Aikido of Gainesville
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Monday evening Oct 15th, it was just John, Joel and me. Joel was down in Naples last week for advanced deputy training and he told about the hand to hand kind of freestyle they did. He said they were impressed that he used some different techniques and that he was fast. To tell the truth, I think of him as just medium fast so far. I've got so much more to teach him. We used what attacks he had seen and did our own experimental class combining Aikido and Juijitsu/Chin Na techniques that Kevin Downey is using in his "Hidden Karate Kata Techniques" that he is teaching here in Sunday noon classes. It was an interesting class that came up with some new ideas to handle chokes and other grabs. This is some serious stuff I will ad into the Women's Self Defense curriculum. I also plan to teach it to the kids as well. It's strong, but applied with the Aikido philosophy it will work well.
Oct. 13th, I awarded the certificates for everybody who passed the tests last Saturday and we started teaching the techniques for the next belts. This tape stripe for learning a new technique works so well. 5 of the new Yellow belts earned 5 stripes on their new belts. We will need to repeat them more so they improve and retain their memories of how to execute the techniques, but they sure pay attention better when they can get a stripe to show they are progressing. Wednesday I tested three boys at the Queen of Peace after school class for their Yellow belts. One boy I already knew he was going to pass. The other two were not about to be outdone, so they focused and passed too. Also Shaun, one of my first black belts brought his daughter, who is now 5, in to start. We played 30 minutes of rolling tag so she could get used to rolling around. This game makes it so much easier to teach the rolls. She said she had fun when we bowed out. I'm so happy to see her come to class.
On Oct. 6th we had 13 kids in for the free community service Kids and Teens classes. We did a bunch of tests. I'm promoting 5 White belts to Yellow belts and two Purple belts to Purple with a white stripe. One of the boys promoted to Purple with a white stripe is dyslexic. He got through his third test pretty good and is improving all the time. The more he sees, the more he can see. Two weeks ago he told me this has been the first year he hasn't been bullied. Aikido is working for him.
One of the mothers came up with the idea that we should have a day when everybody wears their Halloween costume. We've never really done that before. So we will have the October birthdays party on the 27th of October and make it a Halloween party as well. It's going to be an interesting October this year.
The Kids class starts at 2pm until 3:30, then the Teens time starts at 3:30 and goes till 5pm. These times are not hard/fast. If someone needs to come at an earlier or later time I will accommodate what ever you need to do. The times are more to keep the sizes of the students about the same. I am teaching on Wednesdays at the Queen of Peace Academy until December. This means the dojo will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So I will for be open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays afternoons. I will put these on a Google calendar.
We now have 4 Green with Black tape and one brown belt in the Kids / Teens classes. They all have a solid foundation in the Iwama Style Aikido and enough experience to be able to comprehend more complex stuff. So now I will begin to teach them some Nishio Style techniques. If I had started out with Nishio Style, it's too complex. I think they would have been gone in a minute. No doubt it is more elegant, ultimately quicker, yet retaining very good power. I call it the Nishio Cathedral. So now I can take them inside to experience for themselves and allow them to begin to build their own Aikido cathedrals.
The new fan motor is terrific! With the fans facing inward and moving so much volume of air, it's rolling the air around all over the place making it reasonably comfortable despite whatever the temperature is and where ever you are in the dojo.
It has occurred to me that the senior Kids students are not asking to play games at the beginning of class anymore. They come in the door and want to start right into regular practice right away. For one thing, their techniques are becoming more complex. Which means they have to focus more to understand and advance. But it may be that they have started to realize that the Aikido is the "play" and they have graduated to a higher level of play. I'm starting to hear "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's becoming "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.
Oct. 13th, I awarded the certificates for everybody who passed the tests last Saturday and we started teaching the techniques for the next belts. This tape stripe for learning a new technique works so well. 5 of the new Yellow belts earned 5 stripes on their new belts. We will need to repeat them more so they improve and retain their memories of how to execute the techniques, but they sure pay attention better when they can get a stripe to show they are progressing. Wednesday I tested three boys at the Queen of Peace after school class for their Yellow belts. One boy I already knew he was going to pass. The other two were not about to be outdone, so they focused and passed too. Also Shaun, one of my first black belts brought his daughter, who is now 5, in to start. We played 30 minutes of rolling tag so she could get used to rolling around. This game makes it so much easier to teach the rolls. She said she had fun when we bowed out. I'm so happy to see her come to class.
On Oct. 6th we had 13 kids in for the free community service Kids and Teens classes. We did a bunch of tests. I'm promoting 5 White belts to Yellow belts and two Purple belts to Purple with a white stripe. One of the boys promoted to Purple with a white stripe is dyslexic. He got through his third test pretty good and is improving all the time. The more he sees, the more he can see. Two weeks ago he told me this has been the first year he hasn't been bullied. Aikido is working for him.
One of the mothers came up with the idea that we should have a day when everybody wears their Halloween costume. We've never really done that before. So we will have the October birthdays party on the 27th of October and make it a Halloween party as well. It's going to be an interesting October this year.
The Kids class starts at 2pm until 3:30, then the Teens time starts at 3:30 and goes till 5pm. These times are not hard/fast. If someone needs to come at an earlier or later time I will accommodate what ever you need to do. The times are more to keep the sizes of the students about the same. I am teaching on Wednesdays at the Queen of Peace Academy until December. This means the dojo will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So I will for be open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays afternoons. I will put these on a Google calendar.
We now have 4 Green with Black tape and one brown belt in the Kids / Teens classes. They all have a solid foundation in the Iwama Style Aikido and enough experience to be able to comprehend more complex stuff. So now I will begin to teach them some Nishio Style techniques. If I had started out with Nishio Style, it's too complex. I think they would have been gone in a minute. No doubt it is more elegant, ultimately quicker, yet retaining very good power. I call it the Nishio Cathedral. So now I can take them inside to experience for themselves and allow them to begin to build their own Aikido cathedrals.
The new fan motor is terrific! With the fans facing inward and moving so much volume of air, it's rolling the air around all over the place making it reasonably comfortable despite whatever the temperature is and where ever you are in the dojo.
It has occurred to me that the senior Kids students are not asking to play games at the beginning of class anymore. They come in the door and want to start right into regular practice right away. For one thing, their techniques are becoming more complex. Which means they have to focus more to understand and advance. But it may be that they have started to realize that the Aikido is the "play" and they have graduated to a higher level of play. I'm starting to hear "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's becoming "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.