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<blogEntries>
<blogEntry id="3613">
	<title><![CDATA[Getting dangerous]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[It's been a while since my last entry, but I have been training on and off (mainly off, due to work :( )And I'm also planning my wedding, which will be in 6 weeks time ;) 

I went to one class taught by our 2nd kyu, while Sensei was away at UKA Summer School, which was really good :)  We worked on breathing and how this can help or hinder your technique. At the start of class, our 2nd kyu said he didn't think he could teach me anything (I'm nidan), to which I replied "Want a bet? I've learned loads from kyu graded students over the years! Also, it is best that you take this class because teaching is one of the best ways of making sure you know something."

I also learned form him the UKA method of gyaku-hami katatedori ikkyo, which is not the same as I'd done before :D 

Upon his return, Sensei was on a crusade to improve our ukemi skills :)  I'm very happy with this because it's always been my weak point. We've done a few exercises which have helped me to keep my wrist in my centre, follow appropriately, and fall in a soft and more controlled way. I'm still very wary of taking high falls due to my back injury, but found myself on the receiving end of Sensei's koshinage last Friday :eek: He lowered me down gently so I was ok, but I'm not convinced I can do this yet..

Last week I managed to throw our 2nd kyu too far :dead: We were doing jujinage, not my favourite technique :crazy: and I was struggling. At one point I was throwing our 2nd kyu when I heard Sensei call out "Good!" and the next thing I knew uke had gone flying about 4 feet and landed very awkwardly on his shoulder :uch: 

I don't know where that came from. So now I'm worried I'm getting dangerous :( Maybe I'm going through the grades again, and have now hit 3rd kyu stage - enough ability to apply a powerful technique, but without sufficient control :freaky: 

This means I'd better work very hard on self control again, and not let rip on the mudansha! :o]]></body>
	<date>09-09-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3556">
	<title><![CDATA[Yonkyo! class 10]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[17th July 09

Friday class started out quiet - only myself and our 3rd kyu student at first, but then our 4th kyu and an ungraded guy I hadn't met before turned up :) 

We did gyaku-hanmi nikyo, which was good to help strength train the wrists ;)  - they are getting stronger now :D  Iriminage, more of the dreaded katagatame :dead: which wasn't fun with a sore shoulder, and then my absolute favourite YONKYO :D  :D  :D 

Sensei had me do some on him as well (masochist :p ), and I tried to explain to our 4th kyu how to push the pain away (not easy on the end of one of my yonkyos :D ) but he was getting it and able to resist more :cool: 

Neither of our soon-to-be 6th kyus were there (the grading is on Tuesday :blush: ), nor was our 2nd kyu, but for the sake of his damaged arm I was glad he didn't train! I also suggested to Sensei that our 2nd kyu doesn't take much ukemi in the gradings either as there are enough of us to be ukes who aren't so injured ;) 

After Tuesday I'm working long hours so won't be back on the tatami again until 7th August :grr: Hope I don't soften up too much in the meantime...]]></body>
	<date>07-20-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3553">
	<title><![CDATA[Seeing patterns - class 9]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[14th July 09

Making up for no classes last week, I decided to train at both Tuesday and Friday class this week :) 

We had a complete beginner at today's class, along with myself, our somewhat injured 2nd kyu, our 4th kyu and one of our soon-to-be-graded to 6th kyu students.. The relative humidity has been particularly high in SE England lately, so although it wasn't especially hot, we were all dripping like waterfalls not long into class :yuck: 

Sensei did a lot of explaining of basic ettiquette for the new chap's benefit, then launched into gyaku-hanmi shihonage. Training with our 2nd kyu I tried to be careful on his injured left arm (he's suffering the aftermath of over-enthusiastic sankyo by our house Shidoin) and attempted to control through the shoulder. I got into trouble for not keeping hold of his arm with both my hands as he went to the floor, but I didn't want to twist his lower arm :( 

I was also struggling to keep an upright posture while controlling uke on the floor at the end of the technique. I suspect it may be a proportion problem - us ladies have longer legs and shorter arms than the guys, making it very difficult for us to do this without a) letting go of uke's arm b) bending at the waist or c) losing balance and ending up on one or both knees...

