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.