Mizu no Kokoro and Ikushinkan both had tests at the dojo last night, a first for us.  For Mizu no Kokoro we had three 7th Kyu tests in our parent/child class. Results:  Jeremy – PASS!  Elijah – PASS! and River – PASS!  Congratulations!  We’ll be posting some pictures soon.

And then Gargrave Sensei tested two Ikushinkan students for 1st Kyu (one level below Shodan, 1st degree black belt).  This was our first break-in of the dojo involving randori (‘seizing chaos’).  Randori is a high-level test involving multiple attackers in a ‘free-for-all’ attack, i.e. all at once.  It is a test of endurance and the ability to adapt and overcome, remain ‘calm’ and collected, and, importantly for our art, not just damaging the attackers, but using only enough force to negate their attacks; particularly important in ‘training’ because no one keeps training with you if you damage them!  Results:  Carlos – PASS!  Robert – PASS!  Congratulations!

And one other item.  Because Aikido is an art that requires an attacker (or more) to demonstrate, thanks to all the ukes (attackers – see here for a more complete definition), who ‘donated’ their bodies for the tests.  And particularly to those high-level Aikidoka who came in from other dojos to assist in the 1st Kyu tests!  Big thanks!