Nov 8 Wed ~ Beginners

Posture
Centering
Tenkan
Katatetori Ikkyo (Omote & Ura)

Another new beginners’ class. Last two groups have been exceptionally motivated and talented, quick learners. It is the same with this class, great! It is the beginning of the curriculum so the focus was on proper posture. Head up, neck and shoulders relaxed, arms relaxed but extending and with the normal curve of the arm evident, knees ‘springy’. Discussion of ‘ki’ and the fact that it can’t ‘flow around corners’.

First centered by aligning the center of weight with the center of height. This is done by bending the knees so the hara / tanden (located approximately a fist width below the navel) then ‘Walked the Line’ with a ‘block on the head’. Keeping good posture tenkan practice came next. Then the principles were applied to katetori ikkyo, omote and ura.

Nov 6 Mon ~ Infrequent Techniques

Yokomenuchi Iriminage (variation)
Yokomenuchi Kube Shime Ude Gatame (2 ways)
Mentsuki Iriminage
Mae-geri (entry)
Ushiro-geri (entry)

Tonight less typical techniques were practiced. In addition the techniques varied from the standard application of Aikido techniques by going against the natural bend of a joint. The entry was practiced by initially doing an iriminage where only the rear hand was utilized to meet the strike and lead uke (as opposed to the typical forward hand leading the hand down to the rear extending hand). Although the completion of the projection is still done in a circular manner the entry to the irimi is more linear and on an angle like the ‘tail on the letter Q’.

This entering body movement continued into a lead as in shihonage but instead the inside hand moved as if to strike uke’s chin with a thrusting back fist. The same arm then continued in a reverse manner to wrap around uke’s neck as nage stepped back with the inside leg into hiza (high kneeling). Uke was brought to the mat in order to apply a choke and an arm bar with the other leading arm across the thigh on nage’s outside ‘upper’ leg. Safety on the neck was stressed with an alternative take down method suggested by placing the palm of the “choking arm” between uke’s shoulder blades (rather than complete the circle for the choke) in order to support uke and place him/her on the mat. A variation was then instructed where uke’s face was turned and pressed to the mat facing away from nage. In this instance the arm bar was completed across nage’s abdomen rather than the thigh.

Then an iriminage was used as a defense against a ‘jab’ to the face. It is similar to yokomenuchi iriminage but is applied while entering toward uke rather than stepping back on the diagonal. The use of a ‘loose fist’ was recommended for safety reasons.

The class closed with only entries to techniques against ushiro-geri (back thrust kick) and mae-geri (front snap kick) because there was not enough time to practice the ukemi required to safely complete this technique.

Nov 5 Sun ~ Gratitude Seminar

Lou Perriello has been a prominent Aikido presence in Massachusetts for decades. As founder and chief instructor of Northeast Aikikai he has taught and promoted scores of aikidoka. Recently Perriello Sensei has had to use his martial art skills to fight a life and death battle against an inoperable brain tumor. It seems he has emerged victorious but not without significant wear and tear to his body which has resulted in the loss of hair, significant weight, and his dojo. He is now in retirement, perhaps quickly becoming semi-retirement to do an occasional seminar.

To bolster his spirits and to wish him a speedy and complete recovery, a number of aikidoka attended a seminar hosted at Methuen Aikikai by John Dore, one of Lou’s senior students. It also hoped to thank other senior instructors who are central to the growth of Aikido in the Northeast but their cranky natures and unshakeable incorrigibility prompted them to refuse to attend unless the event was exclusively for their friend. The organizers knew when to “tap out”.

The seminar was very well attended and full of positive energy. The best part of the training was that Lou himself taught as well as three other very senior instructors. Together they represent the 4 pillars of Aikido in New England. Three of them started as judoka and began their study of Aikido before Kanai Sensei arrived; in fact they were instrumental in bringing him to New England. Bernie Mulligan founded Shodokan Dojo almost 50 years ago. Paul Keelan has been a mainstay of New England Aikikai, Lou founded Northeast Aikikai and Dick Stroud had been an instructor at New England Aikikai but has been the dojo cho of the MIT Aikido Club. There are video clips of the “founding fathers” below.

Sensei Lou Perriello

Sensei Dick Stroud

Sensei Paul Keelan

Sensei Bernie Mulligan

Nov 4 Sat ~ All Lines All the Time

Morotetori Udekimenage
Morotetori Ikkyo Projection
Ushiro Katatori Ikkyo Projection
Ushiro Katatori Sankyo w/ pin
Ushiro Katatori Sankyo w/ Projection Backward
Ushiro Katatori Sankyo w/ Projection Forward
Ushiro Katatori Shihonage

Morning class with all senior students including a returning long time practitioner. Could have a steady brisk pace throughout without concern for ukemi ability. Progression was based on the movement of one technique shared and flowing into the next. Halfway through the class a technique with a kneeling pin was added to give everyone a bit of a respite. Emphasis on letting the body generate the movement rather than “grab” for the lock. The sankyo should be applied as nage comes up and into the technique.

Nov 3 Fri ~ Practicing Fives

Katatetori Kaitennage (uchi muwari)
Yokomenuchi Udekime Nage
Yokomenuchi Randori (3 attackers)

• Shihonage
• Kotegaeshi
• Iriminage
• Kaitennage
• Udekime Nage

Started with a mixed level class so opened with two basic techniques. Described the jujiutsu origin of kaitennage. Identified maintaining kuzushi, atemi prior to entry, dropping very low and ‘touching the mat’, then holding uke’s neck down rather than ‘pushing’ it down after entry, grabbed hand is left open in a ‘natural L’ so that uke’s arm ill easily fall into the grip, locking the shoulder across perpendicular to the spine, and project. Maintain zanshin.

Described the need to attack the elbow in practical application of udekime-nage and how this can be modified for a safer practice. The latter involves a slight change in angle of entry closer to the shoulder and projecting through uke’s center. Identified the locking aspect by dropping the grabbing hand lower as the projecting arm enters palm-up, lifting uke to his/her toes and the moving through the elbow as the attacking arm rolls to tegatana as if to take ukemi.

Finished class by reviewing 5 techniques that can be done from virtually any attack then having modified (use of only yokomenuchi attack) freestyle practice against 3 attackers.

Nov 1 Wed ~ Beginners

Katatetori Shihonage Omote
Katatetori Iriminage
Katatetori Ikkyo
Katatetori Nikkyo Ura

Class started with practicing “the moment of contact”, grip breaking and using a grip that can’t be broken by maintaining this contact and ‘leading’. Also how body movement harmonizes with the energy given and that the direction of this energy determines the direction of the ‘entry’ into the technique that ‘evolves’ from this movement. Using the same opening movement in every case, techniques are changed by virtue of where the movement is blocked causing nage to move in a different direction in response to the respective resistance.