The calendar page has been updated to include all the currently scheduled events for this year.

See gallery for photos from Sensei Haydn Foster’s course and 2009 Dan grading.

 Sensei Barbara announced the beginning of the grading: “Richard Bradford”. That’s me. First up. Breathe. It’s a verb, an action word, and not exactly a new concept in life yet I find myself physically unable to do so. As with the Aikido moves I have just stood up to do for my very first grading, it is nothing new but since I stood up my chest feels locked. No spare brain power for breaths and no desire for the act of breathing to get in the way – everything focused on remembering the techniques. No spare brain power except for the nagging knowledge that it will be impossible to complete the entire grading holding my breath.

 Three techniques in and my chest feels encased in cement. Didn’t think to bring a hammer and chisel and never expected to feel so tunnel-focused on the Aikido itself. Not seeing stars yet but bound to soon. Damn, forgot an atemi – still too busy fighting for air. It’s like trying to inflate an internal balloon made of industrial rubber, by sucking through a capilliary tube. I’ve heard it said that in martial arts, before you can overcome your opponent, you first have to overcome your inner self. Lungs, in this case. Dave, the people’s Uke given that he did so for five of us, is kindly playing ball with whatever I do.

 Somehow I draw enough air to finish the grading without passing out and kneel back down, panting to recovery and thinking that ‘at least next time it will be easier’, a bit of ‘been there, done that’. Sensei  Marianne (Mary Anne?) who chatted to us afterwards and told the tale of a Tai Chi breathing technique instructor who even went purple during his Aikido grading. Do Aikido-ists reading this agree that the idea of it getting easier, ‘been there, done that’, never happens? That it is always that intense regardless of grade. Does that put me off taking another grading? No. Just between now and then I am going to learn to hold my breath for 3 minutes or, failing that, at least learn how to discretely pause for a second to allow air in. Either way, I love practicing Aikido at Phoenix Aikido and remain very grateful for all the kindness, knowledge and expertise that has been sent to me and all the others who train there; with an extra personal thanks to the three instructors whose classes I normally attend: Barbara, Steve and Colin; and thanks too to everyone else. Hate to quote a supermarket but ‘every bit helps’. And, as with every organisation, the style and character of Phoenix Aikido comes from the top down; in this case from the founders, Senseis Barbara and Tom Moss.

 Richard Bradford  6^th Kyu

The sun shone again this year for the Dan Gradings at the Phoenix Aikido Club. All those who were not directly involved could relax and watch proceedings. This was very welcome after the six full hours of training on the Friday and Saturday at the traditional pre-grading course.

The course itself was great, with the usual crowd from Coventry, Stratford and Milton Keynes. We even had some visitors from Wales and Scotland. Mark, a student of Sensei Gwynne Jones claimed to have been “thrown in at the deep end, when asked to deliver part of the course on Saturday’s session. He needn’t have worried  though, as he showed us some great techniques.

The atmosphere was really good on Friday and Saturday and as Sensei Barbara Moss commented on Sunday, it was good to see so many of the advanced junior members on the mat…their Aikido is progressing really well and they really are so much fitter than us!!

There were only four students grading this year. Two taking their first Dans and two for second Dan. They had all worked really hard during the months prior to the grading and three passed at the end of it. The person that didn’t is one of the most positive people I know and I think I will compare his attitude to ARNIES ” I’ll be back”. He will be.

It was off to The Bell Inn at Monks Kirby, in the afternoon where we all had a good meal and one or two drinks to celebrate! It will be nice to see Mo and Dave next week on the mat in their hakamas. No doubt they will be made to do some techniques to include knee walking!

 

Joanne Mackinnon (1st Dan 2008)

Recent photos of a demonstration at Richard Lee Primary School can now be found in the gallery.

Although attendance was down on previous years (due, no doubt, to the fantastic weather, and difficult financial climate), the weekend course was still well attended by students and instructors of all levels, from a mix of clubs and associations.

As usual, the course was intended to bring together students and instructors from the 3 different aikido associations (Yama Arashi UK, The Institute of Aikido, and The United Kingdom Aikikai), in order to share ideas, skills, and the experience of training with new people and old friends. However, the course this year was also very much focused on celebrating the memory of Ken Cottier ‘Shihan’ (master instructor), who died last year after several decades practice

and teaching of aikido. All the instructors took time to pay tribute to Mr Cottier, sharing memories and stories of the man and his art.

