Aikido for 11/30/2009 and 300th post

Tonight for Aikido, Heather and I practiced the following techniques:

• kosadori ikkyo omote and ura
• kosadori nikkyo omote and ura
• kosadori sankyo omote and ura
• kosadori yonkyo omote and ura, we us practiced the pin Troy showed me in Boulder instead of the hard pressure-point pin I learned previously
• kosadori shihonage omote and ura

For the last technique, nage used any of theses kosadori techniques for eight kosadori attacks by uke. We finished class with kosadori.

On a related note, this is my 300th posting on this blog. Most of the entries have been regarding my Aikido practice and my life outside of the library. Living in Gunnison grows on a person and I find myself enjoying the pace of rural life of this small town. My home is here for now and this blog has provided a record of my life in Colorado. I don't know what the future holds for me personally; however, I plan to continue writing about Aikido, my family, and whatever topics and ideas that come up, by, or around me.

Thanks for reading this blog and I hope to write many more post as life moves forward from this moment.

No Aikido for 11/23/2009

I went over to the Escalante Fitness Center at the usual time for class. Mike and Heather had told me earlier that they would not be coming to class but I went in case anybody showed up. I was able to repair a ripped part on one of the mats we use for practice. Escalante Fitness Center will be closed so there will not be an Aikido class on Wednesday. I'll be headed to Grand Junction to spend the holidays with my family, my current plan is come back on Saturday in time for Sunday's class.

Jarrett's visit, Aikido, and plans for Christmas

Jarrett came up to Gunnison on Friday and he went fishing all day on Saturday. Jarrett brought up elk hamburger, sausage, and steaks from the cow he harvested a couple of weeks ago. After I got into Gunnison Saturday afternoon, Jarrett marinated and cooked two elk steaks, I microwaved two potatoes, heated up some broccoli and then I ate some of the best meat I have ever eaten.

We then went out and had a drink at Timbers before coming back and crashing. Sunday morning we went out for breakfast and then went out shooting out behind Hartman Rocks. Here are a couple of photos:


After Jarrett left, I went to the Gunnison Community Recreation Center for the 2pm Aikido class. I was the only person who showed up so I practiced my ukemi, worked on some bokken and jo katas, and then used the jo as a training tool as I went through the physical steps for ikkyo through yonkyo. The jo provided a visual and kinetic reference point as I went through nage's movements.

Jarrett and I are planning a snowboarding day at Crested Butte for Christmas so now I'll begin monitoring snow on the mountain.

Aikido for 11/20/2009

Last night I took the wrong turn leaving the Denver Tech Center and got on I-225 North, I ended up in Aurora and decided to try get back to Boulder for the 6:00 pm class. It took me over an hour and half to drive through Friday night traffic in Denver and Boulder Turnpike. I finally arrived at Boulder Aikikai with five minutes to spare.

Jim, a friend and senior student I knew from Summer Camp, was the instructor. We practiced the following techniques:

• ushiro ryokatetori kokyunage (3 variations)
• ushiro ryokatateori ikkyo omote and ura
• mortetori kokyunage
• mortetori shihonage omote and ura

Jim Sensei's emphasis for all of the techniques is to enter into uke's center by using nage's hips.

The second class was taught by Troy Farrow Sensei, another senior student and friend at Boulder Aikikai. After warming up, we worked on the following techniques:

• shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura
• shomenuchi nikkyo omote and ura
• shomenuchi sankyo omote and ura
• shomenuchi yonkyo omote and ura. For the yonkyo pin, Troy Sensei showed me the ASU style that while holding uke tight, does apply the pressure and pain of the yonkyo pin that I practiced in Illinois and Utah. This pin is nicer on uke but if uke resists at all, the yonkyo is automatically applied. I like this variation better and I plan on working on it at tomorrow's class

I don't know if I'll be able to get back to Boulder before Ikeda Sensei's 60th birthday seminar in January with the holidays coming up. I'll check my schedule but since I am testing for ranking in the Spring, I need to spend more time learning the small variations of the ASU style like the yonkyo pin Troy showed me.

Aikido for 11/19/2009

I left Gunnison at noon and I made it in plenty of time to make the 6pm Aikido funmendmental class taught by Mike Sensei. After warming up, we practiced the following techniques:

yokomenuchi kokyunages (2 variations)

yokomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura

yokomenuchi irminage

yokomenuchi kotegashei

yokomunchi shihonage omote and ura

For all of the yokomenuchi techniques, Mike Sensei had has enter into uke instead of turning 180 degrees and blending as is the common varation. Mike Sensei had us focus on nage entering and displacing uke's center. This style is different from what I have practiced in the past and I look forward to practicing it again in Gunnison.

