My 2nd kyu Aikido exam, on 21 January, 2012. Many thanks to my mentor and uke, Cyril Poissonnet, 3rd Dan, whose teaching, coaching, and encouragement have been an important and happy part of my Aikido training from the beginning, and to Dave Goldberg Sensei, and all the teachers and students at Aikido of San Diego.
It’s been a steady stream of “aha” moments since my exam yesterday. More to come on that soon.
As usual, here’s my exam video. You can watch it here, or go to YouTube (where you can post comments, if you like):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tin-jzgLmWI&hd=1
This link goes to the HD version - probably best watched full-screen. If you have a slower connection, change to one of the lower-res versions.
Feedback (which I know will be constructive, even if it’s critical!) is welcome. I’m pretty happy with how I did, but of course can see lots of things to work on for next time.
I figure now that I have 4 exam videos, they deserve their own playlist. So here it is, starting at 6th kyu (in case you have nothing better to do). LOL http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0F5D81895C5E5A30
My 6th kyu exam has around 9,500 views so far. Every month or two I get a nice comment from someone who’s been encouraged in some way by my exam videos (usually a new student who is freaking out about taking their first test, as I was). One of my favorite comments came in a few hours ago, and just made my day:
“You’re amazing, Linda-sama. I started train Aikido last week, but before - I had lot of doubts: if I am too old, people are bad, everything will be bad. I’m waiting about two years for my first train. But i taste it, and became addicted of this art. Thank you, for recording. Good luck! (sorry about my english)”
A few days ago I posted a note to myself on preparing for my upcoming 3rd kyu exam. My test is tomorrow morning. Here’s how things have really gone:
Still working on that whole masakatsu agasu thing…
Test Date: Saturday, 9 July, 2011,
Test Time: Immediately following a 9 a.m. class
Dear Self,
You will have a happier day, and a more successful test, if you follow these instructions:
Bow in with gratitude and joy.
Your Self
This post is meant to help beginning students listen for, and understand, the technique names we hear in class (especially those on our 6th Kyu exam), and to give those names a little context. “Katate-dori shihonage omote” can sound a little overwhelming if you don’t know how to break it down!
[First, a reminder: Here is an introduction to my Words posts, if you haven’t read it yet.]
Please don’t rely on anything in this post as information about what’s on the test, or about how to do anything. You can find our actual test requirements in the Aikido of San Diego Dojo Handbook. If you train at another dojo, a lot of this may be helpful, but your test will likely not include the same set of techniques, and some dojo have other names for these things. So use this as a starting point for learning to listen for the words used in your own dojo.
At this point I’m going to keep it simple and stick to only what I hear them called in daily training. You will see various spellings and ways of writing these words. I’m using hyphens here to make the parts of the words more obvious (like mune-tsuki), but you will often everything run together (munetsuki).
OK, let’s get started…
Words for Attacks
There are really only three things we do most of the time; we grab, we strike, and we punch. So we have only three core words to deal with. Each one has some additional words we use for specific cases, but basically there are three words for attacks: dori, uchi, and tsuki.
dori
[DOOR-ee]
A grab. We grab lots of things in lots of ways. Straight and cross-hand, grabbing one or both wrists, grabbing with one or both hands, and grabbing from the front, or behind Nage’s back.
Luckily there is only one grab name you need to know for your test, the straight-across (not cross-hand) wrist grab, katate-dori. We’ll do more grab words in another post!
uchi
[OO-chee]
A strike. We have two common kinds of strikes: shomen-uchi, and yokomen-uchi
Shomen-uchi [SHOW-men OO-chee] is a straight strike to the center of the head, at the forehead. Yokomen-uchi [yoh-KOH-men OO-chee] is an angled strike to the side of the head, at the temple or neck. Men means head, sho is center, and yoko means side. In open-hand techniques these strikes are done with the blade edge of the hand. You can also do shomen-uchi and yokomen-uchi with the bokken and jo.
