Friday's Class

Hi to all!

Greetings from a fellow student studying the 'peaceful' martial art :-)

I'm new to blogging; actually, this is my first blog so bear with me as I get used to the blogging etiquette.

I'll start by thanking Mateusz Sensei for the opportunity to contribute to the Nairobi Aikikai blog - thanks.

Today's class covered 6 techniques, namely

1. tachiwaza aihanmi katatedori

• ikkyo omote & ura
• nikyo omote & ura

2. tachiwaza gyakuhanmi katatedori

• nikyo ura
• uchi kaiten sankyo ura
  

I don't know how best to start describing the above techniques, so I'll talk about how part of my session was and give a few hints on the above names of the techniques.

Prior to class (yes, there is a pre-class session) I had the opportunity to ask Sensei to let me try out a few moves on him. He gladly accepted and I had my opportunity to try all the cool looking moves that I had learnt so far. So, he grabbed my wrist (katatedori) and my mind went still... Where do I start - I've been learning all these moves and I freeze now! All these techniques and can't pick one!

Okay, I regained my composure and tried the first technique that came to mind - shihonage. It ought to work flawlessly. Well, it didn't. Not to worry. It's good some of the techniques are named numerically, so I went for the 1st (ikkyo) - didn't work. The 2nd (nikyo) - didn't work. 3 techniques and nothing yet. I've been attending lessons (won't mention how many). Sensei was just there patiently waiting. Something had to work. Next technique on the list, the 3rd (sankyo) - you guessed right, didn't work. I'm now in a fix; running out of moves and their varieties. I only know the 4th (yonkyo) by name and need something that works.

Kotegaeshi (wrist return) came to mind. If this of all moves didn't work, then I was in a tight corner. It worked... well not completely, but I managed to get Sensei offguard and almost to the floor. It wasn't the more complex techniques but a simple one that worked! Simplicity rocks!

So excited, I thought I ought to try the same move again - mistake. Sensei was quick to adapt - and I shouldn't have tried it immediately afterwards. But with the boosted morale, shihonage had to be tried again. This time omote (the version that passes in front of the opponent; ura passes behind). The omote version worked and yielded some form of success.

After numerous, many, several (just trying to emphasize my attempts) ikkyo's, nikyo's, sankyo's, shihonage's, and others that I made up (creativity had to be tried) only 1 shihonage and 1 kotegaeshi attempt partially worked. But the numerous attempts were just as exciting.

I know there is a long journey ahead but step-by-step proficiency will be attained.

I'll end here for now - until next time!