LEARNING FROM EVERYBODY

Basics class. The attack is a static cross-hand grab. We run through ikkyo, then shihonage, then kokyunage (iriminage to the Aikikai folks). The focus is to be on the turning center, always a valuable place to check in.

I partner first with a woman about my age and slightly junior to me. We start slowly and slowly pick up the pace. We exchange minimal verbal feedback, lots of kinesthetic feedback and are smiling broadly as we bow out when finished.

I partner next with a preteen boy with very little experience. He needs to parse it out and have verbal coaching from me to walk through shihonage; he is not living enough in his body yet to pick it up kinesthetically from my ukemi. Our instructor comes over to help coach him. I stay in my role as attacker for quite a while rather than switching after four times, letting him work on it until it makes sense and he experiences the success of moving through all the gross movements without coaching.

I partner next with a man younger and larger than me and about my peer. He is attentive to my disability and wants to be a good partner. When it comes to technique he does not seem to have a good sense of the tools that will help in connecting us (such as entering to my blind spot). I am aware that when it is my turn I am allowing an opening for him to turn out. We exchange some verbal feedback and get into a rhythm, eventually moving to a dynamic rather than static attack.

I had a thoroughly enjoyable class. Each partner showed me something different, let me feel and think about and work on some different part of the puzzle that is aikido.

I cannot imagine anybody trying to "learn aikido" from books or movies or anything that does not involve engaging with another sentient being.