The Spirit of Shoshin

New You Tube Channel

2011-06-24T22:29:00.000-07:00

Shoshin Aikdio of Montreal has a new YouTube.com channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/shoshinaikido

We'll be uploading a short video per week.

Stage de Pâques - Christian Tissier

2010-05-01T18:20:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a week long seminar in Paris with Christian Tissier Shihan. Four hours of training per day, with many of his senior students, and other aikidoists from all over the world. I can't recommend this seminar enough. Each day started at 9:30 with 100s of bokken suburi, followed by paired weapons practice until 10:30. Taijitsu went from 10:30 until noon. From noon to 2:30pm there was a break for lunch, and then we trained again until 4pm. We were both lucky and unlucky this year with the Volcano leaving a deficit of about 100 students. There were at least 150 already on the mat, which was quite crowded. I can't imagine what it must be like in a normal year. The three of us that went all got quite a lot from the seminar, and hopefully we will remember enough to share at the dojo over the coming weeks. I'm feeling a bit jet-lagged at the moment, but if I manage to get out of bed early enough, I'll be at the dojo in the morning. This workshop was quite a bit different than the previous seminars I have attended with Tissier sensei. It seemed that with so many people already on the same page as him, he didn't have to spend as much time explaining and so we trained much more than we do when he comes here to Montreal. I'm definitely looking forward to the next chance I get to train with him and his students. Thanks to everyone for helping us out while we were in Paris. If you are ever in Montreal, you know who to call.

New Seminar Announcement Mailing List

2010-04-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

Our current seminar announcement mailing list is a big huge hack, that only *mostly* works. Currently add/removal of members has to be done manually, and there is no auto-handling of bounces. In order to be sure that only people who really want our announcements get them, I'm moving us to an actual mailling list package instead of the hacked together PHP code that I wrote which is currently doing the job. Soonish I will send out one last email to the old list, letting people know that they will need to sign up to the new one if they want to continue getting announcements. If you'd like to get a head start, you can sign up on our website (http://www.aikidomontreal.com) or follow the link below:

http://eepurl.com/sU-n

Off to France (hopefully)

2010-04-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

Assuming the volcano lets us, a group of us from Shoshin are heading to France to attend Christian Tissier's "Stage de Pâque" just outside of Paris. Though the seminar started this morning, since all air-traffic into and out of France has been canceled as a precaution following the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull (say that one time... ha) in Iceland, we are hoping to make it for class tomorrow afternoon. Wish us luck!

Endo Shihan Seminar Recap

2010-04-19T13:34:00.001-07:00

3 Days in Toronto followed by another 3 in Montreal, for a total of 6 days training with Endo Shihan. The focus of the seminar was very much on feeling, timing, and connection. As always Endo Shihan was an awesome presence on the mat, training with almost everyone who was at the seminar. I got to watch, and take ukemi for a 1st kyu test in Toronto, which was quite an honor for me (Thanks Paul).

Many thanks to the Naka-Ima crew, as well as Karl and the Shoshin bunch for making this seminar possible. I'm already looking forward to the next time I get a chance to train with Endo Shihan. And of course, a big thank you to Dan for translating, and Endo himself for coming and sharing his Aikido and knowledge of Japanese culture with us.

Congratulations On Kyu Testing

2010-04-19T13:32:00.001-07:00

Pedro - 3rd Kyu
Noah - 2nd Kyu

Both were really nice tests!

Jean-Rene Leduc - Workshop

2010-01-12T20:29:00.000-08:00

We're hosting a one day workshop with Jean-Rene Leduc, 6th dan, tomorrow (Wed Jan. 13th 2010) at Shoshin.

$20.00 at the door, from 6pm - 8pm.

Should be a great time, Jene-Rene is lots of fun to train with!

In Memoriam - George Leonard Sensei 1923 - 2010

2010-01-06T20:14:00.000-08:00

From AikiWeb:

I have received a report that George Leonard sensei of Aikido of Tamalpais has passed away. Born in 1923, Leonard sensei was the author of aikido-related books such as "The Way of Aikido: Life Lessons from an American Sensei" and "Mastery" as well as many non-aikido books and articles. He held a fifth dan in aikido and taught at the Aikido of Tamalpais dojo in Marin County, CA. An interview with him may be found here. My condolences go out to his friends, family, students, and loved ones.

Interview with George Leonard Sensei

Gallery Updates

2009-09-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to John, our official dojo photographer for the great pics.

