Hiragana

I'm still trucking along with my studies into the Japanese language. I'm endeavoring to keep up my vocabulary base as I try to learn hiragana. The book that I use starts off in english, and then the rest of it is in Hiragana. I don't know if this is standard, but it's how the book does it.. and i'm trusting in the book. So here I am - trying to force myself to memorize hiragana.

And y'know.. my handwriting sucks. And for hiragana - it really sucks. Ha.

Gotta Love YouTube

You've got to love youtube.. where else can you find a plethora of videos that otherwise would have taken you months if not years of digging to find? What am I yapping about?... Aikido Videos ofcourse. They come in a plethora of forms on the tube.. from poorly taped to better quality videos... old and young videos... exemplar and poorly executed videos. Youtube has them all. Even has on of my Nikyu test. :-p Not that anyone needs to see that.

Anywho, my favorite youtube channel of late has been the kazeutabudokai channel. Has a crap-ton of videos. Admittedly, I sit at work at times, watching them when i'm bored. http://www.youtube.com/user/kazeutabudokai

Solo Training

Meh..solo training. One of the most frustrating parts about Aikido.. how do you train without a partner? Sure, you can do the walking kata and you can mime techniques, but is it really of any use to you? I'd say that it is, but not immensely. Miming techniques helps to keep them in my head during some downtime, it at least helps me keep from forgetting anything; and it is a useful tool for helping to memorize the correct order of techniques.

But is it useful for refining your techniques? No... and yet yes. In general, it really isn't that useful for it; at least not IMO. You really need a partner to test ideas and theories on further refining your technique. However, miming can be useful for coming up with those ideas in the first place. Without a partner, you aren't as concerned with the outcome of your technique, and it is easier to observe your motions and perhaps come up with ideas for how to improve them. Surely, you still need an uke to test these ideas out, but I suppose having at least some purpose to it is better than none.

So ... keeping techniques fresh and coming up with ideas for possible refinement. That's about all i've got. And I don't really have any other way of training until we begin meeting again.. after Christmas.

Lull

Well here it is..interim, that period between semesters at college. I'm not in college, but given that our dojo is...it still affects me. Bleh. Several weeks of no class is not my favorite concept. I still endeavor to train outside of the dojo, but it isn't as easy without my old partner.

Heh, miming techniques at least keeps them fresh in my head eh?

Self-Criticism

I'd like to begin by saying that... I passed my test. I've now reached Shodan. *flexes muscles* Anywho, go me. XD Let me pause to do a jig... <( '.' )> (>'.' )> (>'.'<) <( '.'<) <( '.' )> Now, back to business as usual. Self-criticism... how is yours? I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to evaluating my own performance. After nearly every belt test, I look at my own performance and go "wow..that kinda sucked." Then I pass and go "hmm..I wonder if I would have passed me?"

I suppose I tend to be overly critical of myself, and I have to wonder if this is a good thing or not. On the one hand it makes me inspect myself tediously, never content to allow my technique to have even small flaws - always wanting to iron out those creases. And yet, on the other hand it makes me doubt myself. My performance never seems "quite good enough" to me, when apparently it is to others.

But then, there are some who think that their form is oh so much better than it actually is (which drives me nuts.) On the reserve, confidence in ones self is a wonderful thing; but unwarranted confidence can lead one to ignore flaws in their own performance. I wonder which is worse, or perhaps one has to find a middle path between them both?

Sometimes you just lose it

I had a curious occurence in class yesterday. My partner and I began the class, reviewing O waza ju pon and we did fairly well. Then, towards the end of class we began going over specific techniques to work on refining them. I said "hmm, I didn't do #2 that remarkably, let's try that again."

So, I began trying to do it..and fail utterly. I had done it before, albeit not that effectively, but now couldn't even establish a good offbalance with it. I tried numerous times and just couldn't figure out what I was doing differently. I switched to #3 and had the same problem. After quite some time I did manage to reinstill the effectiveness of the third technique..but the second was still lacking.

By the end of the class, I still hadn't quite figured it out. I had somehow simply "lost it." I'm hoping to "find it" again by the monday - as that is when our belt test is scheduled. I've never quite had this issue before where I just suddenly started doing something so incorrectly. I suppose it could also have been Uke's fault, since we were both tired by that time; but I tend to blame myself and examine my own performance before turning an eye to my Uke. I suppose it could also have been because we were tired. We'll just have to see.

Eye Contact

So, last night I was working on some of my aikido techniques with my wife (who can taken a little aikido, but it has been a while for her). I get her to attack me and I step into my technique...and it doesn't work. I try again..and a third time. Finally I realize, 1. i'm not affecting an off-balance. This is simple because she isn't really being a terribly honest attacker, isn't commiting much into it and thus there is nothing to build an off-balance on. 2. I realize i'm in the wrong position for several of the attacks. This is because she's not maintaining eye contact.

