Thursday, June 29, 2006

Yudansha night

As hot and humid as it was, I only had to sit out for part of one technique, tonight. As we sometimes do when Sensei is out of town, all the yudansha took turns teaching class tonight. The lowest rank (most recent) starts and the others often build on what the previous ones started. Tonight we worked on variations of iriminage and sokomen iriminage ending with a bit of kotegaeshi.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

A Soaker!

It was a hot day but I went anyway, knowing I'd melt. I did better than I thought I might, though, so that's good. We had some new people so we did some basic stuff (katatekosadori kokyunage and ikkyo) but with enough variation that could challenge all of us. We ended with a new bit of kokyudosa, starting with nage's hands resting on his knees.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Jo Kata 1 and Kumijo 1 and 2

We warmed up with and practiced jo kata #1 for a while tonight. I think I'm getting it down. Sensei said I did well when it was my turn to lead. Next, we worked on kumijo #1 and #2. The weather wasn't nearly as hot as I thought it would be. Fun!

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Tenchinage, Iriminage, Kokyunage

As I predicted on Tuesday, I was pretty stiff to begin with. After warming up (it was a warm evening so I was soaked by then) sensei had us do some ryotetori (or ryokatatetori) tenchinage. Then we worked with variations of ryotetori and ryokatatori on the attack side and tenchinage, iriminage, and kokyunage on the defense side. Some of them felt very familiar but in some, sensei had us stepping off the line to the side I'm not used to for that particular attack. Interesting and engaging. Even though I got pretty tired the class went fast.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

No Aikido Tonight

Since it was my 19th wedding anniversary I went out with my family this evening instead of going to Aikido. I'll pay for it on Thursday by having extra stiff knees, etc., but that's the way it goes.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Birthday and Basics

We celebrated B.A.'s birthday a little late since he was gone for his birthday. T. was practicing singing tonight so she couldn't make it. While (as usual) I was soaked after warming up I managed to make it through most everything tonight. We worked on ryokatatori iriminage and kokyunage, katatetori sokomen iriminage (static), yokomenuchi iriminage and henkawaza to a kaitenage throw. Things got a little more esoteric from there. Fun stuff!

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

And Now For Something Completely Different...

A.O. sensei led class tonight in sensei's absence. After warming up we started with katatori ikkyo, emphasizing footwork, appropriate distance and proper balance-breaking. From ikkyo we went to sankyo. Next, we practiced mae geri or front kick. Next, in pairs, we practiced mae geri kokyunage and mae geri sokomen iriminage in which nage enters to the outside of uke's kicking leg. Then we did another mae geri kokyunage (I think) where nage backs directly away from the kick catching uke's leg then pushes back. The uke either turns and rolls mai ukemi or falls back into ushiro ukemi. At speed, though, it would likely be a flat back breakfall. For the last mae geri nage steps to the inside of uke's kick, catches the heel and rotates the knee inward. Uke turns and falls face-first to the mat hopefully lowering himself on his arms. We ended with shomenuchi kotegaeshi.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Yokomenuchi Shihonage: Kihonwaza, Oyowaza, Henkawaza

Tonight, we did only one technique... well, sort of. We only used one attack: yokomenuchi. We started with the shihonage taisabaki, then we did the basic technique - kihon waza - but we added variations - oyowaza - and changing techniques - henkawaza.

Unfortunately, our newest nikkyu injured her shoulder in a fall. Now three of us have bum right shoulders. Dang! I didn't hurt mine again this week, though - YAY! T. didn't make it tonight since she was "hitting the books".

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Nikkyu Test!

Sensei awarded B.N. with ikkyu and K.R. with gokyu at the beginning of class. I was drenched by the end of aikitaiso - the weather was misty so the humidity was high. The temperature wasn't bad, though. T. stubbed her toe so she didn't go, tonight.

We had 24 people on the mat! It was crowded so we didn't do a lot of throws. My shoulder got some good stretching with nikkyo and sankyo pins - no damage and no pain!

We had our seventh test in two weeks, tonight. I think T.D. did very well in her nikkyu test. Afterward a bunch of us went to sushi and, afterward, spent an hour in the mist talking in the parking lot.

Monday, June 05, 2006

Kumi-Jo and Jo Kata #1

We had a good turn-out tonight for weapons class. T. and I were there remarkably early (traffic?). We warmed up, bowed in and did some suburi. We learned that in hasso no kamae the weapon (jo or bokken is held beside the shoulder pointing straight up) which is not to be confused by waki-gamae (weapon held hidden behind and down).

We worked on two of the kumi-jo which Thea hadn't done, yet, but I remembered from last summer. We ended with jo kata #1.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Gokyu Test!

This has been (and is going to be?) a busy couple weeks. Tonight, we had K.R.'s gokyu test. I think she did very well. T. was sorry she couldn't be here to support her but she's been fighting a cough and stuffy nose and didn't want to spread it. Sensei is also getting T.D. ready for her nikyu test next week.

I did my shoulder up again, tonight. Arrrgh! No so bad but very irritating. I've got to work on strengthening it and also being aware when techniques might involve motions that could harm it (all of them!?!). BE MORE AWARE!