Words of Wisdom from O-Sensei

“Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through forging, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion.”

-Morihei Ueshiba

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Winter Break, No club until January!

Hello everyone!
This past Tuesday was our last club meeting before the winter holiday.  We are sorry if you missed it, but hope to see you when we reconvene on Thursday January 3rd, 2013.  Have a great break!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Practice poll

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday...oh my!

Click the link above to go to the poll.  Please vote for the time that would work best for you.

Practice for the Week of 12/17/12

Greetings All,

We are holding practice tomorrow, Tuesday the 18th.  There will be a belt test towards the last half hour.  No weapons.  We will then be taking a break for the Christmas holiday and resume practice sessions after New Years, not the Chinese one.  I will be loading a poll for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday practice times, so go to the ORGSync site and vote.
Just remember that the 21st isn't the end of the world, but if it were, just roll with it.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

When the flesh is weak

Monday...
What a great day.  I have an appointment to have my shoulder looked at as it has been giving me pain for the last two weeks.  Getting old I guess...the shoulder, not me.  I am still young.  People always comment how I don't look my age, probably they mean don't act my age.  I guess there are those times when the body just has to tell you in a not so subtle voice that you need to be more courteous and considerate of it (your body that is).
I keep thinking of those t-shirts that say 'Pain is weakness leaving the body'.  Okay, so my weakness has been leaving my body for the better part of the last two weeks and I am having serious doubts that I have that much weakness in me to start.
So, how does this relate to Aikido?  Well, obviously, I'm going to have to start listening to Sensei and use my body to move as moving my arm isn't that convenient.  Makes me wonder what else he has been saying that I'll have to listen to?  But, the point that I'm stumbling around is that even with a bad shoulder, wrist, ankle, back(well maybe not) or other injury, Aikido can be looked at as moving with the flow of your own body.
Relax and feel what is resistant and don't fight it...it could be yourself that you are resisting.

How missing a practice is a practice.

As I walked away from my work towards my car for the five minute drive towards mental relaxation, I noticed my phone ringing.  It's hard to not notice something like that when you don't turn the ringer off.  Anyway.  I answered, as it was my wife, and the tone of her voice let me know, to my initial chagrin, that I would be missing practice that afternoon.
Her parents were in from out of town and would be visiting for the next week.  I caught her explanation, between my internal mumbling, that they wanted to really see me and that they were tired from the flight.  Anyway...
Mumble, mumble, grumble.
How would missing practice benefit them?
How would missing practice benefit me?
Then, I thought about it from the energy perspective...get behind it.  Don't oppose. (Especially when the energy is coming from your wife, she knows where you sleep and when you eat.  Very important.)

The actions, or reactions, that we choose everyday can be aikido.  The more we look at life as a flow and see that we can choose to get behind the energy and smile as it carries us on, sparring ourselves the struggle, we can see that the smile we have on our faces is genuine.  No struggle, no fight.  Practice would be back next week.

I know that most people won't think that this really qualifies as a practice of aikido, but have you ever felt the sharp stares of an angry woman?  They hit VERY hard.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Weapons Practice this week

Greetings All,

This week will be weapons structured practice.  Bring your personal set so that we have enough for those who don't have any. 

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Why does "real life" come to practice?

With Sensei gone on business, it falls on myself and a sempai to teach the class and organize the club practices.  All going well yesterday until a girl asks at the end of the class, "What if they punch you REALLY fast?"  We were learning munetski sumi otoshi.  Great technique, one of my favorite responses.  But, come on, how fast?  What were you doing that made that person want to punch you?  Did you deserve it?  Who would punch a girl anyway?

These were the questions that were running around in the back of my mind, the one that was running around in the front was, "Is is gonna hurt when Tyler punches me?"  So, I called Tyler up and he chased me around the mat for a bit, I kept the maai generous until I saw the opening, and then Tyler and I went down to the mat in a most uncontrolled fashion and with no discernable pin or throw being used.

