Aikido for 10/29/2011

I covered classes for Garry and although the day was beautiful, only four students showed up for the open class at 10:30. During warm-ups, I introduced some of the basic footwork from my time at CIA, and then we worked on katatetori ikkyo and nikkyo, shomenuchi ikkyo, shomenuchi iriminage, and other techniques from the 5th and 6th kyu test requirements.

No one showed up for the second fundamentals class so I was able to leave early.

Aikido for 10/25/2011

Ken taught class and we worked on a number of different techniques. Towards the end of class, Ken had us practice blocking and redirecting with the bokken and he showed how I was doing a block/blending movement incorrectly, and how I need to bring down my lower hand to bring the bokken to ready position, I was being to aggressive and not letting the movement naturally flow. I am always more aggressive when I am using weapons, the implied threat of a weapon brings a different budo spirit and it helps to be taught ways I can soften my weapons work. Good class.

Aikido for 10/22/2011

For Saturday's Open and Fundamentals classes, I covered teaching for Garry. After warming up in Open class, I decided to go over some 5th and 6th kyu test techniques.

• Kata dori ikkyo omote and ura
• Kata dori nikkyo omote and ura
• Yokomenuchi iriminage omote and ura
• Yokomenuchi ikkyo omote and two ura variations

We had a large class with some beginners so it was good to work on this basic keiko.

There was only two students for the Fundamentals class so after warm-ups and plenty of ukemi practice, we worked on katetori shihonage along with some basic bokken shomen and yokomen cuts. Both classes were enjoyable to teach. 

Aikido for 10/20/2011

When I arrived at the dojo, I saw Tip in the parking lot. He injured his foot the night before and asked if I could cover class. So instead of Tip's class, I taught. After warm-ups, I decided to focus the first part of class on the inward spiril variation that Saotome Sensei taught on Saturday. We worked on these techniques from last Saturday's class:

• katatetori kokyunage 2 variations
• katatetori ikkyo omote and ura
• katatetori katennage
• surawazi ushrio ryo-katatori kokyunage 3 variations, the last being of particular interest where nage being pulled from behind while in sitting in sezia, rolls back and brings both feet and clamps around uke's nake and then rocks forward and throws uke

This was a good refresher from this past weekend's seminar. I remembered more than I thought and it was good to work on these techniques. I am covering Garry's Saturday's classes so I'll be able to work on some of the bokken katas.

Aikido for 10/18/2011

At Aikido class on Tuesday night, Ken suggested after warm-ups that each of us who had attended the past weekend seminar with Saotome Sensei go over a particular technique. I was first and choose the iriminage variation and kaeshiwaza irimnages techniques from Sunday's class. Garry had us work on the Saotome Sensei's jo extension and movement techniques from Saturday's class including the kaitenage. Ken followed with similar exercises from Saturday. A great and quiet way to reflect on the mat the experiences from this weekend.

Boulder Aikikai Fall Seminar Day 3

One Eye on the Choices, One Eye on the Risks

The first class on Sunday started with more advanced training by Saotome Sensei, including an iriminage-to-shihonage kaeshiwaza, iriminage-to-ikkyo kaeshiwaza, and a few tsuki-to-kokyunage kaeshiwazas as well. Saotome Sensei emphasized that this type of training is only for higher ranks because of beginners need to understand and know basic keiko, the techniques towards understanding the principles of aiki. Saotome Sensei continued his discussions on aiki, that ki is not magic but the most basic energy of everything, that communication at its most basic of connection or aiki. The sub-title from this post comes from the general immersion in budo and bujutsu I feel directly from Saotome Sensei. The older I get and the more I train in Aikido, my budo is expanding and deepening and every moment I spend on the mat learning, listening, and training with Saotome Sensei, I feel a great honor and a responsibility to the future of our art.

To be, to live, the first goal of any martial art. - Saotome Sensei.

Boulder Aikikai Fall Seminar Day 2

This morning I made sure to leave in plenty of time so I wouldn't be late to class. When I arrived, I saw everyone with their bokken, so I was glad I brought my weapons to class. After warm-ups by Tres Hofiemester Sensei, Saotome Sensei started with a question holding up his bokken; what do we imagine this to be in our practice? A sword, and what is a sword? A simple tool. He then talked about in our modern society we have lost the connection between our daily activities (eating, sewing, hand-writing notes, etc.), supplemented by our technology of convenience. In warfare, the same trends continue, the complexity of the many, many, ways we can kill each other is contrasted with the simplicity of the sword.

