Aikikai

23/05/012 

Had a better session last night. I felt that perhaps I was a little more appreciated for my abilities and there was reciprocated understanding and respect. I guess people were concentrating on developing their own skill to worry about directing me. The concept introduced bought to mind the liquidity of water and the Russian Systema wave of energy flow. Something I look forward to exploring when I'm back with Systema. In the mean time practice for the Aikido grading.

19/4/012

I s the only discourse/discussion amongst warriors , criticism. All my Ukes comment to tell u what you should be doing. There’s no mutual respect. Is this the warrior spirit or is it the predicament of masculine regimentation and rank. Being a female I should be more submissive. Something I’m not so good at. Oh, lady of the fight, give me strength to continue to stay in their face.  They shake me away. What pisses me off the most is when they only know the procedure to a technique and have no explanation energy, movement, structure and balance which generates force.

Aikikai 2012

I've decided to use this blog as a record of my training and discussion on Martial Arts. Six months of the year I train Aikikai Aikido. This year, I was fortunate enought to go to Hotham for mountain training. The terrain was rough so we mainly engaged in boken combat, ie sword work. It seems over the years Aikikai has included more weapons training, a preference of mine.

At the dojo, the rolling sends energy into a whirlwind pouring across comfortable mats. I'm often disappointed at the patronising when the boys withhold their energy to throw me. Some can also become motionless, like a rock, to make it difficult to execute a technique. Aikido needs movement to be effective.

Training in the kimberleys

Tae Kwondo is popular and the only martial art in the Kimberleys. In Broome, Eskrima (phillipino sticks) is also available. The head instructor Tony Familari demands respect and students address him as "Sir". There are women training which is always a credit of the instructor. Sparring sequences with restraints were part of the training. I was honored when he told me that the Eskrimo session was championship training. I managed to keep up with it. I have not practised Eskrima very much.

Kununarra also has Tae Kwondo, these sessions are geared for competion sparring with double kicks to increase point scoring.

Travel 2004

This is an old article but with blogging it has to come up in order that u post
August 2004, Bangalore, India

Hello there MM,
I’ve resurrected from a month of spiritual confinement in yogic practices at Prashanti Kutri, Kanataka India. Yoga as was often stressed is a way of life not just asanas (postures), so
I’ve been lectured in Indian philosophy
chanted songs of praise and worship
Om ed until my aveoli have shivered with the vibration
breathed strength from the divine
sat in painful positions with a smile
meditated to see the light
and stepped closer to samadhi (super consciousness).
I feel rebirthed, ready to taker on the world again. I have been totally cared for in the last month. Something I haven’t experienced since I left my parent’s home.
What will I bring to you?
Pranayama: concentration on the breath as a cleansing and purification of the body. It’s also an entry point for vital energy (not just O2 ) and perhaps the divine(god), if you’re lucky. I already use a couple of the techniques and with limited time it is hard to include more.
Meditation: calming the mind to silence and bliss so as to reach an altered consciousness in direct communication with the divine (if you’re one of the choosen ). You never know what truths reach you at this stage. Your own or another soul’s, perhaps revelations from the divine.
I’d like to include 10mins in programs, but you know with the rush and noone has any time, this may be problematic.
To clear your mind and fill it with nothingness is a very difficult practice.
Asana the postures, yes, what we believe yoga to be. The stretching and toning of muscles and joints. They have qualified me to reach these but prefer me to enlighten people on yoga and use the integrated approach. Asana is only one of eight limbs of yoga. I already include these in the programs.
BUT I may have a 1 hour session to include all the above and no –selfdefence as one of the MM programs
Interested, I’ll be back in Nov.
Next I’ll do a month of Kalirippayatu, an Indian martial art. I’ll be in touch.

Women have an aversion to power and force, perhaps because they are considered masculine concepts, attributes and characteristics. Yet they must deal with these in every aspect of their lives whether at work, play, domestics or relationships. They may be physical in the sense of lifting, pushing, pulling or interpersonal in the games people play. Power is an absolute strength to dominate while force is an insistance or persistance to secure submission.

The way women regard, undertake and deal with force and power should not measure her femininity. Physical resistance as compared to submission is a right; an obligation to future generations so that those who wish to abuse power by using force are punished and dissuaded, social expectations are reversed and standards of femininity change.

Strength is not necessary for physical resistance. All martial arts work with the diversion/redirection of force.

In Aikido opponents learn to ride the force until they can gain control. The attacker co-operates when a technique is administered on them to prevent injury and can escape by rolling out. It's the movement which absorbes the force and can revert it against the attack.

Wing Chun's sticky hands works on a touch component where contact with the opponent allows the redirection of force and sliding past it to take control. Karate deflects force with turning of the hand-arm at the last minute.

In all martial arts there is no clashing of force.

exercise

Exercise is very important for the bodies immune system and the cellular exchange of body fluids to cleanse the body. Massaging and stimulating the organs while directing prana, chi, ki around to locations in the body is also important. Muscle toning and improved circulation are added benefits.

Aerobics has become a popular form of exercise, everyone hopes to sweat the calories away with minimul effort whilst jiving to tunes.
The Martials combat fatigue is an aerobic program with martial arts movements.

This program introduces participants to martial art concepts through movement which tends to dance, especially since there's music. Women are more attracted to this program as it doesn't deal with force and can be fun.

The program begins with breathing exercises then moves into light jogging, leaping and stepping to warm the body. Stretching exercises to limber the body for the drills and sequences that follow. Abdominal and back muscles are the focus eventhough all major muscle groups of the body are given attention. Blocking and striking sequences are then introduced. In the final sequence women move around the circle approaching and swiftly moving past another women going in the opposite direction. The aims of the activity is to define personal space and glide past a force. The program finishes with a warm-down of standing yoga asanas.
When the music begins everyone concentrates on themselves . Step by step instruction is given which makes the exercise easy. The music is continuous and with western and multicultural songs.

Qualification

2005 Certificate 4 competencies (personal Trainer)
2004 Yoga Instructors Course (India)
2003 Certificate 3 fitness Instruction (see attached sheet for results)
Gymnasium InstructressGroup fitness instruction
Martial Arts
Goju Kai (Melb) 2yrs Wing Chun (Melb 2yrs) ( Darwin 1yr) Aikido (Melb 6yrs) (Japan 3mths) Tae Kwondo, Judo, Wu Shu (1year)Tojinkai Jodo
Workplacement for Cert3
Brunswick Swimming pool Gymnasium 26.5 hrsCoburg Leisure Centre 32.5 hrsGroup fitnessUnderbelly (bellydancing) 5hrs
2000-2002 Melbourne University Post Graduate Diploma in History
1997 Kangan T.A.F.E. Melbourne - Small Business Management
1982 RMIT Batchelor of Social Work