Aikido for 08/05/2009

Class started at 5:00 tonight with just Mike and I. After warming up, we practiced the following techniques after Mike asked about how uke could counter an irimi movement when we were doing the irimi warm-up exercise:

• kosadori iriminage
• katatedori iriminage - it was easy to show after working on the basic irminage throw from kosadori, how the same irimi movement from the warm-up exercise flows into the basic iriminage from katatedori

Mike also asked if I practiced Aikido for the self-defense aspects verses an internal self-improvement. I had to stop to think about his question because to me in my own Aikido practice, I don't separate the two. In the philosophy of modern budo, the proper mental attitude that is improved through practice is the same underlying reality of Aikido when used for self-defense. Self-improvement comes through the discipline and practice with the self-defense aspects of Aikido developing naturally through observation on the mat and actually physical practice of the Art. Through-out my practice and learning from other Aikido sensei, a commonality of their demonstrations and explanation is that the attack and response of the technique comes from responding to aggression. So for me, Aikido has always been a martial art that focuses on self-defense. The self-improvement and discipline of my years of practicing Aikido develops the proper mental attitude of modern budo so that the self-defensive motivation and application is a natural consequence of developing and practicing Aikido.

Escalante Fitness will be closed next Monday, so Mike and I will practice on Tuesday instead.