Friday, March 13, 2009
Join the Dojo Via Online Sign Up and Payment
After several months of intermittently attempting to configure PayPal for use on the main dojo website (www.AikidoDecatur.com), I think I have finally got it working! Sometime soon someone will be the first to attempt to pay their initial three-month dues via the online form.
It's now more convenient than ever to join!
Monday, March 9, 2009
Aikido Decatur Seeks Contacts With Area Schools
Aikido Decatur is interested in offering martial arts classes for children 4 and up through Decatur-area schools, after-care programs, and other suitable venues.
Aikido is a purely defensive, non-violent martial art which uses the attacker's energy to pin or throw them. It has been called "the Art of Peace," for it teaches self-defense techniques designed to protect the attacker from harm. As much as it is a physical practice, it is also a study in conflict resolution, relationship, and listening.
The physical benefits for children who study aikido include improved body control, energy, strength, flexibility, and overall fitness. As a relationship practice, children learn to observe and listen to those around them with keen attention, to cooperate with and even contribute to others' movements and intentions, and to express themselves more confidently and clearly. And as a martial art, they learn how to defend themselves when attacked, how to effectively control an aggressor without causing injury, and how to defend against multiple attackers.
The principles and techniques of aikido make it accessible for persons with all degrees of initial fitness, strength, and experience. By emphasizing moving harmoniously with others instead of trying to overpower them, aikido is as effective and suitable for girls as it is for boys.
In a school or rec department course of anywhere from 1 to 12 classes or more, students can receive an introduction to the practice of aikido, learn basic techniques, and begin to learn how to move their own body and adjust their own attitudes when attacked. They will be introduced to several basic but effective techniques, will begin strength and flexibility training, and will learn how to train safely at all times so as to never cause injury to any training partner for any reason.
In its regular schedule, Aikido Decatur offers classes to children 8 to 12 and to youth and adults 13 and over at its dojo on the square in downtown Decatur. Joel Riggs (2nd dan), the chief instructor at Aikido Decatur, began training in San Francisco in 1993 with Robert Nadeau (7th dan), a student of the founder of aikido Morihei Ueshiba O Sensei (1883-1969). Joel Sensei moved to Decatur with his wife and son in late 2008. More info available at www.AikidoDecatur.com.
Aikido is a purely defensive, non-violent martial art which uses the attacker's energy to pin or throw them. It has been called "the Art of Peace," for it teaches self-defense techniques designed to protect the attacker from harm. As much as it is a physical practice, it is also a study in conflict resolution, relationship, and listening.
The physical benefits for children who study aikido include improved body control, energy, strength, flexibility, and overall fitness. As a relationship practice, children learn to observe and listen to those around them with keen attention, to cooperate with and even contribute to others' movements and intentions, and to express themselves more confidently and clearly. And as a martial art, they learn how to defend themselves when attacked, how to effectively control an aggressor without causing injury, and how to defend against multiple attackers.
The principles and techniques of aikido make it accessible for persons with all degrees of initial fitness, strength, and experience. By emphasizing moving harmoniously with others instead of trying to overpower them, aikido is as effective and suitable for girls as it is for boys.
In a school or rec department course of anywhere from 1 to 12 classes or more, students can receive an introduction to the practice of aikido, learn basic techniques, and begin to learn how to move their own body and adjust their own attitudes when attacked. They will be introduced to several basic but effective techniques, will begin strength and flexibility training, and will learn how to train safely at all times so as to never cause injury to any training partner for any reason.
