Aikido, or How to Turn Your Hip Flexor and Groin Into a Quaqmire

I started going to Aikido. Classes are Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. So far, I've enjoyed the classes, though I must say, they are quite nerve racking because a) all such classes are nerve-wracking because one is a complete beginner and b) my Japanese is not really good enough to understand anything without a healthy dose of motioning. So the demonstrations are a fine spectacle, but of very little use both linguistically and technically because of how fast they occur and the relative lack of repetition (1-3x).

Speaking of demonstrations, here is how the classes are structured:

1. wait around / stretch; 
2. instructor or Sensei (先生) a.k.a. Kanchou (館長) arrives; 
3. we line up and do our bowing / prayer thingy full of onegaishimasu's and arigatou gozaimashita's, complete with some clapping (maybe someday, when / if I'm able to understand the response, I'll ask the significance of the clapping); 
4. warm-up (skipped yesterday, which makes my hip flexor / groin very happy); 
5. demonstration by Sensei and experienced student; 
6. more bowing; 
7. practice;
8. rinse and repeat steps #5 - 7 until an hour to 2 hours have elapsed; 
9. clean the mats (wipe 'em down, broom, and vacuum); 
10. the end.
    

Oh, remember how I wrote last post that the dojo was hard to find? Well check out a photo:

 The door on the right is the entrance to the dojo. Oh, and streets in Okazaki (and most small towns in Japan) don't have street signs.

Final thoughts: very challenging, and even moreso because of the language barrier, which hinders what I imagine are useful explanations. That said, while I may not go to every class (so far I've been to three, plus one to watch), once or twice a week should be doable and fun. I'm going to stick with it. Plus, the Gi (着) is fun to wear.

The bike ride (25-30 minutes) is killer, especially since the bike, like most bikes in places where said two-wheeled vehicles are a preferred mode of transportation, is too small for me**. 25-30 minutes on a smallish bike isn't so bad in and of itself, but when combined with Aikido-- and getting there late (10 minutes early as opposed to 20) last night, hence insufficient warm up (which Sensei kindly skipped as well)-- well, you get the idea. I'm definitely not going on Wednesday, since my groin / hip is making it quite clear with every step that it will not take any more.

**I think this is because the full leg extension is sacrificed for a lower seat, which allows a flat foot on the ground while at a standstill / waiting for a traffic light to change.

That's all for now. I had a great weekend of karaoke (no photos, unfort-- fortunately) on Friday, Nagoya on Saturday, and Okazakian festivals (of the jazz and autumn variety) on Sunday. Pictures and inane commentary coming soon.