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.