Sabbatical at an End

I have renewed my regular dojo attendance, after spending a few months only training in Carrboro mornings.

It has been great to return to the main dojo in Hillsborough, but last Monday, my second day back, I had the great wake-up call. One of my sempai asked me: "How did you get so stiff?" I was horrified. I guess in my quest to attack strongly I had been tensing up somewhat. What I think happened is that I have been backsliding a little into old habits, and also, two of my ukes in Carrboro spent 5 years training in Yoshinkan style Aikido, which is much more rigid than our style. No offense to Yoshinkan practitioners, but I think some of this rigidity rubbed off on me. Time to unlearn! (again..)

Then there was the freestyle (aka ju-waza) we practiced. I felt pretty lost! No flow at all!

No worries though, as all practice moves me forward.