A pattern is emerging
These past few trainings, I noticed an emerging pattern of my two main problems among many small ones. =)
Yesterday, we approached the katate tori irimi ikkyo technique (1 hand grabs the arm of the same side, joint lock) in the flow of the movement for the first time. As long as we only practiced the timing for the first step backwards, I felt quite capable. 
But as soon as we transferred this part to the complete technique I tried to think of every detail at once, which made me hestitate a little between the individual movements as my head needed some time to think about what came next. Only after this had been pointed out to me I was able to consciously “not think” and just let my body go with the flow of the movement, which improved my technique noticeably.
So, that is my main problem number one, and number two is keeping my space around me – I’m really despairing on this one, as I don’t feel the difference yet. At least I notice an improvement when I “shut down” my head and let my body take over.
Friday and Tuesday training
Friday last week, October 17, I had just come back from Sicily in the early afternoon. As I just couldn’t miss another training =) I only stopped at home for a short time before continuing on to training. It was well worth it, anyway: once again I was the only student present (let’s face it: most people have something else to do on Friday evenings), and although of course I enjoy training with the other students, an individual training is even better. =)
We practiced the techniques we have done so far (not that many as we are moving at a really slow beginner’s speed), especially yokomenuchi shihonage (diagonal slash with the side of the hand, joint lock), monotsuki koteoroshi (punch to the stomach, joint lock) and shomenuchi kokyunage (vertical strike with the side of the hand ending in a throw).
Tuesday training
From the three potential students that visited us a little while ago, one has sinced joined us and is present at every training with visible enthusiasm. On Tuesday, there were again two new potential students (one, I think, had taken part once before during my vacation). It’s somehow so nice to see how we’re growing! =) Although – it does mean less room for each of us to practice rolls…
At first we examined the first four exercises of the ki gymnastics in detail and tried them with ki tests afterwards, then we practiced some more katate tori kokyu nage.
I guess I can expect to make some visible process soon… Why? Because I’ve read and heard that always before a step forward there’s a feeling that nothing’s working any more, and although it’s not that bad, I am currently a little annoyed with myself and my (virtually non-existent) understanding and progress… Oh well. I’ll just wait and see and continue to train. =)
Vacation in Giardini Naxos / Sicily
One week in Sicily… my first vacation in Italy since 1998, when I took part in a school exchange with Pozzuoli/Naples. From our hotel in Giardini Naxos we had a great view of the volcano Mount Etna (at night we even caught glimpses of its lava flows) and Taormina. The weather favoured us with seven days of warmth and sun. However, we only spent one day at the beach, travelling to lots of historical sights on the other days.
View from Taormina downwards to the coast of Sicily
Taormina we visited twice, as it is a really nice small town (although the serpentines of the only access road are not for the faint-hearted). Apart from the impressive ruins of the Greek theater and a smaller Roman theater, the picturesque alleys are also worth taking out your camera. A few hundred meters above Taormina there’s another small village called Castelmola, almost like a swallow’s nest on the crest of a steep hill. A bus connects Taormina and Castelmola, but in order to provide the sporty part of the family with some exercise we decided to walk. The stairways are quite steep and therefore a little difficult, but manageable, and they offer some very nice views of Mount Etna and the surrounding valleys.
Greek theater in Taormina
View from Castelmola to Mount Etna
One day we used to book an excursion to Agrigento, where several Greek temple ruins are beautifully lined up on a hill (the old Greeks definitely had a knack of finding dramatic places for their temples and theaters), and to the Villa Romana del Casale with its amazingly well preserved floor mosaics. The visitor route sometimes even lead right over them – walking on a piece of art that’s almost 2,000 years old…!
Greek temple in Agrigento, Sicily
As we could see Mount Etna every day, we decided to skip the excursion to its peak and instead booked an excursion by ship to the Stromboli to watch its lava explosions by night. Very impressive, and not without a shiver of fear when we imagined what would happen if this volcano doesn’t want to be tame any more.
Ship in front of Stromboli, Sicily
And finally, we booked a rental car for one day and drove to Syracuse for a visit of the Parco Archeologico. We expected to see the huge Greek theater and an equally big Roman amphitheater… and were all the more excited when we found out that this park also includes an enormous altar of sacrifice (where allegedly up to 450 oxen were sacrifed at the same time), historical tomb grottos, a stone quarry and the famous “ear of Dionysius”!
Greek theater in Syracuse, Sicily
All in all I would have been grateful for a little more relaxation, but nevertheless I’m of course happy we were able to visit so many beautiful sights. One week definitely is not enough for Sicily if you want more than a beach holiday. =)
Mount Etna at sunset
Just a short note
Nothing much exciting happened this past week: Wednesday Misogi (only my second time since I started Aikido in January), Thursday another round of Kenkodo stretching and then Aikido training, two hours of free training on Friday where we had a lot of fun, Tuesday training where we started working on the hitori waza exercises, and yesterday we continued with hitori waza and testing our postures while doing them.
So, a lot of fun, but nothing extraordinary. =)
For the next three trainings I won’t be here but on vacation in Sicily! (Translated into a normal date, that means: until October 17.) I’ve been looking forward to this since several months now… Sun, beaches, the ocean, ancient architecture, volcanoes… Yay! =)
Three new students?
Yesterday, three women visited us for a test training. The situation made me realize how fast you grow used to an environment and how easy it is to be unsettled by small changes, e.g. when someone new takes part in the training.
But apart from a slight feeling of uneasiness, it was interesting to try a technique (in this case katate tori ikkyo where the attacker grabs the same-side arm and gets joint-locked) with someone who does not yet know what to expect. You really get a much clearer, more direct feedback.
Otherwise, not much happened out of the ordinary… well, except for one thing, perhaps: one student managed her first roll from a standing position, and her joy was just so nice to watch. =)
