Aikido'Ka

Grass Valley's Family Martial Arts School -- Focus, Fitness & Fun

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Russian Flexibility Class This Friday!

Friday, Septempber 21 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Last Friday we had our first Russian Flexibility Workshop. It was a tremendous success.

Here’s what some folks said:

“Im so glad I made it. Was a fun & very informative class. . . . you guys rock & can’t wait for the next one on Friday & hope you do more.” Sheri

“Great class~I loved that even with my bad knees I am able to do some pretty deep squats safely and without pain.” Jeanette

“The class was fantastic and I felt great afterwards! I learned things about flexibility that I had no idea existed.” Rachelle

Our Russian Flexibility Workshop will again be presented by our Russian Kettlebell expert Eric Kenyon.

Reclaim the buoyant flexibility of your youth. If you are still very young and very flexible, learn how to protect your back, joints and stability with superior stretching techniques.Athletes, coaches and therapists in the former Soviet Union have a neurological approach to mobility and flexibility, as opposed to the structural approach we see in the West. This holistic system is safer, gets faster results, and the techniques are easy to learn and use. Learn inner focus and breathing techniques that relax and open stiff muscles and stuck joints. All this is accomplished with no pain and no fear.

•    Gain 4 to 12 inches of depth on your toe touch in a few minutes.
•    Do rock bottom squats with no pain.
•    Learn how to protect your shoulders and lower back by mobilizing your upper spine.
•    Learn how to protect your knees by improving your hip mobility.
•    Learn how to build a functional, stable and confident flexibility you can use in the real world.

If you have been close to full splits for years, we will get you all the way down! By the way, this is not a kettlebells workshop.

Sign up for classes at Aikido’Ka or Form is Function right after the workshop and subtract your workshop cost from your membership fees!

Cost: $40.00

Free to Aikido’Ka members and Form is Function students!

Clyde Takeguchi Shihan’s Seminar was Great!

I had an amazing trip to Ashland this weekend for Clyde Takeguchi Shihan‘s seminar. Takeguchi Shihan was, as always, a great teacher and terrific fellow.

As great as the training was, the trip was made immeasurably better by the fact that 3 other dojo members made the trip Gabe Cuppet, Ian Isbell and Jane Hill.

We worked on very interesting things. Takeguchi Shihan emphasizes balance-taking. In particular, he uses tipping his attacker to one side. In other words when uke attacks, work to raise one of uke’s shoulders and tip him or her to that side. (This is an extremely over-simplified description!) Takeguchi Shihan subtly shifts his own weight to change the angles and center of balance in any encounter — giving him a tremendous power advantage.

Jane and I will be sharing a lot of these ideas this week — new understandings and approaches to sumio toshi (corner drop), tenchi nage (heave and earth) and several fascinating and fun jo (staff) exercises and techniques.

I can hardly wait to share and practice these ideas!

Kettlebells are for Everyone! — Video

In the year or so that I’ve been doing kettlebells, I have become much stronger and fit. It’s funny. I look the same. But, I’m not. I’m much stronger and have more energy and stamina. I’m probably stronger in my upper body than I ever have been, even though I’m almost 57 years old and I’ve been athletic my entire life. That’s really impressive.

I really do have to thank Eric Kenyon for introducing me to kettlebells and teaching them at the dojo. We now have kettlebell classes 4 days a week — Monday – Thursday from 5:00 – 5:30 pm.

Here’s one thing that I really love about kettlebells — Everyone can do them. Everyone. Stay within appropriate exercise — no pain, no fear — and you, too, can gain the amazing benefits.

Here’s a short video I put together from class the other day. You’ll see people of all different ages having fun and getting strong, flexible and healthier.

 

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Kettlebells practice is completely consistent with aikido practice. In fact, when you combine the two, you get a truly amazing path to reach your highest goals and aspirations.

See you on the mat!

Russian Flexibility Workshops!

Russian Flexibility Workshop at Aikido’Ka, presented by our Russian Kettlebell expert Eric Kenyon.

Friday, Sep. 14 5:00 to 7:00 pm. and
Friday, Sep. 21 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

Reclaim the buoyant flexibility of your youth. If you are still very young and very flexible, learn how to protect your back, joints and stability with superior stretching techniques.

Athletes, coaches and therapists in the former Soviet Union have a neurological approach to mobility and flexibility, as opposed to the structural approach we see in the West. This holistic system is safer, gets faster results, and the techniques are easy to learn and use. Learn inner focus and breathing techniques that relax and open stiff muscles and stuck joints. All this is accomplished with no pain and no fear.

•    Gain 4 to 12 inches of depth on your toe touch in a few minutes.
•    Do rock bottom squats with no pain.
•    Learn how to protect your shoulders and lower back by mobilizing your upper spine.
•    Learn how to protect your knees by improving your hip mobility.
•    Learn how to build a functional, stable and confident flexibility you can use in the real world.

If you have been close to full splits for years, we will get you all the way down!

Sign up for classes at Aikido’Ka or Form is Function right after the workshop and subtract your workshop cost from your membership fees!

Cost: $40.00

Free to Aikido’Ka members and Form is Function students!