I was still sore from Saturday's class on the mats. I thought it
would be easier falling and rolling on the mats, but actually the
hardwood floors are smoother and allow for glide, I think the mats
are actually harder on the muscles. Also I had been sitting at a
computer for far too many hours. All that hype about ergonomics is
spot-on; no-one should type for extended periods of time without a
proper posture chair and a dropped keyboard tray. My company would
probably save thousands in health insurance claims if they would
invest in these simple precautions.

I digress. I started class with a stiff neck but felt a hundred times
better by the end of the session. Doctors always recommend rest and
sometimes this is good, but there are other times when I think it's
best to train gently through moderate injuries like stiffness.

So we started with the usual conditioning warm-ups and "scooching"
exercises, trying to move across the floor using only hips or
shoulders. Our instructor can actually "walk" on his shoulders with
his legs straight up in the air; I can't even get into this position,
much less move across the floor. Then we did a self-hypnosis type of
breathing exercise we have not done in a while: breathe in through
the right side of the body, out through the left, in through the
right leg, out through the right arm, etc. Systema advocates using
breathing as a pain management tool; if a certain body part is
injured, you should visualize "breathing" through that body part.
Then our partners stepped on us while we rolled the body parts away
from the stepping motion. Then we stood up to attempt the "climbing
around partner like a monkey in a tree" exercise. I suppose this has
a name, but our instructor usually demonstrates by hopping up on one
of my classmates, piggyback style, and swinging completely around
until he was back in the starting point. Only one of my classmates
can do this tough exercise. Try it sometime; it's harder than it
looks. It's also hard on the person being the "tree."

Then we did this steering-our-partners exercise that I sometimes have
trouble with. You are supposed to "roll" your partner between your
outstretched arms while stepping back and forth, rolling them like a
barrel, but the trick is that you cannot use you arms to steer, you
have to control their direction with the stepping motion of your body
and use your arms only to guide them. From simple stepping, this
drill progresses to stepping and changing direction, and then
stepping backwards. Kind of like roller-skating backwards, if you
remember what that was like (that is, if you grew up in the oh-so-
stylish Roller Disco 70s as did I). I can do the backwards one, but
the forwards, where you step, swivel, and step in the opposite
direction, eludes me. Then we did the same steering drill crouched
down a little, then finally bent almost in a squat, which I could not
do, my quad muscles are sort of weak from runner's knee. I have not
been doing my physical therapy knee-strengthening exercises at home
very much lately; I must try to continue with these.

Next was one of my favorite exercises, avoiding kicks while laying on
the floor. First we had to use just our legs, then just our arms,
rolling and passing the kicking leg from one side to the other,
ducking underneath when possible. We didn't practice too many
takedowns; Edgar kept telling us "no obligation" as he demonstrated
the drills. He wanted us to explore the movement and not worry too
much about the outcome.

Then we divided the class into 2 groups for multiple attackers
drills. The other group was 3-on-one; my group was just 2-on-one but
since one of the two was Edgar, I'd say we were about even! He and my
other partner tried to get me to relax my arms for a "no-hands"
avoidance drill. They assured me that I will learn eventually; both
of them were extremely helpful and encouraging. We practiced
variations of the multiple attack on the floor and standing, while
staying in the same place and rolling away, using just the legs, just
the arms, etc.

We finished class with a pain-compliance drill, the ever-popular
twisting of the wrists by two people. The goal for this exercise was
a takedown of one or both twisters, using their own energy to
accomplish this. Edgar demonstrated how jumping up and down can
sometimes release the tension that is formed between your body and
the floor during the twisting exercise. As silly and cartoonish as it
sounds, it is possible to effect a takedown with both wrists trapped
by moving the two twisters together. We practiced this exercise while
the person being twisted was on the floor, as well. "Does it hurt?"
my courteous partner asked me with concern, as he twisted my wrist
unmercifully. Actually it was pretty painful, but just as I was about
to ask for mercy, somehow, the pain became more tolerable. I was sure
that I'd have to ask them to let up and go easy on me, yet somehow I
got through the whole drill without having to cry "Uncle." But I
admitted that it did hurt a little. "A little pain is healthy," said
our instructor. He also told us to keep breathing. "If you stop
breathing, you will die," he said matter-of-factly. Conscious
breathing is a big part of Systema philosophy. Although in everyday
life we do not necessarily have to concentrate on breathing
consciously to sustain ourselves, in situations of extreme injury or
life-threatening circumstances, the ability to achieve this simple
biological function may be the only thing that preserves life, so
best to practice conscious breathing while we have the luxury.

*Vsego nailuchshego* (best wishes),
Rachel