2013 December Aikido Keiko Reflections

9th Keiko (5th Kyu)

Dec 31, 2013
New Year's Eve Keiko
Makati Aikido Club's tradition since the 1980s.
My 9th session (13.5 training hours) under 5th kyu.

8th Keiko (5th Kyu)

Dec 17, 2013
Sensei Leon,Sensei Royce
8th Keiko (12 training hours)

In last night's keiko, Sensei Leon focused on Aikido techniques against Morote-tori. "Choreography" esp the "art" of throwing and taking down the uke... was easy. I need to train hard ang long on uprooting the uke "at all times". My elbow still goes everywhere. And I have to constantly remind myself to do the "imaginary beer drink".

I lost count of the techniques and we went beyond the time, but it included: ikkyo, nikyo, kotegaeshi, iriminage, kokyunage, shihonage, and its different variations.

I got disoriented for a while seeing 2 of the blackbelts wore kendo gis.

Arigato!

Dec 31, 2013

2013 Jul-Dec Aikido Keiko Reflections (5th Kyu)

7th Keiko
2013 Dec 15, Sensei Dam

6th Keiko
2013 Nov 4, Sensei Royce

5th Keiko
2013 Oct 21, Sensei Dam

4th Keiko
2013 Aug 28, Sensei Royce
Notes:
Gross and fine motor skills
Special steps in Aikido (5 + 2)
Tenchin 90 degrees and 180 degrees
Okuri ashi tentai
Tentai tankan
Ayumi ashi tentai

"Blend, then uproot. If successful, then Takedown should be easy"

Shihonage:
Okuri ashi swift tentai, take down.

3rd Keiko
2013 Aug 22, Sensei Royce
Five (5) basic Aikido steps
"Your basic vocabulary to understand aikido moves and techniques"

"Fast but not rushed"

2nd Keiko
2013 Aug 5, Sensei Dam

1st Keiko (27th for the year)
2013 Jul 29, Sensei Royce
Three (3) versions of Katate tori Omote Shihonage 

2013 Tapondo Mass Exams, Promotions to Blue Belt (5th Level)

2013 December 3
Tapondo Mass Examinations
Tapondo General Headquarters
Cubao, Quezon City

Promoted from Yellow to Blue Belt by Tapondo Originator Master Monching Gavileno

 

2013 July Aikido Keiko Reflections

26th Keiko, 6th Kyu Promotional Exams
2013 Jul 27, Sensei Dam

25th Keiko
2013 Jul 15, Sensei Dam
Rolling
Tai no nenko
Shomen
Front kotegaeshi
Review of proper ikkyo
Proper shihonage

24th Keiko
2013 Jul 9, Sensei Billy
Basic exercise
Five (5) steps
Front and back rolls
Katatetori ikkyo, sankyo, front
Shomeni uchi iriminage, sankyo, kotegaeshi, front

23rd Keiko
2013 Jul 8, Sensei Dam
Five (5) basic steps

1. Okuri - right front 1st, then left at back
2. Tsugi - left back  1st then front
3. Ayumi - left back whole step across, front right, then front right
4. Tenkan - 180 turn using left back turning left
5. tentai - 180 turn twisting using balls of feet

Mai ukemi
Tai no henko
Katate tori

Ikkyo - uprooting, unbalancing, proper steps, proper twists or the wrist
Nikkyo ura

22nd Keiko
2013 Jul 4, Thursday, Sensei Troy
Katate tori ikkyo

2013 1st Aikido Seminar (Session 10) - Mitsuteru Ueshiba, Waka Sensei

21st Session - 24 June 2013, Sunday
0400 - 0500 pm
Philippine Judo Federation Dojo
3rd Flr, Sports Medicine Building
Rizal Memorial Center

1st Aikido Seminar - Session 10
Mitsuteru Ueshiba, Waka Sensei
Great Grandson of Aikido Founder O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba

