Yudansha Initiation
First, I don't have any FOs to post because, now that it's fall, I've stopped sewing and am back to knitting. This means that my output of finished items will be slow. Yes, I'm still working on this boring-to-knit thing.
Last evening at aikido, there was a fun, fun, fun (for everyone but the initiated) yudansha initiation. One of the members got his shodan, but apparently it's tradition at the dojo that before he is presented with his black belt, he must take uke four times from everyone. There must've been 40+ people there last night!
They started with the kids, then with the beginners, then with everyone else including the senseis, going from lowest ranked to highest. For the kids and beginners, he would ask in a whisper what kind of attack we wanted and some people were able to indicate it without being asked (by putting out a hand, pointing to their forehead or temple, etc). When they got to the higher belts, it was more interesting because nage would just wait for the attack without knowing what was going to come. When they got to the yudansha, there was a lot of atemi and it looked like a free-for-all. Some of the senseis showed mercy by doing gentle techiques like renzoku tenkan, but even so, once he went through all the members except the lead Sensei, he looked pretty wrung out. Then, the lead Sensei asked, "You're warmed up now?" and went at it.
Finally, when it was over (forty-five minutes later without a break), the lead Sensei asked the group, "Is he worthy of joining the yudansha?" Everyone cheered and applauded loudly, and the guy was presented with his black belt.
There's another guy who got his black belt as well, but he wasn't there last night. If he shows up on Thursday, maybe we'll get to wail on him too.
Last evening at aikido, there was a fun, fun, fun (for everyone but the initiated) yudansha initiation. One of the members got his shodan, but apparently it's tradition at the dojo that before he is presented with his black belt, he must take uke four times from everyone. There must've been 40+ people there last night!
They started with the kids, then with the beginners, then with everyone else including the senseis, going from lowest ranked to highest. For the kids and beginners, he would ask in a whisper what kind of attack we wanted and some people were able to indicate it without being asked (by putting out a hand, pointing to their forehead or temple, etc). When they got to the higher belts, it was more interesting because nage would just wait for the attack without knowing what was going to come. When they got to the yudansha, there was a lot of atemi and it looked like a free-for-all. Some of the senseis showed mercy by doing gentle techiques like renzoku tenkan, but even so, once he went through all the members except the lead Sensei, he looked pretty wrung out. Then, the lead Sensei asked, "You're warmed up now?" and went at it.
Finally, when it was over (forty-five minutes later without a break), the lead Sensei asked the group, "Is he worthy of joining the yudansha?" Everyone cheered and applauded loudly, and the guy was presented with his black belt.
There's another guy who got his black belt as well, but he wasn't there last night. If he shows up on Thursday, maybe we'll get to wail on him too.
posted by ax174 at
6:57 AM
