center ever since he got on me about it a couple of months ago. I told him that I knew that I wasn't doing it and that it doesn't count until I do, but I wanted him to know that I wasn't shrugging his advice off. I take it very seriously. I probably came off as being whiny. I need to come up with a better way to put it. I just wanted him to know that I respect his input and want to do it, that I am making an effort. I know I won't get a gold star for effort, just achievement, but I don't want him to think that I'm blowing him off.
It really hurts to disappoint someone who is mentoring you. It is no wonder that I never sought out close teacher relationships before. There's a lot of pressure involved that scares me. But really, I need to learn some time.
13- Deena's class
practiced with Zoe, Miguel, I.W., Gustavo, Alan
Practiced in tachi waza and hanmi hondachi- sumiotoshi (?) entry; lots of conditioning, too, for the beginners- built core strength and practiced rolls; good class.
Was really happy when the day was done. I was tired and elated at all the experience I had just gained: it was what used to be a week's worth of classes in one day!
I hurt today, of course.
-practiced with Chad
everything started with the "open the door and extend" technique; lots of conditioning, too;
12- Deena teaching for Elizabeth
-practiced with Jamie, MJ, and Donna
Practiced ryote dori entry- irimi nage, kokyu nage, shiho nage, tenshi nage, and junji nage
Both Deena and Jamie were really getting on me for being tense. Jamie counseled me to tighten my center all day every day until I get it; I don't have it yet. He says that my ukemi is improving faster than my relaxation. The result is likely to be that I will thrown around faster than I can handle if I am stiff. Also, if I resist, then that makes the nage employ more force. I'm bound to get hurt.
One good session as uke for Deena. She really knocked me around and loosened me up. I was wheezing by the end of it. I know I wasn't a model uke, but I feel like I learned a lot form the experience.
After class, I told Jamie that I have practicing with my center ever since he got on me about it a couple of months ago. I told him that I knew that I wasn't doing it and that it doesn't count until I do, but I wanted him to know that I wasn't shrugging his advice off. I take it very seriously. I probably came off as being whiny. I need to come up with a better way to put it. I just wanted him to know that I respect his input and want to do it, that I am making an effort. I know I won't get a gold star for effort, just achievement, but I don't want him to think that I'm blowing him off.
It really hurts to disappoint someone who is mentoring you. It is no wonder that I never sought out close teacher relationships before. There's a lot of pressure involved that scares me. But really, I need to learn some time.
13- Deena's class
practiced with Zoe, Miguel, I.W., Gustavo, Alan
Practiced in tachi waza and hanmi hondachi- sumiotoshi (?) entry; lots of conditioning, too, for the beginners- built core strength and practiced rolls; good class.
Was really happy when the day was done. I was tired and elated at all the experience I had just gained: it was what used to be a week's worth of classes in one day!
I hurt today, of course.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
9 & 10- Tuesday
9- We arrived late to Miguel's class, but Sensei told us to bow in.
Practiced with the two kids (Zoe and the boy), Gustavo, the Navy guy, Eddy, and Deena.
Miguel had everyone working on entries because most of the beginners still collapse too much to do complete technique. Good practice to work with real beginners. Have to work on form and control. My left knee is bothering me.
10- Deena sensei taught weapons, bokken
Practiced with Lori
Pushed each other back and forth across the floor. Not as connected as I was last week with Miguel. I had a headache and was tired. Lori had a migraine and a pinched nerve. Made some progress with receiving into my center and keeping my cool and my focus even though I was tired. Need to ask someone for a refresher on the eight step saburi. Cannot do it. Certainly can't do it in suwari waza. Way to tense in my shoulders. Need to drop all the way into my lower back and let that go.
Practiced with the two kids (Zoe and the boy), Gustavo, the Navy guy, Eddy, and Deena.
Miguel had everyone working on entries because most of the beginners still collapse too much to do complete technique. Good practice to work with real beginners. Have to work on form and control. My left knee is bothering me.
10- Deena sensei taught weapons, bokken
Practiced with Lori
Pushed each other back and forth across the floor. Not as connected as I was last week with Miguel. I had a headache and was tired. Lori had a migraine and a pinched nerve. Made some progress with receiving into my center and keeping my cool and my focus even though I was tired. Need to ask someone for a refresher on the eight step saburi. Cannot do it. Certainly can't do it in suwari waza. Way to tense in my shoulders. Need to drop all the way into my lower back and let that go.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
7 & 8- Saturday
7- Deena's class:
big class- the opening was aihanmi shomen uchi. Started with ikyo, but quickly changed to an opening that you use for sumi otoshi. However, it turns out that you can turn this opening into all sorts of wicked thigns. Which we did. I'm terrible at the hand placement and footwork of the opening.
Big issue: need to concentrate much more on the footwork. That's the foundation of everything, anyway. If you do the footwork correctly, then the handwork follows.
I asked Misa to practice sankyo with me. I'm still not good at that, but I'm starting to get a little of it. Thinking about testing, of course. I also asked Cindy to work with me after class to get the entry down. I become very confused with complicated handwork. I have the worst propioception. It is probably my worst sense.
8- Weapons class: taught by Deena
also a big class. I practiced with Musato. We practiced all of sansho #1, part 1, and well into part 2. I need to go back over the jyo basics I have learned so far. They're fading already. Also, I need to do a much better job of raising both my jyo and my bokken to above my forehead. I have this horrible habit of raising them above a shoulder and swinging from there. Not only stupid, but will eventually get my ass kicked.
Need to breathe. Need to calm down. Even when I don't get scared, I get excited. Need to tighten my center. Alan told me to slap louder. Sensei told me to relax and learn where my jyo is.
I also could feel that I need to round myself even more and to extend further. Also, my posture needs to become my full time job. So does lowering my shoulders.
big class- the opening was aihanmi shomen uchi. Started with ikyo, but quickly changed to an opening that you use for sumi otoshi. However, it turns out that you can turn this opening into all sorts of wicked thigns. Which we did. I'm terrible at the hand placement and footwork of the opening.
Big issue: need to concentrate much more on the footwork. That's the foundation of everything, anyway. If you do the footwork correctly, then the handwork follows.
I asked Misa to practice sankyo with me. I'm still not good at that, but I'm starting to get a little of it. Thinking about testing, of course. I also asked Cindy to work with me after class to get the entry down. I become very confused with complicated handwork. I have the worst propioception. It is probably my worst sense.
8- Weapons class: taught by Deena
also a big class. I practiced with Musato. We practiced all of sansho #1, part 1, and well into part 2. I need to go back over the jyo basics I have learned so far. They're fading already. Also, I need to do a much better job of raising both my jyo and my bokken to above my forehead. I have this horrible habit of raising them above a shoulder and swinging from there. Not only stupid, but will eventually get my ass kicked.
Need to breathe. Need to calm down. Even when I don't get scared, I get excited. Need to tighten my center. Alan told me to slap louder. Sensei told me to relax and learn where my jyo is.
I also could feel that I need to round myself even more and to extend further. Also, my posture needs to become my full time job. So does lowering my shoulders.
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