What's New
Sunny Skys Sensei Seminar - Thursday, September 14th through Sunday, September 17th, 2006
This weekend marked the first seminar in our new space and it felt like a grand opening event. The seminar was our best attended seminar in the history of our group, with 40 participants training over the weekend. The training was truly fun and inspiring. We could have used a little less moisture in the air but then that just wouldn't have been our style.
It is hard to believe that this was Sunny Sensei's fourth trip to Austin. As with prior years, Sunny Sensei arrived on Thursday and provided four wonderful days of instruction for our aikido community to enjoy. Sunny Sensei has such a unique approach to teaching by being able to relate aikido practice to everyday life experiences. This is always uplifting and inspiring to hear. It also helps us better understanding what it is we are trying to achieve through our training.
We had a wonderful potluck at Darrell White's beautiful new home on Saturday night. This was the perfect location for the many participants of the seminar. We enjoyed good food, good stories and good company… Thank you Darrell for opening up your home and hosting our potluck.
On Sunday, Sunny Sensei used tanto wasa to provide a method for removing our attachment to technique and results, allowing us to feel the extension energy of the blade to provide a relaxed movement in our hands and arms. It also made it very apparent how to extend energy out the tips of your fingers instead of the side of your arm or wrist. I think we will need to use this method more often in our own practice.
Thank you Sunny Skys Sensei for coming to Austin to share your aikido with us. Thank you to all of the participants for supporting our seminar this weekend and making it such a great success! Special thanks to our friends from Alamo City Aikido for making the drive to Austin and contributing to the wonderful seminar weekend.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Pre-Seminar Clean Up - Sunday, September 10th, 2006
We are eagerly waiting for the arrival of Sunny Skys Sensei next week. In preparation for our first seminar in this space, we will be cleaning the dojo immediately following class on Sunday. It is said that "Many hands make quick work", so I am confident that we will quickly complete all of the necessary tasks Sunday afternoon. See ya'll on the mat :-)
Here are the links for the seminar flyer and registration form.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Birthday Rolls - Sunday, September 3rd, 2006
Alina Bushong celebrated her 18th birthday last week. It seems like only yesterday when she began training. However, after three summer camps and four years of consistent practice, Alina is rolling and training like a pro. She rolled 90 times for her birthday and could easily have made 90 more. I think she almost broke a sweat. This was too easy!! These young people never cease to amaze me with how they find more and more energy. Way to go Alina and Happy Birthday!!
Posted by Jay Sensei
Labor Day Weekend Schedule
All classes will be available during their normal schedule for this holiday weekend (Sunday 1:00pm - 3:15pm and Monday 6:00pm - 8:15pm).
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Kyu Tests - Sunday, August 20th, 2006
On Sunday, August 20th we had two ikkyu tests. I looked back and believe it or not, we have not had an ikkyu test since November of 2004. It takes a lot of practice and persistence to get to this level. In fact, this may be the hardest test of all. Both Chad and Brian have trained very consistently and their consistent training is what showed on their tests.
Brian moves so smoothly, it was truly inspiring to watch his test. His randori was awesome as he appeared to be really enjoying himself. His weapons work was very smooth and fluid as well.
Chad has improved so much and so fast that I cannot remember when he was first learning to roll. To see him roll now you would think he has been training for 20 years not just 3. Chad did a great job on the tanto dori with a large variety of techniques. He entered well and moved in a controlled and confident manner.
Afterwards, we all met at La Ferria to celebrate the wonderful kyu tests. Awesome job Brian and Chad on two tests that were done very well! Thanks to Jesse, Todd, Tommy and Tim for all of the ukemi during the tests. Thanks to everyone for supporting this test effort.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Kyu Testing This Weekend - Sunday, August 20th, 2006
We will have kyu testing this Sunday, with Chad and Brian both testing for Ikkyu. The tests will be during the second class on Sunday and everyone is encouraged to come and support our fellow members on their kyu tests.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Aiki Week is off to a Great Start - Sunday, August 13th, 2006
We just finished the first two of the seven days during Aiki Week and boy has it been fun so far :-) The energy and the training have been awesome! We had a wonderful pot luck last night, filled with plenty of great food for all to enjoy. Thank you all for the many wonderful dishes that y'all brought to our pot luck.
