Plano Aikido Center

Aikido of Denton will host Skip Chapman Sensei, 5th dan Shidoin, for a summer time seminar on June 26th and 27th.  The flyer should cover all details, but if you have any questions feel free to email this address or me personally at the email below my name.

Have a good one,
John Thompson
Dojo Cho, Aikido of Denton
magiccatfish@hotmail.com

Everyone that practices Aikido understands how it effects and enriches the rest of their lives. I have had the amazing opportunity to share how Aikido has helped me balance my self and my life in a CNN.COM/Living article. Tricia Escobedo of Peachtree Aikikai made it happen and Mary Fuller influenced my story with her writing expertise. I thank both of them sincerely. This articles was a group effort from three accomplished women, in Aikido and professionally. The report is an expression of our shared experience. Please enjoy it.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/15/bernath.martial.arts/index.html

In addition, in conjuction with Kidvision VPK TV in Florida, I have put together a televised field trip to Florida Aikikai demonstrating “The Educational Benefits of Aikido For Children.” This is a wonderful program I have been working on, and this link might help educate potential students at your dojo on why aikido is such a great martial art for kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzXt3-DYe_Q&feature=related

Thank You
Penny Bernath
Florida Aikikai
6th Dan
United States Aikido Federation

Please pardon our mess. This section of our site is currently be redesigned.

Since our dojo is moving to a new location on Monday, March 1, 2010 (as seen in previous post), we needed to build a new practice floor.  Some of our senior members researched affordable but good floors, and found the following web pages describing Judo floors. After contacting these folks to confirm that they were happy with their floor, this is what we decided on. This will be the new martial arts floor at EC Athletics.

http://judoinfo.com/tatami.htm

http://www.judocalendar.com/denverdojo/Floorsystem.htm

The floor consists of 2 layers of plywood sheeting, sitting on a network of foam cubes. The cubes provide some “give” without being bouncy like springs, and of the course the plywood itself  will give a bit too. The attached video shows us having a good time putting the floor together over the weekend of 2/20 – 2/21, 2010. We had just finished practice and testing at the old facility, so of course we needed some pizza before we got started. You can see the number of people working on our floor. With that amount of help, I would say it took about 3 hours on Saturday to mark the bottom panels and glue the blocks on them, and 2 or 3 hours on Sunday to assemble the whole thing.

So it didn’t take very long, but preparation was the key. We had cut the foam blocks the week before, had the wood and other supplies at the new facilities when we got there, and Sensei had prepared a template to use for marking the wood for cube glueing.

All that is left is to put the padded layer on top of the plywood floor, and finish out the edges — put something around the sides. More pics and video as the floor is finished.

Please Note: Plano Aikido Center will be changing locations on Monday,  March 1, 2010. Our new location will be at 1601 Plano Parkway, at EC Athletics. Please join us at our new facility.

Here are the graphics for our tshirt, by Shiba Sensei. The shirts are available in navy blue and white. $15 each, to benefit the dojo’s fund. Click graphic to see the full, full-sized version.

Patch design from front of Plano Aikido Center tshirt.

Plano Aikido Center tshirt - back graphic

Here is Sensei’s drawing of the 14 strike Jo kata we practiced last week, for us to refer to when practicing. You may click the image to see a larger version, or you may click here to download the full-sized PDF file.

Jo Kata (14 Strikes) by Shiba Sensei

Kagami Biraki – Jan. 15-17, 2010 – Aikido of Dallas
Yamada sensei

Tentative Class Schedule
Friday PM:          6:30 -   8:00
Saturday  AM:  10:00 – 11:00     11:15 – 12:15
Saturday  PM:     2:00 -   3:15       3:30 -   4:40
Sunday AM:        9:30 – 10:30     10:45  -11:45

Saturday evening: 7:30 — pot luck dinner at the dojo.

PAC Members,

I’m planning to have next kyu test by the end of Nov 2009 time frame.

Note that there will be a slight change for the beginners.
A 6th kyu test will be introduced for aikidoist that have recently joined the dojo.
The minimum time requirement for this test is 20 days of training.
See the attached document for 6th Kyu test requirements.

What will be different in this test only is that beginners that (will) meet the minimum time requirement of 40 days will be eligible for 5 Kyu test.

Starting Jan 2010, all beginners will be required to go through 6th Kyu test.

There is no 6th Kyu test fee but 2009 USAF annual fee of $30 will be applicable.

There is a $30 fee 5th Kyu test + 2009 USAF annual fee ($30).

Note that all members with an USAF Kyu (including who passed the test in Nov 09) will need to pay 2010 USAF annual fee no later than Feb 2010.

Let me know if you feel that you are (will be) ready for your kyu test and (will) meet the minimum time requirement.

We will go through a dry run sometime before the test and provide you valuable feed back, if any needed.

So start working your techniques and specially the names, as it seems to be always where we struggle the most.

Note that Saturday morning from 9:00-10:00am we have an open mat practice where there is always an instructor and sempais that can help to fill some gaps.

Don’t hesitate to ask instructors and sempais for help.

See you all on the mats.

Kind regards,

Sidney

 

Here is the information that Shiba sensei sent out regarding training weapons. I’m posting it here to have it archived — Bob

Some of you wanted to buy bokken, jo and tanto but needed some help in the specifications.
Here are the specification for the wooden weapons:

bokken: LOA 40 1/4 inches, sori 3/4 inches
(e.g., http://www.bugei.com/product_1076.htm)

jo: LOA 50 1/4inches, 15/16 inches diameter
(e.g.,http://www.bugei.com/product_1040_detailed.htm)

tanto: LOA 11.5 inches
(e.g., http://www.bugei.com/product_1081.htm)

Best woods are white oak and appalachian hickory but red oak wood is good for beginners.