Chapter 21: An example of the effect of eighteen months of Aikido training...I sign up for three days of summer school

A few months ago, I decided I would sign up for three days at the BAA summer school. This is testimony to the effect that Aikido has had on me...eighteen months ago I would not have even thought of reading the leaflet advertising summer school, much less actually doing it. But wisely or unwisely I did.
I spent the week before being very excited but at the same time really nervous. I really did not know what to expect,(well apart from the pain of doing Aikido for three days straight of course)and the truth was, I was scared witless. Yep, really scared, no word of a lie and I didn't know what I was scared about!
On the way there on the first day I was so nervous, I honestly thought I was going to partake of breakfast again in the car on the way there, I felt extremely nauseous.
Due to my worry of being late, I turn up half an hour early. To quell nerves, I decide to go and look at the judo hall where it was going to be. Big mistake! one look of the thin mats we were going to breakfall on, and I felt like running for the hills.
But once other people began to turn up, I felt better. Everyone seemed as nervous as one another. On the lining up for grade order, I noticed I am one of a few women there. I was quite surprised at this as my experience of Aikido (although limited) was that it was a martial art that was dominated by women. Not here it seems. But on the plus side, no long queues for the ladies over the next few days, bonus!
One of the first things we did in the morning was to get stuck in with the warm-up. All I can say is I'm glad at the club where I trained is very fitness-orientated and that I did the 5km Race For Life for Cancer Research recently as there is no way on this planet I would have survived the initial warm-ups!
I found there was very little difference between the way in which the sessions were planned in comparison to a club session but the discipline and etiquette expected was far higher. But as the club where I train is quite informal, it was a little shock to the system at first! But I got used to it.
I can honestly say that this was the best thing I have experienced about Aikido so far. The privilege of being taught by high ranking Dan grades and the opportunity to work with so many different Aikkidoccas was beyond this world.
Although I was black and blue, having around 20 bruises at the end of the three days, extremely sore and stiff and felt like I could never break fall again, I would do it all again tommorrow (Yes, I'm a nut-case, I know). But the experience I have gained and the things I have learnt were well worth not being able to move for about two days straight!