I have been so exhausted at night it has been tough to do any blogging. We usually train until around 7 or 7:30 pm, eat, shower and then sleep.
We went for a hike yesterday and then found a nice grassy area to practice our falling and our rolling. I can't wait to introduce this into a new movement class! I honestly didn't think I would enjoy these elements but it was so much fun. We did one drill where two partners would swing the other partner back and forth and then on the third swing hurl the partner in the air. First and foremost, the goal was to overcome fear, and secondly, to land with some grace and efficiency.
I felt a tinge of sadness when we first started to learn how to fall. Fear make you feel old. When you are learning these movements you can't help but to return to your childhood, to a time when you did these movements simply because they made you laugh. If you haven't continued with these movements into adulthood, you must re-learn them and it isn't just pure fun. You must overcome fear. Your body feels awkward and stiff. But, in a few short hours it began to feel much more natural and intuitive. We are going to go some back walkovers and some arial cartwheels in the next few days.
Boxing! We are working with Jacob Daskalo and his sons Danielle and Tony. Danielle is 16 years old and is currently ranked second in Europe. The history of this family is remarkable. Jacob's father was a Romanian Jew coaching boxing in Europe during the Second World War.
Jacob is a great coach. We end our session with Ido around 4 pm and then we box the rest of the day. The boxing is our primary form of metabolic conditioning. The footwork is challenging and you must be quick and coordinated. Today, we use the mouth guards and we learn defensive techniques.
http://youtu.be/vkdSMtT3p4c
Had a great discussion regarding balance and what it means to be an athlete. It is so important to be strong and to squat and press and all that fun stuff. But, if you can't isolate muscles and articulate movements what is the point? I want to be able to squat AND do handbalancing and do a simple backwalkover. I want to run and jump AND twist. I don't want to be one of those athletes who can backsquat 400 lbs but is unable to efficiently stand up from a seated position.
I really want to try out all these things you're learning over there in Israel. The boxing looks intriguing and I like the sound of tumbling and controlled falling. I'm up for anything that helps me be more aware of my body and what I can do and also learning the limitations as well.
ReplyDeleteIt's not surprising how disconnected one can get if they spend their day sitting on their ass in a chair. Have fun and it looks beautiful where you are.