We are taking pictures during Aiki Week and should have them posted very soon. Check back during the week to see our progress with Aiki Week.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
South Austin Aikido Aiki Week Starts this Saturday, August 12th, 2006
Just a reminder. Our first Aiki Week will start this Saturday and continue through the following Friday. The response by our membership has been very positive and we expect to have a fun filled seven days of training. Please click on the link below for more information.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Monday Night Class, August 8th, 2006
Tonight we had our first Monday night class. There was a very nice turn out and the energy was wonderful. We even had a new member sign-up during class. What an excellent way to start off the Monday night class schedule!
Posted by Todd Kammerer
ASU Summer Camp in the Rockies in Glenwood Springs, CO.
Wow! What an awesome camp. More info to come very soon....
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Jay Sensei Attends ASU Summer Weapons Intensive in Washington, DC
This year, Gail, Charles and I went to Washington, DC for the annual ASU weapons intensive during the first week of July. It always seems so hard to get around the city where so many people commute to work. The amount of traffic in DC amazing and we think we have traffic in Austin (not even close).
Once you get into the training, it is always a valuable experience and this year in particular, being my fifth weapons camp, proved to be both challenging and exciting. You know the old saying "ignorance is bliss". Well, this holds true for aikido techniques. Once you start to recognize the more and more subtle pieces of Saotome Sensei's movements, you quickly find yourself going back to relearn what you know and integrate these subtleties into your own movements.
This year I began to see many of the subtle connections we often focus on in open hand practice during this year's weapons intensive. This had somehow escaped my vision in previous years and once again I found myself feeling like the Rob Schneider character in The Water Boy where he exclaims "Oh, no! We suck again!" I have come to realize that this feeling is a necessary part of one's growth in aikido. We have to be willing to let go of our old ideas and go back to square one to incorporate new ideas into our technique. This can be very uncomfortable in the short term; however, this practice enables our aikido to improve over the long term. Without allowing this process to take place, we find our aikido growth stuck in much the same way as we get stuck during a technique when the focus is on the stoppage point.
All in all, this was an incredible learning experience. I would encourage everyone to make the trip to the annual ASU Weapons Intensive. The 30 hours of weapons training during the seven day intensive will quickly increase your confidence in weapons practice. This in turn will enable your open hand practice to improve as well.
I hope to see you all there next year.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Mark your calendars for Aiki Week in August 2006
We are excited about the opportunity to provide seven consecutive days of training for our Aikido community. We will work on many important areas of our training during these seven days, while providing aikidoka of all levels something exciting to work on each day. Please click on the link below for more information.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Rolling Class for Beginners on Saturday, July 15th, 2006
We will be having a 90 minute class on rolling this Saturday from 10:00am to 11:30am. Class is open to all who wish to come and work on their rolling ability. See you on the mat :-)
Please feel free to contact Jay Sensei <jay.lindholm@southaustinaikido.com> or Todd <todd.kammerer@southaustinaikido.com> for further information.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Wonderful Changes - Tuesday, July 11th, 2006
WOW! We had an awesome class tonight! The energy was incredible with 28 aikido on the mat. We had several new members training, a few guests from out of town as well as two new members who just moved to Austin from Washington D.C. Welcome to Austin and to our group Violina and Denne!
We are increasing the number of hours and days available for training to support our growing membership. These changes include the addition of Advanced level classes on Tuesday and Sunday (effective 7/11/06) and the addition of Monday night classes starting in August (effective 8/7/06).
Posted by Todd Kammerer
July 4th Holiday Weekend Schedule
Sunday, July 2nd from 1:00pm to 3:15pm. Normal class schedule. Tuesday, July 4th from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. We will have a modified class schedule (90 minute class) so that we can enjoy our training and have plenty of time in the evening for July 4th activities.Posted by Todd Kammerer
Birthday Rolls - Tuesday, June 27th, 2006
Jesse Spears had another 29th birthday and requested the customary birthday rolls in honor of this special day. Jesse was rolled 112 times by the many energetic aikidoka on the mat. Though he was red in the face, Jesse pushed through to the end. Great job and Happy Birthday Jesse!!
