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Judo & Aikido High Performance Class

Judo Ireland’s policy of training with & learning from other sports took another leap forward on Sunday, 24th April 2005 with a combined Judo & Aikido Training session. Players travelled from all over Ireland to take part in this session.

Ray Butcher, 2nd Dan Black Belt, Dublin Aikikai Aikido, took the Aikido training in the session, assisted by John Toohey, 1st Dan & 1st Kyu’s Maeve Darcy & Mark Argue.

Ray explained the origins of Aikido, from the ancient Japanese Martial Arts of jujitsu & kendo. He then introduced the ‘Irimi Tenkan’ a basic Aikido movement which teaches students how to move from a defensive position into an offensive one giving them control of the situation.

He continued with defensive movements against wrist holds & shoulder holds, using the Irimi Tenkan to break your opponents control & balance, enabling you to throw to the front or rear.

Irish ex-Olympian Alonzo Henderson, 4th Dan, conducted the judo session, beginning with control exercises in Newaza (Groundwork). He showed several methods of turning your opponent over from defensive positions & continued into hold-downs.

Later he worked on balance in Tachiwaza, emphasising the importance of foot sweeps, particularly Harai tSurikomi Ashi. The session ended at 1pm.

The next High Performance Judo Class will take place in the same venue on Sunday, 08th May at 10.00 am.