I tell of my day-to-day experiences in a funky Japanese town from my American viewpoint. This blog could also be called 'Bizarro World', 'Notes From Kyushu, a Smaller Island', or 'Teaching English in Japan: Smash Your Ego in 10 Easy Lessons."

Thursday, June 15, 2006

What is solid and charged with energy?

(insert your cleverest answer:___________)


Something I note recently about Aikido practice--while practicing tenkan(the changing-direction exercise), it 'works' with a variety of training partners.

I've been working on maintaining a solidness through the exercise from the arm, through the shoulder, and through the turn. Not a rigidness with force, but a solidness in the curve of my arm to my pinky. And, well, maintaining it through my wrist being grabbed.
And sort of charging my body with energy while doing this. I discovered that by extending my arms during rowing practice, I could up my energy with the extension. People always told me to 'extend, extend,' but I think I've been extending and sort of giving away whatever energy came from that extension. But now I want to work to understand what's happening and to build that energy and cultivate it.

I got a couple of 'mmm...'s from my partner at practice last night, instead of the usual 'no, do it this way,' and such. Similar thing happened with someone else.

I want to go into this deeper...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It would be really cool to print out some of Eminem's lyrics and explain them to the Japanese girls you teach.

jetblossom said...

I used to do a self-intro with T/F questions about me last year. The students had to wager a bet with fake money on whether the statement was true or false. The last question was, 'Your new teacher can rap an EMINEM song.' They almost always got that one wrong. I would do 'Toy Soldier.'

It surprised me that some of the students already listen to EMINEM. They already know the meanings!

Anonymous said...

Try opening/extending your fingers during kokyu movements.

jetblossom said...

I understand and I will try, anon.