Happy Holidays!

I had a busy year...made this animoto to say hi to everyone I couldnt really have said any in 2010.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Self Defense Demo

Self Defense Demo

At a school festival in Yokohama, there were probably around 50 people in the audience (many senior people) and they seemed to like people being beating up, GO AIKIDO : )

It went okay...although I have to say that I was saved by Okamoto san, far better than me person doing the attacker (he had to go down!).

Self defense hurts pretty badly if you do it right...as its supposed to be the purpose...DUH! 

I couldn't hide the hesitation of the fear of hurting the attacker, which really was a silly thing even to think since he knows better, he can take care of himself even better than I could have...

I guess the biggest lesson I learned from this demo was that how difficult but important to make the right move at the right time without hesitation.

And of course...the feeling of that I am not YET no where near from these people far better than me... ; )

55th All Japan Yoshinkan Embu

第55回全日本養神館合気道演武大会

We are given 2 minutes to do these demos, 2 minutes comes out of so much minutes of practice...

I don't dislike nor love doing this embu thing, to be honest...but it sure gives something we can take home when its done...and its every time, I guarantee...; )

I started training Yoshinkan Aikido in the summer of 2004, came onto the mat without knowing a thing about it...and now, 6 years later...I was representing a dojo to fill the spot for Instructors' demo for the teachers who unfortunately weren't available on this day.

Of course, I wouldn't hide the fact I trained insanely to get here...it wasn't an easy way to come, but it was surely worth the way.

And this demonstration, it's an annual event for all Yoshinkan Aikido world. I have been participating since 2005, and it was my 6th! Yet the first time participating not as a student, I wouldn't talk much about the pressure I was feeling here though, but there was...a lot!)

Anyway, I had to give the demo as instructors way...It was so different!! It was so hard to make the difference!! I did not know what to expect when teachers asked (or told...) me to fill their spot for them...

The biggest difference I find is the mind set. The different mind set shows the different attitude and all that..., but let's stick to this one big difference for now.

As a student, I always thought the only thing to do is just whatever you can push out from what you got. But as an instructor, you are supposed to show how you manage/control the mat, you can't be the follower, you have to lead whats going on. And of course, the throws has to have a meaning, even for the demo set...

What I figured what I needed to learn was how to look scary, how to keep the intent, the mind/attitude that I lead whats happening in this 2 minutes...

Taking videos so many times and watching how I move did help a big deal...When its really over, I felt relieved (not making mistakes!) and yet I could have done it better at the same time. This feeling, "I could have done it better", is one of the motivation you can carry home to get better, I think ;)

Keep moving forward

Kamae Kamae Kamae....and Keep Moving Forward. 

Key word for next week ;)

I will keep it in mind.

Ryote Mochi

Just feels like, I get worse as I practice more...Umm...thats not good!

Shomen Tsuki

Shomen Tsuki Jiyuwaza practice. I feel moving around uke, so I am busy trying to do the stuff instead of letting things happen around me.

Back on Bike!

Rode bike to the office this morning. 5.6km, got lost and ended up on the other side of Tokyo station took me about 10 mins to come to the right side...(yeah, its a huge station!) The whole trip was 40mins so should be down to 30 mins.

I make 2 trips to the office everyday to take care the dogs during lunch, I used to make those 2 trips by bike  before my office moved in May as the office was only 4 km away from home. I didnt realize how big part of this trips were to keep me in the shape!

Anyways, the plan for now is to make one trip by bike and one by train.

Lets see how it goes. I must say, it feels really good after riding the bike for 40 mins!

Embu training 2010, how it began

All Japan Yoshinkan Embu: Nov 20 2010

This is what's happening next for my aikido. I have been participating in Embu for several years but it has been always as a student. This year, I am going to fill the position for an instuctor demo since my two teachers can not make it on the day. 

I am confident to say, that I am freaking out of the idea of going for it, but what has to be done has to be done, unfortunately, crying wouldn't do...

