Author: Tonya

Sometimes its hard to tell if I am improving or not. In Aikido it is usually subtle changes that make all the difference. I can say that I am now familiar with a wider array of techniques and openings than I once was. I think the most significant difference is my awareness of surrounding people,… Continue reading Improvement

I’ve been designated to assist teaching the children’s class. Usually I end up with white yellow and green belts. These are the beginning ranks. The children learn first how to roll and do wrist exercises by themselves. Then they work on simple hand grabs like ai hamni ikkyo and iriminage. I find the biggest challenge… Continue reading Children’s class

This past Tuesday I had extra energy for the first time since starting here, so I took the all six classes. For the first two I trained with black belts and had a moderate workout. The randori class was fun. I figured I would take it because my 1st kyu test is going to be… Continue reading A Long Day of Training

There are several improvements going on at New York Aikikai. The biggest one is our new free towel service. Instead of us uchi-deshi busting our butts to get both the gi’s and towels clean, we now have an outside towel service that brings towels and takes them to be cleaned. It actually saves the dojo… Continue reading Changes around the Dojo

I believe this may be helpful to anyone interested in becoming an uchi-deshi at New York Aikikai. 1. Practice Aikido as often as your home dojo allows. Come in early, stay late and be involved. 2. Try to keep the complaining to a minimum. In New York they will make you train anyway. (unless it’s… Continue reading Tips to Becoming a Good Uchi-Deshi

The first thing that comes to mind is he deserves his title as a shihan. I have trouble remembering a specific technique. One was a shomenuchi kokyunage. Mike Jones described it to us the day after as raising both arms and attacking the uke with the butt of the sword. The move was a very… Continue reading Yokota Sensei

Its been hard work around New York Aikikai. The uchi deshi are tearing down a wall to make the downstairs office bigger. We’re fixing up all the toilets. I am getting rid of unnamed items in the women’s locker room. Its a constant battle upstairs to keep the sink free of dishes. There is also… Continue reading First Month

Today was fun. First I took the 12:15 class with Hal Lehrman. It was a relaxing first class as I trained with a beginner. My first task in moving in was to clean out my room, which was full of junk from other deshi that stayed there. Then I washed the sheets and put away… Continue reading first day as an uchi deshi

I took only two classes today, partly because training here in the heat is difficult, and also because I needed more sleep than I got. The 4:15 class was taught by Luke Machado. Today I was more familiar with the techniques they were all irimi entrance on yokomenuchi. I trained with John, a current uchi-deshi,… Continue reading Thursday July 31st

All I can say as a common factor between all the classes this afternoon was that it was really hot.  New York Aikikai does not have air conditioning so everyone was sweating bullets.  4:15 class was taught by Luke Machado.  He did a lot of techniques I was unfamiliar with, but were really fun. They… Continue reading New York in Summer