March 2003 Taigi Seminar Notes

The following notes are by Jill Nielsen, off the ki-info mailing list.

March 21-23 2003 Taigi Seminar

Koichi Kashiwaya Sensei Instructing

The "US Taigi Open Training Seminar" was held following the instructors intensive. It was held at the Kankoukan dojo in Lawrence, Kansas and at Kansas University on March 21-23 2003.

Other Chief Instructor Senseis attending:
Russ Smith Sensei (Rocky Mountain Ki Society)
Ken Ota Sensei (Santa Barbara Ki Society)
Vic Montogmery Sensei (Midland Ki Society)
Andrew Tsubaki Sensei (Kansas Ki Society Kankoukan Dojo)
Mark Rupert Sensei (St. Louis Ki Society)
Steve Wolfe Sensei (VKS, Merrifield) Chuck Auster (Chief Instructor, VKS)
Pietro Yuji Maida (CI, Northern California Ki Society)
Clarence Chinn Sensei (CI, Southern California Ki Society)
Chris Curtis Sensei (CI, Hawaii Ki Federation)

Tips for Group Taigi

Connect and walk in unison without looking at each other, stop in unison, turn, bow and start. First pair start right away, other two pairs back up and sit inside arena area. On last throw of first taigi, next pair get up on toes ready to start and stand as last throw is finished. Completed pair back up and sit. Once done, go back to original spot without looking down, sit, bow, turn and walk out in unison. This year the lineup of taigas for this are: 7, 19 and 20.

We practiced walking on and off many times, and didn't really get it right but got close by the end of the practice.

Tips and ideas for ORE (which we will start to practice a lot more at Kitchener dojo now)

  • Do not make any extra movements
  • Tidy up your foot position, pull in close when turning to side
  • Drop one point first
  • Stay relaxed and move naturally
  • Pick up your knees in nikkyo and koteoroshi
  • Don't bounce, come to seishi (half half half)

    Beat is set by "the music" I finally got to hear that famous music. (new version) It reminds me of elevator music with a bit of anime added. Using my metronome with the video I had of all of us doing ORE, it is slightly faster than 51 bpm, slightly slower than 52 bpm (metric minutes that is, 'cause I'm back in Canada now!) :^}

    Tips about ukemi and nage for the techniques that we worked on

  • Connect with ki before starting physical technique
  • Don't collide, and let uke finish movement.
  • Bring to one point
  • Nage don't aim for a target when "grabbing" or dropping but start naturally at shoulder and slide to target (be it elbow or wrist)
  • Move like you are doing ORE or hitori waza- don't worry about uke
  • Look where your ki direction is, not at uke
  • Throw should be done before it is started.
  • KISS (keep it simple, silly!)
  • Be big, but don't sound big (thanks, Tsubaki Sensei)
  • Connect with partner before and after each technique
  • Use all available space, nage try to stay near the middle, and keep proper maai.
  • Don't stop extending ki until you walk out of the arena area. (It ain't over 'til it's over.)
  • End each technique with seishi (catch the Kodak moment as Bickford Sensei has always said)
  • Keep the slack out, entice uke, don't force him, and don't run away from him.
  • Keep your body parts organized (if ya know what I mean- it's a difficult one for me sometimes)
  • Take your glasses off (thanks to Kashiwaya Sensei for saving my flying lens!! I'm pretty blind with my glasses on, let alone with no lenses in them) (just call me Poindexter)

    Tttttthat's all folks!

    Jill.

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