*happy dance*
Mar. 3rd, 2003 01:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
serindeGreat aikido session today (except my rolling progress is slightly retrograde), but moreover, not one but _two_ black belts telling me I was coming along really well. Go Me!
The first compliment was from Luke, the fellow I'd been working with when I started taking classes (no, I didn't ask his name, I heard him answer the dojo phone. ph34r my l33t information gathering skillz). So he's in a position to note improvement, fer sure. I still enjoy working with him the most--though I sometimes pick up the idea of a move faster when working with other people, he's the most _fun_. Also gives useful graphical tips on why not to move this way or that, or put your face *here* or your elbow *there*, by miming what happens if you do. (Think "boot to the head". :)
Second compliment was from Claire, who teaches the Monday class. She also gave me some good insights on my rolling problems; she'd had similar problems when she first started out. She says that for one thing, it's a trust issue--you have to trust that your body will do the right thing, which is a hard thing for an adult to learn, especially if you haven't been physically active. But she also noted that as I got into better shape, and as especially my abdominal muscles get stronger, it will also get easier.
The contrast between the Friday and Monday classes is really interesting. Claire spends a little longer doing warm-ups than several of the other senseis, and then she'll show only a few throws per class, and you'll have a fair amount of time to work on them. Conversely, the Friday sensei (I think his name is Hal) moves at warp factor 9; he'll show the throw in about 20 seconds, and he goes through a much larger number each class, with correspondingly less time to work on each. Vive le difference.
Poor pooky is much sick again, and coughing up his lungs. He has a doctor appointment in half an hour so we can see what horrible creeping illness he's got _this_ time. We're definitely going to have to get him that plastic bubble. I do feel really sorry for him, but it's overlaid with my general happiness about the day.
The first compliment was from Luke, the fellow I'd been working with when I started taking classes (no, I didn't ask his name, I heard him answer the dojo phone. ph34r my l33t information gathering skillz). So he's in a position to note improvement, fer sure. I still enjoy working with him the most--though I sometimes pick up the idea of a move faster when working with other people, he's the most _fun_. Also gives useful graphical tips on why not to move this way or that, or put your face *here* or your elbow *there*, by miming what happens if you do. (Think "boot to the head". :)
Second compliment was from Claire, who teaches the Monday class. She also gave me some good insights on my rolling problems; she'd had similar problems when she first started out. She says that for one thing, it's a trust issue--you have to trust that your body will do the right thing, which is a hard thing for an adult to learn, especially if you haven't been physically active. But she also noted that as I got into better shape, and as especially my abdominal muscles get stronger, it will also get easier.
The contrast between the Friday and Monday classes is really interesting. Claire spends a little longer doing warm-ups than several of the other senseis, and then she'll show only a few throws per class, and you'll have a fair amount of time to work on them. Conversely, the Friday sensei (I think his name is Hal) moves at warp factor 9; he'll show the throw in about 20 seconds, and he goes through a much larger number each class, with correspondingly less time to work on each. Vive le difference.
Poor pooky is much sick again, and coughing up his lungs. He has a doctor appointment in half an hour so we can see what horrible creeping illness he's got _this_ time. We're definitely going to have to get him that plastic bubble. I do feel really sorry for him, but it's overlaid with my general happiness about the day.
