Fwam!

Fwam! ..That's the sound I made last night, hitting the mat after a particularly well executed Ude Guruma from my partner. So far, for my partner and I, as we train towards our shodan tests there has been a scale of our proficiency with the O Waza. Initially, our techniques were absolutely horrid - our timing and placement throwing the entire technique into a state of utter failure.

Then, we moved on to an element of technical proficiency. Wherein we would achieve roughly the correct placement and timing, enabling us to achieve a fall - albeit out techniques (at least the first four) would usually end up in a backfall as opposed to the desired break fall.

And from there, we went on to tweaking our placement and timing enough to achieve rolling breakfalls. However, I have to say that last night was the first time that one of us had actually managed to fully throw the other into a genuine break fall. There was no assistance by me; I prepared mentally for my usual rolling breakfall and was surprised to find myself flipped through the air. Caught completely by surprise, I then laid there for a minute whilst I waited for my side to stop hurting quite so badly. Naturally, knowing how to take a fall, I was fine - but the surprise of the whole thing required a moment.

So..what's the point? Well, for one, we're getting better. Which is good considering our belt test is in about two weeks. Two, .. I'm sure I made a very satisfying thump when I hit the mat. :-p