Muketsu Invades D.C. (Part 3 of 5)

Day 3 – July 3

Morning

For the 8:30 AM class, I decided to try out the Aiki-ken #6-12 class taught by Robert Sensei of the D.C. dojo because I felt I could use some practice with this set. This time, we worked on Aiki-ken #8-9. To my disappointment, I was confused because the way Sensei showed us how to do these kata is different from what we were taught at our dojo and different from how they are shown in Saotome Sensei’s video and Ledyard Sensei’s video. After class, I went to one of the students who attended the two-sword class asked him to show me some of the techniques that were shown. Luckily, I didn’t miss too much.

Saotome Sensei taught the 10:00 AM class but we did not practice with any weapons, saying “the mind is the weapon.”

“First of all, keep martial arts on your mind, and work diligently in a straightforward manner; then you can win with your hands, and you can also defeat people by seeing with your eyes. Furthermore, when you refine your practice to the point where you attain freedom of the whole body, then you can overcome people by means of your body. And since your mind is trained in this science, you can also overcome people by means of mind. When you reach this point, how could you be defeated by others?” –from the “Earth Scroll”

Later on, Sensei became upset because of the lax attitude and sloppy technique displayed by several aikidoka in class, saying that we did not have the right spirit. After this scolding, it was humorous to listen how many of the aikidoka tried to show Sensei that they indeed had the right spirit in their practice by adding kiai to their technique. C’mon folks, seriously?

After Sensei cooled down, we worked on Atemi Waza and kicking defenses.

When I went to the same organic market during lunch, I noticed that they had organic sweet potato pie! It was very good. OK, moving on…

Afternoon

John Messores Sensei of the Jionjuku Aikido Academy of Warrior Spirit in Largo, Florida taught the first Rokudan class of the day. He discussed about taking the center. When uke attacks, instead of trying to figure out what technique to do, Sensei said that the first priority is controlling the center line. Once that is accomplished, then nage can determine what technique to use depending on how uke’s body is positioned.

Unfortunately, I had to step out of the mat for the majority of the class because I had a clumsy partner who kept stepping on my bad toe, which resulted in re-aggravating the injury. So I had to clean up the blood and re-bandage my toe. In fact, later on I had different partners that stepped on my bad toe. Why always my bad toe? Why can’t they step on my good toe?

Random thought: Is it me or does Messores Sensei bare some resemblance to Anderson Cooper?

George Ledyard Sensei of Aikido Eastside of Bellevue, Washington taught the second Rokudan class. I was looking forward to this class because I have been a fan of his work. His videos on “Entry” and the Aiki-ken #6-12 are very informative. In fact, I purchased his “Principles in Randori” video manual during camp. His style of teaching is that of an undergraduate college professor where he is able to discuss advanced concepts in terms that a beginner can understand. He discusses Aikido in practical and tactical terms. In other words, he discusses Aikido as a martial art.

In his class, Ledyard Sensei followed up on what Messores Sensei talked about in taking the center. Afterwards, Ledyard Sensei discussed about the association of two-sword technique with empty-hand technique. This makes Shomen Uchi Shiho Nage more sense.

Evening

During Ikeda Sensei’s 6:00 PM class, one of the concepts that he showed was moving uke with katate tori. Here, Sensei would establish a line of connection from his center to uke’s shoulder. From there Sensei would move uke’s shoulder. Another concept was transitioning big movement to small movement and movement from outside to inside. This means that as one advances in expertise, the aikidoka would create the same movement from inside one’s body. This leads to a segment I like to call “The Mystery of Ikeda Shihan.”

The Mystery of Ikeda Shihan

During my time in D.C., I have been trying to figure out why Ikeda Sensei is so hard to comprehend. First of all in terms of teaching, Sensei would tell us and show us what he is doing to uke, but he would not show us how exactly he is doing it. Or perhaps it’s not so obvious. Furthermore, he would tell us to go from Point A to Point B but he would not necessarily tell us how to do it. Second of all in terms of watching his performance, his movements are so small it looks like he is not doing anything to unbalance uke. Finally, when I take ukemi from him, all I feel is emptiness. When I take ukemi from Gleason Sensei, at least from the last time he came to our dojo for a Gasshuku, I could feel that he is applying light pressure in throwing me and I could sense that he is controlling the space such that if I move one way, I would end up in a painful joint lock, and if I move another way, I would be vulnerable for an atemi. With Ikeda Sensei however, I could not feel his center, I could not feel his power, and I was not sure if I could feel a connection. But for some reason, he makes an infinitesimally small movement that generates a certain feeling resonating throughout my body that causes me to go wherever Sensei wants me to go. It borders between whether his technique actually works or am I just simply taking ukemi for him.

On to Day 4…