Sensei asked me to take over this class so I came fully prepared, but at the last minute a sandan turned up so I asked her to teach instead. It would have been a bit odd the other way around! During my class preparations I noticed that one of the attacks which I didn't feel to confident about was yokomen and, lo and behold, this was the technique she chose to work with during the entire class!
Notes:
- try to keep correct ma'ai, not to lose uke
- don't forget to go into elbow uke to take center, if atemi alone not sufficient
- difference between ura/omote: go in deeper
- try to end up @ exactly 45 degrees for omote
- Tissier variation for ikkyo: all feet on one line, simply slide out back foot
- when progressing from static (stopping) to dynamic (cutting) visualizing circles helps |
Ouch. My muscles aren't too happy about last night's class - that was HARD work. First hour we worked with 'resisting' uke, trying to move him anyhows without starting to use force. Techniques were shiho nage, irimi nage, kote gaeshi, kokyu ho. For me to be able to move a big guy resisting me it meant having to go low, way lower than is comfortable. Hence the complaining muscles. But it does work - whenever I remember to drop FIRST and then move. Moving straight into resistance is useless, no chance.
Second hour we worked with assorted punches, trying to stay straight and not dodge incoming attack. We did both straight punches and hooks. Punches: stop at shoulder, thus creating a 'pause' during which you can proceed to technique (e.g. shiho nage, kote gaeshi). Don't look at hands, feel. We also worked on gently diverting the punches, caressing rather than hitting. Hooks: first blocking in elbow, then using uke's elbow as reference point for technique (e.g. ikkyo or irimi nage). Theoretically, third stage should have been using own elbow as focus but I didn't quite get there.
Things to work on:
- do NOT forget about 'elbow point' (which happens when I rush through technique)
- stop refusing to take ukemi; if afraid to breakfall just go backwards
- use extension when blocking blows
- work lower than comfort zone |
Small class with heavy work. Attack always same, gyaku hanmi dynamic (going into elbow to take over uke's centre). Main focus was on keeping constant pressure, very difficult. Kept disconnecting, esp. when taking over with hands etc. (e.g. in ikkyo). Tendency to start using muscles and try to hard. Getting frustrated. We worked on ikkyo, kote gaeshi and irimi nage in this way. At the end of class did tachi waza kokyu nage using same approach. That worked a lot better, was able to connect. But then there's not a lot of moving about in that...
Sensei also talked about difference between what he called ken-jutsu and tai-jutsu. Because of different ma'ai they need different approach; first one looking with eyes, second one with belly; feeling, because no space to look. We tried to practice switching between the two with uke approaching from a greater distance, but incredibly difficult.
Training partner reminded me that I shouldn't keep attacking mindlessly, but take time after each attack to reconnect and start from the right place rather than turning into an aikirobot. Sensei reminded me that when taking ukemi from kote gaeshi I should NOT look where I'm going, but simply stay in the hand and feel, and ukemi will be a breeze.
More stuff to work on:
- don't go up again, esp. in irimi nage, stay low.
- constant pressure does NOT mean pushing hard
- STAY STRAIGHT even when going down |
A summary of things I need to work on in general:
- stand low, straight head/upper body, maintain same height (no bobbing up and down)
- feel partner through hands (starting with little finger) & centre
- focus on tai sabaki/hips
- strong, dedicated grip (thumb/little finger)/attack, not initiated with eyes but with hips
- move, move, move!!!
- if something doesn't work, SLOW DOWN
- no staring, no getting involved in partner, simply work on axes
- less is more; no trying to push/pull my way through technique
- use 'pumping' function of legs
- don't let yourself be pushed back; don't walk into attack either
- reduce all attacks to ai/gyaku hanmi form
- no dreaming, be present and aware
- finish techniques properly |
Our most advanced class (apart from yudansha training which of course I can't attend) is the Monday evening one. Two hours, lots of intimidating many-dans, mainly big bulky men. Very intensive training, lots of stress, 'aggressive' attacks like tsuki, shomen uchi, etc. Heavy work and extremely frustrating because of the high level. Most of the things I can't even begin to get right, most of the people I can't even get close to moving. This class so freaks me out that I usually very cowardly try to avoid it or, if I go, stay only for the first hour. Pretty nuts, because all the experience on the mat means I can learn loads even if it looks like I'm only getting everything wrong, so last night I decided to go and stay it out. And I did it! I even trained with the tallest, most intimidating sandan...(and got to demonstate how I couldn't move him in front of class).