Why aren't there contests or competition in budo? Because, as Saotome Sensei said, bad swordsman only last the first encounter. The trophy in budo is your opponents head! Practicing Aiki-kendo improves our open-handed techniques. Beside working on paired bokken techniques, we practiced a number of techniques with two uke attacking nage in the center. Weapon training improves the open-hand technique.

After the break, Saotome Sensei continued with the previous night kokyunages with the more direct irimi movement to disrupt and throw uke from tsuki attack. Saotome Sensei for a few different techniques, had us move multiple ukes, much like many of the techniques we practiced at summer camp this year.

Normally, I go out to lunch with fellow Aikidora, but today because of Casie, I drove back to Broomfield for lunch with my sister and my nieces. Coming back to class, we brought our jo. I was thinking we would repeat the morning's focus on paired weapon practice, but instead we focused on jo-tori techniques. Saotome Sensei demonstrated how by twisting either in or out, nage moves uke with a spiral movement. After we practiced a number of different jo-tori.

The final class of the day, Saotome Sensei continued with direct kokyunages from tsuki. A very good and full day of Aikido training.

Boulder Aikikai Fall Seminar Day 1

Ki is not Magic

Friday afternoon I left work at noon, picked my dog Casie, and then drove to the dojo to pick-up Jack for the drive up to Boulder with a stop-off at my sister's house in Broomfield to drop-off Casie. We left at 3:30 which I thought would give us enough cushion to make to class in time. When driving on I-25 North at the outskirts of Denver, we hit stop-and-go traffic and it took us over an hour and half to get to my sister's house. It takes at least twenty minutes from my sister's place so it was six o'clock when we arrived at Boulder Aikikai.

After paying the seminar fee, I rushed into the dressing room, put on my gi and hakama as fast as I could (you can't go too fast with all of the strap tieing, if you don't do it right, you'll spend the entire class fussing and adjusting which distracts from the Aikido). Warm-ups had just finished and Saotome Sensei was demonstrating the first technique, an irimi-entry kokyu-ho. As the class progressed, we worked on this and other related kokyunages for the rest of the class but what was more enlightening and meaningful for me was Saotome's lectures during the technique demonstrations. Saotome Sensei talked more about ki, and how ki is not magic but just the energy that exists in all living things. Our individual ki is courage, wisdom, and when we communicate and connect with another being, that is aiki. During on technique training, I was working with Jun from Boulder and she pointed out that I was moving to the side instead of a more direct throat atemi. This was one example of why it is so valuable to train at seminar's because you get the opportunity to learn from much more experienced sempi who notice often small details in your own technique and movement that you may not recognize.

His humor combined with excellent Aikido and presence is really an honor and a privilege to be on the mat with Saotome Sensei.

Aikido for 10/06/2011

Tip taught class last night and after warm-ups we worked on the following techniques:

• katatetori kokyunage uchi style
• katatetori iriminage
• katatetori shihonage

We finished class with some weapons work. Good class.

Aikido for 10/04/2011

Last night at Aikido, Ken start with warm-ups and then we did usual katatetori kokyunage tenkan and katatetori kokyunage irimi exercises/techniques. Ken then brought a couple of foam punching mat that nage held while uke practicing first the quick, short jab at full speed. We then switched to a sumitoshi technique where nage just blocked uke's quick jab to the side before moving in and sinking, throwing uke with the sumitoshi technique. The second part of class we worked on straight jab with the shoulder's rolling through. With the straight jab it is easier to bring uke in for a kokyunage. Another great class from Ken.

Aikido for 10/01/2011

Today for the open class, Garry continued from last Saturday's focus on uke's ukemi and in particular, the follow-through intention by uke when first grabbing nage's outstretched hand. We started right away with the static solid grab by uke to train nage's movement. As Garry kept mentioning, in a more realistic attack, uke is not going to come and just grab the wrist and try to hold nage as this is strategically unsound by uke because nage has free use of the other hand from a counter-strike. We worked on the following techniques with that intention and ukemi training by uke.

• katatetori kokyunage tenkan
• katatetori kokyunage irimi
• katatetori shihonage ura with uke pushing through with the nage's outstretched hand
• katatetori kokyunage when uke pulls and away from nage, nage follows the movement through and steps for a kokyunage throw more by body position
• katateroi hijinage where uke pulls and nage swings around to the outside and around uke's wrist to elbow or shoulder for the take-down
• We then did two free-style (jiawaza) katatetoris where uke first either pushes or pulls with the first grab and nage responds accordingly, the second added a third attack where uke tries to keep nage solid and static like we practice with opening techniques.
• We finished class with kokyu tanden-ho