Shomen means the center of the head. You will also hear it in the context of “the shomen,” which is the place at the front-center of the dojo where the picture of O-Sensei is.
tsuki
[tSKEE or SKEE In a complete technique names you will often hear the initial “t” from this word as though it were the last letter of the word preceding it.]
A thrust or punch. Not something you have to know for the 6th kyu exam, but you’ll hear it in class. The punch we do most in class is mune-tsuki [moo-NET-skee], a punch to about the solar plexus, where the ribs and belly meet. Lots of other kinds of punches to leave for later.
A Couple of Ways of Doing Techniques: Front, and Rear
Most techniques have several variations. Some have inside and outside versions. At least one I can think of has four directions (more on that later). Many have a front or rear version. Front is omote, and rear is ura. These are easy to remember because omote/front are longer words, and both have a “t” in them, and ura/rear are shorter, and both have an “r” in them.
Omote
[oh-MOH-tay]
Front. Notice when your partner is standing in hanmi (the basic stance in Aikido) that even though they are facing you their hips and body are oriented more to one side. That’s their front, or omote side. When you do the omote version of a technique you begin by entering to the front side of your partner (more or less).
Ura
[OOR-uh]
Rear. Their backside. The side with the shoulder blades, hindquarters, heels, etc. When you do the ura version of a technique you begin by entering to the rear side of your partner (more or less).
On the 6th kyu test there are two techniques (ikkyo and shihonage) where you will be demonstrating both the omote and ura versions.
Speaking of Ikkyo…
Technique names ending in …kyo [kyoh] are pinning techniques. You’ll hear these names on the mat: ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, yonkyo, and gokyo. They are all pinning techniques. If you take off the …kyo part, you end up with roughly counting to 5 in Japanese: ichi, ni, san, yon,* go. (Four is also sometimes “shi.” We’ll get to that.) So they are pinning techniques one through five. Simple, huh? You’ll see the same counting pattern later, in weapons techniques.
The only one on the 6th kyu test is ikkyo (both the omote and ura versions).
Speaking of Shi…
Remember that four is sometimes yon, and sometimes shi. The 6th kyu test includes the technique called shihonage (both the omote and ura versions). Shiho means four-direction and nage means throw.
So, Getting Back to ”Katate-dori shihonage omote”
The complete names we use on the mat carry a lot of information, but they really are simple. The patterns is attack (where & how) > technique (description & type) > variation. So katate-dori is the attack, shihonage is the technique, and omote is the variation. Cool, right?
Breaking it down further, we know that dori is one of the three kinds of attacks: a grab. Katate is straight-across to one wrist. So the attack, katate-dori is a one-handed, straight-across grab to the wrist. Awesome. Next?
Shihonage, we know is a throw (nage), and we just learned shiho means four directions. So it’s a four-direction throw (we’ll leave the details of all the directions for another time!). But at least we know it’s a throwing technique. And…
The variation is omote, or front. So the entry for this technique goes to the front of our partner.
Let’s try another one: Shomen-uchi ikkyo ura. Here, you figure it out:
How will your partner attack? Will it be a grab (dori), strike (uchi), or punch (tsuki)?
And where will the attack be directed? At the shomen, right? Remember what that is? By now you should be able to say “my partner is going to attack by _____ing me in the ____.”
So, what kind of technique is this? Ikkyo, sure. So it’s a kind of technique that involves what? It’s not a throw (that would be -nage)… It’s a _____ing technique. And a hint: There are five of them. Which one is this? #_____.
And don’t forget the variation: Ura. So your entry to the technique will be in what direction? “I’ll start by entering to the ______ of my partner.”
Got it?
OK, here’s the whole answer: Shomen-uchi is an attack the front-center of the head. Ikkyo is the first pinning technique. The entry is to the rear of your partner.
Try this with more technique names you hear in class!
