Aikido on the East Coast

Way before the new year, I was at a concert in town when I got chatting with an acquaintance I knew through the crossfit gym. He was asking if I still went (no) and why not (big long explanation about being strong but clumsy). He was the one who suggested I look into Aikido martial arts classes, a martial art he suggested would be the best suited to addressing my desire for increased co-ordination and efficiency in movement.

I googled local Aikido instructors, and tried to convince one of them to come to my tiny village. I tried to round up some interested friends, but it was clear I was the most enthusiastic. Then over Xmas break I was chatting with a friend who mentioned that there were a few people from the university who were studying with a fantastic teacher in a community about 1 hour 20 minutes away. He said a van goes twice a week, and if you can swing the drive, that the instruction was VERY worth it. And lo, the dojo was offering a women's self-defense course three weeks into January I could attend as a introductory course.

So I rounded up some ladies - my boss' eldest daughter and a friend from my hometown. As a trio we hit the snowy roads to learn about self-dense with about 9 other women. The three hour course was divided into three sections - first hour was discussing the strength in intent, projection of self-confidence what it means to be aware & present. The second hour we practiced the one handed take down (with variations), the same skill used by law enforcement when someone approaches with arms outstretched. Then the third hour we did deflection moves with variations, which help smaller sized women throw off front-forward attackers without losing balance. There was the senior instructor and three helpers/attackers - all younger men of various builds and intensities. Reminiscent of goldilocks - you could chose your helper to get increasingly difficult-to-handle men (S, M, L). It was a worthwhile 3 hours, and I was surprisingly sore the next day. Despite this particular spot being so far away, I still find myself thinking about it often.