Concepts:

As many from M. Saito Sensei's 1991 ''Lost Seminar'' DVD as we can.

Taijutsu:

Announcements:

1) Over the next few months we'll be experimenting with utilizing M. Saito Sensei's Lost Seminars DVD series as our curriculum.

Saito Hitohiro Sensei in Fredericksburg, Virginia October 23-25, 2009

http://www.aikidoinn.com/

Saito Hitohiro Sensei is the son of Morihiro Saito Shihan. He began his Aikido studies at age seven under O’Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido, who cared for him as a grandson. Sensei became an official instructor of the Iwama dojo in 1986 and remained so until he founded his own association in 2004, the Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai. As Soke, he has an international following of students that are motivated by his powerful Aikido and precise instruction. This seminar will be the first international seminar at the new Aikido in Fredericksburg Hickory Ridge dojo -- a 102 mat “green” building designed in harmony with nature for disseminating the traditional art of Aikido in the modern world.

July 2009 Dojo Curriculum

Concepts:

hands, hips and feet connected

Taijutsu:

eri dori

Weapons:

bokken and jo suburi

2) Thanks to Leo Vanderburgh, Galen Sieck, Gottfried Kloimweider and Shawn Webster for making the 6/20/09 inrto class at the Yellow Springs Public Library work so well.

3) Keep this seminar in mind.  More news to follow.

Saito Hitohiro Sensei in Fredericksburg, Virginia October 23-25, 2009

http://www.aikidoinn.com/

Click for printable flyer (Acrobat 9)

Concepts:

Kokyu movements everywhere all the time throughout the shodan test prep format.

Tachi, Jo and Tanto Dori

H. Saito Sensei's 13 Jo Awase

The dojo will be closed Thursday & Friday 12/25 & 26.

November 2008 Dojo Curriculum

I will be in Florida with family starting on Monday 11/17/08 and will return to Wednesday morning class

The dojo will be closed on Thursday 11/27/08 and Friday 11/28/08 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Individualized test prep format

full hip turns

Shodan test prep format

5 variations for each part

Shodan test prep format

Concept:

Announcements:

June 2008 Dojo Curriculum

Concept:

changing our key problem movement patterns

hanmi and kokyu awareness building cancels out many problem movement patterns

Shodan test requirement sections

all kumi-tachi

all kumi jo

all ken-tai jo

all tnken dori

Announcements:

1) All students are encouraged to build their hanmi stabilty and mind-body-spirit coordination through doing

25--50 tan ren uchi strikes and 20 fwd and backward rolls before or after class.

Concept:

good ukemi and 'mainichi no keiko' leads to a quicker understanding of Kaeshi, henka & oyo waza

Taijutsu:

1-2 standard Kaeshi and henka waza from:

a. shomenuchi ikkyo omote

b. kata dori nikkyo ura

c. shomenuchi sankyo omote or ura

d. shomenuchi irimi nage kihon

e. mune tsuki kotegaeshi

f. yokonmen uchi shiho nage

g. katate dori koshi nage (head under)

h. katate dori kaiten nage (uchi or soto mawari)

Weapons:

Kumi tachi, Kumi jo & Ken tai Jo 1-2 standard variations (aka 'henka')

Announcements:

1) All students are encouraged to build their hanmi stabilty and mind-body-spirit coordination through doing

25--50 tan ren uchi strikes before or after class.

Concept:

developing your 'routines'; memorizing chunks and chaining of the requirements for your next test

Taijutsu:

I. ushiro hanmi handachi;

II. shomenuchi irimi nage basic 5;

III. Kata dori menuchi irimi nage basic 5;

IV.  koshi nage head under vs. hips under for:

a) morote dori hi-to-lo & lo-to-hi; 

b) shomen uchi and tsuki kihon & ki no nagare;

c) kata dori menuchi; and 

d) ushiro ryote dori & kubishime.

Weapons:

Kumi tachi, kumi jo & ken tai jo--part to whole

Announcements:

1) All students are encouraged to build their hanmi stabilty and mind-body-spirit coordination through doing

25--50 tan ren uchi strikes before or after class.

