Remember those words from class? We were either sparring, grappling, or training self-defenses with a classmate and your Sensei says:
“YAME!!”
” COURTESY AND RESPECT.. THANK YOUR PARTNER.”
” FIND A NEW PARTNER AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF IF NEED BE”
“HAJIME!”
And, every time we started with a new partner our strategy would need to adapt. Doing a quick comparison of skill level, size differences, and physical attributes we needed to adjust to the new situation; because what worked 5 minutes ago may not apply to the current reality!!! Going from a partner who had a greater skill level, to now working with someone we are more talented than; or someone half our size to someone twice our size, we needed to alter our approach on the fly to survive and succeed!!
During our last instructors’ class, we spoke about how this pandemic has felt very similar to that type of class. Every restriction, change, limitation, and allowance, feels like a new opponent that we need to adjust and adapt to in the moment.
How did we do this?? By focusing on what we can do in that moment with that specific partner. Which in some rounds was a whole lot; trying new techniques and taking chances. Other times it was simply to block, move, and hang on!! We knew that focusing on what we can’t do would shut down possibilities and put us in a negative lens. We also knew that thinking of what we felt we should be able and want to do, ( especially if we were able to with the partner we just finished training with!), would result in frustration and distract us from our current reality.
We do what we can with who,( or what), is in front of us at the moment. When the moment changes we adjust. Remembering that whatever moment you are in… it will pass