Jean-Rene Leduc, Seishiro Endo, and Christian Tissier seminar pictures are online here:

http://aikidomontreal.com/gallery

Enjoy!

Christian Tissier Shihan - Montreal - 2009

2009-08-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

Tissier Shihan will be back in Montreal this 5th and 6th of September. I'm really looking forward to it, should be lots of fun. See http://aikidomontreal.com/events for more details.

Naka Ima Aikikai - Toronto - Grand Opening Seminar

2009-07-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

A group of us are going out to Toronto to support Greg Angus sensei and his group as they open their new location. Matti Jonesuu, 6th dan and student of Endo Shihan is the featured instructor and it looks to be a fun filled aiki-tastic weekend. Looking forward to getting some good training in. More info here: Naka Ima Aikikai - News

Aikdio Montreal Gallery is back!

2009-07-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

It's been over a year, but I finally have the gallery back up and running on the dojo's website:

http://aikidomontreal.com/gallery It's not perfect, but for the time being, it will do. Pictures are quite dated, I'm working on getting some more recent ones online.

Dan in California 2005

2009-04-25T06:56:00.001-07:00

Another good video of Dan Messisco sensei. Lots of similarities to what we were working on at the Endo seminar.

Endo Shihan - Seminar Recap

2009-04-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

Yikes. Talk about beginner's mind. After 6 days of training with Endo Shihan, I feel like I've just had an aikido reboot. My body feels looser, my ukemi better, my feeling more pure. Last year Endo sensei asked us to think about what make a good uke. This year, his theme seemed to be "How do you train." And I really took a lot home from his messages. If you always train in a manner that is stiff and rigid, what are you training your body to be? Definitely not fast and supple. As usual, Endo shihan had very little trouble moving his own body, and trained with virtually everyone who was on the mat. If you didn't get a chance to grab onto him, it was not because he wasn't avaialble. By the end of the day, he was sweating just as much as the rest of us. I can't wait for my next opportunity to grab on to this amazing teacher.

Endo Shihan - Montreal - April 7 - 9 2009

2009-02-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is confirmed. Endo Shihan will be in Montreal April 7 - 9 of this year, just before his weekend seminar in Toronto. Details are on the website: http://aikidomontreal.com/events This is an excellent opportunity to get 6 days of continuous training with one of the foremost aikido instructors in the world. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Kisshomaru and the dirty funk!

2009-02-20T05:44:00.000-08:00

Some old school stylings from Kisshomaru as well. This is from 1975, short synopsis from IMDB:

"An action movie that illustrates the struggle of Morihei Ueshiba who was born in a farming family in Wakayama (an area in Japan) on his way of pursuing the heart of martial arts until he finally created his own well-polished martial arts Aikido in which he included the strengths of other martial arts such as old-style Judo, Kendo, and spearmanship. It was the first time that Shinichi Chibas younger brother Jiro tooks the leading role in a movie."

I think this clip is just the pre-title teaser... Anyway, nice randori. And the music... My god... The music... :-D I would love to see the full thing!

Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba 1935

2009-02-18T13:45:00.001-08:00

Wow. Awesome clip of Morihei Ueshiba, O'Sensei. Old school.

Back rolls...

2009-02-12T11:41:00.000-08:00

More back rolls... This looks like it would make iriminage easier to take, actually all sorts of back falls... Will have to explore...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogDN0ZghdQs

All this courtesy of Donovan Waite Sensei.

Pat

PS: Can somebody show how to put the video right on the post, and not as a link... Damn intarnets...

Jean-Rene Leduc Seminar Recap

2009-02-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

The seminar this weekend was quite a bit of fun. Jean-Rene sensei had us moving all over the mat, and I haven't had a weekend as tiring as this one in quite awhile. Lots of good connection practice, and looking for lines, lines, and more lines.

We had a great turn out of Shoshin Aikido members, a nice group from out of town, and a few people from other dojos in Montreal. It's always fun to train w/people you don't train with every day, and grab on to people who do things a little different than you.

Saturday night, was a potluck party at my + Erica's place, which involved a ton of food, plenty of drinks, and lots of interesting talk w/Jean-Rene sensei, Karl sensei, and the seminar participants.

Some of the suggestions I gleaned from the weekends training:

- Sometimes you need to practice until your body gives up, and you have to dig deep to continue. Practice by exhaustion leads to good ukemi, and relaxed technique.

