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<blogEntry id="2208">
	<title><![CDATA[Understanding of Aikido.]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[I think I'll start recording my understanding of Aikido if I have one worth writing down. 

"Aikido is Irimi." from Steven Seagal Interview


Q: In terms of (Aikido) technique what would you say is the most important?

Sensei: I would say "irimi" is the most important.

]]></body>
	<date>10-21-2005</date>
</blogEntry>

<blogEntry id="2207">
	<title><![CDATA[History I]]></title>
	<body><![CDATA[I started my training two years ago without any prior martial art experience.  My sensei Mike (not real name) was my collage from different department.

The course was part of a community program. There were six people in the first class 2 teenagers (sons of my sensei's friend), a guy with a bad kneel, a farther and a kid (also friends of my sensei), me. Sensei told us there should be two more coming. It turned out the two were my sensei's neighbor who just had no intention of ever showing up. They just paid the fee so my sensei could have 8 students, a minimum requirement of the community program. to open a class.

I only went to class when I felt like going, mostly once a week. There were only 4 people in the class. The farther and son only showed up for the first class, a supporter of my sensei for sure. I forgot what we did at that time. I didn't think that after two years, I'm still in Aikido.

After the first community course over, it was a struggle to get 8 people again. Somehow we did. Actually most people from this course stayed, big Mike (the same name as my sensei), Stick, Mary, Lo, the guy with bad kneel (he left us after a year after we started suwari waza), an old couple (they left after the second term) and me. Lo was friend of Mike. She continued paying for the membership, but only showed up once in a while (5 times a year).

After the second community course, our sensei decides to start a dojo on his own with help from the core members (big Mike, Stick, Mary, guy with bad kneel and I).  On the opening day of the dojo, my sensei's sensei came with a bunch of yudansha (a fifth dan, two forth dans, a sandan, two nidan, and a few shodans). That's the first time that I'd seen a live Aikido demo with two black belts. I was a good class.

We had BBQ at my sensei's house afterwards. I thought I'd take up Aikido. ]]></body>
	<date>10-21-2005</date>
</blogEntry>


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