25 April 集中力 Concentration

Here we are practicing how to keep one point not just for a moment, but for a long time. Since you are practicing aikido you are also improving your ability to concentrate. You do not get distracted from your homework by every sound or stray thought. You can decide to do a set of problems and then concentrate on them until they are all done.

And if you are concentrating properly, you will also notice what is going on around you. If someone calls your name, you can look up calmly and answer, then go back to your work again without having to gather together a scattered mind.

25 April 6:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Maeda-sensei
Reading: 4. Unification of Mind and Body
Warm-up exercises
Ki development: seiza while being pushed at the hips
Waza: yokomenuchi shiho nage irimi, tenkan, katatori shiho nage, munatsuki shiho nage, 2 on 1

25 April 5:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Maeda-sensei
Reading: 5. The One Point in the Lower Abdomen
Warm-up exercises
Ki development: seiza while being bothered
Waza: yokomenuchi shiho nage irimi

18 April 6:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Laurie-sensei
Reading: 3. The Way to Union with Ki
Warm-up exercises
Ki development: seiza, rei
Aiki exercises: ikkyo, zengo, funakogi
Waza: katatekosadori kokyu nage (kaisho, gyosho)

The 5 Principles of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido
1. Ki is extending.
2. Know your opponent's mind.
3. Respect your opponent's ki.
4. Put yourself in your opponent's place.
5. Perform with confidence.

18 March 5:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Laurie-sensei
Reading: 2. The Value of Our Existence
Warm-up exercises
Ki development: seiza, rei
Aiki exercises: ikkyo
Waza: munatsuki koteoroshi

11 April プラスはプラスを呼ぶ Plus calls plus

Is there a subject at school that you don't like?

If you are sitting at your desk trying to study a subject you don't like, you are thinking, "Yuck, I hate doing this!". Your body may be sitting there studying, but your mind will be far away. You will not study well. Your grades will go down. Then that subject will be even less fun, and you will hate it even more. It's a vicious circle.

This is what you can do: tell yourself, "I like this". It can be a lie, that's OK. Then your mind and body will be unified when you study, and you will study better. Your grades will go up. The subject will get to be more fun. And you may actually start to like it.

Plus calls plus.

11 April 氷山の一角 The tip of the iceberg

Sometimes we face difficult situations and real problems that we don't know how to handle. And we don't think we can handle, in light of the strength we think we have. That is when you should tell yourself, "This is a great chance for me!". It is a chance to discover and utilize that other 99% of the iceberg hidden under the water- the invisible power you do not yet know you have.

This is how aikido is helpful. Here in the dojo people come at you all the time! You have to call upon your entire self, mind and body unified, to handle the situation. This is good practice for using mind and body in unification in your daily lives.

11 April 6:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Ohara-sensei
Reading: 4. Unification of Mind and Body
Warm-up exercises
Waza: Ushirotekubidori kubijime uragaeshi, yokomenuchi shiho nage irimi

11 April 受身 Ukemi

If you go to a temple on New Year's Eve, you may have a chance to ring the big temple bell. Do you know how to ring a big bell? You swing a big log at it.

If you hit that big bell with a toothpick, you wouldn't get much of a sound out of it. Well, ukemi is the same. If you attack seriously, then nage has to be serious, too. If you attack like you're a little toothpick, you're not helping nage do the best he or she can do.

So, when you are taking ukemi, do it seriously.

11 April 5:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Ohara-sensei
Reading: 4. Unification of Mind and Body
Warm-up exercises
Waza: Katatori ikkyo irimi

4 April 6:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Honma-sensei
I had to go back to the office, and missed the class. I hope you all practiced hard!

4 April 5:00 Class Notes

Teacher: Honma-sensei
Reading: 1. Our Motto
Warm-up exercises
Aiki exercises: ikkyo, zengo waza, happo waza
Waza: koteoroshi (starting at holding partner's wrist)