Posted by Jay Sensei
Kyu Tests - Sunday, June 25th, 2006
Today we had two adult kyu tests, Charles Pummill for gokyu and Alina Bushong for nikyu. Both candidates did a wonderful job!
Charles did a great job performing all of the required techniques as well as several surprise requests. All of his preparation was evident as his movement and understanding of the techniques made the test a real joy to watch. Congratulations to Charles on a lot of aikido growth!
Alina did an awesome job oh her test as well. It was impossible to get her to slip up since she was clearly familiar with the techniques in all ranges. She made koshinage look pretty easy from several different attacks. Her randori was beautiful, full of movement and good use of the entire mat. Way to go Alina!!
Thank you to all who provided ukemi for the tests and assisted the test candidates in preparation for their kyu tests.
Posted by Jay Sensei
The seminar dates for Sunny Skys Sensei at South Austin Aikido have been confirmed
Our seminar with Sunny Skys Sensei from Aiki Zenshin Dojo has been set for September 15th - 17th, 2006. See our EVENTS page for more details.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan Seminar pictures are all posted - Friday, June 23rd, 2006
The pictures taken by Barbara & Brenda Kammerer of this awesome weekend are now posted. Special thanks to Barbara for helping me sort through all of the pictures and post them onto our site.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Upcoming Training Weekend and Holiday Weekend Schedule
Saturday, June 24th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. We will have open mat time available for reviewing the upcoming kyu tests as well as general open mat time. All are welcome to participate in this 2 hour training session. Sunday, June 25th from 2:15pm to 3:15pm. We will have kyu testing for two of our members during the second class. We plan on going out for dinner immediately following and all are welcome to join.Sunday, July 2nd from 1:00pm to 3:15pm. Normal class schedule. Tuesday, July 4th from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. We will have a modified class schedule (90 minute class) so that we can enjoy our training and have plenty of time in the evening for July 4th activities.Posted by Todd Kammerer
Visit to Alamo City Aikido this Weekend - Saturday, June 17th, 2006
A group of us will be going to San Antonio on Saturday to train with our friends at Alamo City Aikido. Class will start at 11:30AM and will go until ~2:00PM. Michael and Shawn Young will be hosting pizza and Aikido DVDs at their house immediately following Saturday's class. Please feel free to contact Jay Sensei <jay.lindholm@southaustinaikido.com> or Todd <todd.kammerer@southaustinaikido.com> for further information.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Signs are up and they look Great - Sunday, June 11th, 2006
We spent the last two Saturdays working on various projects for the dojo. This included installing our two new signs, one on S. Lamar and one above our front door (see pictures below). They look great and are working wonderfully. Thanks to all involved for your efforts over the past two weekends!
Charles even offered to help with the advertising by placing one of our older signs on the side of his new car (see below).
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Kyu Tests - Sunday, June 4th, 2006
Today we had three adult kyu tests, Ross Smith tested for rokyu, Ryan Ugland for gokyu and Jesse Spears for nikyu. It was our first group of adult kyu tests in our new space. Everyone did an outstanding job, all performing in an inspiring manor.
People often wonder, "Why test?" The answer is simple. It is an important part of training. My experience has shown that people see significant improvements in their Aikido during the process of preparing for and performing the test(s). There is just something about the focus on each technique as well as what occurs during each encounter that heightens our awareness and sensitivity. We then return to our training after the test and begin the process of adjusting where things did not work before. Ultimately resulting in an overall improvement in our understanding of Aikido.
Ross showed a lot of growth during the test preparation and his performance of the techniques during his kyu test. He clearly demonstrated a good understanding of the required techniques. Congratulations to Ross on a wonderful test.
