The Silk Thread of Gorindo - Ottawa - Canada
Issue VII
- The Simple Act of Breathing (Part 3)
- You Can't Always Get What You Want
Photo cover Claudio Iedwab sensei in Montreal, Sept 2010, by Roxanne Standefer
The Simple Act of Breathing (Part 3)
Breathing into warm-up
After the period of seiza at the beginning of a typical class or individual workout, the martial artist will do a series of exercises as a warm-up. The purpose of this is to raise the body temperature so that muscle and connective tissue will stretch and contract without damage. Breathing deeply can boost metabolism and activate energy stored in the chemical systems in the body. It is also important that the mental attitude and breathing rhythm from the zazen meditation be carried over into the warm-up, as it is here that the coordination of breathing and physical movement will be established and synchronized. The gentle stretches and rotations done to limber and loosen the joints and spine will be performed with slow exhalation, taking care to not hold the breath. If done correctly and with attention...
The Learning Kiai (Part 3)
Advanced level students recognize that one of the best ways to learn more themselves is to teach others. This is a fundamental tradition of the martial arts and a keystone of the learning methodology. Not only is it extremely rewarding and satisfying and critically important for the functioning of the dojo; it allows the senior student to look at the training from a fresh perspective, analyze questions that he might never have thought of posing himself, revisit the basics, and improve the accuracy of his own technique in demonstration. Most importantly though, he finds out what he does not know and where his understanding is weak, unclear or perhaps incorrect...
You Can't Always Get What You Want
This can happen anytime: A hopeful student asks the teacher, “When can I get my black belt?”
The teacher looks the student straight in the eyes and says: “Five years.”
“Oh, my goodness!” the surprised student answers.
“That’s a long time. But if I practice twice as hard, how long will it take me?”
Gorindo Videos
Gorindo Kata Kiito Shodan (front & back) for 9th Kyu White Belt, by Claudio Iedwab
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