Luckily, a good friend who introduced me to this aikido world, also introduced this video at the very right timing. (Yeah it's you again, Brad!) 

All I have to do is to do it, damn right...yet that is the hardest thing. 

I have been training, that hasn't changed much but I gained quite a bit of weight.

I can blame on many things for gaining weight (and losing the moves!), yet again crying would not do for me to come onto the embu mat in a month, and I decided to push myself to the edge.

Well, comment for today, let's put it this way...this clip totally shows "the start" and say no more...I have a lot to work on, we have a lot to work on.. and a month to do it...Let's see what we can pull off... Here is "the start clip with Steve."

And with Jaye who is 8 years old, and just started flipping. Don't miss the smile he can not hide everytime he flipped.

Tanto Soho

Tanto Soho

From my 2nd dan test, March 2009.

I totally screwed up on the second set as we switched sides,  I stopped and bowed to the teachers but they didnt give us a chance to do do-over...

Then, that not giving a chance to do do-over gave me a snap, "do they want me to do this (the whole test) all over again?", somehow the fear that I had been carrying for making mistakes vanished and I was able to switch my mind to focus on what was in front of me till the end of the test.

Shochugeiko 2010 Day 1 SHIHONAGE

Shochugeiko Started!




I was really glad that I didn't pass out!

Kept Moving, Kept Sweating...

Back Breakfalls (10)
Kihon Dosa
Random Techniques

Note:
Class of 3.  We kept moving on San-nin Dori throughout the hour. Repeating the same technique two times with 2 different ukes, around 10 techniques...no demonstration, along with MASSIVE SWEAT!

The more you train, not only the better you get, also the better you can manage the tiredness etc...
When You don't know much, or you have a little experience, you tend to think much or do things with your own expectation even without knowing. My point is that you learn what to keep/ what to drop to do/to think, in the physically/mentally tough situation. This can be described as "economizing your movement", I think.

Interestingly...the less you do, the better your techniques get. The less you think, the better your body moves...

I guess whats important and yet difficult to do is to stay focus.

I think I like isolating myself from the world and focus on the technique I am doing. These moments gives me the reason to stay on training.

Showcase Page Fully Geared!

I spent some time to make my Showcase Central page fully geared.
http://www.showcase-portfolio.info/index_html?view_id=1268793339&language=english
This showcase is to introduce my blog (means this!), and also to introduce my Aikido history with photos and videos. This comes in English and Japanese. I find it quite difficult to write in 2 languages in the exacly the same manner, so there are differences.

I took my 2nd dan Test in March 2009, I was happy that I simply went through it. I was quite proud of myself for that I did not stop or show the sign that I was holding back at any point. But now I think of it after sometime (over a year...), there are places that can be improved. (Of course there is!)

For one...my Kotegaeshi is making too big circle, it probably makes it hard for some people to just flip out if they are not so confident flipping in any direction. That's one of the points I really want to be careful when I will practice Kotegaeshi for the next time.

I picked up only a part to make the videos for this showcase page...maybe I should look into the test video really closely and see what I have to work on more...

I know I have said this many times in many places but I can't say this enough...I have been lucky in every possible way for my Aikido. I can not thank enough to people who supported me to come to this point.

Ushiro waza

Shomen Uchi Ikkajo Osae-1
Ushirowaza Ryote Mochi Ikakjo Osae-1
Ushirowaza Ryote Mochi Sankajo-2 (up to Sankajo)

Note:
Class of 5. I thought it goes with Ikkajo all way through the class but Sensei mixed with Sankajo as well.

Ushirowaza...not only the movements look complicated, there are many factors you have to keep pay attention to...

I think the most important point of all is to keep you balance (when this isnt important...!)
Believe it or not, Suwariwaza Ryote Mochi Kokyuho is a great practice you can apply to many many techniques the same concept of staying in balance and keep moving at the same time.

Taking a step back as you keep everything else in Ushiro movement is a tough move but if you can keep your back line...it gets much easier and makes much more sense.

