August 2009
8 posts
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Studying for 6th Kyu Exam
With 20 days to my first-ever (6 kyu) grading exam I’ve started cramming stuff into my brain, and into muscle memory. Several months ago I copied all the requirements (for all tests through shodan) from the exam preparation page on the Aikido of San Diego web site, and pasted them into Google Docs spreadsheet. As I learn them I can make notes, and then review from time to time. Using...
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Picking Up the Pace
This has been an intense couple of weeks. I’ve been at the dojo more often, have a mentor for my 6 kyu test, and I’ve been turned loose by my personal trainer with a set of core and shoulder exercises to do for the next few months. I’ll be doing a weekend retreat in the mountains with the dojo in September - mostly weapons - and am really looking forward to that. Through it...
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Four Aikido Limericks
Four limericks I posted in this AikiWeb thread: “Limerick Challenge” There once was a sensei named Dave Who would practice all day with a glaive. He mastered the kata Of the naginata ‘Til his motion was just like a wave.
I have no idea if Sensei practices naginata, it was just that glaive/Dave is a convenient rhyme. The rest are all taken from real life:
There was a yudansha ...
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Skipping Class, Missing Class
A quick one today… Yesterday I skipped participating in class, in favor of getting some video (potentially for the dojo’s Web site). It was our new shodan’s last day training with us (he’s off to college), and the light was beautiful. Sensei led the class through a lot of techniques. Also I was really tired (little sleep) and dizzy (vertigo acting up), so I kind...
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A Whole Lot of Things
I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a chance to put together a coherent set of ideas for a post. So once again, here are some random bits: Still digesting everything Nadeau Sensei said when he was here for a seminar. One way he suggests looking at things is that you (your body, hips, and hara) are “the vaccuum cleaner” and the techniques (what your arms and hands are doing)...