Next we did uchi kaitenage, and introduced the new guy to the concept of forward ukemi :D  I took him to the point of balance a few times, then showed him how to roll from kneeling on the floor, had him have a go, then let him try it from the technique. Fortunately he was ok and stayed nice and round so no problems :cool: I introduced him to the concept of 3rd point, so he learned that uke's balance is broken by tori sweeping uke's arm through that axis to set up the throw :) 

We then had a go at ai-hanmi nikyo, so I used the metaphor of a snake slithering over a branch to describe how the technique is applied without using strength. Both our 4th kyu and nearly 6th kyu liked that and got it :D 

Then we practised tenchinage from ryotedori. I was with the new chap again, so re-enforced the lesson about 3rd point as being the driver for the technique. I took it very easy on him as he practised his backwards falls, but was able to introduce some of the more complex aspects of the technique as he was doing really well :) 

As class progressed, I could see patterns developing from each technique to the next, which was great - Aikido techniques are all part of the same fabric with subtle variations in the weave! I was also noticing the difference in the ukes - this time with our nearly 6th kyu who is very strong, but tends to collapse like a house of cards once you hit the right spot to apply technique.

Next we did some ushiro ryotedori sankyo, which is a nice flowing technique, and I was careful not to apply it to our 2nd kyu's injured side! Instead of a grab we attacked him just with contact wich is also good to practise :cool: 

Finally we did katagatame (I think that's right - I know the technique but can never remember the name!) and as uke for Sensei I ended up having to run around a lot as he decided to demonstrate it from ushiro and kept turning so I couldn't grab his other wrist :hypno: 

Then he decided to do the technique from gyaku-hamni after all that :crazy: I'm now feeling somewhat sore after missing training last week, but hopefully should be ok by Friday ;)]]></body>
	<date>07-15-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3549">
	<title><![CDATA[Individual ukes - class 8]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[3rd July 2009

One of our prospective 6th kyu students was put through a mock grading towards the end of class. He did ok, except for going too fast through nerves!

It's good that Sensei does this as it lets people know what's expected of them :) 

During the last technique of class (always suwari-waza kokyu-ho), I was partnered with our 2nd kyu student, and he was doing his best to be a slippery fish by wriggling out of my control while on the ground... I knew there had to be a way to control him, so I persevered until I found it :D  Some distant memories of how assorted instructors have shown this technique, combined with how the 2nd kyu was doing this technique with me as uke, supplied the answer. I kept my arms very wide, and moved quickly enough that my centre was overpowering his ability to escape, and lo - one pinned slippery fish ;)]]></body>
	<date>07-13-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3548">
	<title><![CDATA[Weapons at last! - class 7]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[26th June 09

Another hot day, so Sensei decided that we'd do mostly weapons stuff today, with the emphasis on how the sword movements are used when applying techniques :) 

It was all really good fun, and I discovered that I can still roll with a bokken in my hands  :D  :cool: 

We found a few of the mats need more patching up :(  so Sensei has to bring in another roll of duct tape soon!

My gi repairs went well - I stiched two patches on each knee, one inside and one outside, so hopefully it'll last a bit longer :D]]></body>
	<date>07-13-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3537">
	<title><![CDATA[6th kyu preparation - class 6]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[23rd June 09

A hot, sweaty and intensive session - the weather has been particularly warm lately and the church hall was like an oven when we arrived :blush: 

Only myself and one of our soon-to grade for the first time students turned up for class, so we did some 'polishing' for his upcoming 6th kyu test...

It was very useful for me to run through the basics again, as they are not identical to what I learned before, and I don't want to give anybody in my dojo wrong information!

