Aikido for 04/30/2011

Garry taught at 10:30 and he reminded us that today was a silence class, with minimal talking we then worked on the following techniques:

• katetori kokyunage tenkan
• shomenuchi ikkyo omote and ura
• shomenuchi nikkyo omote and ura
• jo kata #4
• jo kata #5
• jo kata #6

A good class even if I kept dropping my jo on the fifth kata.

Aikido for 04/26/2011

Tuesday night class was just Ken and I. We decided to work on Ikeda Sensei's techniques and exercises from the weekend's seminar in Boulder. It was a good review but I kept remembering more things that we did and only after this class!

Aikido Spring Seminar

This weekend was the Ikeda Sensei's spring seminar in Boulder. I drove up Friday night and after dressing out, got on the mat and warmed up. Ikeda Sensei started with warm-ups and then he talked how this weekend seminar fees were being donated to the Japan Relief Society for the Earthquake and Tsunami.

My memories and experiences blend together in all three days of the seminar. With the focus on Ikeda Sensei on connecting with uke, even before actual physical engagement, that even mentally and physically taking the better vector into and through uke's balance. Ikeda Sensei spent more time explaining the technical and classical physical explanations on why breaking balance works, that being martial allows the smaller and the weaker to overcome the bigger, younger, and more physically powerful.

My other great memories from the seminar are working with and learning from all of the great Aikidora from Boulder, Denver, and the surrounding area. Some of the senior students of Boulder Aikikai; Alan, Laura, Troy, and more, all challenge me and know more about what Ikeda Sensei is teaching us during these internal Aikido seminars. Their experience and maturity reflect the richness of knowledge and teaching ability of Ikeda Sensei.

On Sunday, the last day of the Seminar, Ikeda Sensei stopped class early and after retrieving a couple of things from his office, returned and formally presented me with Shodon certificate and Yudansha passport and cards. After the beautiful morning that started with snow and was still cold, I was truely honored and priveledged to receive my first Yudansha ranking from this great teacher and student of Aikido, from whom I have learned so much and hope to continue for as long as he is able, Ikeda Sensei.

Thank-you Sensei.

Aikido for 04/19/2011

Musubi or balance-taking was the focus of Ken's class last night. Ken had sent around via email, an article from Saotome Sensei, "Musubi and Kokyu Tanden Ho". The focus on at the point of contact to already have uke's balance came through in the various demonstrations and techniques we practiced through class.

Aikido for 04/15/2011

Last night I went over to the Cossitt Gym and Cory and I went upstairs to practice in the North Gym. We weren't able to retrieve the mats so we just focused on breaking balance and movement in the techniques.

It was good teaching and if we were able to get the mats, I could see teaching there over Cossitt Gym. The space is nice.

Aikido for 04/14/2011

Last night Tip emailed requesting a sub from tonight's class. I agreed to cover and when class started it was just Ken, Garry, and myself. It was different teaching class for higher ranked then me but after a quick warmup, I decided to focusing on the folowing kaeshiwazas:

• katatetori iriminage with a sankyo counter
• katatetori shihonage omote to iriminage
• katatetori nikkyo to sankyo reversal, where the reversal occurs when with the nage's outside hand as it comes over uke's arm, there is a point where nage is exposed and the sankyo reversal is right there by uke's free hand. I have never seen this before but I'm sure someone has done this before for sure. It is a very effective reversal and hard for nage to counter.
• tsuki kotegashi to iriminage
• tsuki kokyunage to kokyunage, we worked on a couple of variations and when nage tenkan and goes underneith uke's wrist for the throw, uke just extends forward and throws nage instead. If nage hand goes over the top, this isn't as effective but if uke continues the downward momentum, a kokyunage to kaitenage kaeshiwaza is right there and easy to do
• We finished with a kaeshiwaza that I haven't done before that Ken showed us where nage attempts a ikkyo omote from a shomen strike and is too late allowing uke to get solid and throw nage for kokyunage as a reversal

Tonight was fun class and afterwards, Ken and I went out to Old Chicago for some food and a couple of beers.

Aikido for 04/12/2011

Ken taught class tonight and we worked on a tsuki kotegashi variation that I really enjoyed focusing on. What Ken emphasized was bring uke off balance through timing and bring uke into nage's center and shifting by shifting uke's weight over the front foot, keeping uke off balance until applying the kotegashi. On of the last variations we worked on involved bringing uke's forearm clear down to the by nage dropping the inside knee and throwing uke through either a full tenkan or a tenkai movement. As uke attempts to stand recover balance, nage applied the kotegashi for the full take-down and pin. We did a variation where nage takes uke down to the mat and then does a tenkan throw. It was only with this technique that I finally felt blending; for most of the night I was slightly off. It is interesting to me that I noticed missing Saturday's class in lack of crispness in my techniques during practice.

Aikido for 04/07/2011

This is a late blog posting as I forgot to write it soon after the class that Tip taught on Thursday, April 7th. We worked on a number of techniques from the Aikido summit.

Aikido for 04/05/2011

Ken taught class and we worked on the following techniques:

• shihonage katatetori omote
• ushiro katatetori sankyo
• ushiro ryokatatetori sankyo
• ushiro ryokatateori kokyunage

The ushiro techniques were from Izawa Sensei class at the Aikido summit, I still need more work on these techniques.

Aikido for 04/02/2011

Garry taught class and we went right into practice with the focus being on various techniques from the Aikido Summit including Cindy Hayashi Sensei's nage's tenkan and forcing uke to engage and grab the incoming hand. We also worked on a number of Izawa Sensei's kokyunages. We ended class with Toby Threadgill Sensei's kneeling throw and and choke before finishing with the standing centering exercises that Threadgill showed at the Summit.

A good class and a review of some of the highlights from the Aikido Summit.