Starting next month, Chicago Aikido Club (CAC) invites all newcomers to try out the martial art of aikido the first Monday class of every month.
The class is absolutely free. No experience or uniform necessary. Just be sure to wear clothes in which you can move freely, and bring flip flops and an open attitude.
First Mondays Intro Class will begin on Monday, August 3, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm.
After an incredible week of events that saw the upholding of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the legalization of same-sex marriage and reflection on the notorious legacy of the Confederate flag, I thought I'd kick off my 42nd celebrations early (actual date: June 30) with a round of birthday breakfalls at the end of class with the Chicago Aikido Club on Friday the 26th.
My fellow aikidoka in attendance that night (Marlon Fadragas, Cyril Oseledets, Joe Takehara, Hai Tran, Nguyen Tran and Andrew Vitale) kindly obliged to toss me about the mat.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Age is All in the Mind
Getting tossed around by Joe Takehara
I've posted before about Joe Takehara, one of the fine aikido instructors I've gotten to know over the years, and my principal teacher for the last three or four at Chicago Aikido Club.
Takehara Sensei is 84 years old, lived through the wartime internment, boxed and was a competitive gymnast in his youth, married and raised three kids, is a retired dentist and had ankle replacement surgery two years ago.
You'd think after all that he'd just be slowing down, taking things easy and enjoying his retirement years. Instead, here he is tossing me around like a rag doll during a recent demo held at Tohkon Judo Academy as part of their New Year's festivities.
It may be hard to believe, but none of the moves you see above were pre-planned. And the apparent power is very real. My dojo has been performing a demo at Tohkon for New Year's three years in a row now, but this is the first time ever that Takehara Sensei participated.
Although the rest of us mapped out what we were going to do, we left a wide open slot for Takehara Sensei to do whatever he wanted. And if it looks like I'm surprised in the video, it's because I was. I had never seen or experienced him moving so fast or pulling such moves during regular class.
I'm very much a child of my time and generation. And I'm embarrassed to admit that as such I'm prone to easily feeling defeated or disappointed by petty setbacks as are much of my ilk. So, it's inspiring to be reminded of what someone is capable of when they simply do not stop trying, working or doing what they like to do with a full heart and spirit.
Oh, and by the way, Takehara Sensei was also pretty awesome at showing the rest of us up with his form and power when doing mochitsuki, the traditional making of rice cakes (mochi) for the New Year.
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