Jan 15 Mon ~ Shomenuchi Ikkyo

108 Tenkans
108 Suwari Waza Shomen Suburi
Happo no Giri
Shomenuchi Ikkyo Omote
Shomenuchi Uchi Kaiten Kokyunage
Suwari Waza Kokyuho

Warm-up drills to establish clear sense of center, posture, and movement. Continued focus on solid basics. After initial partner practice it moved to group practice where groups divided into 8 individuals in the positions of happo no giri and each attacked nage in the center with shomenuchi. Nage completes ikkyo with same footwork (and economy of movement) as happo no giri. Then technique changed to deal with the situation when the attacking arm is received too late for ikkyo. Beginners introduced to Shomenuchi Ikkyo and then joined and blended with the senior students. Class ended with Suwari Waza Kokyuho.

Jan 12 Fri ~ Beginners

Continued practice of Katatetori Ikkyo and Katatetori Shihonage. Introduced Katatetori Ikkyo.

Jan 8 Mon ~ Sho Shin Kihon Waza

Continuing with the “beginner’s mind” theme and clear review of the basics. In order to accentuate the ‘fresh look’after initiating the typical entry, the entry was changed to “cross under the blade” (an irimi then tenkan in front of uke to receive the yokomenuchi strike as it completes its circular path). This entry was added after the conventional practice of each technique.

Yokomenuchi Shihonage (Omote & Ura)
Yokomenuchi Ude Kime Nage
Yokomenuchi Kotegaeshi

Jan 6 Sat ~ New Look at Ikkyo

New Year and an opportunity for looking at a basic technique with beginner’s mind.

Tsuki Ikkyo
Ikkyo Projection
Irimi Ikkyo Kokyunage

Jan 5 Fri ~ New Beginner’s Class

Another new beginner’s class that is motivated, excited about starting, listening intently and trying hard. Had the basic introduction of dojo etiquette and history as well as the outline of expected content and purpose of training.

Courtesy
Awareness of the center
Walking
Sitting
Ikkyo Omote

Sensei Bernie Mulligan - 1/2/07

Sensei Bernie Mulligan demonstrating Aikido Kihon Waza - Tsuki Kotegaeshi in the First Class of 2007 - Michael Donnelly taking ukemi

Jan 2 Tues ~ First Class of the Year

Sensei taught the first class of the new year and talked about “breaking the mirror”. Leave the past behind, forget your preconceptions and look with “Sho Shin” (Beginner’s Mind), which was the calligraphy on the kamiza. He spoke of 26 fundamental techniques (Kihon Waza) that serve as the foundation and the walls of Aikido. All of the ‘fancy’ techniques are built on these and cannot be correctly implemented without mastery of the basics. “You cannot have a roof without walls and you cannot have walls without a foundation.” He asked that even though we have done all the techniques before look at them as if you are seeing them for the first time. He also asked that we concentrate on being a good uke. This means attacking sincerely at the edge of what your partner can handle and resist only just enough. He also said that we should let our partner make mistakes; that to talk and try to correct too much is futile. We each should concentrate on one thing and not expect perfection all at once. Let your partner discover the correction to their own errors… “shut up and train!”

Review of 5^th kyu techniques

Dec 29 Wed ~ Last Class of the Year

Discussion about Japanese New Year traditions particularly the idea of “susuharai”, the “soot sweeping” that occurs in order to ‘clean the house’ of grudges and negative things you don’t want to carry into the new year. They should be swept out of your life, settled into the past and left behind.

Tsuki Kotegaeshi
Tsuki Sankyo w/ Projection
Tsuki Tai Otoshi (2 Ways)
Tenkan hooking the arm underneath the striking arm and then pivoting uke for the projection
Entering underneath the striking arm to complete the throw (Kanai style)

Focus on the details of posture, placement of the hands and extending from the center.

Dec 27 Wed ~ Beginners

Katatetori Iriminage
Katatetori Nikkyo

Dec 20 Wed ~ Beginners

Yokomenuchi strike
Yokomenuchi Ude Kime Nage
Katatetori Kaitennage – Soto Mawari

Dec 18 Mon ~ Sword & Body Movement Cont.

Moving in to Strike on the Center Line
Entering under a Shomen Giri (Shinai)
Entering into a Yokomen Giri (Shinai)
Jo Tori / Yokomenuchi Shihonage
Tanto Tori / Yokomenuchi Shihonage

Making the entries and general Aikido practice “crisper and sharper”. Encouraging awareness of an actual defensive situation. Expanding confidence by entering from a greater distance into a more “threatening” situation. Application of weapons movement to regular body movement practice.

Dec 15 Fri ~ Sword & Body Movement Cont.

6^th & 7^th Suburi
Boken Exercises

Morotetori Kokyunage (4 ways)
Cross step entry to “pick a flower”
Cross step entry to “drop the elbow” and elevate along nage’s central axis
Irimi (while turning hips) entry then extending in an arc towards uke
Hanme change entry along “tangent” of uke’s arms/hands

Dec 13 Wed ~ Beginners

Ushirotekubi Kotegaeshi
Morotetori Kokyuho