Here's a riddle...

Q: What do you get when you mix four black belts, one brown, one green & one yellow belt?
A: An impromptu advanced class and one very confused yellow belt

When the class started I didn't really know that it would be any different until we started Tai Sabaki practice. The subtle hesitation I have at the end of each step was accentuated at the faster pace and I quickly tried to correct it at every turn.

Then, most of the class was spent training in a way I've had not yet seen in this dojo: One straight line of attack after attack to Tore for two rounds per drill. Lucky for me, that this structure provided 12 good examples (6 students, 2 sets) of how to do a technique before it was actually my turn. However, even with that head start, I needed all of my focus just to keep up

It took me a while to transcend my own ego and accept that I am the newest and thereby least experienced and sloppiest person in the room. It can get embarrassing when expectations are high and every technique feels ineffective and needs to be adjusted. At the same time, that experience brings a lesson in humility which is never in excess. In truth, I think that the lessons learned on the mat provide more motivation to be a martial artist than self defense, or physical fitness.

When I finally did get over myself, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! During one of the drills with Zhenya, I did Koto Gaeshi (10). After being told that I had to relax and be softer about ten times, I managed to spin her around by by not tensing my arm & just using my hips. It is just another baby step, but after two months of consistent training and an equally consistent plateau, it feels more like a breath of fresh air.