April 13, 2007 Sensei Maria

Ugh! boy was I tight tonight. Sitting all day in a chair, really tears you apart.

1. Knifehand Strike
• Uke steps, knifehand to the face and pull back
• Keep your gaurd up!

2. Nikkyu from Lapel Grab
• Uke steps, knifehand to the face and step back
• Once stepped back, lead hand should be on uke's wrist
• Step in and drop weight
• Hook Elbow and roll Uke
• Pin

Step back and in. Step back and in. So simple.
When rolling uke, if they decide to be non-compliant, or for some reason don't understand that technically you just broke their wrist...a good kick to the ribs rolls them over!

3. Shihonage ( from same side wrist grab )
• Drop weight into uke, tai-sabaki behind shoulder
• Stretch uke's arm out, scootch ( jujitsu term ) under shoulder
• Pivot and position arm to shoulder blade, throw
• Pin

During the demonstration Sensei Maria showed that there are two ways to accomplish the same throw, one is the description above, the other is to turn the wrist like a lock. This one I prefer. Immediate pain. It also tends to remind me to do all the steps, and keeps uke ( myself included ) in check, in regards to throwing an extra strike, etc.

4. Nikkyu from Roundhouse
• Block and Strike ( knifehand ) while tenkan ( blending )
• As you bring your hand down, catch uke's wrist
• Bend knee to lock
• Hook Elbow and roll Uke
• Pin

5. Multiples
After doing multiples with Dixon I am reminded how important it is to give a truly committed technique and to stay light on my feet.

For me I find that by fighting the urge to "pull my punch" gives me clean ukemi. Even though I was thrown in ippon, and dixon came down on my head with a knee. It was uncomfortable, but a clean fall. Pain not injury...let's keep it that way.

6. Awareness
Walking back from dojo with Dixon and Youval we stopped at the subway for Youval. I noticed a blind man go to cross the street and I ran up to give him a hand. I came back to "good call" and regular rigamarole that guys like to do to each other, but I had know idea what would be in store the rest of the way home.

As I followed 6th avenue down. I pulled out my cell phone and called Emily and was talking away when I walked past a homeless person on the sidewalk. Immediately I knew something was wrong. The person was in a wheelchair and did not have legs, they were also slumped over...and more importantly sitting in the middle of the sidewalk. I got off the phone, and approached from behind and the side ( you never know! ) and said "Hello, Are you OK?" I received no response, I repeated myself louder, no response. People just kept walking by. I called 911 and an ambulance came very quickly. I kept talking to let the person know that help was on the way and that I was there, though I did not touch them, and could not see their face, or see them breathe. When the paramedics came, the person pretty much just fell out of the chair and after answering some questions and giving contact info I left. I'm pretty sure they were dead, or at the very least in serious trauma.

I walked home in a daze. In New York I know why people just keep walking. I do not blame them. We tune things out. It was just surreal.