Cumulative hours completed: 29 hours

Lessons:
Review of 3-day seminar - key points

2013 1st Aikido Seminar (Session 9) Hiroshi Fujimaki Shihan, 6th Dan

10th Session - 24 June 2013, Sunday
0230 - 0330 pm
Philippine Judo Federation Dojo
3rd Flr, Sports Medicine Building
Rizal Memorial Center

1st Aikido Seminar - Session 9
Hiroshi Fujimaki Shihan, 6th Dan
Japan Aikikai Hombu Dojo Shihan

Cumulative hours completed: 28 hours

2013 1st Aikido Seminar (Session 3) Hiroshi Fujimaki Shihan, 6th Dan

19th Session - 23 June 2013, Saturday
1030 - 1130 am
Philippine Judo Federation Dojo
3rd Flr, Sports Medicine Building
Rizal Memorial Center

1st Aikido Seminar - Session 3
Hiroshi Fujimaki Shihan, 6th Dan
Japan Aikikai Hombu Dojo Shihan

Cumulative hours completed: 27 hours

Lessons:
Proper Space in Aikido Offense (attack)
Proper stance (ai hamni, gyako hamni)
Shihonage, Kotegaeshi

2013 1st Aikido Seminar Jun Nomoto Shihan, 7th Dan

18th Session - 23 June 2013, Saturday
0900 - 1000 am
Philippine Judo Federation Dojo
3rd Flr, Sports Medicine Building
Rizal Memorial Center

1st Aikido Seminar
Jun Nomoto Shihan, 7th Dan
Chief Instructor of Satomi Hakkenkai Dojo, Tokyo

Cumulative hours completed: 26 hours

Lessons:
Proper Breathing
Tenkan 8 Direction
Variations of Tai no henko

2013 1st Aikido Seminar Mitsuteru Ueshiba, Waka Sensei

17th Session - 22 June 2013, Friday
530 - 630 pm
Philippine Judo Federation Dojo
3rd Flr, Sports Medicine Building
Rizal Memorial Center

1st Aikido Seminar
Mitsuteru Ueshiba, Waka Sensei
Great Grandson of Aikido Founder O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba

Cumulative hours completed: 25 hours

Lessons:
Ikkyo, Shihonage, Iriminage
Katatetori, Kosa tori, Shomenuchi

2013 10th-16th (Jan-May) Tapondo Practice Reflections

16th Combat Aikido Session - Yellow Belt 34hrs

Saturday - 11 May 2013, Cubao HQ
16th session - Tapondo (Combat Aikido)
Hours completed: 34 hrs
Master Monching, Jason

Lessons:
Review of 17 Kicking Defense Techniques

15th Combat Aikido Session - Yellow Belt 32hrs

Thursday - 9 May 2013, Cubao HQ
15th session - Tapondo (Combat Aikido)
Hours completed: 32 hrs
Sir Allan

Lessons:
Review of 17 Kicking Defense Techniques

14th Combat Aikido Session - Yellow Belt 30hrs

Tuesday - 7 May 2013, Cubao HQ
14th session - Tapondo (Combat Aikido)
Hours completed: 30 hrs
Sir Allan

Lessons:
Review of 17 Kicking Defense Techniques

13th Combat Aikido Session - Yellow Belt

Thursday - 21 Feb 2013, Cubao HQ
13th session - Tapondo (Combat Aikido)
Hours completed: 28 hrs
Sir Allan

Lessons: Randori and footwork
Partner: Rex

12th Combat Aikido Session - Yellow Belt

Thursday - 12 February 2013, Cubao HQ
12th session - Tapondo (Combat Aikido)
Sir Allan

Hours completed: 24 hrs
Lessons: Kicking Defense
Very good practice with Raffy

11th Combat Aikido Session - Yellow Belt

Tuesday - 19 Jan 2013, Cubao HQ
11th session - Tapondo (Combat Aikido)
Hours completed: 26 hrs
Sir Allan

Lessons: Review of 17 Kicking Defense Techniques, Somersault (high fall)
Partner: Bong

10th Session - Yellow Belt

Thursday - 17 Jan 2013, Cubao HQ
10th session - Tapondo (Combat Aikido)
Hours completed: 22 hrs
Sir Allan

