Aikido Bridge Friendship Seminar Day 5

This morning was the last day of classes and Ikeda Sensei started off with a fifty minute abbreviated class focusing on connecting with uke we worked on a varied of katatetori and kosadori techniques following his advice to move one's center. This seminar I learned some useful approaches to moving a strong uke based on moving my center and Ikeda Sensei consistently emphasised unity between uke and nage. Ikeda Sensei talked about how as the older master teachers die off or cannot practice, us younger Aikido practitioners need to carry this legacy forward to the next generations. I too feel a generational obligation to pass what I have learned practicing Aikido that becomes more apprant to me as I get older myself. I hope to have at least thirty more years of practicing Aikido (hopefully more) and I to absorb as much as I can from these teachers like Ikeda Sensei, Doran Sensei, and Tissier Sensei.

Doran Sensei taught the second class and we again worked on step-back with palm-up thrust that can be used for katatetori, kosadori, and yokomenuchi attacks. (I am writing this blog using the San Diego airport free wifi highly recommended) Doran Sensei is having a special 50 years of practicing Aikido seminar near San Francisco in November and I want to attend.

The last class was taught by Tissier Sensei and a couple of important points he worked on where ushiro techniques such as ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, and kotegoshi. In the opening movement for ushiro nage steps to the side, making uke reach to grab the other hand used for ushiro ryokatatetori. An interesting variation we practiced was uke grabing both shoulders from behind and get into ikkyo, naga rotates a shoulder forward to create space underneth the arm.

I really enjoyed these past few days practicing Aikido. I learned some important additions to my approach to Aikido but more importantly, I made a number of new friends and got to know the Senseis better who teach at the highest level of Aikido here in the United States and in Europe. My first flight leaves at 5:05 and I should arrive in Gunnison tonight a little after ten p.m. I hopefully will see many of my Aikido friends at July's Summer Camp in the Rockies.