Siskiyou Aikikai

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New Blog Post:
Classroom Ukemi: An Educator’s Perspective
By Jason Antaya

The practice of Aikido is a highly valuable complement to my work as a classroom teacher. While I’m finishing my third decade as an educator, I'm also coincidentally completing my second decade as an aikido practitioner. Through hard work and experience, my understanding of both arts has deepened over the years.

Classroom Ukemi: An Educator’s Perspective – Siskiyou Aikikai This essay discusses aspects of  T.K. Chiba’s conceptual construct of the Five Pillars of Aikido, as described by Darrell Bluhm Sensei in his series of essays published on Birankai Online (and on Siskiyou Aikikai’s blog here: https://siskiyouaikikai.org/cultivating-an-aikido-body-the-5-pillars-...

Good stuff here:
What to expect in the Saturday AM weapons class over the next month or so...

Introduction to Chiba Sensei's Weapons System - Kirikaeshi There are four exercises in Chiba Sensei's Kiri Kaeshi set: Nagaishi Uchi, Suri Otoshi, Uchi Otoshi, and Suri Age.The main practice is usually carried out in...

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Our Senseis may constantly instruct us to “relax and extend”.
We correct accordingly, even if we were pretty sure our technique was already working.
So why do we need to constantly ‘extend’? Because Traditional Aikido is an expansive, not a contractive, art and it is this expansive nature that allows for the philosophy for a non violent, non confrontational approach to conflict.
Contraction makes or forces technique.
This is physiologically reactive.
Expansion ‘allows’ technique to unfold.
This is a learned response.

When we are segmented and separated, we use muscles that create tension.
This is reactive and reflexive.
When we expand and extend, integrate and lengthen, we activate elastic action.
This is a learned response.

When we force and contract, we may feel stiff, rigid and insistent.
This is reactive and reflexive.
When we soften our integrity, we may float and feel like a spring.
This is a learned response.

When we move fast and rely on momentum, we can be abrupt, choppy or jerky.
This is reactive and reflexive.
When we move slowly, deliberate with breath and continuous expansion, we become smooth in transition.
This is a learned response.

Notice the inclination to exert a push or a pull, this as reactive and reflexive.
When we extend and/or expand instead, connecting “through” uke, this is a learned response.

Forcing and making does work.
Allowing and supporting also works.
Notice the distinction.
Then observe the contrast and ask the question, “which has more ease?”.

G. Breeland, 6th dan