New Years Misogi Training

I found myself in Deauville France, on the Normandy Coast at noon January 1, 2017, after partying until 4 in the morning.  I and about 100 of what became my closest friends for a few minutes went in to the Atlantic Ocean (or whatever it is called there, heck, I don't speak French) for a dip. To the delight of about 500 spectators.

The weather was freezing, but the ocean there was a nice 50F (10 celsius) rather warm I understand but  the cold but calm weather meant the ocean was not kicked up so the lower colder water was not on top where we were swimming.

This is what one would call misogi training, but that has a spiritual dimension, and I get my spirituality from G-d, through the Catholics, as long as they'll have me.  (Christianity is voluntary, but they can throw you out.)

And besides, this was too fun to be any sort of penance.



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Talk About Misogi Training

In addition to the mountain water no doubt ice cold, there is the fall.  I make a big deal about my cold water swimming...  this guy is tough...  cold water mountain waterfall diving!



True, the fall won't kill you, it's what you strike below.  Then there is the green water.  Hope that is vegetation and not pollution.

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Misogi: 55C Air Temp and 55C Water Temp

I was told sports trainers use ice baths for athletes, I wonder how and to what end?

Misogi-swimming has side effects.  Going to sleep earlier, and getting up earlier seems ot be a side effect.  Plus, lakes have all sorts of bugs in them, so it must also make for a robust immune system.  I imagine sports-training water is well-filtered.

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Cold Water Swimming Misogi Guidelines

As the lake water begins to warm, now at 50 degrees, I regret the loss of the benefits at lower temperatures.  But it occurs to me I may have encouraged people to do something rash, like take a dip unprepared.  So let me say this:

1. I started in July and kept going.  So I chased the temperatures down from the 70s to the 40s.  That is easing on in.  Yes, much of the exercise is in the mind, and you simply ignore the cold.  But I read stories of people who jump into water no colder (in this case to save some kids) and drown in the process.  It can be that disorienting if you are not accustomed.  If you want in, ease in.

2.  What shape are you in?  Sure, check in with your doctor.  The real work is swimming like hell to keep warm in the water, so this is a heart-pumping thing.  How is your ticker?

3.  My fingers got real cold, maybe even chilblains.  I was going to by wetsuit gloves, but simply began to swim with my fingers held together.  Problem solved.

4. After swimming, don't warm up from the outside, like a hot shower.  The pain will be excruciating, perhaps even physically damaging.  Take hot tea or brandy, and blankets if you start to chill.

And again, to be clear, no wetsuit or dry suit involved in this, straight summer swimming trunks.  Swimming, diving in, under water, etc.  The colder the water the shorter the swim, but swim it is...

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Cold Water Swimming

There is even an association:

"You know people have done it for thousands of years, even the ancient Greek people knew what the good benefits of cold water are to the human body," says Mariia Yrjö-Koskinen, a Finland native and the president of the International Winter Swimming Association. "It releases the natural endorphins. I have said that it's the best endorphins you can get from the nature."

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More Winter Swimming

Here in a river in Northern China:



I was swimming in 47 degree F water today.  I noticed that when I am swimming in the still lake, my strokes making noise and disturbing the surface, the eagles emerge form their nest to observe.  Eagles are actually just a buzzard, they eat dead things first.    They must think a feed is imminent.

Also, I am sticking with a 90 second swim, then out in the air, back in for 90 seconds, repeat... as I experiment at these temperatures.  Even though the water and air temperature is the same, water has an energy dimension denser than air...  and in the air (out of the water) the film of wet on me as I emerge is heated up by my body and becomes a warm blanket, relatively speaking.  I believe this allows me to warm up my skin, "catch-up" so to speak, before the next dip.  Not unlike the orchardists who fog their groves when a spring snap freeze threatens their trees.

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Orthodox Misogi

Check out the link to the photo-series, I guess this cold water thing is just not so special...