Ryan's kyu test was next. This test had been delayed due to our dojo move as well as his recent marriage and honeymoon. The extra time prior to his test allowed his techniques to get even better, resulting in a kyu test that demonstrated an understanding beyond the level of gokyu. Congratulations to Ryan on this very significant step.
Then Jesse tested for nikyu. The nikyu test is long and is usually more about stamina than technique. Jesse performed kumi tachi 1-5 and open hand techniques very well, showing a lot of preparation for his test. This was Jesse's best test to date. He moved in a controlled, relaxed manner, maintaining his intent during the technique. His arms were well maintained and his test was a joy to watch.
Click here for kyu test pictures -- pictures are postedAfterwards, we all met at the Buffet Palace to celebrate the wonderful kyu tests. Great job to all of the test candidates! Thanks to everyone who came and supported our three members on their test. Special thanks to our members who provided the ukemi during the test. This includes Alina, Brian, Chad, Mark, Tim, Todd and Tommy.
Posted by Jay Sensei
More Birthday Rolls - Thursday, June 1st, 2006
It has been a busy week for birthdays with two more of our members celebrating with birthday rolls on Thursday. First was Cierra, who rolled 95 times. Then came Jay Sensei, who rolled 70 times. Both did a awesome job with the many energetic nage's. Happy Birthday to Cierra and Jay Sensei!
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Great Energy Today for Birthday Rolls - Tuesday, May 30th, 2006
Talk about a great night! We had 21 aikidoka on the mat. Some in their first week of training, while the others were further along in the various stages of their training. Needless to say, the energy was awesome! Perfect for two of our members to celebrate their birthdays with birthday rolls. First was Chadwick, who rolled 101 times. Then came Tim, who rolled 85 times. Both did a wonderful job with the many energetic nage's. Great job and Happy Birthday to Chadwick and Tim!
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Big Training Weekend - Saturday, June 3rd & Sunday, June 4th, 2006
We will have open mat this Saturday. June 3rd from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. This time will be used for reviewing the upcoming kyu tests this month. All are welcome to come and participate in the 2 hour training session.
Then on Sunday, June 4th, we will have kyu testing for two of our members during the second class from 2:15pm to 3:15pm. See you on the mat.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Friendship Training Day - Sunday, May 21st, 2006
On Sunday we had a guest instructor from our sister dojo in San Antonio, Alamo City Aikido. Craig Slack Sensei gave us a special training day, providing the opportunity to challenge our members at all levels. This was our first special training day in the new space. The energy was outstanding with 14 aikidoka on the mat and we all had a wonderful time.
Craig Sensei has an incredible understanding of how to approach connection as both uke and nage. He has clearly learned a lot during his time Ikeda Sensei over the past year, which is evident in his movement and feel. Now if we can just begin to catch up a little. It was a refreshing change of pace to have Craig Sensei come and get us back to thinking about where our aikido should be heading. Now it is time for us to attempt to incorporate these ideas into our training.
Thank you Craig Sensei and Sylvia for coming to train with us. Your time and input are always greatly appreciated.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Dojo build out progress - Saturday, May 20th, 2006
Thanks to the hard work of several of our dojo members, we have accomplished a lot in just three short weeks. We have multiple changing areas, storage closet, fans that provide great airflow and a viewing area with plenty of seating. Simply put, the space is coming together wonderfully.
To top off the third week in our space, our friends from Alamo City Aikido are coming up for a friendship-training day in our new space on Sunday, May 21st. Craig Slack sensei will teach and classes are open to everyone.
See ya all on the mat..
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Kyu Test - Thursday, May 11th, 2006
Thursday night Cierra Kling became the first member to test in our new space. Cierra made us all proud, showing great poise while performing all of the required techniques and plenty more. She moved in a relaxed manner, showing great progress for someone who has been studying aikido for only 8 months.
This was also our first junior kyu test. Cierra clearly demonstrated that at a young age one can have a solid understanding of aikido principles and basic movements. I am not sure but I believe that I was more nervous about the test than she was. Great job Cierra! Now on with the hakama!