2) Please consider attending the Y. Yamada Shihan seminar at Aikido of Cincinnati April 4--6, 2008. For more details go to this site  <http://www.aikidocincy.com/seminars/yamada_2008/>.

3) Please consider going to Pat Hendricks Sensei's Tai Sai O'Sensei memorial seminar 4/25--27/08 at Aikido of Arlington, in Virginia. Go to this site for more info

 <http://www.aikidoofarlington.com>

Concept:

blending with more than one person at a time

Taijutsu:

Ni and San nin gakki into jiyu waza

Weapons:

Ken Tai Jo 

Announcements:

1) All students are encouraged to build their hanmi stabilty and mind-body-spirit coordination through doing

25--50 tan ren uchi strikes before or after class.

2) Please consider attending the Y. Yamada Shihan seminar at Aikido of Cincinnati April 4--6, 2008. For more details go to this site  <http://www.aikidocincy.com/seminars/yamada_2008/>.

3) Please consider going to Pat Hendricks Sensei's Tai Sai O'Sensei memorial seminar 4/25--27/08 at Aikido of Arlington, in Virginia. Click here for more details.

Concept:

transitioning from te katana into a kokyu grip

Taijutsu:

Ryo kata dori progression

Weapons:

transitioning from the 20 Jo Suburi & the 5 count jo kata into the 10 kumi jo

Announcements:

1) Between 2/22 and 2/26/08 Sensei will be in Northern California for the semi-annual CAA trainings and meetings.

2) Instructor coverage for the Friday 2/22 and Monday 2/25/08 classes will be arranged.

Concept:

Finding Kokyu movements in each technique

Taijutsu:

Yokomenuchi Progression

Weapons:

Bokken Suburi into the 6 kumi tachi

Announcements:

1) The 2008 YSA 'Kagami Biraki' party will be on Friday 1/11/07 from 7:30pm---?? 

at the Sima Japanese & Korean Restaurant 1771 Woodman Drive in Kettering, OH 

258-7040. Please bring your family or friends.

Directions: http://www.koreanrestaurant.biz/oh/kettering/view/1625

From the Dayton-Yellow Springs Road/I-675 interchange:

a. take I-675 south

b. take exit 11 to 35 West

c. take the Woodman road exit

d. turn left at the top of the exit ramp

e. Sima is between Tama Martial Arts and Research blvd.

2) Testing after Sempai recommendations and beginner's class testing will happen next on Friday 3/21/08 between 6pm and 8pm.

Concept:

kihon progressing to ki-no-nagare

Taijutsu:

Shomenuchi Progression

Weapons:

Jo Suburi into the 10 kumi jo

Announcements:

1) The dojo will be closed both Monday Dec 24th and Monday Dec 31st.

2) The 2008 YSA 'Kagami Biraki' party will be on Friday 1/11/07 from 7:30pm---?? 

at the Sima Japanese & Korean Restaurant 1771 Woodman Drive in Kettering, OH 

258-7040. Please bring your family or friends.

Directions: http://www.koreanrestaurant.biz/oh/kettering/view/1625

From the Dayton-Yellow Springs Road/I-675 interchange:

a. take I-675 south

b. take exit 11 to 35 West

c. take the Woodman road exit

d. turn left at the top of the exit ramp

e. Sima is between Tama Martial Arts and Research blvd.

3) Pre-testing after Sempai recommendations and beginner's class testing will happen on Friday 12/21/07 between 6pm and 8pm.

Concept: Osae waza and suburi as basis for all Aikido

Taijutsu: Kata Dori

Weapons: Bokken and jo suburi into awase's and 31 kata

Announcements: 1) Testing available in last week of December. Get with your sempai to prepare and when they think you're

ready they'll get with sensei.

2) All dojo library withdrawls go through Sensei and must be returned within 2 weeks.

Concept Focus:

attacking at speed that your partner offers 

Taijutsu:

Ushiro Ryote dori kihon, ki no nagare, kaeshi waza and henka waza.