So, was this a good example of Aikido to show the students?  Probably not.  Did I control the situation?  Probably not.  Did I use my fierce kiai to stop Tyler in his tracks so that I could step in for a flawless technique?  Probably not, but I wanted to respect his safety...(right, Tyler is too much bigger than me to get hit by him and everyone has the hardest time getting him off balance).

Maybe, just maybe, I could have controlled the situation a lot differently and responded with, "Then you should respond really fast, and with training you can."  Isn't that what Sensei would have said?

So, the lesson that I have learned is, get off line...even if it was a question.  Don't take it head on.  Get behind it and redirect it, gently. And...don't get hit by Tyler.  It'll hurt.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Seminar Update

Greetings All you Ukemi fans,

What better way to get your self preservation skills up to snuff than to be thrown around by many people for multiple days and smile while wondering, " what exactly just happened there?"

Here is the answer for you...

The Logan Seminar!!!

Yes, tell all your friends, tell your neighbor, tell your dog.  Well, okay, not the neighbor.  But, we will be caravan this Friday and you have almost no excuse not to go...
Maybe, if your dog can't...

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Anticipation of the outcome

We have started a new semester in our practice sessions.  As such, we have many new people who have little to no experience with Aikido.  This isn't a problem as we always strive to teach our practice to others so that we can spread the harmony and peace that Aikido can bring.  Our dojo becomes a bit crowded and the available space to get in a 'good' throw is limited.  This isn't a problem, as we learn that we can employ our techniques anywhere and the variations that the real world brings to us can allow us to explore new twists to something that we feel we know. 

The problem is...

That 'new guy' just didn't attack me right...or, he didn't know that I wanted him to fall in a certain way.  Well, this is a problem, not for the new practitioner, but for us; the 'experienced' aikidosa.  If we find that practicing any technique with an inexperienced person does not produce the outcome that we desire, we have no one else to blame but ourselves. 

Did we really reach out and connect with our uke?  Did we work with the energy given?  Did we follow through with our center? 

For now, let's just say that, "It would work better if my uke knew how to attack."  Cause every reasonable attacker out there knows how.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Randori - with points

http://aikido.union.shef.ac.uk/?page_id=41

So, the above link is a descriptive run down to a particular Dojo's Randori practice.
Very interesting that one would have the presence of mind to think about much else...

As we progress, what should our minds be focused on...???

Can the practice become so second nature that we begin to analyze ourselves and concentrate on the particular segments?  Much like slowing down time and seeing the movements with 'open eyes' that are soft and perceptive. 


Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Testing Calendar

Greetings All,

Sensei has deemed it that time to begin testing.  We will post a link to the Calendar later this week.  We will begin with 7th Kyu and work up from there.  We will start testing on the third week of July, coming real soon...so get to practice.  The first week of August wil be reserved for make up test and practice test for the higher Kyu ranks.  Please post and comments or concerns. See you all on the mat.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Practice to continue

Greetings uke fans,

We will still be meeting, for those who wish to come, over the finals week.  Same ushiro-time, same usiro-chanel...

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Technique wishlist and suggestions

post your wish lists here for sensei

Funny things to read

The following was taken from and all credit is due to Aikidofac.com

Top 10 Reasons that Origami = Aikido

  1. Strong fingers aren't neccesary, but it is an advantage
  2. If you don't do it correctly from the beginning, you can be sure the end result is going to look ugly.
  3. If you use too much strength things might rip.
  4. Size does not matter.
  5. You start doing simple things and move into the complicated ones later
  6. If you don't master the basics, you can be sure you'll never manage the advanced things.
  7. The more you do it, the more you discover in the simple things.
  8. You can practice your art anywhere (but you'll get funny looks).
  9. It doesn't cost much.
  10. 40 years from now, you can still enjoy it.