Afterwards we celebrated Cierra's wonderful Youth Rokyu test with cupcakes, maintaining our tradition of eat train eat. Thank you Barbara for making the cupcakes and thank you Tim, Chadwick and Todd for providing ukemi for the test.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Opening Day in Our New Space - Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006
It has been a busy week. Many of us were tired from working on the space over the past several days and the weather failed to cooperate by providing a heavy hail/rain storm just 45 minutes before class resulting in traffic problems. Even so, opening day in our new space was great!
For some reason this year it seems as if it doesn't rain without hailing. I ended up sitting in my car for about 15 minutes waiting for it to subside. This marked the third time in two weeks that I have been stuck in my car in a hailstorm. Finally, I could not wait any longer and ran to the dojo, getting pretty wet in the process.
I was pretty excited to be training in our new space and as a result, probably went too fast. The two classes went by in what seemed like a heart beat. We had a great turnout for class in our new space with fourteen aikidoka on the mat.
It feels good to be training on our regular Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday schedule once again. We have had our share of challenges during our transition from our old space to our new location, but we are starting to enjoy the results of all of our efforts. There is a lot of work yet to do on the dojo and will work our way through the various projects over time. Congratulations to our group on our dedicated space. I look forward to many more exciting events with our space in the future.
Click here for pictures of opening dayClick here for pictures of the new space prior to demo/build outPosted by Jay Sensei
South Austin Aikido Now Has a Dedicated Space - Friday, April 28th, 2006
I am pleased to announce that we officially have our own dedicated space for "our dojo" :-) We will train at the Elks Lodge on Saturday from 3:00PM - 5:00PM and then move the mats to our new location. A few of us will be working on the space during the day on Saturday and Sunday in preparation for classes in "our dojo" next week. There is much to do to completely have the dojo as we want it and intend to complete these projects over time. The good news is that the space is usable after some minor work, which will be completed this weekend.
Now that the limitations on days/time with the temporary space have have lifted, we will return to our Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday schedule beginning next week. Please see our Class Schedule page for details.
Thanks to all that have been putting in the many hours to make this dedicated space a reality for our Aikido Community, as well as you all for supporting the group during this transition! Additionally, I would like to give a special thanks to Jay Linholm sensei and Gail Lindholm for securing the Elks Lodge space for our use in April. This was found on very short notice and it has worked out very well for the group. The energy on the mat has been awesome!
See ya all on the mat..
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Classes at the Elk's Lodge - Wednesday, April 19th, 2006
The classes at the Elk's Lodge have been awesome. The space is as large as our previous location, plus it has many windows for natural lighting (with wonderful views of downtown Austin). Come by and check us out….
Posted by Todd Kammerer
No Class during the weekend of April 8th & 9th
Please note that we will not have class this weekend (April 8th or 9th). We will begin training at our new location on Dawson Road beginning Monday April 10th. See you on the mat.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
New location and training schedule - Thursday, April 6th, 2006
South Austin Aikido has moved. This is a temporary location until we close on a dedicated space sometime in the very near future.
New location: We are now using a space inside the Elks Lodge, located at 700 Dawson Rd. Please note that we have adjusted our training days and hours due to this move. See our Class Schedule page for specific training days and times.
Future location: We are currently in negotiations for a dedicated space located on South Lamar, near highway 290. Once we move into this future location, we plan to take advantage of the dedicated Aikido space and expand our class schedule, including the addition of a children's program. Look for more information on the children's program in the very near future.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions (see contact info below)
Jay Lindholm jlindholm@austinaikido.com Todd Kammerer tkammerer@austinaikido.com Posted by Todd Kammerer
Website changes
You will notice some changes to our website. We are in the process of incorporating our new logo design with our site as well as expanding the information about our Aikido community.