Weapons:

 a different Kumi Jo each week in kihon, ki no nagare and variations forms.

Announcements:

Testing for promotions will be available during the last week of December.

A) Adult students (beyond 6th kyu and over 13 y/o) with enough training days should ask a senior student to work with them to prepare for a 'dress rehearsal' around the middle of any month for Sensei.

1. students in the beginners class may ask sensei to test for 6th kyu during the beginners' class on Friday evenings when they feel ready.

B) Young people (orange belt or higher and under 13 y/o) will be asked by Sensei to test when they have enough training days and have demonstrated they know the material for their next test. 

C) Young people will be automatically yet ceremoniously promoted to purple or yellow, 2nd yellow and orange belt by Sensei soon after they reach the number of training days required.

Concept Focus:

learning through progressions.

Taijutsu:

Ryote dori kihon, ki no nagare, kaeshi waza and henka waza.

Weapons:

 a different Kumi Tachi each week in through kihon, ki no nagare and variations forms.

Announcements:

Testing for promotions will be available during the last week of September.

A) Adult students (beyond 6th kyu and over 13 y/o) with enough training days should ask a senior student to work with them to prepare for a 'dress rehearsal' around the middle of the month for Sensei.

1. students in the beginners class may ask sensei to test for 6th kyu during the beginners' class on Friday evenings when they feel ready.

B) Young people (orange belt or higher and under 13 y/o) will be asked by Sensei to test when they have enough training days and have demonstrated they know the material for their next test. 

C) Young people will be automatically yet ceremoniously promoted to purple or yellow, 2nd yellow and orange belt by Sensei soon after they reach the number of training days required.

Concept Focus:

small group co-training methods

Taijutsu:

**Nidan level basic kaeshi waza for: ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, shiho nage, irimi nage and kotegaeshi,

**Sandan level basic henka waza for ikkyo and nikkyo 

Weapons:

**31 kumi jo 1--31 awase--special focus on:

1) uchitachi's movements 3, 6, 11, 17, 22 & 27;

2) using your 31 kata practice familiarity when doing the 'kata' side, i.e. uke tachi role;

3) uke tachi's movements 15-16, 20-21, 25-26 with no pauses interspersed between all those 2 second pauses;

4) those difficult moves for most uke tachi's: 3, 10, 25-26 & 29;

5) especially hard moves for most uchi tachi's: 1, 3, 5 (positive) to 6 (receptive), 10 (positive) to 11 (receptive); initiating on 13; 17 hand changes; 20 'hyper' hanmi; 22 'very' sideways posture; 24 and 27

**31 kumi jo uchitachi 'kata'

Concept Focus: attacking ukemi

Taijutsu: kata dori menuchi

Weapons: 31 kumi jo....especially the 2nd half

Announcement:

 During the Monday June 25th class Shawn Webster will take his 1st kyu exam.

 Please come and support him.

Concept Focus: keeping a low center of gravity

Taijutsu: Morote Dori

Weapons: kumi tachi and variations

Announcements: Shawn Webster's 1st kyu exam will be

 during the last week of June.

Concept Focus: Two Second pauses during Kihon and Ki no nagare training.

Taijutsu: Hanmi Handachi.

Weapons: The 1st 3 kumi tachi, 2nd 3 kumi jo and 1st 3 ken tai jo and their variations.

Study Guide Suggestion: start your own notebook. Organize it by attack and technique. Do not attempt to describe each 

technique.  Allow a half a page per technique under each attack section of your notebook. Take notes on one aspect of one technique you clearly saw per class. Gradually you will fill up each technique with your own insights. Here is the order by which I practice the basic techniques....ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, yonkyo, gokyo, shihonage, irimi nage, kokyu ho, kotegaeshi, kokyu nage, koshi nage, kaitenage, juji garame, tenshi nage. Here are all the basic attacks as I regularly practice them....shomen uchi, yokomen uchi, mune tsuki, morote dori, katate dori, ryo katate dori, mune dori, ryo kata dori, kata dori menuchi, ushiro ryote dori, ushiro ryo kata dori, ushiro kubishime, ushiro eri dori, suware waza and hanmi handachi.