- MOVEMOVEMOVE

- Open, and then enter...

- Use your legs, up-down... up-down.

Having Jean-Rene sensei out was a great way to start 2009, a year which promises to be full of aikido goodness here at Shoshin. See you on the mat.

Back Roll Practice

2009-01-27T09:27:00.001-08:00

A nice video on working on your back rolls, with various methods to try. It's always good to play w/this stuff.

Morihiro Saito Sensei 20 Jo Suburi

2009-01-20T23:13:00.001-08:00

We have quite a few people getting ready for 4th Kyu, and one of the requirements is the first 10 jo suburi. Here is a great reference video of all 20. You only have to know the first 10 for now, but it doesn't hurt to have a few extra in your head.

Aikido Shihan Robert Nadeau

2009-01-12T08:31:00.001-08:00

I found some video of Nadeau sensei talking about space, fields, reception, and other aiki-related topics. I've always been interested in what Nadeau sensei had to talk about, check it out.

Jean-Rene Leduc Seminar Jan 30 - Feb 1 2009

2009-01-12T08:02:00.000-08:00

Shoshin Aikido of Montreal is hosting Jean-Rene Leduc, for a weekend long seminar, from Jan 30 - Feb 1st of this year. Click on the image to download the flyer for pricing and time information. See you there!

Dan Messisco Videos on YouTube!

2009-01-09T09:28:00.001-08:00

Thanks to Karl Sensei for pointing this my way. This is awesome.

Aiki-boxing

2008-12-27T13:04:00.001-08:00

Dunno if you all have seen this before, but I thought it was quite interesting. While neither of the guys are "boxers", it's still nice to see them going at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QreuuPm24UI

Aikido KumiJo 1-6

2008-12-08T09:31:00.001-08:00

We've been doing a lot of Saito Sensei's Kumijo in weapons class lately, and I've definitely gotten a bit rusty on which is which. Youtube to the rescue w/this great clip of the first 6 kumijo.

31. Jo- Kata Aikido

2008-11-29T15:32:00.001-08:00

One more, slightly newer video.

Aikido - Morihiro Saito Kata Sanjuchi no Jo (31 Jo Kata)

2008-11-29T15:30:00.001-08:00

Here it is, the 31 Jo kata.

Free Practice

2008-11-26T11:12:00.000-08:00

Free practice is one of the best times to work on the kinks in your aikido. During general classes, you are expected to at least "appear" to be doing what the instructor demonstrated, but during free training, you can do whatever you want. Sunday class, or after classes during the week is a great time to play around w/your aikido. The following clip was taken after class at the dojo... Karl Sensei is recording, and Erica, Laurent, and myself are just playing with connection, and movement. While watching the video, I played it backwards for a bit and thought it looked really cool, so I reversed it and am including that version here as well. Enjoy.

Êtes-vous prêts pour un randori..?

2008-11-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

L'aïkido, utilisé comme moyen de défense, fonctionne très bien. Si c'est ce que l'on recherche dans notre pratique quotidienne. En y mettant beaucoup d'heures de pratique,en appliquant des principes enseignés, on pourrait être agréablement surpris de son efficacité. Resté calme...concentré...sont des atouts importants. Une attaque franche, et direct, venant de l'adversaire, on le sait, est très bénéfique à l'obtention d'une technique réussie. Dans le clip qui suit, nage est très calme, et nous démontre un autre principe important... pour bien se défendre, il faut aussi parfois attaquer...PIF! PAF! POW! ( ouch! )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5pa9g2iht4

On Teaching...

2008-11-22T15:40:00.000-08:00

Two posts by Jack Wada Sensei on "Teaching" in Aikido. I found them quite interesting:

http://jackwada.blogspot.com/2008/11/teaching.html

http://jackwada.blogspot.com/2008/11/more-teaching.html

Tsukai 24 lowering your feeling -- Seishiro Endo Shihan (Sabaki and Tsukai)

2008-11-20T12:09:00.001-08:00

An interesting connection exercise for nikkyo, by Endo Shihan.

The right stuff.

2008-11-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

This is a nice article suggested to me by a very wise man. It speaks of yoga, but... I think of aikido when I read it. Same thing.

http://www.beliefnet.com/Holistic-Living/Yoga/How-To-Yoga/The-Right-Stuff.aspx?p=1

Koryu Musings

2008-11-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Just came across Diane Skoss's blog: Koryu Musings
Diane is well known in the Japanese Martial Arts communities, and has several books on Koryu. Her website, koryu.com is also an excellent resource for Koryu related information.

