Aikido for 11/30/2010

Ken started class with the usual warm-up and after tenkan exercises, we spent about ten minutes on the opening movements of the Tai Chi style Ken has been studying for the past few months. We then practiced the following techniques:

1. katatetori kokyu nage nage spirals grabbed hand into uke for the throw
2. kosatori kokyu nage omote
3. kosatori kokyu nage omote dynamic variation

Ken finished class with all of us working on the opening movements of kumetachi number one but we ran out of time before we could finish the entire kumetachi. After class, I attended the dojo board meeting with Ken, Garry, Tip, Nate, and Kate at Old Chicago. I am now officially responsible for the dojo's library; I am creating a customized online library catalog using the open-source library tool-kit I am the main developer of, eCataloger. I should have an alpha version running on Google App Engine by next Tuesday's class.

Aikido for 11/27/2010

Gerry taught class today and he started class with the following techniques:

• katatetori kokyu nage omote
• katatetori kokyu nage ura second variation
• katatetori kaiten nage omote nage tenkans first before swinging under uke's arm
• katatetori kaiten nage ura nage tenkans first before swinging under uke's arm and turn a second tenkan with a spiral behind uke.

Aikido for 11/23/2010

Tuesday night Ken taught the Open Aikido class. After warming up, we worked on the following techniques:

• kosadori ikkyo-style kokunage
• kosadori irimi-style kokunage (nage steps off the side and brings the grabbed arm around and throws uke in the original direction of the attack)
• kosadora irimi-style kokunage (similar as the last technique but nage just throws uke by bring the wrist to nage's hara, I was working with Tony and although I could throw him with the correct kokunage, I was using too much effort and muscle)
• moreitori step-back tenkan kokunage
• moretitori kokunage

I enjoy working on kokunages, kokunages are techniques that we usually introduce fairly early in Aikido training.

Kokunages reflect so many of the basic tenets of Aikido, finding ways to blend and unbalance uke, getting uke out of the way and providing space for nage. Kokunages can be easy or extremely challenging depending on the attack, uke, and the circumstance. These can even vary from the same practice session when practicing a single technique with uke. Kokunages offer a rich vein of experimentation and force the realization that not all techniques will work on everyone all of the time. You need to be flexible and mobile, dynamically changing depending on the moment. Kokunages offer this range of options and opportunities that may not be present when doing a pin or other immobilization techniques or even iriminage, kotegashi, or shihonage. If you are threatened off the mat, do a kokunage and get out of the situation. Even a throw that doesn't completely work will often radically change the dynamics of the situation and offer more opportunities for survival.

Aikido for 11/19/2010

Friday night I taught my second class at Colorado College. While Cory was the only student from last week, two new students; Tobias and Sarah came so we still had three students. Tobias has practiced Aikido before at a California ASU dojo and his techniques showed he has practiced in the past. After warmups, I introduced two different types of attacks; munetsuki and shomenuchi because I decided to focus on two 6th kyu technique later in the class. After forwards and backwards ukemi practice, we worked on shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura and munetsuki kotegashei. We won't have class next week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday and because CC is on block break. The next class will be December 3rd at 7:30pm.

We discussed ways to promote the class and next year, I will be putting up flyers around campus and Cory suggested doing an Aikido demo as well.

Aikido for 11/18/2010

Tip taught the Thursday evening class for the first time since he got back from his trip to Europe. After warming up, we practiced the following techniques:

• shomenuchi kokyunage
• yokomenuchi shihonage
• hamni-handache yokomenuchi shihonage omote
• yokomenuchi iriminage

It was good to be back on the mat with Tip, I was full-time uke and even though the class was energetic, I didn't feel as drained during the class as I have in the past being fulltime uke, maybe I'm getting into better Aikido shape!

Aikido for 11/16/2010

Ken taught the Open Aikido class. After warmups, we worked on katatetori kokyunages and other throws with Ken's focus on moving from nage's center and maintain extension throughout the techniques.

A good class and I enjoyed the practice.

Aikido for 11/13/2010

Saturday morning I dealt with a migraine for most of the morning so I didn't make Garry's 10:30 Open Aikido class. I made an effort to make the noon Aikido Fundamentals class. For the noon class, it was just Doug and I beside Garry so we worked on the following:

• Shomen "randori" style with uke attacking 8 times before switching
• Randori style tsuki
• We then reviewed and practiced kumitachi 1-5 with stops viewing Saotome Sensei's sword/bokken DVD.