2013 4th-16th Aikido Keiko Reflections

16th Aikido Session - 24 hrs

16th Session - 15 May 2013, Wednesday
Sensei Troy, Bagtikan Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 24 hours

Lessons: Ikkyo
with Stofel, Sym and Mel

15th Aikido Session - 22.5 hrs

15th Session - 6 May 2013, Monday
Sensei Dam, MSC Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 22.5 hours

Lessons: Ikkyo, Iriminage
with 10 Black Belts and 8 Colored Belts

14th Aikido Session - 21 hrs

14th Session - 11 March 2013, Monday
Sensei Dam, MSC Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 21 hours

Lessons: Both hands grab (Morote Tor?), Tenchin Nage, Kokyu Nage

13th Aikido Session - 19.5 hrs

13th Session - 4 March 2013, Monday
Sensei Dam, MSC Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 19.5 hours

Lessons: Katatetori, Variations of projection techniques
With Senseis Royce, Lilet and Troy\

12th Aikido Session - 18 hrs

12th Session - 25 February 2013
Sensei Dam, MSC Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 18 hours

Lessons:
Additions: Meeting with Waka Sensei Core Group

11th Aikido Session - 16.5 hrs

11th Session - 20 February 2013
Sensei Troy, Bagtikan Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 16.5 hours

Lessons: 6th Kyu Lessons - pre exam pointers, Ikkyo, Kokuyonage, Iriminage

10th Aikido Session - 15 hrs

10th Session - 18 February 2013
Sensei Dam, Makati Sports Club Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 15 hours

Lessons: Emphasis on uprooting, Use of bended knee, Iriminage variations

9th Aikido Session - 13.5hrs

9th Session - 13 Feb 2013
Sensei Troy, Bagtikan Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 13.5 hours

8th Aikido Session - 12hrs

8th Session - 11 Feb 2013
Sensei Royce, Bagtikan Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 12 hours

Lessons:Uprooting
Fellow trainees: white belt

7th Aikido Session - 10.5hrs

7th Session - 28 Jan 2013
Sensei Troy, Makati Sports Club Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 10.5 hours
Lessons: Jo-waza - Kokyu nage, Kaiten nage, Ikkyo

6th Aikido Session - 9hrs

6th Session - 23 Jan 2013
Sensei Troy, Bagtikan Dojo
Cumulative hours completed: 9 hours

Lessons: T#8 - Shomenuchi ai hamni IKKYO
- Okuri ashi - Right, tentai
- Okuri ashi - Left, tentai
- Okuri ashi - Right, tentai
- Seiza (sitting)

5th Aikido Session - 7.5hrs

5th Session - 21 Jan 2013
Sensei Dam
Cumulative hours completed: 7.5 hours

Techniques
#4 - Katate tori Kaiten nage (P#3)
#5 - Katate tori Irimi nage (forward P#1 and sideward P#2 neck throws)
#6 - Katate tori Sumi otoshi (corner drop P#11)

4th Session - Aikido

4th Session - 18 Jan 2013
Sensei Royce
Cumulative hours completed: 6 hours

30 minutes
- stretching exercises
30 minutes
- bokken (wooden sword) strike to the head
- tanto (wooden knife) attack exercises - 12 techniques
- jo (wooden stick) exercises - 16 of the 31 techniques

2009 Tapondo (Combat Aikido)

2009, Cubao, Quezon City, Combat Aikido (Tapondo)
I remember seeing a "Combat Aikido" sign in Cubao in the late 1990s. I wanted to enroll but I was living quite far (first in Pasig City then in Laguna). But when we moved to Cubao in 2005, I did not remember it, until 2009. When I visited the gym, it was already renamed TAPONDO. I met Master Monching Gavileño who has encouraged me to also enroll my 2 kids - Lawrence and Dilion.

I found a lot of similarities with the traditional Aikido, but the shorter application of techniques and use of "street-fighting" weapons were noticeable difference, in addition to the clearly marked Tapondo uniforms. I'll write in a separate post the key differences that I found and the advantages and dis-advantages from my own perspective.