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Old Man Misogi

Whenever I think I am "out there" in my views or practices, turns out it is not big deal...  I am swimming in 48 degree F water, these guys in 29 degree F water.  It's all psychological....  I made it from 68 to 48 degree water no problem, why not 48 to 28, like these guys?



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Being Thrown Hard

The hardest I've ever hit the mats was being thrown by a judo man.  Ippon, no reservation, very much hurt.  I survived.  Mainly because back in the day we trained both aikido roll and hard fall, judo style.  Aikido fall/roll the legs are crossed, judo fall the legs are spread.  You don't know until you are in the air whether this will need a hard fall or a roll, better be able to adjust midair.

Since the top aikido people were all originally judomen, I took about six months of judo two times to work on koshinage and other techniques.  In Mel Augustine's dojo I once saw a guy thrown so hard he went into convulsions.  We were taught how to stop nosebleeds and re-descend testicles in aikido, as well as Japan style resuscitation, but in judo, they used them.

Aikido practice can be more action than judo, and back in the day occasionally we'd be so tired and thrown so hard we might black out but find ourselves standing because we automatically rolled out of it.  I remember thinking this is not good, to be blacked out and standing.  Also, sometimes you can judo/hard fall in a way you can stand up without rolling forward...  hard fall with enough forward momentum to just let yourself stand up from it.  One looks like a bouncing rag doll.

When practicing aikido as a martial art, game on, your opponent hits the ground hard.  Both uke and nage work to accomplish this, with uke making sure the nage has not leaned back to accomodate the presence of uke.  Uke's feet, even though stationary, should feel the tension in the surface of the feet on the mats increasing as nage is moving into position for the throw.  The nage is taking up slack while never accomodating, by any lean back, the uke's presence.  Uke knows the fall will be hard from the friction on the feet at launch, the acceleration from the necessarily smaller circle, bam!

Too often uke and nage conspire to make it dance, not even attractive dance, by leaning off balance on the part of nage and failure to counter the error by uke.

You learn more faster if practicing aikido as a martial art.

Misogi update:  yes, I went swimming new years day, and since then.  Odd, I began to regret the days are getting longer now, so that means the temperature drop will reverse at some point, and I'll lose the cold water swimming benefit.  Sure the Sound won't get higher than 55, but it won't go to 48 either...  sheesh... just when you are having fun....  also, I did not get the wet-suit gloves I wanted to counter the pain of the cold in my fingers, and for fear of chilblains...  but guess what?  Simply keep your fingers together while swimming and they keep each other warm enough...  diving in the cold water is like being thrown hard.

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When Fast Meets Misogi

The air temperature in in the 40s F mostly, and the water temperature is 49 degrees.  I have been fasting the last week, I broke fast this morning.  No food, only clear liquids the last 7 whole days.  This morning a crab louie, lots of greens, sliced boil egg and a wee bit of crab protein.

I swam on day two, but figured I should not push swimming when I am fasting.  Age quod agis.

The challenge in fasting is not refusing food for a week, that is simply training.  The big challenges is to refuse to eat a week's worth of food within a few hours of break fast.

First your body can't process that much, second, what would be the point?  I will be three meals a day instead of my usual two for a few days.

Tomorrow I'll feel like Kong Kong, I always do as the nutrition comes running in, but then the appetite wanes and I'll be back to normal.  I'll wait til them to swim, I don't want to underestimate the weakness brought on by fasting, even though I feel fine.

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Bringing the Lake to the Mats

We are again at the point when the temperature of air and water are 10 degrees apart.  Instead 68 degree water and 78 degree air, we are at 58 degree water and 48 degree air.  The air has dropped 30 degrees, the water ten.

I want to nuance this idea of "bringing the lake to the practice" that is the experience of cold water swimming, such as it is, to inform the experience of practicing aikido.  I've spoken about the role of adrenalin in the practice of aikido.  It takes time to get to that point on the mats, and when it is there, the herculean powers must be noticed and controlled to keep the practice within bounds, and power trimmed for appropriate response.