Hard to give a summary of this class because the stuff we worked on was so advanced that I didn't get half of it. Main thing I need to remember is that I had a great time because I managed to stay sort of calm throughout, simply tried to do my thing and not get frustrated it didn't work. Of course ikkyo direct (kind of 'through'uke) didn't work when I tried it on the sandan. But sensei helped out and showed how I could at least adjust technique so it could work on my level. Still get very nervous and jumpy when people try to hit my head, basically want to duck and run, but was helped greatly by many yudansha who simply decided to take it slow and thus gave me a chance to try and figure out the technique and not get stuck in fear. We did techniques from jodan tsuki (kaiten nage, irimi nage, ikkyo), shomen uchi (again ikkyo, irimi nage), gyaku hanmi (ikkyo and irimi nage...moving uke straightaway) and lots of kokyu nages. In both ikkyo and irimi nage worked on going directly 'into' the right spot (elbow/shoulder). Focus was on working slowly and engaging hips/belly rather than rushing things. Great class, I didn't die, in fact, had a lot of fun. Will be there again next week for sure. |
| » Sumo/geisha class |
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Great mixed class (mainly beginners) tonight. Started with tenkan-initiated techniques such as ikkyo, irimi nage and (uchi) kaiten nage. Then soto kaiten nage - must go lower, touch the ground, very tempting to get sloppy in this one. Had a lot of trouble with one beginner who kept bobbing up and down, very hard to keep him steady, tried to go slower & be more precise in my technique which helped. Then we did nikkyo - with slap and punch, the 'ladder' way, where the other hand moves in naturally as you turn your body. Got hit on the jaw instead and wasn't too pleased. Yonkyo next, I got to be demo uke for this one of course :-). I can never do yonkyo properly, even if I get the movement right I never manage to touch the right nerve, but tonight I FINALLY HURT SOMEONE!!! And it was a pretty big guy. Yeah! Am getting the hang of the hand switching and the hand basically 'falling' into uke's lower arm, as if it were a sword. Nice.
After all that pain it was time for some fun. We did kokyu nage's as a sumo wrestler (hitting the belly, later also lifting one leg and stomping about), dropping hand straight to the floor, moving as a geisha (very light and gracefully) and as if praying and bowing. Dessert was kokyu ho, again, both heavy and light. I got to experience sensei's weight there as he simply moved over me as a bulldozer. Wow. Very fun class indeed, and managed to stay pretty calm throughout, trying to work on posture etc.
Main corrections: stand lower, keep head straight and don't slouch, don't get involved in partner
Jan. 25th, 2005 @ 10:10 pm
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| » Emptiness and blending before X-mas |
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When a couple of other (semi-)adults and I showed up for the kid's class (with only 1 kid) yesterday sensei had a surprise: a beautiful X-mas tree suspended from the roof right in the middle of the dojo. Awesome!
Got to work with the little one a lot (about one 3rd of my height) and sensei showed me how I did not need to go down on my knees for shiho nage (move from shoulder to shoulder). Also pointed out that I shouldn't be too careful, rather just get physical and be very clear about movement, don't try to explain anything, just make him go through the right movements by guiding him along. He explained later that if you don't do that all he'll do is copy your own awkward, fuzzy behaviour and in a year or so that will be what's set in his system.
After a while sensei turned on the music used in yoga classes and we did funky things like some sort fireman's hold (arm in between legs & then lift so person is over your shoulder) which was fun.
Then worked on ikkyo from tsuki on flat open hand, taking the power and going with it. Was blocking at first but later on managed to go with it, which felt good.
Afterwards I finally managed to pluck up enough courage after two months of hesitation to ask sensei if I could come to The Hague with him, where he teaches an evening class once a week. He said yes, so that was my first X-mas present this year. :-) Class started with sword, which I never train, so felt bad for my partner but she was nice enough and tried to explain the basics. After that great class, very concentrated and energetic, good group of people to work with, very focused. Main theme was blending, mainly with shomen uchi. First I was again getting stressed out, blocking or hurrying, but once I managed to slow down and move in the right direction it became obvious how much time you actually have. Nice that. Also noticed how soft you can work when you're 'in there'. At te end of the class got called up to take ukemi and of course he tried to take the mickey, but in a nice friendly sort of way. Left with a very content and warm feeling, and went on to cafe to get even warmer with a couple of beers.
Last class before X-mas this morning. Nice set of people, and we got to work on more 'inner' principles. Working with what he calls 'letting a silence fall', creating a sort of emptiness inside the technique and then proceed from there. Several ways of doing this: light slap, grabbing & having emptiness inside hand, or simply not being there when fist arrives. Worked on this with sankyu, ikkyo, kote gaeshi, irimi nage. Very concentrated work, and so strange as uke, you feel so stupid when your attack is totally, well, obliterated like that. Obliterated by emptiness, that's the only way I can describe it. Very special, if I can learn to do that one day...
