Lack of responses

Ok I want a comment or two on my last post. Learning another way of doing Aigamae ate blew my mind. I've been thinking about that simple adjustment for days and no one's said anything about it. Pat, you've said you've been thinking of a response and you've posted twice since then so I know you must have something. Andy, you've been doing it the same way I have, what are your thoughts? COMMUNICATE

Aikido in Poulsbo

I'll keep this brief because I want to make a video clip or two to demonstrate the cool stuff I learned. First off, everyone at the class was super friendly and cool. It never ceases to amaze me how family-like the Fugakukai always feels. It doesn't matter what part of the country or who it is, everyone always welcomes you with open arms and I couldn't dream of wanting it any other way. Ok that being said, there were a few differences (as there always are) between what I've been doing, and how they do things up north. Let me say different is not synonymous with bad, different is good. We had lots of space so instead of starting at Ma ai, we started 12-15 ft apart and I got to experience uke crossing into ma ai, which is something I haven't worked on in a while. Also, we did all the techniques left handed as well as right, which is also something I haven't done in a while and I'm glad to get the full thing now. Aigamae ate and gedan ate are the meat of what I want to talk about. Aigamae ate as we've been working on it at Pat's (second part of the video) started with the off balance, then a clock-wise turn as you drop out of the way behind the arm and then the hand to the face. The way we do it up here is still with the off balance then a counter clock-wise turn (kind of like in Owaza) which puts Uke right into Tori's hand. The thing to notice is the different directions of the spin after the off-balance. Gedan ate would probably be easier with the video clip but basically the only difference in how I did it at Pat's and how it's done here is the timing. At Pat's we seen to push through uke, and here there's a spot where we rise with uke but don't continue to step around behind him which causes uke to step into tori and it puts tori right into position where all he has to do is drop his weight. I know the video is not gedan ate, but gyaku gamae ate, it's just that it's the closest video I could find to demonstrate. The point I wanted to make is how Karl about 7 secs in doesn't continue around, but rises and uke just ends up where he needs to be. The SAME thing can happen with gedan ate you're just a little lower and rising up uke's body and he just falls into place. Comments? Oh and if you're reading this Pat, I invented this new way of doing things. Karl just copied me and put videos online (don't say anything Sensei Sheehy, let me have this).

Mock Class at the YMCA

After talking about the differences between Hapkido and Aikido (and a LOT of reassurance that I won't be teaching a religion in the class), I have an Aikido class I'm teaching in December. I'd appreciate ANY pointers anyone could give, especially during the first class that will be a mock class for the employees at the Y before teaching members.

Feeling like a white belt again

So I went to this Hapkido class tonight and the first thing the instructor asks me is "Have you taken any other martial arts before?" I say "Well I just received my Shodan in Aikido" and he gives me this stern look and says "Well this is HAPkido". I say "yes sir, I'm just here to participate" after that the rest of the class was smooth. I use the word smooth liberally. I can't kick high, or do a middle knuckle punch, or a spinning kick well at all. I was making so many errors I felt like the first day I ever took a martial arts class. Not to mention that the first hour of class was running in place, then push-ups, then dive bombers, ect. I'm not lazy (well too lazy) but I was ready to start doing some real techniques, then came ukemi (falling). That was the only part I felt I did well in, although I got some quizzical looks with the way I fell (one knee up, the other leg out). Nevertheless, my rolls were smooth :). I was told a few times that I was too quiet when I rolled back to my feet, that I should slap hard and say "HAI!" as my shoulders rolled over the mat. I've been working towards being quiet for a while now. The beginning wrist releases are completely different, although the way they grip (not using the index finger) was the same. I noticed most movements were same hand, same foot too. My initial impression of Hapkido and Aikido is like two distant cousins meeting for the first time. They have the same family tree if you go back far enough, and a few of the same genetic quirks...but for the most part, they're pretty different.

When the YMCA comes a calling

So while looking for a job I received a call from the YMCA about my application. I'd put that I was a Shodan in Aikido and they asked me if I'd be interested in teaching a class a week for them. I told them I couldn't rank anyone and that I wasn't willing to teach children. One of the staff there in charge of hiring has a husband that used to take Aikido which is why they called. They gave me a free pass to attend a Tuesday and Thursday class to determine if the Aikido I'd be teaching is different from their current Hapkido class. If all goes well I'd teach a mock class for the YMCA staff and then be teaching a regular class if they think it would be a nice fit. Oddly enough, I'd be teaching to earn enough money so I could attend the classes in Poulsbo. Who ever heard of a teacher teaching so he could become a student?

Holiday Best Wishes

I was going to put a clip of Steve Martin playing banjo up, but instead here's a picture of him playing, and a message for Thanksgiving. I know it says Christmas, but its theme and core of the message is universal.

Banjo music...and it's Jazz!

I'm still getting people asking me why I want to learn Jazz on the banjo. I've come across a couple of examples of songs I really liked. I'll post 3 of them here. The 1st two are by a guy named Eddy Davis playing by himself. Keep in mind he wasn't in any studio, just playing by himself in the living room. The last is by Bella Fleck and the Flecktones, a current group that does a Jazz and Bluegrass mix. Enjoy....