Sidney Sensei (or is that Shiba Sensei?) was still on vacation so brown belt Mark taught tonight and it was all good stuff. But for some reason what comes to mind now is an Aikido video I found.
Just look at the evolution to a break fall that comprises the first half of the video. If I can ever do a decent and even half way elegant break fall I think my Aikido career will be complete. Even though I can more or less handle a break fall situation now, it usually scares the Nage too much since I land with the arm at about the same time as the rest of my body. I'm fine and it doesn't hurt, but....
I have seen Aikdo instruction videos that don't even worry about the softness of a break fall but once you've seen it, you realize how beautiful it is.
Anyway watch the arm of the Aikidota. I think that is the key. I tried it a little tonight before class, but one of the drawbacks of not having a real dojo means you have less free mat time than other dojos.
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Do you wear those big pants? If so, bring them to vacation in August.
Well...although some places everybody wears the hakama (big pants), where I practice it is reserved for black belts. Unless of course you are a woman in which case you can wear one from the start.
Therefore, I don't have the funny big black pants. So I won't have them for you in August.
The use of the Hakama is kind of a interesting story.
“A hakama is the skirt-like pants that some aikidoka wear. It is a traditional piece of samurai clothing. The standard gi worn in aikido as well as in other martial arts such as Judo or Karate was originally underclothes. Wearing it is part of the tradition of (most schools of) aikido. “
“In many schools, only the black belts wear hakama, in others everyone does. In some places women can start wearing it earlier than men (generally modesty of women is the explanation - remember, a gi was originally underwear). “
Saito Sensei, about hakama in O Sensei's dojo in the old days.
And...
“I vividly remember the day that I forgot my hakama. I was preparing to step on the mat for practice, wearing only my dogi, when O Sensei stopped me. "Where is your hakama?" he demanded sternly. 'What makes you think you can receive your teacher's instruction wearing nothing but your underwear? Have you no sense of propriety? You are obviously lacking the attitude and the etiquette necessary in one who pursues budo training. Go sit on the side and watch class!' “
Mitsugi Saotome Sensei, "The Principles Of Aikido"
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