Aikido - Shodan!

At the beginning of class Sensei promoted M.R. to shodan following his test on Saturday. Sensei then gave him "professional hakama lesson".

My back didn't hurt too much and I was able to make it all the way through class. We worked on katatetori techniques with ryotetori tenchinage thrown in there.

Weight: 298

Aikido - More Seminar!

My back started seizing up again a few minutes into the first technique. I went through a couple techniques but, finally, had to bow to reality (if only my back would let me bow!). I took a bunch of pictures of the class and the tests. Very inspiring! Great tests. M.R.'s test went well. Actually, they all did.

Aikido - Seminar, First Night

We started class by mixing it up running around and avoiding people to warm up. Aikitaiso followed and some rolling. I got dizzy and out of breath. I got up for one technique and sat out the rest of the evening. Drag! I watched the test at the end and I was impressed.

Aikido - Shodan and Seminar Prep

Still prepping M.R. for his shodan test on Saturday. After warming up, we worked on yokomenuchi iriminage variations. We ended with several rounds of randori (I got to do one and participate in one) and M.'s final pre-test.

Weight: 298

Aikido - B.N. Birthday Rolls!

Oy! My first class this month and third in a month and a half! I'm back, though, and feeling good.

After stretching and warming up, Sensei worked on seventh kyu test requirements for several of our newer students and two guys from his school Aikido class. We also threw B.N. for his birthday rolls. I got dizzy and tired quite a few times but I felt positive all the way through. It was great!

This coming weekend we are hosting a seminar at Jiai Aikido. So it's going to be a busy week of Aikido after jumping back in.

Wt: 298

Doctor's Appointment

I had a doctor's appointment, today. It was the fastest I've ever been served - I never even sat down in the waiting room. My blood pressure was 113/78! My feet have stopped hurting from plantar fasciitis, too.

I've set up an appointment for a sigmoidoscopy on March 17. While I won't get the whole 17,000 foot experience, I hope it's good enough to get The Certificate.

Gym 2/26

A month and a half off!!!

StarTrac Elliptical: 20 minutes, cadence high >100 (different machine!), heart rate: 165+

Weight: 300

Aikido - Test Prep

M.R. is preparing for his shodan test so we worked on bokken dori tonight. We started with hand arts - shomenuchi kokyunage, shomenuchi kotegaeshi and shomenuchi sokomen iriminage - and the did the same with a bokken. Fun stuff! After M.R. did a couple randori I was uke for randori for someone getting ready for rokkyu test.

Birthday Rolls for P.H.!

We worked on katatetori kokyunage uchi, tonight. Nage sweeps uke's grabbing hand outward and steps and turns next to uke under his arm. Slide forward and extend arm to throw. There's usually an atemi while stepping under. We did several variations including starting with a tenkan leading to the uchi move and one where nage doesn't turn but takes another step so uke must step around and roll the other direction. Fun stuff! We also did one where instead of sweeping the hand out we pushed it across leading into sokomen iriminage.

Weight: 309

Gym 1/14

Lifecycle: 15 minutes, level 5, 90 RPM, HR 153 - my right knee was tightening up so I dropped from level 6 to level 5 after two minutes