Monday, June 23, 2008

Oh yeah, i almost forgot!

Pat's class where he threw in the idea of french curves was something that i enjoyed. It reminded me to use the natural curves of both my arms as i defend and the curves of uke's arms as he attacks.

I also need to work on being a better uke. I'm not sure how i'm falling short but i've had comments that i'm not doing things at times that are quite right. My tsugi-ashi and shomenate are done with the right forward intent from my perspective but somewhere along the way through the technique to it's ending point i may be falling short or not giving the correct force where it should be.

It's sort of the silent problem that seems to fade in and out from time to time and i don't want to forget it's there.

Anyone out there have tips and tricks?

1 comment:

Patrick Parker said...

Dude, i'm glad to see you liked the French Curve class. I'm always trying to find another way of putting it, another metaphor for the aiki-thing, so that students will understand better (and so I will too). The French Curve metaphor was a good one for me too.

Everybody needs to be a better uke don't worry too much about it. Just the fact that you have some cognitive dissonance about it means that you have an impetus to get better.

Keep up the tegatana on your own (for instance, when you are brushing your teeth) and by all means do some ukemi every day. Practice some of the brushing-off-of-a-wall exercise too.

Can't wait to see you at class tomorrow.