AikiWeb: The Source for Aikido Information AikiWeb's principal purpose is to serve the Internet community as a repository and dissemination point for aikido information.
Hello and thank you for visiting AikiWeb, the
world's most active online Aikido community! This site is home to
over 22,000 aikido practitioners from around the world and covers a
wide range of aikido topics including techniques, philosophy, history,
humor, beginner issues, the marketplace, and more.
If you wish to join in the discussions or use the other advanced
features available, you will need to register first. Registration is
absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to complete so sign up today!
Last night at weapons we did 21 count jo kata again. Sensei had us do it as a group first and then senior students worked with those who were having a hard time with the exercise.
Sensei then had the beginners do the kata on their own. I was first. And silly as it may sound, I was nervous. Shaky even. I bowed to O'Sensei and proceeded to do the kata. It went by very quickly. I may have held my breath for most of it. At least I remembered what to do. At the end Sensei said to keep practicing. I need to extend my arms and relax my shoulders and think of the jo as an extension of my body.
December 2, 2004, Patience
Last night the children were distracted by an unfortunate moth that had landed on our white canvas mat during their running warm up. As little feet stampeded around the dojo skirting the moth I tried to pick it up and take it to an open window, but it kept evading me. One child called it a big mosquito. Another child tried to swat it and I asked him pointedly if he would like me to swat him like he did the moth. After the moth was safely outside we practiced for their tests.
The children will be testing in a couple of weeks. We focused on tai sabaki omote and ura, kokyu nage one, two, and three. They worked really hard for the most part. One child had to sit in the corner until he was ready to practice and not fool around.
In the ladies class I worked with a newcomer. I was amazed at my patience. I'm in testing mode (still don't know if I'm testing) and wanted to train. Instead I did tai sabaki omote and ura and ryototori tenchinage with the beginner, while the rest of the class did techniques.
I think I'm becoming more comfortable with "teaching".
12-02-2004 10:39 AM 