Monday, November 1, 2010

Lesson 28: You Gotta Relax

So I've been continuing practicing extra high falls (check the image above for a visual), and because I don't relax, they're very ugly and uncomfortable. There's two main factors I'm not doing correctly. First, going into it with my head straight on towards the front like a front flip. But I also need to tuck my chin, instead of protrude it out towards the ground which I usually do. I either do one of these and screw up the other, or vice versa. My partner Hosogoshi keeps telling to relax ... so finally one time I actually did, and it was the best by miles that I've done so far. It was one of those moments I let out a huge exhale, and "just f*&%^$*^g did it." My body felt weightless and the movement was smooth and correct. However, immediately after, I couldn't replicate it just how I did, and so I'll continue practicing until I find it again. I know with this particular movement, I'm subconsciously a little scared and so I'm naturally tensing up.

No matter what martial art, other art, or just living that you do, relaxing will make it lighter and smoother if that's what you want, so it's time to get on it. Forget all the s&*t you think is weighing you down, forget about your ideas of failure, and just go.

1 comment:

  1. Oh yes indeed! Relaxing is the point.
    I usually explain this by saying that the outer world (that is, everything outside yourself)is just "background noise", if you get my meaning.

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