Now.. obviously when you'r fighting someone you want to maintain eye contact. This is obvious!...isn't it? For any martial artist it is..but most of the people who might attack you aren't trained fighters. Now yes, I imagine that a large portion of them will still want to maintain eye contact with you - but that doesn't mean that all of them will have that sense of mind. They may allow their gaze to wander.

Now it is also true that with several of the techniques, even being in the incorrect placement, I could still effect an offbalance; it just wouldn't be as comfortable for the uke. However, I do have to wonder how many of our techniques might be rendered less (or completely) ineffective just by something as simple as the attacker not maintaining eye contact/not trying to be turned to look to us.

Aikido Blogging

Wow..when I first started blogging and first hit on the idea to search blogger for aikido blogs, I never realized how many I would find. Nor did I realize what a valuable resource such things could actually be. Not only are blogs are useful resource for Sensei's and Dojos to get their ideas out to other people, but they are extremely useful for any aikidoka seeking greater understanding of this wonderful art.

Where else can you find so many different viewpoints on so many different aspects of the art? It is true that you have no control over the information that you receive, but that is almost the best part of it. If it were constrained to the thoughts that occupied your mind at any given time, then the variety of ideas and information would be limited to your own particular "box". However, since the information comes from dozens of different minds - all thinking differently, you'r able to find information and perspectives on aspects of Aikido that you may not have been thinking about.

It's certainly not a "fast-track" to understanding by any means; but rather - I can see them being a valuable tool for forming a wider scope of understanding.

Fwam!

Fwam! ..That's the sound I made last night, hitting the mat after a particularly well executed Ude Guruma from my partner. So far, for my partner and I, as we train towards our shodan tests there has been a scale of our proficiency with the O Waza. Initially, our techniques were absolutely horrid - our timing and placement throwing the entire technique into a state of utter failure.

Then, we moved on to an element of technical proficiency. Wherein we would achieve roughly the correct placement and timing, enabling us to achieve a fall - albeit out techniques (at least the first four) would usually end up in a backfall as opposed to the desired break fall.

And from there, we went on to tweaking our placement and timing enough to achieve rolling breakfalls. However, I have to say that last night was the first time that one of us had actually managed to fully throw the other into a genuine break fall. There was no assistance by me; I prepared mentally for my usual rolling breakfall and was surprised to find myself flipped through the air. Caught completely by surprise, I then laid there for a minute whilst I waited for my side to stop hurting quite so badly. Naturally, knowing how to take a fall, I was fine - but the surprise of the whole thing required a moment.

So..what's the point? Well, for one, we're getting better. Which is good considering our belt test is in about two weeks. Two, .. I'm sure I made a very satisfying thump when I hit the mat. :-p

BudoVideos/Kaizen athletic

I recently ordered a new gi from BudoVideos. Their Aikido Gi by Kaizen Athletic. Now admittedly, it isn't the most expensive gi that I could have ordered - but pricewise it was about twice as expensive as the one that i've been wearing for the past several years. Out of the box, the jacket is of decent quality - albeit a bit large. I shrank it down to a decent size and i'm happy with it.

The pants, however, are a different matter. I've found several places where the sewing is weak and the threads are already coming out. It looks much like a six year old child did the sewing. (As in, I can do better sewing work than that, and i'm not a professional by any means.) I'm very dissapointed with this gi, but I can't afford to send it back or get another one at the moment. (I already sent one back to another company before this.) Since i've already shrunk it, i'm going to fix the sewing myself. (i'm atleast good enough with a needle to do that.) But I shouldn't have to.

In summary: while this product isn't made by Budo video, they sell it - and as such I would recommend that anyone look elsewhere for a gi. You can find the same products elsewhere, but hopefully someone else will at least check the quality of what they sell you before they put it in their stock.

A little more spirit please

There's a little bit missing - a little bit of spirit. My interests in Aikido have always also coincided with an interest in the more spiritual and philosophical aspects of the art. I haven't found a great deal of emphasis on it, but I suppose i'm fortunate that it is something that I can pursue through independent study; at least to a certain extent.

The body is the tool, but without the correct understanding of the spirit - the tool is but a simple tool, crude and ineffective without proper direction.

Welcome!

Welcome one and all to the rantings of my blank slate, my empty cup. This forum will hold all my newbie thoughts pertaining to Aikido, Japan, Japanese, and Budo. Mostly Aikido and my studies in Japanese. There are many learned and experienced views on all of these things, hanging about in the internet. But here you won't find any of that!

You'll find my speculations, thoughts, dreams, and hypotheses as I endeavor to fill my teabowl. So come, read, and comment!