Please note that this is not the final website design. One of our members is working on a completely new website design that will improve the ease of use for everyone, both new and existing to our Aikido community.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Congratulations Emanuel and Kendra Jester on the birth of their son
Kendra and Emanuel are the proud parents of a 7lb 12oz baby boy. Adrian Emanuel Jester was born on Tuesday March 14th. Both baby and mom are doing fine. Congratulations to the Jester family on the birth of their son :-)
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan Seminar Pictures
The pictures should be up soon. Barbara and Brenda did a wonderful job and captured a very large amount of pictures. We are still going through them all and hope to have them up within the next week or so. We will advise just as soon as they are posted.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Mark your calendars... Upcoming Intensive in San Antonio - Saturday, March 18th, 2006
Right on the heels of Alamo City Aikido's successful seminar with Ikeda Sensei, Alamo City Aikido will be hosting a one day Aikido Intensive on Saturday, March 18th. There will be no cost for the intensive, which will start at 11:30am at ACA's dojo and continue into the afternoon until about 5:30pm. There will be an hour and half break for lunch, as well as short breaks in between each hour.
Feel free to call or e-mail with any questions.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan Seminar - Friday, February 24th through Sunday, February 26th, 2006
Right when you start to think something is impossible, it actually happens. After many years of training in Texas as the only ASU dojo, the Alamo City Aikido maniacs move into San Antonio and make things happen in a big way. Way to go San Antonio!! It was awe inspiring to have Ikeda Sensei visit so close to home. The seminar was a huge success with over 50 people training on the mat at the same time.
It is difficult to summarize the training because my head is about to explode from so much information. Ikeda Sensei talked a lot about continuing to improve and explore your aikido. How far can you go before you go? That is our job. Sensei left us with many good ideas and exercises to work on to assist us on this journey. He showed things that looked pretty darn easy until you tried it. That's why we practice, if it were easy, we would not need to train. He also talked about thinking of ourselves as small or weak people. Martial arts are for weak people since strong people don't need martial arts. This emphasis allows us to move away from strength based techniques (assuming we are too small for strength to work for us) to that of blending and connection. Each technique begins with the breaking of balance during the initial attack. Once the balance is broken you can actually perform almost any technique or move in any direction.
The training was a complete blast even though the mat was very crowded. I think we should thank the members of Alamo City Aikido for hosting this seminar. Great Job!! Also, thanks to all our members who came and trained to support the San Antonio group. Thanks to Matt Lowes for coming to visit all the way from Eugene, Oregon. Also thanks to Denee' Reed from Maryland and Ron Santichen for coming with Sensei from Boulder.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Leslie Sensei retires from teaching adult classes - Thursday, February 23rd, 2006
Leslie Sensei announced at Thursday's class that she is retiring from teaching adult aikido classes to develop a children's program for Hill Country Aikido. Jay Sensei will take over instruction of the adult classes and continue to use the existing space until a new space is found for the group.
Although Leslie Sensei's primary focus will be on the new children's program, any members who wish to train with her should feel free to contact her. Leslie wished Jay the best of luck with the group and said she was sure it would be a great place to train.
There will be many questions over the next few days, and Jay and Todd will keep the website updated as often as they can to keep you up to date. Feel free to talk to or email Jay Sensei <jlindholm@austinaikido.com> or Todd <tkammerer@austinaikido.com>.
Training will continue on the regular schedule on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and everyone is welcome on the mat!
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Congratulations Hiroaki and Naoko Terakawa on the birth of their son
After 22 hours of labor, Naoko gave birth to Kazuki Luke Terakawa at 6:22AM on Thursday February 16th. Congratulations to the Terakawa family on their new baby boy :-)
Posted by Todd Kammerer
The pictures from the Kevin Choate Sensei seminar are all posted
It took a little longer than expected, but all of the pictures from this exciting weekend are now up on our website. Check them when you have a chance.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
The seminar dates for Tres Hofmeister Sensei at Hill Country Aikido has been confirmed
Our seminar with Tres Hofmeister Sensei from Boulder Aikikai has been set for June 2nd - 4th, 2006. See our EVENTS page for more details.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Big Test Day at Hill Country Aikido - Sunday, January 22nd, 2006
It was a long and exciting day of testing on Sunday which featured tests by Brenda Kammerer, Mark McDonald, Chad Leath, and Tim Schmelter. Brenda and Mark tested for fourth kyu and demonstrated a lot of improvement in their aikido technique. Brenda movement was like watching the ballet, very smooth and deliberate with awesome posture and control. Mark also moved well showing a lot of improvement in his footwork and hip movement. Brenda wowed us with a truly inspiring randori. Way to go Brenda and Mark.