She links to a very interesting article: You Walk Wrong which, as a martial artist, I find most informative.

being-in-movement

2008-10-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

An interesting website I came across in one of the podcasts I posted about yesterday. Lots of good mindbody stuff here. Being In Movement

The Way of Harmony Podcast

2008-10-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

Just came across this site w/lots of audio interviews of Aikido instructors from around the world.

http://usaikido.com/

Interview with Moro Sensei

2008-10-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

An interview with the founder of "Kinomichi" Noro Sensei, a long time student of Aikido under O Sensei.

English

Aikido Morihiro Saito Sensei

2008-10-13T20:34:00.001-07:00

Really nice video of Saito sensei demonstrating very nice basics. A great reference video.

Tissier Pictures up...

2008-10-05T20:47:00.001-07:00

Finally got around to uploading some of the pictures from the Tissier 2008 event. They are available at the Shoshin Aikido Website Gallery

Thanks to everyone who came out to support the event, and thanks to John for getting some great shots.

Christian Tissier Shihan Seminar recap

2008-09-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

Well, Christian Tissier has come and gone. Twelve hours of fairly intense training, plus 4 hours of moving mats from the dojo to the venue, and back made for some pretty tired deshis. It was a great weekend though, and hopefully Tissier sensei will come back again next year. It was definitely worth the work.

Some of the things that stuck in my head from last weekends seminar:
- What we learn in the dojo is a "code" which we use to train principles safely with each other.
- There is a large difference between practicing techniques, and application.
- Uke is not only looking for natural movement, but also a place of safety.
- When Tissier sensei says "Now I go fast" he's not kidding.

I was much less tentative when called up for ukemi this year, and actually got to pay attention to what was going on while I was being thrown instead of just thinking "oh shit, oh shit, oh shit." Lucky for me, Karl spent a week w/Tissier in Paris working on some of his aikido, and was able to share that w/his students when he got back, so I was a bit more prepared when taking ukemi.

Tissier sensei suggested that we not move so easily all of the time in our ukemi, as he says "You don't have to move for me, I can do it." He also suggested that our bodies should be like a spring, tense from the center out, w/out ever compromising the overall integrity of the body.

Several of the shoshin students made positive comments about the seminar, and all of our guests from other dojos seemed to enjoy themselves. There was a "happy hour" after class on Sunday. About 40 people showed up and spent time enjoying each others company. Our official photographer got about 300 shots of the event. It's my task now to go through those and pick a few for the website.

Now it's time to let the weekend's teaching settle into the body, and see how to bring some of Tissier's suggestions into our own practice.

5 hours, 6 people, 170 tatami.

2008-08-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Six of us met the truck this morning at 10am in front of the dojo. We carted down the 100 tatami we have (44 on the floor, 56 in storage) and loaded them on a truck w/70 other waiting tatami. We drove to the "College Notre Dame", struggled w/their administration trying to find someone who had keys and could let us into the building, and unloaded all the mats.

After a quick break for lunch, at a fantastic sandwich place (Boucherie Paris) we headed back to the gym to start laying out the space in preparation for tomorrow's event. It went fast, 6 of us carting tatami around like nobody's business. One hundred and seventy (seventy seven if you count the 7 extra tatami the rental place threw in free of charge) tatami inside a gymnasium. It's almost a full basketball court... not quite, but pretty damn close. Hopefully it will give everyone ample room to fall and throw over the course of the weekend.

Last year, we had one hundred and thirty shared between about 80 people. This year we are hoping for 100 people and hence, the extra mats. Seminars where there isn't much room to fall aren't as much fun as when there is ample space. We will see how it goes.

After laying everything out, all of us were pretty exhausted and joked that we might have to take the next few days of training off. "How was the seminar?" "I have no idea, but loading and prepping the mats sure was fun." Only 1/2 in jest. 3 hours, a hot shower, and a nap later and I'm feeling rested enough to take some serious ukemi in the morning. We will see how things go.

Rest up, see you in the morning.

Christian Tissier Shihan - Seminar Details

2008-05-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

More details on the Tissier seminar this year are up on the Shoshin Aikido Montreal - events page. Karl Sensei spent a week training at the "Easter Camp" in France w/Tissier sensei last month, and it's been nothing but fun at the dojo since he got back. Hopefully this year I'll get to take some more ukemi from Tissier sensei, and be less hesitant when he calls me up. That guy can throw like nobody's business. Wow. Anyway, this is an awesome opportunity for aikidoka all over the place, and there's a decent discount if you register early... so, hopefully I'll see you in Montreal this August.

