Lesson: Relax

On WED practice, after the Keiko w/ Hosokawa Senior Sensei, I asked him if I should fix any problem.  He said, "Relax...don't be too tight."

I also remembered Richard R. told me few practices ago, "When I'm relaxed, I do so much better.  When I'm too tight, I can't move as freely as I wanted to."

So, I applied that to my Keiko w/ Shoraku Sensei.  I relaxed.

First, I completely relaxed both my shoulders in my Kamae, and I applied strength only at the instant moment when I was striking.  

Secondly, I tried to imagine that I did not have my Bogu on (thus freeing myself from the restrictions of the Bogu).  I could feel that I started to see wider vision (not only focused on my opponent but more area around him).  I remembered Spencer Sensei once told me of this --- "at first, you'll only see your opponent, but as you practice more and get more comfortable, you'll start to see more and wider."

I felt much better.