I went to a seminar with Hiroshi Isoyama sensei (8th dan, Aikikai) last weekend, and I thought I'd share some of my experiences from it.

Usually, I try to write one or two days at the most after a seminar, but things were just extremely hectic around here with work, training, and AikiWeb. I've also been getting a bit lax about writing about the seminars I attend, so I thought I should sit my butt down and write something. So here it is.

I tried to get a group from our dojo to head down to Colorado Springs where the seminar occurred, but it ended up that only three of us (Dave, Tan, and I) were able to go. We were pleasantly surprised when we got there that another member of our dojo, Robert, was also in attendance on Saturday, too.

None of us had seen Isoyama sensei before, so we were all eager to go to the seminar and have have some fun. In addition, I personally didn't know that many of the Colorado Springs people, having never been down there before, so I was looking forward to training with new people.

The seminar took place at the USJA facilities there. The mat space was fairly large -- the size of one judo competition area plus about one tatami's space around that. There were bleachers along oneside and windows along the other. They had set up a nice, small shomen with a picture of the founder in it. One oddity that I noticed was that the facility had put up a very promiment sort of motto on the wall that proclaimed, "For our country, god, and our team" or something to that effect. I kept looking at it going, "Uhhmm," but so it goes.

There were about forty to fifty people in attendance for most of the weekend, a better turnout than I expected. There were people from all over including Denver and Glenwood Springs.

Isoyama sensei is a small person about 5'4" or so but with broad shoulders and a very solid foundation. His eyes peer out from bushy eyebrows radiating intensity and mirth throughout the weekend. He had along a translator but only had her translate when he needed to convey more complex thoughts; his English skill was pretty good, I thought, and was enough to cover pretty much all of the "normal" training explanations. I thought the translator did a great job at translating -- a tough job for anyone to do. (I haven't been called upon to do such yet, luckily for me and for everyone else in attendance.)

Isoyama sensei's classes are well paced, ranging from the pretty much standard fare of starting out with suwariwaza techniques, moving onto some hanmi handachi, then onto standing techniques. Despite his bad ankle (for which he had on a brace through the weekend), his suwariwaza techniques were extremely effective.

My first time up as uke for him during the weekend (it seemed he liked to use me and my dojomates quite often through the weekend, probably because we were bouncy enough) was for suwariwaza nikkyo ura. Talk about crisp, effective technique! Whoosh, wham! My face nearly hit the mat in trying to go down for the nikkyo. His transition from the nikkyo at the shoulder to the pin was quick and had absolutely no openings that I could feel.

Other techniques I got to feel from him through the weekend included sankyo, gokyo (which he did lightly on me as I told him my elbows were not doing too well these days), kaitennage, iriminage (with a nasty pressure point grab at the neck), and koshinage. All of his techniques, as can be expected, were sharp and effective.

We also did some weapons practice which were not too foreign to me. He emphasized the need to guard yourself in a guard, have a firm, low base when thrusting, and having a quick, crisp "return" for the sweeps. The weapons were reminiscent of Saito sensei's weapons, although not as strict in the exact placement of hands and feet. His demonstrations with a jo were impressive with the jo whipping around in his hand from a guard to a kaeshi block in a single snap.

Throughout the weekend, I found him to be a very nice man. He somehow knew that I understood Japanese and would come over and give me little pointers here and there (as well as little pressure point tips, too) in Japanese. He has a good sense of humor, something that is always welcome in an aikido teacher. At one point during weapons practice, he did a six step exercise consisting of some thrusts, guards, and sweeps, then turned to us and asked, "Do you understand?" When he was greeted with a wave of "Yes, sensei," he smiled and said, "Are you sure?" When he was once again told that we were sure, he feigned surprise and said, "You are all so smart! It's nice to have the smart students for once!"

He also did a nice 30 minute demonstration for the general public on Sunday. He explained how aikido was designed to allow anyone from men, women, and children to train effectively. He went and showed many different version of two techniques, kotegaeshi and iriminage, from various different attacks to show that a simple movement could be applied in many different ways. He has one wicked go-right- through-the-person iriminage, by the way; he went right through the person, all right -- even if his arm was caught underneath the shomenuchi!

I thought that the seminar was run very well, considering Forrest who had set the whole thing up was tested for his nidan on Sunday. The facilities were nice, registraion went smoothly, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

All in all, I had a good weekend seminar with Isoyama sensei. I was glad I went.

Jun