Aikido for 03/01/2012

I taught class, covering for Tip as he is visiting family, and although there was only three beginner students, I focused on katatetori ikkyo omote; I started off the standard Aikikai style that we test on with nage stepping up with an Atemi to the face and then stepping diagonally across with the forward foot and out of the way, with the forward hand coming over the top for the ikkyo. I then had us practice an alternate variation where nage steps immediately back with the forward foot. Both ikkyos end up the stand, it is just this opening that is different, what I first learned from Tohei Sensei and which Central Illinois Aikikai taught as the most basic ikkyo, that you are trying as nage to get out of way first and accept and redirecting uke's aggressive energy instead of initially reacting with aggressive atemi to the face. I then had us practice stepping back initially from a katatetori attack for a shihonage omote to illustrate the same opening is always available from any of our techniques. I finished class with a modified randori practice where nage is being attacked by the other two students using whatever attack they want but with added restriction that nage closes his eyes. We did two rounds of randoir, I went first for both and in this practice, you will get hit. It forces you to not get attached to any single point but to move, respond, and start trusting your other senses and ki connections with uke. I still got in the face, and occasionally I became too attached to my current uke while throwing them with a kokyunage or doing a modified sankyo. I suggested after both randori that everyone was too caught-up in their current space and need to move and trust their themselves.