This practice is hard to achieve, but necessary for acting in the real world, when using aikido as a martial art, when on the street and experiencing "game on."  The super powers that conflict precipitates must be already well under control, so you execute a well-timed ten-kan and not spin wildly into a face-plant.

The dive into the 58 degree water brings on the self-defense adrenalin immediately, with the entire body in response to the existential threat of water too cold to be acceptable to a system that is a tribute to a billion years of evolution, or more likely, designed by a God who loves us.  Either way, adrenalin presents.  The act of swimming is not optional, and discipline in movement is clearly advantageous in this situation.  As the body signals fight or flight to the brain, and the powder monkeys haul out adrenalin and the stack it where most handy, the spirit says "quiet down, I've got this."

That's what is going on, and it brings a small improvement to the practice.  To what degree the improvement manifests doesn't really matter, we can all use any improvement we can get.

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Misogi & Training

Misogi training is no doubt grounded in a spiritual exercise, but I've come to it simply through sports.  I began swimming in Lake Washington every day last summer, and have not quit.  The Lake water temperature is now in the 50s, the air temp is dipping into the 40s, but, obviously the air temp does not matter.  I am not dealing with air temperature, a lesson in economy of motion.  Don't respond to what is not fighting you.

I am no longer diving straight in since the lake is giving me a tiny popsicle headache at the base of my skull, so I step down the ladder off the dock plow backwards into the lake, adjust my body to the water and then let my head go under water.  Then comes the headache until I warm up in the water.

My guess is misogi training informs aikido in practice. My aikido is to a degree becoming an extension of swimming in Lake Washington.  I practiced in SF last Friday night, a brown belt was trying to resist the visitor in the techniques (I love practicing with brown belts the most, they don't hold back! And they know how to fall...) I gave him the experience of diving into cold water.  Hard to explain how that is, but I brought it to the technique, and he had the look I feel after I am swimming.  Curious, fun, scary, ouch, safe enough...

Watched a movie in which a woman in Ireland went swimming...  must have been 40 degree waters...  but it was unremarkable...  yes it is what you are used to...  Indians in Seattle were mostly naked when the Yeslers and Dennys showed up....  it is what you are used to...  (mostly...)  so this swimming in the lake is no big deal.  And I am not sure how low I can go.

But it is surprising how little it takes to pick up a new edge.

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Just One More Misogi Observation

Or three...

1. As it gets colder, the water gets much clearer, I can now see the bottom of the lake, about 12 feet down from where I dive in.  They drop the level of Lake Washington in the winter a foot or two but it is clearing faster than it is dropping.

2. After the laps, while I am practicing diving, I get the same acid in my mouth that I get on say day five of a week long fast.  The acid also comes with a particularly grueling workout, which is often tough to achieve while practicing in most dojos.  A doctor told me that the body burns junk first and then gets to work on good stuff (so you can go too far.)  In any event, that acid taste is a sort of ashes of burnt junk.  Interesting I can get there in less than ten minutes by swimming in 65 degree water (I almost said "cold" but that would mean nothing.)

3. I do breathing exercises as I approach the lake, in through the nose, out through the mouth, aikido style (another thing you rarely see practiced in dojos).  Swimming the breathing tactic is exactly opposite: in through the mouth, out through the nose.  Aikido breathing will get you drowned in swimming.  Not sure what to make of the difference, but it only dawned on me today.  Perhaps someone can find significance in that.

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More Misogi

There was a fellow a few years back who swam in Lake Washington every day for 365 days.  Even when he was sick.  Worried his friends.  But in any event, he did it.

I can't because I travel too often, but I can every day I am here.  I was in SoCal Friday through Monday so I was not able to swim in lake Washington, but I did swim in the Pacific Ocean, Friday at Zuma in Malibu,  Sunday at Santa Barbara and Monday at El Segundo.  In both cases the water was warm, the air was about 80, but in El Segundo the waves were crushing and kicking up sand... so it was like getting beat up and sand blasted.  No fun.