A Few More Words to Know
ukemi
[oo-KEH-mee]
Ukemi is what you do when you are Uke [OO-kay]. (The other person is Nage [NAH-gay]. Ukemi includes providing the attack your partner needs so they can practice a technique, and then safely receiving the throw, pin, or whatever they do in response to your attack. The ukemi skills on the 6th kyu exam are forward and backward rolls.
waza
[WAH-zah]
Technique. You will hear this in a lot more contexts, but in day-to-day training we mostly use it for freestyle, or free technique, called jiyu-waza [GEE-yoo WAH-zuh], and for techniques done from the kneeling position (seiza [SAY-zuh]), called suwari-waza [su-WAR-ee WAH-zuh].
tenkan / irimi
[TEN-kahn / ee-REE-mee]
These are the entering and turning movements we do at the beginning of most classes, and they are part of most techniques. Here are some tricks for remembering the words: Tenkan (with a “t”) involves turning (with a “t”). Irimi, at least to me, sounds like “excuse me,” and looks like what you would do if you were sliding past someone in a row of theater seats or a narrow hallway.
kokyu dosa
This is the seated (in seiza) exercise we do at the end of many classes, where your partner grabs your wrists (usually, but not always, both wrists), and you tip them sideways. Kokyu, to the best of my understanding, refers to breath or breathing, and dosa is an exercise (as opposed to a technique).
tai no henko
I’m afraid I’m no help at all on this one, and I forget the words every time I try to describe this. It’s the blending exercise we often do at the start of class, where your partner grabs one wrist (katate-dori again!), and you enter and blend with their energy by stepping and turning (tenkan) alongside them. If you think of a good way to remember the name of this, let me know!
Whew! That seems like a lot for what looks like a very short test, but because it’s all new there’s a lot to learn. I hope this helps you notice and understand these words when you hear them in class.
As always, you can always go back and read all of my Aikido Words posts any time you like (the list will continue to grow).
“Your form was fine.” Sensei said when he came to discussing my 4th-kyu test. He was giving us each feedback in the post-exam circle of promotion candidates. “Were you nervous?” he asked.
Huh… Nervous? I had felt really well prepared. I hadn’t been afraid I would screw up any particular techniques (but of course I did anyway). I knew I was really focused. Intent on giving it my best. I had sort of half-assed my previous test (5th kyu), and had instantly wished I could’ve done it over - done it right. But there aren’t do-overs on tests. This time I was doing my darnedest to nail it.
“Yeah…” I allowed, as best I can recall saying, “not totally freaked out, but I was probably a little nervous.”
Liar.
I was totally freaked out. The weird thing is that I didn’t recognize it. Sure, I made a couple of mistakes on jo suburi - the one thing I thought I really had down, and there was that one technique where my back heel came off the ground and I noticed my leg was shaking… I didn’t recognize that I was nervous. It’s not OK with me to be nervous. Nervous is fearful, uncertain, and weak. I don’t get nervous.
What I did recognize was a feeling, one I’d had after my first and only piano recital as a teenager. I had played “Come Sail Away” by Styx. I played it just fine. But when I was done and sat down I had to ask someone how I’d done. It was like I hadn’t even been there when I was playing. At the end of my test I’d had the same feeling. I thought I’d done basically OK, aside from a few dumb mistakes, but it was like I wasn’t quite in the same room with my body when I was doing it.
Not present.
I was almost surprised, when I watched the video afterward, to see how many people were there on the mat. For the most part I’d been unaware of them. I think the walls of the dojo could have fallen away and I would not have noticed.
Unconscious.
Oops…
I have learned that Sensei sees right through me. When he offers what seems like a casual observation, it’s worth taking a good look at it.
One of my reasons for practicing Aikido in the first place was to learn to stay present and relaxed in the face of overwhelming physical threat, and take effective action. Hmmm… Instead, in the face of a kind teacher, a supportive group of dojo mates and a limited set of techniques I had been reviewing and refining for weeks, I went away - out of my body and out of the room, was wound tight as a high E string, and screwed up things I knew like the back of my hand.
“Were you nervous?” ”Oh, wow… Yes, I really was!”