Concept Focus: working with opponents' joints

Taijutsu: ushiro ryo kata dori

Weapons: kumi jo variations

February 19th thru March 19, 2007 Dojo White Board

Concept Focus: practical ways of grounding oneself while moving

Taijutsu: ushiro eri dori

Weapons: jo dori and jo nage

January 22nd thru February 11, 2007 Dojo Whiteboard

Concept Focus: expressing kokyu through hand movements

Taijutsu: ushiro kubishime

Weapons: tanken dori

Announcements: do you think a 3 week time period of training focus helps you to learn with more depth ?

January 8, 2007 thru January 21, 2007 Dojo White Board

Concept Focus: positive to receptive balance shifts throughout each technique

Taijutsu: shomen uchi

Weapons: kumi jo

Announcements:

 A) Go with Mike Sensei to the Larry Bieri, Sensei Seminar at Aikido of

Cincinnati on Saturday 1/20/07. We'll leave from the dojo at 8:15am

and return around 10pm.

December 27, 2006 thru January 7, 2007 Dojo White Board

Concept Focus: " slower is faster "

Taijutsu: mune tsuki

Weapons: kumi tachi

Announcements:

 ** Amedetto gozaimas! ( a phrase that is used to say 'happy new year' and 'congratulations' for a variety of settings in Japanese).

 ** The dojo will be closed on Monday January 1, 2007.

 ** Consider going to Aikido of Cincinnati with sensei the weekend of January 20th to attend the Larry Bieri Sensei seminar.

 ** Consider going with sensei to San Leandro, California over the last weekend in February for the California Aikido Association (CAA) semi-annual trainings.    

December 11 thru December 22, 2006 Dojo Whiteboard

Concept Focus: Kihon-->Ki no Nagare-->Advanced variation

Taijutsu: Morote Dori

Weapons: 31 kata Kihon sections into Ki no Nagare sections 

Announcements: the dojo will be closed on Friday December 22nd and Monday December 25th.

November 27 thru December 8, 2006 Dojo Whiteboard

Concepts: a) slow, solid and centered attacks=ukemi and

b) kihon 1st week and ki no nagare the 2nd week.

Taijutsu: yokomenuchi.

Weapons: 13 jo kata & 13 jo awase.

Announcements: a) when at the dojo put your current email address on a 3x5 card for the dojo newsletter

b) the dojo is closed Friday December 22 thru Monday December 25th.

November 11th through November 24th 2006

Concept: weight shift

Taijutsu: ushiro ryo kata dorib

Weapons: ken tai jo

Announcements: sempai led informal training only on the day after Thanksgiving,  Friday 11/24/06.

October 30th thru November 10th, 2006

Dojo White Board

Concept: hanmi, shtoimei and vertical + horizontal postural balance

Taijutsu: kata dori menuchi

Weapons: kumi tachi

Announcements: joint trip to Japan options under consideration

October 27th thru 29th, 2006

Hitohiro Saito Sensei will lead another seminar in Reno, Nevada. His visits draw the most comprehensive group of 'Iwama style' practioners in the USA. Saito Sensei clearly has his father's technical and instructional skills and is taking them to the next level as he leads us on the path toward O'Sensei's model. In his last visit there he drew Aikidoists from 11 countries. Vince Salvatore Sensei organizes a very fun seminar venue for this wonderful teacher to shine in. Talk to Mike Sensei about travel and housing accommodations. The earlier you decide to go the more options you have. For more info go to www.renoaikido.org.