Sensei trained in a group of 3 with us, and it was hard going for unfit me :o I had to have a puff of the inhaler as the pollen count is very high and I get hayfever related asthma sometimes when I exercise. However, I kept going, as improving my fitness is one of my goals in Aiki :D 

I was struggling with kotegaeshi omote, as usual... :sorry: One day it will make sense...:p  I was also messing up on nikyo ura - until I paid attention to Sensei's initial movement and realised that I needed to get uke's balance by drawing their arm out a little rather than trying to skip around their back immediately :freaky: In the UKA this technique starts like ikkyo ura - in previous styles it was generally applied right away, so more brain-re-training needed :hypno: 

Our other student was screwing shihonage on me pretty tightly, and doing the old 'flushing the chain' to end the technique :dead: Sensei corrected this and made sure he was moving forward to throw rather than stepping back. My ukemi wasn't coping with the technique being applied at an awkward angle, but as he got the wrist more into his centre it started feeling much more under control and less sore :cool: 

Today I have sore arms and a nice bruise on my wrist :uch: I am not as tough as I used to be! Sensei asked me at the end if I was wanting to grade under the UKA. I said I wasn't particularly keen to, as I've done enough gradings in my time and am not bothered about doing another - I just want to train :)  Sensei said he just wanted to check what my expectations were, which was very good of him :)  I honestly doubt I will be able to get into shape to survive a UKA dan grading (I've seen enough of them at Summer School to know what is expected) and I'm not as young as I used to be :o The trouble is, I don't look my age - I'll be 40 in two and a half years time and I look about 27 :eek: My body feels more like 45 with the inactivity over the last 2 years :dead: 

The other issue is the cost - a Hombu ratified dan grading is expensive :eek: I've always been quite happy to take off the hakama and wear a white belt when training with other organisations, so it's not the trophy for me! ;) 

At the end of class I discovered that my gi bottoms (my dad's old judogi ones from the 1960s) had ripped badly across both knees, so I've ordered a new aikidogi (size 4.5 - unfortunately my size 4 gis don't fit so well anymore :blush: ) which should fit. In the meantime I'd better get the sewing machine out and patch the judogi knees...]]></body>
	<date>06-24-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3535">
	<title><![CDATA[Mending the canvas]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[19th June 09

Tonight we'd reserved for dojo maintainence, as there was a 6 inch tear along the seam of the canvas, and several tatami needed taping up. Afterwards would be a short class if there was time...

The haberdashery in my town's department store recommended a pack of general purpose tough repair needles (hippo spears ;) ) and linen thread to do the canvas repair. The thread was great because it matched the canvas exactly, and apparently is also used to mend shoes :D 

I took my metal sewing thimble, and tried out a few different sizes of hippo spear needle on the canvas to see which one would work best... the thinnest needle began to bend quickly, so I picked the next size up which was spear-pointed like a leather needle.

Even so, it was the toughest repair job I have ever done - my blood and sweat went into it, but no tears :)  It took me the full 2 hours, so Sensei took the rest of the class to the end of the hall to do weapons on the sports hall floor as they finished the taping job more quickly!

Fortunately my fingers have mostly healed and my thumb tips no longer feel like they've gone 10 rounds with a meat tenderizer... My back feels better too after running around helping out at my archery club's open tournament all weekend - sitting hunched on the floor isn't good, but with a canvas that size there was no other option :( 

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, but the true test will be next Friday when we unfold the canvas and tension it around the frame, and of course train upon it ;)]]></body>
	<date>06-23-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3532">
	<title><![CDATA[Great atmosphere - class 5]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[12th June 09

Today's class was one of those classes where everyone just had so much FUN :D :cool: 

Afterwards Sensei commented that there was great spirit in the class :) 

We did a variety of techniques, some basic, some complex, including a variation of the 'goose-neck' immobilisation used by the police which I can never figure out - fortunately I was working with our youngest (and brightest) student who figured it out from working it backwards :cool:  We have to be careful with him as he's only 12 years old so joint locks are not applied!

