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Wow just before class sensei came out and asked if there was anyone of a higher rank in the dressing room than me. No I said. Then you are teaching tonight ok. I stammered a little. Then in an uncharacteristic way sensei stopped me by saying; "The correct response is to thank me for this wonderful opportunity". I bowed and thanked him.
So I demonstrated Tai no henko to the class. Then worked with someone that was new to the mat. All the while thinking; "What in the heck am I going to teach for a technique?"
So I settled on Katata dori shiho Nage. Since this was a basics class the technique was from kihon waza.
My demonstration of the technique was not my best ever shiho nage. Melissa later said that she thought it was fine. Then again it helps to have your own cheerleading section in any crowd.
We got a couple of partner changes in. I demonstrated again pointing out the common mistakes. Then more practicing. It went pretty well. I tried hard to only give people positive feedback I am not sure how well I did at this. Several people commented that they liked the class a lot. After class Vince told me that he liked the way that I explained Shiho Nage.
Second class went well but strange. Unlike most of the second classes this one had a large portion of white belts in it. Sensei Gordon Tekel taught the class. We did defenses out of a bear hug from behind. This was great! The idea was that you make yourself into a tr
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9/10/05
Julia's test went wonderfully. It was really an honor to be part of her test. My right wrist is still feeling it from one of the sankyo techniques. No one else jumped up for the Ran dori so I was able to participate in that portion also. We went to lunch afterwards, and it was a good time.
Sensei thanked me for helping to make the event happen, and being so flexible, and willing to help at the last minute. It was a very personal thank you, and was a bit surprising to me, in a pleasant surprise way. It really made my day.
The test was fun, Julia was grinning through most if it, and there were a couple of giggles out of me during the hanmi handachi section of the test. It felt good, smooth, and fun.
:-) There is a saying at the dojo that you have not earned your rank fully until you have uked for someone taking the test you passed. What does it mean that I have helped with two Shodan tests now? :-) :-)
9/9/05
At the end of last week Julia asked me to uke for her Shodan test tomorrow. I will be sharing the duties with Rick and with Lilly, but I still have a lot to do. It makes me kind of nervous being an uke for someone that is going for their Shodan. Julia did pick me though, and she certainly has trained with me enough to know exactly what my Ukemi is like, and exactly what it is that I can and can't do.
We worked on both Tuesday and Thursday for over three hours each day on her test materials. She has it down, and even if there are slight bumps, I think that it is going to be an awesome test. I certainly hope that my part of it is. I will be doing Suwari Waza, Hanmi Handachi, and the last two sets of the variations, probably along with Ran dori, and some Jui Waza. I can tell you that it was definitely a tiring experience as Uke the times that we have been practicing all of the stuff on her test.
9/8/05
Connection:
We worked on connection from Gyakute dori Ikkyo today. It was an amazing class. Moving with the Uke, just as the uke moves, altering where the target is for them to grab etc, and watching their body move as an automatic response to your moving you wrist. Rick and I worked pretty hard at the whole thing, and it got pretty smooth. When we traded partners I worked with JF. I managed to be able to guide his energy very well, although some of my form in the technique disappeared as I was doing it. I have to ask Sensei about that. It was awesome smooth, and I felt his energy, however I kept his wrist lower than his shoulder for the whole technique.
I was honored to be Sensei's uke twice in the class once for gyakute dori, and later in the we were sitting in Seiza, and I did a gyakute dori grab really slow and ever so gently found myself on the mat. It was a lot like magic. The I grabbed faster, and again just as gently to the mat. All the while sensei was talking about there not being a him and a me, but rather that we were both all part of oneness. It was amazing cause that sure was how it felt. Then he said this is what happens if I think about there being Guy and I, and I grabbed, and while it was still smooth, I could feel that there was resistance on both our parts that had not been there before. It really amazed me. Sensei smiled at me, it seemed like the lessons which was for the whole class were completely for me.
The test seems to have gone well, I am officially 2nd kyu. I missed doing my favorite variation two times. I thought, now I get to do my favorite variation, then my brain said, "What would that be?". Needless to say, I couldn't remember the kokyu Ho from Ryote that would have looked great.
The energy of the test was really different with Noel as Uke instead of Rick. This was expected, what was not was how quiet it was. People commented that it was one of the quietest tests that they had ever heard.
Isa thought that the Ryote Dori Shiho Nage was beautiful with Noel and My Hakama making intersecting circles. Maybe I will have to get the video, I was planning on only watching all of the videos once I got to black belt. Worried that I would see myself, feel that I look hokey and worry about that instead of the technique.
So Now I have a brown belt, only one more color change can happen. I hadn't thought that I would be here when I started, but I am here now. Kind of feels a little strange.
Just before my test I was counting the number of people that are my sempie and the number of people that are my Kohi in the dojo. Not to compare myself to anyone, or really concerned about my place in the rank system rather to get an idea of what sensei has said about how our practice changes as we advance in rank. There are 45 people in the dojo that are ranked below me, and 30 that are ranked above me. Some on each end that I have never seen, let alone trained with.
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09-22-2005 03:36 PM 
