Griffith Shukan News

March 29^th 2007

 

Contents:

              

1. New Sunday Class at Logan Dojo
2. Aikikids – Class Time Change and Call for Helpers
3. New Capalaba Dojo Class
4. Aikikids Grading
5. Seminar - Aikido Yuishinkai Adelaide
6. One of the doka or "Songs of the Path" written by O'Sensei
7. Gi’s For Sale
8. Previous news (but good news) – worth another read!:

 

 

 

1.       New Sunday Class at Logan Dojo

 

I am pleased to announce, that that I will be starting MORNING CLASSES at LOGAN DOJO/GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY,

COMMENCING SUNDAY 15^TH APRIL

 

The TIME SLOT will be 10 AM – 12PM.  All levels are welcome to attend.

 

Directions are on the website.  If you are concerned about being able to find the dojo, please contact Tim Billin, the Logan Dojo Co-ordinator, on 3388 2862 or email: TBillin@...

 

For further information, please contact me directly on:  0418 799 165 (all hours).

 

Steve Dows

 

 

2.         Aikikids – Class Time Change and Call for Helpers

 

Aikikids has been growing very well since the start of the year.  Pressure on space is a very good problem to have.  To manage this growth and allow Saturday adults class to flourish as well, I have asked Steve Mitchell, our Aikikids instructor, to move his class to an earlier time slot on Saturday.  As of 14^th April Aikikids will run from 9.30am to 10.30am (adults class will continue 10.30am to 12.30am).  

 

While this gives both Aikikids class and the general class their own space, and room for each to continue to grow, it means there is significant setup (rollout of mats and administration, etc) which can’t be done by one person.  Further, a large kid’s class benefits from having one or more helpers on the mat to ensure safety and assist the instructor.  If anyone is interested in being directly involved with Aikikids as a helper (it is very rewarding), and can arrive at 9am consistently, please let me know.

 

Danny James

 

 

 

3.         Aikikids Grading

 

An aikikids grading will be held this Saturday 31^st March at 11am.  I envisage that the grading will take about half an hour.  Those grading are Reuben Ellis, Jonathon Mitchell, Marcus Heah, Rachel Heah, Liam Blatch-Harper and Lachlan Kendall. 

 

This is a club grading.  I encourage you to attend the Saturday adults class and take the opportunity to cheer on some enthusiastic children who are discovering our art.  Any grading is important, as the adults who graded recently will attest, and kids really respond well to recognition of their achievements and I would like them to feel the extensive warmth and support of their fellow club members in their youthful aikido endeavours.  Hope to see you there.

 

Steve Mitchell

 

 

 

4.                  New Capalaba Dojo Class

 

Hi all,
As of 14^th April, Capalaba Dojo (located in the Scout hall near PCYC at Degen rd.) will be conducting a Saturday afternoon workshop every week from 2.30pm to 4.00pm.  T-shirt and Gi pants preferred dress, as these will not be formal lessons but basic technique exploration and correction.  Cost will be $2 per person.

Everyone is welcome.  More details or contact at: www.brisbaneaikido.com/redlandsaikido.html

Tony Neal

Aikido Yuishinkai Capalaba

 

 

 

5.         Seminar - Aikido Yuishinkai Adelaide

 

I wanted to give our aikido colleagues in other states preliminary notice of the forthcoming Adelaide seminar with Minoru Oshima Sensei and Yoshitake Hashimoto Sensei.

 

Expected dates are 28^th and 29^th April.  Dates and venue will be confirmed shortly.

 

Yoshitake sensei resides in Osaka and has been a student of Maruyama Sensei since the Ki Society days.  Oshima was one of the chief US instructors for the US and many say one of Toheis’ best aikido students. Of course there is a long association with Maruyama Sensei and since he arrived in the US in 1974 as chief instructor, I assume Oshima was also practicing with O’Sensei at Hombu. 

 

Cost will be $130 for a full weekend of training with both sensei.  Billets and accommodation can be arranged.  Please find dojo details at aikidoadelaide.com.  For more information, you can contact us by phone on 08 8303 8685 or e-mail john.ward@...

 

John Ward

Aikido Yuishinkai Adelaide

 

 

 

6.         One of the doka or "Songs of the Path" written by O'Sensei – from John Steven's book "The Essence of Aikido"

 

The following is one of the doka or "Songs of the Path" written by O'Sensei.  Throughout many of the traditional arts, the master would use song to convey his/her teachings to a deeper, subconscious level.  The students were encouraged to sing the doka as part of their daily dedication to their art.  More of O'Sensei's doka can be found in John Steven's book "The Essence of Aikido".  I encourage you to do the same.

 

Kojo wa

hiji mo keiko mo

araba koso

gokui

nozomuna

mae zo mietari

 

Translated:

Progress comes to

those who train in the

inner and outer factors.

Do not chase after "secret techniques"'

for everything is right before your eyes!

 

Submitted by Simon Russell

 

 

 

7.         Gi’s For Sale

 

The club has been offered a one-off deal of some gi’s at good discount prices, which means we are able to offer gi’s at good discount prices too.  They are the lighter summer gi.  Having an extra gi will come in handy when you least expect it.  Pongy sweat-filled gi’s are often noticed by your clubmates who are usually very nice and don’t say anything.  To avoid embarrassment, consider another gi!! JJ   For details or to have a look, please ask Jutta at training.