Seminar Details:
30, 31 August 1st Sept
10:00 - 12:30 / 15:00 - 17:00 (Sat + Sun)
10:00 - 13:00 (Mon)
Registration Form

Seichiro Endo Shihan - Toronto Seminar - Recap

2008-04-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

I spent the last weekend at the Endo Shihan semianar in Toronto, Canada. The seminar was hosted by Naka Ima Aikikai. A group of us from Shoshin Aikdo Montreal drove out to Toronto and stayed at the dojo. Much thanks to Greg Angus Sensei, and the whole Naka Ima crew for showing us a great time, and organizing an excellent seminar.

The kernel of the weekend seemed to be the importance of good ukemi, as well as not competing with your partner while training. Endo Shihan also wanted us to listen to our bodies more, to pay attention to our own balance both while taking ukemi and while applying technique.

Over the course of our training, Endo Shihan gave us many pointers, both verbal and physical, as to what our roles as ukes, nages, and aikidoists should be. Some of the things he said, as I recall them:

Graded people have a responsibility to take good ukemi.
Beginners can't learn good ukemi unless the higher ranked people have good ukemi.
The best nages are also the best ukes, working on your ukemi, helps your nage waza.
There are more options in being soft and sensitive than in being hard and strong.

On the second day of training, Endo Shihan did something I hadn't seen any other instructor do at a seminar, he berated us for not wearing slippers (flip flops, shoes, etc) off the mat, and then told us by not doing that, we were effectively training on the bathroom floor. One other suggestion he made, concerning behaviour, was to be more mindful of our bowing, both during shomen rei, and while bowing to our partners. He commented that we tend to bow too quickly, not being aware enough of what is going on in our bodies, and with our breathing. Bow slowly, he suggested, and be in your body.

On a technical note, we did primarily exercises from grabs (mostly katate dori) with one notable exception, we spent some time working with yokomen uchi. During all of these interactions, Endo Shihan stressed natural movement, and the importance of being relaxed. He trained with almost all (if not all) of the seminar participants over the course of the weekend and so we were all able to grab on and take ukemi for him. I never saw him use any more force than you would excert to lift a glass to your mouth, regardless of the size or relative strength of his uke. He constantly stressed connecting with your partners "ki" as a critical element of aikido.

Overall the seminar was an incredibly positive experience for me, and I hope to attend again next year. Endo Shihan embodies what I feel is the "aiki spirit", and it was a pleasure to grab onto him, and learn what I could from a weekend seminar. Endo Shihan left us with a question: "What makes a good uke?" He asked us not to answer right away, but to spend a year, two years, three years even, thinking about it.

Seichiro Endo Sensei - April

2008-03-18T07:47:00.000-07:00

Endo Sensei will be in Toronto this April, more information here: http://www.nakaima.ca/news.html I've never trained with Endo Sensei, but from everything I've heard and seen, it is a seminar that should not be missed. I'm going to try my hardest to make it this year. Toronto is only a few hours away.

Here's a clip from youtube:

Shodan

2008-02-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

I'll be testing for Shodan on March 7th, 2008 at Aikido West in Redwood city. My teacher, Karl Grignon Sensei, was gracious enough to offer to have me test in front of his teacher Frank Doran Shihan, one of the pioneers of Aikido in North America. I am greatly honored by Karl Sensei's offer, and am looking forward to the test with a mix of nerves and excitement. I suppose I should be used to that by now, and I feel it's a good thing. A little nervousness has always played an important role in my preparations for a test. In any case, if you happen to be in Redwood City that weekend, it would be great to have you on the mat, training and having fun.

Also, lest we forget, shodan, or "first level", is the beginning.

Tres Hofmeister Sensei

2008-02-23T12:17:00.000-08:00

Tres Hofmeister Sensei will be back at Shoshin Aikido of Montreal March 14th, to 16th. Last year's seminar was a ton of fun, and this year promises more of the same.

Here's the flyer w/more information:

Tissier Shihan 2008

2008-02-21T22:54:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like Christian Tissier Shihan will be back in Montreal this year! Here is a clip from last years excellent event:

Watch the Shoshin Website for details.

