Sunday, November 29, 2015

Rolling sequence video for aikido practice and teaching

Beginning Aikido students are often introduced to rolling practice in their first week on the mat. The experience of getting down on the ground and coming up again is fundamental and yet also instinctive. New students have so much going on mentally, emotionally and physically as they begin a new movement practice.

Small rolls, sometimes called "Bucky Ball" rolls or "baby rolls" offer teachers a rich opportunity to orient the new student, practice learning skills, foster attention skills and give them something they can do successfully and improve upon quickly.

For more senior students, the practice serves as a mental and physical warm up, calming the nervous system and relaxing the body.

Bringing attention to what you do and how you do it, matching your breathing to your movement and varying your intention in movement are all excellent ways to prepare yourself for aikido practice.

In this quiet (no-talking) video, Suzane Van Amburgh Sensei demonstrates a rolling practice sequence useful for all levels, from beginner to senior student.  It begins with orientation to the relative position of body parts, rocking left and right. It progresses through use of weight shifts, finding the natural levers and counterbalances of the body, smooth transitions from sitting to side lying and up to sitting again. By the end of the video, the roll has evolved to advanced sequences requiring clear intention, core conditioning, good body control and awareness of the space around you.

Let this post serve as a reference tool and "cliff notes" for aikidoists in your regular rolling practice.

If rolling is new to you, don't try this alone. Come to the dojo or schedule a private lesson with a certified aikido teacher.

Suzane Van Amburgh, shidoin, Multnomah Aikikai
Rolling sequence 5:37 recorded 2015

Trouble viewing the video? Here's the link to the video shared on google:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B71m_xdJDqYvekVBdnVSR3lBYXM/view?usp=sharing

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Our members featured in Apodaca Sensei seminar videos and articles


1. Article by our own Sanders Anderson was published in Biran Nov 1, 2015. Post includes video of Apodaca Sensei teaching at our dojo October 24, 2015 and Sanders' seminar report.


Read the article and see the video on Biran:
http://birankai.org/blog/?p=1069





2. In this video clip from the seminar, Apodaca Sensei teaches a point about taking ukemi. Uke is Greg Corbin, 1st kyu, Multnomah Aikikai.

Click to view video clip: Oct 2015 Seminar Apodaca Sensei

Trouble seeing the video above? View it at this link (updated 11/29/15):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B71m_xdJDqYvNlJxNEVzRGlEVGM/view?usp=sharing






Sunday, November 1, 2015

Aikido and Iaido seminar with Frank Apodaca Sensei October 23-25, 2015



Thanks to all who came to our seminar with Frank Apodaca Sensei October 23-25, 2015


Apodaca Sensei seminar Oct. 2015 at Multnomah Aikikai


This photo can be viewed at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_EvkmlfoxglSVF3WVFLajBnTGM/view


Congratulations to Jon Paul Oliva on passing his Fukushidoin teacher certification test!

Here's a video of Apodaca Sensei working with Jon Paul, Saturday, on a "basic and beautiful practice" - makiotoshi!




Video can also be viewed at this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_EvkmlfoxglZUNTMWRla2hTd0k/view?usp=sharing