It was a good class, and although I still need work on my kumitachis, I brought home a copy of the DVD to learn about the "official" ASU requirements for Shodon.

Aikido for 11/12/2010

Tonight was my first class teaching Aikido at Colorado College. I arrived early and discovered that the the gym where I was planning on holding class was locked. I tried to find a phone number to call but when two students came, they suggested I call security and so I did and they let me. A third student joined us when I was changing into my gi and hakama. Two of students were at the dojo demo I coordinated for the Japanese language block and the third, Corey, practiced Aikido at a dojo in Southern California.

After an apprivated warm-up, we practiced tenkan and irimi exercises followed by front and backwards ukemi practice. We then worked on the following techniques:

• katatetori sumotosi omote
• katatetori kokyunage tenkan variation
• katatetori kokyunage (ASU omote iriminage, Doshu's standing kokyu-ho)
• katatetori kokyunage omote

We finished class with sitting kokyu-ho exercises. I reserved the gym for next Friday and I asked the student to e-mail me so I can let them know if another class time opens up during the week.

Aikido for 11/09/2010

Tonight after warmups, Ken taught the basic katatetori kokyunage with a tenkan, two different ryo-katatetori kokyunages, and ryo-katatetori tenshinage omote.

On Friday evening, I am attempting my first Colorado College Aikido class at Cossitt Gym. Tomorrow I have a split shift at work so during the afternoon I'll be transferring the blue portable mats from the dojo to the storage area in Cossitt in preparation for Friday. I don't know how many people will be attending, I submitted the class to an events listserv at the college but I'll have to wait and see what the turn-out will be.

Aikido for 11/06/2010

Garry taught class and he continued his theme from the previous week on not just focusing on specific techniques but learning how to move and respond to an attack, in this case, he focused on yokomenuchi. We practiced a number of exercises, irimi and tenkan movements, sliding under uke's attack, and then moved to more paired exercises with nage not doing a specific technique but responding appropriately to the type and intensity and movement of uke's attack.

Aikido for 11/04/2010

Earlier today Tip e-mailed asking someone to cover tonight's Open Aikido class. I e-mailed back and said I could cover and so I taught tonight. After warming up (I included rowing exercise to the usual stretches, tenkan, and irimi exercises. We then practiced the following techniques:

• morote-dori kokyunage tenkan variation
• morte-dori kokyunage
• hanmi-hantachi morte-dori kokyunage tenkan variation
• morte-dori ikkyo, sliding the back-foot back and off the line while bringing the inside hand up along the center-line, following the shomen bokken cut
• morte-dori iriminage
• morte-dori iriminage (CIA called it a kokyunage, Doshu's book calls it a standing kokyu-ho)
• hanmi-hantachi morte-dori iriminage (the same technique we just did standing up)

We finished class with sitting kokyu-ho exercises. One of the themes of the night was how the basic bokken shomen cut is used many different ways and applications in these techniques and that by focusing on oneself and just thinking about bringing the hand up in a strike, it shifts the balance from uke to nage even if uke is very strong. One of the things I have noticed when I have been teaching Aikido, I'll usually come into class with an idea or two; tonight's was morote-dori (uke's two hands grabbing nage's nearest arm) and I wanted to include a couple of hanmi-hantachi techniques as well. The bokken shomen cut theme started during tenkan warm-ups when I mentioned that I like to do the arm-swing style visualizing I am using a bokken and doing a shomen cut. It really drew the class together and made me think about my own style and I how I teach and express my Aikido.

Aikido for 10/30/2010

Garry taught the 10:30 class and he started us off on moving out of the line of attack by moving into uke's omote and ura sides and nage can vary his movement by doing either tenkan or irimi. We progressively worked on just moving out of the way of the shomen attack, by learning to just disrupt uke' balance but not doing a technique. Eventually Garry had us add an additional uke attacking nage, still using a shomen attack but he emphasised how doing a committed attack requires uke to reset and not just flail around trying to hit nage as quickly but ineffectively. For a few times, Garry had us practice different bokken and tanto takeways, ending the class with a series of more randori practice where nage could do any technique from the shomen attack. This was an enjoyable class and a good practice day.