In its regular schedule, Aikido Decatur offers classes to children 8 to 12 and to youth and adults 13 and over at its dojo on the square in downtown Decatur. Joel Riggs (2nd dan), the chief instructor at Aikido Decatur, began training in San Francisco in 1993 with Robert Nadeau (7th dan), a student of the founder of aikido Morihei Ueshiba O Sensei (1883-1969). Joel Sensei moved to Decatur with his wife and son in late 2008. More info available at www.AikidoDecatur.com.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Aikido Decatur Donations to Local Organizations
Aikido Decatur is committed to contributing to the Decatur, GA, community. In the spring of 2009 we have dontated certificates for one month's training to the silent auctions for several schools and churches:
- Decatur Education Foundation
- Friends School of Atlanta
- Oakhurst Presbyterian Church School
- St. Thomas More School
- Paideia School
- First Existentialist Congregation
- International Community School
- Oakhurst Community Garden Project
- Imagine Wesley Academy
- The Waldorf School of Atlanta
- Decatur First United Methodist Worship Children's Ministry Preschool & Kindergarten
- Renfroe Middle School
Aikido Decatur's First Adult Class, March 3, 2009
Today the first adult students appeared at the dojo, one on his first day, and the other a white belt visiting from Florida. After two months of being just a rented room for stretching in, the dojo got in gear with an adult class following the regular kids class back-to-back.
So, what do you do with a visitor and a first timer? I checked in with them to see whether they wanted to stretch, and they did, so we stretched for about 10 minutes.
Then, instead of delving into some complex technique, we led off with simple ma-ai practice, threatening to attack kata-dori while nage maintained distance by stepping backwards. Once we reached the edge of the world (the edge of the mat), we reversed uke/nage and went back the other way. With this simple exercise we began to feel the connection between beings and started to open to the energy coming in from our partner.
Then, we added an actual kata-dori attack. Nage then deepened the connection by securing uke's hand to the shoulder being attacked, then turned inside, extending uke's arm, and leading uke into a long forward lunge and turn that inevitably turned into a backward sit-fall. Very gentle, good for first timers and for strangers from afar. Nothing dangerous or joint intensive.
After exploring this shape for about 20 minutes, getting our feet and hands working in some semblance of coordination, we took a break for a moment.
"How and who are you when you do this technique? What are you working on right now?" I asked.
The first-timer had a classic quote: "How do you do this without thinking about it?" I had mentioned to him earlier that he could move his body more and spend less time standing and scratching his head.
"Exactly right!" I replied. "If you train with that question in your mind at all times, you will progress far and very fast in this art." He looked at me a little quizzically when he realized that that was all I was going to say in that moment, and then a smile came across his face.
The white belt then asked, "are you grabbing their hand and trying to pull them, or are you just turning?" Not knowing what to say to him, I invited him to attack me. I connected with him, led him just beyond his comfort range, and turned, resulting in him falling softly in front of me. "I'm not sure I know what to say," I told him, "but does that answer your question?"
"Hai, sensei," he said excitedly.
We then spent a few minutes doing the old Richard Moon practice of training with an 'imaginary uke', an invisible partner. Making the shapes by yourself makes it abundantly clear that it is NOT uke's fault that a technique is difficult or that you are falling off balance in the middle of it!
"Take a moment to feel what it's like to be completely awesome at this technique, and at training in general," I told them. "How would you be, how would you move, how would you look if you were the best in the world at this technique? What is different for you?"
The usual replies came forth "I'm breathing more consciously, I'm moving with a rhythm, I'm not thinking about it so much, I can feel my feet on the floor more, I feel heavier." All the regular signs that nage is opening and allowing more, getting their head, their thinking selves out of the way.
I went on, "so, let's take advantage of O Sensei's great gift to all of us, and let us take these great physical and spiritual insights back into the world of moving, functioning technique, where the s*** hits the fan!"
We trained for another 10 minutes. Halfway through this last segment I reminded them, "Let's not forget all the wonderful changes we manifested in our being a few minutes ago. As the energy and the movement and the speed increase here a little bit, let us continue to open and allow, to focus on who we are less than on how we can manage to throw our uke." I could see lights going on in their eyes as we continued training.
And with that, class was over.
I had a wonderful time, and, by report, so did my two students.
