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aikido
August 2009 
In pain - breathing and sore muscles
Posted on May 11th, 2007
by 
maornot
maornot
i can't believe how sore my muscles are after a typical week of aikido training! it's a first time in Japan. Strangely the pain settled in as fast as the sudden temperature fluctuations this springtime in Tokyo. i felt it almost right after the 1-hour practice, during the 2nd hour. Usually muscles ache the day after. It got me wondering: can this be only physical? does it express some mental resistance too? What about the obvious: the breathing? Breathing - the apparent link between shallow breathing and aching muscles - has also been summarised in a zaadz health pod.
So muscle ache = shallow breathing?? very frustrating to feel after years of practice!
My gut reaction was a strong desire to do more pranayama breathing exercises and less dynamic aikido during the hot months (it will probably work out as a combination of the two though). When i say pranayama, i'm thinking of a free combination of Indian-style and Japanese aikido-based breathing exercises and meditation.
The sudden onset of heat (and still only moderate temperatures!) here in Tokyo is the first thing that came to mind when i couldn't get enough oxygen through my nostrils. This climate makes you think it should be humid too. But a Japanese friend reminded me that is has been very dry this week. Dryness also may be part of the unbalancing why i'm finding it hard to fill my oxygen need during practice hours. Yesterday, my sado teacher's mother-in-law of 92 years, a very active medical doctor, prescribed me some cream to put into the nose at night. To prevent a flu with the lack of proper breathing and dried nasal passages, she said. Perhaps the climate has some influence. But the signs are pointing to learning more deep breathing and the balance it implies.
My vinyasa yoga teacher used to say not to strain yourself when you're out of breath. But in aikido we are practicing the opposite. We keep pushing ourselves to develop stamina and, ideally quiet, resilience. The question is how to stay cool, composed and in control of breath in the heat of the action? Yes, i'm continuously forever learning to manage breathing and quietness during the action, still. Cool that adrenaline-excitement but keep up a continuous energy level! So back to the breathing question.
BTW, can we tank up breath amounts in advance? ;-( unlikely... my best bet is to establish a rhythm and try to pace myself to that rythm, even if i will have to hold back initially.
The other thought is, isn't my muscle ache a typical ache for a westerner whose centre of gravity tends to be too high up in the body, instead of lower down? Japanese culture teaches to move from that centre, loosely and flexibly, whilst westerners learn to move from the muscles, therefore straining too much at times. Perhaps the mental comes in here again, of trying too hard. Just let it go... Now i'm trying to focus on working low, with bent knees and developing more leg power (my daily bicycling helps) and less shoulders. It will be even more sweat-inducing with the heat.
Our weaknesses and pain can become positive reminders (and teachers) in life. More than ever do i believe in the power of deep breathing!
So muscle ache = shallow breathing?? very frustrating to feel after years of practice!
My gut reaction was a strong desire to do more pranayama breathing exercises and less dynamic aikido during the hot months (it will probably work out as a combination of the two though). When i say pranayama, i'm thinking of a free combination of Indian-style and Japanese aikido-based breathing exercises and meditation.
The sudden onset of heat (and still only moderate temperatures!) here in Tokyo is the first thing that came to mind when i couldn't get enough oxygen through my nostrils. This climate makes you think it should be humid too. But a Japanese friend reminded me that is has been very dry this week. Dryness also may be part of the unbalancing why i'm finding it hard to fill my oxygen need during practice hours. Yesterday, my sado teacher's mother-in-law of 92 years, a very active medical doctor, prescribed me some cream to put into the nose at night. To prevent a flu with the lack of proper breathing and dried nasal passages, she said. Perhaps the climate has some influence. But the signs are pointing to learning more deep breathing and the balance it implies.
My vinyasa yoga teacher used to say not to strain yourself when you're out of breath. But in aikido we are practicing the opposite. We keep pushing ourselves to develop stamina and, ideally quiet, resilience. The question is how to stay cool, composed and in control of breath in the heat of the action? Yes, i'm continuously forever learning to manage breathing and quietness during the action, still. Cool that adrenaline-excitement but keep up a continuous energy level! So back to the breathing question.
BTW, can we tank up breath amounts in advance? ;-( unlikely... my best bet is to establish a rhythm and try to pace myself to that rythm, even if i will have to hold back initially.
The other thought is, isn't my muscle ache a typical ache for a westerner whose centre of gravity tends to be too high up in the body, instead of lower down? Japanese culture teaches to move from that centre, loosely and flexibly, whilst westerners learn to move from the muscles, therefore straining too much at times. Perhaps the mental comes in here again, of trying too hard. Just let it go... Now i'm trying to focus on working low, with bent knees and developing more leg power (my daily bicycling helps) and less shoulders. It will be even more sweat-inducing with the heat.
Our weaknesses and pain can become positive reminders (and teachers) in life. More than ever do i believe in the power of deep breathing!
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