Now it's a break until next Monday when Winter School starts. Good for my body which feels pretty worn out after the intense schedule of the past two weeks (and all that beer didn't help either). Looking back, I am actually quite content. I managed to learn from my exam experience and my attitude on the mat has improved a great deal, as has my focus. I know what I need to do and I'm doing it - what more can I ask for?
Dec. 23rd, 2004 @ 05:15 pm
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| » Nikyu |
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Disastrous 2nd kyu exam last Friday. Learnt a lot there. Self-respect, making choices and standing by them. Spent half an hour crying in the changing room. Managed to get myself together and back on the mat for a good class afterwards.
Here's a summary of classes since.
Saturday:
Soto kaiten: big, broad movement; don't forget other arm.
Ukemi when doing qyaku hanmi with irimi tenkan: stay with arm, don't 'forget' about it.
Attack straight, hips straight, don't turn your body away. Stay with it, don't dream.
Sunday:
Had run-in with shodan who tried to force me to breakfall. I explained that this was only making my fear, stiffness etc. worse and asked him not to do it again. He said ok, then after a couple of turns he tried again, I fell pretty badly and I just exploded, said 'I just asked you NOT to do that' and stormed off the mat. He apologized afterwards, said it was disrespectful and stupid and that he'll never do it again. No problem. Felt really good getting angry and getting everything out of my system and even resolved with him in this way.
Sensei focused on using strength from hind leg and not moving back foot when finishing throw, e.g. in irimi nage, shiho nage, kote gaeshi, etc. Very hard to keep foot still and not shuffle!
Monday:
Focus on tai sabaki: moving feet together then apart again to create sort of pump function. Applied this to loads of different techniques: ikkyo, irimi nage, etc. etc.
Tuesday am:
Ukemi for sankyo: stay with centre, move with big steps rather than small ones. Tori: don't look down, esp during 2nd part of technique.
Tuesday evening:
Sensei very angry with me for not remembering Monday's lesson. Big speech on what senior's attitude should be. Again working on Monday's tai sabaki. During kokyu ho (tachi waza): focus on emptying hand before moving (try to disconnect hand to test whether correct). I tried to keep proper attitude (not talking, working with concentration) all throughout class and was pretty content at end of class. Still way too timid during nikyo and too involved with partners. Later on got shown by sensei what other ways (more advanced ways) of doing nikyo are and what these can do to a partner (e.g. cutting straight through you, directly to floor, etc.). Very good, I am happy that he is getting more physical again (very much prefer physical lessons to verbal ones - no time for mind to get in the way).
At the end, speech about how special aikido is, that it's not just something you do. Really touched me, I love aikido, it's given me so much and during the past couple of months I was forgetting that love and enjoyment and turning it into some kind of chore. Tonight I was able to start putting my heart back into it, which was great.
Dec. 21st, 2004 @ 09:54 pm
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| » Teacher training |
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I've been helping out with a couple of classes these past two weeks. First time teaching on the mat, was very reluctant at first but turns out that I love it. Especially last night's class, where 12 adult beginners managed to remind me of all the mistakes I make in my own training. I actually got so much out of it that was more as if they were being my teacher instead...Getting frustrated with your partner and beginning to pull and drag, not staying upright, being too way too high, uncentered, etc. - they do it all and so do I. That, and having the exquisite pleasure of helping someone with a technique and seeing something click...awesome.
Today I got to help out with the little ones (6-10) which was a lot harder. I find it difficult to judge how much they can handle (I think I'm way too careful with them, especially when I see how my sensei handles them) and how much 'instruction' they can digest with their relatively short attention span. There are real mini-wars going on there - some of them seem a lot meaner than the average adult. And some of them are perfect little angels (yes, really). Doing shiho nage with them was fun esp - had to get way way way down towards the mat, very trying for those leg muscles.
I still think my sensei is pretty nuts to put me in front of a class, but now I do hope I will get more opportunities to teach as time and my aikido level progress...
Dec. 1st, 2004 @ 10:39 pm
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| » Some of this week's classes |
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Focus on tai sabaki last Tuesday - esp. being more exact and working with axes. Hard - my feet obviously do not want to go where they should go!
This morning two handed attack with the thumbs-up thumbs-down tenkan opening after which various techniques; ikkyo, sankyo, shiho nage, irimi nage. Got confused and unfocused, got better when sensei started to get annoyed with me somehow. Sankyo still difficult. I somehow seem to be convinced that I can't do it so I don't even try it! Am also afraid to cut straight down and hurt people...
Sep. 16th, 2004 @ 05:07 pm
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