In teaching today I glimpsed once again the power and the possibility of all that I have received from my teachers (Robert Nadeau, Richard Moon, Nick Scoggin, and many more) over the years. Over and over through teaching, I discover the layers upon layers of this art and I realize how little I have scratched its surface.
I look forward to the next class when an adult student might appear!
So, what do you do with a visitor and a first timer? I checked in with them to see whether they wanted to stretch, and they did, so we stretched for about 10 minutes.
Then, instead of delving into some complex technique, we led off with simple ma-ai practice, threatening to attack kata-dori while nage maintained distance by stepping backwards. Once we reached the edge of the world (the edge of the mat), we reversed uke/nage and went back the other way. With this simple exercise we began to feel the connection between beings and started to open to the energy coming in from our partner.
Then, we added an actual kata-dori attack. Nage then deepened the connection by securing uke's hand to the shoulder being attacked, then turned inside, extending uke's arm, and leading uke into a long forward lunge and turn that inevitably turned into a backward sit-fall. Very gentle, good for first timers and for strangers from afar. Nothing dangerous or joint intensive.
After exploring this shape for about 20 minutes, getting our feet and hands working in some semblance of coordination, we took a break for a moment.
"How and who are you when you do this technique? What are you working on right now?" I asked.
The first-timer had a classic quote: "How do you do this without thinking about it?" I had mentioned to him earlier that he could move his body more and spend less time standing and scratching his head.
"Exactly right!" I replied. "If you train with that question in your mind at all times, you will progress far and very fast in this art." He looked at me a little quizzically when he realized that that was all I was going to say in that moment, and then a smile came across his face.
The white belt then asked, "are you grabbing their hand and trying to pull them, or are you just turning?" Not knowing what to say to him, I invited him to attack me. I connected with him, led him just beyond his comfort range, and turned, resulting in him falling softly in front of me. "I'm not sure I know what to say," I told him, "but does that answer your question?"
"Hai, sensei," he said excitedly.
We then spent a few minutes doing the old Richard Moon practice of training with an 'imaginary uke', an invisible partner. Making the shapes by yourself makes it abundantly clear that it is NOT uke's fault that a technique is difficult or that you are falling off balance in the middle of it!
"Take a moment to feel what it's like to be completely awesome at this technique, and at training in general," I told them. "How would you be, how would you move, how would you look if you were the best in the world at this technique? What is different for you?"
The usual replies came forth "I'm breathing more consciously, I'm moving with a rhythm, I'm not thinking about it so much, I can feel my feet on the floor more, I feel heavier." All the regular signs that nage is opening and allowing more, getting their head, their thinking selves out of the way.
I went on, "so, let's take advantage of O Sensei's great gift to all of us, and let us take these great physical and spiritual insights back into the world of moving, functioning technique, where the s*** hits the fan!"
We trained for another 10 minutes. Halfway through this last segment I reminded them, "Let's not forget all the wonderful changes we manifested in our being a few minutes ago. As the energy and the movement and the speed increase here a little bit, let us continue to open and allow, to focus on who we are less than on how we can manage to throw our uke." I could see lights going on in their eyes as we continued training.
And with that, class was over.
I had a wonderful time, and, by report, so did my two students.
In teaching today I glimpsed once again the power and the possibility of all that I have received from my teachers (Robert Nadeau, Richard Moon, Nick Scoggin, and many more) over the years. Over and over through teaching, I discover the layers upon layers of this art and I realize how little I have scratched its surface.
I look forward to the next class when an adult student might appear!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Lucy and Harpo
In our children's class at Aikido Decatur (Georgia), we play a game called "Lucy and Harpo". Sometimes we call it the mirror game. Each person and their partner take turns leading and following, acting as the mirror image for their partner. The two stand on either side of a line on the mat, which serves as the marker of where the mirror is.
This game was demonstrated in an episode of I Love Lucy in 1955:
This game was demonstrated in an episode of I Love Lucy in 1955:
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