Kayaking!?

So recently, I went kayaking. It was a fun experience to say the least. Before we went, the instructor when over some things to teach us how to kayak properly. 

Some of the things he said 

1) Grip the paddle properly, so that way your hands don't get tired from overgripping

2) Grip the hand in a way where your middle knuckle lines up with the edge of the paddle

3) When you paddle, keep your elbows in and make sure your elbows don't stray too far from the body 

4) If you use your arms too much, you'll get tired and your upper body will wear out sooner

5) Learn how to use the momentum of the stroke to guide you to the next. 

Does any of this sound familiar? 

It's quite interesting how you can find similarities in such different things. I remember while kayaking in the initial stage, I tried too hard and got worn out. My grip was getting tight and I remember how I couldn't keep the momentum going. 

After I got tired out however, all of a sudden, things fell into place. Since my arms were tired, I started keeping my arms closer to the body. Since i was keeping my elbows in and aligned, it became much easier to move forward. 

Sometimes, it's good to practice, while tired. When you're tired, is when your natural techniques show themselves. I think everyone should look at their everyday life, and make connections to sword work. You'll be surprised to see that connection. The whole idea though is how do your translate that knowledge over to sword practice.