October 10th thru 27th, 2006

Dojo White Board

Concept: "Weight Under side"

Taijutsu: Ushiro Ryote Dori 

Weapons: 31 kumi jo parts

Announcements: Kirk Wiegand 4th kyu 10/23/06 and Mike Zarecky 1st kyu 10/25/06 

August 26th and 27th, 2006

The semi-annual California Aikido Association(CAA) trainings and meetings. The Division I group will get together on Saturday at Aikido of San Leandro with Pat Hendricks Sensei, www.aikido-sanleandro.com. All three CAA divisions will train and meet together on Sunday at Aikido West in Redwood City, http://aikido-west.org. Talk to Mike Sensei about travel and housing accommodations. The earlier you decide to go the more options you have. For more info go to the events page at www.ai-ki-do.org.

May 26th thru 28th, 2006

Memorial Day CAA Division I Gasshuku at Sunset Cliffs Aikido. This is the 4th time we've had this wonderful opportunity to come together in an intensive retreat format in this beautiful setting in SanDiego. Attendees will get to practice more aspects of Saito Sensei's repetoire in one weekend than is possible in a year of regular training with their own 'Iwama Style' teacher. Bring your notebooks! This year we have the same lineup of Division I teachers with the addition of two more wonderful instructors: Pat Hendricks, Bernice Tom, Kayla Feder, Vince Salvatore, Louis JumonVille, Stephanie Yap, Mark Larson (Minnesota), Mats Alexanderssen (Sweden) and Michael McVey.  Talk to Mike Sensei about travel and housing accommodations. The earlier you decide to go the more options you have. For more info go to http://sunsetcliffsaikido.com.

April 29th and 30th, 2006

Pat Hendricks Sensei will be at Aikido of Virginia Beach for the annual Virginia Tai Sai Seminar. This will be the 9th consecutive annual seminar held on the anniversary of the passing of Morihei Ueshiba, O'Sensei. Pat Sensei always draws a diverse group from across Virginia and the east coast. Plus, there are more practioners of 'Iwama style' in Virginia than any other state in the USA outside of California. This adds a particularly comprehensive feel to her seminars there. Talk to Mike Sensei about travel and housing accomodations. The earlier you decide to go the more options you have. For more info go to www.aikido-of-virginia-beach.com.

April 7th and 9th, 2006

Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan will be at Aikido of Cincinnati. Mike Sensei and other YSA's will be making our annual short trek south-west to train with this inspiring master teacher and the diverse group of Aikidoists he draws. For more info go to www.aikidocincy.com.

February 25th and 26th 2006

Mike Sensei and other YSA aikidoka attend the CAA semi annual trainings/meetings at Aikido of San Leandro and Aikido of San Jose.

January 21st and 22nd 2006

Mike Sensei and other YSA aikidoka attend Larry Bieri Sensei's seminar at Aikido of Cincinnati.

December 23rd and 30th 2005

The Dojo will be closed for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The class schedule will return as usual on both Mondays December 26th and January 2nd.

November 19th and 20th 2005

Mike Sensei will be attending Pat Hendricks Sensei's seminar in Rhode Island at Ocean State Aikido in Kingstown, RI.  Contact Alan Morton Sensei at 401-294-9898 for more info.

October 8th and 9th 2005

Mike Sensei will teach a seminar at Noh Shi Martial Arts in East Stroudsburg, PA. The focus will be on "Aikido and It's Applications to Karate". For further information contact Senseis Janet and Bob Molerio at 570-421-3847.

Mike Sensei's profile is on the Swedish Iwama-Ryu Newsletter at this web site www.iwama-ryu.se/page/186/188/601. Many thanks to his new Swedish friend Mats Alexanderssen Sensei.

Mike Sensei attended the CAA trainings and meetings. Go to the following web site to see some photos of this

fun trip http://www.stockholm-aikido.nu/sf_web/

Optional quarterly kyu tests during the last week of the month. Remember to ask a sempai to be your mentor outside class so they can help you be ready for a 'dress rehearsal' half way through the month.

Promotions!!

Congratulations to Alisha Marker and Missy Walter on excellent 6th kyu tests. A fine foundation for their future progress on 'the path'.

Oct. 1--3 H. Saito Sensei Seminar at Aikido of Reno in Nevada, USA. this looks to be a promising event.

