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enismirdalWell, I'm happier now! The class teaching style is a bit different to what I'm used to - the teaching of techniques is a bit random, as in they don't really relate it back to the 4 principles and 5 throws I've been taught.
But, you see, the guy with the ego and something to prove who was leading the demonstration last week...turns out that he's a 1st Dan black belt not the main instructor (who's 5th Dan). (I have a lot of respect for Dan grades, of course, but I think there's a "1st Dan syndrome" some have where they have to make sure the whole world believes they're now a black belt.) Apparently he gets thrills from 1. being Always Right, 2. waving weapons around and 3. beating people up. I somewhat wish my old Sensei Sue would meet him. She's smaller than me, and much more lightly built, and is scared of Nothing. And has no patience at all with people who think they're all that. I think she might leave the ego guy a bit more humble.
So yes, the regular club members are not a fan of his attitude either.
The two main instructors were teaching this week. One is called Rick and although still no ki mentioning, did keep a good level of traditional discipline in the class, which makes me much much happier. Despite my fears that seiza would prove an unknown concept, we did do a proper start with the kamiza and everything, and an equally proper finish. The other Dan grade is called Femi and I liked him right away, because he smiles a lot, encourages and also expects you to keep improving.
Met lots of people. Didn't get beaten up. Didn't beat anyone else up. Didn't get my weapons out (they all seemed surprised I even owned weapons). Missed my hakama a bit!
One girl put kote-gaeshi on me - not hard or anything. But I automatically took an advanced breakfall out of it the way I used to. And ki-aied. (What's the past tense of the verb "to ki-ai"?) It scared her a bit...I don't think this club is used to ki-ais. Probably because of the lack of ki. Also perhaps not used to dumb people flying through the air. I *was* a lot dumb. I mean, nowhere near the standard people would normally expect of someone of middling Kyu grade. Partly rustiness and partly the unfamiliarity of style. They had me doing rokyo! I can't find a picture, but this technique is ideal for, for example, removing a knife from someone by shattering their elbow. It scares me! Luckily, they taught it very quietly and calmly and I was neither hurt nor inflicted pain.
The mats take a LONG time to lay out and put away. If everyone helped out, of course, it would be easier, but some people got bored and gave up.
Warm up was rigorous enough to show me up as hopelessly unfit, without being needlessly sadistic.
OK, I'll stop talking now. There are a lot of places where I'm tempted to draw comparisons with what I'm used to, but the nearest Lancashire Aikikai club is in Milton Keynes, and I don't want to travel for over an hour every time I want to train. And the British Aikikai charge about £10 an hour. So I think I should just go with the flow! In any case, I enjoyed the practice and I like the two senior instructors. Especially Femi, who was awesome.
But, you see, the guy with the ego and something to prove who was leading the demonstration last week...turns out that he's a 1st Dan black belt not the main instructor (who's 5th Dan). (I have a lot of respect for Dan grades, of course, but I think there's a "1st Dan syndrome" some have where they have to make sure the whole world believes they're now a black belt.) Apparently he gets thrills from 1. being Always Right, 2. waving weapons around and 3. beating people up. I somewhat wish my old Sensei Sue would meet him. She's smaller than me, and much more lightly built, and is scared of Nothing. And has no patience at all with people who think they're all that. I think she might leave the ego guy a bit more humble.
So yes, the regular club members are not a fan of his attitude either.
The two main instructors were teaching this week. One is called Rick and although still no ki mentioning, did keep a good level of traditional discipline in the class, which makes me much much happier. Despite my fears that seiza would prove an unknown concept, we did do a proper start with the kamiza and everything, and an equally proper finish. The other Dan grade is called Femi and I liked him right away, because he smiles a lot, encourages and also expects you to keep improving.
Met lots of people. Didn't get beaten up. Didn't beat anyone else up. Didn't get my weapons out (they all seemed surprised I even owned weapons). Missed my hakama a bit!
One girl put kote-gaeshi on me - not hard or anything. But I automatically took an advanced breakfall out of it the way I used to. And ki-aied. (What's the past tense of the verb "to ki-ai"?) It scared her a bit...I don't think this club is used to ki-ais. Probably because of the lack of ki. Also perhaps not used to dumb people flying through the air. I *was* a lot dumb. I mean, nowhere near the standard people would normally expect of someone of middling Kyu grade. Partly rustiness and partly the unfamiliarity of style. They had me doing rokyo! I can't find a picture, but this technique is ideal for, for example, removing a knife from someone by shattering their elbow. It scares me! Luckily, they taught it very quietly and calmly and I was neither hurt nor inflicted pain.
The mats take a LONG time to lay out and put away. If everyone helped out, of course, it would be easier, but some people got bored and gave up.
Warm up was rigorous enough to show me up as hopelessly unfit, without being needlessly sadistic.
OK, I'll stop talking now. There are a lot of places where I'm tempted to draw comparisons with what I'm used to, but the nearest Lancashire Aikikai club is in Milton Keynes, and I don't want to travel for over an hour every time I want to train. And the British Aikikai charge about £10 an hour. So I think I should just go with the flow! In any case, I enjoyed the practice and I like the two senior instructors. Especially Femi, who was awesome.
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no subject
Date: 5 Oct 2006 22:24 (UTC)no subject
Date: 5 Oct 2006 22:30 (UTC)With me, of coure, it's sounds a bit like the Squeaky Pop of hydrogen in high school chemistry lessons fame.
no subject
Date: 6 Oct 2006 08:01 (UTC)Strictly speaking, the past tense of ki-ai would be ki-ai shita or ki-ai shimashita if you want to be polite or ki-ai itashimashita if you're talking about someone else who ki-aied towards whom you want to be very politewait, you didn't ask for a Japanese class. Sorry.Hakama are the sexiest piece of clothing ever invented. (Yes, I am weird.)
no subject
Date: 6 Oct 2006 08:07 (UTC)And Oh, YES! You are so totally right. When they swoooosh...ohhhh when they swoosh.
I wear my spare one to parties.
no subject
Date: 6 Oct 2006 09:57 (UTC)Ki-ais always sounded odd to me in the first place. You should probably ask a nice instructor whether you're not supposed to, or whether they should start already :)
no subject
Date: 7 Oct 2006 12:55 (UTC)