May 20, 2008
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1. Try Judo – DONE
Oh man, I’m sore. I’m sure tomorrow will be fun.
I didn’t have to pay for my first time (except the mat fee to the gym). I did have to sign a waiver. Eventually a nice lady with a filebox showed up, and she was indeed the lady with the waivers.
Everyone was kind of flabbergasted that I had no idea what judo was. (What? I know it’s got a big turnout, it’s at my local rec center, and that some of the instructors are nice. Oh, and it’s cheap. Good enough for me.)
We have these huge mats that get rolled out to cover the entire basketball court. Then you have to bow when you step on the mat, stand with your experience group, stand at attention and bow again.
Then warmups. Jogging, stretching, sit ups, push ups. Then drag yourself across the mat on your belly. Then backwards. Then weirdly both ways on your back. Then cartwheels (! I didn’t know I could do a cartwheel) then somersaults. Then a few more things, but I had to sit out while I recovered from somersault induced dizzy.
Then a brown belt showed me:
How to fall straight onto your back, from sitting, from squatting, from standing.
How to fall to either side (same deal)
How to fall forward (same deal)
A throw where you step past the guy, pulling his collar and sleeve back, and shoving his feet forward.
A throw where you step into the guy and turn around, lifting him over your hip.
A standard hold (and an easy to remember trick to get out of it.)Beginners class is listed 6:30-7:30, but I stayed to 8:30 with most people.
The bowing stuff will be hard to remember. And the japanese names for things. (both those throws started with “O”.) and I still think a gi looks silly, but I see how it is useful in this. (Much rather have someone grab my sleeve than my tricep.)
So I’ll give it at least a month (dues are paid monthly) and see how it goes. The “this is awesome!” moment is when you shove a guy much bigger than you off balance with all technique and no power. N says he’ll come with me and try it Thurs.
Comments (5)
~chuckling~
It is all about balance. Don’t care how big they are, get them off balance, you can knock them over with your pinky.
I think you are talking about osoto-gari and osoto-gakai…but it has been 20 years since I was in a dojo.
(somewhere I have my black belt ~grin~)
Have fun with it!
Yeah, I think Avery’s judo brain is a bit rusty. The one where you turn around sounds a lot like ogoshi. The other, not as sure. Gotta love the judo. I know where my blackbelts all are, and gis that still fit and stuff.
I just wish my ribcage was healthy enough. Enjoy it!
Oo! I’m jealous. The WK and I had to quit karate right as we were getting to the throwing part. I was looking forward to it…
)
@Colsith -
I think you got the names right! I’m amazed I described them that well now.
@Morgan_Buchanan - sticking my tongue out at you…so there.