Hi All,

First, great to have the new people on the mat, Tuesday!  Everyone showed a lot of great energy, and I am really looking forward to training with all of you this semester!  Second, Magno asked that I let everyone know that neither he nor Jon will be able to make it tonight.  I will definitely be there, and I believe John and Kerry will be there as well.  Depending on who shows up, I anticipate more of the basics (i.e. foot movements, basic strikes, and some rolling practice).

As someone who, thankfully, has not had to use my aikido in any physical altercations, I have found that learning how to fall/”blend” with the ground, has been the most applicable part of my training, as it has saved my skin several times (e.g. doing an endo over my mountain bike).  I think you will find that once you lose your fear of falling, your aikido will really take off.  In a few weeks, you will be surprised by how much fun it is to take big throws, safely, and with no pain!

See you tonight,

Andy     

P.S.  If you are interested in seeing some excellent online aikido demonstrations, google Ueshiba (the founder of aikido, or his heirs), Christian Tissier (he has fantastic throws, so watch how great his students are at taking the falls), Shioda, Saotomi, or Hiroshi Ikeda sensei.  There are many other great demos, but these are my favorites.