Welcome to South Austin Aikido

Last week Jeanne and Chad took their birthday rolls.  It seams like only a month ago Jeanne started learning to roll and whalla!! She now rolls without effort and without sound.  Way to go Jeanne, all that practice is starting to really show in your aikido.

Chad rolled a lot with many hard falls.  It is funny, but sometime we panic when hard falling, and usually that means we try to make it happen a little too much.  But Chad hung in pretty tough and looked like a pro rolling and falling.  Keep it up and you may get the honored title of "The Fall Guy".  Way to go Chad!

Our friends at Alamo City Aikido in San Antonio will be hosting a seminar in January with Trimmer Sensei, a 30 year student of Mitsugi Saotome Sensei.  Please join our friends for a weekend of training and learning with this insightful and experienced instructor.  All AIkido Dojos and Affiliations are invited.  See Alamo City Aikido's website for more information.

What a day!  We had four tests, which included Pamela Tovar and Tim Schmelter testing for Gokyu, Brian Kammerer testing for Yonkyu and Tommy Kammerer testing for Ikkyu. 

The tests lasted almost an hour and a half and wore me out just watching.  However, a lot of good aikido was displayed by each of the testing candidates.  I was overcome with pride by the carefulness and level of detail displayed during the test. 

Tommy was outstanding, showing incredible receptiveness to each attack and constantly adjusted for each uke, no matter how big or how small.  Pamela and Tim each displayed a complete understanding of not only the required techniques, but also for many which were sprung on them during the test.  Brian showed he understands a lot about aikido, both in movement and in principle, even for one of our youngest aikidoka. 

Since so many were testing, the test candidates got take a lot of ukemi, making the tests extra tiring.  Everyone held up pretty well and gave all they had.  Way to go all test candidates!  I am extremely proud of all who tested, for the way they conducted themselves during the test and for the constant practice each has done in preparation.

Following the test, we all headed down to Buffet Palace, for what would have been known in my younger years as a "bulk feeder".  It was fun to have so many accompany us for dinner to celebrate the testing.  Thanks to everyone who stayed to support the test effort and thanks to all for joining us for dinner.

Click here for kyu test pictures

Chadwick and Wendy Chennault are having their first baby early next year (due mid February).  They are registered at Target and Baby's R Us for all kinds of wonderful baby stuff.  Any and all gifts are welcome.  Please contact Jay Lindholm at 970-2422 if you need any additional info.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Annual Halloween Seminar at the Boulder dojo with Saotome Sensei. 

I hope that everyone from our dojo has the opportunity to train in the Boulder dojo at some point in the near future.  The dojo is incredible!  Often described as the "aiki palace" and for good reason.  The shomen is a thing of beauty and the matted area is more than twice the size of our mat in Austin. 

The seminar itself was very interesting.  Saotome Sensei focused on unstructured training, with the key being on blending.  We went through a series of paired bokken exercises, followed by open hand practice that combined with the altitude, was enough to take your breath away.  At least I was sucking air pretty hard. 

We worked on blending from several different attacks including shomen, yokomen, katadori and katatedori.  The focus was on how as one moves into more advanced stages of training, it becomes necessary to let go of the focus on just technique.  First blend with the energy, while not being attached to any idea or outcome, and allowing it to unfold as you move. 

The seminar also focused on attention to personal freedom. If we let our minds focus on a stoppage point, we essentially block ourselves.  When we find ourselves stuck, then nage should walk or move to create a different angle for redirecting uke.

I had a most enjoyable week of aikido training with my friends in Boulder, Colorado.    Special thanks to everyone in Boulder for putting on a super seminar once again.

This past weekend Alamo City Aikido hosted a seminar with George Ledyard Sensei from Seattle.  What an enjoyable experience!  Ledyard Sensei explained the various levels of training as you gain experience, from static to flowing to energy, showing a natural progression of basic aikido techniques and why they work.  The higher levels of training, while probably a bit over most of our heads, were shown to plant seeds of ideas that will hopefully help us in the future.  Ledyard Sensei also explained common problems that we all face while performing basic techniques.  This included how to evaluate and correct our aikido based on very simple suggestions relating to movement, including which muscle groups should control the various types of movement.  All in all, it was an awesome weekend!

Way to go Alamo City Aikido!  Thank you for putting on a super seminar!!  Thanks to all our members who came to support our friends in San Antonio!!

Click here for the seminar pictures