Kangeiko 2014 : Day 1

Kangeiko Day 1, Shihonage

I opened this year's Kangeiko for the first time. I was thinking I came a long way...as walking onto the mat : )

Its my 10th Kangeiko, meaning its my 10th year doing this Aikido. Long time indeed.
I often ask myself whats driving me to do this Aikido so much...? There are many reasons,  its going to be a long list, in short they just fit me by chance or fate, lucky me.

During the class, I made a pause to the class and said something like this.
"We spend so much time and put energy and effort and passion on this training, we have got to make it right." I actually surprised myself as I heard the words coming out of my mouth. I think it was the words from my heart, not from my brain. I liked that.

First Class 2013

Jan 7 Kids First Class in Takatsu:

Test training. It was nice to see all the 7 kids got together for the first time in a month, holidays do the tricks ;) 

5 kids are testing at the end of the month and they seem pretty keen. Although, it had been a while for some of the kids to be back on the mat, that made a class a little bit "getting back the feeling" all way through the class.

First Test Training, it was bad...I was sad...it didn't flow at all...my shoulder was having a stiff bump and it made the training very poor...got fixed a little bit and tried jiyuwaza walk through. Its gotten much better and I was much happier.


Jan 8 First Class in Roppongi, (and half hour test training with Stumpy)

Jiyuwaza walk through:

Shomen Uchi & Shomen Tsuki
Training with Stumpy makes it obvious that I tend to come up (meaning coming off kamae) since he is much taller than me. Also, I find myself getting ready and jump as I can see how far I have to go to make my breakfalls. I may have to be quick and ready but I don't know if I really should jump that much. I guess it takes a lot of getting used to and moving in the flow.

Shomen Iriminage, it was very heavy when I first tried...was not very nice. Heaviness means force...it turned out that I was not waiting long enough for my big uke to fall into the spot he loses his balance, its easy to say...

The best thing to realize was that I don't think I have to worry about if the techniques are come while doing Jiyuwaza. I have enough variety to make a set of throws for the basic attacks.

First Class: first week after the holiday is not so easy. the first week hurts always, this has to be done, and its started.

2013, Happy New Year!

The Year 2012

New year... I like it for the way it gives a fresh start.

My 2012 was a busy and good one. I would say it has started, and now in the new year, I would like to keep it going.

Test Videos

I have been away from leaving notes here but I have been training in Roppongi and Urayasu, met and trained with people from different back ground or training history...etc.

One thing to another, it pointed me to watch my old test videos.

I uploaded on youtube since I thought it may be helpful to the others.
Hope it is!

6th Kyu Test

4th Kyu Test

1st Kyu Test

Osu,
Saori

Kangeiko 2011- Day 9

Kangeiko 2011- Day 7

Kangeiko 2011- Day 6

Kangeiko 2011- Day 5

Kangeiko 2011- Day 4

Kangeiko 2011- Day 3

Kangeiko Day3

Kangeiko 2011- Day 2

Ikkajo


Suriashi
Shikkoho

Hiriki no Yosei-1 & 2 with partners


Shomen Uchi Ikkajo Osae-1
Suwariwaza Shomen Uchi Ikkajo Osae-1
Kata Mochi Ikkajo Osae-2
Ushiro Eri Mochi Ikkajo Osae-2

Kangeiko 2011- Day 1

Shihonage

The biggest class of the year, 6 students with Mike Sensei, Kangeiko Day 1...!

Shumatsu Dosa

Ryote Mochi Shihonage-1
Katate Mochi Shihonage-2
Hanmi Handachi Ryote Mochi Shihonage
Yokomen Uchi Shihonage-1

It was really nice having 6 students on the mat for Kangeiko Day1.
Its always fun to do Aikido but it sure is different having many people on the mat.

What is "FUN" anyway? Ah, that is a big word...but I can name my fun or at least one of them.

When I am thrown hard, I really have to take it right and well, but when it happens...its really fun.
Its like a conversation without a word goes so well between the two people or something.........
I think its likely to happen when Shite has no fear of throwing people (for getting hurt).
Throwing hard is really an important factor of the training, yet not to hurt each other is also an important factor...
I am less fearful for getting hurt but to hurt others...Maybe thats something I can focus on.

Pre Kangeiko Training

Our annual KANGEIKO starts on Monday.
We (another student and I, we are very small right in these days...) went through basic techniques to prepare for the coming week.

Shihonage
Ikkajo
Nikajo
Sankajo
Yonkajo

All 1 & 2 techniques, 10 techniques total...pointing out only a few points in each techniques, still made it through 10 of them. It was fun to go through techniques after techniques after all. We go through as many techniques as possible during Kangeiko/Shochugeiko...the difference between those 2 is...the weather...The coldest time of the year or the hottest...its harder to come to the dojo when its cold, its harder to go through the class when its hot.
I have just started going to school on Wednesdays and I am planning to do 7 days out of 9...The first time the 7th year that I will not do all days...I will see how I feel about this.

We made a quite a Showcase page for the last Shochugeiko, its good to have something like this ; )

RYA SHOCHUGEIKO2010

Shumatsu Dosa and Shihonage

I knew one time acupuncture wouldn't cure the pain all the way...back pain is back. 

Still, its better than before Saturday, that is a relief.

Back to training, Shumatsu Dosa and Shihonage.

If you are focusing on one thing, another slips away and back and back and...

We got pointed out that we were caring much less of the back hip which makes the whole body well balanced and too much focusing on going forward as pushing the forward hip.

It is a natural movement to care about what's in front but what's more important is to keep you steady and balanced, and that keeps you strong...right right right...

The biggest discovery, as I make the Shihonage-throw, I always end up having my heel off the mat which gives me no space to push forward for "shime", I always thought I never forget this point, but I just cant find the space to do it...What I was doing wrong was the where I place my feet...

Ah~~

Saved by the needles!

I don't really know the way to keep my body in a good condition without getting massages or an acupuncture.

The last 2 weeks, I was having a bad pain in the back and I finally had a chance to get it acupuncture and I was saved...

They told me the condition was pretty bad and I am planning to go back, still I felt so much better after that.
Mostly, my body started moving the way I wanted it to move!

Its good to train hard and all...but you have to also take care of  your body and so ;)

First Class 2011

The class opened with 30 back breakfalls..and shikko-ho, kihon dosa.

I wasn't expecting losing that much in 2 and half weeks!! I sucked!!!

Will be back on the mat on Thursday...

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.