Friday's Class

We covered techniques related to the 4th kyu; from TachiWaza GyakuHanmi KatateDori, namely:

• Kote Gaeshi
• Nikyo
• Irimi Nage
• Kokyu Nage

Points to remember include:

• with Irimi and Kokyu, one copies the stance of Uke, while with KoteGaeshi one mirrors Uke
• remember to get off the line of attack while still totally facing Uke; don't expose your sides!
• lastly and most importantly, remember the above when performing the technique :)

Otherwise, take care!

April/May seminar

It is my great pleasure to announce that Piotr Masztalerz will visit us again and will run a seminar on April 30th - May 1st.
I plan to organize for 3 hours of Aikido in the morning and 3 hours of weapons every day.

Sunday jo

Yesterday we met at Nick's place again and practised Sansho 1. There were 5 of us and I think we had fun. It was not spoiled even by passing rain, actually it made the whole experience even more memorable - rain and slippery, muddy red African soil... Plus the guy with the weapon in front of you. Luckily nobody slipped while doing kesa-uchi and we managed to survive without any major injuries.
As to Sansho itself we reached the end of part two. Admittedly we still have to practice more and more until we're intimate with the sequence... In time we all will get there...

Friday's Class

We covered the following techniques (all Tachi Waza):

• Ai Hanmi - Katate Dori - Kote Gaeshi - Ura
• Gyaku Hanmi - Katate Dori - Irimi Nage - Ura
• Gyaku Hanmi - Katate Dori - Tenchi Nage - Ura
• Ai Hanmi - Tsuki - Kokyu Nage

Notes:

• Katate Dori versions can be considered a static form of the dynamic Tsuki,
• 2 variations of Aikido: one in which once Uke is on the path of falling attention is directed else where, and one in which Uke is controlled and followed to the very end. Learn the latter, but remember the former.

Wednesday's Class

First part of the lesson, the techniques, covered the following:

• Ryo Kata Dori - Hiji Nage
• Ryote Dori - Kokyu Nage - Ura & Omote
• Kokyo Ho
• Ryote Dori - Kokyu Nage - 'duck underneath'
• Ryote Dori - Kokyu Nage - 'nikyo'
• Katate Dori - Kokyu Nage - Ura (with uke either doing mae or ushiro ukemi)
• Katate Dori - Kokyu Nage - 'shove'

Initial position for the above was Tachi Waza Gyaku Hanmi except for Kokyu Ho which was Suwari Waza. From the above list, Kokyu Nage was the order of the day - as for the variations... Numerous!

Next was Jo, for the 2nd part of class. Once again numerous techniques; however, I can't remember the names, nor repeat them all. But all in time!

Poland, Review of my first week

Let me start with my worst/painful experience. Do you guys have any memories of someone shouting at you to do something so much until you cried? Well, i almost did on Thursday evening. We have a class for aspiring teachers and this is a tough class. The aim is to push a person to their limits, and trust me i reached mine. We started off slowly with some conditioning exercises, gradually picking up until the point where you get thrown between 2 random guys. Normally ukemi is not a problem, having done so much of it all through the week, but i think i got so tired i couldn't move. And sensei is saying you gotta do a little bit more. Anyway, sensei later explained that the point is for the guys to know when enough is enough because when they are teachers they are going to push their students. Its unfair for a teacher to make a student do what the teacher has never done.

Compared to this, every other lesson during the week fades into insignificance. That is not to say I have no bruises to show for it. I was lucky because a few classes were cancelled, so i got to rest. Nevertheless, waking up every morning is a task. I go to bed very tired, the night passes so fast and suddenly i have to force myself out of bed, even when every inch of me is screaming no, no, don't go! sometimes i try to write or read something and I have not managed to concentrate for more than 5 minutes. The minute I put my head down, i just pass out.

All hope is not lost though. The people are nice and understanding. Everyone is offering some sort of help and by now I feel at home. I have this whole weekend to rest and am gonna do some bit of sight-seeing.

I haven't gone out much, but already I can see that Wroclaw is a well organised place. There is such a huge difference from Kenya. If you thought life in Nairobi is fast and expensive, you got another think coming.

Ok, let me not write a novel now. Just suffice it to say am glad i survived the first week. Everyone has been telling me things will get easier from now, and that is my prayer.

And yeah, whenever possible I will be keeping in touch. You can do the same you know, just get my number from my mum, Mateusz Sensei, reza or Jason.

Take care guys!

Friday's Class

Okay... It's already another Friday - and class was different today. We began class talking about different things; both Aikido and non-Aikido. It was like the drinks after class only this time, it was before class and there were no drinks, not to mention we were in Gi. Cool!

We then did warm-up stretches. In this heck tick day and age, it's difficult to get time just to stretch. I'm either sitting or standing, and come evening exhausted and end up flat on bed; basically 3 poses - anyway... Ukemi was next. It is always easier, at least for me, to do the backward Ukemi. Perhaps it's because I can't see the floor on my way down. But coming to think of it, perhaps it's because everytime I sit on a chair, it like half a backward Ukemi :)

Finally were the techniques, all from Tachi Waza Gyaku Hanmi:

• Ryo Kata Dori Hiji Nage
• Ryo Katate Dori Kokyu Nage, both Ura and Omote
• Tenchi Nage, both Ura and Omote

Oh, and the backstretch - wonder how many are under 3-digit kg weight!

Wednesday's Class

We had 2 different sessions, as usual - the techniques and the weapons.

Beginning with the techniques, they were from Tachi Waza Gyaku Hanmi Katate Dori, namely:

• Rokkyo; remember trap the elbow, wrist should be higher than the shoulder
• Kokyu; remember to avoid Uke's elbow and lift Uke's head upwards not through
• Kote Gaeshi; remember to lower your centre and take Uke's wrist towards his upper arm

With all the techniques, remember to get off the line.

Regarding the weapons, it was the Jo. I'm slightly familiar with the techniques - some of them reminded me of the seminar last December. However, I'm totally unfamiliar with the names of the techniques (new task for me). But from what I could put together, it seemed like the 1st Kata for the Jo weapon.

Saturday demo

On Saturday we did a presentation of Aikido as a part of Japanese Cultural Day. Thanks to all who came and helped to present the techniques of Aikido.

I had a speech prepared (hehehehe) but the audience was mostly kids and we were presenting outside so I skipped this part and we went directly to techniques. We did usual set of Ikkyo, Nikkyo, Sankyo, Iriminage, Shihonage, Kote-gaeshi, etc. The sun was very intense so half an hour was enough to get us sweaty.

Afterwards we went for a beer (or five) and some nyama choma as a farewell party to Daniel.

Someone took some pictures I managed to lay my hands on.

Shihonage

Nikkyo

Nikkyo

Poland

Hey guys!am finally in poland.how is it u ask
?let's see,its freezing here.thnx to piotr Sensei,i have been here more than 4
Hours & am alive.then strange language;very little
English.In short everything is more than a handful but i am confident coz everyone is
So nice & accompdatimg.anyway,am fyn & will keep in touch.