Sounds like I have something to work on.
I keep forgetting and remembering important events on my Aikido path, and our organization doesn’t use kyu books. So before I misplace any entirely I thought I should get them all written down in one place. What a chore! So here they are - or the ones I could think of this evening, at least, plus a few I’m planning on in the near future.
I will update this post regularly, and keep a permanent link to it in the sidebar, eventually. This has a sister post now, too: My Aikido Teachers.
—- Someday —-
Aikido Randori and Weapons 4-Day Intensive w/ George Ledyard Sensei
Aikido Eastside, Bellevue, WA
[I am tentatively planning a 2-week train trip around this.]
—- 2012 —-
Fall, 2012
Aikido of San Diego Fall Retreat
Local mountains (?)
September 14-16, 2012
Weekend Intensive with George Ledyard Sensei
Facebook Event page for the Weekend Intensive with George Ledyard
Two Rivers Budo, Sacramento, CA
August 4-5, 2012
Daitoryu Aikijujitsu Ginjukai Seminar with Howard Popkin
Facebook Event page for the seminar with Howard Popkin
Jiai Aikido, San Diego, CA
June, 2012 Unfortunately, the Retreat is not happening in 2012.
CAA Aiki Summer Retreat (Nadeau, Doran, Ikeda, Heiny, & others)
Aiki Retreat Fan Page
Bay Area, CA
May, 2012
CAA Division 3 Retreat, Robert Nadeau Shihan & Others
Sonoma, CA
March 30-April 1, 2012
Evolutionary Aikido Seminar, Patrick Cassidy Sensei & Dave Goldberg Sensei
Register for Evolutionary Aikido Seminar
Aikido of San Diego
March 2-4, 2012
Dan Messisco Sensei
Facebook Event page for the seminar
Two Rivers Budo, Sacramento, CA (Geoff Yudien’s and Adam Fong’s new dojo!)
January 21, 2012
My 2nd Kyu Exam
Video of my 2nd kyu exam, on YouTube
Aikido of San Diego, Dave Goldberg Sensei
January 12-16, 2012
Aikido Bridge Friendship Seminar
Instructors: Hiroshi Ikeda, Frank Doran and Christian Tissier Shihan
Register for Aikido Bridge Seminar
Jiai Aikido, in San Diego
—- 2011 —-
October 7-9, 2011
Mary Heiny Sensei
Aikido of San Diego
September, 2011
Mitsugu Saotome Shihan
Redlands Aikikai
September 11, 2011
Aikido In Focus: Aikido, Fear, and Freedom, Dave Goldberg Sensei
Aikido of San Diego
Summer, 2011
Jo (Staff) Seminar, Chetan Prakash Sensei
Redlands Aikikai
July 15-17, 2011
Robert Nadeau Shihan
Aikido of San Diego
July 9, 2011
My 3rd Kyu Exam
Video of my 3rd kyu exam, on YouTube
Aikido of San Diego, Dave Goldberg Sensei
June 12-18, 2011
CAA Aiki Summer Retreat (Nadeau, Doran, Ikeda, Heiny, & others)
Aiki Retreat Fan SiteMenlo College, Atherton, CA
Feb 18-21, 2011
Gasshuku, Patrick Cassidy Sensei
Aikido of San Diego
January 13-17, 2011
Aikido Bridge Friendship Seminar
Instructors: Hiroshi Ikeda, Frank Doran and Christian Tissier Shihan
Jiai Aikido, in San Diego
January 3, 2011
Special New Year Training with Dave Goldberg Sensei,
and instructors Mike Coit, Megan Palm, and Lloyd McClellan
Aikido of San Diego
January 2011
Dojo Projects
Aikido of San Diego
Post: Service and Community
—- 2010 —-
November 13, 2010
My 4th Kyu Exam
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuGsMi4MhOQ
Post: To 4th Kyu & Beyond
October 24, 2010
Aikido In Focus workshop, Dave Goldberg Sensei
Subject: “How am I limiting myself / getting in my own way?”
