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Jarred is back... joy. He still has a very immature attitude, but he was better last night than the night before when he stopped by to visit. He's cocky. He likes to TELL people that we can't pin him because he is so limber, he feels no pain when we lock him up. Oh well, he'll learn.
Worked alot on Shiho last night. It was good to focus on that, it's been a while. We did that and the shiho throw with the Jo. That's always fun. Doing both helps to polish up technique.
Timing is everything on these things. One thing that I found especially funny was the fact that if the Uke can extend BEYOND the nage... then the reversal is ON!
I was trying to explain how practice for reversals was important and I was misunderstood. I was TOLD that you have to go with the energy and move with it. Looking for the "hic-up" in the technique is the opening you need to reverse. Well, sure... you can feel that hic-up... but can you DO something? That's what needs practice... so you know what to do when the opprotunity comes around.
I don't know if the pressure to test is getting to me, pressure to train, pressure at work, bills, pregnant wife... or what, but I was in a major funk last night.
We worked on iriminage last night and it just didn't feel very good. During my training, I recall Sensei cutting down at the finish of iriminage, but last night he corrected me saying that I should be cutting out. THAT is why the hip is so important at the end: cutting the nage outward.
*sigh*
I thought I was supposed to be dropping them down. BOOM! Cut and down they go. For whatever reason, I was loosing patience with the whole thing and basically got off the mat and "shadow boxed" the technique for the last 20-30 minutes of class. That seemed to help more than anything.
Things just suck right now: I have family coming into town today and tomorrow, so that gives me an obligation to be with them. They are staying through the weekend, so that cuts into my ability to help Sensei with the new dojo renovations. I'm hoping to put in a little time Friday night, but I just don't know right now if that is feasable. Saturday, Randy Sensei is coming from San Angelo to work on OUR dojo...what a great guy!... and I can't be there? That sucks. Not to mention the fact that spending a little time at home with my pregnant wife would mean a lot to her.
All these things leave me hanging... and I'm supposed to test in September some time. I need more mat hours and if I can't get them, that pushes everything back: 1st k
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Last nights class was pretty good. EVERYONE was on the mat + 1.
We started off, because we had a new student, doing Ikkyo. That's good because now studying Kato's style, Ikkyo is slightly different (though better) than before. Footwork is coming around, definitly got the hip action in there, need to work on the hands now: keeping the elbow down and raising up the uke more.
After that, Sensei announced,"More Koshi's for Bozz." *sigh*
Oh well, it was good. I actually had my head in the game last night and was able to focus more on what to do. Still need to work on not bending over. Need to strengthen my legs more. (damn I'm weak in the legs!*) I actually started to get people loaded a little better last night. Still seems very greek to me, but its coming around.
The class ended off with a martial arts group from Odessa coming over to Midland to see our class and see what we do. Sensei gave a good taste introduction to aikido to them. I think they enjoyed the class. There was a lot of discussion after class with the students and instructor of the other school. Afterwards, Sensei, Lan and Couch took them over to the new dojo.. I think. I had to go home, but the plan was to go look at our upcoming studio.
Good class! Racked up another 2 hours. I should be ready to test in Sept. Maybe October depending on how things go. I'm really gonna just sit back, train and let Sensei tell me when to test.
By the way, Kato Sensei should be returning to Texas around the end of
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First hour of class we spent on Koshinage. You know, I think I did not manage to do ONE single one. All I worked on was setting up the technique, and still... I don't think I ever did. I need a lot of practice. My legs, knees specifically, are weak and I'm not over them properly.
Second half was jujinage. Need to move from the hips almost exclusivly on this one. Need a lot of work.
Class last night was pretty good, but I got tired quick. Half way through class, I was so exhausted that everything Sensei said or did just went in one ear and out the other. People would encourage me to "just try it."
"Try what?"
We worked on jujinage (sp?) and though I'm told I had the general movement down, I still need to work on the footwork and extension. I was too colapsed into me own space and my feet were too far apart.
In reflection, I see I'm exhausted, not sleeping well, staying up too late and need to change all that. Tonight, I am skipping class and hope to get to bed early. Waking up with headaches and bad dreams is not helping me or my marriage at all. I need rest!!
Back to Ikkyo again. I played uke for Ben who has returned to us again. (Welcome back, Ben!) He should be testing for 5th kyu in August if he logs the hours... and he should be able to do so easily.
Ikkyo : The cutting hand isn't enough if you do not throughly CUT! Enter... and CUT! But on top of that, in order to bring about good control, the other hand must come to the elbow, raise up the uke to help take their balance so that when you do cut, the uke is thrown forward and off-balance.
On this technique, the thing I need to work on is lowering my center to get under the uke and raising them up for cut.
Shihonage: 4 direction cut. Footwork is very key on this. Up, up, up and pivot! Don't cut until you have it sufficently raised and under control.
Kotegaishi: Again with the footwork... get off line! You really need to fully tenkan or step ten shin to get outta the way of the attack. If you just move back, you invite another attack.
It was good to just play Uke and feel the differneces in the techniques of others compared to Sensei. There is a keen difference. It was good!
Worked with Mike Sensei, Lan Sensei and a new guy named Sal (sp?). Sal is new and so we stuck to the basics.
2 hours
Sorry, this was a bad post, but yesterday was a VERY busy day. Office is going crazy with the real estate market... as is the case again today, Saturday AM! Yikes!
Worked on Nikyo and Gokyo last night. Nikyo is just a matter of practice and finesse (especially if you can spell it). Gokyo on the other hand is another matter.
First of all, Kato enters: always. Even when you blend, you blend in order to enter!
Second: he keeps uke and everything he's working with... in front of him. It helps to open up the hip on the technique execution.
Third: Keep it all UP. Whenever you receieve a technique, you need to keep it up and in front where you can work with it. If you cut the uke over, then they are headed down... or you are. Only cut em down when you WANT the uke down, otherwise, keep it out in front of you and even up to push their balance off.
SO... working on Gokyo last night, we all suddenly saw how his gokyo weapons work all fit with the techniqe. If you can do this weapons stuff, you have the technique down! I really saw how relaxed his technique can be by doing all these things. Getting good at them is the hard part. But with practice and patience (the two things I'm short on ) I'll get there.
Good classes though. Very good classes. Looking forward to tonight, if I can just get there on time...