This year several key ideas seemed to permeate all of the training sessions, from all the different Sensei:

• The importance of turning (tai-no-henko & tai-sabaki), and relaxed, flowing body movement.
• The importance and value of understanding and practicing sword/bokken cuts to

improve empty-handed techniques.

• The concept and importance of centre.
• The importance of atemi.
• The great value of training with as many different sizes, shapes and abilities of partner as possible.

Our host, Frank Burlingham (5th Dan IOA, UKA), started both days with a minutes silence in memory of Sensei Cottier, before ensuring we were well warmed up, with stretches, ukemi and tai-no-henko, before a mix of techniques to ‘ease’ us into the day.

Haydn Foster (7th Dan IOA) spent time talking of the importance of bokken practice in aikido, and spent one whole session on bokken cuts – the 7-suburi and the 8-direction cut. He also combined the two, which left many a dan and kyu grade more than a little perplexed! He also touched on more abstract concepts of ki and ‘one breath’.

Philip Smith (6th Dan UKA) discussed the idea, common to many martial arts, of preparation, unbalancing, and cutting within the application of techniques. As normal, he took great pleasure in picking the biggest, strongest uke he could find on which to demonstrate the various specific techniques he taught. Again he stressed the importance of atemi, using just about any part of the body. He also pointed out how your own physical and mental self will ultimately develop your own unique style of aikido (both he and Sensei Narey were students of the late Bill Smith Sensei, and have developed very different styles).

Described as a dynamo by one of the senior dan grades, our own sensei Barbara Moss (5th Dan YAUK), excelled in fast, flowing, circular technique which had ukes flying in all directions, from strangle and mune-dori (lapel-grab) attacks.

Pat Narey (5th Dan UKA) provided a real contrast to the (seemingly) boisterous techniques of Mr Smith and the ‘whirlwind’ that is Mrs Moss, with her demonstrations of very calm, slow, and very controlled (but in no way less effective) techniques. It was very clear to see the importance of using the centre, and of control of uke, before, during and after any contact is made, and she emphasised the need to learn the basics thoroughly.

This year’s guest instructor, Shane Riley (6th Dan, White Rose Aikikai), was very well received, I’m sure due to his very friendly, down-to-earth attitude, and his wide experience of using aikido in the real world (his background being in the security services). He immediately sparked great discussion and debate with a variation of ikkyo (arm pin), which he had found very effective in this line of work. He had many practical things to say about confrontation, the application of techniques, and always knowing where the exits are! He also reiterated the importance of atemi (but also stressed its different functions), and of using the bokken grip within empty-hand technique.

From a Stratford Phoenix Aikido perspective, it was great to see three of our lower kyu grades (Deb, Beau and Stefan) getting well stuck in, and practicing hard with dan and kyu grades of all levels throughout the weekend – when you’re still very much a beginner (and I include myself!), training with a mat full of dan grades and sensei from unfamiliar clubs can be very daunting to say the least.

I’m sure Deb, Beau and Stefan all picked up very valuable experiences to help develop their own aikido.

All-in-all a great weekend, with plenty to ponder on, and build on in the future.

Russell (1^st Dan, YAUK)

Photos from our day training with Sensei Foster at The Hut can now be found in the gallery.

Sensei Gwynne Jones will be teaching a weekend course at our dojo on Sat/Sun 18th & 19th April 2009. Please contact us for further information.

The annual Yama Arashi UK dan gradings were held over the weekend of the 19th to the 21st September 2008.

The weekend was well attended, with a commendable number of red belts making the effort to participate on the courses. The Friday course was taken by Barbara Moss Sensei demonstrating many different flowing techniques.

The Saturday afternoon course was taught by Barbara Moss, Brian Kennedy and Ric Costigan Sensei’s.

On the Sunday, the gradings were busy with seven first dan candidates nervously waiting to do their best. The successful candidates who passed their first dan are;

Russell Coleridge Garry Merrell Andrew Hughes Joanne Mackinnon Steve Martin Matt Hoare

After the course all and sundry took to the traditional Bell Inn for the post-grading meal. Paco put on a fine spread and we left a lot fuller, and some drunker, than when we arrived. On returning to the Phoenix Club we stopped for a few drinks to cap off an all-round energetic and positive weekend.

By: Jake Irwin (1st Dan)

Visit the gallery to view the latest 2008 Dan grading photos.