Biomechanics and Aikido

Beauty and Aikido ©

Reader Advisory: Beware as I am getting really scientific in this post :) 

A PE teacher with physics background made a great experiment

He has proven through an experiment that students who understand the mechanics of Aikido perform a lot better the various techniques. Also using aikido in teaching mechanics appeared to be a much more effective approach then the conventional ones. I really believe that learning through experimenting is really important. The principles from physics were learned easier though experimenting with aikido, but also your aikido can get better if you understand its mechanics. However you can only get better if you keep on trying and experimenting. And this is a really interesting path you can try out by reading about it or talking to friends who have a background in physics. You also need to keep open and eager to learn more and more. So I am offering you a new opportunity to learn more about aikido. Here you can find the entire article about the research:

http://aikidoforbeginners.blogspot.com/2011/09/teaching-aikido-using-biomechanics.html

If you read it, let me know about your feed-backs. Would be really interested what you think! Were you convinced or do you think it is just another of those weird experiments from which one has no gains?

Planning to Teach Aikido?

It could be also an interesting article for those who at some point want to teach aikido. I am sure that one can not only perform but also explain a technique much better if he or she fully understands how the technique works.

Aikidoka Stylist Strikes Back!

1st kyu aikidoka

Remember when I posted about how I had the hair of some girls done while we were on training camp? If not head to this article. Now I got a request from one of the sweetest sempais to help her prepare for a family dinner. I was more then happy to do so. I did her nails, hair and makeup in turbo speed, but I think it turned out really good. The makeup is a really natural daytime look. As I had to come up with something for her really quick I just did a look that I do on myself really often. Light foundation from La Roche-Posay. Eyebrows defined by NYX eyebrow powder. Brown smudged eyeliner with some eye-shadow on it to soak up the oiliness of the eyeliner pencil and brightening up the inner corner by a peachy shimmery color from my Dior Palette. Some mascara, just a tiny bit of blush (I used the one presented in this post) and Catrice lip tint.

I painted the nails in two tones, a deep red and a golden one. I am getting better in doing accurate work and not fooling around and being sloppy on the edges. I think this combo looks really awesome on her nails. I feel like I need to open up a small beauty shop RIGHT NOW! I love doing this so much.

Presenting Aikido Dojos - Aikido in Oberhausen and New Orleans

Beauty and Aikido ©

Hi Everyone!

I made a call to all people out there who would like to share stories about their dojos and about where and with what people they train. I have received already mails from to different dojos.

The fist is in Germany and it is called Aikido in Oberhausen. You can visit their website and their Facebook page to find out more about them:

http://www.aikido-in-oberhausen.de/

https://www.facebook.com/AikidoOberhausen

Another dojo that contacted me is from the USA, more exactly New Orleans and they also have this amazing video about their dojo. I find it really inspiring for any aikido practitioner.

Aikido of New Orleans -The martial art of power and movement from Aikido of New Orleans on Vimeo.

My invitation still stays open. If you are an aikido practitioner, have a story to share or want to tell us about your dojo, feel free to contact me! Any material is very much welcome. Looking forward to getting to know you!

Charleston Naturally - Skincare Review

- Sponsored post

Beauty and Aikido ©

I got some products sent over by Charleston Naturally and I tried them out for some month, so I am ready now to give you a review about them. All the products came in this nice little linen pouch:

Inside there were a number of nice products for me to test, peek-a-booo!

First one I tried out was the coconut butter cinnamon lip balm, it is yummilicious. It contains a few basic natural ingredients coconut oil, cocoa butter, organic beeswax, organic cardamon and cinnamon oils. I applied it for the first time in the office where I got the package and it just lit up my day. Tastes really natural, a lot more natural then the Japanese chocolate lip balm I purchased earlier from sasa.com. You can check that article here.

The next thing I tried out was the hand cream. I fist used it for the hands only. It is not too oily, very good consistency and gets absorbed in the skin really quickly. Then I checked the ingredients and realized I could sometimes use this as a night cream, like when I am travelling. It contains two basic ingredients: 

• Tamanu: restorative, healing, moisturizing
• Red Clover: soothing, nutritive, purifying

Other organic ingredients are: aloe gel, rose hip seed oil, cocoa butter, vitamin C, grapefruit, lavender and soybean oils, just to mention a few. It is also a vegan and gluten free product.