I have noticed that I'm shaping up better these days - moving my body around is good for it - so although I'm still about 12lbs overweight it's not hanging off me so much :D  It would be good to start doing both classes per week, but with an imminent house-move and a lot of work commitments it's not fair or practical right now :(  Perhaps in the autumn after the move when I'll be living closer to the dojo...;) 

One thing I particularly like about Sensei's teaching is that after he has demonstrated a technique several times on uke, he then asks uke to demonstrate the same technique on him :)  This means that he can show the correct ukemi, the various options for breakfalls, and also check that his teaching was clear enough that uke can replicate the technique.. :cool: 

I also learned that juniors should train at the end of the mat so there is less chance somebody can fall on them during class - as I've not done the Coaching Children module I wasn't previously aware of this, but it makes sense :) 

After class we agreed that next Friday we'd do some dojo maintenance - there is a tear to mend in the canvas (my job!) and several tatami need taping together for security. We're going to get all that done, then have a shorter class, hopefully including some weapons practise :D]]></body>
	<date>06-18-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3514">
	<title><![CDATA[Newbie and control of centre - class 4]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[2nd June 09

Attended another basics class, as I can't make Friday class due to work :( 

This time we had a completely new student on the mat, for his first ever class, and Sensei ran through a LOT of techniques!! I hope the poor guy wasn't thinking he ought to remember any of them by the end :D 

The new guy was very keen and very flexible, so applying shihonage to him was a bit of a nightmare - he kept twisting out of the technique instead of flowing with it :confused: Sensei explained that he had to go with the flow, as we wouldn't be applying techniques hard and fast to him until he has learned to take the ukemi ;) As it was, he was suffering from the usual tangle of legs and lack of co-ordination in lowering his body to the ground, so we were taking it easy on him! Towards the end of class I cranked a shihonage on him with a little more power and heard / felt his shoulder crunch :dead: whoops! but he didn't twist out of that one ;) He said he was ok, and that was probably what he needed to help him understand where he was supposed to move to :) 

I got to train with our 2nd kyu student for one technique, ai-hanmi nikyo. This is a fun one, because a few years ago I learned how to apply this one in the context of controlling uke's centre, rather than relying on the pain response :D Asked uke to resist with full power, and after a bit of a struggle, was able to do it, keeping the wrist fairly close to my centre, staying relaxed, and aiming my power through his arm, down his body, and straight into his centre with the thought "DROP". He dropped :cool: I don't know if this would work on a big hairy 5th dan with wrists like tree trunks, but as we don't have one, anybody stronger than me will do ;) 

We did some knife defences as well, which I have always enjoyed doing. One of our ungraded students was being a little sloppy about the blade (it's a wooden tanto) so I told him that back in the old days we used to use live blades (I did my 2nd kyu test knife defences against one), and that you must always think of a wooden tanto as being a live blade. He asked when he'd get to have a go with the real thing, and I laughed and said he wouldn't, as we are not insured for such practise, and we stopped using them a long time ago :rolleyes: 

After class Sensei said that he couldn't believe it's been more than 2 years since I was training, as I don't seem to have lost anything in my movements :D :cool:  I admitted that I had surprised myself with my ukemi, and was very pleased that nothing had caused any problem to my injury so far :) 

In terms of technique, I am sometimes struggling to remember how to do things Aikikai syle as I always default to Traditional, having trained mostly in that before, but fortunately Sensei is patient and corrects me when I get it muddled up :cool:]]></body>
	<date>06-03-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3512">
	<title><![CDATA[Beginner's mind - class 3]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[29th May 2009

The UK is currently experiencing a heatwave, and Sensei is amazed that so many of us have shown up at class :cool: 

Fortunately we work on joint locks tonight instead of projections, Sensei making the point that taisabaki is the driver and the technique application can be varied easily :) 

One of our ungraded students earned the nickname 'Crusher' from me, after several vice-like crushings to my thumb joints and fingers during the course of ikkyo application. His enthusiasm is commendable, but I pointed out (and physically demonstrated) to him the difference between [B]control[/B] and crushing with strength. He hadn't quite grasped that using all of his muscle strength is not the way in Aiki. I will attempt to convince him that he will live to fight longer if he learns to apply techniques in a more relaxed way, using the strength of his centre, and kokyu to power techniques :p 

Later, during the discussion in the pub, Sensei and I answered a question from this student about the relative ability of graded students to 'take' throws.. He was under the impression that anybody wearing a black belt was fair game and could take whatever was thrown at them :eek: I immediately used myself as an example of why this assumption could not be made, and also another yudansha who sufferes severe knee problems. Sensei said that [B]communication[/B] is the key - you [B]ask[/B] if you're not sure what the other student can do and he doesn't volunteer that information :cool:  :) This also works for mudansha as they all wear white belts in our organisation, so you can't assume anything - a student may have just stepped on the mat or he may be about to take his shodan exam :D 

Poor Crusher suffered from one of my mistakes, also in ikkyo :o I stumbled and dropped his arm just as he was heading to the floor, leaving him to land with a spectacular crash :hypno: I checked he was ok, and he was :sorry: To make it up to him I'll offer to help him with his ikkyo ukemi!

