I had been bothered by the lower back pain last weekend and for the first time it extended for more than a day. My back was still sore when I went for practice on Monday so I decided that I will visit JAG therapy the next evening after work. I went there on Tuesday evening and lo and behold:- a sign that says that JAP Therapy will be closed from 17th July to 26th August 2010. Oh dear!!! No treatment!!! There was nothing much I could do but to drive across the street and console myself with a large portion of apom balik. I reckoned that it also had something to do with my sleeping on the sofa for the past one week. Oh well..enough said.
After resting for a day after Monday I decided that I was going to attend practice at the dojo tonight.As I stepped into the dojo I prepared my mind for practice. I started by putting on my hakama. I emptied my mind of all the things that happened today and left them outside the dojo. I took my time in tying my hakama and breathing normally at all times. I say that because we have the tendency to hold our breath when we are nervous , panicky or we encounter something physically difficult. That happens to me all the time but I did not realize it until a friend pointed it out to me. That is also why I tend to get tired easily during practice. I don't breathe. I stop breathing when I take ukemi and I ended up stiff bodied. That takes up alot of energy because your body is not taking in the oxygen it needs when there is muscular exertion. So I tell myself, I will start breathing from now on.
Which is just as well because sensei decided that we will practice throwing technique tonight. There were 4 of us seniors so it was just right. The first technique was kotegaeshi (from shomenuchi, yokomenuchi and tsuki attack). The second technique was iriminage (also from shomenuchi, yokomenuchi and tsuki attack).This time around I kept conscious of my role as an uke:- keeping eye contact with the tori, attacking without hesitation, keeping posture, regaining balance, aligning my centre to partner's and to breath! I make it a point to exhale heavily when I take ukemi to keep my body relaxed and supple.
This time around I actually feel purposeful during training. It wasn't just about bowing to your partner, train and keep connection. We always say that, keep connection but do we know what it takes to make it happen? Quite a bit actually!
Jerry, who's joined us a couple of weeks ago shared some useful tips with me about locking and being locked. Apparently I was tensed up when being locked and he showed me the difference. He also took ukemi from me during kotegaeshi and I was amazed at how light he was! Like throwing a feather!
Before the class ended I was asked to lead the cooling down. I did some stretching followed by some breathing exercise. When sensei ended the class we would, as we usually do, shikko to form a circle and after bowing to one another give an applause as a gesture of appreciation of the efforts made during training and shake hands for the friendship.
Another night that brought a smile to my face.
This time around I actually feel purposeful during training. It wasn't just about bowing to your partner, train and keep connection. We always say that, keep connection but do we know what it takes to make it happen? Quite a bit actually!
Jerry, who's joined us a couple of weeks ago shared some useful tips with me about locking and being locked. Apparently I was tensed up when being locked and he showed me the difference. He also took ukemi from me during kotegaeshi and I was amazed at how light he was! Like throwing a feather!
Before the class ended I was asked to lead the cooling down. I did some stretching followed by some breathing exercise. When sensei ended the class we would, as we usually do, shikko to form a circle and after bowing to one another give an applause as a gesture of appreciation of the efforts made during training and shake hands for the friendship.
Another night that brought a smile to my face.
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