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2/24/04
Moving from the center
Morning Class. This was a strange class for me as I am in the throws of a cold. I went to Aikido because I was still able to go. I was a bit thick though, and can't say that the body or the mind were functioning at top speed.
I think that the technique that we worked on was Kata Dori (Shoulder Grab) Ikkyo? Or Nikyo?. Oomote and ura, this was interesting. I can't say that I get the footwork at all. This is really hard to me. My feet don't seem to do anything that makes any sense at all.
For the first time, I got an idea of what Sensei means in moving from center. I am mostly off balance in Aikido, and have to consciously work on getting over my center, and operating from there. Part of me is still doing techniques TO my partner instead of doing them WITH my partner. That is one of the reasons that my timing is so far off. What Sensei did is spoke about doing Kokyu dosa from the center, not the shoulders, from flow, not power. This was new to me, and I realized that I had been powering though Kokyu Dosa. I had even in previous classes realized that I needed to take power off one I got the balance of the Uke, in order not to fling them into the mat. Now I realize that I need to flow, from the center, and take their balance and lead them gently to the mat. This is new, and I was completely in control there was no balance being off feeling when I pivoted from the hip, and brought my center into take their balance away. It was really cool!
02-26-2004 05:10 PM 