Aikido Bridge Friendship Seminar Day 4

Ikeda Sensei started the day with katatetori kokyunages and he went back to his instruction about developing internal balance before being able to move uke. Ikeda Sensei demonstrated multiple ways and multiple techniques like ikkyo, iriminage, and shihonage all based on internal unity between nage and uke. Ikeda Sensei stress that the technique should be over in less than .5 seconds, the time of a blink. When we are doing techniques, we need to react with our body and our mind and not think about what is happening. Ikeda Sensei is able to move all different types of ukes and I can see how he is trying to impart this knowledge to all of us. At one point, he was throwing his uke by just touching uke's shin and uke would fall. During that moment, I realized that human being's balance is a lot more tenuous than we think it is. What Ikeda Sensei was doing (from my perspective of course) is to just disrupt this fine balance that we are not conscious of but when we establish our own balance and connect with uke's balance, it shouldn't take much to move uke.

All of the sensei at the seminar got together for a group photo and I happened to have my camera so I took this photo.

In Tissier Sensei's class we worked on katatetori techniques including ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo, and shihonage. Tissier Sensei focus in class was that even if nage is able to the techniques, we should work towards efficiency in our techniques, with a preference for doing a technique in less steps or points in the technique, a kind of of Occum's razor for Aikido. After class, Yelena took this photo of Tissier Sensei and I:

Doran Sensei's class started after lunch (I went to the beach with Yelena, a new friend I met here in San Diego, and had fish tacos [one of my favorite food from San Diego]. Afterward, we walked on the beach and watched the surfers and swimmers, I haven't had such a good lunch in a long time). Doran Sensei read a quote from a samuri in feudal Japan. We again started class without a traditional warm-up but did spend more time on tenkan and irimi exercises. I enjoyed Doran Sensei and the different techniques we practiced, when I was working with a senior instructor from Arizona, Doran Sensei came over and complemented the instructor about his technique and then said one my best compliments I have ever received in Aikido, Doran Sensei said that the my partner's technique was so great because he had a prefect uke. For my Aikido, I have always taken more pride in being a good uke for my partner and so it was very kind and humbling to be honored this way.

Francis Takahashi Sensei was the guest instructor for the final class of the evening. Takahashi Sensei had us practice a number of different techniques with the focus on nage keeping everything in front in a shomen, that the balance for nage is front. Takahashhi Sensei's instruction and questions to the class forced us to think about way we are practicing a martial art and that we need to be committed. Takahashi Sensei brought me up for a demonstration for a technique, I don't remember what the technique was but I felt being up there was such honor and tried not to screw up in front of everyone. After class, Takahashi Sensei thanked me for practice and I felt doubly honored to have such a well-known sensei acknowledge me. Good stuff.

Today has been a very special day for me and tonight was the dinner and everyone was eating sushi and having an enjoyable time. Tomorrow my plane leaves early so I'll only be able to attend Ikeda Sensei's class in the morning before I have to leave for the airport. This California trip has been wonderful and I have even more incentive to come out to the coast for more seminars.