The motion and the moves.

Aikido class this morning was pretty straightforward. We did a couple reps of tegatana, did a rep or two of hanasu between myself and the other student whose name escapes me at the moment. We moved on to nijusan after hanasu and though i can "do" through 1-10 of the kata there is still a need for some tweaking of each one of the techniques. I've got to try and not only produce the correct techniques but also instill each of the higher principles.

For example, as we moved on to the 11th and 12th techniques, kote hineri and kote gaeshi, it was shown that though i was getting the arm turned and the wrist torqued my hand placement was off so i wasn't really getting the full effect.

It's the little stuff that makes the difference. Most of the way through class today i wasn't syncing up well with the resistance i was getting and so most of the things i was trying to attempt were not coming out smooth at all. It kinda bothered me but it's just something i'll have to work with to be both a better tori and a better uke.

2 for 1

Pat has updated the saturday schedule to include both aikido and judo so i made sure to stay for both.

Aikido (and judo for that matter) has new students from the last time i was there. We went through tegatana (i still remember!) and the first motion from hanasu. We illustrated the two basic ways it happens, basically uke will either strong arm or bend his arm as you avoid it. The two randoris were fun and was just another example of how much i missed class.

Judo was a refresher course for me, i've never really been to many judo classes and what i did learn has been layered in dust. Going back over the ground transfers and footsweeps was a much needed refresher course. During the newazza randori i noticed a bad habit of leaning backwards. So thats something ill have to work on.

All in all a great class.

A different attacker.

I'm still alive and kicking, i'm just currently having to apply aiki principles more towards life than ukes at the moment. Random thought/question of the moment: is having to pause on the path still part of the journey?


I'd like to think so. I hope so.