The second class was taught by Ikeda Sensei. After warming up, tenkan and irmi exercises, Ikeda Sensei had us practice the following techniques:

kosadori kokyunage

kosadori ikkyo omote and ura

kosadori kaitennage omote and ura

kosadori irim-style kokyunage

kosadori hijinage

moratetori kokyunage (2 variations)

ryokatetori kokyunage

We practiced more techniques than I have listed here but not very many more. Before class I was talking to Ikeda Sensei and he gave me my Shodon registration to fill out by December! I have to increase my activity level and Aikido practice as now it is becoming very real that I'll be testing for my next rank. I am nervous but excitied as well.

Aikido for 11/18/2009

Wednesday night Mike, Heather, and I started practice with warm-ups and ukemi practice. We then worked on the following techniques:

munetsuki koteagashi omote and ura variations

yokomenuchi koteagashi

yokomenuchi kokyunage

yokomenuchi iriminageWe finished class with kokyu-ho exercises. My plan is get back to Gunnison Saturday night so I can teach Sunday's class at 2:00.

Aikido for 11/16/2009

Tonight Mike and I practiced the following techniques:

ryote dori kaitenage uche and soto omote and ura

ryote dori shihonage omote and ura

We then worked on the following ikkyo movements from morotetori attack.

Aikido for 11/15/2009

No one showed up for class today, so I practiced ukemi and bokken cuts and after waiting for a half-hour, went home. This week has been cold and snowing, I am leaving for Denver on Thursday and I hope to attend some classes at Boulder Aikikai and Denver Aikikai while I'm in the area over the weekend.

Aikido for 11/11/2009

Tonight's class started with Heather, Mike, and I warming up and practiced forward and backward ukemi. We then practiced the following techniques:

surawaza shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura

surawaza shomenuchi iriminage

Cotton, a new student who attended one class in the past, showed up and so I switch to katatetori ikkyo omote and ura beginning movements, finishing off with kokyu-ho exercise at the end. I hope Cotton will be back next week and I may have another student starting, Eric, who watched us practiced. Eric has trained in hapkido as part of some modern koryu system that includes bokken techniques and other weapons-based martial arts. Although I had to bite my tongue when he was commenting on the techniques while I was teaching class, I hope to learn more about the arts he practices.

Aikido for 11/09/2009

I arrived at Escalante Fitness Center at about 15 minutes past six and realized that I forgot my gi top at home. I quickly drove back, dressed out, and was five minutes late. I saw Mike in the dressing room and unfortunately we missed Heather, who left back home.
Mike and I practiced the following techniques:

munetsuki kaitennage omote and ura

munetsuki iriminage 5 variations

We then did kokyu-ho execise to end class. The next time I see Heather I need to apologize in person, it was my own fault for not paying attention when I was packing my practice gear after work. I had to replace the broken glass for O'Sensei's photo and I cut the piece of plexi-glass a millimeter too small so in a rush I used duct tape in the corners to keep the glass in place until I can replace the frame.

Aikido for 11/08/2009

Today Mike, Heather, and I warmed up and then I had us practice happo-undo (8-direction) and happo-gi shomen exercise with the bokken. We then practiced the following techniques:

katatetori kokyu-nage omote and ura

katatetori shihonage omote and ura

tanto-tori gokyo omote

For the kokyu-nage and shihonage techniques, I tried to show the connection between the angles and movements are the same as the happo-undo and happo-gi exercises we did at the beginning of class.

Aikido for 11/04/2009

Tonight Mike and I practiced the following techniques:

shomenuchi kotegaeshi 3 variations

shomenuchi sankyo omote and ura

yokomenuchi gokyo omote

The next class will be at the Gunnison Recreation and Community Center on Sunday at 2 pm.

Aikido for 11/02/2009

Tonight Heather, Mike, and I practiced the following techniques after warming up:

ryote dori kokyunage uchi variation

ryote dori kokyunage soto variation

ryote dori nikyo omote and ura

Aikido for 11/01/2009

Heather and I added some extra foot, irimi, and other exercises. We then practiced the single leg balance exercises that Saotome Sensei did last weekend. After forward and backward ukemi practice, we worked on the following techniques:

ryokatate-dori kokyunage, where nage steps back and throws uke over the nage's back.

Nage is seated sezei, uke attacks by pressing both hands on nage's shoulders. Nage responds by first braces uke's elbows, and then laying back complete with throwing uke over nage's body, a type of kokyunage that Saotome Sensei also demonstrated last weekend.

Uke does a forward kick, nage responds with a round-house type of kick to block uke's kick before stepping in with an atemi to uke's face. An another type of kicking atemi kokyunage from the seminar.

We then worked on another low nage sacrifice where uke tsuki towards nage's face and nage bring legs together and rolls uke forward for a type of kokyunage

Tsuki with nage bring the hand around uke's neck for the throw.

High tsuki kokyunage with atemi strike to the neck.

shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura

High tsuki shihonage omote and ura

We practiced a lot of techniques from last weekend and I am trying to keep these new techniques integrated into my practice.