slacker
My lack of posting demonstrates my disinterest in ever becoming a serious writer. I just went looking back over the past two years' posts for the month of June. This same weekend last year I passed my 5th Kyu test in Aïkido. Tomorrow I will participate in a two hour seminar from 10 to 12 and then immediately following will be the testing again. I participated in the seminar today for two hours, the whole time spent sweating uncontrollably due to the humidity and the lingering effects of the cold I had this week. I had planned on being tested today, but it didn't happen because there were so many people from Mainz and elsewhere that wanted to test also.
The Sensei gives priority to the people that come from a distance so that they don't have to come back again tomorrow. I think after all was said and done, three of us from the dojo have to wait until tomorrow, out of about 20 that were tested. I was really impressed with the proficiency of the 1st Kyu's. At that level you have to know all of the techniques for every attack. I hope to become that good someday as well. I saw a lot of techniques in their performance that I had only seen in sessions on Sunday and wednesday evenings last summer.
I used to practice six days a week back then. I decided after my srs that I would be happy practicing three times a week. Although three days seemed to be enough, I noticed in practicing intensively in preparation for the test that I wasn't quite in the shape that I need to be in. I am going with my gf to the south of France for a week of Aïkido in late July. I want to be in top shape when I go there to practice. I have been thinking about how my body felt a year ago, and luckily it has greatly improved in flexibility and endurance. I remember having to sleep on my back with pillows under my knees to keep them bent because that was the position that was the least painful. I think that I had to do that the friday evening before the saturday testing so that I could sleep for the pain. I remember thinking that I overdid it and wouldn't make it to test. I don't have knee pain anymore, but I have been damaging my feet alot.
The problem with the feet is an ancient one, and I have finally decided to treat them myself. I have always had flat feet and in the past few years I have developed an occaisional burning pain in the third and fourth toes on my left foot. I went a little bit overboard with the high heels without any kind of forefoot padding. That led to an inflammation of the very same nerve that was causing the pain in my toes. The condition is Morton's Neuroma and was very painful at its worst. It feels a bit like walking over a long round stone under the ball of the foot.
I miss being able to wear my many pairs of heels. That is partly what drove me to search out the options for corrective insoles. I have been wearing them every day for two weeks and the difference is clear. The pain from the neuroma is almost gone and I think that if I can find the right padding, I can try wearing the heels again. But I am glad that my foot is healing on its own without the need for any medication or surgery. The old way of dealing with my condition was to remove the nerve surgically. I guess they do that in the teeth as well, but I can't imagine giving up feeling in two toes. I need to find the balance of footwear that enables my feet to stay healthy.
I have been practicing lots of Aïkido techniques that are performed in an upright kneeling position. This is obviously hard on the knees and the toes. I was able to maneuver better in the colder months of the year becasue my feet tended to be dryer and not "stick" to the mat. I wonder if I could try some powder or wear open footwear before parctice. I think though that with the amount that I sweat I will not find anything that will keep them dry. Part of the problem could be that my legs are just worn out from too much practice. I always try to knuckle down and make it through the suwari waza tecniques. There are a couple of people that I practice with that I feel like I am able to flow better with. I think in a couple of years that I will achieve the reveered hakama level, but that is just a milestone on the longer road to harmony with nature. I hope to be still practicing when I am old and gray.
Oh yeah the aquanun is coming to stay with me for the month of July! YaaaaaaaaaY! <3
The Sensei gives priority to the people that come from a distance so that they don't have to come back again tomorrow. I think after all was said and done, three of us from the dojo have to wait until tomorrow, out of about 20 that were tested. I was really impressed with the proficiency of the 1st Kyu's. At that level you have to know all of the techniques for every attack. I hope to become that good someday as well. I saw a lot of techniques in their performance that I had only seen in sessions on Sunday and wednesday evenings last summer.
I used to practice six days a week back then. I decided after my srs that I would be happy practicing three times a week. Although three days seemed to be enough, I noticed in practicing intensively in preparation for the test that I wasn't quite in the shape that I need to be in. I am going with my gf to the south of France for a week of Aïkido in late July. I want to be in top shape when I go there to practice. I have been thinking about how my body felt a year ago, and luckily it has greatly improved in flexibility and endurance. I remember having to sleep on my back with pillows under my knees to keep them bent because that was the position that was the least painful. I think that I had to do that the friday evening before the saturday testing so that I could sleep for the pain. I remember thinking that I overdid it and wouldn't make it to test. I don't have knee pain anymore, but I have been damaging my feet alot.
The problem with the feet is an ancient one, and I have finally decided to treat them myself. I have always had flat feet and in the past few years I have developed an occaisional burning pain in the third and fourth toes on my left foot. I went a little bit overboard with the high heels without any kind of forefoot padding. That led to an inflammation of the very same nerve that was causing the pain in my toes. The condition is Morton's Neuroma and was very painful at its worst. It feels a bit like walking over a long round stone under the ball of the foot.
I miss being able to wear my many pairs of heels. That is partly what drove me to search out the options for corrective insoles. I have been wearing them every day for two weeks and the difference is clear. The pain from the neuroma is almost gone and I think that if I can find the right padding, I can try wearing the heels again. But I am glad that my foot is healing on its own without the need for any medication or surgery. The old way of dealing with my condition was to remove the nerve surgically. I guess they do that in the teeth as well, but I can't imagine giving up feeling in two toes. I need to find the balance of footwear that enables my feet to stay healthy.
I have been practicing lots of Aïkido techniques that are performed in an upright kneeling position. This is obviously hard on the knees and the toes. I was able to maneuver better in the colder months of the year becasue my feet tended to be dryer and not "stick" to the mat. I wonder if I could try some powder or wear open footwear before parctice. I think though that with the amount that I sweat I will not find anything that will keep them dry. Part of the problem could be that my legs are just worn out from too much practice. I always try to knuckle down and make it through the suwari waza tecniques. There are a couple of people that I practice with that I feel like I am able to flow better with. I think in a couple of years that I will achieve the reveered hakama level, but that is just a milestone on the longer road to harmony with nature. I hope to be still practicing when I am old and gray.
Oh yeah the aquanun is coming to stay with me for the month of July! YaaaaaaaaaY! <3
posted by Christine Cormier @ 10:40 PM
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