VKS KI TRAINING NOTES, MAY 1998 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this document is to provide a dialog between students and the instructional faculty on training issues and answer questions regarding technique or training practices or procedures. It is NOT a forum for dealing with philosophy, except as it applies to training, nor business issues associated with the VKS. NOTICES: MARCH INSTRUCTOR'S CLASS The March class will be held on Saturday, the 21st. I will be discussing training in taigi, testing in April, plans for the Tamura Seminar in April and coverage of training sessions in May. CAMPS The Virginia Ki Society Summer Camp will be held the weekend of [date changed later -WWW ed.] 5 - 7 June at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The guest Sensei will be John Eley, Chief Instructor at the Chicago Ki Society. John was a guest instructor at the Dojo several years ago and I received many requests for his return. Well, here he comes. He has a long history in Aikido and a great deal to share with us. Make plans now to attend - reserve the dates on your calendar. OTHER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES HAWAII: The Honolulu Ki Society is sponsoring the Annual Ki Society Seminar in August, 1998 in Honolulu Hawaii. A welcome party for Master Tohei will be held at 6PM on the 15th. Training schedule is: 16 Ki Aikido 9-12 & 2-4:30 17 Ki Aikido 9-12, Kiatsu 2-4:30 18 Adv Ki Aikido 9-12 & 2-4:30 19 Ntl Instr Workshop 9-12 & 2-4:30 20 Ntl Instr Workshop 9-12, Ki Testing 2- 3, Meeting 3-5PM 21 Day of Rest 22 45th Anniv Banquet 6-10PM 23 Picnic Cost: Compl pkg: All sessions, welcome party, banquet, T-shirt, lunches $970 W/o instr workshop $750 W/o Adv and instr workshop $550 Kiatsu only $200 Welcome party only $50 Anniv Banquet Only $80 T-shirt only $15 This will be an opportunity to study with Tohei Sensei and/or his son and take examinations for Shoden, Chuden and Joden. TAMURA SEMINAR Sensei Tamura, 9th Dan in Ki Aikido will be in Greenville, South Carolina on April 3, 4 and 5. His visit is to deliver lectures at the university but there will be time during the weekend for some training. Current plans call for classes Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday morning. Cost will be about $75.00 for the entire session. William Reed and Kumi Reed, Certified Kiatsu Practitioners will be conducting a training session on April 26. The morning session (10-12) will be devoted to training in Ki Development for those who are not well grounded in the application of Ki energy. The afternoon session (1:30-4:30) will be devoted to Kiatsu instruction. GUEST AUTHORS The Geometry of Aikido-part 3 This month's article has been delayed and will be renewed next month. CHIEF INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER Taigi as a Training Tool In a recent advanced class I began to experiment with using taigi to teach technique in motion, outside the standard taigi which have been established by Ki Society Headquarters. After a class in Shomenuchi Ikkyo, Irimi I decided to continue the lesson into the advanced class. First I had one of the students assume the role of nage and the rest of the students, uke. Rules of engagement were for the ukes to use any attack but the nage was restricted to Ikkyo as a response. After going through two cycles of this approach, during which the attacking speed was increased and the responses became more crisp. I then made a taigi using the six attacks of the Kitei Taigi (shomen, yokomen, munetsuki, katatetori, katadori and ushiro tekubitori) and constrained the nage to using ikkyo. I selected irimi response for the odd numbered attacks and tenkan for the even. Full taigi procedures were in effect. The result was an improvement in overall technical performance, smoothness of motion and improved Mai-ai. I have called this VKS Taigi #1. I plan to explore the use of this approach for training in nikkyo, sankyo, yonkyo, kotegaeshi and kaiten nage for a start. I would like your feedback on how this approach as to its effectiveness and efficiency in training advanced students. George Simcox FROM THE INTERNET From: Jeff Pettigrew Subject: Re: Strikes, Trainning & Wanna-be's To: AIKIDO-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU Stuart Kremsky wrote: (It is really Janet) > A few thoughts from one who is early enough on the path to recall what it feels like the first weeks/months: I can't say that I've ever been explained anything in a "systematic manner"--each technique, each demo of it, each nage and each uke makes for a different experience. But what was stressed to me from day 1, and what I still work very hard at, is "maintaining contact", neither collapsing nor being rigid, but letting nage feel my presence, my attack even as I stay flexible and permit the technique to be done to me so that I can learn the ukemi safely -- mind you, here I am talking about learning and beginners, not advanced practice; yes at this point I do learn from my uke's offering resistance and sometimes I offer some too-- but I don't think the role of a beginner is to test others. And I think for a newbie, talking about "resistance" is only going to result in more stiffness -- just my .02-- > janet I agree, this is not necessarily for a raw beginner; learning the choreography of the movement and learning to fall safely present enough challenges at this stage. It should be explained, for clarity's sake, that what is being learned *IS* just choreography. How many people out there tried out a technique on a friend after a few weeks in Aikido, only to be surprised and disappointed that it didn't work? My guess would be quite a few. Jeff Pettigrew TRAVELS On March 28 I will be in Cinnamason, New Jersey to celebrate the Grand Opening of Sensei Terry Pierce's new Dojo in the World Gym which is located just off of Route 130. If any of you will be in the area I invite you to attend. Festivities begin at 10:00 am. In April several of us will be attending the Tamura Seminar in Greenville, SC. So far there will be four persons from Peninsula, four from Blue Ridge and seven from Merrifield. May will be very busy for me as I will be in Indiana, Illinois, Kansas and Texas for seminars or visiting local sensei.