Friday, September 15, 2006
Squash & Aikido
In the past few years, I've been trying to start a new activity each year for my range of interests and knowledge and skills to increase. Last year was tough on that one with the agrégation but I still managed to learn a bit of Hindi and I guess I'm pretty good at recent Bollywoods now since I saw about 40 during the year...Aikido was my new sport/art when I went to Reading and I've kept practicing ever since but I've been changing clubs and that means adapting your aikido a bit. So I guess I've been expanding my range of Aikido knowledge :p Yesterday I had my first Aikido practice in the US and it's very very different from what I've seen so far. My clubs in Paris and Reading were same same but different, but this one is just really different. The Sensei is from a different school and they focus on Ki way more - half the practice is made up of Ki exercises, like the unbendable arm for those in the know - and then these are fed into the techniques during the second part. As a result the techniques look really different and the principles feel different even though I'm sure they're really tied in to what we do in Iwama or similar clubs. I think I'd been overlooking Ki quite a bit up to now and I'm glad for this opportunity to investigate into the matter a bit more. I'm sure it will help me improve at Aikido - and change the way I define it for myself - even though I'll again look really weird when I come back on a European mat :p
Now this year, the new sport is Squash. I'd actually been curious about it for quite a while but never thought I'd really get down to trying because I don't know anyone who plays it. That's where James comes in, s/he'd already played before and we played a few matches and started really enjoying it. It's also a good workout because you're basically running all the time. We've started taking lessons now and with the advice of the teacher, she no longer wins 9-2 (when I'm lucky to score anything) all the time since I won my first set tonight!!!
Ok so s/he's still way better than I am but I was damn proud when I won :D
And thanks to the teacher we're having way more interesting exchanges and a couple of them were really thrilling today. With two lessons a week we should really get into it and become sort of ok by the end of the year so it rocks :)
Oh yeah, and it's double deal since we exercise our abs loads: we crack down and laugh quite a bit when we play.. which develops in real fits of laughter when we get tired toward the end of practice :p
Oh yeah, and it's double deal since we exercise our abs loads: we crack down and laugh quite a bit when we play.. which develops in real fits of laughter when we get tired toward the end of practice :p
# posted by V @ 5:36 AM 
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I just dont understand your technical explanation about the aïkido you are practicing this year but you seem to like it, which is great. And you are laughing in playing with a ball. This is perfect. You are doing what you were planning : this year will be just relax and fun. Congratulations. You are not a workcoolic. Kisses, my beautifull young lady.
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# posted by 
: 7:40 PM
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