[My focus: Over extending.]
Aikido of San Diego
Post: How am I Limiting Myself?
September 24-26, 2010
Seminar with Mary Heiny Sensei
Aikido of San Diego
[Helped with seminar logistics. “Tetsudai.”]
July 12, 2010
First day of training at new location (6356 Riverdale St. 92120)
Month of July, 2010
Several Work parties at the new and old locations.
May 22, 2010
Spring picnic at Santee Lakes
May 3, 2010
154 total training days. Just interesting trivia.
April 9-11, 2010
Seminar with Robert Nadeau Shihan
Aikido of San Diego
A Flickr slideshow of my seminar photos
March 21, 2010
Aikido In Focus workshop with Dave Goldberg Sensei
Subject: “Putting the Free in Freestyle”
Aikido of San Diego
Post: Body, Border Collies, & Beer
February 6, 2010
My 5th Kyu Exam
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bhlXh91Ksg
Post: 5th Kyu Test Tomorrow
Post: Thoughts on My 5th Kyu Test
Post: More thoughts - What I Meant
January 31, 2010
Aikido In Focus workshop with Dave Goldberg Sensei
Subject: “Ukemi”
Aikido of San Diego
January 23, 2010
Community service project with Aikido of San Diego
Fire clearance work day at the Unity Center Ranch (where our retreats are held)
January, 2010
Aikido Bridge Friendship Seminar
Instructors: Hiroshi Ikeda, Frank Doran and Christian Tissier Shihan
Plus guest instructors: Wilko Vriesman, Francis Takahashi, Morihiko Murashige Shihan
Jiai Aikido, in San Diego
Post: How To Go To Your First Big Seminar
Post: Great Trip, Happy to be Home
On AikidoBridge.com: Article, with photos, by Frank Richardson
—- 2009 —-
December 15, 2009
My first column for The Mirror, on AikiWeb.com
“Learning By Feel”
September 11-13
Annual Fall Retreat, with Kayla Feder & Dave Goldberg Sensei
Unity Center Ranch, Descanso, CA
[Mostly weapons and meditation.]
September 19, 2009
My 6th Kyu Test
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZR4eKhpRXE
Post: Studying for 6th Kyu Exam
Post: Reflections at the 1st Milestone
Post: Comments After My Exam
August 30 (?), 2009
Aikido In Focus workshop with Dave Goldberg Sensei
Subject: “Relax, It’s Aikido”
Aikido of San Diego
Post: Don’t Push So Hard Against the World
July 24-26, 2009
Seminar with Robert Nadeau Shihan
Aikido of San Diego
Post: Getting to the Nadeau Seminar
July 8, 2009
10th training day
Mid-May through June, 2009
Of the mat with a shoulder injury (separated AC joint)
Watched classes 1-2x/week
May 5, 2009
My first day of training
Aikido of San Diego
Post: Introduction
Congratulations to everyone who tested today!
Here’s my 4th kyu exam. Plenty of hiccups and room for improvement, but I’ll take it. There’s always 3rd kyu, and 2nd, and … ;-)
Many thanks to Dodge and Jay for being my ukes, to Bill and R.A. for being such helpful and dedicated training partners, to Yuumi, for lots of jiyuwaza practice, to Jason Lim for being our mentor, and to Dave Goldberg Sensei. <rei>
Video, and generous moral support, by Michael Eskin. :-)
Kyu rank exams today.
(Photo is from a previous test day.)
My exam for 4th kyu is one week from today. I’m excited, and starting to feel almost ready. I have gotten so much from my practice these past few months, and have been having a blast training.
Several of us who will be testing have been on the mat 4 to 5 days a week lately, staying late to train together after class, helping each other and working with our mentor, who has his hands full between me and two 3rd-kyu candidates. I’ve got a jump on the 3rd kyu test, at least, when I eventually get there! I’ve being doing ukemi for them when I can, and going through all the jo and bokken suburi that are on their test (mine are a subset of theirs). We’ve all learned and grown a lot together, and gotten closer as friends, too.