 

 

 

8.         Previous news (but good news) – worth another read!:

 

Grading - Congratulations

 

1st Kyu:   Steve Mitchell and Craig Ellis (Logan)

2nd Kyu  Ben Hamley, Daniel Carne (who will shortly join Gabby and Paul in Brazil) and the birthday boy, Chris Cobban

3rd Kyu   Michael and Nadine Waddington (South Brisbane dojo - Friday class) 

4th Kyu:  Angus Hamley and Shirin Mohebbi

5th Kyu:  Keita Hada, Eric Ohlsen (catching up with his son Levi) and William Harper

6th Kyu:  Ross Ebert and Daniel Clancy

and our newest members collecting their first certificate for their 7th Kyu grading were:  Eric Hsu; Mary Leung; Sibylle Rutishauser; Robert Marshall and Luke Vesely.

 

Congratulations to all who graded last week!  The instructors were pleased with most of the techniques performed.  There were a couple of mistakes here and there but mainly negligible ones.  Junior aikidokas (4th – 7th kyu) showed good form both at kotai and juntai levels.  Senior aikidokas (1st – 3rd kyu) had flowing ryutai movement which was executed effortlessly.  It was wonderful to know that the dojo was a tight knit social community when everyone sang Chris Cobban a big Happy 17th Birthday song!

 

A note to future grading students to always stay calm and collected when performing their grading since in the moment of stress and panic, techniques can go wrong.  Even at ryutai level, nage should be able to slow the technique down so that there is time to think about the flow of the technique and strength should never be use to avoid ‘jerky’ techniques and to ensure uke’s safety at all times.  Apart from that, just have fun during your grading night since it's your day to shine and excel!  Once again a round of applause to all that have graded to the next level in their journey through this aikido lifestyle. Keep up the good work!

 

Belt levels, the way I see it during my aikido belt journey:

White belt with 1 or 2 stripes: "Finally I'm one of the aikido gang, not much colour but it's still there even if I need to point it out to people".

 

Yellow belt: "WooHOO!!! Finally a belt with full colour! AND can be called upon as an uke during taninzugake".

 

Orange belt: "What a bright luminous belt, wonder if it glows in the dark. Not really a junior or a senior... like one of them teenage years... have to prove myself worthy to the seniors which pushed me to learn a bunch of whole new techniques but just didn't look right".

 

Green belt: "So this is what a senior feels like, with new colour comes new responsibilities... techniques are more refined and flowing".

 

Brown belt: "More refinement in the techniques and beginner's teaching responsibilities start. Taking ukemi becomes more apparent since you've got so many nage who wants to test you out for taninzugake".

 

Brown belt with hakama: " HAKAMA TIME! Makes you look cool, but it takes weeks just to walk properly, do your techniques in it and take ukemi properly. Now you understand why 'moon shadow lizard-legs' was invented; so that you don't step on your own hakama when doing techniques (which will happen from time to time)... techniques slow down a lot since there are so many things to think like not tripping and correct form (did I mention not tripping?).

 

Black belt: "Took a long time to get here, but it was worth every learning step. Still have a lot to learn from my senseis and at the same time enjoying helping others with their techniques that I used to struggle with. Getting better moving with the hakama (if only someone would invent a hakama that would stay in place even after uke-ing for 5 taninzugake).

 

Cheers!

 

Ben Tan

 

 

Hep B Alert

 

There was an item in ‘The Australian’ newspaper recently regarding a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which reports the transmission of Hepatitis B via sweat amongst a group of Turkish wrestlers.  We similarly train in a full contact sport in which participants can often sweat a lot, even if the contact with the sweat of our training partners is not so constant and not in such close proximity.  This news may have strong ramifications for sporting organisations with a possibility that all participants in contact sports may eventually need to be vaccinated.  I would like all members to be aware of this news, and I encourage you to carefully consider what this means in terms of your own health and the steps you can take yourself to minimise risk of exposure, and if you are not sure, to seek vaccination.

 

Danny James

  

 

Club Sponsorship

 

We have a sponsorship arrangement with Brisbane based residential home loan manager, Direct Credit Home Loans Australia.   As part of an ongoing relationship, Direct Credit Home loans has made an attractive home loan offer to our club members, their family & friends.   In addition, they have offered to pay us a spotter’s fee on each home loan referred through the club.    Just let one of the Executive know if you think you know someone who may be interested.

 

Danny James

 

 

Gabby’s News

 

Hey guys,

 

Congrats on your gradings - wish I could have been there!  Anyway, I know you would have done a great job.  Please let me know how you went personally.  We feel like we're missing out over here!

 

At the moment I am in a very posh retreat centre for executives called Amana Key.  They run a week long course about alternative attitudes/methods in business and aikido features strongly in this.  There are about 60 people here for the retreat.  We did a demonstration last night and it was interesting to feel (because I couldn't understand what the audience was saying) the response to the demonstration.  The demo included a 5min silent aikido demo with Bueno Sensei, me, two other black belts and a 13yr old girl from the favela who has been practising aikido with Bueno Sensei for 5 years.  It was followed by an hour and a half of discussion (including demonstrations) from Bueno Sensei.  I was blown away last night because as soon as we finished the demo people started calling things out and discussing their observations - a really engaging group.  This week we are here every morning for aikido practise & breakfast and at the moment the exec group are starting to discuss how aikido principles can be used in business.  Amana Key have trainers who use the aikido model all week in their seminars.  The retreat costs about R$5000 (about AU$3600) and most of the execs pay this themselves.

 

Anyway, more on the blog (when I get around to it LOL).

 

Miss you guys (heaps!)

Gabby xx

p.s. a good friend from my old Ki Society dojo is trying to raise money to go the Ki Society seminar in Cairns.  He has just finished his massage certificate and is offering 1hr massages for $40 (including gift certificates if you want to give one to someone else).  If you are interested please email me straight away as he needs to know how much is pledged money to tell whether he can afford to go.  I'll get you in contact with him in Bris.

 

 

 

Steve Mitchell

GUAC Secretary

Mob.  0432 269 534

Email:  stevemitchell@ecn.net.au