Donny Taking Ukemi for Dan Sensei

2007-12-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

Dan Messisco Sensei and Karl Grignon Sensei

2007-12-04T11:49:00.000-08:00

Dan Messisco Sensei

2007-11-28T08:09:00.000-08:00

Dan Messisco Sensei is coming to Montreal. My dojo is hosting him for a 3 day seminar this coming weekend. I'm super excited to train and talk with Dan sensei. I've trained with him twice now, once in San Diego at a seminar, and once in Modesto where he teaches classes at Ken Nisson Sensei's dojo. If I am allowed to claim influences at this early stage of my training, then Dan sensei is at the top of that list.

The way he looks at ukemi, aikido, and life jive very nicely with what I am looking for in my training. I once heard him talk about ukemi being a full time job. It should take up 100% of your resources, so if you find yourself correcting your partner, or only seeing what they are doing wrong, you aren't doing your job. You should be focused on yourself, your posture, your attitude, your breathing. In an art where there is a disproportionate amount of focus on nage's side of the equation, hearing things like this is refreshing.

I'll be sure to post a review and some pictures from the weekend next week.

Taking Ukemi for Karl Sensei

2007-11-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

The Force is Strong with this one

2007-11-05T19:51:00.000-08:00

Christian Tissier Shihan

2007-10-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from the Tissier Seminar hosted by Shoshin Aikido of Montreal.

Pictures on the Shoshin Website

Pictures on the Zanshin Aikido Website

The seminar took place Sept. 1, 2, 3 of 2007 and was quite a treat. We rented out a gym, and me and several other Shoshin students (as well as a few guests) spent a few hours on friday getting the venue all ready to go.

It was great fun to get thrown by Tissier Shihan, and I think everyone who attended had a pretty good time.

Friendship Training

2007-10-19T17:08:00.000-07:00

Once or twice a year Karl Sensei from Shoshin Aikido Montreal, and Antonio Sensei from the Aikido program at Concordia University get together for a "Friendship Seminar". We've had students from Shoshin, Concordia, and McGill on the mat at these one day seminars. In any case, I came across 2 videos taken from the first one of these I attended, and figured I would post them here:

Antonio Sensei:

Karl Sensei:

My Favorite Technique

2007-10-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Inspired by Uchi-Deshi's post asking and answering the question: "What's your favorite technique?"

I find myself agreeing with Keo, in that techniques are just tools to teach us principles, though I think it's still acceptable to enjoy doing them, and to have a favorite. I also agree with Richard when he says he enjoys ukemi the best, because for me, connecting with my partner and exploring what they have to show me is just too much fun not to love.

If pressed, I would say that any technique that causes uke to look up afterwards with a big grin on her face, trying to wrap her head around what exactly just happened and why she is on the ground when just a second ago, she was standing up.

If pressed more, I might say that I really love the way it feels when someone who has excellent timing executes a sumi-otoshi when you aren't expecting it, or that technique where nage comes up from under your chin, like a ghost, and knocks you on your ass.

If pressed under torture, well, then I might concede that I really like (at the moment) shihonage. I've been playing with it a lot recently, and the more I play, the more interesting the technique becomes.

What I am trying to get at, is I don't really think I have a favorite technique. I just love Aikido, and whatever comes out when I'm doing it... well, that's my favorite technique.

Dojo Website News

2007-10-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to fixing the gallery for the Shoshin Website, both the french and the english versions:

English: http://aikidomontreal.com/gallery
French: http://aikidomontreal.com/galerie

Also uploaded a promo video that sensei made: http://aikidomontreal.com/video

The gallery is a bit of a hack, but it gets the job done, and makes the task of uploading new pictures constant time. A huge improvement. Eventually, I'll probably move to something a little less kludgy, but for now, it will do.

Here's the video if you don't feel like clicking through to the website:

Quick Recap

2007-10-08T11:43:00.000-07:00

What's been going on in my Aikido life in the past year?

I moved to Montreal, QC to help my friend Karl Grignon with his new Aikido Dojo. I took my 1st Kyu test back in January of 2007 at Sunset Cliffs, and I've been training as much as possible since getting to Montreal. It's been a pretty good year as far as Aikido goes. We have hosted Tres Hofmeister Sensei, Frank Doran Shihan, and Christian Tissier Shihan. Not bad for a dojo that is less than a year old.

It has been an interesting experience getting a dojo off the ground, and definitely an exercise in patience.

I'm hoping to get some thoughts down here over the coming months. We will see how it goes.