Rubber Band Snapping Back
So it's been almost 4 weeks since I've swung a sword in the dojo due to the surgery and what not. But with all the pent up frustration from resting at home and getting the permission to do light exercises, I couldn't wait any longer.
I headed to the dojo with happiness and fear. What if I forgot the kata? What if my movements are too awkward? What if this strains my head?
Thankfully none of those things occurred. I must say how happy I was to do the warm ups and bow us in. Felt like old times and I did it with more vigor than usual. My eye still feels a bit funny so I might have to use the eye patch still for a little bit longer.
One of the things I noticed is that I felt like myself when I first came to NYC. That was 2005. When I swung, I was using so much upper body. My swings were smaller and I didn't throw out as much. You could hear the hasuji being so low instead of higher. Gyaku kesas were tight and not loose. They could all still probably cut but not efficiently. Going through the kata cutting like this made it feel stiff and robotic.
In 2007 or 2008, I just noticed sensei's and how they cut. How effortless it seemed. How little they put into it. I called this "old man style" and wanted to learn it at a young age. If I needed the extra umph I had it but tried to use the least amount possible, that was my goal. So before I started class, I would do hayai-suburi (from kendo) and bubba work to get myself tired and learn to swing naturally. Before surgery I was able to cut and do kata with such ease. I noticed last night that was gone. Not sure if it was the pent up feeling or I forgot but made me feel like I was sort of starting again from 2005 and am sore the morning after haha.
I have something called the rubber band theory. I believe your learning is like that of a rubberband which is around a stick in the middle. Each time you learn you stretch out and eventually snap back. When you stretch out again, you'll go further each time.
I feel like I finally snapped back and boy do I gotta take it easy haha.
I headed to the dojo with happiness and fear. What if I forgot the kata? What if my movements are too awkward? What if this strains my head?
Thankfully none of those things occurred. I must say how happy I was to do the warm ups and bow us in. Felt like old times and I did it with more vigor than usual. My eye still feels a bit funny so I might have to use the eye patch still for a little bit longer.
One of the things I noticed is that I felt like myself when I first came to NYC. That was 2005. When I swung, I was using so much upper body. My swings were smaller and I didn't throw out as much. You could hear the hasuji being so low instead of higher. Gyaku kesas were tight and not loose. They could all still probably cut but not efficiently. Going through the kata cutting like this made it feel stiff and robotic.
In 2007 or 2008, I just noticed sensei's and how they cut. How effortless it seemed. How little they put into it. I called this "old man style" and wanted to learn it at a young age. If I needed the extra umph I had it but tried to use the least amount possible, that was my goal. So before I started class, I would do hayai-suburi (from kendo) and bubba work to get myself tired and learn to swing naturally. Before surgery I was able to cut and do kata with such ease. I noticed last night that was gone. Not sure if it was the pent up feeling or I forgot but made me feel like I was sort of starting again from 2005 and am sore the morning after haha.
I have something called the rubber band theory. I believe your learning is like that of a rubberband which is around a stick in the middle. Each time you learn you stretch out and eventually snap back. When you stretch out again, you'll go further each time.
I feel like I finally snapped back and boy do I gotta take it easy haha.
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