Have video camera, will travel! that's me for sure. I am a huge history buff, so I relish the opportunity to record something for posterity and to record a happening that may become something to talk about.

I love Martial Arts videos; absolutely love them. Some are very, very bad. Others are quite good. But alas, what makes a video good is a qualitative issue. What makes it good for me will vary; it may depend upon why I have or watch the video, what the purpose of the video is or how well it is made, so that I can use it for a particular purpose. For the past three years, I've video taped quite a bit of the Aikido instructors I have trained under. I recorded Kyu tests and Dan tests (some of which I kept, some I've since deleted. In all instances those who recorded received a copy if they wanted it). I also recorded regular classes taught and parts of seminars I attended; I still do.

In every instance, before I video taped, I asked the instructor (or test taker) if I could video tape the session. I also assured them that the video was for my personal viewing and WOULD NOT end up on YouTube, Vimeo or any other public multi-media vehicle without his or her permission. Now, I love watching videos on these vehicles. These vehicles allow me to see sensei's internationally located; ones who are too far away for me to train with. I also get to see old recordings of Sensei's who have passed away, or don't train any longer.

But I also know that there should be some personal or professional protocol employed here. To just take a video of someone and post it all over the place (so to speak) for the world to see, without the subject matter of the video having any say about it, to me seems to be a violation of that person, and intrusive. The person may be of a generous spirit and say, "certainly, go ahead", or it's not a big deal, certainly. The person might even be flattered by it...but the person must always have the choice and opportunity to say "No". In no instance should someone just take away a person's ability to decide whether or not he (or she) will be broadcast indefinitely and to a host of unknown people.

What is curious to me is that the majority of people I've spoken to, have expressed sincere dislike for being put on YouTube and such, but the video taking and posting increases. I would think that folks would have a sense that someone may not wish to be broadcast. So it leaves me to wonder, why do you believe that you can just take pictures and videos of someone arbitrarily and do what you want with those images. Is it more about the recorder's opportunity to say, "look what I got access to."?

I would love to see the lawsuits that result from someone's mis-used image as a result of this. Maybe it will give some folks a moment of pause, and they will use some common courtesy and ask before the camera begins to roll.

A couple of weeks ago, one of the well respected and most senior Sensei's in the dojo performed a once in a twenty year, (maybe longer) weapons kata class. After class, the sensei allowed me to video record him performing the katas, solo, and in total. Afterwards, I thanked him naturally; then someone I'd never seen before tapped me on the shoulder and asked for a copy of the video. The person wanted me to email it....

I thought to myself, firstly: "who the heck are you", but then I replied to him that he had to ask the Sensei if he could have a copy. He looked at me with some astonishment and disbelief. He said, "huh? really?". And I replied, "Yes, really". "I don't distribute images of people without their permission, so you'll have to ask him first. If he says it's okay, I will make arrangements for you to get it." Of course the doofus, didn't bother to ask the Sensei. So I guess he wasn't that committed to having the copy. But I think I'd made my point clear to him, and that was, "what makes you feel entitled to a document of his work, without talking to him about it first?" I also must mention that when I asked this person if he was a student, his answer was "No". So now, I'm thinking, well why the heck SHOULD I give this to you?..(shaking my head).

Our community is so inundated with videos that it's almost to the point where the video is more important than paying attention to, or participating in the live performance. The performer is merely a role player, in a sense. particularly with Martial Arts videos, I think.  "Show me the money" has been replaced with "let's go to the video!!"..(laughing).

In another instance, during a class of one of the more popular Sensei's, a gentleman walked in, sat down and pulled out his iPad, and began to video record. So, I said to him, "why don't you ask him, before you do that?". Fortunately, this man was gracious enough to heed my suggestion. I reassured him that the sensei was quite friendly and would probably be more than happy to let him do it; but that it was good protocol to ask first.

Now, I'm not naive. I know many practitioners crave video attention and YouTube type exposure. But I also know that some of the better ones, that I've had the opportunity to train with DON'T. And even if they don't say anything to you, once it is noticed that a person is video recording them, they will change the techniques that they teach for the night. So now, this intrusion has the potential to negatively impact the training of the students on the mat. Somehow, that doesn't seem appropriate.

The truth of the matter is, you can't learn a Martial Art from a video anyhow. It's demonstrative and active. One has to do it, to learn it. A student can watch and pick up miscellaneous things, but at its basis, nothing replaces the physical practice of Martial Arts. I collect dvd's and videos of Aikido senseis and other styles I have an interest in, for historical value and it gives me ideas of techniques I'd like to learn from my instructors. It also lets me see the additional population of techniques out there (so to speak). So, I'm not against video recording.

