Well, tonight was first Tuesday of the month, which meant a free beginners class for those interested. This was a first - the newbies outnumbered the students 2 to 1 - there were about 30 of us in our tiny little dojo, so we weren't able to get a lot done. They've never done another randori since that first class that I attended, either - I love watching randori.
My rolling is improving somewhat. I sneaked up on one of my classmates who was kneeling, put my arm around his neck, and he flipped me, and I rolled quite neatly. I wouldn't have tried it if I didn't think I could have rolled out of it. I'm still having trouble rolling over my right shoulder, though - that right hip is still quite weak and stiff, and frankly, rolling over my right shoulder just doesn't feel natural to me.
They are starting up free practice sessions on Sunday again, so I guess I'm going to have to start going, and get that ukemi up to par! Also, I really need to work on my techniques, although I think I finally have ikkyo under control, more or less (if only I can remember the different pins! That's confusing me.)
Last night's class was my first with my dojo's sensei since she got back from the BC summer camp with O Sensei's grandson. I asked her (and another person who had attended) about it, if the Japanese training was rougher than the North American, and interestingly, she said it was a lot gentler. You still went down, of course; but without a lot of power behind it. I would have loved to have gone, let me tell you.
Anyway, she was showing us some of the techniques from the summer camp. Oh, my poor brain - so many steps! It was a combo thing happening - first, ikkyo, then tenkan, then into a nikkyo variation then another tenkan then kotegaeshi and pin. Sounds simple, doesn't it - my feet kept getting tangled up, and I was decidedly directionally challenged. "No, THAT way," she kept saying to me. I was ready to chew nails because I just could NOT remember what to do.
But I'm happy again - I hated missing three classes last week, and while I hope I get more work, I hope it doesn't mean I have to give up my classes.