Seminar Update

Here is a flier for the Friendship Seminar in Salt Lake at Veera Kasicharernvat Sensei's Ganshinkan Dojo.

http://www.ganshinkandojo.org/aikido/HayashiSensei2012.pdf

With this more advanced( well, more than the flier for the one this coming weekend) notice. I will be trying to carpool for the whole weekend. 

Spetember Seminar

There will be a seminar in Logan in September...
September
9.14-9.16 AAA Teaching Committee Seminar – Jyushinkan Dojo – J. Nakayama Sensei – Logan, UT

Seminar Update

A seminar is being held in Salt Lake City at the Utah Aikikai.
http://www.utahaiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/2012-04_slc_ut_macbeth.pdf

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Aikido talent

I was so impressed with Levitt and Dubner's Freakonomics that I'm now reading their follow-on book: Super Freakonomics. I often look at some dans at seminars and wish I had that kind of Aikido talent. Levitt and Dubner cite Ericsson's research that suggests there is no evidence to support the existence of raw talent. "Any kind of exceptional performance [requires] spending a lot of time perfecting it." Oh snap!

Erricsson discovered that mastery of anything requires practice, but more import than just practice is what he calls deliberate practice. Deliberate practice has three keys parts: setting specific goals, getting immediate feedback, and concentrating as much on technique as on outcome. But here's the trick: only I know if I'm concentrating on my technique in the dojo. Admittedly, I'm not on my game with every practice--sometimes showing up is me meeting a commitment to myself. However, the good news is that it's really just practice and a frame of mind needed, not any Aikido talent that one is born with. Very good news. ;-)

For more information, see: Outliers by Gladwell, Talent is Overrated by Colvin, and The Talent Code by Coyle.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

EMERGENCY

We need people to staff the club table at Club Rush.  Please help.  It is being held in the Grand Ballroom.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Aikido Seminar in Logan 27-29 Jan 2012



The Aikido Association of America is proud to announce an Aikido Seminar hosted by Jyushinkan dojo in Logan, UT, January 27 to January 29, 2012. The training is open to students of any martial art or rank, and from any organization or dojo. Aikido instruction will be provided by Stephen Tatsuo Toyoda Sensei. Stephen Toyoda Sensei is president of the AAA, our association.

Save $10 by pre-registering by Jan. 20, 2012 Link to flyer and registration form.
The seminar is Fri. 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, Sat. 10 AM - 1 PM + 3-5 PM,
Sun. 10 AM - 1 PM. The price is $70-$30 depending on the number of sessions you attend. Bring your weapons.

USU HPER Complex
850 East 700 North
Logan

Monday, January 2, 2012

Back for Spring, Jan. 3rd 4PM in PE221

Sensei says it's time to get back to practice. We start again tomorrow, Jan. 3rd, 4 PM in PE221.

Club News

. . .

Aikido Club Details

Days, Times, and Location: Aikido Club sessions are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm to 5:30pm. We meet in PE 221 on UVU campus.

Club Dues: As a club at UVU, we are actually required to collect dues. We currently collect $20 per semester in club dues per person. Many dojos outside of UVU run about $40 per month, so this really is a great opportunity to learn Aikido at a great price! Club dues go right into the club fund where they can then be used for equipment for club and other club expenses.

Equipment: Bring a T-Shirt and athletic style pants, such as sweat pants. Those that have a gi are welcome to wear that. We recommend that you not wear shorts.

Testing: As Sensei is an Aikido Association of America certified instructor, he is able to conduct belt promotion tests. This is an awesome opportunity to progress further into Aikido. AAA fees apply (Ex. 7th kyu test fee is $25).

If you have any other questions about the club, please click the "contact me" button found on the right side of this page and send us a message.

Note to those who are not UVU students: The UVU Clubs organization states that we are able to accept non-UVU students into the club. However, at least 75% of our club membership MUST be UVU students. If you would like to join the UVU Aikido Club, prior approval must be obtained from Sensei.