This entire dissertation is to say, "ASK, FIRST" DON'T JUST VIDEO RECORD SOMEONE AND POST IT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE."

That's all I'm saying.....AND I betta not see my lousy kyu tests up there either! Geez.....(laughing)

Copyright© 2012 Dena Williams. All rights reserved

Looking to develop the Aiki in my Aikido training: The light enters…..My aikido training began in 1...

Looking to develop the Aiki in my Aikido training: The light enters…..

My aikido training began in 1...: The light enters….. My aikido training began in 1988; with whom is not quite important and where is even less important. What is importan...

The light enters…..

My aikido training began in 1988; with whom is not quite important and where is even less important. What is important is the moment that “this is something different” occurred to me, created an instant change in my perception of the martial arts and human interaction. I matured physically, mentally and emotionally, but discontinued my training as a result of just what I’ll call “life”. Always in the recesses of my mind, was this thing….Aikido. Again, I will be blunt. I was immature; I wanted to study a Martial Art that would allow me to kick the crap out of someone. I imaged some fool accosting me and me dropping him immediately. I guess I watched too much T.V, read too many superhero comic books.

As a young athlete in fantastic physical condition, I was reckless. I did not appreciate the different path on which this art places its practitioners. I was more concerned with the physical accomplishments that I believed Aikido would allow me to achieve. I concerned myself with conquering, winning, defeating, physically dominating…etc…in a moment this statement will make some sense. It is more than just the generic statements that many make when they discover Aikido, or listen to the esoteric statements about the spiritual component of this fantastic style. What is interesting is that even in my immaturity and lack of knowing, I still saw a power in Aikido that was unique, and cloaked from the general Martial Arts community. The cloaking is not a purposeful act, but rather it exists because the general Martial community is more concerned with those things I was concerned with…..the result, the end point…that end point is physical domination.

Let me say that physical domination has its place. If one must do that in the face of eminent danger, it is certainly important to know how to do that in an expedient, effective way. It would be disingenuous to say that a little doubt isn’t in my mind when I train. “Will this work, if I need to protect myself” is always in the corner of my mind, the back of my mind, the front of my mind and shadows my every movement. “Will this work?”…..

Then the light entered…..one day, a sempai and close friend said to me, “You know, a sensei (I am paraphrasing) said to me, that you have to trust the technique.”

Hmmm….trust the technique? What does that look like on the mat? How do I do that when someone is rushing to me to DO something to me? Hmmm…methinks this sempai is out of her/his mind. Trust what technique? I will trust my fist in his face and this attacker on the ground looking up, as I get away from him/her...trust the technique…what is this person talking about? If this person is telling me that I’m doing it wrong, then how do I do is properly? I have to make this thing work…All of these things went through my mind. As I listened to my sempai, waiting for an opportunity to say, “You are crazy”, or “I have no idea what you are talking about”, it occurred to me, that he had hit the nail on the head. If I trust the technique, then my mind and spirit quiets down, the doubt is stilled and my body will focus on moving out of danger instinctively without trying to “do” something to someone else. Humph…what a novel idea!

And so, a new way of training began. Suddenly, the sentences spoken to me by my senseis and sempais, weren’t sentences anymore. They were specific instructions as to how to move, re-direct, blend and subsequently off balance my practice partner. These words became keys to unlocking the power of Aikido; a power that only an Aikido practitioner would begin to see and commit to learning deeper. The light enters…..my youthful immaturity could not have fathomed this. Tonight the sensei said to me, “maybe you needed this as a youth, but your mind is now ready to accept it.” I believe this sensei is dead on.

One of my senseis also said “Aikido is personal, it’s your own.”  On another occasion, this person said, “It’s a process. You must be patient.” Also, over the past few months my Sempai said to me, ‘you’ve got to respect the process. You can’t just go from point A to B.” Academically, I understood that. I KNEW that, I heard myself saying to myself… (Hmmm). Then one day, the light entered and I realized that I had to respect the process. I know this statement sounds redundant, but the difference is that there is the one dimensional academic level of understanding, but then there is the wholistic level where your body and being suddenly becomes somewhat ‘comfortable’ for want of a better word with the continued, repetitive, but still different movement. We begin to feel when we take someone off balance, if we trust the technique and respect the process. We begin to feel when we move away from our center…My body seemed to look for the practice, so to speak. I’d heard these statements many times before, but This Time, it hit the core of me. This time, I truly heard “Trust the technique, respect the process….train, train, train.” It all made physical and spiritual sense to me. It has never been about rushing to the end, to conquer the “other”; “the outer”….It’s always been about commitment, patience, confidence and trust. Trust is not this “kumbyah, let’s all hold hands, get along and go skipping off into a rainbow filled land of skittles and sunshine,” sentiment. But rather, Trust occurs to me as something that lets us know that our continued, committed training (without altering what is shown, to what we want it to be) will result in a positive outcome. Our senseis spend quite a bit of time, with their own personal training, to show us specific things. If we practice what they show us, versus, what we think we see, or what we think it “should be”, we will develop a trust in this art, which will lead us to learn the power of Aikido. We must practice with confidence, commitment and intention.