I am mentoring someone for the first time, too. She will be testing for 6th kyu, and I will be her uke. She is a joy to work with, and I’m looking forward to her test!
Since my 5th kyu exam in February I have trained 143 days (so far), helped with moving the dojo to our really nice new location, trained in two seminars - Robert Nadeau Shihan, and Mary Heiny Sensei - and assisted with the logistics of the latter. I’ve participated in two Aikido In Focus workshops with Sensei, watched a lot of exams, and enjoyed several dojo parties. I’ve gotten more comfortable with working with brand-new beginners, doing my best to provide ukemi that lets them get the feel of techniques - or at least doesn’t get in their way. I’ve been having way too much fun practicing my first breakfalls. Woohoo-whoosh-thump!
Because it’s a question a lot of people ask, yes, there is a colored belt associated with 4th kyu: Blue. There is no universal meaning to belt colors in Aikido. At our dojo 6th-5th are white, 4th-3rd are blue, and 2nd-1st at brown. Until just a couple of years ago our dojo went with the more traditional white for every rank until you get to shodan (first black belt). But it’s helpful, especially for brand new students who don’t know everyone yet, to have some indication of the level of proficiency of the person they are working with.
Rank for its own sake is not important to me. I will be the same person, doing my best (and screwing up, too), no matter what. But rank sometimes does have its privileges; 4th-kyu students and up can participate in the advanced classes on Monday and Thursday nights. I’ve been watching them lately, sometimes glad I have the luxury of just observing, but more often itching to get out there and play, too. Soon… :-) On Monday, November 15, actually. Not that I’m counting. ;-)
The months ahead are full of even more exciting things!
In December we will have a student doing his shodan demonstration. I always enjoy training with him, and benefit from his feedback. He’s a lot of fun, doesn’t let me get away with ineffective technique, and he’s strong as an ox. He’s also 73. He has a few limitations, but does not let them stop him or ruin his fun. He has been training his butt off lately. I wanna be like him when I grow up!
In January I will be training in the Aikido Bridge Friendship Seminar for the second time. It’s 5 days with Ikeda, Tissier, and Doran Shihan, plus several guest instructors. I really enjoyed it last time, and met a lot of very nice people - many of whom I’ve keep in touch with on Facebook throughout the year. I am looking forward to seeing then again, and meeting others, too.
In February Patrick Cassidy Sensei from Aikido Montreux in Switzerland will be coming to Aikido of San Diego over the Presidents Day weekend. I’ve heard only great things about his teaching! He comes to our dojo about once every other year, and I just missed him when I started training 18 months ago. So this will be my first time getting to train with him.
March through May are blessedly quiet. Time to just train. Get into a steady rhythm and let it all settle in. Play with Rainy the horse more as the days get longer, and maybe build those raised veggie and herb gardens I keep promising myself.
In June I am planning to go to the 35th Annual Aiki Summer Retreat at Menlo Park for the first time. It is a week-long live-in camp at a college - Sunday evening through Saturday morning! The dates & instructors aren’t up yet, but last year it was in mid-June, with Ikeda, Doran, and Nadeau Shihan, and Mary Heiny Sensei as a guest teacher. If you’re going to be there, drop me a note, although I’m sure we’ll meet each other in any case. If you’re from Aikido of San Diego, think about going! People from our dojo, including Sensei, have gone before, and I’d love to get a group together for this year. It’s a cheap vacation, and a heck of an opportunity.
Whew… That’s what’s on the horizon. Fun times ahead. Lucky me. :-)
If I don’t post again before my test it’s because I’m busy training. Or icing things. Or stretching. Or sleeping. Or drilling myself on the names of the weapons techniques so I don’t forget them under pressure. And trying to remember to go to the wrist, the wrist, the wrist, not the elbow, in nikyo ura. Oh yeah, and breathing. In other words, having entirely too much fun.
