Kihon Waza - The Basic Techniques

This was the first night of the new session. We had a large class and half a dozen were new people. Sensei took us through the less strenuous - but still necessary - warm-ups and emphasized being relaxed and breathing. He was also teaching, by example, the more advanced students how to teach. There are now three parent/child pairs in our class including T. and me. S'all good.

Aikido - Sensei's Back!

Sensei was sick on Tuesday, not counter-fooling us! I thought that A.O. sensei, being a young energetic guy, really lead us in a high-energy, exhausting, exhilarating class on Tuesday. This evening, Sensei led us in a moderate-energy class that was even more exhausting and exhilarating! We started with yokoukemi - side fall - practice and then moved to katatecosadori and munetsuki attacks doing short and quick as well as traditional responses - largely iriminage.

Tiring class - lots of hard side-falls but I like those, even if they are a bit hard on my shins and knees (because I'm still working out the kinks).

April Fools - All of Us!

Sensei got us all, today, for April Fools day. We were going to trick him by all showing up early and paying on time. He fooled us by not showing up! A.O. sensei led the class in his usual, high-energy style. We worked on lots of basics but with variations for some who are testing for higher kyu ranks - lots of variations - on katatetori, munetsuki, shomenuchi, and yokomenuchi. We ended with a quick round of randori for everyone. Tiring but good. I think I only sat out one technique.

Birthday Rolls, Part 2

California rolls, that is! T. and I arrived just in time for class after spending the day in Anaheim with my cousin and his family. Tonight, Ginny Whitelaw Sensei taught. She spent the first hour showing us the way to Move to Greatness and the second hour showing how Aikido informed her thinking about movement. It was a good class.

After class, we took Whitelaw Sensei out for sushi. Sensei also said it was for my 50th birthday.

Birthday Rolls!!!

We worked on some quick variations on basic techniques, tonight: Katatori kokyunage, yokomenuchi kokyunage, yokomenuchi iriminage, munetsuki iriminage. We also worked on some tantodori techniques like munetsuki katamewaza and munetsuki sumi otoshi. We also did my birthday rolls. I turned 50 on Sunday so I did 50 rolls with the rest of the class throwing me! I was so tired at the beginning of class I didn't think I would make it but doing it charged me up enough to get through. T. also came to class tonight so she could throw me, too. She might start coming once a week which would be cool.

Gym 3/22

20 minutes on the Elliptical, Avg heart rate: 151

Aikido - Basics

After warming up (which nearly wore me down, I've been away so much!) we worked on munetsuki variations (kotegaeshi, ikkyo, nikkyo, sumi otoshi), shomenuchi variations (kotegaeshi, ikkyo), yokomenuchi sokomen iriminage, ryotetori kaitenage, and ryotetori sankyo. I had to sit out a bit toward the end.

Aikido - Kosadori Variations

After warming up we worked on katate kosadori responding with variations of kokyunage and shihonage. I made it all the way through class, tonight, but I was getting pretty ragged at the end. Afterward, we went to Kikuya to celebrate M.R.'s shodan.

Weight: 296

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.