Optional quarterly kyu tests during the last week of the month. Remember to ask a sempai to be your mentor outside class so they can help you be ready for a 'dress rehearsal' half way through the month.

We celebrated Maggie Krabec's return from music camp and her reciept of her nidan certificate from Hombu Dojo with the traditional ceremony. It is a rare thing in the Aikido world for a 17 y/o to earn nidan.I am very proud of Maggies perseverance and excellent Aikido. I did better this time with no 'cheat notes'.  Opinion was mixed on my desert contribution to the party: mochi ice cream and 'Arizona' Green Tea. Maggie's brownies were a hit as usual.

August 14th we did a Kids demo at the Enon, Ohio Community building city council chambers. It was a fun demo with many dojo members helping out with moving mats and taking ukemi for kids. Many thanks go to Mike Zarecky and his sister who organized the event. We look forward to next year's Clark County Library summer events for kids.

August 21st I took part in the day of celebrations of the 20th Anniversary of Aikido of San Leandro. There were many highlights but the kid's demo stands out the most, 'Kowabunga!!' Many thanks to Maggie Krabec for covering 3 days of classes so well.

The dojo celebrated the reciept of 4 new black belt certificates with Paul, Greg, Katie and Carolyn. I attempted to memorize the finer details of the certificates so could 'read' them aloud to each person as I officially conferred them. I've heard Pat Sensei do this so many times I committed most of it to memory...."Sho, Greg Reese, migi mono kon pan aikido, shodan o inka su"...A good time was had by all.

We had less snow this year for Pat Sensei's seminar. Everyone pulled together to make this another great training experience. Paul

Clark, Greg Reese & Katie Reese all did fine shodan exams. Maggie Krabec & Carolyn Joseph did great nidan tests. We plan on having

Pat Sensei for the last weekend in April, 'Tai Sai'. Alternating annually with her visit to Virginia for that same weekend.

Her next visit here will be in 2006. Tai Sai is the annual shinto celebration and memorial day of O'Sensei's passing in 1969 held

at the Aiki Shrine in Iwama, Japan.

Congratulations go to Robbi Weigand (7th kyu), Jason Clark(6th kyu) and Gottfried Kloimweider(2nd kyu) for the hard work they

did in preparing for their tests, as both uke and nage. All three are excellent training partners and busy helping their cohai and

sempai on the path.

Clyde Takeguchi Sensei, 6th dan from Capital Aikikai taught a wonderfull seminar at Aikido of Cincinnati. Maggie Krabec, Lee Wilson

and I all went and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Of particular note was how well Takeguchi Sensei brought the concept of

mind-body-spirit coordination to life. Lee Wilson and Richard Treadwell passed their 5th kyu tests. Both are 6:30am keiko

regulars and very helpful ukes for everyone they train with. Thanks guys.

H. Matsuoka Sensei Seminar 12 to 4 pm Saturday July 12th near Terre Haute, Indiana. Seminar fee: $50. Contact Mike Sensei

if you're interested in caravanning to this excellent teacher's seminar. Matsuoka Sensei is one of 10th Dan S. Abe Sensei's top

students. Abe Sensei was O'Sensei's calligraphy teacher and one of his closest students.

Paul, Greg, Juan and I had a great time meeting and training with Matsuaka Sensei. He is very humble, patient and powerful.

Howard Sensei and his students were fun and hospitable. We plan to go again next year.

Saturday June 21st 10am to 4pm In-house YSA seminar with Susan Monroe, 4th Dan and Paul Francis, 3rd Dan from

Aikido of Cincinnati. Seminar fee $10.

I will be one of the Dojo Cho teaching at the CAA Division I Gasshuku at Aikido of Sunset Cliffs in San Diego May 23rd through the 25th. Learn more about this event at

<www.ai-ki-do.org>. Julie and CJ went last October. It was a wonderful seminar, beautiful dojo and wondrous site or should I say beach."

The gasshuku was inspiring and lots of fun. Pranin Sensei's class was fascinating. Larry and Carla Salsa "Shihans" dance class was fun and very easy to learn. We are already looking forward to the 2004 Memorial Weekend CAA Division I gasshuku at Aikido of Sunset Cliffs.

