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Aiki-Log -- Skipped Classes
November 10 & 11, 2004
I've been on antibiotics since last Friday and they don't seem to be doing their job. I decided to skip class to give my body a chance to work on fighting the infection. I really wasn't in the mood to sit on the sidelines again (I've been doing that for a month now, if you don't count last week) so I went home on Wednesday.
Tonight I've got parent / teacher conferences so I can't go, even if I really wanted to.
Aiki-Log -- Class #29
Thursday, November 4, 2004 -- 7:30pm
I noticed quite a bit of muscle soreness after Wednesday's class. However, after last night's class, I've noticed A LOT of muscle soreness! One month off = start over. The good news is my ankle and elbow are both doing Ok.
HANDICAPPED SECTION
Before class I was working with another student that was also experiencing problems with their right arm (upper -- bicep area). Since they were going to restrict their activities to left-side-only (LSO), I suggested to Sensei that we two should be paired up for the entire class so as not to inhibit the other students. He said that was an excellent idea, and that's what we did. He referred to us as the "handicapped section" later during class.
DURING CLASS
We had typical turnout for a Thursday: about 14 students. I'm not sure if having two LSOs in the class had anything to do with it, but we did our warm-ups from left kamae this time (first time ever, as far as I know). That was interesting! Some of the students acted as if they couldn't believe we were doing it that way, ha ha. I sat out on rolls again.
It sure is a challenge to be working on the LSO during the initial run thru on techniques. Sensei demos the right side and that make things interestingly confusing. It forces me to pay much closer attention so I can mirror image the movements.
We modified one of the techniques from the night before by ending it with an ikkajo throw
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Aiki-Log -- Class #28
Wednesday, November 3, 2004 -- 7:30pm
GOSHIN-JITSU
I don't plan on attending the Goshin-Jitsu classes for two reasons: (1) I'm just healed enough to start doing Aikido again, and (2) They've started charging money for the classes. I've got a really tight cash flow, so I'm holding out for being able to pay for "open mat" time on Sundays (our dojo is a rented room at a health club). Just now I'd rather focus on rebuilding my Aikido skills. I would've loved to watch, since I haven't seen John Sensei teach this class, but you have to pay half price to watch. Rent payments suck!
Attendance was way down. Only four people showed up. One was a newbie / new member. His dad signed him up for Aikido and might be doing the same for the Goshin class as well. His dad will be starting up in Aikido as well, after he heals from an injury. Two new students! His dad studied before, but at a different dojo. I'm not sure what style, but I think it's Yoshinkai. That dojo closed down and the instructor moved to Ohio.
BACK ON THE MAT
My ankle is finally healed enough that I got back on the mat (ankle brace in place). I'll still needed to modify my seiza, and I found that I couldn't even stay up on my toes for very long before having to bow down to a cross-legged position. But I was finally back on the mat! My ankle isn't too sore today. I'll have to see how it holds up after tonight.
I wore my elbow brace, rolled up my right sleeve so ev
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Aiki-Log -- Class #27
Thursday, October 28, 2004 -- 7:30pm
Watchi-waza still in progress.
SHIHONAGE VARIATIONS
The entire class was based on shihonage. By the end of class was had seen 8 different shihonage-based techniques, and John Sensei said we had just scratched the surface of what he wanted to show us. He said he didn't even get through half of what he wanted to cover just in this one class! Cool stuff!
I had spoken with Sensei before class about my injuries and said I'd able to get back on the mat as soon as my ankle is better (maybe next week), but that I'd have to modify my seiza forever. Also, I'd have to totally avoid any right arm activities until my elbow gets better (probably several more weeks). During class, we both said it was a good thing I was doing watchi-waza for the shihonage class. I might have to sit out classes like that in the future if my elbow isn't ready. There were very few things I could've done if I were out there.
HELLO
We're getting a new student! He studied Yoshokai Aikido for about 3 ˝ years. I'm not sure if he stopped, for how long, or why he's starting up with us, but I'm sure he'll feel welcome. I recognize a lot of my old style when I watch him practice. I think we'll get along great. I'll be curious if he plans on staying. Will he have to re-test, like I'm going to do, to re-establish his rank? That should be interesting!
GOODBYE
We've been privileged to have a visitor for about 5 or 6 weeks. He
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Aiki-Log -- Class #25 & #26
Wednesday, October 27, 2004 -- 6:30pm & 7:30pm
Watchi-waza… still. Maybe next week my ankle will be good enough to let me get on the mat. I sure wished I was out there!
GOSHIN-JITSU
Class was smaller this time (2nd class in the series). There were only 6 students, all "core" participants. Attacks covered a "mugger's choke from behind", shoulder grab by someone next to you (with one variation), two people -- one grabbing each of your shoulders (with a few variations). Not too bad for a class that only lasts about 45 minutes, after you get the mats put down.
AIKIDO
There were 11 students there, which is fairly typical for a Wednesday class. After normal class warm-ups, they did bokken warm-ups (from something Nakazawa Sensei showed us), a breath throw starting from uke grabbing your shoulder from the front and a few other standard techniques.
11-11-2004 06:05 AM 
It forces me to pay much closer attention so I can mirror image the movements.
Two new students! His dad studied before, but at a different dojo. I'm not sure what style, but I think it's Yoshinkai. That dojo closed down and the instructor moved to Ohio.