Starkville Aiki weekend

This weekend i had the opportunity to travel to Starkville, MS (home of MSU and tha Bulldogs) and go to a clinic headed by Henry Copeland (9th dan). The focus of the clinic was go kata (sp?) which starts off with several two handed grabs (i.e. two wrists grabbed) and goes into some...well..other throws.

I really enjoyed the clinic. It was cool getting to see the Starkville bunch again and getting to do aikido with Henry. I got thrown by him and slamed pretty hard once and i got to do randori with him and didn't notice anything but me falling. I was amazed at just how simple and relaxed his aikido was. I was wowed by it, but some might not be.

Some of the things i came away with this weekend?

1) My ukemi is "functional" but definatley needs improvment.
2) This weekend was brought by the letter L. (As in straightent the hands straight out with thumbs out to the side - thanks Porkchop).
3) Attach yourself to uke with the ring and pinky fingers, NOT the index and middle (this one seems the most daunting to adapt to).

Those are the ones that have been at the front of my mind. Hopefully the pics of this weekend will be up sometime this week, maybe video too. If so i'll try and link it.

I'll be thinking on this weekend for a while. I may post again on it later.

I really enjoy aikido.

Catching up on "The Walk"

I really enjoyed last night's class. We practiced tegatana, both the regular version and Pat's new "tooth brushing" version where all the turns are done in one spot instead off all over the mat (easier to do in the bathroom while brushing Pat says). The single spot turns helped in hanasu, especially in turn 5-8 because it exemplifies the "under a barb wire fence" motion of the techniques. That's, in numerical order; Hon Uchi Hanasu, Hon Uchi Ude Heneri, Gyaku Uchi Hanasu and Gyaku Uchi Ude Heneri for those keeping track.

Ukemi was a big part of lcass last night and i did really well. I felt confident about my aikido last night which was an awesome feeling. Ukemi was this major hurdle that just seemed insurmountable at times and it finnaly feels like i'm "there". Appropriately enough there's a seminar this weekend that should get rid of all that. Haha

Also.... Pat had an acident.

It may not be art, but....