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Only got one hour on the mat tongiht due to getting ready for a trip to Austin for nephew's graduation... too much to do.
In class, we mostly worked on ikkyo. Kato Shihan does it slightly different from what we did before, and now I need to REALLY move my hips in order to get it right. Well, it ain't so easy.
Sensei is getting ready for the Houston Seminar and the Embukai that they have planned. He needs to do a 10 minute demonstration, which we worked on a little bit last night. It's pretty cool: Sensei has developed a "one handed" tenchinage throw that is really rather compelling. You don't have much choice but to go and take the fall. Tenchi means "Heaven and Earth" and usually one hand is high (heaven) and the other is low (Earth). But in this technique, one hand is first one thing and then the other.
Kind of his own creation, as he's never seen anyone else do it. I'm curious to hear what Kato Shihan thinks of it?
So, first half of the class, we worked on the demonstration stuff, and we all took ukemi for it.
Second half of class, I worked with Ben Rodriquez, a new student. He should be testing in a month or so. We went back to square one and started at katate dori ikkyo and went over the technique, omote and ura, a good number of times. On the shomenuchi, even I had confusion on that one. Before, doing AAA style, we never did ikkyo from a shomenuchi attack... ever! It was always off of a grab. So now I feel like I'm learning a whole new MA or something.
Things started to click and come together though. The foot work was throwing me off, but I think that is all "re-wired" now. Was a good class all in all.
Still pending Jun's approval, but I've posted 9 pictures on my Gallery and found that by clicking on "Pending Approval" I was still able to see the pics. That's cool!
Anyhow, hope everyone checks em out. I'm very pleased with them and with the banner. Don't know if Sensei will be able to use it, but I may give him the banner to take to Houston in case he wants to set it up down there.
Class tonight! Hope I'm ready... I'm STILL a little sore from last week! I guess maybe I should say "weak" instead? Ugh...
Well, this weekend was a great one! I'm still sore from Thursdays class, but Saturday, 5 of us showed up at the local "Celebration of the Arts" in downtown Midland to put on a demonstration!
Sensei Riggs, Mike Cervantes, Johnny Couch, Me and Benjamin (new student) were all there and put on a pretty good show. Sensei did a number of various techniques, lots of kokyu, shiho, katame waza of course. Later, he did some weapons take-aways and finished off with some Jo work.
I got lots of pictures (thanks to my lovely wife Leslie, "Thanks Darlin'!") and I'll be submitting a bunch of the photos to be posted on the Aiki-gallery.
Thanks to Sensei Randy Shoupe for coming up from San Angelo to support us. He and his lovely wife have become great friends of us in Midland, and Randy Sensei will be traveling to Houston with Riggs Sensei to visit Kato Shihan and attend the seminar the first weekend of June.
Thanks also goes out to Donna Cervantes for wrangling kiddos while her husband was off playing... and for her manning the camera, allowing us to get the demonstration on video.
Special Thanks goes out to my wife, Leslie. The day before the demo, I went to the store and bought a 6'x9' canvas, paint and brushes and stayed up till 2:30am painting the kanji on the future "banner." Then I woke Leslie and she not only painted in the stenceled letters of "Aikido of Midland," but she also created stencels and painted the phone number as well... stayed up till 8:30am
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Oh my goodness... last nights class just plain laid me out flat. I've had work-outs before, and long classes and such, but last night kicked my ever lovin' BUTT!
We did various versions of Kaiten nage: static, with motion, with a walking blend. We did one where you walk in behind the uke and use your inside arm/hand to them on around behind you, then you pause, extend and cut... throwing the uke in a kokyunage throw. If you do it right, it works well. If you do it wrong, like I did, your arms get exhausted... and boy am I tired now.
And THEN... as if THAT weren't enough, Ryo Randori: Kokyu, Kokyu, Kokyu...
I held on for as long as I could, but I just finally had to sit down. I coudln't go on anymore. Ugh... I have GOT to get in shape!
Arts Fest this Saturday! I'll report on how it goes.
Class stunk last night. I sware, if I can't make it on a daily basis week after week, I feel like I'm starting over from scratch every time.
We worked on Soto movement, various techniques off of a shomen attack:
1) Step to the outside and open the uke's arm, enter and use your hip and shoulder to lift and throw uke. Very much like a judo throw, but with more hip than "over the shoulder" motions.
2) Tski to the face. Rising strike to the side of the head/face. But rather than slapping them, you just extend, turn your hand as you enter with your body, turn the hand counter-clockwise to turn the uke and throw them down. This was interesting, but challenging to practice without actually slapping someone
3) After the soto movement and you open the arm, you reach up (quickly) and grab the underside of the uke's gi sleeve (tricept area) and give em a good yank! That was a fun one, timing is critical however.
4) Soto motion, open the arm, extend out and project the uke's arm (both out and down) Nage steps with the outside leg and brings their other arm in behind the uke's knee. Go down on both knees, still keeping uke's arm out and down, and cut with the inside arm at the back of the knee and bring the uke down. If this is done properly, uke will land right in front, maybe a little to the side, but in front and allow for the nage to continue the attack if nessecary in a true martial situation.
I did this particular technique one time correctly... and the uke was
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It was good to get back on the mat last night. Had a good class, reviewed what we're going to do for an upcoming demonstration and practiced reiyo randori (sp?) which is a good arobic work-out.
First thing Sensei showed us was a "one handed" Tenchi-nage he's been working on. He called me up to take ukemi, which kinda surprised me, and then threw me one handed... which REALLY surprised me! Same basic concept behind Tenchinage, but using only one hand. Have to have good connection though, or it won't work and becomes all muscle.
Sensei was stressing how important it was to really relax on this, and Tenchi in general. When the Uke locks down and has your hand/wrist very secure, you would be using muscle to try and move it. So instead, you need to move your elbow and redirect from there, get under the wrist with your elbow and then extend and project as nessecary (without a prescription Bad joke! LOL)
Anyhow, that was interesting, but I'm going to need more work on it for sure.
Next up, we did a two handed Tenchi but continued the blend and reversed the hands. You start the technique, and then half way through, the up hand starts down, down goes up, you continue the blending motion with the hips and do a full 180 degree pivot throwing the uke down. If the uke fights this, it only helps you throw them. Fun stuff.
Last part of class, we worked on the udi furi movement of ryo randori which I still can't spell. We took it slow, paced ourselves, concentrated on bre
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Well, my allergies have escalated into a full-on sinus infection. Talk about pissin' me off! Grrr....
Normally on the weekends, we all get together at the future dojo/office site and work on putting up walls and renovating the new space. I was lucky just to get outta bed this weekend.
BUT... made it to the doctor's office and got some Rx on the way. May skip class this week until I'm better. I don't think I'm infectious, but best to play it safe. Now to tell Sensei and everyone.
05-27-2005 07:45 AM 
kanji on the future "banner." Then I woke Leslie and she not only painted in the stenceled letters of "Aikido of Midland," but she also created stencels and painted the phone number as well... stayed up till 8:30am
