Grass Valley's Family Martial Arts School -- Focus, Fitness & Fun
Here’s a terrific quote with an aikido feel:
If you want to be incrementally better: Be competitive. If you want to be exponentially better: Be cooperative.
Unknown.
Aikido goes beyond competition to being cooperative so that we can learn from and with others.
Ian and I are attending the California Aikido Association friendship training this weekend. Today’s session was a meeting of Division 2 dojos. Division 2 is led by Frank Doran Shihan.
Doran Shihan and Danielle Smith Sensei taught. Doran Shihan emphasized the concept that aikido does not really have tenkan (turning) techniques. Rather, the tenkan techniques are really irimi-tenkan (entering-turning). If you simply turn out of the way of an attack, chances are that you will still be in a dangerous position. However, you can move yourself to a save position by entering and then turning.
Danielle Smith Sensei emphasized moving from center and included a fascinating exploration of the 8-directions kata (happo giri) to teach how to take balance.
It was a great time and we learned a lot.
Tomorrow, we will be at Aikido of San Jose training with all 3 divisions of the CAA.
Thank you everyone who participated and donated to the Food Bank! We raised many bags of food and quite a bit of money for the Food Bank.
We also had lots and lots of fun hanging out and playing.
In case you can’t make this evening’s Non-Potluck, I’m at the dojo now. Someone should be here thoughout the day. If we have to leave, it would only be for a short time.
We’ve already had four people make donations!
Please attend the Non-Potluck. If you can’t, drop by and drop off a donation.
I was just interviewed by Paul Emery of KVMR News about the Non-Potluck food and fundraiser for the Food Bank. Paul says the interview will be on between 6:00 and 6:30 tonight. Listen in, if you get a chance.
Thank you, Paul, for the opportunity to talk about the Non-Potluck, the Food Bank and Aikido’Ka. I really appreciate it.