The fourth kyu tests were followed by Tim and Chad testing for sankyu and nikyu respectively. Both of these tests were very solid, showing a lot of great connection and understanding of aikido principles. I was once again reminded of the importance of regular practice as it clearly showed in the growth during these tests. Both of these guys train all the time and it was obvious from the quality of the tests. Chad performed the kumi tachi with Tommy Kammerer and looked really sharp. Way to go Tim and Chad on two very impressive tests.
Following the kyu tests, we all went to Buffet Palace for food and celebration. It was a pleasure to celebrate a wonderful day of testing with members of our group. Thanks to everyone who stayed to participate and especially to Brian, Todd, Tommy, Alina, Jeanne, Pamela and Jesse for providing ukemi for the tests.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Kyu Testing This Weekend - Sunday, January 22nd, 2006
We will have a modified schedule this Sunday due to Kyu testing. We will have an all levels class from 1:00pm to 2:00pm followed by kyu testing from 2:00pm to 3:30pm. This includes Chad for nikyu, Tim for sankyu, Brenda for yonkyu and Mark for yonkyu. Please come and support them on their tests.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Birthday Rolls.....
Tommy Kammerer celebrated his 20th birthday this past week by participating in the Hill Country Aikido tradition of birthday rolls. As expected, Tommy did very well, performing 160 rolls with the many energetic nage's. Great job and Happy Birthday to Tommy!
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Modified Class Schedule on Sunday, January 15th, 2006
We will have a modified class schedule this upcoming Sunday (January 15th) due to another group's seminar in the Yoga space this weekend. Training on this Sunday will be 1:00PM - 2:00PM for the first class and 2:00PM - 2:45PM for the second class with all levels welcome in both classes.
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Kevin Choate Sensei Seminar - Friday, January 6th through Sunday, January 8th, 2006
This past weekend a number of us traveled to San Antonio for a Seminar hosted by Alamo City Aikido with Kevin Choate Sensei. This was a truly incredible experience for all of us. Choate Sensei started with exercises that stemmed from tension prior to contact and relaxation upon initial contact to lead uke off balance. These were very subtle and definitely played with your brain. Then we worked on focusing on tension and trying to create relaxation where tension existed and tension where parts were relaxed. Just when I thought the last exercises were hard. Now this may sound crazy but what a challenge to come into contact with too many body parts in different ways. The seminar progressed from these exercises into their use in basic technique. I think we all benefited from this seminar in more ways than one.
We attended a pot luck Saturday evening and spent many hours listening and sharing jokes and stories. This was a lot of fun. Others watched Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail. There were also some scenes in Japanese where the Grail turned into the holy Sake Cup. I am not sure that this translated very well.
We all had a great time during this wonderful learning experience. As always, it was good to spend time with our friends at Alamo City Aikido. Ferdi from Chicago was also there and a pleasure to see again. Thanks to everyone at Alamo City Aikido for allowing us to attend such an awesome event! Special thanks to Emanuel, Kendra, Michael and Shawn for sharing their homes with us and for being such wonderful hosts.
Posted by Jay Sensei
Reminder... Kevin Choate Sensei, Rokudan / Chicago Aikikai will be at Alamo City Aikido in San Antonio this weekend - Friday, January 6th through Sunday, January 8th, 2006
Alamo City Aikido is hosting a Kagami Biraki (new year dojo opening celebration - see link below) seminar with Kevin Choate Sensei of the Chicago Aikikai this weekend. This is going to be an awesome event! We look forward to seeing you on the mat at Alamo City Aikido.
Here is an article regarding "Kagami Biraki" Kagami Biraki: Renewing the Spirit
Posted by Todd Kammerer
Happy New Year! - Sunday, January 1st, 2006
May you all have a wonderful and prosperous New Year!
Posted by Todd Kammerer