Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 17:16:04 -0500
From: jdsingleton
Subject: A View From the Bleachers - Yet
Another Aikido-L Seminar Review
As someone who did not experience "exquisite pain" or any other real
pain at this past weekend's Aikido-L Seminar, I thought I'd add a few
comments from a different perspective.
For those who tuned in late, I only joined the list ten days before
the seminar. Foolishly, I responded to a post from Beate asking for a
weather forecast. The next thing I know, she 's telling me to talk to
Carol and come to the seminar. Joel soon jumps in and says the same
thing, followed by Tam and Carol. All of this in spite of the fact
that I have never had any martial arts training, let alone any Aikido
training. Failing to come up with any good reason why I couldn't
attend (and because Tam threatened to hunt me down and drag me,
kicking and screaming, to the seminar), I decided I'd attend. If
nothing else, I'd get the chance to meet some of the people from the
list and see a wide variety of Aikido styles. As someone who was
looking at local dojos, this would be beneficial.
Saturday morning, I hopped off the subway and trotted down to the VKS
dojo. There I found the door locked and no sign. Uh-oh, I'm either in
the wrong place or everyone was out late the night before and is
getting there late. After a minute or two, I remembered that on the
lodging page, Carol had written something about the seminar may be at
Luther Jackson School, if it wasn't at the dojo. Since I was new to
the list and hadn't pre-registered, I must have missed the decision on
the location. I had also glanced at Mike's map and vaguely recalled a
"gym" to the North of the Dunn Loring subway station (and in the
opposite direction of Luther Jackson). I hadn't brought a copy of the
map with me, since I was local and knew where the dojo, Homewood
Suites, Luther Jackson, and the restaurants were located. So, I
decided to walk back to Gallows Road and then decide which direction
to go--Luther Jackson School or the mystery "gym" I only vaguely
recalled. (Not knowing the address, I was assuming it was the fire
station, since I know that a fencing school uses it and figured an
Aikido seminar could be held there, as well.) Luckily for me, as I was
walking down Eskridge Road, a car stopped and asked if I was going to
the seminar. No, it wasn't someone else who hadn't gotten the word,
but two VKS members who had run back to the dojo to get
registration forms. (It's a good thing Carol forgot to bring them.)
I registered and Carol wanted to know why I wasn't going to actually
get on the mats. Luckily, the "I don't have a gi" excuse worked.
(Which explains the comment in my message last night.) Even if I had
had one with me, I didn't think my first on the mat Aikido experience
should have been on a crowded mat. Luck stayed on my side a little
longer, as when I was buying a t-shirt, Tam registered. That meant I
knew who she was and she had no idea who I was--so much for hunting me
down, I knew who she was and she didn't know who I was! Of course,
this was only a short term vicotry, since she knew I was going to be
watching and there weren't a lot off people in the stands who were, as
Mike put it, "dressed funny."
I actually wish the bleachers had been a few rows higher. Watching the
variety of techniques was impressive. It wasn't overwhelming, but it
was close. By not being at floor level, I was able to see differences
in how people applied each technique that I don't think I would have
noticed otherwise. I know I would not have seen as many people,
either, since I would have only been able to see those people right in
front of me.
Everyone I spoke to, when they decided to sit out, take a break, etc.
was very helpful. Most even agreed that siince I had never rolled or
done a break fall, sitting out and observing was a good idea. This did
not, however, stop Tam and Carol from trying to get me out on the mats
on Sunday. (I've been carried off mats on stretchers when I've known
what I was doing, so who knows what would happen if I got on a mat and
didn't know what I was doing.)
After watching Phil, I'm glad that there is not a Yoshinkan Aikido
dojo in the area. The technical details are intersting, but I don't
know that I have the patience to break everything down into such
detail. I think it falls into the "I like to watch ir, but not do it"
category. I really enjoyed watching Alan's "palm-to-palm" shihonage
technique. All in all, Saturday was an enjoyable day and I learned a
lot. I showed up again Sunday, ready to learn more. (As Mike pointed
out, I was "still dressed funny.") The seminar did not disappoint.
Two things really stuck in my mind after the seminar. One, was hearing
people complain about bad knees. I've got a bad knee and that's really
the main reason I've avoided giving Aikido a try in the past. True,
most of the bad knees I heard about still have all their ligaments and
don't have screws and bone grafts, but perfect knees aren't a
prerequisite.
Two, I can't recall if I read it in Gaku Homma's "Aikido for Life" or
on a web site, but one thing I read recently was how a dojo becomes
like an extended family. Well, so is this list. By that reasoning, you
could also say the list is a dojo itself or cyber dojo, if you will.
(I dislike adding "cyber" to things, though.) Mike said, elsewhere,
"Why can't we get everyone on the list at the same dojo???" I'd put
forth that in way, we already are.
That's enough rambling for now.
Later,
Jim
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