Welcome to South Austin Aikido

The theme of the week was “new beginnings” and if this is anything like future camps, I am all in. The camp was much smaller this year and actually, at least for me, made the camp very special. The teaching was more intimate with all of the Senseis and the senior teachers did an awesome job as well.

This year six of us ventured to the camp located near Glenwood Springs, CO. The weather was enjoyable in that it was in the mid 80s during the day and dropped into the 50s at night. A welcome relief from the Texas heat we have been experiencing. I do believe that we all got our fill of training during the week and came home tired and sore. As my friend Duane Bolt says “I can rest when I get home”. Way to go Duane.

In keeping with the theme, all of the Senseis focused on examining our training to make a new way of looking at our understanding of aikido.

Hofmeister Sensei worked on the relationship of uke and nage and how each person has a role and a project to work on during practice. It is necessary to allow each to continue their project. Many of the exercises were designed to teach nage not to think of doing anything to nage and for uke to be active during the entire technique. I know my ukemi improved during the week because of some of these exercises.

Choate Sensei worked on nage maintaining good posture and how to “drop the chain down your spine”. In addition, nage was to work on not doing anything to uke but to search for areas of tension in our bodies and attempt to remove that tension. I managed to find plenty of tension in all kinds of places. This is still a work in progress.

Finally, Doran Sensei and Saotome Sensei provided a lot of high level instruction which was in keeping with the theme as well. It is sad to realize that Doran Sensei will not be back next year; we will really miss his humor and beautiful aikido.

All things said, it was a camp to remember and all of us who went are looking forward to next year!