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Aiki-Log -- Class #7
Wednesday, August 25, 2004 -- 7:30pm
GET-UPSI-WAZA
I'm still not able to keep up with the back break falls during warm-ups. I need to ramp up my ab workouts during my non-Aikido days.
THUNKI-WAZA (aka PUKEMI)
We did forward rolls (finally didn't waste my Dramamine) and Sensei was kind enough to have me do half as many as everyone else. "We don't want you doing too many." He knows my limits too, and is willing to work with me to slowly extend them. My forward rolls are still very clunky. I need to practice, but I don't want to start / continue bad habits. I'd prefer to have guidance until I'm sure my practice won't reinforce poor technique. My backward rolls are still ok, but will get better with practice. I think I've got the technique down, I just need to smooth it out.
BUKI-WAZA (weapon technique)
We did quite a bit of bokken work. One of the focuses was hasshu giri (eight different cuts) consisting of tsuki (thrust), kessa giri (diagonal body cut -- up, down, left and right), do giri (horizontal body cut -- left and right), kirioroshi (cut down). Sensei added one piece at a time. I got pretty messed up as things got more complicated.
BROKKEN
I noticed a crack in my bokken! It's right at the middle of the tip and runs about 2 inches along the blade. Norbert Sensei said some wood glue and c-clamps will fix it. I'm quite sure it didn't happen in class. We haven't been blocking much yet. I think 14 years in the closet has something to do with it. Bummer!
TOSHU-WAZA (bare-handed technique)
Our weaponless techniques were fairly simple. They were based on some of the bokken movements and included a knife-hand (tegatana sabaki?) movement. I always like seeing the connections, and I do better when I'm bare-handed and I imagine using the bokken.
STEAMY-WAZA
I started overheating again, but not as bad as before. I bought a "running" shirt that "wicks away" the moisture. I was hoping it would breathe better than the cotton t-shirts I'd been wearing. It didn't. I think I'll skip the undershirt next class and see what happens. I prefer the unstained dogi look, but I'm not sure if I have a choice.
AIKI-THINKIN'
1. I like my Sensei!
2. I should take my Dramamine at least 2 hours before class (it takes one hour to kick in). That way I can practice my rolls before class without concern for my gastrointestinal wellbeing.
3. I enjoy bokken work, but I'm looking forward to my first jo lessons in this dojo.