In Tapondo, I already passed the white, green, and purple belts. I am now wearing the yellow belt which focuses on kicking defenses.

2012 Combat Aikido Demonstration

2013 January - 120 hours of Combat Aikido Training

I just realized that I have already underwent 120 hours of Tapondo (Combat Aikido) training involving 60 sessions days (at 2 hours per session). This can be summarized into:

• Around 48 hours from White to Green Belt (20 basic techniques).
• Around 24 hours from Green to Purple Belt (25 basic techniques).
• Another 24 hours from Purple to Yellow Belt (30 basic techniques).
• And around 24 so far training under Yellow Belt (18 kicking defense techniques, 17 locks).

2013 Gi now available

I am so excited. Sensei Troy texted me that my Gi (Aikido uniform) is now available. I will be able to wear  during the Aikido training tonight! Wuhooo!

2013 Jan - 3rd Aikido Session at MAC

3rd Session: 16 January 2013 - Wednesday, Bagtikan Dojo

Sensei Royce handled the class in the absence of Sensei Troy. Ed and I (all white belt) we were joined by a new recruit Ian.

At this session, I had a better grasp of the Five Steps (and the Tenchin). It was confusing during my first session because they almost look the same.

And Sensei Royce was right "every skill is easily learned when you break it into small elements and name them". For example, I now understand that performing Katatetori Ai hamni Ikkyo (Omote)  involves basic foot steps: Okuri ashi, then Ayumi ashi, Tentai, and finally another  Okuri ashi.

Sensei also emphasized that an Aikido stance is just one precise stance, that is, one surely knows where an Ura or Nage faces - to where his/her front foot is pointing to (with the back foot half step behind - forming the two feet an imaginary triangle).

In addition, Sensei Royce emphasized the element of a correct form in Aikido:
1. Head, 2 hands, belly button, knees, and feet - all aligned - from the perspective of someone in front.
2. Shoulders are always above the hips - not stooping (shoulders above the knees or foot)
3. Knees are bent all the time - to maintain balance.

I appreciated the long lectures which ended up having only one technique reviewed. I did not get the name but the attack was still Katate tori and the Nage executes Tsugi ashi, Tentai, then Tenkan ending with hands at hip level, parallel to the ground, and both fingertips touching an imaginary wall.

Sensei Royce also demonstrated the 5 basic falls in Aikido:
1. Front roll
2. Back roll
3. Front fall
4. Back fall, and the
5. High fall.

I can 1-4 with ease. I have done high falls before but usually with fear due to previous experience of hitting the floor shoulder first - a painful one.

But when Sensei Royce asked us to try, I did not hesitate. He asked us to hold his hand and trust him that when we perform the high fall, our connected arms are short enough not to let our heads hit the floor. And it was a breeze. It felt great.

2013 Jan - 2nd Aikido session - Makati Sports Club

I went to Makati Sports Club last Monday (14 Jan) to have my 2nd session of Aikido training. Sensei Dam led the session together with other blackbelter including Sensei Troy. There were quite a number of white belt students, and a few blue and yellow belters.

Indeed, the warm-up exercises particularly the stretching ones are fully emphasized in Makati Aikido Club club. Something not highlighted in my CDO dojo, and never in the Tapondo training. The preliminary exercises eat up around 30 mins to 45 mins or around half of each sessions.

I still have to recall the Aikido terms in Japanese. Slowly, memories of the names of attacks and techniques are coming back. However, most of the time, the Senseis here show how techniques are done or forms are to be performed without naming them.

In this session, I would like to note familiar terms (wit my interpretations/notes in English):
Uke - attacker
Nage - defender, performer of the technique
Omote - inside, straight
Ura - outside, circular
Ai Hamni - opposite stance (Ura on Migi gamae and Nage on Hidori gamae)
Gyaku Hamni - Same stance (both Ura and Nage on similar gamae)

As a group, with exchanging partners, we practices 2 attacks and with 1 immobilization (ikkyu) and 1 projection (did not get the name but in Westbrook, it's #14):
2. Katate tori (wrist hold, 2 ands) Ai amni (same stance) Ikkyo (first technique) - both Omote and Ura
3. Kata tori (one hand hold on shoulder) Ai Hamni Kokyu (sumiotoshi) - both Omote and Ura.

