Birankai Aikido & Iaido: San Diego Aikikai Holiday Seminar 2018

San Diego Aikikai held its’ annual Holiday Seminar the weekend of December 7th – 9th. This year’s seminar held special significance as it marked the 10th Anniversary of Chiba Sensei’s retirement and Drake Sensei assuming the role of Chief Instructor.

We were honored to host Juba Nour Sensei of Baja Aikido once again and welcomed numerous visiting aikidoka from across the country to sunny Southern California.

The training was vigorous, with Nour Sensei focusing on basic techniques and conditioning of the lower body. Weapons classes focused on forms that maintained tension between uke and nage by changing the timing so as to not allow for robotic repetition. All of Nour Sensei’s classes challenged participants to stay present, refine the basics, and work their body to the best of their ability.

Classes on Saturday were followed by a Fukushidoin examination for San Diego Aikikai member, Ram Lichtman. Despite having trained all day at the seminar, the candidate and ukes brought strong energy to the test. Thanks to the examination committee (Coryl Crane, Dennis Belt, Damon Apodaca, Alex Peterson, and John Brinsley Senseis) for their quick and decisive deliberations so that we could change out of our wet gis and begin celebrating Ram’s examination results at the Holiday Party!

We are already looking forward to next year’s Holiday Seminar with Nour Sensei on December 6th-8th, so mark your calendars!

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