Don't Think, Just Do

Ugh. Today's class started out with R Sensei asking me to get up in front of the class to demonstrate a back roll. (Presumably for the benefit of the brand-new student who came for the first time - he picked the wrong person.) Stage fright set in and I did it incorrectly, FOUR FREAKING TIMES!! Good grief! Go over the shoulder opposite to the leg that goes down first! In the effort to do the rolls well, I thought too much about the process and imploded. Sigh. The rest of the class reminded me that shouldn't think that much.

After working on a set of techniques (tsuki kotegaeshi, tsuki kokyu nage, tsuki irimi nage), the rest of the class sat down in seiza to watch two of the higher ranked students do a little free-style practice. This is always very cool to watch because it's done at full speed and, at the higher ranks, you can really see why aikido is a martial art. There's innovation, split-second timing and the evidence that repetition does result in muscle memory. Cease to think about the response, you just do. It's all about practice. Practice, practice, practice.

In the meantime, to feel better, I can always do front rolls, which I love.