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.