Blending, re-directing, dynamic movement, don’t clash, block or seek to stop the energy flow…Quell the doubt in your mind and the peer pressure that says Aikido doesn’t work. Trust the technique. It works.

The light will enter…..

Copyright © 2012 Dena Williams. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dena Williams, or aikiseeker.blogspot.com.

class today - techniques

This afternoon - Claire Keller class:
1. Shihonage Omote & Ura - that friggin Ura always gives me problems..I've gotta practice it more.
2. Kaeshi Waza - Uke shomenuchi attack, Nage puts a nikkyo on, the Uke reverses the Nikkyo into a Sankyo

This evening:
1. Katatetori Kokyuho with two attakers
2. Katatetori ikkyo opening, into irminage
3. Morotetori Sumi Otoshi
4. Morotetori Tenkan Sumi Otoshi
5. Katatetori Kokyho omote

Feeling good after class, learned a lot as always. Gotta practice and train regularly for the lessons to take root.

Kyu Testing

We had Kyu testing in our dojo this past Sunday. It went very well and as expected everyone passed with flying colors. Our Chief instructor doesn't allow anyone to test, unless they are ready to pass. Essentially, the test is a formality. He has already decided to promote the student. But one must go through the process, for any number of reasons, I guess. No worries, though. I really enjoy watching our tests. It's encouraging and exciting. The smiles on people's faces when they complete the test is pretty damn cool, I tell you that.

Trained well Yesterday. Shihan was in good form yesterday. We did shihonage, jodan and gaedan iriminage from yokomenuchi and katatori attacks. I was extremely fatigued yesterday and didn't feel like getting on the mat, but I'm so happy I did. My training partner and I practiced slowly and methodically. He showed me good stuff and I was alert and energized after class yesterday.

Been working on foot movement, stabilizing my feet and not doing a whole lot of "stutter stepping" and trying to get my opening strong..I'm enjoying it...Maybe in six months or so, I'll be ready for my second kyu...

Now THAT sounds like a plan..

Rest

I had to rest today. Back muscles are sore and somewhat wrenched, from who knows what. So I had to rest today. I wanted to take part in the Sugano Sensei memorial seminar; but alas, all I could do was watch and talk with fellow aikidoists. I did a little training yesterday (Saturday). Practiced my rolls and walked through the 20 Jo Suburis. So, I got some practice in this weekend.

Tomorrow is another day....after heating pads and epsom salt bath soak, I should be okay to practice tomorrow.

October begins with a bang

Well,

I trained a total of 15 days out of 30 days in september. That's pretty good for me. Tonite I did a little workout with my Goju-ryu instructor friend. I don't know the katas, but he does a pretty good warm-up work out routine. He designed his routine to strengthen the body and prepare the student for the okinawan goju-ryu techniques. The toughest part really is the type of push ups. His students do a push up, where you place your arms near your breast section, hold your body up one inch away from the ground, then lift one leg up (while you hold your body one inch from the ground); place the leg down, then lift the other leg up. You then stretch back into the yoga back stretch position and begin again. He does about twenty of these for beginners. He then goes into a series of sit ups that will definitely strengthen the abs, lower back, middle, upper back and so forth...

Did I forget to mention that you have to stay in form, while he walks through the class to correct and verify every student's form?

After that, I worked on the very basics: High, Middle and Low blocks. Tomorrow I will work on my punching and kicking excercises. I will also do some aikido fittings. No falls, I've got to rest my lower back muscles; for Sunday I want to participate in a three hour memorial seminar for Sugano Sensei.

I also had a wonderful conversation with a traditional Chinese Tai Chi (yes, the combat form) Sifu. He told me to join his class for a couple of months and see if it helps my Aikido. He says Aikido is more difficult than Tai Chi. Methinks, he was being kind. However, I will attempt it.

Ush!