I was in the meanwhile using this eye cream too. I find it really soothing. I mainly use it in the evening, but sometime I applied it in the morning too under makeup. It absorbs quickly has a nice consistency and a really natural smell. I cannot talk about any regenerating effects as I don't really have any problems in my eye area yet.

Then as a wrap up, I would like to write a bit about the only decorative skincare item that I have received in the package. I was totally amazed by the ingredients and by the fact that these ingredients can give such a nice color (see picture on top of the post): fruit pigments of organic: blackberry, pomegranate, cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, rosehip oil. Then loads of organic butters: avocado, cocoa, flax seed and also Vitamin C. All the pigments, butters and oils are certified by Oregon Tilth Certification Organic. Here are some pictures of the blush: 

For more organic skincare products, please visit Charleston Naturally.

Aikido Communication Tip

- Guest post by Greet De Baets

Aikido Communication Tip 1 - What do you need in a conflict?

Love. Show love for humanity, for our universe: you will find the power to deal with conflicts. This love gives you a broader view and, hence, energy and confidence.

Love is an important value, even in aikido (a Japanese martial art). Ueshiba Morihei, the grandmaster of aikido, called aikido the martial art of love and not the martial art of violence. Love is the basis for peace and harmony. Only when the aikidoka's attitude is peaceful and nonviolent, the aikidoka can conquer and bring harmony to the situation.

This aikido wisdom is universal. Feel free to implement it in any conflict at the office, on the floor, at home, ...

__________

Aikido Communication Tip 2 - Are you sometimes surprised about what is important in other cultures?

Are you surprised about what is important to the English, the Americans, the Dutch, the Germans, the French, ... Does it match with your ideas? Or not? 

Accept what is important to others. Show them that you take them seriously. And tell them respectfully that you see things differently. 

Consider: to accept ≠ to agree

Imagine the opposite: people from another culture take you seriously when something is obvious to you. They accept you, your ideas and your behaviour, even if they do not agree with you. A lovely perspective, isn't it?

The tatami link for the aikidoka: we take everything our uke does seriously. We accept every attack ≠ we do not agree with it.

If you liked these thoughts, please also visit Greet's website:  Greettraining

How to Get a Cute Hairdo - With Bangs

In this video, my friend Bella is doing my hair. The before and after are striking. It is damn hard to tame my wild hair. But she managed to do it. As we are good friends, I was at her place. We chatted a lot and we are planning to organize an all girls day, with many ladies. I could do nails, and maybe a bit of makeup she could do hairs. But we still need to find the people who would be interested in that and live in our area. So if you are and you leave in Budapest, please leave me a note!

She also has a blog:

http://www.itsbellatime.blogspot.com/

You can check there loads of transformations and before and after photos. It is amazing how different one can look with a good haircut and some decent makeup. She also does hair extensions and all the such. So if you live in Budapest and want to get your hair done by her, just leave us a comment here or on her blog.

Kuribayashi Shihan Aikido Seminar March 2013

This was the first time that I participated at a big seminar with so many aikidoka attending. I loved the silence of the mokuso and the swift sound of the hakamas as we were doing the stretching and preparing for the techniques. There was a variety of styles and approaches that I could see. I had to adapt to each new person, take the fall, execute the technique, take the fall again, switch, listen, concentrate, understand... or at least try to better understand. It energized me a lot. Gave me new perspectives and a lot of motivation, too. I do want to get better. When you train with people who have been doing it for 10 or 15 years, you feel small, but you also feel motivated because you see that people can hang on and follow this path. I find that great. I also had the opportunity to be thrown once by Kuribayashi Sensei. He was concentrating for a few seconds when I took hold of him, I think he even closed his eyes, and then I flew in the air. There were many associations present from whole Hungary and also from abroad. However, the associations in Hungary need to be more united and there is still a lot of work to be done. I am hoping for a brighter future!