Gimme a Breakfall

It's another Flashback Friday!
Originally posted Tuesday, February 12, 2002

Last night's judo class, my second, was good. I considered skipping, as I have developed a cold, but a quick nap before class did the trick. We beginners learned a couple new techniques and got to participate a little more this time than before. My legs aren't nearly as fatigued as last week, probably due to a decreased number of practice falls -- although we still did plenty. Again I got dizzy from the shoulder rolls, which I can only partially blame on inner ear congestion, but at least my timing of the slap is getting better. I'm told that this will improve as I grow more accustomed to being upside down.

My jump-break falls also need work. This is where Sensei kneels on the floor and the students jog up one by one to jump over his back and tumble into a graceful roll on the other side. I tumbled, all right, but did not actually roll; it was more of a splat, and I heard a few other students in line say "Oooh," the way people do when they've watched someone else do something painful. No harm done, really, but I may practice a bit on my own before next time. The fun in this portion of the class comes from watching the little kids, some only 4 or 5 years old. A couple of them are too small to jump over, so they have to climb up on top of poor Sensei and sort of slide off the far side.

The only rough moment came when my co-beginner Matthew (who I swear smoked a whole pack of butts before entering the dojo) fell on me while executing a throw and sort of jabbed me in the eye socket. It was merely a glancing blow (eye -- glancing -- get it?) from which the red faded before his worry about it did.

I'm proud to report that my belt stayed tied for the whole class, although I did have an iffy pants-related moment during the "drag yourself using only your elbows" drill.

Today around the world: March 11 is Commonwealth Day in Tuvalu. Tuva-what? In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands (in the South Pacific) caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978.