Aikido of Gainesville
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Saturday Feb 16th. We had 10 kids and 4 adults on the mat today. The party went well. Rafa has a birthday next week and I know Sorin had a birthday earlier in the month, but he didn't come yesterday. Rafa and Lamiya got their pink stripes for Kata Dori Nikyo (wrist twist from a shoulder grab attack). The Mitte-Kiri girls earned theirs last week. Michael earned a red stripe on his test for a Katate Dori Kotegaeshi. (extract the hand from your wrist, off balance the attacker and then throw backwards) Christopher and the Herron family came Thursday evening. That pushes them along even faster. I taught the Queen of Peace students the Steering Wheel choke throw Wednesday. People are moving up towards that next test. It was a good week.
We will celebrate the February Birthdays party next Saturday the 16th. We will stop practice between 10:30 and 10:45 to set up the low table. We will have small cupcakes, ice cream, grapes, bananas, orange juice, chocolate milk, apple juice and maybe some donuts or pastries. On Saturday the 23rd, the dojo will be closed. Sensei Keith will be down in Orlando for the Hoa Newens, Iwama Style Aikido Seminar and I will be down in Ocala for the PTSD Veteran training seminar. So there won't be anyone to teach here that day. Saturday Feb 9th. Things were back to about normal again this week. We had 13 Kids and Teens with Sensei Keith and I. It was a good morning. We had one new girl, who came with the Morrisons, and the Huey Family came in this morning. They haven't been here for about two years. The family has grown. The younger brother who was about 3, maybe 4 last time was understanding a lot and had fun playing and learning. So that added three more who are kind of new again. Many of the kids were able to earn another stripe or two, so their progress continues. Also I remembered to present Christopher's Blue Belt Certificate. I received this great email complement from Nathaniel after his first class in Jodo last Thursday evening. It's so nice I asked him if I could post it on the website. He said he would be honored. Dear Sensei, Thank you for writing and for teaching a wonderful class. Having dabbled in various martial arts and numerous dojo’s over the years I have developed a good sense for quality instruction and found it in abundance on Thursday. And I feel very fortunate to be able to receive such a level of instruction within a small class (although I do not expect the class to remain small for long). The commute is a challenge but is what it is. I look forward to seeing you again on Thursday. Best regards, Nathaniel This explains how to perform the first kata of the Aiki Toho Iaido developed by Shoji Nishio Sensei. I also explain about the cutting draw I was taught right from the start of my practice of Iaido. I did not need to change anything when I was introduced to Tasaburo Tokutomi Sensei, master of the Morinaga line of the Toyama-Ryu style of batto-jutsu, cutting of rolled rice straw matting. Here is the URL of the first Aiki Toho kata https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBuEw99f3CE The senior Kids students are not asking to play games at the beginning of class anymore. They now realize that the Aikido is the "play" and they have graduated to a higher level of play. I'm hearing "I love this technique." or "This is my favorite Bo kata". And just a few months ago the statements were "This is hard." Now it has become "This is fun." I have decided to offer extra discounts of extra classes for parents or students who help clean the dojo while their kids or teens are in class. I'm swamped so much of the time with keeping track of the dojo financially, keeping up the websites, doing maintenance, processing new videos and such that the cleaning is not up to snuff. I think this can work out as a win-win for the dojo and the parents. The Aikido of Gainesville Dojo will be closed on Tuesdays during the day. I might be there to do maintenance, but I will not be teaching on Tuesdays. There will regularly be a Free Community Service Aikido Class on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8pm. Tuesday Evening practices may not always be open. Please call ahead of time to determine if there will be a class that evening. Call first Jun Evangelista 352-222-0872. If no answer or Jun is not teaching, call Keith McInnis 352-258-4725. |
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The primary question: What constitutes a good dojo? How do you recognize a good dojo?
1. The Sensei (instructor) is knowledgeable, helpful and safe. 2. The techniques work and can be powerful, but don't always need to be powerful. 3. The senior students look out for and help the junior students and keep things safe. 4. Everybody is learning a lot and having fun. |
There are Dojos that stand a lot on visual image and ritual because they can't stand on knowledge and there are Dojos that forego a lot of ritual and may not look like much but they have an abundance of knowledge. We are in the latter group.
TEST US! There is an overwhelming abundance of knowledge here.
TEST US! There is an overwhelming abundance of knowledge here.
To see and learn more about the dojo, go across the top menu to "About". On the drop down menu click on "Location". On that page there are 10 videos showing the dojo with explanations of what I have on the walls.
Under the videos menu I have added instructional videos for both Iwama Style and Nishio Style. I will begin showing how I teach the techniques, as time allows. You may find them very informative.
If you want to get in contact with me, email; sensei@aikidoofgainesville.com or 352-494-7816.
Under the videos menu I have added instructional videos for both Iwama Style and Nishio Style. I will begin showing how I teach the techniques, as time allows. You may find them very informative.
If you want to get in contact with me, email; sensei@aikidoofgainesville.com or 352-494-7816.
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The more time spent in class becomes more learned which means the faster the advancement.
Free Saturday classes will remain in the mornings until further notice. Kids 9am to 10:30am and Teens 10:30am to Noon AOG web sites with information about Kids classes are; Aikido Kids of Gainesville, Stop the Bully Using Aikido and Bully Defense Using Aikido These sites have more information about what to expect in Kids and Teens classes and Anti-Bully techniques. Thursday Free Class times are 6:30-8:00pm. There is now a weapons class from 8:05 to 9:00pm following the free class. |
The Nishio Sensei videos shown above here are advanced techniques. I start practically everybody in the Iwama Style to build knowledge and a foundation of basic techniques. After you have the knowledge to pass the third test, then you will better understand and appreciate the Nishio Style techniques which are strong and fast.
Calendar of all Aikido of Gainesville Events
Classes will be tracked by the use of a punch card. The number of classes purchased will be written on the punch card and when the number of punches are completed a new card may be purchased. There will be no time restrictions on the cards.