The above would be the 2nd and 3rd technique learned so far.

My First Aikido Training circa 1993

1993, Cagayan de Oro City, Traditional Aikido
Sometime in 1992, I really wanted to learn martial arts. Hungry from lack of martial arts training opportunities back in our hometown, Mainit, Surigao Norte, it didn't matter to me which martial arts I should go into. I've heard from my Dad about Jiujitsu, Kendo, Judo and Taekwondo, but I never knew what the differences were among these.

On my third year in college in 2004, I found the Axis Gym, at the back of Cogon Market, where I inquired about "body building". At the other end of the building, I saw a sign "Aikido", I inquired, and eventually got admitted under Sensei Alex Javier (left photo - courtesy of http://www.skyscrapercity.com forum). I think I borrowed money for my uniform and for my initial enrollment (which I don't recall now how much).

I trained for a year and practiced on my own whenever I had a chance. I had opportunities to take  promotional belting exams, but I think I was too poor to pay for examination fees. By April 2005, I had to move to Manila after college graduation. I tried practicing on my own, but it was difficult.

2013 Jan - 1st Session - Makati Aikido Club

2013, Makati Aikido Club (MAC), Traditional Aikido
I found the MAC website last year and had been meaning to visit the dojos. I never had the will thinking that the venues will require some amount of time walking, and not worth the ride as well. But come the first day of work in January 2013, because of a family errand in Bagtikan, I realized the dojo's are just a few corners away from my office which is about 5-7 minute walk. After my initial visit, I decided to enroll. The fee is so minimal (P100 per session - contribution for mat maintenance, and P500 as membership), that I have no reason in the world not to enroll. I am very glad because Sensei Royce gave me a warm welcome last Friday, January 11, during my first session. Sensei Troy's welcome and that of the Bagtikan students when I observed last Wednesday, January 9, were heartwarming as well. I am so glad that I found Aikido in Makati, after working here for 6 years.

I have already viewed and downloaded the videos in the club website. It was easier for me to read the words then memorize them. Last Friday, I had difficulty learning the terms the Sensei asked us to perform. Now that I've read the five basic steps... i felt much better:
1) Okuriashi - 2 steps forwards or backwards, with leading foot moving first (half step), followed immediately by the other foot (half step). This step could also be diagonal both forward and backward.
2) Tsugi ashi - 2 steps forwards or backwards, with the foot behind moving first (half step) as if pushing the leading foot to move next (half step). A variation is the Kendo style Tsugi ashi - where instead of the foot behind using the leading foot, it is stepped on the side of the leading foot.
3) Ayumi ashi - 2 steps forwards or backwards, almost like a Tsugi ashi, but the first foot to move will have to have a full step followed by a full step of the other foot.
4) Tenkan - 180 degree turn with the foot behind making a half circle turn, instantaneously when the leading foot twists towards your center
5) Tentai (or Kaiten)- - still 180deg turn but with only one count of both feet twisting 180deg
and a sixh important variation, though not technically another step:
6) Tenchin - a diagonal Okuri ashi (to the right) with half Tentai (to the left) - and vice versa

I borrowed an illustrated Aikido book by Westbrook and Ratti (1994) entitled "Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere". And voila, ayumi ashi and tsugi ashi are there under Motion and Aikido Posture. Tenkan is somewhere under Centralization, together with Irimi. I did not find Okuri ashi, though.

I also found there the preliminary stretching exercises we did in Bagtikan (which we did not do in Cagayan de Oro) and has read 7) migi gamae and 8) hidori gamae for the first time. Although, I now recall that we had several basic exercises like the rowing, high parry and the hapo undo ones.

I am super excited to train again. I will read the club articles and look forward to the club trainings and discussions.