"I will be attending the Yamada Sensei seminar at Aikido of Cincinnati the first weekend in April. All interested YSA's are encouraged to go along with me to this promising seminar.

I will be attending either the Aikido of Columbus 20th Anniversary seminar (Mary Heiny & Larry Bieri Sensei's) or the Aikido of Charlottesville seminar with Pat Sensei the last weekend in April. All interested YSA's are encouraged to go along with me to either of these promising seminars or to the Columbus seminar if I don't and you can't go to VA.

Elizabeth Pennell, Scott Lim and the enthusiastic Aikido of Charlottesville membership put on a wonderfull seminar. Elizabeth passed on the leadership of the dojo to Scott with profound humilty. She has given a good 20+ years to the spreading of O'Sensei's art to Virginia. Pat Sensei led us in meditations on surprisingly applicable quotes from The Art of Peace. A moving experience.

"I will be attending the Kevin Choate Sensei seminar at Aikido of Central Ohio. Hosted by my old friend Claude Geeroms March 7th--9th. All interested YSA's are encouraged to go along with me to this promising seminar."

"On Monday February 3rd I tested 5 YSA folks. All did very well and were promoted with due pomp and circumstance. These great training partners were:

1st kyu-Paul Clark

3rd kyu-Greg Covington

3rd kyu-Kevin Mullhall

5th kyu-Mike Zarecky

6th kyu-Marshall Zarecky"

Class Schedule Announcements:

Friday the 7th Coverage for all classes will be announced as Mike Sensei will be going to Denver for the Hitohiro Saito memorial seminar for his father Morihiro Saito Sensei.

"The Hitohiro Saito Sensei seminar in Denver was amazing! Hitohiro Sensei was inspiring and comprehensive. I was lucky to take ukemi for him twice after a 12 year gap since the last time. Very strong, connected and precisely responsive to my speed and power of attack. I was lucky to get some corrections from both Hitohiro sensei and Stan Pranin. Gaku Homa Sensei's dojo was most welcoming. The food and entertainment were the best. The dojo and the Domo Restaurant were beautiful and amazing in their northern Japanese cuisine and decoration. Stan Pranin's presentation was historical, heartfelt and full of funny stories. The training was rigorous...especially given the altitude. I also got to hang out with many old friends from Iwama Aikido from Texas, Colorado, Oakland, Reno, Florida and Pennsylvania!"

Pat Hendricks Sensei Seminar Saturday & Sunday 2-15 & 16-03:

Friday the 14th and Monday 17th classes canceled for preparation and clean-up.

"The Pat Hendricks Sensei seminar was a great success on several levels if understandably not in numbers attending! It will go down in YSA history as the "Blizzard seminar of ' 03". Most rewarding was that we all got to spend more individual instruction time with Pat Sensei. Scott Lim came from Charlottesville, VA. He brought the exciting news that he will be continuing the tradition of excellent teaching begun by Aikido of Charlottesville founder Elizabeth Pennell when she moves to Oregon. Scott will host Pat Sensei April 26 &27. I'm considering going to support him. Stephan Barton Sensei came with his wife Toni and his uchideshi (Michael & Nathaneal) from Kitchener, Ontario. Fun folks and great training partners all. Bogdan Rumas (Aikido of Warsaw, Poland) came from visiting his mother in Chicago. A big surprise for Pat Sensei as she had not seen him since 1995. Bogdan and his wife Ewa were uchideshi with me in 1991. I had not seen him since then. It was a joy to get to hang out and to train with Bogdan again.

Some of the other highlights of the seminar were: Toby Eshelman testing for Nidan (excellent test Toby!); Pat Sensei making nori rolls and soup from Saito family recipe's learned long ago; Connor having so much fun with the Mullhall family & Dani Reese; the inspiring Saito Sensei & O'Sensei power point Shomen produced by Greg Covington and the excellent jobs done by CJ, Mike Zarecky, Julie and Gottfried! "