Saturday, August 27, 2011

That Guy

Just back from the seminar in Seattle and Lowry Sensei and I had an interesting discussion about the interesting little egos battles you find on the mat at the big seminars. Of course in every seminar you find 'that guy' who simply doesn't want to play nice. That guy actively seeks to not let you work out in any way. That guy tends to be a brown belt, who knows just enough to have ego, but not enough to do the techniques correctly himself. This last seminar I went to was stocked with that guy.

I felt that guy wanting to ego battle me. I tried to diffuse him, "hey brother I am just learning this stuff, can we go slow and relaxed so I can feel it?"

That guy wanted to teach me a lesson. He resisted and flexed all he could, simply making the technique we were working on impossible.

I take a nice fall for him when he is ready.

"Hey you know you are resisting this motion, but it is just putting you into this I throw" (That guy falls over, upset that I changed the parameters to another throw)

I take a nice fall for him when he is ready.

Next round that guy is more ramped up. He is in shiai (fight mode) now That guy is determined not to be thrown. That guy resists my technique with all his might, but falls over to a foot sweep. He is frustrated that I am an aiki cheater. Yes I am.

I take a nice fall for him when he is ready.

Now he is ready this time. fight fight fight. I loop around behind him and put my fingers in his nose and guide him to the ground. I can be a real sonovabitch when you want to play like that. It was gentle but invasive.

I take a nice fall for him when he is ready.

After Sensei calls a halt, I look at that guy and thank him for giving me such hard puzzles to solve and tell him I loved working out with him. He seems confused that I am genuinely warm towards him.

Funny thing, the next lady I played with was a joy to touch, and we laughed the whole time. Oh ...that guy, you make training so hard on yourself.



Thanks That Guy for playing. Anytime you want to prove to me that I can't do that throw, please let me know! I know plenty more that will work instead.

7 comments:

  1. You have to work with what is front of you. It wasn't what you were planning on, but life is like that sometimes. Well done.

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  2. The Lesson here that I still sometimes fail to move to is simply clinging to learning how to make "that" technique work still.. Good Job Bro!

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  3. I thought YOU were that guy, Eric! (^_^)

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  4. Every man I meet is my master in some point, and in that I learn of him.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson

    SS- Although I've seen you quite a bit in passing lately- I still miss you, my brother. We'll make time to hang out soon.

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  5. I don't know much about your activity but you meet people like that in every walk of life. I am 81 and walked a long time meet a lot of people.I think you did right would have loved seeing you put him down with is nose. Hope you will visit my blog again.

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