Iaido Rust

[Ken Morgan]

Had my first iai class in three weeks tonight……

To all you folks who don’t do iai and who believe it is easy, you have no idea what so ever. Right now I am hurting so much, and expect to hurt three times as bad by morning.

It likely didn’t help that I have been cranking up my work outs at the gym again; I find my body only responds when I lift heavy, hence I am trying to get my bench and squat back up into the 350 range again, and I had a heavier should/arm work out this morning.

I got to class tonight and sensei ran us through an hour warm up of the basics, then I did all the demonstrating and teaching points for the balance of class. My body did not want to do any of the nuances and subtleties of iai, it wanted to do power, which is never good….I used too much shoulders, I was gripping to hard, constantly adjusting my grip, and I wasn’t always centred in my cuts. I think I dropped 8 pounds of rust out of my joints.

I feel like I’ve just come back from an afternoon hike in the woods.

Sunday practice should be better, though it’s three hours long, we’ll see.

 

[Chris Parker]

Ha, I feel for you, my friend.... We're coming back after three weeks off this week, it'll be interesting to see how many of my guys actually did any training over the break, and how badly they'll hurt after their first session back! Come to think of it, this thread gives me some ideas..... this could be fun.

 

[Sukerkin]

:chuckles in sympathy: I feel for you chaps - I haven't been able to practise for months now with the onset of a couple of health issues. I did manage to help with instruction at a seminar a few weeks back and where I felt it most, oddly, was in the tendons on the inside of my elbows :lol:.

 

[Ken Morgan]

When my iai goes to all Hell, it’s me adding strength to everything, and we know that strength makes iai…wrong. I only seem to do that after a lay off or when I am really tired.

I have my Godan grading in iai next year, 2013, so I had better become a lot more consistent in what I do on the floor and get rid of reverting back to strength.

I asked Sensei last night on what I need to do to improve, and he said lose some muscle. Yeah, that’s simply not going to happen, I see my situation similar to teaching a bull ballet, no matter how much you get through, they’re still a bull.

Nothing serious I hope Mark?

 

[Sukerkin]

Sadly, I have been afflicted with a General Warranty Failure during 2011 it seems :lol:.

I have Plantar Fasciitis (a horribly painful tendon ailment of the heels), a worsening of previously mild asthma and Adhesive Capsulitis in my right shoulder (commonly called Frozen Shoulder). That triple whammy has also brought on a bad attack of Fatus Piggius as I haven't been able to excercise at all . All-in-all, pretty miserable and has basically meant I just can't do Iai - I hope that will change in the next few weeks as I aim to ask my physio (who is working on my shoulder) if it's okay to start again.

 

[jks9199]

I can't help with all of that -- but walking will help the plantar fasciitis. It hurts at first, and you need proper arches in your shoes -- but it'll work it out a bit. And help with that other issue, as well...

 

[Sanke]

Ha, I feel for you, my friend.... We're coming back after three weeks off this week, it'll be interesting to see how many of my guys actually did any training over the break, and how badly they'll hurt after their first session back! Come to think of it, this thread gives me some ideas..... this could be fun.

Why do I feel like someone just stepped on my grave...

 

[pgsmith]

I feel for you Ken. I have the same problem with over-muscling, and I've got a three hour class tonight after 3 weeks off.

I second the walking for the plantar fasciitis. I dealt with that a few years ago. It takes a long time to get over completely.

 

[Ken Morgan]

Yesterdays practice consisted of 2 hours of niten, then about 30 minutes of iai.

Nothing too strenuous. Though right now I can still feel some discomfort in my forearms.

Tell me if you guys feel the same way, you show up for class, get changed, chat with club members, and warm up. My warm up is moving up and down the dojo floor with nice big easy swings of the sword, sinking into the cuts, light hands, all while watching my stance/posture in the mirror. By about the second or third swing, I find my body “sighing”, or relaxing into the movements, I feel my head clear and I become very focused on what I am doing. It is such a relaxing/ tranquil feeling. I guess after so many thousands of cuts over the years, my body’s muscle memory just wants to swing a sword.

 

[Sukerkin]

Certainly concur wholeheartedly on the tranquility aspects that come out of training - I have ever said that I am never calmer than I am with a sword in my hand.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Love how training with the sword makes me relax and feel calm!