Notes from Saturday the 11th (Coleman [C.] subs for Maria)

Here’s what I could remember C. saying / showing in-class. I’m the white belt Aikidoka & the few things I do know are usually very mixed-up with Aikido stuff, so I tried to be careful to note anything I wasn’t sure on or was more my own opinion. I’m more than a bit ADHD, so there still might be some errors…


Crucifixion Rolls: Before you go into the roll, bend the knee, but move as a unit, i.e. don’t leave your hips behind (I believe this is because it throws off your balance / center of gravity and thus results in an awkward roll). Don’t look at the ground or back where you came from at the end of the roll.

Extension Rolls: Keep the hips forward. Don’t look at the ground or back where you came from at the end of the roll.

Kote-Gaeshi # 10 from Straight Punch: Don’t go for the wrist first, go for the elbow w/ a focus on their center, as this will leave more options open for you--if you only focus on the wrist then you can only do wrist-locks, but if you go for the elbow you have the wrist-locks and other techniques open to you as well.
Keep uke’s wrist in front of your center. Try to make everything all one movement.
The shoulders and the hips should move as a unit when putting the lock on, otherwise the throw will end up stilted and sometimes non-functional due to the awkward position you’ve put your body into (C. compared it to pushing up against a wall with only your shoulders, I think).

Osoto Gari: The pulling hand / the outside hand should pull out, not down, and only pull down when throwing (I think because it stretches uke out more that way).

Sankyo: The footwork for the take-down is the same footwork from the tai sabaki kata (5 and 6 / the shiko dachi thing).