Bruised Knee
It is Jo Week! There is an opening movement for jo that Takeguchi Sensei teaches that many find rather difficult. I have been teaching students that move for years now. They are not quite doing it yet. Every time we practice it, I can sense the impatience in them. I can understand how they feel. In addition to showing them the steps over and over, I reiterate that learning is a process. It takes time. If they stick to it, eventually, they will get it. These are not just empty words to comfort them. I sympathize with them because it took me years to learn the move, too. Many people were in the same classes back then, watching Sensei show the move over and over. To this day, many of my former classmates still have not acquired this move. It is not a matter of talent or intelligence. It is more about persistence and grit. To quickly get the result they were looking for, some people compensate by taking ...
