Martial Training

"You can take the girl out of Aikido/weapons training class, but you can't take the weapons training out of the girl." -moi

A surprising facet of myself made an appearance at a party this last weekend. I was excited to don a new persona: The Luchador! for a friend's Lucha vs Quinceanera Party. I crammed by body into as much spandex as I could find, braided up some pigtails and donned several masks.

I was having a grand old time imbibing the wonderful Margaritas and talking with people who didn't recognize me (nor I them), when we were alerted that it was Pinata Time! A huge Tecate pinata had been strung up outside and the party filtered out around it. A broom handle was brought out and turns were passed around. I was wearing my double mask from Peru.

 I swear I was just standing there, innocently watching the attack on the Tecate Pinata, when all of a sudden the stick was thrust into my face. What could I do, but take it and step into the circle. The blindfold was applied over my two masks - it's not like I could really see out of them anyway. Spun away I was left discombobulated.

With the staff in my hand, something beside my brain took over: it was body memory. Body memory over a decade from my Aikido Weapons Training with Jo (Staff) and Bokken (Sword). The next thing I knew, I was performing Katas and thoroughly destroying said innocent Tecate Pinata. Empty beer cans flew from the destroyed pinata and I was reminded of skills I had long forgotten.