Kangeiko Day 4

Day 4: Sankajo

Kihon Dosa: Tai no Henko-2, to keep the center while moving esp. step2 (for Sankajo reverse pivot)
Sankajo: To remember the feeling of hands arms, and hips.

Shomen Uchi Sankajo Osae-1 (I forgot to go through by the numbers)
Suwariwaza Shomen Uchi Sankajo Osae-1 (I forgot to go through, "all way through with the second side people)
Shomen Uchi Sankajo Osae-2

Shomen Uchi Sankajo Nage-Forward (Kagarigeiko)
Shomen Uchi Sankajo Nage-Turn around (Kagarigeiko)

Class of 8, plus 2 teachers and me. I had a plan...still missed a lot of points to make...that created a quite bit of gaps between what I wanted the class to do, and they actually could have done. Its really hard to fill those gap at that moment even knowing that exists in the air. Its like...seeing something they are expecting to be explained or told but not knowing how to fill and push it through without enough explanation.

Its got much easier once teachers got off the mat, to leave for work...its hard enough to do a class and its even harder having senior teachers on the same mat.

Anyways, the message has to be delivered clearly, at the stage where I am at...I think its better to keep it simple too.

Kangeiko Day 2

Day 2: Ikkajo

Kihon Dosa

Shomen Uchi Ikkajo Osae-1
Shomen Uchi Ikkajo Osae-2
Suwariwaza Katate Mochi Ikkajo Osae-1
Suwariwaza Katate Mochi Ikkajo Osae-2
Ushirowaza Ryote Mochi Ikkajo Osae-1
Ushirowaza Ryote Mochi Ikkajo Osae-2
Hiji Mochi Ikkajo Osae-1
Hiji Mochi Ikkajo Osae-2
Katate Aya Mochi Ikkajo Nage
Shomen Uchi Ikkajo Nage

Day 2; the class got bigger than Day 1 yesterday, 9 students on the mat. a bit crowded. The class kept moving pretty quickly still, people kept moving for most of the techniques. Its fun to go through techniques after techniques, and Nage techniques are simply fun to do.

Need to work on staying in the center, not come up, not lose the balance...etc.


545: Random techniques
Got a tip for Katate Mochi Ikkajo-2 shifting part. I was too busy not to lose pushing around move, losing my center when I turned around. I dont know how long it has been like that...maybe (or definitely) something I can work on better with Hiriki no Yosei-2.

Kangeiko Day 1

Day 1: Shihonage

Katate Mochi Shihonage-1
Ryote Mochi Shihonage-2
Shomen Uchi Shihonage
Yokomen Uchi Shiohonage-2

I feel like I lost every steady movement...my hips/knees are high to do anything...what am I going to do with me?? Well, I have to start pushing myself in every moment, otherwise it slipps away from me, I dont like that to happen...

My knee is still weak, and "the thought of its still weak", bothers me so much, maybe I have to switch my mind around to make it stronger rather than just avoiding to do things I dont feel comfortable with...I can not keep avoiding things need to be done forever...for example, even coming up from Shihonage uke is one of them.

Another Kangeiko started...6 people started today, everyone seemed pretty excited and good to train with certain number of people everyday. For me...I did not hit my head on the mat, just keep it to the record ; )

January 20 2010

Happy New Year 2010!

My Aikido Goal for this year:
*Get better at Uke
*No Test

I must confess... I named my blog "Hungry White Pajamas" being inspired by "Angry White Pyjamas"... : )



7:00 Class: Yokomen Uchi
I remember having the hard time learning this "Yokomen Uchi" in the beginning days. Its still hard but I think not knowing what to expect to do was the hardest part (for anything, this was one of the hardest)

Sensei broke all the steps and moved one step at a time.

1. Just to block
2. Block low and Pivot inside
3. Block high and Pivot outside

 This is how far we got today, I wish we had another 20 mins to get into the techniques from there but I guess we have to come back to see how it goes after those points : )