Aikido for 02/21/2010

I spent the first half-hour working on the 13-jo kata and the first four kumtachis before Mike arrived and I added the foot movement exercises that I learned from Kris at Central Illinois Aikikai, From right hamni, nage steps back with the right foot to 15-35 degrees past center. The second movement was from right hamni, nage slides the left foot to 15-35 degrees before center (mirroring the first movement). We repeated from left hamni. We then practiced the following techniques:

• ryote dori shihonage omote and ura two variations. The first variation is doing the shihonage from the uke's hand grabbing nage's wrist on the same side as hamni. The footwork is the same as the first foot movement. The second variation is doing the shihonage from the uke's outside hand grabbing nage's wrist. The footwork is the second foot movement exercise.
• ryote dori ikkyo omote and ura two variations using both of uke's wrists, repeating the same foot-work from the shihonage.

I did not intend to so directly link the beginning exercises with the techniques, but it just flowed naturally as the class progressed.