Another very useful point about new students came up this weekend, made by the founder of the National Children's Orchestra with whom we work several times per year. This lady has been teaching young music students of all abilities for a very long time, and she told me that she'd recently begun to teach beginners with the assistance of another teacher at a nearby town. She said that she expects high standards, having been working mainly with the more talented children in the NCO, and that her new beginners have risen to the challenge and excelled in a way nobody would have thought possible :) 

Keeping this in mind, I shall be stepping onto the mat on Tuesday with high expectations of myself and my fellow students :D]]></body>
	<date>06-01-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3501">
	<title><![CDATA[Integration - class 2]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[19th May 2009

Due to being away for archery next Friday, I decided to go to the Tuesday class this week so I can at least stick to my goal of 1 class per week :) 

Having shaken the nerves from before class 1, this time I was better able to think about what I was doing during the class :cool: 

We worked on a version of ikkyo where tori moves his hindmost leg about 45 degrees sideways, while dropping his centre (and uke!) straight down. Uke tends to land with a bit of an ooooof!! but the technique is very effective ;) 

I'd rushed out late and forgotten my waepons bag :sorry: but Ivor Sensei loaned me his spare bokken for the 7 suburi. It is a very light bokken so it didn't hurt, and we all got to count from 1 to 10 in Japanese, which was still in the memory bank somewhere :D 

Finally I had my best moment in suwari-waza koyku-ho, at the end of class. I was tired, my arms were feeling the suburi, and my partner was a strong guy... but I relaxed my arms more and more and let my [I]breath[/I] power the movement...

Ahhhh - kokyu!!]]></body>
	<date>05-21-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3500">
	<title><![CDATA[Survival - class 1]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[15th May 2009

My return to Aikido was an important day for me. Having got myself somewhat unfit over the last 2 years (archery is great, but it isn't aerobic exercise ;) ) I wasn't sure I'd survive a 2 hour Aikido class...

Fortunately, my body remembered what to do :cool: I actually surprised myself at how much ukemi I could still take :D My technique as tori wasn't the best, and I kept falling over my hakama (didn't tie it on tight enough :mad: ) but I thoroughly enjoyed myself, worked with some great partners, and best of all managed to train throughout the whole class :D 

Next morning I was aching so much I could scarcely stagger around, and this feeling didn't wear off until Monday :blush: 

Ho hum. My goal for the next class is to ache for only 1 day afterwards... :o]]></body>
	<date>05-21-2009</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="3499">
	<title><![CDATA[Re-entry]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[24th April 2009

Having been missing Aikido for a very long time, I finally plucked up the courage to do something about it :) My boss Ali (who I originally introduced to this wonderful art ;) ) was guest teaching a class at a nearby dojo, run by one of my good Aikido friends. Ok, I'll go along and watch, take a few photos, then when class is over I'll see if I can still roll...

Training ceased for me in October 2006 following a rear-end shunt on my car by an idiot who thought I'd moved on from the T-junction before I had. My lower back and tailbone were damaged, and I thought that was the end - I could no longer be thrown :dead: 

Watching the class was fun, but I had to force myself to get on the mat and try to roll - I could so easily have chickened out :sorry: - but I am no coward and made myself do it. A few gentle forward rolls, then a couple of backward rolls, and hey - I can still do it :D :D :D 

Afterwards in the pub, Ivor Sensei who runs the club told me I'd be very welcome to come back, and that everybody would respect that I cannot be thrown in certain ways. This was great news!]]></body>
	<date>05-21-2009</date>
</blogEntry>


</blogEntries>