Today back in Seattle, the air temp was 52 and humidity 58, and water temperature is 65, so it is abut 12 degrees warmer than the water.  For this reason, after my swim, I do a round of dives, and the water is most welcome warmth compared to the air through which I pass between dives off the board.

But the laps were difficult with on 6mph winds because the even small waves throw my stride off.  Harder work so less laps.  Also, I played hard in California, practicing aikido at a couple of excellent dojos in SB and LA.

A curious phenomenon on my walk back form the lake is my body heats up wonderfully, probably still trying to save me from exposure in the lake.  Another thing, a doctor told me long ago hot showers are detrimental, especially since the water in Seattle is so poisoned by the water authorities with chlorines and fluorides.  He said cold water is better, and to be in waterfalls and lakes and oceans give you (I cannot remember, is it positive or negative) ions which promote well-being.  Well, I am taking probably 20% of the showers I was taking before this swim regime began in early July.  (Funny to think I didn't start swimming until it "warmed up enough" in July!!!)  And my well being is better, as far as I can tell.

Misogi training is based on cold water.  is 65 cold enough to count?  Who knows, but I every night I look forward to that morning cup of coffee and a swim in the lake.

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Misogi Training & Aikido As A Martial Art

Fasting is something I've covered here from time to time as a part of training, and recently I've begun misogi training.  As the term suggests it involves water, and as I am not called to Shintoism, I do not approach it religiously.

I do the breathing exercises naturally enough, and a wee bit of shaking the torso before I dive in, and Speedo even has their version of the ritual fundoshi.  After a couple of laps between buoys, employing side stroke, back stroke and I then do some cycles on the diving board, using the ozzie crawl.

In my version, I have been swimming in Lake Washington every morning, which since I began in July, is not much in the way of training.  But now that the weather has dipped to 55 degrees F it is getting interesting.  The water is no colder than it was in July of course, that will take time to lower, so it is just a matter of being warm on the 3 blocks to the water and warm back, especially when it rains.

In the morning chill air walk to the beach my pores open, no doubt backing up my breathing trying to heat up my body against the cold.  I speak clinically about this because if I thought "o no, cold" I would turn back home.  And when I dive in, certainly the pores open up.

What I notice is like fasting almost all is psychological conditioning.  A kid waiting for his ride to school 2 weeks ago was agog I was heading for the dock.  The kid was swimming in the same water three days ago.  Back to school, the lake is not an option any more.  The people running their dogs in the adjacent park, dressed for the arctic, are astonished at someone swimming when it is not sunny.  Walking back the occasional pedestrian sees from my towel, etc that I've been swimming and wonders at it.  I simply say the water temperature is the same.

Swimming warms you up in the water, and surely when I do the diving routine I am warm when I get out and do not feel the cold until I dive back in.  After getting out of the water, the 55 degrees is fine.  Indeed, I towel off and let the air dry me a bit as I walk off the dock, before putting on my sweatshirt.  Walking home my back heats up.  I find at home I like to air dry so I work naked for a half hour or so, perfectly warm, and oddly, only begin to feel chilled after I dress.  So physiologically something is going on which is defensive.  Probably a good workout.

The Indians around here before the pale face showed up generally wore only a loose hide smock, and were other wise naked nearly year round.  It's what you are used too.  I am not saying we can go naked in the arctic, but we err way too much on overprotection.  If you are working outside, you know you can do with less.

Another thing I find, I was for the first half of the year eating two simple meals a day and rarely anything else, but now I need a third.  A daughter visited from Paris and exclaimed that I was so skinny.  Maybe, but I don't think I've ever been healthier.

In aikido as a martial art you are going to get hurt, and it is important not to worry about it.  Pain is information, not imperative.  Note it, assess it, and then proceed accordingly with what you still have.

Update: Next day, 55 degrees fahrenheit, 60% AH, cloudy.  Lake calm.  Walking toward the lake, looking forward to diving into the warmer water

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