Rose City Digest - Shudokan 3

With an audible grunt I hit the hardwood poorly and rolled to my side and back, looking up sheepishly at the two Senseis.  As part of the class we were reviewing Bunkai (practical applications coming from kata) from Wando.  This particular component was how to get out a double lapel grasp.  The breaker (Uke) drops into a low stance and the grabber (Shite) gets drug off balance and setup for a knee in the face.  My partner is a foot shorter than I am so ended up going way off balance and then to the floor.   

For my second class I already feel part of group.  It's like I never left the environment, which is what I really love, but my flexibility and cardio are pretty modest and acts as a reminder that I have been away for a fairly long time. 

MaryAnn Sensei paid me a nice compliment when I was demonstrating the Wando kata, "Oh my" she said.  I wasn't sure what that meant and assumed I was doing something that didn't jive with Shudokan. "No", she said.  "I think we'll to talk to Sensei about trying something different."  I realized she meant that I probably wouldn't be challenged by the complexity.  I assured her that we might as well complete the kata since I was rusty and this was a good start.  I would have preferred the first, but there you have it when you wear the black belt to class.

I was pleased to see Reed Sensei come into class because it might mean that the warm up period might be abbreviated.  I'm so sore that I'm popping Ibuprofen regularly just to keep ahead of the pain that seems omnipresent.  Apparently at 48 the ability to repair physically is going to take a bit.  Thankfully it was short and the bulk of the class was instruction.  Great pacing.

You might notice that I use that frequently.  When I taught it was the thing that bothered me the most.  Teacher (back up North) would talk at length at times breaking up the flow.  When I taught I tried to fight at by keeping the pace going constantly, but it exhausted me.  It dawned on me later that was what he was probably doing - grabbing a breather.  Anyway, Reed Sensei has a practiced, measured, calm approach.  Very nice.