Catching up a bit...

Well, I have been so incredibly busy that I totally forgot to update my blog after last week's class! I have purchased my tickets to Japan, so now I'm committed! I am both excited and nervous about it. I am going with 3 others, one of whom has been there a few times already. But, they are going there a few days ahead of me, so I will be going over by myself. I am sure I will be ok, but it makes me nervous to think about how I will be alone in a country where I do not speak or read the language. I do have maps and some basic directions. I know someone will probably meet me at the airport when I arrive. But, I am such a planner that the vagueness of it all concerns me.

I did a lot of domestic flights while serving in the military, plus I've flown back and forth from the east coast to the west coast. But, going out of country is a different matter. In addition, the military did all the itinerary for me - all I had to do was be at the right place at the right time and I would be taken care of. I guess I am too used to that! Oh well, I'm a big boy and can take care of myself. Besides, many others make the journey alone and, if they can do it, so can I.

Anyway, the last class went very well. I finished up the Torite Goho waza, which involve several elbow/shoulder locks and leverages. In keeping with current themes, I showed how armor modified these techniques and the spaces required needed to be controlled at all times. The tendency for new people (and how the original techniques are taught) is to gain limb control and maintain it all the way until the opponent falls or rolls on the ground, then finish with some kind of ground hold.

On the battlefield, this isn't important. The same techniques, instead of being focused on taking someone down, are meant more as methods to open up and disrupt the opponent. This creates the right timing and space to either finish them with a strike, use their body as cover or move on to the next opponent (or escape). We played with several ideas, deploying well timed punches and kicks during the space of time the oppenent was opened up and floundering from the arm twist and leveraging techniques.

We also put on our wooden bokken training swords and practiced using this timing and space to be able to draw and cut the opponent. We even did some half techniques, where the space and timing allowed for a cut to a second incoming opponent.

In the end, it was a physically tiring class. I came to class already tired from the day's work and I could sense others felt the same. We ended class on time and enjoyed some usual after class chit chat before heading to our homes.