Introducing myself.

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[AikiMatt]

My name is Matt, I'm new to these boards, though I've read lots of threads here in the past. 'Hey' everybody.

[akiy]

Hi Matthew,

Welcome, and thank you for your introduction!

-- Jun

[daniel loughlin]

hey matt its a nice place here im new 2 (du u do aikido?)

[Tamarack]

Hello all!

Another newbie! :p
As you can tell from my profile, I'm "out of action" right now - which is probably why I have the time for "virtual aikido".

Not sure how much to tell about myself, I started aikido here in Dublin at Whitefriar's about three years ago. I then returned home to Canada and trained at Shohei Juku Aikido Canada (formerly Pacific Aikido Kensankai) for a year. I uprooted and went travelling. I visited Australia Aikikai Brunswick Dojo a couple times with warm reception while in Australia. I then returned to Ireland just in time for a seminar with Mary Heiny Sensei at Whitefriar's last september, and have been out of commission since last xmas (insert sad face here) with back troubles.

It breaks my heart that I can't train.
That may sound silly in typefont, but what can I do?

So now I am doing yoga every morning, trying to coax my back into healing, and I am developping a short workshop for the up and coming Ladyfest Dublin called (well, the title's not deffinate) "Protective Awareness: An Introduction to Self-Defence Aikido".

Anyone who has suggestions for aikido/self-defence philosophy/"tactics", I would be most greatful to hear.

hmmm...maybe I should post this in teaching & training then...

[markwalsh]

Hi Matt and Tamarack,

I visited Whitefriars once a couple of years back, nice bunch. Ladyfest eh, cool name! There's a bunch of threads on self defence search the forums section. A recent one is here:

http://aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6407&highlight=defence

The girls at work wanted to know what to do about "sleazebags like you :) ". I showed them sankyo from an unwanted arm around the shoulder/breast grab (turn out underneath as per ushiro katate dori), which we christened "sleazy sankyo", and a yonkyo applied to an arm grabbing the thigh from a seated side by side position. Name for this? Empowering fun was had by all.

Take care,

Mark